A tread strip for a vehicle is formed of at least two parts, an inner part and an outer part. The inner part is configured for attachment to the vehicle and/or to an outer part. The outer part is configured for attachment to the inner part and/or the vehicle. The outer part further includes an intermediate portion extending along a longitudinal axis between two attachment portions, the two attachment portions being configured for attachment to the inner part. The inner part has an intermediate portion extending along the longitudinal axis between two end portions. The end portions are configured for attachment of the inner part to the vehicle and/or for attachment to the outer part. The tread strip may be mounted to a vehicle by attaching the inner part and then attaching the outer part to the inner part and/or sealing the inner part with respect to the vehicle.

Along a longitudinal axis, such vehicles have a main extent in the direction of travel. Transverse to the direction of travel, door systems, which enable the people to be transported to embark and disembark, or the goods to be transported to be loaded and unloaded, are disposed in the side walls of the vehicles. Starting from a floor plane of such vehicles, door systems of this kind, in the mounted state, extend upwards substantially in the orthogonal direction.
In the region of the respective door system, a sliding tread system is usually disposed underneath the floor of such vehicles. The sliding tread system makes it easier for the people to be transported to embark and disembark, or for the goods to be transported to be loaded and unloaded. To this end, the sliding tread system is configured for compensating, during operation, a horizontal distance and/or a vertical height difference of a vehicle e.g. with respect to a platform, a road, a sidewalk and/or a loading and unloading level. Known sliding tread systems include an extending portion with which the horizontal and/or vertical distance is compensated in operation. The extending portion is configured, for example, as a ramp, as a sliding-lifting tread and/or with multiple steps. The sliding tread system is also referred to as a sliding tread cassette.
The sliding tread system is usually mounted on the vehicles underneath a tread strip by means of a mounting frame. In operation, the extending portion of the sliding tread system extends underneath the tread strip in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis in order to compensate the horizontal distance and/or a vertical height difference. Extending the extending portion includes a rotary and/or translational sequence of movements of the extending portion, e.g. a folding of the ramp or a pivoting and/or translational moving of the sliding-lifting tread. For extending the extending portion, the sliding tread system usually includes a driving unit.
The tread strip closes off the floor of the vehicles towards the outside or towards the vehicle interior and towards the door system in the region of the mounted sliding tread system. For this purpose, the tread strip is generally attached at its ends to the vehicles. To this end, the tread strip attached to the vehicle is sealed with respect to the vehicle while the tread strip is first mounted. For example, the tread strip is sealed with respect to the vehicle by means of a sealing compound. Such a tread strip, which is sealed and attached to the vehicle, cannot be detached for maintenance work without destroying the seal. Thus, it is preferred not to detach the tread strip for maintenance work in order to minimize maintenance expenditure.
The tread strip has to absorb resulting loads of the people and/or goods to be transported. The loads arise particularly when the people to be transported embark and disembark or the goods to be transported are loaded and unloaded. In order to ensure a sufficient strength of the tread strip or limit bending of the tread strip, the tread strip is designed in a massive manner. In particular, in the mounted state, the tread strip is designed in a massive manner substantially in the orthogonal direction to the floor plane of the vehicle. However, such a massively configured and sealed tread strip connected to the vehicle prevents the removal of the sliding tread system for maintenance purposes without destroying the seal.
Most frequently, this space underneath the floor of the vehicle in the region of the door system—where the respective sliding tread system is to be mounted—is very limited, so that the sliding tread system cannot be pushed in as a whole cassette for mounting but has to be mounted from the inside of the vehicle through the floor plane of the vehicles. In particular for maintenance work on the sliding tread system, the sliding tread system has to be detached and mounted again from inside the vehicle. This manner of mounting and maintaining the sliding tread system is laborious.
In order to mount the sliding tread system as a whole cassette, i.e. as a complete unit, underneath the tread strip, it is necessary to enlarge the vertical space for mounting/maintenance. However, tread strips according to the current state of the art have a single-part configuration, so that the vertical space for mounting/maintenance in the direction of known tread strips cannot be enlarged. Document DE 10 2014 210 783 A1, for example, shows such a single-part tread strip, with a sliding tread housing adjacent thereto towards the inside of a rail vehicle. An angled, metallic, single-part tread strip or metallic, strip-like, single-part tread strip is known from DE 10 2015 203 301 A1. In particular, it is desirable if the tread strip, which is sealed for the purpose of sealing when it is first mounted, is not detached during maintenance work.
Thus, the disclosure provides an apparatus that makes it easier to mount the sliding tread system. Moreover, the disclosure provides an apparatus to reduce the maintenance expenditure of the sliding tread system. In particular, the disclosure provides an apparatus to reduce the mounting costs and/or maintenance costs of the sliding tread system.
According to a first aspect of the disclosure, the advantages of the disclosure are achieved by providing a tread strip for a vehicle including at least two parts is provided. Thus, the tread strip according to the disclosure is at least a two-part tread strip. A first part of the at least two parts of the tread strip is not designed as a force-absorbing part; in contrast, a second part of the at least two parts of the tread strip is designed as a force-absorbing part.
Furthermore, the force-absorbing part forms a sealing interface towards the door leaves; the other inner part serves for sealing with respect to the vehicle interior.
Relative to the vehicle or to the door opening, the first part forms an inner part with a reduced strength, which is sealed with respect to the floor when it is first mounted. It therefore does not form the force-absorbing part.
The second, outer part is configured to be more rugged and can be easily detached when the sliding tread cassette is mounted and removed, because it is not glued or sealed to the vehicle floor. It therefore forms the force-absorbing part.
By removing the force-absorbing part, it is possible to mount and detach the sliding tread underneath the tread strip as a whole cassette.
The two tread strip parts can be connected to each other by a positive fit and by means of a screw connection.
By mounting the entire tread underneath the tread strip from the outside, mounting is made much easier and the floor in the vehicle can be given a simpler configuration.
According to a first preferred embodiment, the tread strip is characterized in that the at least two parts of the tread strip include an inner part configured for attachment to the vehicle and/or to an outer part, and the outer part configured for attachment to the inner part and/or the vehicle.
In particular, the inner part is configured for the non-positive and/or positive attachment to the vehicle. Furthermore, the inner part is preferably configured for the non-positive and/or positive attachment to the outer part. In particular, the outer part is configured for the non-positive and/or positive attachment to the inner part. It may be preferred that the outer part is configured for attachment to the vehicle. In particular, the outer part can be configured for the non-positive and/or positive attachment to the vehicle.
Preferably, the non-positive attachment is a screw connection. In particular, an inner part and/or outer part configured for non-positive attachment has accommodating attachment portions for a screw connection. Preferably, the accommodating attachment portions are through holes. Furthermore, the accommodating attachment portions may preferably include a thread, in particular a female thread. Preferably, the accommodating attachment portions extend along an attachment axis which, in the mounted state of the tread strip, extends substantially orthogonally to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. In particular, the attachment axis extends substantially orthogonally to the floor of the vehicle in the mounted state of the tread strip. Moreover, the accommodating attachment portions may include attachment members. Attachment members are screws, bolts or rivets, for example.
The inner part is, in particular, the first part of the tread strip. The outer part is, in particular, the second part of the tread strip.
As the material, the at least two parts of the tread strip include, in particular, metal, e.g. preferably steel and/or aluminum, and/or plastic. In particular, the inner part and the outer part have the same material. Moreover, it may be preferred if the outer part includes a material having a greater strength and/or greater bending stiffness than the material which the inner part comprises. Furthermore, it may be preferred that the at least two parts of the tread strip comprise a fiber composite material.
Such an embodiment advantageously facilitates mounting the sliding tread system. In particular, the maintenance expenditure of the sliding tread system is reduced. As a consequence, the mounting costs and/or maintenance costs of the sliding tread system are reduced.
According to another preferred embodiment of the tread strip, the outer part has an intermediate portion extending along a longitudinal axis between two attachment portions, the two attachment portions being configured for attachment to the inner part.
The two attachment portions are configured for the non-positive and/or positive attachment to the vehicle and/or the inner part. In particular, the two attachment portions include the accommodating attachment portions for attachment, particularly for a screw connection, to the vehicle and/or the inner part. Preferably, the outer part may be attached to the vehicle and/or the inner part with through bolts and a nut. In particular, the outer part is configured for a detachable connection to the inner part and/or the vehicle. Moreover, the attachment portions may include attachment members. Attachment members are screws, bolts or rivets, for example.
In another preferred embodiment of the tread strip, the inner part has an intermediate portion extending along the longitudinal axis between two end portions, the end portions of the inner part being configured for the attachment of the inner part to the vehicle and/or for attachment to the outer part.
The two end portions of the inner part are configured for the non-positive and/or positive attachment of the inner part to the vehicle and/or the outer part. In particular, the two end portions include the accommodating attachment portions for attachment, particularly for a screw connection, to the vehicle and/or the outer part. Preferably, the inner part may be attached to the vehicle and/or the outer part with through bolts and a nut. In particular, the inner part is configured for a detachable connection to the outer part and/or the vehicle.
According to another preferred embodiment of the tread strip, the latter is characterized in that the inner part has an inner-part length along the longitudinal axis, an inner-part width along a transverse axis and an inner-part height along a vertical axis, wherein, preferably, the inner-part length is greater than the inner-part width, and the inner-part width is greater than the inner-part height, wherein the inner-part width of the two end portions is, in particular, greater than the inner-part width of the intermediate portion.
The longitudinal axis extends in the traveling direction of the vehicle on which the tread strip is to be mounted for operation. The transverse axis extends orthogonally to the longitudinal axis between the side walls in a horizontal plane. The vertical axis extends orthogonally to the longitudinal axis orthogonally to the floor of the vehicle in a substantially vertical plane.
The inner-part width may vary along the longitudinal axis and/or along the vertical axis. Furthermore, it may be preferred if the inner-part width is constant along the longitudinal axis and/or along the vertical axis.
The inner-part length may vary along the transverse axis and/or along the vertical axis. Furthermore, it may be preferred if the inner-part length is constant along the transverse axis and/or along the vertical axis.
The inner-part height may vary along the transverse axis and/or along the longitudinal axis. Furthermore, it may be preferred if the inner-part height is constant along the transverse axis and/or along the longitudinal axis.
In particular, the inner part has a U-shaped configuration.
Such a preferred embodiment permits a particularly simple, quick and cost-effective (first) mounting and maintenance of the tread strip and the sliding tread system.
According to another preferred embodiment, the outer part has an outer-part length along the longitudinal axis, an outer-part width along the transverse axis and an outer-part width along the vertical axis. Preferably, the outer-part length is greater than the outer-part width, and the outer-part width is greater than the outer-part height, wherein the inner-part width of the two end portions of the inner part is greater than the outer-part width of the outer part.
The outer-part width may vary along the longitudinal axis and/or along the vertical axis. Furthermore, it may be preferred if the outer-part width is constant along the longitudinal axis and/or along the vertical axis.
The outer-part length may vary along the transverse axis and/or along the vertical axis. Furthermore, it may be preferred if the outer-part length is constant along the transverse axis and/or along the vertical axis.
The outer-part height may vary along the transverse axis and/or along the longitudinal axis. Furthermore, it may be preferred if the outer-part height is constant along the transverse axis and/or along the longitudinal axis.
In particular, the outer-part height of the attachment portions of the outer part is smaller than the outer-part height of the intermediate portion of the outer part.
Such a preferred embodiment permits a particularly simple, quick and cost-effective (first) mounting and maintenance.
According to another preferred embodiment of the tread strip, the outer part has an accommodating groove for accommodating the inner part.
The accommodating groove has a groove length along the longitudinal axis, a groove depth along the transverse axis, and a groove height along the vertical axis. Preferably, the groove length is greater than the groove height and greater than the groove width.
The groove length preferably corresponds to the outer-part length. In particular, the groove height may vary along the transverse axis. Preferably, the groove height decreases along the transverse axis. In particular, it is preferred that the groove height substantially corresponds to the inner-part height.
In particular, the accommodating groove is configured for the positive accommodation and attachment of the outer part to the inner part. In particular, the accommodating groove is configured so that the inner part is—at least partially—insertable into the accommodating groove.
Such a preferred embodiment permits a particularly simple, quick and cost-effective (first) mounting and maintenance. In particular, no tools are required for inserting the inner part into the accommodating groove of the outer part.
According to another preferred embodiment of the tread strip, the outer-part length of the outer part is smaller than the inner-part length of the inner part.
According to another preferred embodiment of the tread strip, the inner-part height of the inner part is smaller than the outer-part height of the outer part.
According to another preferred embodiment of the tread strip, it is provided that the at least two parts of the tread strip include at least one intermediate part, the at least one intermediate part being disposed between the inner part and the outer part.
In another preferred embodiment of the tread strip, the latter is characterized in that the inner part and the outer part are connected to each other non-positively and/or positively.
According to another preferred embodiment, the tread strip is characterized in that the inner part is configured as a single part and/or the outer part is configured as a single part.
According to a second aspect of the disclosure, an advantage is achieved by providing a sliding tread module is provided. The sliding tread module comprises a mounting frame for accommodating and attaching a sliding tread system to the vehicle, the sliding tread system and a previously described tread strip according to the first aspect of the disclosure, particularly according to one of the previously described preferred embodiments of the tread strip. In particular, the sliding tread module comprises a mounting frame for accommodating and attaching a sliding tread system to the floor of the vehicle.
According to a third aspect of the disclosure, an advantage is achieved by providing a vehicle comprising a previously described tread strip according to the first aspect of the disclosure, particularly according to one of the previously described preferred embodiments of the tread strip.
According to a fourth aspect of the disclosure, an advantage is achieved by providing a use of a previously described tread strip according to the first aspect of the disclosure, particularly according to one of the previously described preferred embodiments of the tread strip, for a vehicle is provided, in particular for a rail-bound vehicle and/or for a motor vehicle.
According to a fifth aspect of the disclosure, an advantage is achieved by providing a method for mounting a previously described tread strip according to the first aspect of the disclosure, particularly according to one of the previously described preferred embodiments of the tread strip, to a vehicle is provided. The method according to the disclosure is characterized by the steps:                Providing a vehicle, and        Providing a previously described tread strip according to the first aspect of the disclosure, particularly according to one of the previously described preferred embodiments of the tread strip, and        Attaching an inner part of the tread strip to the vehicle, and        Attaching an outer part of the tread strip to the inner part and/or        Sealing the inner part with respect to the vehicle.
The step of providing a vehicle includes, in particular, providing a rail-bound vehicle and/or a motor vehicle.
With regard to the advantages, embodiments and configuration details of the further aspects of the disclosure and their developments, reference is also made to the previous description regarding the corresponding features of the tread strip according to the first aspect of the disclosure and its preferred embodiments.


