A method for determining a correction for beam hardening in CT images includes obtaining air scans at a plurality of kVp's, determining detection efficiencies for detector elements of the CT imaging apparatus, and estimating projection values through a combination of at least two different materials of different thicknesses. The method further includes determining a transfer function that translates the estimated projection values into ideal projection values for at least two of the different materials and storing the transfer function as the beam hardening correction for images of the CT imaging apparatus.

This invention relates generally to computed tomographic (CT) imaging systems, and more particularly to correction of artifacts resulting from beam hardening resulting from high-density materials.
It is known that in the absence of bones or other high-contrast materials, modern CT images produced from scans of patients are artifact-free, mainly due to accurate spectral calibration that removes artifacts for water or soft tissue. However, such images are usually not free of image artifacts resulting from high-density materials.
Image artifacts resulting from high-density materials can be divided into several categories according to their cause. These categories include (1) beam hardening, (2) beam hardening induced detector spectral response variation, and (3) aliasing and photon starvation. Configurations of the present invention are particularly suited for correcting artifacts in the first two categories. Various configurations of the present invention can be used in conjunction with other methods and/or apparatus that correct artifacts in the third category.
The polychromatic nature of x-ray sources used in CT imaging systems induces beam-hardening artifacts in the reconstructed images. In a human body being imaged, there are two main components that lead to distinct beam hardening behaviors: one arising from soft tissue and the other from bone. To complicate this matter, detection efficiency of detector elements changes with x-ray spectrum hardened by different materials, resulting in detection system related image artifacts. In practice, for modern CT scanners, a spectral calibration procedure is performed. This calibration is very effective for water or soft tissue. However, these calibration procedures do not correct for beam hardening problems resulting from other materials. In addition, relative variations in detector response between detector channels is commonly induced by high-density materials, and these calibration procedures are not effective in correcting for these induced variations. For example, head images often require an extra beam hardening correction to remove artifacts for the skull and the complex bone structures inside the head. It is known to correct bone induced beam hardening through a second-pass iteration, where projections due to bones are used to assess and to correct beam hardening in the images. However, the correction for bone induced beam hardening is not effective to correct detector spectral response variations, which tend to create banding or center artifacts in images. As a result, extremely strict requirements are often needed to the guarantee the similarity of detector spectral response behaviors, especially for the detector channels near the isocenter in a third generation CT system.
The purpose of spectral related calibrations in CT imaging systems is to generate a functional form or table that re-maps measured projection values (normalized and minus logged) to its corresponding x-ray path length. The x-ray path length in which the x-rays are hardened can vary, resulting in a variation in the effective attenuation coefficient. This re-mapping ensures that a fixed value attenuation coefficient is formed regardless of the variation in x-ray path length in which the x-rays are hardened. At the same time, detector-related variation is also removed. Known calibrations are performed with only one material, namely, water. Experimental calibration with a mixture of different materials is difficult to perform. Such calibration, were it feasible, would be complex and time consuming.

Method and apparatus for correcting for beam hardening in CT images


A flying-type magnetic head has a slider having stable flying and a constant flying height and a method of manufacturing the same. A plurality of substantially parallel ground groove groups each having a positive angle with respect to the fluid inflowing direction of a slider and a plurality of substantiality parallel ground groove groups each having a negative angle are formed by cutting on a plate surface state of a material, and intersect to form the fluid lubricating surface having a rhombic shape or a truncated rhombic shape. The slider is cut out in a range including at least three of the fluid lubricating surfaces, thereby constructing a flying-type magnetic head. In this case, the fluid lubricating surface having the rhombic shape or a shape near the rhombic shape can be employed in the slider, and can also be employed in the shape where part of the rhombic shape is cut out. In the embodiment, the slider is so cut out that two fluid lubricating surfaces are disposed at the fluid inflow end, and one fluid lubricating surface at the fluid discharge end. However, the slider may be so cut out that one fluid lubricating surface is disposed at one inflowing end and two fluid lubricating surfaces are disposed at one discharge end.

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a flying type magnetic head to be used for a magnetic recorder and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
In a magnetic recorder used as the external memory of a computer, a gap spacing between a magnetic recording medium (hereinafter referred to as a "magnetic disk") and a magnetic recording/reproducing head (hereinafter referred to as a "magnetic head") has a large influence on a recording density. The smaller the spacing is, the higher a recording density becomes. To hold the gap spacing between the magnetic disk and the magnetic head in a magnetic disk apparatus, a flying type magnetic head is used in which a slider for holding the magnetic head is approached onto the rotating magnetic disk to fly the slider slightly above the magnetic disk surface by means of an air flow upon rotation of the magnetic disk.
At present to access a recorded track on a magnetic disk, a swing arm type actuator is employed. In this actuator, a slider is held at the end of a suspension supported at one point, and the slider is so moved as to shake its head from the inner periphery to the outer periphery of the magnetic disk or vice versa at its fulcrum as a center and positioned at a predetermined track.
In such a flying type magnetic head, there arises a variation in a flying height due to the speed difference between the magnetic disk and the magnetic head at the inner and outer peripheries of the magnetic disk, and a variation in the flying height due to an air inflow angle (hereinafter referred to as a "skew") of the magnetic disk with respect to the slider at the inner and outer peripheries of the magnetic disk. Thus, the flying height varies according to the position of the track.
The flying height of the magnetic head largely has an influence on recording and reproducing characteristics of the magnetic head. Thus, the variation in the flying height described above is a large problem in the magnetic disk apparatus. Accordingly, a constant flying height slider for holding a constant flying height of the magnetic disk at any position of the magnetic disk is desired.
On the other hand, when the magnetic disk is stopped steadily, the magnetic head is in contact with the magnetic disk. When the magnetic disk starts to rotate, the air starts to flow into between the magnetic disk and the magnetic head, and fence the magnetic head starts to fly. Accordingly, at the time of starting, the magnetic disk and the magnetic head are in a sliding state for a certain period. Thereafter, the magnetic head flies from the magnetic disk. To enhance the reliability, the sliding state of the magnetic head is preferably as short as possible. In addition when the magnetic head is temporarily deviated from the stable state due to external disturbance, it is desirable to be able to restore quickly the stable state without contact with the magnetic disk.
As described above, it is desired in the magnetic disk apparatus using the present flying type magnetic head that the flying height of the magnetic head of the magnetic disk apparatus is always constant on the inner and outer peripheries of the magnetic disk, the time required for flying the magnetic head at the time of starting (hereinafter called a "take-off time") is as short as possible and a restoring force against external disturbance is large.
The above-described characteristics of the magnetic disk apparatus largely depend upon the shape of the surface of the slider opposed to the magnetic disk (hereinafter called a "fluid lubricating surface"). Thus, the sliders which have various fluid lubricating surfaces have been developed at present. The shapes of the sliders have been growing complicated year after year. Therefore, the processing of the slider becomes impossible only by the conventional mere grinding technique, and hence precise processing techniques such as an ion milling or an optical etching using optical exposure technique starts to be introduced.
However, these techniques lead to an increase in processing steps, resulting in a decrease in the yield of products. Simultaneously, its manufacturing cost increases.
To solve such inconveniences, a tripad slider was recently disclosed from Read Write Co. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing this tripad slider. This slider is considered as one of the excellent sliders which has a short take-off time and low flying height characteristics.
In FIG. 10, rails 3 and 4 extend in the longitudinal direction of a slider 2 for forming a magnetic head and are formed at the right and left sides of the fluid inflowing side of the upper surface of the slider 2, i.e., the fluid lubricating surface. A protrusion 5 isolated at the fluid discharge side is provided at the rear end face 6 of the slider 2 in the same height as the rails 3 and 4. Recording and reproducing heads 7 are mounted at the center of the rear end face 6 of the slider 2.
As shown in FIG. 11, the rails 3, 4 and the protrusion 5, i.e., the fluid lubricating surfaces are, opposed to the magnetic disk 8. A flow occurs in the fluid by the rotation of the magnetic disk 8, and hence the magnetic recording and reproducing heads 7 are slightly flying above the magnetic disk 8 by the fluid bearing action.
The features of this flying type magnetic head 1 are:
1) the possibility of processing the fluid lubricating surface by the conventional grinding, PA1 2) stable floating in a low flying height, and PA1 3) short take-off time.
The rails 3 and 4 of the slider each have an oblong shape, and are terminated at the vicinity of the central part of the slider. The protrusion 5 having the same height as those of the rails 3 and 4 is provided at a central groove between the rails 3 and 4 at the rear part of the slider. This structure causes the machining of the slider surface to be very difficult. More specifically, since the grinding of the slider surface must retain the protrusion 5 at the central part, the grooving must be stopped on the midway. Further, several stripes of perpendicular ground grooves must be combined under control. The smaller the size of the slider becomes, the more difficult the processing becomes.
The flying characteristics of this slider are shown in FIGS. 12(a) and 12(b). FIGS. 12(a) and 12(b) show the results of the simulations of the flying height (a distance between the end of the magnetic head and the surface of the magnetic disk) and the pitching (the difference of the flying height between the fluid inflow end and discharge end of the slider) of the slider along the radial direction of the magnetic disk by altering the area of the fluid lubricating surface (corresponding to curves A, B and C in the drawings).
When the curve B in FIG. 12(a) is observed as one example of the flying characteristics, the flying height is 25 nm on the inner periphery of the magnetic disk and 43 nm on the outer periphery of the magnetic disk. In the case of this slider, the variation in the flying height of the magnetic head on the inner and outer peripheries of the magnetic disk is +72%. Similarly, the pitching of the slider increases as the radius of the slider increases. That is, when the curve B in FIG. 12(b) is observed, the variation in the pitching of the slider increases by 50% on the outer periphery of the magnetic disk.
The protrusion 5 of this slider has a surface substantially perpendicular to the fluid inflow direction. The perpendicular surface of the slider feasibly causes a problem of a head crush due to the adhesion and retention of dust in the air. In this case, to form the shape for reducing the retention of the dusts, it is impossible to grind the shape and must employ complicated processing steps such as ion etching to form the shape used in the process.
FIG. 13 shows the variation in the flying height of the slider in terms of the depth of the ground groove for reference. When the depth of the groove becomes 1 .mu.m or more, the variation in the flying height is eliminated. That is, with the groove of 1 .mu.m or less, the characteristics of the slider largely alter according to the depth of the groove, but if the groove of 1 .mu.m or more is formed, constant flying characteristics can be obtained. Therefore, this slider can incorporate sufficiently stable flying characteristics with high mechanical grinding accuracy.

