The present invention provides a novel dihydrotagetone alcohol of the general formula 1,

The present invention relates to a dihydrotagetone alcohol and to a method for the preparation thereof from from Tagetes minuta oil. More particularly the present invention relates to the preparation of dihydrotagetone methyl alcohol (3,5,7 trimethyl 1-ene, 5-octanol) and dihydrotagetone benzyl alcohol (3,7-dimethyl 5-benzyl, 1-ene, 5-octanol) by chemical transformation of dihydrotagetone present in essential oil of Tagetes minuta.
Dihydrotagetone (3,7-dimethyl, 5-one, 1-octene) find application as perfumery and flavouring material. The synthesised molecules also find application as perfumery and flavour products or as an ingredient of perfumery and flavour products. Dihydrotagetone, dihydrotagetone methyl alcohol and dihydrotagetone benzyl alcohol are also useful in the pharmaceutical industry apart from the flavour and perfumery industries.
Derivatives of the above like acetates, epoxides, peroxides, acids, amides, halides, ethers and oximes etc. also result in products for perfumery, flavour and pharmaceutical industries.
Tagetes is a genus of herbs, commonly known as MARIGOLD, originally a native of Mexico and other warmer parts of America has now naturalised elsewhere in the tropics and sub-tropics. Several species have been introduced in India. Some of them are Tagetes patula, Tagetes erecta, Tagetes minuta, Tagetes lucida and Tagetes tenuifolia. The flower heads are used for garlands. Many Tagetes species yield strongly aromatic essential oils, all of which are known as Tagetes oil. The oil is obtained from the aerial parts of the plant by steam distillation or by extracting in petroleum- ether or benzene. Prolonged distillation spoils the aroma. The leaves, especially the tender ones and flower heads are rich in oil.
Tagetes minutaLinn. syn. Tagetes glandulifera Schrank (family- Compositae) is a highly aromatic annual, 1-2 m tall, native to South America, has naturalised near the waste places and on dry embankments in the North-West Himalayas between altitudes of 1250 and 2500 m.
Among all the Tagetes species grown in India, Tagetes minuta appears to give the highest yield of the essential oil with maximum carbonyl content, calculated as tagetone. Reference may be made to Villeirs F. J., Garbers C. F and Lasnvie R. N., 1971, synthesis of Tagetones and their occurrence in oil of Tagetes minuta, Phytochemistry, 10, 1359. Reference may also be made to Lawrence B. M., 1992, progress in essential oils, Perf and Flav, 17, 131-132. Another reference may be made to Singh B., Sood R. P and Singh V. 1992, chemical composition of Tagetes minuta L. from Himachal Pradesh (India), J., Essent. Oil Res. 4, 525.
The main object of the present invention is the chemical modification of dihydrotagetone into two new perfumery and flavouring molecules.
Another object of the present invention is to provide easy and convenient method for enrichment of monoterpene and ketones in Tagetes minuta oil by solvent-solvent partitioning.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide methodology for isolation of dihydrotagetone (3,7-dimethyl, 5-one, 1-octene) in 100% purity having characteristic fresh, sweet, fruity and flowery odour.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a starting material for synthesis of a new perfumery and flavour molecule (3,5,7 trimethyl 1-ene, 5-octanol) in 99% yield, having minty, spicy, fresh and fruity odour.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide starting material for synthesis of a new perfumery and flavour molecule (3,7-dimethyl 5-benzyl, 1-ene, 5-octanol) in 75% yield with sweet, flowery, aromatic like odour.

Dihydrotagetone alcohol and a method for preparation thereof from Tagetes minuta oil

Abstract: wherein R is an alkyl or aryl group and a process for preparation thereof.

Council or Scientific and Industrial Research


Activating groups for cyanine dyes used to label chain terminators in nucleotide sequencing, based on N-hydroxyphthalimide, are disclosed. From these activating groups, activated dyes of the present Invention are prepared which react with the derivitized nucleotide chain terminators to give a labeled chain terminator of the present Invention. The activating groups of the present Invention allow the dye-chain terminator reaction to occur at a much higher yield and with much greater selectivity for the mono-substituted product, compared with the prior art.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the preparation and use of activating groups for enhancing the reactivity between fluorescent dyes and nucleic acid chain terminators, for use in nucleic acid sequencing methods.
2. Prior Art
The present Invention relates to novel families of compound for use in nucleic acid sequencing. More specifically, the present Invention discloses and claims compounds (as well as their method of synthesis) for use as activating groups. More specifically, these compounds act as linking agents to allow the attachment of fluorescent dyes to certain derivatized nucleotides, and thus enabling the investigator to determine the sequence of the bases on the nucleic acid chain of interest. What follows is a brief description of a typical experimental setting for the novel compounds of the present Invention to provide context and to assess the advantages of the present Invention over the prior art. Finally, the compounds used in the prior art shall be discussed.
The most fundamental information regarding a particular nucleic acid isolate is its sequence--that is, the nucleotide bases that make up the isolate and the precise order of these bases on the molecule. For example, DNA is a large molecule, often presented visually in the shape of a ladder. This ladder is actually comprised of two mirror image pieces, each piece comprising a single vertical brace to which the rungs are attached, and one half of each rung. Thus the "half rungs" of each piece or strand fit together to form a complete ladder. The rungs of the ladder correspond to nitrogenous bases; in the case of DNA, there are only four types: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T). Each rung therefore consists of two bases. Moreover, the two bases comprising each rung can only be certain complementary pairs: A can only fit with T, and G can only fit with C; thus, a rung can be A-T, G-C, T-A, or C-G, but not T-G, for instance. Significantly, this means that if the sequence of one piece of the ladder is known, then the other sequence can be readily determined since it can be inferred from the requiring pairings. This latter strand is known as the "complementary strand." In summary, "sequencing" a DNA strand means determining the identity and order of its rungs (or actually half rungs), e.g., A-T-G-C-A, etc. Knowledge of this sequence allows investigators to determine the proteins encoded by that sequence and to compare that sequence with others of known function.
At present, several nucleic acid sequencing methods are widely used. One is the dideoxy chain termination method, discussed in Sanger et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 74:5463-67 (1977). This reference is hereby incorporated by reference into the present Application. Another is the chemical degradation method, discussed in Maxam et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 74:560-564 (1977); a third group is the hybridization methods, discussed in Drmanac et al., Genomics 4:114-28, and Khrapko, FEB 256:118-22 (1989). Of these, the dideoxy chain termination method disclosed in Sanger et al. is the one to which the present Invention is primarily, though not exclusively directed.
Briefly, the Sanger et al. method involves isolating a single strand of the nucleic acid of interest, which will be used as a template for primed synthesis of a complementary strand. It is this complementary strand whose sequence will be determined; the sequence of the original strand can then be inferred. To determine a sequence of a DNA strand using the Sanger et al. method, the complementary strand is constructed using the original strand as a template. To construct a complementary strand, four different reaction vessels are used--which correspond to the four types of bases comprising DNA--A, T, G, and C. To the first reaction vessel, the original strand is added (which acts as the template upon which synthesis of the complementary strand occurs) along with DNA polymerase, which catalyzes the synthesis of the complementary strand; and finally, the bases (A, T, G, and C) are added which are the building blocks for the new strand. Some of one group of bases (either of the four) per reaction vessel is derivatized; that is, it is chemically altered such that no further synthesis of the strand can occur after that base is added to the chain of bases comprising the complementary strand. Thus, in the first reaction vessel, some of the "A" bases will be derivatized so that chain synthesis stops (i.e., no further synthesis can occur) upon incorporation of that derivatized base into the DNA strand. This derivatized base is called a "chain terminator." In the reaction vessel, millions of DNA complementary strands are being synthesized, since both normal "A" and the derivatized version of "A" (i.e., the chain terminator) are added to the reaction vessel; some strands will incorporate normal "A," others the chain terminator, still others will incorporate the chain terminator at the second occurrence of A on the chain (i.e., where the original strand as a "T"), still others the third, and so forth. Thus, after some time, the reaction vessel will contain a mixture of partial complementary strands of various chain lengths, depending upon at what point in the sequential synthesis they were terminated. They all have one common feature: they all stop at an "A" caused by incorporation of the chain terminator into the complementary strand. Therefore, the investigator can in theory determine every point on a hypothetical complete complementary strand at which an "A" occurs. This is true because if there are millions of partially synthesized complementary strands in the vessel, one would expect--statistically--that there would be found in that vessel at least one partially synthesized chain (that must terminate at "A") corresponding to every occurrence of an "A" in the hypothetical completed complementary strand. Thus, if the hypothetical completed complementary strand had 100 "A" bases in it, then one would expect 100 partially synthesized complementary strands of different lengths, since the synthesis of each one would have stopped upon incorporation of a chain-terminating "A" (though not by incorporating a normal "A"). Obviously, if the same method is performed in three other reaction vessels for T, G, and C, then the entire sequence of the complementary strand can be determined.
What is needed therefore is some means to "mark" or "tag" the chain terminators so that they can be identified. This allows the investigator to determine precisely when the chain stopped; this information is valuable because the investigator now knows what base is present at the point of termination (in our prior example, it would be "A"). One means that has proven quite successful is to attach cyanine dyes to the chain terminators. These dyes fluoresce when exposed to ultraviolet light, thus signaling their presence. For reasons which shall be discussed below, affixing the dyes to the chain terminators is problematic. Thus, the present Invention is directed to a family of compounds that enables the dye and chain terminator to be readily affixed.
The process of affixing the dye to the chain terminator typically involves derivatizing the dye, or "activating" the dye. Compounds, such as those disclosed in the present Invention which activate the dye, are typically referred to as "activating groups." Presently, para-nitrophenol (PNP) and N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS or Osu) are used as activating groups for cyanine dyes. Thus, these compounds allow the coupling reaction between dideoxynucleotides-amine (ddNTP-NH2) and the cyanine dye, which results in the desired dye-labeled terminator. These activating groups of the prior art (PNP and NHS) have numerous shortcomings though. First, the coupling of dye-PNP with ddNTP gives a lower yield than that of dye-NHS. Second, and most significantly, both dye-PNP and dye-NHS give a mixture of two major products, namely the mono-substituted product and di-substituted product (i.e., two chain terminators per dye molecule). This is undesirable. Consequently, a large excess of activated dye is needed for the coupling reaction in order to favor the formation of the mono-substituted product. Finally, the prior art activating groups give relatively low yields of the desired product.
The present Invention is directed to a novel family of activating groups designed to provide greater selectivity for the mono-substituted product over the di-substituted. The activating groups of the present Invention also provide greater yields of the desired end product. This family of compounds are based on the N-hydroxyphthalimide (BOSu) structure.