Described herein are methods and systems to measure dynamics of disease progression, including cancer growth and response, at multiple scales by multiple techniques on the same biologic system. Methods and systems according to the invention permit personalized virtual disease models. Moreover, the invention allows for the integration of previously unconnected data points into an in silico disease model, providing for the prediction of disease progression with and without therapeutic intervention.

Clinical tools to accurately describe, evaluate and predict an individual's response to cancer therapy are a field-wide priority. For example, the adjuvant treatment of women with early stage breast cancer will subject a significantly larger number of women to chemotherapy than who can benefit from it, or in the case of advanced cancers only 10-20 percent of individuals will have a clinical benefit from therapy, yet we treat the entire population. Furthermore, many therapies are initially effective, but lose effectiveness over time. Under the current paradigm, diseases are first classified into one of a small number of groups and then an indicated treatment is attempted. These groups have poor resolution and frequently poor predictive power leaving oncologists with limited means to assess or predict a patient's response to a given therapy. Instead, patients must undergo therapy that is often not optimal for their disease only to have it fail so that yet another therapeutic regimen must be attempted.
An integrative, multi-scale approach is necessary to develop accurate, useable models to study complex diseases such as cancer. Combining diverse perspectives and techniques developed by physical and quantitative sciences with that of biological sciences can make a significant impact on cancer management and treatment in revolutionary ways. Subtle molecular-scale perturbations (e.g. mutation in a gene) can produce dramatic, tumor-scale (e.g. invasiveness) and organism scale (e.g. responsiveness to therapy) affects. To generate a model of cancer that can be used to predict the behavior of cancers during emergence and in response to perturbation, diverse physical measurements at multiple scales from molecular to organismic level need to be integrated with sophisticated and diverse modeling approaches. Multi-scale measurement and modeling would allow specific cases of cancer to be modeled with sufficient fidelity to estimate the relative probable efficacy of alternative therapies (e.g., by rationally integrating genotype, tumor environment and treatment parameters to predict outcome). When integrated in an appropriate modeling framework, analyses of specific properties at the molecular-cell, tumor and host levels can inform therapeutic response.

Multi-scale complex systems transdisciplinary analysis of response to therapy


A thermal printer performs printing on a paper based on printing density data input. The thermal printer includes a thermal head having at least one heating element; a temperature detector which detects a temperature of the thermal head; and a control part which is connected to the thermal head and the temperature detector, receives the printing density data, and controls an amount of energy to be supplied to the heating element based on the printing density data. The control part stores therein a printing density-energy supply amount table which sets forth an amount of energy to be supplied to the heating element to perform printing with certain printing densities at certain head temperatures. The printing density-energy supply amount table sets forth that the amount of energy to be supplied is greater than zero at the printing density of zero if the head temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thermal printer having a thermal head.
2. Background Information
In thermal printers, the printing density is generally known to become denser as the temperature of the heating elements of the thermal head increases. Furthermore, the temperature of the heating elements is controlled by controlling the time during which electric power is transmitted to these heating elements. Moreover, each of the heating elements corresponds to a dot of the printed image, and the time during which the electric power is transmitted to these heating elements is controlled for each heating element. These times are set forth beforehand in the form of tables 121P as shown in FIG. 6. In the time table 121P used in a known thermal printer, electric power is not provided to the heating elements that correspond to dots having zero (0) printing density, i.e., dots that are not to perform the printing (printing blank).
Here, FIG. 7 shows a diagram used to illustrate the problems encountered in known thermal heads. FIGS. 7(a) and (b) show respective examples of black and white printed images. Furthermore, in FIG. 7, the direction of printing is indicated by an arrow for the purposes of illustration.
In this thermal printer, transmission of power is stopped to the heating elements of which the printing density is 0. Accordingly, in the case of images in which there is a continuous blank portion (i.e., a continuous non-printed state) as shown, for example, in FIG. 7, the time period during which no power is provided to the heating elements continues for a considerable amount of time. During such period, the head temperature decreases. As a result, when black portions are to be printed subsequently, there are cases where the head temperature is insufficient so that the desired density cannot be obtained.
In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved thermal printer that overcomes the problems described above. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.


