Techniques of generating a lattice-based verification matrix and signature vector are disclosed. The method enables a generating device to sample a gadget matrix and then generate a reduced gadget matrix. The generating device may then sample a trapdoor matrix and use the trapdoor matrix and the reduced gadget matrix to generate a verification matrix. A sending device may receive the trapdoor matrix and the verification matrix from the generating device, in addition to receiving a message. The sending device may then use the trapdoor matrix and the verification matrix to generate a signature vector for the message. A verification device can receive the verification matrix, the message, and the signature vector. The verification device may use the verification matrix and the signature vector to verify the message.

Many crytosystems today, e.g. RSA encryption, are based on problems such as prime factorization or modular exponentiation. These problems are hard for conventional computers, but may not be for quantum computers. Thus new advances in quantum computing may render cryptosystems based on those problems unsecure. There is a need for new cryptosystems based on problems that are hard for both conventional computers and quantum computers.
Lattice-based problems can be used as the basis for cryptosystems. One example of a lattice problem may be the short integer solution problem, which relates to finding the shortest vector in an n-dimensional lattice of points. Lattice problems can be shown to be hard for both conventional and quantum computers. However, computing the cryptographic keys for lattice-based cryptosystems can be computationally expensive, and can result in large keys that also make it difficult to sign and verify messages. Therefore, there is a need to make lattice-based cryptography more efficient.
Embodiments of the present disclosure address these and other problems, individually and collectively.


A process for the production of a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition is provided comprising (1) forming an elastomer composition by mixing in the form of a solution, 33.5 to 95% by weight of an aromatic vinyl-isoprene block copolymer (a) having two or more poly(aromatic vinyl) blocks, 0 to 47.5% by weight of an aromatic vinyl-isoprene diblock copolymer (b), and 5 to 33% by weight of isoprene homopolymer (c) having a weight average molecular weight of 20,000 to 100,000, wherein the elastomer composition has a content of aromatic vinyl monomer unit of 14 to 50% by weight, (2) separating the elastomer composition from the solvent, (3) drying the elastomer composition, and (4) blending a petroleum resin with the elastomer composition made by steps (1)-(3), wherein the amount of the petroleum resin is 10 to 500 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the elastomer composition.

Pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes such as packing tapes and surface-protective tapes and pressure-sensitive adhesive labels, seals, sheets, etc. for industrial and office use are produced by applying a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition mainly comprising an elastomer and a tackifier resin onto a backing support such as kraft paper, polyester cloth and polyethylene film.
In recent years, use of a hot-melt and solvent-free pressure-sensitive adhesive composition has been recommended from the viewpoint of regulations for environmental protection, energy-saving, resources-saving, etc. In this connection, a styrene-isoprene-styrene block copolymer has been widely employed as the elastomer for use in such a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition.
Pressure-sensitive adhesive compositions are required to have excellent pressure-sensitive adhesive properties such as tackiness, peel strength and holding power. Particularly, demand exists for a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition which is excellent in the tackiness at low temperatures, the peel strength at ordinary temperatures and the holding power at high temperatures. Extensive studies have been made to enhance these pressure-sensitive adhesive properties.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 63-178187 and 63-178188 disclose a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition containing a styrene-isoprene-styrene block copolymer and a styrene-isoprene diblock copolymer. The disclosed pressure-sensitive adhesive composition exhibits a relatively high peel strength at ordinary temperatures, but is unsatisfactory in the tackiness at low temperature or the holding power at high temperatures.
The production of a pressure-sensitive adhesive label generally includes a step of die-cutting a pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet adhered to a releasing sheet into the shape of intended pressure-sensitive adhesive label. When a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition having poor die-cuttability is employed in this step, the cutting of the pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet cannot be attained successfully. Thus, the resultant pressure-sensitive adhesive labels become stuck to one another, thereby considerably reducing the product value, and in addition, the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition adheres to the die, thereby adversely affecting the subsequent cutting operations. To solve the above problems, various studies have been made to improve the die-cuttability.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,842 proposes a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition containing a styrene-isoprene-styrene block copolymer and a styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-504519 discloses a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition comprising a styrene-isoprene-styrene block copolymer, a styrene-isoprene diblock copolymer and a tackifier resin, which exhibits a single glass transition temperature. However, the proposed pressure-sensitive adhesive compositions are insufficient in the improvement of die-cuttability or reduced in the pressure-sensitive adhesive properties, thereby failing to be excellent in both the pressure-sensitive adhesive properties and the die-cuttability.

Elastomer composition and pressure-sensitive adhesives made by using same


By using a first dynamic model of a moving robot 1, a provisional motion, which indicates a provisional value of a desired motion of the robot 1, is created such that a desired value of a floor reaction force moment horizontal component and a permissible range of a translational floor reaction force horizontal component are satisfied on the first dynamic model. The difference between a floor reaction force produced on a second dynamic model, which has a dynamic accuracy that is higher than that of the first dynamic model, by the provisional motion and a floor reaction force produced on the first dynamic model is defined as a floor reaction force error. Based on this floor reaction force error, the provisional motion is corrected on the first dynamic model to generate a desired motion. The desired motion is generated such that the value obtained by adding the floor reaction force error to the floor reaction force generated on the first dynamic model satisfies the aforesaid desired value and permissible range.

As a technology for generating desired gaits of a moving robot, such as a bipedal moving robot, there has been known a technology in which an error of a floor reaction force moment about a desired ZMP or an error of an actual ZMP from the desired ZMP is observed and a gait is corrected to reduce the error, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent No. 3443077 (patent document 1) or in "Realtime walking stabilization control of a biped humanoid robot—Verifying the validity of a walking control module in HRP—"/3P14/The 18th Annual Conference of the Robotics Society of Japan (non-patent document 1).
However, these technologies do not consider an error of a translational floor reaction force; therefore, if a gait is to be generated for a robot to walk on a road surface having a low friction coefficient or if a gait having a period during which a translational floor reaction force vertical component becomes zero or substantially zero, such as in running, is to be generated, it will be difficult to generate a gait that restrains the robot from slipping.
Thus, technologies disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-326173 (patent document 2) and PCT international publication WO/03/057427/A1 (patent document 3) have been proposed by the present applicant. According to the technologies disclosed in these patent documents 2 and 3, an instantaneous desired gait composed of an instantaneous value of a desired motion (instantaneous desired motion) of a robot and an instantaneous value of a desired floor reaction force (instantaneous desired floor reaction force) is sequentially created using a first dynamic model (simplified model), which represents a relationship between motions of the robot (the positions and postures of individual portions) and floor reaction forces, such that a dynamic balance condition (a condition, such as the one in that a translational force component of a floor reaction force takes a desired value or a floor reaction force moment about a certain point takes a desired value) on the first dynamic model is satisfied. Then, the instantaneous desired gait is input to a second dynamic model (full model) wherein a part of the instantaneous desired motion (desired body position/posture, a desired moment about a desired ZMP, or the like) is corrected so as to generate a final instantaneous desired gait in a time series manner.
According to the technology, using a model having high linearity as the first dynamic model (simplified model) makes it possible to efficiently and promptly create a gait that enables a robot to continue a stable motion, and using a model having relatively high dynamic accuracy as a second dynamic model (full model) makes it possible to bring the dynamic accuracy between a motion of a finally generated gait and a floor reaction force closer to the dynamics of an actual robot.
Meantime, according to the technologies disclosed in the aforesaid patent documents 2 and 3, the correction of an instantaneous desired motion (the correction of body position/posture) using the second dynamic model at arbitrary time t is made by using a past value of a moment about a desired ZMP (a correction amount of a moment about a desired ZMP) output from the second dynamic model. More specifically, according to the technologies disclosed in patent documents 2 and 3, a past value of a moment about a desired ZMP output from the second dynamic model is considered to indicate the dynamic error of an instantaneous value of a gait newly created using the first dynamic model and then the instantaneous value of a new gait is corrected on the basis of the past value of the moment. In other words, there is a temporal difference between the motion of a gait that has been finally corrected using the second dynamic model and a floor reaction force (the moment about a desired ZMP) that is referred to when making the correction.
However, the dynamic error of a gait created using the first dynamic model changes, depending on a gait motion pattern, so that the past value of the moment about the desired ZMP output from the second dynamic model does not necessarily indicate a dynamic error of an instantaneous value of a new gait created using the first dynamic model. Further, the second dynamic model has high nonlinearity, so that a motion of a gait created using it tends to diverge. Hence, according to the technologies disclosed in patent documents 2 and 3, it has been necessary to correct a desired ZMP trajectory or to generate a floor reaction force moment about a desired ZMP so as to restrain a desired motion trajectory of a robot from deviating from a motion trajectory of a gait created using the first dynamic model. And in this case, there have been occasions where a correction amount of a desired ZMP trajectory or a floor reaction force moment about a desired ZMP becomes relatively large, which has sometimes led to a difficulty in maintaining a large stability margin. Conversely, if the permissible range of a correction amount of a desired ZMP trajectory or a floor reaction force moment about a desired ZMP is set to be narrow in order to maintain a large stability margin, then the danger of the divergence of a gait has inconveniently increased.
The present invention has been made with a view toward the aforesaid background, and it is an object thereof to provide a gait producing device for a moving robot that is capable of efficiently generating a gait that permits prevention of a slippage of a robot and also capable of successfully securing dynamic accuracy between a motion of the gait and a floor reaction force while ensuring temporal coordination therebetween.


