The invention provides human lipid metabolism enzymes (LME) and polynucleotides which identify and encode LME. The invention also provides expression vectors, host cells, antibodies, agonists, and antagonists. The invention also provides methods for diagnosing, treating, or preventing disorders associated with aberrant expression of LME.

Lipids are water-insoluble, oily or greasy substances that are soluble in nonpolar solvents such as chloroform or ether. Neutral fats (triacylglycerols) serve as major fuels and energy stores. Polar lipids, such as phospholipids, sphingolipids, glycolipids, and cholesterol, are key structural components of cell membranes. (Lipid metabolism is reviewed in Stryer, L. (1995) Biochemistry, W. H. Freeman and Company, New York N.Y.; Lehninger, A. (1982) Principles of Biochemistry, Worth Publishers, Inc. New York N.Y.; and ExPASy "Biochemical Pathways" index of Boehringer Mannheim online publication.)
Fatty acids are long-chain organic acids with a single carboxyl group and a long non-polar hydrocarbon tail. Long-chain fatty acids are essential components of glycolipids, phospholipids, and cholesterol, which are building blocks for biological membranes, and of triglycerides, which are biological fuel molecules. Long-chain fatty acids are also substrates for eicosanoid production, and are important in the functional modification of certain complex carbohydrates and proteins. 16-carbon and 18-carbon fatty acids are the most common. Fatty acid synthesis occurs in the cytoplasm. In the first step, acetyl-Coenzyme A (CoA) carboxylase (ACC) synthesizes malonyl-CoA from acetyl-CoA and bicarbonate. The enzymes which catalyze the remaining reactions are covalently linked into a single polypeptide chain, referred to as the multifunctional enzyme fatty acid synthase (FAS). FAS catalyzes the synthesis of palmitate from acetyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA FAS contains acetyl transferase, malonyl transferase, β-ketoacetyl synthase, acyl carrier protein, β-ketoacyl reductase, dehydratase, enoyl reductase, and thioesterase activities. The final product of the FAS reaction is the 16-carbon fatty acid palmitate. Further elongation, as well as unsaturation, of palmitate by accessory enzymes of the ER produces the variety of long chain fatty acids required by the individual cell. These enzymes include a NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase, cytochrome b5, and a desaturase.
Triacylglycerols, also known as triglycerides and neutral fats, are major energy stores in animals. Triacylglycerols are esters of glycerol with three fatty acid chains. Glycerol-3-phosphate is produced from dihydroxyacetone phosphate by the enzyme glycerol phosphate dehydrogenase or from glycerol by glycerol kinase. Fatty acid-CoA's are produced from fatty acids by fatty acyl-CoA synthetases. Glyercol-3-phosphate is acylated with two fatty acyl-CoA's by the enzyme glycerol phosphate acyltransferase to give phosphatidate. Phosphatidate phosphatase converts phosphatidate to diacylglycerol, which is subsequently acylated to a triacylglyercol by the enzyme diglyceride acyltransferase. Phosphatidate phosphatase and diglyceride acyltransferase form a triacylglyerol synthetase complex bound to the ER membrane.
A major class of phospholipids are the phosphoglycerides, which are composed of a glycerol backbone, two fatty acid chains, and a phosphorylated alcohol. Phosphoglycerides are components of cell membranes. Principal phosphoglycerides are phosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl ethanolamine, phosphatidyl serine, phosphatidyl inositol, and diphosphatidyl glycerol. Many enzymes involved in phosphoglyceride synthesis are associated with membranes (Meyers, R. A. (1995) Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, VCH Publishers Inc., New York N.Y., pp. 494-501). Phosphatidate is converted to CDP-diacylglycerol by the enzyme phosphatidate cytidylyltransferase (ExPASy ENZYME EC 184.108.40.206). Transfer of the diacylglycerol group from CDP-diacylglycerol to serine to yield phosphatidyl serine, or to inositol to yield phosphatidyl inositol, is catalyzed by the enzymes CDP-diacylglycerol-serine O-phosphatidyltransferase and CDP-diacylglycerol-inositol 3-phosphatidyltransferase, respectively (ExPASy ENZYME EC 220.127.116.11; ExPASy ENZYME EC 18.104.22.168). The enzyme phosphatidyl serine decarboxylase catalyzes the conversion of phosphatidyl serine to phosphatidyl ethanolamine, using a pyruvate cofactor (Voelker, D. R. (1997) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1348:236-244). Phosphatidyl choline is formed using diet-derived choline by the reaction of CDP-choline with 1,2-diacylglycerol, catalyzed by diacylglycerol cholinephosphotransferase (ExPASy ENZYME 220.127.116.11).
Cholesterol, composed of four fused hydrocarbon rings with an alcohol at one end, moderates the fluidity of membranes in which it is incorporated. In addition, cholesterol is used in the synthesis of steroid hormones such as cortisol, progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone. Bile salts derived from cholesterol facilitate the digestion of lipids. Cholesterol in the skin forms a barrier that prevents excess water evaporation from the body. Farnesyl and geranylgeranyl groups, which are derived from cholesterol biosynthesis intermediates, are post-translationally added to signal transduction proteins such as Ras and protein-targeting proteins such as Rab. These modifications are important for the activities of these proteins (Guyton, A. C. (1991) Textbook of Medical Physiology, W. B. Saunders Company, Philadelphia Pa., pp. 760-763; Stryer, supra, pp. 279-280, 691-702, 934). Mammals obtain cholesterol derived from both de novo biosynthesis and the diet.
Sphingolipids are an important class of membrane lipids that contain sphingosine, a long chain amino alcohol. They are composed of one long-chain fatty acid, one polar head alcohol, and sphingosine or sphingosine derivatives. The three classes of sphingolipids are sphingomyelins, cerebrosides, and gangliosides. Sphingomyelins, which contain phosphocholine or phosphoethanolamine as their head group, are abundant in the myelin sheath surrounding nerve cells. Galactocerebrosides, which contain a glucose or galactose head group, are characteristic of the brain. Other cerebrosides are found in non-neural tissues. Gangliosides, whose head groups contain multiple sugar units, are abundant in the brain, but are also found in non-neural tissues.
Eicosanoids, including prostaglandins, prostacyclin, thromboxanes, and leukotrienes, are 20-carbon molecules derived from fatty acids. Eicosanoids are signaling molecules which have roles in pain, fever, and inflammation. The precursor of all eicosanoids is arachidonate, which is generated from phospholipids by phospholipase A2 and from diacylglycerols by diacylglycerol lipase. Leukotrienes are produced from arachidonate by the action of lipoxygenases.
Within cells, fatty acids are transported by cytoplasmic fatty acid binding proteins (Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) *134650 Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 1, Liver; FABP1). Diazepam binding inhibitor (DBI), also known as endozepine and acyl CoA-binding proteins is an endogenous γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor ligand which is thought to down-regulate the effects of GABA. DBI binds medium- and long-chain acyl-CoA esters with very high affinity and may function as an intracellular carrier of acyl-CoA esters (OMIM *25950 Diazepam Binding Inhibitor; DBI; PROSITE PDOC00686 Acyl-CoA-binding protein signature).
Fat stored in liver and adipose triglycerides may be released by hydrolysis and transported in the blood. Free fatty acids are transported in the blood by albumin. Triacylglycerols and cholesterol esters in the blood are transported in lipoprotein particles. The particles consist of a core of hydrophobic lipids surrounded by a shell of polar lipids and apolipoproteins. The protein components serve in the solubilization of hydrophobic lipids and also contain cell-targeting signals. Lipoproteins include chylomicrons, chylomicron remnants, very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL), intermediate-density lipoproteins (IDL), low-density lipoproteins (LDL), and high-density lipoproteins (HDL). There is a strong inverse correlation between the levels of plasma HDL and risk of premature coronary heart disease.
Mitochondrial and peroxisomal beta-oxidation enzymes degrade saturated and unsaturated fatty acids by sequential removal of two-carbon units from CoA-activated fatty acids. The main beta-oxidation pathway degrades both saturated and unsaturated fatty acids while the auxiliary pathway performs additional steps reed for the degradation of unsaturated fatty acids. The pathways of mitochondrial and peroxisomal beta-oxidation use similar enzymes, but have different substrate specificities and functions. Mitochondria oxidize short-, medium-, and long-chain fatty acids to produce energy for cells. Mitochondrial beta-oxidation is a major energy source for cardiac and skeletal muscle. In liver, it provides ketone bodies to the peripheral circulation when glucose levels are low as in starvation, endurance exercise, and diabetes (Eaton, S. et al. (1996) Biochem. J. 320:345-357). Peroxisomes oxidize medium-, long-, and very-long-chain fatty acids, dicarboxylic fatty acids, branched fatty acids, prostaglandins, xenobiotics, and bile acid intermediates. The chief roles of peroxisomal beta-oxidation are to shorten toxic lipophilic carboxylic acids to facilitate their excretion and to shorten very-long-chain fatty acids prior to mitochondrial beta-oxidation (Mannaerts, G. P. and P. P. Van Veldhoven (1993) Biochimie 75:147-158). Enzymes involved in beta-oxidation include acyl CoA synthetase, carnitine acyltransferase, acyl CoA dehydrogenases, enoyl CoA hydratases, L-3-hydroxyacyl CoA dehydrogenase, β-ketothiolase, 2,4-dienoyl CoA reductase, and isomerase.
Three classes of lipid metabolism enzymes are discussed in further detail. The three classes are lipases, phospholipases and lipoxygenases.
Lipases
Triglycerides are hydrolyzed to fatty acids and glycerol by lipases. Adipocytes contain lipases that break down stored triacylglycerols, releasing fatty adds for export to other tissues where they are required as fuel. Lipases are widely distributed in animals, plants, and prokaryotes. Triglyceride lipases (ExPASy ENZYME EC 220.127.116.11), also known as triacylglycerol lipases and tributyrases, hydrolyze the ester bond of triglycerides. In higher vertebrates there are at least three tissue-specific isozymes including gastric, hepatic, and pancreatic lipases. These three types of lipases are structurally closely related to each other as well as to lipoprotein lipase. The most conserved region in gastric, hepatic, and pancreatic lipases is centered around a serine residue which is also present in lipases of prokaryotic origin. Mutation in the serine residue renders the enzymes inactive. Gastric, hepatic, and pancreatic lipases hydrolyze lipoprotein triglycerides and phospholipids. Gastric lipases in the intestine aid in the digestion and absorption of dietary fats. Hepatic lipases are bound to and act at the endothelial surfaces of hepatic tissues. Hepatic lipases also play a major role in the regulation of plasma lipids. Pancreatic lipase requires a small protein cofactor, colipase, for efficient dietary lipid hydrolysis. Colipase binds to the C-terminal, non-catalytic domain of lipase, thereby stabilizing an active conformation and considerably increasing the overall hydrophobic binding site. Deficiencies of these enzymes have been identified in man, and all are associated with pathologic levels of circulating lipoprotein particles (Gargouri, Y. et al. (1989) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1006:255-271; Connelly, P. W. (1999) Clin. Chim. Acta 286:243-255; van Tilbeurgh, H. et al. (1999) Biochim Biophys Acta 1441:173-184).
Lipoprotein lipases (ExPASy ENZYME EC 220.127.116.11), also known as clearing factor lipases, diglyceride lipases, or diacylglycerol lipases, hydrolyze triglycerides and phospholipids present in circulating plasma lipoproteins, including chylomicrons, very low and intermediate density lipoproteins, and high-density lipoproteins (HDL). Together with pancreatic and hepatic lipases, lipoprotein lipases (LPL) share a high degree of primary sequence homology. Both lipoprotein lipases and hepatic lipases are anchored to the capillary endothelium via glycosaminoglycans and can be released by intravenous administration of heparin. LPLs are primarily synthesized by adipocytes, muscle cells, and macrophages. Catalytic activities of LPLs are activated by apolipoprotein C-II and are inhibited by high ionic strength conditions such as 1 M NaCl. LPL deficiencies in humans contribute to metabolic diseases such as hypertriglyceridemia, HDL2 deficiency, and obesity (Jackson, R. L. (1983) in The Enzymes (Boyer, P. D., ed.) Vol. XVI, pp. 141-186, Academic Press, New York N.Y.; Eckel, R. H. (1989) New Engl. J. Med. 320:1060-1068).
Phospholipases
Phospholipases, a group of enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of membrane phospholipids, are classified according to the bond cleaved in a phospholipid. They are classified into PLA1, PLA2, PLB, PLC, and PLD families. Phospholipases are involved in many inflammatory reactions by making arachidonate available for eicosanoid biosynthesis. More specifically, arachidonic acid is processed into bioactive lipid mediators of inflammation such as lyso-platelet-activating factor and eicosanoids. The synthesis of arachidonic acid from membrane phospholipids is the rate-limiting step in the biosynthesis of the four major classes of eicosanoids (prostaglandins, prostacyclins, thromboxanes and leukotrienes) which are involved in pain, fever, and inflammation (Kaiser, E. et al. (1990) Clin. Biochem. 23:349-370). Furthermore, leukotriene-B4 is known to function in a feedback loop which further increases PLA2 activity (Wijkander, J. et al. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270:26543-26549).
The secretory phospholipase A2 (PLA2) superfamily comprises a number of heterogeneous enzymes whose common feature is to hydrolyze the sn-2 fatty acid acyl ester bond of phosphoglycerides. Hydrolysis of the glycerophospholipids releases free fatty acids and lysophospholipids. PLA2 activity generates precursors for the biosynthesis of biologically active lipids, hydroxy fatty acids, and platelet-activating factor. PLA2s were first described as components of snake venoms, and were later characterized in numerous species, PLA2s have traditionally been classified into several major groups and subgroups based on their amino acid sequences, divalent cation requirements, and location of disulfide bonds. The PLA2s of Groups I, II, and III consist of low molecular weight, secreted, Ca2+-dependent proteins. Group IV PLA2s are primarily 85-kDa, Ca2+-dependent cytosolic phospholipases. Finally, a number of Ca2+-independent PLA2s have been described, which comprise Group V (Davidson, F. F. and E. A. Dennis (1990) J. Mol. Evol. 31:228-238; and Dennis, E. F. (1994) J. Biol Chem. 269:13057-13060).