Cyanine dye activating group with improved coupling selectivity


A simulation apparatus for simulating a characteristic of a semiconductor circuit, including; a distribution information input unit for receiving a distribution information, the distribution information including a range and/or profile of distribution of a variation of a device parameter and/or a process parameter of the semiconductor circuit and being adaptive to an actual distribution; a random number generating unit for generating a random number on the basis of a probability responsive to the received distribution information; a characteristic calculation unit for calculating a dominant formula by using the random number to obtain a characteristic of the semiconductor circuit; and an output unit for outputting the resultant characteristic of the semiconductor circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of simulating a semiconductor circuit such as a transistor, an apparatus performing the method, and a recording medium storing a program performing the simulation method.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of simulating a semiconductor circuit which can effectively perform the simulation by a Monte Carlo method, even if the distribution of the semiconductor circuit's device parameters or the semiconductor circuit's process parameters, which affect the characteristics of the semiconductor circuit, is not a normal distribution, an apparatus thereof and a recording medium storing the method.
Also, more particularly, the present invention relates to a method of simulating a semiconductor circuit that can have a shortened processing time even if the number of parameters used for simulating the characteristics of the semiconductor circuit is large, an apparatus thereof, and a recording medium storing the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
During the development and design of the semiconductor circuit such as a transistor, the simulation of a semiconductor circuit is important for estimation (prediction) of the deviation of the device characteristics such as the deviation of a threshold voltage V.sub.th, analysis of the characteristics and understanding of the distribution of the electric field in the semiconductor circuit. In the simulation, process control parameters and profile dimensions such as a gate length are varied on the basis of the deviation of the production processes.
When process parameters are assumed to be in a normal distribution, the prediction of the deviation of the device characteristics uses a Monte Carlo method. As such, simulation software for a semiconductor circuit, PDFAB by PDF Solution Inc. and VMFab by SILVACO are on sale and have been extensively used. Such simulation software are limited to use when the deviation of the semiconductor circuit's characteristics is a normal distribution. In actual production processes, the deviation of the semiconductor circuit characteristics is not subjected to a normal distribution. Therefore, such known simulation software suffers from the disadvantage of an inaccurate simulation.
In addition to the above disadvantage, such known simulation software suffers from the disadvantage of a long processing (simulation) time. In such simulation software, when the number of the deviations, is n, 10.sup.n of the repeat (iteration) of the simulation is required, and thus if the number of the deviations is increased the simulation time will be very long. For example, when the characteristic calculation of 100 times for one deviation is carried out, and the number of the deviations is three, the loop calculation of one million times is needed, and the calculation time is over 100 hours.
To shorten the simulation time, the calculation number for each parameter should be reduced; however, such known simulation software can not greatly shorten the simulation time, and suffers from the disadvantage of inaccuracy in the simulation results.

Method and apparatus of simulating semiconductor circuit


A system for providing nerve mapping in human patients, which includes a processor coupled to a pulse generator and to a multi-position switch. The system further includes a conductive needle having a first end adapted for insertion into tissue and a second end coupled to a negative terminal of the pulse generator. A plurality of electrodes are disposed on the skin of the patient in a ring arrangement for defining a bounded area. Each electrode is selectively coupled to a positive terminal of the pulse generator, via the multi-position switch. In this arrangement, at least one pulse can be applied to the first end of the conductive needle while the conductive needle is positioned in the bounded area to form a communication relationship between the first end of the conductive needle and at least one of the plurality of electrodes for exciting a nerve located in the bounded area.

As is known in the art, a nerve block is achieved by delivering a local anesthetic solution proximate to a nerve to be blocked. Typically, the anesthetic solution is delivered by inserting a needle such that the anesthetic solution can be injected in close proximity to the nerve to be blocked. To correctly position the needle, it is necessary to identify the nerve location prior to the injection of the local anesthetic solution.
One conventional technique used to correctly position the needle proximate to a nerve is to elicit paresthesic. This technique, however, is not a reliable way to position the needle proximate to the nerve because of individual traits of each patient, such as patient nervousness, patient sedation, patient communication skills and/or cooperation. In addition, some patients may not sense paresthesia, and thus, if the needle is inserted into a motor nerve bundle, nerve damage may occur due to the tip of the needle being too close to the motor nerve or motor nerve bundle or the needle being inserted directly into the nerve, while injecting the local anesthetic solution. The elicitation of paresthesia technique, as described above, is also very time consuming.
In attempts to provide alternatives to the above-described elicitation of paresthesia technique, mechanical aids including radioscopy and a peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) technique have been introduced into practice. The radioscopy technique includes using the X-ray to find the bones as landmarks and to position the needle under X-ray assuming the operator knows the spatial relation between the bone landmark and the nerve to be blocked. There are several drawbacks for this technique including: it requires X-ray equipment; the patient has to be exposed to X-ray; the operator needs to be trained to use X-ray equipment; the end of the point of approximation of the needle to the nerve is not defined prior to delivery of local anesthetics; and it is also time consuming.
The PNS technique uses the basic principle that a rectangular electrical pulse having a predetermined threshold of direct current and duration can depolarize a nerve cell membrane. In practice, the PNS technique uses an insulated needle as a negative electrode, which is inserted into human tissue in a region to receive a nerve blocking solution. The PNS technique further uses a positive electrode, which is placed somewhere on the patients skin as a current return path. An electrical pulse is emitted from the tip of the needle and travels through the tissue to the positive electrode. If the nerve to be blocked is located in between these two electrodes and the current density (current per unit of cross-section area) and the pulse width are at or above the predetermined threshold, the electrical pulse causes depolarization of the nerve axon, which causes contraction (or a twitch) of the muscle being innervated by the motor nerve. The current required to depolarize the nerve and trigger the corresponding muscle contraction is related to the distance between the tip of the needle and the nerve. This information is used as a guide for positioning the tip of the needle to a location proximate to the nerve to be blocked prior to delivering the local anesthetic. The lower the current required, the closer the tip of the needle to the nerve.
One drawback of the PNS technique is that it uses only one positive electrode, which restricts an operator (e.g., clinician) to obtaining only two-dimensional position information for positioning the tip of the needle close to the nerve. This drawback is further exacerbated in that it is not clear where the positive electrode should be located on the patient's skin for providing the electrical current return path for the pulse emitted from the tip of the needle.
Therefore, an unsolved need remains for a system for providing nerve mapping that overcomes the above-described limitations and drawbacks of the prior art.

Interactive system and method for peripheral nerve mapping and blocking


This disclosure relates to base stocks comprising a C28-C32 hydrocarbon fraction and optionally a C42-C48 hydrocarbon fraction produced by dimerization and trimerization of a linear C14 mono-olefin, a linear C16 mono-olefin, or a mixture thereof, in the presence of a Lewis acid, oil compositions comprising such base stock(s), and processes for making such base stocks.

