Method and system for high order conditional entropy coding utilizing an incremental-tree-extension technique to design a conditional tree for the coding. For complexity reduction, code table reduction and non-uniform quantization of conditioning symbols or pixels is provided. A pattern matching technique is provided for fast conditioning state extraction, and a multistage pipelined structure is provided to handle the case of a large number of conditioning pixels. Using the complexity reduction techniques and the hardware structures, it is possible to implement practical high order conditional entropy codecs using current low-cost VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration) technology.

Entropy coding is a technique of lossless data compression which achieves compact data representation by taking advantage of the statistical characteristics of the source. Today, the most practiced entropy coding technique is probably variable-length coding (VLC). VLC translates input data, often in a fixed length format, into codes of variable lengths. The basic concept behind variable-length coding is to represent more frequent data by shorter codes and less frequent data by longer codes. Therefore, the average code length is expected to be shorter than that of the fixed length representation.
VLC is widely used in various data compression applications and has been adopted in many international standards such as facsimile, still picture, and video coding. The VLCs used by these standards mostly utilize only zero-order or low-order statistical characteristics of the source.
A well-known theorem in information theory implies that the coding efficiency can be improved by utilizing high-order statistics. However, due to the high complexity associated with high-order statistics and the lack of high-speed hardware to implement it, high-order entropy coding has not been practical in the past. In other words, high order conditional entropy coding has not been practical due to its high complexity and the lack of hardware to extract the conditioning state efficiently. High-order conditional entropy coding can also be viewed as an entropy coding system with multiple code tables, adaptively selected according to the state.
The high-order entropy of a source can be effectively exploited by using either the joint probability of L symbols or the conditional probability. However, both techniques would lead to very high complexity. Consequently, a simple but effective technique called run-length coding has been popularly used to exploit limited high-order redundancy. Run-length coding converts a string of the same symbols that occur consecutively into a new symbol that indicates the string length coding for further data compression. The combination of run-length coding and variable-length coding has been shown to achieve high performance for image applications. The entropy coding techniques adopted in most standards are variations of combined run-length coding and variable-length coding.
The benefit of using high-order statistics has been clearly demonstrated in Langdon and Rissanen's work on black/white document compression. In this work, the conditioning state was defined as the combination of 10 pixels in the causal region and a total of 1024 states were generated from all possible combinations of the 10 pixels. The associated coding technique was arithmetic coding which allows the use of fractional bits to code a sample. The drawback of this high-order conditional probability approach is the requirement of a large memory to store all the measured conditional probabilities. When this approach is extended to gray-level images or cases that utilize even higher-order statistics, the memory requirement becomes formidable.
The statistical nature of sources with independent samples can be fully exploited on a sample-by-sample basis. However, for correlated sources, high-order statistics have to be utilized to exploit the redundancy among the data. The minimum bit rate for representing a source is governed by the entropy of the source. For stationary sources, the first order entropy, H(X), is defined as: ##EQU1## where p(x) is the probability of the source symbol x. The entropy H(X), in bits per symbol, establishes a lower bound on the average bit rate for the source X. This lower limit is achieved if each symbol can be coded by the ideal word length, -log.sub.2 p(x). This is usually not the case for VLC since -log.sub.2 p(x) may not be an integer. On the other hand, arithmetic coding allows one, in effect, to represent a symbol in fractional bits and results in a bit rate very close to the entropy. In practice, either technique can be used, whichever is more appropriate.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,173,695, to Sun et al, discloses a high speed, parallel variable length decoder wherein VLC decoding is achieved in one clock cycle regardless of the code length.
Recently, a technique called incremental tree extension was developed which can substantially reduce the complexity of high-order conditional entropy coding. This technique has been modified for 2-D signals. Nevertheless, the storage requirement is still too high for high-speed implementation.


An approach is provided for enabling third-parties to manage a mobile device when within a third party's domain range. Data regarding a point-of-interest and an associated action by a mobile device is received. The action is defined by a third-party. Whether the mobile device is within a predetermined range of the point-of-interest is detected. The action is invoked if the mobile device is within the predetermined range.

Wireless (e.g., cellular) service providers and device manufacturers are continually challenged to deliver value and convenience to consumers by, for example, providing compelling network services, applications, and content, as well as user-friendly devices. Important differentiators in the industry are application and network services as well as the convenience and security of using the application and network services. The ubiquity of mobile phones has garnered some negative attention, in that operation of these devices within certain areas is prohibited, or simply be considered improper etiquette. For example, hospitals and airplanes have place restrictions on cell phone use. Also, patrons in fine dining establishments are requested not to operate their phones out of courtesy to others. The users of these devices are on their honor to follow the restrictions place upon them by the operator or owner of the premises; nevertheless, total compliance is difficult. Traditionally, the control of mobile devices has been limited to the mobile users themselves.

Method and apparatus for third-party control of device behavior


An information handling system comprising at least one power supply unit (PSU), at least one blade server module (BSM) and at least one module monitor board (MMB). The at least one PSU, at least one BSM and the at least one MMB may be removable from the information handling system. The at least one PSU may store in a memory device, e.g., I2C device, the most recent power control command and will thereby maintain that most recent power control command when all of the at least one MMBs are removed from or operationally fail in the information handling system.

As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users are information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes, thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems, e.g., computer, personal computer workstation, portable computer, computer server, print server, network router, network hub, network switch, storage area network disk array, RAID disk system and telecommunications switch.
An information handling system is powered from a power supply system that receives and converts alternating current (AC) power to direct current (DC) power at utilization voltages required by the electronic modules comprising the information handling system. The power supply system tightly regulates these utilization voltages and incorporates over current protection for each of the voltages. To further provide increased reliability of the power supply system, a plurality of power supply units (PSUs) may be provided and coupled in parallel so that the loss or malfunction of one or more of the PSUs will not totally disable operation of the information handling system.
Blade server modules, or "blades," are miniaturized server modules that typically are powered from a common power supply system and are cooled by a cooling system within a multi-server cabinet. Typically, a blade includes a circuit board with one or more processors, memory, a connection port, and possibly a disk drive for storage. By arranging a plurality of blades like books on a shelf in the multi-server cabinet, a high density multi-server system achieves significant cost and space savings over a plurality of conventional servers. These savings result directly from the sharing of common resources, e.g., power supplies, cooling systems, enclosures, etc., and the reduction of space required by this type of multi-server system while providing a significant increase in available computer processing power.


An airfoil for a gas turbine engine includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall coupled together at a leading edge and a trailing edge, such that a cavity is defined therebetween. A plurality of rib walls extend at least partially between the first and second sidewalls, wherein the plurality of rib walls define at least one cooling circuit having at least three cooling chambers. At least one row of openings extend through at least one of the rib walls, wherein a first of the cooling chambers supplies cooling fluid to the cavity, and the remaining cooling chambers are coupled in flow communication with the first cooling chamber via the openings.

This invention relates generally to gas turbine engine rotor blades and, more particularly, to methods and apparatus for reducing turbine blade temperatures.
Gas turbine engine rotor blades typically include airfoils having leading and trailing edges, a pressure side, and a suction side. The pressure and suction sides are connected at the airfoil leading and trailing edges, and span radially between the airfoil root and the tip. During operation, combustion gases impact the rotating rotor blades transferring heat into the airfoils. Over time, continued exposure to high temperature combustion gases may thermally fatigue the airfoil.
To facilitate preventing damage to the airfoils from exposure to the high temperature combustion gases, known airfoils include an internal cooling circuit which channels cooling fluid through the airfoil. Specifically, at least some known rotor blades channel compressor bleed air into a cavity defined between the sidewalls, to convectively cool the sidewalls. Moreover, at least some known cooling circuits utilize shear-jet cooling wherein a plurality of shear-jet openings channel cooling fluid along an inner surface of the sidewalls to facilitate cooling the sidewalls. Additional cooling cavities can be accomplished using impingement cooling wherein impingement inserts channel cooling fluid through impingement jet arrays against the inner surface of the airfoil's leading edge to facilitate cooling the airfoil along the leading edge. However, these circuits are inefficient as the circuits allow the cooling fluid to flow through the center of the cavity where it is ineffective in removing heat from the walls of the airfoil.

Method and apparatus for reducing turbine blade temperatures


A reverse osmosis water purification system in which the concentrate water which is normally produced by the process is not disposed of by routing it to a drain line or otherwise, but is redirected to the main water supply. The system includes the well-known components of a reverse osmosis membrane, pre-filters which are installed ahead of the reverse osmosis membrane, and an appropriate tank to store the purified water. In addition, the system includes a pump and associated pressure sensor for increasing the pressure of the incoming non-processed water to the reverse osmosis unit, means for directing the concentrate water from the reverse osmosis unit to the incoming main water supply (cold), or to a hot water line. Additionally included is a one-way check valve in the concentrate water line, and a sensor sensing the pressure of water in the storage tank and turn the pump off whenever the pressure exceeds a predetermined value.

