A method of controlling a low power radio receiver including controlling the radio receiver for a first, relatively short, period of time to detect radio transmissions in a predetermined frequency band, and determining whether to control the radio receiver for a subsequent second relatively longer period of time to receive data from a subsequent radio transmission in the predetermined frequency band.

FIG. 1 illustrates a piconet 2 which is an ad-hoc wireless network of Bluetooth devices 4 that can communicate with each other using radio packets. The piconet 2 has a hub and spoke topology and is controlled by a Master device 4A at the hub with radio links 6 forming the spokes. Up to seven slave devices 4B can be located on seven respective spokes. Only one device in the piconet 2 transmits at a time. Each Slave device 4B can only communicate with the Master device 4A and the Master device 4A can communicate with any of the Slaves 4B.
The radio links 6 are formed using low power radio frequency transmissions in the 2.4 GHz ISM band. The radio links 6 use fast frequency-hopping spread-spectrum (FHSS) technique. The frequency hops at 1600 hops/s in a pseudo-random fashion over 79 one MHz channels.
The communication channel used in the piconet 2 is a Time-Division Duplex radio channel. The channel is divided into a sequential series of slots of 625 μs duration. The Master 4A starts transmission in even numbered slots while the Slaves 4B transmit in odd numbered slots. A transmission is typically a single packet that occupies a single slot. However, in certain circumstances the packet may occupy 3 or 5 slots.
The frequency at which a packet is transmitted is determined by the piconet's frequency-hopping sequence and the phase within the sequence at the time of transmission. The piconet's frequency-hopping sequence is derived from the Bluetooth Device Address of the Master device 4A. The phase within the frequency-hopping sequence is determined by the Bluetooth Clock of the Master device 4A. The frequency hops every 625 μs i.e. every slot.
The radio packets transmitted within the piconet 2 use, as a preamble, an Access Code that is dependent upon the Bluetooth Device Address of the Master device 4A.
It will therefore be appreciated that for a connectable device 4C to join a piconet 2 it must first receive an indication of the Bluetooth Device Address of the Master device 4A and an indication of the Bluetooth Clock value of the Master Device 4A. The Bluetooth Clock value enables the connectable device 4C to synchronize its timing and frequency hopping to that of the piconet 2. The Bluetooth Address enables the connectable device, when it joins the piconet 2, to send packets with the correct Access Code, to use the correct frequency-hopping sequence for the piconet 2 and to detect the arrival of transmitted packets from the Master 4A and thereby maintain time and frequency synchronization with the piconet 2. The Bluetooth Address and Bluetooth Clock value of the Master device 4A are sent to a connectable device 4C during a paging procedure.
The paging procedure for forming connections is asymmetrical and requires that one Bluetooth device carries out the page (connection) procedure while the other Bluetooth device is connectable (page scanning). The procedure is targeted so that the page procedure is only responded to by one specified Bluetooth device.
The connectable device (e.g. 4C) uses a special slow frequency hopping physical channel to listen for connection request packets from the paging device (e.g. 4A) which uses a fast frequency hopping channel. This slow frequency hopping physical channel has attributes that are specific to the connectable device 4C, hence only a paging device 4A with knowledge of the connectable device 4C is able to communicate on this channel.
In the paging procedure, the paging device 4A transmits a paging request for a target connectable device 4C that is to be joined to the piconet as a Slave device to the Master paging device. Each paging request is a packet that has as its preamble an Access Code that is dependent upon the Bluetooth Device Address of the target connectable device 4C. The frequency at which the packet is transmitted is determined from a page frequency-hopping sequence and the phase within the sequence. The page frequency-hopping sequence is a sequence of 32 frequencies derived from the Bluetooth Device Address of the target connectable device 4C. The phase within the sequence at the time of transmission is determined from an estimate of the Bluetooth Clock of the target connectable device 4C as emulated in the paging device 4A. As the paging device 4A can only estimate the Bluetooth clock value of the connectable device 4C, the paging device 4A transmits a series of paging requests each at a different frequency taken from a train A of the 16 most probable frequencies within the page frequency-hopping sequence. Each paging request is an ID packet of size 68 bits (68 us duration). Two paging requests, at successive frequencies in the train A, are transmitted in each even numbered slot. Thus a train of 16 paging requests is transmitted over 10 ms. The train is then repeated 128 or 256 times. If no reply is received paging requests are repeatedly transmitted using the remaining train B of 16 frequencies from the page frequency-hopping sequence.
Each connectable Bluetooth device, that is one that is available to join a piconet, periodically enters a page scan state in which it scans for paging requests transmitted for it. During a scan a sliding correlator correlates against the expected Access code and triggers when a threshold is exceeded.
In the page scan state, the Access Code used is derived from the Bluetooth Address of the connectable device.
The Bluetooth Specification requires a page scan to be performed every 1.28 s or 2.56 s. The page scan lasts between 11.25 and 2560 ms. During page scanning, the receiver of the connectable device 4C attempts sequentially to receive at each one of the frequencies of the page frequency-hopping sequence frequency. The phase within the sequence is determined by the Bluetooth Clock of the connectable device 4C. The receiving frequency typically changes every 1.28 s.
The frequency at which a connectable device 4C receives a page request allows the connectable device to roughly synchronize in time and frequency with the paging device. The correlation with the Access code of the paging request provides time synchronization. The connectable device 4C transmits a reply to the paging device 4A a predetermined time after receiving the page request and at a frequency related to the frequency of the received page request. The connectable device's receiver is then activated a predetermined time later to receive an FHS packet from the paging device 4A, which allows the connectable device 4C to join the piconet 2 as a Slave. The FHS packet comprises the Bluetooth Address of the Master device 4A and the Bluetooth Clock value of the Master device 4A.
It is apparent that if the paging device 4A is to page a connectable device 4C, then it typically requires the Bluetooth Device Address of that device and (optionally) the Bluetooth Clock value of that device. The Bluetooth Device Address enables the paging device 4A to send packets with the correct Access Code and to use the correct frequency-hopping sequence. The Bluetooth Clock value enables the paging device 4A to emulate the timing in the target connectable device 4C and accurately estimate the most probably frequency currently being used by the connectable device 4C in page scan mode.
An Inquiry procedure is typically used by a device to obtain the Bluetooth Clock values and Bluetooth Device Addresses of the connectable Bluetooth devices that are within range. It is an asymmetrical procedure that uses a special physical channel. The procedure is not targeted so that the inquiry procedure is responded to by all connectable Bluetooth devices within range.
The connectable device (e.g. 4C) uses a special slow frequency hopping physical channel to listen for inquiry packets from an inquiring device (e.g. 4A) which uses a fast frequency hopping channel to transmit the inquiry packets. This special slow frequency hopping physical channel has independent attributes that are not specific to the inquiring device 4A or the connectable device 4C.
In the inquiry procedure, the inquiring device 4C continually broadcasts an inquiry packet at different hop frequencies. Each inquiry packet has as its preamble an Inquiry Access Code. The frequency at which the packet is transmitted is determined from an inquiry frequency-hopping sequence and the phase within the sequence at the time of transmission. The inquiry frequency-hopping sequence is derived from the Inquiry Access Code. The phase within the sequence at the time of transmission is determined from the Bluetooth Clock of the inquiring device 4A. The inquiry frequency-hopping sequence of 32 frequencies is divided into two trains A & B of 16 frequencies. The inquiring device 4A initially transmits a series of inquiry packets each at a different frequency taken from the train A. Each inquiry packet is an ID packet of size 68 bits (68 μs duration). Two inquiry packets, at successive frequencies in the train A, are transmitted in each even numbered slot. Thus a train of 16 inquiry packets is transmitted over 10 ms. The train is then repeated at least 256 times. Then inquiry packets are repeatedly transmitted using the remaining train B of 16 frequencies from the inquiry frequency-hopping sequence.
Each connectable Bluetooth device that is available to join a piconet 2 periodically enters an inquiry scan state in which it scans for inquiry packets. During a scan a sliding correlator correlates against the expected Access code and triggers when a threshold is exceeded. In the inquiry scan state, the Access Code used is derived from the Inquiry Access Code.
The Bluetooth Specification requires an inquiry scan to be performed every 1.28 s or 2.56 s. The inquiry scan lasts between 11.25 and 2560 ms. During the inquiry scan, the receiver of the Bluetooth device attempts sequentially to receive at each one of the frequencies of the inquiry frequency-hopping sequence. The phase within the sequence is determined by the Bluetooth Clock of the connectable device. The receiving frequency typically changes every 1.28 s.
If a connectable device 4C receives an inquiry packet during the inquiry scan it will respond in an odd numbered time slot, by transmitting a FHS packet which has the Inquiry Access Code as its Access code and has, in its payload, the Bluetooth Device Address and Bluetooth Clock value of the connectable device 4C.
An important consideration for Bluetooth devices is power consumption. Typically, a Bluetooth device reduces power consumption by remaining in a low power consumption idle state from which it awakes periodically to enter the page scan state and/or to enter the inquiry scan state in which power is consumed.
It would be desirable to further reduce power consumption.


