Provided are a base station, a terminal, a band allocation method, and a downlink data communication method with which bands can be efficiently allocated. In a base station in which a plurality of unit bands can be allocated to a single communication, when a data receiver acquires terminal capability information transmitted by a terminal in the initial access unit band and the bandwidth available for communication indicated by the terminal capability information can accommodate a plurality of unit bands, a unit band group which includes the initial access unit band as well as the unit bands adjacent thereto is allocated to the terminal, and a communication band movement indication, which indicates the movement of the center frequency in the communication band of the terminal toward the center frequency in the unit band group, is transmitted to the terminal using the initial access unit band.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a base station, terminal, band assignment method and downlink data communication method.
2. Description of the Related Art
In 3GPP LTE, OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access) is adopted as a downlink communication scheme. In a radio communication system adopting 3GPP LTE, a radio communication base station apparatus (which may be simply referred to as "base station" below) transmits a synchronization channel ("SCH") or broadcast channel ("BCH") using predetermined communication resources. Then, first, a radio communication terminal apparatus (which may be simply referred to as "terminal" below) secures synchronization with the base station by capturing the SCH. That is, first, the terminal performs a cell search. After that, the terminal obtains parameters unique to the base station (such as a frequency bandwidth) by reading the BCH information (see Non-Patent Literatures 1, 2 and 3).
Also, standardization of 3GPP LTE-advanced, which realizes faster communication than 3GPP LTE, has been started. The 3GPP LTE-advanced system (which may be referred to as "LTE+ system" below) follows the 3GPP LTE system (which may be referred to as "LTE system" below). In 3GPP LTE-advanced, to realize downlink transmission speed equal to or greater than maximum 1 Gbps, it is expected to adopt a base station and terminal that can perform communication in a wideband frequency equal to or greater than 20 MHz. Here, to prevent unnecessary complication of the terminal, the terminal side is expected to define the terminal capability related to frequency band support. The terminal capability defines that, for example, the minimum value of support bandwidth is 20 MHz.
That is, a base station supporting the LTE+ system (which may be referred to as "LTE+ base station" below) is formed to be able to perform communication in a frequency band including a plurality of "unit bands." Here, a "unit band" is a band of a 20-MHz range, including SCH (Synchronization CHannel) near the center, and is defined as a base unit of a communication band. Also, a "unit band" may be expressed as "component carrier(s)" in English in 3GPP LTE.
Also, terminals supporting the LTE+ system (which may be referred to as "LTE+ terminal" below) include a terminal in which a communication-capable bandwidth can contain only one unit band (which may be referred to as "type-1 LTE+ terminal" below) and a terminal in which a communication-capable bandwidth can contain a plurality of unit bands (which may be referred to as "type-2 LTE+ terminal" below).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Base station, terminal, band allocation method, and downlink data communication method

Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America


An electrical device (100, 200) is provided with a tubular metal sheath (110, 210, 250, 260) and with an insulator body (120, 160, 220, 251, 261), which is arranged in the interior of the tubular metal sheath (110, 210, 250, 260) and through which passes at least one tunnel-like opening (tunnel opening) (121, 122, 161, 162, 221, 252, 262). At least one section (131a, 132a, 171a, 172a) of a first electrical conductor (131, 132, 171, 172, 231) is arranged in the tunnel opening (121, 122, 161, 162, 221, 252, 262), in which the cross-sectional geometry of the tunnel opening (121, 122, 161, 162, 221, 252, 262) deviates from a circular shape.

Such electrical devices include, for example, sheathed thermocouples and electrical heating cartridges, in which sections of thermocouple wire legs or electrical heating elements, especially resistance wires, extend in holes, i.e., tunnel-like openings with a circular cross section, of a coil body arranged in the interior of a tubular metallic sheath, and are possibly also indirectly or directly connected to connecting lines or connecting wires in the interior of the holes.
It is seen in practice that this long-established structural shape is less and less able to meet the steadily increasing requirements imposed on such electrical devices, especially electrical heating devices and reaches its limitations. For example, ever-increasing heating outputs are required to be accommodated in an increasingly smaller space available for installation, without the reliable function being jeopardized.


The present disclosure provides a corrugated concrete wall panel form and a method of constructing a prefabricated concrete wall panel thereof. The method comprises the steps of placing a layer of insulation boards horizontally on a flat surface on site or in pre-cast plant; laying and attaching one layer of corrugated metal thin sheets, as the bottom concrete form, on top of the horizontally placed insulation boards; closing the sides of the corrugated metal sheets by peripheral angles as side forms; and then pouring concrete on top of the metal sheets. After concrete hardens the wall structure is ready for erection. This low cost lightweight wall panel system is self-containing and requires only one pour of concrete. It requires no complicated form structure and less labor work for form installation.

This invention deals generally with building construction and more specifically with the construction of concrete prefabricated basement walls or exterior walls for residential buildings. It relates to a method of fabricating a durable, high-strength, low cost, light weight, thermally efficient, maintenance free, and construction friendly concrete wall panel by using a corrugated thin-sheet-type bottom form permanently attached to the back of the wall panel and requiring only one pour of concrete.
Concrete walls as part of buildings, by their nature, and hurricane proof, are durable, high strength, earthquake, hurricane and flood proof, and fire resistant Concrete walls are widely used for commercial buildings such as office buildings, warehouses, factories, hospitals, theaters, stores and the like. However, traditional exterior wall materials for low-rise residential buildings such as single houses or townhouses are wood, bricks or stones but not concrete.
Three major reasons result in not using concrete exterior walls for residential buildings.
First, the construction and material cost of concrete walls is much higher than that for wooden or masonry walls. Two major construction methods for building concrete walls are cast-in-place and prefabrication.
Cast-in-place concrete wall construction employs either temporary forms or permanent forms. The temporary-forms method involves the construction of forms, either wood or metal, in the exact shape of the vertical walls, and then pouring concrete into the forms. After the concrete hardens, the temporary forms are removed and reused on other walls. On the other hand, the forms in the permanent-form method are not removed and stay in place with the wall permanently. The cost for forms limits the cast-in-place method. Although forms in the temporary-form method can be reused, the construction still involves a lot of labor work for form installation and removal.
Prefabricated concrete walls include tilt-up walls and pre-cast walls. Tilt-up walls are cast in forms on the floor slab and simply are tilted into position. This method needs a large area of very flat surface and is cost effective only in the construction of large buildings. Pre-cast wall panels are made in plants and then shipped to the job sites. The shipping cost for pre-cast panels and erection cost for both methods can be very high.
Second, concrete construction requires wall builders to be knowledgeable in concrete construction and to own or rent heavier construction equipment such as high capacity cranes. Traditionally, builders for low-rise residential buildings are familiar with wood or masonry construction, which are relatively simple and light compared with concrete construction.
Third, traditional concrete walls used in commercial buildings are made in a 3-layer sandwich structure with an insulation layer in between two concrete layers. It is not suitable for residential building because it is hard to attach interiors and utility conduits to the interior concrete layer of the walls.
Many prior art teachings show how to build tilt-up or precast concrete wall panels. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,244 to Clapp (1989), U.S. Pat. No. 6,067,757 to Olson (2000), U.S. Pat. No. 6,494,004 B1 to Zimmerman (2002), U.S. Pat. No. 6,481,178 B2 to Moore Jr., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,658,810 B2 to Deloach, Sr. All of them are creative in some ways. However, the present invention teaches a more efficient way of producing tilt-up concrete wall panels.

Corrugated concrete wall panel form and method of construction thereof


A method of null balancing a hand field-strength meter is described in which the effect of the measurement probe on the balancing is suppressed by short-circuiting the measurement probe by two MOS-FETs connected in series across the probe outputs so that the null balancing can be performed when the field-strength meter is located in the vicinity of a high strength field. In a preferred embodiment of the null balancing circuit for the meter another circuit branch consisting of two other complimentary MOS-FETs connected in series with each other is connected in parallel across the first two MOS-FETs via two resistors R1,R2.

The present invention relates to a battery-operated hand field-strength meter with at least one measurement probe and a method of null balancing for the hand field-strength meter located in the field to be measured.
Compact, battery-operated hand meters are used for the measurement of high frequency or magnetic fields. A null balance is only possible in the currently known field strength meters, when the meter is not exposed to the expected field strength. To perform a null balance the output d.c. voltage of the input amplifier is measured in this situation and this offset voltage is subtracted from the subsequently measured actual direct voltage values after that. Furthermore of course it is also required that the user try to find a field-free location for null balancing in order to perform the null balance there.

Battery-operated hand field-strength meter and method of null balancing same

Wandel & Goltermann, Management Holding GmbH


Graphical user interface system and methods for providing "hints" for screen objects of interest, particularly user interface elements which rely upon multitudes of iconic (bitmap image) indicia. The interface includes a static (status) frame or window positioned in a non-intrusive fashion below or to one side of a client area (active portion) of a user interface. The frame is continually updated with appropriate descriptors or "hints" (e.g., text and/or graphics) as a screen cursor moves from one screen object to another.