The first PLA2s to be extensively characterized were the Group I, II, and III PLA2s found in snake and bee venoms. These venom PLA2s share many features with mammalian PLA2s including a common catalytic mechanism, the same Ca2+ requirement, and conserved primary and tertiary structures. In addition to their role in the digestion of prey, the venom PLA2s display neurotoxic, myotoxic, anticoagulant, and proinflammatory effects in mammalian tissues. This diversity of pathophysiological effects is due to the presence of specific, high affinity receptors for these enzymes on various cells and tissues (Lambeau, G. et al. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270:5534-5540).
PLA2s from Groups I, IIA, IIC, and V have been described in mammalian and avian cells, and were originally characterized by tissue distribution, although the distinction is no longer absolute. Thus, Group I PLA2s were found in the pancreas, Group IIA and IIC were derived from inflammation-associated tissues (e.g., the synovium), and Group V were from cardiac tissue. The pancreatic PLA2s function in the digestion of dietary lipids and have been proposed to play a role in cell proliferation, smooth muscle contraction, and acute lung injury. The Group II inflammatory PLA2s are potent mediators of inflammatory processes and are highly expressed in serum and synovial fluids of patients with inflammatory disorders. These Group II PLA2s are found in most human ca types assayed and are expressed in diverse pathological processes such as septic shock, intestinal cancers, rheumatoid arthritis, and epidermal hyperplasia. A Group V PLA2 has been cloned from brain tissue and is strongly expressed in heart tissue. A human PLA2 was recently cloned from fetal lung, and based on its structural properties, appears to be the first member of a new group of mammalian PLA2s, referred to as Group X. Other PLA2s have been cloned from various human tissues and cell lies, suggest a large diversity of PLA2s (Chen, J. et al. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269:2365-2368; Kennedy, B. P. et al. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270: 22378-22385; Komada, M. et al. (1990) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Common 168:1059-1065; Cupillard, L. et al. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272:15745-15752; and Nalefski, E. A. et al. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269:18239-18249).
Phospholipases B (PLB) (ExPASy ENZYME EC 22.214.171.124), also known as lysophospholipase, lecithinase B, or lysolecithinase are widely distributed enzymes that metabolize intracellular lipids, and occur in numerous isoforms. Small isoforms, approximately 15-30 kD, function as hydrolases; large isoforms, those exceeding 60 kD, function both as hydrolases and transacylases. A particular substrate for PLBs, lysophosphatidylcholine, causes lysis of cell membranes when it is formed or imported into a cell. PLBs are regulated by lipid factors including acylcarnitine, arachidonic acid, and phosphatidic acid. These lipid factors are signaling molecules important in numerous pathways, including the inflammatory response (Anderson, R. et al. (1994) Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 125:176-183; Selle, H. et al. (1993); Eur. J. Biochem. 212:4411-16).
Phospholipase C (PLC) (ExPASy ENZYME EC 188.8.131.52) plays an important role in transmembrane signal transduction. Many extracellular signaling molecules including hormones, growth factors, neurotransmitters, and immunoglobulins bind to their respective cell surface receptors and activate PLCs. The role of an activated PLC is to catalyze the hydrolysis of phosphatidyl-inositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2), a minor component of the plasma membrane, to produce diacylglycerol and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3). In their respective biochemical pathways, IP3 and diacylglycerol serve as second messengers and trigger a series of intracellular responses. IP3 induces the release of Ca2+ from internal cellular storage, and diacylglycerol activates protein kinase C (PKC). Both pathways are part of transmembrane signal transduction mechanisms which regulate cellular processes which include secretion, neural activity, metabolism, and proliferation.
Several distinct isoforms of PLC have been identified and are categorized as PLC-beta, PLC-gamma, and PLC-delta. Subtypes are designated by adding Arabic numbers after the Greek letters, eg. PLC-β-1. PLCs have a molecular mass of 62-68 kDa, and their amino acid sequences show two regions of significant similarity. The first region designated X has about 170 amino acids, and the second or Y region contains about 260 amino acids.
The catalytic activities of the three isoforms of PLC are dependent upon Ca2+. It has been suggested that the binding sites for Ca2+ in the PLCs are located in the Y-region, one of two conserved regions. The hydrolysis of common inositol-containing phospholipids, such as phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylinositol 4-monophosphate (PIP), and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2), by any of the isoforms yields cyclic and noncyclic inositol phosphates (Rhee, S. G. and Y. S. Bae (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272:15045-15048).
All mammalian PLCs contain a pleckstrin homology (PH) domain which is about 100 amino acids in length and is composed of two antiparallel beta sheets flanked by an amphipatic alpha helix. PH domains target PLCs to the membrane surface by interacting with either the beta/gamma subunits of G proteins or PIP2 (PROSITE PDOC50003).
Phospholipase D (PLD) (ExPASy ENZYME EC 220.127.116.11), also known as lecithinase D, lipophosphodiesterase II, and choline phosphatase catalyzes the hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine and other phospholipids to generate phosphatidic add. PLD plays an important role in membrane vesicle trafficking, cytoskeletal dynamics, and transmembrane signal transduction. In addition, the activation of PLD is involved in cell differentiation and growth (reviewed in Liscovitch, M. (2000) Biochem. J. 345:401-415).
PLD is activated in mammalian cells in response to diverse stimuli that include hormones, neurotransmitters, growth factors, cytokines, activators of protein kinase C, and agonists binding to G-protein-coupled receptors. At least two forms of mammalian PLD, PLD1 and PLD2, have been identified PLD1 is activated by protein kinase C alpha and by the small GTPases ARF and RhoA. (Houle, M. G. and S. Bourgoin (1999) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1439:135-149). PLD2 can be selectively activated by unsaturated fatty acids such as oleate (Kim J. H. (1999) FEBS Lett. 454:42-46).
Lipoxygenases
Lipoxygenases (ExPASy ENZYME EC 188.8.131.52) are non-heme iron-containing enzymes that catalyze the dioxygenation of certain polyunsaturated fatty acids such as lipoproteins. Lipoxygenases are found widely in plants, fungi, and animals. Several different lipoxygenase enzymes are known, each having a characteristic oxidation action. In animals, there are specific lipoxygenases that catalyze the dioxygenation of arachidonic acid at the carbon-3, 5, 8, 11, 12, and 15 positions. These enzymes are named after the position of arachidonic acid that they dioxygenate. Lipoxygenases have a single polypeptide chain with a molecular mass of ˜75-80 kDa in animals. The proteins have an N-terminal-barrel domain and a larger catalytic domain containing a single atom of non-heme iron. Oxidation of the ferric enzyme to an active form is required for catalysis (Yamamoto, S. (1992) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1128:117-131; Brash, A. R. (1999) J. Biol. Chem. 274:23679-23682). A variety of lipoxygenase inhibitors exist and are classified into five major categories according to their mechanism of inhibition. These include antioxidants, iron chelators, substrate analogues, lipoxygenase-activating protein inhibitors, and, finally, epidermal growth factor-receptor inhibitors.
3-Lipoxygenase, also known as e-LOX-3 or Aloxe3 has recently been cloned from murine epidermis. Aloxe3 resides on mouse chromosome 11, and the deduced amino acid sequence for Aloxe3 is 54% identical to the 12-lipoxygenase sequences (Kinzig, A. (1999) Genomics 58:158-164).
5-Lipoxygenase (5-LOX, ExPASy ENZYME EC 18.104.22.168), also known as arachidonate:oxygen 5-oxidoreductase, is found primarily in white blood cells, macrophages, and mast cells. 5-LOX converts arachidonic acid first to 5-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid (5-HPETE) and then to leukotriene (LTA4 (5,6-oxido-7,9,11,14-eicosatetraenoic acid)). Subsequent conversion of leukotriene A4 by leukotriene A4 hydrolase yields the potent neutrophil chemoattractant leukotriene B4. Alternatively, conjugation of LTA4 with glutathione by leukotriene C4 synthase plus downstream metabolism leads to the cysteinyl leukotrienes that influence airway reactivity and mucus secretion, especially in asthmatics. Most lipoxygenases require no other cofactors or proteins for activity. In contrast, the mammalian 5-LOX requires calcium and ATP, and is activated in the presence of a 5-LOX activating protein (FLAP). FLAP itself binds to arachidonic acid and supplies 5-LOX with substrate (Lewis, R. A. et al. (1990) New Engl. J. Med. 323:645-655). The expression levels of 5-LOX and FLAP are found to be increased in the lungs of patients with plexogenic (primary) pulmonary hypertension (Wright, L. et al. (1998) Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. 157:219-229).
12-Lipoxygenase (12-LOX, ExPASy ENZYME: EC 126.96.36.199) oxygenates arachidonic acid to form 12-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12-HPETE). Mammalian 12-lipoxygenases are named after the prototypical tissues of their occurrence (hence, the leukocyte, platelet, or epidermal types). Platelet-type 12-LOX has been found to be the predominant isoform in epidermal skin specimens and epidermoid cells. Leukocyte 12-LOX was first characterized extensively from porcine leukocytes and was found to have a rather broad distribution in mammalian tissues by immunochemical assays. Besides tissue distribution, the leukocyte 12-LOX is distinguished from the platelet-type enzyme by its ability to form 15-HPETE, in addition to 12-HPETE from arachidonic acid substrate. Leukocyte 12-LOX is highly related to 15-lipoxgenase (15-LOX) in that both are dual specificity lipoxygenases, and they are about 85% identical in primary structure in higher mammals. Leukocyte 12-LOX is found in tracheal epithelium, leukocytes, and macrophages (Conrad, D. J. (1999) Clin. Rev. Allergy Immunol. 17:71-89).
15-Lipoxygenase (15-LOX; ExPASy ENZYME: EC 220.127.116.11) is found inhuman reticulocytes, airway epithelium, and eosinophils. 15-LOX has been detected in atherosclerotic lesions in mammals, specifically rabbit and man. The enzyme, in addition to its role in oxidative modification of lipoproteins, is important in the inflammatory reaction in atherosclerotic lesions. 15-LOX has been shown to be induced in human monocytes by the cytokine IL-4, which is known to be implicated in the inflammatory process (Kuhn, H. and S. Borngraber (1999) Adv. Exp. Med. Biol. 447:5-28).
Disease Correlation
Lipid metabolism is involved in human diseases and disorders. In the arterial disease atherosclerosis, fatty lesions form on the inside of the atrial wall. These lesions promote the loss of arterial flexibility and the formation of blood clots (Guyton, supra). In Tay-Sachs disease, the GM2 ganglioside (a sphingolipid) accumulates in lysosomes of the central nervous system due to a lack of the enzyme N-acetylhexosaminidase. Patients suffer nervous system degeneration leading to early death (Fauci, A. S. et al. (1998) Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, McGraw-Hill, New York N.Y., p. 2171). The Niemann-Pick diseases are caused by defects in lipid metabolism. Niemann-Pick diseases types A and B are caused by accumulation of sphingomyelin (a sphingolipid) and or lipids in the central nervous system due to a defect in the enzyme sphingomyelinase, leading to neurodegeneration and lung disease. Niemann-Pick disease type C results from a defect in cholesterol transport, leading to the accumulation of sphingomyelin and cholesterol in lysosomes and a secondary reduction in sphingomyelinase activity. Neurological symptoms such as grand mal seizures, ataxia, and loss of previously learned speech, manifest 1-2 years after birth. A mutation in the NPC protein, which contains a putative cholesterol-sensing domain, was found in a mouse model of Niemann-Pick disease type C (Fauci, supra, p. 2175; Loftus, S. K. et al. (1997) Science 277:232-235).
PLAs are implicated in a variety of disease processes. For example, PLAs are found in the pancreas, in cardiac tissue, and in inflammation-associated tissues. Pancreatic PLAs function in the digestion of dietary lipids and have been propose to play a role in cell proliferation, smooth muscle contraction, and acute lung injury. Inflammatory PLAs are potent mediators of inflammatory processes and are highly expressed in serum and synovial fluids of patients with inflammatory disorders. Additionally, inflammatory PLAs are found in most human cell types and are expressed in diverse pathological processes such as septic shock, intestinal cancers, rheumatoid arthritis, and epidermal hyperplasia.
The role of PLBs in human tissues has been investigated in various research studies. Hydrolysis of lysophosphatidylcholine by PLBs causes lysis in erythrocyte membranes (Selle, supra). Similarly, Endresen, M. J. et al. (1993; Scand. J. Clin. Invest. 53:733-739) reported that the increased hydrolysis of lysophosphatidylcholine by PLB in pre-eclamptic women causes release of free fatty acids into the sera. In renal studies, PLB was shown to protect Na+,K+-ATPase from the cytotoxic and cytolytic effects of cyclosporin A (Anderson, supra).
Lipases, phospholipases, and lipoxygenases are thought to contribute to complex diseases, such as atherosclerosis, obesity, arthritis, asthma, and cancer, as well as to single gene defects, such as Wolman's disease and Type I hyperlipoproteinemia.
The discovery of new lipid metabolism enzymes and the polynucleotides encoding them satisfies a need in the art by providing new compositions which are useful in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of cancer, neurological disorders, autoimmune/inflammatory disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, and cardiovascular disorders, and in the assessment of the effects of exogenous compounds on the expression of nucleic acid and amino acid sequences of lipid metabolism enzymes.


