A filter apparatus (100) having a signal input (101) to which an input signal is applied which contains a useful component and a noise component, a fast signal path (102) and a slow signal path (103) arranged in parallel therewith. The fast signal path and the slow signal path are coupled to the signal input. The fast signal path contains a filter in order to prompt fast filtering of the input signal. The slow signal path contains a filter in order to prompt slow filtering of the input signal. An output of the slow signal path is coupled to the fast signal path by means of a signal line (106). A signal output (104) which is coupled to the fast signal path has an output signal applied to it which essentially contains useful components of the input signal.

Signals of sensors, which are used to detect physiological properties, cannot typically be used further directly, but must be filtered in a suitable manner. This serves especially the purpose of separating the desired useful signal, for example, an ECG signal, from undesired signals, e.g., noise or motion artifacts, in order to let thereby the useful signal proper stand out more clearly.
Various methods have long been known for carrying out such a filtering. These methods are based mostly on so-called linear filters, which can be described by linear mathematical transformations (e.g., Fourier transformation). Linear filters can be designed as comparatively simple filters and possess signal-independent properties, i.e., the properties do not depend on the signal being processed. Such filters are typically characterized by a so-called system function, which reflects the frequency response and the phase response.
However, any form of signal processing ("filtering") is associated, in principle, with a certain time requirement. This means that the processed signal is available at the output of the signal-processing unit after a certain delay time only. The value of the delay time depends, on the other hand, very decisively on the filter properties.
However, this delay time must not exceed a certain limit in case of some applications, especially during the processing of physiological signals, because, e.g., a medical engineering device must change its characteristic fast enough to serve its purpose. For example, a respirator must be able to respond fast enough to the wish of a patient to be respirated, because respiration cannot otherwise be carried out adequately.
Since there are physiological signals, which require, on the one hand, a large amount of filtering, i.e., a high filter quality, but only short delay times are permissible, on the other hand, an especially high requirement on signal processing, i.e., on the filter being used, will arise here.
Linear filters reach their limits in a short time here, because, in particular, their ability to separate signals ("filter slope" or "bandwidth") is linked directly with the delay time. Strictly speaking, there is a relationship between the settling time and the frequency bandwidth needed therefor. One speaks of time-bandwidth product here in the theory of filters. This means that the product of the settling time by the frequency bandwidth is constant. This relationship is fundamental and is inherently due to the linear properties of these filters. Therefore, there is no possibility to build narrow-band filters or filters having a steep cut-off with a very short delay time. Long settling times mean that the filter generates artifacts, which are of a long duration. In other words, any brief change in the input signal generates at the output a filter artifact of a long duration. This phenomenon is known under the term "transient response." In other words, stated more simply, linear filters possess either poor properties in case of short delay times or good properties in case of long delay times.
Besides the classic linear filters, there are filters which, contrary to linear filters, can partly process time-variant signals and are partly based on nonlinear methods. Examples herefor are Blind Source Separation, Independent Component Analysis, Principal Component Analysis, Adaptive Filters and Empirical Mode Decomposition. Even though some of these filters possess considerably better properties than classic linear filters, the effort needed for signal processing that is associated with them is great, and longer or shorter delay times will always arise. Therefore, these filters cannot be used for all applications.
Therefore, only another type of nonlinear filters can be considered for these applications. In particular, the settling time or the duration of filter artifacts and the filter quality ("filter slope" or "bandwidth") cannot be uncoupled from each other in nonlinear filters. One example of such a filter is a threshold value detector, which sets all values above a certain threshold, e.g., to zero. The time delay is obviously very short here, because a threshold value comparison can be performed very fast and, furthermore, no filter artifacts will appear. Consequently, there is no post-pulse oscillation in these filters.
Various filter solutions are known from the state of the art.
Thus, DE 42 35 318 C2 describes an apparatus for removing a baseline fluctuation from an ECG signal, in which a forward filter and a backward filter are connected in series via a buffer. An ECG signal is applied here to the forward filter, which has a nonlinear phase response characteristic and generates filtered signal data. These data are stored in the buffer, and blocks of the stored data are applied in reversed chronological order to the likewise nonlinear backward filter in order to generate blocks filtered in the backward direction in this manner.
DE 197 28 782 B4 pertains to a nonlinear filter for transducer signals having a vibration component for use in motor vehicles. The transducer signals are applied to an input of the filter, and a difference of an output signal of the filter from this input signal is formed in a differentiating member, and the difference thus formed is sent to an integrating member once directly and once via a nonlinear transmission member. The nonlinear transmission member is provided with a middle zone of relatively low gain, which has a variable width, with the width of the middle zone being adjusted by an amplitude detector, which forms the amplitude difference between the highest signal value and the lowest signal value of the filter input signal during each vibration period duration of the interfering vibration in the input signal, such that the time constant of the filter is reduced to a low value only during changes in the useful signal and the unwanted signal does not therefore appear at the filter output.
DE 195 18 528 A1 discloses a digital high-pass filter with means for restoring the baselines, wherein the high-pass filter is derived from a low-pass filter. The low-pass filter is formed by a first low-pass filter and a second low-pass filter, each of which receives a common input signal and outputs a corresponding output signal. The first filter has a relatively high limit frequency, so that it accurately follows the input signal, but does not significantly attenuate the ripple thereof. The second filter has a limit frequency that can be changed as a function of a control signal, which is generated on the basis of a comparison of the output signals of both filters.
EP 0 677 922 A2 pertains generally to a fast low-pass filter and a slow low-pass filter, wherein both filters receive the same input signal and the outputs of the two filters are compared in order to increase the response time of the slow low-pass filter if the difference of the outputs exceeds a certain value, so that the slow low-pass filter can follow the input signal faster.
EP 0 749 056 B1 shows a regenerative tracking filter using a plurality of integrators.
EP 1 346 743 A1 discloses a device for controlling a respirator with a breathing gas release control, which is connected to a sensor for a measured signal and builds up pressure as a function of a trigger signal corresponding to the measured signal.
EP 1 793 374 A1 pertains to a filter apparatus for active noise reduction.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,248,240 shows an apparatus for detecting the activity of the respiratory organs and of the heart of a living being, in which EMG signals are filtered by means of a high-pass filter, with which a comparator is connected in parallel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,777,909 pertains to a low-pass filter with coefficient switchover for improving the settling time.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,535,859 B2 pertains to the problem of speech activity recognition with the use of adaptive tracking of the background noise.
US 2009/0143693 A1 generally describes an apparatus for generating determination indices in order to identify ECG unwanted signals.
US 2010/0168595 A1 pertains to a method and an apparatus for eliminating a baseline shift with a first amplifier and a second amplifier, between which a low-pass filter is inserted. The output of the first amplifier is sent to the low-pass filter as well as to a time delay circuit connected in parallel to the low-pass filter, whose output signal is added to the output signal of the low-pass filter and is sent to the second amplifier.
The following documents shall be mentioned as further prior art: AU 707148 B2; DE 101 64 446 A1; DE 10 2007 024 072 A1; DE 10 2007 062 214 B3; EP 0 889 291 A2; EP 1 365 296 A1; U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,103; U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,788; U.S. Pat. No. 5,980,463; U.S. Pat. No. 6,588,423; US 2004/0260186 A1; US 2006/0152197 A1; WO 98/48877; WO 2006/131149 A1; WO 2006/029529 A1; DE 199 59 822 A1; U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,560 and WO 2009/096820 A1.

Apparatus and method for data processing of physiological signals


A specially configured insert used in a drawbar support housing. The insert is essentially a block member having at least a portion of an aperture extending therethrough from a front face to a back face. A concave draft load bearing surface is formed in the front face of the block member adjacent such aperture. A tapered surface area is formed adjacent such aperture which extends from the back face of the block member inwardly towards the concave draft load bearing surface to enable requisite movement of a shank portion of a drawbar.

Prior to the present invention, slackless rotary drawbar assemblies have been in wide spread use in the railroad industry for a number of years to couple one end of a railway car to an adjacent end of another car.
One such housing support member for a slackless rotary drawbar assembly is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,291 which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The disclosure of this patent is incorporated herein by reference thereto. With the arrangement taught in this prior art reference free and cushioned slack is eliminated from the inner connection between cars. This slack elimination substantially minimizes undesirable longitudinal train action forces as well as the undesirable run in and run out of slack between adjacent cars during reversal of buff and draft train actions. This arrangement further minimizes the generation of large forces due to relative acceleration between the cars thereby reducing detrimental wear and damage to car components and lading. Obviously, reduction of wear and damage to such car components results in reduced maintenance cost and the reduction in damage to lading results in fewer damage claims which must be paid by the rail carrier.
Furthermore, the use of slackless rotary drawbar assemblies as a railcar coupling means has reduced the car weight by approximately 650 pounds. Such reduced car weight is achieved through elimination of the need for standard couplers, yokes, cushioning devices and striker bars. Such reduction in the weight of these cars translates into lower fuel consumption and, therefore, lower operating costs. Additionally the elimination of various car components further reduces the maintenance cost associated with these components.
However, the draft load bearing surfaces of the housing support members of these prior art devices have, to the best of applicants' knowledge, always been formed as an integral part of the housing support member. This design results in the entire housing support member being manufactured from relatively expensive material in order to provide adequate wear resistance. Further, when these wear surfaces have been worn sufficiently it requires replacement of the entire housing support member, thus resulting in higher maintenance and equipment cost.
Another prior art housing support assembly for a slackless rotary drawbar assembly is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,330, the disclosure of which is also incorporated herein by reference thereto.
Even though the housing support assembly in this rotary drawbar assembly includes both a separate front portion and back portion it suffers from the same wear problems as the housing support member taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,291 discussed in detail above.