The purification of water by reverse osmosis is a well known technology which is being used considerably more today than it was in the past due to increasing drinking water problems resulting from pollution, and the like. The increasing usage of this old technology has resulted in the development and refinement of systems which are economically and technically feasible for use in both domestic and industrial applications.
A typical reverse osmosis water purification and storage system currently used for home application employs a special diaphragm-type hydro-pneumatic storage tank into which the purified water from a reverse osmosis unit is stored. The special tank is provided with a diaphragm to divide it into a water storage compartment and a pre-pressurized air compartment. Pure water from the reverse osmosis unit is directed into the water storage compartment and, by diaphragm action, will compress the air in the pre-pressurized air compartment. When a demand for pure water occurs, the compressed air in the air compartment exerts a force on the diaphragm causing the water in the storage compartment of the tank to flow under the influence of that force through a plumbing line to an open fixture, usually a faucet. Systems are also available which employ a tank which stores the purified water at atmospheric pressure. A pump is included in the system to deliver water from the storage tank to the faucet.
When water is being purified by reverse osmosis, it will, in addition to producing purified water, produce a considerable amount of waste water as is well known. This production of waste water, which is a by-product of the reverse osmosis process, and which is also called concentrate water or reject water, has caused concern over the use of the reverse osmosis water purification technology wherever the supply of water to be purified is limited for whatever reason. For example, the ratio of concentrate or reject water to purified water can range from about 3:1 to about 15:1 depending on the particular system. This means that for every gallon of purified water produced, from 3 to 15 gallons is considered as concentrate water and customarily sent to a drain. This waste of water is of great concern particularly in drought areas of the world where water is a particularly precious commodity.
In Hall, U.S. Pat. No. 4,626,346, there is disclosed a reverse osmosis water purification system useful in limited water supply installations such as is found in recreational vehicles, boats and the like which use an unpressurized supply tank for the water source. According to the Hall patent, waste water from the reverse osmosis unit is recycled back to the supply tank to conserve water.

Water conserving reverse osmosis unit and method of operating it


A gutter guard includes a first inclined section for insertion below shingles of a roof; a second inclined section; and a securing section securing a front end of the gutter guard to a gutter of the roof. A first S-shaped drainage section connects the first inclined section to the second inclined section, and is positioned above an open end of the gutter for draining water thereinto. A second drainage section connects the second inclined section with the securing section, and is positioned above the open end of the gutter for draining water thereinto. The drainage sections each include a forwardly facing convex surface around which water travels, and openings at positions below the convex surfaces through which water exits into the gutter. A heating wire is positioned in the S-shaped drainage section.

The present invention relates generally to guards for rain gutters on buildings, and more particularly, is directed to a gutter guard having two drainage sections and a heating mechanism associated therewith.
It is well-known to provide guards on top of gutters to prevent leaves from falling into the gutters, while permitting water to drain into the gutters. Examples of known arrangements presently being sold are, for example, the system sold under the registered trademark "GUTTER TOPPER" by Gutter Topper Ltd., L.L.C. Of Amelia, Ohio; the system sold under the registered trademark "GUTTER CAP" by Selective Seamless Siding Co. of Naperville, Ill.; and the system sold under the registered trademark "LEAFPROOF" by Eran Industries, Inc. of Omaha, Nebr.
In these systems, the gutter guard includes a sheet of metal that covers the gutter, and has a curved forward end that extends back into the gutter. Thus, leaves and the like are prevented from entering the gutter, but because of surface tension, water flows along the forward curvature of the guard and falls through small openings thereat into the gutter, where the water is carried away to the down spout.
One problem with these systems is that during a heavy water flow, because of the large volume of water, much of the rain water will tend to fall off the roof from the curved end of the gutter guard, rather than flow around the curved end into the gutter. In such case, the gutter guard, although preventing leaves and the like from entering the gutter, does not provide the function of guiding the rain water into the gutter.
In an attempt to solve this problem, U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,775 to Demartini discloses a gutter guard in which there are bumps to slow down the velocity of the rain water so that it travels around the bend into the gutter. U.S. Pat. No. 5,557,891 to Albracht discloses a gutter guard having water slowing means in the form of an S-shaped bend spaced rearwardly of the forward curved portion.
However, the problem with these approaches is that, during heavy rain, there is still too much rain water, so that much of the rain water will still fall off the roof from the curved end of the gutter guard, and will not travel by surface tension around the curved front end, into the gutter.
Another problem with such gutter guards is that ice and snow tend to accumulate thereon, which impedes the flow of water, and or, defeats the surface tension aspect so that the water falls from the roof at the curved end of the gutter guard.
Various proposals have been presented for adding heating elements to gutter guards in order to avoid this problem. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,308,696 to Schroeder discloses a gutter guard having heating elements as lengthwise extending strips on the flat upper surface portion of the gutter guard. U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,526 to Taouil discloses bent, raised portions extending along the length thereof, with heating cables positioned to the lower surface of the bent, raised portions. The heating cables are positioned between the roof and the gutter guard. In order to retain the heating cables in place during assembly, a dielectric adhesive-tape secures the cables in the bent, raised portions. U.S. Pat. No. 5,786,563 to Tiburzi discloses modular ice and snow removal heating panels for a gutter guard system having a built-in flexible heating layer.
However, none of these proposals are entirely satisfactory in that they are complex and burdensome to assemble, and are costly.


A method for input control of multiple computing devices from a single set of input devices begins by providing, by a master input device of the single set of input devices, a connection request to the multiple computing devices via a wireless channel, wherein the connection request identifies one of the multiple computing devices. The method continues by interpreting, by each of other ones of the multiple computing devices, the connection request to determine that the connection request is not addressing the each of the other ones of the multiple computing devices. In response to the connection request, the method continues by providing, by the one of the multiple computing devices, a connection response to the master input device via the wireless channel. The method continues by providing, by the one of the multiple computing devices, a slave connection request to at least one slave input device of the single set of input devices via the wireless channel. The method continues by, in response to the slave connection request, providing, by the at least one slave input device, a second connection response to the one of the multiple computing devices via the wireless channel such that the master input device and the at least one slave input device provide input to the one of the multiple computing devices via the wireless channel.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to wireless communications and more particularly to wireless input control of multiple computing devices.
2. Description of Related Art
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a conventional wired system that includes a plurality of human interface devices (HID), a switch, and a plurality of computers. In this illustration, the human interface devices include a keyboard and a mouse. The computers include a work station, PC computer, laptop computer and/or personal digital assistant (PDA) game console, et cetera.
As shown, the human interface devices are coupled via wires to a switch, which is in turn coupled via wires to each of the computers. The switch enables the human interface devices to act as the inputs for a selected one of the computers. For example, if the switch couples the keyboard and mouse to the computer, the keyboard and mouse function as input devices to the computer. Alternatively, the switch could be set to couple the keyboard and mouse to the work station. In this instance, the keyboard and mouse would provide input to the work station.
While such a system allows a single set of human interface devices to function as the input devices for one of a plurality of computers, it requires a switch and hard wire connections between the switch and each of the human interface devices as well as between the switch and the computer devices.
FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of another prior art computing system that includes the human interface devices, a radio frequency (RF) dongle, the switch, and the plurality of computers. In this system, the hard wire connections between the human interface devices (e.g., the keyboard and mouse) and the switch are replaced by a wireless link. To support the wireless link, the system includes the RF dongle.
While the system of FIG. 2 offers the advantages of wireless connectivity of the human interface devices, it requires the addition of an RF dongle (with respect to the system of FIG. 1) and still requires the switching function. With the additional equipment, the cost of the system increases and adds the inconvenience of having to hard wire the components.
Therefore, a need exists for a system that substantially eliminates the need for a switch and reduces the hard wiring connections.

Wireless input control of multiple computing devices


The disclosure relates to antibody-polymer conjugates comprising one or more anti-Factor D antibody variants, their production and their use in the preparation of compositions and medicaments for treatment of diseases and disorders associated with excessive or uncontrolled complement activation.