The invention relates to a method for automatic closed-loop control of one or more combustion temperatures in a gas turbine installation, having the following steps: measurement of a plurality of temperatures of the working fluid of the gas turbine installation at various positions in the gas turbine installation, measurement of a plurality of pressures of the working fluid at different positions in the gas turbine installation, determination of the water content of the working fluid flowing through the gas turbine installation, taking account of the measured values, and setting of at least one combustion temperature for the gas turbine installation as a function of the determined water content.

According to the present prior art, the dominant influence of variation of the water content in the working fluid of a gas turbine installation and its effect on the operating characteristics of the individual gas turbine components have been investigated adequately and are sufficiently well known. This knowledge is of practical relevance in particular for closed-loop control of the combustion temperature of a gas turbine of a modern type, in order to make it possible to comply with the very stringent requirements for highly loaded components in these gas turbines, in terms of a life and emissions.
Closed-loop control of the combustion temperature of a gas turbine as a function of the water content of a working medium of the gas turbine is described in EP 1 231 369 A2. In this known closed-loop control, the water content of the air flowing into the gas-turbine compressor is determined and is used as a further parameter for determining the combustion temperature. One or more sensors is or are used to determine the water content and, in particular, is or are also placed downstream from water injection in the machine.

Method for automatic closed-loop control of one or more combustion temperatures in a gas turbine installation and method for determination of the water content in the working fluid of a gas turbine installation


A semiconductor memory device comprises a ferroelectric capacitor, a voltage output circuit for outputting a first voltage for reversely polarizing the ferroelectric capacitor and a second voltage by which the polarization of the ferroelectric capacitor is not reversed, regardless of data stored in the ferroelectric capacitor, a first reference capacitor having a such a capacitance as to accumulate less charge than charge which the ferroelectric capacitor accumulates, when the second voltage is applied to the ferroelectric capacitor, a second reference capacitor having such a capacitance that as to accumulate greater charge than the charge which the ferroelectric capacitor accumulates while the ferroelectric capacitor is forwardly polarized, when the first voltage is applied to the ferroelectric capacitor, thus reversely polarizing the ferroelectric capacitor, a sense amplifier connected to the ferroelectric capacitor and the first or second reference capacitor, a reference-capacitor selecting circuit for connecting the first reference capacitor to the sense amplifier when the voltage output circuit outputs the second voltage, and connecting the second reference capacitor to the sense amplifier while the voltage output circuit outputs the first voltage, and a circuit for determining data from the presence or absence of an electric charge in the ferroelectric capacitors while the memory is set in volatile mode, and for determining data from the direction in which the ferroelectric capacitor is polarized, while the memory is set in nonvolatile mode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device, and more particularly to a semiconductor memory device having ferroelectric capacitors.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, the technology of nonvolatile memory which is electrically erasable and programmable has advanced very much. Thanks to this technology advance, various types of nonvolatile memories have been developed. Among these nonvolatile memories is a ferroelectric memory which has ferroelectric capacitors made of ferroelectric material.
Each of the ferroelectric capacitors is polarized, and stores data or does not store data in accordance with the direction in which it is polarized, as is disclosed in Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 63-201998 corresponding to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 013,746 (filed Feb. 12, 1987). The operating principle of the ferroelectric capacitor will be explained briefly.
The ferroelectric capacitor comprises a plate made of ferroelectric material and two electrodes formed on the opposing two surfaces of the plate. The ferro-electric material has a polarization-voltage characteristic which exhibits hysteresis. Hence, once polarized by applying a voltage to it in one direction or the opposite direction, the ferroelectric capacitor remains polarized (or charged) even after the application of the voltage is stopped. This phenomenon is known as "residual polarization" or "residual charging".
When a voltage is applied to the polarized ferroelectric capacitor so that a voltage larger than a coercive electric field is applied to the ferroelectric capacitor, the ferroelectric capacitor is polarized in an opposite direction.
When to the ferroelectric capacitor is applied a voltage having the same polarity as that of the polarized ferroelectric capacitor, there is accumulated in the ferroelectric capacitor an electric charge which is no more than the value corresponding to the capacitance of the ferroelectric capacitor, just in the same way as in ordinary capacitors made of dielectric material. In contrast, when a voltage is applied to the ferroelectric capacitor at an opposite polarity to the polarity of the polarized capacitor, thus applying an opposite electric field more intense than a predetermined value to the ferroelectric capacitor, the plate is polarized in the opposite direction.
When the ferroelectric capacitor is polarized in the opposite direction, it flows a far greater electric charge than when it is polarized in the same direction as the pre-polarized direction. Whether the plate is polarized in one (first) direction or the other (second) direction can be determined by detecting the charge in the plate in terms of, for example, a voltage drop. Hence, the ferroelectric capacitor can be said to store a "0" when polarized in the first direction and to store a "1" bit when polarized in the second direction. Alternatively, it can be said to store a "0" when polarized in the second direction and to store a "1" bit when polar zed in the first direction.
As has been pointed out, the charge, whether large or small, remains in the plate even when a voltage is no more applied to the plate. The ferroelectric memory is, therefore, nonvolatile. The ferroelectric memory operates at high speed. More specifically, both its write speed and its read speed are about tens of bits per nanosecond (several 10 bit/nsec). Great demand for a ferroelectric memory, i.e., a nonvolatile memory comprising ferroelectric capacitors is now made, and this ferroelectric memory will be used in increasing numbers in the very near future.
When a voltage is applied to the plate of a ferroelectric capacitor in the first direction in order to read the data from the capacitor, the ferroelectric capacitor is not reversely polarized if the capacitor has been polarized in the first direction and stores a "1" bit. However, when a voltage is applied to the ferroelectric capacitor of a ferroelectric capacitor in the first direction in order to read the data from the capacitor, the ferroelectric capacitor is reversely polarized if the capacitor has been polarized in the second direction and stores a "0" bit. In this case, the plate must be polarized in the second direction after the "0" bit has been read from the ferroelectric capacitor. In the case where a voltage is applied to the capacitor in the second direction, thus reading a "1" bit a ferroelectric capacitor, the plate of this capacitor must be polarized in the first direction after the "1" bit has been read from the capacitor.
Obviously, the ferroelectric memory is basically a destructive-reading type. Each ferroelectric capacitor is reversely polarized very frequently.
As is known in the art, the polarization characteristic of a ferroelectric capacitor gradually deteriorates, or the capacitor gradually "wears out," as it is reversely polarized repeatedly. In other words, the more often the plate is polarized reversely, the lower its polarization characteristic. It is generally said that the ferroelectric plate has its polarization characteristic critically deteriorated when it has been reversely polarized 10.sup.12 times or more. The frequency of reverse polarization of the ferroelectric capacitor is one of the most prominent determinants of the lifetime of the ferroelectric capacitor. Hence, it is desirable that the plate be polarized as seldom as possible in order to prolong the lifetime of the ferroelectric capacitor.
Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 64-66899 corresponding to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 069,390 (filed Jul. 2, 1987) discloses the technique of incorporating a ferroelectric memory in a ordinary semiconductor memory, so that data which need to be preserved can be stored in the ferroelectric memory which is nonvolatile. This technique helps to reduce the frequency of reversely polarizing the capacitor incorporated in the ferroelectric memory. Since the ferroelectric capacitor is not reversely polarized so often, it does not wear out fast. The ferroelectric memory can therefore have a long lifetime.
However, the ordinary semiconductor memory is nothing more than one provided with a back-up memory. If the ordinary semiconductor memory and the ferroelectric memory are formed on the same substrate, as in most cases, the resultant composite memory is rather large and has complicated circuitry. The composite memory cannot easily be manufactured in the form of an integrated circuit.
It is true that the ferroelectric memory has a great prospective use. However, its lifetime is far less long than is desired, due to the wearing-out of the ferroelectric capacitors.

Memory having ferroelectric capacitors polarized in nonvolatile mode


There is provided a method for preparing an orally disintegrating tablet (ODT) composition comprising microparticles of one or more taste-masked active pharmaceutical ingredient(s), rapidly-dispersing microgranules, and other optional, pharmaceutically acceptable excipients wherein the ODT disintegrates on contact with saliva in the buccal cavity forming a smooth, easy-to-swallow suspension. Furthermore, the microparticles (crystals, granules, beads or pellets containing the active), coated with a taste-masking membrane comprising a water-insoluble polymer and one or more gastrosoluble inorganic or organic pore-formers (practically insoluble in water and saliva, but soluble in an acidic buffer), exhibit acceptable taste-masking when placed in the oral cavity and provide rapid, substantially-complete release of the dose on entry into the stomach.