Automotive engine oils typically conform to the SAE J300 metric for grading engine oil viscosity. For each SAE engine oil grade (e.g., 0W-4, 0W-8, 0W-12, 5W-10, 5W-20, 10W-30, etc.) there are maximum and minimum viscosity requirements at both high and low temperatures. Typically, such high temperature viscosity requirements are expressed as a permitted range of kinematic viscosity at 100° C. determined pursuant to ASTM D445 ("KV100"), and such low temperature viscosity requirements are expressed as a permitted range of cold cranking simulator viscosity determined pursuant to ASTM D5293 ("CCSV"). For example, the requirements for a 0W grade engine oil include a KV100 of at least 3.8 cSt, and a CCSV at −35° C. no higher than 6,200 mPa·s.
Recently, API Group IV base stocks, which are polyalpha-olefins ("PAO"), have found wide use in high-quality engine oils in various grades, gear box lubricants, and industrial oils. Currently low-viscosity Group IV PAO base stocks having a KV100 in the range from 3 to 10 cSt made from oligomerization of alpha-olefin monomer(s) comprising 8-12 carbon atoms in the presence of a Lewis acid catalyst such as BF3 ("conventional low-viscosity PAO") are commercially available. These conventional low-viscosity PAO base stocks are substantially free of dimers of the monomer(s), and tend to comprise trimers and/or higher oligomers of the alpha-olefin monomer(s) at various concentrations. The trimer and higher oligomer molecules in these base stocks tend to be highly branched (containing more than 2 branches per oligomer molecule on average). While these base stocks provide good performances, to formulate high-quality engine oils for the newer generation engines of modern automobiles, base stocks with even lower viscosity, higher viscosity index, low Noack volatility, and high blending performances in terms of blended CCSV are needed.
This disclosure meets this and other needs.

Base stocks and oil compositions containing the same


A method and apparatus for presenting and gathering text entries in a pen based input device. The apparatus and method allows for the entry of textual information into a computing device using either handwriting recognition, character selection, or expression selection. Individual entry and selection fields for each of these methods are provided to the user in a coordinated comprehensive method of displaying and gathering the textual information. Handwriting recognition functionality is used to facilitate character recognition. Furthermore, lists of expressions allow the text entry method and apparatus to anticipate the next character or expression to be entered by the user.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains in general to an apparatus and method for keyboardless entering of data into a computing device, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method utilizing handwriting recognition, character selection, and word/phrase/mnemonic selection for keyboardless entering of data into a computing device using a pen-based input device.
2. Description of Related Art
Increased use of computing devices especially in portable applications has resulted in an effort to find alternative methods to keyboards for entering text into computing devices. One approach utilizes a pen-based input device wherein a user prints characters on a pressure sensitive display using a pen. Pen strokes printed by the user appear on the display screen and a handwriting recognition function recognizes the character entered. Handwriting recognition functionality is well known in the industry and various manufacturers supply a variety of handwriting recognition applications. The various handwriting recognition applications have had varying degrees of success, however, they share a common drawback. Users must enter each character individually, character by character, resulting in a slow time-consuming process of text entry.
Another approach to keyboardless text entry which accelerates the text entry process provides a character selection field displaying a list of characters available for the user to input. The user simply touches the desired character in the entry field and the input device enters the selected character into an entry field on the display screen. A variation to this approach provides a character selection field displaying a list of characters anticipated by the input device to be the next character entered by the user rather than an exhaustive list of all available characters. The subset of characters likely to be entered is displayed to the user after the user has entered one or more characters and is based upon a database of words contained in memory. The database of words contained in memory can be either an exhaustive list of all words available such as a dictionary, a subset of words or mnemonics associated with a particular application running on the computing device such as an order entry device, or the database can be incrementally created by "learning" or recording words previously entered into the computing device.
Another approach to text entry for both devices using keyboards and devices without keyboards provides a word/phrase/mnemonic selection field similar to the character selection field. This field displays a list of words, phrases, or mnemonics anticipated by the input device to be the word, phrase, or mnemonic the user ultimately desires to enter. The term "expression" is understood in the industry to be an alphanumeric text string that can represent words, phrases, mnemonics, or other alphamnemonic text strings. The expression displayed for possible selection by the user is based on comparisons by the input device between characters enter thus far to expressions contained in a stored database. This stored database can be incrementally created by "learning" or recording previously entered expressions, but is generally a collection of expressions associated with a particular application running on the computing device.
Each of the approaches described thus far provides distinct benefits to keyboardless text entry yet no patent or reference has been discovered which coordinates the functioning of each of these approaches and incorporates them into a single universal method for presenting and gathering text entries. Such an incorporated device accelerates the text entry process and there is a need, therefore, for a method of presenting and gathering text entries utilizing handwriting recognition, character selection, and expression selection for entering text into a computing device.

Apparatus and method for presenting and gathering text entries in a pen-based input device


The present disclosure provides an inexpensive wrap-around irrigation tube patch composed of a thin, flexible polymer film and having a closure mechanism for quickly and effectively wrapping and sealing the patch around a damaged section of irrigation tubing. In addition, the present disclosure provides a method for sealing water leaks in irrigation tubing, the method including wrapping a wrap-around irrigation tube patch around a damaged section of irrigation tubing and sealing said patch around the irrigation tubing via a closure mechanism.

The present disclosure relates generally to a wrap-around irrigation tube patch for sealing or repairing damaged sections of irrigation tubing and methods for sealing or repairing damaged sections of irrigation tubing.
"Irrigation tubing" generally refers to a wide variety of physical structures that are employed to distribute water for irrigation or various related purposes. Most irrigation tubing is cylindrical tubing composed of a polymer composition having a line of peripheral holes designed to distribute water from the water source to the field. In the past, irrigation tubing has been generally composed of rigid and hard material, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or aluminum. More recently, the use of material having greater flexibility has become popular. For example, most irrigation tubing is now composed of thin, flexible yet resilient material such as low density polyethylene. Flexible irrigation tubing provides many benefits compared to hard, rigid tubing used in the past, as it is more economical and labor-saving.
While the demand for flexible irrigation tubing has grown, problems have arisen due to the thin, flexible material used. For example, a common problem associated with using flexible irrigation tubing is the tendency for the tubing to become easily damaged. Any number of causes can damage the irrigation tubing, non-limiting examples of which include, animals stepping on and/or biting the irrigation tubing, farm equipment and tractors driving into and over the irrigation tubing, storm damage, including tree limbs puncturing the irrigation tubing. As a result of such damage, water leaks through the damaged section of the irrigation tubing, creating a loss in water, energy, and possibly causing crop damage.
In general, repairing damaged sections of flexible irrigation tubing requires a great deal of time and labor. For example, a common method for repairing punctures or holes in flexible irrigation tubing involves cutting the damaged section of the flexing tubing out, replacing the damaged section of flexible irrigation tubing with a new section of rigid tubing having external ridges on both ends, wrapping the open ends of the flexible irrigation tubing around the ends of the rigid tubing, and tying a wire around the outside ends of the flexible irrigation tubing that overlap with the ends and external ridges of the hard tubing. This form of irrigation tubing repair is labor intensive and requires a significant amount of time to complete.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a quick and inexpensive way to repair and seal damaged sections in flexible irrigation tubing. It would be advantageous if the repair material (i.e., wrap-around irrigation tube patch) could be made of the same thin, flexible material as the irrigational tubing.


Disclosed is a hydraulic control system including a hydraulic fluid source; line pressure control means for regulating hydraulic pressure supplied from the fluid source to line pressure; reducing pressure controller for reducing hydraulic pressure from the line pressure control means; range controller for selectively supplying hydraulic pressure from the line pressure controller; shift controller for supplying hydraulic pressure; hydraulic pressure controller for converting hydraulic pressure to operational pressure; and hydraulic pressure distributer for determining a hydraulic flow path according to the hydraulic pressure from the shift controller; wherein the hydraulic pressure distributer includes an end clutch valve supplying operational pressure to an end clutch; a low-reverse brake valve supplying operational pressure to a low-reverse brake; a first rear clutch valve supplying operational pressure to a rear clutch; a second rear clutch valve supplying hydraulic pressure to the first rear clutch valve; a 1-2 shift valve supplying hydraulic pressure to friction elements operating when 1-2 shifting; and a 2-3/4-3 shift valve supplying hydraulic pressure to friction elements operating when 2-3 and 4-3 shifting.