Flying-type magnetic head and having rhombic or cut rhombic lubricating surfaces


The present disclosure provides a system for oxygenating blood. The system may include an implantable blood pump that may draw a supply of blood from the circulatory system of a mammalian subject, such as a human being. The blood pump may provide the supply of blood to an adaptor, where the supply of blood may be supplied to either or both of a first branch or second branch. The first branch may lead to an external blood oxygenator. The oxygenator may oxygenate the blood, and the blood may be returned to the circulatory system of the mammalian subject. The second branch may bypass the oxygenator and may connect to the circulatory system of the mammalian subject. In this regard, while the blood is supplied to the second branch, the oxygenator may be disconnected and blood may be prevented from entering the first branch.

Certain lung diseases, such as emphysema, reduce the ability of a person's lungs to sufficiently oxygenate blood. If parts of a patient's lungs are removed due to conditions such as lung cancer, the ability to oxygenate blood is impaired. Persons having such conditions require assistance in providing oxygenated blood to their bodies. Some patients with such conditions can survive if oxygen-enriched air is supplied to their lungs, as by use of an oxygen mask. However, other patients do not have sufficient lung capacity for survival with these measures.
It has been proposed to provide blood oxygenators to such patients. A blood oxygenator is a device which exposes the patient's blood to air or oxygen as the blood flows through the device. Blood oxygenators have long been used as a component of the so-called "heart-lung machine" to provide short-term support to a patient during surgical procedures such as heart surgery or transplantation. However, the systems incorporating such oxygenators require frequent and professional maintenance, and are suitable for use only in a hospital setting. These systems typically require that the patient be confined to a bed, which drastically impairs the patient's quality of life. Thus, there has been a significant need in the art for a patient support system using an oxygenator which can be used for long-term treatment, desirably outside of a hospital environment.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Ambulatory lung assist device with implanted blood pump and oxygenator


A plug engagement pin provided on each side of the plug connector is inserted into an engagement section of a hook and locked there when the shaft is rotated. The hook is fixed to a rotatable shaft provided for the receptacle connector and includes a projection. If the plug connector is inserted in a slanted state, the projection of the hook prevents the pin from being rotated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector, such as a multicore connector used in medical equipment (e.g., an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus) or industrial equipment (e.g., a semiconductor inspection apparatus) and capable of preventing a plug connector from being inserted slantwise in a receptacle connector and locked in that state.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a conventional connector of, for example, zero force insertion (ZIF) type is used, a plug connector 1 is first inserted into a receptacle connector 2, as in the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1. In the state where the contacts 2-8 of the plug connector 1 are kept in contact with the corresponding contacts 2-5 of the receptacle connector 2, the plug connector 1 is further inserted into the receptacle connector 2, for establishing electrical connection. Then, the plug connector 1 and the receptacle connector 2 are locked, using proper locking means including a rotatable shaft 2-3-1.
FIG. 10 shows a shaft assembly 2-9 which is used for insertion and locking in the conventional art. The shaft assembly 2-9 is arranged on the receptacle connector 2. The shaft assembly 2-9 comprises a cam 2-3-4 used for the connection of the contacts of the receptacle connector 2, and a shaft 2-3-1 on which hooks 2-3-2 and 2-3-2′ are coaxially arranged for locking the connectors.
Referring to FIG. 10, the shaft 2-3-1 is rotated clockwise until engagement pins 1-1, which are projections on the side portions of the plug connector 1, are moved into recesses 2-3-5 and 2-3-5′, which define spaces into which the hooks 2-3-2 and 2-3-2′ are guided and inserted. In this state, the contacts are connected, and the connectors are locked.
Like the structure of the present invention shown in FIG. 2, this type of connecting and locking structure comprises engagement pins 1-1 on the side portions of the plug connector 1 (FIG. 2 shows engagement pins on one side portion only). The engagement pins 1-1 are projections which are brought into engagement with the hooks 2-3-2 formed on the shaft 2-3-1 of the receptacle connector 2. As shown in FIG. 10, the engagement hooks 2-3-2 and 2-3-2′ are fixed to the respective sides of the shaft 2-3-1 of the receptacle connector 2, and are interlocked and rotated with the shaft 2-3-1 in the fitted state. By rotating the shaft 2-3-1 clockwise, the plug engagement pins 1-1 of the plug connector 1 of the plug connector 1 are inserted into the recesses 2-3-5 and 2-3-5′ of the hooks 2-3-2 and 2-3-2′ and locked there.
A related technique is shown in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2004-31235.


Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for displaying updated static analysis results within an integrated development environment (IDE) using incremental build information. One of the methods includes receiving, by a static analysis plug-in of an integrated development environment (IDE) application installed on a user device, incremental build information. A plurality of extraction commands are generated from the incremental build information, and source code is extracted from the one or more source code files according to the plurality of generated extraction commands. Updated static analysis results are generated and presented to a user within the IDE.

This specification relates to static analysis of computer software source code.
Static analysis refers to techniques for analyzing computer software source code without executing the source code as a computer software program.
Static analysis can be performed on a code base, which may be referred to as a project. A project generally includes a collection of source code files organized in a particular way, e.g., arranged in a hierarchical directory structure, with each source code file in the project having a respective path.
Software developers can develop and maintain source code in a project using an integrated development environment (IDE). Example IDEs include Eclipse, available from the Eclipse Foundation, and NetBeans, available from Oracle Corporation. An IDE is an application, or a suite of applications, that facilitates developing source code on a single user device through a graphical user interface. An IDE usually has applications including a source code editor, a compiler, and a debugger. IDEs often also have a file browser as well as object and class browsers.
In this specification, for brevity, operations will sometimes be described as being performed by an IDE. To say that operations being are performed by an IDE means that one or more of the software applications of the IDE performs the operations. For example, to say that an IDE compiles source code files means that a compiler of the IDE compiles source code files.
IDEs can present, in a graphical user interface, information identifying compiler and linker errors and warnings. An IDE can also highlight the lines of source code that generate such errors and warnings.
IDEs also support performing incremental builds of a project. An incremental build is a build that compiles only source code files in a project that have changed since the project was last built, as well as the compilation of any other files affected by the changes to the source code files.


A method and semiconductor device for controlling skip mode operation during light load conditions in a resonant power converter includes a skip mode controller circuit that compares a feedback signal corresponding to the secondary output level with a reference voltage to determine when to invoke skip mode. When entering skip mode the skip mode controller ceases switching by turning on the lower switch for a prolonged time to leave the resonant capacitor partially charged. Upon resuming switching, the lower switch is turned on first to drive current through the inductances, and asymmetric switching is used where the upper switch is on, initially for shorter periods to allow zero voltage switching. If the load increases, the on-time of upper and lower switches converge and conventional symmetric switching resumes.

