A method and apparatus for non-seamless splicing of audio-video transport streams configured in accordance with MPEG-2 or other suitable techniques. A first transport stream is to be spliced with a second transport stream at a splice point. The first stream is configured such that the final first stream frame to be displayed will be a black frame or will have another suitable characteristic. Null packets are then delivered in place of the first stream transport packets for a predetermined period of time after the splice point. The predetermined time is generally greater than the sum of the splice decoding delay associated with the splice point and the maximum frame duration in the first stream. The transport packets of the second stream are then delivered. Null packets may be again delivered for a period of time sufficient to allow the final frame of the second stream to be displayed. The final first stream frame can be guaranteed to be a black frame by directing a digital stream insertion device to insert a black I-frame followed by an end-of-sequence code into the first stream. Alternatively, the final first stream frame could be forced to black during an encoding operation, and an end-of-sequence code could then be inserted at the splice point.

It is important in many video processing applications to accurately splice together bit streams from different video sources. The advent of digital video compression standards such as MPEG-2 has substantially increased the complexity of video splicing. Issues which arise when performing splicing operations on compressed digital streams include time-base synchronization, buffer management, audio/video format changes and audio/video synchronization. Failure to properly address these issues in the splicing operation can produce undesirable results at a decoder which receives the composite stream. The undesirable results include audio and video artifacts, decoder buffer overflows and underflows, and unsynchronized audio and video.
The MPEG-2 standard is used in digital multimedia applications which require efficient compression and transmission of video, audio and other information. The MPEG-2 standard was developed by the International Standards Organization (ISO) Moving Pictures Expert Group (MPEG) and is documented in ISO/IEC IS 13818-1, "Information Technology-Generic Coding of Moving Pictures and Associated Audio Information: Systems," ISO/IEC IS 13818-2, "Information Technology-Generic Coding of Moving Pictures and Associated Audio Information: Video" and ISO/IEC IS 13818-3, "Information Technology-Generic Coding of Moving Pictures and Associated Audio Information: Audio." The above-cited ISO documents are incorporated herein by reference. The systems specification of MPEG-2 provides a multi-layer hierarchical organization for multiplexing and transmission of audio-video data streams, and is described in greater detail in A. Wasilewski, "MPEG-2 Systems Specification: Blueprint for Network Interoperability," Communications Technology, February 1994, which is incorporated by reference herein. The MPEG-2 video and audio specifications provide compression and encoding of video and audio data streams. MPEG video compression is described in greater detail in D. LeGall, "MPEG: A Video Compression Standard for Multimedia Applications," Communications of the ACM, Vol. 34, No. 4, pp. 46-58, April 1991, which is incorporated by reference herein.
The systems aspects of the MPEG-2 standard generally involve multiplexing several elementary streams from one or more programs to form a higher level packet-based stream. A given program may correspond to one or more television or motion picture signals and may include multiple elementary streams in the form of separately-encoded compressed video and audio data streams, as well as other program data streams such as closed caption text. The higher level packet-based stream in accordance with the MPEG-2 standard may be either a program stream or a transport stream. An MPEG-2 program stream generally carries a single program such that all elementary streams in the program stream share a common time base, while an MPEG-2 transport stream can carry elementary streams from multiple programs with different time bases.
The program and transport streams associate related elementary data streams for a given program or programs such that the elementary streams can be extracted, decoded and presented together in a coherent fashion. The program and transport streams may be recorded on or played back from a digital video disc (DVD), video tape, magnetic or optical disk drive or other suitable storage device. It should be noted that both program streams and transport streams may be considered part of a transport layer in accordance with the ISO network reference model as set forth in the ISO 7498 standard. The term "transport stream" as used herein is therefore intended to include both MPEG-2 program streams and transport streams as well as other packet-based data streams formed in accordance with standards other than MPEG-2.
The elementary stream data is separated in accordance with the MPEG-2 standard into a sequence of variable-length packetized elementary stream (PES) packets. The PES packet structure separates the relatively long elementary streams into more manageable units, and permits the attachment of timing, identification and control information to particular portions of an elementary stream. A given PES packet has a PES header and a quantity of elementary stream data. The PES header may include timing information such as presentation time stamps (PTSs) and display time stamps (DTSs). Each PES packet is packetized into a plurality of fixed-length 188-byte transport packets which form an MPEG-2 transport stream.
FIG. 1A shows a portion of an MPEG-2 transport stream. Each transport packet includes a variable-length packet header followed by a payload. The packet header includes an 8-bit sync pattern which identifies the beginning of the transport packet, and a 13-bit packet identifier (PID) which identifies the data being carried by the transport packet. All PES-bearing transport packets with a given PID carry elementary stream data for only a single elementary stream and no other. The exemplary transport packet shown also includes a variable-length adaptation field which will be described in greater detail below. The transport packet header also includes two adaptation field control bits which indicate whether the corresponding transport packet includes a payload with no adaptation field, an adaptation field with no payload, or both an adaptation field and a payload as in FIG. 1A. The header also includes an error indicator bit, a payload unit start indicator bit, a transport priority bit, two transport scrambling control bits and a four-bit continuity counter. The payload portion of the transport packet will include elementary stream data from a corresponding PES packet if the transport packet is of the PES-bearing type. The transport packet may also be of the program specific information (PSI) type or the private data type.
FIG. 1B shows the format of an exemplary adaptation field in an MPEG-2 transport packet. The adaptation field may include a 42-bit program clock reference (PCR) which represents the value of the system time clock (STC) for a given program at the time when the PCR bits were inserted into the transport stream. Each program may have a different STC and therefore transport packets carrying elementary streams from different programs will generally have asynchronous PCRs. The PCR bits include thirty-three bits of PCR-BASE and nine bits of PCR-EXT. The PCR-EXT is a modulo-300 counter incremented at a clock rate of 27 MHz. The PCR-BASE is incremented after every 300 increments of the 27 MHz clock and thus represents a thirty-three bit counter operating at about 90 kHz. The PCR information is inserted into a transport packet during an encoding or multiplexing operation and is utilized in transport packet decoding to initialize and maintain the decoder system clock. Synchronization of audio, video and data streams within a given program is provided using the PCR information as well as the PTSs and DTSs which may be placed in the PES packet header.
Other elements of the exemplary adaptation field of FIG. 1A particularly relevant to splicing operations will now be described. A discontinuity indicator bit in the adaptation field is used for identifying time base discontinuities and continuity counter discontinuities. A time base discontinuity can occur in a packet with a PID designated as a PCR.sub.-- PID and indicates that the next program clock reference (PCR) in a transport packet with the same PID represents a sample of a new STC for the associated program. It should be noted that portions of PES packets with PTS or DTS values referring to the new time base may not occur in the transport stream prior to the transport packet with the first PCR of the new time base. Also, once the transport packet with the first PCR of the new time base has occurred, portions of PES packets with PTS or DTS values that refer to the old time base may not occur. A continuity counter discontinuity indicates that the continuity counter field for a given transport packet may be discontinuous with respect to the previous transport packet having the same PID. If this PID is also the PCR.sub.-- PID, then the continuity counter may only be discontinuous in the packet that contains the time base discontinuity.
An optional 8-bit splice countdown field serves to provide advance warning of a splice point by indicating the number of packets with the same PID which will arrive prior to the splice point. The countdown will reach zero in the packet immediately prior to the splice point. The packet in which the splice countdown is zero can thus be used to identify a splice point in a given transport stream. Following the splice point, the splice countdown field may take on negative values indicating that the splice point occurred a given number of packets previously. A splicing point flag is used to indicate whether or not the splice countdown field is present.
For video transport packets, an optional 4-bit splice type field specifies one of several different splice types depending on the video profile and level. The 4-bit value serves as an index to a table which specifies a splice decoding delay and a maximum splice rate, both of which represent restrictions on construction of a seamless splice. The splice decoding delay essentially specifies the buffer fullness at the splice point, while the maximum splice rate gives the maximum supported rate of the new stream such that decoder underflow or overflow will not occur. For audio transport packets, the splice type is set to "0000."
A 33-bit DTS.sub.-- next.sub.-- au field indicates the decoding time of the first access unit following the splice point in the event that no splice operation is performed. An access unit is a coded picture or audio frame and thus part of an elementary stream. A seamless splice flag is used to indicate the presence of splice type and DTS.sub.-- next.sub.-- au fields. This flag is not set to "1" unless the splicing point flag is also set to "1", and once set to "1" it remains set as long as the splice countdown field is positive.
FIGS. 2A-2C illustrate the importance of decoder buffer management in an exemplary transport stream splicing operation. If the splicing operation does not take into account the buffer trajectories of the two streams that are being spliced, there will be a high probability of either an underflow or an overflow of the decoder buffer. FIGS. 2A-2C show buffer trajectories for sequences of intra-coded (I), predictive-coded (P) and bidirectionally predictive-coded (B) MPEG-2 frames making up different transport streams. The buffer trajectories are typically provided by a video buffering verifier (VBV) in an encoder which generates the corresponding streams. FIG. 2A shows the decoder buffer trajectory for a first transport stream in which the P-frame designated by the arrow is the first frame to be replaced by another stream in a splicing operation. The first transport stream is also referred to herein as an input transport stream. FIG. 2B shows the decoder buffer trajectory for a second transport stream to be spliced into the first stream beginning with the I-frame designated by the arrow. The second transport stream is also referred to herein as an insertion stream. It can be seen from FIGS. 2A and 2B that both the first and second streams result in a decoder trajectory which remains below a maximum decoder buffer capacity. FIG. 2C shows the stream resulting from splicing the second stream beginning with the designated I-frame in place of a portion of the first stream beginning with the designated P-frame. The splice point is indicated by a solid arrow. The splice results in a decoder buffer overflow condition as indicated by a dashed arrow.
A number of other problems can arise in transport stream splicing. The problem of time base synchronization arises because the STCs used to generate the PCRs of the transport streams to be spliced will generally be asynchronous. The resulting time base discontinuity must be taken into account to avoid decoder buffer overflow and underflow. For example, if a time base discontinuity occurs, and a sequence of frames from the first stream remains in the decoder buffer, the frames may not be decoded properly. Because the decoding and presentation timestamps of the first stream reference a time base unrelated to that of the second stream, the decoder may incorrectly process those frames, resulting in a decoder buffer overflow. Other problems include the different durations of video and audio access units which prevent simultaneous seamless splicing of video and audio, the need to use closed prediction on the splice boundaries, the possibility of splicing from MPEG-1 to MPEG-2 video, and the possibility that the resolution or profile may change for video or that the sample rate or coding layer may change for audio.
The MPEG-2 standard supports both seamless and non-seamless splices. Seamless splices generally do not result in decoding discontinuities. The decoding time of the first access unit from the insertion stream is thus consistent with the decoding time of the access units of the input stream in which it is inserted. In other words, the first access unit from the insertion stream will be decoded at the same time that the first post-splice access unit of the input stream would have been decoded if the splice had not occurred. This decoding time is referred to as the seamless decoding time. It should be noted that the lack of decoding time discontinuities generally does not ensure acceptable decoder buffer behavior. In order to prevent decoder buffer overflow or underflow, certain conventions must be followed in the encoding of the streams that are spliced.
Non-seamless splices can result in decoding discontinuities. This means that the decoding time for the first access unit from the insertion stream generally does not equal the seamless decoding time. However, it is possible to create non-seamless splices that produce no unacceptable artifacts and therefore appear seamless to the viewer. In terms of application, seamless splices are generally more likely to be used in the studio environment while non-seamless splices are more likely to be used in broadcast applications such as ad insertion.
One of the challenges of both seamless and non-seamless splicing of MPEG-2 transport streams is the fact the MPEG-2 standard does not specify the display process. In particular, the display behavior of a decoder after an end.sub.-- of.sub.-- sequence code and at a time base discontinuity is unspecified.
Prior art stream insertion techniques generally utilize digital techniques for storage and retrieval of the stream to be inserted and analog techniques for the actual insertion operation. Exemplary analog ad insertion systems are described in greater detail in C. Brechin, "Advantages of digital ad insertion," Communications Technology, pp. 50-54, May 1995 and T. Walsh, "Ad insertion system architecture," Communications Technology, pp. 56-66, May 1995. The analog ad insertion systems typically detect a cue tone in a broadcast program to determine when and where a commercial or other advertisement is to be inserted within the program. The stream to be inserted is retrieved and decoded to generate an analog signal which is applied to a switch or router for insertion into the broadcast program. Although analog systems produce acceptable results in many applications, such systems fail to take advantage of the flexibility offered by digital video standards such as MPEG-2. Other problems with the prior art analog insertion systems include the excessive equipment costs resulting from the use of multiple digital-to-analog decoders to convert multiple streams to analog format prior to insertion. A number of proposals for facilitating digital splicing of MPEG-2 bit streams are described in S. M. Weiss, "Switching Facilities in MPEG-2: Necessary But Not Sufficient," SMPTE Journal, pp. 788-802, December 1995. However, the proposals fail to provide a simple and efficient technique for non-seamless digital splicing of MPEG-2 transport streams. Also, prior art digital seamless splicing techniques may require the streams to be demultiplexed into their respective elementary streams prior to the splicing operation and then remultiplexed after splicing. These demultiplexing and remultiplexing operations can unduly increase the complexity and processing overhead associated with digital seamless splicing.
As is apparent from the above, there is a need for an improved technique for non-seamless splicing of transport streams which utilizes digital stream insertion and avoids the above-noted problems of the prior art.