Conventional automatic transmissions used in vehicles include a torque converter, a multi-stage gear shift mechanism connected to the torque converter, and a plurality of friction elements actuated by hydraulic pressure for selecting one of the gear stages of the gear shift mechanism.
A hydraulic control system for controlling the automatic transmission operates by selectively supplying hydraulic pressure, the flow of which is generated by a hydraulic pump, to engage or disengage each friction element by a plurality of control valves such that shifting can be performed automatically and appropriately for the driving state of the vehicle.
Such hydraulic control systems generally comprise a pressure regulating controller for controlling the hydraulic pressure generated by the hydraulic pump, manual and automatic shift controllers for selecting a shift mode, a hydraulic pressure controller for controlling shift quality and shift response, a damper clutch controller for actuating a damper clutch of the torque converter, and a hydraulic pressure distributor for supplying an appropriate amount of hydraulic pressure to each of the friction element.
The torque converter includes an impeller connected to an output shaft of an engine so as to be rotated thereby, a turbine splined to a transmission input shaft, and a stator disposed between the impeller and the turbine which redirects fluid flow back to the same direction as impeller rotation to assist impeller rotation.
Automatic shifting is realized by changing shift ratios in a planetary gearset by selectively operating friction elements corresponding to each shift range. The friction elements are selectively operated by the changing of the flow of hydraulic pressure thereto using the plurality of valves of the hydraulic control system. The valves receive hydraulic pressure through a manual valve which is indexed with a selector lever operated by the driver to realize port conversion. Further, through the ON/OFF and duty control of solenoid valves by a transmission control unit (TCU), hydraulic pressure distribution by the hydraulic pressure distributor is changed and friction elements are selectively operated thereby, realizing the control of shift stages.
However, in such a conventional hydraulic control system, shift shock is most severe when shifting into a drive D range after reversing, where a drive D2 creep state initially occurs before the accelerator is depressed by the driver. The shift shock is caused by the friction elements interlocking the friction elements in the drive D2 creep state.

Hydraulic control system for automatic transmissions


Tiller truck provided with force transmitter in order to transmit a pumping movement with the tiller to the wheels via a coupling in order to facilitate the movement of the truck. The coupling is arranged so that it can be set for force transfer forward or rearward or in an entirely free position. A control for the control of the coupling is arranged in the tiller handle.

At for instance loading of goods arranged on loading pallets, on and off lorries it is well known to use handtrucks that accompany the lorry. Lifting at these take place by a pumping with the tiller. Since these handtrucks are comparatively small and light the influence on the loading capacity of the truck as to weight and volume is very small. As long as the platform of the lorry or other floor is level and sufficiently even remarkably great loads can by hand be moved with a moderate effort. Should however the lorry be standing inclined it may become very tiring. The same thing is the case if the ground is uneven or if there is sand, small stones or other rubbish on the ground. Already a string of some or a couple of millimeters can constitute a difficult obstacle to pass even on otherwise even floors in stores, where trucks of this kind are frequently used. In particular if the obstacle, however small, lies close to one of the truck wheels at starting this is difficult to overcome since the truck has no speed. When the truck has gained a bit of speed the movement only has to be sustained and with the help of the speed obstacles can be passed that otherwise are impossible to overcome directly. In particular for lighter users with consequently less available pulling force the above may be a serious problem and it is not always possible to back up and gain speed.
In view of the above the object of the invention is to provide a facilitating aid for use when it is heavy to move the truck or get it started.


The present invention is directed to micro- and nano-scale imprinting methods and the use of such methods to fabricate supported and/or free-standing 3-D micro- and/or nano-structures of polymeric, ceramic, and/or metallic materials. In some embodiments, a duo-mold approach is employed in the fabrication of these structures. In such methods, surface treatments are employed to impart differential surface energies to different molds and/or different parts of the mold(s). Such surface treatments permit the formation of three-dimensional (3-D) structures through imprinting and the transfer of such structures to a substrate. In some or other embodiments, such surface treatments and variation in glass transition temperature of the polymers used can facilitate separation of the 3-D structures from the molds to form free-standing micro- and/or nano-structures individually and/or in a film. In some or other embodiments, a “latch-on” assembly technique is utilized to form supported and/or free-standing stacked micro- and/or nano-structures that enable the assembly of polymers without a glass transition temperature and eliminate the heating required to assemble thermoplastic polymers.

Conventional photolithography is believed to be limited to about 150 nm in pattern dimensions. While X-ray and ion beam lithography have been demonstrated as viable alternative techniques for creating pattern dimensions below this limit, they are expensive. E-beam lithography has also been proven as a viable technique. However, it is time consuming and, like X-ray and ion beam lithography, expensive. In contrast to such lithographic techniques, imprinting offers an attractive alternative to the fabrication of two-dimensional (2-D) nanometer-scale features, as a result of simpler, faster, and cheaper processing, making this technique a potential replacement for photolithography in mass production.
The above-mentioned lithographic techniques are further limited to fabrication of 2-D and supported features. Imprinting, however, can lend itself to the fabrication of three-dimensional (3-D) features, wherein 3-D features comprise structural variation with depth. Three-dimensional patterning techniques are likely to be important enabling technologies for a number of applications. In microelectronics, for example, the third dimension could possibly allow the speed and memory of microprocessors to go beyond the limitations currently imposed by 2-D features. In optoelectronic industries, 3-D photonic band gap structures are garnering considerable attention because 3-D structures serve to minimize loss of light [Kiriakidis et al., "Fabrication of 2-D and 3-D Photonic Band-Gap Crystal in the GHz and THz Region," Mater. Phys. Mech., 1:20-26, 2000]. In drug/chemical delivery systems, sensing systems and catalysis, the feasibility of fabricating 3-D structures will provide breakthroughs in the efficiency of controlled delivery, sensing, and selectivity in chemical reactions. For example, a sphere with a meshed surface can be envisioned as a chambered pill that contains multiple drugs or a multifunctional catalysis support.
While 2-D fabrication techniques are mature technology down to the sub-micrometer scale, very little has been reported regarding 3-D sub-micrometer fabrication techniques. Currently, of the limited amount of literature available on sub-micrometer 3-D fabrication techniques, most reports are seen to be mere extensions of various photolithography techniques. For instance, Whitesides et al. have shown that a porous microsphere can be obtained via a self-assembly approach [Huck et al., "Three-Dimensional Mesoscale Self-Assembly," J. Am. Chem. Soc., 129:8267-8268, 1998], and Yamamoto et al. have demonstrated the fabrication of micrometer scale grooved structures using deep X-ray lithography [Tabata et al., "3D Fabrication by Moving Mask Deep X-ray Lithography with Multiple Stages," The Fifteenth IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems, 180-183, 2002]. Whitesides et al. have also reported on a "membrane folding" method used to create 3-D structures [Brittain et al., "Microorigami: Fabrication of Small Three-Dimensional Metallic Structures," J. Phys. Chem. B, 105:347-350, 2001]. While most of these techniques have demonstrated the feasibility of creating 3-D sub-micrometer or nanometer scale features, they are not easily implemented for mass production.
Both conventional nano-imprinting [Sun et al., "Multilayer resist methods for nanoimprint lithography on nonflat surfaces," J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B,]6(6):3922-3925, 1998] and reversal imprinting [Huang et al., "Reversal imprinting by transferring polymer from mold to substrate," J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B, 20(6):2872-2876, 2002] techniques are attractive alternatives to the above-mentioned techniques in the fabrication of 3-D nano-features, although currently both techniques create 3-D structures through multiple imprinting on patterned substrates or on substrates with topology. A more efficient imprinting technique would, therefore, go a long way in solidifying imprinting's role as a potential replacement for currently used lithographic patterning techniques.

Imprinting of supported and free-standing 3-D micro- or nano-structures

Agency for Science, Technology and Research


The present invention provides a wheat plant comprising an Rht-B1 allele which encodes an Rht-B1 (DELLA) polypeptide. Grain from a near-isogenic wheat line comprising the dwarfing Rht-B1c allele was subjected to sodium azide mutagenesis. Plants exhibiting early leaf elongation rates or mature plant height greater than the dwarf parent were selected and the Rht-B1 gene sequenced. This identified 35 mutated alleles of Rht-B1c. Similar methods were also used to identify mutant alleles of the dwarfing sln1d allele in barley, where DELLA is encoded by the sln1 gene.