Drawbar assembly draft load bearing insert


A freshness keeping cup including a cup body and a check valve disposed therein. A U-shaped fixing inner sleeve member and a fixing outer sleeve member are secured with the lower portion of the cup body. A leakproof ring and a top flange of a soft bellows member are clamped between the bottom of the inner sleeve member and a top surface of an upper slide sleeve of a slide assembly. An outer lower surface of a top flange of the upper slide sleeve abuts against an inner upper surface of the bottom portion of the outer sleeve member. A top flange of the middle slide sleeve is engaged in a bottom flange of the upper slide sleeve and a top flange of the lower slide sleeve is engaged in a bottom flange of the middle slide sleeve. An upward inward projection is formed on the top flange of the lower slide sleeve. Engaging grooves are formed on lower inner portion of the lower slide sleeve for engaging with corresponding engaging hooks of a bottom cover for securing the same. The bellows member is disposed within the upper slide sleeve and the middle slide sleeve for containing a liquid, whereby when the bottom cover is pressed upward, the liquid is permitted to flow through the check valve into the cup body for drinking.

The present invention relates to a freshness keeping cup structure, and more particularly to a cup structure permitting an appropriate amount of liquid contained therein to be dispensed into an upper cup body for drinking.
The conventionally used liquid container is separated from a cup. Therefore, when a user wants to drink a liquid contained in a container, the liquid must be first poured into an additional cup and then the user can drink the liquid. This is inconvenient during travel or a picnic and the liquid is apt to spill out of the cup when the cup is not steadily placed on a stationary table or the like. Therefore, a container equipped with a cup body, having both liquid containing and drinking serving functions is needed. Moreover, such container preferably also has the function of keeping the freshness and warmness of the contained liquid and preventing the same from being oxidized or contaminated by air or dust.

Rm No. 6-11, 6 Fl., No. 782, Ting Chou Rd.


A training machine which projects a ball such as a soccer ball for presentation to the player. The machine propels balls with a maximum degree of freedom in selecting ball trajectories at unlimited angles, distances and velocities by mounting the propelling wheels on a plate rotatable approximately 120 degrees. The machine has an adjustable foot for adjusting the tilt of the rotatable plate. The machine is light weight and easily assembled and disassembled for transportation and storage. An electrical control regulates the speed of each projection wheel, providing an infinite variety of spin control to the projected ball.

The present invention relates generally to sports training apparatuses, more particularly to ball throwing or pitching machines, and more specifically to soccer ball throwing machines for use in training and practice situations.
Sports played with thrown, batted or kicked balls have become widely popular, for both amateur and professional players. In every sport, it is necessary to practice regularly to attain any proficiency. It is also necessary to become more efficient in practice so that the time available for each player to participate is maximized. To improve practice efficiency, numerous machines have been created to simulate the repetitive action of propelling the ball to the player so that appropriate actions such as batting, catching or hitting the ball can be performed.
An early ball throwing machine, U.S. Pat. No. 2,716,973 to Desi, was directed to baseball batting practice. This machine simulated the actions of a pitcher, delivering balls to a batter at regular intervals. Desi does not, however, suggest or teach ways that the machine could be adapted to larger balls, changing player positions, or widely variable pitch angles. U.S. Pat. No 3,724,437 to Halstead, also directed to baseball practice, improves the range of pitches simulated for batting practice. Halstead also, does not suggest ways to adapt his invention to the larger size and differing requirements of soccer. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,161 to Bruce, improved upon the baseball practice machines by improving the accuracy of the pitched ball delivery, but again does not suggest ways to adapt for other sports. These machines are suitable only for baseball practice since the relative positions of a pitcher and batter are generally fixed during practice, and the machines are not readily adaptable for widely varying ball delivery patterns for a player""s practice.
Volleyball practice machines, represented by U.S. Pat. No 4,323,048 to Saito et al., simulate the special ball delivery methods for this sport: serve, toss and spike for example. Saito teaches an adjustable machine, capable of delivering the variety of ball motions for this sport, but does not teach how the adjustments can be made so that a variety of deliveries can be randomly selected to challenge the player. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No 5,964,209 to Boehner is an aid for volleyball practice but not readily adaptable to other sports such as soccer.
A machine capable of determining a player""s position on a basketball court, and returning a ball to that position, is described in U.S. Pat. No 4,678,189 to Koss. This machine delivers the ball to much of the court area, varying the loft of the toss to reach further if necessary. This does not, however, suggest how a controlled variety of deliveries to a soccer player may be made. Tennis machines such as U.S. Pat. No 4,834,060 to Greene aid in the practice of that sport by providing regularly projected tennis balls to a player for practice. Here too, the range of delivery options is not suitable to field sports such as soccer.
What is needed is a machine capable of propelling balls such as for soccer in a variety of presentations suitable for goalies who may catch the ball with their hands or other players who must kick the ball or strike it with their head, not touching the ball with their hands. The machine should be easily transportable to the practice field and capable of quickly changing from one type of delivery to another, simulating playing situations for all team members.
The present invention is a training machine which projects a ball such as a soccer ball with a wide variety of presentations to the player. The machine propels soccer balls with a maximum degree of freedom in selecting ball trajectories by mounting the propelling wheels on a plate which is free to rotate through approximately 120 degrees. The machine functions as an automatic coaching partner for duplicating any type of game situation during training. This durable apparatus reproduces game-like shots at the goal as well as passes at unlimited angles, distances and velocities. The machine is user friendly, using simple controls for speed and trajectory for each consecutive serve. The machine is light weight in the preferred embodiment and may be easily assembled and disassembled for transportation and storage. The simplicity of operation makes the machine suitable for use by children as well as by professional players.
The simple electrical controls which regulate the speed of each projection wheel provide an infinite variety of spin control to the projected ball to effect difficult ball deliveries. A simple manual tilt control allows the machine to be varied in tilt angle to give a duality to the directional control not found in any other ball delivery machine. All of the controls are easily adjusted by the operator, providing a unique method for the delivery of practice balls to players at any position on the field.


Telemetry transmitting apparatus and a method are provided for reception and transmission of heart related electrical signals, such as electrocardiogram (EKG) and/or cardiac pacemaker signals, from a plurality of electrodes coupled to the body of a medical patient. A receiving facility of the apparatus receives a plurality of analog signals representing at least the EKG signals. An output signal representing the EKG signals is formed and transmitted, via a wireless coupling, to a telemetry receiver. An analog output port is provided on the telemetry transmitting apparatus. The analog output port is also coupled to the receiving facility. A plurality of output signals representing the EKG signals is provided to the analog output port of the telemetry transmitting apparatus. The analog output port may be coupled to buffers at the input terminals of the apparatus. Alternatively, the output port may receive processed signals from the amplifier in the telemetry transmitter that are gain adjusted to emulate the unprocessed voltage signals of the EKG electrodes and then combined with a digital pace pulse signal so that the output signals include pacemaker pulse information.

