A coding and/or decoding system includes: a code-word table for storing therein a plurality of code words, which are capable of being decoded both in forward and backward directions and which are formed so that delimiters of the code words are capable of being identified by a predetermined weight of the code words, so that the code words correspond to different source symbols; an encoder for selecting code words corresponding to inputted source symbols from the code-word table; and a synchronization interval setting part for preparing coded data every predetermined interval using the code words selected by the encoder and for inserting stuffing codes capable of being decoded in the backward direction. Thus, it is possible to decrease useless bit patterns to enhance the coding efficiency by smaller amounts of calculation and storage, and to decode variable length codes both in the forward and backward directions even if the synchronization interval is set every interval using the stuffing bits.

The present invention relates generally to a variable length coding and/or decoding system used for compression coding and/or decoding moving picture signals or the like. More specifically, the invention relates to a variable length coding and/or decoding system capable of decoding both in forward and backward directions, and a recording medium for recording data or programs for use in the system.
A variable length code is a code system of a short code length on average, which is obtained by assigning a short code length of codes to a frequently appearing symbol and a long code length of codes to a rarely appearing symbol. Therefore, if a variable length code is used, the amount of data can be considerably compressed in comparison with the amount of data before being coded. As a method for forming such a variable length code, the Huffman algorithm suitable for memoryless sources is known.
In general, there is a problem in that, if an error is mixed in a variable length code due to a channel error of coded data or the like, a decoding system can not correctly decode the data due to the propagation of influence of the error after the error is mixed therein. In order to avoid this problem, there is a typical method for inserting synchronization patterns at intervals to prevent the propagation of an error when there is a possibility that the error may occur in a channel. Bit patterns, which do not appear by any combinations of variable length codes, are assigned to the synchronization patterns. According to this method, even if coded data can not be decoded due to an error occurring therein, it is possible to prevent the propagation of the error to correctly decode the coded data by finding the next synchronization pattern.
However, even if the synchronization patterns are used, the coded data can not be decoded until the next synchronization pattern is found from the position, at which the coded data can not be correctly decoded due to the error occurring therein as shown in FIG. 1A.
Therefore, there is known a method for changing the variable length codes from the usual configurations shown in FIGS. 2A through 2C to the configurations shown in FIGS. 3A through 3C to form code words, which can be decoded in a usual forward direction as well as in a backward direction as shown in FIG. 1B. Since the coded data of such code words are also readable in the backward direction, the code words can be also used for reverse reproduction in a storage medium, such as a disc memory, for storing the coded data. This variable length code, which can be decoded in the forward direction as well as in the backward direction, will be hereinafter referred to as a xe2x80x9creversible codexe2x80x9d.
An example of the reversible code is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-300027, entitled xe2x80x9cReversible Variable Length Coding Systemxe2x80x9d. This publicly-known reversible code is a variable length code, which can also be decoded in the backward direction by adding bits to the ends of code words of a Huffman code, which is a variable code capable of being decoded in the forward direction as shown in FIGS. 2A through 2C, so that the respective code words are not coincident with other code words having longer code lengths as shown in FIGS. 3A through 3C. However, this reversible code contains many useless bits to have a long average code length since the bits are added to the ends of the code words of the variable length code, which can be decoded only in the forward direction. Consequently, the coding efficiency is considerably deteriorated in comparison with the variable length code, which can be decoded only in the forward direction.
There is also a problem in that the conventional reversible code can not be decoded in the backward direction if synchronization intervals are set every predetermined interval. For example, ITU-T H.263 (1996) can align synchronization patterns every 8 bits (=1 byte), i.e., it can set positions, at which the synchronization patterns can be inserted, every 1 byte. In order to realize such alignment of synchronization intervals, stuffing codes shown in FIG. 34 are inserted before the synchronization patterns. In such a case, in the conventional reversible codes, there is a problem in that the backward decoding can not be carried out due to the stuffing bits.
Moreover, when the reversible code is simply decoded, there is a problem in that the circuit scale and the amount of operation have to be twice as large as those in a usual decoding system for variable length codes, which can be decoded only in the forward direction, by the amount decoded in the backward direction.
There is another problem in that the conventional reversible code can not be decoded in the backward direction by syntax of input information as the case may be. For example, in the case of source symbols having syntax shown in FIG. 5A, the sign of symbol B is determined by symbol A. Coded data obtained by coding source symbols having such syntax can not be decoded in the backward direction since the symbol B can not be decoded unless the symbol A has been decoded as shown in FIG. 5B.
As a coding system used when the number of source symbols is high, there is a system using escape codes. This system using escape codes has code words corresponding to a small number of source symbols having a high appearance frequency as a code-word table, and encodes a large majority of source symbols having a low appearance frequency by the combinations of escape codes and fixed length codes. Also in this system using escape codes, there has been provided a system for applying escape codes to the prefix and suffix of a variable length code, similar to the variable length code capable of being decoded both in the forward and backward directions.
In the conventional coding and/or decoding system using escape codes, it is required to search the code-word table for the presence of code words in order to distinguish the code words existing in the code-word table from the code words to be coded using escape codes.
That is, as described above, since the conventional reversible code, i.e., the variable length code capable of being decoded both in the forward and backward directions, is formed by adding bits to the suffix of code words of a variable length code capable of being decoded only in the forward direction, there is a problem in that useless bit patterns are increased to increase an average code length, so that the coding efficiency is considerably deteriorated in comparison with the variable length code capable of being decoded only in the forward direction. In addition, if the synchronization intervals are set every predetermined intervals using stuffing bits, there is a problem in that the reversible code can not be decoded in the backward direction due to the stuffing bits. Moreover, if the reversible code is simply decoded, there is a problem in that the circuit scale and the amount of operation have to be twice as large as those in a usual decoding system for variable length codes capable of being decoded only in the forward direction, by the amount decoded in the backward direction, and there is a problem in that it is not possible to decode in the backward direction by the syntax of input information as the case may be.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a moving picture decoding system which can restrain the quality of a decoded image from greatly deteriorating even if an error occurs in any portion of a code, and which can efficiently decode the code even if only a part of the code can be decoded due to the error.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a moving picture decoding system comprises: input means for inputting a first code string arranging in order from the prefix to the suffix, and a second code string arranging in order from the suffix to the prefix in the backward direction: and decoding means for decoding the first code string in order from the prefix to the suffix and for decoding the second code string in order from suffix to prefix in the backward direction. In this system, the first code string arranging in the forward direction from the prefix to the suffix and the second row arranging in the backward direction from the suffix to the prefix are decoded. Therefore, even if an error occurs in one of the rows, the decoding can be carried out without influencing the other row.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a moving picture decoding system comprises: input means for inputting code string which have been divided into a plurality of regions with respect to each of frames; decoding means for decoding the code string of each of the regions supplied from the input means; and rearranging means for rearranging the data of each of the regions supplied from the decoding means, in correct order. In this system, the code string wherein the regions is arranged in order of importance of the rearranged image. Therefore, even if an error occurs in a part of data, the region which has been able to be decoded is an important portion, so that it is possible to restrain the lack of the important portion of the image in comparison with the conventional system.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, the moving picture decoding system as set forth includes detection means for detecting an error with respect to the first and second code string and the coded data/signal, respectively, wherein the decoding is carried out using only the data wherein no error has been detected by the error detection means. In this system, the detection of error is carried out when the divided code string is decoded. Therefore, it is possible to form a reproduced image by means of only the correctly decoded data. It is also possible to predict and complement the data which has not been able to be decoded, by means of the correctly decoded data.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the moving picture decoding system includes error detecting means for detecting an error with respect to the code string and the decoded data/signal; and predicting means for predicting the region which as not been able to be decoded, on the basis of the decoded region when an error is detected by means of the error detecting means. In this system, the regions of a higher probability of decoding in both of the code string divided into two parts, can complement the regions of a lower probability of decoding in both of the code string divided into two parts. Therefore, it is possible to predict and complement the data of the data lacking region.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the moving picture decoding system as set forth in the fourth aspect includes means for rearranging and decoding regions in accordance with the region rearranging data included in the code string. In this system, the code string that the coding order has been changed in accordance with the image is decoded. Therefore, even if the data have not been able to be fully decoded due to errors, it is possible to increase the probability of decoding with respect to the important portion of the coding data.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a practical variable-length decoding system which can be decoded in either of the forward and backward directions.
Specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a variable-length decoding system which can be decoded in either of the forward and backward directions and wherein the number of useless bit patterns is small and the coding efficiency is high.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a variable-length decoding system which can be decoded in either of the forward and backward directions and which is unnecessary for a great memory capacity even if the number of source symbols is great.
In order to accomplish the aforementioned and other objects, according to a sixth aspect of the present invention, a variable-length coding system which assigns code words to a plurality of source symbols, the code words having a code length in accordance with the probability of the source symbols, and which outputs as coding data, the code words corresponding to the inputted source symbols, comprises: a code-word table for storing a plurality of code words so as to correspond to the source symbols, the code words being configured so as to be able to determine the pause between codes by the weights of the code words; and coding means for selecting a code word corresponding to the inputted source symbol from the code-word table and for outputting the selected code word as coding data.
The term xe2x80x9cweight of code wordxe2x80x9d corresponds to a hamming distance from the minimum or maximum value of the code word. When the code word is a binary code, the minimum value of the code word is xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d in all cases and the maximum value of the code word is xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d in all cases, so that the weight of the code word corresponds to the number of xe2x80x9c 1xe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d. The position wherein the weight of the code word is a predetermined value indicates the pause between codes in the variable-length code.
With respect to the plurality of code words stored in the code-word table, a fixed-length code, i.e. a constant length of code, is unnecessary to be added to at least one of the prefix and suffix thereof.
In addition, unlike a code wherein bits are added to the suffix of a variable-length code decodable in only the forward direction such as reversible code disclosed in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laid-Open, a reversible code is originally configured without the addition of excessive bits, so that it is possible to obtain a variable-length code wherein the number of useless bit patterns is small and wherein the coding efficiency is great.
Moreover, a variable-length code can be obtained in accordance with the probability of appearance of source symbols by selecting a plurality of code configuring methods and a code of the minimum average code-length from parameters, on the basis of the probability of source symbols.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, a variable-length decoding system which can decode in either of the forward and backward directions and which decodes a variable-length code to which synchronizing codes are inserted at regular intervals, comprises: a forward decoding means for decoding a variable-length code in the forward direction and for detecting an error of a code word of the variable-length code; a backward decoding means for decoding the variable-length code in the backward direction and for detecting an error of a code word of the variable-length code; and decoded-value deciding means for deciding a decoded value on the basis of the decoded results by the forward decoding means and the backward decoding means, wherein the decoded value at the position in which the error is detected in accordance with the results of detection of the error by the forward decoding means and the backward decoding means.
Specifically, in the decoded-value deciding means, (a) when errors have been detected by both of the forward decoding means and the backward decoding means and when the detected positions of the errors have not passed each other, only the decoded result wherein no error has not been detected, is used as the decoded value, (b) when errors have been detected by both of the forward decoding means and backward decoding means and when the detected positions of the errors have not passed each other, the decoded result wherein no error has not been detected by both of the forward decoding means and the backward decoding means, is used as the decoded value, (c) when an error has been detected by one of the forward decoding means and the backward decoding means, the decoded value with respect to the code word at the position wherein the error has been detected is abandoned, and the decoded result in the backward direction is used as the decoded value with respect to the subsequent code word, and (d) when errors have been detected with respect to the same code word by means of the forward decoding means and the backward decoding means, the decoded value with respect to the code word at the position wherein an error has been detected is abandoned, and the decoded result in the backward direction is used as the decoded value with respect to the subsequent code word.
In this variable length decoding system, when the decoded value is decided on the basis of the decoded results by the forward decoding means and the backward decoding means which use a function for detecting errors in code words of a variable-length code, it is possible to effectively decode the reversible code outputted from the aforementioned variable-length coding system, against the errors such as channel errors, by deciding the decoded value at the position wherein the errors have been detected in accordance with the detected results of errors by the forward decoding means and the backward decoding means and the backward decoding means.
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, a variable-length decoding system which can be adapted to the variable-length coding system according to the present invention and which decodes coding data of variable-length codes decodable in either of the forward and backward directions, comprises: forward decoding means for decoding a variable-length code in the forward direction; backward decoding means for decoding a variable-length code in the backward directions; and fixed-length code decoding means for decoding a fixed-length code, wherein when specific codes (escape codes) representative of the prefix and suffix of the fixed-length code have been decoded when the variable-length code is decoded by the forward decoding means and the backward decoding means, the subsequent coding data is decoded by the fixed-length code decoding means.
According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a variable-length decoding system which decodes coding data of a variable-length code decodable in either of the forward and backward directions. In this system, the code-length of a variable-length code is derived on the basis of the number of a predetermined xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d of the code word, and the value determined by a Pascal""s triangle is assigned to the value of a joint. Then, the rank order values of different code words of the same code-length is derived by means of a directed graph wherein the arrows from each joint to the next joint correspond to xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d of the code words, and a decoded value is calculated by means of the rank order value and the directed graph.
In this variable-length decoding system, it is possible to determine the pause between the codes by the number of the weights of the code words, i.e. the code length, similar to the variable-length coding system according to the present invention. In addition, this system uses variable-length code words configured by code words decodable in either of the forward and backward directions, the value determined by a Pascal""s triangle is assigned to the value of a joint, and the decoded value is calculated by the directed graph (decoding graph) wherein the arrows from each joint to the next joint corresponds to xe2x80x9c1 xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d of the code words. Therefore, it is possible to decode the variable-length code by a small memory capacity even if the number of source symbol is great.
According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, a variable-length decoding system which can be adapted to the variable-length coding system according to the present invention and wherein a moving picture decoder decodes coding data decoded into a variable-length code which can decode an orthogonal transform coefficient produced by the orthogonal transform every blocks by means of a moving picture encoder, in either of the forward and backward directions, comprises: forward decoding means for decoding a variable-length code in the forward direction; and backward decoding means for decoding a variable-length code in the backward direction, wherein when the forward decoding means decodes the variable-length code, the last of the block is determined on the basis of the appearance of a code word representative of the orthogonal transform coefficient of the last of the block, and when the backward decoding means decodes the variable-length code, the head of the block is determined by the code word representative of the last orthogonal coefficient of the last block.
In the variable-length decoding system according to the present invention, the first code-word table corresponding to the orthogonal transform coefficient other than the last of the block is configured with respect to each of the plurality of coding modes. However, the second code-word table corresponding to the orthogonal transform coefficient of the last of the block is used for the respective coding modes in common, so that it is possible to cope with the change of the code-word tables by the coding mode, and to find the pause between blocks by the appearance of the code word representative of the last orthogonal transform coefficient of the last block, so that the decoding can be syntactically in either direction.