Compounds of formula (I): ##STR1## wherein: X represents an optionally substituted benzimidazole group; Y represents an oxygen or sulfur atom; Z represents a 2,4-dioxothiazolidin-5-ylidenylmethyl, 2,4-dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl, 2,4-dioxooxazolidin-5-ylmethyl, 3,5-dioxooxadiazolidin-2-ylmethyl or N-hydroxyureidomethlyl group; R represents hydrogen, alkyl, alkoxy, halogen, hydroxy, nitro, amino or aralkyl; and m is an integer from 1 to 5!; have valuable activity for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of a variety of disorders, including one or more of: hyperlipemia, hyperglycemia, obesity, impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), insulin resistance and diabetic complications.

The present invention relates to a series of benzimidazole compounds having hypoglycemic, anti-diabetic, anti-cataract and 5-lipoxygenase inhibitory activities, the ability to inhibit the formation of lipid peroxide and related activities, as described in more detail hereafter, and provides processes for their preparation and methods and compositions for their use.
Insulin and sulfonylurea compounds, including tolbutamide and glipizide, have been used for the treatment of diabetes mellitus and hyperglycemia. More recently, it has been discovered that compounds which, like those of the present invention, contain, inter alia, a thiazolidinedione, oxazolidinedione or related group attached, via a methylene or methylidene group, to a benzene ring have this type of activity, and have been proposed for the treatment of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.
(1) Many thiazolidine derivatives have been reported to have hypoglycemic activity, for example those described in: European Patent Publication No. 008203; European Patent Publication No. 139421; Chem. Pharm. Bull. 30, 3580-3600 (1982) by Y. Kawamatsu et al.; and in European Patent Publication No. 0441605.
(2) Compounds containing heterocyclic ring groups are disclosed in, for example: European Patent Publication No. 208420; European Patent Publication No. 528734; WO 92/07850A; WO 92/07839A; European Patent Publication No. 177353; European Patent Publication No. 306228; and European Patent Publication No. 356214.
(3) Oxazolidine-2,4-dione compounds having hypoglycemic activity are disclosed in, for example: WO 91/07107A; and WO 92/02520A.
(4) In addition, compounds containing an N-hydroxyureido group or a 3,5-dioxooxadiazolidin-2-ylmethylphenyl group and having this type of activity are disclosed in WO 92/03425A.
However, these compounds have a number of disadvantages, for example, their activity is inadequate or there are problems with their safety. Stronger and safer preventive and/or therapeutic agents for these diseases are therefore desired in practice.
The relationship between thiazolidine derivatives and various diseases is described in the following literature:
The effect of thiazolidine compounds on hyperglycemia has been reported in Diabetes 32(9), 804-810 (1983); Diabetes 37(11), 1549-1558 (1988); Prog. Clin. Biol. Res. 265, 177-192 (1988); Metabolism 37(3), 276-280 (1988); Arzneimittelforschung 40(1), 37-42 (1990); Arzneimittelforschung 40(2 Pt 1), 156-162 (1990); and Arzneimittelforschung 40(3), 263-267 (1990).
The effect of thiazolidine compounds on hyperlipidemia has been reported in Diabetes 40(12), 1669-1674 (1991); Am. J. Physiol. 267(1 Pt 1), E95-E101 (1994); and Diabetes 43(10), 1203-1210 (1994).
The effect of thiazolidine compounds on impaired glucose tolerance and insulin resistance has been reported in Arzneimittelforschung 40(2 Pt 1), 156-162 (1990); Metabolism 40(10), 1025-1230 (1991); Diabetes 43(2), 204-211 (1994); and N. Engl. J. Med. 331(18), 1226-1227 (1994).
The effect of thiazolidine compounds on hypertension has been reported in Metabolism 42(1), 75-80 (1993); Am. J. Physiol. 265 (4 Pt 2), R726-R732 (1993); and Diabetes 43(2), 204-211 (1994).
The effect of thiazolidine compounds on cachexia has been reported in Endocrinology 135(5), 2279-2282 (1994); and Endocrinology 136(4), 1474-1481 (1995).
The effect of thiazolidine compounds on nephropathy has been reported in the Journal of Japan Diabetes Society 38, Extra number (1995).
The effect of thiazolidine compounds on coronary artery diseases has been reported in Am. J. Physiol. 265(4 Pt 2), R726-R732 (1993); and Hypertension 24(2), 170-175 (1994).
The effect of thiazolidine compounds on arteriosclerosis has been reported in Am. J. Physiol. 265(4 Pt 2), R726-R732 (1993).
In addition, a high risk of diabetic occurrence has recently been reported in normal persons who have insulin resistance which is not accompanied by impaired glucose tolerance in other words, insulin resistant non-IGT (NGT)! in N. Engl. J. Med. 331(18), 1226-1227 (1994). This fact suggests that an agent which can improve insulin resistance may be useful for the prevention of such diabetic occurrence in normal persons.
We have now discovered that the inclusion in such compounds of certain specific bicyclic nitrogen-containing ring systems results in compounds of much improved activity.

Benzimidazole derivatives, their preparation and their therapeutic use


The present disclosure relates to an imaging device and an electronic device capable of restricting an occurrence of a sunspot phenomenon in a simple configuration. The imaging device includes a sample/hold part that samples and holds a reset voltage as a reset level voltage of a pixel signal and an AD conversion part that analog digital (AD) converts the pixel signal, in which the AD conversion part selects and outputs one of a first output signal as the AD converted pixel signal and a second output signal at a predetermined level on the basis of a comparison result between the reset voltage held by the sample/hold part and a predetermined reference voltage. The technology according to the present disclosure can be applied to a CMOS image sensor, for example.

There has been conventionally discussed a technology for restricting an occurrence of a sunspot phenomenon in an imaging device such as CMOS image sensor. The sunspot phenomenon is a phenomenon in which charges leak from a photoelectric conversion device on a reset operation in a pixel in which a remarkably strong light is incident so that luminance lowers and a black precipitate is caused, which is called blackening phenomenon, black level depression, or blocked-up shadow.
Additionally, a state in which charges leak from a photoelectric conversion device on a reset operation in a pixel in which a strong light is incident and a sunspot phenomenon can occur will be called sunspot state below.
For example, according to the technology described in Patent Document 1, the presence of an occurrence of a sunspot phenomenon is detected on the basis of a comparison result between a voltage of a feedthrough part in a pixel signal and a predetermined reference potential. On the other hand, a pixel signal is delayed by a time required for detecting the presence of an occurrence of a sunspot state, a voltage of a feedthrough part in a pixel signal is sampled in a pixel where a sunspot state does not occur, and a voltage of a reset step part in a pixel signal when a reset gate is switched on is sampled in a pixel where a sunspot state occurs. Then, a voltage obtained by adding an average value of the pixel signals in a light shielded region to a sampled voltage is used as a reset level voltage of a pixel signal. Thereby, a reduction in reset level voltage in a pixel where a sunspot state occurs is prevented, and an occurrence of a sunspot phenomenon is restricted.

SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION


A vehicle includes a coil (22) receiving electric power contactlessly from a power transmission unit (56) provided externally; and a bottom surface. The coil (22) is formed to surround a winding axis (O1) of the coil (22). When the winding axis (O1) and the bottom surface (76) are viewed from above the vehicle, the coil (22) is disposed such that the winding axis (O1) located to fall within the bottom surface (76) is shorter in length than the vehicle in a front-rear direction.