There are two types of most widely used dosage forms for medication by oral administration: tablets and capsules. However, such dosage forms have several disadvantages. For example, it is estimated that 50% of the population have problems swallowing tablets (see Seager in Journal of Pharmacol. and Pharm. 50, pages 375-382, 1998); especially it is hard for aged persons to swallow tablets or capsules or to medicate children who are unable or unwilling to swallow tablets or capsules. This leads to poor, even non-compliance with the treatment and thus has a negative impact on the efficacy of the treatment. The bitter taste of many actives precludes the medication from being easily sprinkled onto food such as applesauce, a commonly used method of administering medications to children. The conventional capsule or tablet dosage form is also inconvenient for the 'people on the move' who often do not have access to drinking water or fluids. Chewable tablets comprising taste-masked particles capable of being chewed without experiencing a bitter taste were introduced not too long ago, and these tablets became popular with children.
The bitter drug-containing cores incorporated into chewable tablets have thick coatings of mostly water-insoluble polymers such as ethylcellulose to resist fracture during tablet compression and/or during chewing and concomitant leakage of the bitter active. Consequently, substantially complete release of the drug from such chewable tablets in the gastrointestinal tract takes 2 hours or longer. More recently, orally disintegrating tablet (ODT) dosage forms have been introduced, which rapidly dissolve or disintegrate in the buccal cavity and hence can be taken without water. Such medicines are convenient for all, the aged persons, the children or the 'people on the move'.
An ideal orally disintegrating tablet formulation comprising rapidly-dispersing microgranules and drug-containing microparticles (crystals, pellets, granules, or beads containing the drug) with a taste-masking membrane (if required) should rapidly disintegrate on contact with saliva in the oral cavity forming a smooth, easy-to-swallow suspension containing taste-masked drug particles having an average particle diameter of not more than about 400 μm to provide a smooth mouthfeel leaving no aftertaste (i.e., little or minimal drug release with a non-gritty or non-chalky taste) until swallowed, and should provide rapid, substantially-complete release upon arrival in the stomach in order to be bioequivalent to the reference product.
As indicated earlier, most of the active pharmaceutical ingredients in the market are bitter to a varying degree. Typically, to eliminate/minimize drug-release in the oral cavity, the bitter drug substance was taste-masked in the prior art by providing a thick polymer-membrane around the drug particle typically by microencapsulation (coacervation by phase separation) or fluid-bed coating for preparing immediate release dosage forms (chewable tablets, sprinkles, sachets, suspensions). However, coating with water-insoluble polymers such as ethylcellulose (EC), cellulose acetate (CA), cellulose acetate phthalate, polyvinyl acetate, Eudragit® RS, RL, L, S and NE30D polymers, results in slower dissolution profiles and not-too-infrequently results in imparting sustained-release properties.
Several marketed products, which are typically conventional or effervescent based immediate-release dosage forms, exhibit a rapid-onset of action with a Tmax of about an hour or less. An undesirable consequence of taste-masking using a water-insoluble polymer alone or in combination with a water-soluble polymer is in general the slower release of the drug in the gastrointestinal tract. Eudragit E (EPO or E100), a copolymer consisting of dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate and neutral methacrylic acid esters with a weight-average molecular weight of 150,000 and a pKa of 6.3, is soluble in gastric fluid below pH 5 while it swells and/or is permeable in water and buffer solutions above pH 5.0. The saliva is typically in the pH range of 6.7 to 7.4. Hence, it is likely that one achieves effective taste-masking in the oral cavity, although for very limited time, if the drug core is coated with Eudragit E100/EPO alone or in combination with a water-soluble agent.
From a pharmaceutical and a practical point of view, the inventors of the present invention have examined various methods of taste-masking bitter active pharmaceutical ingredients suitable for incorporation into orally disintegrating tablets having the property of rapidly disintegrating in the buccal cavity and leaving no aftertaste (good creamy mouthfeel) and additionally providing rapid, substantially-complete release of the dose in the stomach, thereby enhancing the probability of achieving bioequivalence to the reference product. The method of producing taste-masked microparticles (mean particle size of about 100-400 μm) in accordance with the present invention comprising one or more bitter active pharmaceutical ingredient(s) includes membrane-coating of drug-containing core particles (crystals, microgranules, drug-layered or extruded/spheronized-beads) with a mixture of a water-insoluble polymer such as ethylcellulose or polyvinyl acetate and one or more gastrosoluble pore-former(s) such as inorganic or organic salts, at a ratio of about 50/50 to 95/5 for a weight gain of not less than about 5% and not more than about 50% by weight, based on total weight of the coated particle. These gastrosoluble pore-formers are insoluble in both water and saliva, but soluble in a gastric fluid (for example, calcium carbonate or magnesium oxide). Furthermore, the microcapsules prepared in accordance with the present invention can be produced to exhibit the specified criteria (viz., desired particle size distribution and little or minimal release of the bitter active in the mouth (hence no aftertaste), and rapid-release of the dose from the taste-masked microparticles upon entry into the stomach), to be suitable for incorporation into orally disintegrating tablets.
The taste-masking effectiveness is measured by % of the dose released in a simulated saliva fluid at a pH of 6.7-7.4. The smaller the % release, the more effective the taste-masking. A pharmaceutical composition with not more than 10% of the dose released in about 3 minutes in a simulated saliva fluid (the longest anticipated residence time for taste-masked microparticles in the mouth) is considered acceptably taste-masked. On the other hand, the drug release on oral administration is evaluated by measuring % of the dose released in an acidic pH of about 1.2. The faster the release of the drug from the taste-masked microparticles in the stomach, the higher the probability of being bioequivalent to the reference product. A release of not less than about 60% of the dose in about 30 minutes in the acidic buffer is considered acceptable for achieving bioequivalence to the reference product.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Taste-masked pharmaceutical compositions with gastrosoluble pore-formers


A privacy-enabled keypad comprising: a keypad; an opaque shield upstanding around the keypad for restricting viewing of the keypad to a user of the keypad; and at least one illumination source disposed on a portion of the shield facing the keypad, and oriented to illuminate the keypad. A public access terminal incorporating the privacy-enabled keypad is also disclosed.

The present invention relates to improvements in or relating to privacy-enabled keypads.
Privacy-enabled keypads are used on public access terminals, such as automated teller machines (ATMs) and point of sale (PoS) terminals.
Such public access terminals typically require a user to enter a secret code, such as a personal identification number (PIN), on a publicly viewable keypad. Increasing instances of fraud at ATMs, such as shoulder-surfing to observe someone else's PIN, has led to use of privacy-enabled keypads. These privacy-enabled keypads typically employ upstanding, opaque shields that at least partially obscure the keypad, thereby making it more difficult for passers-by and fraudsters to observe the user's PIN while the user is depressing the relevant keys on the keypad.
Current and proposed privacy standards (such as ZKA in Germany) suggest that keypads on public access terminals should have a limited cone of viewability to increase privacy and security for the user. This has led to keypads having shields at least partially surrounding the keypads to restrict the viewing angle.
However, accessibility standards and legislation require that keypads can be easily used by people with a visual disability. By using shields around a keypad ambient light is reduced, so visually-impaired people have more difficulty in viewing and using the keypad. There is therefore a conflict in the requirements of the two sets of standards.
Some ATMs include lighting on a fascia of the ATM to illuminate the keypad; however, this does not work effectively for users with visual impairments because such users typically have to move their eyes very close to the keypad surface, thereby blocking out the fascia lighting with their head.


The amount of ink is determined using both a first vibration frequency that is measured when a driving signal of a first frequency is provided to a sensor, and a second vibration frequency that is measured when a driving signal of a second frequency, which is less than the first vibration frequency by a specific ratio, is provided to the sensor. When there is an incorrect measurement of either the first vibration frequency or the second vibration frequency, the natural frequencies to which the vibration frequencies are near will be different. Because the cases wherein the vibration frequency is measured incorrectly are the cases wherein there in no ink, when the first vibration frequency and/or the second vibration frequency is near to the target natural frequency, it is determined that the amount of ink is stored in the cartridge being processed is less than a specific amount.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to printers, and, in particular, relates to methods for detecting printing material amounts in printing material containers attached to printers.
2. Related Art
Ink containers attached to ink-spray printers are provided with sensors for detecting the amount of remaining ink, such as piezoelectric elements having the characteristics of expanding and contracting when a voltage is applied. Because piezoelectric elements generate a residual vibration after a voltage has been applied and then output an output signal by this residual vibration, when the amount of ink is detected using a sensor provided with a piezoelectric element, the printer is able to determine whether there is ink remaining in an ink container by applying a voltage to the piezoelectric element and measuring the frequency of the output a signal that is outputted from the sensor. Specifically, the printer is able to determine whether t the ink remaining in the ink container is more than a specific amount by measuring the vibration frequency of the sensor included in the output signal.
The measurement accuracy of the vibration frequency is able to be improved by increasing the amplitude of the vibration of the sensor by having the frequency of the voltage that is applied to the piezoelectric element be the natural frequency of the sensor.
However, the natural frequency of the sensor may change depending on a variety of factors. For example, there are changes caused by the ink that is adhered to the sensor when the ink stored in the ink container remains in the ink container at less than a specific amount, and changes caused by damage to the sensor part in the ink container. When the natural frequency changes, the accuracy of the measured vibration frequency drops because it is not possible to obtain an adequate amplitude in the vibration of the sensor. As a result, the accuracy of the measurement of the ink volume reduces.

Method for detecting printing material amounts in printing material container attached to printer


There is provided a fluid pressure sensing and activating control system for coronary angioplasty, including a fluid pressure sensor and transducer connected to feed signals via an A/D converter to a processor and control unit, a pulse width generator receiving signals from the processor for activating a balloon inflator, and a fluid conduit connector attached to the output of the inflator and to the input of the fluid pressure sensor and transducer, and having a further output port connectable to an inflatable balloon. A method for dilating a section of an elastic conduit by means of an inflatable balloon inserted therein is also provided.

