At a first step, a disc is mounted on a playback apparatus. Subsequently, at a second step, CD-TEXT data recorded in the lead-in area of the disc is read out and decoded before being stored into a memory unit. Then, the CD-TEXT data containing character information is searched for a string of characters. The second step is followed by a third step to form a judgment as to whether or not a string of characters representing address information has been found in the search. If found, then at a fourth step, the string of characters found in the search is recognized as address information and displayed in a format for a string of characters representing a URL or an electronic-mail address. As a result, CD-TEXT data can be searched for a string of characters which is recognized as address information.

The present invention relates to a playback-signal processing apparatus, for searching character information for a string of characters representing an address, and generating the address.
In recent years, a network comprising, for example, personal computers ("computer(s)") owned by users, and servers connected to the personal computers by telephone lines, is becoming popular.
The user is capable of obtaining various kinds of information from a server employed in the network, by using the computer as a terminal of the network. The user activates, for example, web browser software displaying information on a display device, and enters a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) into an "address box." The user accesses the server specified by the URL, through paths on the network. The computer is thereby capable of receiving various kinds of information, such as, characters and pictures, transmitted by the server.
There is also known, an audio CD that allows character information to be recorded in a TOC (Table of Contents), in a lead-in area of the CD. This type of CD is known as a CD-TEXT. The character information added to the TOC is information, such as, the title of the disc, names of artists, and/or titles of pieces of music. By reading out such pieces of information from the audio CD and displaying them on a screen, information about the contents of the audio CD can be obtained.
An apparatus for playing back information from an audio CD can be connected to, or embedded in, a computer. Various processing by this type of apparatus, such as, playback and halt operations, can be controlled by the computer. In this case, the user carries out a variety of operations on, for example, operation screens generated by the computer and displayed on a monitor unit as a GUI (Graphical User Interface).
An operation screen shows, among other things, performance times of pieces of music, character information, such as, names of artists, and titles of pieces of music, and buttons to be operated by the user for carrying out various kinds of processing. What appear on the operation screen are all obtained from a TOC. If more information on the pieces of music and the artists is available in the network, a URL where the information can be found is recorded in the TOC as character information. Moreover, if it is possible to transmit an electronic mail to an artist, the mail address of the artist is also included in the TOC as character information.
In order to access a URL, however, it is necessary for the user to enter a string of characters representing the URL. In addition, when the browser software is not activated, an operation to invoke the browser software needs to be carried out.
Furthermore, in order to send electronic mail, it is necessary for the user to enter a string of characters representing a mail address, using mail-sending software, which is referred to hereafter simply as "a mailer."
As described above, the user has to laboriously enter a string of characters to access the server, in spite of the fact that the string of characters is already recorded in the TOC. The user is further inconvenienced by having to search character information, stored in the TOC, for the string of characters representing the address, or by having to activate a browser.
In addition, when a user incorrectly enters a string of characters representing, for example, a URL, she incurs delay by having to re-enter the string.

Apparatus and method for reproducing character information recorded on a recording medium


High purity crystals of a biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride produced by dehydration of a biphenyltetracarboxylic acid, which contain almost no biphenyltricarboxylic acid or its anhydride, or a small amount such as an amount of not more than 0.2 wt. %, are of value to produce an aromatic polyamic acid or polyimide having an increased high molecular weight. The high purity crystals of a biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride can be prepared from a biphenyltetracarboxylic acid by a dehydration process wherein the biphenyltetracarboxylic acid is heated under carefully controlled conditions.