At the time of shifting from one gear train among a plurality of gear trains to another gear train, a transmission for controlling a transfer torque variable mechanism and supplementing torque during shifting, during a period of transferring at least a part of torque of an engine by the transfer torque variable means, controls so as to generate engine torque larger than engine torque before the period at least once and carries out shifting.

The present invention relates to a control method and apparatus for an automobile, a control apparatus for a transmission, and an automobile and more particularly to a control method and apparatus for a gear type manual transmission which is automated and an automobile.
An automobile using a manual transmission is superior in fuel expenses to an automobile loading a transmission using a torque converter, though a linked operation of a clutch and an accelerator at the time of start is difficult. If the linked operation of the clutch and accelerator at the time of start is not performed well, when the clutch is engaged, a great shock is caused or when the clutch pressure is insufficient, the so-called blowup phenomenon that the engine speed is increased suddenly is generated. Further, when the engine speed is insufficient, if the clutch is intended to be engaged suddenly or if the automobile is started on a sloping road, the so-called engine stall that the engine is stopped is caused.
To solve these problems, a system that the clutch and gear change is automated using a mechanism of a manual transmission, that is, an automated manual transmission (hereinafter referred to as an automated MT) has been developed. However, under the control by a conventional automated MT at the time of shifting, the drive torque is interrupted due to the disengage and engage operation of the clutch and a sense of incompatibility may be given to an occupant.
As a conventional automated MT, there is a shifting method for an automobile having an automatic transmission equipped with an assist clutch of a friction clutch which is a transfer torque variable means. For example, such method is disclosed by Patent Japanese Patent 2703169. The method, when shifting, controls the assist clutch, thereby transfers the drive torque by the assist clutch during shifting, avoids interruption of the drive torque, and realizes smooth shifting.
Further, as a conventional automated MT, there is a shifting method for an automobile having an automatic transmission equipped with a one-way clutch and a friction clutch composed of two transfer torque variable means. For example, Such method is disclosed by Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. Sho 63-83436. The method, when shifting, also controls the friction clutch, thereby avoids interruption of the drive torque during shifting, and realizes smooth shifting.
Further, there is a shifting method for an automobile having an automatic transmission equipped with a synchronization means by friction which is an embodiment of the transfer torque variable means. For example, such method is disclosed by Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-213201. The method, when shifting, also controls the transfer torque variable means, thereby avoids interruption of the drive torque during shifting, and realizes smooth shifting.
According to the aforementioned, when the shifting is started, the input torque to the transmission is transferred by the transfer torque variable means, thus the torque transferred by the gear before shifting is released, and the gear is disengaged, and the engine speed is controlled by transferring the drive torque by the transfer torque variable means, and at the point of time when the input shaft speed of the transmission is synchronized with the speed equivalent to the next gear position, the gear at the next gear position is engaged, and thereafter the transfer torque variable means is disengaged, thus the shifting is carried out.