The present invention relates generally to computer systems and, more particularly, to systems and techniques for assisting a user of a computer system.
With the advent of the personal computer, the use of computer systems is becoming increasingly prevalent in everyday life. In the past, computers were often housed in highly restricted areas, with access limited to a few computer scientists and programmers. Today, however, computers can be seen on the desktops of most business professionals. Running software applications such as word processors and spreadsheets, for example, even the average business professional can realize substantial productivity gains. Besides the business environment, computers can also be found in wide use both at home and at school.
The typical user of a computer today has little or no training in the computer sciences or even in the basic use of a personal computer. In order to operate a computer effectively, however, he or she must overcome a steep learning curve, one requiring mastery of a number of commands and data formats. One approach to this problem is to spend hours laboring over often-cryptic user manuals--, an unattractive option at best. Instead, most users usually abandon printed manuals in favor of trial-and-error learning.
To increase ease of use, designers of computer systems have labored for decades to create architectures which are intuitive. Most of this effort has been centered around the user interface or UI--the means by which a user communicates (i.e., supplies input and receives output) with a computer. With increasingly widespread availability of powerful microprocessors, graphical user interfaces (GUIs, pronounced "gooeys") have become feasible.
A GUI is a type of display format that enables a user to operate a computer by pointing to pictorial representations, such as "windows" and "icons" (bitmaps), displayed on a screen device. A window is a rectangle displayed on the screen that affords a user workspace within a program. In typical operation, the user may move the window about on the screen, change its size or shape, enlarge it to fill the screen, close it entirely, or change how much of its contents are displayed. To aid the user in the manipulation of its contents, a window will typically include a number of user interface components, such as buttons, menus, sliders, and the like. Outside the window, the screen can display other screen objects, such as other windows, disk drive icons, or even a trash can icon.
To navigate within a GUI, most systems employ a screen cursor or pointer, typically displayed as a small arrow icon (bitmap) which allows the user to select individual points on the screen. In operation, the screen cursor is moved to a desired screen location in response to movements of a pointing device (e.g., mouse) by the user. Besides effecting cursor movement, most pointing devices include one or more switches or "mouse buttons" for specifying additional user input or "user events." Since many user choices may be entered through use of a pointing device (e.g., for selecting screen objects), instead of input with a keyboard, the need for the user to memorize special commands has been lessened.
Most GUIs feature a menu bar. For instance, running across the top of the screen which serves to group or categorize commands available to the user. Clicking on an item on the menu bar typically causes a "pull-down" menu to appear. This second or "submenu" also includes a number of items, each of which is associated with a desired action, including the display of even more menus. To select a desired action, the user usually clicks the corresponding menu item with the screen or mouse pointer. For some menu items, particularly those which may be nested in several layers deep, a keyboard equivalent or "hot key" may be available but, unfortunately, these must also be memorized by the user.
With well-known examples including Apple's Macintosh (Mac) interface, Microsoft's Windows, and IBM's OS/2 Presentation Manager, these interfaces simplify computer operation by providing users with a more-or-less consistent interface across applications. Nevertheless, most application software still requires complex user actions, such as "double-clicking" or "dragging" a mouse device while a key is held down. Thus, there typically exists a plethora of ways to do almost anything in a graphical interface, such as the Mac. While this increases the flexibility of a system, it also adds to the complexity of the interface that the user must master. And this problem is by no means limited just to novice users. Experienced computer users are reluctant to read user manuals and, hence, often fair no better than novice users. All told, the user is still required to memorize special commands.
Standard windowing interfaces depend heavily on a clunky system of pull-down menus. While pull-down menus are an improvement over command-line (e.g., MS-DOS) interfaces, they are non-metaphoric or non-analogous to ordinary objects, i.e., ones familiar to the user. Perhaps the biggest weakness of pull-down menus is the requirement that the user must know beforehand which menu contains the item or function of interest. If the user does not know which pull-down menu, submenu, or dialog box contains the item he or she is seeking, the user will spend an inordinate amount of time checking the contents of each in an effort to hunt down the needed item. And often the search is in vain. Moreover, since functions for a given object (e.g., text object) are often scattered over several disparate menus, the user is discouraged from interacting and experimenting with the object. Thus, many prior art windowing GUIs are no more intuitive or useful to the user than other menuing systems.
One approach to overcoming this problem has been the implementation of "smart icons." This interface technique employs screen buttons painted with icons which are supposed to tell the user what the buttons do. This approach, however, makes the interface problem even-worse because the meaning of the individual buttons is often not easily grasped. For instance, some button images are so small or so numerous that it is hard to see the icons well enough to discern what they mean. Thus, the approach is frequently no more helpful than hiding the desired function deep inside a menuing system. Thus, with advances in computer and software technology, application software has not necessarily become easier to use. Instead, technological advances have been largely employed to build more complex functions into existing applications, often resulting in a complicated user interface, such as a staggering array of icons, which leave the user even more bewildered.
The present invention recognizes that it is highly desirable to provide computers with system and application software which is highly intuitive to users, including those who are untrained in the use of the software. What is needed is a system and interface methods which require little or no knowledge of specific commands by the user. Moreover, such methods should not "invade" the user screen workspace (client area), that is, they should operate in a non-intrusive fashion. The present invention fulfills this and other needs.

Graphical user interface system and methods for improved user feedback


A system for an application diagram is provided. The system includes a technology roadmap database, an application database, a project database, a processor, an analysis module, and a user interface. The technology roadmap database contains technology roadmap information defining a technology roadmap. The application database contains configuration information about applications. The configuration information identifies the technology resources allocated to each application. The project database contains project information, which identifies any project impact on each application. The processor executes the analysis module to analyze the technology roadmap information, the configuration information, and the project information and to create the application diagram for a selected project. The application diagram organizes applications within enterprise functional areas and presents any changes planned for the selected project. The user interface, responsive to user input, promotes selection of projects and displays the application diagram for selected projects.

Enterprise architects evaluate technologies currently used by an enterprise and technologies potentially used by the enterprise. Such an evaluation may produce an approved technology list that specifies which technologies offer the best value for the enterprise in terms of purchasing and maintaining technology. Despite the production of an approved technology list, a project manager may approve a proposed project that uses a technology that is not on the approved technology list. A project may be a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product or service. Implementing a technology that is an exception to the approved technology list may result in architectural impacts throughout the enterprise.
Evaluating architectural impacts may be a lengthy and difficult process. For example, employees in each of the numerous areas, or subdivisions, in the enterprise may hold their own meeting to evaluate architectural impacts. In these numerous meetings, the employees may evaluate architectural impacts in their own area without any information about how the project may impact other areas in the enterprise. The significant time that would be required to determine such information may constitute a waste of time for the many employees of areas not impacted by the project. Enterprise architects may make project decisions based on architectural impacts. However, project managers would have to lobby to overturn project decisions made by enterprise architects because the enterprise architects often fail to take all project considerations into account.
In large enterprises, the number of installed hardware and software technologies can easily number in the tens of thousands. The operational complexity of managing large portfolios of hardware and software drives significant operating expense and leads to lowered operational performance of the systems utilizing the technology.


A tunable fiber optic parametric oscillator includes a nonlinear optical loop mirror or fiber Sagnac interferometer NFSI with a dispersion shifted fiber portion. The oscillator is synchronously pumped to amplify a signal wave, while reflecting the depleted pump pulse back towards the pump. The amplified signal wave and simultaneously generated idler waves are directed to a spectral filter. The spectral filter may be a diffraction grating, a Faraday mirror or other optical filter that is tunable to change the signal wavelength that is reflected back to the NFSI. The fiber optic parametric oscillator is tunable over substantially the entire gain bandwidth and is insensitive to the polarization of the pump pulses. The fiber optic parametric oscillator may be used as a tunable source of short pulses for high speed optical communication systems. The fiber optic parametric oscillator may also be used for synchronization and clock recovery.

The present invention relates to a fiber optic parametric oscillator and more particularly to a wavelength tunable fiber optic parametric oscillator.
Fiber optic parametric oscillators in the form of a modulational instability laser are known in which all of the pump, signal and idler waves are resonated inside a fiber ring cavity. The operation of this system, however, is undesirably phase sensitive because all three of the waves are resonant. Known fiber optic parametric oscillators have oscillated at the point of modulational instability where the gain of the signal is at a maximum. However, the oscillation frequency can be shifted by only a small amount by changing the pump power. They are therefore, not tunable to a desired frequency over the gain bandwidth.
Further, in known parametric oscillators the parametric response depends on the pump polarization. If the signal polarization drifts towards a polarization state that is orthogonal to the polarization of the pump, the gain of the signal is reduced to a fraction of the maximum gain, achievable when the polarization of the pump and signal are the same.
In accordance with the present invention, the disadvantages of prior fiber optic parametric oscillators have been overcome. The fiber optic parametric oscillator of the present invention is single wave resonant and is tunable over substantially the entire gain bandwidth.
More particularly, the tunable fiber optic parametric oscillator of the present invention includes a fiber parametric amplifier that receives a pump wave and a synchronous signal wave wherein the amplifier separates the pump wave, while amplifying the synchronous signal wave. A spectral filter receives the signal wave from the amplifier, the filter being tunable to reflect a signal wave of a particular wavelength back to the fiber parametric amplifier so as to provide non-degenerate operation of a synchronously pumped fiber optic parametric oscillator.
In one embodiment, the fiber parametric amplifier is in the form of a nonlinear fiber Sagnac interferometer or a nonlinear optical loop mirror having a pump wave port and a signal wave port with a dispersion shifted fiber portion therebetween for amplifying a signal wave having a signal pulse coincident with a pump wave pulse and simultaneously generating an idler wave. The pump wave is reflected back to the pump wave port whereas the signal and idler waves pass through the signal port and are directed to the spectral filter. The spectral filter may be a diffraction grating, or other optical filter that is tunable.
These and other advantages and novel features of the present invention, as well as details of an illustrated embodiment thereof, will be more fully understood from the following description and drawings.

