A method for an engine capable of burning gaseous fuel, the engine also including a combustion chamber, at least one intake valve, and at least one exhaust valve, an injector to directly inject pressurized gaseous fuel into the combustion chamber, and a variable valve timing system coupled to the intake valves and exhaust valves, the method comprising closing the exhaust valve before top dead center of piston position to increase combustion chamber pressure achieved at top dead center and to trap exhaust gas in the cylinder; and starting injection of a gaseous fuel directly into the combustion chamber after the exhaust valve is closed and before the intake valve is opened.

An engine may burn gaseous fuels such as hydrogen (H2), natural gas, lighter flammable hydrocarbon derivatives, etc. Using gaseous fuel in an internal combustion engine can provide various advantages compared to liquid fuel injection, such as reduction of exhaust emissions of nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, and hydrocarbons.
In one approach, a pre-mixed approach (or external mixture formation), which may include port injection, is used to induct gaseous H2. This method may result in reduced volumetric efficiency by a factor of up to thirty percent at stoichiometry due to the displacement of air by the gaseous H2, and a consequent loss in torque and maximum power. Also in these systems, the H2 may be exposed to hot residual gases as well as heated intake manifold and cylinder head porting and cylinder walls during the intake stroke, which can causes a propensity to pre-ignition and further reduction in engine output. Further, such effects can be exacerbated if the H2 injection duration is extended.
One approach to address the issues of pre-mixed delivery is to directly inject the gaseous fuel into the combustion chamber. Specifically, JP 63-198,762 describes a method of directly injecting H2 into a combustion chamber. In the '762 reference, it appears that the exhaust valve is closed very near, if not at, top dead center of piston position when an exhaust stroke is completed, and the hydrogen injection valve is opened immediately after this exhaust valve is closed to inject hydrogen gas into a combustion chamber. Next, after the hydrogen injection valve is closed at the rotation position of the crank angle of about 90 degrees, the suction (intake) valve is opened, and supercharged air is fed to the combustion chamber and mixed with hydrogen. Then, the mixture is compressed and ignited.
However, the inventors herein have recognized several disadvantages of such an approach. For example, when the exhaust valve is closed, the pressure in the combustion chamber may be substantially lower than the injection pressure. Thus, the injected gaseous fuel may undergo a sudden expansion and result in flow losses upon entering the combustion chamber. Further, because cylinder pressure may be reduced during the first part of the intake stroke (before the intake valve is opened), increased pumping work may result. Consequently, any injection energy of the gaseous fuel may not be efficiently utilized. Moreover, a propensity to pre-ignition may still exist at increased load conditions.
In one embodiment, at least some of the above issues may be addressed by a method for an engine capable of burning gaseous fuel, the engine also including a combustion chamber, at least one intake valve, and at least one exhaust valve, an injector to directly inject gaseous fuel into the combustion chamber, and a variable valve timing system coupled to the intake valves and exhaust valves. The method comprises of closing the exhaust valve before top dead center of piston position to increase combustion chamber pressure achieved at top dead center and to trap exhaust gas in the cylinder; and starting injection of a gaseous fuel directly into the combustion chamber after the exhaust valve is closed and before the intake valve is opened.
In this way, it is possible to increase cylinder pressure into which the gaseous fuel is injected, and thereby reduce expansion flow losses, and better utilize the fuel pressure to perform expansion work during the cycle. In one particular example, the exhaust valve closing timing can be varied with operating conditions so that a desired cylinder pressure into which injection occurs can be achieved. In another example, the timing of the intake valve may be adjusted later and varied with operating conditions to reduce any flow of fuel or cylinder contents into the intake manifold.
In other words, by injection of a gaseous fuel near the top dead center of negative valve overlap, it is possible to utilize the injection pressure energy of the gaseous fuel to a greater extent. For example, early exhaust valve closure can elevate the pressure in the combustion chamber at top dead center so that the injected gaseous fuel undergoes less sudden (or dramatic) expansion and thus with less resultant flow losses upon entering the combustion chamber.
Further, the combination of early exhaust valve closure and late intake valve opening can have only a small overall effect on the pumping work. Thus, the injection of gaseous fuel can produce more useful work than that produced by variable intake valve timing alone. Furthermore, in one example, it is possible to reduce a propensity to pre-ignition since by closing the exhaust valve early while enriching the overall air-fuel ratio as load increases, less oxygen is available to cause pre-ignition because residual gases from the previous cycle are left in the combustion chamber. Thus, a propensity of pre-ignition can be reduced even in the conditions where such pre-ignition is most likely to.
According to another aspect, a method is provided for an engine capable of burning gaseous fuel, the engine also including a combustion chamber, at least one intake valve, and at least one exhaust valve, an injector to directly inject gaseous fuel into the combustion chamber, and a variable valve timing system coupled to the intake valves and exhaust valves. The method comprises of adjusting exhaust valve closing timing and keeping intake valve closed to increase a pressure in the combustion chamber approximately equals an injection pressure of gaseous fuel when a piston is at top dead center; injecting gaseous fuel; and opening the intake valve when the pressure in the combustion chamber approximately equals or is less than manifold absolute pressure.
Again, such operation can provide several advantages, such as improved utilization of fuel injection pressure, reduced tendency to pre-ignition, and improved fuel economy.
Note that various intake and exhaust valve configurations may be used, such as electrically actuated valves, variable valve timing, multiple intake valves, multiple exhaust valves, and combinations thereof.

System and method for direct injection of gaseous fuel into internal combustion engine


An improved elastic band for ligating tissue within a living body comprises a central opening defining an axis. A first curved edge is formed between a first surface extending substantially parallel to the axis and a second surface extending substantially perpendicular to the axis. A method of ligating tissue within a living body using such a ligating band comprises the steps of positioning the elastic band, which has been stretched to increase the size of a central opening extending therethrough, adjacent to a portion of tissue to be ligated. The tissue to be ligated is then drawn through the central opening of the elastic band and the elastic band is released so that the size of the central opening decreases to grip the tissue received therein.

Physicians have used elastic ligating bands to treat lesions, including internal hemorrhoids and mucositis and for performing mechanical hemostasis.
The object of ligation is to position a ligating band over the targeted lesion or blood vessel section by stretching the band beyond its undeformed diameter drawing the tissue to be ligated within the band and then releasing the band so that it contracts, applying inward pressure on the section of tissue caught within the band. The effect of the inward pressure applied by the band is to stop all circulation through the targeted tissue, thereby causing the tissue to die. The body then sloughs off the dead tissue or the dead tissue may be aspirated into an endoscope or a similar device.
Ligating bands are typically dispensed using ligating band dispensing devices which include cylindrical support surfaces over which elastic ligating bands are stretched. The cylindrical support surfaces arc typically attached to the distal end of an endoscope which is advanced into the body to a target area. A user then applies suction through the endoscope to draw the tissue to be ligated into the cylindrical support surface and then releases a ligating band to contract around the tissue
Some ligating band dispensers use trigger lines received in slots at the distal end of a cylindrical support to roll ligating bands toward, and eventually off, the distal end of the support. A problem encountered with such devices when dispensing prior ligating bands is the bands may sometimes slide, rather than roll, along the cylindrical support. A band which slides, rather than rolls, may tend to push the trigger line ahead of it. This is disadvantageous because the trigger line may be pushed out of its slot in the distal rim of the cylindrical support, leaving a band with no trigger line attached.
Ligating bands are often made by extruding an elastic compound through a tubular die. Then tube is then cut transversely to form the bands. As a result of this process, the bands have sharp edges along both the inner and the outer diameter surfaces. Such sharp edges may cause the bands to disadvantageously slide, rather than roll, when being dispensed from devices employing a trigger line.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,416 to Chu et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,844 to Zaslavsky et al., both of which are incorporated herein by reference, describe other types of ligating band dispensing devices which include cylindrical support surfaces over which elastic ligating bands are stretched.
A problem inherent with the type of ligating bands typically used with the above-described devices is that the bands have a tendency to slip off the targeted tissue before the tissue is completely ligated. One reason why a ligating band may slip off targeted tissue is because tissue contained within a ligating band is effectively "pinched" by the ligating band creating an outward pressure on the band. Specifically, the bulb-shaped projection of tissue which has been drawn under suction into the lumen of a cylindrical support surface is pulled away from the surrounding tissue creating tension within the projection which draws the tissue of the projection back toward the its natural position. Thus, the tissue is urged to slip out of the ligating band as the band contracts. In additions blood and fluid within the body can make the surface of the targeted tissue slick, thereby decreasing the coefficient of friction between the ligating band and the targeted tissue. Also, if the targeted tissue is an active blood vessel the "pulsing" effect of blood moving through the vessel can cause the ligating band to slip off of the targeted tissue.
Therefore, what is needed is a ligating band. which rolls, rather than slides, as it moves toward the distal end of the dispenser housing in trigger line-type dispensers. Also what is needed is a ligating band which remains in place once dispensed onto the target tissue.

