A magnetic recording medium, comprising a nonmagnetic substrate on the surface of which is deposited a magnetic layer. In one embodiment, the magnetic layer is formed of two thin films of magnetic metal and a layer of nonmagnetic material sandwiched therebetween, the layer of nonmagnetic material having a thickness no greater than 20% of the thickness of the magnetic layer, with the magnetic layer having an energy product of at least 100 gauss.multidot.cm.multidot.Oe as the product of its residual magnetic flux density, thickness and coercive force, and a surface roughness no greater than 0.003 .mu.m in center line average height. In another embodiment, the magnetic layer, which may be a single layer of magnetic metal film or may be of the aforementioned multiple layer construction, is vacuum deposited onto the substrate at an incident angle in the range of 30.degree. to 70.degree..

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a magnetic recording medium and, more particularly, to such a medium that provides improved characteristics ideally suited to record digital video signals.
2. Related Applications
U.S. Ser. No. 07/784,751, filed Oct. 30, 1991 and assigned to the Assignee of the present invention.
Description of the Prior Art
D1 format component type digital VTRs and D2 format composite type digital VTRs have been developed for use by broadcasting stations to digitize color video signals and to record the digitized signals on a recording medium, such as a magnetic tape.
In the D1 format digital VTR, a luminance signal (Y) and first and second color difference signals (U and V) are converted by analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion using sampling frequencies of 13.5 MHz and 6.75 MHz, respectively, to digitize the luminance signal and to digitize each of the color difference signals. Thereafter, the signals are suitably processed and then recorded on a magnetic tape. Since the ratio of sampling frequencies of the signal components is 4:2:2, this system is usually referred to as the 4:2:2 system.
On the other hand, in the D2 format video digital VTR, a composite video signal is sampled with a signal having a frequency 4 times higher than the frequency fsc of the usual color subcarrier signal and then A/D converted. Thereafter, the resultant signal is suitably processed and then recorded on a magnetic tape.
Since these known D1 and D2 format digital VTRs are designed for professional use, for example, in broadcasting stations, the attainment of high picture quality is given top priority in the design and construction of such VTRs, and the weight and size of the apparatus are not overly important.
In these known digital VTRs, the digital color video signal, which results from each sample being digitized into, for example, 8 bits, is recorded without being substantially compressed. As an example, when the known D1 format digital VTR A/D converts each sample into 8 bits with the frequencies noted above, the data rate representing the color video signal is 13.5 MHz.times.8+6.75 MHz.times.8+6.75 MHz.times.8 or approximately 216 Mbps (megabits per second). If the horizontal and vertical blanking intervals are ignored, the number of effective picture elements of the luminance signal per horizontal interval and the number of effective picture elements of each color difference signal per horizontal interval become 720 and 360, respectively. In the NTSC system, which has 525 lines per frame and 60 fields per second, the number of effective scanning lines for each field is 250, and the data bit rate Dv can be expressed as follows:
Dv=(720+360+360).times.8.times.250.times.60=172.8 Mbps
In the PAL system, since the number of effective scanning lines for each field is 300 and the number of fields per second is 50, it is clear that the data bit rate is the same as that in the NTSC system. If redundant data necessary for error correction and if formatting are considered, the total bit rate of picture data becomes approximately 205.8 Mbps.
Further, the amount of audio data Da to be transmitted with the digitized video signals is approximately 12.8 Mbps, while the amount of additional data Do, such as, data representing a gap, a preamble, and a postamble used in editing, is approximately 6.6 Mbps. Thus, the overall bit rate of information data to be recorded can be expressed by the following equation : EQU Dt=Dv+Da+Do EQU Dt=172.8+12.8+6.6=192.2 Mbps.
To record this amount of information data, the known D1 format digital VTR employs a segment system having a track pattern comprised of 10 tracks for each field in the NTSC system, or comprised of 12 tracks for each field in the PAL system.
In the known D1 format digital VTRs, a recording tape with a width of 19 mm is used. Typically, there are two types of recording tapes having thicknesses of 13 .mu.m. and 16 .mu.m, respectively. To house these tapes, three different sizes of cassettes are used, which are respectively characterized as being large, middle and small. The information data is recorded on such tapes in the above mentioned format with the tape area for each bit of data being approximately 20.4 .mu.m.sup.2 /bit, which corresponds to a recording density of 1/20.4 bit/.mu.m.sup.2. If the recording density is increased, an error tends to take place in the playback output data due to interference between codes or non-linearity of the electromagnetic conversion system of the head and tape. Heretofore, even if error correction encoding has been performed, the above given value of the recording density has been the limit therefor.
By putting all the above described parameters together, the playback times for the cassettes of various sizes and the two tape thicknesses, when employed in the digital VTR in the D1 format, can be tabulated as follows:
______________________________________ Size/tape thickness 13.mu.m 16.mu.m ______________________________________ Small 13 minutes 11 minutes Middle 42 minutes 34 minutes Large 94 minutes 76 minutes ______________________________________
Although the described D1 format digital VTR provides satisfactorily high picture quality for use in broadcasting stations, even if a large cassette housing a tape with a thickness of 13 .mu.m is used, the playback time is at most 1.5 hours. Such a VTR is not adequate for consumer or home use in which a playback time at least sufficient for the recording of a telecast movie is required. VTRs intended for consumer or home use with adequate recording/playback time include the .beta. system, the VHS system and the 8-mm system, each of which records and reproduces analog video signals. Although the picture quality of these analog VTRs has been improved to the point where quality is satisfactory when a video signal is simply recorded and then reproduced for viewing, the quality o the picture is significantly degraded when the recorded signal is dubbed and/or copied. Thus, when the recorded signal is dubbed several times, the picture quality will become unacceptable to viewers.
If signals of wavelengths as short as 0.5 .mu.m are recorded in tracks having a width of 5 .mu.m so as to reduce the recording area to 1.25 .mu.m.sup.2 per bit, that is, a recording density of 0.8 bit per .mu.m.sup.2, and if the recording operation includes data compression which adequately compresses the recording data without resulting in substantial distortion of the reproduced signals, then long-timed digital recording and reproducing of video signals may be possible even with magnetic tapes having a width of 8 mm or less and a length that can be readily contained in a cassette of a size not substantially larger than the cassette used with the analog 8-mm system.
However, attempts to decrease the recorded bit area to about 1.25 .mu.m.sup.2 per bit have resulted in unacceptably high bit error rates upon playback.


A communication isolation system is provided that may employ error correction techniques for the data communicated across an isolation barrier used for connecting electronic circuitry to a communication line. In one embodiment, each data bit to be transmitted to or from the phone line may be transmitted three times across an isolation barrier so that it is possible to withstand a single electronic fast transient event. In another embodiment, the isolation barrier may be a capacitive isolation barrier. In another embodiment, the three transmissions of the data bit may be received across the isolation barrier and delay elements utilized to provide the data bits to a logic circuit in a synchronized fashion so that the three data bits may be compared to determine the error corrected data.

Electrical isolation barriers can be identified in many industrial, medical and communication applications where it is necessary to electrically isolate one section of electronic circuitry from another electronic section. In this context isolation exists between two sections of electronic circuitry if a large magnitude voltage source, typically on the order of one thousand volts or more, connected between any two circuit nodes separated by the barrier causes less than a minimal amount of current flow, typically on the order of ten milliamperes or less, through the voltage source. An electrical isolation barrier must exist, for example, in communication circuitry which connects directly to the standard two-wire public switched telephone network and that is powered through a standard residential wall outlet. Specifically, in order to achieve regulatory compliance with Federal Communications Commission Part 68, which governs electrical connections to the telephone network in order to prevent network harm, an isolation barrier capable of withstanding 1000 volts rms at 60 Hz with no more than 10 milliamps current flow, must exist between circuitry directly connected to the two wire telephone network and circuitry directly connected to the residential wall outlet.
In one particular example, Direct Access Arrangement (DAA) circuitry may be used to terminate the telephone connections at a phone line user's end to provide a communication path for signals to and from the phone lines. DAA circuitry includes the necessary circuitry to terminate the telephone connections at the user's end and may include, for example, an isolation barrier, DC termination circuitry, AC termination circuitry, ring detection circuitry, and processing circuitry that provides a communication path for signals to and from the phone lines. It is also desirable that the DAA circuitry act as an isolation barrier to meet the requirements of FCC regulations, Part 68. Examples of DAA circuitry known in the art may be found described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,198,816, U.S. Pat. No. 6,298,133, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,385,235, the disclosure of each being incorporated herein by reference. The DAA circuitry may utilize capacitors, transformers, opto-couplers, or a combination thereof for the isolation elements that provide the necessary phone line isolation.
In applications such as DAA circuitry there exists an analog or continuous time varying signal on one side of the isolation barrier, and the information contained in that signal must be communicated across the isolation barrier. For example, common telephone network modulator/demodulator, or modem, circuitry powered by a residential wall outlet must typically transfer an analog signal with bandwidth of approximately 4 kilohertz across an isolation barrier for transmission over the two-wire, public switched telephone network. It is usually desirable that the isolation method and associated circuitry provide this communication reliably and inexpensively. In this context, to achieve reliable transfer of information across the isolation barrier it is typically desirable that the following conditions apply: the isolating elements themselves do not significantly distort the signal information, the communication is substantially insensitive to or undisturbed by voltage signals and impedances that exist between the isolated circuitry sections and, finally, the communication is substantially insensitive to or undisturbed by noise sources in physical proximity to the isolating elements.
For example, single bit errors may result when common mode transients, also called electronic fast transients (EFTs), are present during transmission of information across the isolation elements of the isolation barrier. Typically, the information bits transmitted across the isolation barrier may include data bits, control bits and framing bits as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,408,038 that describes a system for transmitting information across a capacitive barrier, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Bits errors involving control bits may often be most troublesome as improperly interpreted control signals may change major system functions such as, for example, setting the system in the off-hook or on-hook state. One technique for alleviating the effects of EFTs is to transmit every control bit multiple times over a period of time. Thus, in one prior art example a control bit must be the same four times in a row before it takes effect. Since a control bit may be sent roughly every 64 usec., a single EFT (which is on the order of about 1 usec.) cannot corrupt more than one instance of the control bit.
Data bits may be provided at significantly higher rates, such as for example, 488 nsec/bit. Thus, a single EFT event can impact multiple data bits. Though individual data bits may not be as critical as control bits for system operations, the throughput of a modem may be reduced due to data bit errors. For example, EFTs during a modem connection may result in decreased modem throughput.
Thus, it would be desirable to implement a DAA circuit that has a cost effective and efficient solution to EFTs and other error sources that may impact data bits.