Plants respond to developmental, physiological, and environmental cues by adjustments in growth rate, either of parts or of the whole. Many mechanisms have been described that involve changes in either the content of the class of plant hormones gibberellins (GAs) (reviewed by Yamaguchi, 2008), or in signalling components that involve GAs such as the proteins GID1 and DELLA (reviewed by Sun, 2010). These result in dynamic regulation of GA signalling so that growth is coordinated with signalling from other hormonal regulatory pathways, and with environmental factors such as light, temperature and water availability (Hartweck, 2008; Achard and Genschik, 2009; Kuppusamy et al., 2009). Gating of GA signalling by the circadian clock has been proposed to account for diurnal differences in growth rate (Arana et al., 2011).
A variety of gibberellin (GA) mutants, either spontaneous in origin or identified after mutagenesis, have been characterized in plants. These include distinct dwarf and elongated ('slender') phenotypes that typically result from changes in either GA content or in GA signalling. The identification of the genes involved and the analysis of the proteins they encode has aided in developing an understanding of growth regulation by GA, particularly in the model species rice and Arabidopsis. Bioactive GAs bind to a GA receptor protein ('GID1', Ueguchi-Tanaka et al., 2005; Murase et al., 2008; Shimada et al., 2008) and form a complex that is then bound by DELLA proteins, which were identified as a sub-family of the GRAS transcription factor family (Griffiths et al., 2006; Willige et al., 2007; Hirano et al., 2010) that function as inhibitors of growth. In one case the evidence suggests that binding of DELLA to PIF transcription factors prevents them from promoting the expression of genes required for enhanced growth (de Lucas et al., 2008; Feng et al., 2008).
Della mutants in barley and rice are of particular interest because they include two markedly different phenotypes: highly elongated 'slender' types and 'GA insensitive' dwarfs. The former trait is recessive and characterised by an extreme GA response, whereas the latter is dominant or semi-dominant. Different single nucleotide substitutions in the Slender1 gene that encodes DELLA result in these radically different phenotypes ('elongated slender' or 'dwarf slender', Ikeda et al., 2001; Chandler et al., 2002; Asano et al., 2009). The former involves mutation that abolishes the capacity of DELLA to repress growth, and the latter is due DELLA accumulation because of failure to bind to the GA-GID1 complex.
Common wheat is hexaploid, and DELLA is encoded by three homoeologous genes (Rht-A1, Rht-B1, Rht D1) on chromosomes 4AL, 4BS and 4DS of the wheat A, B and D genomes, respectively, where "L" indicates the long arm of the chromosome and "S" indicates the short arm of the chromosome. This has made study of mutants more difficult in wheat, and consequently less is known in wheat compared to rice and barley. 'GA-insensitive' semidwarfing alleles have been described for the B- and D-genomes (Peng et al., 1999; Pearce et al., 2011). One example of an extreme dwarfing allele is the Rht-B1c allele in the B genome which resulted from insertion of a DNA element. Most of this insertion was predicted to be spliced from the transcript of the gene, but 90 nucleotides remained and resulted in a predicted 30 amino acid in-frame insertion in DELLA (Pearce et al., 2011; Wu et al., 2011).
Semidwarfing genes have been prominent in wheat and rice breeding since the Green Revolution because of their beneficial effects on crop yield. The modest (10-20%) reduction in height of semidwarfs was due to a deficiency in growth promotion by endogenous GA. In rice this resulted from mutation in a GA biosynthetic gene, so that less active GA was present (Monna et al., 2002; Sasaki et al., 2002; Spielmeyer et al., 2002). In contrast, in wheat dwarfing mutations in the Della gene resulting in growth that was relatively 'insensitive' to GA (Peng et al., 1999). The original semidwarfing mutations were spontaneous in origin, and their agronomic importance is evident from their continuing widespread use in current varieties some 50 years after their first introduction. However, the existing Rht alleles have some disadvantages.
There remains, therefore, a need for improved semi-dwarf wheat varieties.

COMMONWEALTH SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH ORGANISATION

GRAINS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION


An on demand ink mixing system for a flexographic or similar printer utilizes a chambered doctor blade with a chamber divided by a flexible bladder to form ink chamber and a pressure chamber. Ink use is coordinated with print run length, and ink mixing and the collapse of the ink chamber to essentially zero volume are coordinated to coincide with the end of the run. The flexible bladder is also utilized in the operation of the ink cleaning system to move cleaning solution through all portions of the supply system and printer contaminated by ink mixed for the run.

The present invention pertains to an apparatus and method for providing on demand mixing of ink at a printer for effecting rapid clean up at the end of the print run.
In rotary offset or flexographic printing, thin films of ink are applied uniformly to the surfaces of rotating rolls, transferred to the surfaces of adjacent counterrotating rolls which may be intermediate or print rolls, and ultimately to the surface of a web of paper or other material running between a print roll and a counterrotating backing roll. In one common type of flexographic printing apparatus, the printer includes an ink transfer or anilox roll onto the surface of which a thin film of ink of metered thickness is applied in a well known manner utilizing an ink supply reservoir and a doctor blade. A chambered doctor blade is one commonly used device in which a pair of doctor blades engage the surface of the anilox roll and form the upper and lower circumferential walls of an enclosed ink supply chamber.
In conventional flexographic printing, the ink color for a print run is premixed and brought to the printer in a bucket or similar container from which it is fed to a chambered doctor blade or other device for applying ink to the anilox or ink transfer roll. The volume of ink in the bucket must be estimated based on the size of the print run and, as a result, it is common to overestimate and to have a significant amount of mixed ink remaining at the end of the run.
The clean up of ink at the end of a flexographic printing run is also a tedious and time consuming job, often requiring major adjustments and even some disassembly of the equipment. In addition to the excess volume of ink which may remain in the ink supply container, the doctor blade chamber should also be emptied prior to cleaning in order to save ink and to avoid making the clean up job even more difficult.


There is provided apparatus and a method for testing to optimally place a deep brain lead, particularly for stimulating the GPi or other deep brain target to treat neurological disorders such as Parkinson""s Disease and the like. The invention embraces determining the location of a feedback target such as the motor cortex, the location of the deep brain target, and inserting a test lead along a substantially linear trajectory so as to be able to stimulate both concurrently. The test lead has an electrode at about its distal end for stimulation of the deep brain target, and an electrode adjustably positioned 3-8 cm proximal for stimulation of the motor cortex. When stimulation is applied concurrently through both electrodes, the affected body portion, e.g., limb, can be made to move when and if the deep brain electrode is optimally positioned. The position can be checked during surgical implant of the system, and the lead position adjusted until the optimum position is found. By use of this invention, the best lead position for the permanently implanted lead can be determined during the surgical procedure.

