A method and system for incorporating a watermark into an original digital picture utilizes an image file, such as a JPEG file to store a watermark or otherwise altered rendition of an original digital picture. The marker section of the JPEG file would include the original digital picture as well as meta data relating to the watermark as well as a copyright notice. Additionally, a password is encrypted and embedded into the header section of the JPEG file. Therefore, an end user could only download and print the original digital picture by the proper entering of a password supplied by originator of the JPEG file.

The current technology on the market permits cameras to take digital or non-digital pictures, and attach date and time stamps to the picture. The date and time stamps become permanent non-modifiable information that is either attached to the developed picture of pasted as pixels into a digital picture. This implies that if a particular viewer of the picture does not want to view the additional data attached to the picture, they will not have the opportunity to do so. Furthermore, if someone wants to modify or remove that data, that is also not possible.
Other current technologies exist that permit users to add captions to their digital pictures. However, these captions are stored in a database on a local machine or Internet site. If the user wants to move a picture from one environment to another, or send digital pictures to other users, then the caption does not move with the picture. Furthermore, if a sound file was attached to the JPEG file, the same problems would exist with respect to transmitting both the photograph and the sound.
Several U.S. patents have issued generally relating to the subject matter of transferring JPEG files. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,014,170, issued to Pont et al is directed to an information processing apparatus which stores information in recording units. Each recording unit includes at least one of a main image data, a sub-image data, and audio data. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the main image data, sub-image data as well as the audio data are stored in a random access memory in a mixed form. The main image data includes header information and image data. The header information includes index information, information indicating the type of data, information indicating the date when the image was taken, information indicating the start address of an area in which the data was stored, and information indicating the data length of the image data. The data structure for the sub-image data would be similar to the image structure of the main image data. However, this patent does not describe a situation in which when data is transferred from one location to a second location, such information such as textual data or other types of captioned material could be altered by an authorized user.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,805,215, issued to Mizoguchi shows an information processing method and apparatus utilizing a notebook-type electronic camera. Various information relating to a particular image, such as the date of the image is automatically recorded along with the image data.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,253, issued to Horiuchi et al illustrates an apparatus for superimposing a title onto an image produced by a video camera. A title to be displayed is elected by a control signal from a control signal input terminal. Both the patents to Mizoguchi and Horiuchi et al, while discussing adding material to a digital photograph, neither of these patents suggest a manner for insuring that only authorized individuals could alter the non-photographic material after it is sent from a first location to a second location.
While the utilization of JPEG files to create digital pictures constitutes a remarkable breakthrough in the field of creating realistic images, as well as easily having the ability of transmitting the digital pictures to various remote locations, it also poses the problem of protecting the rights of individuals who created and copyrighted these images. Several techniques have been utilized, primarily employing the use of a watermark to endeavor to protect the unauthorized usage of these protected digital pictures.
For example, traditional watermarks can be provided for this purpose. A graphical watermark (i.e., not for resale) is permanently added to a copy of the digital image that is available for downloading from the Internet. This watermark is semi-transparent or translucent, allowing the end user to see what the image looks like, but would prevent the use of the image due to the presence of the watermark. Once the end user has paid for the use of the digital image through a digital rights management (DRM) arrangement, such as purchasing the rights in the image, or obtaining a license for the use of the digital image, the end user is then sent a link to download the original image without the watermark. However, this solution creates the problem that the seller must maintain two copies of the images on line and once the second image is downloaded, the protection against unauthorized replication of the digital image is not present. This is particularly important since the end user might have only purchased a limited use of the digital image in certain environments. Additionally, even if the end user has the complete right to utilize the digital image, since the digital image is transmitted over the Internet, an unauthorized user or users would have the ability of utilizing the non-watermarked image for their own unauthorized use. It is important to note that in this situation, there is no way to prevent the unauthorized usage of the transmitted unwatermarked digital image.
A second method of protecting against the unauthorized usage of a digital image would be by employing invisible watermarks. Generally, an invisible watermark consists of imbedding information between the pixels of the digital image in a manner so this additional information cannot be removed. Virtually, all the new drivers licenses in the United States utilize this technology. The drawback of this method is that, although the unauthorized usage of the digital image can be monitored by an individual electronically examining the invisible watermarked image, it does not prevent the unauthorized usage of that image since there is no visible deterrent.
It will be appreciated from the foregoing that there is still need for improvement in a system and method of attaching non-photographic material to a photograph, transmitting both the photographic and non-photographic material and allowing only authorized individuals to modify the non-photographic material at a second location remote from a first location.
It will also be appreciated from the foregoing that there is a need to provide a method and system for watermarking a digital picture or image to prevent th unauthorized usage of the digital picture, while at the same time transmitting the watermarked digital picture to an authorized user, who would have the ability to remove or have removed the watermark from the digital picture in such a manner to allow for its authorized use, but, at the same time, would prevent the unauthorized use of the digital picture.

Method and apparatus for creating a digital picture with a watermark as well as removing the watermark from the digital picture


Suppression of charge loss and hot carrier degradation in EEPROMs and EPROMs, and of instability in the polysilicon pull-up resistors associated with SRAMs is achieved by the inclusion of at least one layer of silicon-enriched oxide in the MOS structure. In such MOS structures, the silicon-enriched oxide layer may be disposed immediately beneath the interlayer dielectric layer, or immediately beneath the inter-metal oxide layer, or immediately beneath the passivation layer, or in any combination of these locations. Each silicon-enriched oxide layer preferably contains at least about 10.sup.17 per cm.sup.3 dangling bonds.

Metal-oxide-silicon ("MOS") devices in general and MOS memory devices in particular can suffer performance and reliability degradation from a number of sources. For example, all MOS devices can suffer from hot carrier degradation. Memory devices such as electrically programmable read only memory ("EEPROM") devices, electrically erasable and programmable read only memory ("EPROM") devices also can suffer from charge loss, which affects their ability to reliably store data. Static random access memory ("SRAM") devices can suffer from trapped mobile carriers that affect the stability of associated polysilicon pull-up resistors, which renders accurate data readout difficult.
Before examining the nature of these problems and such solutions as are known in the art, it is helpful to briefly review the fabrication of MOS devices, including memory devices.
MOS integrated circuits typically provide many MOS devices fabricated on a substrate, with electrical isolation between adjacent devices provided by a field oxide layer. Typically a semiconductor layer comprising active source and drain regions for the MOS devices is covered by gate oxide regions, which regions are in turn covered by first polysilicon gate deposits (commonly called "polysilicon 1" or "poly 1" level gates). In charge storage memory devices such as EEPROMs and EPROMs, second polysilicon gate regions are also formed (known as "polysilicon 2" or "poly 2" level gates), overlying the first gate regions. An inter-gate oxide separates the two gate levels.
An interlayer dielectric ("ILD") such as boron phosphorous silicate glass ("BPSG") is then formed to insulate the gate regions from an overlying first level of conductive traces (commonly called "metal 1").
An inter-metal-oxide ("IMO") layer is then provided to insulate the layers thus described from an overlying second level of conductive metal traces (commonly called "metal 2"). The IMO layer typically includes a spin-on-glass ("SOG") layer that may be organic. The SOG layer is applied as a liquid to planarize or even-out the topography, primarily the valleys created by the underlying metal traces.
Finally, an outermost passivation layer is formed to protect the underlying integrated circuit from external sources of degradation. This outermost or "topside" layer typically includes a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition ("PECVD") of silane or tetra-ethyl-ortho-silicade ("TEOS") oxide.
Although the outermost passivation layer provides some protection against external sources of degradation, the underlying MOS devices are also susceptible to internal degradation. Sources of internal degradation include charge buildup, charge trapping, and the relatively large electric fields induced by backend processing.
Some sources of internal degradation have been successfully dealt with. For example a detrimental field-inversion can result from hydrogen in a nitride passivation layer migrating downward into a carbon-bearing layer such as an organic SOG layer. The resultant H--C interaction forms positive charges (or species) that can impress a voltage in excess of a substrate threshold voltage across the isolation channel oxide. The resultant isolation breakdown can invert the substrate beneath the affected oxide layer, thus permitting the flow of undesired inter-device leakage current. Hot carrier degradation can also result from such interaction.
The above-referenced U.S. Pat. No. 5,057,897 discloses the use of a silicon-enriched oxide beneath the passivation layer to reduce such parasitic leakage. Preferably the silicon-enriched oxide is formed within the IMO layer on either side of the SOG. Dangling bonds associated with the silicon-enriched oxide trap or neutralize the charge, minimizing the formation of parasitic transistors and leakage paths due to field inversion.
However due to a variety of mechanisms, undesired charges can be impressed on any of the dielectric layers, which charges need not originate from any interaction between a nitride passivation layer and an organic SOG layer. The above referenced application Ser. No. 775,085 discloses the use of one or more amorphous silicon layers to further trap or neutralize such charges that could otherwise contribute to inversion of isolation field oxides. Such amorphous silicon layers may be formed on either side of an SOG layer, and/or on either side of the BPSG layer. As such, the region wherein charges are trapped or generated preferably lies above the amorphous-silicon layer(s).
Hot carrier reliability affects all MOS devices, and can be important in MOS memory devices. Hot carrier lifetime depends upon device structure, doping densities, gate oxide thicknesses, the strength of applied fields, and the like. Long hot carrier lifetime is desired (i.e., months or years), but as noted fabrication process steps including backend steps can shorten hot carrier lifetime, with the result that MOS memory devices suffer performance and reliability degradation.
As MOS device sizes shrink and packing densities increase, there is an increase in the magnitude of the electric field to which the MOS devices are exposed. Unfortunately these increased field intensities create ionization regions wherein valence bonds are too easily broken. Hot carriers injected into these regions can readily damage the gate oxide-substrate interface by breaking these bonds. The result is that holes and electrons become trapped within the gate oxide. These trapped charges can undesirably alter and render less stable the MOS device characteristics including threshold voltage, conductance, and drive current levels. In addition, the increased use of plasma-assisted etching and deposition processing can further degrade hot electron reliability, primarily affecting hot carrier trapping.
It is known to use lightly doped drain structures to somewhat improve hot carrier lifetimes by reducing the electric fields to which a MOS device is subjected. However backend high voltage plasma deposition or etching processes, and the presence of SOG layers can still degrade hot carrier lifetime. The above-referenced application Ser. No. 07/794,922 discloses the use of silicon-enriched layers to provide a measure of internal passivation from backend induced hot carrier degradation. The silicon-enriched layers are disposed beneath any layer that may be the source of moisture, carbon and hydrogen, for example beneath each of the BPSG, SOG and passivation layers.
Needless to say, reliable data retention and data readout is all important in MOS memory devices. Unfortunately the performance and reliability of memory devices is subject to degradation from many sources, including those described above. For example, in EEPROMs and EPROMs, charged impurity ions can penetrate the BPSG layer, where they are attracted to the floating gate used to store data, thus degrading data retention. Memory data retention can also be adversely affected by effects remote from the floating gate, due to mechanisms not entirely understood at present. Although providing increased phosphorus content in the ILD is known to retard charge loss, further measures are still needed to produce EEPROMs and EPROMs that can reliably store data for long periods of time. Similarly, further measures are needed to protect SRAM data readout from migrating species induced instability of the pull-up resistors.
While the above-described patent and two pending patent applications disclose solutions to some of the problems affecting MOS device performance, further solutions are desired, especially with respect to MOS memory devices. What is needed is a method and structure for internally passivating MOS devices including memory devices against backend-processing induced degradation. Such method and structure should suppress charge loss in EPROM/EEPROM devices, and enhance stability of polysilicon load resistors in SRAM devices. The present invention discloses such methods and structures.

