Systems and methods for performing design verification testing in which test cases are analyzed to determine the characteristics that will be verified in a module under test, and in which the identified characteristics are used to selectively enable checker modules needed to verify the characteristics implicated by the test cases, while disabling other checker modules. In one embodiment, a system includes a test case analyzer and a checker selector. The test case analyzer analyzes one or more test cases and identifies test case characteristics that are associated with each of the test cases. The checker selector is coupled to the test case analyzer and receives identification of the test case characteristics from the test case analyzer. The checker selector then selectively enables a first set of design verification checkers and disables a second set, based on the test case characteristics identified for the test cases.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to the design of electronic devices, and more particularly to systems and methods for improving the efficiency of environments for verifying the designs of devices such as integrated circuits.
2. Related Art
Electronic devices are becoming increasingly complex. As the complexity of these devices increases, there is a greater possibility that defects will impair or impede proper operation of the devices. The testing of these devices is therefore becoming increasingly important.
Testing of a device may be important at various stages, including in the design of the device, in the manufacturing of the device, and in the operation of the device. Testing at the design stage ensures that the design is conceptually sound. Testing of prototype devices ensures that the conceptual design was accurately translated to the manufactured device. Testing during the manufacturing stage may be performed to ensure that the manufacturing processes used to build the device achieve the desired results. Even after the device is manufactured, the device may be tested for a burn-in period in order to identify devices that are expected, statistically, to fail early in their normal usage.
Testing is performed during the design stage of the device in order to determine how the device will operate if constructed according to a particular design. This testing may therefore be referred to as design verification testing. By identifying design defects during design verification testing, the defects can be corrected prior to manufacturing. It is thereby possible to avoid incurring the expense of tooling up to build a prototype, building and testing the prototype to identify the defects, and then re-tooling to build another prototype.
Design verification testing typically involves generating a model to simulate the device, providing various inputs to the device, and then comparing outputs generated by the simulation to a set of expected outputs. If the simulated outputs are as expected, the design is verified, and manufacturing of the device can proceed. If the simulated outputs are not as expected, the design defects that caused the errors in the simulated outputs can be corrected, and the design can be re-verified.
A conventional design verification testing system includes a means for simulating the device, a means for generating inputs to the simulated device, and a means for determining whether the simulated outputs are as expected. There are a number of tools that are commercially available to simulate electronic devices. These tools typically utilize a description of the device written in a hardware description language (HDL) to model the behavior of various components within the device. A verification tool then takes a test case and generates a corresponding set of inputs for the simulated device. The inputs are applied to the model of the device, and a set of outputs are generated. The verification tool then compares these outputs to a set of expected outputs and determines whether the simulated device operated as expected.
The comparison of the simulated outputs to the expected outputs is performed by a set of checkers in the verification tool. Typically, each checker is configured to check a certain feature in the simulated device. For example, a particular checker might verify atomic memory accesses. Another checker might verify floating point processing unit operations. A checker typically includes one or more assertions (expected results or conditions) and a means to compare the actual behavior of the design being tested to the assertions. Because, at some point in the testing, it may be necessary to test all of the features in the device, conventional verification tools incorporate all of the checkers. Since the checkers are typically implemented as software modules, it is therefore necessary to incorporate all of the checker modules into a single compilation that can be accessed by the verification tool.
Because of the many checkers that are necessary to verify all of the features of a typical device (e.g., a processor core,) this compilation can be quite large. Also, because all of the checkers are executed, whether they are actually needed or not, a great deal of processing time is often used in the execution of unnecessary checker modules. These problems are addressed in conventional design verification systems by compiling several reduced compilations of checker modules. Having multiple reduced compilations, however, requires more storage space than a single compilation, and even the reduced compilations contain checker modules that are not needed and that simply waste processing resources during verification testing.
It would therefore be desirable to provide systems and methods for design verification testing that do not require as many resources as conventional systems to perform the testing and to store the modules of the verification tools.

Systems and methods for design verification using selectively enabled checkers


A method for shortening a distributed queue, the distributed queue being formed by the first node and the second node which communicate using packets transmitted and received over first and second buses, the first and second nodes having first and second distributed queue images, respectively, which form first and second portions of the distributed queue, respectively, the packets travelling over the first bus having a request mode and a non-request mode and the packets travelling over the second bus having an empty mode and a full mode, the first node creating packets in the empty mode in the non-request mode; the first node has an information queuing state which changes a first packet originally in the non-request mode into the request mode and transmits the first packet over the first bus and adds first information to be sent to the first distributed queue, the first node transmitting information stored in the first distributed queue when second packet in the empty mode and a third packet is the non-request mode are received the first node adds information to the first distributed queue when a fourth packet in the request mode is received; the first node has an information sending state which changes a fifth packet originally in the empty mode into the full mode and transmits the fifth packet over the second bus when sending the first information; the improvement including the steps of monitoring the first bus for first and second consecutive packets in the request mode while the first distributed queue image is empty; and, changing the second consecutive packet into the non-request mode and transmitting the second consecutive packet over the first bus.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns a method for shortening the distributed queue which exists over a number of nodes connected to a digital transmission line.
2. Description of the Related Art
In "The QPSX MAN", R. M. Newman et al., IEEE Communications Magazine, Vol. 26 (April 1988) No.4, p. 20-28, an arrangement is introduced which digital information is transmitted between several nodes over two non-branching parallel buses. Nodes are situated one after the other and are attached to both buses. Contiguous, address-labelled packets run in one direction only on each of the two buses at the same rate. Every packet contains, in the header part, two bit segments which are necessary to create distributed queues over all nodes. One of these bit segments is used to signify "empty" (E) or "busy" (B). The other bit segment is used to signify "request" (R) or "no request" (N). According to the values of these bits, packets will subsequently be referred to as "empty packets" (E), "information packets" (B), "request packets" (R), and "non-request packets" (N).
The distributed queue enables every node to access the buses at more-or-less any time, which is particularly important when short, urgent messages (e.g. alarms) must be sent. A queue is created when there is a lot of traffic on the bus, by means of a continuously operating protocol. A partial representation (image) of the queue is found in each node. This protocol is described as follows:
In every node, an entry is read into a FIFO (First-In, First-Out) memory whenever a request packet (R) is forwarded, and an entry is read out of the same FIFO memory whenever an empty packet (E) is forwarded in the opposite direction. Through this action, the FIFO memory creates the aforementioned image of the distributed queue. PA1 When a node wants to send information in one direction, it sends a request signal in the opposite direction to that in which it wants to send the information. The node does this by changing the first non-request packet (N) it receives into a request packet (R) and sending this out. It also adds a later-recognisable entry into the FIFO memory. PA1 As soon as the particular entry representing the above request-to-send is read out of the FIFO memory, the node is authorised to send its information. The node does this by filling the next arriving empty packet (E) with its information and sending the packet out as an information packet (B). The next request to send information can then be actioned.
This described protocol operates satisfactorily and balances the access requirements between nodes at all times. A disadvantage, however, is that it is not possible to extend this protocol to genuine ring-structured systems (without special `head-of-bus` units).

Method for shortening a distributed queue


Hybridoma lines that secrete human monoclonal antibodies with high binding specificity and biological activity, particularly neutralizing activity against granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor, and methods of generating the hybridoma lines are provided. Target antigens and epitopes are also provided. The antibodies may be used in therapeutic methods, for example in the treatment of cancer, infectious disease, or autoimmune disease.