Telemetry transmitters provide a convenient means for remotely monitoring the medical condition of a patient, i.e., monitoring heart related electrical signals, such as electrocardiogram (EKG) and cardiac pacemaker signals. The telemetry transmitter is connected to the patient by electrodes and wires. The telemetry transmitter includes terminals for receiving the EKG and pacemaker signals from the wires, and a wireless transmitter that comprises, for example, a radio frequency (RF) link. Additional circuitry may be provided in the transmitter device for amplifying, filtering and multiplexing the received EKG and pacemaker signals. The transmitter sends the EKG and pacemaker signals to a telemetry receiver, which is typically in a central station.
It is often desirable to monitor the EKG and pacemaker signals locally. For example, a doctor or nurse may wish to review the EKG and/or the pacemaker signals while making his or her rounds. In some Telemetry transmitters, such as the model 1481T Telemetry transmitter manufactured by the Siemens Corporation, a display is provided for locally monitoring the EKG signals. Although this provides convenience, it increases the cost of the telemetry transmitter.
An alternative method that allows local monitoring is to place a telemetry receiver in the patient's room and connect the telemetry receiver to a monitor, as is done at the central station. While convenient, this is also quite expensive. U.S. Pat. No. 3,882,277 to DePedro et al. describes such a telemetry system. A telemetry receiver is placed in the patient's room, and the receiver is connected to a modem for transmission over a conventional telephone system.
If the hospital has an EKG monitor available (for example, a mobile transport monitor), the EKG electrodes that are attached to the patient could be disconnected from the telemetry transmitter and reconnected to the transport monitor for in-room monitoring. This method is cost effective, but is inconvenient, because the patient's EKG signal is not received at the central station while the EKG electrodes are connected to the transport monitor. This method also requires that the caregiver perform four steps including: (1) disconnecting the electrodes from the telemetry transmitter; (2) connecting the electrodes to the transport monitor; (3) disconnecting the electrodes from the transport monitor, when local monitoring is completed; and (4) reconnecting the electrodes to the telemetry transmitter. Performing these steps takes up the caregiver's valuable time.
Another problem associated with the method described above could occur while monitoring the quality of the electrode contacts. The quality of the EKG and pacemaker waveforms is affected by the quality of the electrode contact to the skin, so viewing the EKG and/or pacemaker waveforms from the bedside monitor via the telemetry transmitter allows evaluation of the electrode contact in the patient's room. Using the method described in the previous paragraph, the electrode contact may be disturbed while performing steps (3) and (4). The caregiver would not immediately become aware of this problem because he or she would no longer be viewing the waveform on the transport monitor. The discrepancy would not be detected until someone viewed the waveform back at the central station. At that point, it would be necessary to dispatch another person back to the patient's room to fix the electrode contact.
A convenient, low cost apparatus for locally monitoring the output of an EKG telemetry transmitter is desired.

Apparatus and method for providing dual output signals in a telemetry transmitter


The speed at which a thermosensitive recording medium is scanned with a laser beam is selected to be 5 m/s or higher to increase the temperature of a thermosensitive layer of the thermosensitive recording medium for recording a gradation image thereon with high sensitivity. A sharp temperature gradient is produced along the thickness of the thermosensitive layer, so that a density gradient along the thickness of the thermosensitive layer is developed, therefore, a high-quality image can be recorded without producing any density irregularities caused by thickness irregularities of the thermosensitive layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thermal recording process for recording a gradation image on a thermal recording medium with a laser beam.
2. Description of the Related Art
Thermal recording apparatus for applying thermal energy to a thermosensitive recording medium to record an image or other information thereon are in wide use. Particularly, thermal recording apparatus which employ a laser output source as a thermal energy source for high-speed recording are known from Japanese laid-open patent publications Nos. 50-23617, 58-94494, 62-77983, and 62-78964, for example.
The applicant has developed a thermal recording medium capable of recording a high-quality image for use in such thermal recording apparatus. The thermosensitive recording medium comprises a support base coated with a coloring agent, a color developer, and light-absorbing dyes (photothermal converting agent), and produces a color whose density depends on the thermal energy that is applied to the thermosensitive recording medium. For details, reference should be made to Japanese laid-open patent publications Nos. 5-301447 and 5-24219.
The thermosensitive recording medium has a thermosensitive layer on the support. The thermosensitive layer is produced by coating a coating solution on the support base. The coating solution contains an emulsion which is prepared by dissolving microcapsules containing at least a basic dye precursor, a color developer outside of the microcapsules, and light-absorbing dyes outside of the microcapsules into an organic solvent that is either slightly water-soluble or water-insoluble, and then emulsifying and dispersing the dissolved materials.
The basic dye precursor produces a color by donating electrons or accepting protons as of an acid or the like. The basic dye precursor comprises a compound which is normally substantially colorless and has a partial skeleton of lactone, lactam, sultone, spiropyran, ester, amide, or the like, which can be split or cleaved upon contact with the color developer. Specifically, the compound may be crystal violet lactone, benzoil leucomethylene blue, malachite green lactone, rhodamine B lactam, 1,3,3-trimethyl-6'-ethyl-8'-butoxyindolino-benzospiropyran, or the like.
The color developer may be of an acid substance such as a phenolic compound, an organic acid or its metal salt, oxybenzoate, or the like. The color developer should preferably have a melting point ranging from 50.degree. C. to 250.degree. C. Particularly, it should be of a slightly water-soluble phenol or organic acid having a melting point ranging from 60.degree. C. to 200.degree. C. Specific examples of the color developer are disclosed in Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 61-291183.
The light-absorbing dyes should preferably comprise dyes which absorb less light in a visible spectral range and have a particularly high rate of absorption of radiation wavelengths in an infrared spectral range. Examples of such dyes are cyanine dyes, phthalocyanine dyes, pyrylium and thiopyrylium dyes, azulenium dyes, squarylium dyes, metal complex dyes containing Ni, Cr, etc., naphtoquinone and anthraquinne dyes, indophenol dyes, indoaniline dyes, triphenylmethane dyes, triallylmethane dyes, aminium and diimmonium dyes, nitroso compounds, etc. Of these dye materials, those which have a high radiation absorption rate in a near-infrared spectral range whose wavelength ranges from 700 nm to 900 nm are particularly preferable in view of the fact that practical semiconductor lasers have been developed for generating near-infrared laser radiation.
In order to keep the thermosensitive recording medium in stable storage, the thermosensitive recording medium is designed such that it does not produce a color at a thermal energy level which is lower than a certain threshold value. Therefore, the laser output source is required to produce a considerable level of thermal energy for enabling the thermosensitive recording medium to produce a desired color. The thermosensitive recording medium may be scanned with a laser beam at a low speed to apply a sufficient level of light energy for thereby generating a sufficient level of thermal energy. However, the low-speed scanning lowers the recording efficiency. In addition, an increase in the laser output power for increasing the level of thermal energy will increase the cost of the thermal recording apparatus.
The thermosensitive recording medium tends to suffer thickness irregularities of the thermosensitive layer in the manufacturing process, and such thickness irregularities are responsible for irregularities in recorded images which cannot be ignored. While this drawback can be alleviated to some extent by increasing the accuracy with which to manufacture the thermosensitive recording medium, any required expenditure of time and money will be prohibitively large.


Antibody molecules that specifically bind to one or more isoforms expressed and/or associated with oncogenic phenotypes in a hyperproliferative cell (e.g., a cancerous or tumor cell) are disclosed. The isoform-binding antibody molecules can be used to treat, prevent and/or diagnose cancerous conditions and/or disorders. Methods of using the isoform-binding molecules to selectively detect oncogenic isoforms, to reduce the activity and/or induce the killing of a hyperproliferative cell expressing an oncogenic isoform in vitro, ex vivo or in vivo are also disclosed. Diagnostic and/or screening methods and kits for evaluating the function or expression of an oncogenic isoform are also disclosed.