Error correction of data across an isolation barrier


A method of operating an engine having at least one cylinder, said cylinder including at least one electric valve actuator, said actuator including at least a coil and an armature moveable thereto, the method comprising during a non-firing state of the cylinder: holding the armature of the actuator at a first position away from an equilibrium position by supplying a first amount of current to a first coil of the actuator; and reducing current supplied to the first coil from said first amount to a lower second amount to cause the armature to begin moving toward the equilibrium position; and during a subsequent firing state of the cylinder, varying an amount of holding current supplied to the first coil for holding the armature away from the equilibrium position based on at least said second amount of current.

Some internal combustion engines are equipped with electric valve actuators that can be operated to vary the position of an intake or exhaust valve of an engine cylinder. Some electric valve actuators may include a spring that biases the valve at a particular equilibrium position. In order to move the valve relative to the equilibrium position, a current may be supplied to a magnetic coil of the actuator. In some conditions, a minimum or base level of current may be applied to the actuator to hold the valve in a particular position away from the equilibrium position. However, identifying the base level of current for a valve may be difficult due to variations in valve construction and/or changing operating conditions of the valve. Likewise, individually testing each actuator before installation may be impractical or costly.
In one approach, a common level of current for some or all of the electric valves of a set may be identified by determining the highest base current or upper limit of the tolerance of all of the electric valve actuators of the set. The common level of current may then include at least the highest base holding current of the set and may include an additional amount of current to provide robust operation.
However, the inventors herein have recognized that some issues may exist with the above approach. Specifically, a common holding current delivered to two or more valve actuators may result in a higher level of current than is necessary for some of the actuators to maintain a particular holding position. This additional current supplied to the actuators may serve to increase the power consumed by the electric valve actuation system, during some engine conditions. Further, differences between the base level of current for holding the valve actuator and the assigned common level of current may cause variations from actuator to actuator in the time delay between a valve command and physical movement of the valves. These variations in response time may, in at least some cases, degrade engine performance or efficiency.
In a first approach, as described herein, the above issues may be addressed by A method of operating an engine having at least one cylinder, said cylinder including at least one electric valve actuator, said actuator including at least a coil and an armature moveable thereto, the method comprising: during a non-firing state of the cylinder:
holding the armature of the actuator at a first position away from an equilibrium position by supplying a first amount of current to a first coil of the actuator; and reducing current supplied to the first coil from said first amount to a lower second amount to cause the armature to begin moving toward the equilibrium position; and during a subsequent firing state of the cylinder, varying an amount of holding current supplied to the first coil for holding the armature away from the equilibrium position based on at least said second amount of current.
In this way, a valve actuator may be operated at or near its particular base holding current in response to a condition of the particular actuator that is identified before combustion is initiated in the engine or cylinder thereof. Thus, degradation of engine performance and/or efficiency may be reduced.
Note, that this approach may be applied independently to each coil of the actuator to identify a different holding current for the open position and closed position of the valve. Further, the above approach may be applied over successive cylinder shut-downs while other cylinders are operating such as with a variable displacement engine or during an engine shut-down such with a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) utilizing period engine shut-off to conserve energy. In this manner, the holding current of the valve actuator may be updated as operating conditions of the actuator change with time, due to temperature, aging, etc.
Further still, the above approach may be used together or independently with other approaches described herein to further reduce power consumption of the electric valve actuation system and/or to reduce delay variance between valves. Still other approaches described herein may be used to provide a sufficient holding current while reducing delay variations among valves and increasing efficiency of the valve actuation system.


A brake monitoring system for use on a motor vehicle includes a sensor connected to each brake actuator shaft on the motor vehicle for monitoring the position and travel of the brake actuator shaft and for generating and transmitting a brake condition signal; a data processor carried in an axle box associated with each axle and connected to sensors associated with brakes for the axle for receiving, interpreting, storing, and upon request, transmitting the brake condition signal, wherein each data processor includes an auto-address mechanism to identify its position on the vehicle; and a master station, wherein said master station includes a display for identifying a particular vehicle brake, a quantitative indication of the travel on the brake actuator shaft associated with the particular brake, and wherein said visual indicating devices include plural indicia which are indicative of said safety condition of a particular brake.

Although the primary intended use of this invention is on large trucks and tractor-trailer combinations, it should be appreciated that the invention is also suitable for use on all vehicles which have independent brakes for each wheel, such as vehicles which generally incorporate an air-brake system. These brakes must be properly adjusted in order properly to function. Various standards have been set by state governments and the Federal Department of Transportation (DOT) to insure that brakes are properly adjusted and are therefore operable to stop these heavy vehicles when the need arises.
One standard that has been set by the DOT is a requirement that the travel of an actuator rod, which extends from a brake air cylinder to an activation arm on the brake mechanism, have a travel distance of two inches or less. A brake is deemed to be out of adjustment if the activation arm travel is two or more inches. Travel distances between 1.75 inches and two inches are considered to be marginally safe, although a travel distance of less than 1.75″ is preferable.
Newer vehicles have self-adjusting brakes. It is estimated that, at this time, approximately fifty percent of the vehicles on the road have such self adjustors. Even with the self-adjusting brakes, the slack adjustors, as they are known in the trade, will sometimes fail to operate or will become inoperative as a result of the build up of petrochemical products, dirt or ice in the slack adjustment mechanism, which allows brakes to be out of adjustment. Older vehicles do not have any self-adjustment mechanism. Regardless of whether the vehicle is equipped with slack adjustors or not, it is a requirement that the driver physically inspect the brakes on the tractor and trailer(s) to insure that they are properly adjusted and are properly operating. As might be expected, this task is not always performed, particularly in inclement weather conditions. If, however, a brake is determined to be out of adjustment, it may be quickly adjusted by the truck operator, with a minimal expenditure of energy and with the use of a few hand tools.
Vehicle brakes are inspected at check points, such as the familiar weigh stations which are found along highways. As in the case of the driver, an inspector must generally crawl under the truck to inspect the travel of the actuator arms to insure that they are in compliance with federal and state regulations. Such inspection must be done for each brake on the vehicle, which generally requires that the driver remain in the truck and operate the brakes while the inspector visually checks each brake mechanism.
A number of monitoring devices have been provided for use on trucks. Some of these monitor air pressure to determine if the brakes are operating safely, others provide a warning only after the brake travel has exceeded legal limits, while still others provide a purely visual indication which still requires the operator to visual check every brake on the truck.
There have been a few attempts to build and market such systems in the industry, however, all known systems suffer from one or more serious defects. Some require extensive and expensive modifications to the vehicle and brake system, others are difficult or inconvenient to use, and still others are not readily adaptable to the wide variety of axle configurations found on modern trucks.
What is needed then is a automatic brake-travel monitoring system that is simple and reliable, easy for the operator to use, is inexpensive to install and maintain, and is readily adaptable to various axle configurations.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,285,190 for Automatic slack adjuster with operation and adjustment monitor, to Humphries, et al., granted Feb. 8, 1994, disclosed an automatic slack adjustor which incorporates a monitoring system alerting the vehicle operator that a brake somewhere on the vehicle is not operating properly, or is out of adjustment, but does not provide any mechanism for identifying the specific brake that is out of adjustment, nor does the system identify any quantitative information about a particular brake.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,554 for Electronic brake monitoring system and method, to Herman, granted Jun. 26, 1990, provides a monitoring system which incorporates a push rod oscillator-type sensor to provide an analog output which is related to the push rod extension distance, which output is used along with pressure in the brake system to determine whether or not a brake is operating properly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,991 for Brake maintenances monitor to Miller, granted Jan. 31, 1989, discloses a system which utilizes a mechanical flag to provide an indication that the brake actuator arm has exceeded its safe distance. Additionally, an electronic warning device is provided which will momentarily provide a warning light on the dashboard of the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,296 for Brake monitoring system, to Webberley, granted Jul. 18, 1995, discloses a system which provides a readout to an operator of a motor vehicle.