Various publications, including patents, published applications, technical articles and scholarly articles are cited throughout the specification. Each of these cited publications is incorporated by reference herein, in its entirety and for all purposes
Several disease-associated antigens are currently being targeted using therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) because of their unique pharmacological and safety profiles. Among the disease-associated target antigens are CD20, Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF-α), Epidermal Growth Factor Receptors (EGFR), and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor.
Granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) was originally discovered as a protein with the capacity to generate both granulocyte and macrophage colonies from precursor cells in mouse bone marrow, and was accordingly named (Burgess et al. (1980) Blood 56:947-58). Subsequent studies have demonstrated a role of GM-CSF in potentiating the function of mature macrophages and granulocytes (Handman and Burgess (1979) J. Immunol. 122:1134-1137; Hamilton et al. (1980) J. Cell Physiol. 103:435-445; Gamble et al. (1985) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82:8667-8671), suggesting a role for GM-CSF in inflammatory responses (Hamilton et al. (1980) J. Cell Physiol. 103:435-445). As the molecule was studied it became clear that GM-CSF has other functions arising from its ability to affect the properties of more mature myeloid cells such as granulocytes, macrophages and eosinophils. The functions of GM-CSF are mediated by binding to CD116, the granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor receptor, also known as colony stimulating factor 2 receptor alpha that binds GM-CSF with low affinity. The beta subunit, called CD131, which is also shared with the IL3 and IL5 receptors, has no detectable binding activity for GM-CSF by itself but is necessary for high affinity binding when in association with the alpha subunit and plays a fundamental role in signal transduction. The GM-CSF receptors are found on myeloid progenitors and mature myeloid cells including neutrophils, eosinophils, mononuclear phagocytes, and monocytes. In addition, GM-CSF receptor subunits have been shown to be present in normal, non-hematopoietic tissues such as human placenta, endothelium, and oligodendrocytes of the central nervous system.
GM-CSF plays a major biological role in the generation of granulocytes and macrophages from early bone marrow progenitors within the bone marrow. What was not appreciated at first but later uncovered was additional physiological functions of GM-CSF in host responses to external stimuli and in inflammatory and autoimmune conditions. In very early studies, GM-CSF was purified from lung tissue-conditioned medium following lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection into mice (Burgess et al. (1977) J. Biol. Chem. 252:1998-2003). GM-CSF is considered by many investigators to be one of the major regulators of granulocyte, macrophage and eosinophil lineage cell number and activation state under normal physiological conditions. However, it has also been hypothesized that aberrant expression of GM-CSF may lead to altered immune and inflammatory responses with associated pathologic consequences. It was suggested several years ago that GM-CSF should be viewed as a proinflammatory cytokine (Hamilton et al., 1980, J. Cell Physiol. 103:435-445). Furthermore, GM-CSF may play a role in the diathesis of a multitude of human inflammatory pathologies, such as rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune pathologies, inflammatory renal disease and inflammatory lung disorders such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Interestingly, it has been proposed that there is a link between multiple sclerosis and GM-CSF (McQualter et al. (2001) J. Exp. Med., 194:873-881). In an experimental model of autoimmune encephalomyelitis, a model for multiple sclerosis, GM-CSF was found to be involved in the autoimmune-mediated demyelination.
In vivo studies following monocyte, macrophage and neutrophil treatment with GM-CSF have demonstrated that GM-CSF can activate these cell types and prolong their survival characteristics. Moreover, GM-CSF exposure results in release of inflammatory mediators from these cell types, and further studies have demonstrated the ability of these cells to kill certain organisms and even tumor cells (Hamilton (1993) Immunol. Today 14:18-24; Hamilton, (1993) Lancet 342:536-539; Takahashi, (1993) Blood 81:357-364). To determine if the in vivo studies were indicative of the function of GM-CSF in vivo, systemic administration was performed with rodents. It was shown that artificially increasing circulating levels of GM-CSF by intraperitoneal administration of the protein did result in increased numbers of both circulating neutrophils and cycling peritoneal macrophages and that there was an increase in the development and differentiation of CD5+ macrophages in the peritoneal cavity of rodents (Metcalf et al., (1987) Exp. Hematol. 15:1-9).
It has also been shown that GM-CSF can "prime" cells to respond in a more robust, synergistic manner to a second stimulus, such as LPS or interferon-gamma (Hart et al., 1988, J. Immunol. 141:1516-1521). Mice can be primed both in vitro as well as in vivo with GM-CSF so that they produce increased levels of circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines following subsequent challenge with LPS or TNF-alpha.
In a clinical setting, administration of GM-CSF into peritoneal dialysis patients resulted in a marked recruitment of macrophages (Selgas et al., 1996, Kidney Int. 50:2070-2078). Interestingly, and as predicted from the rodent studies, administration of GM-CSF in a clinical setting can result in accentuated production of inflammatory cytokines and potential unwanted side effects. For example, when patients with rheumatoid arthritis were treated with GM-CSF to correct the neutropenia associated with Felty's syndrome, their arthritis was exacerbated (Hazenberg et al., 1991, Blood 74:2769-2770). In another clinical setting, following cancer chemotherapy, GM-CSF treatment made rheumatoid arthritis worse (de Vries et al., (1991) J. Immunol. 163: 4985-4993). Systemic administration of GM-CSF to human donors increased the ability of isolated granulocytes to produce superoxide, and both accentuated the cytotoxicity of circulating monocytes as well as led to an increase in the number of monocytes (Perkins et al., 1993, Am J. Hematol. 43:279-285). Aberrant expression of GM-CSF is associated with disease of the lung in human as well. For example, it appears that upregulation of GM-CSF in the lung by minor irritants, endotoxins or infections predisposes towards TH2 immune deviation and asthma (Eisenbarth et al. (2002) J. Exp. Med. 196:1645-1651). The studies summarized above suggest that GM-CSF plays a role in the activation of the inflammatory process through cell recruitment, increased cell survival and/or priming for activation.
Several association and experimental data suggest a role for GM-CSF in asthma. The use of neutralizing antibodies in a mouse model of asthma have demonstrated the ability to suppress asthmatic phenotypes (Yamashita (2002) Cell Immunol. 219:92), while several studies measuring cytokines in BAL fluid of asthmatic patients have found an increase in GM-CSF (Gajewska (2003) Curr Drug Targets Inflamm Allergy 2:279).
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease for which there is ample evidence that GM-CSF may be involved. GM-CSF has been found at elevated levels in RA lesions (Xu et al. (1989) J. Clin. Invest. 83:876) and is produced in vitro by resident joint cells (chondrocytes and synovial fibroblasts) following their stimulation with inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1 and TNF-alpha (Leizer et al. (1990) Blood 76:1989). Collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in the mouse is an autoimmune model of RA that is dependent upon both humoral and cellular immune responses to type II collagen (CII) (Seki et al. (1988) J. Immunol. 140, 1477). Historically this RA phenotype is restricted to mouse strains bearing the H-2q or H-2r haplotypes and is generally performed in DBA/1 mice (Wooley (1988) Methods Enzymol. 162:361). A series of studies were performed in transgenic mice that were homozygous null for the murine GM-CSF locus (Stanley et al. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:5592). Interestingly, the GM-CSF-deficient mice are resistant to the induction of collagen-induced arthritis as compared to their wild-type control litter mates (Campbell et al. (1998) J. Immunol. 161:3639-3644).
Of further interest is that GM-CSF null mice have impaired surfactant clearance that leads to murine pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP), which closely mimics the human condition as described herein. Moreover, the PAP phenotype can be corrected by lung-specific delivery of the GM-CSF gene (Zsengaller et al. (1998) Hum. Gene Ther. 9:2101-2109), aerosolization of GM-CSF or bone marrow transplantation for hematopoeitic reconstitution (Reed et al. (1999) Am. J. Physiol. 276:L556-L563; Nishinakamura et al. (1996) J. Exp. Med. 183:2657-2662).
Adult human pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is a rare disease characterized by the accumulation of phospholipids and surfactant proteins in the alveoli. It has been hypothesized that PAP is due to the inability of the alveolar macrophages and type II epithelial cells to clear excess surfactant (Mazzone et al. (2001) Clev. Clin. J. Med. 68:977-992). The diagnosis of PAP generally requires an open lung biopsy and the standard therapy for the disease is physical removal of the accumulated surfactant by whole-lung lavage (Shah et al. (2000) Thorax 55:67-77). Furthermore, patients with PAP have been shown to have circulating, neutralizing antibodies to GM-CSF, thereby implicating this cytokine as causative of the disease. Whether this autoimmune response is specific for GM-CSF is unclear. However, it has been shown that a subset of PAP patients improve with GM-CSF therapy, supporting the hypothesis that the absence of GM-CSF either by gene disruption or antibody-mediated neutralization results in the development of PAP.
There is also evidence to support a role for GM-CSF in cancer. For example, GM-CSF plays a role in the genesis and progression of leukemias, such as juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML); Emanuel P D (2004) Curr. Hematol. Rep. 3:203-209). JMML is characterized by disruption of normal haemopoiesis resulting in excessive, inappropriate proliferation of immature myeloid cells in the bone marrow. These proliferating hematopoietic cancer cells can metastasize to the spleen and liver. Interestingly, patients with JMML are hypersensitive to GM-CSF and exhibit pathologic features similar to those in transgenic mice that over-express GM-CSF (Lang et al. (1987) 51:675-86). Furthermore, GM-CSF has been shown to promote JMML cell growth and survival (Emanuel et al (1991) Blood 77:925-9). In the transgenic mouse model of JMML, blockade of GM-CSF reduced JMML cell burden in the bone marrow, blood and spleen (Iversen et al. (1997) Blood, 90:4910-7).
It is clear from murine disease models in which GM-CSF is knocked-out as well as human diseases such as PAP in which circulating antibodies are generated in the systemic circulation to GM-CSF that this cytokine is an important mediator of pathology. Therefore an approach to develop a drug that can antagonize the activity of GM-CSF, either by developing an antibody to the cytokine itself or by blockade of the GM-CSF receptor, may be a valuable human therapeutic. Several polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies have been generated to the recombinant GM-CSF molecule. For example, Beffy et al. ((1994), Hybridoma 13:457-468), generated polyclonal antibodies to recombinant human GM-CSF in New Zealand White rabbits and monoclonal antibodies in Balb/c mice. These rabbit and some of the murine monoclonal antibodies were capable of neutralizing the activity of GM-CSF in an in vitro cell proliferation assay with MO7c cells. In further studies, Nice et al. (1990, Growth Factors 3, 159-169) epitope-mapped the binding site of one neutralizing murine anti-GM-CSF antibody, LMM102. A well-defined epitope was delineated by generating a series of digestion products from recombinant, human GM-CSF, using reverse phase HPLC fractionation to separate the fragments, followed by additional S. aureus V8 digestion of the tryptic fragments to define a product comprising two peptides linked by a disulphide bond. Three murine antibodies to human GM-CSF were generated by Dempsey et al. (1990, Hybridoma 9, 545-558) that neutralized GM-CSF in an in vitro assay system with an EC50 in the 0.1 to 1.7 nanomolar range. These antibodies did not react with murine GM-CSF or other related cytokines. All of the above-described antibodies are useful reagents for the detection of GM-CSF in human serum as well as for in vitro assays to inhibit GM-CSF signaling. However, all of these antibodies have little value as therapeutics due to the fact that they are derived from either a murine or rabbit system. Attempts have been made to generate chimeric antibodies from murine counterparts by subcloning the variable domain from the murine anti-GM-CSF antibody into a human backbone. This strategy has led to a chimeric antibody that can neutralize GM-CSF in vitro and may be useful as a therapeutic (WO 03/068924 A2).
An important aspect of a therapeutic antibody is its ability to elicit immune effector functions, such as antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). Rodent MAbs, for example, have been shown to poorly mediate effector functions in humans because of sequence differences in the Fc region and therefore chimerization or humanization are required to gain optimal pharmacological properties. In addition, MAbs with fully human sequences may still fail to support ADCC if they are produced in non-human host cells that may alter native glycosylation pattern of MAbs (Shinkawa et al. (2003) J. Biol. Chem. 278:3466-73).
In view of these facts, production of therapeutic antibodies by human B-cells is preferred. Methods for generation of hybridomas secreting human MAbs have been previously reported (WO2004/046330). Therapeutic MAbs generated by human B-cells are able to exert human effector functions and have very limited immunogenicity because of their native human structure. The generation of hybridoma or Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformed lymphoblastoid lines derived from human B-cells has been previously reported (Kirman et al. (2002) Hybrid Hybridomics 21:405-14; Boerner et al. (1991) J. Immunol. 147:86-95; Zafiropoulos et al. (1997) J. Immunol. Methods 200:181-90); however, information on the characterization of these antibodies and the lines with respect to their long term stability, suitability to manufacturing processes, and the antibody's pharmacological properties is limited (van Dijk et al. (2001) Curr. Opin. Chem. Biol. 5:368-74).
There is thus a need for therapeutic human antibodies for the treatment of inflammation associated with infectious, inflammatory diseases, autoimmune disorders, and other diseases such as cancer. It is further desired that such antibodies would elicit immune effector functions, as well as be well-tolerated in human patients. The present invention addresses these and other long felt needs.