In recent years, due to concerns with environment, attention has been drawn to a hybrid vehicle, an electric vehicle, and the like, each of which drives driving wheels using electric power from a battery or the like.
Particularly drawing attention in recent years is wireless charging, by which such a battery included in an electrically powered vehicle can be charged contactlessly without using a plug or the like.
For example, a contactless power supply device described in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2011-97671 includes a secondary coil mounted in a vehicle, and a primary coil provided externally to the vehicle and connected to a high-frequency power supply. When viewed in plan, the primary coil is formed in a horizontally long shape, and disposed such that its longitudinal direction is orthogonal to the traveling direction of the vehicle. When viewed in plan, the secondary coil is formed in a vertically long shape, and disposed such that its longitudinal direction corresponds to the traveling direction of the vehicle.
A contactless power feeding device described in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2010-172084 includes a primary side coil wound around a primary side core, and a secondary side coil wound around a secondary side core.
The secondary side core and the secondary side coil are mounted on the rear end portion side of the vehicle. The secondary side core is formed of a plurality of plate-shaped cores arranged in the width direction of the vehicle.
A contactless power feeding device described in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2011-49230 includes a power feeding unit provided on the ground side, a power reception unit provided on the vehicle side, and a secondary-side shield plate provided in the vehicle. The power reception unit includes a ferrite plate and a coil wound around this ferrite plate. The power feeding unit also includes a ferrite plate and a coil wound around this ferrite plate.
The ferrite plate of the power reception unit and the ferrite plate of the power feeding unit have the same shape. Each ferrite plate is formed to be longer in the width direction of the vehicle than in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.


A print head apparatus is provided for use with a xerographic printing device having a rotating photoreceptor with a curved conductive surface. The apparatus includes an LED bar print head configured for locating adjacent the photoreceptor; a first distance sensor located on the print head at a first location, the first distance sensor being configured for measuring a first gap between the print head and the photoreceptor at the first location; and a second distance sensor located on the print head at a second location, the second location being different from the first location, the second distance sensor being configured for measuring a second gap between the print head and the photoreceptor at the second location. The print head is configured such that the sensors are arranged on the print head such that the sensors are configured to enable a measurement of angular position of the print head relative to the surface of the photoreceptor.

LED print head imaging devices have replaced traditional ROS laser systems, enhancing cost savings and addressing reliability and uniformity issues. LED bar-type print head imaging apparatus and systems may include a print bar imager assembly having an array, usually linear, of individual sources. A print bar may comprise an array formed of smaller sub-arrays arranged side-by-side.
A print "bar" as used in this document means a structure or device holding an arrangement of light emitting diode ("LED") print heads that remains stationary during printing. For print bars or print heads, the LED bar is the current state of the art. A lens mechanism such as a rod lens array, commercially available under the trademark SELFOC, can be used in the print bar for focusing the light emitted by the LED or LED array on the photosensitive recording member such as a photoreceptor (P/R) medium.
Due to limitations and tolerances of the lens mechanism, the depth of focus of a SELFOC lens is very small. Depth of focus is the tolerance in which either the light source, the SELFOC lens, or the photoreceptor can have a positional error (about ±60 μm) with respect to the other two components without losing the focus. Moving out of this focus range results in imaging defects. Maintaining this mechanical tolerance (about ±60 μm) may require adjustment due to production variations and environmental changes or wear over life. This constant adjustment adds to design and production cost. Various techniques have been proposed to address the so-called depth of focus problem in electrophotographic printing. Depth of focus correction methods have included replacing the light source with a laser, changing a spot size by eliminating the lens mechanism, and software processing to change the illumination profile of the light source.
There is a need in the art for methods and systems that can economically and optimally control the position of the print bar to correct for process variations and other factors that may adversely affect the depth of focus or positional errors when forming an image on a photoreceptor medium.

LED print bar imaging apparatus and systems useful for electrophotographic printing


It is provided a vehicle occupant restraint system comprising an airbag module and a backrest of a vehicle seat, wherein the airbag module is arranged on the backrest. The airbag module comprises an inflatable gas bag main chamber and an inflatable gas bag secondary chamber, wherein in the inflated condition the gas bag main chamber has a larger volume than the gas bag secondary chamber and wherein the gas bag main chamber and the gas bag secondary chamber are fluidically connected to each other via an overflow opening. The airbag module is arranged at the backrest of the vehicle seat such that in the inflated condition the gas bag secondary chamber is supported at the backrest of the vehicle seat.

This disclosure relates to a vehicle occupant restraint system.
Vehicle occupant restraint systems with an inflatable gas bag arranged on a vehicle seat serve to protect the passenger sitting on the vehicle seat in the case of an accident in which the passenger moves out of his normal seating position. In an accident the gas bag is filled with a gas and forms an air cushion. This air cushion can catch the passenger or his upper body and hence slow down the movement of the passenger.
Depending on the shape of the gas bag and the velocity of the passenger, the gas bag can break away in the event of an impact of the passenger on the gas bag and thus protect the passenger less efficiently. Therefore, it is desirable that the gas bag is supported well in the event of an impact in order to prevent it from breaking away.


A method for resolving primary section mismatch at a local node coupled to a remote node with two working sections is disclosed. A first working section is initially identified as the primary section and a second working section is initially identified as the secondary section. The primary section supports network traffic and the secondary section operates as a backup for the primary section. The method includes receiving a status indication change of the working section identified as the primary section at the local node and switching the primary section to the second working section at the local node. A timer is started upon switching the primary section to the second working section at the local node and the primary section is switched back to the first working section at the local node after the timer expires if the other node has not switched its primary section.

The present invention relates generally to digital communication networks, and more specifically, to networking equipment possessing optical interfaces and conforming to the SONET/SDH standard. The invention provides a system and method for preventing primary section mismatch in Automatic Protection Switching (APS).
SONET/SDH and optical fiber have emerged as significant technologies for building large scale, high speed, Internet Protocol (IP) based networks. SONET and SDH are a set of related standards for synchronous data transmission over fiber optic networks. SONET is short for Synchronous Optical Network and SDH is an acronym for Synchronous Digital Hierarchy. A SONET system consists of switches, multiplexers, and repeaters, all connected by fiber. Switches and other components within the SONET/SDH system are configured to have multiple cable connections. For example, nodes are typically connected by at least two lines to provide a backup path.
Automatic Protection Switching is a means to provide SONET/SDH line redundancy. It is described in ITU-T Recommendation G.783 ("Characteristics of Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) Equipment Functional Blocks", dated April 1997) and Bellcore GR-253 standard. AnnexB of the ITU-T Recommendation G.783 dated April 1997 describes a multiplex section protection optimized protocol. The protocol provides high availability through SONET line redundancy by switching between two working sections to provide bidirectional non-revertive protection switching. The protocol uses the concept of primary and secondary sections (similar to working and protection lines of Bellcore GR-253 APS) to indicate which working section is carrying traffic. The section that carries traffic when no switch is active is called the primary section (similar to working line) and the other working section (similar to protection line) is called the secondary section. The APS operation switches between the two working sections to realize 1+1 bidirectional non-revertive protection switching. The protocol is exchanged over the K1/K2 bytes in the SONET/SDH frame. Thus, in AnnexB APS, the protection line indication (i.e., primary or secondary) can change between the working sections. This can lead to a situation where APS Line Terminating Equipment (LTE) at different ends indicate different working sections as primary, resulting in primary section mismatch.
According to the Annex B APS protocol, when an APS node moves its primary section from a first working section to a second working section, it expects the remote node to also move to its primary section to the second section. In the event that the two nodes disagree about which section is primary (i.e., one node indicates section one in its APS protocol byte K2 and the other node indicates section two), the node that believed section two was primary changes so that section one is primary and sets its state according to local line conditions and the incoming K2 bytes. The protocol, however, does not specify how much time the side that has switched to the second working section as primary should wait before going back to section one as primary.
With conventional systems, if the remote node does not follow by switching to section two as its primary, and instead continues to indicate that section one is the primary section, the local node continues to wait for the remote node to indicate the new primary section indication in the updated K1/K2 bytes. This may take a long time to happen, or may not happen at all. The same situation may occur after clearing of a user initiated forced switch request. If the remote node is delayed in sending indication about its primary section or is delayed in moving to the other section, the local node which switched to section two will continue to wait for an indication that may or may not arrive, resulting in a primary section mismatch.
For example, if a Signal Fail condition occurs on the primary section, the local and remote selectors both change to working section two as the active line (with primary section still defined as working section one). After the Signal Fail condition clears and a Wait-To-Restore timer fires, the local node changes its K1 byte and sends a No Request on it. The local node will then switch its primary section to working section two. This is reflected in the K2 byte. If the remote node fails to send back a No Request on its K1 byte and continues to indicate working section one as its primary section, the local node will continue to wait for the remote node to switch to working section two, thus resulting in a primary section mismatch.
There is, therefore, a need for a timer based system to resolve primary section mismatch such that a local node switches its primary section indication back to the first working section to resolve a mismatch due to a remote node not switching its primary section to the second working section within a specified period of time.