An aromatic polyimide is very excellent as a heat-resistant resin, and it is well known that the aromatic polyimide can be advantageously prepared in industry using a biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride and an aromatic diamine as starting materials, and possibly via production of a polyamic acid. The polyamic acid can be converted into a polyimide through imdation.
The biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride can be obtained by a process comprising the steps of dimerizing a phthalic acid diester such as dimethyl o-phthalate in the presence of a palladium catalyst, then subjecting the resulting dimer to various treatments such as purification, crystallization and hydrolysis to prepare a biphenyltetracarboxylic acid, and subsequently heating the biphenyltetracarboxylic acid for dehydration at a high temperature.
As for dehydration of the biphenyltetracarboxylic acid under heating at a high temperature, Japanese Patent Publication No. 57(1982)-15098 describes, for example, a method of heating the biphenyltetracarboxylic acid at a temperature of 100.degree. to 500.degree. C. in a nitrogen gas atmosphere under atmospheric pressure or reduced pressure such as a pressure of not lower than 40 mmHg to dehydrate the biphenyltetracarboxylic acid.
It has been found by the present inventors that the conventional method can hardly give a satisfactorily pure biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride. In more detail, when a biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride obtained by the conventional method is polymerized with an aromatic diamine to prepare an aromatic polyamic acid or polyimide, the viscosity of the aromatic polyamic acid or polyimide produced in the polymerization reaction liquid does not become sufficiently high. This means that an aromatic polyimide having a satisfactorily high molecular weight cannot be obtained.
The inventors have made study for discovering the reason why the viscosity of the polyamic acid or polyimide produced in the reaction liquid does not increase satisfactorily when the biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride obtained by the conventional method is used for the polymerization with an aromatic diamine. As a result, it has been found that increase of content of a biphenyltricarboxylic acid or its anhydride which is produced in the reaction and emigrates into the reaction product (i.e., biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride in the form of crystals) as impurity disturbs increase of the viscosity of the aromatic polyamic acid or polyimide produced in the polymerization reaction. Thus, it has been concluded that the biphenyltricarboxylic acid or its anhydride having emigrated into the crystals of a biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride disturbs production of an aromatic polyamic acid or polyimide having a satisfactorily high molecular weight.
Based on the above-mentioned finding, the present inventors have studied a process for preparing a high purity biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride which is almost free from contamination of a biphenyltricarboxylic acid or its anhydride. As a result of the study, the present inventors have discovered that crystals of a biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride containing almost no biphenyltricarboxylic acid or its anhydride, or containing an extremely small amount such as an amount of not more than 0.2 wt. %, can be obtained by heating crystals of a biphenyltetracarboxylic acid for dehydration under the specifically controlled heating conditions. The present inventors have also discovered that the employment of the above-obtained crystals of a biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride containing almost no biphenyltricarboxylic acid or its anhydride makes it possible to prepare an aromatic polyamic acid or polyimide having an increased high molecular weight.

High purity crystals of biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride and process for their preparation


Provided are a method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving media. A method of transmitting and receiving media segments for a base station may include: receiving a segment request message from a user equipment; checking whether the segment request message contains a segment selection delegation indicator through analysis of the segment request message; obtaining, when the segment request message contains a segment selection delegation indicator, play position information from the segment request message; selecting one of two or more segments corresponding to the play position information; and receiving the selected segment from an external server and delivering the received segment to the user equipment. Embodiments of the present invention enable efficient adaptive streaming.