The development of therapeutic antibodies represents a revolutionary era in the long history of human medicine. More than 30 antibodies have been approved for human therapy, and over 250 antibodies are in clinical development worldwide for a wide range of major diseases, including cancer, autoimmunity, inflammation, cardiovascular disease, infectious diseases and ocular disease. Over the past decade, the market for monoclonal antibody products has grown exponentially, propelled by the success of such blockbuster drugs as trastuzumab, bevacizumab, rituximab, infliximab and adalimumab. While these first-generation antibody therapeutics have benefited numerous patients, advances in antibody technology and a deeper understanding of the mechanism of action have paved the way for improved versions of antibodies with even better efficacy and fewer side effects.
Successful development and viable use of antibody therapeutics pose many unique challenges compared to traditional medicines that are small organic and inorganic molecules. The biophysical properties of antibodies, like all proteins, are important determinants of their behavior and have significant impacts for development of therapeutics relating to expression, purification, formulation, storage, delivery, pharmacokinetics, immunogenicity and dosing regimens. Among the many characteristics, protein stability is a main feature defining the quality of a candidate antibody and its desirability as a successful therapeutic.
Protein therapy often requires delivering high dose of the protein to patients in order to achieve the desired efficacy. Meanwhile, certain routes of administration are associated with limitations such as delivery time, volume and physical force that require the high dose protein to be in a high-concentration formulation (e.g., at least 100 mg/ml). However, highly concentrated protein formulations pose particular challenges with respect to stability, solubility, viscosity and other protein properties.
Proteins can be unstable and become degraded via multiple physical and chemical degradation pathways. Physical instability occurs mainly via two pathways—denaturation and aggregation, whereas chemical instability can occur via many pathways, such as deamidation, isomerization, cross-linking, oxidation, and fragmentation. Antibody instability is undesirable for drug development, as it can lead to decreased amount of active drug and lower in vivo efficacy, increased variability among batches of the therapeutics, and perhaps most importantly, immunogenicity in patients against aggregates and degradants. Wang et al (2007) J. Pharm. Sci. 96:1-26; Moore et al (1980) J Clin Endocrinology & Metabolism 51: 691-697; Rosenberg et al (2006) AAPSJ 8:E501-7; Joubert et al (2011) J Biol Chem 286: 25118-25133; Joubert et al (2012) J Biol Chem(2012) 286:25266-79).
Antibodies are large multidomain proteins, and factors contributing to their stability and propensity to aggregate are complex, including many extrinsic conditions such as temperature, pH, concentration, ionic strength and physical stress. Equally critical is the protein's own primary sequence. Although by nature the Fc region is largely identical between antibodies of a particular isotype, the Fab region differs greatly. Thus, there are significant variations in stability and aggregation propensity between antibodies, largely due to Fab sequence differences and the particular antigen specificity of the antibody. Lowe et al. (2011) Adv. Protein Chem. Struct Biol. 84:41-61.
The complement system plays a central role in the clearance of immune complexes and the immune response to infectious agents, foreign antigens, virus-infected cells and tumor cells. However, complement is also involved in pathological inflammation and in autoimmune diseases. Therefore, inhibition of excessive or uncontrolled activation of the complement cascade could provide clinical benefit to patients with such diseases and conditions.
The complement system encompasses three distinct activation pathways, designated the classical, mannose-binding lectin, and the alternative pathways. V. M. Holers In Clinical Immunology: Principles and Practice, ed. R. R. Rich, Mosby Press; 1996, 363-391. The classical pathway is a calcium/magnesium-dependent cascade which is normally activated by the formation of antigen-antibody complexes. The mannose-binding lectin (MBL) pathway is initiated by the binding of MBL to carbohydrate structures on pathogens, resulting in the activation of MBL protease (MASP) that cleaves C2 and C4 to form active C2a, C2b, C4a and C4b. The alternative pathway is a magnesium-dependent cascade which is activated by deposition and activation of C3 on certain susceptible surfaces (e.g., cell wall polysaccharides of yeast and bacteria, and certain biopolymer materials). Activation of the complement pathway generates biologically active fragments of complement proteins, e.g., C3a, C4a and C5a anaphylatoxins and C5b-9 membrane attack complexes (MAC), which mediate inflammatory activities involving leukocyte chemotaxis, activation of macrophages, neutrophils, platelets, mast cells and endothelial cells, vascular permeability, cytolysis, and tissue injury.
Factor D is a highly specific serine protease essential for activation of the alternative complement pathway. It cleaves factor B bound to C3b, generating the C3b/Bb enzyme which is the active component of the alternative pathway C3/C5 convertases. Factor D may be a suitable target for inhibition, since its plasma concentration in humans is very low (1.8 μg/ml), and it has been shown to be the limiting enzyme for activation of the alternative complement pathway. P. H. Lesavre and H. J. Müller-Eberhard. (1978) J. Exp. Med. 148: 1498-1510; J. E. Volanakis et al. (1985) New Eng. J. Med. 312: 395-401.
The down-regulation of complement activation has been demonstrated to be effective in treating several disease indications in animal models and in ex vivo studies, e.g., systemic lupus erythematosus and glomerulonephritis, rheumatoid arthritis, cardiopulmonary bypass and hemodialysis, hyperacute rejection in organ transplantation, myocardial infarction, reperfusion injury, and adult respiratory distress syndrome. In addition, other inflammatory conditions and autoimmune/immune complex diseases are also closely associated with complement activation, including thermal injury, severe asthma, anaphylactic shock, bowel inflammation, urticaria, angioedema, vasculitis, multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, and Sjögren's syndrome.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive chronic disease of the central retina with significant consequences for visual acuity. Lim et al. (2012) Lancet 379:1728. Late forms of the disease are the leading cause of vision loss in industrialized countries. For the Caucasian population≥40 years of age the prevalence of early AMD is estimated at 6.8% and advanced AMD at 1.5%. de Jong (2006) N. Engl. J. Med. 355: 1474. The prevalence of late AMD increases dramatically with age rising to 11.8% after 80 years of age. Two types of AMD exist, non-exudative (dry) and exudative (wet) AMD. The more common dry form AMD involves atrophic and hypertrophic changes in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) underlying the central retina (macula) as well as deposits (drusen) on the RPE. Advanced dry AMD can result in significant retinal damage, including geographic atrophy (GA), with irreversible vision loss. Moreover, patients with dry AMD can progress to the wet form, in which abnormal blood vessels called choroidal neovascular membranes (CNVMs) develop under the retina, leak fluid and blood, and ultimately cause a blinding disciform scar in and under the retina.
Drugs targeting new blood vessel formation (neovasculazation) have been the mainstay for treating wet AMD. Ranibizumab, which is an anti-VEGFA antibody fragment, has proven to be highly effective in improving vision for patients afflicted with wet AMD. Recent studies have implicated an association between AMD and key proteins in the complement cascade and a number of therapies targeting specific complement components are being developed to treat dry AMD. A humanized anti-Factor D Fab fragment (aFD, lampalizumab; FCFD4514S) that potently inhibits Factor D and the alternative complement pathway, through binding to an exosite on factor D is currently in clinical development for the treatment of GA associated with dry AMD. Katschke et al. (2012) J. Biol. Chem. 287:12886. A recent phase II clinical trial has shown that monthly intravitreal injection of lampalizumab effectively slowed the progression of GA lesions in patients with advanced dry AMD.
Eyes have many unique biophysical and anatomic features that make the ocular drug delivery more challenging. For example, blood-ocular barriers are defense mechanisms to protect the eye from infection, but at the same time make it hard for drug to penetrate, especially for diseases in the posterior segments of the eye. Consequently, high-dose administration is often desired to achieve and maintain drug's onsite bioavailability (e.g., ocular residence time) in order to improve efficacy. Meanwhile, the limited space in the back of the eye restrains the drug volume to be delivered, which in turn demands drugs to be delivered in a high concentration formulation.
Patients with ocular diseases can also benefit from long acting/slow released delivery of therapeutics. Less frequent dosing would provide improved convenience to the patient, have potential benefits of decreased infection rate and increased clinical efficacy. Controlled release of high dose drugs could also minimize drug side effects. Two promising systems for long-acting delivery are PLGA-based solid implants and an implantable port delivery system (PDS). Both systems have the potential to provide near zero-order release kinetics for an extended period of time. For PLGA implants the protein drug is encapsulated in a hydrophobic polymer matrix and drug release is accomplished via slow hydrolysis of the polymer. The rate of release can be controlled by changing the drug loading, polymer hydrophobicity, or polymer molecular weight. The PDS is a refillable device where release into the vitreous is controlled by a porous metal membrane comprising a titanium frit. Since the reservoir has a low volume, a high protein concentration is required for effective delivery with the PDS.
The conditions that a drug is exposed to vary depending on the delivery system used. For incorporation into solid PLGA implants, lyophilized or spray-dried drug is used. Implants are produced using a hot-melt extrusion process such that the drug is briefly exposed to temperatures approaching 90° C. Although the drug remains in solid state for the duration of release, degradation of PLGA may expose the drug to a low pH environment. In contrast, drug delivered with the PDS is maintained at high concentration in liquid state and exposed to vitreous which is characterized as a reducing environment at physiological ionic strength and pH.
In addition to or in lieu of high concentration and long acting delivery, increased bioavailability (e.g., ocular residence time) of the drug can be achieved, or facilitated, by post-translational modifications, wherein the protein drug is covalently conjugated with natural or synthetic polymers such as polysialylation, HESylation (conjugation with hydroxyethyl starch) and PEGylation. Chen et al (2011) Expert. Opin. Drug Deliv. 8:1221-36; Kontermann (2009) BioDrugs 23:93-109. PEGylation, the covalent attachment of polymer polyethylene glycol (PEG) to a protein, is a well-established technology especially useful for extending the half-life of antibody fragment therapeutics. Jevsevar et al. (2010) Biotech. J. 5:113-128.
Thus, there exists a great need for anti-factor D antibodies, as well as conjugates thereof, having improved stabilities, and that in some embodiments, are suitable for high concentration formulation and/or long acting delivery.

