Oligonucleotide probes for analyzing 40 types of HPV were synthesized, and DNA chips were produced by using the oligonucleotide probes. The synthesis of the oligonucleotide probes is based on clones of L1 and E6/E7 genes of 35 types of HPV obtained from cervical cell specimens from 4,898 Korean adult women and tissue specimens from 68 cervical cancer cases in addition to information based on American and European cases. The DNA chips can analyze the 40 types of HPV found in cervical, diagnose complex infection by at least one type of HPV, and have excellent diagnostic sensitivity and specificity on HPV genetic type up to 100% and reproducibility. Also, the DAN chips are superior to conventional analytic method, and very economical, since they can analyze numerous specimens in shortest time. Accordingly, the DNA chips are useful for predicting cervical cancer and precancerous lesion.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a virus that a capsid surrounds double-stranded DNA of genome, and its shape resembles golf ball. HPV is important to human in terms of two viewpoints. Firstly, HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease (STD). It is reported that 50% or more of all adult women is infected with HPV at least one during their whole life. Secondly, HPV is infected to the human epithelial cell, and induces hyperproliferation. Mostly, such hyperproliferation is a benign tumor such as simple skin wart, condyloma accuminata around external genital organ or anus and the like. However, HPV can be cause of inducing cancer, and actually nearly all cervical cancer, majority of head and neck tumor and numerous anal cancers are induced by HPV (Howley P M. Virology. Vol 2, 1996, 2045-2109; Murinoz N et al., N Engl J Med, 2003, 348:518-27).
HPV can be classified into following two types. One is a type that invades skin; the other is an anogenital type that invades boundary of skin and mucous membrane of external genital organ or anus. Depending on base sequence of genome, namely phylogenic tree or genotype), HPV can be classified specifically into approximately 120 types. Among them, 45 types of HPV including HPV 16 type (HPV-16), HPV-31, HPV-33, HPV-35, HPV-52, HPV-58, HPV-67, HPV-40, HPV-43, HPV-7, HPV-32, HPV-42, HPV-6, HPV-11, HPV-74, HPV-44, HPV-55, HPV-13, HPV-61, HPV-72, HPV-62, HPV-2, HPV-27, HPV-57, HPV-3, HPV-28, HPV-29, HPV-10, HPV-54, HPV-18, HPV-39, HPV-45, HPV-59, HPV-68, HPV-70, HPV-26, HPV-69, HPV-51, HPV-30, HPV-53, HPV-56, HPV-66, HPV-34, HPV-64  HPV-73 invade external genital organ and anus. Anogenital types of HPV can be classified into high-risk type and low-risk type and/or middle-risk type depending on ability to induce cervical cancer. High-risk type of HPV includes 22 types of HPV, that is HPV-16, HPV-18, HPV-26, HPV-30, HPV-31, HPV-33, HPV-35, HPV-39, HPV-45, HPV-51, HPV-52, HPV-53, HPV-56, HPV-57, HPV-58, HPV-59, HPV-61, HPV-67, HPV-68, HPV-70, HPV-73, And HPV-82. Among them, the most common high-risk type of HPV is HPV-16, and next is HPV-18, HPV-45, HPV-31, HPV-33, HPV-52 and HPV-58, although there is a difference in worldwide. Low-risk types of HPV includes approximately 20 types of HPV such as HPV-2a, HPV-3, HPV-6, HPV-10, HPV-11, HPV-32, HPV-34, HPV-40, HPV-42, HPV-43, HPV-44, HPV-54, HPV-55, HPV-61, HPV-66, HPV-69, HPV-70, HPV-72, HPV-81, and HPV-CP6108 (Murinoz N et al., N Engl J Med, 2003, 348:518-27).
Genome structure of HPV can be divided roughly into early transcription region E (early gene region), late transcription region L (late gene region), and non-expression region LCR (long control region). Genome structure of HPV affects outbreak type, risk and prognosis of HPV greatly. Particularly, E6 and E7 genes of the E region are integrated in the genome of infected cell, maintained and expressed, thereby played an important role to induce cancer. High-risk types of HPV such as HPV-16, HPV-18 and the like react with the most important tumor suppressor genes in human such as p53, E6AP, retinoblastoma (Rb, P105RB), P107, and P130 and the like and inactivate the tumor suppressor genes. As a result, the infected cell is transformed to cancer cell due to disorder of cell cycle regulation and apoptosis control mechanism. On the contrary, since low-risk types of HPV have low ability to react p53 or Rb tumor suppressor genes and inactivate the tumor suppressor genes, low-risk types of HPV is difficult to induce cervical cancer. Meanwhile, the largest gene of HPV genes is L1. L1 is present in similar preservative base sequence in most HPV types. L1 protein composes primarily of HPV capsid protein, and its antigenecity is the highest (Schneider A. Science 1993; 281:263-5; zur Hausen H. Semin Cancer Biol 1999; 9:405-11).
Once, cervical cell transformed by HPV is advanced to, so called, carcinoma in situ via precancerous lesion or dysplasia, cervical intraepithelial neoplasma (CIN), or squamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL). If the carcinoma in situ invades base layer under the epithelium cell, it becomes so called carcinoma or invasive carcinoma. 90% or more of HPV infected women removes HPV by means of immune system in body naturally. However, HPV is maintained in 10% of high-risk types of HPV infected women, and it induces cervical cancer. About 8% of precancerous lesions are advanced to carcinoma in situ, and about 20% of carcinoma in situ is developed to cancer. That is, in case that high-risk types of HPV in HPV infected patients are maintained for 10-20 years or more, the high-risk types of HPV induce cervical cancer, and the frequency is estimated to about 0.16%. Since the outbreak of cervical cancer is needed so long time period, and is induced by stages, it is possible to treat or prevent cervical cancer by early examining precancerous lesions in the middle stage of the outbreak. That is, it is possible to block carcinogenesis by removing precancerous lesions with preservative medical operation. Recently, the clinical test regarding vaccine against L1, the major antigen of HPV is in advancing. Also, an attempt to treat cervical precancerous lesions by using vaccines against E6 and E7 of HPV which are major causes inducing cervical cancer is advanced actively. However, for HPV vaccines, it is needed to prepare fixed vaccine by recognizing genotypes of each HPV (Bosch F X et al., J Clin Pathol, 2002, 55:244-65. Wallin K et al., N Engl J Med, 1999, 341:1633-8; Koutsky L A et al., N Engl J Med, 2002, 347: 1645-51).
Since it is very difficult to culture HPV and diagnose it in immunological examination or serum examination, the study regarding HPV is in stepping condition. However, with development of genetic examination method during past 20 years, an attempt to examine genotypes of HPV, thereby developing vaccines for diagnosis, prevention and treatment of HPV and screening cervical cancer using the results of the examination, is in advanced actively.
Particularly, the gene chip (or DNA chip or DNA microarray) was developed in recent by means of the combination of molecular biology and electronics, which can examine from tens to tens of thousands of genes on only one microscopic slide simultaneously. Such DNA chip is a new analytic system, which is applicable to analysis of gene expression, gene diagnosis, gene mutation diagnosis, drug screening and disease screening, and accurate diagnosis of bacteria and virus and the like. Accordingly, development of HPV DNA chip to detect rapidly and accurately high-risk types of HPV related to cervical cancer is attempted in worldwide.