In spite of numerous advances in medical research, cancer remains a leading cause of death in the United States. Traditional modes of clinical care, such as surgical resection, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, have a significant failure rate, especially for solid tumors. Failure occurs either because the initial tumor is unresponsive, or because of recurrence due to re-growth at the original site and/or metastases. The etiology, diagnosis and ablation of cancer remain a central focus for medical research and development.
Since the probability of complete remission of cancer is, in most cases, greatly enhanced by early diagnosis, it is desirable for physicians to be able to identify cancerous tumors as early as possible. Identification of cancerous cells based on changes in gene expression is desirable because changes in gene expression are likely to occur prior to the histological changes that distinguish malignant cells from normal cells. Using biomarkers that identify such changes in gene expression, one can identify cancerous or pre-cancerous cells when changes in gene expression are apparent, and thereby effectively target individuals who would most likely benefit from adjuvant therapy. However, the development of methods and compositions that permit early, rapid, and accurate detection of many forms of cancers continues to challenge the medical community. Thus, a significant problem in the treatment of cancer remains detection and prognosis to enable appropriate therapeutic treatment and ablation of cancer.
For example, prostate cancer (CaP) is one of the most common malignancies in men, with an increasing incidence. In 2007, approximately 218,900 men were diagnosed and approximately 27,050 men died of the disease in the U.S. alone. Despite important progress in the early diagnosis of prostate malignancies through the measurement of PSA levels, about 10% of newly diagnosed patients have some evidence of locally advanced CaP and 5% already have distant metastasis at the time of diagnoses (Draisma et al., (2003) J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 95:868-878; Thompson et al., (2003) N. Engl. J. Med. 349, 215-224; Makinen et al., (2003) Clin. Cancer Res. 9, 2435-2439). Curative treatments for locally advanced CaP are available (Bolla et al., (2002) Lancet 360, 103-106; Messing et al., (1999) N. Engl. J. Med. 341, 1781-1788; D'Amico et al., (2004) J. Am. Med. Assoc. 292, 821-827). In contrast, patients with evidence of distant metastases have a very poor prognosis and limited curative treatment exists (Cheville et al., (2002) Cancer 95, 1028-1036). Tumor metastasis is the main cause for mortality associated with prostate cancer. Hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) is an example of an invasive type of prostate cancer.
Limited treatment modalities currently exist for prostate cancer once it has metastasized. For example, systemic therapy is limited to various forms of androgen deprivation. While most patients will demonstrate initial clinical improvement, virtually inevitably, androgen-independent cells develop. Endocrine therapy is thus palliative, not curative. In a study of 1,387 patients with metastatic disease detectable by imaging (e.g., bone or CT scan), the median time to objective disease progression (excluding biochemical/PSA progression) after initiation of hormonal therapy (i.e., development of androgen-independence) was 16-48 months (Eisenberger M. A., et al. (1998) NEJM 339:1036-42). Median overall survival in these patients was 28-52 months from the onset of hormonal treatment (Eisenberger M. A., et al. (1998) supra.). Subsequent to developing androgen-independence, there is no effective standard therapy and the median duration of survival is 9-12 months (Vollmer, R. T., et al. (1999) Clin Can Res 5: 831-7; Hudes G., et al., (1997) Proc Am Soc Clin Oncol 16:316a (abstract); Pienta K. J., et al., (1994) J Clin Oncol 12(10):2005-12; Pienta K. J., et al. (1997) Urology 50:401-7; Tannock I. F., et al., (1996) J Clin Oncol 14:1756-65; Kantoff P. W., et al., (1996) J. Clin. Oncol. 15 (Suppl):25:110-25). Cytotoxic chemotherapy is poorly tolerated in this age group and generally considered ineffective and/or impractical. In addition, prostate cancer is relatively resistant to cytotoxic agents. Thus, chemotherapeutic regimen has not demonstrated a significant survival benefit in this patient group. In view of the shortcomings of existing therapies and diagnostics, the need still exists for improved targeted modalities for preventing, treating and/or diagnosing cancers, such as prostate cancer.

Antibody molecules to oncogenic isoforms of fibroblast growth factor receptor-2 and uses thereof


A method is disclosed including: obtaining one or more values of a system metric, the system metric being associated with a hardware resource of a computing device; detecting whether the system metric is approaching a threshold, the threshold being associated with a key performance indicator (KPI) of the computing device, the detecting being performed based on the obtained values of the system metric; calculating a predicted value of the system metric in response to detecting that the system metric is approaching the threshold, the predicted value of the system metric being calculated by using a linear predictor that is trained using unevenly-sampled training data; detecting whether the predicted value of the system metric exceeds the threshold; and reconfiguring the computing device to prevent the system metric from reaching the predicted value in response to detecting that the predicted value exceeds the threshold.

Enterprise systems may include severs, storage, and associated software that are typically maintained by business organizations in support of their operations. Enterprise systems are designed to offer high level of performance to satisfy the operational needs of business organizations. The reliable operation of enterprise systems is of upmost importance, as any failure in an enterprise system may disrupt the operations of the business organization which it serves. Accordingly, the need exists for improved system management techniques for ensuring the reliable operation of enterprise systems.


In a magneto-optical recording technique by which an improved domain expansion reading is achieved, a mark region is recorded as a sub-mark portion and an adjacent sub-space portion, wherein the sum of predetermined first and second lengths of the sub-mark and sub-space portions, respectively, is changed in dependence on the pattern of marks and spaces. The write strategy enables writing a long run length with sub-mark and/or sub-space lengths selected independent of the channel bit length, such that a long run length can be written with few well-chosen domains with a stray field larger than the minimum field for MAMMOS readout. In this way, differences in readout conditions for all combinations of short and long run lengths can be eliminated, resulting in substantially improved power margins for random data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method, apparatus and recording medium for recording an information as a pattern of marks and spaces on a recording track. In particular, the present invention relates to a recording technique for a domain expansion system, such as a Magnetic AMplifying Magneto-Optical System (MAMMOS).
2. Description of the Related Art
In magneto-optical storage systems, the minimum width of the recorded marks is determined by the diffraction limit, i.e., by the Numerical Aperture (NA) of the focussing lens and the laser wavelength. A reduction of the width is generally based on shorter wavelength lasers and higher NA focussing optics. During magneto-optical recording, the minimum bit length can be reduced to below the optical diffraction limit by using Laser Pulsed Magnetic Field Modulation (LP-MFM). In LP-MFM, the bit transitions are determined by the switching of the field and the temperature gradient induced by the switching of the laser. For read-out of the small crescent shaped marks recorded in this way, Magnetic Super Resolution (MSR) or Domain Expansion (DomEx) methods have to be used. These technologies are based on recording media with several magneto-static or exchange-coupled RE-TM layers. According to MSR, a read-out layer on a magneto-optical disk is arranged to copy a mark from the storage layer only in a small region of the readout spot and mask adjacent bits during reading, while, according to domain expansion, a domain in the center of a spot is expanded. The advantage of the domain expansion technique over MSR results in that bits with a length below the diffraction limit can be detected with a similar signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) as bits with a size comparable to the diffraction limited spot. MAMMOS is a domain expansion method based on magneto-statically coupled storage and read-out layers, wherein a magnetic field modulation may be used for expansion and collapse of expanded domains in the read-out layer.
However, when long run lengths are written in a MAMMOS medium, the magnetic stray-field in the center of the domain corresponding to the long run length is weaker than at the borders thereof (in the tangential direction). At a particular "critical length", the magnetic stray-field in the center of the run length becomes insufficiently strong to generate a MAMMOS signal in that area, i.e., to obtain a copied domain in the read-out layer. This results in an erroneous bit stream. The problem can be solved by increasing the reading power of the laser, thus increasing the total temperature and thereby the local magnetic stray-field of the storage layer and, at the same time, decreasing the coercivity of the readout layer. If the increase in the magnetic stray-field and the decrease in coercivity are sufficient, the previously missing MAMMOS signal will be generated. However, this procedure increases the thermal copy window which determines the resolution for read-out, such that extra false MAMMOS signals may be generated due to overlapping effects.
Japanese Patent Application No. JP-A-2000-260079 suggests a MAMMOS recording system in which a binary information of one bit is allotted to a magnetic section pattern constituted by a combination of two magnetic sections having magnetizations with opposite directions, such that a recording information that continues for two or more bits is formed in the recording layer as a series of magnetic section patterns with opposite magnetization. Thereby, a homogeneous stray-field is obtained, irrespective of the position of a respective read-out domain, even if it is located in the center of a continuous recording information. Hence, each unit of recording information can be reliably transferred to the playback layer. In particular, a mark region is recorded as a sequence of a sub-mark region having a length L1 and a following short sub-space region having a length L2. The ratios L2/L1 between the length of the sub-space region and the length of the sub-mark region is suggested to be in the range of 0.1 to 0.9. FIG. 7 herein shows an outline of such an arrangement representing the recording data of 101111, where the "+" sign represents the direction of the magnetic field for the sub-mark regions and the "−" sign represents the direction of the magnetic field for the sub-space regions.
For MAMMOS readout, the sum of the external field and the stray field from the bit pattern in the storage layer should be larger than the coercive field of the readout layer:Hext+Hstray,storage>Hc,readout  (1)Because the stray field increases and the coercive field decreases with increasing temperature (proportional to laser power), a minimum temperature Tmin (or laser power) is required to fulfill this condition. On the other hand, if the laser power becomes too large, the dimensions of the area where the temperature is higher than this Tmin are so large that overlap with neighboring bits will occur. This will lead to false, additional peaks, such that a wrong number of peaks will be detected during readout of long mark run lengths, Moreover, small spaces cannot be detected at all. Therefore, the laser power should be controlled in such a way that the temperature in the center of the spot is just above Tmin. The stray field also depends on the length of the written domain (and its surroundings).
FIG. 2A shows a stray field (in the normal direction z with respect to the recording surface) of a written domain or mark region along the track direction for different domain lengths or bit lengths ranging from 30 to 1000 nm. Furthermore, FIG. 2B shows a diagram indicating the maximum stray field Hz,max and the stray field Hz,center at the center of the domain as a function of the bit length. As can be seen from FIGS. 2A and 2B, the stray field decreases for bit lengths larger than 100 nm, especially near the center of the domain. This means that when the readout conditions are optimized, e.g., for a channel bit length b=100 nm, larger domains will not show any MAMMOS signals. When using a higher read power or larger external field, only the MAMMOS peaks from the center of the large domain will be missing. However, small domains can no longer be resolved.
FIG. 3 shows a diagram indicating the stray field versus the track direction for a channel bit length b=100 nm for a sequence of domains of a length corresponding to one channel bit length, i.e., I1 carriers (dashed line), and a continuous domain of a length corresponding to five channel bit lengths, i.e., an I5 carrier (solid line). In the upper part of FIG. 3, magnetization patterns corresponding to the stray field waveforms are indicated, wherein four subsequent plus signs indicated a mark region of a length corresponding to one channel bit length and wherein four minus signs indicated a space region of a length corresponding to one channel bit length. Curves 1 and 2 represent coercive field profiles at different values of Hc,readout-Hext. In FIG. 3, the first situation corresponds to Hc,readout-Hext just below 27 kA/m (curve 1). In this case, only the tip of the thermal profile is used. When Hc,readout-Hext is around 12 kA/m in the hottest part of the spot (curve 2), the second situation applies. Here, I1 spaces (i.e., spaces with a length corresponding to one channel bit length) cannot be observed because the coercive field profile always overlaps with the stray field of neighboring marks. Stated more generally, for MAMMOS readout with the best resolution/power margin the difference between the largest value of the stray field and the lowest value among all combinations of run lengths should be as small as possible.