Ligating band with rounded edges and method of use of same


Evaluating a source document for compliance with a rule set that represents contextual guidelines to which the source document must conform. The rule set comprises a rule node that includes a context that is compared to the source document to identify candidate nodes for further evaluation. Each rule node also includes a descendant pattern node that includes a pattern matching expression representing at least one aspect of the contextual guidelines to which the source document must conform. Preferably a match between a candidate node and the pattern matching expression indicates a nonconformance to the contextual guideline(s), and a predefined action is initiated. Predefined actions include reporting the nonconformance, and automatically repairing the nonconformance through script code.

Contextual guidelines are typically developed to improve usability and ensure consistency of locations, products, and services. For example, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was enacted in part to improve access to commercial buildings for people with disabilities through a set of consistent regulations that affect building codes. The ADA also includes a Section 508 directed to accessibility of electronic and information technology. Sub-part 1194.22 a-p of Section 508 addresses accessibility of Web content. A portion of this sub-part is also addressed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), which are intended to improve access to information in Web pages through a set of consistent guidelines for creating the Web pages. For example, the guidelines suggest providing a text alternative to an audio element of a Web page whenever possible, so that deaf people can read the content of the audio element. In general, the WCAG provides a set of guidelines that describe principles of accessible design. Each guideline includes a number of checkpoints that explain how the guideline applies in typical content development scenarios. The checkpoints are sufficiently specific so that someone reviewing a Web page or Web site may verify that each checkpoint has been satisfied.
The guidelines and checkpoints of the WCAG are comprehensible by humans who design Web pages and who review the Web pages for conformance to the guidelines and checkpoints. However, it would be desirable to enable automatic review of Web pages for conformance, and to enable automatic design corrections when nonconformances are identified. Unfortunately, the guidelines and checkpoints include some assertions that are abstract, and not well suited to traditional automation techniques. For example, one of the checkpoints includes a requirement that a developer "use the clearest and simplest language appropriate for a site's content." With traditional automation techniques, it is difficult to determine whether the "clearest" and "simplest" language that is "appropriate" for a site has been used.
There are a number of programming methodologies to ensure that a source document satisfies formatting, structural, and other constraints. In general, a program can evaluate grammar in the source document to detect one or more patterns. When a predetermined pattern is detected, a corresponding predetermined action is taken in relation to the pattern. Often this pattern detection is implemented using software written in a standard programming language, such as C. A programming language is versatile for writing customized program code that can detect the predefined patterns and accomplish the predefined actions. Program code can also report detection of a pattern (or lack of a pattern), so that a human can intervene in cases of vague guidelines. However, it is difficult to update and maintain program code. Also, customized program code is often difficult to reuse for evaluating and correcting a wide variety of source documents.
Another approach in evaluating a source document for compliance to the guidelines and checkpoints is to define a schema. A schema defines a framework to which a source document must conform. Thus, a schema can be used to validate the structure, order, and values of elements and attributes in source documents. However, schemas require that the structure of the entire document be defined. Also, schemas must validate against the grammar of the source document, not against a contextual guideline. Further, there are no implicit mechanisms for simply reporting violations of vague guidelines that may require some human intervention.
A modified schema approach, called SCHEMATRON, was developed by Academia Sinica Computing Centre of the Republic of China (Taiwan), and is based on tree patterns in a source document rather than the grammar of the source document. SCHEMATRON is a structure validation language that utilizes an eXtensible Markup Language (XML) open schema to confirm whether a source eXtensible Hypertext Markup Language (XHTML) document conforms to the schema. In general, SCHEMATRON provides a few unique elements that simplify the use of XPath expressions. As an example, online documentation for SCHEMATRON (at the following web page on the world wide web: ascc.net/xml/resource/schematron/WAI-example) illustrates a sample schema that confirms whether a source XHTML document conforms to the W3C WCAG. The schema includes "rule" expressions for matching an XPath context attribute in a source XHTML document. Upon a match, the schema provides "assert" expressions that contain error statements indicating each specific nonconformance with the accessibility guidelines.
However, careful evaluation reveals that SCHEMATRON uses an inefficient process to accomplish its task. Specifically, SCHEMATRON first requires an eXtensible Stylesheet Language (XSL) document to transform the schema into an intermediate XSL document. The intermediate XSL document is then applied to the source XHTML document to execute XPath expressions that evaluate the source XHTML document and produce the error statements. In addition to being complex, SCHEMATRON does not provide any means to mechanically repair nonconforming source XHTML documents. Repairs must be implemented by manually editing the nonconforming source XHTML document based on the error statements. Further, SCHEMATRON is limited to processing XHTML source documents. It would therefore be desirable to provide a more efficient technique for evaluating any source document for conformance to a set of contextual guidelines. It is further desirable to provide summary and detailed reports that are organized by categories for a user to analyze and correct problems manually if desired. However, the technique should also enable mechanical or automated correction of any nonconforming portion of the source document that is identified.


A technique of minimizes circuit area on programmable logic with fracturable logic elements by using “balancing” in the technology mapping stage of the programmable logic computer-aided-design flow. A fracturable LE can be used for logic implementation in many ways, such as being used as one maximum-sized look-up table (LUT) or multiple smaller LUTs. One of more inputs of the multiple smaller LUTs may be shared. By balancing, this means mean that the technology mapping algorithm is tuned to use more small LUTs and fewer maximum-sized LUTs to implement the circuit. Although this is counterintuitive since the larger LUTs are more effective at absorbing gates, the technique achieves a smaller final circuit area by packing small LUTs into fracturable LEs.

The present invention relates to the area of electronic design automation of logic designs and in particular, to an aspect known as technology mapping of a logic design, especially for a technology having fracturable logic elements.
Integrated circuits are important building blocks of the modern age. Technology continues to evolve and integrated circuits continue to provide improved functionality. As integrated circuits improve, so do the electronics systems that are built using integrated circuits. There are many types of integrated circuit such as memories, microprocessors, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), and programmable logic. Programmable logic integrated circuits such as PALs, PLDs, FPGAs, LCAs, and others are becoming more complex and continually evolving to provide more user-programmable features on a single integrated circuit. Modern programmable logic integrated circuits incorporate programmable logic including logic gates, products terms, or look-up tables. Programmable logic integrated circuits also included embedded functionality such as user-programmable memory or RAM, digital signal processors (DSPs), and on-board microcontrollers such as ARM-based or MIPS-based controllers.
As integrated circuits become more complex and provide more functionality in a smaller die size, it also becomes increasing difficult to ensure the logic functions are implemented properly and in an optimal way. Modern digital integrated circuits have many transistors and many logic gates, more so than be optimized manually in a reasonable amount of time, especially when time-to-market is critical in ensuring a product's success. As a specific example, a typical programmable logic design surpasses the multimillion-gate mark.
Electronic design automation tools are available to assist engineers with the design and verification tasks. But even with the help of computer-aided tools, the process of optimizing an integrated circuit design can be time-consuming because of the large number of variables involved. It is desirable that the design automation task is done time efficiently even for large designs. Further, it is desirable the design automation tool maximizes performance or otherwise improves an aspect of an integrated circuit design. Some other aspects of a design that a tool may help with include improving critical path performance, removing metastability, reducing the number of logic gates used, checking or verifying functionality, removing race conditions, and others.
A programmable logic architecture may provide fracturable logic elements or logic blocks. These are logic elements which can be split-up or divided up into smaller units. For example, a fracturable architecture may have a logic element that is capable of being is configured as two four-input look-up tables, one eight-input look-up table, with shared inputs, or one six-input look-up table. A fracturable logic element allows for greater flexibility and higher utilization of the on-chip logic. Electronic design automation techniques should take advantage of the capabilities provided by an architecture with a fracturable logic element.
As can be appreciated, there is a need to provide an electronic design automation system and techniques to handle fracturable logic elements in programmable logic, in order to better utilize the on-chip logic.

Technology mapping technique for fracturable logic elements


A computer-implemented method and apparatus for extracting key information from conversational voice data, where the method comprises receiving a first speaker text corresponding to a speech of a first speaker in a conversation with a second speaker, the conversation comprising multiple turns of speech between the first speaker and the second speaker, the first speaker text comprising multiple question lines, each question line corresponding to the speech of the first speaker at a corresponding turn, arranged chronologically. Feature words are identified, and a frequency of occurrence therefor in each question line is determined. Question lines without any of the feature words are removed, to yield candidate question lines, for each of which a mathematical representation is generated. A similarity score for each candidate question line with respect to each subsequent candidate question line is computed, and the line with the highest score is identified as a key question.

Several businesses need to provide support to its customers, which is provided by a customer care call center. Customers place a call to the call center, where customer service agents address and resolve customer issues pertaining to a business. An agent, who is a user of a computerized call management system, is expected to address the issue(s) raised by the customer to the satisfaction of the customer. Call management systems may help with an agent's workload, complement or supplement an agent's functions, manage agent's performance, or manage customer satisfaction, and in general, such call management systems can benefit from understanding the content of a conversation.
Accordingly, there exists a need for automated identification of key information from a conversation, which may be used by call management systems for further processing.