Tunable fiber optic parametric oscillator


The present invention provides a ligand to GPR8, in particular polypeptides capable of binding to GPR8 or its amides or esters, or salts thereof, as well as the DNA encoding for such polypeptides. The ligand to GPR8 of the present invention is useful in developing receptor-binding assay systems with the use of a GPR8 expression system, for screening candidate compounds for drugs such as preventive/therapeutic agents for obesity, appetite stimulants, and prolactin production inhibitors.

Important biological functions including maintenance of homeostasis in vivo, reproduction, development of individuals, metabolism, growth, control of the nervous, circulatory, immune, digestive or metabolic system, sensory adaptation, etc. are regulated by cells that receive endogenous factors such as various hormones and neurotransmitters or sensory stimulation like light or odor, via specific receptors present on cell membranes reserved for these factors or stimulation and interact with them. Many of these receptors for hormones or neurotransmitters by such functional regulation are coupled to guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (hereinafter, sometimes merely referred to as G proteins), and are characterized by developing a variety of functions through mediation of intracellular signal transduction via activation of the G proteins. In addition, these receptor proteins possess common seven transmembrane domains. Based on the foregoing, these receptors are thus collectively referred to as G protein-coupled receptors or seven transmembrane receptors. As such it is known that various hormones or neurotransmitters and their receptor proteins are present and interact with each other to play important roles for regulating the biological functions. However, it often remains unclear if there are any other unknown substances (hormones, neurotransmitters, etc.) and receptors to these substances.
In recent years, accumulated sequence information of human genome DNA or various human tissue-derived cDNA by random sequencing and rapid progress in gene analysis technology have been accelerating the investigation of human genome. Based on this, it has been clarified that there are many genes supposed to encode proteins with unknown functions. G protein-coupled receptors not only have seven transmembrane domains but many common sequences are present their nucleic acids or amino acids. Thus, they can be clearly identified to be G protein-coupled receptors in such proteins. On the other hand, these G protein-coupled receptor genes are obtained by polymerase chain reaction (hereinafter abbreviated as PCR) utilizing such a structural similarity. In these G protein-coupled receptors thus obtained so far, ligands to some receptors that are subtypes having high homology in structure to known receptors may be readily predictable but in most cases, their endogenous ligands are unpredictable so that ligands corresponding to these receptors are hardly found. For this reason, these receptors are termed orphan receptors. It is likely that unidentified endogenous ligands to such orphan receptors would take part in biological phenomena poorly analyzed because the ligands were unknown. When such ligands are associated with important physiological effects or pathologic conditions, it is expected that development of these receptor agonists or antagonists will result in breakthrough new drugs (Stadel, J. et al., TiPS, 18, 430-437, 1997; Marchese, A. et al., TiPS, 20, 370-375, 1999; Civelli, O. et al., Brain Res., 848, 63-65, 1999). Until now, however, there are few examples to actually identify ligands to orphan G protein-coupled receptors.
Recently, some groups attempted to investigate ligands to these orphan receptors and reported isolation/structural determination of ligands which are novel physiologically active peptides. Independently Reinsheid et al. and Meunier et al. introduced cDNA encoding orphan G protein-coupled receptor LC132 or ORL1 into animal cells to express a receptor, isolated a novel peptide from swine brain or rat brain extract, which was named orphanin FQ or nociceptin with reference to its response, and determined its sequence (Reinsheid, R. K. et al., Science, 270, 792-794, 1995; Meunier, J.-C. et al., Nature, 377, 532-535, 1995). This peptide was reported to be associated with pain. Further research on the receptor in knockout mouse reveals that the peptide takes part in memory (Manabe, T. et al., Nature, 394, 577-581, 1998).
Subsequently, novel peptides such as PrRP (prolactin releasing peptide), orexin, apelin, ghrelin and GALP (galanin-like peptide), etc. were isolated as ligands to orphan G protein-coupled receptors (Hinuma, S. et al., Nature, 393, 272-276, 1998; Sakurai, T. et al., Cell, 92, 573-585, 1998; Tatemoto, K. et al., Biohem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 251, 471-476, 1998; Kojima, M. et al., Nature, 402, 656-660, 1999; Ohtaki, T. et al., J. Biol. Chem., 274, 37041-37045, 1999). On the other hand, some receptors to physiologically active peptides, which were hitherto unknown, were clarified. It was revealed that a receptor to motilin associated with contraction of intestinal tracts was GPR38 (Feighner, S. D. et al., Science, 284, 2184-2188, 1999). Furthermore, SLC-1 was identified to be a receptor to MCH (Chambers, J. et al., Nature, 400, 261-265, 1999; Saito, Y. et al., Nature, 400, 265-269, 1999; Shimomura, Y. et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 261, 622-626, 1999; Lembo, P. M. C. et al., Nature Cell Biol., 1, 267-271, 1999; Bachner, D. et al., FEBS Lett., 457, 522-524, 1999). Also, GPR14 (SENR) was reported to be a receptor to urotensin II (Ames, R. S. et al., Nature, 401, 282-286, 1999; Mori, M. et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 265, 123-129, 1999; Nothacker, H. P. et al., Nature Cell Biol., 1, 383-385, 1999, Liu, Q. et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 266, 174-178, 1999). It was shown that MCH took part in obesity since its knockout mice showed the reduced body weight and lean phenotype (Shimada, M. et al., Nature, 396, 670-674, 1998), and because its receptor was revealed, it became possible to explore a receptor antagonist likely to be an antiobesity agent. It is further reported that urotensin II shows a potent action on the cardiocirculatory system, since it induces heart ischemia by intravenous injection to monkey (Ames, R. S. et al., Nature, 401, 282-286, 1999).
As described above, orphan receptors and ligands thereto often take part in a new physiological activity, and it is expected that their clarification will lead to development of new drugs. However, it is known that research on ligands to orphan receptors is accompanied by many difficulties. For example, it is generally unknown what secondary signal transduction system will take place after orphan receptors expressed on cells responded to ligands, and various response system should be examined. Moreover, tissues where ligands are present are not readily predictable so that various tissue extracts should be prepared. Furthermore, since an amount of ligand required to stimulate its receptor is sufficient even in an extremely low concentration when the ligand is a peptide, the amount of such a ligand present in vivo is a trace amount in many cases. In addition, a peptide is digested by peptidase to lose its activity, or undergoes non-specific adsorption so that its recovery becomes poor during purification. Thus, it is normally extremely difficult to extract such a ligand from the living body and isolate an amount of the ligand necessary for determination of its structure. The presence of many orphan receptors was unraveled, but only a very small part of ligands to these receptors were discovered so far due to the foregoing problems.


A method of operating a touch panel including a plurality of driving lines and a plurality of sensing lines includes performing a first limited scan by activating only a first portion of the plurality of driving lines and only a first portion of the plurality of sensing lines, such that a first coarse position of a first touch by a user is detected, and performing a first local scan by activating only driving lines and sensing lines adjacent to the detected first coarse position of the first touch, such that a first fine position of the first touch by the user is detected.

1. Field
Example embodiments of the inventive concept relate to touch panels. More particularly, example embodiments of the inventive concept relate to methods of operating touch panels, the touch panels and display devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
A touch panel (or a touch screen) is widely used in electronic devices to detect an input action or an event by a user. Typically, the touch panel may detect the presence and location of a touch by the user by generating an electrical signal when the touch panel is touched by a finger, a stylus pen, or the like. The touch panel may be mounted on a display panel, e.g., an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display panel, a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, etc., or may be formed within the display panel. The touch panel may be classified into, e.g., a resistive touch panel, a capacitive touch panel, an electromagnetic touch panel, an infrared touch panel, a surface acoustic wave (SAW) touch panel, a near field imaging (NFI) touch panel, etc.
A conventional touch panel detects a touch by the user by scanning all touch points included in the touch panel. As a display device and the touch panel included in the display device become larger, the number of touch points included in the touch panel increases, and thus, power consumption and scan time of the touch panel increases.