Moving picture coding and/or decoding systems, and variable-length coding and/or decoding system


A floor wiping mechanism for mounting in the body of a self-propelled floor cleaner is disclosed to include a frame defining an opening, two rotating shafts suspending in the opening of the frame at two opposite lateral sides in a parallel manner with respective opposite ends thereof positioned in the frame, a wiping cloth made in the form of an endless belt and mounted around the two rotating shafts. When the self-propelled floor cleaner is steering, the floor wiping mechanism is moved with the self-propelled floor cleaner, causing the wiping cloth to wipe the floor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to self-propelled floor cleaners and more particularly, to a floor wiping mechanism for mounting in the bottom side of the self-propelled floor cleaner body.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to maintain a clean home environment, most people often use a broom and a dust mop to clean the floor. To busy modern people, cleaning the floor in this way is undoubtedly a very time-consuming and laborious work. So, there are many types of electric floor cleaners and self-propelled vacuum cleaners on the market. After cleaned the floor with an electric floor cleaner or vacuum cleaner, you must use a mop or drag to wipe the floor.
Although there are many mop dewatering devices for allowing users to rapidly dewater the mop without wringing the mop with the hands. However, people still need to manually clean the floor with the mop. This manner is still labor-consuming.
In order to rapidly and easily wipe the floor, China Patent 101647681 discloses a floor-mopping robot capable of mopping the floor automatically. This design of floor-mopping robot uses a DC gear motor to rotate a mop, and therefore, its structure is complicated. China Patent 201308449 discloses a floor-wiping mechanism for floor wiping machine, in which the wiping cloth towel is wound around a drive shaft, an impression roller and a guide roller, and a transmission mechanism is driven by a motor to rotate the drive shaft, thereby cycling the wiping cloth towel. This design of floor-wiping mechanism has the same drawback of complicated structure. Further, it is also troublesome to detach the wiping cloth towel.

Floor wiping mechanism for self-propelled floor cleaner


A method for improving productivity when manufacturing a semiconductor device. A lower electrode, insulating films, an upper electrode and insulating films are formed on a semiconductor substrate in a sensor region. A cavity is formed between the insulator films above the lower electrode. The lower electrode, insulating film, the cavity and insulating film, and an upper electrode form a variable capacity sensor. The cavity is formed by etching a sacrificial pattern between the insulation films by way of a hole formed in a pair of insulation films. Other than in the above sensor region, a dummy lower electrode and four insulating films are formed on the TEG region on the semiconductor substrate; and a dummy cavity is formed between a pair of insulation films above the lower electrode however no conductive layer on the same layer as the upper electrode is formed on the dummy cavity.