With rapid technical advancements in recent years, wireless communication technologies have been utilized for increasingly diversified purposes. Utilization of media streaming services including video and/or audio, in particular, through mobile communication devices has increased. According to communication industries, it is expected that in the near future the mobile data traffic will grow explosively and the mobile video traffic will account for 70% of the total amount of the mobile data. Owing to explosive growth of mobile video traffic, users may experience network congestion.
Hence, a scheme is needed that can effectively deliver video/audio content through a mobile network. According to statistics of the video sharing site YouTube, the top 10 percent of popular video content accounts for nearly 80 percent of all video content traffic. Rather than delivering all video content at similar quality levels, delivering more popular video content at a higher quality level may effectively enhance user satisfaction.
HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) Adaptive Streaming (HAS) has been introduced to deliver video traffic in an effective way. Examples of HAS implementation may include 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) 3GP-DASH (Progressive Download and Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP), Apple HTTP Live Streaming, and Microsoft Smooth Streaming.
FIG. 1 illustrates the architecture of a 3GP-DASH system serving as a HAS system. Here, although 3GP-DASH is used for illustration, similar approaches may also be applied to other HAS services.
Features of HAS may be described as follows.
1. Video content is divided into segments or chunks as units for transmission.
2. The HAS server maintains sets of video segments forming presentations, where different versions may be created for a video segment according to, for example, resolution.
3. A Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is assigned to each video segment. A terminal or client may access a desired video segment using URL and HTTP.
4. The HAS server maintains a metadata file containing information regarding the presentation of a source video, segment durations and segment URLs, and provides the metadata file to the client upon service initiation.
5. The client may select a video segment using a metadata file and request the selected video segment via a URL assigned to the video segment.
Referring to FIG. 1, the HAS server is implemented as an HTTP server 100. The HTTP server 100 maintains a Media Presentation Description (MPD) 110 and segments of a source video. The MPD 110 is a type of metadata described above. 3GP-DASH utilizes MPD as a metadata file format. The HTTP server 100 provides the MPD 110 to a DASH client 130. Later, when a request for a video segment is received from the DASH client 130 via HTTP, the HTTP server 100 provides the requested segment to the DASH client 130.
The DASH client 130 may include control heuristics 140, an MPD parser 150, a segment parser 160, a media player 170, and an HTTP client 180. The control heuristics 140 may control the overall operation of the DASH client 130. The MPD parser 150 may parse and analyze an MPD received from the HTTP server 100 and provide necessary information to the other components. In response to a request from the control heuristics 140 or other component, the HTTP client 180 may send a request for a segment as an HTTP request to the HTTP server 100. The HTTP client 180 may receive a video segment as a reply to the request from the HTTP server 100 and forward the received video segment to the segment parser 160. The segment parser 160 may parse the received segment and forward the parsed segment to the media player 170. The media player 170 may provide a control interface to the user, and play back the video segment received from the segment parser 160.
Two main advantages of HAS may be described as follows.
1. The streaming bitrate can be adjusted dynamically according to variations of network throughput.
2. Video streaming can be seamlessly provided to the user at the highest quality available.
FIG. 2 illustrates bitrate variations with time when HAS is used. Part (a) of FIG. 2 depicts bitrates of segments stored in the HTTP server 100 (i.e. HAS server). The HAS server maintains segments with first, second and third bitrates for corresponding time intervals.
Part (b) of FIG. 2 depicts variations in requested chunks or segments and TCP throughput. At the first time interval, the DASH client 130 (i.e. HAS client) may request a segment of the first bitrate. The HAS client may measure TCP throughput that is sufficient for a segment of the second bitrate at the first time interval; and the HAS client may request a segment of the second bitrate at the second time interval. The HAS client may measure TCP throughput that is sufficient for a segment of the third bitrate at the second time interval; and the HAS client may request a segment of the third bitrate at the third time interval. The HAS client may measure TCP throughput that is sufficient for a segment of the second bitrate but insufficient for the third bitrate at the third time interval; and the HAS client may request a segment of the second bitrate at the fourth time interval. Thereafter, while TCP throughput is sustained, the HAS client may request and process segments of the second bitrate and present the processed segments to the user.
Part (c) of FIG. 2 depicts variations in requested segments. As described above in connection with part (c) of FIG. 2, a first-bitrate segment is requested at the first time interval, and a second-bitrate segment is requested at the second time interval. A third-bitrate segment is requested at the third time interval, and a second-bitrate segment is requested at the fourth time interval and at the fifth time interval.
According to the HAS system described above, the HAS client utilizes the total available bandwidth as a TCP throughput estimation. The HAS client selects a presentation such as resolution and/or bitrate for the next segment on the basis of estimated TCP throughput. However, the HAS client cannot be accurately aware of network conditions of base stations or other network entities. Hence, the HAS client is unable to accurately measure the available bandwidth, causing the following problems.
1. Congestion: HAS clients requesting a bitrate higher than the bottleneck throughput may cause congestion.
2. Unfairness: when a HAS client selects a high bitrate and another client selects a low bitrate, the clients tend to maintain the selection unless the bottleneck bitrate is reached, causing unfairness.
3. Under-utilization: HAS clients operating in a conservative manner to avoid congestion may request segments of a bitrate lower than measured throughput, resulting in a poor utilization ratio below the bottleneck throughput.
In addition, as the HAS system operates in an end-to-end (e2e), the both ends cannot exert influence on other traffic passing the base station.
As the HAS client selects a bitrate and reports this to the HAS server, the HAS system may be slow to adapt to network changes.

Method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving media segments using adaptive streaming


A brake drum including a shell portion that has a friction face which is arranged with rotational symmetry with respect to an axis of rotation, and an attachment portion which has a mounting section, wherein the shell portion and the attachment portion are made of different materials and are connected to one another.

The present invention relates to a brake drum, in particular a brake drum of a utility vehicle, which consists of a shell portion and an attachment portion.
Brake drums of the type in question are well known from the prior art. For example, there are brake drums that are made of an aluminum composite material, in which aluminum is die-cast around a porous ceramic core. However, such a system has the drawback that both the production of the ceramic core and the aluminum die-casting method are very energy-intensive and costly. Also known are brake drums in which ceramic particles are mixed with the molten aluminum alloy prior to casting. However, such systems have the drawback that the ceramic particles are not arranged in a targeted manner in the region of what is to be the wearing face, but rather are to be found distributed throughout the whole cast part. As a consequence, the highly stressed attachment portion, where the brake drum is attached to the vehicle, can experience material failure. Furthermore, it is not possible to use a high proportion of ceramic, the consequence of which is impaired wearing behavior.
The present invention therefore has the object of providing a brake drum, in particular for application in the field of utility vehicles, which has high resistance to wearing, guarantees a long service life and is simple and cost-effective to produce.