Anti-factor D antibody variant conjugates and uses thereof


In general, techniques are described by which a computing system detects low-impact collisions. A computing system includes at least one processor and memory. The memory includes instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to determine whether an object collided with a vehicle based on a comparison of data received from at least one motion sensor configured to measure at least an acceleration of the vehicle and data received from a plurality of level sensors, wherein each level sensor is configured to measure a relative position between a body of the vehicle and a respective wheel of a plurality of wheels of the vehicle. Execution of the instructions further causes the at least one processor to perform one or more actions in response to determining that the object collided with the vehicle.

Vehicles typically include sensors, such as inertial measurement units (IMUs) to detect collisions. A vehicle may deploy an airbag and/or execute post-impact control algorithms to control steering, braking, or other functions of the vehicle after a detecting a collision. Typically, the vehicle deploys the airbags and executes post-impact control algorithms in response to detecting a relatively high-impact collision (e.g., collisions occurring at high speeds). Vehicle sensors may have difficulty detecting relatively low-impact (e.g., low-speed) collisions reliably.


A parameter acquiring device for acquiring parameters for a control valve has a controlling valve operating unit, a valve opening signal acquiring unit and a parameter calculator. The controlling valve operating unit operates a controlling valve in an opening direction and in a closing direction by changing, in a specific sequence, a control signal that controls an opening of a regulator valve. The valve opening signal acquiring unit acquires a signal indicating an actual opening of the regulator valve. The parameter calculator acquires data pairs of control signals and valve opening signals. The parameter calculator calculates a parameter of the control valve based on the data pairs that have been acquired.

Conventionally, in chemical plants, and the like, positioners are provided for regulator valves that are used in flow rate processes, where the openings of the regulator valves are controlled by the positioners. A positioner is provided with a calculating portion for calculating a deviation between an opening setting value, which is sent from a higher-level device, and the actual opening that is fed back from the regulator valve, to generate, as a control output, a control signal that is dependent on that deviation, an electropneumatic converting device for converting the control output that is generated by the calculating portion into a pneumatic pressure signal, and a pilot relay for amplifying the pneumatic pressure signal, converted by the electropneumatic converting device, and outputting it to an operating device of the regulator valve as an amplified pneumatic pressure signal. See, for example, Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Registration Application Publication S62-28118.
FIG. 6 illustrates the flow of input/output signals in a control valve structured from a positioner and a regulator valve. In this figure, 100 is the positioner, 200 is the regulator valve, and 300 is the control valve that is structured from the positioner 100 and the regulator valve 200, where the positioner 100 is provided with an electric module 1, an EPM (an electropneumatic converting module) 2, and a pilot relay (a pneumatic pressure amplifying module) 3.
The electric module 1 inputs an opening setting signal Iin and a signal (the valve opening signal) Pv that indicates the actual opening X of a valve, fed back from the regulator valve 200, to produce, as a control output, an EPM driving signal (a PWM signal (duty signal)) Mv. The EPM 2 inputs the EPM driving signal Mv from the electric module 1, and converts this EPM driving signal Mv into a nozzle back pressure Pn. The pilot relay 3 inputs the nozzle back pressure Pn from the EPM 2, to produce the operating device pressure Po from the nozzle back pressure Pn. The regulator valve 200 inputs the operating device pressure Po from the positioner 100, to regulate the opening X of the valve depending on the operating device pressure Po.
In such a control valve 300, the positioner 100 has an auto tuning function, and, for example, automatically obtains the gain of the input/output characteristics of the control valve 300 in order to determine the control parameter. For example, in the positioner disclosed in Japanese Patent 4244507, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the initial value Mv(0) for the EPM driving signal Mv is outputted and a check is performed as to whether or not the valve opening signal Pv(0) is in the operating range, the EPM driving signal Mv(1) is outputted and the valve opening signal Pv(1) is obtained, following which the EPM driving signal Mv(2) is outputted and the valve opening signal Pv(2) is obtained, and the input/output characteristic gain of the control valve is calculated from the amount of change between the EPM drive signals Mv(1) and Mv(2) and the amount of change between the valve opening signals Pv(1) and Pv(2). In this case, the EPM drive signals Mv are changed in the same direction, that is, the opening of the valve is changed in the same direction, and thus the input/output characteristic gain is calculated with the hysteresis canceled out.
However, in the method illustrated in FIG. 7, it is not possible to calculate all at once parameters such as input/output characteristic hysteresis and intercept, and the like, through the single action of calculating the gain for the input/output characteristics. FIG. 8 illustrates the relationship between the EPM driving signal Mv and the valve opening signal Pv (that is, the input/output characteristics) when the regulator valve is caused to undergo reciprocating motion. In these input/output characteristics, H indicates a hysteresis and C indicates the intercept.
Note that hysteresis is used when determining control parameters (referencing, for example, Japanese Patent 3511458), and used as a parameter in fault evaluations. In Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication 2003-308101, for example, the hysteresis is used in a comparison with the frictional force at the time of proper operation. The intercept can be used as a parameter when calculating a fluid reactive force.
The present invention was created in order to solve such problems, and an aspect of the present invention is to provide a parameter acquiring device and method wherein it is possible to calculate all at once other parameters, such as hysteresis and the intercept, in a single operation of calculating the gain of the input/output characteristics.

Parameter acquiring device and method, for defining data pairs for valve control in an opening and closing direction


A system and method for automatically reading all images from all sequences of images from a specified location, automatically cropping each of the images to produce active region data for the current image, and automatically designating key frames in the sequences of images. In one embodiment, a stand-alone program that achieves these tasks produces an output file comprised of active region data for key frames of all sequences of images. In such an embodiment, the output file serves as a script or control file which a compositing program runs to initially process sequences of images. In another embodiment, these automatic tasks are achieved via a plug-in module to a compositing program such that the plug-in module is run before performing other tasks. The automation of these three formerly manual tasks increases the efficiency of compositing programs by providing automatically pre-processed sequences of images from which to start the compositing process. In addition, autocropping allows for better use of system resources and improves system performance by causing the system to only load smaller, autocropped images of key frames.

Color images are defined by many pixels. Pixels are the building blocks of an image and are often defined by a three component description comprised of red, green and blue components commonly referred to as RGB. A fourth component called alpha is often added resulting in an RGBA description of pixels. Alpha refers to the opacity (or transparency) of a pixel. The standard alpha component is an eight bit value providing 256 levels of opacity from 0–255, where 0 is fully transparent and 255 is full opacity amounting to non-transparency. Alpha is popularly used in compositing images for feature films and other video presentations.
Compositing images is the combining of more than one image to create a single new image. Compositing of images can be performed with a single image frame, such as photograph or a sequence of images, such as film or movies. For example an image of a fish could be combined with the image of a grassy field so that the fish is swimming in the grass. Alpha is used to relate the fish image to the grass. For example, if the fish is placed on the grass and the grass is completely opaque (alpha=255), no grass will be seen through the fish. If the fish has an alpha of 0, the grass image will seep through the fish so that the fish cannot be seen. Alpha values in between produce differing degrees of a grassy fish. A fish swimming through the grass could be created by compositing a single image frame of a grassy field and a sequence of images created by filming a fish swimming in the ocean. Alternatively, two (or more) sequences of images can be composited, such as a sequence of images of a wind blown grassy field and a sequence of images of a school of fish swimming through the ocean. In addition, the school of fish and/or the grassy field can also have been created in an animation program. Moreover, the ocean area surrounding filmed fish could be obliterated by giving the surroundings (that is, everything but the fish) an opacity of 0, setting the surroundings to have no opacity.
Compositing also includes the techniques of enhancing a sequence of images captured on film by adding special effects, computer generated images, still images, animation and other filmed images to a motion picture. Compositing is used to enhance a sequence of film thus creating a new sequence of images. Special effects, computer generated images, still images, animation and other filmed images are combined with film by compositing to create a new sequence of images.
One popular use for compositing includes the use of blue screen image sequences. In what is known as "blue screening," an actor is filmed in front of a blue (or green) screen. The alpha values of the background in such an image can be automatically set to transparent, having an opacity of 0. The blue screened sequence of images is then composited with other sequences of images. For example, a street vendor selling watches shot against a blue screen could be composited with a city street scene with English language signs behind him to create one sequence of image, while the same vendor sequence could be composited with Spanish language signs at one of Spain's costa del sol beach resorts to create a second sequence of images. More striking effects such as compositing sequences of images to show an actor riding a prehistoric dinosaur can be achieved in a similar manner.

System and method for dynamic autocropping of images


A portable trombone stand has a base and a post. The base can be placed over a plane stably and has multiple legs radially mounted around the base. Each leg has a pivoting end pivotally mounted in the base. The post is perpendicularly mounted securely on the base and has an instrument bracket mounted slidably on the post. The instrument bracket can be fastened on the post via a fastener and is able to be embedded in a cylindrical bore of a trombone to hold the trombone in position. Eventually, the portable trombone stand can be put into a cylindrical bore of a trombone, then put the portable trombone stand and the trombone into a case altogether. In this manner, the trombonist can conveniently carry the box to move around.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stand, and more particularly to a portable trombone stand that is convenient to carry.
2. Description of Related Art
The trombone is a musical wind instrument, has a cylindrical metal tube expanding into a bell and bent twice in a U shape and is usually equipped with a slide that changes the length of the tube to change the instrument's pitche.
Trombone stands temporarily hold a trombone and keep the trombone from collapsing, and a conventional trombone stand has a base and a post. The base stands stably on virtually any planar surface. The post is mounted securely in the base, is stationary relative to the base and has a stationary instrument bracket on which the bell of the cylindrical metal tube is mounted to hold the trombone in position.
Although a conventional trombone stand supports the trombone, the conventional trombone stand is inconvenient to carry. Trombonists have to carry a trombone case in one hand and the conventional trombone stand in the other hand. In this manner, trombonists become tired and have trouble moving around.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a portable trombone stand to obviate or mitigate the aforementioned problems.