In accordance with the invention, a tunable laser uses magnets to apply mechanical strain on fiber Bragg grating reflectors or laser cavities in order to induce a change in lasing wavelength. The strain can be tensile or compressive. The tunable laser comprises a laser cavity including a laser material for emitting light in response to stimulating light and two end reflectors one or more of which can be a Bragg grating. In preferred embodiments, latchable programmable magnets vary the grating periodicity and/or cavity length in a controlled, accurate manner so as to achieve desired tuning of the laser over a broad range of wavelengths. The latchable magnets hold the wavelength in the shifted position without the need for sustained power.

There is an increasing demand for laser sources that can be tuned over a wide range of wavelengths. One application of growing importance is in multiwavelength optical networks, especially DWDM networks. Such tunable lasers can maximize the transmission capacity of multiwavelength optical networks by providing different wavelengths on demand and can improve network reliability by serving as standbys for sets of single-frequency lasers whose wavelengths fall within the tunable laser bandwidths.
Various methods of delimiting the laser optical resonance cavity use reflective optics: narrow band reflectors such as prisms, gratings and other dichroic filters or broadband reflectors such as reflective coatings and dielectric mirrors. For tuning, the characteristic reflective wavelength at one end of the laser cavity can be altered to select the lasing wavelength. A tuning range comparable to the laser gain bandwidth would permit the whole bandwidth to be utilized.
The laser cavity can be implemented in a waveguide such as an optical fiber or a planar waveguide doped with a laser amplifying element (e.g. a rare-earth element such as erbium, neodymium, ytterbium). The cavity can also be implemented in a semiconductor. Changing the length of the laser optical cavity provides wavelength-tuning of the laser.
In some applications discontinuous jumps between adjacent longitudinal modes (mode hopping) impedes smooth tuning. Smooth continuous tuning without mode hopping has been achieved by concurrently altering a wavelength dependent feedback of the resonator (refraction grating or Fabry-Perot etalon) and the length of the optical cavity. But this approach is complex and expensive to implement, involving sophisticated controls and optic mounts with close tolerances. Another attempt used piezoelectric transducers (PZTs) to strain an optical fiber comprising of two fiber Bragg gratings and an intervening rare-earth-doped region. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,317,576, issued to Frederick Leonberger et al. on May 31, 1994 and entitled "Continuouly Tunable Single-Mode Rare-Earth Doped Pumped Laser Arrangement." While this method eliminates mode hopping during tuning, the strain produced by the piezoelectric effect is relatively small, limiting the tunable range of the device (a 0.8 nm maximum shift in wavelength for a 15 cm long piezoelectric transducer). Laser gain media with bandwidths of 40-60 nm are now available, and so it is desirable to have a much broader tuning range. In addition to having a limited tuning range, a PZT also requires a sustained application of electric power with relatively high voltage, e.g. typically .about.100 volts. Magnetostrictive tuning suffers from similar drawbacks.
An alternative way to tune a laser having fiber Bragg grating reflectors is through thermal variation. The thermally-induced refractive index change in a fiber Bragg grating produce a wavelength shift of roughly 0.01 nm/.degree. C. Since the reflective properties of the grating start to degrade above 100-200.degree. C., the practical thermal tuning range is about 1 nm. In addition, thermal tuning is slow (of the order of several seconds), and also requires sustained power.
Accordingly there is a need for a laser that is quickly and latchably tunable over a large range of the gain bandwidth.

Magnetically tunable laser with wavelength latchability and optical communication system comprising such laser


A method and system for allocating a satellite payload terminal's (payload terminal) resources in response to a plurality of flow requests received by the payload terminal from one or more ground terminals is provided. The method includes, prioritizing the plurality of flow requests received at the payload terminal for a given epoch time based upon one or more attributes of said flow requests; and allocating resources of payload terminal to each said flow requests during said epoch time based on priority of flow requests. The attributes of said flow requests includes one or more of Quality of Service (QOS), rate request, and file size. The system includes one or more payload terminals having a processing unit capable of executing an optimization processes to allocate resources payload terminal resources in response to a plurality of flow request from one or more ground terminals.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to communication systems, and in particular, to a method of optimizing resource allocation in a communication system network.
2. Background
Satellite based networks are commonly used today. In atypical satellite network, plural satellites (also referred to as a payload terminal) communicate with various types of ground terminals. The satellite terminals (or ground terminals) are distributed in various geographical locations, which are covered by one of the various beams that the satellite network provides. Satellite payloads have on-board digital switching which enables re-directing of traffic from terminals to different beams and cross links geographically dispersed satellite constellations.
A payload terminal's resources are shared by plural ground terminals, connected to end-users. The ground terminals send flow requests corresponding to various applications, for example, voice, video, data, graphics and others. Typical ground terminals that compete for satellite resources include the Internet and other public, private, and/or government computer-based networks; wireless telecommunications such as cellular, Personal Communication Service (PCS), land-mobile, and the like; terrestrial and satellite direct broadcasts including traditional AM/FM bands, broadband, television, video, geo-location and navigation via a global position system (GPS), and the like.
Typically, ground terminals in the same beam control cannot be assigned the same time slot and frequency. If the ground terminals are assigned the same slot or frequency band, destructive interference arises, resulting in performance degradation. This problem is further enhanced when the demands presented by the ground terminals are based on quality of service (QOS) levels or priorities. The flow requests that originate from the ground terminal exhibit high variability and unpredictability. Each connection requires certain payload terminal's bandwidth, to guarantee the QOS expected by the ground terminals.
Requests for a payload terminal's resources from various ground terminals are subject to congestion caused by unpredictable statistical fluctuations of flow requests and traffic conditions when the offered load exceeds the payload capacity. Management of flow requests is important for successful operation of the satellite network. In the absence of effective flow request traffic management, flow request traffic from terminals can exceed the capacity of the network, resulting in dropped packets and frames which in turn translate into an overall degradation of communication network performance and loss of the end user's data.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method and system for optimizing the payload terminals and ground terminals resource allocations for flow request traffic in a satellite communication network in order to efficiently provide optimal service to the ground terminals.