Cervical screening is a conventional examination method used to screen primarily cervical cancer and prelesions thereof. Cervical screening is carried out by swabbing or scraping cervical cell with a tool of which a brush is attached to the tip of the tool, for example cotton stick, and then examining cytological type of the cell. Readout of the cervical screening is classified into normal, atypical squamous cell of unknown significance (ASCUS), low-risk type or low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL), high-risk type or high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL), carcinoma in situ or cancer. The cervical screening is also referred to papanicolou smear examination (Pap smear) according to the inventor. Pap smear examination has been used from 1940s and played an important role to reduce significantly mortality due to cervical cancer. However, Pap smear has disadvantage that false negative rate is high of 30-40%. Such high false negative rate is due to sampling error of sampler or readout error of inspector. Therefore, to avoid sampling error and reduce readout error, liquid based cytology examination, which is also referred to Thin Prep, is attempted in recent. Nevertheless, the false negative rate is still high. Accordingly, in recent ten years an attempt to recognize high-risk types of HPV and predict outbreak risk of cervical cancer by examining presence or absence of HPV infection and genotypes thereof has been accomplished. It is believed that HPV examination has higher screening accuracy than that of Pap smear.
It is recently reported that only one HPV examination can diagnose nearly all high-risk types of prelesions, and one HPV examination has higher accuracy than that of two Pap smear or colposcopic examinations. In addition, a combination of HPV examination and Pap smear can improve both screening sensitivity and specificity, since the combinational examination can solve the problems of Pap examination. Also, the combinational examination has an advantage that time interval of screening examination can be extended from 1 year (for only Pap smear) to 3-4 years. Accordingly, FDA recommends the combinational examination of Pap smear and HPV examination (Ledger W J et al., Am J Obstet Gynecol, 2000, 182: 860-5; Wright T C Jr et al., JAMA, 2001, 287:2120-9; Wright T C Jr et al., New Engl J Med, 2003, 348:6-7; Sherman M E et al., J Natl Cancer Inst, 2003, 95; 46-52).
Presently, examination of HPV genes can be divided into two methods. One is a method which examines presence or absence of HPV infection and rough type of HPV. The other is a genotyping method which examines presence or absence of HPV infection and rough type of HPV.
Former methods, namely representative methods which can diagnose HPV infection include PCR based method and hybridization based method. PCR based method is carried out by amplifying major virus capsid L1 gene of which its base sequence in genome of external genital organ type HPV is preserved most or E6 and E7 genes using consensus primer and confirming the results by means of electrophoresis and the like. However, this method can confirm only presence or absence of HPV infection, but cannot examine the genotype or even high-risk type or low-risk type of HPV which is presented. In addition, there are risks of false positive and contamination during the amplification. A representative hybridization based method is a hybrid II capture analytic method (Digene Diagnostics, Inc. USA). The hybrid capture method is carried our by extracting HPV DNA from specimen with hybrid capture technology, hybridizing the HPV DNA with high-risk HPV probe cocktail and low-risk HPV probe cocktail and diagnosing presence or absence of HPV infection. However, hybrid capture method has disadvantages that it is not possible to analyzing accurate genotype of HPV and lower sensitivity of examination due to no amplification. Similar method includes a method carrying out by PCR using consensus primer, hybridization with high-risk HPV probe cocktail and observation of enzyme immune response. This method is relatively simple and is useful for recognizing high-risk type of HPV, but cannot recognize low-risk types of HPV and accurate type of HPV (Kornegay J R et al., J Clin Microbiol, 2001, 39:3530-6).
The most standard method, which has been used to recognize presence or absence of HPV infection as well as genotypes thereof, is sequencing after PCR. The method is carried out by amplifying the region which base sequence is preserved in L1 gene and E6/E7 genes of external genital organ and base sequence is different depending on each type; and sequencing the base sequence directly or after cloning. The method is the most golden standard test. However, sequencing method has disadvantage that it can examine only one specimen by one or two examination; a plenty of time and cost are needed; it is labor-intensive. Accordingly, it is difficult to apply the sequencing method to clinical test. Also, although cloning is necessary to recognize complex infection of at least one types of HPV, actually such procedures are impossible. Accordingly, following methods are attempted in place of sequencing method.
First method is a method carrying out several PCR using genotype specific primer according to each HPV types. This method is to recognize various sizes of PCR products by means of electrophoresis or southern blotting for each HPV genotypes. The method is simple, but labor-intensive and inefficient. Also, the method has disadvantage that it can recognize minority of HPV types.
Second method is restriction fragment length polymorphism after PCR (PCR-RFLP). This method is carried out by amplifying L1 gene or E6 and E7 genes with PCR using consensus primer; digesting the PCR products with restriction enzyme; and determining the length of the products by means of electrophoresis. The method is conventional and labor-intensive. Also, the method has disadvantage that it can recognize minority of HPV types (Vermon S D et al. J Clin Microbiol, 2000, 38:651-5).
Third method is a reverse hybridization line blot detection method, which is used during recent 6-7 years. The method is carried out by preparing nylon membrane strip which genotype specific oligonucleotide probes for each types of HPV are attached thereon; positioning the consensus primer PCR products of HPV; and determining the types exhibiting the strongest response by hybridization. The method is used in the name of PGMY-line blot assay or SFP10 line probe assay and the like (Gravitt P E et al., J Clin Microbiol, 1998, 36:3020-7; van Doorn L et al., J Clin Microbiol, 2002, 40:979-983). It is reported that these methods can recognize 25-27 types of HPV in maximum. However, these methods are labor-intensive, difficult to be automated, and cannot recognize all genotypes of HPV. In addition, since target region for determination is localized to 50 bases in certain region of L1 gene, PCR amplification cannot be carried out efficiently due to intragenic variations. Also, the method has disadvantages that to recognize gene variants is difficult, and it can not recognize E6 and E7 genes which played a conclusive role to induce cervical cancer.
Finally, recently, oligonucleotide microarray or DNA chip has been developed and used. The DNA chip uses procedures of the reverse hybridization method above, except that microscopic glass slide is used in place of nylon membrane strip (Cho N H et al. Am J Obstet Gynecol, 2003, 188:56-62). The DNA chip can be automated readily compared to reverse hybridization method above. However, the DNA chip has same disadvantages as those of the reverse hybridization method. That is, the DNA chip can not recognize all genotypes of external genital organ HPV, and can recognize only 22 types; since target region for determination is localized to 50 bases in certain region of L1 gene, PCR amplification can not be carried out efficiently; to recognize gene variants is difficult; and it can not analyze E6 and E7 genes.
Conditions that are demanded in reasonable HPV genotype examination method are as follows:                (1) It has to be able to diagnose all types of HPV including complex infection of external genital organ HPV;        (2) All of sensitivity, specificity and reproducibility should be closed to 100%;        (3) It has to be able to analyze L1 gene as well as E6 and E7 genes;        (4) It has to be able to analyze wild type base sequence and mutant base sequence of the genes;        (5) Examination procedures and analysis of the examination results should be simple;        (6) It should be automated to analyze a multiplicity of specimens in short time.
As a result, DNA chip is suitable. However, to date, no DNA chip has been commercialized which satisfies the conditions above. Considering the regional characteristics, it is necessary to produce DNA chips based on the database built by obtaining cervical cell specimens from many Korean women; recognizing genotypes and variation of HPV that is present in the cervical cell specimen.