Method of operating a touch panel, touch panel and display device


A light weight guitar construction and associated method of manufacture involves the use of a light weight wood core material having deposited thereover a strengthening layer preferably of carbon fiber and a fiberglass sheet layer both impregnated with a high temperature resin. Sandwiched between the strengthening layer and fiberglass layer is a means for displaying one or more visual images. A piezoelectric crystal transducer system is used individually with each string for sensing string vibrations. An improved fret board construction is employed. In one feature of the present invention each of the frets have coupled thereto circuit runs for signal coupling.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to stringed musical instruments, and pertains more particularly, to a light-weight stringed instrument such as a light weight solid body guitar that has a means for displaying graphics, markings and the like on an outer surface thereof. Moreover, the present invention relates to the construction and associated method of fabrication of a light-weight stringed musical instrument containing this display means. Furthermore, the present invention is directed to improved transducer systems for stringed musical instruments.
2. Background Discussion
Acoustic stringed instruments such as traditional hollow-bodied acoustic guitars are made almost entirely of wood and high-quality instruments of this type require painstaking craftmanship for their construction. Often, detailed graphics or other visual images on the outer surface of the guitar (e.g. fret board, soundboard) include multicolored woods or pearl inlays in various designs. Fabrication techniques have tended to be complex and time consuming and, in some instances; the costs have been prohibitive. Guitars of this type have tended to be complex, cumbersome, difficult to fabricate and relatively costly.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a light-weight, stringed musical instrument that has an improved means for displaying visual images.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of fabrication of stringed musical instruments that have improved means for displaying visual images. This method of manufacture is also adapted to, in particular, provide for the construction of a light-weight instrument.

Stringed musical instrument with visual images


Provided is a lighting apparatus using an LED as a lighting source. The lighting apparatus may distribute a current corresponding to a rectified voltage to a lighting unit and a secondary current circuit, perform primary light emission at low luminance, and reduce an optical deviation between LED groups through secondary light emission. Thus, the lighting apparatus can reduce an optical deviation corresponding to dimming and one cycle of rectified voltage.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a lighting apparatus, and more particularly, to a lighting apparatus using an LED as a light source.
2. Related Art
In order to reduce energy, a lighting apparatus is designed to use a light source having high light emission efficiency based on a small amount of energy. Representative examples of a light source used in the lighting apparatus may include a light emitting diode (LED). The LED is differentiated from other light sources in terms of various aspects such as energy consumption, lifetime, and light quality.
Since the LED is driven by a current, a lighting apparatus using the LED as a light source requires a large number of additional circuits for current driving. In order to solve the above-described problem, an AC direct-type lighting apparatus has been developed to provide an AC voltage to the LED.
The AC direct-type lighting apparatus is configured to convert an AC voltage into a rectified voltage, and control the LED to emit light through current driving using the rectified voltage. Since the AC direct-type lighting apparatus directly uses a rectified voltage without using an inductor and capacitor, the AC direct-type lighting apparatus has a satisfactory power factor. The rectified voltage indicates a voltage obtained by full-wave rectifying an AC voltage.
The AC direct-type lighting apparatus includes one or more LED groups, and each of the LED groups includes one or more LEDs. Furthermore, the AC-direct type lighting apparatus may include a dimmer for dimming.
The lighting apparatus may turn on or off the LED groups in response to a change of a rectified voltage, and the luminance of the lighting apparatus may be controlled by dimming.
Typically, the lighting apparatus includes a plurality of LED groups connected in series. According to the change of the rectified voltage, a part of the LED groups may be turned on, and the other part of the LED groups may be turned off. Thus, an optical deviation corresponding to the change of the rectified voltage may occur. When light emission is performed in response to a rectified voltage controlled at a full angle, a significant optical deviation may occur.
Furthermore, the dimmer has a non-uniform operation characteristic. That is, when the phase angle of the rectified voltage is controlled through the dimmer, it is difficult to precisely control luminance. Then, a dimming deviation may occur, and an optical deviation may occur according to the dimming deviation.
The AC direct-type lighting apparatus needs to solve the problem in which an optical deviation occurs, in order to provide high-quality lighting.


A system for estimating range to an object comprising a system for estimating range to an object comprising a transmitter to transmit at least one UWB signal, a receiver to receive at least one UWB signal, a sampler to sample the received UWB signal depending on a plurality of clock and/or sample pulses having a first frequency, and a circuit and/or processor configured to generate a fractional signal having a second frequency that is lower that the first frequency and a phase that is dependant on the delay between when the UWB signal is actually received and when the received UWB signal is first sampled, and determine the range based on at least a first number of clock or sample pulses between transmitting and receiving the UWB signal and the phase of the fractional signal. Also a method of estimating range to an object.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to estimation of time of arrival and/or range, particularly though not solely to a method and system for estimating range based on the time of arrival of an Ultra Wide Band (UWB) signal.
2. Description of Related Art
Methods for estimating position or range are widely used in many wireless devices. For example it is known to use a pulse-based UWB transceiver system to estimate the range to an object or between devices by determining the delay between transmission and receipt of each UWB pulse, which is also known as the Time of Arrival (TOA). Such systems may be used in applications such as radar, object location or tracking, and military applications.
In FIG. 1 shows prior art system for range estimation using TOA, as disclosed by Sinan Gezici, Zhi Tian, Georgios B. Giannakis, Hisashi Kobayashi, Andreas F. Molisch, H. Vincent Poor, and Zafer Sahinoglu, in "Localization via ultra-wideband radios." IEEE Signal Processing Magazine, vol. 22, 2005. While a number of methods of range estimation exist, the TOA method for range estimation has particular advantages when used with UWB signals. The TOA method includes sending a coded UWB pulse 100 from the transmitter. The receiver receives the reflected pulse 101, as shown in FIG. 1(a), which is smoothed using an envelope detector or a low pass filter. Then the envelope is sampled and becomes time discrete samples 102, as shown in FIG. 1(b). The TOA of each pulse is estimated based on these discrete samples, for example the number of clock pulses between transmission and receipt.
A sampling error may occur as the estimated TOA 104 may be different from the actual TOA 106, as shown in FIG. 1(c). The discrete time sampling step and low time resolution of the sampler, means a TOA between two sample points will not be identified. That is to say, that the accuracy is limited by the sampling rate. Therefore the lower the sampling rate, the bigger the possible sampling error.
Various systems have been proposed in the prior art. For example a positioning system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,171,303 that uses a common clock unit to form the sampling basis in both the local receiver and the relative sensor. Both the local receiver and the relative sensor have the same reference during the ranging processing. In U.S. Pat. No. 7,057,553 a method for processing the positioning signals in the global positioning system (GPS) is disclosed. The method collects pseudo-range samples from positioning signals received at the ranging receiver from several satellites. U.S. Pat. No. 7,042,868 discloses a ranging method between two packet signal transceivers. The time delay or distance between two transceivers can be determined through sending and received packet signals to each other. U.S. Pat. No. 6,239,741 describes a tunnel diode detector for UWB object detection.
The present inventors have also filed Singapore Patent Application No. 200604221-2 on Jun. 23, 2006, relating to a method using a time to voltage converter to estimate the TOA.


Disclosed is a method for automatically connecting a video communication between mobile stations in an emergency, wherein a mobile station in an emergency calls another mobile station and, even if there is no response from it, the video connection can be made automatically. The method includes the steps of selecting an automatic emergency response mode so that a first mobile station in an emergency calls a second mobile station and automatically connects to it; making an emergency call from the first mobile station, which is in the automatic emergency response mode, to the second mobile station; and automatically connecting the video communication between the first and second mobile stations, when the first mobile station makes a call even if the second mobile station does not respond to it.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method for establishing a video communication between mobile stations, and more particularly, to a method of automatically establishing a video communication between mobile stations during an emergency, wherein a first H.324M mobile station in distress calls a second H.324M mobile station and automatically establishes a video communication even if there is no response from the second mobile station.
2. Description of the Related Art
As generally known in the art, an emergency occurs in the course of a many disasters, e.g. a robber or medical emergency. In such a case, it is customary to make an emergency call or operate an emergency bell/alarm to contact the police or an emergency center (e.g. 911) for help.
Recently, such an emergency contact has become easier, i.e. it can be made at any place and time, as mobile stations are widely used. In most cases, a call is made for an emergency contact via activating a pre-stored emergency number, an SMS, or speed dialing. However, if the called party does not respond, it follows that undesirable outcome may occur. Furthermore, even if the called party responds, the calling party may be in panic situation to calmly communicate with the operator.
Accordingly, there is a need for improving the handling of an emergency call.

Method for automatically connecting video communication between mobile stations during an emergency

Maetan-dong, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do


A flexographic printing plate comprising in the following order: a flexible substrate, a photohardenable composition, and a colloidal vanadium oxide antistatic layer. The antistatic layer provides protection from static induced defects until and after the flexographic plate is processed.