A directory-based protocol is provided for maintaining data coherency in a multiprocessing (MP) system having a number of processors with associated write-back caches, a multistage interconnection network (MIN) leading to a shared memory, and a global directory associated with the main memory to keep track of state and control information of cache lines. Upon a request by a requesting cache for a cache line which has been exclusively modified by a source cache, two buffers are situated in the global directory to collectively intercept modified data words of the modified cache line during the write-back to memory. A modified word buffer is used to capture modified words within the modified cache line. Moreover, a line buffer stores an old cache line transferred from the memory, during the write back operation. Finally, the line buffer and the modified word buffer, together, provide the entire modified line to a requesting cache.

The advent of parallel processing in MP systems has resulted in the potential for a substantial increase in performance over traditional uniprocessor systems. Numerous processors in an MP system can simultaneously communicate in parallel to memory via a multistage interconnection network (MIN), which have been known in the art for decades.
More specifically, in a usual MIN configuration, the processors are connected to a unique port of the MIN. A conventional MIN has stages of controllable switches. By way of the controllable switches, the MIN can channel one or more of the memory lines to any of the processors at any given time. Essentially, the MIN can permit several processors to communicate simultaneously to the memory, thus facilitating true parallel processing.
However, as more processors are added to an MP system and as the speed of processors is continuously enhanced in the art, the main memory bandwidth has not been able to keep pace with the demands imposed by the numerous high performance processors. More specifically, the memory access time for processors generally increases as the main memory is situated further away from processors and also as more and more processors fight for access to the main memory. Thus, the main memory bandwidth has transformed into the primary bottleneck for high performance data processing in an MP system.
In order to alleviate this bottleneck, a cache memory can be associated with a processor to reduce the memory access time for the processor. Cache memories are well known in the art. A cache memory is a high speed, hardware-managed buffer which is virtually transparent to computer programming. A cache memory comprises a data array having cache data lines, which is the basic unit of data transfer between the main memory and the cache, and a directory for mapping the data address to the location of the data within the data array. Substantively, cache data lines could be either instructions or actual data. Further, the cache is typically an order of magnitude faster than the main memory, and usually matches the high speed of its associated processor.
Performance is enhanced by a cache associated with a processor by taking advantage of the program structure being executed in the associated processor. Many instructions in an instruction set within the program are repetitious. The cache can be filled with cache lines, which can sustain the processor's need for data words and instructions over a time period, before a refill of cache lines is needed. In other words, processors request data words (e.g., words, dwords, or bytes), which are much smaller than cache data lines. Moreover, if a data word is sought in a cache by a processor and the data word is found in a cache data line, then a cache "hit" is said to have occurred. If a data word is sought in a cache by a processor and the data word is not found in any cache data line, then a cache "miss" is said to have occurred, and accordingly, a refill of a cache line is sought. In a sense, the cache serves as a large buffer between the processor and the main memory.
In an MP system with many processors which share memory space, or have a global memory, the MP system must maintain "coherency", or consistency, among all data in the shared memory space. Data could exist in several different locations including in the main memory and in other remote memory locations, such as in caches.
"Coherency" refers to the concept in which each processor must have access to the latest data corresponding to a particular address in the shared memory. In other words, if a data word at a certain address is simultaneously shared by one or more caches and/or the main memory, then as the data word is updated or changed in one of the foregoing memory locations, the latest version of the data word must be identified and available to all of the processors in order to maintain data consistency. Note that in this document, "data" refers to any information stored in memory, including instructions or actual, processed or unprocessed data.
In order to maintain coherency, both software and hardware approaches are conventionally employed. Moreover, the hardware approaches can generally be divided into two types: bus-based ("snoopy") protocols and directory-based protocols. Bus-based protocols are used in MP systems with a relatively small number of processors, whereas directory-based protocols are used in larger MP systems with improved scalability. Because the latest trend is towards the use of many processors for parallel processing which has led to common use of MINS, the trend in terms of protocols is towards the use of directory-based protocols.
With respect to the directory-based protocols, "cross interrogations" are periodically performed among the caches during the operation of the MP system to insure coherency, or consistency, among the data. Cross interrogations may be implemented using any of a number of different protocols. Typically, cross interrogations involve the transfer of cache lines and/or the manipulation of control bits in the directories of the caches.
The protocol implemented for the cross interrogations depends, in large part, on the types of caches used in the MP system. Conventionally, caches have been classified historically as either "write-thru" (WT) or "write-back" (WB). Further, pursuant to current design, some caches have the ability to treat data in either fashion if controlled properly.
In WT caches, a data word is "written through" to the main memory upon each update or change of the data word in the cache line by any processor. Accordingly, the most current data is always in the main memory.
In a WB cache, a data word is written from the WB cache to the main memory only when it is requested by a remote source or when it is replaced in the cache. Consequently, a local processor can change data words in a local WB cache many times without other memory locations in the MP system knowing of or being interrupted by the changes.
When WB caches are used in an MP system having a MIN, a global directory can be employed, which is well known in the art. The global directory is associated with the main memory in order to aid in maintaining coherency. The global directory primarily contains information used to determine the global state of a cache data line-as well as the number and/or location of the caches having a copy of the cache line. In this regard, see M. Dubois and F. A. Briggs, "Effects of Cache Coherency in Multiprocessors," IEEE Transactions on Computers, vol. C-31, no. 11, November 1982 and A. Agarwal, R. Simoni, J. Hennessy, and M. Horowitz, "An Evaluation of Directory Schemes for Cache Coherence", Proceedings of the 1988 International Symposium on Computer Architecture, pp. 280-289, 1988.
While some work has been performed in the art in regard to directory-based protocols, few practical designs are available for use. Moreover, the available conventional protocols are problematic. Each time that a cross interrogation is initiated, any processor using a cache must temporarily wait while an inquiry is made for the data word in the cache. Consequently, the performance of processors is compromised because of the cache inquiries. Furthermore, as more processors are added to the MP system, a higher number of cross interrogations must take place. Consequently, more interactions must occur with the caches, resulting in much expended time, and the interconnection network of the MP system is characterized by heavy traffic. Accordingly, in a broad sense the numerous requisite cross interrogations reduce the number of processors conducting useful work in the MP system.