Non-seamless splicing of audio-video transport streams


A hypervisor boots all guest operating systems needed to setup/update server components as detected by an update utility. The update utility, after detecting server components, is booted into each guest O.S. so that the components are updated in parallel without having to sequentially boot the utility into a guest O.S., update its component, then shut down and re-boot into another guest O.S.

Computer servers typically have multiple firmware/hardware components that require setting up and potentially periodically updating. For example, a server may include a redundant array independent disk (RAID) controller, a server basic input output system (BIOS), video cards, network interfaces, etc., and some or all of these components require initial setup and often require periodic updating.
To setup and update server components, setup utilities (which are software programs) are often provided which are tailored to, e.g., update all the server components in one update process. The utility may be provided on a disk, and the server can invoke the utility by launching the utility into the utility's native operating system. The utility then discovers which components requiring updating are possessed by the server, and then sequentially updates each component.
As understood herein, it is frequently the case that each server component may have a native operating system that is different from the native operating systems of at least some of the other components. This means that the utility must relaunch itself into the native operating system of a first component, execute the update, then shut down and reboot into the native operating system of the next component, and so on until all components have been updated. This cyclic booting, updating, shutting down, and rebooting undesirably consumes time.

Multiple guest O.S. boot for server component setup


A fluorescent ink that makes tagger marks and is able to be used in valve jet printers at a rate of four #10 envelopes per second. The ink also penetrates paper at a rapid rate and dries at the same time it is penetrating the paper, without degrading the print quality. The penetrating agent solvent system may be isopropyl alcohol in combination with a surfactant. The surfactant may be polyethylene glycol ethers. Polyethylene glycol ethers have a high boiling point and low vapor pressure. The penetrating agent solvent system has a low boiling point and high vapor pressure and a low static and dynamic surface tension. This improves the inks rate of penetration into the paper and diminishes the amount of offset.

Valve jet printers are used in industrial applications for the printing of large characters and pictures onto cartons or other large items. Unlike other drop on demand ink jet systems, the design of using a valve to control the printer nozzle enables highly volatile solvents such as MEK (methyl ethyl ketone) to be used, since there is a reduced requirement to prevent drying at the nozzle. The reason for the above is that the valve jet is purged with a solution prior to extended shutdown periods. Valve jet printers have less complex technology than ink jet printers and are capable of printing larger volumes of material and more material area in a given time and are generally less expensive.
Red fluorescent inks have been used in postage meters or franking machines for imprinting postal indicia. Inks used for the printing of postal indicia in the United States have to be red fluorescent so that automatic sorting equipment may be used by the United States Postal Service. The excitation wave length at 254 nm of a typical red fluorescent ink while the emission radiation is in the range of 580-40 nm. The image obtained with the red fluorescent inks has to be permanent, i.e. good water fastness less than 0.07 optical density background change, good smear fastness and light fastness i.e., minimal change in L, a, b values. Also, the images on various substrates have to be resistant to mechanical abrasion and common office chemicals. An ink that does not dry out at extreme temperature (50.degree. C.) is beneficial to the printing system. The ink that penetrates rapidly into different substrates and has minimal offset to overlapping envelopes is also beneficial to the printing system.
A facer canceller is a device for handling, authenticating and sorting randomly oriented letter mail. Facer cancellers check the top and bottom front and back of a mail piece to cancel the stamps thereon and determine if a postal indicia is present. Facer cancellers can also identify the presence or absence of a tagger mark on an envelope. A tagger mark may have any geometric shape as long as it supplies enough fluorescent intensity to be detected. The tagger mark containing fluorescence enables a facer canceller to read and orient the mail piece.
An ink jet printer is incapable of placing fluorescent tags on mail pieces at rates greater than or equal to four #10 mail pieces per second, while meeting all of the above requirements. A valve jet printer is capable of printing fluorescent tags on mail pieces at speeds equal to or greater than four #10 mail pieces per second. When current fluorescent inks are used in valve jet printers the ink bleeds when the printing surface is exposed to water. This creates a problem since water is used to seal the mail piece.
Another disadvantage of prior art fluorescent ink jet inks is that they are difficult to manufacture. The inks require high purity i.e., the insoluble salts contained in the dyes and toner of the fluorescent ink have to be lower than one part per billion is preferred. The reason for the above is that if the insoluble salts have a greater concentration than that specified above, there will be a residue build up on the nozzles of the ink jet printer, which will cause clogging of the nozzle.
Another problem of prior art fluorescent inks is that they do not give consistent print quality on a large variety of substrates. Tagger inks have to be used on a large variety of paper envelopes. The components of the paper can be inhibiting to the fluorescence intensity or can have adverse effects on the optical density of the prints. Therefore, there is a need for a tagger mark that will have consistent fluorescence and optical density on a large variety of envelopes, while interacting with the paper.
Another disadvantage of the prior art is that the dyes have to be purified to prevent coagulation in the nozzle or jets of printers. This causes erratic firing of the printer and degrades the life of the print head. Often times ions like sodium, chlorine, magnesium, and sulfates have to be removed to lower concentrations. Purification methods are expensive and time consuming.