There is a growing interest in antistatic materials and coatings in various fields of technology, particularly in the photographic and electronics industries. Antistatic materials, i.e., antistats, are electrically conductive materials which are capable of transporting charges away from areas where they are not desired. This conduction process results in the dissipation of electrical charges, i.e., "static electricity." It is desirable to use antistats in applications where it is necessary to avoid the build-up of electrical charges, especially where the static buildup can discharge suddenly and produce a detrimental effect. For example, in imaging systems such as photographic applications, an antistatic coating on the imaging media can help to avoid sudden discharges of built-up electrical charge. A sudden discharge or spark can cause undesirable recordation of the associated flash of light.
A typical antistat comprises an organic or inorganic conductive material in a binder. Of these, preferable antistats are those that conduct electrons by a quantum mechanical mechanism rather than by an ionic mechanism. This is because antistats that conduct electrons by a quantum mechanical mechanism are effective independent of humidity. They are suitable for use under conditions of low relative humidity, without losing effectiveness, and under conditions of high relative humidity, without becoming sticky. A major problem, however, with such electron-conducting antistats is that they generally cannot be provided as thin, transparent, relatively colorless coatings by solution coating methods. Although there have been many attempts to do so, such as by using defect semiconductor oxide particle dispersions and conductive polymers, there has been very little success in overcoming this problem. The use of vanadium oxide has proven to be the one exception. That is, effective antistatic coatings of vanadium oxide can be deposited in transparent, substantially colorless thin films by coating from aqueous dispersions.
Vanadium oxide has three unique properties, i.e., its conduction mechanism, dispersibility, and morphology, which distinguish it from other antistatic coating materials. The latter two properties are generally highly dependent upon the method of synthesis, the first somewhat less so. The conduction mechanism in vanadium oxide is primarily a quantum mechanical mechanism known as small polaron hopping. By this mechanism, electrons are transported through the material by transference (i.e., by "hopping") from one vanadium ion to the next. This conduction mechanism does not require the presence of a well-developed crystalline lattice or a specific defect structure, as do defect semiconductors such as doped tin oxide or doped indium oxide.
Because small polaron hopping electronic conduction does not require a well-developed crystalline structure there is no need for an annealing step when a film or coating is made from vanadium oxide. Furthermore, vanadium oxide is conductive simply upon precipitation or formation in solution, without being adversely affected by changes in relative humidity. Thus, a highly dispersed form of vanadium oxide that exhibits electronic conductivity, and desirable morphology, particle size, and dispersion properties is useful for the preparation of conductive antistatic coatings.
The effectiveness of a dispersed form of vanadium oxide, i.e., a vanadium oxide colloidal dispersion, for the preparation of antistatic coatings can be expressed in terms of the surface concentration of vanadium. The surface concentration is described as the mass of vanadium per unit surface area, i.e., mg of vanadium per m.sup.2 of substrate surface area, required to provide useful electrostatic charge decay rates. Generally, the lower the surface concentration of vanadium needed for effective conductivity in an antistatic coating, the more desirable the vanadium oxide colloidal dispersion. This is because with a lower surface concentration of vanadium, there is typically less color imparted to the coating, the coating is more transparent and uniform, and in some circumstances the coating generally adheres better to the substrate and may even provide better adhesion for subsequent layers.
In the mid-1970's, Claude Guestaux of Eastman Kodak reported that a previously known synthetic method provides a vanadium oxide colloidal dispersion which, at the time, was considered uniquely useful for the preparation of antistatic coatings. Guestaux's method was based on a process originally described by Maller in 1911. The method is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,203,769 and consists of pouring molten vanadium pentoxide into water. The process produces a good antistatic coating, but has several drawbacks. These drawbacks include high energy requirements, the need for special reactor materials and equipment, and the creation of conditions which generate toxic vanadium oxide fumes. Furthermore, the Guestaux method results in incomplete dispersion of vanadium oxide. The nondispersed vanadium oxide must then be removed from the viscous dispersion. However, such viscous vanadium oxide dispersions are usually very difficult to filter.
There are several other methods known for the preparation of vanadium oxide colloidal dispersions. These include inorganic methods such as ion exchange acidification Of NaVO.sub.3, thermohydrolysis of VOCl.sub.3, and reaction of V.sub.2 O.sub.5 with H.sub.2 O.sub.2. However, vanadium oxide colloidal dispersions prepared by these methods using inorganic precursors are much less effective for the preparation of antistatic coatings than colloidal dispersions prepared by the process described by Guestaux in U.S. Pat. No. 4,203,769. To provide coatings with effective antistatic properties from dispersions prepared from inorganic precursors typically requires substantial surface concentrations of vanadium. Higher surface concentrations of vanadium generally result in the loss of desirable properties such as transparency, adhesion, and uniformity.
Flexography is a term that broadly applies to a printing format using a flexible substrate bearing an elastomeric or rubbery relief printing surface.
The first flexographic printing plates were produced from natural or synthetic rubber compositions which were cured chemically under heat and pressure in a mold utilizing conventional rubber curatives such as mercapto compounds (Flexography: Principles and Practices, 3rd Edition, Flexographic Technical Association, p. 158-162). More recently, photopolymer elastomeric compositions (elastomer containing compositions curable upon exposure to actinic radiation) useful to produce relief printing plates have been described. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,369,246 and 4,423,135 describe solvent-insoluble, elastomeric printing relief plates which are formed by applying to a sheet support a layer of a photosensitive composition comprising (1) at least 30 weight % of a solvent-soluble co-polymer containing at least 2 thermoplastic, non-elastomeric blocks of glass transition temperature above 25.degree. C. and average molecular weight 2000-100000 and between these blocks, an elastomeric block copolymer having a glass transition temperature below 10.degree. C. and average molecular weight 25,000-1,000,000; (2) at least 1 weight % of an addition polymerizable compound containing at least one terminal ethylenic group; and (3) a polymerization initiator at a dry thickness of 0.005-0.250 inch. A flexible polymer film and flexible cover sheet are laminated to the composition layer. The plate is formed by stripping off the cover sheet, imagewise exposing the layer to actinic radiation through the film, and removing the film and unexposed areas of the layer by solvent washing. Solvents such as perchloroethylene (1,1,1 trichloroethylene) either alone or in combination with alcohols such as n-butanol are utlized. Likewise, EP Pat. 261,910 describes a further example of a water-developable flexographic relief printing plate comprised of (1) monomers and polymers of acrylic acid esters and (2) a ketone photopolymerizing/photocrosslinking agent, which are coated on a support sheet. Following imagewise exposure (to promote crosslinking), the relief areas of the plate are produced by washout with an aqueous developer. After washout, all of the flexographic platemaking compositions and methods described heretofore require drying of the plate for extended periods (I to 24 hours) to remove entrained developer solution and then are subjected to a post-finishing process (chemical or photochemical) to reduce surface tack of the plate before use on a printing press. In addition to the extended time periods required to produce flexographic printing plates by the aforementioned technologies (by reason of the multiplicity of processing steps required in series), these technologies also produce potentially toxic by-product wastes in the development procedure. In the case of the solvent-washout technology, organic solvent waste is generated which is potentially toxic in the form of both the solvent and the addition polymerizable compound 2) which contains at least one terminal ethylenic group. Likewise,, the aqueous washout plate technologies also produce a contaminated waste water by-product stream which may contain similar addition polymerizable compounds that may have cytotoxic effects.
Many different types of monomers and cross-linkable resins are known in the polymer art, their properties can be adjusted as taught in the art to provide rigidity, flexibility, or other properties. Particularly good materials related to the compositions of the present invention are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,578,504; 4,638,040; and 4,786,657.
Various types of curable polyurethane elastomeric compositions are known. The term "elastomer" or "elastomeric" is used to refer to rubbers or polymers that have resiliency properties similar to those of rubber. In particular, the term elastomer reflects the property of the material that it can undergo a substantial elongation and then return to its original dimensions upon release of the stress elongating the elastomer. In all cases an elastomer must be able to undergo at least 10% elongation (at a thickness of 0.5 mm) and return to its original dimensions after being held at that elongation for 2 seconds and after being allowed 1 minute relaxation time. More typically an elastomer can undergo 25% elongation without exceeding its elastic limit. In some cases elastomers can undergo elongation to as much as 300% or more of its original dimensions without tearing or exceeding the elastic limit of the composition. Elastomers are typically defined to reflect this elasticity as in ASTM Designation D883-866 as a macro-molecular material that at room temperature returns rapidly to approximately its initial dimensions and shape after substantial deformation by a weak stress and release of the stress. ASTM Designation D412-87 can be an appropriate procedure for testing rubber properties in tension to evaluate elastomeric properties. Generally, such compositions include relatively high molecular weight compounds which, upon curing, form an integrated network or structure. The curing may be by a variety of means, including: through the use of chemical curing agents, catalysts, and/or irradiation. The final physical properties of the cured material are a function of a variety of factors, most notably: number and weight average polymer molecular weights; the melting or softening point of the reinforcing domains (hard segment) of the elastomer (which, for example, can be determined according to ASTM Designation D1238-86); the percent by weight of the elastomer composition which comprises the hard segment domains; the structure of the toughening or soft segment (low Tg) portion of the elastomer composition; the cross-link density (average molecular weight between crosslinks); and the nature and levels of additives or adjuvants, etc. The term "cured", as used herein, means cross-linked or chemically transformed to a thermoset (non-melting) or relatively insoluble condition.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,939,008 describes an aziridine functional layer which is used to bond a polyolefin layer to a polymeric substrate. The aziridine functional material is the same as the materials of the present invention used as a primer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,015,446 describes a novel process for developing and imaging a flexographic printing plate in which backside ionizing radiation is used to establish a floor in the printing plate. The plate may then be dry developed by absorbing non-imagewise-irradiated composition from the printing plate. This type of plate offers many benefits to the user and the environment, but like many imaging materials suffers from static problems, especially in transport equipment. The static not only affects imaging, but may also impede the physical transport of materials through the developing apparatus.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/699,666, filed on May 14, 1991 in the name of Prioleau and Canty discloses a preferred aziridine priming system for use with flexographic printing plates, especially those of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,015,446.