A hybrid electric vehicle is arranged such that a driving force of an engine and a driving force of an electric motor can be transmitted to driving wheels through an automatic transmission having a plurality of forward gears. When it is detected that the vehicle is in a predetermined state in which it is difficult for the electric motor to output an upper limit torque predetermined as a generable maximum torque, a vehicle ECU controls the automatic transmission using a gear shift map configured such that the automatic transmission is downshifted earlier in accordance with a change in the operating state of the vehicle and upshifted later in accordance with a change in the operating state of the vehicle in comparison with a gear shift map that is used when it is not detected that the vehicle is in the predetermined state.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control device for a hybrid electric vehicle, and in particular, to a control device for a hybrid electric vehicle arranged such that a driving force of an engine and a driving force of an electric motor can be respectively transmitted to driving wheels of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a so-called parallel hybrid electric vehicle capable of transmitting a driving force of an engine and a driving force of a motor to driving wheels respectively, have been developed and are in practical use.
As an example of such a parallel hybrid electric vehicle, Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-162670 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 1) proposes a hybrid electric vehicle that is arranged so that a driving state can be switched between a state in which a clutch is engaged and driving forces can be transmitted to driving wheels from both an engine and an electric motor, and a state in which the clutch is disengaged and only the driving force from the electric motor can be transmitted to the driving wheels.
With the hybrid electric vehicle described in Patent Document 1, in the event that an output torque of the electric motor is limited by whatever reason and the output torque of the electric motor is insufficient with respect to a required torque necessary for traveling the vehicle, the engine is started up so that output torque may also be obtained from the engine in order to secure necessary driving force.
In addition, with the hybrid electric vehicle described in Patent Document 1, in the event that regenerative braking torque is limited during regenerative braking, revolution speed of the electric motor is increased by changing a gear ratio of a transmission. In this manner, the electric motor is protected by reducing the torque of the electric motor.
As described above, with the hybrid electric vehicle described in Patent Document 1, in the event that the torque of the electric motor is limited during driving of the vehicle and the torque of the electric motor is insufficient with respect to the required torque, the engine is started up in order to compensate for the deficiency. Therefore, the engine will be repetitively started-up and stopped, thereby giving rise to a problem in that vibration and noise are generated from such start-up and stopping of the engine. In addition, there is a problem in that a time lag occurs between a start-up of the engine and the generation of the required torque, which results in a temporary shortage of driving force. These problems cause a decline in the driving feeling of the hybrid electric vehicle described in Patent Document 1.
In particular, upon start-up of the vehicle, there is an increased likelihood that the electric motor will be unable to perform a smooth start-up by itself, and the decline of the driving feeling due to the above-mentioned deficiency in driving force will become prominent.

Control device for a hybrid electric vehicle

Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation


Disclosed are a light guide plate and a backlight unit. The backlight unit according to the present invention includes: a light guide plate; a light source disposed on one side of the light guide plate; and a reflective plate disposed under the light guide plate, wherein, in the cross section of one side of the light guide plate, the light guide plate includes a plurality of unit slits including a first slit and a second slit, wherein the first slit and the second slit are inclined from a top surface toward the inside of the light guide plate with respect to a vertical direction of the top surface, and wherein the first slit and the second slit are symmetrical to each other with respect to the middle portion of the unit slit.