Organisms, compositions, and methods for at least partially reducing the formation of a biofilm and/or at least partially removing a biofilm are provided. The organisms, compositions, and methods may be used on biotic and abiotic surfaces.

Biofilms are biological films that develop and persist at the surfaces of biotic (biological) or abiotic (inert) objects in aqueous environments from the adsorption of microbial cells onto the solid surfaces. This adsorption can provide a competitive advantage for the microorganisms since they can reproduce, are accessible to a wider variety of nutrients and oxygen conditions, are not washed away, and are less sensitive to antimicrobial agents. The formation of the biofilm is also accompanied by the production of exo-polymeric materials (polysaccharides, polyuronic acids, alginates, glycoproteins, and proteins) which together with the cells form thick layers of differentiated structures separated by water-filled spaces. The resident microorganisms may be individual species of microbial cells or mixed communities of microbial cells, which may include aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, algae, protozoa, and fungi. Thus, the biofilm is a complex assembly of living microorganisms embedded in an organic structure composed of one or more matrix polymers which are secreted by the resident microorganisms.
Biofilms can develop into macroscopic structures several millimeters or centimeters in thickness and cover large surface areas. For non-living objects, these formations can play a role in restricting or entirely blocking flow in plumbing systems, decreasing heat transfer in heat exchangers, or causing pathogenic problems in municipal water supplies, food processing, medical devices (e.g., catheters, orthopedic devices, implants). Moreover, biofilms often decrease the life of materials through corrosive action mediated by the embedded microorganisms. This biological fouling is a serious economic problem in industrial water process systems, pulp and paper production processes, cooling water systems, injection wells for oil recovery, cooling towers, porous media (sand and soil), marine environments, and air conditioning systems, and any closed water recirculation system. Biofilms are also a problem in medical science and industry causing dental plaque, infections (Costerton et al., 1999, Science 284: 1318-1322), contaminated endoscopes and contact lenses, prosthetic device colonisation and biofilm formation on medical implants.
Biofilms occur in a wide range of locations. Many are found on or in the human body, including on the teeth, gums, ears, prostate, lungs, and heart, where they are believed to be implicated in chronic infections such as gum disease, ear infections, infections of the prostate gland and heart, and lung infections in people with cystic fibrosis. Biofilms also occur in nature, such as the slime that covers river rocks, marshes, and the like. Biofilms also occur in medical equipment, such as catheters, and are a major source of hospital infections. Biofilms can also occur in areas such as contact lenses; other medical equipment. And biofilms can occur in the food processing and handling industries.
Biofilms produced by oral pathogens are involved in the etiology of some of the most common diseases of the oral cavity, i.e. dental caries, periodontal disease, and peri-impantitis. Formation of oral biofilms is a complex process involving polymicrobial interactions. Neeser et al (US2002/0012637 A1) attempted to treat dental caries, dental plaque and periodontal infections by replacing or limiting pathogenic oral biofilm development with non-residential commensal organisms such as low acidifying lactic acid bacteria that can adhere to the pellicle of the teeth (Neeser et al., US2002/0012637 A1).
Bacteria growing in biofilms are more resistant to antibiotics and disinfectants than planktonic cells and the resistance increases with the age of the biofilm. Bacterial biofilm also exhibits increased physical resistance towards desiccation, extreme temperatures or light. Difficulties in cleaning and disinfection of bacterial biofilm with chemicals is a major concern in many industries. Furthermore, the trend towards milder disinfection and cleaning compositions may increase the insufficient cleaning of surfaces covered with biofilm.
Accordingly, there exists a is a need for improved methods and new systems and compositions that can reduce or eliminate biofilms and/or the formation of biofilms on inert and biological surfaces.

Compositions and methods for the prevention and removal of biofilms on inert and biological surfaces