A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to the present invention is characterized by including a non-aqueous electrolyte which contains at least one of vinylene carbonate derivatives at a concentration of 1 wt % or less and at least one of cyclic sulfates at a concentration of 2 wt % or less. According to the present invention, a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery having excellent discharge characteristics at a low temperature can be obtained.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, as commercial cell phones, portable devices, personal digital assistances or the like have rapidly been diversified and reduced in size and weight, there is a strong need for development of a secondary battery as a power source thereof which is compact and lightweight and which also has a high energy density and can repeatedly charge and discharge over a long period of time. Specifically, a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery such as a lithium secondary battery has been studied intensively, because such secondary battery is excellent in terms of its size, weight and its high energy density over with a lead battery or a nickel cadmium battery which uses an aqueous electrolyte solution.
As a positive active material for the non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, various compounds have been investigated including titanium disulfide, vanadium pentoxide, and molybdenum trioxide, as well as other compounds having general formulae LixMO2 (where M is one or more transition metals) such as lithium cobalt complex oxides, lithium nickel complex oxides, and spinel type of manganese oxides. Particularly, lithium cobalt complex oxides, lithium nickel complex oxides, or spinel type manganese oxides can achieve a battery which provides a high discharge voltage by using such oxides as a positive electrode, because charge and discharge are performed at a noble potential than 4V vs. Li/Li+.
As a negative active material for the non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, various compounds have been investigated such as metallic lithium, lithium alloys, and carbon materials capable of intercalating and deintercalating lithium. Particularly, when using the carbon materials, there are some advantages that a battery having a long cycle life and a high level of safety can be obtained.
As an electrolyte for the non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, an electrolyte solution, produced by dissolving a supporting salt such as LiPF6 or LiBF4 in a mixed solvent including a solvent having a high dielectric constant such as ethylene carbonate or propylene carbonate and a solvent having a low viscosity such as dimethyl carbonate or diethyl carbonate, has generally been used.
The non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries are used in various circumstances. One of such circumstances is a cold climate. For example, a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery used for a cell phone is required to have excellent discharge characteristics even at a low temperature, since such cell phones may be used on skiing grounds or in mountains during a winter season.
The low temperature discharge characteristics are affected by various factors such as a current collecting property of the battery, an electric conductivity of the non-aqueous electrolyte, and a reactive resistance at positive and negative electrodes. Particularly in the case of a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery which generates a high voltage, components of the non-aqueous electrolyte are decomposed on a surface of an electrode, polymerized products which may cause a reduction in the electric conductivity of the electrolyte solution are produced, and a film having a low lithium ion conductivity is formed. Thus, the low temperature discharge characteristics of the non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery have often been impaired.
As a method for preventing such decrease in the low temperature discharge characteristics induced by the decomposition of the components in the non-aqueous electrolyte, a small amount of additive is added to the non-aqueous electrolyte. For example, high temperature storage characteristics can be improved while also improving low temperature characteristics thereof by adding a small amount of vinylene carbonate to a non-aqueous electrolyte of the non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-15768. This method improves the low temperature discharge characteristics, but its effect becomes insufficient in these days because performance of the non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery is required to be improved more than ever, so that a method for further improving the low temperature discharge characteristics has been desired.
In addition, a method of adding a cyclic sulfate to a non-aqueous solvent is described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 10-189042and 11-162511. However, in such patent applications, there are no descriptions about additive amounts which are sufficient for improving the low temperature discharge characteristics, and also, there are no descriptions that it is possible to obtain especially excellent discharge characteristics at a low temperature by using a predetermined amount of vinylene carbonate mixed with the above described solvent.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery


An organic salt formed between creatine and pyruvic acid and their attendant salts and analogs, is water soluble and possesses improved palatability. The creatine is in a chemical form which increases its resistance to aqueous acid hydrolysis. The creatine cation provides the additional energy which the demands of a pyruvate induced metabolic state require. The result is a salt, which, when ingested results in increased energy and an enhanced metabolic rate.