Switch mode power supplies are used in a wide variety of household and industrial appliances that require a regulated direct current (DC) voltage for their operation. There are a wide variety of known DC-DC converter topologies using PWM (pulse width modulation) or PFM (pulse frequency modulation) control to regulate output voltage.
One type of DC-DC converter topology is a resonant switched mode power converter. A resonant converter included in a resonant switched mode power converter controller with PFM utilizes resonant properties to provide natural soft switching in a closed loop to regulate the output. A resonant converter using PFM senses the power supply output and controls it by varying the switching frequency. An advantage of a resonant converter with PFM is that with the natural soft switching, there is reduced switching loss compared to non-resonant power converter topologies. Another advantage is that resonant converter with PFM can be designed to operate with higher frequencies in a smaller package sizes.
Among a variety of resonant switched mode power converters are high frequency (HF) transformer isolated LLC converters, which have become increasingly popular in recent years. LLC resonant converters utilize the resonance between two inductors and a capacitor to provide natural soft switching. LLC resonant converters save on cost and size by utilizing the magnetizing and leakage inductance of the HF transformer as part of their resonance components. One disadvantage of some resonant converters is that the required wide range of frequency control result in more complicated electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter designs. However, with the gain characteristics of LLC resonant converters, output regulation can be achieved with a narrow band of frequency control.
To interface with low frequency (e.g. 60 or 50 Hz) alternating current (AC) networks, DC-DC LLC resonant converters require an AC-DC front stage. With continuing efforts to conserve energy, there are increasingly tighter obligatory standards for the overall efficiency, low load/no load and standby power consumption in power converters.
One known method for reducing power loss at low load and no load conditions in LLC resonant converters is a mode of operation commonly known as skip or burst mode, which involves ceasing the switching activity for periods of time during the low load and no load conditions. Essentially, switching of the power switches is ceased for periods, allowing the output voltage to fall slightly, and then switching is momentarily resumed to refresh the output voltage in a "burst." Thus, there are periodic or occasional bursts of switching activity during low or no load conditions. However, known LLC resonant converters having a skip or burst mode simply cease switching and resume switching without any consideration for the state of the primary circuit. Given that the resonant capacitor can be at a random state of charge, simply resuming switching operation can result in high current transients through the switches, rather than the typical soft switching of normal operation for resonant converters.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method and apparatus for reducing switching losses when resuming switch operation in skip mode under light load conditions in a resonant converter.
Those skilled in the field of the present disclosure will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein. Well known elements, structure, or processes that would be necessary to practice the invention, and that would be well known to those of skill in the art, are not necessarily shown and should be assumed to be present unless otherwise indicated. Common terms are carried forward throughout the following description, and refer to substantially similar subject matter, even if not commonly numbered for reference in particular drawings.

Method and apparatus for dedicated skip mode for resonant converters

SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC


A suspicious person determination unit determines whether the face image of a matching target person is registered in a biological information DB by a matching result of a matching unit. When the face image of the matching target person is registered, area storage stores a specified area while correlating the specified area with a personal ID. A provisional registration unit makes a provisional registration of a suspicious person flag while correlating the suspicious person flag with the personal ID when a pattern of the specified area is a behavioral pattern of a suspicious person. A definitive registration unit makes a definitive registration of the suspicious person flag while correlating with the personal ID, when the provisional registration of the suspicious person flag is made for the face image of the matching target person, and when the face image of the matching target person is captured at a premium exchange counter.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to monitoring apparatus, method, and program, particularly to monitoring apparatus, method, and program, which can properly monitor management of shop visit and illegal action of a player.
2. Background Art
Recently, there are proposed technologies of capturing a face image of the player in an amusement shop to monitor the management of shop visit and the illegal action.
For one of the proposed technologies, the following is proposed. For register of a suspicious person, using a face image in the amusement shop, based on illegal action information detected in an amusement machine, the face image of a person playing a game with the amusement machine is registered as the face image of the suspicious person (see Patent Document 1).
There is also proposed a technology of managing a visit and leaving history by capturing the face image of the player who visits the shop with cameras placed in an entrance and an exit (for example, see Patent Document 2).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-178958
Patent Document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2007-020653
However, in the technology of Patent Document 1, in the case where the illegal action cannot be detected in the amusement machine, there is a likelihood of not being able to register the face image of the player as the suspicious person.
In the technology of Patent Document 2, due to natural light or disturbance light, such as headlights of a vehicle, sometimes the face image of the player cannot be well captured at a doorway of the store when the player visits the amusement shop. In such cases where a determination that the player who visits the store does not exist or a determination that the player who visits the store does not leave the store is made, there is a likelihood that the player who visits the store cannot be correctly managed or monitored.
Many cameras are placed in the doorway as means for preventing a failure to capture the face image. Although the failure to capture the face image can be avoided to some extent, there is a likelihood that the management becomes complicated because the number of cameras that capture the image of the doorway is increased to capture the same person plural times.
In view of the foregoing, an object of at least one embodiment of the present invention is to be able to properly manage the visit of the player and monitor the illegal action of the suspicious person such that the registered face image can properly be managed while the face image of the person to be registered is correctly registered.

Monitoring apparatus, method, and program


A new Fire Resistant Grill Mat System for protecting a surface whereupon a conventional grill rests upon by capturing grease, charcoal and other debris descending from the conventional grill during operation thereof. The inventive device includes a stratified mat having a Teflon fire resistant material layer and a rubber layer, an outer ridge for preventing run-off of the accumulated debris, and a plurality of semi-spherical indentions projecting into the rubber layer for cushioning.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to Mat Devices and more particularly pertains to a new Fire Resistant Grill Mat System for protecting a surface whereupon a conventional grill rests upon by capturing grease, charcoal and other debris descending from the conventional grill during operation thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of Mat Devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, Mat Devices heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art Mat Devices include U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,753; U.S. Pat. No. 5,028,468; U.S. Design Pat. No. 343,087; U.S. Design Pat. No. 330,988; U.S. Design Pat. No. 350,253; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,774.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new Fire Resistant Grill Mat System. The inventive device includes a stratified mat having a Teflon fire resistant material layer and a rubber layer, an outer ridge for preventing run-off of the accumulated debris, and a plurality of semi-spherical indentions projecting into the rubber layer for cushioning.
In these respects, the Fire Resistant Grill Mat System according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of protecting a surface whereupon a conventional grill rests upon by capturing grease, charcoal and other debris descending from the conventional grill during operation thereof.


An adaptor enables a convective treatment system to be modified for cooling by providing a bath of pressurized, cooled air intended to lower the body core temperature of a person. The adaptor may be constructed for being coupled between a blower assembly that provides a stream of pressurized air and a convective treatment device that receives the stream of pressurized air, distributes it, and provides it for bathing the body of a person in a general bath of cooled air in order to produce a desired clinical effect such as prevention or alleviation of hyperthermia or for thermal comfort. Such an adaptor may be embodied as an enclosure having a shaped internal cavity. The shape is useful for effectively and efficiently distributing a flow of pressurized over, around and through a bed of ice disposed in the cavity. Ports are provided in the enclosure for introducing a flow of pressurized air into, and receiving a flow of pressurized air from, the cavity.