A remote control system for actuating a central vacuum system from a remote location such as a vacuum cleaning hose handle without the use of a separate, dedicated system of control wires. In a preferred embodiment, a small, lightweight FM radio frequency signal transmitter is installed in the hose handle and the signal is conducted along the household current 60 Hz wires running through the vacuum cleaner hose and wand for the purpose of providing electrical current to power sweeper brush motors. The piggybacked control signal requires no additional conductor wires, such as the low voltage wiring of conventional control systems, thereby saving weight and costs. The control signal travels along the power supply wires running the length of the vacuum hose, which are preferably covered by a sleeve, such as of cloth or plastic, then through a standard plug into a standard electrical outlet. A receiver located near the central vacuum cleaner system receives the control signal from the house wiring and processes it to start or stop the central vacuum system main motor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to remote control of central vacuum systems. More particularly, the present invention is directed to an assembly using an electrical switch in a vacuum cleaner wand/hose end which transmits a signal to actuate a motor in the central vacuum system.
2. Background of the Invention
Central vacuum systems are popular in a variety of buildings, notably family residences. A typical central vacuum system includes a vacuum pump connected to an electric motor for driving it, a plenum for generating a vacuum and duct work to another plenum for collecting debris in a vessel such as a bag and allowing exhaust air to be vented. The motor, vacuum pump and plenums are generally located in the basement or other relatively remote location within a house. A network of tubing or ducts connects the central vacuum cleaner to each of the rooms to be serviced. One or more vacuum hose connection points are located in each of the rooms to be serviced. These openings are generally covered by an airtight flap or valve to prevent the induction of air through unused openings and to maintain a vacuum within the system. A hose with a wand end is connected to one of the connection point openings when that room is to be vacuumed. The wand normally includes a handle for the user to hold and a suction head for drawing in the air and collected debris.
A difficulty with prior central vacuum systems lies with turning the central vacuum motor on and off conveniently and reliably. The distance from the location of the wand, or working point, to the central pump motor generally prohibits a switch located on the vacuum motor. Because of the normal basement location of the central pump motor, climbing up and down stairs every time the user desires to use the system is inconvenient and tiring. As a result, several approaches to this problem of providing a convenient switch for operating the vacuum motor have been developed in the prior art.
One such attempted resolution involved mounting an electrical switch on the handle of the portable hose and routing two low voltage wires along the hose to a coupling ring on the end of the hose. When the hose is fastened to the wall opening outlet, as by use of a bayonet mount or screw mount, contact points on the coupling ring engage matching contact points on the fitting in the wall opening. The contact points on the wall opening fixture are connected to a light gauge wire pair that runs along the tubing to an electrical relay which switches the vacuum motor on and off. This system suffers from three serious disadvantages. First, it is inordinately expensive to provide hoses and tubing or ducts having a wire pair running the length of the hose and tubing. Second, these wires are prone to breakage, creating an open circuit that is difficult to locate and expensive to repair. Third, because the cleaning implement is often subject to rough use and handling, the contact points on the coupling members frequently wear out or break, preventing the user from switching the system on.
An alternative approach to solving this problem is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,626, issued to Harkonen et al. on May 16, 1989. Harkonen discloses a method for controlling a vacuum cleaner that includes a battery operated electrical sound signal generator mounted in the handle of the wand. When the signal generator is activated, it generates and transmits a sound signal through the tubing, which in turn is sensed by a receiver which generates an electrical pulse to start the motor of the vacuum cleaner. In the Harkonen system, when an operating lever located in the handle is moved to the on position a flap in the wand opens, allowing air to be drawn through the wand and the network of tubing to the vacuum cleaner and permitting the sound generated by the electrical signal generator to travel more easily to the receiving equipment located close to the vacuum cleaner motor. The sound signal is only generated momentarily in order to start the motor. Once the sound signal has been transmitted for the predetermined brief time, the sound generator is turned off. If the motor has started as intended, the motor keeps running until the flow of air through the system is blocked. It is intended that the flap in the hose near the wand be manually swung into a position across the inlet of the hose, thereby blocking the flow of air. Then a detector detects the stopping of the flow of air and, in response, turns off the vacuum motor.
This proposed solution also suffers from several disadvantages. First, a chemical battery is required for operating the sound generator. The battery will necessarily run down and require replacement. More importantly, if the operator is not careful in the use of the machine, an old or run down battery may leak corrosive chemicals into the sensitive and delicate sound generation equipment, ruining it. The battery and sound generator combination also occupy a significant volume within the handle of the wand, making the wand heavier, larger, and more unwieldy.
Perhaps the greatest difficulty with the method of Harkonen lies in the means for stopping the vacuum cleaner. In the normal course of using a vacuum cleaner, many possible events that could block the flow of air through the hose suggest Harkonen themselves. In some cases, merely pressing the vacuuming head hard against a surface to be vacuumed can block the flow of air sufficiently to cause the vacuum motor to stop. This is particularly the case when the vacuum head is operated near or on non-porous materials. Further, items too large to pass conveniently through the tubing may be inadvertently sucked into the vacuum head, thereby turning it off.
Accordingly, there is a need for a remote control switching system for central vacuum systems that can reliably be turned on from the wand without direct connections back to the main power unit. Additionally, there is a need for a central vacuum system that includes a monitoring function to evaluate unit performance and signal when vacuum pressure drops excessively.

Remote control system for central vacuum systems


A paint brush receptacle engageable with the peripheral edge of an open paint can comprising a bottom wall, front, back, and a pair of side walls upstanding from said bottom wall and terminating at an open end for receiving paint brushes therein; the bottom wall having an extension projecting exteriorly outwardly therefrom; a leg depending from said extension and spaced from said back wall for insertion into said paint can and releasably engageable with said peripheral edge of said open paint can; a scraper extending outwardly from said extension for scraping paint off said paint brush into said open paint can.

Persons who generally paint articles or buildings typically insert a paint brush into an open paint can and scrape excess paint therefrom against the inner peripheral edge of the open paint can. Such action usually results in spillage of paint into the rim channel of the paint can making it difficulty and messy to close.
Furthermore, it becomes difficult for a user of an open paint can to grasp the handle of an open paint can in one hand while holding a paint brush in either the same or other hand while climbing a ladder.
Various devices have heretofore been devised in order to minimize the spillage of paint onto the rim channel of a paint can as well as the transporting a paint brush.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,688,943 relates to a plastic ring provided at its outer edge with a flange or other clamping mechanism to fit over and to attach securely to the circular rim of an open paint can and includes a container which is secured to the plastic rim by means of a hooking mechanism.
Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 4,094,431 illustrates an assembly comprising a paint tray with a paint brush attachment for simultaneously accommodating both a paint roller and a paint brush.
Yet another arrangement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,322 which relates to a tool holder which holds tools within a container such as a 5 gallon bucket.
Yet another arrangement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,581,904 which relates to a paint sieve having a top opening to receive a brush and adapted for variable height attachment inside a paint bucket so that the sieve can be raised or lowered in the bucket to remain partially emersed in the paint during painting.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,472 illustrates a bucket attachment tool holder for mounting on a conventional bucket having a loop handle.
These and other prior art devices present relatively complicated structure having limited utility.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved paint brush receptacle which is easy to use and construct.
The broadest aspect of this invention relates to a paint brush receptacle adapted to engage the peripheral edge of an open paint can comprising: a bottom wall presenting upstanding wall formations terminating at an open end for receiving paint brushes therein; one of said wall formations having a concave surface so as to conform to and contact the side of said paint can, said one of said wall formations having an extension projecting outwardly away from said concave surface and terminating along a convex edge; a leg having a convex surface depending from said convex edge of said extension and spaced generally equally from said one of said wall formations for insertion into said open paint can and releasably engageable with said peripheral edge of said open paint can and for insertion of a thumb between said depending leg and said back wall to stabilize the receptacle when said receptacle is separated from said paint can; and scraper extending outwardly from said convex edge of said extension and beyond said extension for scraping paint off said paint brush into said open paint can; a peripheral edge projecting downwardly from said bottom wall in the region remote from said extension.
It is another aspect of this invention to provide a paint brush receptacle engageable with an open paint can having a cylindrically shaped exterior surface and a round peripheral inner edge, a round peripheral outer edge and a rim channel, said receptacle comprising: a bottom wall; a back wall, a front wall and a pair of side walls vertically upstanding from said bottom wall and terminating at an open end for receiving paint brushes therein; wherein said back wall is concave so as to conform to and contact said exterior surface of said paint can; an extension projecting horizontally outwardly from said back wall and terminating along a convex edge; a leg depending vertically downwardly from said convex edge of said extension, spaced from said back wall, said leg having a convex surface generally spaced equally from said back wall for insertion into said open paint can and releasably engageable with a portion of said peripheral inner edge of said open paint can and for the insertion of a thumb between said depending leg and said back wall to stabilize the receptacle when said receptacle is separated from said paint can; a scraper edge extending angularly upwardly from said convex edge of said extension and extending outwardly beyond said extension and said leg for scraping paint off said paint brush into said paint can; said extension overlaying a portion of said rim channel so as to present a barrier against paint dripping onto said rim channel; and a peripheral edge projecting vertically downwardly from said bottom wall in the region remote from said extension.


An electric motor comprises a stator (1, 5, 8) having an air-gap which extends around an axis and in which a rotating magnetic field is generated, and a rotor (11, 12, 13) comprising a shaft (11) which is rotatably held by a bearing (10) and a permanent magnet (13) which is held in said air-gap and is driven to rotate around said axis by said rotating magnetic field. The stator (1, 5, 8) is adapted to generate, in addition to said rotating magnetic field, a stationary magnetic field which is rotationally asymmetric with respect to said axis.

In recent years, demand has grown for miniature electric motors of extremely flat design, which can be used to build flat drives for disk-shaped data carriers such as floppy disks, CD-ROMs, DVDs etc.
The shaft of such a motor has a certain bearing clearance which allows the shaft to sway. Obviously, the sway angle of the shaft is the larger, the smaller the axial dimension of the bearing is (if the shaft is held by a single bearing) or the smaller the distance between bearings at opposite ends of the shaft is. If a disk is rotated by the motor, the axis of rotation of the disk may move in space, and its orientation may vary. This causes a problem when data are read from the disk: Conventionally, the data are arranged on concentric tracks on the surface of the disk, and if the axis of rotation of the disk moves, a servosystem of an actuated reading head of the disk drive may have more problems to follow the track during a turn of the disk, so that data cannot be read consecutively. The distance between the head and the surface of the disk may vary in addition and may sometimes leave the range in which reading is possible.
Part of these variations are periodic, with a period equalling the rotation period of the disk. These variations can be predicted quite accurately based on observation, and they can be compensated by moving the reading head periodically, so that it faces the same track of the disk and does not leave the proper reading distance range during a complete turn. These periodic variations are also referred to as repeatable runout.
However, there is also a non-repeatable runout which is not easily compensated and which may cause serious tracking problems. Reducing this non-repeatable runout by reducing the bearing clearance is a rather expensive solution to the problem, because the components of the motor have to be manufactured with very strict tolerances.
US 2004/0007929 A1 discloses a flat electric motor in which a bearing extends over most of the axial dimension of the motor. There is nothing in this motor that might prevent the shaft from swaying over the entire angle allowed by the bearing clearance.