Creatine, also known as N-(Aminoiminomethyl)-N-methylglycine, methylglycocyamine or (.alpha.-methyl-guanido) acetic acid is listed in the MERCK INDEX, an accepted chemical encyclopedia and may be represented by the following depiction: ##STR1## The Merck Index Twelfth Edition, No. 2637. Perhaps because of the positioning of the NH.sub.2 gamma to the carboxylic acid, creatine is labile to acid hydrolysis. Regardless, however, of any purported rational, creatine is susceptible to cyclization under acid conditions to form creatinine which may be represented by the following formula: ##STR2##
Indeed, dependent on the pH, an equilibrium is reached where creatine and creatinine exist at a certain ratio. Cannan, Shore, Biochem. J. 22, 924 (1928). Creatinine is, as well, one by-product of normal metabolic use of creatine and has been used as a diagnostic marker of such use. Moreover, the exposure of creatine to the acidic environment of the stomach would be expected to cause the irreversible formation of creatinine precluding further biological use of ingested creatine. Furthermore, the ingestion of creatine has been associated with marked stomach and gastric upset. Although the ingestion of creatine and gastric upset are perhaps only linked by empirical observation, the acid lability of creatine and subsequent formation of creatinine provide potential reasons.
Muscle contraction and relaxation are fueled by the free energy liberated by the dephosphorylation of adenosinetriphosphate (ATP). The ATP stored within cells is rapidly depleted during even normal activity. For normal tissue function to continue, ATP must be rapidly resynthesized from its breakdown products, one of which is adenosine diphosphate (ADP). During maximal exercise of a short duration this resynthesis is accomplished almost exclusively by the anaerobic degradation of phosphocreatine (PCr) and glycogen. Hultman E. et al.; Energy metabolism and fatigue. In: Taylor A, Gollnick P, Green H, et al., eds. Biochemistry of exercise VII. Champaign, Ill.: Human Kinetic Publishers, 1990: vol. 21, 73-92. Greenhaff et al. proposed that the observed decline in force production during intense contraction may be related to the availability of muscle PCr stores. Greenhaff P. L., Casey A., Short A. H., Harris R., Soderlund K., Hultman E.; Influence of oral creatine supplementation of muscle torque during repeated bouts of maximal voluntary exercise in man; Clinical Science (1993) 84, 565-571. The depletion of these PCr stores limits the re-phosphorylation of ADP, thereby limiting the ATP available for energy production. Greenhaff et al. further proposed that any mechanism capable of increasing the intramuscular total creatine store might arrest PCr depletion during intense muscular contraction and offset or even prevent the decline in the rate of ADP re-phosphorylation during exercise. Grennhaff et al. did not present any solution whereby the effective amount of creatine within the muscle cells could be increased. Indeed, Greenhaff et al. relied upon work previously published by Harris et al. where it was demonstrated that the creatine content of skeletal muscles may be increased, however by only 20%-50%, through standard oral pathways. Importantly, in order to achieve this increase in the creatine content of muscle cells the subjects of the study were required to ingest 20 grams of creatine monohydrate, much of which was washed out through the urine prior to use. Harris R C, Soderlund K, Hultman E.; Elevation of creatine in resting and exercised muscle of normal subjects by creatine supplementation., Clin. Sci., 1992; 83: 367-74.
Creatine can be found biologically in many forms and in diverse portions of the body. Walker report creatine to exist mainly in the nerves and muscle. Walker J. B.; Creatine: Biosynthesis, regulation, and function; Adv. Enzymology and Related Areas of Molecular Biology (1979) 50: 177-242. Creatine has a normal turnover rate of .about.2 grams per day. The biochemical process which uses creatine for the regeneration of ATP from ADP irreversibly transforms creatine to creatinine which is eliminated through the urine. Because creatine is irreversibly used, the body must either produce creatine biochemically or secure an outside source for the needed creatine.
Biochemically creatine is synthesized in the human liver and pancreas whereas creatine is synthesized exclusively in the liver by members of the poultry family. The human liver and pancreas use the amino acids glycine, serine, arginine and methionine to synthesize creatine. However, where sufficient creatine is made bioavailable through ingestion such biosynthesis would seem to be minimized. Although animal muscle contains approximately 0.5% creatine by weight, most of this is degraded by cooking thereby precluding cooked meat from the potential list of external sources of ingestible creatine. Moreover, neither plant nor vegetable matter provides a significant source of creatine.
Creatine has been utilized as a component of compositions taught in several recent U.S. patents. U.S. Pat. No. 5,397,786 entitled REHYDRATION DRINK discloses and claims a rehydration drink for the treatment and prevention of the loss of essential electrolytes because of fluid loss. This patent teaches that creatine, B vitamins, pantothenic acid and choline are energy enhancers. Additionally, this invention provides for the addition of numerous salts such as MgCO.sub.3, CaCO.sub.3 and magnesium aspartate as a supplement which contains essential nutrients. However the use of ionic salts such as MgCO.sub.3 is less effective than desired because most of the ingested element is lost in the acidic environment of the stomach.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,576,316 entitled METHOD FOR INHIBITING TUMOR GROWTH RATE USING CREATINE OR CREATINE ANALOGS issued Nov. 19, 1996. This patent teaches the use of creatine and creatine analogs for the treatment of tumors. Specifically it is alleged that the administration of creatine in the form of a salt can reduce a tumor's growth rate. This patent also teaches that significant portions of orally administered creatine are lost through the urine without having been used by the host.
Pyruvic acid in various organic and inorganic derivatives, is found in diverse tissue systems and regions of the body. Pyruvic acid, a simple keto-acid may be represented by the following formula. ##STR3## It is liquid at ambient temperature and somewhat similar to acetic acid in taste and odor. Pyruvic acid becomes anionic when the pH becomes more basic than the pKa of the carboxylic acid moiety of the molecule. Following the expected ionization of the acidic portion pyruvic acid yields the cation H.sup.+ and the anion pyruvate. Importantly, the use of the suffix "ate" connotes an ionic or salt form of an organic molecule. Accordingly, pyruvic acid could be transformed into the sodium salt of pyruvic acid through the reaction of pyruvic acid with sodium hydroxide to form sodium pyruvate, wherein the ate ending denotes the formation of a salt from pyruvic acid. To one skilled in the art it will be apparent that an inorganic salt is the salt formed from the reaction of inorganic acids (HCl, H.sub.2 SO.sub.4, HI, etc) and inorganic bases (NaOH, NH.sub.4 Cl, etc). Additionally, an inorganic salt would also include any salt which contains an inorganic cation or anion as exemplified infra.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,612,374 titled INHIBITING GROWTH OF MAMMARY ADENOCARCINOMA issued to Ronald Stanko is directed to the administration of pyruvate salts to inhibit the growth of mammary adenocarcinoma. The patent teaches the use of sodium and calcium salts and organic esters of pyruvic acid.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,480,909 titled METHOD FOR INHIBITING GENERATION OF FREE-RADICALS issued to Ronald Stanko discloses the use of pyruvate as a free radical scavenger. According to this invention, a patient who is experiencing, or who is expected to experience, bodily stress which might result in free radical generation receives appropriate dosages of pyruvate before, during and following each free radical generating incident. This patent discloses several forms of pyruvate, namely calcium pyruvate, pyruvate esters and other organic pyruvate analogs.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,294,641 entitled METHOD FOR TREATING A MEDICAL PATIENT FOR CARDIAC TRAUMA issued to Ronald Stanko discloses a method which uses pyruvate for the treatment of the adverse effects of ischemia. This is accomplished by introducing a therapeutic quantity of pyruvate into the blood stream of the patient prior to the surgical procedure to increase the patient's cardiac output. One alternative is presented wherein the patient may take effective oral dosages of pyruvate prior to and during periods of potential risk.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,614,561 titled ANTIHISTAMINE WOUND HEALING COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR PREPARING AND USING SAME, to Alain Martin discloses a composition which contains pyruvate, an antioxidant and a mixture of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, as a wound healing composition. The combination of a topical antihistamine agent and the wound healing composition is said to be useful for treating itching associated with skin irritations and further increase the resuscitation rate of injured mammalian cells.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,602,183 entitled DERMATOLOGICAL WOUND HEALING COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR PREPARING AND USING SAME to Alain Martin discloses a wound healing composition which is composed of pyruvate, an antioxidant and a mixture of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. This invention pertains to therapeutic dermatological wound healing compositions useful to minimize and treat diaper dermatitis.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,351,835 entitled METHOD FOR PREVENTING BODY FAT DEPOSITION IN MAMMALS issued to Ronald T. Stanko discloses a method for reducing the rate of liver triglyceride synthesis and body fat deposition in mammals by orally administering over a prolonged period a mixture of pyruvate and dihydroxyacetone.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,508,308 entitled USE OF PYRUVYLGLYCINE TO TREAT ISCHEMIA/REPERFUSION INJURY FOLLOWING MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION issued to Robert H. Miller discloses that pyruvate, as pyruvylglycine, provides protection to mammalian heart muscle which has been deprived of a blood supply and, therefore, oxygen; which can occur during a heart attack. Pyruvylglycine is not the salt of glycine and pyruvic acid but rather is a single organic molecule which contains sections which correspondingly resemble a pyruvic acid molecule and a glycine molecule.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,134,162 titled METHOD FOR LOWERING HIGH BLOOD CHOLESTEROL LEVELS IN HYPERLIPIDEMIC ANIMALS AND CONFECTIONS AS THE INGESTION MEDIUM issued to Ronald Stanko discloses a method whereby the blood cholesterol level of a hyperlipidemic patient is lowered through the ingestion of pyruvate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,790 titled METHOD FOR IMPROVING THE GLUCOSE METABOLISM OF AN ANIMAL HAVING DIABETIC TENDENCIES issued to Ronald Stanko discloses a method for treating animals having diabetic tendencies to improve the glucose metabolism of the animal by oral administration of an effective amount of pyruvate and dihydroxyacetone.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,812,479 titled METHOD FOR PREVENTING BODY FAT DEPOSITION IN MAMMALS issued to Ronald T. Stanko is directed to a method for reducing the weight gain in an animal by administering over a prolonged period a therapeutically effective amount of dihydroxyacetone. This method also includes the administration of a mixture of dihydroxyacetone and pyruvate to increase the glycogen store in the liver.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,645,764 titled METHOD FOR PREVENTING BODY FAT DEPOSITION IN ANIMALS issued to Ronald Stanko is directed to a method for reducing body fat deposition in non-mammals. Specifically this invention teaches a method for controlling weight gain in chickens by means of coadministering pyruvate and dihydroxyacetone, preferably along with riboflavin.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,937 titled METHOD FOR PREVENTING BODY FAT DEPOSITION IN MAMMALS issued to Ronald Stanko discloses a method for reducing the weight gain or controlling the weight gain in mammals through the administration over a prolonged period of effective amounts of pyruvate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,415,576 titled METHOD FOR PREVENTING BODY FAT DEPOSITION IN MAMMALS issued to Ronald Stanko is directed to a method for reducing the rate of liver triglyceride synthesis and body fat deposition in mammals through the administration of an effective amount of a mixture of pyruvate and dihydroxyacetone.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,158,057 titled PREVENTION OF THE ACCUMULATION OF FATTY DEPOSITS IN THE LIVER issued to Ronald Stanko discloses a method for preventing the accumulation of fatty deposits in mammalian livers secondary to the ingestion of alcohol. The method herein disclosed consists of administering a suitable dosage of a mixture of dihydroxyacetone and pyruvate. The invention disclosed is specifically drawn to the prevention of fat deposition in livers of mammals where alcohol consumption has or will occur. Pyruvate is defined to mean pyruvic acid and not a salt thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,283,260 titled METHOD FOR REDUCING INSULIN RESISTANCE IN MAMMALS issued to Robert H. Miller is directed to a method for the administration of pyruvate salts, pyruvyl-amino acid compounds and pyruvate precursors to cause a reduction in insulin resistance in mammals. This patent teaches the use of simple metal salts of pyruvic acid e.g., Na, K and Ca pyruvates and chemically modified pyruvate analogues such as pyruvyl-glycine.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,256,697 titled METHOD OF ADMINISTERING PYRUVATE AND METHODS OF SYNTHESIZING PYRUVATE PRECURSORS issued to Robert Miller is drawn to a method of administering pyruvate precursors, pyruvate salts and pyruvyl-amino acid compounds. This patent teaches the use of simple metal salts of pyruvic acid e.g., Na, K and Ca pyruvates and chemically modified pyruvate analogues such as pyruvyl-glycine.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,047,427 titled TREATMENT FOR SECONDARY DIABETES EFFECTS issued to Joseph Williamson is directed to dietary supplements which are capable of preventing the secondary effects of diabetes in cells characterized by glucose uptake mechanisms which are not regulated by insulin. The disclosed invention is directed to a method to reduce the effects of diabetes through the administration of an effective amount of pyruvate salts. This patent teaches the use of simple metal salts of pyruvic acid e.g., Na, K and Ca pyruvates.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,395,822 titled USE OF PYRUVATE TO PREVENT NEURONAL DEGENERATION ASSOCIATED WITH ISCHEMIA issued to Yukitoshi Izumi discloses a method of using a metal salt of pyruvic acid to protect against neuronal degeneration do to ischemia or due to hypoxia, hypoglycemia which interfere with the energy metabolism of neurons. This patent teaches the use of simple metal salts of pyruvic acid e.g., Na, K and Ca pyruvates.
Although the administration of pyruvic acid or an inorganic salt thereof has allegedly contributed to numerous beneficial physiological results, all previous publications teach administration of inorganic salts of pyruvic acid alone or in admixture with other ingredients such as dihydroxyacetone. Most prior art seems to teach that it is the combined administration of dihydroxyacetone and the inorganic salt of pyruvic acid that causes the desired result. Additional scientific publication have demonstrated that the administration of pyruvate and dihydroxyacetone increases arm muscle glucose extraction both before and during exercise thereby enhancing submaximal arm endurance capacity. Stanko et al., Enhancement of arm exercise endurance capacity with dihydroxyacetone and pyruvate.; Journal of Applied Physiology 68: 119-124, 1990. Further study by Stanko et al. revealed a 63% improvement in leg glucose concentration following 30 minutes of exercise. Stanko et al, Enhanced leg-exercise endurance with a high-carbohydrate diet and dihydroxyacetone and pvruvate.; Journal of Applied Physiology 69: 1651-1656, 1990. Pyruvate has also been shown to reduce fat accumulation by 32% in rats. Stanko et al., Inhibition of lipid accumulation and enhancement of energy expenditure by addition of pyruvate and dihydroxyacetone to a rat diet.; Metabolism 35: 182-186, 1986. Moreover pyruvate and dihydroxyacetone has been shown to have a beneficial impact on weight as altered by fat loss. Obese female subjects which were fed pyruvic acid as a dietary supplement lost 37% more weight and 48% more fat than the control group. Stanko et al., Body composition and Energy Utilization and nitrogen metabolism with a 4.25-MJ/d low-energy diet supplement with pyruvate. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition; 56: 630-635, 1992. Additional studies on animals have shown that the addition of pyruvate and dihydroxyacetone to the diet leads to increased rates of heat production and energy expenditure. Stanko eg al., Inhibition of lipid accumulation and enhancement of energy expenditure by the Addition of Pyruvate and Dihydroxyacetone consumption on the growth and metabolic State of Zucker Rats. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition; 53: 847-853, 1991. It is noteworthy that all previous publications employ the simple metal salt of pyruvic acid. Furthermore the pyruvate salt is usually mixed with another substance such as dihydroxy acetone.
From the above it is apparent that each creatine and pyruvic acid and their attendant salts and analogs have beneficial physiological properties. However, one drawback associated with their administration is that of palatability. Neither creatine nor pyruvic acid, or their simple salts, have a pleasant taste. Pyruvic acid is a liquid that, as noted above, is somewhat similar to acetic acid in odor and taste. Simple salts of pyruvic acid, are solids, but somewhat resemble the odor and flavor of the acid. In addition, when administered as simple salts, such as sodium, potassium, calcium, etc., they include a metal cation that may not be beneficial.
In view of the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the oral administration of a single composition incorporating both pyruvate and creatine as a palatable organic salt which retains, or even enhances, the bioeffectiveness of each, would be a significant advancement in the art.