Method for suppressing charge loss in EEPROMs/EPROMS and instabilities in SRAM load resistors


A data communications system characterized by the combination of a base station connected to a plurality of repeaters for communicating with remote terminals in response to outgoing data from a host computer and for communicating with the host computer in response to incoming data from the remote terminals. Each repeater is assigned a coverage area with in a predetermined communications area to support data communications with the remote terminals located within its coverage area. In response to incoming data, a repeater conducts a signal amplification operation and outputs amplified incoming data to the base station via a first communications link. The base station processes the amplified incoming data and, in turn, generates processed incoming data for distribution to the host computer via a second communications link. The base station also processes the outgoing data from the host computer to generate processed outgoing data, and sends transmitted outgoing data to each repeater via the first communications link. Each repeater connected to the base station can amplify the transmitted outgoing data, and outputs amplified outgoing data to the remote terminals within its coverage area.

Low power wireless data communications systems are typically used in environments for which it is either impractical to install cabling to link a communications network to fixed terminal sites or there exists a need to support communications between the communications network and mobile terminals. Fixed communications environments include railyards and other facilities spread over a large area. For mobile communications environments, a typical application is the use of a wireless data communications system within a warehouse for stocking of goods for shipment or for manufacture.
A typical low power wireless data communications system includes multiple access points for communicating with remote terminals and a host computer. An access point, also described as a base station, generally includes an RF transceiver for communicating with the remote terminals and a network interface for communicating with the host computer. The communications link between the access points and the remote terminals are often implemented by a wireless radio frequency (RF) communications link, whereas the access points are typically connected by coaxial or optical cabling to the host computer. The remote terminals are low power transceivers, typically 100 milliwatts to 1 watt radiated power, having a receiver for receiving data to the access points and a transmitter for transmitting data from the access points. The host computer, which communicates with the access points, is responsible for processing incoming data received by the access points and for generating outgoing data to be transmitted by the access points.
A typical business application for a low power wireless data communications system is the support of communications within a building, such as warehouse, for facilitating the taking of inventory, filling orders, directing employees as to the placement of inbound products in the warehouse, and the like. To supply data for transmission by a remote terminal, each device can include an input device for inputting data and display for displaying data. Input devices include keyboards or keypads, light pens, touch screen displays, and bar code readers and output device include liquid crystal displays, pixel-based output devices, and printers. For mobile communications, the remote terminals can be implemented as a hand-held unit or as a unit mounted on a vehicle, such as a forklift or truck.
Largely by regulatory constraint in the United States of America, wireless data communications system for business applications are typically operated at a low power level because authorized radio transmissions occur within shared portions of the electromagnetic spectrum under the regulatory scheme implemented by the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Since 1985, the FCC has approved the use of low power non-licensed Business Radio Systems regulated under sub part D of Part 15 of Title 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Three bands are authorized for such use: 902-928 MHz, 2400-2483.5 MHz, and 5725-5850 MHz. Currently, there are a number of constraints on the operation of such business communications systems, including a maximum radiated power of 1 watt.
Recently, advanced applications of business radio systems have required significantly increased rates of data transmission from mobile remote terminals to access points. While many business radio systems at present operate in the frequency band near approximately 900 MHz, as discussed above, those systems are increasingly unable to support the high data rate capabilities required by new business applications. This limitation on data rate capacity of the 900 MHz systems is a result of the relatively limited frequency bandwidth available in that band. Consequently, many new business radio systems are designed to operate in the frequency band near 2400 MHz to take advantage of the wider frequency bandwidth available in that band. Future systems are expected to migrate to the frequency band near 5800 MHz, as data rate requirements for business communications applications continue to increase.
As newer business radio systems migrate to the higher frequency bands, certain performance limitations become more pronounced. Most particularly, the propagation of RF energy throughout a building or a covered area becomes significantly more directional in nature. In addition, the RF energy within these higher frequency bands is affected more severely by the presence of walls, inventory, ceilings, and other objects and structures within the operating environment. As a result, there may exist certain locations within an application site for which the RF link between an access point and a mobile remote terminal is no longer adequate to effectively maintain the communications link between them. In effect, the RF coverage of a business radio system employing higher frequency access points may be significantly reduced relative to the coverage of a system employing access points at the same physical location and operating at lower frequencies.
In addition to propagation effects, which degrade communications link performance at higher frequencies, higher data rate applications require receivers with wider bandwidths. As receiver bandwidth increases, receiver noise also increases and less link margin is available. Link margin degradation on the order of 30 dB is typical when a data communications system moves from lower to higher frequency bands. This reduced link margin is manifested in a smaller RF coverage area relative to the coverage area that would correspond to a narrow band receiver.
In view of the foregoing, it will be understood that increasing the data rate capacity of a business radio system generally requires an increase in operating frequency to take advantage of the higher bandwidths at these higher frequencies. However, the RF coverage available from a given access point to mobile remote terminals within a site can be reduced significantly by propagation and noise level effects. To compensate for this reduced RF coverage, it is well known to simply increase the number of access points so that RF coverage at all points within the site is adequate to maintain communications links.
Unfortunately, the solution of increasing RF coverage area by increasing the number of access points at a site typically requires the user to incur a significant increase in cost relative to a lower frequency system. This increase in cost arises from two problems. First, the cost of RF components and other devices to operate at higher frequencies with similar power level increases rapidly with increased frequency. As a result, systems with increased numbers of access points have hardware costs significantly greater than the hardware costs for lower frequency systems. In addition, retrofitting existing low frequency sites to operate at higher RF frequencies can entail significant cost when a given set of lower frequency access points must be replaced by an increased number of higher frequency access points. Existing cabling and structure must be removed, while new cabling and structure to accommodate the new access points must be installed at the site.
A need exists for a data communications system which can provide the requisite ubiquitous RF coverage without the expense associated with an increased number of access points. There is a further need for a data communications system that provides an increased data rate associated with operation at a higher RF range, as well as an increased RF coverage area, without the significant cost associated with the addition of more access points to the system. The present invention addresses these needs and other problems of the prior art by the use of a distributed communications architecture employing repeaters to extend the coverage of the data communications system.

Distributed architecture for a wireless data communications system


The present invention relates, in general, to Pompe disease and, in particular, to a methods of treating Pompe disease and to compounds/constructs suitable for use in such methods.