Ultrasonic sensors are utilized in diverse equipment including medical ultrasonic wave echo diagnostic equipment and ultrasonic flaw detection equipment for non-destructive testing.
Up until now ultrasonic sensors mainly utilized an oscillating piezoelectric element but progress has been made in developing capacitive-detection type ultrasonic sensors using MEMS technology that has made significant advances in recent years.
This capacitive detection type ultrasonic sensor utilizes an oscillator made up of a cavity between mutually opposing electrodes formed on a semiconductor substrate. Applying overlapping (multiplexing) direct current and alternating current voltages to each electrode causes a membrane to oscillate in the vicinity of the resonant frequency to generate ultrasonic waves. Current research efforts are attempting to apply this principle to develop electrode structures to contrive 1.5 dimensional arrays for short axial variable focusing and two-dimensional arrays for real-time 3D imaging.
Technology for this type of ultrasonic sensor is disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 6,320,239B1. This specification discloses technology for a capacitive detection type ultrasonic transducer utilizing a lower electrode on the silicon substrate.
Technology was also disclosed for a capacitive detection type ultrasonic transducer formed above the patterned lower electrode (See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,271,620B1, "2003 IEEE Ultrasonics Symposium" (USA), 2003, p. 577-580).
Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 6,571,445B2 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,562,650B2 disclose technology for a capacitive detection type ultrasonic transducer on the upper layer of a signal processor circuit formed on a silicon substrate.

Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof


A display for displaying an image on the basis of input image data includes an image adjusting unit configured to perform adjustment processing on the input image data and an image detecting unit configured to detect a first image data segment matching a predetermined condition in the input image data. The image detecting unit performs the adjustment processing on the basis of the first image data segment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display for displaying an image after converting an analog video signal to a digital signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Apparatuses for displaying images, such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and LCD projectors, are connected to devices for generating image data, such as personal computers (PCs). Since signals output to the display apparatuses are generally analog red, green, and blue (RGB) signals, output levels of image data are different from one device to another. In other words, signal levels of image data output to the display apparatuses have variations. This makes it difficult to display a high quality image.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-131641 (in particular, paragraphs 54 to 66 and FIG. 1, corresponding to paragraphs 62 to 74 and FIG. 1 of U.S. application Publication No. 2003-0080985) discloses an image display system having automatic image adjustment capability. The system is described below with reference to FIG. 10.
FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a method for adjusting an image in a conventional image display system, as mentioned above.
An image display device 101b includes a display unit 104, an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter 105, an automatic level adjuster 106b, and an adjusting-image data output instruction signal generator 109. An image data generation device 102b includes an image data sender 107b, a general image data generator 110, and an adjusting-image data generator 111.
A transmission unit 103b transmits an adjusting-image data output instruction signal and an adjusting-image data output completion signal for communication control and an analog image signal between the image display device 101b and the image data generation device 102b.
In an automatic image adjustment process, an adjusting-image data output instruction signal is sent to the image data generation device 102b, and the image data generation device 102b sends adjusting image data together with an adjusting-image data output completion signal to the image display device 101b. Using the adjusting image data, the image display device 101b performs automatic level adjustment.
However, the image display system disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-131641 has the following problems:    (1) In addition to an analog image data signal, an adjusting-image data output instruction signal and adjusting-image data output completion signal for communication control are required.    (2) In order to forcibly set an image suitable for automatic level adjustment, it is necessary to have communicating means for sending an adjusting-image data output instruction signal from the image display device 101b to the image data generation device 102b.     (3) In order to make sure that the image data generation device 102b outputs an adjusting image after receiving an adjusting-image output instruction signal, it is necessary that an adjusting-image output completion signal be sent to the image display device 101b.     (4) In addition to a signal line for analog RGB image signals, a signal line for communication control (e.g., a universal serial bus (USB) cable or Recommended Standard 232C (RS-232C) cable) is required. This is disadvantageous in terms of costs and cable connections. Also, it is necessary to create an image dedicated to image adjustment in the image data generation device 102b, and therefore, it is impossible to individually perform adjustment in different image data generation devices.


A battery pack management device capable of reducing power consumption while transmitting and receiving data between a master BMS and a slave BMS by using a wireless communication method. The battery pack management device according to the present disclosure includes: a master BMS including an external communicator, an internal communicator, and a master controller and a slave BMS including a power supply, a state measurement sensor, a slave wireless communicator, and a slave controller.

Batteries are rapidly spreading to mobile devices, such as mobile phones, laptop computers, smart phones, and smart pads, electric vehicles (EVs, HEVs, PHEVs), and energy storage system (ESS). Such a battery may be combined with a battery management system (BMS) that controls overall operation of the battery.
A battery pack, particularly a middle- or large-sized battery pack used in an vehicle or an ESS, may include a plurality of battery modules. The plurality of battery modules have a multi-module structure in which the battery modules are connected in series and/or in parallel, thereby increasing the capacity and/or the output of the battery pack.
Such a multi-structure battery pack may be implemented in various forms according to circuit logic, PCB configuration, or the like. In this case, a multi-slave structure is mainly used in a BMS so as to improve the efficiency of monitoring and control. The multi-slave structure is configured such that a plurality of slave BMSs respectively manage a plurality of battery modules constituting the battery pack, and a master BMS integrally controls the plurality of slave BMSs.
In a related-art battery pack, the data transmission and reception between the master BMS and the slave BMS is mainly performed by a wired method. That is, connectors provided at both ends of a cable are respectively connected to the master BMS and the slave BMS, and the master BMS and the slave BMS exchange data with each other through the cable.
However, when the master BMS and the slave BMS communicate with each other in such a wired manner, there is a problem that a circuit failure occurs due to a contact failure of the connector, a disconnection of the cable, or the like. In addition, in the case of such a wired communication, a space for installing the connector, the cable, and the like is required, it is difficult to assemble the battery pack due to the connector, the cable, and the like, and the costs for manufacturing insulating elements, connectors, cables, and the like are added.
Recently, in order to solve the problem of the wired communication method, attempts have been made to employ a wireless communication method between a master BMS and a slave BMS of a battery pack. However, there are many problems to be solved when using such a wireless communication method, and thus the wireless communication method between the master BMS and the slave BMS has not been easily employed in the battery pack.
In particular, one of the problems of the wireless communication method is a standby power consumption problem. That is, in order to perform wireless communication between the master BMS and the slave BMS in the battery pack, a receiving unit, particularly a receiving unit of the slave BMS that receives a command from the master BMS, must be turned on. For example, in the slave BMS, an amplifier may be set to be always turned on so as to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal from the master BMS.
Power is required in order for the wireless receiving unit of the slave BMS to maintain the turned-on state, for example, in order for the amplifier to maintain the turned on state. Since the slave BMS is mainly supplied with power from the battery module, the wireless receiving unit of the slave BMS needs to be continuously supplied with power from the battery module for turn-on. However, in this case, there is a problem that power of the battery module is unnecessarily consumed. Furthermore, in the case of a vehicle battery pack, if a vehicle is not in operation and power of the battery module is consumed during parking, there may occur a problem that the vehicle does not start up or a driving distance is shortened when the vehicle is required to operate.


Lightning-dissipative A/C assemblies are provided, as are valve frames utilized within lightning-dissipative A/C assemblies. In embodiments, the lightning-dissipative A/C assembly includes a base dielectric component having a mount interface, a strike-susceptible metallic component coupled to the base dielectric component, and mounting hardware configured to engage the mount interface to attach the base dielectric component to an A/C. An electrically-conductive coating overlies or is formed over at least a portion of the base dielectric component to complete a lightning strike dissipation path. The lightning strike dissipation path extends from the strike-susceptible metallic component, through the electrically-conductive coating, through the mounting hardware, and to an A/C electrical ground plane when the lightning-dissipative A/C assembly is installed on the A/C. In one implementation, the base dielectric component assumes the form of a valve frame, while the strike-susceptible metallic component assumes the form of a valve door movably mounted to the valve frame.

Certain A/C components, which have traditionally been fabricated from metallic materials, have more recently been reengineered for production from non-metallic materials. For example, in applications in which an A/C component requires high thermal tolerances, but is subject to relatively limited loading demands, the A/C component may be fabricated from an engineered ceramic material as opposed to a metallic material. Certain components located in the A/C engines, such as shrouds and duct members, are thus now produced from such ceramic materials. Similarly, A/C components traditionally fabricated from metallic materials, but not subject to either aggressive thermal demands or loading requirements, may be a candidate for production from a moldable dielectric material, such as PEEK or another thermoplastic. Further, the properties of such thermoplastics can be enhanced through loading with fillers, such as carbon fibers added for increased strength. The redesign of A/C components for production from moldable dielectric materials, when operating requirements permit, can result in significant weight and cost savings in many instances.