Stray field equalization for improved domain expansion reading


A sense amplifier for detecting a logic state of a selected electrical fuse cell among a number of unselected electrical fuse cells includes a bias module coupled to a power supply for generating a first current, and a tracking module coupled to the bias module for generating a second current. A current supplier is coupled to the bias module and the tracking module for generating a third current substantially equal to a sum of the first and second currents scaled by a predetermined factor, the third current being diverted into a first sub-current flowing through the selected electrical fuse cell and a second sub-current leaking through the unselected electrical fuse cells. The tracking module is so configured that the second current scaled by the predetermined factor is substantially equal to the second sub-current, thereby avoiding the first sub-current to be reduced by the second sub-current.

The present invention relates generally to integrated circuit (IC) designs, and more particularly to a sense amplifier with leakage compensation for electrical fuse cells.
Electrical fuses are often utilized in modern ICs. Typically, they are designed to blow when a current through the fuses exceeds a pre-determined threshold. When the fuses are programmed or "blown," although not necessarily physically broken, they enter into a high impedance state. Electrical fuses are commonly used for making adjustments and repairs that are performed as late as after the chip is packaged. Since wirings are allowed at the two ends of the fuses, they can be flexibly implemented within the IC. This flexibility makes the electrical fuses desirable components for IC designs.
Conventionally, an IC includes a plurality of electrical fuse cells, each of which has at least one electrical fuse serially coupled to at least one switch device. A sense amplifier is typically implemented in the IC to detect a sensing current flowing through the selected electrical fuse cell in order to determine its logic state. The voltage level of the sensing current varies depending on the resistance of the fuse of the selected cell. The sense amplifier outputs a signal indicative of whether the fuse is blown or not, based on the voltage level of the sensing current.
During the sensing process, only one or few electrical fuse cells are selected. Ideally, the unselected electrical fuse cells should not allow an electrical current to pass thereacross. However, in reality, part of the sensing current often leaks through the unselected electrical fuse cells. This reduces the sensitivity of the sense amplifier in responding to a change of the fuse resistance. In some cases, the leakage current would cause the sense amplifier fail to detect a fuse cell that is blown.
Thus, desirable in the art of IC design is a sense amplifier with leakage current compensation features for electrical fuse cells.

Sense amplifier with leakage compensation for electrical fuses

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


A method of forming an integrated photonic semiconductor structure having a photodetector and a CMOS device may include forming the CMOS device on a first silicon-on-insulator region, forming a silicon optical waveguide on a second silicon-on-insulator region, and forming a shallow trench isolation (STI) region surrounding the silicon optical waveguide such that the shallow trench isolation electrically isolating the first and second silicon-on-insulator region. Within a first region of the STI region, a first germanium material is deposited adjacent a first side wall of the semiconductor optical waveguide. Within a second region of the STI region, a second germanium material is deposited adjacent a second side wall of the semiconductor optical waveguide, whereby the second side wall opposes the first side wall. The first and second germanium material form an active region that evanescently receives propagating optical signals from the first and second side wall of the semiconductor optical waveguide.

a. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to semiconductor devices, and particularly to integrated photonic semiconductor devices.
b. Background of Invention
The use of both photonic devices in high-speed switching and transceiver devices in data communications are but a few examples that highlight the advantages of processing both optical and electrical signals within a single integrated device. For example, an integrated photonic device may include both photodetector and CMOS type devices that may be fabricated on a single substrate. As such, while engaging in the fabrication of one type of device (i.e., photonic devices); other device types (i.e., CMOS devices) may be impacted. In addition to mitigating adverse effects associated with the different fabrication processes corresponding to each type of device (i.e., photonic/CMOS devices), facilitating increased device performance within an integrated photonic semiconductor device structure may be desirable.
It may therefore, among other things, be advantageous to fabricate, within an integrated photonic device, photodetector device structures that have enhanced performance characteristics.


A system and method responsive to input stimuli is provided by incorporating a computer software program, hardware processing engine, or a specialized ASIC chip processor apparatus to capture concurrent inputs that are responsive to training stimulation, store a model representing a synthesis of the captured inputs, and use the stored model to generate outputs in response to real-world stimulation. Human user forced-choice approval/disapproval generated descriptions and decisions may be dynamically mapped with conventionally presented information and sensor and control data. The model mapping is stored into and out of a conventional mass storage device, such as is used in a relational database for use in generating a response to the stimuli. By accessing commonly stored mappings, the system can be incorporated into a mixture of multiple domains and disciplines of users and can create a common understanding of knowledge and design concept contained within it through mutual interaction, and subsequent automatic modifications to a common relational database. The system and method is applicable to conventional storage and presentation devices, making it easily incorporated into a variety of commercial products, utilizing current commercial human-machine interfaces (e.g. Human-Machine Interface graphical user interface, or Graphical User Interface) and current mass storage devices. The system uses N-dimensional descriptions of observations and concepts in an infinitely expandable space, embracing elements of human thought. This allows the user to tailor this system to control operation of automated devices and appliances to reflect the individual's wishes and desires as a dynamic representation and mapping of user descriptions and decisions with information, sensor data, and device controls.