Flexographic printing plate having a vanadium oxide antistatic coating layer

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company


Herein are techniques for automatically leveraging metadata of an analytic view to accelerate a relational query. In an embodiment, a computer stores model metadata that defines an analytic view that contains a join operation that is based on a dimension column of a dimension table and a join column of a fact table. The analytic view also contains a measure that is based on an aggregation operation and a measure column of the fact table. Also stored is denormalization metadata that defines a transparency view that is based on the analytic view. In operation, a query that references the transparency view is received. The query does not reference the analytic view. The query that references the transparency view is executed based on: a) the denormalization metadata that defines the transparency view, b) the model metadata that defines the analytic view, and c) the measure that is based on the aggregation operation and the measure column of the fact table.

Online analytical processing (OLAP) provides multidimensional querying such as for reporting, data mining, data science, and business intelligence. Multidimensional axes of OLAP may be classified as (a) dimensions based on dimension tables that provide specification data such as read only data and (b) measures based on fact tables that provide time series data or mutable data such as from online transactional processing (OLTP).
Multidimensional axes may be interrelated such as with primary and foreign key columns specified in a relational schema. Within the relational schema, such interrelations may provide topological patterns such as, in order of increasing complexity, tree, star, and snowflake. A database view may rely on underlying base tables that are logically arranged in those topological patterns. During query execution, relational joins such as equijoins are used to navigate between multiple base tables and according to those topological patterns.
Analytic views (AVs) are database objects that encapsulate a logical business model over a relational model provided by tables and other database views. AV metadata identifies dimensions, hierarchies, and measures, including interrelated columns such as primary and foreign keys. Metadata defined in an AV allows a database system to analyze various topological roles that base tables and columns fulfil in the models. AVs present a fully-solved set of rows and columns such that all aggregations are specified within the AV metadata defining the business model.
Attribute dimension objects are defined on dimension tables to define levels of measurement scale in dimensions and designate columns that demark those levels. Hierarchies are defined on attribute dimensions, defining the parent-child relationship among a set of levels of a same dimension. AVs are defined over a set of attribute dimensions and hierarchies and fact tables, and additionally define measures over numeric fact columns.
AVs can be queried in structured query language (SQL) using AV specific syntax SQL extensions such as in a proprietary SQL dialect. One significant issue with this is that few or none of existing reporting tools generate SQL using AV specific extensions. There is also no expectation that providers of these legacy tools will devote redevelopment resources to use AV specific extensions in the future. Such legacy tools speak in the language of only standard SQL, using GROUP BY and aggregation operators to display aggregate results. A typical query from a legacy reporting tool is of the following example form.
SELECT <group by columns>, <aggr_function1>(<measure column1>), <aggr_function2>(<measure column2>), ... <aggr_functionN>(<measure columnN>)FROM <sources>[ WHERE <filter before aggregation> ]GROUP BY <group by columns>
Whereas a possibly semantically equivalent example AV SQL query instead has the following different form that lacks express aggregation and express grouping.
SELECT {attributes}, {base measures defined in AV}, {calcs defined in AV}FROM {AV} HIERARCHIES ({hierarchies, ...})WHERE <filters on hierarchies> ]
A technical problem is that leveraging AVs requires that developers manually reauthor and regenerate their legacy queries against the AVs rather than the base tables. Existing legacy installations may include a library of many queries, and modifying all of those queries to utilize AVs may be costly or impractical, especially since AVs and AV components such as measures and dimensions are not part of standard SQL. Legacy client tooling generally cannot use nonstandard SQL extensions needed to access AVs. Thus, AVs are categorically unavailable to legacy tools.
Additionally, an AV may be defined by metadata that contains important schematic details that can be used to accelerate or otherwise optimize execution of the AV. Because queries from legacy tools do not use AVs, execution of those queries do not leverage the acceleration and optimization that the AV and the AV metadata would provide. Thus, legacy queries may be slower than semantically equivalent AV queries. For those reasons, legacy tools may be categorically denied the excellent performance improvements of a modern relational database systems.

Method for generating views based on a semantic model, that allows for autonomous performance improvements and complex calculations


A structurally promoted precipitated catalyst containing crystalline silica, at least one chemical promoter selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, and iron, the structurally promoted precipitated catalyst comprising maghemite and hematite catalytic phases, and exhibiting a main reduction peak temperature, as determined by TPR, in the range of from about 210° C. to about 350° C. A method of producing the structurally promoted precipitated catalyst is also provided.

Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of synthetic liquid hydrocarbon catalysis. More specifically, the invention relates to a catalyst support solution comprising crystalline silica which may be used to form an attrition resistant precipitated Fischer-Tropsch catalyst.
Background of Invention
Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis represents a catalytic method for the creation of synthetic liquid fuels. The reaction occurs by the metal catalysis of an exothermic reaction between carbon monoxide and hydrogen gas mixtures, called synthesis gas, or syngas. The liquid product of the reaction is refined to produce a range of synthetic fuels, lubricants and waxes. The primary metals utilized as catalysts are cobalt and iron. The latter is favored due to a significantly lower cost. The quantity of catalyst available for catalysis in the reactor dictates the reaction product synthesized. Large scale Fischer-Tropsch reactors utilize complex systems to maintain nearly static quantities of catalyst within the reactor as a means to produce a constant output of product. Attrition, the degradation of the catalyst structure, is a major hurdle in improving FT reactor efficiency.
Breakage of catalyst structure is mainly attributed to two causes, being physical and chemical attrition. Chemical attrition is associated with structural changes during chemical transformation within the catalyst—typically active phase transition from iron oxide to iron metal to iron carbide. Physical breakup is mainly contributed to the rubbing and collision of the catalyst particles, resulting in micron fine material (fines); very much like rocks in a stream, milling against each other to form edge free pebbles.
The physical integrity of unsupported precipitated iron catalyst suffers during slurry phase Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, degrading product quality (solids and iron content in wax) to such an extent that the run may have to be compromised or terminated. Other impacts may be on the wax upgrading, for example hydrogenation system, which is sensitive to the presence of iron in the feed stock. These negative impacts reduce time online for a reactor and increase costs for filtering product, maintaining the reactor, and overall production.
Several research studies indicate that silica incorporation during, or after precipitation, may lead to catalyst with superior structural properties. However, to create smooth round particles, precipitated catalyst must be prepared by spray drying. Little is published on the subject of catalyst spray drying procedures and conditions. What is available indicates the principle spray drying parameter to successful large, stable round particles, relates to increased particle density. While several spray dryer parameters are associated with the quality of the material spray dried, the main common parameters to establish dense particles are higher solids content in the feed, few soluble species, and slower drying through lower gas temperatures.
Apart from attributing structural integrity, the silica is also thought to assist in creating smooth round catalyst particles that will be subject to minimum attrition. The silica content is however found to have a profound impact on mean particle size, i.e. decreasing as the silica content increases. Hence, the spray drying parameters have to be redefined, and optimized, for each change in catalyst composition. Traditionally silica is added to the catalyst as a structural support. Unsupported catalyst has the tendency to sinter during Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. Reduced iron entities are very mobile, and in the absence of a structural support will coalesce to form bigger entities, which results in a loss of surface area, and consequently leads to a loss in activity.
Consequently, there is a need for a silica support solution which may be used with a precipitated iron catalyst to increase attrition resistance of particles formed therefrom and utilized in a Fischer-Tropsch conversion process.