Method of controlling a vehicle and system of controlling the same


An apparatus and method for removing the entrails from the abdominal cavity of poultry suspended by its legs in a first conveyor. The apparatus includes an evisceration tool which is movable into and out of the abdominal cavity of the poultry for removing the entrails from the abdominal cavity. The apparatus provides for gripping the entrails after their removal from the abdominal cavity.

From EP-A-0 530 868 an apparatus is known that includes an evisceration tool which is movable into and out of the abdominal cavity of poultry for removing the entrails from the abdominal cavity. Gripping means are employed for gripping the entrails after their removal from the abdominal cavity.
Although the invention according to EP-A-0 530 868 was ahead of its time when it was reduced to practice, in the interim it has been widely accepted throughout the industry. In practice it is found that transferring the entrails to the gripping means may become difficult, particularly when in accordance with current day practice the poultry is suspended by its legs in a conveyor which is moving at high speed, that is to say at least 4000 chickens per hour.

Apparatus and method for removing the entrails from the abdominal cavity of poultry


Multilayer, sealable plastics films essentially consist of. A: a top layer A of a polymer which is dimensionally stable at elevated temperatures and has a melting point above 200.degree. C., PA0 B: an adhesion promoter B of from 30 to 95% by weight of a styrene/butadiene block copolymer, up to 95% by weight of polystyrene and/or high impact polystyrene and from 5 to 70% by weight of a polymer which is incompatible with polystyrene and contains polar groups, the percentages being based on B, PA0 C: a substrate layer C of from 5 to 100% by weight of a styrene/butadiene block copolymer and up to 95% by weight of polystyrene and/or high impact polystyrene, PA0 D: if required, a barrier layer D which may correspond to the top layer A and PA0 E: a sealing layer E whose composition essentially corresponds to that of the adhesion promoter B.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multilayer, sealable plastic film.
Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Publication 41 892/79 describes a heat-seal film which is composed of an ethylene/acrylate copolymer and a styrene/butadiene block copolymer; Japanese Patent Publication 137 242/78 uses for this purpose a blend of styrene/butadiene block copolymer and/or high impact polystyrene and an ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer. Similar proposals for a sealable film which permit polystyrene containers to be sealed are made in the further publications
JA-047 462/78 PA1 JA-011 761/87 PA1 JA-133 735 87 PA1 JA-147 650/89 PA1 DE-A-2 944 344. PA1 A: a top layer A of a polymer which is dimensionally stable at elevated temperatures and has a melting point above 200.degree. C., PA1 B: an adhesion promoter B of from 30 to 95% by weight of a styrene/butadine block copolymer, of a styrene/butadiene block copolymer which contains up to 95% by weight of a styrene component and/or high impact polystyrene and from 5 to 70% by weight of a polymer which is incompatible with polystyrene and contains polar groups, the percentages being based on B, the styrene/butadiene block copolymer containing up to 95% by weight of polystyrene or high impact polystyrene, PA1 C: a substrate layer C of from 5 to 100% by weight of a styrene/butadiene block copolymer and up to 95% by weight of polystyrene and/or high impact polystyrene, PA1 D: if required, a barrier layer D which may correspond to the top layer A may be incorporated between layer C and layer E and PA1 E: a sealing layer E whose composition essentially corresponds to that of the adhesion promoter B. PA1 Simple production on existing coextrusion units PA1 Good recycling properties of the punch waste and the finished cup PA1 Good sealing and peelability PA1 No delamination during peeling, no residues on the cup lip PA1 High toughness (no tearing during the peeling process, in particular in the case of hooded lids; no indentation during transport) PA1 No migration of ingredients (for example solvents) or undesirable permeation (for example O.sub.2, H.sub.2 O ) PA1 Existing sealing units can be easily converted from aluminum to plastic PA1 Little sensitivity of the peelability and sealing to the sealing conditions, in particular temperature fluctuations PA1 No adhesion to the sealing jaws PA1 Can easily be printed PA1 No change in the cup material PA1 No blocking of the films and of the lid PA1 Sterilizable (for example with H.sub.2 O.sub.2)
The adhesion and toughness of the films described are, however, insufficient.
EP-A-42 831 describes a lid system which comprises a sealable (=substrate) layer consisting of poly(ethylene/vinyl acetate) and homopolystyrene and a polyester top layer. These layers are bonded by means of an adhesive which is not described in detail. Polystyrene cups are sealed therewith in a peelable manner.
To permit easier recycling, plastic lids are to replace aluminum lids. However, the known systems are not suitable for this purpose since they are for the major part (>80%) composed of materials which are incompatible with polystyrene. Moreover, the adhesives used are frequently crosslinked or, where they are thermoplastic, consist of polyurethane or polyacrylate, which together with the polyester substrate layer used further restricts the possibility of recycling. This means that recycling together with polystyrene (the usual cup material) is not possible. Another possibility would be to add recycled material to the sealable layer. Experience has that it is precisely the peelability which is very sensitive to the composition of the components. The addition of a recycled material contaminated with polyester and adhesive would no longer ensure closure of polystyrene containers to meet quality assurance standards.
DE-A 39 21 677 describes a complete lid system comprising a heat-seal layer, a substrate layer and a top layer, which may furthermore be bonded by means of adhesion promoters. The polymers on which the sealing and top layer are based are high impact polystyrene and styrene/butadiene block copolymers. Experience has shown that the combination of toughness, adhesion and peelability is not yet sufficient to permit aluminum lids to be replaced. In addition, the coextruded top layer frequently requires an adhesion promoter, owing to a strong tendency toward delamination. This requires the use of expensive coextrusion units.
Furthermore, the nature of the sealing layer used results in small residues remaining on the cup lip, which may cause the end user to have doubts about the cleanness of the packed food.


An enhanced reinforced honeycomb structure is provided when at least one thread is stitched in a given pattern along each linear group of cells in the honeycomb structure. This reinforcement reduces the weight of the attached panels since additional structural strength is provided by the threads in the honeycomb structure.

The present invention relates to honeycomb structures, and, in particular, relates to a means of reinforcing the honeycomb structure.
A prior method of reinforcement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,579,411 that discloses in the Figures a pair of panels held apart by a fixture. In this configuration, various styles of stitching are used in combination such as a straight stitch, a slant stitch and a lock stitch, etc. to provide additional strength. The fixture can be removed or left in place. A coating of resin is applied thereto. After hardening, the interior threads would act as braces, struts, trusses or other reinforcements. The fixture shown is composed of orthogonal upper and lower fingers which can be easily removed to provide a pair of panels held apart by the resined thread reinforcements. It is seen in this patent that the threads are integrally connected to the exterior panels. The above patent is incorporated by reference.
Therefore, there is a need to provide a means to reinforce a pre-existing structure without exterior panels thereon.

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force


An air spray gun is described which is operated by blowing air past a nozzle, the air drawing the spray liquid from the nozzle and imparting momentum to it. The air cap includes formations to bias air flow towards the air horns having patterning air directed to them. The central opening extends towards the air horns, either in the form of a square opening with the corners of the square closest to the horns, or in the form of a compound curved shaped providing pronounced curvature of the corners at the axes toward the horns. This significantly improves paint spray patterning and discourages paint deposition on the air horns.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a spray gun, particularly though not exclusively for spraying paint.
2. Description of Related Art
In this specification the term "spray liquid" is used to refer to paint or other liquid to be sprayed.
Generally spray guns are of two types, (i.) those operated by pumping the spray liquid to a nozzle whence it sprays under momentum imparted by being pumped through the nozzle and (ii.) those operated by blowing gas—usually air—past a nozzle, the air drawing the spray liquid from the nozzle and imparting momentum to it. Flow of paint can be regulated with a needle extending into the nozzle. The spray liquid may enter the nozzle at atmospheric or elevated pressure. This type of spray gun is referred to here as an "air spray gun". Air spray guns themselves are of two further types, those operating at conventional compressed air pressure and those operating at low pressure, but with high volume flow. These are known as HVLP spray guns. The invention relates to BOTH types of air spray gun. Air spray guns can be assisted by pumping of spray liquid to them.
Typically an air spray gun comprises:                an air flow passage in the gun;        a spray liquid nozzle mounted in the air flow passage and having an orifice for spray liquid to flow from, the orifice being on the downstream side of the spray liquid nozzle with respect to both air and spray liquid flow;        a needle extending from upstream into the spray liquid nozzle for regulating its orifice and flow of the spray liquid;        a spray liquid flow passage to the spray liquid nozzle, with the needle extending in the spray liquid flow passage;        a flow-passage/needle seal at a position along the needle spaced from the spray liquid nozzle;        a trigger mechanism connected to the needle to regulate its position;        an air cap defining with the spray liquid nozzle:                    a convergent air flow region immediately upstream of the spray liquid orifice,            a central opening from which spray liquid entraining air flows and            at least one pair of opposed horns having spray patterning bores with orifices directed inwards for patterning the spray liquid containing air flow from the central opening and                        an air distributor upstream of the air cap for distributing air to the patterning bores.
This air spray gun is referred to as being "of the type defined."
In our British patents Nos 2,468,196 and 2,469,587 ("Our Earlier Patents"), we have described improvements in such air spray guns, particularly                provision of front loading of the needle and        provision of four air horns on the air cap as opposed to the more normal two, the four horns being set at 12 o'clock, 3 o'clock, 6 o'clock and 9 o'clock with respect to the normal orientation of the air spray gun, and adaptation of the air distributor to provide progressive changing of the spray pattern from the gun.