Probe of human papillomavirus and DNA chip comprising the same


The present invention is an object to provide an apparatus or a method making it possible to easily effect connection between additional electrodes, etc. and lead electrodes when performing a processing for achieving a predetermined throat height value or crown processing or the like and making it possible to measure the requisite lapping amount. For achieving the object, a flexible electrode extension sheet is used which consists of a portion for retaining a ceramic bar in which element portions are formed and a portion where there are formed wirings respectively in correspondence with the elements and adapted to be connected to these elements, in which these wirings, which can be easily connected to an external measurement system, are electrically connected to the elements, whereby the lapping amount is easily obtained from the characteristic amount of the elements in the lapping process.

A thin film magnetic head for use in a magnetic disc apparatus or the like is formed of a component obtained by processing a bar-shaped ceramic (hereinafter referred to as a "ceramic bar") on the surface of which are formed a large number of element portions consisting of magnetic thin films or the like forming induction type magnetic conversion elements that are electro-magnetic conversion elements, magnetic resistance elements (hereinafter referred to as "MR elements") that are magneto-electric conversion elements, etc. A large number of such element portions are first formed simultaneously on a wafer-shaped ceramic substrate, which is cut in one direction into a bar shape to thereby obtain the above-mentioned ceramic bar.
A large number of such element portions are simultaneously formed on a wafer-shaped ceramic substrate by using a thin film forming and processing technique, such as a semiconductor manufacturing technique. In this process, film formation, photo resist application, exposure of wiring configuration, etc., removal of photo resist in the exposure portion, etc. are performed on the respective thin films for magnetic resistance measurement, magnetic poles, coils, insulation, etc. Thereafter, a protective film is formed in the uppermost portion to complete the formation of the element portions.
Further, on the ceramic bar on which a plurality of element portions have been formed, a processing, such as lapping, is performed so as to adjust the throat height, MR height, etc. of each element portion to an appropriate value. Generally speaking, to stabilize the output characteristics of a magnetic head in a magnetic disc apparatus, it is necessary to maintain an extremely small fixed distance between the magnetic pole portion of the magnetic head and the surface of the recording medium, and the throat height or MR height is an important parameter in determining this distance.
After a predetermined throat height, etc. have been obtained in each element portion, further performed on this lapped surface are a rounding processing for forming the lapping surface into a curved surface having a predetermined radius of curvature, a processing for forming a groove for the lapping surface, a processing for lapping an end portion to form a surface inclined with respect to the lapping surface, etc. In the subsequent process, the ceramic bar is individually separated into the respective element portions, each constituting a component of a magnetic head for a magnetic disc apparatus. When the magnetic head is used in a magnetic disc apparatus, and performs the recording and reproduction of a magnetic signal on and from a magnetic disc, this component constitutes a slider whose ceramic portion flies over the magnetic disc by the air pressure due to the rotation of the disc, and the element portion constitutes a head core which performs the recording and/or reproduction of the magnetic signal of the disc.
The term "throat height" means the length (height) of the magnetic pole forward end portion of such a head core for performing the recording and reproduction of the magnetic signal, where two magnetic poles are opposed to each other with a minute gap therebetween. The term "MR height" means the distance (height) between the end portion of the MR element opposed to the medium and the end portion thereof on the other side. To enable a signal to be appropriately recorded and reproduced, it is necessary for the values of the throat height and the MR height to be predetermined ones. To obtain the predetermined values, high accuracy in lapping is required.
Further, as stated above, due to the pressure of the air flow generated as a result of the high speed rotation of the disc, the slider flies over the disc surface, while being separated therefrom by a minute distance. To accurately perform the writing of information on the disc and the reading of information from the disc by the element portion, it is necessary for the flying height of the flying slider and the attitude of the slider at the time of flying to be always stable. By performing the above-mentioned rounding processing, etc. on the slider, it is possible for the slider to fly in a stable manner.
However, generally speaking, due to the stress, etc. generated as a result of the cutting from the ceramic substrate or the formation of the element portions, the ceramic bar involves distortion, bending, etc., so that it is difficult to achieve such a high processing accuracy as mentioned above solely by securing the ceramic bar and performing lapping thereon. In view of this, instead of an ordinary lapping apparatus, there has been proposed an apparatus which makes it possible to lap a magnetic head while in the form of a ceramic bar with high accuracy as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,356. The applicant of the present application has also proposed a number of such apparatuses and methods (Japanese Patent Application No. 11-162799, etc.). A method of processing a ceramic bar to obtain a predetermined throat height, etc. will be described. First, the surface of the ceramic bar on the opposite side of the surface to be lapped is glued to a jig by an adhesive or the like, and the surface of the ceramic bar to be lapped is pressed against the lapping surface of a lapping table through the intermdiation of the jig to thereby lap the surface to be lapped. By receiving a load, etc. from outside, the portion of this jig holding the ceramic bar undergoes the deformation, causing the ceramic bar to be deformed at the same time. Due to this arrangement, it is possible to correct the bending, etc. of the ceramic bar itself.
It is also possible to perform the above-mentioned rounding processing, etc. by using the method or the apparatus used in the method. Actually, however, due to the construction of the apparatus, it is difficult to obtain a smoothly rounded configuration, so that, generally, the rounding processing, etc. are performed by using an apparatus different from such apparatuses. Of the rounded configurations, a configuration in which the central portion of a lapped surface protrudes, or a configuration in which the lapped surface constitutes a part of a spherical surface, is referred to, in particular, as a crown configuration, and the processing for obtaining a crown configuration is called a crown processing. The applicant of the present application has proposed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application No. 11-302305, a lapping apparatus and a lapping method for performing a crown processing on the sliders while in the form of a ceramic bar.
The method for performing the crown processing on a ceramic bar disclosed by the present applicant will be described. The lapping surface of a lapping table formed of tin or the like used for the lapping of a ceramic bar is formed as a substantially concave conical shape constituting a part of a sphere having a predetermined radius. During the lapping, the ceramic bar is held by a horizontal jig extending in the longitudinal direction of the ceramic bar. Specifically, the surface of the ceramic bar on the opposite side of the surface to be lapped is attracted by an elastic member such as a rubber plate glued to one end surface of the horizontal jig by an adhesive, whereby the ceramic bar is held by the end surface of the jig.
By applying a load to the central portion of the jig so as to press the ceramic bar against the lapping surface, the entire surface to be lapped of the ceramic bar is lapped, forming the surface to be lapped into a crown-shaped configuration. At the same time, an appropriate load is applied to either end of the ceramic bar, whereby the longitudinal variation in the crown configuration formed on the ceramic bar is mitigated. Further, through an electrode or the like formed on the jig, the MR value of the MR element formed on the ceramic bar is measured during the lapping, and the load for pressing the ceramic bar against the lapping surface is controlled on the basis of the measurement result, whereby the lapping amount at the time of crown processing is controlled.

Method for measuring amount of grinding in magnetic head producing process


A performance monitoring device and method are disclosed. The device monitors performance events of a processor. A counter is adjusted in response to the occurrence of a particular performance event. The counter can be associated with a particular instruction address range, or a data address range, so that the counter is adjusted only when the performance event occurs at the instruction address range or the data address range. Accordingly, the information stored in the counter can be analyzed to determine if a particular instruction address range or data address range results in a particular performance event. Multiple counters, each associated with a different performance event, instruction address range, or data address range, can be employed to allow for a detailed analysis of which portions of a program lead to particular performance events.

Data processors typically execute a series of operations to execute instructions. For example, execution of a single instruction can result in access to an instruction cache, a translation lookaside buffer (TLB), external memory, a data cache, and other portions of the data processor. Each operation can result in one or more performance events, such as a cache miss, a TLB access, and the like. In addition, performance of the data processor can typically be improved by increasing the efficiency of execution of operations resulting from a series of instructions. For example, a data processor can be made more efficient by increasing the number of times that a series of instructions is able to retrieve data from a local cache rather than external memory. Accordingly, it can be useful for programmers to know which instructions cause particular performance events. However, because each task of the data processor can require the execution of thousands or even millions of instructions, it can be difficult to determine which performance events occur during execution of individual instructions. Accordingly an improved performance monitoring technique is needed.

Performance monitoring device and method thereof


The invention relates to a method for blister packing products (9), comprising the step of packaging said products (9) in a blister web (1) or a blister sheet (2) and storing said blister web or blister sheet intermediately (12). Following said intermediate storing (12) several blister packs (4) are formed from said blister web (1) or blister sheet (2).

It is well known to pack products, by way of example tablets, capsules, chewing gums, medical devices, spare parts etc in blister packs. The blister pack can in each blister contain one single product as well as a number of products.
A typical blister pack comprises one single or an array of cavities covered by a film to form blisters. The pack is opened by pressing the blister, whereby the film breaks and exposes the product contained therein, or by peeling off the film. For pharmaceutical preparations, the customer is normally provided with a packet comprising a number of blister packs, each containing a number of tablets/capsules in individual blisters.
The products to be packed are normally provided loose in large batches in the form of bags or boxes. This type of bulk storage is however less favourable in the case of products which are pressure sensitive or which have a low abrasion resistance, since the products will press and rub against each other during handling. This often results in a need of quality control before packaging and also large cassations. Further, bulk storage is also less favourable in view of shelf life since it is hard to control the environmental conditions. Accordingly, it is favourable to minimize the handling in bulk and also minimize the time from production of the products to packaging. Thus, sensitive products should preferably be packed in blister packs as soon as possible after production.
Blister packs and blister packages containing blister packs are generally formed in continuous lines, wherein a continuous web of a carrier material is fed, and during which feeding a number of cavities are formed by way of example pressing, vacuum forming or film blowing. The cavities are filled with a desired amount of products from a batch, where after the cavities are covered by a continuous film, which is pressed and fixed to the carrier material, to form a continuous blister web. The continuous film is normally fixed to the carrier material by adhesive bonding or heat sealing. The film or the carrier material can be pre-printed with desired information or the film or carrier material can be provided with a print after forming said continuous blister web. Finally, the continuous blister web is cut to form individual blister packs with arrays of a desired amount of blisters. The resulting skeleton of waste material is coiled for further destruction or recycling.
For some applications, by way of example for pharmaceutical preparations, the above described continuous line is further provided with the additional step of providing the desired numbers of blister packs into a packet together with a packaging slip such as an insert in the form of a leaflet or booklet, a coupon or other types of information or marketing material, before palletizing the packets. Due to rigorous requirements in the pharmaceutical industry, this step is integrated in the above disclosed continuous line.
This type of continuous lines have a drawback of low efficiency if the packets are produced for different clients or are to be used in different countries, since each client or country normally requires its own specific print, number of blister packs per packet, type of pack or packet, pack or packet design and packaging slip. Accordingly, the downtime for change of settings and materials is high, which in the end affects the total cost. Also, continuous lines are sensitive for frequent starts and stops. Further, each continuous line is normally used for one type of product, whereby a production facility producing a number of different products normally requires a corresponding number of different lines running in parallel.
From SE 512 896 a method and system for packaging pharmaceutical preparations is known. It discloses a method and system in which blister packs are formed and stored in intermediate storing containers. The intermediate storing containers can be transported to a final packaging facility, which facility can be on another site, where the blister packs are marked and put in packets in accordance with the specific requirements of a client. The intermediate storing containers are in the form of tubes or similar, containing stacked blister packs. This method and system does however involve a problem in that the continuous lines producing the individual blister packs still must be adapted to or be set to produce blister packs having a specific size and a specific array of blisters. The versatility of the continuous line is thus still restricted.
Also, in order to meet a short delivery time the producer must keep storage in the form of intermediate storing containers which are specific for one design of a blister pack, such as a square blister pack having an array of ten blisters and a specific print. The latter is normally necessary since printing on individual packs requires a very high production speed and thereby a more complicated machinery.
Thus, there is a need for a method with improved versatility of producing blister packs and packets, and which method allows for short delivery time but still allows for a customer specific design of the blister packs and packets.