Lightning-dissipative aircraft assemblies and valve frames utilized in the same


A control device for an internal combustion engine can quickly control, regardless of variation of the quantity of evaporative fuel gas adsorbed in a canister of the engine, the air-fuel ratio to a target value by performing air-fuel ratio feedback compensation control so as not to cause the emission performance of the engine to deteriorate. For the first canister purge performed after the engine is started up, a purge valve is driven for a prescribed period at a prescribed purge flow rate. During the period, the quantity of purged fuel is calculated using an air-fuel ratio feedback factor. Based on the fuel quantity thus calculated, an adsorption quantity estimation section estimates the quantity of evaporative fuel gas adsorbed in the canister. At the same time, a fuel evaporation quantity calculation section calculates the quantity of fuel evaporating from a fuel tank according to the condition of the engine and vehicle, and the quantity of fuel in the canister is estimated based on the balance between the quantities of fuel charged to and purged from the canister.

Vehicles, for example, automobiles driven by an internal combustion engine (hereinafter also referred to simply as an "engine") have a canister such as a charcoal canister as means of adsorbing and storing evaporative fuel gas generated in a fuel tank so as to prevent air pollution. The evaporative fuel gas adsorbed by the canister is purged to an intake passage of the engine at a flow rate controlled by a purge control valve (canister purge control valve). This kind of control is referred to as "canister purge control."
Existing types of air-fuel ratio control devices for engines in which evaporative fuel gas purge control is performed as described above include one in which: the quantity of evaporative fuel gas purged from a canister is estimated based on the intake pipe negative pressure, engine speed, and purge control valve opening; the air-fuel ratio variation caused by purging of evaporative fuel gas is estimated; the quantity of fuel supply is corrected, while evaporative fuel gas is purged, based on the estimated value of air-fuel ratio variation; and feedback control is performed by applying a correction factor determined based on the air-fuel ratio detected by an air-fuel ratio sensor (see JP-A No. H10-141114, for example).

Control device for an internal combustion engine


A low temperature process for depositing a coating containing any of silicon, nitrogen, hydrogen or oxygen on a workpiece includes placing the workpiece in a reactor chamber facing a processing region of the chamber, introducing a process gas containing any of silicon, nitrogen, hydrogen or oxygen into the reactor chamber, generating a torroidal RF plasma current in a reentrant path through the processing region by applying RF plasma source power at an HF frequency on the order of about 10 MHz to a portion of a reentrant conduit external of the chamber and forming a portion of the reentrant path, applying RF plasma bias power at an LF frequency on the order of one or a few MHz to the workpiece, and maintaining the temperature of the workpiece under about 100 degrees C.

Chemical vapor deposition processes can form high quality layers or films on a semiconductor substrate or on an intermediate layer. Such a film can be an oxide film or thin oxide film, a silicon nitride passivation layer or etch stop layer, or a isolation trench fill layer. Such films tend to form at a relatively slow rate. However, there are two chemical vapor deposition processes capable of depositing films at relatively high rates, namely a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process and a high density plasma chemical vapor deposition (HDPCVD) process. The PECVD process achieves high deposition rates by operating at a relatively high chamber pressure, on the order of about 1.5 Torr, to produce a dense process gas over the semiconductor wafer. The HDPCVD process achieves high deposition rates by generating a high density plasma. Both of these process may not be unsuitable for CVD processes for certain emerging integrated circuit technologies, specifically for the 65 nanometer technology at which features sizes are on the order of nanometers.
The PECVD process is unsuitable for fabricating 65 nanometer devices because the high chamber pressure employed by this process to boost the CVD deposition rate produces a high ion recombination rate, so that the plasma ion density is relatively small (about 10−5 ions/cc). Such a small plasma ion density reduces the contribution to the CVD chemical reaction energy of plasma ion collisions at the wafer surface. Therefore, the required CVD reaction energy can only be attained by heating the wafer to a relatively high temperature to supply the required chemical energy thermodynamically. Furthermore, the high chamber pressure results in such a high CVD deposition rate that the deposited film has a flake-like structure unless the wafer is heated to about 400° C. This has the effect of annealing out the flake-like imperfection in the crystal growth during deposition. Thus, a relatively high wafer temperature is required in the PECVD process in order to grow or deposit a high quality film. A problem arises in using such a PECVD process to fabricate 65 nm wafers. The 400° C. wafer temperature distorts the fine features by thermal diffusion or migration of dopants and other features in the wafer, so that the 65 nm features are distorted or destroyed. For example, the critical source-to-drain channel length between doped P-conductivity or N-conductivity regions may be reduced below a critical threshold at which device failure occurs. The magnitude of such feature distortion by thermal diffusion corresponds to the diffusion length, which is defined asD=k[t·T]1/2,where D is the mean distance over which atoms diffuse at a given temperature for a given duration, t is the duration or time during which the wafer is heated and T is the temperature to which the wafer is heated. At the temperature required to deposit a high quality layer in the PECVD process, dopants and other features diffuse beyond the 65 nm critical distance within the time required to perform the process. Reducing the wafer temperature to avoid diffusion beyond the 65 nm critical distance results in an unacceptably poor film quality. Therefore, the PECVD process employing a high chamber pressure is unsuitable for depositing high quality films on 65 nm devices.
The HDPCVD process takes the opposite approach by employing a very low chamber pressure (1.5 mTorr) to achieve a very high plasma ion density (10−1 ions/cc). The high plasma ion density results in a high plasma ion flux at the wafer surface that provides the needed chemical energy for the growth reaction, thereby promoting the growth process to realize a high growth rate. The HDPCVD process employs a low frequency inductively coupled plasma source that produces a very high plasma ion density with an ion generation region very close to the wafer surface. Such an inductively coupled reactor operated at such a low chamber pressure and low frequency cannot strike or maintain plasma without the application of a relatively large amount of source power, namely about 2 kW (minimum) of source power. At this minimum power level, the minimum plasma ion density is very high. This creates a problem, in that the minimum plasma ion density produces excessive plasma-heating of the wafer, driving the wafer temperature to about 400° C. Since this occurs at the minimum source power of the reactor for plasma ignition or plasma maintenance, the wafer temperature in the HDPCVD reactor is necessarily too high for a 65 nm device.
Another disadvantage of the PECVD and HDPCVD processes is independent of the device feature size, and arises from the high wafer temperatures that are required in the PECVD process and are unavoidable in the HDPCVD process: photoresist masking cannot survive such processes because the high wafer temperatures exceed the temperature at which photoresist is destroyed or removed from the wafer. Therefore, these PECVD and HDPCVD processes can only be employed in process steps requiring no photoresist masking, which greatly limits the utility of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processes generally.
The PECVD process typically employs a high chamber pressure (1.5 Torr). The PECVD reactor capacitively couples RF source power at an HF frequency (e.g., 13.56 MHz) at a moderate power level (e.g., 600 W) to achieve a relatively low plasma ion-to-neutral ratio (10−5) and applies RF bias power at an LF frequency (e.g., under 400 kHz) at a moderate power level (e.g., 2 kW) to achieve a bias or wafer sheath voltage of under 100V. A heater heats the wafer up to the required high temperature. The resulting CVD deposition rate is about 5000 Å/min.
The HDPCVD process typically employs an inductively coupled reactor, for which the low chamber pressure (1.5 mTorr) is suitable. The HDPCVD reactor applies RF source power at an LF frequency (e.g., 2 MHz) at a very high power level (e.g., 10 kW) to achieve a very high plasma ion-to-neutral ratio (10−1) and applies RF bias power at an HF frequency (e.g., 13.56 MHz) in a power range from 0 to 2 kW) to achieve a bias or wafer sheath voltage in a corresponding range of 0 to 300V. Plasma heating heats the wafer up to a high temperature due to the high plasma ion density. The resulting CVD deposition rate is about 5000 Å/min.
The foregoing requirements for small source power level in the PECVD process and large source power level in the HDPCVD process militate against large changes in these respective source power levels. This fixes the CVD layer conformality for each of these processes. This is because the conformality of deposited CVD layers is determined by the source power level. (Conformality in a CVD process is the ratio of sidewall deposition rate to horizontal surface deposition rate.) Therefore, PECVD and HDPCVD processes each have a fixed conformality characteristic that cannot be greatly modified without distorting the process. In particular, the HDPCVD process requires a very high (10 kW) source power level, which produces a highly conformal CVD layer. Any departure from this regime would require a reduction in source power, which would in turn reduce plasma ion density. This is not feasible because the HDPCVD process relies on a very high plasma ion density to furnish the required energy to carry out the CVD growth or deposition reaction. This forces a high degree of conformality in the HDPCVD-deposited layer which cannot be escaped. Thus, the conformality of layers deposited in an HDPCVD process is necessarily high. Likewise, the PEDVD process produces layers having a low conformality. However, this has not been generally regarded as a problem because such processes have not been viewed as vehicles for adjusting conformality between high conformality and non-conformality.
In pursuing the present invention described below, we desire a CVD process in which conformality can be varied from about 0.1 (non-conformal) to about 0.5 or more (conformal), so that different layers can be formed that are respectively, conformal and non-conformal, and in which the wafer is maintained at a low temperature (so that the process is useful in 65 nm device fabrication) without sacrificing layer quality and without undue loss of productivity.
Another problem with conventional CVD processes arises in the filling of high aspect-ratio openings such as deep or shallow isolation trenches. The problem is that sidewall deposition during a CVD process for filling such a trench pinches off the bottom of the trench before it is filled, leaving an impermissible void in the completed structure. To avoid such a problem, it has been necessary in conventional practice to employ a process having the highest degree of non-conformality (to minimize sidewall deposition). This practice, however, limits the processes that can be used for trench filling. It also places a premium on the ability of the process engineer to maintain a high degree of non-conformality in the trench-filling (CVD) process. Therefore, we desire a CVD process in which the filling of high aspect-ratio openings such as trenches does not necessarily require deposition of a non-conformal CVD layer.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Very low temperature CVD process with independently variable conformality, stress and composition of the CVD layer