Method and apparatus for extracting key information from conversational voice data


A bridge for translating a first storage protocol to a second protocol includes an affiliation manager. The affiliation manager accepts a connection from a host and establishes a connection between a device that uses the second protocol and the host that uses the second protocol. The affiliation manager monitors commands received from the host and responses received from the device on the connection. Upon detecting no pending commands for the device, the bridge may close the connection to the host if there is another host requesting a new connection to the device and establish the new connection between the device and the other host.

Point-to-point storage protocols such as the Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) protocol support one active communication between a storage device and a host bus adaptor at a time. In a multi-host bus adaptor system, a port selector may be coupled between a plurality of host bus adaptors and the storage device to provide redundant paths by allowing the plurality of host bus adaptors to access the storage device. Although, all of the host bus adaptors may access the storage device, there can only be one active communication between one of the host bus adaptors and the storage device at any one time. The storage device is unaware of the multiple host bus adaptors.
When a connection is established between a host bus adapter and the storage device in a connection oriented environment, the host bus adapter is given exclusive access to the storage device until all of the pending commands in the storage device are complete. The current connection may be closed and another connection may be established between another one of the host bus adaptors and the storage device when all pending commands for the current host bus adaptor have completed. Thus, each host bus adaptor in a multi-host system manages their connection to a storage device to ensure that the connection is not closed until all pending commands have been completed.
A host bus adaptor having a Serial Attached Small Computer System Interface (SAS) that supports multi-host access to storage devices may communicate with a SATA device using the SATA Tunneled Protocol (STP). STP is a connection orientated protocol between an STP host or host bus adaptor and a SATA device which establishes a tunnel in a SAS environment and allows SATA Frame Information Structures (FISs) to be exchanged.
Multiple STP hosts may connect to a SATA device via several SAS expanders or multi-level SAS expanders and a STP/SATA bridge using STP. A STP/SATA bridge device is a device containing an STP target port, a SATA host port, and the functions required to forward information between the STP target port and the SATA host port to enable STP host ports in a SAS domain to communicate with SATA devices in a SATA domain. The STP/SATA may be included in one of the SAS Expanders.
When the STP/SAS bridge accepts a connection for a storage device from a STP host, the STP target in the STP/SAS bridge establishes an affiliation for the storage device to that particular STP host. The STP/SATA bridge cannot accept any connections for that storage device from any other STP host until the affiliation is cleared by the STP host or the STP/SATA bridge is reset.
Although the following Detailed Description will proceed with reference being made to illustrative embodiments of the claimed subject matter, many alternatives, modifications, and variations thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended that the claimed subject matter be viewed broadly, and be defined only as set forth in the accompanying claims.

Method and apparatus for managing a connection in a connection orientated environment


The invention is directed to a method for improving the filtration efficiency of an altered substrate filter element comprising a porous solid substrate, one side of which is impregnated with sintered solid particles, by treating the solids-oxide-impregnated side with an aqueous suspension of small non-agglomerated solid particles which are deposited upon the sintered solid particles.

A significant tool in the food and chemical industries for improvement of operating efficiencies and reduction of environmentally problematic materials is the use of cross-flow filters to separate solids and semisolids from liquid media. Such devices are used for such things as recovery of spent sulfite liquor, "mud" removal from converted corn syrup, residue removal from modified starches, removal of biological contaminants from fructose corn syrup, removal of particles from caustic cleaning solutions, recovery of PVA from textile desizing processes, clarification of alcohol still bottoms and many more.
The filter elements for such filters are comprised of a plurality of porous tubular substrates having interconnected pores of a relatively large pore size. The upstream (inner) side of the tubular substrates have finer particles impregnated therein to a slight depth to form a layer having a higher degree of filtration than the unaltered tube wall. The finer particles are affixed within the pores of the tubular substrate by sintering. Such cross-flow filter elements and their manufacture are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,888,114 to Gaddis et al. Filters of this type are often used in conjunction with a formed-in-place membrane extending over the impregnated surface by which solute/solution separations can be carried out.
In common with most filtration systems, the pores of the filtration media are subject to abrasion by the liquid being treated and to clogging by various organic materials separated from the treated slurries which are not carried through the filter with the permeate or out of the filter with the slurry concentrate. When fouling of the pores and damage to the filter medium becomes sufficiently serious to impede the efficiency of the filter, the filter element must be removed from service and the medium replaced or repaired so that the original pore characteristics are regained. To repair sintered metal oxide filter media by cleaning, redepositing additional metal oxide and firing the filter to sinter the metal oxide means that the equipment must not only be out of service for at least several days, but in some cases even weeks. For this reason, there is a substantial need for a method of rejuvenating the filtration efficiency of such altered substrate filters in place without the necessity of shutting the filter down for more than 2-3 hours.


An inertial unit comprising an inertial core (3) that is connected to a control unit (50) and that includes three gyros (9, 10, 11) that are mounted relative to one another so as to have sensing axes (X, Y, Z) that are substantially perpendicular to one another, the gyros being vibrating axisymmetric gyros with hemispherical resonators, the unit being characterized in that the core is mounted on a carousel (2) arranged to drive the inertial core in rotation about an axis of rotation (4) at at least one frequency that corresponds to a minimum for spectral error density of the gyros. An angle-measurement method making use of the unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inertial unit for mounting on a vehicle. The vehicle may be a land vehicle, an aircraft, or a ship, for which navigation requires knowledge of the position, the speed, and the attitude (heading, roll, and pitching) of the vehicle. The invention also relates to an angle-measurement method.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
A modern inertial navigation unit generally has an inertial core. The inertial core has inertial sensors such as gyros and accelerometers that are arranged on the axes of a measurement reference frame. The gyros measure angular rotations of the measurement reference frame relative to a geographical reference frame and provide the attitude of the vehicle in the geographical reference frame. The accelerometers measure accelerations that are projected onto the geographical reference frame and then integrated a first time to provide the speed of the vehicle, and then a second time to provide its position. The accuracy of an inertial navigation unit depends directly on the errors of the inertial sensors, and more precisely on the projections of these errors onto the local geographical reference frame; and when performing inertial navigation over a long duration, the position errors depend for the most part on the accuracy of the gyros. The accuracy of the gyros is affected by drift errors (shifting of the measurement origin, such that a zero magnitude is then not measured at zero), by scale factors (scale factor error is an error concerning the coefficient by which a measurement should be multiplied), and by the positioning of the axes (orthogonality error between the measurement axes).
In inertial cores, it is known in particular to make use of vibrating-resonator gyros. Vibrating gyros are axisymmetric Coriolis vibratory gyroscopes (CVG), e.g. having a hemispherical resonator (i.e. a hemispherical resonator gyroscope (HRG)), and they are more generally said to be "type I" as in the document "Type I and type II micromachined vibratory gyroscopes" by Andrei M. Shkel, pp. 586-593, IEEE/ION (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers/Institute of Navigation) PLANS 2006, San Diego, Calif., USA. Such gyros operate either in an open loop, in which ease they serve to measure an absolute angle of rotation on the basis of measuring an angle representing the position of the vibration of the resonator relative to measurement electrodes (electric angle), or else in a closed loop, in which case they serve to measure a speed of rotation on the basis of a measurement of the electric current needed to maintain the electric angle at a given value. The measurements provided by such vibrating gyros may be affected by errors that are essentially a function of the position of the vibration relative to the measurement electrodes. These errors are thus variable as a function of the position of the vibration as represented by the electric angle.
In order to improve the accuracy of such inertial units, it is common practice to use gyros presenting the best possible performance. Nevertheless, such gyros are relatively expensive.

Inertial unit having vibrating gyros mounted on a carousel, and an angle-measurement method


A transfer unit for products, wherein a transfer device, moving back and forth in a given direction, connects a first and second conveyor located side by side at a transfer station and presenting respective first and second pockets for conveying the products; the first conveyor being operated continuously; and each first pocket presenting a respective actuating device moving in time with the transfer device and for arresting the first pocket at the transfer station to transfer a product from the second conveyor to the first conveyor.

The present invention relates to a product transfer unit.
On packing machines, and particularly cartoning machines, products are transferred between two adjacent operating units at transfer stations between two parallel supply lines by means of a transfer unit for feeding the products from one line to the other. The two lines are defined by conveying devices presenting a number of pockets, each connected rigidly to the movable element of the respective conveying device, and each designed to house a product of a given shape and size. Normally, the pockets are equally spaced along the transportation branches of the conveying devices.
Obviously, efficient operation of the machine as a whole is easily assured when the two conveying devices feed the respective pockets in steps and in time with each other, so that each pair of facing pockets defines, along the transportation branch, a product conveying channel crosswise to the traveling direction of the conveying devices. The transfer unit presents a single transfer member moving reciprocatingly in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the conveying devices to connect two pockets arrested at the transfer station.
If the output conveying device is operated continuously, the input conveying device must also be operated likewise. More specifically, the two conveying devices must be so timed that the respective pockets travel in pairs to define a conveying channel for the products. Understandably, the transfer device must therefore provide for transferring the products with the pockets of the two conveyors in motion, and must therefore comprise a number of transfer members, the motion of which is a combination of the continuous motion of the product in the traveling direction of the conveying devices, and the reciprocating motion of the transfer member for transferring the product crosswise to the traveling direction of the conveying devices. This therefore results in a highly complex transfer device in turn resulting in complex setup and maintenance of the cartoning machine.