Timer based system for preventing mismatch in automatic protection switching


Various examples are disclosed for edge alert coordination for mobile device alerts. An edge device can connect to a network through an edge device that monitors device data and metrics for the device. The edge device transmits a join message that includes a device identifier of the device. The edge device receives inherited device alert data. The device alert data is inherited from a previous edge device that previously monitored the device. The edge device triggers an alert using the inherited device alert data and currently monitored device data.

Enterprises can manage a number of devices including phones, tablets, sensors, Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices, and other devices. These devices can connect to a network through a gateway or another edge device. Notably, typical IoT solutions evaluate data, trigger alerts, and promulgate actions at a server layer. There are many disadvantages for evaluating data, triggering alerts, performing event analysis, and determining actions at the off-premise server layer.
For instance, high and unpredictable latency may occur when transferring data to the server and evaluating the data at the server. Additionally, network bandwidth demand is increased as all data and corresponding events, actions, and related data must be transmitted over a wide area network or the Internet. This also increases computational demand at the server level. In addition, many devices are mobile in nature. This poses further challenges in alert coordination, evaluation, and triggering in modern enterprise environments.

Edge alert coordinator for mobile devices


A bias binder sewing aid which functions to receive fabric or the like having a predetermined width and automatically fold such fabric wherein the center of the width remains the center of such folded fabric The portion of the fabric to the left of the center is substantially folded in half along its center and the portion of the fabric to the right of the center is substantially folded in half along its center.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bias binder sewing aid and, more particularly, to a bias binder sewing aid for use with sewing machines which automatically folds fabric without the need for pre-processing such as pre-folding, pinning, and/or ironing, thereby minimizing the amount of time to finish a garment, a quilt or the like.
2. General Background
In the sewing industry, garments have sewn thereto, boarders or a bias which allow free ends of such garments to be nicely finished. In the past such boarders and biases must be pre-processed such as, without limitation, pressed, folded and/or pinned, so that such boarders or biases may be easily sewn to the garment. However, if such pre-processing is foregone then such boarders or biases may be gapped during the sewing process rendering the garment, with such gapped boarder or biases, defective; and, as a result, profits are diminished.
Nevertheless, such pre-processing, which is required to produce quality garments, is costly. Therefore, several attempts have been made to eliminate such pre-processing.


Conspicuous, informative lights make bicycling on roads safer and more comfortable, day and night. Pairs of bright, non-flashing, non-glare lights are positioned so motorists can easily detect and recognize the bicycle, then easily determine its space requirements and motion. They also light the road ahead at night. In one embodiment, thin clusters of LED's shine white ahead and amber rear, giving the bicycle a wide presence on the road. This keeps motor vehicles at a safe distance and decreases motorist impatience.

Bicycling on roads is scary and dangerous. Motor vehicles come too close when passing. They turn into the bicycle's path at intersections. Motorists show impatience. Some bicyclists are frightened, injured and killed.
Some experts advise bicyclists to "take the lane," positioning the bicycle so it occupies the full traffic lane, like other slow-moving vehicles. This helps, but motorists still have difficulty seeing the bicycle in the middle of the lane. They cannot easily determine its location, speed and direction. They underestimate how much space the bicyclist needs to feel comfortable, driving into narrow lanes along side the bicycle.
Existing bicycle safety systems do not fix these problems. Flags, reflectors, narrow-beam LED headlights and flashing lights are inherently hard to see or dazzling or disorienting. In daylight, the lights are not big or bright enough. A single headlight or tail light does not provide the two steady, separated light points needed to determine the bicycle's position and motion. Lights are typically too low, small or dim to catch motorists' attention. The lights or extensions are not wide enough to keep motorists from crowding into the bicyclist's lane.
The present inventor modified an existing nightlight in about 1973 so that two bright four-inch round lights extended from handlebars on both sides of the bicycle. He used the lights in daytime as well as night. The handlebar lights were deficient because, among other reasons, they moved whenever the handlebars were turned and because they were too low to shine directly at motorists. Recently, he discovered that these problems were fixed by moving the lights to the position described for these embodiments. (That discovery was within one year of filing his provisional patent application; this application does not cover lights on handlebars or recumbent seat rails.)


A semiconductor memory device includes a first test row decoder (9a) for selecting memory cells in normal rows in a test mode, a second test row decoder (9b) for selecting spare memory cell rows, a first test column decoder (10a) for selecting memory cells in normal columns, and a second test column decoder (10b) for selecting spare memory cell columns. A control circuit (11) may perform switching between four combinations of the row and column decoders by using a control signal (SRT) and a control signal (SCT). All spare memory cells are tested prior to reparation of a defective memory cell for yield enhancement.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device having spare memory cells for repairing defects in normal memory cells and, more particularly, to checking spare memory cells for defects.
2. Description of the Background Art
FIG. 30 is a plan view of principal portions of a conventional dynamic semiconductor memory device (referred to hereinafter as a DRAM). In FIG. 30, the reference numeral 141 designates an area wherein a column of sense amplifiers are arranged (a sense amplifier forming area); 142 designates an area wherein a group of memory elements are arranged (memory cell array); 143 designates a row decoder for activating a word line specified by a row address signal for selecting a cell in the memory cell array 142; and 144 designates a column decoder for activating a bit line specified by a column address signal for selecting a cell in the memory cell array 142.
FIG. 31 conceptually illustrates the structure of an area 145 shown in FIG. 30. In FIG. 31, the reference numeral 146 designates memory cells for constituting the memory cell array 142; the reference character 147a designates word lines provided in respective rows of the normal memory cells and controlled by a normal row decoder 143a so that they are active/inactive; 147b designates a word line provided in a spare cell row in which spare memory cells are arranged and controlled by a spare row decoder 143a so that it is active/inactive; 148a designates bit lines provided in respective normal columns in which the normal memory cells are arranged and controlled by a normal column decoder 144a of the column decoder 144 so that they are active/inactive; and 148b designates bit lines provided in respective spare memory cell columns in which the spare memory cells are arranged and controlled by a spare column decoder 144b of the column decoder 144 so that they are active/inactive.
The DRAM shown in FIG. 31 has a redundant construction for repairing a defect. Each memory cell array 142 includes one or more spare rows and one or more spare columns. If a memory cell is defective, the row or column containing the defect is electrically replaced with a spare row or spare column by the laser fuse programming or the like to repair the defect.
FIG. 32 is a plan view of a conventional dynamic semiconductor memory device. In FIG. 32, the reference numeral 200 designates a storage area of the dynamic semiconductor memory device; 201 designates an area wherein a column of sense amplifiers are arranged (a sense amplifier forming area); 202 designates an area wherein a group of memory elements formed between the areas 201 wherein a plurality of columns of sense amplifiers are arranged respectively are arranged; 203 designates word line backing areas for connecting metal interconnecting lines having a relatively low resistance; and 204 designates areas wherein interconnecting lines having a relatively high resistance are formed in a layer different from the word line backing areas 203 and intersecting the sense amplifier forming areas 201.
FIG. 33 conceptually illustrates the structure of the word line backing areas 203 shown in FIG. 32. In FIG. 33, the reference numeral 205 designates aluminum interconnecting lines having a relatively low resistance; and 206 designates polycide interconnecting lines having a relatively high resistance and connected in parallel with the aluminum interconnecting lines 205.
FIG. 34 is a block diagram of a memory cell block of the dynamic semiconductor memory device. In FIG. 34, the reference characters 141a and 141c designate sense amplifier forming areas wherein sense amplifiers for reading data from the normal memory cells are formed; 141b and 141d designate sense amplifier forming areas wherein sense amplifiers for reading data from the spare memory cells are formed; 148c designates bit line pairs for transmitting data read from the normal memory cells; and 148d designates bit line pairs for transmitting data read from the spare memory cells. Like reference numerals and characters are used to designate elements corresponding to those of FIG. 31.
The conventional semiconductor memory device constructed as above described has failed to effectively repair defects in the memory cells arranged in the spare rows and spare columns.