Brake monitoring system for heavy vehicles


A system, method, and a computer program product for dynamically generating rules for XSL transformations by operating on an XML/XSL DOM representing a tree structure of an XML document in memory. User generated properties are received and transformed into XML/XSL nodes in memory. XML/XSL DOM is modified with the transformed XML/XSL nodes containing XSL rules of transformation with a variable dynamically generated by the user. The modified XML/XSL DOM is processed to generate a document in a specified format. Newly generated dynamic XSL rules override imported rules in the XML/XSL DOM.

1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to extensible markup language (XML) and extensible stylesheet language transformations (XSLT), and more specifically to a method and system for dynamically generating rules for XML transformations.
2. Background of the Invention
Extensible Markup Language (XML) describes a class of data objects called XML documents. XML documents can be read and manipulated using an XML Document Object Model (DOM), which represents a tree view of the XML document in memory. Unlike Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) in which the meaning of pre-defined tags is well understood by a browser, XML has no standard way of displaying XML documents. Extended Stylesheets Language (XSL) is a mechanism describing the rules by which an XML document can be transformed into another markup language like HTML and eventually be displayed by a browser.
An XSL document allows an XML web designer to include other XSL files. Typically, the web designer can create only a limited number of XSLT rules (or stylesheets). Therefore, there is a limited number of ways an XML document can be transformed. To extend the list of available rules, the web designer would have to create new rules and hardcode them into the XSL file. If, for example, a user would like to experiment with all page sizes or all background colors in his document, he might not have enough existing rules to cover all possible combinations of page sizes and colors. Some users might be able to create their own XSL rules. However, often users are not computer savvy and are not sure how to manipulate existing rules and they might not have access to a server where the rules are stored.
Therefore, what is needed is a way for a user to specify any possible display of parameters for a particular XML document.

International Business Machines Corporation


A flexible coupling linkage (14) anchors a housing (16) that at least partially encloses a rotor (18) of an actuator (22) against rotation, while allowing free movement of the housing (16) in two other planes relative to the rotor (18) to match an angular rotational plane orientation of the rotor (18) to prevent binding between the housing (16) and the rotor (18) due to misalignment. The flexible coupling linkage (14) can be selected from a group of pivot joints (24a, 24b) including at least one of a pivot pin joint (30, 34), a ball-and-socket joint (32), and any combination thereof. The pivot joint (24) defines a restrained point (26a, 26b) associated with the housing (16) radially spaced from an axis of rotation of the rotor (18) preventing rotation of the housing (16) about the axis of rotation of the rotor (18), while allowing angular displacement of the housing (16) about the restrained point (26a, 26b) permitting the housing (16) to match an angle of the rotor (18) to prevent binding between the housing (16) and the rotor (18).

Variable valve timing mechanisms for internal combustion engines are generally known in the art. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,494,495; U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,060; U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,772; U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,186; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,257,186. Some variable valve lift and timing systems can offer continuous and variable intake valve lift and duration. The timing on intake and/or exhaust camshafts can be modified with various cam phaser configurations. A mechanism can be provided intermediate the crank-shaft and the poppet-type intake or exhaust valve of an internal combustion engine for operating at least one such valve. Variable intake valve lift and timing mechanisms typically require the addition of a rocker arm located between a cam and the valve actuated thereby which serves to modify the operational relationship of the one to the other. This provides a mechanism to vary the time, extent of duration, of valve opening relative to the operating cycle of the engine. The rocker arm can be pivoted about a rocker arm axis, which can be offset with respect to a rotational axis of a control shaft connected to an actuator. To obtain optimum values for fuel consumption and exhaust emissions under different operating conditions of an internal combustion engine, the valve lift and timing can be varied in dependence on different operating parameters.
A control shaft can be rotated through a predetermined angular arc using a mechanical device, such as an actuator, to vary the valve lift and timing. Mechanical actuators require precise tolerances and alignment to function properly. Misalignment between the control shaft and the actuator can create problems preventing proper function of the variable valve lift and timing duration mechanism. It would be desirable to provide an assembly capable of adapting to misalignment between the control shaft and an actuator. It would be desirable to provide an assembly capable of accommodating tolerance stack up and thereby resolving binding issues that adversely affect control shaft and actuator system assemblies.

Flexible coupling/linkage for an actuator


Compositions and methods for modulating the activation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) are provided. The compositions comprise one or more agents that modulate ubiquitination of phosphorylated IκBα and/or IκBβ. Such compositions may be used for treating diseases associated with NF-κB activation. Modulating agents include human E3 ubiquitin ligases, antibodies thereto and variants thereof, as well as related proteins.

NF-κB is a transcription factor that plays a pivotal role in the highly specific pattern of gene expression observed for immune, inflammatory and acute phase response genes, including interleukin 1, interleukin 8, tumor necrosis factor and certain cell adhesion molecules. Like other members of the Rel family of transcriptional activators, NF-κB is sequestered in an inactive form in the cytoplasm of most cell types. A variety of extracellular stimuli including mitogens, cytokines, antigens, stress inducing agents, UV light and viral proteins initiate a signal transduction pathway that ultimately leads to NF-κB release and activation.
Important modulators of NF-κB activation are the inhibitor proteins IκBα and IκBβ (referred to herein as IκB), which associate with (and thereby inactivate) NF-κB in the cytoplasm of nonstimulated cells. Activation and nuclear translocation of NF-κB occurs following signal-induced phosphorylation of IκB, which leads to proteolysis via the ubiquitin pathway. For IκBα, the stimulus-induced phosphorylation at serines 32 and 36 renders the inhibitor a target for ubiquitination at lysines 21 and 22, resulting in degradation. Similarly, phosphorylation of IκBβ at serines 19 and 23 renders the inhibitor a target for ubiquitination at lysine 9. However, the component(s) of the ubiquitin system mediating IκB recognition have not been identified.
Degradation of a protein via the ubiquitin pathway proceeds by two discrete and successive steps: (a) covalent attachment of multiple ubiquitin molecules to the protein substrate, and (b) degradation of the targeted protein by the 26S proteasome complex. The ubiquitin pathway consists of several components that act in concert and in a hierarchical manner (for reviews, see Ciechanover, Cell 79:13, 1994; Hochstrasser, Curr. Op. Cell. Biol. 7:215, 1995; Jentsch and Schlenker, Cell 82:881, 1995; Deshaies, Trends Cell Biol. 5:428, 1995). One such component, a single E1 enzyme, carries out activation of ubiquitin. Several major species of E2 enzymes have been characterized in mammalian cells, plants, and yeast. E2 enzymes probably bind to the ligase E3 (Reiss and Hersko, J. Biol. Chem. 265:3685, 1990; Dohmen et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:7351, 1991) and it appears that each E2 enzyme can act with one or more E3 proteins (Nuber et al., J. Biol. Chem. 271:2795, 1996; Orian et al., J. Biol. Chem. 270:21707, 1995; Stancovski et al., Mol. Cell. Biol. 15:7106, 1995. Gonen et al., J. Biol. Chem. 271:302, 1996).
Only few E3 enzymes (ubiquitin ligases) have been described. Mammalian E3α (UBR1 in yeast) and E3β recognize protein substrates via their free N-terminal amino acid residues ("N-end rule"; Varshavsky, Cell 69:725, 1992; Hershko and Ciechanover, Ann. Rev. Biochem. 61:761, 1992). Cdc53 is probably an E3 involved in targeting phosphorylated G1 cyclins (Willems et al., Cell 86:453, 1996). E6-AP is involved in recognition of p53 (Scheffner et al., Cell 75:495, 1993), and a series of unique E6-AP homologous proteins have been identified (Huibregtse et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 92:2563, 1995): Nedd4 is involved the degradation of the epithelial Na+ channel (Staub et al, Embo J. 15:2371, 1996) and RSP5 (NIP1) is involved in tagging the permeases Gap1 and Fur1 (Hein et al., Mol. Microbiol. 18:77, 1995), whereas Pub1 targets Cdc25 (Nefsky and Beach, EMBO J. 15:1301, 1996). Several other E3 enzymes that have been recently isolated appear to be involved in the degradation of c-Fos, a subset of muscle proteins, and in the processing of p105, the NF-κB precursor (Orian et al., J. Biol. Chem. 270:21707, 1995; Stancovski et al., Mol. Cell. Biol. 15:7106, 1995; Gonen et al., J. Biol. Chem. 271:302, 1996). Thus, it appears that the ligases represent a large, mostly unraveled family of enzymes and, except for the mode of recognition of the "N-end rule" ligases (E3α and E3β), the recognition motifs of all other known substrates of the ubiquitin system have not been identified.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved understanding of IκB degradation via the ubiquitin pathway, and for the identification of modulators of this degradation process for use in treating diseases associated with activation of NF-κB. The present invention fulfills these needs and further provides other related advantages.