A high-frequency power module as a component of a radio communication system capable of performing communications in two frequency bands such as GSM and DCS and has a first transistor for output detection for receiving a signal which is the same as an input signal of a first power amplification transistor for amplifying a high frequency signal on the GSM side and a first current mirror circuit for passing current proportional to current of the transistor. A second transistor for output detection for receiving an input signal of a second power amplification transistor for amplifying a high frequency signal on the DCS side is also provided as is a second current mirror circuit for passing current proportional to current of the transistor. Conversion of current transferred from the first and second current mirror circuits to voltage is shared by the GSM and DCS.

Hitherto, there is a system called a GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) using frequencies in a band of 880 to 915 MHz which is employed in Europe as one of systems of radio communication apparatuses (mobile communication apparatuses) such as mobile telephones. In the GSM, as a modulation system, a phase modulation system called GMSK (Gaussian Minimum Shift Keying) for shifting the phase of a carrier wave in accordance with transmission data is used.
Generally, a high-frequency power amplifying circuit for amplifying a modulated signal is assembled in a transmission-side output part in a radio communication apparatus. In a conventional GSM radio communication apparatus, to control the amplification factor of the high-frequency power amplifying circuit in accordance with a transmission request level from a control circuit such as a baseband circuit or a microprocessor, an output level of the high-frequency power amplifying circuit or an antenna is detected and fed back (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2000-151310). Conventionally, the output level is generally detected by using a coupler, a detector, or the like, and the detector is often constructed as a semiconductor integrated circuit separate from the high-frequency power amplifying circuit.
The coupler is a device for detecting an output level via a capacitance formed between an output line (microstrip line) formed in a discrete part or an insulating substrate (module substrate) and a conductor disposed in parallel with the output line. The size of the coupler is larger than that of a device formed on a semiconductor chip. A directional coupler is described in, for example, "Basics and Application of Microwaves" issued on Jul. 10, 1997, Sogo Electronics Press, pp. 191 to 193. "Electronic Materials" issued in April, 1999 by Kogyo Chosakai Publishing Co., Ltd. pp. 91 to 95 describes a ceramic stacked-layer low-pass filter for mobile communication and a directional coupler.
Since the system of detecting the output level of the conventional high-frequency power amplifying circuit uses a number of semiconductor integrated circuits and electronic parts separate from the high-frequency power amplifying circuit, it is difficult to reduce the size of the module. In the case of using also a coupler, a reference voltage may be applied to one end of the coupler to improve detection sensitivity. In this case, optimum setting of the reference voltage and adjustment of a voltage according to variations in parts are necessary. Consequently, there is an inconvenience such that the burden on a setup maker increases. When the coupler is used, there is an inconvenience such that power loss also occurs.
Further, as a portable telephone of recent years, a dual-band portable telephone capable of handling not only a signal of the GSM but also a signal of a system such as a DCS (Digital Cellular System) using frequencies of, for example, 1710 to 1785 MHz is proposed. In a high-frequency power amplifying module used in such a portable telephone, an output power amplifier is provided for each of the bands and a coupler for detecting the output level of the module is also necessary for each of the bands. Consequently, it is difficult to reduce the size of the module.
An object of the invention is to provide an electronic component (module) for amplifying high-frequency power, realizing a reduced circuit scale and a reduced power loss in the case of detecting an output level in a radio communication system capable of performing communications in two frequency bands such as GSM and DCS, comparing the detected output level with a required output level, and controlling the amplification factor of a high-frequency power amplifying circuit for amplifying an input signal.
Another object of the invention is to provide an electronic component for amplifying high-frequency power, capable of detecting an output level necessary for feedback control in a current detecting method in a radio communication system capable of performing communications in two frequency bands such as GSM and DCS, so that it is unnecessary to adjust a voltage and the like and the load on a setup maker can be lessened.
Further, another object of the invention is to provide an electronic component for amplifying high-frequency power in a radio communication system capable of performing communications in two frequency bands such as GSM and DCS, in which leakage of a signal from a high-frequency power amplifying circuit in an idle state can be prevented at the time of transmission of the other high-frequency power amplifying circuit, and to a radio communication system using the same.
The above and other objects and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the description of the specification and attached drawings.

Electronic component for amplifying high frequency power and radio communication system


The invention relates to a circuit configuration for compensating for the changes in a transfer ratio of a magnetic field sensor arrangement. According to one embodiment of the invention, a control loop for effecting this compensation is provided in the form of an integrated circuit whereby the change in transfer ratio is compensated by means of a control signal variation. This circuit configuration includes a series configuration of an A/D converter, a digital controller and a D/A converter exhibiting high precision and high control speed. A control that is significantly more precise and faster than that of the prior art is achieved by virtue of the fact that only a variable portion of regulating variables is fed through the digital controller after which a constant portion of regulating variables for the actual regulating variable used for compensation is added.

It is known to measure an electrical current without any potential via the magnetic field produced by it. Magnetic field sensors, e.g. Hall sensors, magneto-transistors or other semiconductor elements serve for determining the strength of the magnetic field, and these produce an output signal which is more or less proportional to the magnetic field. In order to avoid the influence of non-linearities and changes of the transfer factor of a magnetic field sensor, special circuit arrangements and methods able to be carried out by these have been applied.
EP 0 172 402 A1 for example discloses a circuit arrangement with which the fluctuations in the transfer factor of a magnetic field sensor may be compensated. For this one envisages superimposing a known auxiliary magnetic field on the magnetic field to be measured, wherein both fields are detected by the magnetic field sensor. At the output side of the magnetic field sensor the signal is supplied to a summing element in a manner such that the component of the auxiliary magnetic field may be filtered out. This signal component which may be traced to the auxiliary magnetic field is transferred to a correlator whose second input is a current generator voltage which provides the current producing the auxiliary magnetic field.
A regulator is arranged on the exit side of this correlator, which provides a control signal for the magnetic field sensor burdened with fluctuations which are compensated for in this manner.
At the same time it may be seen to be of a disadvantage that the accuracy and control speed of this conventional compensation circuit is limited. Furthermore the compensation circuit is built up at least partly of discrete, analog components which entails a corresponding installation expense with regard to space and manufacture.

Circuit arrangement and a method for compensating changes of a transfer factor of a magnetic field sensor arrangement


A semiconductor memory device includes first and second memory regions configured to store data in a mirrored fashion with respect to each other during a high speed operation period; and a read operation block configured to repeatedly and alternately select the first and second memory regions and read data from a selected memory region, in the case where the first or second memory region is repeatedly selected n read operations of at least two times during the high speed operation period.

1. Field
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a semiconductor design technology and, more particularly, to a semiconductor memory device which supports high speed operations.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, semiconductor memory devices perform read data operations on a basic cycle. That is to say, reading data in a semiconductor memory device cell array includes stepwise operations such as active (ACT), read (READ) and precharge (PCG) operations, as shown in FIG. 1. "CLK", "Command", "RD", "Address", "Bank A ADD(X,Y)" and "Internal operation" shown in FIG. 1 denote "a clock signal", "a command signal", "a read command signal", "an address signal", "row and column addresses of bank A" and "an internal operation sequence", respectively. A minimum time tRC is required to perform such stepwise active (ACT), read (READ) and precharge (PCG) operations between successive read operations. The time required between successive operations is determined in part by the physical characteristics of the circuit, including the time that it takes for circuits and capacitors to reach equilibrium after being charged and discharged. This is one limitation on the ability of memory cells to perform read and write operations.
Semiconductor memory device operating speed, including the ability to output data quickly, has been and still is an important design factor. Therefore, the semiconductor industry is constantly looking for ways to improve the speed with which memory cells can be read and be written to.
Conventional semiconductor memory devices have internally divided cell arrays including a plurality of banks that output data independently in order to increase operating speeds. The banks may output data at intervals shorter than 'tRC' in such a manner that their operation periods overlap. Therefore, data may be successively outputted within a time shorter than 'tRC'.
However, although a large number of banks are included in a semiconductor memory device, a minimum time tRC is needed between operations for repeatedly accessing and reading data from the same bank.


An improved connector scheme for a power pod power delivery system provides a low-resistance, low inductance path between a power source and a power consuming module. Specifically, the present invention is a connector scheme comprising a printed circuit board having a plurality of sets of planar pads, each of the plurality of sets of planar pads being coupled to a power source and/or a signal source, and a flexible connection for detachably coupling with each of the plurality of sets of planar pads on the printed circuit board.