The management of body core temperature by convective treatment is known. Convective treatment devices operate by receiving and distributing a flow of pressurized, thermally-conditioned air, and then expelling the distributed air through a surface to provide a generalized bath of thermally-conditioned air over, along, or around a person. To date, the predominant use of convective treatment has been to warm persons. In this mode, a flow of warmed, pressurized air is provided to stabilize or raise the body core temperature of the person in order to amplify comfort or to achieve a clinical objective. One such clinical objective is prevention or alleviation of hypothermia, a condition in which the body core temperature is less than some normal temperature. Convective warming devices have proven themselves to be extremely useful and highly effective in the treatment of hypothermic patients.
There are circumstances under which it would be desirable to deploy a convective thermal device in order to cool rather than warm a person. Again, comfort might be an objective. It might also be desirable to use a convective treatment device to lower the body core temperature. A beneficial effect would be the treatment of hyperthermia, a condition in which the body core temperature is greater than some normal temperature. Hyperthermia may result from environmental heat stress or from illness. Otherwise normal individuals may suffer hyperthermia when their natural cooling mechanisms, such as sweat, are overwhelmed during heavy physical exertion in a hot environment. Heat stress disorders, categorized in ascending order of severity, include heat cramps, heat syncope, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Normally, a person will voluntarily stop working well before the onset of heat exhaustion, but some persons, such as competitive athletes or military personnel, may push themselves beyond this limit.
Hyperthermia may also be caused by fever associated with illness. Such fevers may have many causes, including infection, tumor necrosis, thyroid storm, malignant hyperthermia or brain tumor. Brain injuries that cause hyperthermia usually involve the hypothalamus, and may be caused by tumors, stroke, head injury or ischemic brain injury due to cardiac arrest.
The physiological consequences of hyperthermia span a spectrum of severity with fluid and electrolyte imbalances, increased cellular metabolic rates, and cognitive impairment being at the low end. In the mid-spectrum, motor skill impairment, loss of consciousness and seizures occur. At the high end, an individual may suffer irreversible cellular injury, especially of the highly metabolic brain and liver cells, and then finally organ failure and death. Hyperthermia is thus a condition that, depending on its severity, may require immediate cooling treatment to return a person's body core temperature to normal.
Cooling treatment may also have other important uses. In some situations, induction of mild-to-moderate hypothermia may provide beneficial protection against injury. The protective benefit of hypothermia has been shown when the blood flow to all or part of the brain is interrupted. Brain ischemia due to an interruption of the blood flow may occur during cardiac arrest, surgery on the brain or open-heart surgery. Cooling the brain before or in some cases after these events occur seems to be protective, and can decrease the severity of the ultimate brain damage.
Because of their eager acceptance and wide deployment, it would be very beneficial and effective to be able to adapt convective thermal devices designed and deployed for warming to also be useful for cooling as the need arises.
In fact, there have been proposals for adapting convective treatment devices to perform cooling. Some involve compounding convective treatment instruments with evaporative mechanisms. In such designs, convection is provided in order to magnify the cooling effects of evaporation. See, for example, the following patents, all owned by the Assignee of this application: U.S. Pat. No. 6,402,775, "High Efficiency Cooling Pads, Mattresses, and Sleeves"; U.S. Pat. No. 6,354,099, "Cooling Devices with High Efficiency Cooling Features"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,860,292, "Inflatable Thermal Blanket for Convectively Cooling a Body".
One drawback of these adaptations is the need to deal with moisture applied to a body, which may violate certain clinical protocols. In other proposals, air is cooled by the same mechanism that warms and pressurizes it for delivery to a convective treatment device. These mechanisms are, in effect, reversible cycle heat pumps that may be operated to deliver pressurized air that may be heated or cooled, or delivered at an ambient temperature. However, such devices are expensive and require frequent maintenance.
Therefore, there is a need for a simple, inexpensive mechanism that can adapt a convective treatment device to convectively cool a person for enhancement of comfort or for clinical purposes. Preferably, the adaptive mechanism should not require the application of moisture to the person and should not increase the complexity and expense of convective treatment instruments and systems. What is required is an inexpensive adaptor that can be easily and conveniently used to enable a convective treatment device to cool a person rapidly and effectively. Such a device will expand and enhance the utility of convective treatment equipment already deployed for use in warming.

Apparatus to adapt a convective treatment system or device for cooling


This magnetostrictive torque sensor 10 includes a rotating shaft 11 used to rotate according to an input torque and provided with magnetostrictive films 14A and 14B, an excitation coil 12 configured to apply an alternating magnetic field 31 to the magnetostrictive film, and detection coils 13A and 13B each of which detects a change in the magnetic characteristic of an associated one of the magnetostrictive films. The magnetostrictive torque sensor is configured so that a bias magnetic field is added to the alternating magnetic field from a bias power supply 17 so as to satisfy the following conditions:Hm<Hin<Hn; and−Hm>−Hin>−Hn where Hm (>0) is an applied magnetic field corresponding to a maximum magnetic permeability obtained according to a magnetic hysteresis curve 34 of the magnetostrictive film, which shows magnetization caused by the alternating magnetic field, Hn (>0) is an applied magnetic field corresponding to an end of a range in which a discontinuous magnetization is performed, and Hin (>0) is an applied magnetic field that determines a sensitivity range to be set on a magnetostrictive sensitivity curve representing a magnetostrictive sensitivity exhibited by the magnetostrictive film.

The present invention relates to a magnetostrictive torque sensor and to an electric power steering apparatus. More particularly, the invention relates to a magnetostrictive torque sensor for detecting a torque, which is applied to a steering shaft and so on, utilizing a magnetic change based on a magnetostrictive action occurring in a magnetostrictive film, and to an electric power steering apparatus utilizing the magnetostrictive torque sensor.
For example, in an electric power steering apparatus equipped as a steering system of an automobile, a steering torque added to a steering shaft from a steering wheel by a driver's steering operation is generally detected by a steering torque detecting portion. In recent years, a device constituted utilizing a magnetostrictive torque sensor has been known as the steering torque detecting portion. The steering shaft is a rotating shaft that receives a torque generated by a driver's steering operation so as to rotate and that functions as a rotating shaft in the steering torque detecting portion. The electric power steering apparatus drive-controls a motor for assisting a steering force in response to a torque signal detected through the steering torque detecting portion. Thus, the electric power steering apparatus reduces a driver's steering force so as to give the driver a comfortable steering feeling.
The principle of detecting a torque, which is employed by a magnetostrictive torque sensor functioning as a steering torque detecting portion, is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Actually, the magnetostrictive torque sensor is constituted as a sensor device, which includes an intrinsic sensor part, which is sensitive to a torque, and a detecting electric circuit part that processes a sensor output signal.
In the magnetostrictive torque sensor, magnetostrictive films are formed on a surface of a steering shaft (rotating shaft) 101 over the entire circumference along a shaft center line, for example, magnetostrictive films 102A and 102B are formed at two places thereon so as to have opposite magnetic anisotropies 103 and 104, as illustrated in FIG. 10. The magnetostrictive film 102A has a positive magnetostriction constant, while the magnetostrictive film 102B has a negative magnetostriction constant. The magnetostrictive torque sensor 100 has a sensor configuration enabled so that when an input torque acts upon the steering shaft 101 from a steering wheel, as indicated by arrows 105, a change in the magnetostrictive characteristic of each of the magnetostrictive films 102A and 102B is contactlessly detected by an associated one of detection coils 106A and 106B. The detection coil 106A is disposed around the magnetostrictive film 102A to surround the magnetostrictive film 102A. The detection coil 106B is disposed around the magnetostrictive film 102B to surround the magnetostrictive film 102B.
In the aforementioned torque sensor, a change in the magnetostrictive characteristic of each of the magnetostrictive films 102A and 102B is detected by an associated one of detection coils 106A and 106B. Thus, upon detection of the change, for example, the detection coils 106A and 106B are supplied with sinusoidal wave alternating currents so as to be excited. Excitation sinusoidal wave alternating currents are applied to the detection coils 106A and 106B, respectively. Consequently, alternating magnetic fields are applied to the associated magnetostrictive films 102A and 102B, respectively. Although an example of using the detection coils as excitation coils has been described, the magnetostrictive torque sensor can be configured to use excitation coils separately from the detection coils. In either case, excitation coils for applying alternating magnetic fields to magnetostrictive films are required.
FIG. 11 illustrates the principle of detecting an input torque an input-torque/output according to the configuration of a sensor device that is the magnetostrictive torque sensor 100. A characteristic VT1 is an input torque characteristic produced on the basis of an output signal of the detection coil 106A. A characteristic VT2 is an input torque characteristic produced on the basis of an output signal of the detection coil 106B. The direction of the magnetic anisotropy 103 of the magnetostrictive film 102A is opposite to that of the magnetic anisotropy 104 of the magnetostrictive film 102B. Thus, the direction of inclination of a line representing the characteristic VT1 is opposite to that of inclination of a line representing the characteristic VT2. A characteristic VT3 is an input torque output characteristic produced by calculating the difference between the characteristics VT1 and VT2. An artificial input torque applied to the steering shaft is obtained according to the characteristic VT3. Actually, a point B on a curve representing the characteristic VT3 is set as an origin. A right-side area on the right side of the point B is set as a positive area. A left-side area on the left side of the point B is set as a negative area. According to the characteristic VT3, information on the rotational direction and the magnitude of an input torque to be applied to the steering shaft is obtained.
A conventional magnetostrictive torque sensor is described in Patent Document 1. The magnetostrictive torque sensor described in Patent Document 1 adds an output of a detection coil upon excitation of an excitation coil to a reference signal. The phase of an addition value representing a result of this addition is compared with that of the reference signal. A comparison output representing a comparison result is converted into a voltage. Based on the polarity and the magnitude of the obtained voltage, the direction and the magnitude of a torque to be applied to a torque transmission shaft are detected.
[Patent Document 1] JP-A-2004-191068
In the conventional magnetostrictive torque sensor, a magnetic moment is rotated towards an input direction by a twist torque. A change in the magnetic moment affects the sensitivity of the sensor. Although the sensitivity of the magnetostrictive torque sensor is determined by the product of the magnetostrictive constant and the magnetic permeability of a material, the magnetic characteristic of an initial magnetostrictive film depends upon the material thereof, a manufacturing technique therefor, and a substrate to which the magnetostrictive film is attached. Thus, considerable studies of processes are required to obtain the high-level and less-variation sensitivity of the material, which are determined in the sensor. Variation of the sensitivity of the sensor occurs due to earth magnetism and a disturbance magnetic field caused when a vehicle crosses a railway crossing, or the like, depending upon use environment. However, the processes assuming such a fact have not sufficiently been studied until now.
In a case where the magnetostrictive torque sensor is used as a steering torque detecting portion of the magnetostrictive torque sensor, particularly, highly-functional and less-variation torque sensors are desired. Additionally, a magnetostrictive film having a high signal-to-noise (SN) ratio, which is provided in the magnetostrictive torque sensor, is desired in consideration of high grade steering performance and a threshold margin in a fail safe mode in the electric power steering apparatus.