Optimum write-back strategy for directory-based cache coherence protocols

International Business Machines Corporation


In a gamma camera, a plurality of radiation detector elements having a rod-shaped first electrode, a semiconductor device surrounds the first electrode to contact with it for entering a radiation, and a second electrode provided for the side surface of the semiconductor device are detachably attached to a holding member. The holding member has a first electrode contact portion contacted with the first electrode and a second electrode contact portion contacted with the second electrode. A collimator in which a plurality of radiation paths provided corresponding to the plurality of radiation detector elements are formed is arranged on the radiation entering side of the plurality of radiation detector elements. A γ-ray detection signal outputted from the first electrode contact portion is sent to a signal processing integrated circuit. A high voltage is applied to the second electrode via the second electrode contact portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to detection and an imaging operation of a radiation such as X-ray, γ-ray, or the like and, more particularly, to a radiation detector, a radiation detector element, and a radiation imaging apparatus for detecting a γ-ray of high energy.
2. Description of the Related Art
When taking a medical X-ray as an example, as well as a radiation imaging apparatus of a film type, radiation imaging apparatuses such as imaging plate and flat panel detector (FPD) having both excellent resolving power and resolution have been developed. As a detector element, there has been used: a scintillation detector formed by combining a scintillator which reacts on a radiation and emits light and a photomultiplier or a photodiode which converts the light into charges; or a solid state device such as a semiconductor radiation detector which reacts on the radiation and directly collects generated charges or the like. For example, the FPD using a number of scintillation detectors is a large-area imaging apparatus which can image a transmission X-ray in a manner similar to a conventional X-ray imaging film. An X-ray signal detected in the detector element is read out from a detector element substrate of a large area comprising one or a plurality of sheets by using a TFT technique or the like. As a name "flat panel" shows that the detector element is very thin and the detector itself has a plate shape.
According to a gamma camera (radiation detector) for imaging a γ-ray emitted from a chemical-ray source dosed into a human body, since energy of the γ-ray which is used is higher than that of the X-ray, if the γ-ray is used as it is, sensitivity of the gamma camera deteriorates remarkably. That is, with a thickness of the detector element which is used in an X-ray imaging apparatus, a reaction probability of the γ-ray is low and the γ-ray passes through the detector element as it is. Therefore, to improve the sensitivity by raising the reaction probability in the detector element, the detector element needs to have a thickness of a certain extent in the incident direction of the γ-ray. That is, the detector element itself has directivity. Accordingly, unless the incident direction of the γ-ray is specified for such a detector having the directivity, space resolution cannot be obtained.
Generally, to specify the incident directivity of the γ-ray, a slit called a collimator or a thick porous metal plate is arranged in front of the detector. (Refer to "Medical Image • Radiation Apparatus Handbook", Japan Industries Association of Radiological Systems, page 184)
FIG. 25 shows a construction of a conventional gamma camera disclosed in the above reference. At present, a gamma camera using an NaI scintillator is still a mainstream. The gamma camera of FIG. 25 also uses a similar scintillator 31. A radiation enters the scintillator 31 at an angle limited by a collimator 41e and scintillation light is emitted. The light reaches a photomultiplier 33 through a light guide 32 and becomes an electric signal. The electric signal is shaped by a measuring circuit 34 attached to a measuring circuit fixing board 35 and sent from an output connector 46e to an external data collecting system. A whole camera is enclosed in a light shielding casing 47e, thereby shielding external electromagnetic waves other than the radiation.
Generally, since the gamma camera using the scintillator 31 as shown in FIG. 25 has a structure in which the large photomultiplier 33 is arranged behind a crystal of large scintillator 31 of one sheet, its space resolution is no more than equal to about 10 mm. When the scintillator 31 is utilized, it detects the radiation via multi-level conversion from the radiation to the visible light and from the visible light to electrons, there is a problem such that energy resolution is low. Therefore, at present, a radiation detecting apparatus having a semiconductor radiation detector element for directly converting the radiation into the electric signal in place of the scintillator 31 has been developed. ("Radiation Detection and Measurement, the 3rd edition", The Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun Ltd., page 903)
In a conventional gamma camera (semiconductor radiation detector) shown in FIG. 26A, a semiconductor device 77 has electrodes (an anode 78 and a cathode 79). The semiconductor device 77 has a construction in which the anodes 78 are arranged in a lattice form by the electrodes 78 and 79 ("Radiation Detection and Measurement, the 3rd edition", The Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun Ltd., page 903). Reference numeral 41e denotes the collimator; 44′ a board for installing semiconductor device and an ASIC; 45c an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) as an IC for a reading circuit; 46c an output connector to output a detection signal; and 47c a light shielding casing to shield the visible light and electromagnetic waves.
Also in the gamma camera, as same as in the FPD, realization of a large imaging area is indispensable. A number of detector elements are necessary in association with the realization of the large area. In the case of the scintillation detector, such a number of detector elements are separated as elements by the photomultiplier or photodiode disposed adjacently to one large device substrate. In the case of the semiconductor radiation detector, they are separated as elements by pattern wirings of the electrodes 78 and 79 as shown in FIG. 26B. To remove scattered components of the γ-ray, intensity information of the γ-ray is obtained by counting pulses. For this purpose, a preamplifier, a waveform shaping circuit, a peak detecting circuit, and the like are necessary for each element and an extremely large number of circuits are necessary in the case of a large area. Therefore, by using the ASIC 45c for those circuits, saving of space is realized.
In the conventional semiconductor radiation detector as shown in FIGS. 26A and 26B, however, even if the collimator 41e is used, the γ-ray scattered in the detector element 77 (scintillator 31) enters the adjacent cell and exercises an influence thereon. This kind of scattering radiation detection (refer to γ1′ in FIG. 14) and causes a deterioration in space resolution. To avoid an inconvenience caused by such a phenomenon, in the radiation detector, an incident position is identified by energy of the incident γ-ray (γ0). That is, since a reaction signal (ΔE00) near the energy of the γ-ray emitted from a γ-ray source 16d is discriminated and selectively detected, sensitivity deteriorates more. That is, the sensitivity of the radiation detector is extremely lowered by the inherent low sensitivity, the decrease in incident γ-ray due to the collimator 41e, and the discrimination of the energy. Although a hole diameter of the collimator 41e is increased and an incident dose is increased while sacrificing the space resolution in order to compensate the deterioration in sensitivity, the higher the energy of the γ-ray to be detected is, the thicker a wall of the collimator 41e has to be. Consequently, not only the space resolution deteriorates even more but a weight increases and maintenance efficiency of the radiation detector or the radiation imaging apparatus also deteriorates.
Since a number of radiation detector elements (pixels) are necessary for the large-area imaging, use of the ASIC and the element separation by electrode patterning of a signal lead-out portion are indispensable. However, they cause the following problems.
(1) An installing board of the detector and the ASIC are integratedly formed by bumping or the like and if one pixel is destroyed, the board has to be exchanged on a large unit basis. Since the detector element is very expensive, the exchange of the board on a large unit basis denotes that large costs are required.
(2) Also in view of the manufacturing of the camera, since the detector elements and the ASIC are installed onto one installing board, assembling steps of the camera are extremely complicated and, even if a defective element is found, it cannot be exchanged.
(3) Particularly in the radiation detector for imaging the high-energy γ-ray, a length of collimator is long, a total length of radiation imaging apparatus is very long, and it is very heavy and large in size. This causes an enlargement in size of the apparatus in terms of intensity of structure members which support a camera unit and results in an increase in costs, a deterioration in maintenance efficiency, and an increase in anxiety of the patient.
In other words, it causes a deterioration in maintenance efficiency of the radiation detector and the radiation imaging apparatus.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Radiation detector, radiation detector element, and radiation imaging apparatus


A semiconductor device includes a substrate; a carrier traveling layer formed on the substrate, made of first group III nitride semiconductor, and containing carriers traveling in a direction along a principal surface of the substrate; a barrier layer formed on the carrier traveling layer and made of second group III nitride semiconductor having a wider band gap than the first group III nitride semiconductor; and an electrode formed on the barrier layer. The device further includes a cap layer formed on the barrier layer at a side of the electrode, and made of third group III nitride semiconductor containing a mixture of single crystals and polycrystals.

The present disclosure relates to semiconductor devices made of group III nitride semiconductor exhibiting normally off characteristics and methods of manufacturing the devices, and more particularly to group III nitride semiconductor devices increasing operating currents and reducing on-resistance and methods of manufacturing the devices.
Application of group III nitride semiconductor to switching devices, high-output devices, and high-frequency devices are actively researched and developed due to its physical characteristics of a wide band gap, high breakdown field strength, and saturated electron drift velocity.
In particular, the following methods using a heterojunction field effect transistor (hereinafter referred to as "HFET" or simply referred to as "FET") utilizing two-dimensional electron gas (hereinafter referred to as "2DEG") generated at the interface between an AlxGa1-xN layer, where 0<x≦1, and a GaN layer, which are sequentially epitaxially grown on a semiconductor substrate, have been reported. Controlling a threshold voltage using a gate recess structure (see, for example, T. Oka et al., AlGaN/GaN Recessed MIS-Gate HFET with High-Threshold-Voltage Normally-Off Operation for Power Electronics Applications, IEEE ELECTRON DEVICE LETTERS, VOL. 29, NO. 7, pp. 668-670, 2008). Using a p-type gate control layer (see, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-339561 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 2007-019309). Providing normally off operation by forming an AlGaN layer being a normally off barrier layer with a reduced thickness, etc.

Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the device

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


Methods of drilling a well bore utilizing a circulating drilling fluid and subsequently disposing of the drilling fluid by converting it to a cementitious composition are provided. The methods basically comprise the steps of forming the drilling fluid with an aqueous suspension of condensed silica fume as a component thereof, drilling a well bore using the drilling fluid, activating the drilling fluid whereby it will subsequently set into a hard cementitious mass and placing the set activated drilling fluid in one or more desired locations whereby it sets therein.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to utilizing drilling fluid in well cementing operations, and more particularly, to methods of drilling a well bore and subsequently disposing of the drilling fluid by converting it to a cementitious composition.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A variety of drilling fluids are used in drilling well bores. Generally, the drilling fluids are solids containing water base gels or hydrocarbon base fluids which can be non-weighted or weighted with particulate weighting material such as barite. After a well bore is drilled during which the drilling fluid used is circulated through the well bore, the circulation of the drilling fluid is stopped while the well is logged and a string of pipe is run in the well bore. After the pipe is run, the drilling fluid is cleaned up by circulating it downwardly through the interior of the pipe and upwardly through the annulus between the exterior of the pipe and the walls of the well bore while removing drilling solids and gas therefrom. Primary cementing operations are then performed in the well bore, i.e., the string of pipe disposed in the well bore is cemented therein by placing a cementing composition in the annulus between the pipe and the walls of the well bore. The cementing composition sets into a hard substantially impermeable mass whereby the pipe is bonded to the walls of the well bore and the annulus is sealed. When the cementing composition is run down the pipe and into the annulus, the drilling fluid in the pipe and annulus is displaced therefrom. The used drilling fluid is generally accumulated in a pit or tank and then disposed of.
The disposal of drilling fluid is time consuming and expensive, particularly in offshore drilling locations. In recent years, the expense has increased significantly in that drilling fluid often must be disposed of as a fluid which is hazardous to the environment. Thus, any environmentally safe use to which all or part of the drilling fluid can be put at a well site is highly advantageous in that it eliminates the need for subsequently disposing of all or part of the drilling fluid.
By the present invention, methods of drilling a well bore utilizing a circulating drilling fluid and subsequently disposing of the drilling fluid by converting it to a cementitious composition are provided. The converted cementitious drilling fluid composition can be used for carrying out cementing operations in the well bore, and any remaining portion thereof can be placed in an environmentally safe location wherein the drilling fluid composition sets into a hard cementitious mass.