Along with the development of higher levels of integration in integrated circuits, power requirements have increased. This is particularly true with current microprocessor and associated integrated circuits or chips recently developed and now being developed. These chips, which are operating at higher speeds, require and consume greater amounts of power than previously required.
In a typical computer system, a large printed circuit board known as a motherboard is provided. The motherboard contains a certain number of basic components and is supplied with voltage from a power supply, typically at a higher DC voltage (e.g., 12 volts) than required by the components on the motherboard. The motherboard includes connectors for daughter boards which can be plugged in to provide different capabilities for the computer. Such boards, for example, may provide an interface to disk drives and CD ROMs, modem interfaces for local area networks, etc. Typically, these daughter boards operate from the 12 volts which is supplied from the motherboard, or from reduced voltages such as 5 volts. Power consumption of the daughter boards is typically not extremely high (e.g. <20 W).
Current processors however have been designed to operate at lower voltages, e.g., 3.3 volts. Because of the increased capability and speed of these processors, they consume a large amount of power despite their lower voltage. Their operation at a lower voltage requires a localized dc-to-dc power converter to reduce the motherboard voltage. Typically, this dc-to-dc power converter is soldered to the mother board or plugs into a connector on the motherboard. The lower voltage is then conducted through conductors or printed circuit traces on the motherboard to a connector for the component requiring the lower voltage, e.g., a processor. This same connector may also provide signal connections.
In a number of state of the art systems, one or more processors, and in some cases associated integrated circuit deviecs, are mounted on a board or module. This module then plugs into a connector on the motherboard. Since the voltage required by the processor is lower, and the power consumption is high, the currents which must be supplied to the module become particularly large. As a result, it is difficult to establish a low resistance, low inductance path on the motherboard from the dc-to-dc converter board to the module. This is particularly true because the prior art arrangement requires that the high current pass through two connectors: one from the dc-to-dc converter into the motherboard and another connector from the motherboard through the module connector to the module. Also, the prior art arrangement may present difficulties in manufacture because the dc-to-dc converter becomes an additional component that must be tested with the remaining components on the motherboard.
Thus, there is the need for an improved arrangement for delivering power to a power consuming module requiring high amounts of power at a lower voltage, which voltage must be converted from a higher voltage.

Connector scheme for a power pod power delivery system


Disclosed is a system for generating a graphics window that is capable of emulating enhanced video from a combined video and interactive content stream. The set-top emulator can randomly access the combined video and interactive content stream to provide an easy manner of randomly accessing portions of the combined video and interactive stream for quality control purposes. Random access allows selective viewing of the enhanced video which saves time. Additionally, the combined video and interactive content stream can be simultaneously viewed as it is being produced to allow immediate feedback to an interactive television producer.

a. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally pertains to interactive television and more particularly to software programs for previewing combined video and interactive content.
b. Description of the Background
Interactive TV is based upon the concept of simultaneously displaying media objects such as audio/video content with interactive TV content objects such as HTML web pages that allows a viewer to access Internet web pages. The combined video/audio and interactive content data may be generated by iTV producers, content providers or others. The combined content is transmitted to viewers who can view and utilize the combined content materials.
In a process of generating the combined content, it is necessary to lay out the structure of the display. For example, the media object may appear as a background display with the interactive TV content object as a foreground display that only covers a smaller portion of the screen. Alternatively, the media object may appear as a transparent portion of the interactive TV content that covers the remaining portion of the screen. In any event, the interactive screen display must be laid out in some fashion that allows viewing of both the interactive TV content object and the media object. Usually, layout schemes exist that provide for optimal viewing of both the interactive TV content object and the media object on the single display. In other words, interactive TV content display portions and the video display portions do not interfere with one another and are displayed in an optimal fashion for viewing. Other portions should also be verified beyond the interactive TV content display portions and the video display portions. For example, the navigation link, event triggering and overall functionality built into the enhanced content should also be verified.
iTV producers and others who generate the combined video and interactive content information use software programs such as iTV Producer and iTV Author, which are both available from Intellocity Inc., 1400 Market Street, Denver, Colo. 80202. After the combined video and interactive content is generated using a program such as this by interactive television producers, the combined content must be checked to make sure that the display is properly generated. Currently, the combined content must be applied to several set-top boxes and the content viewed in its entirety with modifications being made after the viewing process has been completed. This is a time consuming and error prone process performed by highly paid software engineers who are capable of operating the interactive television production software, and involves expensive equipment.
It would therefore be advantageous to provide a software program that can simulate the functions of various set-top box platforms to allow random access to certain portions of the combined content stream to ensure that the combined content stream provides the desired display of information, while simultaneously allowing the editing of the combined content stream.


A method of detecting failures of an engine control computer including at least: a hardware layer, a software layer comprising at least one activation cycle of the load m phase(s) of activation of said load with: actuation of the load, first timeout, deactivation of the load, second timeout. The method of detecting failures includes a measurement time window during which the following are carried out: an initialization of the measurement variables, detection of an actuation of the load, an action of reinitializing the engine control computer if at least one of the following conditions is valid: ΔT1>ΔT1_ref, ΔT2<ΔT2_ref, ΔT3>ΔT3_ref, ΔT4<ΔT4_ref.

Nowadays, an automotive vehicle comprises more and more embedded electronics such as for example computers. These computers may be dedicated to the management of the cabin, of braking and also to the management of the engine. An engine computer, also named engine control computer, is adapted to manage functions of the engine such as for example admission, exhaust and/or also injection.
To manage these functions, the engine control computer exhibits a computation and control unit adapted to perform tasks allowing command and control of the engine for example thermal, at least one memory adapted to store for example a computer program, adaptation stages and power stages. Thus, in the case of the management of the injection of a diesel engine, the engine control computer exhibits a power stage adapted to command injectors. Relatively high powers are generated and sometimes failures can occur and give rise to partial or total destruction of the engine control computer.
These failures can be software failures such as for example a loss of information at the level of the adaptation stage causing continuous activation of the injector or activation for a relatively long duration that may lead to destruction of the injector and/or stalling of the thermal engine or indeed in the worst case breakdown of said thermal engine. These failures can also impair the engine control computer. Indeed, the activation for a relatively long duration of one or more power outputs of the engine control computer can cause an overconsumption of said outputs and lead to overheating or indeed destruction either of the power stage or of the engine control computer.
To protect the engine control computer from such failures, it is known to install protection means at the level of the engine control computer to monitor, as a function of a determined strategy, the state of the output stages. These protection means, upon the detection of a failure at the level of the output stage, cause a partial or total resetting to zero of the engine control computer thus avoiding breakdown of the latter.
Sometimes, in very specific and often random configurations, the protection means do not detect sufficiently early the failure at the level of the outputs of the power stage and this may cause the destruction of the engine control computer.


A method for directing cache injection based on actual system load may include providing a snooping-based fabric having two or more bus-coupled units. At least one of the bus-coupled units may be configured as an injection unit for directing cache injection. A snoop request may be transmitted from the injection unit to one or more destination units of the other bus-coupled unit. The snoop request may include an identification value having a function identifier. The function identifier may identify a destination function for the cache injection, where the destination function is configured to run on the destination unit. A snoop response may be transmitted from the destination unit to the injection unit in response to the snoop request. The snoop response may include a function response value indicating whether the function identifier matches a function indication of a snoop register for the destination unit.

Cache injection is a promising technique for improving performance of input/output ("IO") data transfers in the form of direct memory access ("DMA")-write transfers. DMA-write transfers from an IO controller to memory, for example, may be used to bring IO data into a processor system. Cache injection may enable the IO controller (and potentially also other processing units or data-copy engines of the processor system) to explicitly specify the cache-/memory-location to which data should be written.
Advantageously, cache injection may reduce IO memory bandwidth requirements and improve IO performance, particularly for user-level interfaces. In this regard, the injected data may be used in the future, such as when a process is polling for such information or is put to sleep while waiting for such information. Software may provide an indication for such scenarios. Further, there are some indications that may be used by hardware, such as transfer sizes of different transfers, to indicate that cache injection is appropriate.
Multi-core processors generally include a significant number of caches, rendering cache injection techniques particularly useful. Particularly, multi-core systems are commonly used to consolidate several smaller servers using a supplemental layer for virtualization.

International Business Machines Corporation


A lossless snubber circuit is described for use with power converters, particularly asymmetric half-bridge converters. The snubber circuit provides a clamping circuit which has a clamping diode and a clamping capacitor connected across each of the rectifier diodes in the power converters output circuit. The clamping diode and clamping capacitor act to clamp the voltage across the rectifier diode and to recover the reverse recovery energy from the rectifier diode's turn-off. The reverse recovery energy is then transferred back to the input capacitors of the converter's input circuit through an energy recovery circuit. The energy recovery circuit includes a recovery switch which regulates the operation of the snubber circuit and a commutation transformer which provides the path from the snubber circuit to the input circuit. The snubber circuit allows the clamping voltage of the clamping capacitor to be adjusted to accommodate changes in the converter's conditions.