Semiconductor memory device and method of checking same for defect


When a command frequency to a rotating electric machine is included in an inverter lock frequency band, a frequency switching section switches the command frequency to a frequency outside the inverter lock frequency band by changing a slip frequency command value. In response to this, a torque command change section changes a torque command to a second rotating electric machine other than a first rotating electric machine of which the slip frequency is changed such that a torque fluctuation caused by the change of the slip frequency command value is canceled out.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a control device and a control method for a plurality of rotating electric machines used as drive sources of a vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, there are cases where a plurality of rotating electric machines are used as drive sources of a vehicle. For example, there are cases where a rotating electric machine for front-wheel drive and a rotating electric machine for rear-wheel drive are used. A torque command generated in accordance with the depression of an accelerator pedal or the like is distributed to each rotating electric machine. A command signal indicative of electric power supplied to each rotating electric machine is generated in accordance with the distributed torque command.
In addition, in the case where a direct current (DC) power source such as a battery or the like is used as the power source of the rotating electric machine, an inverter for converting DC power to alternating current (AC) power is used. The inverter performs DC/AC conversion in response to a command signal.
When the frequency of the command signal (command frequency) is low or 0 Hz, inverter lock in which a current flows to a specific switching element of the inverter for a long time period may occur. At this point, if a large current flows to the switching element, the switching element may be overheated.
The above state can occur at the time of start of a vehicle on an upward slope. In the case where an induction rotating electric machine is used, the frequency of the command signal to the rotating electric machine is the sum of a rotational frequency of a rotor and a slip frequency. When a stopped vehicle is caused to start on an upward slope, a driver releases a brake pedal and steps on an accelerator pedal. At this point, a positive torque command is outputted with depression of the accelerator pedal (the slip frequency: positive) while the vehicle slightly slides down on the upward slope with the release of the brake pedal (the rotational frequency: negative). As a result, part of all of the rotational frequency and the slip frequency cancel each other out, and the inverter lock may occur. In addition, at the time of start of the vehicle on the upward slope, there are cases where the depression of the accelerator pedal becomes relatively strong. With this, a large current flows to the switching element.
In order to reduce the overheat of the switching element, inverter protection control that reduces the current or voltage to the inverter when the flow of the large current to the switching element is detected is conventionally performed. For example, in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-259631 (JP 2007-259631 A), when the inverter lock state (a state in which an RPM becomes substantially zero) of a synchronous rotating electric machine is detected, electric power applied to the inverter is reduced. In addition, in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-228131 (JP 2012-228131 A), when the inverter lock state is detected, an inverter lock allowable time period during which the inverter lock state is allowed in accordance with the temperature of a coil of the rotating electric machine and an output torque value is calculated. Further, in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-354785 (JP 2005-354785 A), when the inverter lock state is detected, the current is distributed to the switching element on which the current is not concentrated.
Furthermore, in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-289405 (JP 8-289405 A), the maximum value of the slip frequency to the induction rotating electric machine is changed in accordance with the temperature of a motor.

Control device and control method for vehicular rotating electric machine


A plurality of physically different queue files provided in a distributed processor node of a distributed processing system are regarded as a queue file group, and a message storage pointer and a message pick up pointer are provided in a message queue manager, and storing or picking up of a message is executed by a queue file indicated by the content of the message storage or pick up pointer, and the content of the pointer is updated every storing or picking up at the same time, so that access to a message queue in asynchronous storage type communication which can transfer a voluminous message without changing the application program is made possible.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a distributed processing system associated with a plurality of distributed processor nodes and more particularly to a method and a system thereof for providing a message queue on a recording medium of each distributed processor node and transferring data (hereinafter referred to as a message) to be transferred between a message sender distributed processor node and a message receiver distributed processor node via this message queue.
Furthermore, the present invention belongs to a communication system for transferring a message asynchronously between a plurality of application programs (AP) on a distributed processing system via a message queue, and further relates to association with message bases, message queuing, and asynchronous storage type communication.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are inter-program communication systems available in a conventional distributed processing system associated with a plurality of distributed processor nodes such as (1) an interactive communication system, (2) an RPC (remote procedure call) system on the basis of an X/Open distribution transaction process model, and (3) a file transfer system. The interactive communication system is a system in which a plurality of application programs (process programs) are associated with each other and a sender node notifies a receiver node of the sending of a message and sends a message when it receives a response to it. The RPC system is a system in which one application program requests a process for another application program and the process result of another application program is returned to the application program of the request source.
These communication systems are a synchronous communication systems which can communicate only when both the sender and receiver are activated at the same time. Namely, in these synchronous communication systems, it is necessary that both the sender and receiver are in operation at the same time and even if the self system is in operation, it is necessary to perform a sending process or receiving process depending on the status of the destination system.
The conventional type of information process is only a concentrated process by a main frame and a terminal. At present, however, the client server system is becoming a main system and the basis thereof is the distributed processing system. To construct a flexible and expandable system as a communication system in this distributed processing system, an example using a message queuing system for communicating asynchronously via a message queue is becoming popular rapidly.
In this case, there are characteristics of the distributed process such that standardization of an application program interface (API) is promoted, and when this API is used, development of an AP in distributed processor nodes can be realized by the same API, and the advantage of the distributed process can be obtained. Therefore, it disturbs the open distributed processing system to specify a peculiar API, so that it is necessary to avoid it.
The asynchronous storage type communication system has the aforementioned characteristics and is a communication system which is widely noticed recently for the reason that not only the system is applied to a field on the assumption of an asynchronous process such as the BPR (business process reengineering), work flow, or mobile communication field but also the program productivity is high because description of communication even in the existing communication field is easy and the API is under standardization and distributed processing systems using this system are increased mostly in Europe. This system is beginning to become popular also in Japan. Namely, a part of users are constructing such a system and many users are studying use of such a system.
As an example of this distributed processing system, there is an example of a parallel I/O network file server architecture disclosed in National Publication of PCT Patent No. 5-502525. In this example, prevention of contention between picking up an instruction by a microprocessor and transfer of a message and file data is intended.
The means for realizing the aforementioned distributed process are as shown below.
[1] Firstly, a message is stored in a logical queue which is called a queue comprising a physical file.
[2] The transfer function picks up a message connected to the queue by FIFO, and sends it to the queue of the predetermined destination, and stores it in the queue of the destination. As a sending method other than FIFO, for example, a method for sending by assigning priority or designating a specific message can be used.
[3] The queue stored in the destination queue is picked up sequentially starting from the longest connected message. It is also possible to pick up the specific message preferentially.
The queue in this system is a logical vessel which can store a message and is generally realized by a file on a magnetic disk.
There are the following two problems imposed in such a conventional queue access method.
(1) There is a limit (generally 4 GB: 2.sup.32 bytes) to the size which can be handled as a file. Therefore, when the upper limit of the size of one message which can be handled is increased (about 100 MB), the number of messages which can be registered in one queue file is necessarily reduced. Namely, in the aforementioned example, up to 40 messages can be registered.
(2) When the system registers or picks up a message, it accesses the queue file. However, during this period of time, the message locks the queue file. When the queue file is structured with a large vessel which is physically the same so as to handle voluminous data, the locking period during registration or picking up of a message is increased and if an attempt is made to pick up or register a message during this period of time, the inputs and/or outputs compete with each other, and the queue file cannot be accessed, and the application program (AP) is kept waiting.
As mentioned above, there is a limit to the size of a physical file which can be handled as a file. For example, since a size of 4 bytes is held, the upper limit is 4 GB (2.sup.32 bytes). In the conventional system, the message queue comprises a physical file. However, as the size of a message to be handled increases, a case occurs that the "size of a message.times.No. of messages" cannot be put into a file entirely. To prevent it, a plurality of message queues are defined conventionally and a plurality of message queues are realized by a plurality of queue files.
When one queue file is provided, the AP accessing this queue file locks it during storing or picking up a message, so that a problem arises that even if an attempt is made to pick up or store a message from or into the queue file, the accesses compete with each other and an I/O neck is caused. Furthermore, even if the vessel (recording medium) is made larger physically so as to handle voluminous data, a problem also arises that when the recording medium is the same, the accesses compete with each other and an I/O bottleneck is caused.