The invention relates to a stereoscopic recording and display system, preferably having an autostereoscopic display system, wherein the position of the observer (especially the distance of the observer from the display system) is determined with a head tracking system and the convergence angle between the two cameras of the recording system is changed in dependence upon the distance of the observer from the display system in such a manner that, for an approach of the observer toward the system, the optical axes of both cameras are greatly convergent and, for a distancing of the observer from the display, the optical axes of both cameras are only slightly convergent. Simultaneously, the cameras are always focussed onto the intercept point of the optical axes of both cameras. By changing the convergence angle in dependence upon the distance of the observer from the display screen, either close image contents or distant image contents of the recorded scene are displayed stereoscopically depending upon the particular distance of the observer.

DE 296 12 054 discloses an autostereoscopic display system having a display and a screen arranged at the viewing end of the display. The screen has a plurality of cylindrical lenses. The actual position of the viewer in front of the recording system is determined by a head tracker system and the screen is displaced relative to the display such that the viewer can discern a stereoscopic image from the instantaneous position. The movement of the screen takes place relative to the display in such a manner that the right eye of the observer views only the image gaps, which are assigned to the right sectional image, and the left eye of the viewer views only the image gaps of the display assigned to the left sectional image.
A similar autostereoscopic display system is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,574 wherein the position of the viewer forward of the recording system is likewise determined by means of a head tracker. However, here, the position of the screen is not moved relative to the display in correspondence to the actual viewer position; instead, the light source rearward of the display is switched so that the viewer perceives an autostereoscopic image in his actual viewing position. Furthermore, in this patent, it is already suggested that the output signal of the head tracker be utilized simultaneously to also select the shown view in that, for example, two video cameras are moved in correspondence to the head movements of the viewer. With the video cameras, the stereoscopic partial views are recorded. More details with reference to the movement of the cameras in dependence upon the viewer position or the position of the head of the viewer are not presented in this patent.
A camera system for a robot is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,818,858. The camera system includes two video cameras which execute mutually opposing rotational movements about the same angle relative to a base.
With the aid of a triangulation system, which is integrated into the cameras, the focussing of both cameras and the convergence of the optical axes of both cameras are simultaneously so controlled that the object to be viewed lies in the intersect point of the two optical axes of the two cameras and both cameras are simultaneously focussed onto this intersect point. The stereo image recorded by both cameras is presented to a viewer on a stereoscopic display system. The observer wears a helmet having sensors which detect the head movement of the observer and their output signals are utilized to control the robot with the stereoscopic camera system.
An important characteristic of the human stereoscopic vision is the coupling of the convergence angle of the two eyes in dependence upon the desired viewing distance. For a large viewing distance, the optical axes of both eyes are aligned almost parallel with the result that objects, which lie farther from the observer, can be viewed stereoscopically. For close viewing, the two eyeballs are rotated in opposite directions toward each other so that the optical axes of both eyes are very convergent with the result that the close lying objects can be perceived stereoscopically.

Stereoscopic recording and display system


An oscillator includes a first circuit that asynchronously generates an oscillating signal in response to a second circuit of the oscillator acknowledging each cycle of the oscillating signal.

The invention generally relates to an oscillating divider topology.
A conventional integrated circuit may have many different clock domains that span across the circuit. Because an ever-increasing number of devices are fabricated onto the integrated circuit, the number of clock domains on the integrated circuit typically increase from one generation to the next.
Challenges may arise in accommodating a large number of clock domains on a single integrated circuit in that it may take a significant number of clock cycles for a signal to propagate from one side of the integrated circuit to another. Asynchronous circuits are not synchronized to a clock signal, and therefore, asynchronous circuits provide a solution to the above-described problem with synchronized circuits. Instead of being synchronized to a clock signal, an asynchronous circuit is self-timed, which means the circuit uses a handshake protocol (and thus, not a clock signal) for purposes of communicating signals. One such protocol, called a quasi delay insensitive (QDI) protocol, adheres to the strictest asynchronous standard.
Pursuant to a QDI cycle, a transmitter may communicate data to a receiver in the following manner. Before driving its output terminals with data to be communicated to the receiver, the transmitter waits for the receiver to assert an acknowledge signal indicating that the receiver is able to receive new data from the transmitter. Thus, upon assertion of the acknowledge signal, the transmitter drives its output signals to indicate a particular data value. To indicate receipt of the data, the receiver de-asserts the acknowledge signal. After the de-assertion of the acknowledge signal, the transmitter removes the data from its output terminals. For example, the transmitter may drive each of its output signals to the same predetermined logic level to effectively tri-state the output terminals. In acknowledgement of this action by the transmitter, the receiver then asserts the acknowledge signal to begin another QDI cycle.
Operating frequencies of integrated circuits continue to increase from one generation of integrated circuits to the next, and certain circuits may be more sensitive to increased frequencies than others. For example, a conventional integrated circuit may include various synchronous-based frequency dividers and oscillators, circuits whose performances may be lacking as operating frequencies increase.
Thus, there is a continuing need for better ways for a technique and/or system to address one or more of the problems that are set forth above as well as address one or more problems that are not set forth above.


A one piece self-supporting collapsible plastic urology drain bag 24 is mounted to an examination end 14 of a urology table 10. The pan includes a vertical inner end wall 28, a sloping outer end wall 34, a pair of opposite side wall 30, 32, and a bottom wall 36 through which a drain port 38 is defined. The inner end wall 28 of the drain pan is secured between plates 50 and 52. The drain bag is sufficiently flexible to allow a physician to collapse the outer end wall 34 against inner end wall 28 yet with sufficient plastic memory to enable the drain pan to return to its non-flexed position when the collapsing force is removed. A retaining means 56 is disposed on each end of the upper edge of plate 52. Each retaining means comprises a support means 58 and pin 60 arrangement. The pins 60 extend inwardly from their respective support means 58 along a line generally parallel to the upper edge of plate 52 away from the inner end wall 28, and sufficiently spaced from each other, such that outer end wall 34 can be releasably engaged between pins 60 and the inner end wall 28.

Everett, et al.; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/615,878 titled One Piece, Collapsible Urology Drain Pan, is expressly incorporated herein by reference.
In the past, rigid, stainless steel drain pans were connected to one end of a urology examination table to capture urine, fluids used during irrigation, tissue dislodged during urological procedures, and the like. One of the problems with rigid urology pans is that they were mounted on the examination end of the table, i.e., between the physician and the patient. The physician frequently found it necessary to lean into and reach across the drain pan during examinations and procedures. The rigid pans were uncomfortable to the physician and interfered with performance of medical procedures.
Another urology drain arrangement is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,836. In this patent, a complex arrangement of stainless steel frame pieces are pivotally interconnected and biased into an open rectangle by springs in the hinges. A disposable, light weight, flexible urology bag is hung on and supported by the pivotal frame members.
In another arrangement, a flexible steel band is mounted to the end of the urology table. A light weight, disposable urology bag is hung from and supported by the steel band.
In Everett, et al., U.S. patent application referenced above, yet another arrangement is illustrated. A one piece collapsible plastic urology drain pan is used in place of the above pivotal frame or steel band and bag arrangements.
One of the problems with the collapsible, flexible or pivotal urology drain pan arrangements described above is that no means is provided to secure these arrangements in a collapsed position. This is desirable so that the examiner can move freely about in the space previously occupied by the drain pan arrangement without having to maintain constant pressure against the arrangement.
The present invention contemplates a collapsed urology drain assembly securing means which overcomes the above-referenced problem and others.