The development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) modeled human understanding of the real world (RW), as summarized by Dreyfus et al., "Why Computers May Never Think Like People," Harvard Technology Review, 42 (January 1986), is a collection of facts, rules of operation, and experiences. This collection of symbolic information varies with human skill in a particular application domain, by varying across a skill level scale from novice, through advanced beginner, and on to competent, proficient, and expert abilities. The variation of skill proceeds from the collection of facts to goal based action, with intuition and analysis resulting into the instant understanding of the expert. There is a response time associated with skill. Feigenbaum et al., "Signal-To-Symbol Transformation: HASP/SIAP Case Study," AI Magazine, 23 (Spring 1982) referred to the collection of RW data as a signal detection process. The construction of this data into symbols creates a modeled symbol-structure, composed of low-level attribute elements being clustered and grouped by RW objects (RWO) into an application hierarchy.
This process of construction was called an inference between knowledge sources and observations using an IF-THEN hypothesis-testing algorithm. Inferencing could use pattern invoked, heuristic methods or logical, tree-searched, rule-based methods. Here, the connection between RWO and the modeled understanding is through an atomic object layer (with at least one attribute or feature) and a detection process on the existence of that attribute, with a probability of detection (PD) and a probability of false-alarm detection (PFA). These atomic elements are built into more complex structures of an object diagram (OD). Solinsky, "An Artificial Intelligence Perspective on the Sonar Problem—Recognition Control Strategy in a Relational Data Base," #T85-1199/301, Rockwell International, Anaheim, Calif. (October 1985) showed that a relational database (RDB) was a means of constructing this knowledge base (KB) as that of clustering detected feature values of modeled RWOs. Here the example RWO is a tuple, and the fields of the RDB are the populated feature values.
An important element of RDB access in this application is shown by Li, A PROLOG Database System, Research Studies Press Ltd., John Wiley, NY, N.Y. (1984) to incorporate predicate calculus. Feature detection is the process of signal detection and feature extraction through algorithmic processing of atomic level sensor measurements using "a priori" knowledge, including a detection threshold setting value (d). Just as in the human skill model, an observation time (T) is required before a detection event can occur, and hence the symbolic construction process is discretized in time. Solinsky, "A Man/Machine Performance Model for Analyzing Sonar System Design", #T86, Rockwell International, Anaheim, Calif. (December 1986) showed that the information rate of this symbolic construction process is constant, but varies in resolution analysis between sorting Yes/No decisions at low resolution, and analysis at high resolution, and involves feedback over a fixed construction/extraction time using short term and long term memory models (STM, LTM). After symbolic construction, a sequence of atomic events can be used to retain temporal or spatial event clustering (as in object spatial movement or eye-scanning motion).
The false alarm rate (FAR) in feature-detection is the ratio of PFA to T. The process of matching a set of detected object features to a new set of features is that of classification, and Solinsky, "The Use of Expert Systems in Machine Vision Recognition," VISION'86 Conference, Detroit, Mich., 4-139 (June 1986) showed that the Expert System (ES) paradigm was applicable to this process in vision applications. The feedback of the setting of the threshold detection value "d" is provided by the speed of the clustering processes required. This method of threshold controlled decision process performance is based on one of five methods described later by Klir, Advances in Computers, Vol. 36 edited by M. C. Yovits, Academic Press, NY, N.Y., 255, (1993).
The use of object detection in visual tasks is a human expert skill implemented as a Gestalt process. Solinsky has generalized the approach for a) feature selection (see Solinsky, "A Generalized Feature Extraction Approach," VISION '87 Conference, Detroit, Mich., 8-57, June 1987), b) classification using neural-networks (see Solinsky, "Machine Vision Tutored Learning Using Artificial Neural Systems Classification," VISION '88 Conference, Detroit, Mich., 1-MS88-490, June 1988), and c) decision processes for low FAR regimes (see Solinsky, "Evaluating System Performance in Low False Alarm Rate Regimes," #JCS/ASD/92-001, Advanced System Division, SAIC, La Jolla, Calif., February 1992). Solinsky, "A Method for Compact Information Characterization in a Finite, Discrete Data Set," #JCS/ASD/93-003, Advanced Systems Division, SAIC, La Jolla, Calif. (Apr. 1993) has also presented generalized information structuring for characterizing a discrete data set in a large dimensional feature space. This technique uses an important analysis method termed a "balloon matrix" for measuring correlation in N-dimensional hyperspaces. The hyperspace "diameter" of the balloon is found in a search time, which is related to the correlation lag and the correlation order. The compact form of a subspace representation uses a fractal dimensional ordering. In this way a much larger, and even infinite space can be made into a compact, set of finite spaces. Solinsky, et al, "Higher-order Statistical Application in Acoustics with Reference to Nonlinearities in Chaos," Third International Symposium on Signal Processing Applications (HOSSPA 92), Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia (August 1992) has shown higher order statistical (HOS) correlation to exist in acoustic data from mammals and in neural data from bat brain neurons. Solinsky, et. al, "Signal Analysis of Nonlinear Dynamics and Higher-Order Statistics," SPIE Proceed. 2037 Chaos/Dynamics, San Diego, Calif. 163 (July 1993) has shown this HOS correlation to be present in other data set applications including financial data. This HOS correlation represents the Gestalt process of the N-dimensional hyperspace correlation (for N>2).
The structure for knowledge representation in AI has been dominated by the object model, with linked object diagrams (OD), such as shown by Booch, Object-Oriented Analysis and Design, Benjamin/Cummings Pub. Co., Redwood City, Calif. (1994) with class attribute relationships, Coad and Yourdon, Object-Oriented Design, Prentice Hall Inc., Englewood Cliffs, N.J. (1991) for super/sub object and associated object relationships, and the current modeling using the Universal Modeling Language (UML) by Fowler and Scott, UML Distilled, CRC Press, Addison Wesley Langman, Inc., Menlo Park, Calif. (2000), Rumbaugh, Jacobson and Booch, The UML Reference Manual, Addison-Wesley Langman, Inc., Menlo Park, Calif. (1999), and Booch, Rumbaugh, and Jacobson, The UML User Guide, Addison Wesley Langman, Inc., Menlo Park, Calif. (1999).
The construction of information systems that are intelligent, by being self-erecting, and capable of implementation in a computing machine, was explored by Solinsky, "Intelligent Information Systems," SAIC White Paper, (February 1995). Here the use of human interaction is used to construct information from data, as defined as "assessment by methods unrelated to the data itself." Intelligent systems have the ability to acquire and use information. These systems evolve information from data cases using an information "channel" of flow similar to the previously modeled information rate shown earlier by Solinsky (December 1986) to be limited. The process in the intelligent information system using computing machinery involves a set of metrics:                1) The information has a finite lifetime (r) and channel length L, which because of a fixed flow rate, c, limits the ability of the system to achieve instantaneous synchronization. Rather, a unit of synchronicity is finite, and is in terms of a "chron" (crn≡cτ/L).        2) The distribution of information through replication must have a user's transaction cost (CR) to limit resource wasting and time consuming processes.        3) The system must incorporate a feedback process to minimize the average cm unit in the processes ( crn≡{crn}min).        4) The system customizes the user interaction to minimize the user's emotional level as determined through an interface (e.g., Gelemter, "The Muse in the Machine," Free Press Division of MacMillian, Inc., NY, N.Y. (1994)).        5) Diverse user interaction creates information latency, which incurs a cost (CL) that randomizes information through equivocation (Solinsky (December 1986)).        6) Diverse user interaction also creates information uncertainty as an injection of information randomness or noise (Solinsky (December 1986)).        7) User feedback is used to retain information accuracy by consistent and frequent decision confirmation.        8) Both object-modeled information flow (e.g., OD) and data flow must exist in the system, where the information rate channel capacity (CC) limits the information flow rate, and the computing hardware channel bandwidth (BW) limits the data rate. This process involves a user decision of transforming unknown data into objects for investigation and analysis (e.g., unfamiliar objects are data flow). Known objects are discarded by the user (e.g., familiar objects are information flow).        9) The user actions are modeled by two levels of memory, STM and LTMs with the LTM model of familiar objects being accessed through a set of multileveled CC limited pathways. This provides an implementation of situation awareness for a specific user interaction.        10) The system incorporates an overall cost function (CF) which limits the use of information flow by a redundancy factor (Re for Re=1.0 as no information flow, and Re=0.0 as an infinite flow for a state of confusion). This CF is a nonlinear, direct mapping of Re, and is inversely mapped to the information rate CC. The CF is user and application dependent. The process of transforming data-to-objects is modeled as human perception and transforming objects-to-data is modeled as human instantiation.
A series of research proposals (Murphy and Solinsky, "Automated Model Correlator and Metamodel Building Environments," Accord Solutions SBIR Proposal A95-065 (January 1995), "The Information Computer—An Intelligent Systems Component for Consistent Abstraction of Collaborator Experience," Accord Solutions (1996), and Accord Solutions ATP proposal "Components for a Concurrent Paradigm," (May 1997)) addressed the application of this information construction structure into a series of decision surfaces based on information content in the analyzed data. A series of briefings on the information system elements (Solinsky and Murphy, "The Information Computer", Accord Solutions briefing presented from August 1995-February 1996 to McDonnell Douglas Corp. and Cubic Corp.) identified an important concept in intelligent information construction systems, which can be implemented in computing machines. This information computer (IC) consists of:                1) A LTM representation of information as a linked set of objects in an OD, with ordering based on the user's viewpoint, with objects of importance being closest, and objects of less importance being furthest away in "distance" (as a link count) from the most important object to the user.        2) The OD viewpoint allows objects of self-containment to be chunked into a single, macro object, which has links to other objects, but is fully represented in the user's viewpoint context as a single macro object. In this way the entropy H, which is a function of the OD object count (O), link count (L), and average hyperspace spanning vector ({tilde under (D)}) is defined as H≡(O, L, {tilde under (D)}) and is minimized by chunking. In many instances, the chunked objects can capture a subspace of the general OD attribute set.        3) The user decision/response is modeled as one of three outcomes of unfamiliar objects: a) discarded as not of interest, b) modified using STM to be corrected, and c) identified as being new, and entered into LTM. Familiar objects are automatically responded to with minimal time and effort as an automatic response. The use of a forced-choice interaction model with the user is a cognitive science method of creating confusion in the representation to force the user into a reactive and possibly emotional response which accesses the user's actual LTM information.        4) The IC uses an Action Channel (AC) to construct confusion in the representation of the OD confronting the user. The AC is similar to a Shannon communication channel for data flow, except the AC constricts the information flow as discussed earlier through equivocation and uncertainty. A specific element of the AC is an access to the OD stored in LTM, with the combination of new objects randomly included as input to the channel. The channel itself involves a type specified linking process (i.e., a verb) involving a propagation time step, which changes the output OD, by adding uncertainty through additional random links added and removed from the OD as a noise process, and equivocation as an object removal process to be on the order of the input object count in order to retain the same entropy of input-to-output OD space.        5) The AC model for OD modification is based on binary construction to a single object by a link type change as noun/verb/object/labeling for labels of: a) no change (NOP), b) create a new forward link (p addition), c) combine two objects (y combining), and d) create a backward link (b addition). The noun element in the change is the identity of the original object of the OD where the linking process occurs.
The proposals by Solinsky and Murphy extended the decision process to classification techniques using a neural network decision process and a generalized decision process as represented by Klir, Advances in Computers, Vol. 36 edited by M. C. Yovits, Academic Press, NY, N.Y., 255, (1993). The general decision process is an expansion of PD/PFA decision in a typical likelihood, cost function format, and includes a) classical set theory (Hartley, "Transmission of Information", The Bell Systems Technical Journal 1, 535-563 (1928)); b) fuzzy set theory (Zadeh, "Fuzzy Sets", Information and Control 8 (3) 338-353 (1965)); c) probability theory (Shannon, "The Mathematical Theory of Communication," The Bell Systems Technical Journal, 27, 379-423, 623-656 (1948)); d) possibility theory (Zadeh, "Fuzzy Sets as a Basis for a Theory of Possibility," Fuzzy Sets and Systems 1 (1), 3-28 (1978)); and e) evidence theory (Shafer, A Mathematical Theory of Evidence, Princeton University Press, Princeton, N.J. (1976) and Demster, "Upper and Lower Probability Inferences Based on a Sample from a Finite Univariate Population," a) Biometrika 54, 515-528; b) Annals of Mathematical Statistics 38, 325-339 (1967) as bounded probability, and belief functions (Shafer, "Belief Functions and Possibility Measures" in Analysis of Fuzzy Information Vol 1 edited by J. C. Bezedek, CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fla., 51-84 (1985))). Klir summarizes this decision process as being either involving fuzziness or ambiguity, where "strife-ambiguity" is a disagreement of alternatives and "nonspecified-ambiguity" is a set of unspecified alternatives, i.e. issues involved with decisions which require resolution because of disagreement or lack of information, e.g. at an emotional level.
The decision process of the IC was modeled to include Klir's min/max uncertainty ranges of decisions to become invariant to uncertainty through the user decision process, such that the evolved LTM OD is the same information from all user viewpoints which then becomes a common set of information or knowledge.
This background work in AI and information modeling has not included the combinations described for the IC and the use of neural-networks (NN) in decision processes of OD representations. Eliot, "Ruling Neural Networks," AI Expert, 8 (February 1995) has shown that a NN is not as easy to understand as an AI ES, which involves only rules. This is because ES logic involves discrete binary Yes/No states and NNs involve sigmoid-shaped decision surfaces with a focus on the "Maybe" region in the Yes-to-No transition region of the sigmoid. While ES's attempted to include this as a user input/review process with a certainty factor in decisions, this approach was unsuccessful because its final output was not a complete decision. The lure of the ES rule-based modeling is its compactness, but this can better be represented in a predicate calculus format with NN decisions as incorporated into this invention. The current invention transforms the OD models and AI of the IC to a mathematical hyperspace representation which is efficiently represented and operated on for RW applications using efficient bit-level manipulation and computation.
A series of patents have dealt with ODs and the use of object models in applications, and particularly with RDB accessing. U.S. Pat. No. 3,970,992 deals with a keyboard macro for retrieval application in a data processing system. U.S. Pat. No. 4,906,940 deals with a "rubberized" template matching approach for guiding an object on a road. U.S. Pat. No. 5,506,580 involves a data compression approach using a character stream library encoding. U.S. Pat. No. 5,548,755 is a hashing technique to optimize RDB-grouped query access. U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,218 uses case-based reasoning for information gathering in a RW sensor derived data set. Here, decision and case construction use a Genetic Algorithm decision process. U.S. Pat. No. 5,701,400 constructs a tool-kit for financial advisors based on weighted logic ES, IF-THEN-ELSE rules to data sets in a RDB.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,712,960 incorporates abductive reasoning as a meta interpreter for updating a communication data base management system. U.S. Pat. No. 5,768,586 uses an object structure for data configuration in system modeling of complex enterprises, which begins with high level user descriptions and constructs low level descriptions from the modeled process. U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,378 is a document retrieval application of an object-oriented (OO) framework for word indexing and parsing. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,790,116; 5,794,001, and 5,900,870 use a GUI to construct a hierarchical definition of an object structure in a data record application. Templates are used for selecting data fields linkable to a collection folder of instantiations. Various 2-D graphics, are used, such as a node-arc graph. U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,075 uses a triggering methodology based on data values, of data duplications between local and remote sites. U.S. Pat. No. 5,832,205 is a memory failure detection process based on comparative instruction analysis. U.S. Pat. No. 5,875,108 is a GUI interface intelligence through adaptive pattern recognition of historic actions as in a button pushing effort using a VCR remote control. U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,106 incorporates a server support to client users, which encapsulates a class hierarchy of 3-D graphics in data base applications. U.S. Pat. No. 5,905,855 corrects errors in computer systems by two state analysis of initial and final state reference points.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,911,581 incorporates a metric for determining mental ability of complex task solving, and models reaction time, awareness thresholds, attention levels, information capacity and LTM access speed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,252 uses a consistency check between a data source and target to simplify a user's job in data transferring. It includes protocol free construction of ES object links embodied in a common user interface. U.S. Pat. No. 5,926,832 is a means of increasing memory access by memory address analysis and storage. U.S. Pat. No. 5,936,860 is an application to warehouse control functions by a user with OO data modeling. U.S. Pat. No. 5,953,707 uses a planned decision model in a client/server database from various user viewpoints in sales planning and inventory management as a user GUI without an OO model. U.S. Pat. No. 5,958,061 uses a cache to store states for instruction translation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,966,712 applies to the use of RDB storage of biomolecular sequences which, compares sequence frames and groups of frames and displays results to the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,970,482 applies to the application of feed-forward decisions to the data mining process. A predictive model is used to compare and rank symbolic data correlation significance. U.S. Pat. No. 5,978,790 uses an edge-labeled tree approach to match input elements to output restructuring in a semi-structured database. The tree can only be structured in 2-D data base structures. U.S. Pat. No. 5,991,776 involves an application of RDB indexing by linking tuple identifications to the document, but does not use an OO structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,995,958 manages a database through the use of acyclic graphs by mapping an infinite data set to a finite storage of a X-function core representation. It is applied to RDBs with user query support, but does not involve OO models, since the links are independent of the node contents. U.S. Pat. No. 5,999,940 incorporates a 2-D visual representation for user discovery and visualization for applications involving multiple access to databases, such as in health and doctor treatment areas. U.S. Pat. No. 6,002,865 uses a multi-dimensional set of spreadsheet pages to construct a database by multiple levels of resolution. U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,024 deals with row selection of 2-D database accesses for attribute-based record selection as an intersection of attribute correlation in 2-D. U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,230 involves a client/server remote user access application modeled in OO technology for proxy mapping.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,009,199 is a decision process for classification in decision trees. It is an iterative mapping of subspace to full space based on discriminative processes. The perceptron model is used in classification.
The previously cited U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,832,205; 5,905,855; 5,926,832; and 5,958,061 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,011,908 deal with the iterative translation of computer microprocessor instructions to a target set of processor states embodied in a chip set with gated memory buffering. The process speeds up the instruction execution as historic references occur, and the system consequently becomes more adept at predicting the next sequential executable instructions. This is an N=2 form of correlation prediction.