An information display device functioning as an information transfer path between machines and human has been rapidly developed based on an advanced manufacturing technology and electronic information industry. Particularly, a liquid crystal display (hereinafter, referred, to as LCD) using liquid crystal has been rapidly growing for the last ten years on the basis of a high-leveled semiconductor process technology and industrial infrastructures, and then nowadays acquires very wide application product groups and occupies the most powerfully its related market share.
The LCD is what is called a non-self-emissive type LCD which does not emit light by itself. Therefore, the LCD should necessarily include another light source and provide light to a display panel in order to display images. Many LCDs, which are now being provided to the market, display images by including Backlight Units (BLU) as light sources placed at a back side of the panel and by selectively transmitting or blocking light emitted from the backlight units. As such, the backlight unit being placed at the back side of the panel and providing light to the display device determines main factors of the LCD, for example, power consumption, image quality, thickness and price and so on.
The backlight unit can be configured in various shapes in accordance with a size of a finished product, use, desired brightness and the like. Here, a structure of the backlight unit to be used in a portable information display device includes a point light source and a line light source such as a Light Emitting Diode (LED) or a Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp (CCFL), a Light guide plate (LGP) uniformly emitting light emitted from the point light source and the line light source over the entire surface of the panel and changing into a surface light source, a prism sheet correcting an orientation angle and a spatial uniformity of the light emitted from the light guide plate, and a diffuser sheet and the like.
Here, the light guide plate changing the light coming from the lateral side thereof into a surface light source emits the light upward by means of a very small sized structure formed on the top surface or the bottom surface of the light guide plate. The shape of the structure plays an important role of determining the orientation angle and luminance of light emitted from the light guide plate. A light emitting structure of the light guide plate proposed in a conventional technology includes a micro lens, a micro prism, a straight line shaped projection and a curved line shaped projection, etc. However, the light emitted from such a structure has a very low light emitting efficiency, so that a ratio of luminance to power consumption is not high. The light emitted from such a structure usually does not proceed vertically, so that light path should be corrected through a separate prism sheet. Therefore, these are major causes of increasing the whole thickness and price of the display device and of reducing power efficiency of the display device.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a structure of a backlight unit (BLU) according to a conventional technology. FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view showing the backlight unit according to the conventional technology. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a structure of a light guide plate being disposed on the backlight unit according to a conventional technology and including a lens-shaped projection on the top surface thereof. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a structure of a light guide plate being disposed on the backlight unit according to a conventional technology and including a pyramid-shaped projection on the top surface thereof.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a backlight unit 100 according to the conventional technology includes alight source 110, a light guide plate (LGP) 120 receiving light emitted from the light source 110 and propagating the light, a diffuser sheet 130 correcting the characteristic of the light emitted from the light guide plate, a prism sheet 140 and other optical functional sheets and protective films.
FIGS. 1 and 2, the operation of the backlight unit according to the conventional technology will be described. After light 111 emitted from the light source 110 is incident on one side of the light guide plate 120, the light is propagated without being emitted outward due to optical total internal reflection occurring at an interface between mediums having mutually different refractive indexes.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the light guide plate installed in the backlight unit according to the conventional technology includes a particular projection structure having a shape of a lens 123 or a pyramid 123′ on the top surface or bottom surface thereof. The projection structure causes the light to be emitted upward from the inside of the light guide plate 120.
Here, when the projection structures 123 and 123′ i.e., a light emitting pattern including a peculiarly shaped unevenness formed on a top surface 121 or a bottom surface 122 thereof are formed, a total internal reflection condition is not satisfied at a certain corresponding position. Therefore, the incident light may be emitted outward.
Since the light 112 emitted outward originally tends to emit toward the opposite side to that of the light source, the prism sheet 140 formed vertically and horizontally is required to make the direction of the light to be perpendicular to the surface of the display device.
In order to remove a pattern generated from the light emitting pattern formed on the top surface 121 or the bottom surface 122 of the light guide plate, a scattering sheet or a diffuser sheet 130 should be included.
As such, the backlight unit including the conventional light guide plate 120 is required to additionally include the multi-layered optical sheets 130 and 140. Therefore, there is a problem in that large losses are expected in terms of production cost, thickness and optical luminous efficiency.
FIGS. 5 to 8 are views of optical simulation results showing a light emission characteristic of the backlight unit light guide plate employing a conventional prism structure or lens structure. FIGS. 5 and 6 show angular luminance charts for the light emission characteristic of the backlight unit employing the conventional prism structure (referred to as a pyramid structure in FIG. 5) or lens structure. FIGS. 7 and 8 show spatial luminance charts of the backlight unit employing the conventional prism structure or lens structure.
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, since the light guide plate employing the conventional prism structure or lens structure has very low vertical light emitting efficiency, required necessarily is a separate optical sheet which corrects light having very low vertical light emitting efficiency to be perpendicular to the light guide plate.
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the light guide plate employing the conventional prism structure or lens structure has generally low spatial luminance distribution.

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology


Methods and compositions for treating myotonia and dystrophies.