Magnetostrictive torque sensor and electric power steering apparatus


The present invention relates to a novel cyanne derivative having a meso-reaction functional group in a polymethine chain, and a preparation method thereof, and the cyanine derivative having the reaction functional group substituted at the meso site may be suitable for mass production thanks to a very simple synthesis method, have a very fast reaction rate because while a related art reagent for detection of nerve agents undergoes two steps of reactions, the cyanine derivative of the present invention undergoes only one step of reaction, have very excellent sensitivity, and be useful as an acid pH-activated ratiometric NIR probe because it is able to be activated in an acidic pH and is usable in an aqueous environment.

Nerve agents are considered to be a heinous type in a chemical warfare. An organic phosphorous-based compound functioning as a class of important and fatal nerve agents is an important enzyme for a nerve system, and is a strong inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) responsible for inhibition of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter.
Phosphorylation of an active esteratic site of an enzyme residue by an organic phosphorous-based compound reagent causes an enzyme to be ineffective. Such an irreversible inactivation produces a large amount of acetylcholine as a result of cholinergic hyperstimulus, which leads to respiratory arrest and death within several minutes. Therefore, it is urgent to develop a method for sensitively and rapidly detecting nerve agents formed of a deadly poisonous, colorless and odorless organic phosphorous-based compound.
A design of a reactive chemosensor by esterification of an organic phosphorous-based compound nerve agent is a wise strategy in that it may rapidly detect a toxic organic phosphorous-based compound and such an approach may be used to decompose the organic phosphorous-based compound with high peculiarity.
A current method for detecting an organic phosphorous-based compound nerve agent is mainly based on colorimetric analysis, fluorescence analysis, electrochemical analysis, enzymatic analysis, or the like. However, such systems have limitations, such as low selectivity, slow reaction, complicated operation, and low portability.
Generally, since the colorimetric method uses an inexpensive apparatus, it is considered to be the simplest detection technique. The colorimetric method, however, always has a sensitivity issue at a low concentration.
In this regard, fluorescence modulation enables ideal high sensitivity signal detection. In particular, a ratiometric mode measuring the ratio of two wavelength strengths may enhance selectivity and sensitivity by removing perturbations from environmental effects.
Representative examples of organic phosphorous-based compound nerve agents are described below.

Meanwhile, a near-infrared ray (NIR) dye has come to prominence in analysis of many biological studies due to its optical properties able to image molecular activity with high penetration and low self-fluorescence background.
A tricarbocyanine dye is widely used as a fluorescent marker and a sensor for imaging in a living body because it has a high extinction coefficient and a comparatively high quantum yield, and the absorption and emission maxima occur in the near-IR region of the spectrum (650-900 nm).
Photophysical and structural properties of cyanine dyes depend on π-conjugated bridge between electron donor groups. Thus, a novel approach for cyanine dyes may be developed by disturbing a polymethine π-electron system of cyanine dyes. However, it is typically difficult to modify the cyanine structure through synthesis. Generally, a tricarbocyanine derivative is modified by nucleophillic substitution for substituting chlorine atom of tricarbocyanine having various functionalities at a meso site.
However, such a strategy is limited due to chlorine atom exhibiting a comparatively inactivity at the meso site. To avoid this limitation and to make better chemical and photochemical properties of tricarbocyanine as much as possible, a substituent having activity at the meso site of a polymethine chain is very preferable for designing various cyanine dyes.
Additionally, application of intercellular or extracellular pH change by various physiological and pathological processes is a promising strategy for analysis and diagnosis of cells. Since an infection or tumor generally makes an acidic environment, a small molecular fluorescent substance probe able to be activated in an acidic pH is a useful tool for detecting a cancer cell in an organism. However, up to now, there is almost no fluorescent probe able to be activated in an acidic pH for in vivo imaging.
Thus, the inventors of the present application have studied cyanine derivatives having a substituent having activity at a meso site of a polymethine chain, have found that the cyanine derivative having a reaction functional group substituted at the meso site is very simply synthesized, is suitable for mass production, has a very fast reaction rate because while a related art reagent for detection of nerve agents is subject to two steps of reactions, the cyanine derivative of the present invention is subject to only one step of reaction, has very excellent sensitivity, is able to be activated in an acidic pH, and is able to be used as an acid pH-activated ratiometric NIR probe, and have completed the present invention.

Cyanine derivatives having meso-reactive functional group at polymethine chain and preparation method thereof

Ewha University-Industry Collaboration Foundation


A method for performing turbo decoding in an advanced mobile communication system is disclosed, in which an interleaving operation, a maximum a posteriori (MAP) decoding operation, and a deinterleaving operation are implemented simultaneously. Signals stored in a specific address space of a memory are decoded in a predetermined order and, at the same time, each decoded signal is stored in the same specific address space previously used to store the signals prior to decoding. Accordingly, the turbo decoding time can be reduced by half and the size of the memory for storing extrinsic information can also be reduced by half.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for processing data in a communication system and, more particularly, to a method for performing turbo decoding in a mobile communication system.
2. Background of the Related Art
As known in the related art, a turbo code generator includes two or more recursive systematic convolutional (RSC) encoders arranged in parallel through an interleaver Turbo codes generated through the turbo code generator are used to transmit data at high transmission rate in the standard for an advanced mobile communication system.
The turbo codes are processed for generating bit rows in a block unit. Particularly, in the case where large sized data bit rows are encoded, the turbo codes have excellent coding gain to convolutional codes. The turbo codes are iteratively decoded on codes of a simple component in a receiving system, so that the receiving system has excellent error correction capability.
Recently, a method for simply performing turbo decoding and a turbo decoder have been suggested to support data transmission at high speed under the mobile communication environment. According to the turbo decoder, input code words pass through two convolutional decoders in turn. Therefore, the turbo decoder has a simplified structure.
However, in order that the input code words iteratively pass through two convolutional decoders, the two convolutional decoders should have output values corresponding to soft decision values having a probability rate of "0" or "1," not hard decision values such as "0" or "1." To obtain such soft decision values, a Maximum A Posteriori (MAP) decoding method has been suggested, in which a posteriori probability value of a data bit is calculated and the data bit is decoded to obtain the maximum posteriori probability value.
FIG. 1 illustrates a structure of a related art turbo decoder. The related art turbo decoder includes a first MAP decoder D1 101 and a second MAP decoder D2 103 corresponding to each RSC encoder of an encoder. The turbo decoder further includes an interleaver 102 that serves to perform the same function as that of an interleaver of the encoder, first and second deinterleavers 104 and 105 having an inverse function to that of the interleaver 102, and first to third delay circuits 107 to 109 for delaying signal processing while the first MAP decoder 101 and the second MAP decoder 103 perform their respective logic operations.
The operation of the related art turbo decoder will be described. The code words input to the turbo decoder are decoded by passing through the two MAP decoders 101 and 103. Particularly, the turbo decoder does not decode the successively input code words at one time but decodes them by passing them through the two MAP decoders. As the iterative number of passes through the two MAP decoders 101 and 103 increases, decoding performance is improved.
As shown in FIG. 1, the first MAP decoder 101 decodes composite signals of systematic symbols xk, parity symbols yk, and extrinsic information dk having (N−1)th iterative number of times among iterative decoding number of times. The second MAP decoder 103 decodes an output signal of the interleaver 102 and parity symbols yk. An input signal of the interleaver 102 is a composite signal of the output signal from the first MAP decoder 101 and the extrinsic information signal dk, having (N−1)th iterative number of times. The extrinsic information signal is delayed by the first delay circuit 107 for a certain time.
First deinterleaver 104 deinterleaves a composite signal of the output signal of the interleaver, which passed through the second delay circuit 108, and the output signal of the second MAP decoder 103. First deinterleaver 104 outputs the extrinsic information signal dk having Nth iterative number of times. Second deinterleaver 105 deinterleaves a limited signal of the output signal of the second MAP decoder 103 and outputs the deinterleaved signal as a final output bit of the turbo decoder.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the related art turbo decoder. Output signals of the first MAP decoder 101 and the second MAP decoder 103 are called extrinsic information. As shown in FIG. 1, the extrinsic information output from the first MAP decoder 101 is interleaved and then used as the input signal of the second MAP decoder 103. The output signal of the second MAP decoder 103 is deinterleaved and then used as the input signal of the first MAP decoder 101.
In other words, once decoding of the first MAP decoder 101 is completed (S10), interleaving is performed on the decoded signal (S11). Once decoding of the second MAP decoder 103 is completed (S12), deinterleaving is performed on the decoded signal (S13). Decoding with the second MAP decoder 103 begins after the completion of the interleaving.
As described above, in the related art turbo decoding, the MAP decoding operation, the interleaving operation, and the deinterleaving operation are sequentially performed. Accordingly, a problem arises in that the decoding time becomes longer. Also, to sequentially perform the above operations, the input and output signals of the interleaver 102 should be stored. To this end, as shown in FIG. 1, a memory 106 that can store two sets of extrinsic information is required. Memory 106 may be used to store the input and output signals of the first and second deinterleavers 104 and 105.
According to the 3GPP WCDMA specification, since the size of the turbo code block is maximum 5114 bit, a memory having a bit capacity of 5114*n*2 is required, wherein n is a positive integer, which is the number of bits of the extrinsic information, and is generally between 4 bits and 8 bits.
The above reference is incorporated by reference herein where appropriate for appropriate teachings of additional or alternative details, features and/or technical background.