Compounds and methods for modulating activation of NF-κB


Described herein is a method for dismounting a tire from a wheel assembly. The method may comprise inserting at least a first finger and a second finger between a top bead of a tire and a top bead seat of a wheel, pulling a portion of at least the top bead past a plane defined by the outer edge of the top bead seat, and moving the first finger in a first rotational direction away from the second finger. Also described herein is a finger for dismounting a tire from a wheel. The finger may comprise at least one roller having two opposing ends, each end connected to a corresponding end of a roller nest of the finger. Also described herein is an apparatus for removing a tire from a wheel. The apparatus may comprise a wheel alignment assembly, a tire dismount assembly, a bead lifter, and a rotation assembly.

Methods and apparatus for dismounting a tire from a wheel assembly are well known in the art. The typical process involves breaking the seals between the tire bead and the bead seat of the wheel on each side of the tire and wheel assembly. Once the seals are broken, a bar or lever is inserted into a void encompassed by the wheel assembly and the tire between the first tire bead and the first bead seat. The bar or lever is then pivoted outwardly using the edge of the wheel as a fulcrum in order to lift a portion of the first tire bead past the outer edge of the corresponding first bead seat. The remaining portion of said first tire bead is extended past the outer edge of said first bead seat by either rotating the bar or lever around the outer edge of the first bead seat while the tire and wheel assembly remains stationary, or rotating the tire and wheel assembly while leaving the bar or lever in between the outer edge of said first tire bead and said first tire bead seat.
Once the first tire bead is fully lifted past the outer edge of its corresponding bead seat, the second tire bead is advanced away from its corresponding bead seat and towards the first bead seat. The bar or lever is then inserted into a void encompassed by the wheel assembly and the tire between the second tire bead and the first bead seat. Again, the bar or lever is pivoted outwardly using the edge of the wheel as a fulcrum in order to lift a portion of the second tire bead past the outer edge of the first bead seat, and the process is repeated.
In practice, the known methods and equipment are often damaging to the wheel. The force required to lift the tire bead(s) past the bead seat using the edge of the wheel as a fulcrum can dent or bend a portion of the wheel. Additionally, the force required to rotate the bar or lever; or rotate the tire with the bar or lever in place, around the outer edge of the bead seat can cause scratching, scoring, or bending of the outer edge of the wheel. In either case, the damage can result in poor sealing between the tire bead(s) and bead seat(s) when a new tire is mounted to the wheel, which can result in dangerous air pressure leaks. The scratching, scoring and/or bending also affect the aesthetic appearance of the wheel. Often, the result is a wheel which requires repair or even replacement.
In addition, in practice the process of rotating the tire and wheel assembly around a stationary, or rotating the finger around a stationary tire and wheel assembly, in order to lift the tire bead past the outer edge of the bead seat requires a great deal of force to overcome the friction between the rubber tire bead and the metal wheel. The force required can damage the wheel, the finger, or both. In some cases, the finger can become stuck between the tire bead and the outer edge of the bead seat. In other cases, the finger can leaves scratches, gouges, or score marks on the wheel which requires expensive repair or replacement. In still other cases, the finger can fracture or break, requiring that the apparatus be shut down and the finger replaced.
The need exists, therefore, for an improved method and apparatus for dismounting a tire from a wheel assembly which reduces or eliminates damage to the wheel, as well as for an improved finger for dismounting a tire from a wheel assembly which reduces or eliminates the damage to the finger, wheel or tire.


An electronic device and a method for control of an output amplitude of a Voltage Control Oscillator (VCO) in the electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a first circuit configured to output a frequency signal corresponding to a control voltage, and a second circuit configured to generate control bits that control an amplitude of the frequency signal based on a comparison result between a peak voltage of the frequency signal and a reference voltage of the frequency signal.

An electronic device is formed with many circuits. Particularly, an electronic device for communication may include a Radio Frequency (RF) circuit for controlling RF, and the RF circuit generally includes a frequency synthesizer that generates a sine wave signal and/or a RF signal. In a partial configuration of the frequency synthesizer, a block that generates a signal of a desired frequency is referred to as a Voltage Control Oscillator (VCO).
An amplitude of an output signal of the VCO may be changed according to a quantity of a consumption current of the VCO. A consumption current of the VCO may be generally changed according to a process deviation and capacitance of the VCO. Therefore, in order to constantly maintain an amplitude magnitude of an output signal of the VCO to a desired value, it is needed to optimize a current. According to a method of controlling a current of a related-art VCO, an output amplitude magnitude of the VCO is compared with a reference voltage, and an analog feedback loop method of adjusting a gate voltage of a transistor that operates with a current source of the VCO according to a comparison result is generally used.
In an analog component, such as an Operational Amplifier (OP-AMP) and a comparator frequently used in the above-described feedback loop method, a gain, an operation speed, and a bandwidth may be easily changed according to a process change. Therefore, when each analog component performs a stable operation in spite of a process change, an output voltage of the VCO may be accurately controlled. Therefore, high design completeness of an analog circuit constituting the feedback loop as well as a design of the VCO is needed.
Further, when using the analog feedback loop, in order to measure an output voltage of the VCO, each analog component should always operate. Thereby, additional current consumption, other than a consumption current of the VCO, increases and thus it is very difficult to optimize a current of the VCO. Further, phase noise of the VCO may be deteriorated by noise generated by the analog components. Further, in analog circuits, when an existing process is changed to a new process, e.g., when a 180 nm Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) process is changed to a 65 nm CMOS process, a performance is greatly changed and thus a feedback loop appropriate thereto should be again designed.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present disclosure.

Device and method for controlling output amplitude of voltage control oscillator in electronic device


An image is produced in an image plane using a row of semiconductor laser emitters which provide a corresponding row of outlet spots as light sources. An optical projection system receives radiation from the outlet spots and the radiation on the image plane as one or more rows of images by virtue of the illumination of individual, adjacently located imaging spots. The optical projection system associates at least one outlet spot with each of the imaging spots, and simultaneously forms the image of the outlet spots of all of the semiconductor laser emitters of the row of light sources at the imaging spots associated therewith.

The invention relates to an apparatus for producing an image in an image plane that is visible in particular for a human eye, comprising a radiation source that produces in the image at least one row of images by virtue of the illumination of individual, adjacently located imaging spots by means of an optical projection system.
An apparatus of this type is known for example from the field of image production using gas lasers in which a laser beam from a gas laser is moved by means of the optical projection system in order to produce an image consisting of individual image points which is recognizable as a whole by the human eye. Apparatus of this type serve for example, not only for producing static images but also for producing moving images, such as television images for example, which have a large format and which, possibly, are also multi-colored.
The use of gas lasers of this type for the production of images requires heavy expenditure on the apparatus for the production of the laser beam and, moreover, involves great expense for the optical projection system in order to deflect the laser beam in a defined manner. Consequently, the object of the invention is to improve an apparatus of the type conventionally used in such a way that the production of the image is possible in the simplest possible manner and hence also that it is effected as economically as possible.

Deutsche Forschungsanstalt fuer Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V.


A rotor disk for a gas turbine engine is disclosed and formed to enable operation at high rotational speeds in a high temperature environment. The rotor disk is formed to include a bore, a live rim diameter and an outer diameter related to each other according to defined relationships.

A gas turbine engine typically includes a fan section, and a core engine section including a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section. Air entering the compressor section is compressed and delivered into the combustion section where it is mixed with fuel and ignited to generate a high-speed exhaust gas flow. The high-speed exhaust gas flow expands through the turbine section to drive the compressor and the fan section. The compressor section typically includes low and high pressure compressors, and the turbine section includes low and high pressure turbines.
Turbine and compressor rotor disks operate at high speeds and support blades. Exhaust gases produced in the combustor drive a rotor disk within the turbine section and thereby rotation of a corresponding rotor disk within the compressor section. The turbine disk is attached to drive a shaft that in turn drives the compressor or the fan section.
Engine manufactures continuously seek improvements to thermal, weight and propulsive efficiencies. Improvements to engine architectures have enabled higher speeds and operation at increased temperatures. Accordingly, it is desirable to develop rotor disks that perform at higher speeds and greater temperatures.