Creatine pyruvate salt with enhanced palatability


A recreational vehicle comprising a vehicle frame having a plurality of wheels and a coach having a slide-out mounted on the vehicle frame is disclosed herein. In particular, the recreational vehicle comprises an improved slide-out mechanism for deploying and retracting slide-out structures from the coach of the recreational vehicle. In one aspect, the recreational vehicle may comprise an armature having a fixed member with a roller and a guiding channel mounted to the vehicle frame and a rail member slidably positioned within the fixed member so as to contact the roller, wherein the rail member is adapted to telescopically extend from the fixed member through the guiding channel so as to deploy and retract the slide-out. Also, the recreational vehicle may further comprise an actuator assembly having a first gearing mechanism displaced from the roller a first distance and housed within the guiding channel so as to contact the rail member at the first distance, wherein the first gearing mechanism can be displaced from the roller at a second distance that is greater than the first distance so as to improve the weight distribution of the slide-out.

1. Field
The present teaching relates to recreational vehicles and, in particular, relates to an improved mechanism for deploying and retracting recreational vehicle slide-outs.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recreational vehicles are becoming increasingly popular with people who wish to retain the comforts and conveniences of home while spending extended periods of time away from home at remote locations. In more elaborate configurations, the recreational vehicle typically includes interior living areas with amenities and convenience fixtures, such as a bedroom area with a bed and wardrobe closet, a bathroom area with a sink, a flushing toilet, a shower, and a washing machine, a kitchen with a refrigerator, stove, and galley sink, and a generously sized living area with reclining chairs and an entertainment center. Also, a recreational vehicle may be easily parked at a wide variety of locations so that users may enjoy the amenities of the vehicle at their favorite destination. Consequently, people who use recreational vehicles may usually be assured of a comfortable living environment at their preferred remote destination without having to rely on the availability of suitable hotels.
In response to consumer demand, manufacturers have developed increasingly larger recreational vehicles. In particular, manufacturers have developed recreational vehicles with one or more extendable structures, commonly referred to as slide-outs, that provide the user with a supplemental living space when the vehicle is parked in a suitable location. The extendable structure is adapted to extend into a deployed configuration during the time that the vehicle is parked so that the interior living space within the recreational vehicle is increased by an amount which is substantially equal to the supplemental living space of the extendable structure. The extendable structure is also adapted to retract into a retracted configuration during the time that the vehicle is in motion so that the traveling dimensions of the recreational vehicle are within the maximum allowed length and width.
The typical extendable structure or slide-out is positioned within an opening of the housing of the recreational vehicle and is comprised of a plurality of walls that form the supplemental living space therein and an opening that provides access to the supplemental living space. In general, the slide-out is deployed and retracted using extendable rails that are operated with a motor or hydraulic devices. The extendable rails are often structurally supported at a position offset from the exterior sidewall and the outer most portion of the vehicle frame. When the slide-out is deployed, the weight of the slide-out is mostly supported by the extendable rails.
Structural limitations of the vehicle frame typically restrict the position of the extendable rails such that the extendable rails have to leverage the weight of the slide-out over a short distance due to the restricted positioning of the extendable rails with respect to the vehicle frame. Unfortunately, the support structures can deform or warp over time and through excessive use, which can adversely effect the reliability of the extendable rails during deployment and retraction. Moreover, the size of the slide-out is limited by weight, wherein typical extendable rails could not support a large slide-out due to the lack of structural support for heavy slide-out structures. From the foregoing, there currently exists a need to improve the reliability of the extendable members so as to better support the slide-out when deployed and during deployment and retraction. To this end, an improved method of supporting the slide-out is further needed to allow for larger slide-out structures.

Slide-out mechanism for recreational vehicles


A medical diagnostic method and instrumentation system for analyzing noncovalently bonded agglomerated biological particles is described. The method and system comprises: a method of preparation for the biological particles; an electrospray generator; an alpha particle radiation source; a differential mobility analyzer; a particle counter; and data acquisition and analysis means. The medical device is useful for the assessment of human diseases, such as cardiac disease risk and hyperlipidemia, by rapid quantitative analysis of lipoprotein fraction densities. Initially, purification procedures are described to reduce an initial blood sample to an analytical input to the instrument. The measured sizes from the analytical sample are correlated with densities, resulting in a spectrum of lipoprotein densities. The lipoprotein density distribution can then be used to characterize cardiac and other lipid-related health risks.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to particle size analysis and, further, to analysis of biological particles for diagnostic purposes utilizing traditional particulate size or mobility measurement devices. One aspect of the present invention more particularly relates to medical diagnostics for the quantitative and qualitative analysis of lipoprotein classes and subclasses and their relationship to the assignment of coronary heart disease and other lipid-related health risks.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
Introduction
In clinical practice, lipoprotein particle measurements are used to assess cardiovascular and other lipid-related health risks, determine treatment protocols and track the efficacy of treatment regimens. Lipoprotein particles comprise macromolecules that package cholesterol and other biochemicals, enabling them to be transported through the blood stream. The size distribution of lipoprotein particles varies among individuals due to both genetic and nongenetic influences. The diameters of lipoprotein particles typically range from about 7 nm to about 120 nm. In this diameter size range, there exist subfractions of the particles that are important predictors of cardiovascular disease. For instance, very low density lipoproteins transport triglycerides in the blood stream; high very low density lipoprotein levels in the blood stream are indicative of hypertriglyceremia. These subfractions are identified by analytical techniques that display the quantity of material as a function of lipoprotein particle size or density.
Standard Plasma Lipid and Lipoprotein Cholesterol Measurement Techniques
Typical standard lipid measurements include fasting total cholesterol, triglyceride, as well as HDL and LDL cholesterol. Currently, the most widely used method for measuring LDL cholesterol is the indirect Friedewald method (Friedewald, et al., Clin. Chem. Vol. 18, pp. 499-502, 1972). The Friedewald assay method requires three steps: 1) determination of plasma triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC), 2) precipitation of VLDL and LDL, and 3) quantitation of HDL cholesterol (HDLC). Using an estimate for VLDLC as one-fifth of plasma triglycerides
      (          TG      5        )    ,the LDL cholesterol concentration (LDLC) is calculated by the formula: LDLC=TC−(HDLC+VLDLC). While generally useful, the Friedewald method is limited in its accuracy in specific cases. Errors can occur in any of the three steps, in part because this method requires that different procedures be used in each step. The Friedewald method is to a degree indirect, as it presumes that VLDLC concentration is one-fifth that of plasma triglycerides. When the VLDL of some patients deviates from this ratio, further inaccuracies occur. Ultracentrifugation must be employed for separation and subsequent determination of LDL cholesterol for some samples, since the Friedewald method cannot be used for patients with TG over 400 mg/dL.
Procedures For Lipoprotein Subspecies Analysis
Presently, the predominant methods for lipoprotein subspecies analysis include nuclear magnetic resonance, the vertical auto profile, and Electrophoretic gel separation. Each of these methods will be briefly discussed below.
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
Otvos teaches a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) procedure for determining the concentrations of lipoprotein subclasses, which has greater accuracy than Friedewald (U.S. Pat. No. 5,343,389, issued Aug. 30, 1994). Otvos initially obtains the NMR chemical shift spectrum of a blood plasma or serum sample. The observed spectrum of the entire plasma sample is then matched with the known weighted sums of NMR spectra of lipoprotein subclasses, which are stored in a computer software program. The weight factors that give the best fit between the sample spectrum and the calculated spectrum are then used to estimate the concentrations of constituent lipoprotein subclasses in the blood sample. This procedure has the additional advantage of being rapid.
Vertical Auto Profile
Another lipoprotein subfraction determination method that is used clinically is the Vertical Auto Profile (VAP), (Kulkarni, et al., J. Lip. Res., Vol. 35, pp. 159-168, 1994). In the Vertical Auto Profile method, a flow analyzer is used for the enzymatic analysis of cholesterol in lipoprotein classes separated by a short spin single vertical ultracentrifugation, with subsequent spectrophotometry and software analysis of the resulting data. While a useful advance, this technique does not resolve the LDL into all seven subspecies identified by electrophoretic gradient gel separation.
Electrophoretic Gradient Gel Separation
The gel separation method is demonstrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,925,229, issued Jul. 20, 1999, by R. M. Krauss, et al., entitled "Low Density Lipoprotein Fraction Assay for Cardiac Disease Risk," (the '229 patent), which is hereby incorporated by reference. In the '229 patent, a gradient gel electrophoresis procedure for the separation of LDL subclasses is disclosed. The LDL fractions are separated by gradient gel electrophoresis, producing results that are comparable to those obtained by ultracentrifuge. This method generates a fine resolution of LDL subclasses, and is used principally by research laboratories. However, gradient gel electrophoresis can take many hours to complete. It would be useful if gradient gel electrophoresis separation times could be shortened and the analysis simplified so that high resolution lipid analysis could be used in clinical laboratories as part of a routine screening of blood samples, and to assign a risk factor for coronary artery disease.
The gel separation method, which depends on uniform staining of all components that are subsequently optically measured, suffers from nonuniform chromogenicity. That is, not all lipoprotein particles stain equally well. The differential stain uptake produces erroneous quantitative results, in that a less staining peak may be read at a lower value than is actually present. Additionally, the nonuniform chromogenicity can result in erroneous qualitative results, in that measured peaks may be skewed to a sufficient degree as to confuse one class or subclass of lipoprotein with another.
A high-resolution assay for measuring all subclasses of LDL as well as VLDL, IDL, HDL, and chylomicron particles that would be accurate, direct, and complete, would be an important innovation in lipid measurement technology. If inexpensive and convenient, such an assay could be employed not only in research laboratories, but also in a clinical laboratory setting. Ideally, clinicians could use this information to improve current estimation of coronary disease risk and make appropriate medical risk management decisions based on the assay.