Method for performing turbo decoding in mobile communication system


An air or gas sampling device utilizes a small tube calibrated under isothermal conditions. The relationship of pressure at the input end of the tube to flow is plotted and stored in a microprocessor for comparison with pressure monitored during sample pumping. Pulsations in flow caused by the air or gas pump can be neutralized by a damper comprising a small chamber having a diaphragm for one wall.

It is common practice in air sampling pumps to maintain the air flow at a constant rate independent of buildup in back pressure by direct measurement of the air flow using a suitable sensor, the signal from which is then used to control the speed of the vacuum pump such that constant flow is maintained.
In theory, the volume or rate of air delivered by a small vacuum pump such as is commonly used in a personal air sampler may be controlled and/or measured by employing the known characteristics of the pump in a microprocessor or the like, and comparing the known characteristics to current inputs representing flow, perhaps modifying the inputs by other variables such as outside air pressure or temperature. Various workers in the art have used such approaches to the problem of maintaining accurate air flow readings for use in calculating the concentrations of air contaminants. See, for example, Peck et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,713. These patentees establish a table of values which relate the pump motor's RPM to air flow rates, store them in a microprocessor, and modulate the current pulse width as a function of deviations from the known RPM/flow relationship. Baker et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,527,953, vary the current to the pump, and hence its output, also by varying the current pulse width, but as a function of the relative durations of open and closed positions of a differential pressure switch located parallel to an adjustable orifice in the air conduit. Baker et al try to keep the air flow smooth with the aid of an "accumulator" which may be milled or molded into the frame of the pump and covered on one wall with an elastomer sheet (col. 4, lines 17-24). Thus Baker's accumulator is positioned upstream of and removed from his pressure sensor. In an earlier U.S. Pat. No. 4,269,059, Baker places his accumulator between the filter on the intake and the pump.
Pulse width modulation is also used by Hampton et al in U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,659 to control the air pump, this time as a function of pressure differential across a Venturi. Betsill et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,163,818, use a programmable computer to calculate flow from a number of variables, and regulate the voltage to the pump motor to maintain a desired air flow rate. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,517, Sipin bases the pump motor control on changes in load, sensed by changes in pressure and speed and compared to pump characteristics stored in memory.
Systems relying on known characteristics of pumps assume to one degree or another that the pumps and motors controlling them will not change, but it is known that pumps and motors will wear, lubrication will change with age, gaskets and bearing surfaces will erode or otherwise deteriorate, and various other problems arise to change the response of the pump to a current of a given characteristic.
Also, as observed by Lalin in U.S. Pat. No. 4,532,814, issued Aug. 6, 1985, "(a)ll known pump sampling systems which control flow by adjustment of pump motor speed produce an air flow with relatively high pulse undulations particularly at low flow levels. With a highly pulsed flow it is difficult to set the flow rate." Column 1, lines 59-63. Lalin maintains a steady flow of gas or air to a sample collecting device by providing a supplementary flow of gas or air to the inlet of the pump in response to a signal representing pressure differential across an orifice in the air or gas conduit, thus avoiding controls on the pump motor. Settings for the flow control valve are manually adjusted. The supplementary flow to the inlet of the pump may be taken from the outlet of the pump. See also the continuation-in-part application and U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,054.
Lalin also, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,562,002, disclosed a device for damping the pump pulsations in a reciprocating piston flowtube comprising a diaphragm and a porous member having open channels. The piston drops by gravity to the bottom of the flowtube; the diaphragm is supported by the porous member.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,052, Sipin shows a laminar flow sensing element which comprises a stack of individual flow channels (col. 13, lines 58-68).
None of the above constructions provide a simple device for measuring air or gas sample flow which neutralizes the effect of the back pressure caused by the strokes. The approach of Bossart et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,790, requires a special laminar flow element such as porous member 21 in a suitable housing, which will "simulate this linear relationship between the flow rate and pressure drop in a portable personal sampling pump."(col. 3, lines 49-51), provided the air flow is maintained at a low Reynolds number. While Bossart et al purport to be able to simulate linear relationship, they do so at the cost of providing the special laminar flow element. The porous element preferred by Bossart and the small orifice used by Baker and others are susceptible to the buildup of particles from the air which can clog up the orifices through which the air must pass, and across which pressure drop is measured. It should be noted that a major use of air sampling pumps of this type is for dust measurement and even with a suitable in-line filter, small particles can still pass into the sensor causing the buildup of changes in calibration over time.
The reader may also be interested in Simon et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,621,180, which uses a coiled capillary tube of 5 cm to 5000 cm length and in internal diameter up to 0.53 mm to control the flow of gas for a predetermined time into an evacuated sample vessel.

Isothermal flow controller for air sampler


A backlight module includes at least a light guide board, a reflector film, an optic film, and a light scarce. The light guide board has a light emitting surface on which a plurality of light: converging elements is formed. The optic film has a surface on which a plurality of rib-like micro light guides is formed. Each micro light guide includes a plurality of ridges, which are of different heights and show variation of height. Either a high ridge or a low ridge of the micro light guide is made a continuous left-and-right wavy configuration and/or a continuous up-and-down height-variation configuration. Thus, light transmitting through, the optic film and converged by the micro light guides leaves the optic film in a form that is not very regular so as to facilitate subsequent use of the light in for example a liquid crystal display panel.

(a) Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention, relates to a backlight module, and in particular to a backlight module having a light guide board having a light emitting surface on which a plurality of light converging elements is formed and an optic film that forms micro light guides.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
Conventional backlight modules have been of such an improvement mat a light source supplied by the conventional backlight module is converted from a linear light source into a surface light source. However, fee light source is still subject to the constraints imposed by the regularity of prism ribs formed on an optic film, feat constitutes in part fee backlight module. Thus, light from the conventional backlight modules is emitted in fee form of regular straight beam. On the other hand, a liquid crystal display panel comprises thin-film transistors and color filters which are of minute matrix arranged in an opposing manner Thus, when the regular straight beam passes through gaps between units of thin-film transistors and the color filters, diffraction of light occurs, which, forms interference patterns in the liquid crystal display panel And as a consequence, the performance of the liquid crystal display is damaged.
Occurrence of the interference patterns in a specific liquid crystal panel cannot be identified in the site of backlight module manufacturers, and can only be found when a liquid crystal panel in which the backlight module is mounted is actuated. This often causes problems between the backlight module suppliers and the manufacturers of liquid crystal display panels, and is a trouble of pressing need to he overcome.
Therefore, it is desired, to provide a backlight module mat overcomes fee problems discussed above.