Collapsible urology drain pan assembly with retention mechanism

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A broadband light source includes an optical amplifier having amplifying mediums connected in series outputs an amplified spontaneous emission light over a wide wavelength range forward or backward. A circulator connected in series to the optical amplifier returns back to the amplifier spontaneous emission light outputted backwardly from the amplifier. A first pumping means located between the circulator and the optical amplifier pumps a pumping light to the optical amplifier, and a second pumping means located after the optical amplifier pumps a pumping light to the optical amplifier.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light source, and more particularly to a broadband light source capable of generating light over a wide wavelength range.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since a wavelength division multiplexed optical communication system widely used recently is an optical communication system for transmitting a plurality of channels of different wavelengths, each containing data, the system must include a plurality of optical devices such as optical transmission means for transmitting each of the channels and optical detection means for detecting respective optical signals having different wavelengths.
The optical devices constituting the wavelength division multiplexed optical communication system require a broadband light source for generating light over a wide wavelength range as means for testing their optical performance and characteristics. Herein, the broadband light source may be also used in generating light over a wide wavelength range for inducing a mode-lock of each Fabry-Perot laser for generating the channels.
A rare-earth doped fiber amplifier capable of generating a spontaneous emission light having a predetermined wavelength band, or a semiconductor optical amplifier may be used as the broadband light source. However, since the broadband light source has low output power, its use is limited.
FIG. 1 is a view showing a construction of a conventional broadband light source. Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional multi-wavelength light source includes a first amplifying medium 110, a second amplifying medium 120, a first pumping means 140 for pumping a first pumping light to the first amplifying medium 110, a second pumping means 150 for pumping a second pumping light to the second amplifying medium 120, a first isolator 101 located between the first and the second amplifying mediums 110 and 120, a second isolator 102, and a reflector 130.
The first amplifying medium 110 outputs an L-band spontaneous emission light at both sides, and amplifies the L-band spontaneous emission light reflected by the reflector 130 to output the amplified spontaneous emission light to the first isolator 101.
The first pumping means 140 includes a first pump light source 142 for generating the first pumping light for pumping the first amplifying medium 110, and a first wavelength selective coupler 141 for outputting the first pumping light generated from the first pump light source to the first amplifying medium.
The first wavelength selective coupler 141 is located between the reflector 130 and the first amplifying medium 110 in order to output the L-band spontaneous emission light generated from the first amplifying medium to the reflector and to output the L-band spontaneous emission light reflected by the reflector to the first amplifying medium.
The second pumping means 150 includes a second pump light source 152 for generating the second pumping light, and a second wavelength selective coupler 151 for outputting the second pumping light generated from the second pump light source to the second amplifying medium 120.
The second pump light source 152 outputs the second pumping light for pumping the second amplifying medium 120 to the second wavelengths elective coupler 151 and may employ a photo diode.
The second wavelength selective coupler 151 outputs L-band and C-band spontaneous emission lights, which are outputted from the second amplifying medium 120, to the second isolator 102.
The second amplifying medium 120 is pumped by the second pumping light to generate the C-band spontaneous emission light, and amplifies the L-band spontaneous emission light inputted from the first isolator 101 to output the amplified spontaneous emission light to the second wavelength selective coupler 151.
The second isolator 102 outputs the L-band and C-band spontaneous emission lights to an exterior of the broadband light source through an output terminal 'Output', and blocks light progressing in reverse from the output terminal 'Output' to the second amplifying medium 120.
In the conventional broadband light source, the first amplifying medium amplifies the L-band spontaneous emission light reflected by the reflector, and the second amplifying medium amplifies again the L-band spontaneous emission light amplified by the first amplifying medium. Therefore, the broadband light source has high amplification efficiency for the L-band spontaneous emission light.
However, the conventional reflector cannot simultaneously have a wide wavelength band and a high reflection factor.