Determining the risk of cardiovascular disease using ion mobility of lipoproteins

The Regents of the University of California


A turbine is equipped with a turbine rotor (21), a turbine casing, a turbine blade (24), a turbine stator and a diffuser (4A). The diffuser (4A) is equipped with an inner cylinder (41) extending along an axis, an outer cylinder covering the inner cylinder (41) from an outer circumferential side and forming an exhaust flow path (C) between the inner cylinder (41) and the outer cylinder. The inner cylinder (41) is equipped with an inclined surface (51) extending from an inner side to an outer side in the radial direction centering on the axis as going from one side to the other side in the direction of the axis. The inclined surface (51) is disposed to intersect an extension (55) obtained by extending platforms (54) of a plurality of turbine blades (24) to the other side in the direction of the axis, in a cross sectional view including the axis.

In general, a gas turbine includes a compressor, a combustor, and a turbine. The compressor compresses external air to generate high-pressure air. The combustor mixes and combusts the high-pressure air generated by the compressor and fuel to generate high-temperature and high-pressure combustion gas. The turbine is driven by the combustion gas generated by the combustor.
A diffuser having an inner cylinder, an outer cylinder and a strut is provided on a downstream side of the turbine (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The inner cylinder is disposed on an inner circumferential side of the diffuser. The outer cylinder covers the inner cylinder from an outer circumferential side to form an exhaust flow path between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder. A plurality of struts are provided at intervals in a circumferential direction. The struts extend in a radial direction of the turbine from an outer circumferential surface of the inner cylinder. The inner cylinder and the outer cylinder are connected to each other via the struts.
The exhaust flow path of the diffuser is formed such that a flow path area gradually increases from the upstream side to the downstream side of a flowing direction of the combustion gas. The combustion gas (exhaust gas) that drives the turbine is restored to a static pressure by passing through the exhaust flow path thus formed.
The improved performance of the diffuser substantially increases a pressure ratio of the gas turbine. Therefore, the efficiency of the entire gas turbine can be improved by improvement in the performance of the diffuser.


A method for fabricating a high bias metal oxide semiconductor device includes using a trench structure instead of the conventional field oxide layer, constructing a structure with a vertical voltage gradient and performing punch implantation and threshold voltage implantation under a doped N.sup.- region and a doped P.sup.- region to increase the channel length.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS), and more particularly to a method for fabricating a high bias complementary MOS (CMOS).
2. Description of Related Art
As the size of semiconductor device is reduced, the channel length is accordingly reduced, resulting in a semiconductor device with a faster operational speed. However, even though the shorter channel length raises the operational speed, a channel length that is too short creates other serious problems. These problems are generally called the short channel effect and are described as follows. If the bias applied on the semiconductor device is kept constant but the channel length is shortened, according to a formula of "electric field (E-field)=bias/channel length", where E-field is measured in units of "V/m", the electrons within the channel gain more energy due to the stronger E-field so that the possibility of an electrical breakdown is higher.
In conventional methodology, a high bias MOS device usually employs an isolation layer and a drift region under the isolation layer to increase the distance between the source/drain regions and the gate. This allows the MOS device to work normally, even when a high bias is applied.
FIGS. 1A-1C are cross sectional views schematically illustrating some conventional high bias MOS devices.
In FIG. 1A, an N.sup.- doped region 101, an N.sup.+ doped region 102 and a gate layer 103 are formed on a semiconductor substrate such as a P.sup.- substrate 100. The N.sup.+ doped region 102 is the source/drain region. The N.sup.- doped region 101 is used to increase the distance between the source/drain region 102 and the gate 103.
FIG. 1B shows a P.sup.- substrate 110 with an N.sup.- doped region 111, an N.sup.+ doped region 112 for a source/drain region, a spacer 113 and a gate layer 114. The N.sup.- doped region 111 and the spacer 113 are used to increase the distance between the source/drain region 112 and the gate 114.
FIG. 1C shows a P.sup.- substrate 120 with an N.sup.- doped region 121, an N.sup.+ doped region 122 for source/drain region, a field oxide (FOX) 123 and a gate layer 124. The N.sup.- doped region 121 and spacer 123 are used to increase the distance between the source/drain region 122 and the gate 124.
The structures of the conventional high bias MOS devices shown in FIGS. 1A-1C are planar. To obtain an enough space for isolations between MOS devices, the planar dimension would have to be increased. This contradicts to the trend of reducing the critical dimension in semiconductor devices. This means that because the channel length in the conventional high bias MOS device can't be effectively reduced, the integration of a device is undermined so that a high bias MOS device can't be reduced in size to submicron dimensions.

Method for fabricating a high bias metal oxide semiconductor device


A workflow is processed by plurality of activity servers, each of the plurality of activity servers performing at least one of a plurality of activities. In step a, a workflow packet requiring one of the plurality of activities to be executed is retrieved from a workflow queue. In step b, the activity is executed by the one of the plurality of activity servers. In step c, a next activity to be performed is determined based on workflow transition information. In step d, the next activity is executed if the one of the plurality of activity performs the next activity. In step e, the next activity is forwarded to the workflow queue if the one of the plurality of activities does not perform the activity. Steps a-e are repeated until all of the plurality of activities in the workflow are executed.

The following invention relates to workflows and, in particular, to a system and method for distributing workflow activities across multiple activity servers.
Workflow process management automates the flow of work through an organization to accomplish business tasks. In order to apply workflow process management to automate business tasks, the business tasks are modeled as workflow processes that include a coordinated set of process activities that are connected in order to accomplish the particular business task. Each process activity is a logical step or description of a piece of work that is part of the business task and can be a manual activity and/or an automated activity. By executing the activities associated with a particular workflow process, the corresponding business task is performed. See, for example, Workflow: An Introduction, by Rob Allen of Open Image System Inc., (http://www.wfmc.org/standards/docs/Workflow_An_Introduction.pdf)
Workflow process management techniques are useful for streamlining the execution of business tasks. By defining various elemental activities that are used in solving business tasks, a workflow process designer can use these activities to specify a workflow for solving a particular business task. Also, because many of the activities are common to different workflows, the task of specifying a workflow process to solve a business problem is often simplified.
Executing a workflow process typically entails writing computer software that performs the automated activities and provide an interface mechanism for receiving manual instructions for manual activities. By executing on a computer system the computer software associated with the activities of a particular workflow in the order defined by that workflow, the particular workflow process is executed and the corresponding business task is performed.
Although workflow management techniques simplify the definition and execution of business tasks, the use of these techniques gives rise to certain problems. For example, in a system that executes multiple workflows simultaneously, it may often occur that several workflows require access to the same activity in order to complete its execution thereby creating a bottleneck that will adversely affect system performance. Also, certain activities that are maintained by the computer system(s) executing the workflows may be infrequently used and, as a result, system resources are wasted. In addition, the execution of a first workflow that shares certain activities with a second workflow may become blocked by the second workflow that is waiting for a user response to a manual activity request. Thus, the benefits of applying workflow management techniques is limited by the ability to distribute and execute different activities in a shared environment and across multiple servers.
Various prior art techniques exist for load balancing workflow activities across system resources. Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a block diagram of a prior art "free-for-all" system 10 for distributing workflow activities. System 10 includes a plurality of activity servers 11 each of which perform a certain number of activities. Also included is a database 12 that stores the activities to be performed for executing various workflows. Each of activity servers 11 competes for work by polling database 12 for activities that they can process.
A drawback of this approach is that each time one of activity servers 11 obtains work from database 12, it must lock database 12 thereby creating contention between activity servers 11 accessing database 12. Furthermore, because each of activity servers 11 acts in isolation and is unaware of the workload being performed by the others of activity servers 11, it is cumbersome for allocate the activities of a workflow across several of activity servers 11. In addition, in the free-for-all approach, it is difficult to implement a strategy for distributing activities across activity servers 11.
Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a block diagram of a system 20 in which a resource manager 21 retrieves activities from database 12 and allocates the activities to the appropriate one of activity servers 11. While system 20 may reduce contention to database 12 because only resource manager 21 locks database 12, resource manager 21 itself is a single point of failure and may become a performance bottleneck.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a system and method for distributing workflow activities across multiple activity servers.