A dryer duct assembly for connecting directing the exhaust air flow from a clothes dryer to an exhaust area, such as the exterior of a building. The dryer duct assembly comprises a rigid duct connected at one end to the rear of the dryer by an elbow connector and connected at another end to a flexible duct by a swivel sleeve connector. The rigid duct is of sufficient length such that its upper end is easily accessible to a worker standing at the front of the dryer, permitting the connection of the flexible duct to the rigid duct from the front of the dryer.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to exhaust vent systems, and more particularly to exhaust vent systems for clothes dryers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Dryer exhaust conduits conduct substantial quantities of heated air and lint from the dryer to an external location. Because of the amount of thermal energy involved in the vented air and in the dryer itself, dryer hose installation must be carefully made. Usually, all metal exhaust conduits are used throughout the dryer vent system. The conduits typically have a large diameter opening on one end and a smaller diameter opening on another end, such that multiple conduits may be attached together through a telescopic fit. Two adjacent conduits are usually secured together in the telescopic arrangement by a band clamp, resulting in the kinking or crushing of one or both conduits. A kinked or crushed conduit could create highly undesirable air flow restriction causing reduced velocity resulting in lint build-up in locations of the kinked or crushed section, which is undesirable.
Dryers are most often fitted into a space just wide enough to receive them, i.e., confined between two walls, a washing machine and a wall, or a cabinet or shelving.
Typically, it is practically impossible to make the connections between dryer vent components or to install clamps around the components after the dryer is against the wall. Consequently, homeowners or technicians that frequently install dryers find it difficult to make an effective dryer exhaust hook-up with metal components. Making the all metal connections when the dryer is still spaced several feet from the wall too often results in not being able to get the 25 dryer close to the wall after the installation or, if the dryer is pushed close to the wall, the conduit sometimes undergoes additional crushing, kinking and/or flattening, resulting in poor air flow and possible fire hazard.
The problem has been further compounded in recent years due to a tendency to place dryers in small closets. Typically, such a closet will have a maximum clearance of about 33 inches. There is little or no room to connect the vent components together with their associated clamps, unless the dryer is outside of the closet at the time. Then, when it is pushed into the closet, it is easy for the all-metal conduit to get crushed, kinked, and/or flattened, resulting in poor air flow.


A light emitting device according to embodiments includes a light emitting element emitting light having a peak wavelength of 425 nm or more and 465 nm or less, a first phosphor emitting light having a peak wavelength of 485 nm or more and 530 nm or less, a second phosphor emitting light having a peak wavelength longer than that of the first phosphor, and a third phosphor emitting light having a peak wavelength longer than that of the second phosphor. Then, when the peak wavelength of the light emitting element is λ0 (nm) and the peak wavelength of the first phosphor is λ1 (nm), a relation of 30≦λ1−λ0≦70 is satisfied.

A light emitting device using a light emitting diode (LED) is made generally of a combination of an LED chip as an excitation light source and a phosphor which is excited by the excitation light. Depending on kinds of the LED chip and the phosphor, various luminous colors can be realized.
For a white LED light emitting device emitting white light, for an example, a combination of a blue LED emitting blue light with a phosphor has been used. As the phosphor, a yellow phosphor is mainly used because the yellow color is a complementary color of a blue color. As another example, there is a white LED using the combination of the blue LED emitting the blue light with at least two phosphors selected from a green phosphor, a yellow phosphor, and a red phosphor.
With respect to the white light emitting device, in order to achieve a color close to that of natural light, it is desired to realize a high color rendering property, in particular, a high average color rendering index (Ra).


A system, method, and computer program product are provided for gauging video processing. In use, results are identified with respect to a first analysis for testing a performance of video processing of a processor, a second analysis for testing a functionality of the video processing of the processor, and a third analysis for testing a quality of the video processing of the processor. To this end, the video processing of the processor may be gauged based on the results.

Benchmarking typically refers to a test used to compare various aspects of computer-related hardware and/or software. Trade magazines and other organizations have developed various benchmark tests, which may be used when reviewing a class of products. One particular type of benchmarking is three-dimensional graphics benchmarking which tests different aspects of a graphics processor and, in particular, the manner in which the graphics processor processes graphics information. This type of benchmarking is automated, quantifiable, and reproducible. It is also well understood and has been in use for years.
Another particular type of benchmarking is video benchmarking. Video benchmarking tests different aspects of a graphics processor and, in particular, the manner in which the graphics processor processes video, performs digital versatile disk (DVD) decoding, etc. Unlike three-dimensional graphics benchmarking, video benchmarking is problematic since it is highly subjective in nature, and typically involves a gamut of natural images, etc.
In the same way that there is currently tremendous value in three-dimensional graphics benchmarking, similar value would apply to video benchmarks, if a quantifiable and/or automated video benchmark could be created. There is thus a need for overcoming these and/or other problems associated with the prior art.

Multifaceted video benchmarking system, method, and computer program product


A connector has five or six abutment surfaces for cable ducts. The cable ducts may have substantially square end faces or rectangular end faces half as large. The connector has a main body made of metal, which exhibits one or two square abutment surfaces or portions thereof, and which exhibits four smaller substantially rectangular abutment surfaces.

The disclosure relates to connectors—so-called nodes—for cable ducts or cable-routing profiles, according to the following description.
In printed publication Mechanik-Grundelemente 13.2, published by the present applicant in 2017, corner brackets and cube-type connectors are disclosed (starting on page 3-42) which are provided for the purpose of connecting the end faces of two or more profiles. Hence trusses can be assembled that form racks, for example. The latter then serve for the attachment of further components. In this case, the profiles, and correspondingly also the connectors, are not suitable for accommodating electrical leads or optical waveguides.
Profiles are also known that provide relatively large interior spaces and that serve as cable ducts. The interior spaces can be opened laterally, in order to insert electrical leads or optical waveguides.
In published German patent publication DE 10 2015 209 321 A1 and in printed publication (already mentioned above) Mechanik-Grundelemente 13.2 (starting on page 11-3), corner connectors and curve elements for cable ducts are disclosed that likewise offer appropriate interior spaces in which the electrical cables or optical waveguides can be installed.
It is a disadvantage of corner connectors and curve elements of such a type that they are only able to connect to one another two cable ducts arranged at an angle to one another, and that their mechanical load-bearing capacity is limited.
Curve elements and T-shaped connectors for cable ducts are presented in printed patent specification DE 33 22 102 C2, wherein the cable ducts have to be aligned by means of additional aligning elements, and additional joint coverings are provided. Hence the connectors are elaborate in terms of apparatus and manufacture and can only be utilized for the predetermined number and arrangement of cable ducts.
In contrast, the object underlying the disclosure is to create a stable connector for cable ducts that is simple in terms of apparatus and manufacture. In particular, the connector is to be capable of being utilized flexibly, and the connection is to be mechanically loadable.