Promoted, attrition resistant, silica supported precipitated iron catalyst


A polarization maintaining coupler is provided that allows a user to change the coupling ratio of two or more output fibers. The coupler can include an assembly containing a PM fiber in a ferrule. The ferrule is attached to a housing, which includes a lens for collimating light from the PM fiber onto an optical component that splits the incoming polarized light into two orthogonally polarized components. Each of these orthogonal components is then output into a separate PM or single mode fiber. By rotating the input PM fiber with respect to the optical component, the coupling ratio of the output fibers can be changed. This change in the coupling ratio can be accomplished either by rotating the input PM fiber, or by rotating the optical component together with the output fibers.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of fiber optic couplers, and more specifically, to polarization maintaining fiber optic couplers that provide for an adjustable coupling ratio.
2. The Relevant Technology
The field of fiber optic communications has enjoyed rapid growth over the last decade. As data transfer rates increase, more and more information is being compressed into currently available fiber optic lines. This need for speed has resulted in a corresponding need for equipment to precisely and accurately transmit large amounts of data over great distances with little or no data loss. One method of maximizing the efficiency of transmission is to transmit signals with a well maintained state of polarization.
As light signals propagate over long distances, the signals will be attenuated due to losses in the optical fiber such as scattering losses and absorption losses. Reduced signal strength often results in high bit error rate, a significant system impairment. To counter signal propagation losses in the optical fiber, optical amplifiers are often used to boost the signal strength. One popular optical amplifier is a Raman amplifier, which has a very low signal to noise ratio and reasonable amplification (20 dB). Since Raman amplification has a polarization dependent gain, a polarization controller is often used to combine two orthogonally polarized pumps for the laser light. Optical couplers, polarization beam splitters and combiners, and polarization maintaining (PM) fibers are all useful for this purpose.
A cross-section of an exemplary prior art PM fiber is illustrated in FIG. 1, and designated generally as 100. PM fiber 100 has a core 102 surrounded by a cladding 104, which is further covered in a protective sheath 106. Stress rods 108 are located on either side of core 102 within cladding 104. An optical axis 110, passing through stress rods 108, cladding 104 and core 102, indicates one direction of the polarization maintaining axis for PM fiber 100. The other polarization maintaining axis is perpendicular to axis 110. PM fiber 100 works by placing stresses on fiber core 102, creating two perpendicular transmission axes. If linearly polarized light is input into fiber 100 along one of these axes, the polarization state is maintained for the length of fiber 100. There are various types of PM fibers widely available in the market today, including panda, bow-tie, as shown in FIG. 1, and tiger.
PM fibers are often used in an angled physical contact (APC) connector. APC connectors have fiber ends that are terminated and polished at an angle. This angle can be anywhere from a few degrees to about 15 degrees. When compared with a normal physical contact (PC) connector, which has a dome shaped endface, an APC connector exhibits better reflectance properties, because the angled and polished end surface reduces the amount of light reflected back into the fiber at the connector interface. There are various types of connectors available with an angled and polished endface including, for example, SC, ST, FC, LC, MU, MT, and MTP™.
A fiber optic coupler is an optical component that either splits light coming from one input optical fiber into two or more output optical fibers or combines two or more input beams into a single output beam. Polarization maintaining couplers use PM optical fibers. These couplers and fibers split or combine light signals according to the state of polarization of the light passing through them. PM couplers can be used in an optical communications system, such as a Raman amplifier, to provide amplification to the optical signal. PM couplers can also be used as multiplexers and de-multiplexers to combine signals from different fibers into one fiber or split signals from one fiber to other fibers. In one application, a PM coupler is used to combine two light beams input from different optical fibers into a single optical fiber. This type of coupler can be known as a polarization beam combiner. Alternately, a polarizing beam splitter is a coupler that takes an input light beam, splits it into two orthogonally polarized beams, and outputs oz each of these beams into a separate optical fiber.
A basic design for a system employing a polarizing beam splitter is shown in FIG. 2 and designated generally as 200. Input fiber 202 transmits an input light beam into polarizing beam splitter (PBS) 204. The input beam can be a beam with any state of polarization, such as a beam that has traveled some distance along a single mode fiber. Alternately, the beam can be a polarized beam from a PM fiber. In either case, the input beam is split into two orthogonally polarized output beams in PBS 204.
The two output beams can be polarized, for example, in the horizontal and vertical directions, respectively. They can then be received by respective PM fibers 206 and 208. PBS 204 can send an input beam either to PM fiber 206 or PM fiber 208, or to both of them, depending on the polarization state of the input beam, i.e. whether a beam is oriented with horizontal or vertical polarization axes. For example a horizontally polarized input beam would be directed by PBS 204 into PM fiber 208, while a vertically polarized input beam would be directed by PBS 204 into PM fiber 206. For an input beam with a polarization direction in between, the input beam will be split into two beams having orthogonal polarization, which are directed into PM fibers 206 and 208. Each beam is a projective component of the input polarization light onto the vertical and horizontal axes.
Light input from a single mode fiber can have random polarization. The amount of light that is transmitted into each of the output fibers is determined by the state of polarization of the input light. The relationship between the input and output is known as the coupling ratio. Coupling ratio or splitting ratio can be defined as the ratio of the optical power from one output port of the coupler to the sum of the total power from all output ports. The coupling ratio of an output fiber can be measured at a center wavelength and is often expressed as a percentage as follows:
                    R        =                  100                                                                                P              x                                                      ∑                                  i                  =                  0                                n                                                          P                i                                                                        (        1        )            where R is the coupling ratio, Px is the power in any one output fiber and the denominator is the sum of the power in all of the output fibers.
One problem with the system described above is that changing the coupling ratio to generate a specific amount of power in a given output fiber can be very difficult. It requires that additional equipment or optical elements be included, thus greatly increasing the cost of the system.


A magnetic random access memory (MRAM) and a manufacturing method and a programming method thereof are provided. The magnetic random access memory comprises a first magnetic tunnel junction structure and a second magnetic tunnel junction structure. The second magnetic tunnel junction structure is electrically connected with the first magnetic tunnel junction structure, and the volume of the second magnetic tunnel junction structure is smaller than that of the first magnetic tunnel junction structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to a memory and a manufacturing method and a programming method thereof, and more particularly to a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) and a manufacturing method and a programming method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Along with the wide application of consumer electronic products, the requirements of the processing speed and the capacity of the storing digital data is higher and higher. The memory plays an important role in the consumer electronic products. Consumers develop higher and higher requirements of the memory including the power consumption, the cost, read/write speed and the erasing times. Therefore, several new invention memories are presented to fit the needs of different market segmentations with an aim to break through the current memory restrictions and become the mainstream technology for the new generation memory.
Examples of current memories include dynamic random access memory (DRAM), flash memory (Flash Memory), static random access memory (SRAM) and magnetic random access memory (MRAM). The magnetic random access memory (MRAM) is a new invention non-volatile memory, having the same non-volatile characteristics as that of the Flash memory. Moreover, the magnetic random access memory (MRAM) is comparable to the static random access memory (SRAM) in terms of read/write speed. The unit memory area of the magnetic random access memory (MRAM) is further comparable to that of the dynamic random access memory (DRAM). Therefore, the magnetic random access memory has been accepted as a new generation memory with high potentials.
In the magnetic random access memory (MRAM), data are programmed through the spin-transferring of current or electron current. When the magnetic random access memory has a large resistance, the magnetic random access memory is defined as "0". To the contrary, when the magnetic random access memory has a small resistance, the magnetic random access memory is defined as "1". That is, a conventional magnetic random access memory can store 1-bit data. If the to-be-programmed data has 4 bits, the data of "0" or "1" needs to be programmed to four conventional magnetic random access memories. As the electronic products are designed to meet the requirements of lightweight, slimness, compactness, and speed, conventional magnetic random access memory can only program 1-bit data, not only occupying a larger volume but also further reducing the programming speed. Therefore, how to effectively reduce the volume and improve the programming speed of the magnetic random access memory has become an imminent issue to be resolved.

Magnetic random access memory, manufacturing method and programming method thereof


A system and method for communicating a facsimile reliably in real-time without using bandwidth inefficiently. A facsimile signal is created at a transmitting facsimile device and communicated to a transmitting gateway. The transmitting gateway demodulates the facsimile signal by using the modulation data rate at which the facsimile signal was sent. The image and any control information, with the exception of the DCS signal, are left coded such that processing time is not wasted on decoding the image. The facsimile signal is packetized and sent over the data network, such as the Internet. The facsimile signal is sent to a receiving gateway closest to the facsimile device that is the destination of the facsimile.