Converting drilling fluids to cementitious compositions


Described are methods, apparatuses and computer program products for signaling and storing compressed point clouds. Sub-sample entries associated with sequences of sub-samples within sequences of samples may indicate whether sequences of sub-samples were encapsulated alone in a track, without other sub-samples or additional header data. Sub-sample entry types can be indexed at track-level sub-sample description boxes. Point cloud compression coded bitstream component types may be signaled by including respective point cloud unit header information in a codec-specific parameters-related field of track level sub-sample description boxes. Sub-sample information boxes may indicate sub-sample entry indices for respective sub-samples. A flag in such information boxes may indicate the presence of sub-sample description entry indexes. Description index boxes can contain sub-sample description entry indexes in the same container as sub-sample information boxes. Track fragment header boxes can include sub-sample description entry indices that apply to samples of a track fragment.

Volumetric video data represents a three-dimensional scene or object and can be used as input for augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) applications. Such data describes geometry (shape, size, position in three dimensional (3D) space) and respective attributes (e.g. color, opacity, reflectance, etc.), plus temporal changes of the geometry and attributes at given time instances (like frames in two dimensional (2D) video). Volumetric video is either generated from 3D models, e.g., computer-generated imagery (CGI), or captured from real-world scenes using a variety of capture solutions, e.g., multiple cameras, a laser scan, a combination of video and dedicated depth sensors, and more. One example representation format for such volumetric data is point clouds. Temporal information about the scene can be included in the form of individual capture instances, e.g., "frames" in two dimensional (2D) video, or other mechanisms, e.g. the position of an object as a function of time.
Point clouds are often well suited for applications such as capturing real world 3D scenes where the topology is not necessarily a 2D manifold. However, standard point clouds suffer from poor temporal compression performance when a reconstructed 3D scene contains tens of millions or even hundreds of millions of points. Identifying correspondences for motion-compensation in 3D-space is an ill-defined problem because geometry and other respective attributes may change. For example, temporal successive frames do not necessarily have the same number of point clouds. As a result, compression of dynamic 3D scenes is inefficient. The number of points, their positions, and their attributes may vary from one frame to another. Such representations require a large amount of data, which can be costly in terms of storage and transmission. 2D-video based approaches for compressing volumetric data, e.g., multiview and depth, have much better compression efficiency, but rarely cover the full scene. These 2D based approaches provide only limited six degree of freedom (6DOF) capabilities. Therefore, an approach that has good compression efficiency and high degree of freedom is desirable.
One approach that has both good compression efficiency and a high degree of freedom is to project volumetric models represented in compressed point clouds onto 2D planes. This approach allows for using 2D video coding tools with highly efficient temporal compression while maintaining a degree of freedom better than a purely 2D based approach. A compressed point cloud includes an encoded video bitstream corresponding to the texture of the 3D object, an encoded video bitstream corresponding to the geometry of the 3D object, and an encoded metadata bitstream corresponding to all other auxiliary information which is necessary during the composition of a 3D object. However, there is no well-defined, efficient and standardized storage and signaling mechanism for these streams.

Method and apparatus for storage and signaling of sub-sample entry descriptions


A cell transistor includes source/drain regions formed at a lower level than part of its channel region. A select transistor has a channel region and source/drain regions formed at substantially the same level as the source/drain regions of the cell transistor. One of the source/drain regions of the cell transistor and one of the source/drain regions of the select transistor are electrically interconnected to each other in substantially the same plane.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a semiconductor memory and more particularly to a technology useful to connect the source/drain regions of two transistors to each other.
2. Description of the Background Art
Today, nonvolatile memories including EEPROMs (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memories) are widely applied to, e.g., mobile telephones. An EEPROM, for example, allows only one bit of information to be stored in each storage cell transistor on the basis of whether or not a charge is present in its floating gate. However, to promote size reduction of the device, there should preferably be implemented the multiple-bit configuration of a cell transistor that allows two or more bits of information to be stored in the cell transistor.
While a multiple-bit transistor has been proposed in various forms in the past, I have paid attention to a multiple-bit transistor of the type including a silicon substrate formed with a plurality of grooves and floating gates formed on the side walls of the grooves. For details of this type of multiple-bit transistor, reference may be made to, e.g., Japanese patent Nos. 3249811 and 3249812.
In the multiple-bit transistor mentioned above, source/drain regions are formed on the bottoms of the grooves while a channel region is formed on the surface of the silicon substrate. The source/drain regions and channel region are therefore positioned at different levels from each other. This configuration is entirely different from the configuration of a typical MOS (Metal Oxide Semiconductor) transistor having both of source/drain regions and a channel region positioned on the surface of a substrate.
Generally, a semiconductor memory includes not only cell transistors but also select transistors for selecting the transistors or banks. The select transistors are usually implemented as MOS transistors. The source/drain regions of the cell transistors and those of the select transistors are connected together, so that any one of the select transistors selects the cell transistors or the bank connected thereto when turned on. However, the source/drain regions of the select transistors are formed on the surface of a substrate while the source/drain regions of the cell transistors are formed on the bottoms of grooves, as stated above. More specifically, the source/drain regions of such two different kinds of transistors differ in level from each other, i.e., do not lie in the same plane. Technically, therefore, connecting the source/drain regions of the two kinds of transistors to each other is difficult and has not been implemented yet.

Semiconductor device and semiconductor memory using the same


A new and improved box protection apparatus includes a plurality of flexible straps for encompassing the box under tension, and a guide for receiving the straps and for orienting the straps with respect to the box. The guide includes a rectangular frame member which includes a plurality of slots for receiving the box-encompassing straps. A hinged lid is provided for covering the frame member. The frame member includes a first locking member, and the lid includes a second locking member whereby the frame member and the lid can be locked together. The frame member includes at least one handle. Buckles are provided for locking the straps under tension, and the buckles are covered by the lid when the lid is locked to the frame member. The box protection apparatus may also include an alarm assembly, connected to either the frame member or the lid, for sounding an alarm in response to unauthorized moving of the lid. A key-controlled override device is provided for preventing the alarm from sounding when an authorized moving of the lid takes place. The box protection apparatus may also include a dye-releasing assembly, connected to the frame member, for releasing dye in response to unauthorized moving of the lid. A key-controlled override device is provided for preventing the dye from being released when an authorized moving of the lid takes place.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to boxes and shipping containers and more particularly, to a method and apparatus especially adapted to effect easy closing, opening, reclosing, and reopening of boxes and shipping containers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Shipping items by using boxes and similar containers is well known in the art. Often boxes and the like are sealed using ropes, wrapping paper, and tape. The process of closing boxes with ropes, wrapping paper, and tape is often tedious and time consuming.
Moreover, when the boxes are shipped internationally, the boxes may be opened for Customs inspection. In such a case, the ropes, paper, and tape must be removed for box inspection, and, after the inspection is over, the boxes must be reclosed and resealed with the ropes, paper, and tape again. To reseal boxes just after a Customs inspection can be an unpleasant and stressful experience. Often the traveller is under a time pressure to catch another flight or meet persons at the destination, and reclosing and resealing a box may be an unwanted and unpleasant task. Moreover, often the original rope, paper, and tape is damaged or destroyed during removal, is wasted, and must be replaced with new materials when the boxes are reclosed and resealed. Often the traveller does not have any new box closing material readily available, and the boxes may not be reclosed in a satisfactory manner.
In view of the above, it would be desirable if a box closing apparatus were available that permitted easy closing, opening, reclosing, and reopening of the boxes. Also, it would be desirable if a box closing apparatus were available that permitted easy closing, opening, reclosing, and reopening of the boxes and the like without destroying the materials used to close the boxes. In this respect, it would also be desirable if a box closing apparatus were provided which permitted reclosing of opened boxes without the need for new box closing materials. It would also be desirable if a box closing apparatus were provided that is easy to use in a stressful environment such as a Customs inspection.
Another problem associated with shipping boxes relates to security and protection of the valuables that are contained in the boxes. Paper boxes are relatively easy to break into. Moreover, paper boxes often rupture during shipping. In this respect, it would be desirable if a box closing apparatus were provided that provided protection against being broken into. It would also be desirable if a box closing apparatus provided protection against the box rupturing during shipping.
Instead of using ropes, some people employ reusable, adjustable straps for securing boxes. One problem associated with using a plurality of straps is that the straps are generally easy to remove unless locked. Two or more straps would generally be used to secure a box, and two or more locks for the straps would be required. This would necessitate the traveller to be concerned with two or more keys for the locks or, alternatively, to memorize two or more lock combinations. In this respect, it would be desirable if a box securing device were provided that used a plurality of straps, but that used only one lock for the plurality of straps.
Additional prior art in apparatuses and methods relating to packaging and packages is disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,639,530 of Ryan; 3,957,141 of Domes; 3,964,654 of Wittenberger; 5,009,055 of Simmons; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 249,825 of Hasulak.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,639,530 of Ryan discloses a method of manufacture of a high tenacity resinous packaging strap. U.S. Pat. No. 3,957,141 of Domes discloses a briefcase having a compartment for storing an umbrella which is accessible from the outside of the briefcase. U.S. Pat. No. 3,964,654 of Wittenberger discloses pack straps used to secure a pack of the like to a human body. U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,055 of Simmons discloses a complex apparatus for wrapping bundles and newspapers. And U.S. Pat. No. Des. 249,825 of Hasulak discloses a design for a briefcase. None of these patents address the problems of closing, opening, reclosing, and reopening of boxes and shipping containers discussed above.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use boxes for shipping and to use ropes, wrapping paper, and tape for closing the boxes, the provision of a more simple and cost effective device is not contemplated. Nor does the prior art described above teach or suggest a box closing apparatus that permits easy closing, opening, reclosing, and reopening of the boxes. Also, the prior art does not provide a box closing and sealing apparatus that permits easy closing, opening, reclosing, and reopening of the boxes and the like without destroying the materials used to close the boxes. The prior art does not provide a box closing apparatus which is reusable and permits reclosing of opened boxes without the need for new box closing materials.
In addition, the prior art does not provide a box closing apparatus that is easy to use in a stressful environment such as a Customs inspection. The prior art does not provide a box closing apparatus that provides protection against being broken into. Neither does the prior art provide a box closing apparatus that provides protection against the box rupturing during shipping. Also, the prior art does not provide a box securing device that uses a plurality of straps, but that uses only one key or combination lock for the plurality of straps. In addition, the prior art does not provide a box closing apparatus which includes an audible alarm that sounds when unauthorized entry is attempted.
The foregoing disadvantages are overcome by the unique box protection apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.