A process for optical resolution of a racemic substituted benzylamine is provided that involves reacting the racemic substituted benzylamine in a solvent with an optically active N-acyl-phenylalanine, -aspartic acid, or -glutamic acid, and separating the diastereomers formed by making use of the difference in the mutual solubilities of the two diastereomer salts which are generated therein.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for the optical resolution of optically active substituted benzylamines and the adduct salt of the substituted benzylamine and an N-acyl-amino acid formed in the separation.
2. Discussion of the Background
Optically active substituted benzylamines are important materials as optical resolving agents to obtain optically active isomers from racemic carboxylic acids. In particular, .alpha.-arylalkylamines comprising a phenyl group and methyl or ethyl group are frequently used as optical resolving agents. S or R amines in which the aryl groups are derived from a variety of aromatic compounds are also, important raw materials for potent sweetener compounds, comprising aspartyl dipeptide derivatives represented by the formula (2) below and their salts, EQU L--Asp--X--NH--C*HR.sup.1 R.sup.2 ( 2)
wherein, R.sup.1 represents C.sub.1-6 alkyl or C.sub.2-7 alkoxymethyl; R.sup.2 represents phenyl, benzyl, cyclohexyl, or cyclohexyl-methyl; structures containing C* have an (S) configuration if the R.sup.1 is an alkyl group and (R) configuration if R.sup.1 is an alkoxymethyl group. If R, is alkyl, X represents D-norleucine, D-leucine, D-isoleucine, D-alloisoleucine, D-threonine, D-0-methyl-threonine, D-allothreonine, D-0-methylallothreonine, D- or DL-furylglycine or a similar D-.alpha.-amino acid residue or a DL-.alpha.-amino acid residue, or a C.sub.3-6 cyclic or acyclic .alpha.,.alpha.-dialkyl amino acid residue; if R.sup.1 is an alkoxymethyl group, X represents D-alanine, D-.alpha.-amino butyric acid, D-norvaline, D-valine, D-norleucine, D-leucine, D-isoleucine, D-alloisoleucine, D-t-leucine, D-serine, D-0-methylserine, D-threonine, D-0-methylthreonine, D-allothreonine, D-0-methyl allothreonine, D-phenylglycine, D- or DL-furylglycine or a similar D-.alpha.-amino acid residue or DL-.alpha. amino acid residue, or a C.sub.3-6 cyclic or acyclic .alpha.,.alpha.-dialkyl amino acid residue. L--Asp and X are bonded via an .alpha.-bonding. These potent sweeteners also include aspartyl dipeptide amide derivatives represented by the general formula (3) below and their salts EQU L--Asp--X--NH--C*HR.sup.1 R.sup.2 ( 3)
wherein, X represents D-alanine, D-.alpha.-amino butyric acid, D-norvaline, D-valine, D-norleucine, D-leucine, D-isoleucine, D-alloisoleucine, D-t-leucine, D-serine, D-0-methylserine, D-threonine, D-0-methylthreonine, D-allothreonine, D-0-methylallothreonine, D-phenylglycine, D-or DL-furylglycine or a similar D-.alpha.-amino acid residue or DL-.alpha.-amino acid residue, or a C.sub.3-6 cyclic or acyclic .alpha.,.alpha.-dialkyl amino acid residue; R.sup.1 represents a C.sub.1-6 alkyl group or C.sub.2-7 alkoxymethyl group; R.sup.2 represents a phenyl group having a substituent in the 2-, 3-, or 4- position selected from the group containing F, Cl, Br, I, hydroxy, C.sub.1-6 alkoxy, cyano, nitro, acetyl, amino, and acetyl amino, or a phenyl group having a 2, 3- or 3, 4-methylenedioxy, trimethylene, or tetramethylene substituent; or 2, 3, or 4-pyridyl, 2- or 3-furyl, or 2- or 3-thienyl substituent; structures containing C* are (S) or (RS) isomers if R.sup.1 is alkyl; or they represent (R), (S), or (RS) if R.sup.1 is alkoxymethyl; and the L--Asp is bonded to X via an .alpha.-bonding.
Aspartyl dipeptides of formula (2) include .alpha.-L-aspartyl-D-threonine (S)-.alpha.-ethylbenzylamide; .alpha.-L-aspartyl-DL-furylglycine (S)-.alpha.-ethylbenzylamide; .alpha.-aspartyl-DL-furylglycine (S)-.alpha.-methoxymethylbenzylamide; .alpha.-L-aspartyl-.alpha.-aminocyclopentanecarboxylic acid (S)-.alpha.-ethylbenzylamide; .alpha.-L-aspartyl-aminocyclohexanecarboxylic acid (S)-.alpha.-ethylbenzylamide; .alpha.-L-aspartyl-D-valine (R)-.alpha.-methoxymethylbenzylamide; .alpha.-L-aspartyl- D-.alpha.-aminobutyric acid (R)-.alpha.-methoxymethylbenzylamide; and the like: Japanese Patent Application H7-42818.
Aspartyl dipeptide amides of formula (3) include .alpha.-L-aspartyl-D-.alpha.-aminobutyric acid (S)-.alpha.-ethyl-p-hydroxybenzylamide; .alpha.-L-aspartyl-D-.alpha.-aminobutyric acid (R)-methoxymethyl-p-hydroxybenzylamide; .alpha.-L-aspartyl- D-valine (S)-.alpha.-ethyl-p-hydroxybenzylamide; .alpha.-L-aspartyl-D-valine-(R)-.alpha.-methoxymethyl-p-hydroxybenzylamide ; .alpha.-L-aspartyl-D-valine (S)-.alpha.-ethyl-p-chlorobenzylamide, and the like: Japanese Patent Application H7-144844.
Conventional methods for obtaining optically active substituted benzylamines from their racemic isomers by optical resolution generally call for forming salts with various optically active carboxylic acids and separating the two diastereomer salts generated by taking advantage of the difference in the solubilities. Methods are known in the art, for example, including a method which uses optically active tartaric acid or malic acid (J. Chem. Soc., 1940, 336), a method of using optically active N-acetyl-3,5-dibromo-tyrosine (J. Am. Chem. Soc., 73, 5782 (1951)), and a method of using optically active 2-benzamide cyclohexane carboxylic acid (Bull. Chem. Soc. Jpn., 61, 1395 (1988)).
However, methods in which tartaric acid and malic acids are used are low in optical refining efficiency, often requiring recrystallizing and refining the resultant diastereomer salts multiple times. Although tartaric acid and malic acid are relatively low in cost, they are difficult to efficiently recover in this resolution process, which is a problem for commercialization.
In the method using optically active N-acetyl-3,5-dibromo-tyrosine, the preparation of this material itself is cumbersome and provides only insufficient optical refining capability.
The use of optically active 2-benzamide-cyclohexane carboxylic acids often gives high optical purity amines in a single crystallization, but the crystallization yield is not very high. In addition this material is relatively expensive.
Thus, while these known resolving agents are excellent on a laboratory scale, all suffer from some problem when used in industrial scale.

Adduct salts of novel substituted benzylamines and a process for optically resolving them


A electronic circuit board arrangement includes a main circuit board on which components are mounted, with component leads passing through holes in this board. Additional components are provided on an auxiliary circuit board at least part of which is directly against the main board, either on the component side underlying components or on a soldering side of the main board. The additional components are connected to the component leads via conductive tracks on the auxiliary board. The auxiliary board can be flexible to also extend over components on the main board. The arrangement is particularly useful for adding additional components to an original circuit design.

It is well known, especially in the field of telecommunications, to provide electronic circuits on printed circuit boards which are accommodated within an equipment frame, the boards including connectors via which electrical connections are made for example to backplane connectors in the equipment frame. Such an arrangement dictates the size and spacing of the circuit boards.
Evolution of electronic equipment has led to increasingly complex circuits, for example including microprocessors operating at high speeds, to a very high density of components, and to the use of multi-layer circuit boards to accommodate dense conductor patterns, so-called "daughter" boards perpendicular to a main board, and surface mounted components on both sides of the circuit boards. While the use of very large scale integrated circuits has facilitated such evolution, there are still many discrete components, such as transformers, relays, power transistors, large-magnitude capacitors, and precision resistors, which must be accommodated on electronic circuit boards. By way of example, a programmable line interface circuit for telephone lines may incorporate all of these components.
It is almost inevitable that any electronic circuit is subject to revision or improvement after it is initially designed. This is especially the case with circuits, such as telephone line interface circuits, which must be used in a wide variety of differing operating situations and conditions. Often minor revisions or improvements prove to be desirable. While in the long term such changes can be incorporated into a redesign of the physical implementation of the electronic circuit, in the short term this is impractical. Accordingly, such changes have frequently been implemented in the past by electronic "barnacles" on the circuit. An electronic barnacle typically involves the addition of a few components connected into the original design of the circuit.
Electronic barnacles tend to be unsightly and are expensive to implement, because they involve manual modifications of the circuit. While the cost of manually modifying a few circuits may not be great, the costs of manually modifying circuits manufactured in large quantities may be prohibitive.
Furthermore, the high density of components of the circuit, combined with the constraints on its size, may leave virtually no room for components to be added manually to the circuit, because typically the whole area of both sides of the circuit board is fully occupied by components and connections of the original design. Gaining access to points for connecting additional components may also be very difficult or inconvenient. Generally, connection leads of any manually added components must be carefully insulated, involving further manual steps.
Accordingly, a need exists to provide an improved arrangement which facilitates making minor revisions to an electronic circuit design.