Method of accessing message queue and system thereof


Beginning with a sheet of optically transparent material, one may fabricate a great many shaped optical wafers, each in the form of a thin and essentially flat piece of optical material having a narrow cross-sectional width relative to length, and a sharply narrowed tip at one end. The fabrication process involves passing a sheet of optically transparent material through one or more operational steps wherein cutting, shearing, embossing, microperforating, or a combination thereof is performed. The fabrication process may further include a cladding operation, a tip texturing operation, and an analyte-reactive reagent deposition operation. The completed optical wafers are separated and each may be mounted into a user-operated device along with systems for educing a fluid sample to be expressed from a living organism, for bringing the tip of the optical wafer into contact with the fluid sample, and for illuminating and assaying the fluid sample.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to sensing analyte concentration in a biological fluid, and more particularly to an optical sensor element for measuring analyte concentration in a biological fluid by optical means and a method of manufacture thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
Optical sensors using waveguides such as optical fibers are very useful in performing analyte assays in biological fluids. U.S. Pat. No. 5,859,937 issued Jan. 12, 1999 to Nomura, for example, describes a minimally invasive medical testing device and method for its use which utilizes a light-conducting optical fiber sensor element having a localized textured site thereon, wherein a reagent is deposited. Interaction of the reagent with an analyte specific to the reagent produces a response, such as development of a colored product, which is detectable by means of a change in characteristics of a light beam transmittable through the optical fiber. By means of the textured site and its increased surface area, the sensitivity of the medical testing device is greatly enhanced. The sensor is particularly useful in blood glucose determinations, requiring smaller blood samples than flat strip devices. Improvements in such optical fiber sensor elements have even further increased their sensitivity. Examples of such improved optical fiber sensor elements may be found in, for example, United States Published Patent Application No. 2009/0219509 published Sep. 3, 2009 in the name of Nomura, United States Published Patent Application No. 2011/0097755 published Apr. 28, 2011 in the name of Nomura, and U.S. Pat. No. 8,008,068 issued Aug. 30, 2011 to Nomura.
The handling of individual optic fibers during manufacture is not without difficulty in a practical industrial process. Steps would normally include cutting optic fibers into short lengths, attaching them to some form of belt or carrier, exposing a belted bundle or continuous array of optic fiber ends to an etchant such as a stream of atomic oxygen gas, then depositing a mixture of analyte-reactive reagent and hollow polymeric particles on the treated tips, followed by drying and repositioning of such treated fibers into cartridges for use by a consumer such as a diabetic patient. Improvements in optical sensor elements to enhance their manufacturability and improvements in the methods of manufacture thereof are desirable.

Optical sensor element for analyte assay in a biological fluid, and method of manufacture thereof


A method for controlling a disk drive includes: detecting an amount of an impact applied to the disk drive, and determining whether the detected amount exceeds a critical value; reading position information of a cylinder, over which a head is positioned, when the detected amount exceeds the critical value, and suspending a command being implemented; determining whether the read cylinder number exceeds a reference cylinder number; and moving the head in an innermost peripheral direction of the disk when the read cylinder number exceeds the reference cylinder number, and moving the head in an outermost peripheral direction of the disk when the read cylinder number does not exceed the reference cylinder number.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a servo control method and apparatus of a data storage device, and more particularly, to a method of controlling movement of a head in a data storage device, by which the head is moved to a safety region when an external impact of sufficient magnitude is applied to a disk drive, and a disk drive employing the method.
2. Description of Related Art
A typical example of a technique for controlling movement of a head in a data storage device is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-109840, in which an error in determining a position of the head due to the external impact is reduced by detecting impact applied in directions of x- and y-axes to a surface of a disk by a sensor and calculating a component of the impact in a rotation direction on the basis of information on a present position of the disk read from the head.
Generally, a hard disk drive as a kind of the data storage device is adapted to read data from the disk or write the data on the disk by use of a magnetic head and thus to contribute to an operation of a computer system. A compact high-capacity and high-density hard disk drive has been developed to be employed as means for storing the data in a multimedia system.
The hard disk drive serves to magnetically write or read the information on or from a turning disk. Such a hard disk drive generally includes a disk assembly and an actuator assembly. The disk assembly includes at least one magnetic disk coupled to a hub rotated by an electric motor. The actuator assembly includes an actuator arm having one end supporting the components for writing or reading the data on or from the magnetic disk and the other end coupled to the motor which enables movement of the actuator arm.
As a result of the increased portability of personal computers, the hard disk drive is increasingly likely to be exposed to external impact. If the external impact is applied to the hard disk drive while the hard disk drive reads or writes the data from or on the disk, there is an ample possibility of the head contacting the surface of the disk. When the head contacts the surface of the disk, there is a damage to the disk or head.

Method for controlling movement of head in data storage device and disk drive employing the method


Example methods, apparatuses, or articles of manufacture are disclosed herein that may be utilized, in whole or in part, to facilitate or support one or more operations or techniques for hybrid RTT and TOA positioning, such as for use in or with a mobile communication device, for example.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to position or location estimations of mobile communication devices and, more particularly, to hybrid round trip time (RTT) and time of arrival (TOA)/time difference of arrival (TDOA) positioning techniques for use in or with mobile communication devices.
2. Information
Mobile communication devices, such as, for example, cellular telephones, portable navigation units, laptop computers, personal digital assistants, or the like are becoming more common every day. Certain mobile communication devices, such as, for example, location-aware cellular telephones, smart telephones, or the like may assist users in estimating their geographic locations by providing positioning assistance parameters obtained or gathered from various systems. For example, in an outdoor environment, certain mobile communication devices may obtain an estimate of their geographic location or so-called "position fix" by acquiring wireless signals from a satellite positioning system (SPS), such as the global positioning system (GPS) or other like Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), cellular base station, etc. via a cellular telephone or other wireless or electronic communications network. Acquired wireless signals may, for example, be processed by or at a mobile communication device, and its location may be estimated using known techniques, such as Advanced Forward Link Trilateration (AFLT), base station identification, cell tower triangulation, or the like.
In an indoor environment, mobile communication devices may be unable to reliably receive or acquire satellite or like wireless signals to facilitate or support one or more position estimation techniques. For example, signals from an SPS or other wireless transmitters may be attenuated or otherwise affected in some manner (e.g., insufficient, weak, fragmentary, etc.), which may at least partially preclude their use for position estimations. At times, a mobile communication device may obtain a position fix by measuring ranges to three or more terrestrial wireless access points positioned at known locations. Ranges may be measured, for example, by obtaining a Media Access Control identifier (MAC ID) address from wireless signals received from suitable access points and measuring one or more characteristics of received signals, such as signal strength, round trip delay, or the like. In some instances, however, such as if time of flight-related measurements are utilized, for example, for more accurate positioning, time synchronization between access points and/or mobile communication devices may be needed or otherwise useful. Thus, at times, clock drifts of participating devices may limit or affect positioning accuracy of a mobile communication device and/or may make location estimates prone to degradation (e.g., the deviation in the position fix may grow with time).

Hybrid positioning techniques based on RTT and TOA/TDOA


A system and method for generating a high-resolution image using a scanned-column projector is disclosed. The method includes the operation of generating a time-varying line image. A further operation includes collimating the time-varying line image in at least one plane. An additional operation involves scanning the collimated time-varying line image using a scan mirror. A further operation includes projecting the scanned collimated time-varying line image onto a surface. The scanned collimated time-varying line image is projected with at least one imaging element.

A variety of different technologies have been developed to produce high-resolution video images. For example, a standard spatial light modulator (SLM) has been developed that uses a two-dimensional array of mirrors. Each mirror can be modulated on and off to produce a pixel of light in the final image. In order to produce an image having a resolution sufficient for high-definition television (HDTV), the SLM can have over two-million independently moving mirrors. Producing an SLM chip that has the requisite number of mirrors can be costly. Moreover, developing a full color SLM using three chips, one for each primary color, has been prohibitively expensive for the consumer market. Projectors using three SLM chips typically cost tens of thousands of dollars.
Column modulators were developed, in part, to overcome the limitations of the SLM. Column modulators are able to produce a 1×N column display of pixels at once rather than using independent mirrors for each pixel. The 1×N column of pixels is referred to as a line image. A plurality of line images can be combined to create a video image. For example, an HDTV display can comprise an image that is 1080 pixels high by 1920 pixels wide. Displays that use column modulators, such as the Grating Light Valve (GLV), as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,311,360, function by scanning a continuously modulated column (of 1080 pixels in the case of HDTV) across a viewing surface in a time that is considerably shorter than the persistence of vision, so that an apparent two-dimensional image (1080 pixels by 1920 pixels) is created from the scanned line image. Because only 1080 pixels need to be controlled, in this example, rather than over two million, as in the SLM example above, the column modulator can be simpler and less expensive to manufacture and control.
The more-efficient design of the column modulator makes it an optimal choice when a very high-resolution video display is needed, such as a large public video display or a large simulator where near-photo-realistic video is desired. Column modulators can be used to produce video displays having substantially higher resolution than HDTV standards. However, increasing the resolution of a video display also decreases the tolerance for producing a display that is in focus. Depth of focus is the distance the display surface can move and still be in focus. The depth of focus is dependent on the pixel size. As the pixels become smaller in a high-resolution display, the depth of focus tolerance becomes tighter. A high-resolution display can have a depth of focus with a tolerance of less than ±10 mm.
There are various schemes discussed in the patent literature for scanning a substantially one-dimensional spot image (i.e., rastering). But there are no descriptions to date concerning the specification and design of optical systems for distortion-free scanning of two-dimensional line images on a surface having a predetermined shape. The differences in requirements between rastering and line scanning are great enough that the approaches covered in the patent literature for rastering a spot image are generally not applicable to the problem of scanning a high-resolution column image to produce two-dimensional images.