Infantile-onset Pompe disease (GSD-II; MIM 232300) is a lysosomal storage disease associated with muscle weakness, hypotonia and lethal cardiomyopathy during infancy, whereas late-onset Pompe disease features progressive weakness without significant cardiomyopathy (Kishnani et al, J. Pediatr. 148:671-676 (2006), Hirschhorn et al, The Metabolic and Molecular Basis for Inherited Disease, Scriver et al (eds.), McGraw-Hill, New York, pp. 3389-3419 (2001)). The histopathology of Pompe disease includes progressive lysosomal accumulation of glycogen in cardiac and skeletal muscle. The in vivo efficacy of enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) for Pompe disease was first demonstrated in the GAA-deficient Japanese quail by both clinical and metabolic correction (Kikuchi et al, J. Clin. Invest. 101:827-833 (1998)), and then later in the GAA-knockout (GAA-KO) mouse model by reducing glycogen accumulation and restoring GAA activity in the heart and skeletal muscle (Bijvoet et al, Hum. Mol. Genet. 8:2145-2153 (1999), Raben et al, Mol. Genet. Metab. 80:159-169 (2003)). The preclinical data justified an initial Phase I/II clinical trial (Kikuchi et al, J. Clin. Invest. 101:827-833 (1998), Amalfitano et al, Genet. Med. 3:132-138 (2001)). Further development of recombinant human (rh)GAA involved two pivotal clinical trials differing primarily by age upon entry. Study 1 enrolled subjects less than 6 months old and demonstrated prolonged survival in response to rhGAA therapy; furthermore, all 18 patients were alive at age 18 months and 15/18 (83%) showed invasive ventilator-free survival at age 18 months (Kishnani et al, Neurology 68:99-109 (2007)). Study 2 enrolled subjects 6-36 months old and demonstrated improved survival, although no difference in ventilator dependence was realized. Both protocols improved cardiomyopathy, growth and motor development; however, the more robust outcomes in study 1 emphasized the value of early treatment in infantile Pompe disease.
The main limitation of ERT in Pompe disease is a well-recognized variability of response by skeletal muscle. Potential factors involved in this variability include extent of muscle damage at the start of ERT, a lower number of mannose-6-phosphate receptors in skeletal muscle in comparison to the heart; resistance to correction by type II myofibers; and the formation of high titer antibodies in the cross-reacting immunologic material (CRIM) negative patients (Kishnani et al, Neurology 68:99-109 (2007), Raben et al, Mol. Ther. 11:48-56 (2005), Kishnani et al, J. Pediatr. 149:89-97 (2006)).
Animal and human studies have suggested that antibody formation to rhGAA reduced the efficacy of ERT. For instance, GAA-KO mice produced anti-GAA antibodies in response to intravenous rhGAA, and died following subsequent injections (Raben et al, Mol. Genet. Metab. 80:159-169 (2003)). In the first pilot study of ERT using CHO cell-derived recombinant hGAA, both CRIM-negative Pompe disease subjects had markedly reduced efficacy from ERT in association with high titer antibodies against hGAA (Amalfitano et al, Genet. Med. 3:132-138 (2001)). Phase II and III studies revealed that patients with the highest, sustained titers of antibody had the least favorable outcome (Kishnani et al, Neurology 68:99-109 (2007), Kishnani et al, J. Pediatr. 149:89-97 (2006)) The similarity with regard to the antibody response in GAA-KO mice and in CRIM-negative Pompe disease patients could be linked to the lack of residual GAA protein expression.
Intravenous administration of adenovirus vectors encoding GAA transiently corrected the glycogen storage in the striated muscle of GAA-KO mice (Amalfitano et al, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 96:8861-8866 (1999), Pauly et al, Hum. Gene Ther. 12:527-538 (2001)), although glycogen gradually re-accumulated coincident with the formation of anti-GAA antibodies (Ding et al, Hum. Gene. Ther. 12:955-965 (2001)). Even when GAA-KO mice were tolerized to hGAA by neonatal administration of the recombinant enzyme, only a subset of those mice failed to produce anti-GAA antibodies in response to administration of an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector containing a viral promoter to drive human (h)GAA expression (Cresawn et al, Hum. Gene Ther. 16:68-80 (2005)). In marked contrast, administration of AAV vector containing a liver-specific promoter evaded immune responses to introduced hGAA in response to only 1010 vector particles, and achieved near-total clearance of accumulated glycogen from skeletal muscle with a 10-fold higher vector quantity (Franco et al, Mol. Ther. 12:876-884 (2005), Sun et al, Mol. Ther. 14:822-830 (2006)).
Liver-specific expression has accomplished immune tolerance to therapeutic proteins in several genetic disease models resulting from a null mutation, including mice with Pompe disease. Immune tolerance was established through high-level liver-specific expression, as demonstrated through dose-reduction experiments in hemophilia B (MIM 306900) mice (Mingozzi et al, J. Clin. Invest. 111:1347-1356 (2003)). Furthermore, the use of a muscle-specific promoter failed to prevent antibody responses to the therapeutic protein in either hemophilia B or Pompe mice (Liu et al, Hum. Gene Ther. 15:783-792 (2004), Sun et al, Mol. Ther. 11:889-898 (2005)). A unique liver-specific promoter derived from the thyroid hormone-binding globulin promoter sequence (denoted as the LSP) prevented the antibody response against factor IX and against GAA in immunocompetent mice (Franco et al, Mol. Ther. 12:876-884 (2005), Wang et al, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 96:3906-3910 (1999)), and its activity was highly restricted to the liver as compared to muscle (Franco et al, Mol. Ther. 12:876-884 (2005)). The relevance of liver-specific expression to therapy in lysosomal storage disorders was further emphasized by the ability of a different liver-specific promoter to prevent the formation of antibodies against α-galactosidase in Fabry disease (MIM 301500) mice (Ziegler et al, Mol. Ther. 9:231-240 (2004), Ziegler et al, Mol. Ther. 15:492-500 (2007)). The mechanism for achieving immune tolerance, although incompletely understood, clearly depends upon the induction of regulatory T cells that repress the formation of cytotoxic T cells (Mingozzi et al, J. Clin. Invest. 111:1347-1356 (2003), Ziegler et al, Mol. Ther. 15:492-500 (2007), Hoffman et al, Hum. Gene. Ther. 18:603-613 (2007)). The LSP reduced the γ-interferon response to introduced GAA expression in comparison to a universally active promoter, consistent with abrogation of the cytotoxic T cell responses (Franco et al, Mol. Ther. 12:876-884 (2005)).
The present invention results, at least in part, from studies designed to test the hypothesis that AAV-vector mediated gene therapy can induce tolerance to introduced GAA. The results demonstrate that this strategy can enhance the efficacy of ERT in CRIM-negative Pompe disease patients and in patients suffering from other lysosomal storage diseases. This strategy can also be used to enhance the efficacy of coagulation therapy in patients suffering from hemophilia.


A cooling fan arrangement for a motorcycle having a radiator mounted on a left or right side of a water-cooled engine. The cooling fan is provided between the engine and the side-mounted radiator. The cooling fan arrangement efficiently cools the radiator by blasting cooling air from the engine side to radiator side without degrading the appearance of the motorcycle.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a radiator cooling fan configuration structure for motorcycles. More particularly, this invention relates to a radiator cooling fan configuration for a motorcycle having at least one side-mounted radiator on the outside of a water-cooled engine.
2. Description of Background Art
In general, motorcycles having radiators on both right and left sides of an engine have been known heretofore as disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho 62-41154 and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 4,618,020. Conventionally, the above-mentioned motorcycles have been not provided with a fan for blasting cooling air through the left and right side radiators. Instead, such conventional motorcycles cool the side-mounted radiators by allowing wind to pass from the inside to outside of the radiator while the motorcycle moving. With this conventional design, however, the radiator is cooled insufficiently when the motorcycle is moving slowly or when the engine is idling and the motorcycle is stopped.
Conventional radiator cooling fans are arranged downstream of the radiator along the blasting direction of the cooling air. If such a conventional cooling fan arrangement is applied to a motorcycle having a radiator mounted on the side of the engine, the result would be a cooling fan provided on the outboard side of the radiator. Such an arrangement would degrade the appearance of the motorcycle.