Dynamic resource allocation based on quality-of-service


In a bicycle having a main frame, a wheel support frame pivotally attached to the main frame by a swing arm, and a suspension system coupled to the swing arm and the wheel support frame, a device for inhibiting the operation of the suspension system consisting of a body having a first end and a second end, the first end being pivotally attached to the swing arm and the second end being configured to detachably engage the main frame, such that when the second end of the body is engaged with the main frame, movement of the swing arm is substantially restricted.. In the bicycle, a method of inhibiting the operation of the suspension system consisting the steps of providing the body having the first end and the second end; mounting the first end such that the first end is pivotally attached to the swing arm; and, pivoting the body from a disengaged position to an engaged position such that when the second end of the body is engaged with the main frame, movement of the swing arm is substantially restricted.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of use of suspension systems for bicycles. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device for locking and unlocking bicycle suspension systems.
2. Description of Related Art
Bicycles are two-wheeled vehicles designed to carry a rider (i.e., a "cyclist") over many types of surfaces. Specific adaptations of bicycles designed to handle rough terrain, known as "mountain bicycles", or "mountain bikes", usually have to travel over obstacles such as rocks, and logs, and also surface irregularities such as dips and holes. To enable better handling of mountain bikes and offer smoother rides to cyclists, suspension systems have been added.
These suspension systems typically include a liquid filled shock absorber and a coil spring disposed around the shock absorber. For a rear wheel suspension, the shock absorber/coil spring assembly is usually mounted between the main frame of the bicycle and the rear wheel support frame.
FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the rear portion of a prior art mountain bicycle 2 having a main frame 4 with a seat post 5; a rear wheel support frame 6 for holding a rear wheel 8; and a suspension system 10 including a swing arm 12 pivotally connected to rear wheel support frame 6 and seat post 5 at pivot points 14 and 16, respectively; and a shock absorber/coil spring assembly 18 having a coil spring 20 and a shock absorber 22. The shock absorber/spring assembly 18 is pivotally connected to rear wheel support frame 6 and swing arm 12 at pivot points 24 and 26, respectively.
In FIG. 1, the path of travel of pivot point 14 is illustrated by a motion line 28. Also, the compression and expansion of shock absorber/coil spring assembly 18 (i.e., coil spring 20 and shock absorber 22) are illustrated by compression arrows "A'" 32 and expansion arrow "B'" 30, respectively.
When rear wheel 8 encounters an obstacle such as a log or a rock, causing rear wheel 8 to exert a force upward against rear wheel support frame 6, pivot point 14 will travel along path 28 in direction "A". As rear wheel support frame 6 is thus deflected, shock absorber/spring assembly 18 will be compressed as shown by compression arrows "A'" 32.
Conversely, when rear wheel 8 encounters a surface irregularity such as a hole or a dip, the expansion action of spring 20, as indicated by expansion arrows "B'" 30, will cause pivot point 14 to travel in direction "B" and rear wheel support frame 6 to travel in a downward direction.
As discussed below, shock absorber/coil spring assembly 18 can also be caused to compress and expand as illustrated by compression arrows "A'" 32 and expansion arrows "B'" 30, respectively, when, on smooth surfaces or riding uphill, a cyclist is exerting force on the pedals (not shown) to propel the bicycle. As a result, dipping would occur and efforts of the cyclist would also be inefficiently expended unnecessarily.
The oscillation of suspension system 10 occurs when a cyclist is riding on a smooth surface such as a paved road, as the pedaling motion of the cyclist will cause these suspension systems to oscillate. This oscillation effect is known as a "dipping effect", and results in the absorption of the pedaling efforts of the cyclist. The dipping effect occurs when suspension system 10, reacting to the forces exerted by the cyclist's pedaling motion, absorbs energy which otherwise would be put into propelling the bicycle.
Another problem with suspension systems such as suspension system 10 occurs under situations where the surface of the terrain is of a certain irregularity. Under these situations, suspension system 10 can also begin to oscillate. In cases where the oscillation becomes very great, loss of control of the bicycle by the cyclist can result, which in turn can cause serious injury and damage to both the cyclist and other property.
One solution that has been proposed for the problems mentioned above is to "lock out" or disable the rear suspension system in situations where the suspension system might interfere with the most efficient operation of the bicycle. These include the above-mentioned cases of smooth surface riding and also uphill riding.
One implementation of the solution is by inhibiting fluid flow between two or more chambers of a shock absorber contained in the suspension system (e.g., shock absorber 22), with the inhibiting device being integral to and located in the shock absorber. The control of the inhibiting device is achieved through the use of a cable connecting the inhibiting device and a lever mounted on the handlebars of the bicycle.
One example of this solution is contained in U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,343, "Light Weight Rear-Wheel Bicycle Suspension", issued to Waugh, on Apr. 15, 1986 (hereinafter Waugh). The device of Waugh contains a spring-loaded hydraulic shock absorber for damping the relative movement of a rear wheel of a bicycle. The hydraulic shock absorber incorporates a rider-controlled valve for hydraulically locking and unlocking the shock absorber, allowing the rear suspension to function both in a suspended mode and a rigid mode.
Other patents which have been issued and are directed at the same general concept include: U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,698, "Control Device for a Lockable Gas Spring", issued to Dony, on Feb. 5, 1991 (hereinafter Dony); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,375, "Interruptable Shock Absorber Suspension for Bicycles", issued to Reeves et al., on Jun. 14, 1994 (hereinafter Reeves).
Although the devices disclosed in Waugh, Dony, and Reeves function to inhibit the operation of a suspension system of a bicycle, to implement them would require extensive modification and/or the redesign of shock absorber 22 to include many parts. In addition, all three devices require a cyclist to actively sustain the inhibition of the suspension system--i.e., the cyclist must exert constant pressure on the lever mounted on the handlebars to control the inhibition of the operation of the shock absorber and thereby the suspension system.
Another solution that has been proposed is contained in U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,085, "Sprung Bicycle", issued to Gally, on Oct. 11, 1994 (hereinafter Gally), which is directed to a bicycle having a locking device for a suspension system where the locking device is being automatically actuated by a driving-force sensor. However, the Gally device also suffers from the same disadvantages as the Waugh, Dony, and Reeves devices as it also requires that the inhibiting device be located inside the shock absorber. In addition, the Gally device suffers from the additional disadvantage in that a cyclist cannot manually engage/disengage the inhibiting device, thereby preventing the cyclist from having full control of the inhibiting of the suspension system.
Therefore, what is desired is a device for inhibiting the operation of a suspension system which can be engaged and disengaged, as needed by a cyclist, and which does not require extensive modifications to existing suspension systems nor require the manufacture of complex assemblies.

Device for locking and unlocking bicycle suspension systems


A ram assembly of a blowout prevent (BOP) includes a ram shuttle, a ram wedge and a ram seat. The ram shuttle and the ram wedge are slidably positionable in a ram channel of a BOP housing between a retracted and extended position. The ram shuttle has a wedge cavity extending therethrough and an inclined surface thereon. The ram wedge has a tubular cavity therethrough for receiving the tubular. The ram wedge has a corresponding inclined surface engageable with the inclined surface of the ram shuttle, and wedges between the ram shuttle and the housing whereby a force is generated therebetween. The ram seat is positionable in the housing about the passage, and is engageable with the ram wedge and the housing when the ram shuttle and the ram wedge are moved to the extended position whereby a seal is formed therebetween.

This present disclosure relates generally to techniques for performing wellsite operations. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to techniques for preventing blowouts involving, for example, sealing and/or severing a tubular of a wellbore.
Oilfield operations may be performed to locate and gather valuable downhole fluids. Oil rigs are positioned at wellsites, and downhole tools, such as drilling tools, are deployed into the ground to reach subsurface reservoirs. Once the downhole tools form a wellbore to reach a desired reservoir, casings may be cemented into place within the wellbore, and the wellbore completed to initiate production of fluids from the reservoir. Downhole tubular devices may be positioned in the wellbore to enable the passage of subsurface fluids to the surface.
Leakage of subsurface fluids may pose an environmental threat if released from the wellbore. Equipment, such as blow out preventers (BOPs), may be positioned about the wellbore to form a seal about a tubular therein to prevent leakage of fluid as it is brought to the surface. BOPs may have selectively actuatable rams, such as pipe rams or shear rams, that may be activated to seal and/or sever a tubular in a wellbore. Some examples of BOPs are provided in U.S. Patent/Application No. 2010/0319906, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,235,224, 4,215,749, 4,671,312, 4,997,162, 7,975,761, and 8,353,338. BOPs may be subject to forces, such as wellbore pressure and mechanical forces.

Blowout preventer with wedge ram assembly and method of using same


A signature authentication device is disclosed. Even when there are variations in an input hand-written signature during the registration of the signature or during the authentication of the signature, the signature authentication device easily registers or authenticates the signature. The signature authentication device allows a user to re-register the signature without a risk that sensitive information stored in a computer is monitored by someone else. A plurality of pieces of authentication signature data for a single user is stored. If comparison for authentication between input signature data and at least a single piece of the plurality of the pieces of the authentication signature data is successful, then the authentication is regarded as successful. During signature registration, the plurality of the pieces of the authentication signature data is stored in a storage unit. The signature authentication device determines whether a predetermined startup unit from among a plurality of startup units for starting up the hand-written signature authentication device has started up the signature authentication device, and deletes the signature information and user information when it is determined that the device is started up by the predetermined startup unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a signature authentication device, a signature authentication method, and a computer program product for authenticating the identity of a true user by receiving a signature from the user.
2. Description of the Related Art
A signature hand-written by a person has been used as means for identifying the person for a long time. Recently, besides authentication means for identifying a person who uses a password on a computer, techniques are contemplated to identify the person by authenticating an input hand-written signature.
Hand-written signature authentication is typically used to permit only a person himself or herself to monitor or overwrite sensitive information written in a portable terminal such as a computer.
To authenticate a hand-written signature on a computer, for instance, a signature is input using a digitizer and a pen, and input coordinates, input time, and pen force are converted into electrical signals as computer-readable data. A computer then compares the data with hand-written signature data of the person already registered in a dictionary, calculates a score indicating a difference between the input hand-written signature data and the registered hand-written signature data, and identifies the person by referring to whether the score exceeds a predetermined threshold.
To pre-register data for use in signature authentication, the computer allows a user to write the user's signature on a digitizer a plurality of times, checks the degree of similarity between the plurality of signatures, produces a single piece of dictionary data based on the signatures similar to each other to some degree, and registers the data.
In one method of registration, a single signature selected from among the plurality of the input signatures is registered or in the other method of registration, the plurality of the input signatures are averaged and the average value is registered.
FIGS. 5A and 5B show registration and authentication processes of a signature in a conventional hand-written signature authentication device. FIG. 5A is a flow diagram for registering a signature in a dictionary in the hand-written signature authentication device, and FIG. 5B is a flow diagram for authentication of the signature.
The signature registration process is now discussed.
In step S501, a buffer for storing the trace of the handwriting on a digitizer and variables are initialized. The device waits for a signature input in step S502.
One signature is input and hand-written data is stored in step S503, and when the input cycle is complete, the process goes to step S504.
If the newly input signature is at least the second input signature, then in step S504 the newly input hand-written signature is compared with the already input signatures for matching.
If the input signatures are determined to be similar in step S505, then the process goes to step S506 assuming that the signature input at this time is complete.
If the device detects no similarity between the input signatures, then in step S505, the process loops back to step S502, prompting the user to input the signature again.
If the device determines in step S506 that a predetermined number of cycles (n cycles) from step S502 through step S505 has been completed, then the process goes to step S507. The device produces dictionary data to be referenced for the hand-written signature in step S507 and stores the dictionary data in a file in step S508. When it is determined in step S506 that the n cycles have not yet been completed, the process loops back to step S502 for further signature input.
The authentication process during authentication is now discussed.
The buffer and variables are initialized in step S511 and the device waits for the input of an authentication signature in step S512.
When the device detects the end of the input of the signature, authentication data is produced in step S513. The process goes to step S514.
In step S514, the device compares the reference dictionary data stored in the dictionary with the authentication data, thereby calculating a score indicating the degree of similarity.
If the score calculated in step S514 is higher than a score threshold predetermined in the hand-written signature authentication device in step S515, the process goes to step S516. The authentication is thus successful. If the calculated score is lower than the score threshold, the process goes to step S517. The authentication is thus unsuccessful.
The conventional methods have disadvantages when there are large variations in the hand-written signatures during the signature registration in the above device, the signature authentication device detects no similarity between the signatures, and prompts the user to sign repeatedly thereon. This inconveniences the user, and large variations in the handwriting may require endless registration cycles.