A collapsible cart may include a first frame member, a second frame member, a front spacing member, a rear spacing member, and a base member. The front and rear spacing members are configured to separate the first frame member and the second frame member for a predetermined distance to create a receiving space for the cart when it is in a fully open status. The base member may have a plurality of base connecting bars and a center unit that has four opening to pivotally engage with the base connecting bars, and the center unit and the four base connecting bars are positioned on the same plane surface when the cart is in a fully open status. The user can start collapsing the cart by simply pushing down the center unit to disengage the center units with the base connecting bars.

In recent years, more and more people love outdoor and recreational activities such as camping, field trips, or Bar-B-Q during their free time because many people may endure high pressure at work, and have accumulated a lot of tension and stress. Not only can these outdoor activities help people release the stress, but also improve quality of life. When people enjoy their outdoor activities, carts are primarily used for storing and transporting food, groceries and Bar-B-Q items, and even little child can be put therein.
Throughout the time, portable carts have been developed so the carts can be transported in a confined space (such as vehicle trunk), and quickly converted into a three-dimensional space supported by wheels to store and transport a plurality of items when arriving the outdoor destination such as parks, camping site, beaches, etc. U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,365 to McCarthy discloses a collapsible cart including a base member, first and second double L-shaped brackets, a pair of locking pins, and two locking bar members. The locking bar members and locking pins are utilized to lock the double L-shaped brackets into place when the cart is in the un-collapsed configuration.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,685,199 to Stravitz et al. discloses a collapsible frame which is readily folded up into a closed position having a narrow lateral profile and folded open back into the fully open position when needed. In the fully open position the cart will structurally support a storage container full of files or other items. No tools or other means are needed to fold up the cart into the folded position or to unfold the cart back into the fully open position.
However, the collapsible carts disclosed above may have too many conjugating points that would weaken the structure of the collapsible carts. It is also inconvenient for the user to engage/disengage every conjugating points when the user wants to use or store them. Therefore, there remains a need for a new and improved collapsible cart that is more convenient and efficient for the user to unfold or store without putting any additional or unnecessary burden on the users.

Collapsible cart with fabric in receiving space


Disclosed herein is a phase lock loop (PLL) circuit capable of executing digital control of an oscillation circuit thereof by using a dividing ratio represented by a digital value obtained by dividing an oscillation frequency by a reference frequency. The PLL circuit includes a phase comparator for comparing the digital value obtained by converting the dividing ratio with a digital value representing each cumulative addition value of a clock count expressed in a decimal-point format representing the oscillation signal in each period of a reference signal, a loop-gain control section configured to control the loop gain of the PLL circuit, and an output converging section configured to converge an output by the phase comparator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a PLL (Phase Lock Loop) circuit for locking a carrier frequency at an accurate frequency. More particularly, the present invention relates to a PLL circuit configured to execute digital control on a DCO (Digitally Controlled Oscillator).
To put it in detail, the present invention relates to a PLL circuit for stabilizing a loop thereof without substantially increasing the number of bits of output by a phase comparator employed therein. In particular, the present invention relates to a PLL circuit for reducing a loop error and improving responsiveness of convergence by properly controlling the gain of the loop.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to lock a carrier frequency at an accurate frequency in a radio communication terminal, the radio communication terminal is provided with a PLL (Phase Lock Loop) circuit. In the data-communication and satellite-communication fields, a large number of digital PLL circuits are used and serve as a subject of aggressive research. Such a digital PLL circuit includes a phase comparator having a digital configuration, a low-pass filter and a VCO (Voltage-Controlled Oscillator).
A typical digital PLL circuit includes the digital phase comparator, the low-pass filter and the voltage-controlled oscillator, which are connected to each other to form a loop. The digital phase comparator carries out an operation for comparing the phase of a reference signal with the phase of a signal outputted by the voltage-controlled oscillator, generating a voltage according to the difference in phase between the signals so as to reduce the phase difference, and changing the oscillation frequency of the signal outputted by the voltage-controlled oscillator. An in-synchronization state is defined as a state in which the phase difference detected by the digital phase comparator is zero or a close to zero. A lead-in state is defined as a state of transition from an out-of-synchronization state to an in-synchronization state. For more information, refer to Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 8-148994 (Paragraph 0002, FIG. 14). It is to be noted that the low-pass filter is not only for removing components each having a high frequency from the signal outputted by the phase comparator in order to produce a smoothed direct current signal, but also for determining the synchronization and response characteristics of the PLL circuit. In addition, the low-pass filter also determines the loop gain in accordance with setting such as a cutoff frequency. Thus, the low-pass filter is an important component for the stability of the synchronized-phase state and for the time which is required to lead-in.
Most existing digital PLL circuits are each implemented as a hybrid PLL IC (integrated circuit), in which all PLL-circuit components except the voltage-controlled oscillator is integrated with digital circuits, that is, a digital circuit and an analog circuit coexist therein. The phase comparator here is a digital phase comparator consists of logic circuits. The phase comparator outputs a signal in one of three states by adoption of a charge-pump technique. Since the phase comparator consumes a voltage VDS between the drain and source in order to operate the comparator linearly; therefore the digital phase comparator is improper for a circuit system driven by a low voltage.
With semiconductor-process miniaturization going on in recent years, a PLL circuit having a full digital configuration has been attracting attention. In such circuit, a VCO controlled by an analog voltage is replaced with a DCO (Digitally Controlled Oscillator). FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a typical configuration of an all-digital PLL circuit employing a DCO. In the figure, a TDC (Time-to-Digital Converter) circuit converts a time difference corresponding to the fractional part of a dividing ratio into a digital value while an accumulator circuit converts the integer part into a digital value. The digital values corresponding to the dividing ratio thus detected are fed-back by a variety of techniques in order to digitally control. For more information, refer to R. B. Staszewski et al., All-Digital Phase-Domain TX Frequency Synthesizer for Bluetooth Radios in 0.13 μm CMOS (ISSCC 2004 Digest).
In the phase comparison process carried out by the digital PLL circuit of this type, in each period of a reference signal, it is performed a subtraction process of finding a difference between a digital value obtained by converting the dividing ratio and a digital value representing each cumulative addition value of a clock count expressed in a decimal-point format representing the oscillation frequency. For this reason, the variation range of the phase comparison process is limited by the number of bits. Thus, a phase comparison process carried out in a domain beyond the variation range becomes inaccurate, making the loop of the digital PLL circuit unstable. In addition, if the DCO is controlled by using a digital value representing a fractional dividing ratio obtained by dividing an oscillation frequency by a reference frequency, the loop gain will be equal to a ratio of a value output by the phase comparator to the fractional dividing ratio. Thus, in an attempt made to increase the loop gain in order to reduce an error generated in the closed loop, it is necessary to increase the number of bits expressing a value output by the phase comparator.
In addition, if the loop gain is set at a large value, the response time to a state of convergence becomes longer. Thus, in order to attain a state of convergence with a high degree of precision within a short time period required by each radio system, in a system making use of a negative feedback, the loop gain is generally switched from a value to another. To put it concretely, at an initial stage, the loop gain is set at a relatively small value but, as a process of convergence is carried forward thereafter, the loop gain is changed from the relatively small value to a larger value. In this case, however, there is raised a problem that, when the loop gain is changed from the relatively small value to the larger value, a discontinuity of the loop gain is generated, resulting in a delayed state of convergence. In order to solve this problem, there has been proposed a method for switching the loop gain as shown in a diagram of FIG. 8. For more information, refer to U.S. Pat. No. 6,851,492, and Chapter entitled "Frequency Synthesizers in Nanometer CMOS" of a text called ISSCC 2007 Short Course on Analog, Mixed-Signal and RF Circuit Design in Nanometer CMOS. In a configuration shown in the figure, however, even though assurance of the continuity of φE at a switching time is taken into consideration, the bit count output by an adder must be made greater than the bit count generated by a phase comparator in order to obtain a large loop gain.