Radiator cooling fan configuration for motorcycles


Compounds of formulas 1 through 17 provided in the specification specifically or selectively inhibit either the cytochrome P450RAI-1 enzyme or the cytochrome P450RAI-2 enzyme.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to compounds having selective cytochrome P450RAI-1 or selective cytochrome P450RAI-2 inhibitory activity and to methods of obtaining these compounds.
2. Background Art
Compounds that have retinoid-like activity are well known in the art, and are described in numerous United States and other patents and in scientific publications. It is generally known and accepted in the art that retinoid-like activity is useful for treating animals of the mammalian species, including humans, for curing or alleviating the symptoms and conditions of numerous diseases and conditions. In other words, it is generally accepted in the art that pharmaceutical compositions having a retinoid-like compound or compounds as the active ingredient are useful as regulators of cell proliferation and differentiation, and particularly as agents for treating skin-related diseases, including, actinic keratoses, arsenic keratoses, inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne, psoriasis, ichthyoses and other keratinization and hyperproliferative disorders of the skin, eczema, atopic dermatitis, Darriers disease, lichen planus, prevention and reversal of glucocorticoid damage (steroid atrophy), as a topical anti-microbial, as skin anti-pigmentation agents and to treat and reverse the effects of age and photo damage to the skin. Retinoid compounds are also useful for the prevention and treatment of cancerous and precancerous conditions, including, premalignant and malignant hyperproliferative diseases such as cancers of the breast, skin, prostate, cervix, uterus, colon, bladder, esophagus, stomach, lung, larynx, oral cavity, blood and lymphatic system, metaplasias, dysplasias, neoplasias, leukoplakias and papillomas of the mucous membranes and in the treatment of Kaposi's sarcoma. In addition, retinoid compounds can be used as agents to treat diseases of the eye, including, without limitation, proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), retinal detachment, dry eye and other corneopathies, as well as in the treatment and prevention of various cardiovascular diseases, including, without limitation, diseases associated with lipid metabolism such as dyslipidemias, prevention of post-angioplasty restenosis and as an agent to increase the level of circulating tissue plasminogen activator (TPA). Other uses for retinoid compounds include the prevention and treatment of conditions and diseases associated with human papilloma virus (HPV), including warts and genital warts, various inflammatory diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis, ileitis, colitis and Krohn's disease, neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and stroke, improper pituitary function, including insufficient production of growth hormone, modulation of apoptosis, including both the induction of apoptosis and inhibition of T-Cell activated apoptosis, restoration of hair growth, including combination therapies with the present compounds and other agents such as Minoxidil®, diseases associated with the immune system, including use of the present compounds as immunosuppressants and immunostimulants, modulation of organ transplant rejection and facilitation of wound healing, including modulation of chelosis. Retinoid compounds have relatively recently been also discovered to be useful for treating type II non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM).
Several compounds having retinoid-like activity are actually marketed under appropriate regulatory approvals in the United States of America and elsewhere as medicaments for the treatment of several diseases responsive to treatment with retinoids. Retinoic acid (RA) itself is a natural product, biosynthesized and present in a multitude of human and mammalian tissues and is known to play an important rule in the regulation of gene expression, tissue differentiation and other important biological processes in mammals including humans. Relatively recently it has been discovered that a catabolic pathway in mammals, including humans, of natural retinoic acid includes a step of hydroxylation of RA catalyzed by the enzyme Cytochrome P450RAI (retinoic acid inducible). In fact, in the present state of the art it is known that at least three sub-species of cytochrome P450RAI enzymes exist, and these are termed P450RAI1, P450RAI2 and P450RAI3. White et al. Identification of the human cytochrome P450, P450RAI-2, which is predominantly expressed in the adult cerebellum and is responsible for all trans retinoic acid metabolism, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA Volume 97 No. 12 pp 6403 6408 (Jun. 6, 2000).
Several inhibitors of cytochrome P450RAI have been synthesized or discovered in the prior art, including the well known ketoconazole, liarozole and R116010 compounds. The chemical structures of these prior art compounds are provided below. U.S. Pat. No. 6,313,107 describes a number of compounds having cytochrome P450RAI inhibitory activity.
It has also been noted in the prior art, that administration to mammals, including humans, of certain inhibitors of CP-450RAI results in significant increase in endogeneous RA levels, and further that treatment with CP450RAI inhibitors, for example with liarozole, gives rise to effects similar to treatment by retinoids, for example amelioration of psoriasis.

The following publications describe or relate to the above-summarized role of CP450RAI in the natural catabolism of RA, to inhibitors of CP-450RAI and to in vitro and in vivo experiments which demonstrate that inhibition of CP450RAI activity results in increased endogeneous RA levels and potential therapeutic benefits:    Kuijpers, et al, "The effects of oral liarozole on epidermal proliferation and differentiation in severe plaque psoriasis are comparable with those of acitretin", British Journal of Dermatology, (1998) 139: pp 380–389.    Kang, et al., "Liarozole Inhibits Human Epidermal Retinoid Acid 4-Hydroxylase Activity and Differentially Augments Human Skin Responses to Retinoic Acid and Retinol In Vivo", The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, (August 1996) Vol. 107, No. 2: pp 183–187.    Van Wauwe, et al., "Liarozole, an Inhibitor of Retinoic Acid Metabolism, Exerts Retinoid-Mimetic Effects in Vivo", The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, (1992) Vol. 261, No 2: pp 773–779.    De Porre, et al., "Second Generation Retinoic Acid Metabolism Blocking Agent (Ramba) R116010: Dose Finding in Healthy Male Volunteers", University of Leuven, Belgium, pp 30.    Wauwe, et al., "Ketoconazole Inhibits the in Vitro and in Vivo Metabolism of All-Trans-Retinoic Acid", The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, (1988) Vol. 245, No. 2: pp 718–722.    White, et al., "cDNA Cloning of Human Retinoic Acid-metabolizing Enzyme (hP450RAI) Identifies a Novel Family of Cytochromes P450, The Journal of Biological Chemistry, (1997) Vol. 272, No. 30, Issue of July 25 pp 18538–18541.    Hanzlik, et al., "Cyclopropylamines as Suicide Substrates for Cytochromes P450RAI", Journal of Medicinal Chemistry (1979), Vol. 22, No. 7, pp 759–761.    Ortiz de Montellano, "Topics in Biology—The Inactivation of Cytochrome P450RAI", Annual Reports in Medicinal Chemistry, (1984), Chapter 20, pp 201–210.    Hanzlik, et al. "Suicidal Inactivation of Cytochrome P450RAI by Cyclopropylamines—Evidence for Cation-Radical Intermediates", 3. J. Am. Chem. Soc., (1982), Vol. 104, No. 107, pp. 2048–2052. White et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA supra.
It is now general knowledge in the art that two main types of retinoid receptors exist in mammals (and other organisms). The two main types or families of receptors are respectively designated the RARs and RXRs. Within each type there are subtypes; in the RAR family the subtypes are designated RARα, RARβ and RARγ, in RXR the subtypes are: RXRα, RXRβ, and RXRγ. It has also been established in the art that the distribution of the two main retinoid receptor types, and of the several sub-types is not uniform in the various tissues and organs of mammalian organisms. Moreover, it is generally accepted in the art that many unwanted side effects of retinoids are mediated bygone or more of the RAR receptor subtypes. Accordingly, among compounds having agonist-like activity at retinoid receptors, specificity or selectivity for one of the main types or families, and even specificity or selectivity for one or more subtypes within a family of receptors, is considered a desirable pharmacological property.
Similar to the desirability of providing compounds that are selective or specific to one or more retinoid receptor subtypes, it is also desirable to provide compounds that specifically or selectively inhibit either the cytochrome P450RAI-1 enzyme or the cytochrome P450RAI-2 enzyme. The present invention provides such compounds and methods in the form of synthetic guidelines how to obtain them.

Compounds having selective cytochrome P450RAI-1 or selective cytochrome P450RAI-2 inhibitory activity and methods of obtaining the same


Apparatus for transferring packet data incorporates a xe2x80x9chand-offxe2x80x9d feature that allows the transfer of an existing PPP connection from one packet server to another packet server. Such a hand-off control message or call continue transaction can be initiated by any of the servers involved in the transactions. For instance, assume an initial arrangement where a point-to-point call is set up and in progress between a user and a private network via a first packet server (e.g., a first Serving LAC) and a second packet server (e.g., an Anchor LAC). If, for example, the user moves out of the region served by the first packet server into a region served by a third packet server (e.g., a second Serving LAC), then a hand-off control message transaction, according to the invention, is initiated. Either the second Serving LAC or the Anchor LAC may initiate the call continue transaction. Alternatively, radius servers respectively associated with the packet servers may be employed to perform the call continue transaction. Furthermore, assuming that a communication path is not yet established between the second packet server (e.g., Anchor LAC) and the third packet server (e.g., the second Serving LAC), a communication path (e.g., tunnel) set-up control message transaction may be performed concurrent with the call continue transaction. Still further, at least one packet server (e.g., the Anchor LAC) monitors state variables associated with the packet servers (e.g., the second Serving LAC and the private network) from which it receives packet data.

This invention relates generally to communications and, more particularly, to packet communications systems.
One use of the Internet as a communications vehicle is as an enhanced data back-bone for coupling together workgroups to provide what is referred to as a xe2x80x9cvirtual private networkxe2x80x9d (VPN). One application of a VPN is in a corporate environment such that employees, e.g., at home, can remotely access, via the Internet, corporate data networks. A VPN provides security, and authentication, for a remote user to join a closed user group notwithstanding the use of public facilities. In effect, the use of a VPN provides a WAN-like vehicle to the corporation and its employees. Although the corporate network could also provide direct remote access, e.g., a user dials directly into the corporate network, there are economic advantages to the use of a VPN.
To provide a VPN, tunneling protocols are used such as the xe2x80x9cPoint-to-Point Tunneling protocolxe2x80x9d (PPTP) and the xe2x80x9cLayer 2 Forwardingxe2x80x9d (L2F) protocol. Generally speaking, a tunnel protocol enables the creation of a private data stream via a public network by placing one packet inside of another. In the context of a VPN, an IP packet is placed inside another IP packet. In an attempt to develop an industry standard, the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) is developing the xe2x80x9cLayer 2 Tunneling Protocolxe2x80x9d (L2TP), which is a hybrid of the PPTP and L2F protocols (e.g., see K. Hamzeh, T. Kolar, M. Littlewood, G. Singh Pall, J. Taarud, A. J. Valencia, W. Verthein; Layer Two Tunneling Protocol xe2x80x9cL2TPxe2x80x9d; Internet draft, March, 1998).
For a remote user, a typical form of access to a VPN is via a xe2x80x9cplain-old-telephone servicexe2x80x9d (POTS) connection to an xe2x80x9cInternet service providerxe2x80x9d (ISP) that provides the VPN service. For example, a user incorporates an analog modem into a personal computer, or equivalent, and has a customer account with a particular ISP, referred to herein as the xe2x80x9chomexe2x80x9d ISP. It is also assumed that the user""s personal computer is properly configured to support one of the above-mentioned tunneling protocols. The user accesses the VPN by simply making a data call to the home ISP, e.g., dialing a telephone number associated with the xe2x80x9chomexe2x80x9d ISP and then xe2x80x9clogging inxe2x80x9d to the VPN.
Typically, access to an ISP is via a network access server (NAS). It has been realized that in a Personal Communications Service (PCS) wireless environment the above-described tunneling protocols do not allow a remote user, on an existing call, to change the NAS that is providing access to a VPN. As such, the user""s physical mobility may disconnect, or drop, the user from the existing VPN connection.
Therefore, and in accordance with one aspect of the invention, apparatus and methods for transferring packet data provide a xe2x80x9chand-offxe2x80x9d feature that allows an existing point-to-point (PPP) connection to be transferred from one packet server to another packet server.
In one embodiment of the invention, three new hand-off control messages are defined for use with the packet servers, namely: (i) Continued Call Request, (ii) Continued Call Reply, and (iii) Continued Call Connect. These three new control messages comprise a L2TP control message header, message identifier (e.g., continued call request, etc.), and a number of fields. As a result, the user does not have to terminate the current PPP connection and then re-establish a new PPP connection.
Advantageously, such a hand-off control message or call continue transaction can be initiated by any of the servers involved in the hand-off scenario. For instance, assume an initial arrangement where a point-to-point call is set up and in progress between a user and a private network via a first packet server (e.g., a first Serving LAC) and a second packet server (e.g., an Anchor LAC). If, for example, the user moves out of the region served by the first packet server into a region served by a third packet server (e.g., a second Serving LAC), then a hand-off control message transaction, according to the invention, is initiated. In accordance with the invention, the second Serving LAC may initiate the call continue transaction or the Anchor LAC may initiate the call continue transaction. Alternatively, in accordance with another aspect of the invention, radius servers respectively associated with the packet servers may be employed to perform the call continue transaction.
In another aspect of the invention, assuming that a communication path is not yet established between the second packet server (e.g., Anchor LAC) and the third packet server (e.g., the second Serving LAC), a communication path (e.g., tunnel) set-up control message transaction may be performed concurrent with the call continue transaction.
Further, in yet another aspect of the invention, at least one packet server (e.g., the Anchor LAC) monitors state variables associated with the packet servers (e.g., the second Serving LAC and the private network) from which it receives packet data.