The kinetic energy of the driver's knees is properly absorbed by a plurality of simply configured shock absorbing mechanisms, contributing to a minimization of injury to the driver's knees. A knee bolster of a vehicle comprises an upper member whose front end is secured to a cowl cross member. A lower member is in a bent plate shape configuration that is consecutively formed with a front portion, a center portion, a rear portion and a knee supporting portion. Shear pins fix a portion between the upper member and the rear portion of the lower member. A damping hole is formed on the upper member and tapers off toward the front of the vehicle. A damping protrusion is inserted into the damping hole at the rear side of the vehicle and protrudes out from the rear portion of the lower member.

Generally, driver's knees are susceptible to injury by a front instrument panel or other components when a vehicle collision occurs.
A knee bolster is employed to alleviate the impact upon the driver's knees in the above case.
The knee bolster should support the driver's knees and properly absorb the knees' kinetic energy when the driver's knees are thrust toward the front of the vehicle during a vehicle crash.


An article holding device, for an elevated work platform having a railing configured by a plurality of horizontal bars, includes a body member and at least one bracing member. The body member is adapted to be disposed on the railing and the at least one bracing member is capable of supporting the body member on the elevated work platform. The body member includes a first compartment, a second compartment and a channel unit disposed therebetween. The first compartment and the second compartment include a plurality of adjustable sections configured therein. The first compartment, the second compartment and the channel unit are capable of receiving articles therein. The at least one bracing member is capable of being adjustably positioned between at least two horizontal bars of the plurality of horizontal bars of the railing for supporting the body member on the elevated work platform.

Various articles, such as tools or any other objects are carried by workers for performing tasks from elevated work platforms. Handling such articles on the elevated work platforms is a cumbersome task for the workers. Generally, the workers may place the articles on decks of the elevated work platforms, and accordingly perform such tasks while standing on the work platforms. The articles placed on the decks may pose a problem as the articles may get scattered or laid out of the decks leading the workers to a risk of slipping, falling or dropping the articles on a person below the work platforms.
In light of the aforesaid problem, homemade open containers, tool bags are often used for storing the articles for performing the tasks from the elevated work platforms. Most of such homemade open containers and tool bags are ineffective and do not last long, and are often cumbersome to use while working from the elevated work platforms.
Accordingly, there exists a need to refrain articles from getting scattered or laid out of elevated work platforms in order to avoid workers a risk of slipping, falling or dropping the articles on a person below the elevated work platforms. Furthermore, there exists a need of an effective and long lasting device that may be conveniently used by the workers while working from the elevated work platforms.

Article holding device for aerial work platform


The layers and protocols of an air interface layering architecture are designed to be modular and can be modified and upgraded to support new features, perform complex tasks, and implement additional functionality. Prior to commencement of data communication between a first entity (e.g., an access terminal) and a second entity (e.g., a radio network), a set of layers and/or protocols is selected for negotiation. For each selected layer and protocol (i.e., each attribute), a list of attribute values considered acceptable to the first entity is determined. The selected attributes and their associated attribute values are sent from the first entity and, in response, a list of processed attributes and their associated lists of processed attribute values are received. Each list of processed attribute values includes attribute values considered acceptable to the second entity. The layers and protocols in the first entity are then configured in accordance with the received list of processed attributes and their associated processed attribute values. Other features related to configurable layers and protocols are also provided.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wireless communication. More particularly, the present invention relates to method and apparatus for providing configurable layers and protocols in a communications system.
II. Description of the Related Art
The use of code division multiple access (CDMA) modulation techniques is one of several techniques for facilitating communication in which a large number of system users are present. Although other multiple access communication system techniques are known in the art, such as time division multiple access (e.g., TDMA and GSM), frequency division multiple access (FDMA), and AM modulation schemes such as amplitude companded single sideband (ACSSB), the spread spectrum modulation techniques of CDMA have significant advantages over these other modulation techniques for multiple access communications systems. The use of CDMA techniques in a multiple access communications system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,307, entitled "SPREAD SPECTRUM MULTIPLE ACCESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM USING SATELLITE OR TERRESTRIAL REPEATERS," issued Feb. 13, 1990, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,459, entitled "SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING SIGNAL WAVEFORMS IN A CDMA CELLULAR TELEPHONE SYSTEM," issued Apr. 7, 1992, both assigned to the assignee of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference.
CDMA systems are typically designed to conform to one or more particular CDMA standards. Examples of such CDMA standards include the "TIA/EIA/IS-95-A Mobile Station-Base Station Compatibility Standard for Dual-Mode Wideband Spread Spectrum Cellular System," the "TIA/EIA/IS-95-B Mobile Station-Base Station Compatibility Standard for Dual-Mode Wideband Spread Spectrum Cellular System," the TIA/EIA/IS-98-A, -B, and -C standards entitled "Recommended Minimum Performance Standard for Dual-Mode Spread Spectrum Cellular and PCS Mobile Stations," and "The cdma2000 ITU-R RTT Candidate Submission." New CDMA standards are continually proposed and adopted for use.
Each CDMA standard defines an air interface protocol used by that standard to support communication between communicating devices (i.e., between an access terminal and a radio network). The air interface protocol defines the mechanisms by which particular functions are to be performed, and may encompass a number of protocols that enable implementation of various functions.
Conventionally, each CDMA standard adopts a particular air interface protocol that performs a number of functions and is identified by a unique revision number. New functions can be implemented by defining new attributes, messages, and state machines, usually within the framework of the existing air interface protocol. A new air interface protocol is then defined that includes the new attributes, messages, and state machines along with other previously defined attributes, messages, and state machines. Similarly, if an existing protocol is modified or updated, a new air interface protocol is defined and a new revision is assigned.
Conventionally, each communicating device (e.g., each access terminal and radio network) is designed to support one or more complete revisions of the air interface protocol. Because the entire air interface protocol is defined by a single revision, each communicating device is required to support all required functions in a particular revision if it wishes to support any function in that revision. The communicating devices are typically designed to support one or more revisions (e.g., a range of revisions). Communication between the access terminal and radio network is then achieved using any one of the commonly supported air interface protocol revisions.
The desire for increased wireless functionality and capacity has resulted in ever more complex air interface protocols. In particular, the air interface protocols have evolved to perform numerous complex functions, including voice communication, data transmission, and so on.
The conventional method of defining a new revision for each new air interface protocol was adequate for more "simple" protocols in the original CDMA system design. As the number of functions and their complexity increase, the conventional method is cumbersome and inadequate. The conventional method also does not easily support the implementation of additional functions in an existing air interface protocol or implementation of a subset of the functions in the air interface protocol.
Thus, an air interface protocol structure that efficiently supports implementation of a variety of functions is highly desirable.

Method and apparatus for providing configurable layers and protocols in a communications system


A distributed electronic entertainment method and apparatus are described. In one embodiment, a central management resource is coupled to multiple out-of-home venues through a wide area network (WAN). The central management resource stores content and performs management, monitoring and entertainment content delivery functions. At each venue at least one entertainment unit is coupled to the WAN. Multiple entertainment units in a venue are coupled to each other through a local area network (LAN). In one embodiment, an entertainment unit includes a user interface that comprises at least one graphical user interface (GUI). The entertainment unit further comprises a local memory device that stores entertainment content comprising music, a peripheral interface, and a user input device. A plurality of peripheral devices are coupled to the at least one entertainment unit via the peripheral interface, wherein a user, through the user input device and the user interface, performs at least one activity from a group comprising, playing music, playing electronic games, viewing television content, and browsing the Internet.