Electronic circuit board arrangements including main auxiliary circuit boards


The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising an extract of the mixture of Coicis Semen, Chicorium intibus, Acanthopanax sessiliflorus SEEM, Lonicerae flos, Platycodi radix, Poria, laminariae Thallus, Taraxaci herba, Acori graminei Rhizoma and Glycyrrhia uralaensis FISCH or dry power of the extract for increasing nitric oxide (NO) and INF-γ production and a process for preparation thereof.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for increasing nitric oxide (NO) and IFN-γ production, and a process for preparation thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for increasing nitric oxide (NO) and IFN-1 production and a process for preparing the same, which includes an extract or dry powder of the extract of the mixture of Coicis Semen, Chicoiium intibus, Acanthopanax sessiliflorus SEEM, Lonicerae flos, Platycodi radix, Poria, laminarae Thallus, Taraxaci herba, Acori graminei Rhizoma and Glycyrrhiza uralensis FISCH.
Nitric oxide (NO) is a highly unstable and reactive material, which performs various in vivo actions (Bredt, D. S. and Snyder, S. H.: Nitric oxide, a novel neouronal messenger. Neuron 8, 3, 1992; Moncada, S., Palmer, R. M. J. and Higgs, E. A.: Nitric oxide: Physiology, pathophysiology and pharmacology. Pharmacol. Rev. 43, 109, 1991; Nathan, C. F. and Hibbs, J. B. Jr.: Role of nitric oxide synthesis in macrophage antimicrobial activity. Curr, Opinion Immunl. 3, 65, 1991). Enzymes that synthesize NO are largely grouped into two categories: i.e., a constitutive NO synthase (cNOS) and an inducible NO synthase (iNOS). cNOS is a protein that exists in cells and is activated by certain stimulation while iNOS is a protein that is newly synthesized by stimulation (Nathan, C. F.: Nitric oxide as a secretory product of mammalian cells. FASEB J. 6; 3051, 1992; Stuehr, D. J. and Marietta M. A.: Mammalian nitrate biosynthesis: Mouse macrophages produce nitrite and nitrate in response to Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci, USA 82, 7338, 1985). It is already known that a large amount of nitrate (NO3) is produced from experimental animals that were administered with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), an endotoxin (Wagner, D. A., Young V. R. and Tannenbaum, S. R.: Mammalian nitrate biosynthesis: Incorporation of 15H3 into nitrate is enhanced by endotoxin treatment. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 78, 7.764, 1983), and it was verified that macrophages are activated by IFN-γ and LPS thus producing nitrite (NO2−) and nitrate. The nitrite and nitrate are originated from NO produced in macrophages (Hibbs, J. B., Jr., Taintor, R. R. and Vavrin, Z.: Iron depletion: possible cause of tumor cell cytotoxicity induced by activated macrophages. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm-un. 123, 716, 1984). Further, the NO was verified to be an important mediator in antimicrobial activity and anticancer activity of macrophages (Hibbs, J. B., Jr., Taintor, R. R. and Vavrin, Z.: Macrophage cytotoxicity: role for L-arginine deiminase and imino nitrogen oxidation to nitrite. Science 235, 473, 1987; Stuehr, D. J. and Nathan, C. F.: Nitric oxide, a macrophage product responsible for cytostasis and respiratory inhibition in tumor target cells. J. Exp. Med. 169, 1543, 1989). Therefore, when a certain effective drug promotes NO production of macrophages, the anticancer effect of that drug can be analogized because the amount of NO production from macrophages can serve as a good index for studying anticancer effect.
Meanwhile, immune system can be divided into three different categories: a natural resistance, a non-specific immune system and a specific immune system. The natural resistance (the primary defense line) refers to an immune system where anatomical physiological factors defend against all kinds of invaders including microorganisms regardless of their kinds. The non-specific immune system (the secondary defense line) refers to an immune system which consists of macrophages that remove invaders that came into the body when natural resistance is failed and the specific immune system (the tertiary defense line) is composed of lymphocytes. Of these, the specific immune system is the most advanced immune system which enables to memorize and distinguish self from non-self.
Leukocytes are involved in secondary or tertiary defenses to defend against foreign bodies that have passed through the first defense line. Among the leukocytes, macrophages have many lysosomes that include acidic hydrolase and peroxidase. Also, macrophages adhere strongly to the surface of glass and plastic and actively engulf microorganisms or tumor cells. They have receptors for cytokines such as IFN-γ and produce cytokines such as complement component, interferon, IL-1 and tumor necrosis factor. Functions of macrophages can be increased by various cytokines produced from T-cells.
T-cells, also a kind of leukocytes, take up about 70% of small lymphocytes in blood. T-cells are differentiated from thymus and have T-cell receptors (TCR). Peripheral T-cells are divided into helper T-cells (TH cells) that are CD4 positive and cytotoxic T-cells (TC cells) that are CD8 positive. CD4+ TH cells are activated by recognition of antigens that are combined with MHC class II molecules and help B-cells to produce antibodies or help the function of other T-cells. CD4+ TH cells are divided again into TH1 and TH2 according to cytokines they produce. TH1 cells of experimental mice secrete IL-2, IFN-γ, etc., while TH2 cells secrete L-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-9, IL-10, IL-13, etc. But, in human, the production of IL-2, IL-6, IL-10 and IL-13 is not classified clearly. IL-3, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), [Met]enkephalin and chemokine (CK) are also secreted without clear classification. TH1 cells are related with cell immune reaction and activate cytotoxicy and inflammatory reaction. Cytokines produced from TH2 cells accelerate antibody formation and especially help IgE production and increase proliferation and function of eosinophils. Therefore, TH2 cytokines are often found in antibody formation and allergic reaction. TH1 and TH2 cytokines function to inhibit each other and it was verified that they can change progress of disease with anti-IL-4 antibody and anti-IFN-γ antibody. And there is a case that injection of IFN-γ to a patient with rheumatoid arthritis brought improvement in symptoms.
As described above, substances that enable to produce a large amount of NO and IFN-γ are expected to have an anticancer effect or an immune enhancing effect.

Pharmaceutical composition for increasing the production of nitric oxide and IFN-γ, and process for preparation thereof


The present invention relates to an apparatus and method of determining particulate integrated properties consisting of integrated volume concentration, integrated surface area concentration and aerosol extinction coefficient in the infrared portion of the light spectrum using a noncollimated light beam irradiating suspended particulates. A light trap is placed in front of the lens that collects the light scattered by the particulates. Two separate detectors are placed differently with respect to the noncollimated beam to measure the light scattered by the particulates. Variable transmission filters are placed in front of the detectors to correct for the distortions in the light scattered by the particulates due to the off-axis intensity of the noncollimated beam.

This invention relates to optically measuring the following properties of suspended polvdisperse particulates: integrated volume concentration, integrated surface area concentration, and aerosol infrared extinction coefficient. These properties can be given the name particulate integrated properties.
Other optical techniques exist to measure the preceding integrated properties of particulates. These techniques can be categorized into two broad types: In the first type, a light beam is used to irradiate one particulate at a time, and the light scattered out of the beam by the particulate and measured by a light detector gives an indication of the desired property of the particulate. A typical example of this single-particulate optical technique is described by W. D. Bachalo, U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,705, Aug. 8, 1989. In order to determine the volume, area, and extinction particulate integrated properties listed in the preceding, such single-particulate optical techniques are required to sum up electronically the light-scattering contribution from many individual particulates.
Given the small size of typical particulates, which is often in the order of microns, and the resulting requirement for microminiature and highly precise measuring optics, it is difficult for the single-particulate optical techniques to achieve high accuracy in the measurement of the particulate integrated properties. The second broad type for optically measuring particulates minimizes this difficulty, because in the second type a light beam irradiates many particulates in the same time interval, and the light scattered by the many particulates is measured by a detector that can output a signal directly proportional to the particulate integrated properties. Examples of this multiple-particulate optical technique are given by W. L. Wilcock, U.S. Pat. No. 3,873,206, Mar. 25, 1975, and H. E. Gerber, U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,666, Jul. 1, 1986.
The previous multiple-particulate optical techniques use a collimated light beam to irradiate the particulates. The collimated-beam feature permits the use of simple detector geometries (for example, slit-like for the Wilcock patent, and circular detector for the Gerber patent) to determine directly particulate integrated properties; however, the collimated-beam feature leads to some limitations that the present invention attempts to overcome. In the earlier techniques the collimated beam and scattered light usually pass through a lens, on the other side of this lens the beam is focused into a light trap, and the scattered light continues on to a large-area detector placed just past the light trap. The beam passing through this lens scatters light from unavoidable imperfections in the glass of the lens, as well from possible contamination on the lens, surfaces; this scattered light interferes with the measurement of light scattered by the particulates, and prevents the use of this technique (with collimated beam passing through lens) for measuring particulate concentrations and mass loadings important for environmental monitoring. An obvious alternative is to place the light trap in front of the lens, so that the collimated beam is not required to pass through the lens. This alternative, however, requires that the collimated beam and light trap are very narrow, so that the required small light-scattering angles from the particulates are not blocked from the detector. The narrow beam of this alternative results in a small irradiated volume that under conditions of low particulate concentration is a disadvantage.
This patent application described an optical method and apparatus that utilizes a noncollimated convergent beam irradiating many particulates in the same time interval. The convergent beam falls into a light trap in front of the lens that collects the scattered light. In this manner no light from the beam is scattered by the lens; and the noncollimated beam can illuminate a much larger volume containing particulates than can the narrow collimated beam. This leads to an apparatus that is more sensitive to low particulate concentrations, and that can be more compactly constructed.
The use of a convergent noncollimated beam does not, however, lend itself to the simple and direct measurement of the particulate integrated properties obtained with the simple detector geometries used in the collimated-beam techniques. This invention describes a method, based on using an inversion spatial filter placed in front of the detector, by which the present noncollimated technique can make direct measurements of particulate integrated properties.
This invention further describes the use of a second detector assembly placed in such a way with respect to the concollimated beam to enhance the scattered light contribution from small particulates, which are underestimated in the single detector version. This permits a particulate size range to be measured (0.1 um and larger) for the particulate integrated properties that is consistent which required atmospheric monitoring.