An ADC and method comprises a hybrid-type sigma-delta modulator comprising a digital delta-stage and an analog sigma-stage, wherein the analog sigma-stage comprises an analog low-pass filter adapted to only pass a low frequency audio band between 0-20 khz of a PWM wave, and wherein the digital delta-stage comprises a PWM wave generator; a pair of MOSFETs; and a power supply unit outputting voltage to the pair of MOSFETs. The ADC comprises a comparator attached to the hybrid-type sigma-delta modulator; a low-pass filter configured in a digital domain and for receiving a signal output of the comparator and remove high-frequency components of the comparator output above the audio band; a PWM back converter adapted to receive the filtered signal output and translate the digital low-pass filtered signal output to a power supply transient value in a digital format; and a dither signal source for injecting a dither signal to the digital delta-stage.

1. Technical Field
The embodiments herein generally relate to electrical components, and, more particularly, to analog-to-digital converters (ADCs).
2. Description of the Related Art
Class-D is a switching-based audio amplifier technology and theoretically it can achieve approximately 100% power efficiency. Traditional Class-AB audio amplifiers typically have much lower efficiency. FIG. 1 shows a typical power efficiency comparison between a class-D amplifier and a class-AB amplifier. For portable devices such as MP3 players and multi-media cell phones, etc., where the battery power consumption is critical, users are motivated to use more power efficient class-D audio amplifiers to replace the current market-dominant class-AB amplifiers, which only has approximately 20-30% efficiency for portable digital audio applications.
The major technology barrier to overcome in order to make a good quality class-D audio amplifier is to provide a sufficient power supply rejection ratio (PSRR). Class-D uses a pair of metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) power transistors, switched on and off by the input pulse-width modulation (PWM) waves, to drive the speaker load, as shown in FIG. 2. If no measure is taken; i.e., PSRR=0 dB, any VCC power rail ripples will directly propagate to output load, thus destroying the signal-to-noise ratio/total harmonic distortion (SNR/THD+N) performance of the audio amplifier. A high-end audio amplifier is usually specified with >90 dB SNR. Considering the power rail noise level is in the order of 10 mV (−40 dB), a PSRR of approximately 50 dB generally must be provided in order to deliver 40 dB+50 dB 90 dB SNR.
Currently, the commercially available class-D amplifiers are generally all analog-type as shown in FIG. 3. The PSRR is provided by the analog feedback loop which corrects the distortion on the analog output by comparing it with the ideal analog input signal through a feedback loop filter. Typically, these analog class-D audio amplifiers can only work in high-power (>10 W) applications such as home theatres and flat panel televisions with good power efficiencies (approximately 90%). For low-power portable device applications, where the audio output power is typically in the range of 10-100 mW, the analog class-D power efficiency drops to <30% due to overhead analog circuitry of analog class-D; i.e., the feedback loop and an external digital-to-analog converter (DAC) to convert the digital input into analog input. Currently, for portable digital audio applications, there are no suitable commercial class-D audio amplifiers which can deliver high power efficiency.
Besides the analog approach, there is a digital approach to provide PSRR for class-D; i.e., digitalizing the power supply ripple and then using digital signal processing techniques to correct output distortions caused by power supply ripple. To make this approach work for class-D audio amplifiers for portable applications, a high-speed, low-power consumption, and high-resolution ADC needs to be provided in order to digitize the voltage ripples on power supply. Because digital circuits consume much lower power, such digital class-D devices can deliver much higher power efficiency for portable applications.
Conventional ADCs for audio applications use analog sigma-delta modulators based on either switched-capacitor integrator circuits or continuous-time integrator circuits that consume relatively high power. Therefore, the conventional ADCs cannot be used for building a digital class-D audio amplifier with a suitable PSRR performance for portable applications.
As such, those skilled in the art would readily acknowledge that there remains a need for a novel type of ADC which has low-power consumption and high speed in order to build a power-efficient class-D audio amplifier with sufficient PSRR performance.

High-speed, high-resolution, low-power analog-to-digital converter


A wrench comprises a handle connected to a housing. A socket is rotatably supported in the housing for ratcheting movement relative to the housing. A retaining member releasably secures a device in the socket. A retainer is supported on the housing and is movable between a first position and a second position. The retainer, when in the first position, at least partially overlays the socket. A plurality of guides orient a member relative to the socket. The guides are mounted in a rotatable body. A first handle is permanently connected to the housing and a second handle is removably connected to the housing.