A semiconductor device including a plurality of cells having an antenna protection element and a cell other than the antenna protection element; and a first dummy pattern and a second dummy pattern arranged in a layer above the plurality of cells. Further, the first dummy pattern overlaps with the antenna protection element, the second dummy pattern overlaps with the cell other than the antenna protection element, and a first layout rule of the first dummy pattern is different from a second layout rule of the second dummy pattern.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device including an antenna protection element for avoiding antenna damage and a layout designing method thereof.
2. Background Art
In association with recent miniaturization in semiconductor manufacturing technology, employment of a plasma process typified by plasma etching and plasma CVD becomes general in device manufacturing processes. While, there arises a serious problem of flaws of semiconductor elements called plasma charging damage, which is caused due to the plasma process.
The plasma charging damage is called also antenna damage and serves as a factor of an increase in gate leakage current, degradation of characteristics of semiconductor elements, such as variation in threshold voltage, breakdown, and reduction in lifetime. Further, scale down of the thicknesses of the gate oxide films accompanied by miniaturization in the process technology makes the antenna damage more serious.
Referring to one example of methods for solving such problems, Patent Document 1 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,994,742) discloses a method using a protection element (hereinafter referred to as an antenna protection element). Herein, the antenna protection element means an element including a diode, a thyristor, or the like of which conductivity increases when a beam (hereinafter referred to merely as UV light) in the ultra violet region emitted from plasma is irradiated to an active region thereof. According to Patent Document 1, a charge current that causes antenna damage is discharged to the ground potential through the antenna protection element, so that damage to the semiconductor element can be avoided.
Patent Document 1 further suggests that unless the UV light is irradiated to the active region of the antenna protection element, protection performance of the antenna protection element for protecting the semiconductor device from antenna damage is lowered. In view of this, Patent Document 1 discloses an arrangement in which a space is formed above the active region of an antennal protection element so that the UV light is irradiated to the active region thereof.
The configuration of Patent Document 1 will be described briefly with reference to FIG. 55. FIG. 55 is a diagram of a general layout using standard cells. In FIG. 55, reference numeral 5501 denotes an antenna protection element, 5502 and 5503 each denote a standard cell, 5504 and 5505 each denote a signal pattern, and 5506 denotes a dummy pattern. As can be understood from FIG. 55, any mask pattern is not arranged above the antenna protection element 5501. Namely, in Patent Document 1, in order to create a space above the antenna protection element, no mask pattern is arranged thereabove.
Referring to another document, Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Application Laid Open Publication No. 2004-363255A), it discloses an arrangement in which no dummy pattern is arranged above the active region of an antenna protection element so that the UV light is irradiated to the active region for relieving antenna damage. FIG. 56 shows an example of the arrangement employing the technique of Patent Document 2. FIG. 56 shows that the signal patterns 5504, 5505 are arranged above the antenna protection element 5501 while the dummy pattern 5506 is not arranged thereabove.
When the arrangement of Patent Document 2 is employed, a signal wiring can be arranged above an antenna protection element. Accordingly, when compared with Patent Document 1, the amount of the UV light irradiated to the active region reduces to lower the performance of the antenna protection element while the wiring efficiency of the signal patterns increases with a result of reduction in area of the semiconductor integrated circuit in design.
In the etching process and the CMP process, it is essential to satisfy an area ratio in a target layer which is obtained on the basis of a process condition. Unless the area ratio is satisfied, the etching rate varies and the surface of the substrate is planarized insufficiently in the CMP process, thereby achieving insufficient process accuracy. For tackling this problem, Patent Document 3 (Japanese Patent Application Laid Open Publication No. 2002-9161A) discloses that dummy patterns having different pitches or shapes in every check window are arranged in an unoccupied region.
In both Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, however, any dummy pattern cannot be arranged above the antenna protection element, thereby making the area ratio around the antenna protection element small to achieve insufficient process accuracy.
In Patent Document 2, the protection performance of the antenna protection element is determined independently from the amount of signal patterns arranged above the active region of the antenna protection element, so that too many or too few antenna elements may be arranged.
Further, since miniaturization in process technology, such as scale down in thicknesses of gate oxide films accompanies more serious antenna damage, the number and the area of the antenna elements to be arranged is liable to increase. For this reason, the dummy pattern in the underlying layer, which have been arranged in an unoccupied region conventionally, such as polysilicon, the active region, or the like, is reduced, involving difficulty in adjusting the area ratio in the underlying layer.
As described above, in designing and manufacturing a semiconductor device including an antenna protection element, various problems as exampled as above are involved, and therefore, a configuration and a layout designing method of a semiconductor device which solve the above problems are desired.

Semiconductor device and semiconductor device layout designing method


Methods of cementing and low density foamed cement compositions therefor are disclosed. A low density foamed cement composition of the invention comprises fly ash comprising calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide, water present in an amount sufficient to form a slurry, a foaming and foam stabilizing surfactant or a mixture of surfactants present in an amount sufficient to facilitate foam and stabilize the foamed cement composition, and sufficient gas to foam the foamed cement composition.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to methods of cementing and low density foamed fly ash cement compositions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general cementing operations wherein hard substantially impermeable cementitious masses are formed in desired locations, hydraulic cement compositions have heretofore been utilized which contain hydraulic cements such as Portland cements, gypsum cements, silica cements and the like along with water and other additives. In primary well cementing, i.e., the forming of a cement sheath in the annular space between pipe disposed in a well bore and the walls of the well bore, a pumpable hydraulic cement composition is introduced into the annular space and the cement composition is permitted to set therein. The resulting cement sheath provides physical support and positioning to the pipe in the well bore and prevents undesirable fluid migration between subterranean zones and formations penetrated by the well bore.
In some locations, the subterranean zones or formations into or through which wells are drilled have high permeabilities and low compressive and tensile strengths. As a result, the resistances of the zones or formations to shear are low and they have low fracture gradients. When a well fluid such as a hydraulic cement composition is introduced into the well bore penetrating such a subterranean zone or formation, the hydrostatic pressure exerted on the walls of the well bore can exceed the fracture gradient of the zone or formation and cause fractures to be formed in the zone or formation into which the cement composition is lost.
While lightweight cement compositions have been developed and used heretofore, subterranean zones or formations are still encountered which have fracture gradients too low for even the lightweight cement compositions to be utilized without fracturing the formation and the occurrence of loss circulation problems. Also, the lightweight cement compositions utilized heretofore have often not had sufficient compressive, tensile and bond strengths upon setting.
Thus, there are continuing needs for improved low density cement compositions for use in general cementing as well as in cementing in subterranean zones or formations having very low fracture gradients.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Foamed fly ash cement compositions and methods of cementing


This invention relates to a carton having improved structural integrity and stacking strength. The carton is formed from a paperboard blank so it has reinforced end panels. A tear strip is formed by perforations in the top panel of the carton to provide an easy opening feature.

The invention relates to packaging for shipping and storing products. More particularly, the invention relates to a paperboard carton that can be used to package, ship and store a variety of products, such as consumer products and, more particularly, beverage containers. Such beverage containers may come in various configurations such as cylindrical cans, bottles of various configurations or flexible pouches having a substantially trapezoidal configuration.
For many years, beverage companies, such as soft drink, fruit juice and beer companies have packaged their products in light weight paperboard cartons and shipped such products to a retail outlet or some other location where consumers can purchase the products. There are many different types of cartons that can be used for packaging and shipping products from the manufacturer to the retailer. However, many of these cartons tend to be large and are designed to hold large numbers of products. Such cartons are suitable for "warehouse" type operations but are difficult for the consumer to store and use when the consumer needs smaller quantities for typical household activities.
Products can be packaged in smaller cartons containing quantities of product that a consumer would typically want to purchase for use in a relatively short period of time, such as ten or a dozen individual items. It is desirable for these smaller quantities of product to be packaged in smaller cartons that can be displayed for sale to the consumer at a typical retail outlet. In order to maximize the use of valuable floor space at the retail outlet, such smaller cartons may be stacked on top of each other to minimize the footprint left by the cartons and to provide an attractive display to entice the consumer to buy the product. Unfortunately, such stacking can result in damage to the carton causing the consumer to assume that the individual products packaged within the carton are damaged as well. This is bad for the retailer because such perceived damaged goods are more difficult to sell and thus can result in lower profits.
Another desirable attribute for such paperboard cartons is an easy opening feature so that the cartons can be easily opened. This facilitates easy access by the consumer to the products, such as beverage containers, contained therein. These paperboard cartons with easy opening features appeal to consumers because such cartons provide an easy way for the consumer to transport a number of products, such as beverage containers, therein from the retail outlet to the consumer's home. Moreover, the dispensing openings allow the paperboard cartons to also be stored in an easily accessible location in the consumer's home, such as the refrigerator, to allow neat storage of the product therein. Although some paperboard cartons having dispensing openings therein are currently available and generally work for their intended purposes they could be improved. For example, some of these cartons are in fact difficult to open. In addition, some of the cartons having such dispensing openings can have compromised structural integrity because of such openings.
Therefore, there is a need to provide a carton with improved stacking strength and an easy opening feature that may be used to package and ship individual items from the manufacturer to a retail outlet and that can also be used in homes and other consumer locations.