A method for the production of transgenic plants is provided in which a vector carrying a gene encoding the green fluorescent protein is introduced into cells, the cells are screened for the protein and transformed cells are selected and regenerated. The cellular toxicity of the green fluorescent protein is circumvented by regulating expression of the gene encoding the protein or directing the protein to a subcellular compartment where it is not toxic to the cell. DNA constructs are provided for cell transformation in which the expression of a gene encoding the green fluorescent protein is placed under the control of an inducible promoter. In addition, DNA constructs are provided in which a nucleotide sequence encoding the green fluorescent protein is operably linked to a signal sequence which directs the expressed protein to a subcellular compartment where the protein is not toxic to the cell. Oxidative stress to plant cells transformed with GFP also can be ameliorated by transforming cells with an expression vector comprising genes encoding GFP and an oxygen scavenger enzyme such as superoxide dismutase. The toxicity of GFP in transformed plants can be eliminated by excising the screenable marker gene following detection of transformed cells or sectors. The FLP/FRT system is used in conjunction with GFP as a visible marker for transformation and FRT excision. A nucleotide sequence optimized for expression of the green fluorecent protein in plants is also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of plant transformation in which a DNA construct carrying a gene encoding the green fluorescent protein (GFP) is introduced into plant cells which are then screened for the presence of the protein and transformed cells are regenerated into transgenic plants. In particular, the present invention provides methods for circumventing the cellular toxicity of the GFP by regulating expression of the gene encoding the protein or directing the protein to a subcellular compartment where it is not toxic to the cell. The present invention provides DNA constructs for cell transformation in which expression of a gene encoding the GFP is placed under the control of an inducible, constitutive or tissue-specific promoter. In addition, DNA constructs are provided in which a nucleotide sequence encoding the GFP is operably linked to a signal or targeting sequence which directs the expressed protein to a subcellular compartment where the protein is not toxic to the cell. Moreover, the present invention provides a nucleotide sequence encoding GFP that is optimized for expression of the GFP gene in plants and to GFP-encoding nucleotide sequences that code for light-shifted versions of GFP. The present invention also provides a method for selecting plant cells transformed with a gene encoding a screenable marker flanked on the 5-prime and 3-prime ends with a recombinase-specific target sequence, and introducing a gene encoding a site specific recombinase into the transformed plant cells and selecting transformed plant cells that no longer express the screenable marker. In addition, the present invention provides a method of reducing GFP toxicity by transforming plant cells with a gene encoding the GFP together with a gene encoding an oxygen scavenger such as superoxidase dismutase.
2. Background
Expression vectors include at least one genetic marker that allows transformed cells to be either recovered by negative selection, i.e. inhibiting growth of cells that do not contain the selectable marker gene, or by screening for product encoded by the genetic marker. Many of the commonly used selectable marker genes for plant transformation were isolated from bacteria and code for enzymes that metabolically detoxify a selective chemical agent which may be an antibiotic or a herbicide. Other selectable marker genes encode an altered target which is insensitive to the inhibitor.
The most commonly used selectable marker gene for plant transformation is the neomycin phosphotransferase II (nptII) gene, isolated from Tn5, which when placed under the control of plant regulatory signals confers resistance to kanamycin. Fraley et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 80: 4803 (1983). Another commonly used selectable marker gene is the hygromycin phosphotransferase gene which confers resistance to the antibiotic hygromycin. Vanden Elzen et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 5: 299 (1985).
Additional selectable marker genes of bacterial origin that confer resistance to antibiotics include gentamycin acetyl transferase, streptomycin phosphotransferase, aminoglycoside-3xe2x80x2-adenyl transferase, the bleomycin resistance determinant. Hayford et al., Plant Physiol. 86: 1216 (1988), Jones et al., Mol. Gen. Genet., 210: 86 (1987), Svab et al., Plant Mol. Biol. 14: 197 (1990), Hille et al., Plant Mol. Biol. 7: 171 (1986). Other selectable marker genes confer resistance to herbicides such as glyphosate, glufosinate or broxynil. Comai et al., Nature 317: 741-744 (1985), Gordon-Kamm et al., Plant Cell 2: 603-618 (1990) and Stalker et al., Science 242: 419-423 (1988).
Other selectable marker genes for plant transformation are not of bacterial origin. These genes include, for example, mouse dihydrofolate reductase, plant 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase and plant acetolactate synthase. Eichholtz et al., Somatic Cell Mol. Genet. 13: 67 (1987), Shah et al., Science 233: 478 (1986), Charest et al., Plant Cell Rep. 8: 643 (1990).
Although many of these markers have been used for selecting transformed plant tissue, these selection systems involving toxic chemical agents can have disadvantages or limitations. One disadvantage is that it may be difficult to recover normal, viable transformed plants directly from chemical selection. Everett et al., Bio/Technology 5: 1201-1204 (1987). Another disadvantage is that not all selectable marker systems work for all tissues, in all plant species, due in part to differences in sensitivity of a particular tissue or plant species to the selective agent. The success of any given marker for transformation of a given plant species is not easily predicted. Moreover, potential regulatory issues surrounding the use of antibiotic resistance genes and the use of herbicide resistance genes for plant species capable of outcrossing with weedy species are additional disadvantages of these markers.
Another class of marker genes for plant transformation require screening of presumptively transformed plant cells rather than direct genetic selection of transformed cells for resistance to a toxic substance such as an antibiotic. These genes are particularly useful to quantify or visualize the spatial pattern of expression of a gene in specific tissues and are frequently referred to as reporter genes because they can be fused to a gene or gene regulatory sequence for the investigation of gene expression. Commonly used genes for screening presumptively transformed cells include xcex2-glucuronidase (GUS), xcex2-galactosidase, luciferase, and chloramphenicol acetyltransferase Jefferson, R. A., Plant Mol. Biol. Rep. 5: 387 (1987)., Teeri et al., EMBO J. 8: 343 (1989), Koncz et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 84: 131 (1987), De Block et al., EMBO J. 3: 1681 (1984). Another approach to the identification of relatively rare transformation events has been use of a gene that encodes a dominant constitutive regulator of the Zea mays anthocyanin pigmentation pathway. Ludwig et al., Science 247: 449 (1990).
Although chemical selection of plant cells transformed with selectable marker genes has been successful with plant species and varieties that are easily cultured in vitro, the choice of selectable marker systems that have been shown to be successful for cereals and many other agronomically important plant species is very limited. In general, plant species that tend toward organogenesis and/or shoot propagation have been difficult to transform by means of chemical selection. The success rate with these plant species continues to improve, however, as evidenced by recent advances in Type I selection of maize inbreds and small grain cereals such as barley. Koziel et al., Bio/Technology 11: 194-200 (1993) and Mendel et al. In: Transformation of Plants and Soil Microorganisms, Wang et al. eds., Cambridge Press (1995).
Likewise, there has been little success in using visual screening methods for primary identification of transformed cells. The GUS gene was used to investigate germline transmission. McCabe et al., Plant Physiol., 87(3): 671 (1988) and McCabe et al., Plant Cell Tissue Organ Cult. 33 (3): 227 (1993). Histochemical staining for GUS activity was used to locate transgenic sectors in cotton and soybean transformants that ultimately produced transgenic seeds. Since histochemical analysis for GUS activity requires destruction of portions of the presumptively transformed plant tissue, this method is labor intensive and impractical for routine production of transgenic plants. This method is particularly unsuitable for plant species such as maize and other cereals in which transformants are recovered, even under optimum conditions, at low frequency. Recovery of transformed progeny was reported once in barley using GUS expression as a screening tool, but the method was found to be very labor-intensive. Ritala et al., Plant Mol. Biol. 24: 317-325 (1994). There have been no reports at all of success with GUS or other screenable markers with maize.
More recently, in vivo methods for visualizing GUS activity that do not require destruction of plant tissue have been made available. Molecular Probes Publication 2908, Imagene Green(trademark), p. 1-4 (1993) and Naleway et al., J. Cell Biol. 115: 151a (1991). However, these in vivo methods for visualizing GUS activity have not proven useful for recovery of transformed cells because of low sensitivity and high fluorescent backgrounds.
Despite the fact that luciferase genes have been available for many years, this strategy for visualizing transformed cells has also not been successfully adapted for routine recovery of plant transformants. The luciferase-based screening methods are limited by the fact that most of these systems require the presence of luciferin, a compatible luciferase and an exogenously supplied cofactor. In the absence of the substrate, enzyme or cofactor, the system does not bioluminesce. Cells transformed with a luciferase gene must have cell walls and plasma membranes that are permeable, or rendered permeable, to a compatible luciferin in order to detect bioluminescence. For example, tobacco plants regenerated from cells transformed with a firefly luciferase gene and exposed to a liquid medium containing firefly luciferin exhibited bioluminescence primarily along their major veins. Ow et al., Science 234: 856 (1986). Accordingly, a screening method has not been successfully developed for routine plant transformation that does not involve chemical selection or assays, often labor-intensive, that require the sacrifice or destruction of tissue samples for analysis.
A gene encoding GFP has been utilized as a marker for gene expression in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Chalfie et al., Science 263: 802 (1994). Many cnidarians utilize GFPs as energy-transfer acceptors in bioluminescence. A gene encoding GFP isolated from a cnidarian and expressed in a heterologous prokaryotic or eukaryotic host produces a protein capable of fluorescence. A cDNA encoding the Aequorea victoria GFP produced a fluorescent product when expressed in Escherichia coli or Caenorhabditis elegans cells. Green fluorescence was detected in transformed cells upon illumination with a long-wave ultraviolet (UV) source without having to supply substrates or cofactors. In addition, fluorescence was stable for at least 10 min when illuminated with 450 to 490 nm light. Transformation of plant cells with a gene encoding GFP and detection of fluorescence has been reported. Haseloff et al., TIG 11: 328-329 (1995). Transformed Arabidopsis cells could be regenerated into whole plants. However, the regenerated plants expressing GFP exhibited signs of mild to moderate toxicity in the light compared to plants not expressing GFP. The strongest GFP expressors proved more difficult to regenerate. Likewise, in a recent report describing GFP expression in kanamycin-selected tobacco transformants, Chiu et al., Current Biol. 6: 325-330 (1996) note that high GFP expression levels inhibited regeneration of transgenic plants.
A need therefore exists for a cell transformation method which does not rely, or does not rely solely on, selection of cells carrying a gene that confers resistance to a toxic substance. A need exists for a method for efficiently and easily identifying transformed plant cells with a visual screenable marker. A need also exists for a method of cell transformation that does not require destruction of presumptively transformed tissue to assay for the presence of a selectable marker gene. A need exists for a method for cell transformation that combines a selectable marker gene and a screenable marker gene. In addition, a need exists for a method of cell transformation which does not require exogenous supply of a substrate or cofactor for detection of the polypeptide encoded by a selectable marker gene. Yet another need exists for a method of cell transformation that circumvents the cellular toxicity of the GFP.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for cell transformation which does not depend on selection of cells carrying a gene that confers resistance to a toxic substance.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for cell transformation which combines the selection of cells carrying a gene that confers resistance to a toxic substance with screening cells for the presence of a substance that renders transformed cells identifiable.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method for cell transformation which does not require destruction of presumptively transformed tissue to assay for the presence of a selectable marker gene.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method for cell transformation which does not require that an exogenous substrate or cofactor be provided to assay for a polypeptide encoded by a selectable marker gene.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for cell transformation that circumvents the cellular toxicity of the GFP.
These and other objects are achieved, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, by providing an isolated DNA molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding the GFP operably linked to an inducible promoter. The inducible promoter can be selected from the group consisting of the estrogen-inducible promoter, the estradiol-inducible promoter, the ACE1 promoter, the IN2 promoter and the tetracycline repressor promoter.
Also provided is an isolated DNA molecule comprising as nucleotide sequence encoding the GFP wherein the nucleotide sequence is operably linked to a targeting sequence for subcellular localization which directs a protein to a subcellular compartment.
An isolated DNA molecule is provided comprising a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of (a) SEQ ID NO: 1; (b) a nucleotide sequence that has substantial sequence similarity with SEQ ID NO: 1; and (c) a functional fragment of (a) or (b), wherein said DNA molecule encodes a GFP. The nucleotide sequence encoding a GFP may be operably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a targeting sequence for subcellular localization which directs a protein to a subcellular compartment. The nucleotide sequence encoding a GFP and a targeting sequence may further comprise a promoter operably linked to said nucleotide sequence.
Also provided are expression vectors comprising DNA molecules encoding a GFP, optionally operably linked to an inducible promoter and/or targeting sequence. The expression vector of the instant invention may carry a nucleotide sequence encoding a foreign protein operably linked to a second promoter.
Also provided is a method of using the expression vectors of the instant invention to produce a transformed plant, comprising the steps of introducing an expression carrying a gene encoding GFP into regenerable plant cells and selecting cells containing the GFP for regeneration. The method of the instant invention may include the step of inducing GFP expression where the nucleotide sequence encoding GFP is operably linked to an inducible promoter. The regenerable plant cells utilized in the method of the instant invention are selected from the group consisting of Zea, Brassica and Helianthus cells.
Also provided are transgenic plants expressing the isolated DNA molecule encoding GFP. In addition, transgenic plants comprising a vector carrying a nucleotide sequence encoding GFP are provided.
A method for producing a transgenic plant is provided comprising the steps of (a) constructing an expression vector comprising (i) a first promoter which is an inducible promoter, operably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a GFP, and (ii) a second promoter operably linked to a foreign gene; (b) introducing said expression vector into regenerable plant cells; (c) inducing expression of the gene encoding the GFP and selecting transformed plant cells containing said protein; and (d) regenerating transformed plants from said selected transformed plant cells. The inducible promoter may be selected from the group including the estrogen-inducible promoter, the estradiol-inducible promoter, the ACEI promoter, the IN2 promoter and the tetracycline repressor promoter.
Also provided is a method for producing a transgenic plant, comprising the steps: (a) constructing an expression vector comprising (i) a first promoter operably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a sequence for subcellular localization which directs a protein to a subcellular compartment which is operably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a GFP, and (ii) a second promoter operably linked to a foreign gene; (b) introducing said expression vector into regenerable plant cells; (c) selecting transformed plant cells containing said GFP; and (d) regenerating transformed plants from said selected transformed plant cells. The targeting sequence for subcellular localization directs the GFP to the mitochondria, chloroplasts, peroxisomes, vacuole, endoplasmic reticulum. cell wall or for secretion generally into the apoplast. This method may include a nucleotide sequence encoding a GFP selected from the group consisting of: (a) SEQ ID NO: 1; (b) a nucleotide sequence that has substantial sequence similarity with SEQ ID NO: 1; and (c) a functional fragment of (a) or (b).
Also provided is a method for producing a transgenic plant, comprising the steps: (a) constructing an expression vector comprising (i) a first promoter operably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a screenable marker flanked on the 5-prime and 3-prime ends with a recombinase-specific target sequence, and (ii) a second promoter operably linked to a foreign gene; (b) introducing said expression vector into regenerable plant cells; (c) selecting transformed plant cells containing said screenable marker; (d) transforming the plant cells with a second expression vector containing a gene encoding a site-specific recombinase; (e) selecting plant cells that no longer express the screenable marker; (f) regenerating transformed plants from said selected transformed plant cells; and (g) isolating said foreign protein. The site-specific recombinase may be selected from the group consisting of the FLPtFRT, Ac/DS and cre/lox systems. In addition, the screenable marker may be the GFP.
An isolated DNA molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding the GFP fused in frame to a nucleotide sequence encoding superoxide dismutase is also provided. Cells transformed with the DNA molecule contain a fusion protein that (i) produces green fluorescence in the presence of UV to blue light and (ii) displays superoxide dismutase activity.
Also provided is a method for producing a transgenic plant comprising: (a) constructing an expression vector comprising (i) a first promoter operably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a GFP, and (ii) a second promoter operably linked to a gene encoding an enzyme that is an oxygen scavenger, and (iii) a third promoter operably linked to a foreign gene; (b) introducing said expression vector into regenerable plant cells; (c) selecting transformed plant cells containing said GFP; and (d) regenerating transformed plants from said selected transformed plant cells. The oxygen scavenger enzyme may be superoxide dismutase.
Alternatively, a method for producing a transgenic plant is provided comprising: (a) constructing an expression vector comprising (i) a first promoter operably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a fusion protein comprising the GFPand an oxygen scavenger enzyme fused in frame, and (ii) a second promoter operably linked to a foreign gene; (b) introducing said expression vector into regenerable plant cells; (c) selecting transformed plant cells containing said the GFP and oxygen scavenger enzyme activity; and (d) regenerating transformed plants from said selected transformed plant cells. The oxygen scavenger enzyme may be superoxide dismutase.