The invention relates generally to wrenches and, more particularly, to an improved ratcheting wrench suitable for use as a die wrench.
It will be appreciated that many different types of wrenches are known including die wrenches and ratcheting wrenches. Die wrenches typically comprise a socket for receiving a threaded die. Threaded dies are known for cutting or repairing and cleaning threads in a stud. These devices may be used to cut threads into virgin unthreaded stock or may be used to clean out and repair damaged, dirty or rusted threads in a threaded stud. The socket of the die wrench typically includes a set screw that can be rotated into engagement with the die to retain the die in the socket. Handles extend from the socket and are offset from one another 180 degrees such that both handles may be gripped to apply a uniform turning force on the die and maintain the proper orientation of the die relative to the stud. The socket may ratchet relative to the handles.
Ratchet wrenches are known where a tool is ratcheted to a handle such that the wrench can tighten or loosen a fastener without removing the wrench from the fastener. Ratchet wrenches may be embodied in combination with a socket wrench where the sockets are removably attached to the ratchet handle. These types of wrenches make the operation of the wrench less cumbersome in certain applications because the wrench does not have to be removed from the fastener for multiple turns. A set of wrenches or sockets is typically required in order for the wrench to be used on different size fasteners.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A work transfer apparatus configured to move a work to an operating position while transferring the work by a conveyor, perform predetermined processing at the operating position, and discharge a processed work, the work transfer apparatus comprising an ejector moving the work independently from the conveyor; and a stopper stopping the work at the operating position, wherein the work processed by the predetermined processing is discharged by the ejector, and a work to be moved to the operating position next by the conveyor is stopped at the operating position by the stopper.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a work transfer apparatus and, more particularly, to a work transfer apparatus which is constructed to move a work to an operating position while transferring the work by means of a conveyor, performs predetermined processing at this operating position, and discharges the processed work.
2. Description of Related Art
Component mounters are widely used in order to mount components on circuit boards and fabricate electronic circuits. A component mounter is provided with a suction nozzle at one end of a mount head, and causes this suction to attract a component by suction and moves the suction nozzle to a position above a predetermined mounting position on a circuit board by moving the suction nozzle in the X-axis and Y-axis directions relative to the circuit board. Then, the component mounter moves the suction nozzle down toward the circuit board, and mounts the attracted component on the circuit board at a predetermined position thereof.
This component mounter needs to sequentially transfer circuit boards to a mounting position below the mount head, and is provided with a board transfer system for this purpose. Board transfer systems are generally classified into two kinds: that is to say, a type which performs component mounting by moving the position of a board together with a conveyor, as represented by a rotary machine, and a type which performs component mounting with a board fixed in position. However, in the first type as well, since boards connected to conveyors fixed at preceding and succeeding positions need to be replaced when boards are to be replaced, the transfer of boards is under the same conditions except the time necessary for this connection is added.
As described above, a conveyor for transferring circuit boards on which components are to be mounted in the component mounter is made of three kinds of conveyors which are a conveyor provided at a component mounting position and conveyors provided at positions preceding and succeeding the component mounting position. The outline of operation to be started during the state in which the next board is waiting while components are being mounted on a board will be described below.
a. After the mounting of components on a board has been completed, the board is released from a clamp, a backup, positioning pins and the like.
b. The conveyor provided at the component mounting position starts to move, and the board on which the components have been mounted starts to move.
c. When it is detected that the rear end of the board has come out of the conveyor provided at the component mounting position, a stopper moves upward.
d. After it is confirmed that the stopper has moved up, the conveyor preceding the component mounting position is started to initiate loading the next board.
e. Before the board reaches the stopper, the conveyor is decelerated by means of a sensor, a timer and the like, and the board is made to stop in the state of being lightly pressed against the stopper and the conveyor is also made to stop.
f. A positioning pin is moved upward to perform clamping and backup, thereby completing the replacement of the boards.
A beam-transfer board transfer system which is said to be shorter in board replacement time than the above-mentioned board transfer system made of conventional conveyors are disclosed in, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent JP-A-6-336351 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent JP-A-2-229499. This system is shorter in the time required for replacement of boards than the above-mentioned conveyor system. Similarly to the conveyor system, this beam-transfer system is provided with three kinds of conveyors. Incidentally, a conveyor provided at an intermediate mounting position only supports a board and generally does not have the ability to move a board autonomously. The beam-transfer system has a stroke equal to a maximum of the length of a board in the flowing direction of boards, and includes a beam mechanism having two board feed claws. The outline of operation to be started during the state in which the next board is waiting while components are being mounted on a board will be described below.
a. After the mounting of components on a board has been completed, the board is released from a clamp, a backup, positioning pins and the like.
b. Two board feed claws are inserted into a position where they can press the rear end of the board on which the components have been mounted and the rear end of the next board, by a method such as rotating a beam provided outside a conveyor.
c. The beam starts to move in the flowing direction of boards, and discharges the board on which the components have been mounted, from a component mounting area, and at the same time completes the operation of transferring the next board to a component mounting position.
d. A positioning pin is moved upward, and while the positioning pin is being made to perform clamping and backup, the claws are retracted and the beam returns to its original position, whereby the replacement of the boards is completed.
This beam-transfer system is considered to be theoretically capable of completing replacement of boards in the shortest time because both boards are moved at the same time. However, as shown by the fact that the beam-transfer system is not used as a normal system, the beam-transfer system has a number of disadvantages. The disadvantages are as follows.
a. In the case where discharging and loading cannot be performed at the same time, the discharging of a board on which components are mounted is first completed, and after a beam has been returned, claws have to be inserted after the next incoming board. As a result, there are cases where the beam-transfer system becomes slower than ordinary systems.
b. The beam-transfer system has the disadvantage of being large sized and difficult to install, for reasons such as: since two claws are integrated in the form of being separated from each other by a distance equal to a maximum board length, insertion and retraction of the claws is necessary and the beam has a stroke equal to a maximum board length.
c. Since two boards need to be pressed by the beam at the same time, the position of the claws needs to adjusted according to the size of boards.
The above-mentioned problem a in particular may be a fatal disadvantage even if the demerits of the other problems are accepted in order to adopt the beam-transfer system to shorten component replacement time.    [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application publication (KOKAI) No. Hei 6-336351    [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application publication (KOKAI) No. Hei 2-229499    [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application publication (KOKAI) No. Hei 11-163595    [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application publication (KOKAI) No. Hei 3-214798    [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Application publication (KOKAI) No. Hei 4-291800    [Patent Document 6] Japanese Patent Application publication (KOKAI) No. 2001-144494


An insect repellant method and apparatus that can protect a defined area from insects for a determinable time period. The invention may be practiced in conjunction with or independent of normal building systems. The invention creates an invisible veil of protection against insects.

Repellants are chemical substances, natural and synthesized, having a chemical effect on insects. Their use in human and veterinary hygiene is of great practical importance, where they protect man and beast against blood sucking, biting or otherwise annoying insects. Numerous methods and apparatuses for repelling bugs away from areas occupied by humans and animals are known and marketed throughout the United States and the world.
Known apparatuses and methods employ various means to disperse insect repellant to discourage insects from occupying certain space. One such previous device uses a heat source as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,647 to disperse repellent through evaporation. Another device described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,589,181 incorporates direct application of repellent on the subject desiring relief from bothersome insects. An alternative technique, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,823,505, involves fogging an area with repellant to evict insects from their current location.
A drawback with the previous approaches is the indiscriminate coverage area protected by evaporation and fogging. Another disadvantage is a requirement to periodically reapply repellant to provide continuous protection.

Method and apparatus for distributing insect repellant


An improved electrical connector. The connector includes a first connector (1) having a housing (5) for receiving first contact elements (9) and a slider (19) slidably disposed on the housing (5) for receiving second contact elements (30); a second connector (3) for receiving first counter contact elements (32) and second counter contact elements (39); and a retainer (20, 36) which allows displacement of the slider (19) such that the second contact elements (30) secured thereto contact the second counter contact elements (39) only when the first and second connectors are completely connected together by a locking device. During mating the first contact elements (9) and first connector contact elements (32) become fully engaged, but no current flow occurs. At this stage, springs (28) act to move the slider (19) forwardly to cause second contact elements (30) which move with the slider to engage second counter contact elements (39) to switch on current to contact elements (9, 32) and to block release of lock arm (10).

The invention relates to a connector arrangement with a first connector and a second connector, which, respectively, accommodate first contact elements or first counter contact elements, respectively, which are connected to each other, when the first and second connectors are connected to each other. The first connector has a housing with a slider displaceable along a longitudinal axis thereon and which can be displaced into a position representing the completely connected condition, after the first and second connectors have taken up a position, representing the completely connected condition, relative to each other.
Such a connector arrangement is described in DE 100 12 324 A1. One of the two connectors forming the connector arrangement has elastic arms with thickened free ends. The second connector has a sleeve portion, having a groove, in which the thickened portions attached on the elastic arms can engage. So that the two connectors cannot be separated from each other, when pulling forces act on the connected connectors, a slider in form of a sliding sleeve is arranged to one of the two connectors, which is pushed by a spring into an advanced position. When connecting the two connectors, the sliding sleeve comes with its end face arranged towards the other connector to abut the thickenings on the elastic arms and is held stationary, as the elastic arms slide on the sleeve portion of the connector, to which the sliding sleeve is arranged, and can, thus, not move inwardly. Thus, during connecting the two connectors, the sliding sleeve is held stationary starting from the advanced first position relative to the mating connector and, thus, when connecting relative to the first connector, is displaced into a second position. As soon as the two connectors have reached their completely connected position, the thickenings on the elastic arms can move radially inwards into the groove of the sleeve portion. The sliding sleeve is returned by means of the force of the spring acting thereon into its first position, so that a sleeve-like locking portion arranged thereto, can get over the thickenings and prevents these from moving radially outwards. This is achieved, even when pulling forces act on the two connectors. The above mentioned locking means arranged to the two connectors, are, therefore, represented by the sliding sleeve in connection with the groove in the corresponding connector and the elastic arms with the thickenings on the free ends, which are arranged to the second connector.
DE 197 14 459 A1 describes a connector arrangement with a first connector, having a housing, having a first end and a second end and forming a first receptacle for first contact elements. The housing, further, has first locking means in the form of engagement recesses.
The connector arrangement comprises further a second connector, forming a receptacle for first counter contact elements, which are to be connected to the first contact elements, while connecting the two connectors. The second connector comprises, further, second locking means, which are provided in the form of locking arms and hooks formed on their free ends. These engage in the first locking means in form of recesses, when the two connectors are completely connected to each other. Furthermore, to the first connector a slider is arranged, which is moved by a spring into an advanced position. This slider, as long as the two connectors are not completely connected to each other, is retained by the retaining arms of the other connector, so that it starting from a first position is displaced against the force of the spring into a second position on the first connector. As soon as the retaining arms have reached the recesses, the slider with a locking projection enters between the two locking arms and can retain these against exiting from the recesses when pulling at one of the connectors.
The same principal, as the above mentioned, is also disclosed in DE 102 42 074 B3.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,410 describes a connector arrangement with a first connector and a second connector, wherein to the first connector, additionally, a slider is arranged, which is urged by a spring into an advanced position. The first connector has, furthermore, first locking means in form of a projection. The second connector has a locking arm, which is elastic and has a locking hook, which in the completely connected condition engages behind the locking projection of the first connector. As long as the two connectors are not completely connected to each other, the slider, acted upon by a spring, acts in the pushing out direction onto the second connector, so that, as long as no complete connection and contact of the respective contact elements is achieved, the two connectors are pushed away from each other.
In a similar manner DE 102 08 750 A1 discloses a connector arrangement, in which also, as long as the two connectors are not completely connected to each other and the locking means of the two connectors are not completely engaged with each other, spring means, which are pre-tensioned during the connecting procedure, are active and push the two connectors away from each other.
DE 100 12 324 A1 relates to a connector arrangement with a first connector, carrying a contact retaining element, retained pre-tensioned in an initial locking position by a spring and accommodating contact elements. A second connector is provided, having a counter contact element. The two connectors are locked to each other by means of locking means in the connected condition. In this case, a free motion is provided, so that, when further displacing the two towards each other, the contact retaining element is released from its initial locking position and the spring means become active and, thus, the contacts, connected to the contact retaining element, are pushed further in connection direction and come to contact the counter contact elements of the second connector.
DE 38 83 564 T2 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,189) describes a head light unit with a connector arrangement for releasably connecting a lamp, having a lamp base with two flat electrical connection contacts extending parallel to a longitudinal axis to current carrying conductors. This connector comprises a sleeve-like adaptor, which can be connected in bayonet-like manner to support means in form of an attachment ring, attached on the reflector. Into the sleeve-like adaptor a plug-in device can be axially inserted, which is connected to the cables (wires) of a current supply for the lamp and which device has female connectors, which interact with the connection contacts of the lamp. The lamp is held by the adaptor on the reflector. When assembling the head light unit the electric lamp is inserted through an opening in the reflector, so that the opening accommodates the lamp base. The means accommodating the lamp base are part of the reflector or are non-detachably connected thereto. The adaptor, as described above, is retained in a bayonet-like manner. In this position of the adaptor the connection contacts on the lamp base are in the correct position, in which by means of inserting the plug-in device into the adaptor, a connection to the contact elements arranged in the plug-in device is achieved. The plug-in device is secured in the adaptor only by frictional forces. Additionally, further contacts are provided, closing the low voltage circuit, which serves for activating the lamp circuit. By means of inserting the plug-in device into the adaptor, the contacts on the lamp base are electrically conductively connected to the lamp circuit and simultaneously the additional contacts, closing the low voltage circuit. This means, that the contacts of the plug-in device, coming to contact those on the lamp base, are already during the connection procedure live, carrying a high voltage. This can lead to failures.