Half-bridge converters are often attractive for medium-power power supplies because of their ability to provide zero-voltage turn-on for the primary switches. The rectifier diodes, or blocking diodes, in a half-bridge converter, however, can be responsible for energy loss and voltage ringing due to the reverse recovery of the blocking diodes, since the blocking diodes often have to block a higher voltage than the blocking diodes of full-bridge converters. This can be particularly true in asymmetric half-bridge converters, where one of the blocking diodes can be forced to block a comparably much higher voltage. Snubber circuits are usually required to reduce the voltage ringing. Simple RC (resistor/capacitor) or RCD (resistor/capacitor/diode) snubbers have too much power loss, since any energy received by the snubber is dissipated in the resistor. Saturable inductors can be used to limit the di/dt through the diodes, and thus reduce the reverse recovery energy. Saturable inductors, however, present thermal management problems at high ambient temperatures.
Asymmetric half-bridge converters present additional difficulties for snubber design because the two rectifier diodes in the output circuit have different voltages, and these voltages change with input voltage and switch duty cycles. A good snubber should be self-regulating, that is it should be able to track the voltage change of the diodes automatically, and thus change the clamping voltages accordingly. The automatic tracking of the clamp voltages can also eliminate the current overshoot due to the charging of the clamping capacitors. This aids current sensing at the output of the converter for current mode control and over-current protection. Additionally, the snubber is preferably composed of components with very low ESL (equivalent series inductance) in order to clamp the very fast rate rise of voltage due to the reverse recovery diode current.

Self-regulating lossless snubber circuit


An improved pinch valve includes a camshaft and associated cam(s) controlling the position of a pivotally-mounted first pinch arm and an opposed, pivotally-mounted second pinch arm. The respective pinch arms are provided symmetrically about a central plane which contains an axis of the camshaft. A spring extends across the central plane and interconnects the respective pinch arms so as to urge both pinch arms towards the central plane. A mechanical advantage lever is provided such that the pinching force is greater than the spring force.

In inkjet printers, ink lines are provided to supply ink from an ink reservoir to a printhead. Commonly, there are multiple ink lines (e.g. in a CYMKK printer, there are 5 ink lines connected to the printhead).
It is sometimes necessary for the printhead to be decoupled from the ink lines to enable, for example, replacement of a depleted printhead. Inkjet printers that can prime and deprime the printhead, and purge air bubbles from the printhead, offer the user distinct advantages. For example, removing a depleted printhead can cause inadvertant spillage of residual ink if it has not first been de-primed prior to decoupling. Further, air bubbles trapped in printheads are a perennial problem in inkjet printers, and there is a need for a means to purge such air bubbles from printheads whenever they are present.
It is known in the prior art to provide a pinch valve for the purpose of enabling priming and depriming of the printhead, and for purging of air bubbles from the printhead. In operation, the pinch valve is located directly upstream of the printhead and the pinch valve selectively controls (i) the flow of ink to the printhead, or (ii) the flow of air to the printhead, such that the printhead can be primed or de-primed, or such that an air bubble can be purged from the printhead.
The closest prior art presently known to the applicant is International Publication WO 2011/143698 (published 24 Nov. 2011), which is herein incorporated by reference. In particular, FIGS. 23-27 of WO 2011/143698 teach a pinch valve which selectively controls the flow of ink or air to the printhead for the purposes discussed above.
The operation of this prior art pinch valve is described, for example, at page 39 through to page 48 of WO 2011/143698. The pinch valve is a 2-way (i.e. ink or air), multi-channel (i.e. CYMKK) valve which selectively directs either ink or air to the printhead. In the illustrated embodiment, there are 5 ink lines and 5 air lines which are selectively opened and closed by the operation of the pinch valve.
The ink lines and air lines pass through the pinch valve and the sections of the lines which pass through the pinch valve are formed of a resilient, plastics tubing which, in a default state of the pinch valve, are pinched closed. The resilient tubing is selectively allowed to open to allow the passage of ink or air through the valve to the printhead.
In the prior art pinch valve, the pinching function is performed by a pair of spring-biased, elongate pinch elements which reciprocate linearly along orthogonal paths. The reciprocation of the elongate pinch elements is controlled by cams which are mounted on a rotatable camshaft which, in turn, is controlled by a motor. The elongate pinch elements are biased to a closed (i.e. pinched) position by springs, and are selectively moved to an open (i.e. unpinched) position by the operation of the motor and cam mechanism.


An optical source illuminates a portion of an animal nail, and an optical sensor receives light from the illuminated portion. A processor generates a signal level, and differentiates between a “quick” signal level range (arising from illuminated living tissue in the nail) and a “nail” signal level range (arising from illuminating a nail portion with no living tissue). An indicator informs a user when the signal level is in the quick or nail range, determining the location of living tissue within the nail. Source(s) and sensor(s) may be mounted on an animal nail clipper, with illumination by the source and collection of light for receiving by the sensor occurring at a position relative to a blade so that when the signal level is within the nail range and the clipper is actuated to cut the nail, cutting of the living-tissue-containing portion of the animal nail is avoided.

The field of the present invention relates to animal grooming and care. In particular, an optical source and sensor are described herein for determining the location of living tissue within an animal nail.
Trimming or clipping animal nails is a routine task of pet care. Unfortunately, it may also be a problematic ordeal, owing to the common occurrence of "cutting the quick". The quick is the tip of the animal's digit, comprising living tissue, that extends into the animal's nail. While the nail comprises dead tissue and clipping it causes the animal no discomfort, inadvertently cutting the nail too short and also cutting the quick results in pain and bleeding for the animal, and distress for the pet owner. For animals with clear or translucent nails, it may be possible to see the quick, thereby avoiding it when cutting the nail. Many animals have one or more dark colored nails, making it nearly impossible to see the quick with the naked eye. It is nevertheless possible to use light to sense the end of the quick within the nail, and thereby position the clipper for cutting the nail without also cutting the quick.
It is therefore desirable to provide an optical source and sensor for an animal nail clipper for enabling a user to reliably position the clipper for cutting the nail without also cutting the quick. More generally, it is desirable to provide apparatus and methods for determining the location of living tissue within an animal nail for a variety of purposes related to pet grooming, pet care, and/or veterinary procedures, both diagnostic and therapeutic.

Methods employing optical source and optical sensor for detecting living tissue within an animal nail


A two transistor memory cell includes a write transistor and a read transistor. When reading the memory cell, the read transistor is turned on, and a voltage develops on a read bit line.

Two transistor gain cells typically store a charge on a storage node between the two transistors in the cell. The amount of charge represents digital data, which is typically described as a "1" or "0." The digital data is "read" from the gain cell by allowing a voltage to develop on a circuit node, where the developed voltage depends on the stored charge. In general, it is easier to differentiate between a stored "1" or "0" when a large difference exists between the developed voltage for a "0" and the developed voltage for a "1."

Two transistor gain cell, method, and system


The present invention relates to a catalyst composition comprising a gold nanoparticle superlattice embedded in hierarchical porous silica and a method for manufacturing the same. The catalyst composition comprising a gold nanoparticle superlattice embedded in hierarchical porous silica according to the present invention comprises micropores and mesopores in the superlattice, so that these pores are channelized to allow the rapid access of reactants to surfaces of gold nanoparticles, and the catalyst composition is very structurally stable and has excellent catalytic activity, and thus has an effect of exhibiting a CO conversion rate of 100% at room temperature.

In most of the nanoparticle superlattices (NPSLs) reported so far, the superlattice is formed and maintained by the interaction between the organic ligand molecules attached to the surfaces of nanoparticles. For example, in the drying-mediated method, the ligand-induced interparticle interactions induce the self-assembly of nanoparticles in a superlattice according to the space filling rule as the solvent slowly evaporates. Also, in the DNA-mediated method, oligonucleotide-conjugated nanoparticles self-assemble into the desired superlattice structure due to the programming properties. However, the ligand-mediated interparticle interactions are easily destabilized and easily result in distortion or destruction of the nanoparticle superlattice, depending on environmental conditions. For example, nanoparticles in a nanoparticle superlattice formed by the drying-mediated method may be easily sintered at high temperatures. Also, the morphology of nanoparticle superlattices formed by the DNA-mediated method is easily distorted or lost when they are removed from an aqueous salt solution or heated to the DNA melting temperature or higher. Thus, the structural instability of nanoparticle superlattices limits their practical applicability. Especially, although the utilization of nanoparticle superlattices as catalysts is a very important area of application, it has been strongly restricted since most of the catalytic reaction conditions require the structural integrity of the nanoparticle superlattice.
Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a nanoparticle superlattice that is very stable thermally and structurally and exhibits excellent catalytic activity.

Gold nanoparticle superlattice embedded in porous silica and method for manufacturing same

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology


A device for taking measurements including a telescoping assembly including a first end telescoping section, a second end telescoping section, and at least one middle telescoping section telescopically connected between the first end and the second end telescoping sections. The first and second end telescoping sections and the middle telescoping sections are marked with incremental measuring markings along the lengths thereof. The far end of the first end telescoping section is provided with a first flip-out measuring stop that is pivotal between a storage position and a use position. The far end of the second end telescoping section is provided with a second flip-out measuring stop that is pivotal between a storage position and a use position. When the first and second flip-out measuring stops are in the use position, each measuring stop extends perpendicularly away from its respective end telescoping section. In a preferred embodiment, one measuring stop is rotatable within a plane of rotation oriented in parallel with the plane of rotation of the other measuring stop.