High-resolution-imaging system for scanned-column projectors


A multimedia output apparatus includes an audio port to receive a first audio signal, a connection port to receive a first video signal or both a second video signal and a second audio signal, a sensor to sense whether the connection port receives only the first video signal or both the second video signal and the second audio signal, a switch to select one of the second audio signal received through the connection port and the first audio signal received through the audio port to be output, and a controller to control the switch to output the first audio signal received through the audio port when the sensor senses that only the first video signal is received through the connection port and to output the second audio signal received through the connection port when the sensor senses that both the second video signal and the second audio signal are received through the connection port. Thus, the multimedia output apparatus and a multimedia system comprising the same is capable of receiving a video signal and an audio signal from both a first multimedia source that transmits a video signal and an audio signal individually through individual interfaces and a second multimedia source that transmits the video signal and the audio signal in a combination through the same interface. The multimedia output apparatus is further capable of transitioning between the two multimedia sources.

1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to a multimedia output apparatus and a multimedia system comprising the same, and more particularly, to a multimedia output apparatus comprising an interface that is capable of receiving a video signal and an audio signal from both a first multimedia source that transmits a video signal and an audio signal individually through individual interfaces and a second multimedia source that transmits the video signal and the audio signal in a combination through the same interface.
2. Description of the Related Art
A multimedia system comprises a multimedia source, such as a digital video disc (DVD) player, a digital broadcast receiver (e.g., set-top box), or the like, to transmit a multimedia signal, and a multimedia output apparatus, such as a television (TV) or the like, to output the multimedia signal received from the multimedia source.
An interface is typically provided between the multimedia source and the multimedia output apparatus to enable data to be transmitted and/or received therebetween. Recently, a digital visual interface (DVI), a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), etc., has been used as the interface.
Here, the DVI and the HDMI are compatible with each other through a conversion cable, so that it is possible to connect a multimedia source having the DVI with the multimedia output apparatus having the HDMI.
FIGS. 1 and 2 are block diagrams illustrating a conventional multimedia output apparatus having an HDMI port to which a multimedia source having the HDMI (hereinafter, referred to as the "HDMI source") and a multimedia source having the DVI (hereinafter, referred to as the "DVI source") are connected through cables, respectively.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, when an HDMI source 100 is connected to an HDMI port 112 through an HDMI cable 102, a transition minimized differential signaling (TMDS) signal is transmitted from the HDMI source 100 to a multimedia output apparatus 110 through the HDMI port 112. Here, the TMDS signal transmitted from the HDMI source 100 contains both a video signal and an audio signal.
The TMDS signal is input to an HDMI integrated chip (IC) 114 used as a decoder. The HDMI IC then divides the TMDS signal into the video signal and the audio signal. The video signal and the audio signal are then input to and processed by a video processor 116 and an audio processor 118, respectively.
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, when a DVI source 200 is connected to the HDMI port 112 through a DVI-HDMI cable 202, the TMDS signal is transmitted from the DVI source 200 to the multimedia output apparatus 110 through the HDMI port 112. Here, the DVI is an interface capable of only transmitting the video signal without the audio signal; therefore the TMDS signal transmitted from the DVI source 200 only contains the video signal. As a result, when the TMDS signal transmitted from the DVI source 200 to the HDMI port 112 is input to and decoded by the HDMI IC 114, only the video signal is output.
That is, when a user connects the HDMI source 100 to the HDMI port 112 of the multimedia output apparatus 110 as illustrated in FIG. 1, both the video signal and the audio signal are output. However, when the user connects the DVI source 200 to the HDMI port 112 of the multimedia output apparatus 110 as illustrated in FIG. 2, there arises a problem that only the video signal is output.

Multimedia output apparatus and multimedia system comprising the same


The application discloses an auxiliary method and device for one time programmable (OTP) adjustment of a display panel. The auxiliary method includes: crimping and conducting a flexible circuit board to a display panel bonded with a chip by means of pre-bonding, to lead a crimping impedance by the flexible circuit board; detecting the crimping impedance led by the flexible circuit board; and screening a detected crimping impedance value to determine whether the OTP adjustment is enabled, wherein when the crimping impedance value meets a preset condition, the OTP adjustment is enabled, and when the crimping impedance value does not meet the preset condition, the OTP adjustment is disabled.

Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) is a technology that converts electrical energy into light energy through organic light emitting materials by use of a phenomenon that the organic light emitting materials emit light by carrier injection and recombination under the action of an electric field. The OLED may include an Active matrix OLED (AMOLED) and a Passive matrix OLED (PMOLED). The OLED display is a new generation of display technology after a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) display and a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), and is called a "fantastic" display technology. The AMOLED has a characteristic of self-luminescence and uses a very thin organic material coating and a substrate. When an electric current flows, the organic materials may emit light. Compared with a traditional liquid crystal display, the AMOLED can achieve a thinner size, a wider visual angle and a higher refresh rate, so the AMOLED is being widely adopted by various terminal devices. Over the past, there have been various challenges on the development of AMOLED devices.

Auxiliary method and device for OTP adjustment of display panel

KUNSHAN GO-VISIONOX OPTO-ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.


The present invention provides a method of determining the status of a multiple sclerosis patient, i.e., predicting the transition from a status of relapsing-remitting to a progressive phase of multiple sclerosis, comprising the step of measuring the levels of urinary myelin basic protein-like material in the patient. The present invention also provides a method of determining the amount of lesions and total lesion area of a multiple sclerosis patient, comprising the step of measuring the levels of urinary myelin basic protein-like material in the patient. Further provided is a method of monitoring myelination in a developing child, comprising the step of: measuring the levels of myelin basic protein-like material in the urine of said child.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of neurology. More specifically, the present invention relates to an assay measuring urinary myelin basic protein like material as a correlate of multiple sclerosis status.
2. Description of the Related Art
Multiple sclerosis (MS), an inflammatory, primary demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) affecting an estimated 350,000 persons in the United States (1), is typified by a chronic and unpredictable course. This variable course and the associated heterogeneity of disease renders clinical trials involving large groups and clinical management of the individual patient problematic. Based on disease course, multiple sclerosis patients are usually categorized (2, 3) as relapsing-remitting (RR), relapsing progressive, primary chronic progressive (CP) and secondary chronic progressive according to the clinical appearance and persistence of neurological deficit. The development of disease progression, whether from onset as in primary chronic progressive-multiple sclerosis or as secondary chronic progressive-multiple sclerosis subsequent to an earlier period of relapses, can be viewed as the failure of remission. The failure of remission, or progression, is the principal cause of disability and decline in the quality of life.
The natural history of multiple sclerosis has been studied extensively for clinical features or laboratory measurements which might predict, anticipate or parallel the future course of disease. Clinical characteristics which appear to predict a future progressive course include: (1) male gender; (2) later age of onset of the disease; (3) corticospinal and cerebellar involvement; (4) increased number of relapses in the first five years; and (5) shorter interval between the first and second relapse (2-4). The clinical scales for assessing progression of disability have certain limitations (5) but, in general, the functional status in a population of multiple sclerosis patients is better than usually envisioned (6), and patients, even with chronic progressive disease may go through periods of spontaneous stability (7). This imprecision in clinical patterns and natural history requires clinical markers for signaling progression (8).
Several laboratory methods, including HLA typing (9) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of tumor necrosis factors (10) have been reported to predict or parallel subsequent disease course in multiple sclerosis. Confirmation of these reported relationships have either not been successful (11) or conflicting (reviewed in 2). Serial cranial MRI, without or with gadolinium, represents another measure of clinical disease activity in multiple sclerosis (5, 12). Cranial MRI may predict the development of multiple sclerosis after initial signs (13), serve as a presumed surrogate marker in early multiple sclerosis (14) and demonstrate increasing lesion burden with longer duration of disease (12). The cranial MRI findings which are indicative of a chronic progressive course or which mark the transition from relapsing-remitting to chronic progressive disease are uncertain (15). Newer MRI techniques, such as magnetization transfer (16), may more accurately demonstrate the changes of chronic progressive-multiple sclerosis. Whatever the technique, cranial MRI may furnish an incomplete record about the change to a chronic progressive course which often results from involvement of the spinal cord.
Myelin basic protein (MBP), a protein of 170 amino acid residues, comprises 30% of CNS myelin proteins (17). Material, designated as myelin basic protein-like material (MBPLM), i.e., reactive with antibodies to myelin basic protein, normally exists at very low levels in CSF but increases after acute CNS myelin damage (18, 19). Serial sampling of CSF is not feasible, but the level of CSF myelin basic protein-like material in an multiple sclerosis patient with recent clinical worsening is predictive of a beneficial response to a regimen of intravenous methylprednisolone and oral prednisone (20). CSF myelin basic protein-like material has a molecular weight of >30,000 and appears to be bound to a carrier molecule (21). Myelin basic protein-like material in CSF is best recognized by an antibody reactive with an epitope that is represented in myelin basic protein residues 80-89 in a conformation present in the intact myelin basic protein molecule.
Urinary myelin basic protein-like material, usually found in low levels in normal individuals, is present in elevated levels in certain multiple sclerosis patients and is quite different in size and immunochemical features from the myelin basic protein-like material present in CSF (22). It has a molecular weight of <1000, is not bound to any other substances and appears to be similar to myelin basic protein residues 83-89 (22, 23). The level of urinary myelin basic protein-like material, unlike the level of myelin basic protein-like material in CSF, does not reflect acute disease activity in multiple sclerosis and correlates best with the existence of chronic progressive disease (23).
IFN.beta.-1b is the first therapeutic agent which can alter the natural history of relapsing-remitting-multiple sclerosis by reducing the number and severity of relapses and the volume of white matter involvement detected by cranial MRI (24). Although disease progression was not an end point in that trial of IFN.beta.-1b, there was a nonsignificant trend toward an effect of treatment on disease progression (24).
The prior art is deficient in the lack of effective means of determining the failure of remission or the presence of a progressive phase in patients having multiple sclerosis. The present invention fulfills this longstanding need and desire in the art.