The invention relates to a method of establishing a harmony control signal controlled in real-time by a guitar audio input signal (GAS), comprising the steps of                providing a first input harmony input control signal (FIH) on the basis of said guitar audio input signal (GAS),        providing a second input harmony control signal (SIH) on the basis of a voice audio input signal (VAS).        providing an input audio extraction representation (IAER) on the basis of said first input harmony input control signal (FIH),        establishing a harmony control signal (HCS) on the basis of said input audio extraction representation (IAER) and said second input harmony control signal (SIH).

A problem in the prior art has been that state-of-the-art harmony processors are somewhat restricted in use due to the fact that such real-time processors are controlled by keyboards or other monophonic control signal establishing provisions. A keyboard is well-suited for the purpose as keyboards by nature establishes such control signals typically as a so-called MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) signal, which may be transmitted by simple measures to other relevant devices such as other keyboards, modules, audio processors, sequencers, etc. The control signals provided are typically polyphonic and regarded as well-suited for the purpose of controlling e.g. a harmony processor in real-time.
A challenge in this connection has been that instruments, in particular polyphonic instruments such as guitars, establishes the desired tones mechanically and that such tones are therefore represented as an audio signal without the use of tone generators, etc. as in systems where keyboards are applied. Basically, such an "analog" musical instrument provides a resulting audio signal comprising no control information regarding choice of tones, volume, sustain, pitch, etc. Such information may, however, be derived e.g. in batch processing as the information must be derived by means of significant processing power.
Moreover, a further problem is that a real-time harmony processing by nature requires a voice input as an input signal simultaneous with the above-mentioned analysis in order to provide the voice material upon which a the harmony processing may be based.

Method of establishing a harmony control signal controlled in real-time by a guitar input signal


A magnetic head in which two sides, which are defined as viewed in a core width direction, of first, second, and third end surfaces of a magnetic recording head extend along a longitudinal direction of recording tracks, so that it is possible to reduce spreading of leakage magnetic field extending from the two sides of the magnetic recording head in the core width direction between an upper core layer and a lower core layer protrusion through a gap layer. If the leakage magnetic field extending from both sides of the gap layer is reduced, it is possible to prevent the formation of an erased area beyond a multiple recording area. It is possible to maintain the S/N ratio of a reproduction signal at a proper value when reading out magnetic information from a magnetic tape.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic head using a magnetic tape as a recording medium, a method for producing the magnetic head, and a magnetic tape device.
2. Description of the Related Art
As shown in FIG. 15, in performing a recording operation on a magnetic tape 101, a helical scanning method is widely used. In the helical scanning method, a rotating drum 103 including magnetic heads 102 is rotated at a high speed, and a magnetic tape 101 is placed obliquely along a peripheral surface 103a of the rotating drum 103 in order to record information onto the magnetic tape 101. As shown in FIG. 16, according to this recording method, recording tracks 105 are defined by being inclined by a predetermined angle with respect to a transport direction L (longitudinal direction) of the magnetic tape 101.
In magnetic recording by the helical scanning method, in order to record magnetic information onto the magnetic tape 101 with a density that is as high as possible, what is called a guard bandless recording method in which gaps are not formed between adjacent recording tracks 105 is generally used. In the guard bandless recording method, in order to prevent what is called crosstalk caused by entrance of a signal from a recording track 105 that is adjacent to a recording track 105 whose magnetic information is being read, first recording tracks and second tracks are alternately formed. Information is recorded along the first recording tracks 106 and the second recording tracks 107 at different azimuth angles with respect to a longitudinal direction M of the recording tracks 106 and 107.
In order to carry out such a recording method, a magnetic head 102a and a magnetic head 102b are mounted to the rotating drum 103 at different angles (see FIG. 17). The magnetic head 102a is used to record information along the first recording tracks 106, and the magnetic head 102b is used to record information along the second recording tracks 107. When magnetic information is recorded along the first recording tracks 106 and the respective second adjacent recording tracks 107 at different azimuth angles, even if guard bands are not formed between the first recording tracks 106 and the second recording tracks 107, it is possible to reduce the effects of signals from adjacent tracks due to azimuth loss.
An inductive head using a thin-film process for increasing recording density is known (refer to, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-52304 (Patent Document 1)). In addition, an inductive head comprising a lower core layer having a protruding portion for preventing magnetic spreading in the inductive head is known to be designed for a hard disc (refer to, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-328616 (Patent Document 2)).
As shown in FIG. 17, in order to record information along the first recording tracks 106 and the second recording tracks 107 of the magnetic tape 101 at different azimuth angles, the magnetic heads 102a and 102b, each comprising a rectangular upper core layer 111 and a rectangular lower core layer 112, are disposed at a rotating cylinder so that the magnetic heads 102a and 102b can magnetically record information while being tilted at two respective azimuth angles with respect to the longitudinal direction M of the recording tracks 106 and 107. Multiple recording areas 110 are formed at adjoining portions of the first recording tracks 106 and the respective second adjacent recording tracks 107 taking into consideration, for example, errors in the recording positions of the magnetic heads 102a and 102b. At the multiple recording areas 110, portions of pieces of magnetic information are written upon each other by the magnetic heads 102a and 102b.
However, since end surfaces of the related magnetic heads 102a and 102b that oppose the magnetic tape 101 are formed with rectangular shapes, when the magnetic heads 102a and 102b are tilted by predetermined azimuth angles with respect to the recording tracks, magnetic fields that are generated at both sides of each of the magnetic heads 102a and 102b in a core width direction between the upper core layer 111 and the lower core layer 112 are tilted from the longitudinal direction of the recording tracks 106 and 107. Therefore, when magnetic information is being recorded along a second recording track 107 by the magnetic head 102b subsequent to recording magnetic information along a first recording track 106 by the magnetic head 102a, the effect of leakage magnetic fields F1 extending in the core width direction is increased, resulting in the possibility of the leakage magnetic field F1 extending considerably beyond the multiple recording area. As a result, the magnetic information recorded along the first recording track 106 may become magnetically erased, thereby producing an erased area 121 with a relatively wide width by the leakage magnetic field F1 extending beyond the multiple recording area 110. The erased area 121 essentially reduces track width, resulting in the possibility of an S/N ratio of a reproduction signal being reduced when recorded information is read out from the magnetic tape 101.

Magnetic head, magnetic tape device including the magnetic head and method for producing the magnetic head


In general, techniques are described by which provide confirmed automated access to portions of vehicles. A control system comprising a processor, and a memory may be configured to perform the techniques. The memory may store instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to determine that the authorized operator of the vehicle is intending to access a portion of the vehicle, and output, responsive to determination, a confirmation request to the authorized operator. The confirmation request may request confirmation that the authorized operator is intending to access the portion of the vehicle. The memory may also store instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to receive, from the authorized operator, a confirmation response indicating whether the authorized operator is intending to access at least the portion of the vehicle, and automatically open, based on the confirmation response, at least the portion of the vehicle.

Vehicles are increasingly featuring a number of automated and interactive capabilities in which the vehicle may respond to various conditions. For example, a vehicle may automatically unlock and open a tailgate responsive to an authorized operator interacting with a sensor capable of sensing movements (e.g., a foot movement) of the authorized operator. As such, the vehicle may automatically open the tailgate without requiring the authorized operator to directly engage with a lock or lever of the tailgate, which may be beneficial when hands of the authorized operator are occupied or for convenience (e.g., carrying items) such that direct interaction with the tailgate may become challenging.

Confirmed automated access to portions of vehicles


An assembly provides a dual function for mounting a port connector on a circuit board and also secures a capacitor to the circuit board. The assembly includes the circuit board and a monolithic plastic frame having a flange, a snap structure, a capacitor cradle, and a socket section. The flange has a fastening structure for fastening the frame to the circuit board. The snap structure for a snap-in attachment of the port connector to the frame is arranged near an end edge of the circuit board. The capacitor cradle for holding a cylindrical capacitor is formed adjacent to the snap structure and is elevated from the circuit board by an air gap. The socket section bears socket contacts for receiving capacitor contact leads.

In automotive vehicles safety, comfort, and entertainment functions are increasingly performed by electronics. While the vehicle is moving, these electronics are subjected to shock and vibration that may wear on circuit boards, electronic components, and electric contacts. Furthermore, as vehicle specifications call for ever increasing numbers of mandatory and optional features, all vehicle components, including electronic components, need to meet strict packaging and weight constraints.
Many electrical circuit boards have a port connector that connects the circuit board to other electrical components located off the circuit board. An electrolytic capacitor is often incorporated on the circuit board. The electrolytic capacitor may in some cases be relatively large and heavy, particularly when used as a reserve energy storage component. Shocks and vibrations acting on such large-sized capacitors may cause damage to the capacitor or to the circuit board, on which it is mounted. Also, the electrolytic capacitor claims considerable space on the circuit board.
It is therefore desirable to provide electronic assemblies that withstand shock and vibration on the one hand and that have a small size and low weight on the other hand.