Stacking strength carton with an easy opening feature


A flexible display apparatus is provided. The flexible display apparatus includes: a display that is bendable, a sensor configured to sense deformation of the display, and a controller configured to perform an operation corresponding to the sensed shape deformation in response to the sensed deformation being shape deformation in which the display is alternately bent in opposing directions within a predetermined time.

1. Field
Apparatuses and methods consistent with exemplary embodiments relate to a flexible display apparatus and a control method thereof, and more particularly, to a flexible display apparatus including a flexible display which can have its shape changed, and a control method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the development of electronic technologies, various kinds of display apparatuses have been developed and implemented in various apparatus applications. For example, a variety of display kinds, such as Cathode ray tube display (CRT), Light-emitting diode display (LED), Electroluminescent display (ELD), Electronic paper (E-Ink), Plasma display panel (PDP), Liquid crystal display (LCD), High-Performance Addressing display (HPA), Thin-film transistor display (TFT), and Organic light-emitting diode display (OLED) displays have been developed which have been implements into display apparatuses such as television (TVs), personal computers (PCs), laptops, tablet PCs, mobile phones, and MP3 players which are widely used to such an extent that they can be found in most households.
In order to meet consumer demands for new functions and new forms of displays, an effort to develop new forms of display apparatuses is ongoing. One of the results of this effort is a next generation display apparatus in the form of a flexible display apparatus.
The flexible display apparatus refers to a display apparatus that can be deformed or deformed into different shapes and configuration like paper.
The flexible display apparatus can be deformed by a force that is applied by a user and thus may be used for various purposes. For instance, the flexible display apparatus may be used for mobile apparatuses such as mobile phones, tablet PCs, electronic albums, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and MP3 players.
The flexible display apparatus has flexibility unlike existing display apparatuses. Therefore, there may be a demand for a method for applying this characteristic as an inputting means for the flexible display apparatus.

Flexible display apparatus and control method thereof


Systems and methods for side-channel monitoring a local network are disclosed. The methods involve generating a program trace signal from at least one of power consumption, electromagnetic emission, or acoustic emanation of a control processor connected to the local network and operating a monitoring processor to detect a communication of a message on the local network; identify at least one purported control processor related to the communication; analyze the program trace signal of the at least one purported control processor relative to the communication; and at least one of an authenticate or verify one or more purported control processors of the at least one purported control processor based on the program trace signal of the at least one purported control processor.

Security and safety can be essential aspects of embedded computing systems, especially safety-critical systems, and in view of the ever-increasing connectivity of such systems. Traditionally, safety-critical systems have used run time monitoring techniques to enforce security and safety properties during operation. However, monitoring security and safety properties poses unique challenges. The functionality of safety-critical systems should not be disrupted by such monitoring. In addition, firmware reprogramming can bypass a monitoring tool if it runs alongside the monitored and vulnerable system. Furthermore, if malware runs on the same processor as the monitoring tool, then malware can "fake" behaviors that the monitoring tool will consider acceptable.
An example of a safety-critical embedded computing system can be found in the automotive space. The typical local communication network in an automotive vehicle is a CAN bus, to which a plurality of electronic control units (ECUs) connected. CAN buses are a fundamentally insecure communication network. However, cybersecurity has not historically been a critical aspect of automotive vehicles nor as widespread in automotive vehicles as it is with other technologies such as electronic devices. This is due to automotive vehicles having had little or no connectivity to the outside world. However, automotive vehicles now include a high level of connectivity. Furthermore, with the prospect of autonomous vehicles, cybersecurity is a critical aspect in modern automotive vehicles.
Existing methods of addressing cybersecurity in automotive vehicles include the use of cryptography to authenticate a sender. However, such methods can have limited applicability due to the broadcast nature and relatively low bandwidth of CAN buses. Furthermore, automotive vehicles often include commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) devices because they are readily available. However, COTS devices are generally heterogeneous. As such, it can be difficult to set up and share common secrets between devices on the CAN bus for symmetric-key cryptographic primitives.
Some other methods to address cybersecurity in automotive vehicles involve fingerprinting some physical characteristic(s) of the transmitting device. For example, timing-based detection of impersonating devices have been proposed. However, such methods can be vulnerable to profile-and-mimic attacks in which timing characteristics are fingerprinted and emulated by an attacker. Some other proposed methods involve voltage-based sender identification techniques. However, such methods can also be vulnerable to profile-and-mimic attacks because an attacker with temporary physical access to the CAN bus could place a transmitter having a custom-made analog CAN driver on the CAN bus to inject an arbitrary waveform on the CAN bus. This is particularly plausible since the proposed voltage-based sender identification techniques do not use the complete analog waveform of communications, but instead they extract some statistical characteristics of the voltage, making it easier to emulate by an attacker.

Systems and methods for side-channel monitoring of a local network


The present invention relates generally to job bags for use in the processing, handling, storage and/or transportation of lenses. In several embodiments, the job bags are used in combination with lens bags to transport lenses between various stations in a facility, where processes are applied to the lenses. One embodiment of the invention includes a front panel secured to a back panel, where the front and back panels are joined at least along a bottom edge and form a pocket configured to receive a document, and two vertical pockets formed on the front panel, where each vertical pocket is configured to receive a lens and to retain the lens in the vertical pocket when the job bag rests on its bottom edge.

Lens processing and manufacturing typically involves movement of a pair of lenses from one station to another. Each pair of lenses typically has accompanying documentation. In many instances, the lenses and accompanying documentation are placed in a tray for transport between the various stages in the lens processing and manufacturing. Examples of trays used in lens processing and manufacturing are shown in FIGS. 1a-1c. The tray 1 shown in FIG. 1a includes two lens holders 2 and a compartment 3 for the accompanying documentation. A tray that does not include lens holders is shown in FIG. 1b. A baking tray on which multiple pairs of lenses are typically placed is shown in FIG. 1c.
When lenses are not held within lens holders, they are free to slide as the tray is transported and can often scratch each other. When a lens is scratched, the lens is typically discarded and a replacement lens is ground resulting in a delay in delivery and an increase in cost. When a single tray is used for each pair of lenses, then the number of pairs of lenses that can be transported by an operator can depend upon the height of a stack of trays that can be carried by the operator and the space available at the operator's station. In addition, the number of pairs of lenses that can be processed by a facility is limited by the number of trays available at the facility. Therefore, a significant number of trays must be kept on hand occupying storage space in order to cope with increases in demand.

Job bag for lenses and associated document


A processor that includes hardware resources for the operating system that are separate and independent from resources dedicated to user programs. The OS resources preferably include a separate OS arithmetic logic unit (OS/ALU) along with a dedicated instruction buffer, instruction cache and data cache. The OS/ALU is preferably able to control the registers and program address of user processes, and can read a program request register from the user program.

The present invention relates in general to microprocessors, and in particular to operating system context switching.
As the master control program that runs the computer, the operating system (OS) periodically interrupts the user process to, for example, schedule tasks and manage resources. The interrupt is typically accomplished by having a clock interrupt every 1/100th of a second to query whether the operating system needs to do anything. As microprocessor clock speeds have increased, the amount of overhead and housekeeping done by the operating system has also increased, and thus the net percentage of time required for these operating system tasks has not been significantly reduced.
In addition to the increased amount of work done by the operating system, other factors have combined to increase the intrusion of the operating system on user programs. For example, the use of multi-tasking, where multiple programs are run in parallel with frequent context switches between them, requires more interruptions for the operating system to handle the context switch. In addition, processor clock speeds have increased much more dramatically than memory access speeds. Thus, memory accesses use up an increasingly larger number of processor cycles as the gap between processor clock speed and memory access speed increases. Context switches between an operating system and user programs, or between user programs, often require a number of memory accesses.
Context switching upon an interrupt to the operating system or a switch between tasks requires a number of tasks. In particular, the state of the necessary registers used by the execution unit need to be saved to memory. For a pipelined processor, instructions in the pipeline need to propagate through the pipeline to empty the pipeline before the context switch can occur. As the pipeline grows deeper, the length of time required for this correspondingly increases.
In addition, the operating system activities require operating system specific instructions and data which must be stored in the instruction and data caches. This not only consumes cache space that would otherwise be allocated to user applications, it would also cause the overwriting of user instructions and data, thus increasing the chances of a cache miss on a subsequent return to the user process. This effectively limits the available memory bandwidth for user applications.
User performance degradation caused by the OS context switch is a more severe problem in multi-processor systems. In such systems, a holdup by one processor due to OS activity may delay a group of other processors that are tightly synchronized over well defined workloads. The OS interferences with the user process creates user process inconsistency such that the same user program may take up different amounts of time to execute at different times. This inconsistency does not permit the operating system to efficiently schedule and distribute tasks among the various processors operating in parallel. Thus, programs that may take longer to execute are scheduled to run in parallel with smaller sized tasks, where the speed is limited by the slowest processor.
Another concern raised by OS context switching is OS security. In the existing processor architectures, the cache memory typically includes mixed user and OS spaces. After an OS interrupt occurs, the cache may contain sensitive OS data. A cache flush by a subsequent user may expose secure operations executed by the OS (e.g., decoding a password or a secure instruction) to a user process.
There is therefore a need to reduce or eliminate the loss of time and memory bandwidth to operating system overhead, to improve user process consistency, and to provide a more secure operating system.