A liquid crystal display device for preventing light leakage includes a display substrate having gate and data lines arranged in a matrix format and an image display device connected to the gate and data lines, an opposing substrate bonded to the display substrate with liquid crystals disposed therebetween, a touch sensor operated by a pressurization of the opposing substrate, and a gate shielding line arranged parallel with the gate line on the opposing substrate to cut off an electric field caused by the gate line.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display ("LCD") device, and more particularly, to a touch panel equipped LCD device. Although the present invention is suitable for a wide scope of applications, it is particularly suitable for preventing light leakage by being provided with a built-in touch sensor and a gate shielding line.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, a touch panel is an input means, which is provided to an image display such as a cathode ray tube, an LCD, a field emission display, a plasma display panel, and an electroluminescence device, for inputting information in a manner that a user pressurizes a screen by contact force.
The touch panels are classified into a resistance film type and a capacitance type. In the resistance film type touch panel, when a voltage is applied between two opposing conductive layers, a user presses a screen to make the two conductive layers come into contact with each other. A voltage or current variation generated from the contact point is then detected to read a coordinate value of the contact point.
In the capacitance type touch panel, while capacitance charging or discharging iteratively keeps taking place on a transparent conductive film or glass, a small quantity of electric charges is accumulated between the conductive film and a stylus as a pen type input means. The electric charge quantity is detected from an input point to be converted into a coordinate value. Since the capacitance type touch panel is required to supply electricity to the stylus, an analog input resistance type touch panel, which is built in one body of a liquid crystal display panel among flat panel displays, is preferred.
However, light leakage occurs in the touch panel loaded LCD due to a lateral field generated between a gate line and a common electrode. Extending a masking dimension of a black matrix to solve the problem causes another problem, namely that transmissivity or an aperture ratio is reduced.


The invention provides apparatus and methods for interference based wave synthesis. The invention comprises (i) receiving information defining output wave characteristics, said output wave characteristics comprising at least an output wave frequency B, and an output signal amplitude M, (ii) determining a constant value A and (iii) driving a first input wave generator to generate a first input wave and (iv) driving a second input wave generator to generate a second input wave, such that the interfered wave synthesized by interference of the first input wave and the second input wave has output wave characteristics defined by the received information.

Wave generation is a complex domain with varied practical applications, including for example in the domain of audio technologies.
Each wave may be understood as a summation of one or more sinusoidal signals each of which is capable of being represented as a sinusoidal waveform that is capable of being expressed in the form of the following function:F(t)=M·sin(X·t+Z)  Eq (1)where (i) M is the amplitude, (ii) X is the frequency and (iii) Z is the initial phase.
It has however been found that generation of waves is governed by physical aspects and limitations of the drivers that are used for the purpose of generating such waves. In particular, it has been found that generation of waves at certain frequencies can be complex, inefficient or resource intensive in comparison with generation of waves at other frequencies. By way of a specific example, in the audio technology domain, generation of frequencies below 200 Hz (for example 20 Hz to 200 Hz, or even below 20 Hz) has been found to require drivers (e.g. speakers) that are far larger in size (and therefore more complex and expensive to manufacture) than drivers used to generate higher frequencies (e.g. woofers, mid-range speakers and tweeters), and with higher energy consumption requirements. Addressing issues concerning resonant frequency, and damping typically affect enclosure considerations, including size, weight, design, construction and cost of traditional designs for low frequency drivers.
A potential solution to the problem of generating waves at particular frequencies that are difficult, complex or inconvenient to generate, is to apply principles of wave superposition to combine a plurality of input waves having specifically chosen frequencies to generate a resultant (superposed) output wave having a desired frequency. The underlying theory of this approach has been that interference between the plurality of input waves would result in generation of an output wave having the required frequency characteristics.
It was however found that while combining two or more input waves having different frequencies could potentially result in a combined output wave having a desired frequency, the resulting output wave would have a time-varying amplitude component—rendering the output wave undesirable for practical applications. In the audio domain, this problem may be observed when combining two input waves of differing selected frequencies results in an output wave of a desired frequency but having a beat waveform (i.e. a time-varying amplitude/volume characteristic).
There is accordingly a need for a solution wherein a plurality of input waves can be efficiently combined to generate a superposed output wave having controllable or desired frequency and amplitude characteristics.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Apparatuses and methods for superposition based wave synthesis


A method determines power of a modulated signal that is applied to a wavelength meter by summing bin values within a designated bin range of a frequency transformed interferogram representing the modulated signal and provided by the wavelength meter. In a first embodiment of the method, the bin range within which the bin values are summed is designated by mapping a series of signal characteristics indicative of the types of the modulated signals applied to the wavelength meter, to a series of bin spans within the frequency transformed interferograms that represent the modulated signals. The method then enables a selection of a signal characteristic from the series of signal characteristics to identify the modulated signal that is applied to the wavelength meter. In response to a selection, the bin values are summed within a bin range that is consistent with the mapping of the series of signal characteristics to the series of bin spans and that is positioned about a center bin of the frequency transformed interferogram. In a second embodiment of the method, the bin range within which bin values are summed is designated automatically based on attributes of the frequency transformed interferogram.

Modern optical communication systems, such as dense wavelength division multiplexed (DWDM) systems, transmit data and voice traffic using multiple channels, each at a distinct wavelength or frequency of light. Typically, the multiple channels are spaced at 100 GHz, 50 GHz, 25 GHz, or 12.5 GHz across a frequency or wavelength range that is defined by optical components, such as erbium doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs) included in the optical communication system.
Network equipment manufacturers and service providers for these optical communication systems measure wavelength and power of optical signals within the multiple channels to monitor the system performance. Since wavelength meters are typically used to monitor wavelength of these optical signals, it would be convenient to adapt the wavelength meters to also measure power of these optical signals. Prior art power measurement methods using wavelength meters provide inaccurate power measurements when the optical signals are modulated, as the optical signals are in the DWDM and other types of systems.

Method for determining power of modulated signals from a frequency transformed interferogram


A plurality of template data files are provided, each designating a structure and conditions of a music piece, and having a plurality of tracks, each track being assigned to a particular instrument group and defining a time progression structure of music to be performed by the assigned instrument group by setting performance sections at time positions to be performed by the assigned instrument group along the time progression of music. A plurality of component data files are provided, each representing a length of musical phrase that constitutes a predetermined tone progression pattern of a predetermined tone color for a performance by a particular instrument group. When conditions such as a tempo for a music piece to be created are given, a template data file that satisfies the given conditions is selected. Then, component data files are picked up according to the conditions designated by the selected template data file and the musical phrases are placed on the tracks in the template data file. Thus, data files of many and versatile music pieces are automatically created, satisfying the given conditions.

Conventionally known in the art is a music playback apparatus to be used for listening to music while walking, which apparatus detects the walking rate (the tempo of the repetitive movement) of the user and alters the tempo of the music being played back to match the tempo of the repetitive movement so that the integrality of the user's movement and the music progression will be enhanced. An example of such a music playback apparatus is disclosed in unexamined Japanese patent publication No. 2003-85888.
Such an apparatus, however, synchronizes the music with the user's movement by simply altering the tempo of the same predetermined music piece. And accordingly, the music piece played back in a tempo which is different from its original tempo may sound unnatural and queer to the user as compared with its intended performance. Furthermore, mere change in tempo will not change the mood of the music, the user may get bored with the music and may lose the will to continue the exercise. In addition, in the case of a music piece recorded in a data format of tone waveform, the change in playback tempo will cause changes in tone pitch unless some special signal processing should be applied, and the user will feel a sense of strangeness.
Further known in the art is an automatic music playing apparatus which detects the heart rate of the user, calculates a exercise strength percentage from the detected heart rate, specifies tempo coefficients P=1.0 through 0.7 according to the calculated exercise strength percentage of from below 70% to above 100%, selects an automatic music playing data files (in the data format of musical notation) having the original tempo equal to the calculated tempo from among the stored music playing data files respectively prepared in various original tempos to correspond to various tempo coefficients as will be calculated. An example of such an automatic music playing apparatus is disclosed in unexamined Japanese patent publication No. H10-63264. The apparatus plays back a music piece having the original tempo which meets the exercise strength of the user. However, music playing data files only in the data format of musical notation (automatic performance data format) may present music having less rich musicality.
Still further known in the art is an exercise aiding apparatus which stores music piece data files of various tempos in the MIDI format (performance data format), calculates a walking rate to be informed of to the exerciser based on the characteristic information about the walking course and the physical conditions of the exerciser, presents to the exerciser a list of music numbers having a tempo which approximately coincides with the calculated walking rate from among the stored music piece data files, lets the exerciser select a desired music piece data file, modifies the tempo of the selected music piece data file to coincide with the calculated walking rate, and produces musical sounds of the modified musical data. An example of such an exercise aiding apparatus is disclosed in unexamined Japanese patent publication No. 2004-113552.
As all of such known apparatuses, however, uses music piece data files stored beforehand in the apparatus, increase in the total number of stored music data files would increase the capacity of the storage, while decrease in the total number may cause a situation that there is no music data file that satisfies the necessary conditions such as a tempo or that there are only a few such music piece data files so that the same music piece or pieces would be played back frequently and the user may get bored with the music. On the other hand, if the original tempo of a music piece should be changed to obtain a music piece data file of the required tempo, the played back music piece would sound unnatural.
Still further known in the art is a portable music player such as a MP3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer-III) player which stores a multiplicity of music pieces and plays back music pieces in succession (one after another) automatically. However, such a player will not always play back music pieces to the user's liking. The played music piece may meet the user's taste some time, but the next (succeeding) number in the sequence may be of a different tempo or a different tonality.
Also known in the art is a music reproducing apparatus which evaluates the user's likes and dislikes about music pieces and adequately selects music pieces reflecting the evaluated liking, and automatically plays back the selected music pieces in succession. An example of such a music playback apparatus is disclosed in unexamined Japanese patent publication No. 2005-190640.
With the apparatus mentioned above, when the user pushes the skip button while a music piece is being played back, the apparatus quits the playback operation and evaluates the user's liking in value about the quit music piece reflecting the skip button operation, and registers the evaluation values in association with the music pieces to make a database of the user's liking about the music pieces. The publication discloses some examples of evaluation. For example, when the user manipulates the button to skip back (to cue) to the start of the music piece which was being played back heretofore, the heretofore registered evaluation value is increased by "+3." It also discloses an "evaluation plus button," an "evaluation minus button" and a "re-evaluation button." It also discloses an idea of randomly selecting music pieces of the user's higher liking from among the stored music pieces based on the database about the user's liking information, but does not describe a specific embodiment therefor.
Generally speaking, in order to comply with various demands and likings about music pieces to be played back, the apparatus should store so many music piece data files, which will inevitably increase the capacity of the storage device. Further, this will need the work of storing so many music piece data files in the storage device beforehand, which work will be troublesome.
A way to dispense with such troublesome preparation may be to automatically compose music pieces instead of storing so many music pieces. However, conventionally known apparatuses and methods for composing music were to analyze and extract musical characteristic features of the existing music pieces and compose variety of music pieces. Such a trend can be seen in unexamined Japanese patent publication No. 2000-99015. So, there can hardly be found an apparatus or a method for automatically compose a multiplicity of music pieces which satisfy limited conditions such as a tempo of the music for creating music pieces.