Myotonia is a condition present in a number of neuromuscular disorders such as myotonia congenital, paramyotonia congenital and myotonic dystrophy, and is characterized by a delayed relaxation of muscles after voluntary contraction.
Muscular dystrophy is a general term that describes a group of genetic muscular diseases wherein muscles weaken and breakdown over time without involvement of the nervous system. Some of the more common types of muscular dystrophy include:                Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy which is the most common muscular dystrophy that begins in early childhood and is characterized by increasing weakness in the pelvic and shoulder girdles that eventually leads to respiratory and heart failures;        Becker Muscular Dystrophy which is a less severe form of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy which has a later patient onset and slower progression than Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy;        Emery-Dreifus Muscular Dystrophy which begins early in a patient's life and is characterized by a slowly progressive weakening of the upper arm and pelvic girdle, but the muscles are not hypertrophied;        Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy which is a relative benign form wherein the muscles of the face, shoulder girdle, and arm atrophy;        Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy which is a slowly progressive form that may affect either males or females, and is characterized by a weakening or wasting of the pelvic girdle or shoulder girdle;        Myotonic Muscular Dystrophy which is a rare slowly progressive disorder characterized by myotonia followed by atrophy of the muscles including the muscles of the face and neck, cataracts, hypogonadism, frontal balding and cardiac abnormalities; and        Oculopharyngeal Muscular Dystrophy which has an adult onset and is characterized by a weakness of the external ocular and pharyngeal muscles that causes ptosis, ophthalmoplegia and dysphagia.
There are currently no known cures for muscular dystrophy, however, various drugs have been administered to manage the various symptoms. For example, Foff et al., "Therapeutic Development in Myotonic Dystrophy Type I," Muscle Nerve, 2011 44(2) 160-169, indicates that drugs such as mexelitine, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and exogenous insulin-like growth factor (IGF1) have been tried as treatment options without great success. The doctoral dissertation of Amin Haghighat Jahromi, entitled "Advances in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 Drug Discovery Through Design of Novel Ligands and Mechanism Establishment," University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 2013, suggests kanamycin, pentamidine, neomycin B, melamine-acridine conjugate N,N′-(propane-1,3-diylbis(azanediyl))bis(propane-3,1-diyl))bis(9-((4-((4,6-diamino-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)amino)butyl)amino)acridine-4-carboxamide and Hoechst 33528 which has the following structure:
may be useful in treating myotonic dystrophy. The Jahromi dissertation also states that palliative therapy for myotonic dystrophy includes the administration of known compounds such as selenium, vitamin E, baclofen, nifedipine, creatine monohydrate, testosterone, DHEA and bioflavonoids.
It is an object of the present invention to provide methods and compositions that are effective in treating dystrophies such as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Becker Muscular Dystrophy, Emery-Dreifus Muscular Dystrophy, Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy, Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy, Myotonic Muscular Dystrophy, or Oculopharyngeal Muscular Dystrophy.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide methods and compositions that are effective in treating myotonia, including myotonia associated with myotonia congenital, paramytonia congenital and myotonic dystrophy.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide methods and compositions that are effective in treating myotonic dystrophy, including myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) and myotonic dystrophy type 2 (DM2).

Method and compositions for treating dystrophies and myotonia


An actuator housing is provided. The actuator housing may comprise a body, and a first side of the body including a first pin interface and a first threaded hole clocked relative to the first pin interface. The first pin interface and the first threaded hole may be configured to interface with a solenoid housing. A second side of the body may be orthogonal to the first side. The second side may include a circular geometry with a cylindrical member disposed central to the circular geometry. A toggle assembly interface may be recessed in the second side and disposed within the cylindrical member.

Ram air turbines are generally used in aircraft to provide supplemental and/or emergency power to the aircraft by utilizing air flow to rotate a turbine. Ram air turbines can provide either electrical or hydraulic power. Electrical ram air turbines produce electrical power by transferring the rotational energy of the turbine to a generator. Ram air turbines can be located in a forward section of the aircraft such as the nose, for example. Ram air turbines may also be located in an aft section of the aircraft such as a tail, for example. Ram air turbines may be stowed when not in use and deployed when power is desired. In that regard, ram air turbines may include an actuator to deploy and stow the turbine. The actuators may include integrated hydraulic circuits that are designed to specific sizes. Current deployment actuators may be difficult and/or costly to make to the specified dimensions.