An RTD measurement device including a mechanism for automatic selection of a 3-wire or 4-wire configuration mode of operation. The RTD measurement device may include detection circuitry to detect whether an RTD connected to the RTD measurement device via a plurality of wire connections includes a 3-wire configuration or a 4-wire configuration. The RTD measurement device may include processing circuitry to process one or more readings from the RTD. If a 3-wire configuration is detected, the detection circuitry may automatically configure the processing circuitry to operate in a 3-wire configuration mode. If a 4-wire configuration is detected, the detection circuitry may automatically configure the processing circuitry to operate in a 4-wire configuration mode.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to temperature measurement systems and, more particularly, to resistance temperature device (RTD) measurement mechanisms.
2. Description of the Related Art
Resistance temperature devices or detectors (RTDs) are temperature-sensing devices whose resistance increases with temperature. RTDs typically consist of a wire coil or a deposited film of pure metal. RTDs are known for their excellent accuracy over a wide temperature range. Since RTDs are resistive devices, an RTD measurement device drives a current through the RTD and measures the resulting voltage to determine the temperature associated with an RTD.
Two of the most widely used RTDs have a 3-wire or a 4-wire configuration. If a device under test (DUT) includes an RTD with a 3-wire configuration, an RTD measurement unit configured to operate in a 3-wire RTD mode is usually required. Similarly, if a DUT includes an RTD with a 4-wire configuration, an RTD measurement unit configured to operate in a 4-wire RTD mode is typically required. Alternatively, some RTD measurement units are configurable via software to operate in either a 3-wire RTD mode or a 4-wire RTD mode. However, these configurable RTD measurement units require a user to manually configure the device to operate in one of the two RTD modes.

RTD measurement unit including detection mechanism for automatic selection of 3-wire or 4-wire RTD measurement mode


A touch input device including a body having an open end at an open end portion of the body, a mesh-shaped guide member at the open end portion, a conductor bundle, and a driving unit. The mesh-shaped guide member may have a plurality of openings. The conductor bundle may include a plurality of conductive touch pins vertically drivable through the plurality of openings. The driving unit may vertically drive the conductor bundle.

1. Field
Embodiments relate to a touch input device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A touch screen panel is a device that allows a user's instruction to be input by selecting an instruction content displayed on a screen of an image display device or the like with a user's hand or an object such as a stylus pen. When characteristics of the touch screen panel are tested, a touch input device in place of a user's hand may be used to provide an exact touch input to the touch screen panel. For example, when characteristics of a capacitive touch screen panel are tested, a conductive rod may be used, which causes a change in capacitance when being contacted with the touch screen panel.


A remote controller having an echo function is disclosed, which comprises an echo circuit which includes an echo IC and an echo volume switch, with the echo IC being designed to amplify and circulate voice signals for generating echo, and with the echo circuit being connected with the microphone driving unit, the voice amplifier and the mixer circuit, respectively. In the remote controller, a user's voice and an external sound from an audio apparatus are outputted based on an echo effect when a user practices language or singing.

In the following descriptions, the term "audio apparatus" represents a cassette tape recorder, a MP3, a CD player, a cellular phone, a PDA, a DMB, etc. According to the Korean patent application "wired remote controller for audio apparatus" laid-open number 0092121 (laid-open date: Oct. 24, 2001) which is adapted as a prior art of the present invention, a user voice from a microphone and an external sound from an audio apparatus are selectively outputted through a speaker of an ear phone, so that a language practice function and a song practice function are obtained.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an earphone of an audio apparatus of the Korean patent number 0346314, and FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of an electric construction of FIG. 1.
As shown in FIG. 1, an audio apparatus earphone unit comprises an earphone 3 having a microphone 1 and a speaker, a remote controller and a connection part 8 which connects an audio apparatus 10 including a cassette tape recorder and a remote controller 5. In the drawings, reference numeral 11 represents an input plug of an earphone and a microphone connected with the audio apparatus 10, and 12 represents a switch for operating and adjusting the audio apparatus 10.
Here, the remote controller 5 controls the operation of the audio apparatus 10 and adjusts the sound inputted into the audio apparatus 10 for thereby preventing any interference between the sound from the audio apparatus 10 and the user's voice inputted from the microphone 1.
As shown in FIG. 2, in the interior of the remote controller 5, a microphone volume switch 6 is connected at an output side of a microphone driving unit 20 which is adapted to driving the microphone 1, with the microphone volume switch 6 being designed to adjust the sound from the microphone 1, and with a variable resistor (VR) being provided in the microphone 1.
A voice input amplifier 23 is connected at an output side of the microphone volume switch 6, with the voice input amplifier 23 being formed of a voice chip IC capable of amplifying the voice signal inputted from the microphone 1. An output selection switch 25 is connected at an output side of the audio input amplifier 23 for selectively outputting a user's voice inputted from the microphone 1 and an output of the audio apparatus 10 inputted from the input plug 9 which connects the audio apparatus 10 and the remote controller 5.
A voice mixer 24 is connected between the input plug 9 and the speaker 2, with the input plug 9 being adapted to connect the audio apparatus 10 and the remote controller 5, for thereby outputting a user's voice from the microphone 1 and an output of the audio apparatus 10 to the speaker 2 through different paths, with the voice mixer 24 being formed of impedance matching resistors R2 and R3 of the speaker 2 for connecting an output of the audio apparatus 10 to the ground so as to prevent sound interference.
There is further provided a power unit 26 for supplying power to the speaker 2 in accordance with an operation of the output selection switch 25.
In the conventional art, while directly hearing the sound from the audio apparatus, the user can practice language or singing. However, the conventional art is not provided with an echo function when a user hears, so that it is impossible to achieve more effective sound effects.


A key structure includes a top plate which is formed by laminating a half-transparent resin surface layer member on a resin bottom side member using two-color injection molding, and the top plate is secured on a wooden key base. A plurality of concave grooves and protrusions, and a plurality of protrusion and troughs are respectively formed together in straight lines in the long direction of the key structure on a rear face of the surface layer member and a top face of the rear side member. Outside light is reflected from the top ends of the protrusion and the troughs, whereby a faint and natural vertically-striped pattern, which corresponds to a concave-convex part formed by the concave grooves and the protrusions, is perceived as resembling an edge grain of ivory.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a key structure which functions as a key which is attached to a keyboard apparatus and is rotated by push down and release operation.
Priority is claimed from Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-84883, filed Mar. 23, 2005, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of Related Art
In the past, ivory has been used as a material for a key structure of a keyboard apparatus. A key structure using ivory has an excellent tactile sensation against the fingers; moreover, flat grain and edge grain patterns in the ivory are faintly visible on the surface of the key, imparting a special sense of sophistication to its appearance. However, for reasons of wildlife conservation, the use of ivory is banned in recent years.
In Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication, No. 8-179756 (JP-A 08-179756), concave grooves resembling the flat grain pattern of ivory are formed in the surface of a resin key structure, such that its tactile sensation and its appearance are similar to ivory.
In Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication, No. 2000-276161 (JP-A 2000-276161), letters and the like such as the pitch are printed in a rear face of a key structure. After the key structure is pushed down, an illuminating light is transmitted through the key structure from below, enabling the letters and the like to be seen from the surface side.
However, in JP-A 08-179756, the faint pattern of ivory cannot be realized since the key structure pattern consists of concave grooves in the surfaces. The appearance is clearly different to a key structure made from real ivory, and does not achieve a sufficient sense of sophistication.
In JP-A 2000-276161, the letters and the like are only visible after push down operation and not at other times. Unlike the natural patterns of ivory, the letters and the like cannot be viewed at all times since they must be illuminated by light from below in order to view them.