Use of the green fluorescent protein as a screenable marker for plant transformation


This invention discloses a system and method for measuring and monitoring three-dimensional shaped objects with projections of computer models of the objects. The computer models of the three-dimensional shaped objects are in the form of grid patterns. An image of the computer model of grid patterns is simultaneously projected from a dual projection system in two directions onto a real world instance of the object. Any variation between the computer model and the real world instance of the object is highlighted directly on the object by interference patterns of the two projections on the real world instance. The variation is quantified by counting the number of interference patterns on the real world instance of the object.

Gages and dial indicators are traditional tools that have been used for measuring simple shaped objects. However, the gages and dial indicators are not very useful for measuring complex three-dimensional shaped objects. Custom made templates are one type of tool that have been used for measuring complex three-dimensional shaped objects. The custom made templates measure complex three-dimensional shaped objects by checking the crosssectional profiles of the objects. A problem with using the custom made templates to measure complex three-dimensional shaped objects is that the templates can be expensive and require a great deal of skill to measure the objects and interpret the results. Computer controlled coordinate measuring machines (CCMs) are another type of tool that have been used to measure complex three-dimensional shaped objects. The CCM measures complex three-dimensional shaped objects by measuring the dimensions of the objects. In particular, the CCM is programmed to probe the objects and record coordinates by using a mechanical probe or a laser distance detector. Typically, the CCM requires lengthy programming, probing cycles, and setup. These limitations make it prohibitive to use the CCM for measuring and monitoring in-process parts that are mounted on machining, forming, or other process equipment. Any time spent on unloading in-process parts from the process, setting up the CCM for measuring the parts, and reloading the parts back in the process will be an unwieldy interruption of manufacturing work flow. Projection moiresystems are one type of tool that have been used to measure and monitor in-process parts. In these systems, grid images of the in-process parts are recorded on film and differences between the part and the image appear on the film as a series of moirefringes. However, a problem with using projection moiresystems for measuring and monitoring in-process parts is that these systems cannot be used to directly visualize the differences on the film with a real world instance of the in-process part. Therefore, there is a need for a better tool for directly measuring and monitoring three-dimensional shaped objects, especially in manufacturing processes where it is impractical to use traditional contact measuring tools or projection moiresystems.

System and method for measuring and monitoring three-dimensional shaped objects


A delivery processing apparatus includes an alignment stage, an aligning mechanism, including an alignment member operable to align a sheet on the alignment stage and to escape to a home position during a non-alignment period, a sheet conveyor for conveying the sheet on the alignment stage, a sheet processor for performing a prescribed processing to the sheet on the alignment stage, a delivery portion for stacking the sheets and a stacking amount detecting mechanism, including a detection member selectively moving to a detection position and a non-detection position at a region overlapping an operation region of the alignment member to detect the stacking amount of the sheet delivered to the delivery portion. The stacking amount detecting mechanism operates in a first stacking amount detection mode for detecting a stacking amount of the sheets stacked at the delivery portion during a first delivery mode in which the sheets processed by the sheet processing mechanism are delivered to the delivery portion and operates in a second stacking amount detection mode for detecting a stacking amount of the sheets stacked at the delivery portion during a second delivery mode for delivering the sheet to the delivery portion without executing the alignment operation.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to stacking amount detection control of a delivery processing apparatus coupled to a recording apparatus and, more particularly, to a delivery processing apparatus accurately detectable of a delivery stacking amount according to sheet delivery modes and to an image forming apparatus having this delivery processing apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
Image forming apparatuses such as printers conventionally include a delivery processing apparatus for delivering plural image-formed (or recorded) sheets upon processing the sheets such as stapling where each edge is aligned. Such a delivery processing apparatus is formed on a top face or a side face of a sheet delivery outlet side of an image forming apparatus body, and a type of such a delivery processing apparatus has been known as the sheets on which recording is made at the side of the image forming apparatus body, are fed sheet by sheet from the delivery outlet to align each edge and to be delivered upon subjecting to processing the sheets.
Those delivery processing apparatuses tend to be formed with a mechanism detecting a stacking amount of the post-processed sheet bundles, and a control is frequently made as to suppress the sheet delivery to the delivery processing apparatus particularly when the stacking portion is made full.
When the sheet bundles subject to the sheet processing such as a stapling are stacked, however, proper stacking may not be performed due to rising only at the stapled portion. Under such a situation, the stacking amount detecting means located at the stapled portion likely detects as a fully stacked state even though the full stacking is not detected, thereby resulting disturbance of conveyance of the subsequent sheets.
To solve this problem, it may be required to form the stacking amount detecting means at the center as well as at the stapling position. Where stapling is made at an edge of the sheets, however, the stapling position tends to be near the alignment position of the sheet bundles, so that the operation ranges of the alignment mechanism and the stacking amount detecting mechanism inevitably interfere with each other, and so that the image forming apparatus may not operate with proper alignment operation and proper detection of the stacking amount.
This invention is to solve the above problems. It is an object of the invention to provide a delivery processing apparatus accurately detectable of a stacking amount of stacked sheet bundles and an image forming apparatus having this delivery processing apparatus.
A representative structure according to the invention to accomplish the above object is a delivery processing apparatus for delivering sheets after aligning the sheets and processing the sheets in a prescribed manner, characterized in having: an aligning medium including an alignment member operable to align a sheet on the alignment stage and to escape to a home position during a non-alignment period; a sheet conveyor for conveying the sheet on the alignment stage; a sheet processor for performing a prescribed processing to the sheet on the alignment stage; and a stacking amount detecting medium including a detection member selectively moving to a detection position and a non-detection position at a region overlapping an operation region of the alignment member to detect the stacking amount of the sheet delivered to a delivery portion, wherein the stacking amount detecting means operates in a first stacking amount detection mode for detecting a stacking amount of the sheets stacked at the delivery portion during a first delivery mode in which the sheets processed by the sheet processing means are delivered to the delivery portion and operates in a second stacking amount detection mode for detecting a stacking amount of the sheets stacked at the delivery portion during a second delivery mode for delivering the sheet to the delivery portion without executing the alignment operation.
According to the invention, even with the delivery processing apparatus in which the operable ranges of the alignment member for aligning the sheets and the detection member for detecting the stacking amount of the sheets are overlapping to each other, the sheet stacking amount can be detected accurately by changing the detection mode in a case that the sheets are processed and in a case that the sheets are not processed.

Delivery processing apparatus and image forming apparatus


A composite capacitive sensor device for use at least up to 1300.degree. C. and 40 bar, including a coaxial cable comprising a conductive sleeve (10) and an inner conductor (21), which are separated by a first insulator (19), and a probe (1) comprising elements which are all refractory and anticorrosive, which are respectively connected to the end portions of said cable and which comprise a metal housing (2) and an electrode (4) having a flat surface (4a) of larger area than the cross-sectional area of the inner conductor, which elements are separated by a second insulator (9) associated with locking means (3, 16) and are secured by means which are all refractory and anticorrosive (11a-11e).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a composite capacitive sensor device including a probe having an electrode with a flat surface and including a coaxial cable for connecting said probe to measurement means.
The invention is applied particularly in the aircraft industry for the dynamic measurement of the speed of rotation of rotor blades in the casing of a turbo engine and for the measurement of the clearance existing between the rotor blade tips and this casing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A capacitive sensor for a turbo engine is already known from the Patent EP 0246576. This sensor comprises a metal probe body having two different inner diameters. The part having the larger inner width is disposed at the end of the probe and accommodates a flat disc-shaped electrode having a first surface which should be disposed opposite the rotor blade tips of the turbo engine and having its other surface connected to the central conductor of a coaxial cable. This coaxial cable is surrounded by a metal sleeve fixed to the small-diameter part of the probe body. In the large-diameter part the electrode is insulated from the probe body by a mineral insulator. The coaxial cable further comprises a guard electrode extended by a guard ring disposed around the electrode in the large-diameter part.
The materials and welding means of the various parts of the known sensor probe allow the probe to be used at a maximum temperature of 750.degree. C. To this end, the metal parts of the coaxial cable are made of Inconel and are insulated from one another by a mineral insulator, the electrode is made of platinum and is insulated from the probe body by an aluminum oxide, and the elements formed by the probe body and the sleeve on the one hand and by the electrode and the central conductor on the other hand are joined to one another by means of a solder material. Such joints also connect the guard electrode to the coaxial cable and the guard ring to the probe body.
It is an object of the present invention to provide such a capacitive sensor device suitable for use in a turbo machine referred to as a combustion chamber, which also comprises rotor blades, i.e. a rotor, in a stationary part, or stator, where the temperature at which the known sensor is used is of the order of 1300.degree. C. and the pressure is of the order of 40 bar.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device whose electrode surface has a diameter which is as large as possible without the other specifications being affected, since the signal obtained for the capacitance measurement is proportional to the area of the conductive surface.