Connector arrangement with staggered mating


Each of an electrooptical device and a driving substrate for the electrooptical device includes a first substrate having a display section provided with pixel electrodes and a peripheral-driving-circuit section provided on the periphery of the display section, a second substrate, and an optical material disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. A gate section including a gate electrode and a gate-insulating film is formed on one surface of the first substrate, a compound layer having high lattice matching with single-crystal silicon is formed on the surface of the first substrate, and a single-crystal silicon layer is formed on the first substrate including the compound layer and the gate section. The single-crystal silicon layer constitutes a channel region, a source region, and a drain region. In addition, a first bottom-gate thin-film transistor having the gate section is formed below the channel region, the first bottom-gate thin-film transistor constituting at least a part of the peripheral-driving-circuit section.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrooptical devices, substrates for driving the electrooptical devices and methods for making the electrooptical devices and the substrates. In particular, the present invention relates to a configuration having an active region of a bottom-gate-type thin-film insulating-gate field-effect transistor (hereinafter referred to as bottom-gate-type MOSTFT) using a single-crystal silicon layer, grown by heteroepitaxy on an insulating substrate, and a passive region. Herein, the bottom-gate types include an inverted NSI stagger type and an inverted ISI type. This configuration is suitable for liquid crystal displays etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various types of active-matrix liquid crystal displays are known. For example, a liquid crystal display has a display region using amorphous silicon for TFTs and ICs for external driving circuits. Another type of liquid crystal display integrates a display section using solid phase deposition polycrystalline silicon TFTs and driving circuits, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-242433. Integration of a display section using excimer laser annealing polycrystalline silicon TFTs and driving circuits is also known in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-131030.
Although conventional amorphous silicon TFTs have high productivity, they are not suitable for production of p-channel MOSTFTs (hereinafter referred to as pMOSTFTs) due to a low electron mobility of 0.5 to 1.0 cm2/v·sec. Since a peripheral driving section using pMOSTFTs and a display section cannot be formed on the same substrate, the driver IC should be an external component, which is mounted by, for example, a tape automated bonding (TAB) method, which has high production costs. This configuration inhibits production of high-resolution devices. Furthermore, the small electron mobility, as described above, causes a small ON current; hence, the size of the transistors in the display section is inevitably large, resulting in a small aperture ratio of pixels.
Conventional polycrystalline silicon TFTs have an electron mobility of 70 to 100 cm2/v·sec and can facilitate production of high-resolution devices. Thus, liquid crystal displays (LCDs) which use polycrystalline silicon and are integrated with driving circuits have attracted attention. The above electron mobility, however, is insufficient for driving a large LCD of 15 inches or more, and thus ICs for an external driving circuit are required.
TFTs using polycrystalline silicon formed by a solid-phase deposition process require annealing at a temperature of 600° C. or more for several tens of hours and thermal oxidation at approximately 1,000° C. to from a gate SiO2 layer. Thus, the production of such TFTs requires using a semiconductor production system. Thus, the wafer size is limited to 8 to 12 inches and the use of expensive heat-resistant quartz glass is inevitable, resulting in high production cost. Thus, the use of such TFTs is limited to electronic viewfinders (EVF) and audiovisual (AV) projectors.
Polycrystalline silicon TFTs produced by excimer laser annealing have many problems, including unstable output of the excimer lasers, low productivity, increasing price of the apparatus with increasing size, low yield and low quality. These problems are pronounced when large glass substrates having a side of, for example, 1 meter are used.

Electrooptical device, substrate for driving electrooptical device and methods for making the same


A method of deploying a prosthesis includes engaging a hub assembly of a handle to a threaded outer surface of a slide shaft of the handle; rotating the hub assembly to cause axial translation of the hub assembly and a sheath coupled to the hub assembly to initiate deployment of the prosthesis; disengaging the hub assembly from the threaded outer surface by pivoting a thread tooth of the hub assembly out of threaded engagement with the threaded outer surface; and sliding the hub assembly on the slide shaft to further retract the sheath and complete deployment of the prosthesis.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an intra-vascular device and method. More particularly, the present invention relates to a delivery system for deploying endoluminal prostheses within the lumens of the body and to a method of using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Vascular aneurysms were the result of abnormal dilation of a blood vessel, usually resulting from disease and/or genetic predisposition, which weakened the arterial wall and allowed it to expand. While aneurysms could occur in any blood vessel, most occurred in the aorta and peripheral arteries, with the majority of aortic aneurysms occurring in the abdominal aorta, usually beginning below the renal arteries and often extending into one or both of the iliac arteries.
Aortic aneurysms were commonly treated in open surgical procedures where the diseased vessel segment was bypassed and repaired with an artificial vascular graft. While considered to be an effective surgical technique, particularly considering the alternative of a usual fatal ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm, conventional vascular graft surgery suffered from a number of disadvantages. The surgical procedure was complex and required experienced surgeons and well-equipped surgical facilities. Even with the best surgeons and equipment, however, patients being treated frequently were elderly and weakened from cardiovascular and other diseases, reducing the number of eligible patients.
Even for eligible patients prior to rupture, conventional aneurysm repair had a relatively high mortality rate, usually from 2% to 10%. Morbidity related to the conventional surgery includes myocardial infarction, renal failure, impotence, paralysis, and other conditions. Additionally, even with successful surgery, recovery took several weeks, and often required a lengthy hospital stay.
In order to overcome some or all of these drawbacks, endovascular prosthesis placement for the treatment of aneurysms has been used. Although very promising, many of the proposed methods and apparatus suffered from undesirable limitations. In particular, accurate delivery and placement of the endovascular prosthesis within the vasculature was problematic.
Stent-grafts (endovascular prosthesis) were resilient structures, usually biased to expand against the surrounding lumenal wall. Such resiliently-expanding stent-grafts were tightly compressed within the catheter, imposing significant radial expansion forces against the surrounding catheter sheath. This often lead to excess friction between the stent-graft and the sheath, particularly when the resiliently-expanding structure invaginated into the catheter material. Thus, the delivery system had to be capable of imparting a significant, yet controlled, force to retract the sheath and deploy the stent-grafts.

Integrated mechanical handle with quick slide mechanism


In a method for the production of carbon black and hydrogen by means of pyrolysis of hydrocarbons with a plasma torch (3) in a reaction chamber the pressure in the reaction chamber (1), the feed rate for the hydrogen plasma gas and hydrocarbons and the angle of the injection nozzles (2) in the reaction chamber (1) are adjusted in order to establish a reaction zone (5) in the chamber's central area with a location which determines the reaction enthalpy for decomposition of the hydrocarbons into hydrogen and carbon black in order to obtain a desired quality for the carbon part. The enthalpy value is adjusted in a range between 1 and 50 kWh/Nm.sup.3 and the temperature in the reaction zone is maintained between 1000.degree. C. and 4000.degree. C.