Actuator housing for ram air turbine deployment actuator


A static read only memory fabricated with field effect transistors of either the depletion type or the enhancement type connected in series. The read only memory includes a compact sensing circuit for detecting relatively small voltage swings at each node corresponding to a bit line of the memory cell, and a highly sensitive differential sense amplifier including first and second cascaded connected inverter stages.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to static semiconductor read only memories, and in particular memory circuits composed of field effect transistors of either the depletion mode or enhancement mode selected depending upon the information to be stored therein.
2. Prior Art
Various types of semiconductor read only memories (ROMs) are known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,074,238 describes a read only memory including a plurality of memory circuits connected in parallel with one another across a first line and a second line. In each of such memory circuits a first insulated gate field effect transistor (FET) of either the depletion type or the enhancement type is provided. The type of each FET is individually selected depending upon the particular information bit to be stored in that bit cell. The FETs are connected in series with a second insulated gate FET of enhancement type. Such a construction enables a ROM to be implemented by merely modifying the mask pattern for forming the FETs in the circuit.
Another implementation of a ROM using enhancement and depletion type FETs is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,142,176. In such patent the ROM is structured as a series structure (NAND logic), with the transistors arranged in an array of input rows and output columns.
Logic programming of the matrix may be realized by providing predetermined ones of the MOS elements of the matrix with structurally differentiated portions with respect to the remaining elements. The transistors of the matrix may be identified as elements of first and second sets, the elements of each set including structurally differentiated portions which provide first and second modes of operation, respectively. For example, the elements of the first set may have structurally differentiated portions relative to the elements of the second set which permit operation of the transistors of the first set in the first mode in which current is conducted through source and drain portions in response to a first applied gate potential corresponding to a first logic state, (for example V.sub.D volts for a logic "1" for N-channel enhancement mode MOSFET devices), and in which the flow of current through the source and drain is prevented in response to a second applied gate potential corresponding to a second logic state, (for example zero gate bias for a logic "0"). The elements of the second set may have structurally differentiated portions which permit operation of the elements of the second set in the second mode wherein a conductive path through source and drain portions exists without regard to the logic state corresponding to the applied gate potential, (for example, depletion mode MOSFET devices).
Such an arrangement is disadvantageous because of the apparent requirement that a precharge signal be applied for high speed operation with relatively large voltage swings to the NAND gate for suitable operation. The latter requirements means that external clock signals must be applied to the integrated circuit for operation, i.e., the circuit is a "dynamic" one with relatively large voltage swings. There are many circuit designs and applications for ROMs which are purely static, i.e. dynamic circuits are not used, and therefore such prior are dynamic ROMs could not be used in such applications.


A dynamic focus voltage generator includes a source of a flyback input signal at a horizontal deflection frequency. A double integrator is responsive to the input signal for generating a parabolic periodic signal. An amplitude detector is responsive to the parabolic periodic signal for generating a control signal that is indicative of an amplitude of the parabolic periodic signal. A comparator is responsive to a signal at a reference level and to the control signal and coupled to the double integrator for regulating an amplitude of the parabolic periodic signal in a gain control negative feedback manner. A non-linear network is responsive to the parabolic periodic signal for producing a bathtub shaped output signal that is coupled to a focus electrode of a cathode ray tube.

The invention relates to a beam landing distortion correction arrangement.
An image displayed on a cathode ray tube (CRT) can suffer from imperfections or distortions such as defocusing or nonlinearity that is incidental to the scanning of the beam on the CRT. Such imperfections or distortions occur because the distance from the electron gun of the CRT to the faceplate varies markedly as the beam is deflected, for example, in the horizontal direction. Reduction in the amount of defocusing that occurs as the beam is deflected in the horizontal direction, for example, may be obtained by developing a dynamic focus voltage having a parabolic voltage component at the horizontal rate and applying the dynamic focus voltage to a focus electrode of the CRT for dynamically varying the focus voltage.
It is known how to derive the parabolic voltage component at the horizontal rate from an S-correction voltage developed across the S-shaping capacitor of a horizontal deflection output stage. However, in a deflection circuit in which neither of the terminals of the xe2x80x9cS-shapingxe2x80x9d capacitor is at an alternating current (AC) ground potential, referred to as floating above ground level, the extraction of the parabolic voltage can be, undesirably, too complicated. Therefore, where the xe2x80x9cS-shapingxe2x80x9d capacitor is floating above ground level it can be desirable to generate a parabolic, low-level dynamic focus waveform without extracting the waveform from the voltage developed across the S-shapingxe2x80x9d capacitor. For example, a diode modulator type circuit for correcting pincushion distortion can have the xe2x80x9cS-shapingxe2x80x9d capacitor floating above the ground reference level. This makes it impractical to use the parabolic voltage waveform developed across such xe2x80x9cS-shapingxe2x80x9d capacitor for producing the dynamic focus waveform.
A television receiver, computer display or monitor can have the capability of displaying picture information on the same CRT using a deflection current at selectively different horizontal scan frequencies. In a multifrequency horizontal deflection system it can be desirable to keep the peak-to-peak voltage of the dynamic focus waveform constant when the AC waveforms in the deflection circuit are changing with different frequencies. The required amplitudes of the parabolic voltage component of the dynamic focus voltage can need to be the same at each horizontal deflection frequency. Therefore, it can be desirable to control the amplitudes of the parabolic voltage component of the dynamic focus voltage at the different horizontal frequencies. Furthermore, instead of a parabolic voltage component of the dynamic focus voltage, a xe2x80x9cbathtubxe2x80x9d shaped voltage waveform can be desirable for the newer tubes such as the xe2x80x9ctrue flatxe2x80x9d CRT""s.
A video apparatus, embodying an inventive feature, includes a parabola generator responsive to an input signal for generating a parabolic periodic signal to produce a field in a beam path of a cathode ray tube that varies in accordance with the parabolic periodic signal. An amplitude detector is responsive to the parabolic periodic signal for generating a control signal that is indicative of an amplitude of the parabolic periodic signal. A comparator responsive to a signal at a reference level and to the control signal and coupled to the parabola generator for regulating the amplitude of the parabolic periodic signal in a gain control negative feedback manner.