An integrated circuit includes a processor. An arithmetic logic circuit group includes a plurality of operation units and a connection channel connecting the operation units in a reconfigurable manner. Parameter-based dedicated hardware can change a process specification thereof by parameter setting. An intermodule interface connects the processor, the arithmetic logic circuit group, and the parameter-based hardware to each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to integrated circuits, and more particularly, to an integrated circuit capable of reconfiguration on the logic thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a process to be executed is determined in advance, it is possible to realize a system that executes the process with high performance and at low power consumption by designing a dedicated LSI for the process. When executing a different process by changing the specification, however, it is necessary to redesign and remanufacture the LSI from scratch. Thus, dedicated LSIs possess very low specification change capability (capability of allowing specification change).
An example of configurations having high specification change capability is a configuration in which software is executed on a processor and the specification change is realized through rewriting the software. In this case, the specification change capability is very high. However, since the processor is configured such that general-purpose processes can be executed, the processor possesses high redundancy, resulting in low processing performance and high power consumption.
FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays) allow free reconfiguration of connections among logic devices by writing configuration data to a memory, so that change can be made for each gate. The FPGA possesses specification change capability, however, it is necessary to start over from RTL (Register Transfer Logic) design for specification change. Accordingly, though it is not necessary to remanufacture hardware as in dedicated LSIs, in terms of the logic design, labor equivalent to that required in changing the design of dedicated LSIs is required. In addition, because of the high redundancy of the hardware, the circuit size is increased to approximately ten times the size of a dedicated LSI, resulting in high cost and high power consumption.
Additionally, in SOCs (System on Chips), a processor and dedicated hardware are formed by the same LSI chip. The processor is used for controlling the dedicated hardware. The same problems of the above-described dedicated LSIs apply to the dedicated hardware.
Further, there is a configuration in which the FPGA and a processor are used together and dedicated hardware is controlled by the processor. In this configuration, regarding the FPGA, the same problems of the above-mentioned FPGA are applicable.
In addition, considering programming, even in a system having high specification change capability formed by a processor and software, when working out the design in a top-down manner, a lot of effort and time, that is, considerable work, load is required for the specification change of the software. In a top-down approach, the procedure is expressed by a flowchart. Thus, it is not easy to rewrite the flowchart and change the software. For instance, when a new process is added, it is necessary to add a conditional branch to a part of the existing program. This raises the need to further develop a process after the branch, in addition to merely adding the new process. When the software is changed repeatedly, the readability and ease of maintenance of the programs are degraded. Consequently, errors are increased and modification becomes impossible.
Additionally, in terms of programming, SOCs suffer from difficulty in assigning roles to software and hardware. In SOCs, a designer assigns processes to software and hardware based on his/her empirical knowledge in the initial stage of designing. Consequently, in many cases, the assignment of the processes is not optimized. Moreover, it is difficult to change the boundary between the software and hardware assignments later.
In other word, when assigning roles (processes) to software and hardware with a top-down approach, all the processes are considered in the initial stage of designing. Then, the processes causing heavy process load, which are empirically determined, are assigned to the hardware, and the processes causing light process load are assigned to the software. The system configuration obtained by such a designing method is not always optimized. It is not impossible to perform transition of processes from the hardware to the software later. In order to perform transition of processes from the software to the hardware, however, design change of the hardware and a manufacturing process in the factory are required.
The system called "Pleiades" (Hui Zhang, Vandana Prabhu, Varghese George, Marlene Wan, Martin Benes, Arthur Abnous, "A 1V Heterogenerous Reconfigurable Processor IC for Baseband Wireless Applications", Proceedings of ISSCC2000) is proposed as a method for solving the problems as described above. The "Pleiades" includes a processor, a MAC (multiplier accumulator), an ALU (arithmetic logic unit), an AGU (address generating unit), a MEM (memory), an FPGA, and the like that are connected via a bus, and is designed to execute a single thread/process.
The "Pleiades" provides, in addition to a processor, a plurality of kinds of reconfigurable modules, each having a different granularity (the size of a reconfigurable unit), and dedicated hardware so as to offer an optimized configuration in terms of specification change capability, performance, and power consumption. The designing method, however, is in a top-down manner. Thus, processes to be transitioned from software operation to hardware (including a reconfigurable part) are determined, and optimization is performed by transitioning the processes to the hardware. Accordingly, the design change for the transition takes time.
In addition, the "Pleiades" performs signal processing by assigning a single process (or single thread) to each module. Thus, frequent data transfer is required among the modules, and the processing performance is limited by the resources in signal transmission channels among the modules. Considering such conditions from the viewpoint of hardware, in the "Pleiades", each operation unit such as the MAC (multiplier accumulator) and the ALU (arithmetic logic unit), the FPGA, and the processor are provided in the same layer on the signal transmission channel. Accordingly, the amount of data transfer between the operation units, between the operation unit and the FPGA, or between the operation unit and the processor is increased, which causes degradation in the processing performance.

Reconfigurable integrated circuit, system development method and data processing method


A mass spectrometer is disclosed which yields fast, full-scan spectra over a wide mass-to-charge ratio range. The instrument contains an ion source which generates nearly monoenergetically-pulsed ion packets which spatially focus at a predetermined distance along the drift path of the ions, a mass filter/analyzer which linearly disperses or deflects the ions in the ion-packets by mass-to-charge ratio by applying a traverse, quadratically time-varying and increasing electric field over the entire length of the deflection region of the mass filter/analyzer, and a spatial mass detector. A method of analyzing the mass-to-charge ratio of ions is also disclosed.

There are five types of mass filters/analyzers used commercially today in mass spectrometry:
(1) sector (magnetic and electric types);
(2) quadrupole;
(3) ion cyclotron resonance;
(4) ion trap; and
(5) time-of-flight.
Generally, time-of-flight mass filters offer fast analysis times in comparison with the other types of mass filters, however they are not intrinsically able to generate high resolution spectra. Generally, sector mass filters equipped with an array detector are able to generate high resolution spectra, however they are costly and large. Thus, there is a need to develop an instrument that offers the advantages of both of these types of instruments, including fast analysis time and high resolution spectra, without the attendant disadvantages, namely high cost and high space requirements.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,953,732 discloses a mass spectrometer and a method of mass spectrometry including the steps of:
(1) projecting a beam of particles which have a wide range of kinetic energy into an analyzing region; PA1 (2) applying an electric field in the analyzing region in a direction transverse to the direction of the beam to deflect the particles in the beam independently of their initial kinetic energy as they enter the analyzing region along paths of length which are dependent upon the mass and charge of the particles; and PA1 (3) collecting the deflected particles at points spaced along the analyzing region from the entry of the beam in the analyzing region. PA1 (1) an ion source which generates nearly monoenergetically-pulsed ion packets which spatially focus at a predetermined distance along the drift path of the ions in the mass filter/analyzer; PA1 (2) a mass filter/analyzer containing: PA1 T.sub.on =time-dependent electric field turn-on time PA1 (3) a spatial mass detector located at the end of the deflection region of the mass analyzer/filter and orthogonal to the ion source.
The method applies a time-dependent electric field which varies monotonically as an inverse function of time for the projection period to the particles which have a wide range of kinetic energy.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,420,423 discloses a mass spectrometer containing an ion source and a channel plate detector connected via a flight tube. Dispersion electrodes are positioned between the ion source and the detector. Shielding electrodes are placed closely to the dispersion electrodes to act as aperture lenses and shields of the electric field. As ion packets travel from the ion source toward the detector passing through the shielding electrodes and the gap between the dispersion electrodes, a dynamically-varying electric field is applied to the ion packets to deflect the ions according to their mass-to-charge ratio.

Spatially-resolved electrical deflection mass spectrometry


A packetized dynamic random access memory (xe2x80x9cDRAMxe2x80x9d) receives command packets each of which contain a plurality of packet words. The packet words in each command packet are combined to produce a command word. A portion of a command word for each command packet is stored in one of a plurality of command units so that a plurality of packet words may be stored in respective command units at the same time. The command units then generate respective command signals corresponding to the stored command word, with command signals being generated by only one command unit at a time. A control circuit prevents each command word from being stored in more than one command unit, and prevents a command word from overwriting a command word stored in a command unit before command signals have been generated from the stored command word. The control circuit arranges the command units in a hierarchy, and enables a command unit to store a command word only if the command unit is not busy and all of the command units having a higher hierarchy are busy.