Signature authentication device, signature authentication method, and computer program product


Disclosed are compounds having the general formula (I)

Orexins A and B (or hypocretins 1 and 2) are hypothalamus neuropeptides of 33 and 28 amino acids, respectively, recently identified as endogenous ligands of two seven-domain transmembrane receptors, known as orexin 1 and orexin 2 receptors (Sakurai T., Cell, Vol. 92, 573-585, 1998; De Lecea L., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., Vol. 95, 322-327, 1998).
The orexin 2 receptor has the property of recognizing the two forms of orexin A and B equivalently. In contrast, the orexin 1 receptor, which shows 64% homology with the orexin 2 receptor, is more selective and binds orexin A ten times better than orexin B (Sakurai T., Cell, Vol. 92, 573-585, 1998).
Via these receptors, the orexins control various central and peripheral functions, especially taking of food and drink, certain cardiovascular endochrine functions and the awake/sleep cycle (Sakurai T., Regulatory Peptides, Vol. 85, 25-30, 1999).

Sulphonamide derivatives, their preparation and their therapeutic application

Abstract: as defined herein, the preparation thereof, and the use thereof for the prophylaxis or treatment of any disease involving a dysfunction associated with the orexin 2 receptor such as obesity, appetite or taste disorders including cachexia, anorexia and bulimia, diabetes, metabolic syndromes, vomiting and nausea, depression and anxiety, addictions, mood and behaviour disorders, schizophrenia, sleep disorders, restless legs syndrome, memory learning disorders, sexual and psychosexual dysfunctions, pain, visceral or neuropathic pain, hyperalgesia, allodynia, digestive disorders, irritable bowel syndrome, neuronal degenerescence, ischaemic or haemorrhagic attacks, Cushing's disease, Guillain-Barré syndrome, myotonic dystrophy, urinary incontinence, hyperthyroidism, pituitary function disorders, hypertension or hypotension.


A method is described for parallel processing of sequence operations, in which contention for the sequence operation is reduced among multiple parallel processes. Contention is reduced by caching sequence values locally for each parallel process. Each process accesses the sequence operation, or an instance level cache of sequence values, in a batched manner, thereby returning a block of unique sequence values instead of a single sequence value. The block of sequence values, or at least information that indicates a range of sequence values that define the block, is then cached locally in association with a given process of the multiple processes. Hence, future requests for sequence values from the given process are serviced from the local cache, rather than having to access the sequence operation and risk contention for the operation with other processes.

In many implementations, a sequence is a schema object that can generate unique sequential values. Sequence objects are commonly used by database applications to generate primary and unique keys while loading or scanning data tables, or to generate timestamps, for example. Sequence objects encapsulate a method for generating the next value of a sequence. For example, a primitive NEXTVAL is used in database applications from Oracle Corporation. Using Oracle syntax, a NEXTVAL operation on sequence SEQ is referred to as SEQ.NEXTVAL.
The NEXTVAL operation on a sequence generates the next unique value in an ascending or descending order, depending on the sequence definition. For example, a sequence can be created and implemented using the following SQL statements:                CREATE SEQUENCE SEQ START WITH 0 INCREMENT 1;        SELECT c1, c2, SEQ.NEXTVAL FROM TAB.The first line creates a sequence called SEQ, which starts with the number zero as the first value of the sequence and increments each successive value of the sequence by one. The second line applies the NEXTVAL operation of sequence object SEQ to each row fetched from table TAB. That is, it attaches a new next value, incremented by one from the previous value, to each row consisting of c1 and c2 from table TAB.
Significantly, a sequence object is globally accessible by several sessions, and thus several users, in a database instance. Hence, to ensure the uniqueness of each sequence value generated for each session call to the sequence object, NEXTVAL operations on the same sequence object are serialized across all processes using a synchronization primitive, for example, a lock.
In a common data-warehousing scenario, multiple processes accessing the same sequence object can be a coordinator process or slave processes spawned by the coordinator. Generally, a parallel query is executed by a coordinator process which spawns the slave processes. For example, the following SQL statement spawns 100 slave processes, which scan the table TAB in parallel, with each process requesting generation of a unique sequence value from the shared sequence object SEQ for each row scanned from table TAB:                SELECT/*+parallel(TAB 100)*/c1, c2, SEQ.NEXTVAL FROM TAB.
The slave processes spawned by the preceding SQL statement synchronize, with respect to the NEXTVAL operation of the sequence object SEQ, using a database instance level lock (referred to further as a K lock). Thus, access to the sequence SEQ is protected and non-trivial contention is thereby encountered. In other words, in accessing the sequence object for requesting a unique sequence value from the sequence, a requesting slave process executing in a given database instance might have to wait for another slave process executing in the same instance, which presently has control of the K lock. Therefore, the more parallelism that is introduced into a query execution, the more contention is introduced for the instance level lock and, consequently, the higher the miss ratio for the lock.
For the foregoing reasons, parallel query execution that requires making parallel calls to a sequence NEXTVAL operation, or a similarly functioning operation, can be highly unscalable. Indeed, the time to complete a given SQL statement that contains a sequence NEXTVAL operation can increase with increasing degrees of parallelism.
In addition, processes from different database instances of the same database also contend for a sequence object when performing NEXTVAL operations. These processes typically synchronize on a cluster level lock (referred to further as an R lock). Hence, a process that is attempting to obtain the next sequence value will first encounter the local instance level K lock and then the cluster level R lock for the sequence object, before gaining access to the sequence object to obtain the next sequence value for that respective instance. In an Oracle database implementation, caching sequence values or numbers inside shared memory associated with a database instance reduces the cross-instance contention described above, by creating a sequence object with a CACHE clause.
Based on the foregoing, it is clearly desirable to provide an improved mechanism for parallel processing in relation to sequence operations.

Dynamic and scalable parallel processing of sequence operations


There is disclosed a silver halide color photographic material having photosensitive layers and non-photosensitive layers adjacent to photosensitive layers on a base, which comprises a yellow dye-forming coupler selected from a group consisting of couplers represented by formulas (I), (II), and (III) and a compound represented by the following formula (IV): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 represents a monovalent group, Q represents a group of non-metallic atoms required to form together with the C a cyclic hydrocarbon group or a heterocyclic group that has a heteroatom of N, S, O, or P, and Y.sub.R represents a residue remaining after removing the acyl group ##STR2## from the coupler represented by formula (I), provided that R.sub.1 is not a hydrogen atom and does not bond to Q to form a ring, ##STR3## wherein X.sup.1, and X.sup.2 each represent an alkyl group, an aryl group, or a heterocyclic group, X.sup.3 represents an organic residue required to form a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group together with the >N--, Y represents an aryl group or a heterocyclic group, and Z represents a coupling releasing group, ##STR4## wherein R.sub.41 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an alkenyl group, or a heterocyclic group; R.sub.42 represents an alkyl group, an aryl group, an alkenyl group, or a heterocyclic group, and n is an integer of 0 to 4, provided that R.sub.41 and R.sub.42 may together form a 5- to 7-membered ring.