There are a number of methods and also systems for decomposition of hydrocarbons into a carbon part and hydrogen. The carbon part can thereby be produced in a number of different variants with regard to quality and density. The applicant himself has developed various methods in this connection and reference is made here to, e.g., the applicant's Norwegian patent applications No. 91 4904 and No. 92 1359. These applications concern methods and systems which are intended for continuous production of carbon in the form of carbon black and hydrogen.
From DD 292 920 is known a method for pyrolytic decomposition of hydrocarbons into carbon black and hydrogen with a plasma torch in a reaction chamber. By adjusting the enthalpy value induced into the feed stock in a range between 3 and 8 kWh/kg and the reaction period between 0,1 and 1 sec. one quality of carbon black corresponding to acetylene carbon black is produced.
From DD 211 457 is known a method and an apparatus for the production of carbon black and hydrogen with a plasma torch in a reaction chamber. A part of the hydrogen is recycled and is used as plasma gas. Feed stock in the form of hydrocarbons as liquid or gas is introduced radially via nozzles in one end of the reaction chamber and is mixed into a turbulent flow of plasma gas at a temperature between 3500 K and 4000 K. The reaction chamber is equipped with tempering zones where the reaction products are quenched to a temperature of about 1100 K.
From WO 89/06260 and EP 411 160 are known apparatus for the manufacturing of carbon black by the traditional production method which consists in a combustion of hydrocarbons by the supply of air. The apparatus consist of a combustion chamber, a tapered section and a reaction chamber contiguous to it. The tapered section and the reaction chamber are equipped with supply channels through the walls for introducing the feed stock.
Most of the previously known methods have to be described as discontinuous methods in which the apparatus could only be in operation for short periods of time, or where a further developed product was manufactured from the carbon formed. Alternatively a complete decomposition was not performed, with the result that the end product was not pure carbon together with hydrogen.
The traditional production methods for carbon black in a continuous process have been conducted as a combustion of hydrocarbons by the supply of air. The qualities achieved were dependent on the method in which air or oxygen was supplied, and whether oxygen was used in a surplus or a deficit. The methods were inefficient since substantial parts of the hydrocarbons which were to be converted were used as energy sources for the process, thus obtaining a low utilization factor. In addition the yield was further reduced due to the fact that the combustion process was not complete, thus causing both carbon and nitrogen oxides to be produced. The waste gases from the processes will not be able to be used for any other purpose than as a fuel gas, with the consequent release of polluting environmental gases.

Method and device for the pyrolytic decomposition of hydrocarbons


Injector (40) for injecting a fluidic sample into a mobile phase in a sample separation apparatus (10), the injector (40) comprising a main flow path (100) between a fluid drive (20) and a sample separation device (30), wherein the fluid drive (20) is adapted to drive the mobile phase and the sample separation device (30) is adapted to separate the fluidic sample that is injected into the mobile phase, a discharge device (104) for discharging an, in particular predetermined, amount of the mobile phase from the main flow path (100), and a supply device (102) for supplying an, in particular predetermined, amount of the fluidic sample and/or of a solvent into the main flow path (100), wherein the discharged amount and the supplied amount compensate each other at least partially.

The present invention relates to an injector for injecting a fluidic sample into a mobile phase in a main flow path of a sample separation apparatus, a sample separation apparatus, and a process.
In a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system, a liquid (mobile phase) is typically moved with a very precisely controlled flow rate (for example in the range of microliters to milliliters per minute) and at a high pressure (typically 20 to 1000 bar and beyond, currently up to 2000 bar), at which the compressibility of the liquid is noticeable, in order to separate from each other individual components of a sample liquid that has been introduced into the mobile phase. Such an HPLC system is known, for example, from EP 0.309.596 B1 of the same applicant, Agilent Technologies, Inc.
For liquid chromatography, it is necessary to lead in a fluidic sample to be investigated into the system. Such systems for leading in (also known as injecting or introducing) a fluidic sample are known from U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,939,943, 3,916,692, 3,376,694 and 6,893,569.
In contrast to conventional injectors, in a principle known as "Feed Injection", a flow path between a fluid drive and a sample separation device is continuously operated without interruption if a fluidic sample is introduced for example at a fluidic T-point. Examples of injectors according to the "Feed Injection" principle are described in US 2015/0316516 A1 and US 2015/0226710 A1.
However, the process of introducing the fluidic sample into the flow path between the fluid drive and the sample separation device according to the "Feed Injection" principle can lead to artifacts, for example fluctuations or jumps in pressure and flow rate. This can undesirably have an effect on the chromatographic separation result.

Injector with fluid supply and mobile phase discharge


An airborne photovoltaic solar system, comprising a parabolic reflector-concentrator (110, 1210), spread by wind, a solar panel (102, 1202) raised to high altitude using at least one lighter than air balloon (103, 1201), tracking the sun using aerodynamic surfaces and/or changes in buoyancy, relying on wind and/or cold air to cool the solar panel in one embodiment, as well as related methods and variations and alternatives.

Airborne photovoltaic solar panels are used as the power source in some unmanned planes, such as NASA Pathfinder and QinetiQ Zephir. An idea of an airborne photovoltaic solar device, transmitting energy to the ground over a power cable was proposed by a team consisting of Aglietti, Redi, Tatnall and Markvart (Aglietti, Redi, Tatnall and Markvart, Harnessing High-Altitude Solar Power, IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion, Vol. 24, No. 2, June 2009.) In it, solar cells are patched to a surface of an aerostat on one side, and this patch is turned toward the sun at all times. This provides an advantage in the amount of light hitting the surface of the cells compared with the ground solar installation. Nevertheless, the advantage is negated by the costs of the aerostat.
Another airborne photovoltaic solar system is discussed in the U.S. Pat. No. 7,997,532 by Tillotson. It uses a solar panel, suspended from an airborne balloon. Nevertheless, it is still not attractive economically because it requires relatively large area of solar cells, which are expensive.
Currently, solar energy is not cost competitive with fossil fuels or even with wind energy, even in the south of the US. There is need in a cost effective photovoltaic solar energy system. This invention is directed to teaching such a system.

Airborne photovoltaic solar device and method


The cervical pillow of the present invention includes an elongated air tight casing with a resilient cushion mounted at one side thereof. An inlet valve in the casing permits air flow into the cushion portion. A conduit extending from the cushion portion into an air chamber in the remainder of the cervical pillow permits air flow into the air chamber. An electric pump is mounted within the cushion to pump air into the air chamber, and thereby pressurize the cervical pillow. A relief valve is mounted in one end of the air chamber to permit selective release of air from the air chamber. A cervical pillow is attached to a standard head support pillow along a longitudinal side of both pillows.

Pillows for the support of the back of the neck, or cervix have proliferated in the past few years. Most such cervical pillows are utilized in conjunction with a standard size pillow used for supporting the head.
The major drawback of prior art cervical pillows is in the fact that the support provided by the pillow is not adjustable. Thus, a pillow with firmer support or greater height may be more comfortable when the user is laying on his or her side, while less firm support or less height is desired when the user is lying on his or her back. Currently, the situation would require two separate pillows of different firmness or heights to provide the desired comfort.


Connector assembly includes a communication connector configured to be at least one of electrically or optically coupled to a plug. The communication connector has a connector housing that includes a back side and a mating face that are on opposite ends of the connector housing. The connector assembly also includes a retention mechanism having a connector hinge and a retention clip. The connector hinge is a portion of the connector housing or is coupled to the connector housing. The retention clip has a panel, a hinge arm, and a plug arm. The panel extends between and couples to the hinge and plug arms. The hinge arm grips the connector hinge such that the retention clip is rotatable about the connector hinge between open and locked positions. The plug arm is shaped to press the plug toward the mating face when the retention clip is in the locked position.

The subject matter relates generally to retention mechanisms for communication connectors that communicate data and/or power between two different components or systems.
It is often desirable to use a retention device during the storage, shipping, or assembly of communication connectors (e.g., optical connectors or electrical connectors). For example, an optical engine may be installed into a communication system for interconnecting different components of the system or for providing a communication port of the system. The optical engine is configured to convert electrical signals to optical signals (and/or vice versa) and includes a mating interface for receiving an electrical or optical plug. During the shipping of the optical engine a dust plug is coupled to the mating interface of the optical module to prevent unwanted debris from collecting along the terminals of the mating interface. The terminals may be electrical contacts, electrical wire ends, optical fiber ends, and/or lenses. The dust plug may be held against the mating interface by a small removable retention device. When the optical module is installed into a system, the retention device and the dust plug are removed and an optical plug is mated with the optical module.
Although the retention device and the dust plug may work sufficiently in preventing debris from gathering at the mating interface of the optical module, the retention device is susceptible to being lost during shipping or mishandled during installation. In some cases, the retention device may fall into the system. These systems often have several components that are interconnected to one another through a dense assembly or network of cables and circuit boards. The retention device can damage the system or its components or otherwise interact with the system in an unwanted manner.
Accordingly, there is a need for a retention device that is easier to handle during storage, shipping, and/or installation of an electrical or optical connector.

Connector assembly and retention mechanism configured to maintain a mated relationship


A method of extraction of an impervious surface of a remote sensing image. The method includes: 1) obtaining a remote sensing image of a target region, performing normalization for image data, and dividing the normalized target region image into a sample image and a test image; 2) extracting an image feature of each sample image by constructing a deep convolutional network for feature extraction of the remote sensing image; 3) performing pixel-by-pixel category prediction for each sample image respectively; 4) constructing a loss function by using an error between a prediction value and a true value of the sample image and performing update training for network parameters of the deep convolutional network and network parameters relating to the category prediction; and 5) extracting an image feature from the test image through the deep convolutional network based on the training result obtained in 4).

The disclosure relates to the field of information extraction of remote sensing image data, and more particularly to a method and system of extraction of an impervious surface of a high-resolution remote sensing image based on joint deep learning and semantic probability.
An impervious surface refers to an artificial ground surface that prevents water moisture from penetrating into soil, such as buildings, roads, plazas, parking lots, and the like, and is one of key indicators for evaluating health of urban ecosystems and quality of human settlements.
Deep learning, especially a convolutional neural network, performs feature extraction and recognition from a low level to a high level for an external input signal by simulating a cognitive process of a human brain, and achieves a series of breakthrough application results in the fields of classification, segmentation and content understanding of natural images. However, the convolutional neural network cannot effectively establish a spatial relationship between different terrains for remote sensing images with lower spatial resolutions and more complex terrain types, thus leading to fragmentation or irrationality of classification results.

Method and system of extraction of impervious surface of remote sensing image