Formation of plaque is the result of fat deposits and calcium compound deposits such as cholesterol and hydroxyapatite --C.sub.a5 (PO.sub.4).sub.3 OH-- in the arterial wall, between the intima and the lumina. Whenever a serious stenosis is present, the patient complains of chest pain during stress and there is a significant risk of heart disease.
In the majority of cases, this narrowing in the coronary artery can be dilated by percutaneous angioplasty, using a manual pressure inflator. The duration of balloon inflation is, at the present time, arbitrarily defined by the operator or limited by the severity of ischemic paincaused by the inflated balloon. The early complication of this method is arterial dissection and possible occlusion, caused by the uncontrolled manual inflation of the balloon.
The injury to the arterial wall caused by the balloon may enhance growth factor secretion and induce smooth muscle cell proliferation and extra cellular matrix deposition, thus causing restenosis. The restenosis usually appears within six months after angioplasty in about 30% to 50% of the patients, thus limiting the efficacy of this procedure. Many patients will need recatheterization, repeat angioplasty and coronary bypass operations.
In most cases, the narrowed lumen is dilated by the known angioplasty method, whereby the balloon is inflated by a manual inflator pump and applies substantial mechanical pressures (e.g., 8-10 Atm.) during dilation. Since the mechanical pressure is manually increased, the pressure delivery by this method is not accurately controlled and is carried out in a relatively too short time, without any interdependence of the pressure in time. The time period of the balloon inflation is randomly determined by the performing surgeon or by the ability of the patient to endure the ischemic pains caused by the inflated balloon. In the manual method used today, the dissection of the artery is frequent, causing extensive damage to the artery, which in turn may cause acute total occlusion of the artery and may subject the patient to myocardial infarction and, on some occasions, even to restenosis.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,776 discloses a balloon inflation device in which the pressure monitor 70 is connected in the device between the motor 45 of the drive mechanism and the pump means 50. Both the motor 45 as operated by the drive mechanism and the pressure monitor 70 are controlled by a microprocessor unit 90. Contrary to this arrangement, according to the present invention a pressure sensor transducer is advantageously directly connected to the input of the balloon, namely, between the inflator pump and the balloon. Signals from the transducer are constantly measured and the data is conveyed to a processor and control unit. Should the pressure in the balloon suddenly rise, the control unit immediately stops the procedure. Similarly, if the pressure in the balloon drops, for example, a pressure drop caused by a leak in the balloon, rapid deflation of the balloon is effected, thus preventing further inflation and fluid leakage through the ruptured balloon.
It is therefore a broad object of the present invention to ameliorate the disadvantages of the manually operated, balloon inflator, as well as the disadvantages of the microprocessor controlled balloon inflation devices, and to provide a pressure sensing and activating control system for the performance of CAPSAD.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a, method for dilating a section of an elastic conduit by means of an inflatable balloon inserted therein, which method reduces the danger of dissection of the conduit and increases the chances of preventing collapse of the conduit after a period of time.

System and method for coronary angioplasty

Hadasit Medical Research Services & Development


A method, in a computer graphics system, manipulates the vertices contained within a group of possibly self intersecting, free space, over lapping polygons, into simple, convex polygons. A normal axis to the complex polygon is determined such that the surface of the polygon is viewed along this normal axis. The polygon surface is then bounded by a rectangle and subdivided into a group of slabs, or smaller rectangles, each rectangular slab being bounded by a pair of interior vertices of the complex polygon. An active edge table is used to store values corresponding to the edges crossing through the slabs, which are used to determine if these edges cross are another at any point within the slab. If a crossing point does exist, the slabs are divided at the crossing point into rectangular sub-slabs until it is determined that no edge intersects another edge within the sub-slabs, of the original slab being considered. At this point, the edges contained within the rectangular slabs can be viewed as simple polygons, or trapezoids which can be filled by a conventional graphics adapter and then displayed.

One of the objectives of a computer graphics display system user is to have the ability to draw polygons, or groups of polygons, made up of a number of potentially overlapping contours. These contours may be self intersecting and lacking any information regarding their state. There are two major methods of filling a polygon, the winding rule and the odd-even fill rule, the latter being implemented by the present invention. The majority of graphics adapters currently being used are capable of filling simple, convex polygons, but are not able to fill multiple contour, possibly self-intersecting, free space polygons, except on a scan line basis which is an extremely inefficient method of resolving these complex polygons and requires careful consideration of special cases to avoid incorrect rendering of these polygons. It should be noted that hardware solutions to this problem are presently known, but are not able to provide the level of compatibility and efficiency achieved by the present invention.
It would be very desirable to be able to resolve these complex polygons into a group of simple, convex polygons which can then be filled by a conventional graphics adapter.

Tessellating complex polygons in modeling coordinates

International Business Machines Corporation


Datawords encoded using a first-order Reed-Muller code are decoded using a Fast Hadamard Transform (FHT). Where the dataword is known to comprise a number of unused bits at one end, the soft decisions of the codeword are reordered. Majority polling is then performed on groups of the soft decisions to produce a series of soft decisions which make up a new codeword. The new codeword is then decoded using an FHT of lower order than the FHT applicable to the originally received codeword.

A binary word can be encoded using the first-order Reed-Muller code. Where the word to be encoded comprises 5 bits, a1 to a5, then the code comprises a code line for each bit, as follows:
a1:1111111111111111a2:0101010101010101a3:0011001100110011a4:0000111100001111a5:0000000011111111
The code for a particular word is created by combining the code lines corresponding to the non zero bits of the word to be encoded. The code lines are combined by bit-wise, modulo-2 summation to produce the encoded word. For example, consider the word 10110 (a1=1, a2=0, a3=1, a4=1, a5=0). This word becomes encoded as 1100 0011 1100 0011 by combining the a1, a3 and a4 code lines. Words encoded in this manner are decoded at a receiver using a Fast Hadamard Transform, FHT.
An aim of the invention is to enhance the decoding of words using a Hadamard transform.

Methods of, and apparatus for, producing code words


A control unit for a variable valve timing mechanism for changing a cam phase by an actuator corrects the operation amount of the actuator immediately after an engine is started based on at least an engine rotation angle and a cam phase angle in an engine stop state.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control unit for a variable valve timing mechanism (VTC) for changing the rotation phase of a camshaft with respect to a crankshaft to change at least either valve timing (opening and closing timing) of an intake valve or an exhaust valve, and a control method for the same.
2. Description of Related Art
To change valve timing according to the engine operating conditions, VTC is known in which the rotation phase of the camshaft with respect to the crankshaft is changed by an actuator. In an engine equipped with VTC, there is proposed a technique for changing VTC to valve timing suitable for starting when an engine is stopped to ensure the starting performance of the engine, as described in Japanese Laid-Open (Kokai) Patent Application Publication No. 2009-13975.
In the meantime, VTC attached to an end of the camshaft is subjected to an alternating torque (cam torque), made up of a reaction force of a valve spring and an inertial force by the mass of a movable part, according to the rotation of the camshaft. In a low rpm (revolutions per minute) range of the engine, in which the alternating frequency of the cam torque is equal to or less than the drive frequency of VTC, the reaction force of the valve spring becomes dominant unlike in a high rpm range of the engine, in which the cam torque can be regarded as an average value, to make the cam torque have a substantially sinusoidal waveform. Then, depending on the magnitude of the cam torque, the angle of VTC may vary immediately after engine start, and thus, there is a possibility that the VTC angle suitable for engine start cannot be maintained.

Control unit for variable valve timing mechanism and control method for variable valve timing mechanism


Embodiments in accordance with the present invention provide a method of manufacturing a magneto-resistive head which can realize high sensitivity and good linear response characteristics with low noise even if a track width becomes narrower. A uniaxial anisotropy unaffected by annealing which is due to the orientation of the crystal grain growth direction, is induced in a magnetic layer. The free magnetic layer has the synthetic antiferromagnetic construction: first magnetic layer/interlayer antiferromagnetic coupling layer/second magnetic layer, the magnitude of the antiferromagnetic coupling is adjusted, and linear response characteristics are obtained even if a longitudinal biasing field applying mechanism is not provided.