Silver halide color photographic materials have a multilayer constitution comprising photosensitive layers, which are three silver halide emulsion layers selectively sensitized so as to have sensitivities to blue light, green light, and red light, and which are coated on a base. For example, in the case of so-called color photographic print papers (hereinafter referred to as color papers), a cyan color-forming emulsion layer, a magenta color-forming emulsion layer, and a yellow color-forming emulsion layer are coated, generally in the stated order with the cyan color-forming emulsion layer being nearer to the exposure side, and a color-mix-inhibiting-intermediate layer, an ultraviolet-absorbing layer, a protective layer, and the like are provided between these photosensitive layers.
In so-called color positive films, a magenta color-forming emulsion layer, a cyan color-forming emulsion layer, and a yellow color-forming emulsion layer are coated, generally in the stated order with the magenta-color forming emulsion layer being far from the base, i.e., nearer to the exposure side. In color negative films the arrangement of layers is varied, and even though a cyan color-forming emulsion layer, a magenta color-forming emulsion layer, and a yellow color-forming emulsion layer are generally coated, in the stated order with the cyan color-forming emulsion layer being nearer to the exposure side, in the case of photographic materials having two or more emulsion layers having the same color sensitivity and different in sensitivity, some photographic materials have such emulsion layers with an emulsion layer different in color sensitivity between them, wherein, for example, a bleachable yellow filter layer, an intermediate layer, and a protective layer are inserted.
In order to form a color photographic image, three color photographic couplers, i.e., yellow, magenta, and cyan photographic couplers, are contained in photosensitive layers, and the exposed photographic material is subjected to color development processing with a so-called color-developing agent. The oxidized product of an aromatic primary amine causes a coupling reaction with the couplers to form color-formed dyes, and preferably the couplers are such couplers wherein the coupling speeds are as high as possible and the color-forming property is good so as to give high color densities within a limited developing time. Further, all of the color formed dyes are required to be bright cyan, magenta, and yellow dyes with less subsidiary absorption in order to give a color photographic image good in color reproduction.
On the other hand, the formed color photographic image is required to be good in preservability under various conditions. To satisfy this requirement, it is important that fading or discoloration speed of each of the different color-formed dyes is slow and the speed of fading is uniform throughout the image density as much as possible, so that the color balance of the remaining dye image remains unchanged.
Conventionally, in photographic materials, particularly in color papers, deterioration of the yellow dye image owing to long-term dark-fading by humidity and heat is considerable, which is liable to cause a change in the color balance, and therefore an improvement is desired.
In photographic materials in which dark-fading is significantly prevented, however, conventionally color-forming property is unsatisfactory, and therefore a new combination of couplers good in color reproduction and outstanding in image preservability is desired.
To solve these problems in part, various yellow couplers, and their combinations have been suggested conventionally. Examples are described, for example, in JP-A ("JP-A" means unexamined published Japanese patent application) Nos. 20037/1982, 57236/1984, 208745/1983, 205446/1985, 117249/1985, 229029/1985, 222852/1985, 50136/1986, 160143/1984, 120147/1986, 4047/1986, 239149/1987, 240965/1987, 254149/1987, and 300748/1990, and in JP-B ("JP-B" means examined Japanese patent publication) No. 7344/1987.
However, these couplers and combinations do not bring about sufficient color-forming property of the yellow coupler, and because fading in the yellow dye section resulting from deterioration due to light or heat is considerable, a change in color balance occurs and therefore the overall problems have not yet been overcome satisfactorily.


A coating apparatus has a two-piece shroud connected to a manifold, a rotatable shaft extending concentrically through the manifold, and a bell-cup atomizer attached to an end of the shaft. The shroud includes an annular inner member and an annular outer member concentrically shrouded over the inner member. The inner and outer members are removably held together and either the inner or outer member is detachably connected to the manifold. The inner member is held abuttingly against the manifold and positioned substantially between the bell-cup atomizer and the manifold. Shaping air nozzles or passageways are formed between the inner and outer members at their distal ends. The passageways are defined by a plurality of grooves formed at the distal end of either the inner or outer member, or both. The grooves extend to the distal terminal edge thereof. When the outer member is separated from the inner member, the passageways are exposed.

One type of paint sprayers or coating devices relies on a spinning bell-cup atomizer to atomize paint or coating material. The bell-cup atomizer generally needs to be spun at a relatively high RPM, to about 40,000 RPM so that its centrifugal force can atomize the coating material into a fine mist. Air is supplied through a shroud concentrically positioned over the bell-cup atomizer, adjacent where the atomized coating material leaves the bell-cup atomizer, to direct the atomized coating material to an object to be coated. The shroud is typically connected to an injection manifold, which supplies compressed air to the shroud and the coating material to the bell-cup atomizer. In practice, the atomized coating material adheres to the shroud and clogs the air holes, necessitating frequent cleaning.
To clean the air holes of a conventional shroud, one must first remove the bell-cup atomizer from a turbine shaft, which rotates the same, to remove the shroud from the manifold. Moreover, cleaning may require probing the air holes with pins or the like, which can undesirably change or distort the hole size. The hole distortion can alter the pressure, velocity, and other characteristics of the shaping air, which can generate inconsistent air streams. If the holes are successfully cleaned, the shroud is reattached to the manifold and the bell reattached to the turbine. This process is very time consuming. Further, when removing the shroud, O-rings frequently fall off the paint injection manifold, and must be replaced. This requirement adds additional cost to the operation.
In this regard, U.S. Pat. No. 4,997,921 issued to Weinstein and 4,601,921 to Lee disclose a two-piece shroud that does not require removal of the bell-cup atomizer to clean the shroud air holes. The two-piece shroud has an annular outer ring positioned concentrically over an annular inner ring. The outer ring is separable from the inner ring so that the outer ring can be detached from the injection manifold without disturbing the bell-cup atomizer or the inner ring. The two-piece shroud, however, does not have a plurality of individual shaping air holes at its distal end. Lee provides a single annular opening at its distal end. Weinstein has air holes near its distal end, but air exits at its distal end also through a single annular opening, where the individual air streams merge and exit the shroud as a single air stream. As air does not exit from individual air holes or nozzles, the air shaping capability is reduced.
Accordingly, there is a need for a shroud that provides an effective air shaping capability and easy access to the air holes or nozzles for cleaning. The present invention meets this need.


Disclosed are various embodiments for facilitating communications between application components that are distributed among many devices across a network. This allows for the application to execute as if on one device even though the application components are on many devices. A component interface is generated for the application components. The component interface intercepts communications sent from an application component, locates the intended receiving application component, and generates a component interface packet with the location. The component interface packet is then put into a network stream. The receiving component listens to the stream to obtain component interface packets that indicate the location of the device running the receiving application component. The component interface decodes the component interface packets intended for components associated with the component interface and sends communications encoded in the packet to the application components.

Applications are executed on devices. Applications may use significant resources during execution. Resources may be more optimally managed by distributing an application among many devices. Distributing applications among many devices may require developing a version of the application for each of the devices to facilitate executing parts of the application on different devices. Furthermore, it may be difficult to divide the application into components and execute the components as if all are on the same device.

Communication between application components distributed among devices


A rotor for a dynamoelectric machine, without windings and rotatable about a central longitudinal axis, having an axially extending rotatable body and a toroidal magnet coaxially mounted on the body is constructed to provide magnetic exitation for the rotor. The rotatable body contains a first set of circumferentially spaced axially extending salient poles with circumferentially spaced recesses therebetween and a second set of similar poles at an opposite axial location. The toroidal magnet is coaxially mounted on the body between the first and second set of salient poles. A second toroidal magnet may also be mounted on the body and a magnetic spacer placed in between both toroidal magnets.