Apparatus and method for automatically creating music piece data


The invention relates to a process for the preparation of liquid, storage-stable isocyanate mixtures of low color number and which contain carbodiimide (CD) and/or uretonimine (UI) groups, the isocyanate mixtures obtainable by this process, and to a process for the preparation of blends of these isocyanates with additional isocyanate components and to a process for the preparation of prepolymers containing isocyanate groups and of polyurethane plastics, preferably polyurethane foams.

The invention relates to a process for the preparation of liquid, storage-stable isocyanate mixtures of low color number containing carbodiimide (CD) and/or uretonimine (UI) groups, the isocyanate mixtures obtainable by this process, the preparation of blends from these isocyanate mixtures with additional isocyanates, and to a process for the preparation of prepolymers containing isocyanate groups and of polyurethane plastics, and preferably polyurethane foams.
Isocyanate mixtures containing CD and/or UI groups can be prepared in a simple manner using the highly active catalysts from the phospholine series, and particularly the phospholine oxide series of catalysts. Such isocyanate mixtures are prepared by the processes as described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,853,473, U.S. Pat. No. 6,120,699 and EP-A-515 933.
The high catalytic activity of the phospholine catalysts, and specifically of the phospholine oxide catalysts, on the one hand is desirable in order to start up the carbodiimidization reaction under gentle temperature conditions. However, on the other hand, no process is known to date which ensures effective termination of the phospholine catalysis or phospholine oxide catalysis without limitation. The carbodiimidized isocyanates tend to after-react, i.e. they release gas as a result of evolution of CO2. This then leads to a build up of pressure, for example, in the storage tanks, and especially at higher temperatures.
There has been no lack of attempts to discover an effective means of terminating the phospholine catalysis. Various terminators are mentioned, for example, in the patent specifications DE-A-25 37 685, EP-A-515 933, EP-A-609 698 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,120,699. These terminators include, for example, acids, acid chlorides, chloroformates, silylated acids and halides of the main group elements. The termination of the phospholine catalysts with acids, which, for example, can also be in the form of acid chlorides, is not sufficiently effective.
According to the teaching of EP-A-515 933, CD/IU-containing isocyanate mixtures prepared by means of phospholine catalysis are terminated with at least an equimolar amount, and preferably from 1 to 2 times the molar amount, based on the catalyst employed, of e.g. trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate (TMST). In practice, however, it has been found that CD/UI-containing isocyanates prepared in such a way are of only limited suitability for the preparation of prepolymers, i.e. reaction products of these CD/UI-containing isocyanates with polyols. The correspondingly prepared reaction products of polyols and the CD/UI-modified isocyanates tend to release gas, which can lead to a build up of pressure in the transportation tanks or to foaming during the handling of such products.
This problem can be by-passed by employing the silylated acid to terminate the phospholine catalyst analogously to EP-A-515 933 in higher molar equivalents (e.g. 5:1-10:1, based on the catalyst). In practice, however, it is then found that the resultant CD/UI-modified isocyanates have a significantly poorer color number. This then also applies to the prepolymers prepared therefrom.
This also applies if the phospholine catalyst is terminated with acids of the trifluoromethanesulfonic acid type, in accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 6,120,699. Prepolymers prepared from these CD/UI-modified isocyanates also have a considerably increased color number.
In the preparation of liquid, storage-stable isocyanate mixtures containing carbodiimide (CD) and/or uretonimine (UI) groups, significant variations are sometimes observed in the reactivity of the isocyanate employed, and therefore, in the reaction times required. An undesirable prolonging of the reaction time could be counteracted, for example, by increasing the reaction temperature and/or the catalyst concentration (and as a result the amount of terminator). However, this would be associated with process and/or safety risks and/or quality problems (such as, for example, increased color values).
Thus, the object of the present invention was to provide a simple and economical process for the preparation of liquid, storage-stable and light-colored isocyanate mixtures which contain carbodiimide and/or uretonimine groups that do not have the deficiencies referred to, and leads to liquid, storage-stable isocyanate mixtures of low color numbers.

Process for the preparation of liquid, storage-stable organic isocyanates containing carbodiimide and/or uretoneimine groups


A method for dynamic and non-contact measurement of the displacement of a conductive substance with respect to a capacitive sensor formed by two parallel conductive plates, superimposed, electrically insulated from one another, and fed by a high frequency signal having a predetermined voltage, the capacitive sensor being connected to a device for detecting a current value. Also disclosed is a method for dynamic and non-contact measurement of the permittivity of a dielectric substance between a conductive part and a capacitive sensor of the above-mentioned type.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for dynamic and non-contact measurement of a displacement of a grounded conductive substance with respect to a capacitive sensor and to a method for dynamic and non-contact measurement of the permittivity of a dielectric substance between a grounded conductive part and a capacitive sensor. The invention relates more particularly to a method for dynamic and non-contact measurement of a displacement which can be used favourably to permanently measure with relative simplicity the axial displacement of a shaft of a rotating machine or to measure a fluid level in a tank, and also to a method for dynamic and non-contact measurement of the permittivity of a dielectric substance which can be used favourably to also measure a fluid level in a tank or continuously monitor with relative simplicity a possible change in the composition of a substance flowing through a conduit.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,675,670 granted to HYDRO-QUEBEC describes an apparatus and a method for dynamic and non-contact measurement of the distance separating the surface of a first part, that may be conductive or not, from the surface of a second conductive part closely spaced from the first part and grounded, such as the stator and rotor of an electric generator. The apparatus and method can be permanently used without significant modification or excessive congestion, while providing precise and reliable results even in the presence of intense magnetic fields or temperature variations.
The above-mentioned apparatus includes a sensor made of two parallel conductive plates, superimposed and electrically insulated from one another, and fed by a high frequency signal between 100 kHz and 10 MHz at a predetermined voltage between 5 and 100 volts, connected to a device for detecting a current value, which is itself connected to a device which processes the detected current value, such as a computer.
The sensor during its use forms a capacitor with the grounded conductive part, so that the capacitance is determined by the following known equation: ##EQU1## in which: K=.epsilon.o.epsilon.r, .epsilon.o being the vacuum permittivity (8.854 pF/m) and .epsilon.r being the relative permittivity of the dielectric substance between the nearest sensor plate from the conductive part and this conductive part;
Ar is the overlapping surface of the conductive part on the sensor plate; and PA1 D is the distance between the surface of the nearest sensor plate from the conductive part and this conductive part. PA1 .omega.=2.pi.f, f being the frequency of the emitted signal; PA1 V is the voltage difference between the nearest sensor plate from the conductive part and this conductive part; and PA1 C is the above-mentioned capacitance. PA1 (a) positioning the capacitive sensor at a fixed distance close to the conductive substance, the plates of the capacitive sensor being parallel to the plane in which the conductive substance extends, such that a displacement of this substance in the mentioned plane modifies an overlapping surface formed by portions of the conductive substance and the capacitive sensor which are superimposed; PA1 (b) detecting the current induced by a high frequency signal in the capacitive sensor, this current having a value varying in a directly proportional relationship with the overlapping surface; and PA1 (c) determining the value of the displacement of the conductive substance in respect with the capacitive sensor according to the value of the current. PA1 (a) positioning the capacitive sensor at a fixed distance close to the conductive part so that the dielectric substance whose permittivity is to be measured is between the conductive part and the capacitive sensor; PA1 (b) detecting the current induced by a high frequency signal into the capacitive sensor, this detected current varying in a directly proportional relationship with the permittivity of the dielectric substance; and PA1 (c) determining the value of the permittivity of the dielectric substance between the conductive part and the capacitive sensor according to the value of the current.
When the so formed capacitor is subjected to a high frequency signal, a measureable current is induced in the sensor plates, of which the intensity responds in accordance with the following equation: EQU i=.omega.CV (2)
in which:
Equation (1) shows that for constant dielectric value K and overlapping surface Ar, the capacitance C, and so the current i of equation (2), varies according to the inverse of the distance D separating the sensor from the conductive part, making possible the mentioned method for dynamic and non-contact measurement of the distance between the nearest capacitive sensor plate from a conductive part and the conductive part.
As it can be easily seen, the apparatus can be similarly used to carry out the measurement of another variable parameter in equation (1), such as the permittivity K or the overlapping surface Ar for instance, as long as the other parameters are fixed.