This invention lies in the field of systems for brain stimulation and recording of brain activity and, more particularly, systems for placement of the lead for stimulating and/or recording at an optimized physiological brain target, for the treatment of conditions such as movement disorders.
Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) has been found to be successful in treating a variety of brain-controlled disorders, including movement disorders. Generally, such treatment involves placement of a DBS type lead through a burr hole drilled in the patient""s skull, followed by placement of the lead and then applying appropriate stimulation through the lead to the physiological target. The placement portion of the treatment is very critical, and has been the subject of much attention and research. In particular, finding the deep brain target and then placing the permanent lead so that it efficiently stimulates such target is very important. See, for example, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/009,247, filed Jan. 20, 1998, Gielen et al, which deals with the localization procedure in functional stereotactic brain surgery, i.e., the initial probing to find the optimum site for delivering the stimulation.
Finding the optimal physiological target in deep brain stimulation implants for the treatment of movement disorders is a particularly complicated task. This is especially true for the treatment of symptoms which cannot be tested at the operating table during lead implant. For instance, it is impossible to test walking and postural stability in Parkinson""s Disease (PD) patients during DSB lead implant. Two other major PD symptoms, Rigidity and Akinesia, are also considered difficult to evaluate quantitatively during DBS lead implant. Thus far, no reliable quantitative evaluation procedures exist that can be performed during the surgical DBS implant procedure for these major symptoms.
A recent procedure has been suggested which allows post-operative quantitative testing of muscle function in PD. See Pascual-Leone, Rapid Rate Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) in Movement Disorders; Movement Disorders, Vol 11, Suppl. #1, pp.:23, 1966. In this procedure, trans-cranial magnetic stimulation of the motor cortex is used to show that the brain is able to control muscle movements in a normal way when and if the DBS electrode is implanted in the optimal physiological position in the Globus Pallidum Internae (GPi) and electrical stimulation with the appropriate parameters is applied through the DBS electrode. Thus, it was shown that those areas of the motor cortex (MC) which are involved in the control of movement in the muscle of the thumb can only be activated if the appropriate DBS stimulation is concurrently applied to the correct part of the GPi.
Based on this finding, it is reasonable that an improved procedure could be utilized for optimizing the implant position of the DBS electrode(s) in the GPi or other neuro-modulation target for treating disorders, and particularly movement disorders, by means of deep brain stimulation. Thus, if postural instability of the patient is a major PD symptom, one might be able to find the optimal physiological target for the DBS electrode by seeing when trans-cranial magnetic stimulation of the motor cortex achieves optimal control movement of the leg muscles. However, this magnetic stimulation procedure is not suitable for intra-operative use, i.e., for testing lead position while the lead is stereotactically held. The applied very fast changing and very strong magnetic fields may interact with the DBS electrode in a comparable way as suggested for MRI imaging procedures, which is contra-indicated for DBS patients. Further, the trans-cranial magnetic stimulation coil cannot be accessed to the relevant sites of the brain when the DBS lead is being held by the stereotactic equipment. This means that the Leone procedure is not directly suggested for use in evaluating the excitability of the relevant motor cortex areas during lead implant. Thus, while the prior art procedure is appropriate for certain postsurgical testing because it is non-invasive, it is not suggested for intra-operative use.
The continued need in the art is a system and procedure that can be utilized during surgery when the DBS lead is being implanted, to determine when it has been placed in the optimal position for stimulation therapy of the patient""s particular disorder, or for recording of brain activity. In general terms, the aim is a system and method for stimulation of the GPi or other neuro-stimulation target, and a feedback target such as the MC. A key to this invention is the recognition that during surgery, there is no need for a non-invasive way of stimulating the feedback target. The invention, rather, provides apparatus and a method of testing for the optimal DBS electrode position during the invasive surgery, and as part of the localization test procedure that is required in any event, enabling a reliable determination of optimal lead placement before permanent lead implant and close of surgery.
A primary object of this invention is to provide a system, and procedure, for determining with a test lead or permanent lead when a brain electrode is positioned optimally so during stimulation of the brain target normal patient excitability of a feedback target such as the motor cortex achieves the desired result, e.g., the desired body movement of a patient with a movement disorder. Alternately, another object is to provide an improved capacity to record brain activity.
The invention takes advantage of the fact that during DBS lead implant, the patient""s brain is already subject to an invasive procedure. This being the case, both the neuro-modulation target and the feedback target can be readily stimulated during surgery. Thus, in the case of movement disorders involving the motor cortex, the stimulation of the motor cortex concurrently with the GPi need not be limited to a non-invasive technique.
In order to achieve the above objects, the invention provides for a lead system, preferably just one lead, which is inserted on a trajectory which passes in one dimension through the motor cortex or other feedback target, and proceeds to the GPi or other neuro-modulation target. The lead has conventional DBS electrodes for stimulating the DBS target, and also has an electrode positionable so that stimuli can be delivered to the feedback target while the DBS target is being stimulated. By varying the position of the DBS electrodes, and repeatedly stimulating both the DBS target and the feedback target, and observing the relevant patient body movement or other reaction, the optimal DBS target location can be found. Also, either or both of the electrodes can be used for recording brain activity.
After the finding of the optimal DBS target location, the test lead is removed and a permanent lead positioned so that the DBS electrode(s) is located at the optimal target position. The permanent lead also preferably is aligned along the linear trajectory which includes both the neuro-modulation and the feedback targets, and carries electrodes for stimulating or recording at both targets, thereby enabling post-operative testing. The system includes a generator device with dual stimulus pulse channels for providing stimuli with appropriate parameters for stimulating the respective targets, and sense channels for amplifying and processing detected brain signals.

Method for optimized brain stimulation for treating movement disorders


A method for making color filters for liquid crystal display panels. A raised pattern corresponding to the desired black matrix pattern is formed on a substrate, e.g., by an embossing means. A plurality of colored ink patterns is formed in the appropriate location within the boundaries formed by the raised pattern, thereby forming the multicolor image that will become the color filter.

Liquid crystal display (LCD) panels, particularly color LCD panels, are used for flat screen televisions, projection television systems and camcorder view finders, with many more applications anticipated in the future.
The fabrication of an active matrix liquid crystal display involves several steps. In one step, the front glass panel is prepared. This involves deposition of a color filter element onto a suitable substrate, such as glass. Color filter formation typically involves depositing a black matrix pattern and three primary (typically either red, green and blue or yellow, magenta and cyan) color dot or color cell patterns within the spaces outlined by the black matrix. The printed lines which form the black matrix typically are about 15-25 microns wide and about 0.5 to 2 microns thick. The red, green, and blue color cells are typically on the order of about 70-100 microns in width by 200 to 300 microns in length. The color cells are typically printed in films less than about 10 microns thick, and preferably less than 5 microns thick, and must be evenly applied and accurately registered within the pattern formed by the black matrix. The front glass substrate is typically completed by depositing a planarizing layer, a transparent conducting layer, and a polyimide alignment layer over the color filter element. The transparent conducting layer is typically indium tin oxide (ITO), although other materials can also be utilized.
In a second step, a separate (rear) glass panel is used for the formation of thin film transistors (TFT's) or diodes, as well as metal interconnect lines. Each transistor acts as an on-off switch for an individual color pixel in the display panel. The third and final step is the assembly of the two panels, including injection of a liquid crystal material between the two panels to form the liquid crystal panel.
One challenge to making the red, green and blue color pixel dots (also referred to as color cells) of the color filter is preventing the different colored inks from mixing with one another. In the past, this problem has been solved by first forming the black matrix pattern on a glass substrate (such as by photolithography) and then depositing the colors within the black matrix pattern.
It would be desirable to provide alternative methods for making color filters which have good resolution and registration, and which can be obtained easily and at a lower cost than prior art color filter arrays. It would also be desirable to achieve these qualities using a process which takes less steps than current processes.


There is provided a musical tone reproducing apparatus which is capable of recovering proper timing of musical tone generation even in a situation where processing of events takes much time such that the sounding timing of musical tones is delayed. Duration data read out from a FIFO 30 are added together by a duration forward counter 32b. A comparator circuit 32d compares the count value of an absolute time counter 32c and the count value of the duration forward counter 32b, and delivers the comparison result i to a FIFO controller 3 when the former becomes equal to or more than the latter. The FIFO controller 31 causes the FIFO 30 to read out event information and delivers the same to a decoder 32a, which in turn converts the event information into tone generator control data having a format peculiar to a tone generator 33 and delivers the same data to a register write controller 32e. The register write controller 32e writes an associated tone generator parameter into a tone generator control register within the tone generator 33, and the tone generator 33 reproduces and outputs musical tones based on the tone generator parameter.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a musical tone reproducing apparatus and a musical tone reproducing method which can be suitably applied to portable terminal apparatuses to generate melody tones.
2. Background Art
Conventional musical tone reproducing apparatuses include a type which generates musical tones using hardware.
FIG. 13 shows an example of the construction of a conventional musical tone reproducing apparatus of this type. In FIG. 13, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 110 controls supply of music contents data 111, such as MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) data and SMAF (Synthetic Music Mobile Application Format) data, hereinafter described, to a tone generator hardware section 15. In this case, the MIDI data and SMAF data are transferred from external apparatuses or read from storage means. The tone generator hardware section 115 is comprised of a sequencer 132, and a tone generator 133. The sequencer 132 is comprised of a decoder 132a that converts sequence data such as MIDI data or SMAF data into control data having a format peculiar to the tone generator 133, and a time management section 132b that controls musical tone reproduction time according to time management information contained in the control data. In the musical tone reproducing apparatus constructed as above, in reproduction of musical tones, the time management section 132b gives the decoder 132a instructions to output the control data for reproduction of musical tones, in timing based on duration data indicative of time intervals between events contained in the control data and gate time data indicative of sounding time periods. In response to the instructions, the decoder 132a outputs the control data to the tone generator 133. The tone generator 133 in turn generates and outputs musical tones based on the supplied control data. Thus, musical tones are reproduced.
In the conventional musical tone reproducing apparatus, the sequencer 132 carries out conversion of the music contents data and time management. Therefore, in the case where many events occur at the same time, for example, the processing capacity of the sequencer 132 increases, which can result in inability to complete processing of the data for all the events in a unit time. For example, how the processing is carried out will be described with reference to FIG. 14 in which absolute time elapsed during musical tone reproduction is shown on the abscissa. In FIG. 14, reference numerals (1) to (4) represent events which are processed by the sequencer 132. An event (1), to which duration data "1" is allotted, is to be processed in timing of absolute time "1", an event (2) following the event (1), to which duration data "1" is allotted, is to be processed in timing of absolute time "2", is to be processed in timing of absolute time, an event (3) following the event (2), to which duration data "1" is allotted, is to be processed in timing of absolute time "3", and an event (4) following the event (3), to which duration data "5" is allotted, is to be processed in timing of absolute time "8". If the processing is properly carried out in accordance with the above-mentioned timing, musical tones are reproduced and sounded by the tone generator 188 in proper timing in accordance with the contents of the sequence data. The absolute times are set in terms of unit time.
However, if it takes much time to carry out processing of the event (1) so that the processing of this event cannot be completed within the unit time and is completed after the absolute time "2", as indicated as (1)′ in a lower part of FIG. 14, the event (2) to be processed in timing of the absolute time "2" is processed in timing of the absolute time "3", the event (3) to be processed in timing of the absolute time "3" is processed in timing of the absolute time "4", and the event (4) to be processed in timing of the absolute time "8" is processed in timing of the absolute time "9". Thus, the events that cannot be completely processed within the respective unit times are processed in delayed timing. Consequently, if an event cannot be completely processed within the unit time, the corresponding control data is supplied to the tone generator 133 in timing delayed from the time point at which the control data should be properly supplied to the tone generator 133, and accordingly sounding timing of subsequent musical tones is delayed. Mobile phones in particular have a function of displaying images in synchronism with incoming call music, and a function of vibrating the casing of the phone and/or lighting on/off various buttons in synchronism with incoming call music. In performing such functions, if the sounding timing of musical tones is delayed, the functions are performed out of synchronism with incoming call music.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a musical tone reproducing apparatus and a musical tone reproducing method which are capable of recovering proper timing of musical tone generation even in a situation where processing of events takes much time such that the sounding timing of musical tones is delayed, and a portable terminal apparatus having the musical tone reproducing apparatus.