This invention relates generally to dynamoelectric machines and more specifically to an improved rotor construction for a dynamoelectric machine which helps facilitate magnetic exitation of the rotor.
Inductor type dynamoelectric machines have been employed, in the past, to achieve high speed operation, particularly for electrical generation. These machines are generally characterized by a stator which includes both AC armature and DC exitation windings, surrounding a rotor. The rotor is winding-less thereby eliminating the need for rotating field or armature coils. Accordingly, slip rings, brushes and associated connections common to machines having rotating windings are entirely eliminated. The coil-less rotor allows the dynamoelectric inductor machine to achieve high rotational speeds. The rotor is homopolar and requires magnetic excitation from the DC exitation windings to create a magnetic field which rotates the rotor.
One typical version of an inductor type dynamoelectric machine, employs a circumferentially distributed arrangement of C-shaped (sometimes referred to as "U-shaped") armature elements which surround a generally cylindrical DC exitation or field coil which in turn encloses a transverse pole magnetic rotor. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,219,097 and 3,912,958 describe machines of this general design. These machines typically employ frame mounted hardware for directly supporting the individual components of the stator but exhibit deficiencies inherent with this construction.
A more recent version of an inductor type dynamoelectric machine is disclosed in commonly owned, U.S. Pat. No. 4,786,834, issued Nov. 22, 1988 in the name of James J. Grant, et al. As disclosed therein, a spool-like support structure for supporting the field winding and armature elements from inside and for accurately positioning armature elements provides for a more stable machine particularly at high rotational speeds. The spool-like structures which are made of a non-magnetic material have a hollow, elongated central portion extending concentrically about a longitudinal axis. This central portion supports a DC field winding and defines an interior longitudinal passageway for accommodating the insertion of a coaxial rotor. At each end of the central portion, end portions extend radially outward therefrom. Each of these end portions is preferably provided with radially oriented grooves in its axially outermost surface. The grooves are configured to receive and orient legs of the C-shaped armature core elements arrayed in a circumferentially distributed pattern about the periphery of the spool-like structure. The end portions of the spool-like structure are axially spaced and radially dimensioned having grooves in the outer face of each end portion which are angularly spaced so as to precisely position the armature elements in three orthogonal directions.
Other features, aspects, advantages and benefits of this dynamoelectric machine are detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,786,834, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. This particular dynamoelectric machine requires the use of DC field windings to generate a magnetic field therethrough and through the homopolar rotor to facilitate rotation of the rotor. Therefore DC power to create this magnetic field must be supplied to the field windings. The field windings comprise a helically wound conductive wire which forms a coil that surrounds the rotor. Because of the volume occupied by the field windings, access to the rotor for cooling is limited. Moreover, due to the production of DC current through the windings, heat is actually created within the windings due to the resistivity of the windings. Because the magnetic field is created by the DC windings, the magnetic flux is dictated by the number of windings within the exitation coil. However, the length of the DC exitation coil also dictates the length of the C-shaped armature element and therefore the overall length of the rotor and dynamoelectric machine.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to achieve a dynamoelectric machine which eliminates the need for DC current to be supplied thereto.
It is also an object of the present invention to achieve a dynamoelectric machine which is capable of providing magnetic exitation to the rotor without the use of field windings or exitation coils.
It is also an object of the present invention to achieve a dynamoelectric machine which contains a structure that facilitates improved cooling.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a rotor construction which is mechanically strong and stable and may be easily manufactured.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a dynamoelectric machine construction which facilitates the use of shorter C-shaped armature elements thereby enabling the overall length of the dynamoelectric machine to be shorter.

Rotor with hollow cylindrical permanent magnet


A method and apparatus for controlling working fluid surge in a centrifugal compressor include preventing surge by using a variable-speed prime-mover to achieve a minimum desired surge margin. Surge prevention is also accomplished by continuously modulating a blowoff valve to maintain an actual compressor pressure ratio at a predetermined target maximum value. Surge detection is accomplished by monitoring the time rate of change of the final stage discharge pressure.

This invention generally relates to centrifugal compressors, and more particularly to methods for controlling and detecting surge within a centrifugal compressor.
Surge occurs when the flow through the compressor is suddenly reduced. The process of surge within a centrifugal compressor results in transient unstable flow of a working fluid within the centrifugal compressor during the surging process. Typically, surge is accompanied by loud objectionable noises, and surge may cause structural damage and fatigue to the centrifugal compressor, either initially or during the life of the centrifugal compressor. More particularly, surge may cause the following to occur to a centrifugal compressor: damage to centrifugal impellers, overheating and overloading of compressor bearings which may cause bearing destruction, fatigue and overheating of centrifugal compressor piping, and overheating of other compressor components.
Presently, there exist centrifugal compressor control systems which are "reactive" to a surge process, and which merely unload the centrifugal compressor after surge occurs. However, in such compressor control systems, the initial stages of surge have already occurred by the time corrective action is taken. Additionally, in order for these control systems to function, the centrifugal compressor is nearly completely unloaded which thereby reduces the fluid output of the associated centrifugal compressors.
Prior art compressor control systems have employed numerous methods for detecting surge. A method used in prior art devices includes the use of a flow meter, such as a venturi nozzle, which is placed in a compressor discharge conduit with appropriate signals to the control system to indicate if a flow reversal has occurred. This method typically is costly, inaccurate, and causes additional system pressure losses. Another method employed in the prior art is premised upon the rate of rise of temperature of the working fluid at the inlet conduit to a centrifugal compressor stage. This method typically responds slower than desired.
The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in present centrifugal compressor surge control systems. Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an alternative directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations set forth above. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features more fully disclosed hereinafter.

Surge control and recovery for a centrifugal compressor


A method and system for providing preselected information services to a subscriber includes detection of an off-hook condition at a subscriber telephone line and determining the preselected information services for the subscriber. A message is generated corresponding to the determined information services by correlating the subscriber's directory number to the selected information services in the subscriber's profile.

Dial tone is an "in-band" tone signal generated by a switching facility such as a central office switch or other telephone network component upon detection of an "off-hook" condition at a subscriber premise. Typically, dial tone, as deployed in the United States, is a combination of a 350 Hz tone and a 440 Hz tone. Dial tone has historically served the role of informing a telephone service subscriber that his or her telephone network is in proper working order and is available for use to place a call. The provision of dial tone is so common and familiar to telephone users that many wireless communications systems now also provide dial tone to users upon depression of an associated key such as, for example, a "talk" button.
While the above-mentioned dial tone serves the purpose of informing a caller that his or her communications network is in proper working order and available for use, it serves no other useful purpose for the caller.
Consequently, a need has developed for an improved method of informing a telephone service subscriber and, in particular, a calling party that his or her communications network is available for use to place a phone call and to provide quick access to user selectable preferred information, or conversely, to information automatically "pushed" to the subscriber with the subscriber's prior approval as a means to a reduced or even free local telephone service rate structure. Such a method and system should provide this function to the subscriber in a manner which enhances the subscriber's communication experience.

Method and system for providing preselected information services upon detection of an off-hook condition


A system with two concentric antennas for two bands of microwave frequencies includes between the two concentric antennas a system for eliminating or attenuating propagation of waves from the inner antenna to the outer antenna.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a system of microwave transmit or receive antennas.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In some applications it is necessary to transmit or to receive microwaves in more than one band. Antennas for one band of frequencies are generally not optimized for another band of frequencies. This is why one antenna is usually provided for each band of frequencies. However, this multiplication of the antennas gives rise to problems of overall size, in particular for space applications. To reduce the overall size the antennas can be disposed concentrically, with the central antenna being that for the highest frequencies.
The invention starts from the observation that the purity of the signals transmitted by a system of at least two concentric antennas is not always satisfactory and that the origin of the disturbance lies in the transmission of signals from the central antenna to the peripheral antenna.


An automatic image capturing system includes a computer, an image capturing device, a monitor and an automatic image capturing program. The automatic image capturing program is installed in the computer. The image capturing device is used for capturing an image of a target object. The monitor is used for displaying shooting area. If a pre-shot image of the target object is moved to be within the shooting area, the automatic image capturing program will automatically capture the image of the target object.

With rapid development of electronic and information industries, image capturing devices become essential electronic devices in our daily lives. Image capturing devices are usually used to take photographs or record video data. In addition, image capturing devices are also applied to web cameras for holding a video conference. Recently, the notebook computer is usually equipped with a built-in image capturing device or the desktop computer is connected with an image capturing device.
With increasing development of digital techniques, text documents are gradually created as electronic files. Generally, text documents are scanned by scanning apparatuses and then saved as electronic files such as PDF (Portable Document Format) files. In a case that no scanning apparatus is communicated with the notebook computer, the images of simple documents such as single-sided papers or business cards may be captured by the built-in image capturing device. The images captured by the built-in image capturing device are usually saved as JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) files. Most users prefer using scanning apparatuses to scan the text documents as PDF files because the texts and signs contained in the PDF files are readable by the computer systems and may be converted into editable text files
As known, optical character recognition (OCR) is a process of capturing an image of a document and then extracting the texts from that image. It is possible to analyze images that are captured from the image capturing device according to the OCR technique and saved as JPEG files. As a consequence, individual texts or signs contained in the JPEG files are recognized and converted as editable text files. Since the associated OCR techniques are well established, the image capturing device is gradually adopted to obtain electronic files of the documents.
When an image capturing device is used to capture the image of a document, some difficulties possibly occur. For example, it is critical to hold the document steady. Generally, the focal length of a web camera (image capturing device) of the commercially available computer is set to be approximately 60 centimeters. Such a focal length is suitable to capture the image of the user's facial expression rather than the document. For capturing the image of an article contained in the document by the image capturing device, the document needs to be moved to the focusing position of the image capturing device. If this document is held by the user's hand, the document is readily rocked due to the long holding time. Under this circumstance, the obtained document image is usually blurred. For preventing from rocking of the document and thus obtaining a sharp document image, a static document stand is used for holding the document steady. The use of the document stand and the predetermined focusing position of the image capturing device, however, incur other problems. In a case that the document stand is used in other places, the user should carry the notebook computer and the document stand at the same time, which is very troublesome to the user.
For convenience, the document is directly placed on a working plane (e.g. a desk plane) without the need of the document stand. After the document is placed on a proper location of the working plane, the upper cover of the notebook computer is rotated such that the image capturing device is aligned with or close to the document. Meanwhile, the image of the document may be captured by the image capturing device. When the image capturing device of the notebook computer is used to capture the image of the document placed on the working plane, some drawbacks also occur. The common drawback is occurrence of a distorted image. If the shooting range of the image capturing device is insufficient, the image captured by the image capturing device for a single time is usually incomplete. For solving this drawback, the user usually takes photographs of the document for two times in order to obtain two incomplete images. By means of image processing techniques, these two incomplete images are combined together. In other words, after the upper-half portion of the document is captured by the image capturing device, the document should be moved such that the lens of the image capturing device is aligned with the lower-half portion of the document and the image of the lower-half portion is captured. Since there is no reliable reference tool or reference point on the document, the document is readily aslant during movement of the document. Consequently, the document posterior to movement fails to be parallel with the original location of the document. Under this circumstance, the image of the lower-half portion of the document is distorted and is unsuccessfully combined with the upper-half portion of the document. For obtaining a sharp image, it is necessary to re-capture the document. In other words, the distorted image is troublesome to the user.