A packet forwarding apparatus wherein a routing control packet received from a network is forwarded to both active and standby routing modules, the standby routing module executes predetermined routing control information processing and sends identification information of the routing control packet to the active routing module, the active routing module executes predetermined routing control information processing, returns a response packet to a sender of the routing control packet, and determines a state of the standby routing module depending on whether an internal control packet has been received from the standby routing module and its contents.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to packet forwarding apparatus and, more particularly, to a packet forwarding apparatus equipped with redundant routing control information processing modules capable of switching their operation modes.
(2) Description of the Related Art
In recent years, as the Internet has come into popular use while fields of application of IP networks have expanded, high reliability is required for IP networks provided by carriers. On IP switching nodes (routers) that forward packets carried over one line onto another line at connection points on the Internet, a huge amount of routing information covering several tens of thousands of routes across the Internet is retained. Each router exchanges routing control packets with the other routers on a network, using a specific routing protocol, and updates the routing information retained on it. Each router is required to have a function of forwarding packets at a high speed and its data throughput is reaching into terabits per second.
Therefore, when a failure occurs in a packet forwarding processor of one router, quite a huge amount of communication data will be lost per unit time. In the case where a failure should occur in a routing controller of a router, packet forwarding onto an incorrect route might take place until a new alternative route is set up on the network by a function of the routing protocol used. For these reasons, an IP router adopting a redundant system configuration is proposed. This type of IP router is equipped with multiple routing protocol processing modules which are generally called routing modules, one of which operates as active one with the remaining being standby. The standby routing module is activated upon a failure of the active routing module to take over the routing protocol processing. Such a configuration having redundant routing protocol processing modules can significantly reduce the time from the failure occurrence to recover, as compared with a configuration where the failed module is manually replaced by a new module.
According to the redundant system configuration in which the standby routing module is activated upon the failure of the active routing module, however, a considerable time is taken before the recovery to the normal state of the routing control function because the module that has become active by operation mode switching has to collect routing control information from other routers, existing in its vicinity and operating with the same routing protocol, and reconfigure a new routing table.
To solve the above problem, for instance, Fujitsu, Ltd. proposed an IP switching node in which multiple redundant routing modules (hereinafter referred to as routing control modules) are always operating and the routing control information held by a standby routing control module keeps consistent with that information held by an active routing module, as described in a Fujitsu publication entitled "GeoStream R900 Series Product Report Vol. 1 (High Reliability Part)" ([online], November, 2001, Internet, URL:http://telecom.fujitsu.com/jp/products/report/geostream_r900/report_r900.pdf (Non-patent document 1).
According to the above prior art system, upon occurring a failure in the active routing control module, the standby routing control module can start operation as the active one because it is already activated. In this case, since the standby routing module is already run and has a database of routing control information prepared already, it can take over the routing protocol processing, in principle, without collecting routing control information from other node apparatuses. For the packet forwarding apparatus described in Non-patent document 1, routing control information that is held by the standby routing control module is updated in different ways according to types of routing protocols, as will be described below.
In the case of a Routing Information Protocol (RIP) which is a distance vector type routing protocol, routing control information received from another node apparatus on the network is notified to both the active and standby routing control modules and each module reconfigures or updates its routing information database independently of each other.
In the case of an Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) which is a link state type routing protocol, routing control information received from another node apparatus is notified to the active routing control module and the database information reconfigured on the active routing module is reflected (copied) to the database on the standby routing module by communication between the active and standby routing modules.
In the case of a Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) which is a path vector type routing protocol, the active and standby routing control modules respectively set up separate TCP connections to a peer router and both modules receive routing control information from the peer router and reconfigure or update their routing information databases independently of each other.
Therefore, for the packet forwarding apparatus described in non-patent document 1, if the applied routing protocol is OSPF, routing information updated on the active routing module has to be copied to the standby routing module. This increases the amount of data to be communicated between the modules and each of routing control modules is required to have a high-speed information processing function.
For the above apparatus, if the applied protocol is OSPF or BGP, both the active and standby routing modules update their own routing information databases, but information about the database update state is not communicated between these modules. In the above prior art, the active routing module periodically monitors the standby routing module to prevent an unsuccessful failover in case of the standby routing module malfunction. However, in the case of OSPF or BGP, it cannot be guaranteed that the routing information databases on the active and standby routing modules are actually consistent with each other.

Packet forwarding apparatus with redundant routing module


Disclosed is a device (2) for holding a cleaning wiper (1). The holding device includes: a synthetic resin body portion (10) bifurcated to have a pair of support plates (12) to be inserted into a tube (45) of the wiper; and a handle portion (30) extending from the body portion to be held by hand. Each support plate is in an elongated plate form having a width (W1) larger than a thickness (T1). The paired support plates extend parallel with each other to have inner side edges (12b) facing each other and outer side edges (12a) facing in opposite directions. Protrusions (15) having convexly curved edges are integrally formed on the respective outer side edges of the support plates. The paired support plates are elastically deformable to permit tip ends thereof to approach each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for holding a disposable or reusable cleaning wiper, and also relates to a cleaning article composed of the holding device and the wiper.
2. Description of the Related Art
Devices for detachably holding wipers are disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H8-336493 (336493/1996) and Japanese Utility-Model Registration No. 3043196, for example.
In Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H8-336493, there is disclosed a mop holder having a pair of ring-shaped support members, which are integrally formed with a handle. When the paired support members are inserted into a bag-shaped attachment portion formed in a mop, the ring-shaped support members are elastically deformed, so that the mop can be held by the mop holder.
In Japanese Utility-Model Registration No. 3043196, on the other hand, there is disclosed a cleaning device for holding a cleaning sheet. This cleaning device has arm portions curved to extend rearwardly. These arm portions are covered with the cleaning sheet.
In these prior arts, elastic deformation of the ring-shaped support members or the arm portions upon attachment of the mop or the cleaning sheet makes it possible to firmly hold the mop or the cleaning sheet.
However, in the mop holder disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H8-336493, when the ring-shaped support members are attached to the bag-shaped holding portion of the mop, the outer peripheral edges of the ring-shaped support members are brought into direct contact with the inner face of the bag-shaped holding portion to slide almost entirely along the inner face of the bag-shaped holding portion of the mop. At this time, due to the elastic repulsive force of the elastically deformed support members, the sliding resistance between the outer peripheral edges of the support members and the bag-shaped holding portion becomes very large. Therefore, it requires a large force to insert the support members into the bag-shaped holding portion of the mop till the end, thereby making it difficult to attach the mop holder to the mop.
This is also true for the cleaning device disclosed in Japanese Utility-Model Registration No. 3043196. When the arm portions are elastically deformed with the cleaning sheet to be put thereon, the cleaning sheet has to be slid over almost the entire outer peripheral edges of the arm portions for attachment. Therefore, the attachment requires a large force, thereby making it difficult to attach the arm portions to the cleaning sheet.

Device for holding cleaning wiper and cleaning article employing holding device