System and method for dynamic knowledge construction


A gypsum slurry includes calcined gypsum, urea phosphate esterified starch, organopolysiloxane, and water.

Generally, gypsum products do not have sufficient water resistance to allow them to be used in a "near-water" place where they might be in contact with water.
However, because there is a need to use a gypsum product in such a near-water place, research has been conducted to find a method to give water repellency to a gypsum product so that it can be used in a near-water place. In a proposed method, a water repellent such as a silicone oil or wax, or a water-repellent adjuvant that efficiently enhances the performance of a water repellent is added to gypsum slurry to give water repellency.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method of waterproofing a gypsum product where at least one type of compound including polysiloxane and at least one type of compound including pregelatinized starch (a starch) are added to a plaster composition.

Gypsum slurry, hardened gypsum, gypsum building material, gypsum board, method of producing gypsum slurry, method of producing hardened gypsum, method of producing gypsum building material, and method of producing gypsum board


An integrated leveler assembly in combination with a rail portion for an upper receiver and a handguard, where the upper receiver and handguard are core components of a modular rifle assembly. The integrated leveler assembly is configured to fit within a slot formed between the two aligned end-to-end rail portions such that the integrated leveling assembly may not extend above the combined rail portions and the rail portions form a single aligned rail platform. The integrated leveler assembly includes a liquid-filled level vial that forms a bubble, a level vial barrel receiver, and fasteners to secure the integrated leveler assembly to the two rail portions of the rail platform. The integrated leveler assembly may include an extension spring, guide slot, lock pin, and cam lock, along with a separate barrel that axially receives the level vial receiver with an extension spring between the level vial receiver and the barrel.