A method of amplifying a nucleotide sequence complementary to an mRNA template derived from genomic DNA. The method involves the following steps. A sample mixture containing an mRNA template and corresponding genomic DNA is provided, the genomic DNA including at least two exons separated by at least one intron. A pair of intron-blockers are introduced into the mixture, the intron-blockers comprising a sequence of intron-specific oligonucleotides modified to prevent nucleotide extension in conditions promoting polymerase chain reaction. A primer pair promoting amplification of cDNA derived from the mRNA template is introduced into the mixture and then reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction is carried out to amplify cDNA. Detection of the cDNA is proof of the existence of mRNA in the sample, and thus proof of expression of the corresponding gene. The method avoids false positives caused by amplification of genomic DNA as well as cDNA based on an mRNA template. The invention includes a method of suppressing gene expression in vivo, which comprises exposing cells containing a gene to be suppressed, made up of exons and at least one intron, to intron-blockers having nucleotide sequences that bind to the intron to prevent gene expression.

I. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a method of detecting gene expression in cells and, if desired, of preventing such expression. More particularly, the invention relates to methods of detecting mRNA in the presence of complementary genomic DNA, and of preventing the expression of such complementary DNA. The invention also relates to specific testing or identification procedures using such methods.
II. Description of the Prior Art
Specific gene expression or the lack thereof can be indicative of a genetic defect, a disease marker or a viral infection. Therefore, it is routinely desirable to investigate the expression of specific genes. mRNA is produced in cells during gene translation to form a corresponding protein, so the detection of a particular mRNA in a cell is evidence of activation of the corresponding gene. In other words, if mRNA is present in a cell, it may be assumed that gene expression is taking place.
It is possible to detect mRNA by means of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) that is used to amplify the miniscule amounts of mRNA present to provide quantities suitable for detection and/or identification. This is possible because PCR is capable of achieving amplification rates in excess of a millionfold.
The protocol for the polymerase chain reaction has been known for several years and has achieved widespread application in the fields of medical diagnostics and forensics. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,202 and 4,683,195, for example, describe the original PCR process for the amplification and detection of nucleic acid sequences. The basic principle of PCR relies on the repetition of the following steps:
1) Denaturation--the template strands of the originating DNA sample are subjected to elevated temperatures and are subsequently denatured to form single stranded DNA templates. PA1 2) Renaturation--oligonucleotide primers complementary to regions flanking a gene or other DNA sequence of interest are hybridized to the single stranded DNA templates at the 3'-ends of the template sequence at an optimally lower temperature. PA1 3) Synthesis--thermostable DNA polymerase present in the sample mixture functions to extend the oligonucleotide primers from the 3'-ends with nucleotide triphosphates complimentary to the template nucleotide sequence. PA1 4) Repetition--the above steps are repeated many times. Each time the denaturation step is completed, DNA strands newly formed in the preceding step are released as single stranded DNA templates for the subsequent steps, thus increasing the copies of the sequence of interest exponentially as the repetitions progress. PA1 1) it limits the use of this technique for routine medical application which require more rapid results; and PA1 2) it adds an element of uncertainty as the procedure lacks an indicator of complete removal of the genomic DNA. PA1 1) Fixation of cells or tissues--isolate target cell/tissue for amplification/identification. PA1 2) Pepsin digestion--disruption of cytoplasmic membrane, making holes for the reagents to enter the cells, while retaining the integrity of the cell wall. PA1 3) Reverse transcription--construct an mRNA derived cDNA template. PA1 4) Polymerase reaction--wherein the PCR mixture includes modified oligonucleotides as intron-blockers and PCR primers, the primers preferably incorporating a fluorescent label or other identification means. PA1 5) Detection by visualizing a fluorescent signal or by other means. Positive detection indicates the presence of mRNA and thus confirms gene expression. Depending on the particular test, this may be indicative of a genetic defect, a specific protein, viral infection, disease specific marker, etc.
With continued use, the basic PCR technique has been modified or extended in various ways. Advancements in the field of PCR technology are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,436,149, 5,405,774, 5,340,728 and 5,338,671.One of the ways in which PCR has been extended is to embrace the use of mRNA as a template for nucleotide sequence amplification. This is discussed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,407,800, 5,322,770 and 5,527,669, wherein cDNA is first synthesized from an mRNA template by reverse transcription and subsequently amplified by PCR. Reliant on the activity of an enzyme, reverse transcriptase (RT), deoxyribonucleotides complementary to an mRNA template are directed into a growing cDNA strand.
In-situ PCR techniques involving reverse transcriptase (RT-PCR) have been developed to detect levels of particular mRNAs in cells. However, limitations have been encountered with this approach when the primer pair introduced to initiate amplification of the cDNA template also amplifies the corresponding region of the genome, thus generating false positive results. The detection of a gene in the genome does not, of course, mean that the gene is being expressed, but merely that it is present.
In attempt to overcome this imprecision, techniques have been adopted to eliminate the genomic DNA by digestion in the presence of a DNase enzyme prior to initiation of reverse transcription. This digestion step, as presently used, takes at least seven hours for completion and creates additional problems, such as the following:
There is therefore a need for an improved procedure for the detection of gene expression involving in-situ PCR to overcome the false positive problem while avoiding disadvantages of known procedures, such as those mentioned above.

Method of detecting gene expression and/or of preventing such expression in cells


A clamp holding an object such as a door. The clamp comprises a body shaped to define a recess for receiving a portion of the object, and a wedge which is movable within the recess in order to clamp the object, between the wedge and the body. The wedge and the body are coupled together by means of a coupling mechanism which allows the wedge to adopt a use state, in which the wedge may be moved through the recess, and a storage/transport state in which the wedge is generally co-planar with the body. In the preferred embodiment, the coupling mechanism comprises a guide member mated with an elongate aperture.

UK Patent GB 2,275,880 describes a door vice for clamping a door such as to support the door in an otherwise freestanding, upright position. Once held in this position, various operations can then be carried out with greater ease, for example planing an edge of the door, or fitting hinges thereto, etc. The door vice of GB 2,275,880 comprises a cradle having a housing in which a wedge may be seated. During use the edge of a door is seated within the housing beside the wedge, the thick end of the wedge then being driven inwardly of the housing such as to clamp the door between the cradle and the wedge. The side wall of the housing with which the wedge is in contact is obliquely disposed to the transverse axis of the cradle so that the face of the wedge which contacts the door is disposed substantially parallel to the door, thereby achieving the maximum contact therewith.
The door vice of GB 2,275,880 would generally be used by tradesmen and would normally form part of a large selection of tools which are transported from site to site. As a result, the cradle and/or the wedge would often become misplaced, thereby rendering the door vice inoperable.


A solution for detecting level of a consumable tissue product (201, 301) in a tissue dispenser (103, 106) located in a washroom. This is provided in a number of aspects such as a tissue dispenser, a method, system, and a sensor unit utilizing two sensor elements (420, 430), each arranged to measure light reflected from a reflection field located on the tissue product, reflected directly from the tissue product, or measure the absence of the tissue product. Data from the sensor elements are wirelessly transmitted to a server (901) for further handling, such as for instance notification to a janitor in charge of service of the washroom.