A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of data communications, and more particularly, to the communication of facsimiles over data networks.
B. Background of the Invention
Wide-area data networks, the Internet in particular, have grown in their reach and capability to the point where they provide a practical alternative infrastructure for performing many communications functions that are presently performed over the general switched telephone network (GSTN). Voice telephone calls over a data network such as the Internet, referred to as Voice-over-IP (xe2x80x9cIPxe2x80x9d refers to xe2x80x9cInternet Protocolxe2x80x9d, a network protocol used for transporting data over the Internet), allows callers to converse over the telephone with only limited use of the GSTN equipment provided by the local and long distance service providers.
In comparison to dedicated circuit-switched connections established by the GSTN, the Internet provides voice communications, as well as multimedia communication such as text, graphics, video and audio, over a packet-based network. A voice over IP call establishes a virtual call connection between two or more callers through the system of interconnected packet-based networks that make up the Internet, intranets and other digital networks that provide connectivity between users.
In a virtual call connection, voice information is typically carried to a network gateway over a local GSTN connection as G.711-coded signal. The voice information is broken up into packets that are transmitted over the different networks that carry the virtual connection to a second network gateway near another party to the connection. The packets are converted back to G.711-coded signals, which are carried over a second local connection to the other party. By using the public Internet to carry the packets, users substantially avoid the fees and charges levied by the long distance service providers who provide the GSTN equipment and service. The VoIP system can be a desirable alternative to those telephone users who wish to save on their telephone bills and can tolerate the occasional delays and dropouts or loss of quality of service due to data traffic congestion on the public Internet.
Similar advantages are available to users who may wish to communicate facsimiles over the Internet. A virtual connection may be created for a facsimile transmission of one or more documents between callers by using facsimile machines at each end. The G.711-coded signals that carry the facsimile information may be packetized by the network gateways for transport over the public Internet in the same way as voice over IP calls.
One problem with using voice over IP virtual call connections for communicating facsimile information is that it makes inefficient use of the bandwidth. A voice over IP connection using G.711 has an average bandwidth requirement of 100 kbps and a typical facsimile connection has a data rate of 9600 bps. It would be inefficient to use a voice over IP virtual call connection for facsimile connections requiring only approximately {fraction (1/10)}th of its bandwidth. Furthermore, Voice over IP connections are fill-duplex, while 15 facsimile is half-duplex. Hence using a G.711 Voice over IP call to carry facsimile uses about 20 times more bandwidth than theoretically needed. It would be desirable to communicate a facsimile without using more bandwidth than that required by the connection rate of the facsimile transmission.
Another problem with using voice over IP connections for facsimile transmission is that they become susceptible to lost packets. Voice over IP connections are typically made using a connection-less, unreliable UDP protocol. However, voice connections are more tolerant of lost packets than facsimile transmissions. A lost packet in a voice connection may not be perceptible to the parties listening. Lost packets in facsimile transmissions may result in poor image reproduction, or at worst, an unsuccessful transmission.
One solution for making facsimile transmissions over the Internet, referred to as xe2x80x9cFax over IPxe2x80x9d, more efficient and more reliable is to use a store-and-forward technique.
In the store-and-forward technique, the sending facsimile machine connects to a facsimile receiver on the network gateway using T.30, the protocol used to control interaction between two facsimile machines. The facsimile receiver demodulates the facsimile signal and stores the document, or portions of the document, in memory as facsimile data before forwarding it over the Internet to another network gateway. When the network gateway receives the document or portions of the document, a facsimile sender on the other network gateway connects to the destination facsimile machine using the T.30 recommendation. The facsimile sender converts the facsimile data to the facsimile signal and sends the facsimile signal to the destination facsimile machine. The destination facsimile machine uses the facsimile signal to produce the hard copy document at the destination facsimile machine.
The facsimile receiver/sender may demodulate/modulate the facsimile signal according to standard modulation protocols, one of the most common ones being the V.21 modulation protocol. The V.21 modulation protocol uses a 300 bps data rate, but includes a digital command signal for negotiating to higher data rates (e.g. 9600 and 14,400). The V.21 modulation protocol may be used with the T.30 control procedures to provide an error correction mechanism, which permits transmission at a higher speed, but retransmissions at lower speeds when errors occur on noisy connections.
The network gateway includes a network interface that receives the demodulated facsimile signal from the facsimile receiver and packetizes the signal for transmission over the data network. The T.38 xe2x80x9cPROCEDURES FOR REAL TIME GROUP 3 FACSIMILE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN TERMINALS USING IP NETWORKSxe2x80x9d draft recommendation from the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) describes technical features for transporting the demodulated facsimile signal over the Internet.
One feature described in the T.38 recommendation is a payload format for organizing the packets of facsimile data. The facsimile data packets include a header for carrying transport information and a payload for carrying the data being transported.
One problem with using the store-and-forward method for Fax over IP is that it may not achieve xe2x80x9creal-timexe2x80x9d communication reliably. In the context of facsimile communication, xe2x80x9creal-timexe2x80x9d refers to the production of a document at the destination facsimile machine as the user inserts pages at the sending facsimile machine. By definition, the store-and-forward technique cannot transmit in real-time if the document is demodulated and stored in the first network gateway in its entirety before being sent over the network.
It may be possible to transmit in real-time if portions of the document are demodulated and sent over the network. However, the amount of processing required makes it difficult. Using the store-and-forward technique, the document is modulated at the transmitting facsimile machine, demodulated at the first network gateway, re-modulated at the second network gateway and demodulated once more at the destination facsimile machine. Each demodulation and modulation consumes time in processing that makes it more difficult to achieve real-time transmission.
It would be desirable to reliably transmit facsimiles over IP in real-time.
In view of the foregoing, a system is provided for communicating a facsimile in which first and second facsimile devices are connected to a general switched telephone network to send and receive a facsimile signal over the general switched telephone network. The facsimile signal is generated by encoding an image and sending the encoded image over the general switched telephone network at a modulation data rate. A transmitting gateway is connected to the general switched telephone network and to a data network. The transmitting gateway includes a facsimile receiver for receiving the facsimile signal. The facsimile receiver detects the facsimile signal by detecting the modulation data rate and converts the facsimile signal to a plurality of data units when the modulation data rate is detected.
The facsimile receiver also includes a transmitting network interface for formatting the data units as a data network signal. The transmitting network interface transmits the data network signal over the data network. The data network transports the data network signal to a receiving gateway, which includes a receiving network interface for receiving the data network signal and a facsimile sender. The facsimile sender converts the data network signal to a received facsimile signal and sends the received facsimile signal over the general switched telephone network to the second facsimile device.
In another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for communicating a facsimile. A facsimile signal representing an encoded image is generated and transmitted over a general switched telephone network connection to a transmitting gateway at a modulation data rate. The facsimile signal is detected at the transmitting gateway. The facsimile signal is converted to a data network signal when the facsimile signal is received at the modulation data rate without decoding the image. The data network signal is transported over a data network to a receiving gateway. The data network signal is converted to a received facsimile signal and sent to a second facsimile device.

System and method for communicating real-time facsimiles over data networks


A system for locking together sheets of semi-rigid material. The system includes a clamp with a head having a clamp face, and a threaded rod having a first end affixed to the clamp face, and a second end that penetrates through the sheets. The system also includes a nut with a face forced into contact with the second side when tightened to the rod. The clamp face includes a gripping region, in a first circumferential position, with a trough and a hook that projects beyond the plane of the clamp face; and a leverage region, in a second circumferential position, that projects axially, so that, as the nut is tightened, the leverage region contacts the sheets' first side, and upon continued tightening, exerts a torque on the clamp head, elastically deforming the clamp so as to cause the hook to dig into the first side and prevent head rotation.

Goods are commonly delivered to a purchaser in cardboard boxes. Once delivered goods are removed from a cardboard box, the purchaser usually has no further use for the cardboard box and it is discarded.
Boxes are typically constructed by cutting and folding cardboard and corrugated cardboard sheets and holding the cardboard together with single use glue and or metal staples and or adhesive tape. Sometimes children play with cardboard boxes by sitting in them, drawing on them or connecting them together with adhesive tape before the boxes are discarded.

System and method for locking together a set of sheets of semi-rigid material


A television mounting system is disclosed. It includes a wall plate adapted to be secured to a wall and a monitor plate mountable on the wall plate. Expansion plates may be secured at selected locations on the monitor plate to accommodate mounting of various sizes of display screens, such as flat panel televisions.

The present invention relates to television displays and more particularly relates to television mounting systems for flat panel displays.
Recently, there has been a marked growth in the popularity of flat panel displays, and in particular flat panel televisions. Flat panel televisions presently use one of two technologies, either liquid crystal or plasma display, to provide a display screen that is much thinner and lighter than traditions cathode ray televisions or projection televisions. Flat panel televisions are also versatile and that they can be placed on a stand or mounted on numerous surfaces such as a wall.
The variety and accessibility of flat panel televisions is increasing as more manufacturers enter the market and larger flat panel televisions are produced. Presently, each manufacturer of flat panel televisions offer mounting brackets, stands or other hardware that is uniquely designed to mount that particular brand of flat panel television. There are also a number of mounting systems that can be used interchangeably with different flat panel televisions, however, these mounting systems typically require a mounting plate that is specific to each unique flat panel television product.
Many of the mounting systems that are available are not versatile. These mounting systems are designed for mounting a particular flat panel television. Thus, there is a need for mounting systems that are able to mount a wide range of flat panel televisions. There's also a need for mounting systems that do not require significant man power. As is well-known to those skilled in the art, many of the mounting systems require three or more individuals to work together to mount a flat panel televisions to a wall. Thus, there remains a need for televisions mounting systems that require less man power for mounting a flat panel television to a wall. There's also a need for television mounting systems that more adequately protect the flat panel television mounting thereto. Finally, there remains a need for flat panel television mounting systems that enable the mounted flat panel television to be properly oriented for maximum viewing quality.


A method for security handling in a mobility of a terminal device, where the method includes: a target access and mobility management function (AMF) entity receiving a first message for registering a terminal device; the target AMF entity sending a second message to a source AMF entity after receiving the first message; the source AMF entity deriving a first key based on a key between the source AMF entity and the terminal device; the source AMF entity sending the first key to the target AMF entity; the target AMF entity determining to use the first key based on security related information after receiving the first key; and the target AMF entity determining a communication key between the target AMF entity and the terminal device based on the first key after determining to use the first key.

With the development of communications technologies, communication security attracts increasing attention. Currently, communication security is usually ensured through encryption protection and integrity protection.
In a Long-Term Evolution (LTE) system, a termination point of a non-access stratum (NAS) is a mobility management entity (MME), and is mainly responsible for mobility management, bearer management, user authentication, serving gateway (S-GW) selection, packet data network gateway (P-GW) selection, and the like. In LTE, if an MME accessed by a user equipment (UE) changes because a location of the UE changes (herein, the location of the UE in an idle state changes), a source MME needs to send a security context of the UE to a target MME, and then a communication key between the source MME and the UE is used between the target MME and the UE.
In a 5th generation (5G) mobile communications system, an access and mobility management function (AMF) entity is a termination point of an NAS, and is mainly responsible for registration, connection, mobility management, subscription information authentication, and the like that are of a UE. When an AMF entity accessed by the UE changes because a location of the UE changes (herein, the location of the UE in an idle state changes), a source AMF entity needs to send a security context of the UE stored in the source AMF entity to a target AMF entity, such that the UE and the target AMF entity can continue communication.
It can be learned that transfer of a security context from one entity to another entity exists in both LTE and a next generation network, and a key between a target entity and UE is the same as a key between a source entity and the UE. This may pose a security risk.

Key obtaining method and device, and communications system