Embodiments in accordance with the present invention relate to a magnetic head mounted in a magnetic storage system, and in particular relate to a magneto-resistive head which reads information recorded on a magnetic recording medium, and to a method of manufacturing the same.
At present, as a magneto-resistive head mounted as a read sensor in a magnetic storage system, a GMR (giant magneto-resistive) head using a spin-valve stack having a basic structure comprising a magnetic layer/nonmagnetic conductive layer/magnetic layer/antiferromagnetic layer as disclosed in JP 4(1992)-358310 A, is widely employed. In the spin-valve stack, the magnetic layer whereof the direction of magnetization is fixed unidirectionally by exchange coupling with the antiferromagnetic layer is referred to as a pinned magnetic layer, and the other magnetic layer whereof the magnetization direction can be varied freely according to an external magnetic field is referred to as a free magnetic layer.
A GMR head having a spin-valve stack uses a phenomenon whereby the electrical resistance varies according to the angle between the magnetizations of the pinned magnetic layer and the free magnetic layer, and outputs a magnetic signal as a voltage variation or current variation. Therefore, an important function of the spin-valve stack, in addition to functioning as a magnetic sensor, is to fix the direction of magnetization of the pinning layer in one direction (specifically, the direction perpendicular to the magnetic recording medium, referred to hereafter as "sensor height direction").
On the other hand, to obtain symmetrical response characteristics relative to the sign of the signal magnetic field, the magnetization of the free magnetic layer must be oriented in the track width direction when the external magnetic field is zero. Further, to obtain a good linear response with little noise, a longitudinal biasing field must be applied in the track width direction relative to the free magnetic layer so that the free magnetic layer has a single domain structure. Regarding this longitudinal biasing field, JP 7(1995)-57223 A discloses that a hard magnetic film or a film stack of a magnetic film and antiferromagnetic film is disposed at both ends of the spin-valve stack, and a longitudinal biasing field is applied to a free magnetic layer to form a single domain structure. In particular, the former is referred to as a hard bias structure, and presently accounts for most of the GMR head structures in use.
In the aforesaid GMR head, a sensor current is passed in the in-plane direction of the spin-valve stack, and the head is therefore referred to as a CIP (Current In the Plane) GMR head. A head which has still higher reading sensitivity than the CIP-GMR head is a CPP (Current Perpendicular to the Plane) GMR head or a TMR (Tunneling Magneto-Resistive) head. In both of these cases, the basic mode of operation is identical, it being required to obtain stable reading characteristics by applying a longitudinal biasing field based on a hard bias structure.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,408,377 discloses a "synthetic ferrimagnetic free layer". Here, the free magnetic layer comprises a magnetic layer/interlayer antiferromagnetic coupling layer/magnetic layer, and the effective magnetization amount can be reduced by arranging the two magnetic layers to have an antiparallel alignment. In this disclosure, the two magnetic layers are given a very strong antiferromagnetic coupling, and intentionally given different magnetizations. Hence, when the signal magnetic field from the magnetic recording medium is detected, the magnetization direction can be varied while the two magnetic layers maintain an antiparallel alignment.
The longitudinal biasing field converts the free magnetic layer to a single domain structure and is effective in suppressing noise. The anisotropy field of the free magnetic layer is generally no more than 1 kA/m, and since it becomes magnetically saturated very easily, in order to obtain a linear response relative to the signal magnetic field from the magnetic recording medium, the effective anisotropy field of the free magnetic layer magnetization must be increased by applying the longitudinal biasing field. This therefore means that reading characteristic sensitivity and stability are in a trade-off relationship depending on the magnitude of the longitudinal biasing field. In other words, if the longitudinal biasing field is too strong, reading output falls, while on the other hand if the longitudinal biasing field is too weak, a sufficient single domain magnetization effect is not obtained and noise increases. Hence, in order to obtain satisfactory reading characteristics, the magnitude of the longitudinal biasing field must be optimized. In a hard bias structure, the magnitude of the longitudinal biasing field is determined by plural factors which interact in a complex way such as (1) the ratio of the magnetization amounts of the free magnetic layer and the hard magnetic film, (2) the etched shape of the spin-valve stack at the end of the track, and (3) the physical spatial relationship of the hard magnetic film relative to the free magnetic film, so it is very difficult to suppress these factors. In addition, to position the hard magnetic film, since the shield-shield spacing at the track ends increases relative to the center part, the problem of "side reading" occurs, the effective magnetic track width does not become narrower even if the physical track width is narrowed, and future high magnetic recording densities will not be achieved. This problem is particularly marked, the narrower the track becomes.
In the future, with increased surface recording density of magnetic storage systems, it is expected that as the track width becomes narrower, due to the aforesaid reason, in reading heads with a hard bias structure, it will be difficult to simultaneously achieve a high reading sensitivity and satisfactory linear response characteristics with low noise. In particular, in CPP reading heads where high reading sensitivity is expected, since an insulation film must the interposed between the spin-valve stack and the hard magnetic film, a sufficiently large longitudinal biasing field cannot be applied from the hard magnetic film and stability may be impaired.

Magneto-resistive head having a stable response property without longitudinal biasing and method for manufacturing the same

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.