Capacitive sensor including a coaxial cable and a probe


Various exemplary photoreactions can be provided, including reactions generally based on triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion. Representative photosensitizers include PdPc(OBu)8 and PtTPTNP. Representative annihilators include FDPP and TTBP. Such exemplary photoreactions, systems and methods may be used in a variety of applications, including various biological or physical applications. Exemplary methods can also be provided for making or using such systems, photoreactions, kits including such systems, or the like.

Photon upconversion by photocatalysis is a process that converts two or more low-energy photons into a single high-energy visible photon via triplet fusion (also known as triplet-triplet annihilation). Photochemical transformations are limited by the energy of the incident light. Typical photoredox chemical transformations are induced by high energy light, such as ultraviolet (UV) or visible light.
Photocatalysis involves promoting synthetically useful transformations by converting light energy into chemical potential. Although discovered decades ago, this field has recently made significant advances in synthesis. Despite these recent achievements, the vast majority of photoredox chemistry still requires high energy blue/violet or ultraviolet (UV) light. This limits its applications in materials and biological chemistry due to the inherent disadvantages of high energy light: low material penetration and destructive photobleaching. For example, it is hard to achieve penetration with IR light in areas where visible light (or higher energy light) is blocked or has limited permittivity. High energy light can also be harmful to chemical reactions.
Thus, it may be beneficial to provide exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate to various photoreactions, including reactions generally based on a triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion which can overcome at least some of the deficiencies described herein above.

Triplet fusion upconversion for infrared-sensitized photoredox chemistry

The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York

President and Fellows of Harvard College


In a mass analysis data analyzing apparatus, centroid data is used as mass spectrum data to be analyzed. First, peaks on the centroid data are specified in order of intensity as a standard peak for identifying an isotopic cluster. The isotopic cluster is detected by comparing an emerging pattern of peaks near the standard peak and an emerging pattern of peaks of an expected isotopic cluster in the case where each valence is assumed. The valence of the determined isotopic cluster is set as the valence of the peaks belonging to the isotopic cluster, and the peak at the forefront of cluster is selected as a monoisotopic peak. With such a mass analysis data analyzing apparatus, it is possible to determine the valence of each peak and identify the monoisotopic peak in a mass spectrum.

One conventional method for analyzing data obtained by a mass analysis is to use profile data, which shows a mass spectrum with an m/z value (mass-to-charge ratio) of ions detected in sequence and the detection intensity of them as data showing a mass spectrum as described in Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2. Profile data is a data form corresponding to raw data of a mass spectrometer. In the conventional mass analysis data analyzing method using the profile data, an isotopic cluster is first identified by analyzing the configuration of each peak on the profile data with a pattern recognition algorithm, and then, based on the result, the valence of each peak is determined and the monoisotopic peak is identified: where the isotopic cluster is a peak group consisting of a plurality of peaks which originate form ions having the same elemental composition yet have different m/z values depending on the difference of the isotopic composition of ions, and the monoisotopic peak is a peak of the ion which represents an isotopic cluster. Normally it is a peak of the ion consisting of the isotope having the largest natural abundance ratio.
[Non-Patent Document 1] Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry, 2000, Vol. 11, pp. 320-332
[Non-Patent Document 2] Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry, 1995, Vol. 6, pp. 229-233

Mass analysis data analyzing apparatus and program thereof


A cutting tooth holder for circular saws used on felling heads. A plurality of the holders are mounted on a circular saw disk about its rim. Each holder has a clevis shape with the leg of the holder that is on top of the saw disk being relatively short compared to the length of the leg on the bottom of the saw. The short upper legs of the holders permit the use of a larger butt plate on the felling head to cover the saw.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed toward an improved cutting tooth holder for a circular saw.
The invention is also directed toward an improved circular saw incorporating the improved cutting tooth holders.
The invention is further directed toward a feller head incorporating the improved circular saw.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Circular saws, having cutting teeth mounted on the periphery of a circular saw disk, are now commonly used on feller heads for felling trees. The saw is mounted at the bottom of the felling head and is rotated in a generally horizontal plane. The felling head is moved horizontally to have the rotating saw cut through a standing tree. The felling head often carries a fixed, generally horizontal butt plate that lies closely adjacent to the upper surface of the saw. The cutting teeth of the circular saw cut a wide enough kerf in the tree being felled that allows both the saw disk and butt plate to freely enter the kerf. When the tree is cut through, it drops onto the butt plate. Arms on the felling head can hold the cut tree upright on the butt plate while another tree is cut or while the felling head is moved to transport the cut tree to another station for further processing.
The cutting teeth of the circular saw can be mounted on the saw disk in various ways. One preferred way of mounting the cutting teeth is to use clevis-shaped tooth holders as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,477, issued to Charles MacLennan on Oct. 22, 1991. Each holder usually holds one tooth and comprises a body portion having a pair of dependent legs. The holder is mounted over the edge of the circular disk with the legs straddling the disk. A peripheral edge portion of the disk snugly enters the slot between the legs of the holder. Bolts passing through the legs and disk securely connect the holder to the disk. The cutting tooth is mounted adjacent one end of the body portion just outside the peripheral edge of the disk with its cutting edges facing in the direction of rotation of the saw.
The holders described above work quite satisfactorily. However, because the legs of the holders extend radially inwardly some distance over the saw disk, they limit the size of the butt plate that can be used. The outer edge of the butt plate, to clear the inner ends of the legs of the tooth holders, must be spaced inwardly some distance from the rim of the saw disk. Thus, a fairly wide peripheral portion of the saw disk is left uncovered by the butt plate. This uncovered portion of the rotating disk may catch the butt of the tree just as it is cut through and drops and flip it off the felling head.


A method for integrating Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) circuitry with logic circuitry is provided. The method includes depositing a first layer of gate material over the NVM area and the logic area of the substrate. The method further includes depositing multiple adjoining sacrificial layers comprising nitride, oxide and nitride (ARC layer) overlying each other. The multiple adjoining sacrificial layers are used to pattern select gate and control gate of memory transistor in the NVM area, and the ARC layer of the multiple adjoining sacrificial layers is used to pattern gate of logic transistor in the logic area.

1. Field
This disclosure relates generally to integrated circuit fabrication, and more specifically, to integrating Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) circuitry with logic circuitry in fabricating integrated circuit designs.
2. Related Art
In the field of integrated circuit design, System-on-chip (SoC) devices are commonly used. The term "SoC" refers to devices that integrate several types of blocks, including logic, programmable parts, I/O, volatile memory and non-volatile memory on a single integrated circuit.
Floating-gate based memories are frequently used as non-volatile memories in SoC designs. To overcome the scaling limitations of floating-gate based memories embedded on SoC, thin film storage (TFS) memories are currently being used. In a TFS memory, charge is stored in a thin insulating film consisting of silicon crystals commonly known as nanocrystals.
Integration of TFS (Thin Film Storage) memories with logic circuitry in an SoC requires two gate etches, one for a select gate in the TFS area and another for the gate of logic or peripheral transistors in the logic area. The logic or peripheral transistors are very small, having critical dimensions, and are thus complicated to pattern. In one approach, gates of tiny transistors are patterned using a bottom anti-reflective coating (BARC) layer which is deposited over the gate oxide to achieve critical dimension (CD) control of gate dimensions of the transistors. Since a BARC has high viscosity, it is difficult to deposit BARC layers. Further, the process gets more complicated if there is a difference in height between the memory area and logic area on the SoC. In addition, if the physical distance between the memory area and the logic area on the SoC is small, a very thick layer of non-planar BARC gets deposited over the gate oxide in the logic area which is difficult to etch. In addition, the patterning of a transistor gate using the thick BARC layer is a complicated process, as the thick BARC layer is too anti-reflective. To resolve this non-planarity problem, the distance between the memory area and the logic area, called isolation region, is required to be large. However, an increase in the isolation region entails layout inefficiencies in the SoC design.
Another approach for patterning a small-dimensioned transistor includes deposition of a regular anti-reflective coating (ARC) or nitride. However, it is difficult to etch it in the later processes due to the non-planarity problem.
There exists a need for a method to overcome these problems and to reduce the process complexity while integrating the NVM circuitry with the logic circuitry in the SoC.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve the understanding of the embodiments of the present invention.

Method for integrating NVM circuitry with logic circuitry