Craftsmen, in particular carpenters and wood workers, are often required to measure items while carrying out their work. These measurements are typically performed with a measuring device such as a ruler, measuring tape or set of calipers. Although these measuring devices work well they are often unwieldy, require more than one person to measure long distances, and are not interchangeable. It would be a benefit, therefore, to have a measurement transfer device that could be used in a first mode to measure items against incremental markings to determine the measurement value in inches, millimeters, etc., and in a second mode to measure an item between two measuring stops when it is only necessary to transfer a measurement between a model and a work piece, such as when copying a piece of furniture. Because the points between which the measurement is to be taken are not always oriented in the same direction, it would be a further benefit to have a telescoping measurement transfer device that included two measuring stops that pivot into a use position and a storage position and further wherein each measuring stop extends perpendicularly away from its respective end telescoping section and is rotatable within a plane of rotation oriented in parallel with the plane of rotation of the other measuring stop.
In addition, because measurements must be made frequently while work is in progress, it would be a further benefit to have such a measurement transfer device that was lightweight and easily stored in a convenient location on the user when not needed.


A blocking system intercepts communications between a software program and an operating system in order to handle blocking and unblocking of event signals. The blocking system intercepts system calls to the operating system requesting the blocking and unblocking of event signals and keeps track of which event signals are blocked and unblocked without delivering the system calls to the operating system. The blocking system also intercepts event signals from the operating system and only allows unblocked event signals to pass to the software program. Blocked event signals received by the blocking system are discarded until the program unblocks the blocked event signals. After unblocking an event signal, the blocking system determines whether a corresponding event signal was previously received and blocked. If so, the blocking system transmits a signal indicating that the event corresponding to the event signal occurred.

Operating systems control the allocation and usage of hardware resources associated with a computer system. Typically, an operating system has a list of events that might occur while a software program associated with the operating system is executing. When one of the listed events occurs, the operating system sends a signal to the program indicating the occurrence of the event. For example, the functionality of a software program may depend on an expiration of a certain amount of time such as in the situation where a program allows a certain amount of time for a user to enter an input. If the user fails to enter the input within the certain amount of time, then the operating system detects a timer alarm indicating that the time period has expired. In response, the operating system transmits an event signal indicating that the time for entering the input has expired. By processing the event signal, the program becomes aware that the user has failed to enter the input.
Usually, the operating system will only transmit an event signal when the program has a corresponding signal handler capable of handling the event signal. A signal handler is a portion of a software program that processes event signals from the operating system. The operating system typically has knowledge of which signal handlers are contained in a program and, hence, which event signals can be processed by the program. Therefore, upon detecting an occurrence of a timer alarm event, for example, the operating system will first determine whether the computer program has a signal handler designed to process an event signal corresponding to the timer alarm. If such a signal handler exists, the operating system will transmit a timer alarm event signal to the program.
Upon receiving an event signal, the program will invoke the signal handler capable of handling the event signal. The signal handler then takes the necessary steps so that the program may continue executing in an appropriate manner in view of the occurrence of the associated event. If no signal handler exists to handle the event signal, then the operating system refrains from transmitting the event signal.
There are times during the execution of the program that it is desirable for the program not to receive certain event signals from the operating system. For example, a portion of the program may enter a critical region where the processing of certain event signals causes errors to occur. In this regard, the program may enter into a region where certain data is accessed and manipulated. In processing a particular event, the signal handler may also access and manipulate certain data. As can be appreciated by one skilled in the art, if the signal handler interrupts the execution of the critical region of the program and manipulates data that is currently being accessed and manipulated by the program, an error can occur. Therefore, it is desirable to block certain event signals from occurring when the program enters a critical region where, for example, certain data would be manipulated by both the program and the signal handler if certain events occur.
In order to block certain event signals from occurring, the program sends a system call to the operating system requesting the operating system to block a particular event signal from occurring. In response, the operating system typically indicates that the particular event signal is blocked by setting a particular flag corresponding to the event signal. When an event occurs, the operating system checks the appropriate flag to determine if the corresponding event signal has been blocked. If the flag is not set, then the event signal is not blocked, and the operating system delivers the event signal to the program. However, if the flag is set, indicating that the event signal is blocked, then the operating system refrains from sending the event signal. Instead, the operating system simply notes that the event occurred and that the corresponding event signal was blocked.
After blocking an event signal by the foregoing procedures, it may be desirable for the program to unblock the event signal. For example, the program may leave the critical portion of the program and, therefore, no longer need the event signal to be blocked. In order to unblock the blocked event signal, the program sends another system call to the operating system requesting the operating system to unblock the blocked event signal. At this point, the operating system clears the flag corresponding to the blocked event signal so that any future occurrences of the corresponding event will result in the delivery of an event signal to the program. Furthermore, after unblocking the event signal, the operating system also determines if the event signal was previously attempted but blocked during the blocking period. If so, the operating system transmits a signal to the program indicating the occurrence of the corresponding event, and the program processes the signal accordingly.
Although the blocking and unblocking process outlined hereinabove successfully prevents the occurrence of an event signal during the execution of particular portions of the program, the blocking and unblocking process is very costly to the efficient operation of many applications. Each system call usually requires the machine state of the operating system to be saved and usually requires the operating system to transition from a lower to higher privileged mode of operation. Therefore, the performance of programs having a high frequency of blocking and unblocking system calls is significantly degraded.
Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry for providing a system and method of efficiently blocking and unblocking event signals associated with an operating system.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method for efficiently blocking event signals associated with an operating system

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A toilet assembly for a vehicle comprises a first toilet compartment including a first opening, a first foldable toilet compartment door for closing the first opening, and a first toilet opposite to the first opening. An adjacent second toilet compartment includes a second opening, a second toilet compartment door for closing the second opening, and a second toilet opposite to the second opening. A forward dividing flap is rotatably supported by the front wall and situated between the first toilet compartment and the second toilet compartment for at least partially dividing the first toilet compartment from the second toilet compartment, wherein the forward dividing flap is rotatably supported at the front wall, the first toilet compartment door is retractable to a side facing away from the dividing flap, the first toilet is further from the front wall than is the second toilet, and the forward dividing flap closes the first opening when the first toilet compartment door is retracted.

In the design of passenger cabins for use in vehicles, one important objective is the maximization of the available number of passenger seats. This number is limited by the number of mandatory seats for crew members, as well as mandatory safety devices, arbitrary service equipment and toilets. The proportion of the number of passenger seats to the remaining equipment in passenger cabins is a factor that co-determines the operating efficiency of an aircraft in scheduled air traffic. In addition to official certification regulations and operating permits of vehicles, the operators of the vehicles also need to take into account customer's needs such as, for example, customized special installations in the selection of seat sizes, seat spacings, service equipment, and toilets. Depending on the design of fixtures in the passenger cabin and their space requirement, intelligent construction and configuration solutions can optimize the number of passenger seats.
For space reasons and lack of regulations, certain vehicles according to the prior art merely comprise standard toilets, without providing separate toilets for persons with limited mobility. For example, it should be possible for handicapped individuals to enter "handicapped toilets" with a wheelchair. Handicapped toilets of this type require much more installation space and are scarce, particularly in aircraft, because they significantly reduce the operating efficiency of the aircraft in question and are used very infrequently.
DE 43 00 877 A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,260 A describe an aircraft including service equipment and toilets that are designed in the form of independent conventional toilet compartments.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a toilet configuration for use in a vehicle (e.g. an aircraft) that is usable by both handicapped and non-handicapped individuals.
In addition, other objects, desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent summary and detailed description, and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.