Processor architecture with independent OS resources


Aspects of the invention provide an external interference radar that remedies such shortcomings by providing a hybrid approach that provides an initial spectrum analysis to identify known interferences. The signal is also divided into physical resource blocks (PRB) to better identify interferences that occur intermittently. Once these intermittent interferences are illustrated, a signal pattern detection algorithm is applied to the identified signals and may further accurately identify the intermittent interferences. As part of the identification, the radar further provides a report that identifies whether the interference is a permanent or intermittent; a type of the interference and the severity of the interference.

Interferences of wireless signals occur at various times of wireless network operations. When they happen, mobile network carriers take active steps to identify the sources of interferences and whether the interferences are caused by carriers' towers or equipment. Existing tools would perform a spectrum analysis of the signals across a given time frame and, based on the spectrum analysis, the existing tool can preliminarily identify well-identified or persistent interferences. However, this would fail to identify intermittent interferences that may be other environmental interferences. Similarly, existing tool may actually recognize actual interferences and would treat them as such. However, such actual interferences might be an actual interference due to faulty equipment or other items under the carriers' control.
Aspects of the invention attempt to address the shortcomings of the prior approaches.


A differential pressure type emission flow rate measuring method and apparatus and an emission measuring system are capable of correcting measuring error occurring due to pulsation appropriately and enhancing the measuring precision of flow rate. In measuring the flow rate of an emission exhausted from an engine, an accurate flow rate in spite of pulsation is determined by using a differential pressure type flowmeter. The detected differential pressure signal is resolved by frequency, and is corrected by using a correction coefficient predetermined depending on each frequency obtained by frequency resolution.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for measuring exhaust gas flow rate and it's application system for analyzing the exhaust gases from automotive engine or the like. Particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus being capable of correcting an error caused by pulsation of flow rate by using differential pressure type flow meter, for example, the Pitot tube flow meter or the like. Moreover, backward flow rate of the above mentioned gases also distinctly can be measured by the invention.
2. Background Art
A Pitot tube flowmeter is one of differential pressure type flowmeters for measuring flow rate of emission flowing in an exhaust pipe. In this Pitot tube flowmeter, gas flow rate converted to standard state Qpit(t) [m3/min] is given in the following formula (1). In the description of the invention below, (t) is added to the sign showing a time series value by time t, and, for example, gas flow rate is expressed as Qpit(t).
                              Qpit                                (            t            )                          =                  K          ×                                    [                                                {                                                            Pg                                                                    (                        t                        )                                                              /                    1013                                    }                                ×                                  {                                      293.15                    /                                          Tg                                                                    (                        t                        )                                                                              }                                ×                                  {                                                                                Pd                                                                          (                          t                          )                                                                    /                      γ                                                                                g                                    }                                            ]                                                          (        1        )                where K: proportional coefficient            Pg(t): gas pressure [κ Pa]        Tg(t): gas temperature [K]        Pd(t): differential pressure        γg: gas density in standard state [g/m3]
That is, when proportional coefficient K is determined preliminarily, from the measured values of temperature and pressure of emission flowing in the pipe and the differential pressure in the Pitot tube, the flow rate of the emission can be obtained.
The Pitot tube flowmeter is used in measurement of flow rate of emission from an engine, but the engine emission is known to generate pulsation in its exhaust pressure. The pulsation is an intrinsic problem of engine emission, and it has been attempted to elucidate radically the mechanism and effects of pulsation in various fields. When measuring continuously the flow rate of engine emission by using the Pitot tube flowmeter, since the emission pressure (differential pressure) is measured directly, if pulsation occurs, its effect is directly applied, and the measuring error may be increased.
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the ratio of measured value of flow rate of gas having pressure fluctuations measured by using a Pitot tube and true value of gas flow rate. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing output waveform of flow rate measured by using the Pitot tube, in which an example of measurement at a constant flow rate is shown. Herein, a short cylinder engine different in displacement is connected to the gas passage, and pressure fluctuations are caused by rotating this short cylinder engine. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, when a pulsation of a certain frequency is applied to the gas flow, a large difference is caused between the measured value by the Pitot tube flowmeter and the true value of gas flow rate, and as the pulsation amplitude is larger, it is known that the difference is increased between the measured value by the Pitot tube flowmeter and the true value of gas flow rate.
Although pulsation at high frequency are removed by catalyst tube or muffler, when pulsation at low frequency are caused during idling of the engine or the like, pulsation frequency is lowered, and the Pitot tube flowmeter is strongly influenced by pulsation, and the error is increased.
As proposed, for example, in Japanese Laid-open Patent No. H10-318810, to decrease pulsation effects of engine, it has been attempted to install a buffer tank for absorbing pulsation of emission at the upstream side of the exhaust tube having the flowmeter, or to vary the capacity of the buffer tank depending on the rotating speed of the engine, thereby varying the frequency of the pulsation to be decreased. While the engine is idling, without using the output of the flow rate measured by the Pitot tube flowmeter, a certain preset fixed value may be used.
In any of the conventional measuring methods, the flow rate of emission exhausted from the engine could not be measured in-situ. That is, when using the fixed value instead of the measured value in idling state, since the fixed value completely ignoring the measured value of differential pressure is outputted in idling state, the flow rate of emission exhausted in idling state cannot be measured at all.
Further, as disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent No. H10-318810, when the buffer tank is installed at the upstream side of the exhaust tube, it is not only difficult to remove pulsation completely, but also the apparatus is complicated and increased in size because it is required to form a buffer tank of variable capacity and install a mechanism for varying the capacity of the buffer tank depending on the engine rotating speed. By using the buffer tank, since the pulsation is decreased by adjusting the flow rate of the emission to be measured, the flow rate (to be measured) having pulsation cannot be measured in-situ.
The invention is devised in the light of the above problems, and it is hence an object thereof to present a differential pressure type emission flow rate measuring method and emission flow rate measuring apparatus capable of correcting measuring error occurring due to pulsation appropriately and enhancing the measuring precision of flow rate when measuring the flow rate of emission having pulsation.
A Pitot tube flowmeter is known as one of differential pressure type flowmeters for continuously measuring flow rate of emission exhausted from an automotive engine and flowing in an exhaust pipe. In this Pitot tube flowmeter, emission flow rate converted to standard state Q(t) [m3/min] is given in the following formula (6).
                              Q                                (            t            )                          =                  α          ×                                                                      P                                                        (                    t                    )                                                  101.3                            ×                              293.15                                  T                                                        (                    t                    )                                                              ×                                                Δ                                                                                P                                                              (                      t                      )                                                                      ρ                                                                        (        6        )                where α: proportional constant            ΔP(t): differential pressure of Pitot tube [kpa]        P(t): emission pressure [kpa]        T(t): emission temperature [K]        ρ: emission density in standard state [g/m3]
That is, when proportional constant α is determined preliminarily, from the measured values of temperature and pressure of emission flowing in the pipe and the differential pressure in the Pitot tube, the flow rate of the emission can be obtained.
However, the Pitot tube flowmeter is known to have effects of pulsation of emission, and it is warned that the measuring error of emission flow rate increases due to so-called square root error occurring when calculating the emission flow rate from the differential pressure.
Accordingly, as disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent No. H10-318810, it has been attempted to use an apparatus for measuring the flow rate of emission by using a differential pressure sensor of flowmeter (Annubar flowmeter) while suppressing pulsation of emission by the buffer tank.
Further, as disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent No. 2000-46612, by processing the piping, a space filter is composed, and the pulsation frequency is determined, or as disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent No. 2001-208584, the pulsation frequency is determined by using an ultrasonic flowmeter.
However, in the emission flow rate measuring apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent No. H10-318810, the field of measurement is varied, by absorbing pulsation of emission by the buffer tank, it cannot be measured in-situ. Such technique is not suited to the present situation and future demand because elucidation of pulsation itself and transient measurement are demanded. It is also impossible to eliminate pulsation of emission completely by the buffer tank, and it further requires to form a buffer tank of variable capacity and mechanism for varying the capacity of buffer tank depending on the engine rotating speed, and the apparatus itself becomes complicated and larger in size. In the gas flow measuring apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent No. 2000-46612, or in the flow rate measuring apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent No. 2001-208584, the apparatus itself is large and complicated.
On the other hand, the Pitot tube flowmeter is designed to calculate the emission flow rate by making use of the proportional relation of the emission flow rate and square root of differential pressure as shown in formula (6), and hence the differential pressure and the emission flow rate are in the relation graphically shown in FIG. 16. In FIG. 16, the axis of abscissas denotes the differential pressure [kPa], and the axis of ordinates represents the flow rate [L/min]. According to the studies by the present inventors, the differential pressure changes in the time course along with pulsation of emission, and at the time of pulsation a in FIG. 16, for example, if the response frequency of the differential pressure sensor for detecting the differential pressure of the Pitot tube is low, measured values of differential pressure are averaged, and the emission flow rate (about 1300 L/min in FIG. 16) corresponding to the averaged measured value of differential pressure (e.g. about 1.4 kPa in FIG. 16) is obtained, and thus obtained emission flow rate is found to be higher than the accurate emission flow rate (about 1150 L/min in FIG. 16) obtained by averaging after converting the differential pressure into emission flow rate.
The invention is based on the above-mentioned findings, and it is hence other object thereof to present an emission flow rate measuring method and apparatus and an emission measuring system using the same apparatus, capable of measuring the flow rate of emission exhausted from an engine in real time and at high precision even in the event of pulsation, without changing the field of measurement, and also capable of reducing in size easily.