Musical tone reproducing apparatus and method and portable terminal apparatus


A method of interdigitation for display of an autostereoscopic source image to a screen comprising a plurality of pixels having sub-pixels and sub-pixel components and apparatus for interdigitation is provided. The method comprises generating a texture memory coordinate at each pixel location on the screen of the source image, calculating screen pixel location based on the texture memory coordinate of each pixel, computing view numbers based on screen pixel location, wherein view numbers comprise one value for each sub-pixel component, mapping proportional pixel locations in tiles from multiple tile perspective views of the autostereoscopic image to a resultant image using the view numbers, and extracting one subpixel component from each proportional pixel location to represent color for the pixel in the resultant image.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to display devices capable of interdigitation, and more specifically to computer architectures for projection devices performing stereo view interdigitation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Autostereoscopic displays provide a user or viewer with a three dimensional image without the need for polarizing eyewear or other viewing equipment. Lenticules are generally long, relatively thin lenses, sometimes formed into an array, wherein each viewing point, such as each viewer's eye, focuses on a different lenticule or thin lens in the array. Lenticular-based autostereoscopic displays, such as StereoGraphics' SynthaGram™, present the user with a realistic stereoscopic visual scene representation by displaying multiple perspective views. The user's eyes see a pair of images from the array of perspective views and a stereoscopic image is formed in the user's mind.
The SynthaGram™ display utilizes a lenticular lens array, precisely positioned on top of a flat panel digital color display (e.g. LCD or plasma) and used to optically separate views combined in the displayed image. This combination process is known as interdigitation or Interzigging™, and is a precise mapping of input perspective views to output subpixel components that takes into account the physical properties of the lenticular array and its alignment with the display. The input perspective views are assumed to be created in a digital format, properly composed, aligned, balanced, having appropriate parallax, and each view is of the same horizontal and vertical pixel dimensions. Creation of the perspective views is computationally challenging, and perspective views can be created by various techniques including photography methods and computer graphics software processing.
Display pixels are composed of a set of adjacent subpixels, typically organized in a red-green-blue pattern. The subpixels are assumed herein to be truly adjacent, however the reality is that a small "grout" boundary surrounds each subpixel. Interdigitation mapping represents a relatively accurate or correct assignment of subpixels in the perspective views to subpixel elements in the display. The mapping is uniquely based on the size and physical properties of the lenticular lens sheet. Such properties include the linear density (or a related representation such as pitch) of the lenticules on the sheet, and the slant angle of the lenticules relative to the flat panel color display. The interdigitation mapping assumes that the display resolution has a fixed pixel dimension (e.g. 1600×1200 pixels).
The SynthaGram™ is described in further detail in U.S. Pat. No. 6,519,088, "Method and Apparatus for Maximizing the Viewing Zone of a Lenticular Stereogram," and U.S. Pat. No. 6,366,281, "Synthetic Panoramagram, as well as in U.S. Patent Publications 20020036825, "Autostereoscopic Screen" and 20020011969, "Autostereoscopic Pixel Arrangement Techniques," each of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
One challenge with autostereoscopic display in general and the SynthaGramm™ in particular is the accurate processing of the significant quantities of data. Slow processing can materially affect viewing enjoyment, as the timing of motion pictures and pixel information is highly critical to the viewing experience.
It would therefore be beneficial to provide an architecture that can operate in the foregoing environment and rapidly and accurately provides data used in the interdigitation process. Such an architecture may be beneficial in overcoming drawbacks present in previously known systems and having improved functionality over devices exhibiting those negative aspects described herein.

On the fly hardware based interdigitation


A collected data providing apparatus and a portable data collecting terminal capable of collecting valuable effective data from object of data collection. When a server receives a data-collection request from a data collection requester's terminal, the server examines whether or not there is a data collector with a terminal in the vicinity of a place of data collection included in the request. If there is, the server sends a data collection request to the portable terminal, which receives the request, collects data on the place at the request, and then sends the server the collected data. The server then delivers this collected data to the data collection requester's terminal (FIG. 1).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to collected data providing apparatus and portable terminals for collecting data.
2. Description of the Related Art
Collected data providing systems have been developed in which when a data collector or reporter sends, using his or her portable data collecting terminal, a picked-up image of an object of data collection, information on the position of the terminal, articles in the form of a voice mail and/or environmental data such as a peripheral temperature of the terminal simultaneously and wirelessly to an electronic newspaper server that supplies its subscribers with electronic newspapers through a network, the server receives such image and environmental data, studies these materials at an edition meeting, and then gives relevant instructions to the data collector or reporter concerned, requests another data collector or reporter having an data collection terminal to help the first-mentioned data collector or reporter in the data collection, and/or issues electronic newspapers including the articles, etc., based upon the collected data. Portable terminals for use in data collection have also been developed.
In each of the collected data providing system and the portable terminal for data collection, its electronic camera and digital video device are capable of inputting thereto as video information data on the situation of the scene of an accident or event. The terminal is capable of transferring image data to the electronic newspaper server. That is, the terminal is capable of fulfilling so-called basic data collecting functions that include inputting thereto a draft of characters and video information and also transferring them to the server.
Present-position locating means provided in the portable terminal is capable of automatically reporting to the server the position of the scene of an accident or event whose image was picked up and a place where the data collector or reporter is at present without causing the data collector or reporter to report such situation severally in speech to the server, and also tracing the action of the data collector or reporter himself or herself.
Since the terminal includes voice inputting means, the data collector or reporter can devote himself or herself to the data collection only by speaking about the situation of the scene while picking up the image of the scene without the need to pay heed to its communication and without missing the timing of valuable-data collection due to the collector or reporter inputting a draft to the terminal and/or calling a desired person and waiting for him or her to answer the phone during collecting the data at the scene of the accident or event.
The server receives image data, voice mail data and data on the position of the portable terminal from the terminal. A journalist on the server side assesses the situation of the scene using such data, drafts a news manuscript and reports it as immediate news in electronic newspaper. The server can give a different reporter instructions as to how he or she should act, for example, can instruct the different reporter to come to the reporter acting already at present at the scene for supporting purposes.
A live camera fixed in a local area is known through which people at a remote place can view the present situation of the scene by remote control.
With the collected data providing system and the portable terminal for data collection, however, the reporters are limited to ones of the newspaper office. Thus, they cannot rapidly and securely take an active part in collecting data on an accident such as a shed-blood accident, a traffic accident or a fire accident whose situation changes every moment.
With the live camera, it is fixed in the local area, as described above, and people in a remote place cannot rapidly and securely acquire useful picked-up images.