Dynamic and non-contact measurement of displacement or of permittivity by use of a capacitive sensor


A transconductance amplifier generally limits its current output, and specifically decreases its current output as a function of temperature. The circuit is made up of an operational amplifier and two drive transistors that are connected to a first part of the amplifier circuit and a second part of the amplifier circuit respectively. The first part of the circuit is driven by positive input voltages, and the second part of the circuit is driven by negative input voltages. A transistor in each part of the circuit clamps a voltage, thereby limiting the current output. The negative temperature coefficient of the transistor also decreases the output current as the temperature of the circuit rises.

Many electronic systems require power amplifiers to drive capacitive loads. For example, power amplifier electronics are commonly required in satellites for various servo-control systems such as piezoelectric actuators for imaging applications. However, the high capacitance associated with piezoelectric actuators poses a challenge to maintaining stability and accuracy with conventional amplifier topologies. The art is therefore in need of an amplifier circuit with low quiescent current, and a current limit that reduces as the temperature rises for thermal protection of the electronic components of the amplifier circuit.

Transconductance amplifier with temperature sensitive current limiting

BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.


A scytovirin domain 1 (SD1) polypeptide, a nucleic acid encoding the polypeptide, and related fusion proteins, conjugates, isolated cells, vectors, and antibodies, as well as a method of inhibiting a viral infection using the same.

Viral infections remain among the most formidable causes of human and non-human animal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Effective preventions or therapies against most viral pathogens remain elusive. One of the most contemporary and catastrophic examples is the still rapidly expanding and pervasive worldwide pandemic of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection and AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome). Despite more than two decades of research to find effective preventative or therapeutic vaccines or drugs, surprisingly little progress has been made. The need for new effective preventative and therapeutic agents for HIV/AIDS and other potentially lethal viral diseases remains an urgent global priority.
Peptidic molecules offer tremendous structural diversity that can be exploited for development of novel therapeutics and preventions of many different kinds of diseases. For example, in the field of HIV therapeutics a novel, rationally-constructed peptide molecule known as T-20 (Kilby, Nat. Med., 4: 1302-1307 (1998)) has been recently shown to be a potent inhibitor of HIV/cell fusion. Furthermore, naturally occurring, non-mammalian peptides and proteins offer new avenues for antiviral discovery and development. An outstanding example is the remarkable HIV-inactivating protein cyanovirin-N (Boyd et al., Antimicrob. Agents Chemother., 41: 1521-1530 (1997)). Additionally, International Published Application WO 03/097814 (Boyd et al.) and Bokesch et al. (Biochem., 42: 2578-2584 (2003)) disclose the discovery of antiviral scytovirin. Clearly, there is great untapped potential for discovery and development of novel, polypeptides and proteins that can be used in prevention and therapeutics of viral diseases.
The present invention provides new antiviral polypeptides and proteins, fusion proteins, and conjugates, as well as nucleic acids, vectors, host cells, and related compositions and methods of use thereof to inhibit viral infections. These and other aspects and advantages of the present invention, as well as additional inventive features, will become apparent from the description provided herein.

Scytovirin domain 1 related polypeptides

The United States of America as represented by the Department of Health and Human Services


A semiconductor device is designed to provide an access control for a memory that includes a plurality of storage regions storing the same boot programs comprised of a set of program data. The semiconductor device is provided with a memory controller for reading out the program data from the storage regions, and an error detection circuit performing error detection on the program data read out. When the error detection circuit detects an error in one of the program data read out from one of the storage regions, the memory controller reads out the corresponding one of the program data from another of the storage regions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly, relates to a technique for booting a semiconductor device using a boot program stored in a nonvolatile memory.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, system LSIs (large scale integrated circuits), which integrate various functions on a single chip, are designed to store various processing programs and data, such as a boot program, in an externally- or internally-provided non-volatile memory. As such a nonvolatile memory, a flash memory, which electrically rewrites and erases data, is often used.
Generally, NOR type flash memories are used for storing boot programs; however, NAND type flash memories, which are advantageous in the light of the cost, are also used for this purpose in recent days. One issue is that NAND type flash memories may suffer from an increased number of accidental defects due to manufacture, compared with NOR type flash memories. When a system LSI is booted with a boot program stored in an NAND type flash memory, it is required to assure that the block storing the boot program is not a failure block and the boot program is normally stored.
Data accesses to an NAND type flash memory are sequentially executed. Specifically, an access to an NAND type flash memory begins with specifying addresses for respective desired access cycles after entering a predefined command. This is followed by writing and/or reading data from or into pages corresponding to the specified addresses. Each specified address indicates the starting address of the corresponding page, and read and write operation of data are executed in units of pages. When a boot program is stored within multiple pages, a plurality of addresses are sequentially specified, and program data of the boot program stored in the plurality of pages are sequentially read out from the corresponding pages.
Disadvantageously, NAND-type flash memories suffer from increased bit errors, compared to NOR-type flash memories. First, NAND type flash memories tend to suffer from an increased number of manufacture defects. Second, in a NAND type flash memory, a set of memory cells are serially connected and this may result in that a failure memory cell causes a bit error of another memory cell. Bit lines of an NAND type flash memory are formed of serially-connected drains and sources of memory cells; no dedicated metal bit lines are provided within a memory array of an NAND type flash memory. Although effectively improving the cell size and integration degree, such structure undesirably increases the bit error rate. An NOR type flash memory, on the other hand, includes bitlines provided separately from memory cells for reading values of the memory cells. Such structure avoids a memory cell being affected by the state of another memory cell.
Therefore, WAND type flash memories often employ an error correction code (ECC) for reducing bit errors. The hamming code technique, which is used in smart mediums, is one simple example of the ECC technique. The use of the (7, 4) hamming code allows correcting one bit error, and detecting two random bit errors. In general, the error detection and correction by using the ECC technique is executed on dedicated hardware, such as an ECC circuit.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Jp-A 2005-215824 (hereinafter, referred to as the '824 application) discloses a technique for booting a system LSI by using an NAND type flash memory. In this technique, the NAND type flash memory stores the same boot programs in multiple blocks. When an error is founded in the boot program read from a certain block, the boot program is read again from the starting page of another block. This allows stable booting, even when the NAND type flash memory includes one or more defective blocks.
More specifically, the system LSI disclosed in the '824 application includes a CPU that specifies a read address of a flash memory and a flash memory controller that obtains data from the specified read address of the flash memory. In the flash memory, the same boot programs are stored in multiple blocks. When the boot program is read out from a certain block, an ECC circuit in the flash memory controller performs error detection and correction for the boot program read out. When an error is detected, the read address is modified to reselect another block by an readdressing circuit. The flash memory controller obtains the boot program from the starting address of the reselected block, and transfers the obtained boot program to the CPU.
The drawback of this technique, which avoids bit errors in units of blocks, is that the boot program is not successfully read out when all of the respective blocks include a defective page, which results in undesirable termination of the booting process.
The following is a detailed description of this drawback for a case where the same boot programs are stored in first to third blocks each composed of 0th to 31st pages. When the ECC circuit finds an error in the data read from, for example, the 5th page of the first block, the readdressing circuit modifies the read address to specify the starting address of the 0th page of the second block. The flash memory controller reads the boot program from the second block in the order from the 0th page to the 31th page in accordance with the modified read address. When the ECC circuit finds another error in the data read from, for example, the 10th page of the second block, the readdressing circuit modifies the read address to specify the 0th page of the third block. In the same way, the flash memory controller finally reads the boot program from the third block in the order from the 0th page to the 31th page in accordance with the modified read address. When another error is found in the data read from the third block, however, this process results in that the boot program is not successfully read out from the flash memory.

Semiconductor device and boot method for the same