Optical apparatus and method for sensing particulates


A toy vehicle for a guided motor-racing circuit has a guiding groove and conductor rails adjacent thereto. A keel pivotably mounted on the vehicle engages the guiding groove to aid vehicle guidance. A magnetic device magnetically interacts with the conductor rails to provide additional retaining force for holding the toy vehicle on the track. One end of a rocker is pivotably fixed to the vehicle. The magnetic device is positioned on the rocker at a distance from the pivotable connection. If the vehicle moves off course by pivoting along its longitudinal axis about the keel, the rocker pivots in an opposite manner relative to the vehicle, so the magnetic device remains on the circuit adjacent the rails such that even if the toy vehicle moves off course, a magnetic force of attraction remains between the magnetic device and the conductor rails.

The aim with motor-racing circuits having guidance by tracks is for a toy vehicle to be guided around the circuit as quickly as possible in a race by controlling its speed of travel. In the course of this a keel engages in a guiding groove and ensures that the toy vehicle follows the path of the racing circuit. For this purpose, the keel is arranged to be pivotable on a chassis of the toy vehicle about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the circuit. A particular attraction in this case lies in the fact that, in a similar way to some model, a driver can cause the toy vehicle to drift through bends in the circuit. However, what often happens in this case is that, if speed on the bend is too high, the toy vehicle flips out of the guide and is flung off the course. If this happens, on the one hand unwanted damage may be done to the toy vehicle. On the other hand, players often find it a nuisance that, particularly with large circuits, the player or a helper has to pick the toy vehicle up and put it back down on the course exactly on the track before the player concerned can resume the race.
To stop the toy vehicle from flipping out of the guiding track, it is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,154, for example, for a guide pin having an undercut to be arranged in the guiding groove so that although the guide pin is longitudinally displaceable in the guiding groove, it cannot be withdrawn from the groove. The toy vehicle is not, however, prevented in this case from rotating through 180° about the guide pin, i.e., in a direction opposite to the direction of travel, if its speed in a bend is too high. Also, some of the tension is lacking from the race, because, to a limited degree, it is perfectly desirable that gross mistakes in driving, such as, for example, going into a bend at maximum speed, should continue to be punished by the toy vehicle flipping out of the guiding track.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a toy vehicle of the above kind which permits drifting at high speed, in a similar way to some model, through bends in the circuit, with flipping out of the track being impeded but not completely ruled out.

Toy vehicle for guided motor-racing circuits

Stadlbauer Spiel-Und Freizeitartikel GmbH


Various embodiments of the present invention adjust an operating mode of a configurable receiver based at least in part on a selected communication service to be provided and an available signal quality. A control unit receives data related to one or more selected communication services to be provided. The control unit also receives information about the environmental operating conditions in which the configurable receiver is operating, via one or more signal quality metrics. The control unit adjusts the operating mode of the configurable receiver by modifying the gain of a received signal, the channel bandwidth, or controlling the synthesizers or equalizers.

Traditionally, users wishing to receive different wireless services (e.g., voice, pager, wireless email, etc.) would purchase and use different devices. However, there is a trend toward having a single communication device capable of receiving each of these communication services. Often, the different services are provided using the same protocol. A single device for receiving different communication services may be configured to receive any of the different services on the same set of receive paths in a single receiver chain. Conventional practice, therefore, is to design a radio transceiver targeted to support multimode services. In typical CDMA transceivers, for example, voice communications and data services are supported by a single receiver chain.
While operating requirements for the different services may vary, traditional receivers have often provided limited flexibility to adapt to the varying requirements. For example, channel bandwidth and amplification requirements can differ depending on whether the user is using the device for voice or high-speed data. This multiple use configuration may, for example, unnecessarily drain power from a device. Also, high-speed data operational requirements are different than voice, and an inflexible configuration designed to support both may have certain limitations when supporting high-data speeds.
Therefore, while it is desirable to provide a radio transceiver system that can be used for more than one type of communication service, supporting multiple communication services in a single receiver chain creates additional issues and design effects that need to be addressed. Different communication services operate at different bandwidths and communication rates. In addition, the available signal quality can vary significantly, and can impose very different receiver requirements. There is, therefore, a need for a flexible receiver architecture that can be dynamically reconfigured depending on the communication service to be provided and the environmental operating conditions.

Multimode receiver control method and apparatus


In a biometrics authentication device which uses biometrics information to authenticate individuals, guidance is provided such that image capture of biometrics information is performed appropriately. An image capture device is caused to perform a plurality of image capture operations (including distance measurement) at short intervals. And when image capture NG occurs frequently, a control unit stacks the NG results, and if image capture NGs are not resolved even after a prescribed number of image capture operations, judges that the relation between the body part and the image capture device must be corrected, analyzes the stacked image capture NG causes, and displays a guidance screen on a display device according to the analysis result.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a guidance screen control method of a biometrics authentication device, to a biometrics authentication device, and to a program for same, which utilizes the biometrics characteristics of a portion of the body of a human to perform individual authentication, and in particular relates to a guidance screen control method of a biometrics authentication device, to a biometrics authentication device, and to a program for same, which, at the time of detection of biometrics information, provides guidance for the living body for detection in the range of detection, to perform verification against registered biometrics information.
2. Description of the Related Art
There exist numerous regions of the human body which can be used to differentiate individuals, among them fingerprints and toe-prints, the retina of the eyes, facial features, and blood vessel patterns. Advances in biometrics technology in recent years have been accompanied by proposals of various devices which identify biometrics characteristics which are such regions of the human body to authenticate individuals.
For example, because blood vessels in the palms and fingers and palm-prints provide a comparatively large quantity of individual characteristic data, they are suited to individual authentication where high reliability is required. In particular, the patterns of blood vessels (veins) remain unchanged from the fetus throughout life, and are thought to be completely unique, and so are suited to individual authentication. FIG. 25 through FIG. 28 explain conventional technology for authentication using the palm. As shown in FIG. 25, at the time of registration or authentication, the user brings the palm of a hand 110 close to an image capture device 100. The image capture device 100 emits near-infrared rays, which are incident on the palm of the hand 110. The image capture device 100 receives the near-infrared rays reflected from the palm of the hand 110 using a sensor.
As shown in FIG. 26, hemoglobin within the red corpuscles flowing in the veins 112 has lost oxygen. This hemoglobin (reduced hemoglobin) absorbs near-infrared rays at wavelengths near 760 nanometers. Consequently when near-infrared rays are made incident on the palm of a hand, reflection is reduced only in the areas in which there are veins, and the intensity of the reflected near-infrared rays can be used to identify the positions of veins.
As shown in FIG. 25, a user first registers in a server and card the vein image data for the palm of his own hand, using the image capture device 100. Next, in order to perform individual authentication, the user uses the image capture device 100 of FIG. 25 to cause the vein image data of his own palm to be read.
The individual is authenticated by comparing the patterns of veins in the registered vein image retrieved using the user's ID and in the vein verification image read by the image capture device 100. For example, on comparing the vein patterns in the registered image and a verification image as in FIG. 27, the individual is authenticated as the individual in question. On the other hand, upon comparison of the vein patterns in a registered image and in a verification image as in FIG. 28, the individual is not authenticated (see for example Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2004-062826).
In such non-contact detection of biometrics information, the living body can move freely relative to the image capture device 100, and in particular the hand can move freely. On the other hand, the portion 100 for detection of the body must be positioned within the image capture range of the image capture device 100 to enable accurate detection. Methods to achieve this have been proposed in which, each time an image is captured, the position and orientation of the hand is detected, and when accurate image capture is not possible, a display or voice output is employed to convey the inappropriateness of the position or orientation of the hand (see for example WO 04/021884). By means of this method, because detection is contact-free, accurate detection of biometrics information is possible even when there is no sense of resistance to the hand or body during detection.
In this detection of biometrics information, the body, and in particular the hand moves freely. In order to perform rapid biometrics authentication, however, it is necessary to perform image capture frequently, detect appropriate images, and output these to the authentication process. Hence even if, as a consequence of the image capture state at each image capture, a display is presented indicating that the body part position or orientation is inappropriate, there is the possibility that the display may change in a short period of time, causing the user to be confused.
Similarly, because the display switches instantaneously, the screen may appear to the user to be flickering, so that again the display is not used effectively to guide the user.

Guidance screen control method of biometrics authentication device, biometrics authentication device, and program for same