Collected data providing apparatus and portable terminal for data collection


The present invention provides an array substrate, a liquid crystal display device comprising the same, and a method for forming the same. The array substrate comprises a gate line, a data line, a signal line and a pixel electrode formed thereon. The gate line intersects the data line to define a plurality of pixel regions in which the pixel electrodes are formed. Each of the pixel electrodes overlaps the signal line to form a first sensing capacitor and overlaps the gate line to form a second sensing capacitor.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to an array substrate, a liquid crystal display (LCD) device comprising the same, and a method for manufacturing the same.
In the market of flat panel displays, liquid crystal display (LCD) devices have obtained a relatively dominant position because of the characteristics such as smaller volume, lighter weight, lower power consumption, lower radiation, and etc. Generally, a LCD device comprises a backlight for emitting light and a liquid crystal panel comprising a thin film transistor (TFT) array substrate and an opposing color filter substrate with a liquid crystal (LC) layer interposed therebetween. Gate lines for transmitting scan signals, data lines for transmitting data signals, and pixel electrodes for respective pixels are formed on the array substrate. The LCD device can display a desired image by applying an electric field to the LC layer and controlling the intensity of the electric field, thereby adjusting the amount of light that is transmitted through the substrates.
To add a touch screen function to a LCD device, an additional touch panel is typically attached onto the front of the liquid crystal panel of the LCD device. The touch panel can read information corresponding to user's input position when touched.
However, the LCD device having a touch panel attached thereon may have following disadvantages: (1) overall thickness of the display device is increased by the attached touch panel, and additional processes are required for attaching the touch panel, making the manufacture process complicated, and leading to an increase of cost; (2) the touch panel decreases transmissivity of the light transmitted through the liquid crystal panel and causes light parallax, which makes the reproduced image excessively floating and deteriorates the image quality; and (3) lifetime of the touch panel can be shorten because the panel is exposed outside and suffers from external influence.
The Chinese patent application 200480032685.2 provided a LCD device having a touch screen function, in which a first switching element, a second switching element and a third switching element are formed in each of the pixel regions defined by gate lines and data lines on the array substrate in a matrix form. The second and third switching elements are designed to detect variation in liquid crystal capacitance caused by touch. The method for manufacturing this conventional LCD device also has been provided. The conventional LCD device requires two additional switching elements in each pixel region, and therefore its structure become complicated and the number of manufacture processes increases. Further, the aperture ratio is decreased.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Integrated LCD touch screen to determine a touch position based on an induced voltage superimposed on both the scan signal of the gate line and a timing pulse of the signal line

BEIJING BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


An FPC (flexible printed circuit) board arrangement structure for zoom lens barrels of a camera is provided. The FPC board connects a shutter block carried by each zoom lens and a controller carried by the camera. The FPC board has a first portion to be connected to the shutter block, a second portion to be connected to the controller, and a connecting portion connecting the first and second portions. The connecting portion includes at least one foldable portion and a deformable portion. The length of the deformable portion is substantially constant regardless of an extended amount of a zoom lens barrel. The foldable portion is folded when the flexible printed circuit board is implemented in one of the zoom lens barrels, and is unfolded when implemented in another zoom lens barrel.

The present invention relates to a structure of arranging an FPC (flexible printed circuit) board in zoom lens barrels whose extending amounts are different.
Generally, a camera having an extendible/retractable zoom lens barrel is provided with an FPC (flexible printed circuit) board, which connects a controller in a camera body and a shutter block provided in the zoom lens. The FPC board is arranged to extend along an inner surface of the zoom lens barrel. Since there are various types of zoom lenses having different specifications, it has been difficult to use the same FPC board for different types of zoom lenses. For example, if extendible amounts of shutter blocks of two zoom lenses are different, the lengths of the FPC board should be adjusted to follow the extendible amounts, respectively. If the FPC board for a lens having a longer extendible length is used in a lens whose extendible amount is smaller, the FPC board may slack inside the zoom lens. In order to avoid the problem, it may be possible to provide an urging mechanism to apply tension to the FPC board to cancel the slack. However, such an additional mechanism requires a room therefor, and further, may raise a manufacturing cost.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved structure of arranging an FPC board in a zoom lens, with which a common FPC board can be used for various types of zoom lenses having different extendible amounts.
For the above object, according to the invention, there is provided an FPC (flexible printed circuit) board arrangement structure zoom lens barrels of a camera, the zoom lens barrels having different extendible/retractable ranges. The FPC board connects a shutter block carried by each zoom lens and a controller carried by the camera. The FPC board is configured to have a first portion to be connected to the shutter block, a second portion to be connected to the controller, and a connecting portion connecting the first portion and the second portion. The connecting portion includes at least one foldable portion and a deformable portion. The deformable portion is deformed to change its shape in accordance with a movement of the zoom lens barrel. The at least one foldable portion is folded at least when the flexible printed circuit board is implemented in one of the zoom lens barrels. It should be noted that the at least one foldable portion is unfolded when the FPC board is implemented in another zoom lens barrel.
With this structure, the same FPC board can be used for various types of zoom lenses having different extendible amounts. That is, by only folding the foldable portion depending on the extendible range of the zoom lens in which the FPC board is implemented, the length of the FPC board can easily be adjusted.
When the at least one foldable portion is folded, a first portion side area of the connecting portion may be folded. In this case, the at least one foldable portion is located, when folded, in front of the shutter block. In a particular case, the at least one foldable portion as folded may include at least one linearly extending area which extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the optical axis.
Optionally, the at least one linearly extending area may include a plurality of linearly extending areas overlaid along the optical axis direction.
Further optionally, the at least one foldable portion may have a second foldable portion which is located at a second portion side area of the connecting portion. In an example, the second foldable portion may be folded when the flexible printed circuit board is implemented in the another zoom lens barrel. In a particular case, the second foldable portion as folded may be smoothly connected from the deformable portion to form a linearly extending portion which is substantially an extension of the deformable portion and a folded back portion overlaid on the linearly extending portion. In this case, an end of the linearly extending portion may be bent toward the controller.
In the above structure, the deformable portion may include a first area, which extends in an optical axis direction, between the shutter block and the second extendible portion, a U-shaped portion bent to form a U-shaped curved portion, and a first area, which extends in an optical axis direction, between the stationary barrel and the first extendible portion. In a particular case, a length of the deformable portion may be substantially constant regardless of an extended amount of the zoom lens barrel, the location of the U-shaped portion being changed so that a relative proportion of lengths of the first area and the second area is changed in accordance with an extended amount of the zoom lens barrel.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an FPC board arrangement structure for zoom lens barrels of a camera, the zoom lens barrels having different extendible/retractable ranges. The FPC board connects a shutter block carried by each zoom lens and a controller carried by the camera. In one example, the FPC board has a first portion to be connected to the shutter block, a second portion to be connected to the controller, and a connecting portion connecting the first portion and the second portion. The connecting portion includes a plurality of foldable portions and a deformable portion. The deformable portion is a portion deformed to change its shape in accordance with the extended position of a zoom lens barrel in which the flexible printed circuit board is implemented. The plurality of foldable portions can be selectively folded in accordance with the extendible/retractable amount of the zoom lens barrel in which the flexible printed circuit board is implemented.
Optionally, the connecting portion is an elongated rectangular portion when the flexible printed circuit board is unfolded.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided another flexible printed circuit board arrangement structure for zoom lens barrels of a camera. The zoom lens barrels have different extendible/retractable ranges, and the flexible printed circuit board connects a shutter block carried by each zoom lens and a controller carried by the camera. The FPC board connects a shutter block carried by each zoom lens and a controller carried by the camera. The FPC board is configured to have a first portion to be connected to the shutter block, a second portion to be connected to the controller, and a connecting portion connecting the first portion and the second portion. The connecting portion includes at least one foldable portion and a deformable portion. The deformable portion is deformed to change its shape in accordance with the extended position of a zoom lens barrel in which the flexible printed circuit board is implemented. The connecting portion has at least one folded portion at least when the flexible printed circuit board is implemented in a zoom lens having a shorter extendible/retractable range, the at least one folded portion being unfolded when the flexible printed circuit board is implemented in a zoom lens having a longer extendible/retractable range.


Provided are systems and methods for establishing, by a user device, a connection with a cellular network, transmitting, by the user device to a cellular network server, a first message comprising an indication of a connection to a wireless network, receiving, by the user device from the cellular network server, a second message comprising wireless network measurement parameters, acquiring, by the user device from the cellular phone device, wireless network measurements in accordance with the wireless network measurement parameters, and transmitting, by the user device to the cellular network server, a wireless network measurement report comprising an indication of the wireless network measurements, wherein the cellular network server is configured to determine whether a cellular device is proximate to an access point for the wireless network using the wireless network measurements.

Many electronic communication devices have the ability to communicate via different types of communication networks. For example, some cellular phones, such as smart phones, can communicate via cellular networks and wireless local area networks, such as WiFi networks. In some instances, these types of devices can switch between the different types of networks during use. For example, a cellular phone may connect to a WiFi network to transfer data when a reliable WiFi network connection is available, and connect to a cellular network to transfer data when a reliable WiFi network connection is not available. This can improve service and can help to avoid, or at least minimize, data usage or fees that are often associated with transferring data over a cellular network. Although, a switch between networks can be done automatically, there are often delays associated with making the switch.
While this disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. The drawings may not be to scale. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and the detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the disclosure to the particular form disclosed, but to the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

Systems and methods for managing network connections