Some major concerns in washrooms frequented by guests in public or semi-public areas, e.g. company washrooms and so on are to continuously provide a clean environment and that all consumables are available for the guests. For instance making sure that toilet tissue, paper towels, and liquid soap are available is of great concern for the guests but this should be balanced with the cost of janitors visiting the washroom frequently.
Consumables are most often located in dedicated dispensers fixedly located in the washroom and the janitor checks the level of each consumable and refills the dispenser as necessary. When janitors change or refills material in the dispensers on regular service intervals material is often wasted since if there is a small amount still left in the dispenser the janitor changes anyway in order to make sure that the consumable does not run out before the next service occasion. One problem for the janitor is to know which dispensers that needs to be refilled or how much material to bring on a service round. There is therefore a need for solutions where it is possible to monitor the use and report to the janitor if the consumable is running out. Solutions have thus been developed that automatically dispense the consumable and that therefore can keep track of the use and estimate the level left. These dispensers automatically dispense the consumable upon sensing the presence of a guest in the vicinity or if triggered in any other way, for instance through a user interface on the dispenser. However, this type of solution can also lead to waste of material since the automatic dispensing provide a pre defined amount of consumable which is not an appropriate amount for each guest at each occasion. There is therefore a need for a more flexible solution. One such solution is shown in WO2006065515 which illustrates a dispenser with a sensor for detecting identification information of a product, to communicate this to a central unit, and arranged to vary a dispensing parameter, such as the amount to dispense.
Each dispenser is arranged to receive a certain type of consumable/product with a range of different qualities available. There is a need for providing a cost effective solution and energy effective system for determining levels of products in dispenser and at the same time being able to determine type of product with good readability and repeatability.
International Application Publication No. WO 2007/067106 is directed towards a supply package and apparatus for dispensing sheet material. The apparatus comprises a housing arranged for receiving a supply of sheet material, a feed mechanism for advancing the sheet material through a discharge opening of the housing, a motor for driving the feed mechanism and a controller for powering the motor to drive the feed mechanism.
German Patent Application DE 200 16 735 is directed towards a detection system for a variety of donors and/or vending machines.
International Application Publication No. WO 2006/71148 is directed towards a dispensing unit comprising an outer front wall, two outer side walls, a housing for holding a pile of a continuous length of accordion-like folded web of towels of tissue paper or nonwoven comprising bundles, the outer front wall comprises an access opening to the pile, a dispensing opening for the web of towels and a feeding mechanism comprising a member for controlling the dispensing of the web of towels, a drive unit and a braking arrangement for the web of towels. A unit of consumable articles comprises the pile of bundles with connecting means between the bundles, which are insertable through the access opening into the housing in the dispensing unit and added to the bottom of the pile. The web of towels is dispensable from the upper part of the pile by feeding mechanism, which positions the web of towels in a starting mode in the dispensing opening.
International Application Publication No. WO 2007/068270 is directed towards a quantity detection means for sheet material stored as a supply roll. The detection means includes a control means which is arranged to compare the amount of rotation of a drive roller to the amount of rotation of the supply roll during the same time period. The application is also directed towards a dispenser, e.g., for paper towelling, including such a quantity detection device may provide a warning when the amount of sheet material has reached a predetermined threshold.


Golf balls comprising a multi-layer core and a cover are disclosed. The multi-layer core comprises a thermoset rubber inner core, a thermoplastic first intermediate core layer, a thermoplastic second intermediate core layer, and a thermoset rubber outer core layer.

Golf balls having multi-layer cores are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,852,044 discloses golf balls having multi-layered cores having a relatively soft, low compression inner core surrounded by a relatively rigid outer core. U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,531 discloses a solid golf ball comprising a solid core having a three-layered structure composed of an inner layer, an intermediate layer, and an outer layer, and a cover for coating the solid core. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0128904 also discloses multi-layer core golf balls. Other examples of multi-layer cores can be found, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,743,816, 6,071,201, 6,336,872, 6,379,269, 6,394,912, 6,406,383, 6,431,998, 6,569,036, 6,605,009, 6,626,770, 6,815,521, 6,855,074, 6,913,548, 6,981,926, 6,988,962, 7,074,137, 7,153,467 and 7,255,656.
The present invention provides a novel multi-layer core golf ball construction wherein the core comprises a thermoset rubber inner core, a first thermoplastic intermediate core layer, a second thermoplastic intermediate core layer, and a thermoset rubber outer core layer.


A branch pipe joint for a high pressure fluid, comprising: a joint body having a conduit therein on its axis and a branch hole formed in its circumferential wall and having a pressure receiving seat formed on the circumferential face thereof and opened to the outside; a branch pipe having a conduit to communicate with the conduit of said joint body and including a joint head formed at the end thereof and forming a pressure seat so that said branch pipe is engaged with said joint body by bringing the pressure seat thereof into abutment against the pressure receiving seat of said joint body; a joint portion made integral with or separate from said joint body; and a nut assembled in advance in said branch pipe and fastened into said joint portion against the pressure of said joint head thereby to joint said branch pipe to said main pipe. The branch hole at said joint body is formed into an elliptical hole having a longer diameter in the radial direction of said joint body and aligned with the center of the conduit of said joint body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a branch joint for a high-pressure fluid (e.g., a fluid under a high pressure over 1,000 Kgf/cm.sup.2) to be used in a cutter or a washer using high-pressure water, a hydraulic working machine, or a high-pressure hydraulic apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In one of this kind of branch pipe joint of the prior art, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a joint body 11 having a conduit 11-1 therein on its axis is equipped with a boss 11-4 which has a branch hole 11-2 on the center line of the conduit 11-1. This branch hole 11-2 has a circumference communicating with the conduit 11-1 and opened to the outside to form a pressure receiving seat 11-3. A pressure seat 12-3, as formed on a joint head 12-2 of a branch pipe 12, is brought into abutting engagement with the pressure receiving face 11-3 of the joint body 11, so that the branch pipe 12 is connected to the joint body 11 by fastening a cap nut 13 on the boss 11-4 through a fastening washer 14 screwed on the leading end of the branch pipe 12. The joint body 11 is provided at each of its two ends with a pressure receiving face 11-5 which is formed in the opening of the conduit 11-1, as in the joint structure of the branch pipe. This pressure receiving face 11-5 is formed on the circumference of the conduit 11-1 and opened to the outside. A pressure seat 15-3, as formed on the joint head 15-2 of a main pipe 15, is brought into abutting engagement with the pressure receiving face 11-5 of the joint body 11, so that the main pipe 15 is connected to the joint body 11 by fastening a cap nut 16 on the joint body 11 through a fastening washer 17 screwed on the leading end of the main pipe 15. Reference numeral 12-1 designates a conduit of the branch pipe, and numeral 15-1 designates the conduit of the main pipe 15.
In the high-pressure fluid branch pipe joint of the prior art in which the branch hole 11-2 having a circular section is formed in the joint body 11 in alignment with the conduit 11-1 of the joint body 11, however, the highest stress is established at the open end P of the conduit 12-1 of the branch pipe 12 at the joint body conduit 11-1 when the internal pressure acts upon the joint body 11, so that a crack is liable to start from the open end P thereby to invite a leakage of the fluid.

Branch pipe joint for high-pressure fluids


An IP multimedia subsystem comprises a CSCF and an HSS. The CSCF is configured to receive a SIP registration message transferred by a user communication device and responsively transfer a registration request to the HSS. The HSS is configured to process the registration request to obtain IFC for the user communication device, wherein the IFC comprises processing instructions that direct the CSCF to perform an operation to dynamically obtain and load data into the IFC. The CSCF is configured to receive a SIP invite message transferred by the user communication device, process text from the SIP invite message against a set of keywords to determine a dynamic parameter based on a keyword match, process one of the processing instructions in the IFC to obtain and load the dynamic parameter into the IFC, process the IFC with the dynamic parameter to determine a communication session parameter, and transfer a SIP message with the communication session parameter responsive to the SIP invite message.

Individuals may utilize communication networks for voice communications, research, entertainment, or for conducting critical business transactions. Users of communication networks also frequently request multimedia content via the networks in real-time, often referred to as streaming media. An internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS) is a network architectural framework that supports these streaming media sessions and other types of communication services.
IMS is designed to enable delivery of real-time multimedia services in the internet protocol (IP) to communication devices operated by users requesting these services. IMS typically utilizes the session initiation protocol (SIP) to facilitate communication session setup and tear-down. IMS assists in providing access to multimedia and voice applications for both wireless and wireline communication devices, which is commonly referred to as fixed-mobile convergence. Essentially, IMS operates as a horizontal control layer that isolates an access network from the service layer that provides the content or services requested by the users. Therefore, an IMS core network architecture provides access aggregation for several different access networks, and can be utilized to provide communication services from the service layer independent of the underlying access technology employed by a user or network. In order to invoke a communication service for an IMS user, initial filter criteria (IFC) is processed to determine when a particular application server should be contacted to provide the communication service.

Dynamic determination of initial filter criteria