Traditional entertainment systems for out-of-home use, for example in restaurants or bars, are typified by the jukebox that automatically plays selected gramophone records or compact discs after the insertion of a coin or coins. Originally, jukebox units were stand-alone units in venues such as restaurants and bars. More recently, game entertainment units have been placed in venues to allow patrons to play electronic games, such as electronic card games, after insertion of a fee using coins or some other method of payment. One disadvantage of some prior entertainment systems is that each freestanding unit, be it a music unit or a game unit, has a relatively small collection of music or games stored on the unit itself. This limits the user's selection and also requires that the available selection of games or music be updated when it includes too many unpopular selections.
Some prior systems have the capability to update a music selection from a remote location. In such a system, the update procedure occurs at intervals and during the update procedure the music unit is inoperative. It is a disadvantage of prior systems that the update procedure requires taking a music unit out of operation. This may necessitate performing updates more infrequently than may be desirable and precludes the real-time download of user-requested music during the operation of the unit. Another disadvantage of prior systems is that the way in which music selections are updated and stored is inefficient in terms of processing time and storage space required. For example, in some prior systems a separate catalog file containing song identification information and memory management information must be stored on the music unit.
Another limitation of traditional electronic entertainment systems is that even in venues where both music entertainment and game entertainment exist, game entertainment units and music entertainment units with individual capabilities exist separately. A user of a game unit, for example, cannot play music available in the venue without leaving the game unit to go to the music unit.
Yet another limitation of existing electronic entertainment systems is that they do not have real-time access to the Internet so that users in a venue may access the Internet for activities such as Internet browsing and shopping or playing tournament games from the same unit that allows music selection. Existing electronic entertainment systems are further limited in that they do not allow easy integration of a variety of peripheral devices, such as payment hardware and software or external game controllers.

Distributed electronic entertainment method and apparatus


Disclosure is related to an omnidirectional antenna. Structurally the antenna includes multiple antenna units which are oppositely disposed around the edges of a grounded substrate. The antenna is able to handle at least two bands of electromagnetic signals. The body of each antenna unit includes a radiating member which is extended from an inverse-F portion type structure at the upper half of the body. A downward-protrudent feeding member is formed at the middle portion of the radiating member. A connecting member electrically connected to the substrate is formed at the lower half of the body, and associated with the radiating member. At least two upward-protrudent grounding members are formed onto the connecting member. The grounding members are jointly grounded with the substrate. It is noted that the feeding member is extended in the midst of the two grounding members. The opposite antenna units are mutually served be reflectors.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to an omnidirectional antenna, in particular to the antenna including antenna units oppositely disposed on a grounded substrate for achieving omnidirectional radiation.
2. Description of Related Art
Antenna is an essential component for the various electronic devices for transmitting or receiving RF (radio frequency) signals. Antenna is introduced to converting electric power into radio waves for delivery over air. On the other hand, the antenna also converts the radio waves into the electronic signals. While the RF signals are delivered, a radio receiver or transmitter connected with the antenna in the device can convert the energy of radio waves to the signals applicable to the circuit of the device.
The antenna is configured to a specific application according to the required characteristics and performance. The performance specified to the antenna is usually the one of reasons the technical person selects the antenna.
One of the classes of antennas is such as an omnidirectional antenna that radiates radio wave power uniformly in all directions over a whole sky. One further class is such as a directional antenna that only processes the radio waves specified to or from a narrow range of directions. The any antenna may include a reflection unit and a pointing unit, or any plane for guiding the radio waves.


A display device has an insulating substrate with a first surface and a second surface, a display element having an organic light-emitting layer arranged between two electrodes, a flexible member having a first end connected to the first surface and a second end facing the first end and the first surface, and a first accommodating member having a lower surface substantially parallel with the insulating substrate, a lateral surface extending from the lower surface, and a protruding part extending from the lower surface toward the first end. The first accommodating member includes a through hole, and the flexible member extends through the through hole so the second end is positioned outside the first accommodating member. The insulating substrate is arranged in the first accommodating member, and the protruding part may contact and press against the first end connected to the insulating substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device, and more particularly, to a display device in which a flexible member is stably connected to an insulating substrate.
2. Discussion of the Background
Recently, the organic light-emitting diode display (OLED) has become popular as a type of display device. OLEDs are advantageous as display panels because they can be driven by a low voltage, they are light and small, they have a wide viewing angle, and they can respond quickly to driving signals.
Generally, an OLED includes an insulating substrate, a display element formed on the insulating substrate, and a flexible member connected to the insulating substrate. A driving signal, a driving voltage, and a common voltage are supplied to the display element through the flexible member. The flexible member may be connected to a circuit substrate and the display element. The flexible member and the display element are generally arranged to contact the same surface of the insulating substrate. Thus, to decrease the size of the OLED, the flexible member is folded over onto the insulating substrate.
An OLED may be a bottom emission type in which light from the display element is emitted through insulating substrate. When the flexible member is folded in the bottom emission type OLED, the flexible member is bent in a direction toward which light is not emitted. More specifically, the flexible member is bent toward an upper part of the display element. However, when the flexible member is bent toward the upper part of the display element, the flexible member may become disconnected from the insulating substrate. Therefore, a stable assembly is necessary to prevent the flexible member from disconnecting from the insulating substrate.


The present invention relates to improved methods and means for transformation of soybean (Glycine max) based on a D-alanine and/or D-serine selection.

The soybean (Glycine max) belongs to the Fabaceae (Leguminosae) family. The soybean is thought to have originated in China. Wild types of soybeans are viny in nature, which may explain why soybeans were first introduced in the United States as a hay crop. Introductions from China, Manchuria, Korea and Japan have been important in developing varieties for the United States. Modern breeding efforts to improve the agronomic traits, such as more erect growth, reduced lodging and increased seed size, have been primarily responsible for the development of soybeans into a crop of worldwide importance. The acreage and the proportion of the crop harvested for grain has increased steadily and today soybeans are a major world commodity.
Cultivated soybean has a substantial commercial value throughout the world. Over 50 million hectares worldwide are used to produce an annual crop of soybeans in excess of 100 metric tons with an estimated value exceeding 20 billion dollars. The development of scientific methods useful in improving the quantity and quality of this crop is, therefore, of significant commercial interest. Soybeans are widely used as a source of protein, oil, condiments and chemical feedstock. Significant effort has been expended to improve the quality of cultivated soybean species by conventional plant breeding, and a number of major successes are recorded. The methods of conventional plant breeding have been limited, however, to the movement of genes and traits from one soybean variety to the other.
Modern biotechnological research and development has provided useful techniques for the improvement of agricultural products by plant genetic engineering. Plant genetic engineering involves the transfer of a desired gene or genes into the inheritable germline of crop plants such that those genes can be bred into or among the elite varieties used in modern agriculture. Gene transfer techniques allow the development of new classes of elite crop varieties with improved disease resistance, herbicide tolerance, and increased nutritional value. Various methods have been developed for transferring genes into plant tissues including high velocity microprojection, microinjection, electroporation, direct DNA uptake, and Agrobacterium-mediated gene transformation. Although widely used for dicotyledonous plants, DNA delivery using particle bombardment, electroporation, or Agrobacterium-mediated delivery into soybean has proven to be difficult. This is due, in part, to the small number of cells that have been found to be totipotent in soybean (Trick 1997). Two methods routinely used are an Agrobacterium-based method targeting the cotyledonary-node axillary meristems (Hinchee 1988) and a method using particle bombardment of mature zygotic embryos (Finer 1991).
The lack of effective selective agents is one of the bottlenecks in the efficiency of different soybean transformation methods. The efficacy of tissue culture selection systems depends on many factors including tissue type, size of explant, chemical characteristics of the selectable agent and concentrations and time of application. The most used method of selection is known as negative selection, which employs selection markers that confer resistance against a phytotoxic agent (such as an herbicide or antibiotic). The negative selection markers employed so far are mainly limited to neomycin 3′-O-phosphotransferase (nptII), phosphinothricin acetyltransferases (PAT; also named Bialophos® resistance; bar; de Block 1987; EP 0 333 033; U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,374), 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS; conferring resistance to Glyphosate® (N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine); and hygromycin B. Alternative selection marker systems, such as a system based on D-amino acid metabolizing enzymes (e.g., D-amino acid dehydratases or oxidases), has been recently described on a general basis (WO 03/060133; Erikson 2004). However, no adoption and/or optimization of such a system for use in soybean has been described so far. Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide an improved, efficient method for transforming Glycine max plants based on D-amino acid selection. This objective is achieved by the present invention.
Although some of the problems linked to the transformation of soybeans have been overcome by the methods described in the art, there is still a significant need for improvement, since all methods known so far have only a low to moderate transformation and—especially—regeneration efficiency. Although significant advances have been made in the field of Agrobacterium-mediated transformation methods, a need continues to exist for improved methods to facilitate the ease, speed and efficiency of such methods for transformation of soybean plants. Therefore, it was the objective of the present invention to provide an improved method having higher overall efficiency in the process of generation of transgenic soybean plants. This objective is solved by the present invention.