Disclosed is an assembly 10 of a writing implement 12 and a pick 13. The pick 13 is attached by a hinge 32 to a spring clip 18 for holding the writing implement 12 to a user's pocket. The hinge 32 enables the pick 13 to move between a first position where the pick is disposed in a slot in the spring clip and a second position where the pick extends outward from the slot. The pick 13 comprises a generally conically shaped body made of a polymeric material that is unlikely to injure the gums of a user and terminates in a point.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a pick which is attached to a spring clip of a writing implement.
2. Background Discussion
It is common for an individual to chew upon the end of a writing implement while engaged in thought or during times of stress or boredom. Likewise, one frequently sees individuals enlisting the aid of various non-functional items to be utilized as a pick. Such non-functional items as bobby pins, paper clips, nail files, staples and even rubber bands have all been used as a pick.

Writing implement and toothpick assembly


A subgenomic replicon RNA (nucleic acid) having an excellent autonomously replicating ability and a fullgenomic replicon RNA (nucleic acid) having an excellent autonomously replicating ability and infectious HCV particle-producing ability, each derived from a novel HCV of genotype 1b, are provided. Particularly, a subgenomic replicon RNA (nucleic acid) and a fullgenomic replicon RNA (nucleic acid), each derived from an HCV genome of the NC1 strain which is a novel HCV genotype 1b isolated from a patient with acute severe hepatitis C, are provided.

In basic research for hepatitis C virus (hereinafter, also referred to as HCV) and development of anti-HCV drugs, an experimental system that can efficiently amplify HCV is essential. Specifically, a system for amplifying HCV in cultured cells and a system for evaluating the propagation of HCV in cultured cells are necessary, and it is thought that construction of these systems can dramatically advance the above-mentioned research.
HCV is a virus belonging to the flavivirus family of which genome is a single-stranded (+) sense RNA and is known to cause hepatitis C. Recently, it has been revealed that the HCV is classified into many types depending on genotypes or serotypes. According to phylogenetic analysis by Simmonds et al. using nucleotide sequences of HCV strains, it has been found that HCV genotypes are classified into six types, and each type is further classified into several subtypes (Non Patent Literature 1). At present, the full-length genome nucleotide sequences of a plurality of HCV genotypes have also been determined (Non Patent Literatures 2 to 5).
Until recently, infection of cultured cells with HCV and replication of the HCV genome in cultured cells have been impossible. Accordingly, studies on mechanisms of HCV replication and infection have required in vivo experiments using chimpanzees as an experimental animal. However, subgenomic replicon RNAs have been produced from a Con1 strain (GenBank Accession No. AJ238799), an HCV-N strain (GenBank Accession No. AF139594), and an HCV-O strain (GenBank Accession No. AB191333) belonging to the HCV of genotype 1b, and the H77c strain (GenBank Accession No. AF011751), which is the HCV of genotype 1a, and, thereby, studies on HCV replication mechanism can be performed by in vitro experiments using cultured cells (Patent Literature 1 and Non Patent Literatures 6 to 9). Herein, HCV subgenomic replicon RNA means an RNA comprising a part of an HCV genome, which does not have an ability to produce infectious HCV particles, but can autonomously replicate the RNA derived from the HCV genome in cultured cells transfected with it.
In addition, subgenomic replicon RNAs, and fullgenomic replicon RNAs producing infectious HCV particles in in vitro have been produced from a JFH-1 strain, which is an HCV strain of genotype 2a. and, thereby, studies on HCV infection mechanism can also be performed by in vitro experiments using cultured cells (Non Patent Literatures 10 and 11). Herein, the fullgenomic replicon RNA of HCV means an RNA comprising a full-length HCV genome, i.e., an RNA comprising a 5′ UTR, structural genes, non-structural genes, and a 3′UTR. and can autonomously replicate the RNA derived from the HCV genome in cultured cells transfected with it.
Pietschmann et al. have investigated production of infectious HCV particles using HCV fullgenomic replicon RNAs of a Con1 strain of genotype 1b and of a mutant having replication enhancing mutation. The replication level of the viral genome is, however, significantly low, and the current situation is therefore that detection of the HCV particles of genotype 1b requires addition of a casein kinase 1 inhibitor enhancing replication of the replicon RNA of HCV to a cell culture system or an infection experiment by an in vivo system using an animal (Non Patent Literature 12). This means that, at present, only RNAs derived from the JFH-1 strain of genotype 2a can produce infectious HCV particles in an in vitro system using cultured cells and that only HCV JFH-1 strain or fullgenomic replicon derived from the JFH-1 strain can produce a large amount of HCV particles in an in vitro system for obtaining an HCV vaccine raw material.
Incidentally, current main therapy for hepatitis C is monotherapy with interferon-α or interferon-β and combined therapy with interferon-α and ribavirin, a purine nucleoside derivative. The therapeutic effect of such therapy, however, is recognized in only about 60% of the total subjects, and it is known that even in patients to whom the therapy was effective, hepatitis C recurs in more than the half thereof by stopping the therapy. The therapeutic effect of interferon is associated with HCV genotypes, and it is known that the effect on HCV of genotype 1b is low and that the effect on HCV of genotype 2a is higher (Non Patent Literature 13). The causes why the therapeutic effect of interferon varies depending on HCV genotypes are still unknown, but a difference in replication mechanism or replication efficiency of HCV is thought to be one of the causes.

Nucleic acid construct comprising nucleic acid derived from genome of hepatitis C virus of genotype 1B, hepatitis C virus genome-replicating cells transfected with the same, and method for producing infectious hepatitis C virus particles

Japan as Represented by Director-General of National Institute of Infectious Diseases

Public University Corporation Nagoya City University


A computer system and computer-implemented method for compacting the geometrical area of a hierarchical integrated circuit layout. The present invention is particularly adapted for use with layouts including over-the-cell routing (OTCR). The inventive method includes the general steps of normalizing the cells, compacting the cells, then reconstructing the layout that includes the normalized cells. More particularly, the step of normalizing the cells includes initial step of identifying an overlapping object produced from the OTCR that overlaps one of the instances. That overlapping object is then divided into an overlapping segment and a non-overlapping segment. The overlapping segment is then removed from the cell and copied into the leaf cell of the overlapped instance. The overlapping segment is defined as a special object of the cell into which it is copied.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of automated design techniques for electronic circuits, and more specifically to compaction methods and systems for hierarchically defined layouts of integrated circuits.
2. Related Art
Layout compaction is the process of taking an existing layout and producing a new layout in which some geometrical aspect (usually size) is minimized. This process preserves the underlying circuit integrity and enforces design rule correctness. The constraints that need to be satisfied during compaction give rise to a system of linear inequalities. For the compaction of layouts devoid of hierarchy, this constraint system can be solved efficiently using graph based techniques. For compaction of multi-level hierarchies in which cell abutment is to be preserved, the system of constraints is more complex and must be solved using general linear programming (LP) techniques. Because of the computational complexity of LP, it is imperative to keep the number of variables and constraints to a minimum.
Objects within a cell that interact with objects in other cells are called ports. In order to reduce the number of variables and constraints that need to be solved by LP a port abstraction is used for each cell. This abstraction consists of the ports of the cell and the constraints between them induced by the internals of the cell. Only the variables representing the ports and the constraints between them need to be solved by LP. The number of ports is small compared to the total number of objects in the cell. The number of constraints between the ports is typically on the order of the number of ports. Therefore the size of the problem that needs to be solved by LP is considerably reduced.
Over-the-cell routing (OTCR) is a means by which cells can be personalized at higher levels of the hierarchy. Through its use, a same cell can be tailored to fit several different requirements. OTCR commonly is used in regular structures such as PLAs, data paths, etc. OTCR consists of primitive objects placed on top of instances and generally is used to connect objects in the interior of an instance to the outside, as well as to connect objects within an instance.
OTCR objects occurring over an instance interact with objects inside that instance. These objects must then become ports of the master cell of that instance. Hence, the variables representing their locations and the constraints between them need to be solved using linear programming. FIG. 1 shows a cell A containing ten contacts 100. An OTCR wire 102 over A is shown across cell A. Because this OTCR object 102 requires a design rule spacing to each of the contacts 100, all ten contacts must become ports of cell A.
In the absence of OTCR, all the ports are on the boundary of the cell. Hence, the number of ports relative to the number of objects in the cell is small. Also, this proportion decreases as the size of the cell increases. In the presence of OTCR this proportion can be large and does not always decrease as cell size increases. OTCR objects, such as buses that run over instances, can interact with a large number of objects in a cell, causing almost all the objects in the cell to become ports. Furthermore, a same cell can be instantiated with several different patterns of OTCR. All the objects in the cell that interact with any of these patterns anywhere in the hierarchy must become ports.
Most commonly occurring hierarchies contain some amount of OTCR. Any effective hierarchical compaction method must incorporate a strategy for handling OTCR without significantly degrading the performance. In the presence of OTCR, the compactor must preserve design rule correctness and circuit integrity across levels of the hierarchy whilst preserving input hierarchy and cell abutment.
True hierarchical compaction maintains the input layout hierarchy as well as the abutment constraints between cells. The bottleneck for hierarchical compaction is the time taken to analyze the system of equations which must be solved via linear programming methods. Because of the computational complexity of linear programming, it is essential to keep this system of equations as small as possible. In the presence of OTCR the amount of interaction between levels of hierarchy increases considerably. This causes a substantial rise in the number of constraints and hence the time taken by the compaction process is significantly increased.
Thus, there remains a need for an efficient compaction system and method for arbitrary hierarchies containing over-the-cell routing without significantly degrading the run time performance of the hierarchical compactor.

Cloning method and system for hierarchical compaction