A device for controlling power supply to subscribers in a digital subscriber-switch board includes subscriber-line circuits which supply power to the subscribers, and a carrier-detection unit which is connected to a communication path to detect a carrier signal of a modem once the communication path is established between a caller and a receiver, the caller being one of the subscribers, wherein one of the subscriber-line circuits corresponding to the one of the subscribers is controlled to suspend power supply to the one of the subscribers when the carrier-detection unit detects the carrier signal on the communication path.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to subscriber-power-supply-control devices and subscriber-line circuits which are used along with a subscriber switch board for handling voice calls as well as internet calls.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration in which personal computers ;are accommodated via a digital-subscriber-switch board where the digital-subscriber-switch board generally deals with voice calls. The subscriber-switch board mainly includes a switch unit 1 and a central-control device 4, and accommodates conventional analog telephones TEL and modems of personal computers PC via subscriber-line circuits 2. Further, the subscriber-switch board accommodates modems belonging to computer-communication-service providers such as internet providers via a digital trunk 3. A power-supply device 7 is used for supplying power to the subscriber-switch board, and is also used for supplying power to subscriber-line circuits 2 and thence to the analog telephones.
In subscriber-switch boards handling voice calls, it is necessary to supply power to analog telephones. A direct current supplied to each analog telephone is used for detecting a start and an end of a call, and, also, is used for a voice/electric-current conversion in the telephone device. A typical level of power supply during a call is about 2 W (per each telephone) on average. In the case of an office-switch board servicing to more than ten thousand subscribers, for example, a total amount of supplied power reaches an enormous level, so that the power-supply device 7 needs to have a large capacity accordingly. Such a power-supply device 7 becomes an undesirably expensive. In general, the power-supply capacity of the power-supply device 7 is determined based on the power consumption of the subscriber-switch board as well as the power supply to the analog telephones, wherein the power-supply capacity relating to the power supply to the analog telephones is determined based on the number of subscribers simultaneously engaging in calls.
When personal computers PC are connected to the subscriber-switch board, modems are used as intermediaries for the connection. In this case, the subscriber-line circuits 2 supply power to modems, and the supplied current is used for detecting a start and an end of a call made by a personal computer PC. Since the personal computers PC receive AC power for their own operation from utility power supply, the current supplied from the subscriber-line circuit 2 is used for no purpose other than that of detecting a start and an end of a call.
A recent progress in use of personal-computer communications and the internet has resulted in a rapid increase in the number of data-communication calls, which are different from conventional voice calls in some aspects. Data-communication calls relating to the internet are referred to as internet calls. The internet call is generally characterized as being a lengthy call, which is held for a long time period to engage in an incessant communication. When the number of internet calls is increased, the amount of power supply is increased by a significant margin. In the case of a subscriber-switch board servicing to twenty-thausand subscribers, for example, the power-supply capacity of the power-supply device 7 is [150 A/xe2x88x9248 V] when most of the calls are expected to be voice calls. If a projection is given that the number of simultaneous calls will double because of an increase in the number of internet calls, the power-supply capacity of the power-supply device 7 needs to be [300 A/xe2x88x9248 V].
As the power-supply capacity of the power-supply device is increased in accordance with an increase in demand for the power supply, a price of the power-supply device will be increased, and so will be a cost of consumed power which is incurred as everyday expenses. As a result, a price of the switching system in its entirety as well as an operating cost thereof will be increased.
Accordingly, there is a need for preventing a power-supply capacity from being increased even when there is an increase in the number of non-conventional calls such as internet calls having different characteristics from those of conventional voice calls.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to satisfy the need described above.
It is another and more specific object of the present invention to prevent a power-supply capacity from being increased even when there is an increase in the number of non-conventional calls such as internet calls having different characteristics from those of conventional voice calls.
In order to achieve the above objects according to the present invention, a device for controlling power supply to subscribers in a digital subscriber-switch board includes subscriber-line circuits which supply power to the subscribers, and a carrier-detection unit which is connected to a communication path to detect a carrier signal of a modem once the communication path is established between a caller and a receiver, the caller being one of the subscribers, wherein one of the subscriber-line circuits corresponding to the one of the subscribers is controlled to suspend power supply to the one of the subscribers when the carrier-detection unit detects the carrier signal on the communication path.
In the device described above, the power supply from the subscriber-line circuit to the subscriber is suspended if a call made by the subscriber is a data-communication call. Therefore, a reduction can be made to the amount of power supply to the subscribers.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the device as described above is such that the carrier-detection unit continues to monitor the carrier signal on the communication path after the suspension of the power supply, and the one of the subscriber-line circuits is controlled to resume power supply to the one of the subscribers when the carrier-detection unit detects a termination of the carrier signal, the resumed power supply being used for monitoring an end of a call between the caller and the receiver.
In the device described above, the power supply to the subscriber is resumed after the termination of the carrier signal is detected during a data-communication call. Therefore, the resumed power supply can be used for detecting an end of the call just as in the case of a conventional voice call.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the device described above further includes a signal-termination-detection unit which checks whether a signal power is present in the communication path after the suspension of the power supply, wherein the one of the subscriber-line circuits is controlled to resume power supply to the one of the subscribers when the signal-termination-detection unit finds no signal power, the resumed power supply being used for monitoring an end of a call between the caller and the receiver.
In the device described above, the power supply to the subscriber is resumed if no signal power is detected during a data-communication call. Therefore, the resumed power supply can be used for detecting an end of the call just as in the case of a conventional voice call. Further, the signal-termination-detection unit has a sole function thereof in detecting a signal power, so that only a simple configuration is necessary for implementing the signal-termination-detection unit at a low cost.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the device described above further includes a central-control unit which is informed of a presence of the carrier signal by the carrier-detection unit, and controls the one of the subscriber-line circuits to suspend power supply to the corresponding one of the subscribers.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the device described above further includes a central-control unit which is informed of absence of the carrier signal by the carrier-detection unit, and controls the one of the subscriber-line circuits to resume power supply to the corresponding one of the subscribers.
According to another aspect of:the present invention, the device described above further includes a central-control unit which is informed of absence of the signal power by the signal-termination-detection unit, and controls the one of the subscriber-line circuits to resume power supply to the corresponding one of the subscribers.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the device described above is such that the communication path to which the carrier-detection unit is connected is a communication path on a receiver side.
In the device described above, a push-button signal transmitted from the subscribers is not confused, and does not bring about a false detection of a carrier signal.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the device described above is such that the carrier-detection unit includes a carrier-signal-detection unit which checks whether a signal is present within a range of carrier frequencies, an outside-band-signal-detection unit which checks whether a signal is present outside the range of carrier frequencies, and a check unit which detects a presence of the carrier signal when the carrier-signal-detection unit detects a presence of a signal within the range of carrier frequencies and the outside-band-signal-detection unit finds no signal outside the range of carrier frequencies, wherein the communication path to which the carrier-detection unit is connected is a communication path on a caller side.
In the device described above, even if a push-button signal containing some frequencies inside the range of carrier frequencies is transmitted from the caller side, such a signal can be distinguished from carrier signals, thereby avoiding a false detection of a carrier signal by confusing the push-button signal.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the device described above is such that the one of the subscriber-line circuits nullifies an on-hook-detection function thereof for at least a period during which the power supply is suspended.
In the device described above, even if the subscriber-line circuit generates a false on-hook-detection signal because of noises or the like during the suspension of power supply, such an on-hook-detection signal is ignored.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the device described above is such that the one of the subscriber-line circuits nullifies an on-hook-detection function thereof for a predetermined time period following a revival of the power supply.
In the device described above, even if the subscriber-line circuit generates a false on-hook-detection signal because of noises or the like during the predetermined period following the revival of power supply, such an on-hook-detection signal is ignored.
In order to achieve the objects previously described also according to the present invention, a subscriber-line circuit used in a digital subscriber-switch board and supplying power to a subscriber includes a carrier-detection unit which looks for a carrier signal of a modem on a communication path once the communication path is established through the subscriber-line circuit between a caller and a receiver, the caller being the subscriber, wherein the power supply to the subscriber is suspended when the carrier-detection unit detects the carrier signal on the communication path.
In the subscriber-line circuit described above, the power supply from the subscriber-line circuit to the subscriber is suspended if a call made by the subscriber is a data-communication call. Therefore, a reduction can be made to the amount of power supply to the subscribers.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the subscriber-line circuit as described above is such that the carrier-detection unit monitors the carrier signal on the communication path after the suspension of the power supply, and the power supply is resumed when the carrier-detection unit detects a termination of the carrier signal, the resumed power supply being used for monitoring an end of a call between the caller and the receiver.
In the device described above, the power supply to the subscriber is resumed after the termination of the carrier signal is detected during a data-communication call. Therefore, the resumed power supply can be used for detecting an end of the call just as in the case of a conventional voice call.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the subscriber-line circuit described above is such that the carrier-detection unit comprises a digital signal processor.
Functions of the subscriber-line circuits are implemented by using a digital signal processor in an increasing number of devices. In light of this, use of a digital signal processor for implementing the carrier-detection unit can achieve the configuration of the present invention solely based on an extension of software without expanding a hardware configuration, thereby preventing an undesirable increase in costs.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the subscriber-line circuit described above is such that the carrier-detection unit includes a carrier-signal-detection unit which checks whether a signal is present within a range of carrier frequencies, an outside-band-signal-detection unit which checks whether a signal is present outside the range of carrier frequencies, and a check unit which detects a presence of the carrier signal when the carrier-signal-detection unit detects a presence of a signal within the range of carrier frequencies and the outside-band-signal-detection unit finds no signal outside the range of carrier frequencies.
In the subscriber-line circuit described above, even if a push-button signal containing some frequencies inside the range of carrier frequencies is transmitted from the caller side, such a signal can be distinguished from carrier signals, thereby avoiding a false detection of a carrier signal by confusing the push-button signal.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the subscriber-line circuit described above is such that an on-hook-detection function thereof is nullified for at least a period during which the power supply is suspended.
In the subscriber-line circuit described above, even if the subscriber-line circuit generates a false on-hook-detection signal because of noises or the like during the suspension of power supply, such an on-hook-detection signal is ignored.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the subscriber-line circuit described above is such that an on-hook-detection function thereof is nullified for a predetermined time period following a revival of the power supply.
In the subscriber-line circuit described above, even if the subscriber-line circuit generates a false on-hook-detection signal because of noises or the like during the predetermined period following the revival of power supply, such an on-hook-detection signal is ignored.
Other objects and further features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Control of power supply to subcribers in digital switch board with respect to data-communication calls