This invention relates to memory devices used in computer systems, and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for the pipelined processing of multiple memory commands.
Conventional computer systems include a processor (not shown) coupled to a variety of memory devices, including read-only memories (xe2x80x9cROMsxe2x80x9d) which traditionally store instructions for the processor, and a system memory to which the processor may write data and from which the processor may read data. The processor may also communicate with an external cache memory, which is generally a static random access memory (xe2x80x9cSRAMxe2x80x9d). The processor also communicates with input devices, output devices, and data storage devices.
Processors generally operate at a relatively high speed. Processors such as the Pentium(copyright) and Pentium Pro(copyright) microprocessors are currently available that operate at clock speeds of at least 200 MHz. However, the remaining components of existing computer systems, with the exception of SRAM cache, are not capable of operating at the speed of the processor. For this reason, the system memory devices, as well as the input devices, output devices, and data storage devices, are not coupled directly to the processor bus. Instead, the system memory devices are generally coupled to the processor bus through a memory controller, bus bridge or similar device, and the input devices, output devices, and data storage devices are coupled to the processor bus through a bus bridge. The memory controller allows the system memory devices to operate with a clock frequency that is substantially lower than the clock frequency of the processor. Similarly, the bus bridge allows the input devices, output devices, and data storage devices to operate with a clock frequency that is substantially lower than the clock frequency of the processor. Currently, for example, a processor having a 200 MHz clock frequency may be mounted on a mother board having a 66 MHz clock frequency that is used for controlling the system memory devices and other components.
Access to system memory is a frequent operation for the processor. The time required for the processor, operating, for example, at 200 MHz, to read data from or write data to a system memory device operating at, for example, 66 MHz, greatly slows the rate at which the processor is able to accomplish its operations. Thus, much effort has been devoted to increasing the operating speed of system memory devices.
System memory devices are generally dynamic random access memories (xe2x80x9cDRAMsxe2x80x9d). Initially, DRAMs were asynchronous and thus did not operate at even the clock speed of the motherboard. In fact, access to asynchronous DRAMs often required that wait states be generated to halt the processor until the DRAM had completed a memory transfer. However, the operating speed of asynchronous DRAMs was successfully increased through such innovations as burst and page mode DRAMs, which did not require that an address be provided to the DRAM for each memory access. More recently, synchronous dynamic random access memories (xe2x80x9cSDRAMsxe2x80x9d) have been developed to allow the pipelined transfer of data at the clock speed of the motherboard. However, even SDRAMs are incapable of operating at the clock speed of currently available processors. Thus, SDRAMs cannot be connected directly to the processor bus, but instead must interface with the processor bus through a memory controller, bus bridge, or similar device. The disparity between the operating speed of the processor and the operating speed of SDRAMs continues to limit the speed at which processors may complete operations requiring access to system memory.
A solution to this operating speed disparity has been proposed in the form of a computer architecture known as xe2x80x9cSyncLink.xe2x80x9d In the SyncLink architecture, the system memory may be coupled to the processor directly through the processor bus. Rather than requiring that separate address and control signals be provided to the system memory, SyncLink memory devices receive command packets that include both control and address information. The SyncLink memory device then outputs or receives data on a data bus that is coupled directly to the data bus portion of the processor bus.
An example of a computer system 10 using a SyncLink packetized DRAM architecture is shown in FIG. 2. The computer system 10 includes a processor 12 having a processor bus 14 coupled to three packetized dynamic random access memory or SyncLink DRAMs (xe2x80x9cSLDRAMxe2x80x9d) devices 16a-c either directly (as shown) or through a memory controller or the like (not shown). The computer system 10 also includes one or more input devices 20, such as a keypad or a mouse, coupled to the processor 12 through a bus bridge 22 and an expansion bus 24, such as an industry standard architecture (xe2x80x9cISAxe2x80x9d) bus or a peripheral component interconnect (xe2x80x9cPCIxe2x80x9d) bus. The input devices 20 allow an operator or an electronic device to input data to the computer system 10. One or more output devices 30 are coupled to the processor 12 to display or otherwise output data generated by the processor 12. The output devices 30 are coupled to the processor 12 through the expansion bus 24, bus bridge 22 and processor bus 14. Examples of output devices 24 include printers and a video display units. One or more data storage devices 38 are coupled to the processor 12 through the processor bus 14, bus bridge 22, and expansion bus 24 to store data in or retrieve data from storage media (not shown). Examples of storage devices 38 and storage media include fixed disk drives floppy disk drives, tape cassettes and compact-disk read-only memory drives.
In operation, the processor 12 communicates with the memory devices 16a-c via the processor bus 14 by sending the memory devices 16a-c command packets that contain both control and address information. Data is coupled between the processor 12 and the memory devices 16a-c, through a data bus portion of the processor bus 14. Although all the memory devices 16a-c are coupled to the same conductors of the processor bus 14, only one memory device 16a-c at a time reads or writes data, thus avoiding bus contention on the processor bus 14. Bus contention is avoided by each of the memory devices 16a-c and the bus bridge 22 having a unique identifier, and the command packet contains an identifying code that selects only one of these components.
The computer system 10 also includes a number of other components and signal lines that have been omitted from FIG. 1 in the interests of brevity. For example, as explained below, the memory devices 16a-c also receive a master clock signal to provide internal timing signals, a data clock signal clocking data into and out of the memory device 16, and a FLAG signal signifying the start of a command packet.
The memory devices 16 are shown in block diagram form in FIG. 2. Each of the memory devices 16 includes a clock divider and delay circuit 40 that receives a master clock signal 42 and generates a large number of other clock and timing signals to control the timing of various operations in the memory device 16. The memory device 16 also includes a command buffer 46 and an address capture circuit 48 which receive an internal clock CLK signal, a command packet CA0-CA9 on a command bus 50, and a FLAG signal on line 52. As explained above, the command packet contains control and address information for each memory transfer, and the FLAG signal identifies the start of a command packet. The command buffer 46 receives the command packet from the bus 50, and compares at least a portion of the command packet to identifying data from an ID register 56 to determine if the command packet is directed to the memory device 16a or some other memory device 16b, c. If the command buffer 46 determines that the command is directed to the memory device 16a, it then provides the command to a command decoder and sequencer 60. The command decoder and sequencer 60 generates a large number of internal control signals to control the operation of the memory device 16a during a memory transfer corresponding to the command.
The address capture circuit 48 also receives the command packet from the command bus 50 and outputs a 20-bit address corresponding to the address information in the command. The address is provided to an address sequencer 64 which generates a corresponding 3-bit bank address on bus 66, an 11-bit row address on bus 68, and a 6-bit column address on bus 70.
One of the problems of conventional DRAMs is their relatively low speed resulting from the time required to precharge and equilibrate circuitry in the DRAM array. The packetized DRAM 16a shown in FIG. 3 largely avoids this problem by using a plurality of memory banks 80, in this case eight memory banks 80a-h. After a memory read from one bank 80a, the bank 80a can be precharged while the remaining banks 80b-h are being accessed. Each of the memory banks 80a-h receives a row address from a respective row latch/decoder/driver 82a-h. All of the row latch/decoder/drivers 82a-h receive the same row address from a predecoder 84 which, in turn, receives a row address from either a row address register 86 or a refresh counter 88 as determined by a multiplexer 90. However, only one of the row latch/decoder/drivers 82a-h is active at any one time as determined by bank control logic 94 as a function of a bank address from a bank address register 96.
The column address on bus 70 is applied to a column latch/decoder 100 which, in turn, supplies I/O gating signals to an I/O gating circuit 102. The I/O gating circuit 102 interfaces with columns of the memory banks 80a-h through sense amplifiers 104. Data is coupled to or from the memory banks 80a-h through the sense amplifiers 104 and I/O gating circuit 102 to a data path subsystem 108 which includes a read data path 110 and a write data path 112. The read data path 110 includes a read latch 120 receiving and storing data from the I/O gating circuit 102. In the memory device 16a shown in FIG. 2, 64 bits of data are applied to and stored in the read latch 120. The read latch then provides four 16-bit data words to a multiplexer 122. The multiplexer 122 sequentially applies each of the 16-bit data words to a read FIFO buffer 124. Successive 16-bit data words are clocked through the FIFO buffer 124 by a clock signal generated from an internal clock by a programmable delay circuit 126. The FIFO buffer 124 sequentially applies the 16-bit words and two clock signals (a clock signal and a quadrature clock signal) to a driver circuit 128 which, in turn, applies the 16-bit data words to a data bus 130 forming part of the processor bus 14. The driver circuit 128 also applies the clock signals to a clock bus 132 so that a device such as the processor 12 reading the data on the data bus 130 can be synchronized with the data.
The write data path 112 includes a receiver buffer 140 coupled to the data bus 130. The receiver buffer 140 sequentially applies 16-bit words from the data bus 130 to four input registers 142, each of which is selectively enabled by a signal from a clock generator circuit 144. Thus, the input registers 142 sequentially store four 16-bit data words and combine them into one 64-bit data word applied to a write FIFO buffer 148. The write FIFO buffer 148 is clocked by a signal from the clock generator 144 and an internal write clock WCLK to sequentially apply 64-bit write data to a write latch and driver 150. The write latch and driver 150 applies the 64-bit write data to one of the memory banks 80a-h through the I/O gating circuit 102 and the sense amplifier 104.
As mentioned above, an important goal of the SyncLink architecture is to allow data transfer between a processor and a memory device to occur at a significantly faster rate. However, the operating rate of a packetized DRAM, including the packetized DRAM 16a shown in FIG. 2, is limited by the time required to process command packets applied to the memory device 16a. The rate at which command packets can be provided to the memory device 16a is limited by the time required to store and processes the command packets.
Although the foregoing discussion is directed to the need for faster command processing in packetized DRAMs, similar problems exist in other memory devices, such as asynchronous DRAMs and synchronous DRAMs, which must process control and other signals at a high rate of speed. Thus, for the reasons explained above, the time required to perform command processing in conventional DRAMS threatens to severely limit the maximum operating speed of memory devices, particularly packetized DRAMs. Therefore, there is a need to be able to receive memory commands, particularly command packets for packetized DRAMs, at a rate that is faster than the rate that the memory commands can sometimes be processed.
A system and method for receiving a plurality of command packets each of which contain at least one packet word, and generating from at least part of the packet word at least one corresponding command signal. A command buffer receives and stores at least one packet word for each packet, and applies each packet word to a command bus. A plurality of command units are coupled to the command bus. Each of the command units stores at least a portion of a packet word received from the command buffer responsive to a respective select signal. Each of the command units generates a busy signal indicating that a portion of a packet word has been stored in the respective command unit. The command unit generates on a respective output terminal at least one command signal corresponding to the portion of the packet word stored in the command unit. A control circuit receives the busy signals from the respective command units to determine which of the command units are storing a portion of a packet word. The control circuit then applies a respective select signal to one of the command units from which a busy signal is not being received to cause the command unit receiving the select signal to store the portion of the packet word received from the command buffer. The control circuit preferably includes a plurality of latches and associated logic circuits corresponding in number to the number of command units in the system. Each of the latches receives a busy signal from a respective command unit, stores the received busy signal responsive to a latch signal, and outputs the stored busy signal on an output terminal. The logic circuits and latches to which they are coupled are assigned a predetermined hierarchy. Each of the logic circuits generates a select signal that is applied to a respective command unit responsive to the absence of a stored busy signal at the output terminal of the respective latch and the presence of a stored busy signal at the output terminal of latches that are lower in the hierarchy. The command processing system and method is particularly adapted for use in a packetized DRAM which may then be used as part of a computer system.

Method and system for storing and processing multiple memory commands


Fluorescing highlights can be provided in selected portions of non-color image areas of a printed toner image using fused fluorescing dry toner particles, such as fused fluorescing magenta or fused fluorescing yellow dry toner particles. Before fixing, each fluorescing dry toner particle comprises a polymeric binder phase and a fluorescing colorant that emits at one or more λmax wavelengths of at least 420 nm and up to and including 690 nm and that is dispersed within the polymeric binder phase. The resulting printed color images and fluorescent highlights can be provided on receiver materials of various types to accentuate or emphasize the printed color images with a variety of light-colored fluorescent shading.