A high frequency part, which amplifies a high frequency signal outputted from an intermediate frequency part and supplies to an antenna, is equipped with a gain controller with switch function. The gain controller with switch function comprises an attenuator with switch function has a function of switching a selected band between two bands outputted from the intermediate frequency part and controlling the gain of the high frequency signal in the selected band. The attenuator with switch function comprises a first variable resistor which connects a signal input part with a signal output part and a second variable resistor which is disposed parallel to said first variable resistor and connects a signal input part with a signal output part. The first and the second variable resistors are controlled by a common gain control voltage and set such that the gain control voltage ranges, which are for changing the resistor values, will not overlap with each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dual-band (mode) mobile telephone terminal device, and more particularly, to the structures of an attenuator and a switch of a high frequency part disposed inside a radio part of such a mobile telephone terminal device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A digital method (such as PDC) requires that the intensity of an electric wave received by a base station from a mobile telephone terminal device remains constant regardless of a change of a distance between the mobile telephone terminal device and the base station. Hence, a sender part of the mobile telephone terminal device performs gain control.
FIG. 9 schematically shows a positional relationship between a base station and a mobile telephone terminal device. In FIG. 9, one base station BS has a cell range CL which is at a radius of dozens of kilometers, e.g., about 30 km. Within the cell range CL of this base station BS, there are more than one mobile telephone terminal devices TH1 and TH2 which are not at the same distance from the base station BS or which are not under the same telecommunications conditions such as geography. These more than one mobile telephone terminal devices TH1 and TH2, while constantly changing their distances from the base station BS or the telecommunications conditions, simultaneously communicate with the base station BS.
In such a situation, considering the size of the cell range CL, the gain control width in the sender part of the mobile telephone terminal device must be about 50 dB or more so that the intensity of an electric wave received by the base station from the mobile telephone terminal device will be the same between the closest place to the base station BS and the farthest place from the base station BS within the cell range CL of the base station BS. This is known as the near-far problem.
If the sender part of the mobile telephone terminal device fails to achieve excellent gain control, the intensity of an electric wave reaching the base station will mount as the distance between the mobile telephone terminal device and the base station decreases. This will increase leakage power to a neighboring channel. As a result, the digital error rate will grow and the speech quality will deteriorate.
FIG. 10 shows the intensities of receive signals on the respective channels within the base station and an inter-modulation distortion characteristic. In FIG. 10, the solid lines A1 through A6 denote the intensities of electric waves received by the base station on the respective channels and the broken line B4 denotes the inter-modulation distortion characteristic on the channel A4. From FIG. 10, it is seen that the intensities of electric waves received on the channels A3 and A5 are dominated by a distortion component on the channel A4 which is denoted at the broken line B4 and correct data therefore cannot be restored from the channels A3 and A5 which are adjacent to the channel A4.
The sender part of the mobile telephone terminal device preferably performs gain control at its high frequency part, at which the level of a carrier signal is high, as much as possible in order to maintain a state that a ratio (C/N) of the carrier signal level to the noise level is high. This is because the level of the carrier signal is far higher than the level of a background noise at the high frequency part, and therefore, even when the gain is lowered at the high frequency part, the state that the carrier signal is far different from the noise level is maintained.
On the contrary, since the level of the carrier signal is low at an intermediate frequency part, when the gain is lowered at the intermediate frequency part, the difference between the level of the carrier signal and the level of a background noise becomes marginal and thus shrank difference between the carrier signal level and the background noise level will hence be directly passed on to the high frequency part.
For the purpose of gain control over the range of 50 dB or higher, within the sender part of the radio part of the mobile telephone terminal device, the high frequency part controls the gain stepwise and the intermediate frequency part controls the gain continuously. The use of both the gain control at the high frequency part and the gain control at the intermediate frequency part realizes gain control over the range of 50 dB or higher.
Gain control in a mobile telephone terminal device is performed in the following manner. That is, based on the intensity of a receive signal received by the mobile telephone terminal device, the mobile telephone terminal device sets a target value for sending power which is needed to maintain the intensity of the receive signal at the base station constant. The target value is compared with the actual sending power, a feedback control loop which makes the sending power follow the target value is built, and gain control is executed so that the sending power will be the same as the target value.
FIG. 11 shows a base station BS(A) using a band A (mode A) and its cell range CL(A) and a base station BS(B) using a band B (mode B) and its cell range CL(B). Also illustrated in FIG. 11 are mobile telephone terminal devices TH0, TH1, TH2, TH3 and TH4 which are under different telecommunications conditions, that is, which are at different distances from the mobile telephone terminal device TH1.
A dual-band (mode) mobile telephone terminal device, as shown in FIG. 11, switches between the bands (modes) when moving out from the cell range CL(A) of the base station BS(A) to the cell range CL(B) of the base station BS(B). The bands A and B indicate that the terminal device uses different frequency bands, while the modes A and B indicate that the terminal device uses different systems.
While gain control used to ensure that the intensities of electric waves received by the base station BS(A) from the mobile telephone terminal devices TH0, TH1 and TH2 would be the same within the cell CL(A), instantly upon entry into the cell CL(B), the mobile telephone terminal devices TH0, TH3 and TH4 switch the band (mode) and gain control then ensures that the intensities of electric waves reaching the base station BS(B) would be the same.
The structure and operations of a conventional mobile telephone terminal device will now be described with reference to FIG. 12. This mobile telephone terminal device, as shown in FIG. 12, is comprised of a baseband part 100 which is formed by a microcomputer logic part or the like and processes a speech signal and a radio part 200 which receives the speech signal processed by the baseband part 100 and communicates with a base station.
The radio part 200 comprises a sender part 210 which generates a send signal to the base station and a receiver part 220 which receives the send signal from the base station.
The sender part 210 comprises an intermediate frequency part 230, a band-A high frequency part 240 and a band-B high frequency part 250. The intermediate frequency part 230 modulates a speech signal fed from the baseband part 100, adjusts the gain of an intermediate frequency signal and performs mixing for frequency conversion. The high frequency parts 240 and 250 each amplify high frequency signals outputted from the intermediate frequency part 230 and supply to an antenna 300 via a switch 310.
The intermediate frequency part 230 is comprised of a modulator 231 which modulates an intermediate frequency signal in accordance with the speech signal fed from the baseband part 100, a variable gain intermediate frequency amplifier 232 which amplifies, using a variable gain, the intermediate frequency signal which is an output signal from the modulator 231, and a mixer 233 which is for converting an output signal from the variable gain intermediate frequency amplifier 232 into a high frequency.
The variable gain intermediate frequency amplifier 232 described above is formed by a bipolar transistor in many instances. The variable gain intermediate frequency amplifier 232 is capable of varying the gain over the range of about 30 dB at the linearity of ±1 dB. In this case, the gain is continuously controlled over the range of about 30 dB, by means of a gain control voltage which changes continuously.
The high frequency part 240 is comprised of a variable gain high frequency amplifier 241 which amplifies, using a variable gain, the band-A high frequency signal outputted from the intermediate frequency part 230, a power amplifier 242 which power-amplifies an output from the variable gain high frequency amplifier 241 and a switch 245 which is for selecting the band A. The variable gain high frequency amplifier 241 described above is capable of varying the gain over the range of about 20 dB at the linearity of ±1 dB. In this case, the gain is continuously controlled over the range of about 20 dB, by means of a gain control voltage which changes continuously.
The variable gain high frequency amplifier 241 is comprised of a preamplifier (intermediate power amplifier) 243 and an attenuator 244 which is cascaded with the preamplifier 243 and varies the gain of the band-A high frequency signal which is supplied to the power amplifier (high power amplifier) 242. The attenuator 244 is equipped with a function of changing the attenuation over the range of about 20 dB at the linearity of ±1 dB.
The high frequency part 250 is comprised of a variable gain high frequency amplifier 251 which amplifies, using a variable gain, the band-B high frequency signal outputted from the intermediate frequency part 230, a power amplifier 252 which power-amplifies an output from the variable gain high frequency amplifier 251 and a switch 255 which is for selecting the band B. The variable gain high frequency amplifier 251 described above is capable of varying the gain over the range of about 20 dB at the linearity of ±1 dB. In this case, the gain is continuously controlled over the range of about 20 dB, by means of a gain control voltage which changes continuously.
The variable gain high frequency amplifier 251 is comprised of a preamplifier (intermediate power amplifier) 253 and an attenuator 254 which is cascaded with the preamplifier 253 and varies the gain of the band-B high frequency signal which is supplied to the power amplifier (high power amplifier) 252. The attenuator 254 is equipped with a function of changing the attenuation over the range of about 20 dB at the linearity of ±1 dB.
The baseband part 100 includes a control part 110. The control part 110 judges the band for the high frequency signal to be sent based on the receive signal received at the receiver part 220 and adds a switch voltage VSW(A) to the switch 245 while adding a switch voltage VSW(B) to the switch 255, thereby selecting the band for the high frequency signal to be sent.
During a telecommunication in the frequency band of the band A, the control part 110 detects the signal intensity of the receive signal received at the receiver part 220, detects the output level of the power amplifier 242, and sets a target value for the output level of the power amplifier 242 in accordance with the signal intensity of the receive signal. The output level of the power amplifier 242 is compared with the target value for the output level of the power amplifier 242, a gain control voltage VC(A) corresponding to the comparison result is added to the attenuator 244, and a gain control voltage VC(C) corresponding to the comparison result is similarly added to the variable gain intermediate frequency amplifier 232. In this manner, the gain at the attenuator 244 and the gain at the variable gain intermediate frequency amplifier 232 are follow-up controlled so that the output level of the power amplifier 242 will coincide with the target value for the output level of the power amplifier 242.
Meanwhile, during a telecommunication in the frequency band of the band B, the control part 110 detects the signal intensity of the receive signal reaching the receiver part 220, detects the output level of the power amplifier 252, and sets a target value for the output level of the power amplifier 252 in accordance with the signal intensity of the receive signal. The output level of the power amplifier 252 is compared with the target value for the output level of the power amplifier 252, a gain control voltage VC(B) corresponding to the comparison result is added to the attenuator 254, and a gain control voltage VC(C) corresponding to the comparison result is similarly added to the variable gain intermediate frequency amplifier 232. In this manner, the gain at the attenuator 254 and the gain at the variable gain intermediate frequency amplifier 232 are follow-up controlled so that the output level of the power amplifier 252 will coincide with the target value for the output level of the power amplifier 252.
Utilizing both gain control at the variable gain high frequency amplifier 241 or the variable gain high frequency amplifier 251 and gain control at the variable gain intermediate frequency amplifier 232, the mobile telephone terminal device described above realizes gain control over the range of 50 dB or higher.
In accordance with the PDC standard, an input stage of the mixer 233 operates in the 200 MHz band while an output stage of the mixer 233 operates in the 940 or 1441 MHz band. As for the signal levels at the respective parts in such a state that the mobile telephone terminal device yields the maximum output, the signal level at an output terminal of the power amplifier 242 or the power amplifier 252 is +30 dBm (where 0 dBm=1 mW), the signal level at an output terminal of the variable gain high frequency amplifier 241 or the variable gain high frequency amplifier 251 is +8 dBm, the signal level at an output terminal of the switch 245 or the switch 255 is −16 dBm, the signal level at an output terminal of the mixer 233 is −15 dBm, and the signal level at an output terminal of the variable gain intermediate frequency amplifier 232 is −20 dBm.
When the variable gain high frequency amplifier 241 controls the gain over the range of 20 dB and the variable gain intermediate frequency amplifier 232 controls the gain over the range of 30 dB, the signal level at the output terminal of the variable gain intermediate frequency amplifier 232 changes in the range of −20 dBm through −50 dBm. Meanwhile, the signal level at the output terminal of the mixer 233 changes in the range of −15 dBm through −45 dBm. The signal level at the output terminal of the switch 245 or the switch 255 changes in the range of −16 dBm through −46 dBm. The signal level at the output terminal of the variable gain high frequency amplifier 241 or the variable gain high frequency amplifier 251 changes in the range of +8 dBm through −42 dBm. The signal level at the output terminal of the power amplifier 242 or the power amplifier 252 changes in the range of +30 dBm through −20 dBm.
The specific structures of the attenuator 244 (254) and the switch 245 (255) and their operations at the time of switching of the band will now be described with reference to FIGS. 13 through 15.
FIG. 13 is a circuit diagram which shows the structure of the attenuator 244 (254). Such an attenuator 244 (254) controls the gain. The attenuator 244 (254) is comprised of a resistor 2 (12) and a field effective transistor 1 (11) which serves as a series variable resistor, as shown in FIG. 13.
Disposed to the attenuator 244 (254) are a gain control voltage applying terminal 5 (15) which is for applying a gain control voltage VC, a source voltage applying terminal 6 (16) for applying a power source voltage VDD, an input terminal 3 (13) which serves as a signal input part IN for the high frequency signal, and an output terminal 4 (14) which serves as a signal output part OUT for the high frequency signal.
The input terminal 3 described above is connected with the output terminal of the switch 245, while the output terminal 4 is connected with an input terminal of the preamplifier 243. The resistor 2 plays a role of blocking leakage of the high frequency signal. Meanwhile, the input terminal 13 is connected with the output terminal of the switch 255 which is shown in FIG. 12, and the output terminal 14 is connected with an input terminal of the preamplifier 253. The resistor 12 plays a role of blocking leakage of the high frequency signal.
FIG. 14 is a circuit diagram which shows the structure of the switch 245 (255). Such a switch 245 (255) switches the band. The switch 245 (255) is formed by a resistor 22 (32) and a field effective transistor 21 (31) which serves as a series variable resistor, as shown in FIG. 14.
Disposed to the switch 245 (255) are a switch voltage applying terminal 26 (36) which is for applying a switch voltage VSW(A) (VSW(B)), a gate voltage applying terminal 25 (35) which is for applying a ground voltage, namely, a reference voltage GND, an input terminal 23 (33) which serves as a signal input part IN for the high frequency signal, and an output terminal 24 (34) which serves as a signal output part OUT for the high frequency signal.
The input terminal 23 described above is connected with the output terminal of the mixer 233 which is shown in FIG. 12, while the output terminal 14 is connected with an input terminal of the attenuator 244. The resistor 22 plays a role of blocking leakage of the high frequency signal. Meanwhile, the input terminal 33 is connected with the output terminal of the mixer 233 which is shown in FIG. 12, and the output terminal 34 is connected with an input terminal of the attenuator 254. The resistor 32 plays a role of blocking leakage of the high frequency signal.
FIG. 15 is a drawing which shows voltage control characteristics of the attenuator 244, the attenuator 254, the switch 245 and the switch 255 relative to a position to which the mobile telephone terminal device has moved. In FIG. 15, the gain control voltages VC(A) and VC(B) and the switch voltages VSW(A) and VSW(B) are shown.
Operations of the attenuators 244 and 254 and the switches 245 and 255 having such structures described above will now be described. The mobile telephone terminal device is driven at a voltage of up to about 3.0 V by a lithium battery or the like. The threshold voltages of the field effective transistors respectively represent a bias at which the variable resistors initiate the gain control operation and a bias at which the switches initiate the switching operation. The ground voltage (reference voltage) is applied to the gate voltage applying terminal 25 (35) of the field effective transistor 21 (31).
In the cell CL(A) which uses the band A, L (0 V) is applied to the switch voltage applying terminal 26 of the switch 245 to thereby select the band A, while H (3.0 V) is applied to the switch voltage applying terminal 36 of the switch 255 as the band B is not selected. Since the distance from the base station BS(A) is the shortest within the cell CL(A) when the mobile telephone terminal device is located at the spot denoted at TH1, the minimum value (0.5 V) is applied as the gain control voltage VC(A) to the gain control voltage applying terminal 5 so that the attenuation at the attenuator 244 will become maximum.
In this case, when the mobile telephone terminal device moves from the spot denoted at TH1 to the spot denoted at TH0, the gain control voltage VC(A) applied to the gain control voltage applying terminal 5 sequentially changes from the minimum value (0.5 V) to the maximum value (2.5 V) to thereby ensure that the attenuation at the attenuator 244 will change from the maximum to the minimum.
Simultaneously with the arrival of the mobile telephone terminal device at the spot denoted at TH0, within the cell CL(B) which uses the band B, L (0 V) is applied to the switch voltage applying terminal 36 of the switch 255 to thereby select the band B and H (3.0 V) is applied to the switch voltage applying terminal 26 of the switch 245 as the band A is not selected. In this situation, since a distance between the mobile telephone terminal device (TH0) and the base station BS(B) within the cell CL(B) is the longest, the maximum value (2.5 V) is applied as the gain control voltage VC(B) to the gain control voltage applying terminal 15 so that the attenuation at the attenuator 254 will become minimum.
Further, when the mobile telephone terminal device moves from the spot denoted at TH0 to the spot denoted at TH4, the gain control voltage VC(B) applied to the gain control voltage applying terminal 15 sequentially changes from the maximum value (2.5 V) to the minimum value (0.5 V) to thereby ensure that the attenuation at the attenuator 254 will change from the minimum to the maximum.
Meanwhile, in the variable gain intermediate frequency amplifier 232, the gain control voltage VC(C) is changed independently of selection of either the band A or B, whereby the output level changes continuously.
FIG. 16 is a timing chart which shows the timing at which the attenuators shown in FIG. 13 and the switches shown in FIG. 14 operate in response to the switching of the band in accordance with moving between the cells. Shown in FIG. 16 are changes of the level POUT (SW(B)) of the output signal from the switch 255 and the level POUT (ATT(B)) of the output signal from the attenuator 254.
Problems with the conventional technique will now be described with reference to FIG. 16. When switching from the band A to the band B is attained by means of a combination of the switches 245 and 255 and the attenuators 244 and 254, it takes scores of microseconds until the switch 255 has stably turned on since application of the switch voltage for instance as shown in FIG. 16 at the time of the switching of the band, and therefore, the gain control voltage VC(B) is applied to the gain control voltage applying terminal 15 of the attenuator 254 with a delay which is equivalent to this transient response time of the switch 255. Hence, differences of the characteristics of the attenuator 254, the variable gain intermediate frequency amplifier 232 and the like could give rise to a variation in desired gain of the mobile telephone terminal device immediately after the switching of the band.
FIG. 17 is a drawing for describing the problem above with the conventional technique. FIG. 17 shows changes of the level POUT of the output signal from the antenna in a situation that the mobile telephone terminal device is communicating under an ideal condition while moving away from the base station at a constant speed.
In relation to the situation described with reference to FIG. 16, such a situation will now be considered that the mobile telephone terminal device is communicating under an ideal condition while moving away from the base station at a constant speed.
Within the cell CL(B), owing to the gain control function, the level POUT of the output signal from the mobile telephone terminal device is normally supposed to decrease linearly. However, in the situation as described above, as shown in FIG. 17, the delayed follow-up operation attributed to a delay of feedback control and the discontinuity of the output level occurring at the time of the switching of the band temporarily pushes out the level POUT of the output signal of the mobile telephone terminal device off from the linear line at the time of the switching of the band. As this happens, the intensity of the receive signal at the base station deviates from the specified value, a difference develops between the levels of the receive signals on the adjacent channels, and the speech therefore gets disturbed or the speech quality deteriorates.
Although the foregoing has described this problem in relation to an example that the mobile telephone terminal device is moving under an ideal condition, actual conditions of moving are much worse, including such a situation that the intensity of the receive signal abruptly drops low as the mobile telephone terminal device gets behind a building. The problem that the intensity of the receive signal at the base station deviates from the specified value is thus believed to be rampant, adding to the difficulty of the deteriorated speech quality.
In addition, the control part 110 of the baseband part 100 needs be set up with the three types of the gain control voltages VC(A), VC(B) and VC(C) to control the variable gain high frequency amplifier 241, the variable gain high frequency amplifier 251 and the variable gain intermediate frequency amplifier 232, and further, with the two types of the switch voltages VSW(A) and VSW(B), which demands complicated control for the control part 110.
Further, since the high frequency part 240 and the high frequency part 250 respectively require the switch 245 and the switch 255, the circuitry structure is complex and a large space is necessary. This leads to another problem that the mobile telephone terminal device as a whole becomes large.