Method and apparatus for measuring exhaust gas flow rate and it's application system for analyzing the exhaust gases from an engine


An automatic digital image capturing and processing system for use in point of sale (POS) environments. The system comprising a system housing having an imaging window, a plurality of coextensive area-type illumination and imaging stations disposed in the system housing, for projecting a plurality of coextensive area-type illumination and imaging zones through the imaging window and into the 3D imaging volume, for capturing a series of area-type digital images of an object intersecting therewith during system operation. An object motion detection subsystem automatically detects the motion of objects passing through the 3D imaging volume, and generates velocity data in response to the detection of the objects moving through the 3D imaging volume during system operation, while a control subsystem, responsive to the velocity data, generates control data for controlling at least one exposure control parameter associated with the operation of the area-type imaging arrays within the coextensive area-type illumination and imaging stations, and also controlling and/or coordinating other operations of the subsystems during system operation.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to digital image capturing and processing scanners of ultra-compact design capable of reading bar code symbols in point-of-sale (POS) and other demanding scanning environments.
2. Brief Description of the State of Knowledge in the Art
The use of bar code symbols for product and article identification is well known in the art. Presently, various types of bar code symbol scanners have been developed for reading bar code symbols at retail points of sale (POS). In general, these bar code symbol readers can be classified into two (2) distinct classes.
The first class of bar code symbol reader uses a focused light beam, typically a focused laser beam, to sequentially scan the bars and spaces of a bar code symbol to be read. This type of bar code symbol scanner is commonly called a "flying spot" scanner as the focused laser beam appears as "a spot of light that flies" across the bar code symbol being read. In general, laser bar code symbol scanners are sub-classified further by the type of mechanism used to focU.S. and scan the laser beam across bar code symbols.
The second class of bar code symbol readers simultaneously illuminate all of the bars and spaces of a bar code symbol with light of a specific wavelength(s) in order to capture an image thereof for recognition and decoding purposes.
The majority of laser scanners in the first class employ lenses and moving (i.e. rotating or oscillating) mirrors and/or other optical elements in order to focU.S. and scan laser beams across bar code symbols during code symbol reading operations. Examples of hand-held laser scanning bar code readers are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,007,849 and 7,028,904, each incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Examples of laser scanning presentation bar code readers are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,557,093, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Other examples of bar code symbol readers using multiple laser scanning mechanisms are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,714, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
In demanding retail environments, such as supermarkets and high-volume department stores, where high check-out throughput is critical to achieving store profitability and customer satisfaction, it is common for laser scanning bar code reading systems to have both bottom and side-scanning windows to enable highly aggressive scanner performance. In such systems, the cashier need only drag a bar coded product past these scanning windows for the bar code thereon to be automatically read with minimal assistance of the cashier or checkout personal. Such dual scanning window systems are typically referred to as "bioptical" laser scanning systems as such systems employ two sets of optics disposed behind the bottom and side-scanning windows thereof. Examples of polygon-based bioptical laser scanning systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,229,588; 4,652,732 and 6,814,292; each incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Commercial examples of bioptical laser scanners include: the PSC 8500—6-sided laser based scanning by PSC Inc.; PSC 8100/8200, 5-sided laser based scanning by PSC Inc.; the NCR 7876—6-sided laser based scanning by NCR; the NCR7872, 5-sided laser based scanning by NCR; and the MS232x Stratos® H, and MS2122 Stratos® E Stratos 6 sided laser based scanning systems by Metrologic Instruments, Inc., and the MS2200 Stratos® S 5-sided laser based scanning system by Metrologic Instruments, Inc.
In general, prior art bioptical laser scanning systems are generally more aggressive that conventional single scanning window systems. However, while prior art bioptical scanning systems represent a technological advance over most single scanning window system, prior art bioptical scanning systems in general suffer from various shortcomings and drawbacks. In particular, the scanning coverage and performance of prior art bioptical laser scanning systems are not optimized. These systems are generally expensive to manufacture by virtue of the large number of optical components presently required to construct such laser scanning systems. Also, they require heavy and expensive motors which consume significant amounts of electrical power and generate significant amounts of heat.
In the second class of bar code symbol readers, early forms of linear imaging scanners were commonly known as CCD scanners because they used CCD image detectors to detect images of the bar code symbols being read. Examples of such scanners are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,282,425, and 4,570,057; each incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
In more recent times, hand-held imaging-based bar code readers employing area-type image sensing arrays based on CCD and CMOS sensor technologies have gained increasing popularity.
In U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/712,787, a detailed history of hand-hand imaging—based bar code symbol readers is provided, explaining the many problems that had to be overcome to make imaging-based scanners competitive against laser-scanning based bar code readers. Metrologic Instruments' Focus® Hand-Held Imager is representative of an advance in the art which has overcome such historical problems. An advantage of 2D imaging-based bar code symbol readers is that they are omni-directional by nature of image capturing and processing based decode processing software that is commercially available from various vendors.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,766,954 to Barkan et al. proposes a combination of linear image sensing arrays in a hand-held unit to form an omni-directional imaging-based bar code symbol reader. However, this hand-held imager has limited application to 1D bar code symbols, and is extremely challenged in reading 2D bar code symbologies at POS applications.
And yet despite the increasing popularity in area-type hand-held and presentation type imaging-based bar code symbol reading systems, such systems still cannot complete with the performance characteristics of conventional laser scanning bioptical bar code symbol readers in POS environments.
Thus, there is a great need in the art for an improved bar code symbol reading system that is capable of competing with conventional laser scanning bioptical bar code readers employed in demanding POS environments, and providing the many advantages offered by imaging-based bar code symbol readers, while avoiding the shortcomings and drawbacks of such prior art systems and methodologies.

Digital image capturing and processing system employing a plurality of area-type illuminating and imaging stations projecting a plurality of coextensive area-type illumination and imaging zones into a 3D imaging volume, and controlling operations therewithin using


An electronic electricity meter comprising a measuring circuit and a power supply circuit. The power supply circuit comprises a main capacitor and a transformer controlled by a switching mode circuit. The transformer has an additional winding between the core and the primary and an integrator circuit rated to supply at its output a voltage image substantially proportional to the main capacitor voltage.

The use of a transformer controlled by a switching mode circuit ("switching mode transformer") in a power supply circuit as a "DC/DC" converter is well known in the field of electronic electricity meters. The main capacitor is connected and disconnected alternately from the primary of the transformer by the switching circuit to generate a voltage at the secondary of the transformer. The voltage obtained in this way is filtered and supplied to the measuring circuit. The switching mode transformer is controlled in such a way as to supply a relatively constant voltage to the measuring circuit.
The voltage is typically controlled by means of a return coil that monitors the secondary voltage and sends a control signal to the switching circuit to control the time for which the main capacitor is connected to the transformer. The return winding is typically wound around the core between the primary and the secondary. The return winding is closely coupled to the secondary to monitor precisely the variation in the voltage at the outputs of the secondaries in order to generate the control signal sent to the switching circuit.
Note that the earth of the measuring circuit is often different from that of the power supply circuit. For example, for a multiphase meter adapted to operate in the event of loss of the neutral, the main capacitor will be supplied with power by a current resulting from rectification of all the phases and the neutral relative to an earth which is common to the rectifier and to the power supply circuit and which is different from neutral. On the other hand, the earth of the measuring circuit is the neutral.
In the event of an interruption of the current, the power supply to the measuring circuit is assured for a period of time by the charge stored in the capacitor. To identify an interruption of the current and to determine the remaining quantity of charge, the measuring circuit must monitor how the voltage across the main capacitor varies. Given that the earth of the power supply circuit and that of the measuring circuit are not the same, it is not possible for the measuring circuit to measure the voltage directly.
In conventional systems, the voltage is measured via an isolating interface between the two circuits, for example by using an optocoupler or a differential amplifier adapted to measure the potential difference across the capacitor. These solutions are relatively costly and necessitate the use of a large number of components to define the interface.

Electricity meter with a switching mode transformer power supply circuit