Methods of measuring urinary myelin basic protein-like material


A coding apparatus, in which each block having a plurality of picture elements with digital image signals is divided into a plurality of sub-blocks, and an appropriate quantization step or weighting factor is decided on the basis of the absolute value sum of difference of image signal level between adjacent picture elements in the sub-block, so that a digital image signal is reduced. Moreover, a coding apparatus, in which each block having a plurality of picture elements with digital image signals is divided into a plurality of sub-blocks, and an appropriate quantization step or weighting factor is decided on the basis of the maximum and minimum values of the image signals of the picture elements in the sub-block, so that a digital image signal is reduced. Accordingly, in the coding apparatus as above, the state of the image is recognized for every block, whereby a block whose degradation of image quality is hard to notice at the decoder side is quantized or subjected to weighting with low rate, that is, with large reduction rate, whereas a block whose degradation of image quality is conspicuous at the decoder side is quantized or subjected to weighting with high rate, i.e., with small reduction rate. As a result, the image quality of the background having little change in the signal is kept good.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a coding apparatus designed to reduce the amount of data of digital image signal for use in a digital image signal recording apparatus such as a digital VCR, etc.
2. Description of Related Art
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the structure of a conventional coding apparatus disclosed, for example, in IEEE Transactions on Consumer Electronics, Vol. 34, No. 3 (AUGUST, 1988) under the title of "AN EXPERIMENTAL DIGITAL VCR WITH 40MM DRUM, SINGLE ACTUATOR AND DCT-BASED BIT-RATE REDUCTION". Referring to this FIG. 1, a formatting circuit 1 divides an inputted digital image into a plurality of blocks and outputs the image signals of each block to a DCT circuit 2. The image signals of each block are subjected to Discrete Cosine Transform (hereinafter referred to as DCT) by the DCT circuit 2 which then outputs coefficients to a quantizing unit 3. The quantizing unit 3 holding a plurality of quantization tables having different quantization steps from each other selects the optimum quantization table in compliance with the coefficients and quantizes the coefficients in the block to output the quantized coefficients to a variable length coding unit 4. The variable length coding unit 4 performs variable length coding on the quantized coefficients, generating variable-length-coded coefficients to a buffer memory 5. The buffer memory 5 transforms the variable-length-coded image signal at a fixed rate and stores the same. A controller 6 selects a quantization parameter for the quantizing unit 3 and coefficients to be coded in the variable length coding unit 4 so that the buffer memory 5 does not overflow.
The conventional coding apparatus in the aforementioned structure will operate in the following manner. The inputted digital image signal is composed of, e.g., a luminance signal and two color difference signals which are subjected to time-division multiplex and then divided into blocks, for example, consisted of 8 picture elements.times.8 lines in the formatting circuit 1 and outputted to the DCT circuit 2. In the DCT circuit 2, supposing that the inputted image signal in each block is expressed by x(i,j) (i, j=0, 1, . . . , 7), DCT on 8 picture elements in horizontal direction is performed to the image signal based on the equations as below; ##EQU1## Thereafter, DCT on 8 picture elements in vertical direction is conducted to the transformed image signal f(O,j) and f(m,j) as indicated below, whereby the image signal is expressed by coefficients F(m,n) (m, n=0, 1, . . . , 7) and outputted to the quantizing unit 3; ##EQU2##
The obtained coefficients are quantized in the quantizing unit 3 in accordance with the quantization step selected on the basis of the content thereof and quantizing parameter from the controller 6. In the case where the content of the coefficients represents an image of a leading edge part with strong contrast, a coarse quantization step is selected. On the other hand, if the content of the coefficients show an image of a detailed part with small amplitude, a fine quantization step is selected.
The quantized coefficients are stored in the buffer memory 5 after they are subjected to variable length coding in the variable length coding unit 4. The amount of data stored in the buffer memory 5 is so checked by the controller 6 as not to overflow. The controller 6 determines the quantization parameter in compliance with the amount of data stored in the buffer memory 5 and outputs the same to the quantizing unit 3. Moreover, the controller 6 selects coefficients to be coded by the variable length coding unit 4 in accordance with the amount of data, and outputs the coefficients to the variable length coding unit 4. The data stored in the buffer memory 5 is read at a fixed rate.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the structure of another conventional coding apparatus disclosed, for example, in the prior art referred to earlier. The parts designated by the same reference numerals in FIG. 2 are similar to those in FIG. 1 and therefore detailed description thereof will be abbreviated here. A weighting unit 7 of this apparatus makes a difference, which is intervened between the formatting circuit 1 and quantizing unit 3 so as to perform weighting on the coefficients outputted from the DCT circuit 2. The quantizing unit 3 quantizes each coefficient subjected to weighting by the weighting unit 7.
The operation of the coding apparatus of FIG. 2 will be discussed below. Similar to the example shown in FIG. 1, the image signal is divided into blocks by the formatting circuit 1 and then, the image signal in each block is processed by DCT on 8 picture elements in horizontal and vertical directions in the DCT circuit 2. The resultant coefficients F(m,n) are generated to the weighting unit 7. Each coefficient from the DCT circuit 2 is subjected to weighting in the weighting unit 7. More specifically, supposing that the result of DCT operation for each block of 8 picture elements.times.8 lines is divided into four areas as indicated in FIG. 3, as utilizing the fact that the human eyesight is weak to high spatial frequencies, such a weighting factor W(m,n) is used so that weighting with low rate is conducted for an area F4 including high spatial frequency components, whereas weighting with high rate is performed for an area F1 including low spatial frequency components (refer to FIG. 4). ##EQU3##
The coefficients after being subjected to weighting are outputted to the quantizing unit 3. Since the subsequent operation in the quantizing unit 3, buffer memory 5 and controller 6 is carried out in the same manner as in the coding apparatus of FIG. 1, description thereof will be abbreviated.
Although the conventional coding apparatuses are constructed as described hereinabove, they still have problems remaining to be solved as to the selection of the quantization step and constitution of the weighting unit.
For example, the quantization step is selected in the quantizing unit 3 in accordance with an alternating current power E obtained from the coefficients F(m,n) by an equation; ##EQU4## A fine quantization is performed when the alternating current power E is small, while quantization is done in a coarse manner if the power E is large. In other words, a detailed part of an image having a small change in amplitude is quantized finely. On the other hand, and edge part with strong contrast is quantized in a coarse manner. If an image includes lines with high contrast in a flat part of a flat background where the image signal changes little, the block of the image is quantized coarsely. However, quantization errors spread all over the block subsequent to an inverse DCT at a decoder side, thereby causing overlapping of noises even in the flat part. Since the noises in the flat part appear considerably annoying, the image quality cannot be free from undesirable degradation.
Moreover, 8.sup.2, namely, 64 read only memories (ROM'S)) are necessitated to perform weighting on the coefficients of each block size 8.times.8, thus making the weighting unit bulky in size.