One common method for printing images on a receiver material is referred to as electrophotography. The production of black-and-white or color images using electrophotography generally includes the producing a latent electrostatic image by uniformly charging a dielectric member such as a photoconductive substance, and then discharging selected areas of the uniform charge to yield an imagewise electrostatic charge pattern. Such discharge is generally accomplished by exposing the uniformly charged dielectric member to actinic radiation provided by selectively activating particular light sources in an LED array or a laser device directed at the dielectric member. After the imagewise charge pattern is formed, it is "developed" into a visible image using pigmented or non-pigmented marking particles (generally referred to as "toner particles") by either using the charge area development (CAD) or the discharge area development (DAD) method that have an opposite charge to the dielectric member and are brought into the vicinity of the dielectric member so as to be attracted to the imagewise charge pattern.
Thereafter, a suitable receiver material (for example, a cut sheet of plain bond paper) is brought into juxtaposition with the toner image developed with the toner particles in accordance with the imagewise charge pattern on the dielectric member, either directly or using an intermediate transfer member. A suitable electric field is applied to transfer the toner particles to the receiver material in the imagewise pattern to form the desired print image on the receiver material. The receiver material is then removed from its operative association with the dielectric member and subjected to suitable heat or pressure or both heat and pressure to permanently fix (also known as fusing) the toner image (containing toner particles) to form the desired image on the receiver material.
Plural toner particle images of, for example, different color toner particles respectively, can be overlaid with multiple toner transfers to the receiver material, followed by fixing of all toner particles to form a multi-color image in the receiver material. Toners that are used in this fashion to prepare multi-color images are generally Cyan (C), Magenta (M), Yellow (Y), and Black (K) toners containing appropriate dyes or pigments to provide the desired colors or tones.
It is also known to use special spot toners to provide additional colors that cannot be obtained by simply mixing the four "primary" toners. An example is a specially designed toner that provides a color spot or pearlescent effect.
With the improved print image quality that is achieved with the more recent electrophotographic technology, print providers and customers alike have been looking for ways to expand the use of images prepared using electrophotography. Printing processes serve not only to reproduce and transmit objective information but also to convey esthetic impressions, for example, for glossy books or pictorial advertizing.
The desire to provide fluorescing effects has existed for several decades and U.S. Pat. No. 3,713,861 (Sharp et al.) describes coating a fluorescent material entirely over a document image.
Many color images cannot be reproduced using the traditional CYMK color toners. Specifically, fluorescing colors or tones cannot be readily reproduced using the CYMK color toner set. It has been proposed to incorporate fluorescing pigments or dyes into liquid toner particles as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,451 (Lubinsky et al.) to be used within the color images.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 2010/0164218 (Schulze-Hagenest et al.) describes the use of substantially clear (colorless) fluorescent toner particles in printing methods over color toner images. Such clear fluorescent toner particles can be used for security purposes since they are not colored except when excited with appropriate light. Other invisible fluorescent pigments for toner images are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,664,017 (Patel et al.).
Printing processes for providing one or more color toner images are known, but the typical CYMK color toner images are not useful for provided highlights in non-color images like highlighter pens would provide. There is a need to find a way to provide desirable "highlights" around conventional color toner images on a given receiver material, which highlights would not be over the color toner images but located in selected portions of non-color or non-image areas on the receiver material. Such highlights would bring more attention to the color image details.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Receiver materials with color toner images and fluorescent highlights


A multi-channel spread spectrum communications system utilizes the combination of spreading codes to represent and transfer information. On the transmitter side, every block of data bits is divided into two sub-blocks of data bits. One sub-block is mapped to a number of spreading codes, while another sub-block is separated further into several smaller sub-blocks with each of them mapped into an M-ary phase. Each selected spreading code is modulated by the corresponding M-ary phase. On the receiver side, first determine the most likely transmitted spreading codes and their respective phases, then reverse map the set of estimated transmitted spreading codes into a block of bits and each of the phases into another block of data bits, and finally combine all these blocks to a single block of data bits.

Spread spectrum is a method of modulation that needs a transmission bandwidth usually substantially higher than data rate. In a direct sequence spread spectrum communications system, the transmitter modulates a data signal with a pseudo random chip sequence to generate spread spectrum signal. Usually the chip rate of the pseudo random sequence is much higher than the data rate and therefore the direct sequence spread spectrum communications system will take substantially wider bandwidth than the bandwidth needed by data signal itself. The spread spectrum signal is then transmitted over a communications media as a radio wave to a receiver. The receiver despreads the spread spectrum signal to recover the information contained in the received spread spectrum signal.
Having many advantages over other communications systems, direct sequence spread spectrum communications system is one of the major communications systems widely used in today's society. However, spread spectrum communications system has some disadvantages. One of the major disadvantages is low spectrum efficiency. Nowadays more and more applications require higher and higher data rate but the available bandwidth is both very expensive and limited. The low spectrum efficiency inherited in a spread spectrum communications system will greatly restrict its opportunity to be used in many high data rate applications.
Multi-channel direct sequence spread spectrum communications system is one of the attempts to increase the data rate within a given bandwidth and therefore to improve the spectrum efficiency of direct sequence spread spectrum communications system. However, in a regular multi-channel direct sequence spread spectrum communications system, the more channels, the more different signal levels. In order to have enough resolution, more linear power amplifier and higher precision A/D converter will be needed. Both of these factors will make cost greatly increased especially when the working clock is very high.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,324,209 to Don Li et al, herein incorporated by reference, disclosed a method of applying multi-channel technology in direct sequence spread spectrum communications system. Different from regular multi-channel direct sequence spread spectrum communication system in which each sub-channel transmits information simultaneously, U.S. Pat. No. 6,324,209 separated spreading codes into several subgroups and at any time, transmitted only one spreading code from each subgroup. In this way, it limited the possible number of signal levels and therefore the requirement on both A/D and linear power amplifier was under control. However, the data rate was still not high enough. In some case, it can not meet the requirements such as reasonable cost and limited transmission bandwidth set up by more and more high data rate applications.
Therefore, there is a need to further increase the spectrum efficiency of a multi-channel direct sequence spread spectrum communications system without increasing the requirement on linear power amplifier and A/D converter.
In a regular communications system, the information is represented and transmitted directly by each transmittable signal. Let S be the set of all these transmittable signals. The power set of the set S is a set denoted by 2S, whose elements are the subsets of S. In other words, 2S={X|X⊂S}. If there are L components in S, then there will be 2L elements in the power set 2S.
Suppose in a regular communications system, each element of S can carry 1 bit information. By transmitting all of the elements of S, one can send L bits information.
One can also send L bits information by alternative. Due to the fact there are 2L elements in the power set 2S, one can correspond each element of the power set 2S to a different L bits binary number. Since there are CLi elements in 2S with each element consisting of i components from set S, the element of 2S on average consists of
            (                        ∑                      i            =            0                    L                                  i          ·                      C            L            i                              )        /          2      L        =      L    /    2  components from set S. In this alternative way, instead of transmitting L signals all the time, one can, on average, transmit only half of L signals.
Furthermore, instead of using all the elements of a power set to transmit information, one can use a particular subset of the power set to transmit information.

Multi-channel spread spectrum communications system


A step or means for associating a file with a cell in a table format by, for example, pasting an icon representing the file, wherein related data to be simultaneously referenced along with the data in the cell with which the file is associated is read according to a data entry positioning rule of a table format. Further, the step/means indicates merging file common condition data with record data in the file by adding the read related data to its each constituent record as the common condition value of the data file with which the corresponding cell is associated, and includes naming a file by converting a character string representing the read related data into a character string according to a prescribed rule and positioning it in a predetermined position in a template character string.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an information processing apparatus for handling many similar files.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years with the spread of the so-called GUI environment, applications wherein an end user handles many files(data-file, document file, etc.) are expanding. When an end user handles many files, we face first the problem of "the merge operation of file data of common condition with summed data-file" as mentioned later.
In general a data-summing process is often performed in such a stepwise way that summing is first performed by a segment unit such as a branch, a section, or a year and subsequently all summed data are assembled to acquire a total sum. For instance, usually data summed each product code are first summed each branch and each year, and next the first stage data summed each year and each branch are assembled to perform total sum.
In the data-summing process which is performed in a stepwise way as mentioned above, data which are fixed parameter in the first stage summing are usually excluded from a first stage sum data on the ground that they are shared by all constituent records of the file. For instance we can find cases wherein data the item of which is "branch" or "year" is not included in records of first stage summed data generated each branch and each year.
In the case as described above, when we perform the total data-summing process by assembling all the first stage summed data, we must take measures which incorporate the common data of the first stage summed files into the actual data of the data files which are to be assembled. That is, we must add record fields corresponding to items of the common parameter of the file, and enter the common parameter data in item.
For example, in handling CSV files spreading in recent years, the merging operation of common condition data of first stage summed files, as above described, is executed by the end user operation usually as follows. Explaining an example where each file is generated with "branch" and "year" being the common condition as described above, the merging operation is executed in such a way that new columns the index words of which are "branch" and "year" are inserted in the data file displayed in the form of the table format on a display and subsequently the same data of the common parameter are entered in all cells included in the inserted column. For example in the first stage summed file wherein "Osaka branch" and "2003 year" are the common condition, data "Osaka" and data "2003" are needed to be entered in all cells included in the corresponding columns.
The merging operation of the common condition data in the first stage summed file as described above is a daily job in data processing in general and numbers of the first stage summed files are usually by no means few. Therefore the operations are burdensome or onerous to end users whose primary role is more of various kind of data analysis using data summed up.
Furthermore problems which are troubling together when using many similar files such as the first stage summed files, we face a problem of naming for each file. As many files are to be named, the naming operation is first desired to be as easy or fuss-free as possible. By the reason now for example we used such a method that a definite number of characters are cut out automatically from the beginning of the file so as to be defined as the name. But on the other hand by such a kind of method as mentioned above we cannot identify or discriminate each file from many other similar files.
The primary requirement of the naming for files is that a user can recognize "what" each file is only by its name which is perceived first by a user. That is, the user can recognize directly from its name a combination of characteristic attributes of each file by which we can discriminate it from other files. Now naming for many files by which we can discriminate each file among a group of many similar files brings a great burden to end users as daily work.
Furthermore relating to the problem as described above, as what are troubling when end users handle data files, we face a problem with regard to the method of definition for data attributes such as a unit or a number of an effective digit of numerical data. Data constituting a data file are not complete until numerical data are combined with the attribute data such as unit data. Now when defining a unit for a CSV file, for example, users use a method wherein users only describe it on the file specification or another method wherein users assign a specified raw as the raw on which users describe the unit of each data and subsequently leave the interpretation and definition of the description to a program. But these methods both impose to users a burden which goes far beyond the range of end user operation when retrieving data from data-files and processing them.

Information processing device, file data merging method, file naming method, and file data output method