Attenuator with switch function and mobile telephone terminal device using the same

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


With a continuous source of data relating to transactions, the data may be segmented and processed in a data flow arrangement, optionally in parallel, and the data may be processed without storing the data in an intermediate database. Data from multiple sources may be processed in parallel. The segmentation also may define points at which aggregate outputs may be provided, and where checkpoints may be established.

Computer-based transaction systems generate data relating to transactions performed using those systems. These data relating to transactions are analyzed to identify characteristics of the transactions. From these characteristics, modifications to the transactions and/or associated marketing may be suggested, or other business decisions may be made.
Computer systems for analyzing data relating to transactions generally access the data stored in a database. After the data has been collected for some period of time, the collected data is added to the database in a single transaction. As discussed, data stored in the database is analyzed and results are produced. The results obtained from the analysis typically represent an aggregation of the data stored in the database. These results are then used, for example, as the basis for various business decisions and are also often stored in a database.
In some cases, the raw data relating to transactions are not retained in the database after they are processed. Such processing of data relating to transactions generally is a form of batch processing. In batch processing, results are not output until all the data is processed. If, for example, each record associated with a batch were stored in the database in a separate transaction, a significant amount of overhead would be incurred by a database management system associated with the database. Similarly, a large volume of data is read from the database in a single transaction to permit analysis on the data. In many cases, the time between a transaction occurring and the generation of results using data about the transaction may be days or even weeks.

Segmentation and processing of continuous data streams using transactional semantics

International Business Machines Corporation


Flavanoid components of the Ginkgo biloba tree are useful to stimulate the growth of hair and are thus useful in treatment of alopecia or baldness.

Extracts of leaves and seeds of Ginkgo biloba have been used for many years, originally in China, and now throughout the world, to exert various physiological effects. The seeds of Ginkgo have been used by the Chinese to treat cancer, respiratory and circulatory problems and impaired hearing; seed extracts have been used to promote sexual desire and enhanced longevity. Extracts obtained from Ginkgo leaves have been used in Western cultures for various therapeutic purposes.
A particular extract from leaves, EGb761 (Tebofortan) has been used in clinical trials. On a wt/wt basis, this extract contains 24% of flavone glycosides and 6% terpenoids. Among conditions treated by this and other Ginkgo extracts are cerebral insufficiency, inadequate blood circulation, and various heart conditions. The extracts have also been used as scavengers for free radicals.
The physiological basis for the use of Ginkgo extracts has been explored in a number of studies on model systems. However, of most relevance to the present invention is a study conducted by Kobayashi, N., et al., published in Yakugaku Zasshi (1993) 113:718-724 wherein the above-referenced extract, EGb761, (prepared by extraction of Ginkgo leaves in 70% ethanol) was shown to stimulate hair growth in CH3 strain mice when applied topically to a shaved dorsal surface. These workers attributed this stimulatory affect on the ability of the extracts to enhance blood flow. Ginkgo extracts were employed in this study based on the postulate that they are known to be effective for chilblains, which is aggravated by poor blood circulation.
A large number of active molecules have been identified in Ginkgo leaves, including, most prominently, flavone glycosides and terpenoids. Among the flavone glycosides identified are kaempferol, quercetin, isorhamnetin, sciadopitysin, ginkgetin, amentoflavone, bilobeten, sequoiaflavone and isoginkgetin. The flavone nucleus may be coupled to sugars, including glucose or rhamnose. In particular, the structure of isoginkgetin has been determined and published. It is shown in FIG. 1. The terpenoids include ginkgolides A, B, and C and bilobalide. Ginkgolides are known to inhibit platelet activating factor, thus ginkgolides may be useful in treating asthma, atherosclerosis and stroke when the immune system is stressed and may help restore motor nerves and can also be used to treat certain parasitic infections.
The affects of individual flavanoids derived from Ginkgo have also been studied. Saponara, R., et al., J. Nat. Prod. (1998) 11:1368-1369 showed that individual Ginkgo flavones inhibit the activity of cAMP phosphodiesterase in rat adipose tissue. They also stimulate skin microcirculation. Dell'Agli, M., et al., Planta Med. (2002) 68:76-79 showed that various Ginkgo flavones stimulated the lipolysis in adiposites in a dose-dependent manner. The individual flavones derived from Ginkgo also stimulated human skin fibroblasts and increased production of collagen and extracellular fibronectin, as described by Kim, S. J., et al., Skin Pharmacol. (1997) 10:200-205. Some of the flavones also suppressed lymphocyte proliferation as described by Lee, S. J., et al., Life Sci. (1995) 6:551-558.
To applicants' knowledge, there is no suggestion that the stimulation of hair growth described by Kobayashi (supra) was attributable to the flavanoid components of Ginkgo.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,410,512 describes the effect of proteasome inhibitors on hair growth. It appears that inhibition of proteasome activity and/or NF-κB activity results in enhanced hair growth. Applicants are aware of no publication or description in the art that associates Ginkgo flavanoids with proteasome inhibition.

Stimulation of hair growth by isoginkgetin