Rail platforms are commonly used in connection with automatic and semi-automatic rifles, such as military M-16 rifles and AR 15 type rifles, respectively. A rail platform typically corresponds to an upper receiver of a rifle and sometimes to both an upper receiver and a handguard that covers the barrel of the rifle. The rail platform accommodates a variety of accessories, such as lights, additional scopes, and anti-cant (leveling) devices. Known anti-cant devices are added in the field and extend externally of the handguard and rail platform. A user has to put up with the anti-cant device extending outwardly of the rail platform and can have impaired vision when shooting the rifle after leveling the rifle via the anti-cant device, because it is impractical to remove the anti-cant accessory once the rifle is aligned. Further, it can be time consuming and awkward to add and remove accessories in the field, especially when timing is of the essence. Furthermore, externally-extending rifle accessories are more likely to be damaged or entangled with brush or clothing.

Integrated leveler and rail platform assembly for a firearm


A method of separating impurities from impure PO, the method comprising distilling impure PO in a distillation zone to provide distillate PO of enhanced purity, wherein heat is provided to the distillation zone by a bottoms reboiler and by an intermediate reboiler, the intermediate reboiler providing heat at a lower temperature than the bottoms reboiler. A suitable distillation system is also disclosed.

PO is an essential building block for a variety of chemicals and products. Global production of PO exceeds seven million tonnes per annum.
Direct oxidation of propylene with air or oxygen to form PO tends to provide low yields. PO is therefore most commonly produced with the help of a chemical mediator.
One known process comprises contacting an organic hydroperoxide and propylene with a heterogeneous epoxidation catalyst and withdrawing a product stream comprising PO and an alcohol. A specific organic hydroperoxide that can be used in this epoxidation process is ethylbenzene hydroperoxide (EBHP), in which case the alcohol obtained is 1-phenylethanol. The 1-phenylethanol may be converted into styrene by dehydration. EBHP can be made by reaction of ethylbenzene with oxygen.
Another known process for producing PO is the co-production of PO and methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE). This process involves similar reaction steps as the above-described styrene/PO production process. In the epoxidation step tert-butyl hydroperoxide is reacted with propylene forming PO and tert-butanol. Tert-butanol is subsequently etherified into MTBE.
Yet another known process comprises the manufacture of PO with the help of cumene. In this process, cumene is reacted with oxygen or air to form cumene hydroperoxide. Cumene hydroperoxide thus obtained is reacted with propylene in the presence of an epoxidation catalyst to yield PO and cumyl alcohol. The latter can be converted into cumene with the help of a heterogeneous catalyst and hydrogen.
Following recent advances, it is also known to produce PO from propylene with the help of hydrogen peroxide as a mediator.
Irrespective of the particular epoxidation process employed, the PO product generally requires purification to remove by-products and impurities. Indeed, for most applications, it is important to reduce impurities in PO to a very low level.
Some by-products of epoxidation processes may be readily separable by distillation. However, epoxidation processes also tend to form by-products and impurities that are more difficult to separate. Taking epoxidation with an organic hydroperoxide as an example, the organic hydroperoxide is predominantly reduced to the corresponding alcohol, which tends to be easy to separate. Also produced, however, are small amounts of other oxygen-containing compounds such as methanol, acetone, acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde and the like, as well as hydrocarbons, which are difficult to separate and often remain as impurities in the PO product even following conventional distillation. Hydrocarbon impurities associated with PO are believed to be propylene derivatives having from 4 to 7 carbon atoms per molecule, especially derivatives having 6 carbon atoms per molecule. The C6 compounds include primarily methyl pentenes and methyl pentanes. Other epoxidation processes also lead to the formation of similarly hard to separate impurities of same or similar structure.
The separation of typical impurities in PO tends to require multiple distillation steps. Furthermore, final purification (or finishing) to high levels of purity by distillation typically requires a column of very substantial size, particularly where the relative volatility of impurities compared to PO is low.
It is known to employ extractive distillation techniques to help separate impurities with a low relative volatility. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,909,366 describes the purification of propylene oxide by extractive distillation in the presence of an aromatic hydrocarbon having from 6 to 12 carbon atoms, such as ethyl benzene. A variety of other extractive distillation solvents have also been suggested, including for example cyclic paraffins (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,464,897), lower glycols (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,578,568), water (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,140,588), t-butyl alcohol (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,006,206) and heptane. However, such processes still typically require a column of substantial size.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,854 relates to the use of so-called "paired" reboilers, i.e. reboilers connected in series, in the purification of propylene oxide. Specfically, U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,854 provides a process for the purification of a propylene oxide feedstock contaminated with water, methanol and acetone in an extractive distillation column in the presence of an oxyalkylene glycol extractive distillation agent under distillation conditions selected to promote the formation and maintenance of an acetone buffer in the distillation column, wherein a higher boiling (heavier) distillation fraction containing substantially all of the oxyalkylene glycols, water, and acetone is continuously withdrawn from the distillation column and said higher boiling (heavier) distillation fraction is partially vaporized in a first reboiler; the remaining liquid being partially vaporized in a second reboiler and the vapors are recycled to the extractive distillation column.
GB-A-1549743 relates to a method for controlling the heat input to a reboiler section of a distillation column in order to enhance the separation efficiency in achieving the desired end product.
In GB-A-1549743, the "reboiler section" is defined at page 1, lines 62-64 to be that portion of the column below the lowermost tray. Thus, it will be appreciated that the so-called "reboiler section" as described in GB-A-1549743 is a bottom compartment in the distillation column.
The process of GB-A-1549743 comprises withdrawing a liquid bottoms stream from the partially partitioned reboiler section of the distillation column, introducing a first portion of liquid bottoms stream material to a first reboiler, introducing the mixed-phase bottoms stream material produced in said first reboiler to the substantially liquid-free area of the reboiler section, introducing a second portion of liquid bottoms stream material to a second reboiler, introducing mixed-phase bottoms stream material produced in said second reboiler to the same substantially liquid-free area of the reboiler section as the mixed-phase bottoms stream material produced in said first reboiler.
Thus, in process of GB-A-1549743, it will be appreciated that liquid bottoms stream material is withdrawn from the section below the lowermost tray in the distillation column and the mixed phase bottoms streams from the first and second reboilers are also returned to the same location in the distillation column, i.e. below the lowermost tray in the distillation column.
This is clearly shown in the Figure in GB-A-1549743,wherein the liquid bottoms stream material is withdrawn from the so-called reboiler section via outlet port 25, and the mixed phase bottoms streams from the first and second reboilers are returned via inlet ports 30 and 34 also in the reboiler section. The lowermost tray in the Figure is 11.
Purification of PO by distillation, and PO production as a whole, are very energy-intensive, particularly given the substantial size of the columns that are required. It is an object of the invention to provide methods and systems for separating impurities from PO that also permit energy savings to be made.

Relating to propylene oxide purification


A Y-shaped carbon nanotube atomic force microscope probe tip and methods comprise a shaft portion; a pair of angled arms extending from a same end of the shaft portion, wherein the shaft portion and the pair of angled arms comprise a chemically modified carbon nanotube, and wherein the chemically modified carbon nanotube is modified with any of an amine, carboxyl, fluorine, and metallic component. Preferably, each of the pair of angled arms comprises a length of at least 200 nm and a diameter between 10 and 200 nm. Moreover, the chemically modified carbon nanotube is preferably adapted to allow differentiation between substrate materials to be probed. Additionally, the chemically modified carbon nanotube is preferably adapted to allow fluorine gas to flow through the chemically modified carbon nanotube onto a substrate to be characterized. Furthermore, the chemically modified carbon nanotube is preferably adapted to chemically react with a substrate surface to be characterized.

1. Field of the Invention
The embodiments herein generally relate to atomic force microscopy (AFM), and, more particularly, to methods of forming AFM probes for analyzing substrates.
2. Description of the Related Art
Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) is often used as a method of characterizing critical dimensions of width, height, profile, and surface chemistry for structures on a semiconductor substrate. In order to characterize the topography of trench features of silicon devices, it is desirable to fabricate AFM probe tips that have an angled feature near the active end of the probe tip. Conventionally, these probe tips are fabricated by etching silicon features with an angled structure or foot at one end of the silicon feature.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional AFM probe apparatus. Generally, the AFM probe 1 comprises a probe arm 2 terminating with a tip 3. The probe tip 3 is then used to analyze the profile of the surface 5 of a substrate 4. A particular feature 6 on the surface 5 of the substrate 4 may have an undercut feature defined by inwardly sloping sidewalls 7. The topography of this feature 6 generally makes it difficult for the probe tip 3 to fully analyze all of the surface features of the substrate 4.
Therefore, it remains desirable to develop additional methods of manufacturing AFM probe tips more reproducibly, and from other materials than silicon, which can be more durable and have a smaller dimension than conventional AFM probe tips, which can be used to analyze substrates with an angled topography, and which can be used for exploring the chemistry of the surfaces of substrate topography.

Y-shaped carbon nanotubes as AFM probe for analyzing substrates with angled topography

International Business Machines Corporation