Dynamic focus voltage amplitude controller


A two wire detection device includes a relay switch setable to a high and a low impedance state and electrically coupled between a first terminal of an AC source and a first leg of a load, a second leg of which is connected to a second terminal of the AC source. The device includes an energy storage device electrically coupled to the first terminal of the AC source and electrically connected to the first leg of the load. Charge control means interposed between the first terminal of the AC source and the energy storage device regulate the voltage across the energy storage device. A detection control device is electrically connected across the energy storage device and to the switching device for detecting the presence of a condition for monitoring and setting the state of the switching device based thereon such that power is available to the detection control device regardless of the state of the switch.

A well known problem with conventional Passive Infra Red (PIR) occupancy circuits that use a relay output in a two wire system (i.e., no neutral) is that when the relay contact is closed, there is no power available to drive the control circuitry since the relay contacts short circuit the control circuitry. This problem is not exclusive to PIR occupancy circuits. In fact, any generic two wire electrical control device that switches power across a load when energized may display a similar problem, i.e., when the switched contact is in a low impedance state (the relay contacts are closed), the voltage across the device drops from a level approximate to that of the AC line voltage to almost zero. Thus, during the time the control device is on (energized), no power is available to drive the switching control circuitry.
One solution known in the art utilizes a technique whereby a small amount of current is purposely leaked to ground to drive control circuitry when power is switched across the load. The switching control circuitry, if designed so as to require a small amount of current to keep it operational (compared to the load circuitry), can derive the power it needs for operation from this ground leakage current. Underwriters Laboratory (UL) allows electrical devices 0.5 ma of leakage current wherefore such ground leakage current operation can be arranged. However, the 0.5 ma leakage current limitation makes designing using this technique difficult to implement.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,598 to Smith discloses a power supply circuit for generating power from a switched AC source. The circuit includes a current transformer arranged in series with a controlled main conduction path (contact) of a relay switch disposed in the AC source/load main line. A series combination of a capacitor and a secondary winding of the transformer shunt the primary winding/relay contact series combination. When the relay switch is conductive, a comparatively small AC voltage appears across a secondary of the transformer which is rectified with a rectifying diode electrically connected to power an amplifier. A capacitor connected in shunt with the amplifier filters the DC generated by the diode. The amplifier is driven by a detection circuit (e.g., a passive infrared detector) which drives the relay switch. When the contact is in a non-conducting state (i.e., a high impedance state), no current flows in the transformer's primary. However, because little voltage is dropped across the load, almost the full potential of the AC source appears across the blocking capacitor/transformer secondary series combination. This open circuit potential is used to power the circuitry when the relay is non-conducting, i.e., ground leakage current.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,336,464 to Weber discloses a two-terminal timed electric switch for series connection with one side of a power-carrying AC circuit. An AC line terminal is electrically connected in series through a primary of a current transformer and a contact of a relay switch to a load. The load's other terminal is connected to the AC neutral. While the load is energized, the transformer's secondary provides power to a timer circuit. The circuit is energized when a momentary action start ("on") switch is temporarily closed (pressed) whereby the power is generated in the secondary for closing the relay contact. This momentary contact switch must be actuated before the Weber circuitry can be actuated. For example, were the timer circuit to be a PIR occupancy circuit, operation of the PIR circuitry would first require momentary closure of the momentary switch.
It would be beneficial, therefore, to realize a device for use in two-wire detector or sensor circuit which utilizes an energy source for operating the sensor independent of load activation or ground leakage current. The energy source could be independent from current operation, or dependent thereon, e.g., a charge storage device. It would also be beneficial to have a device for use in a two-wire sensor or detector circuit wherein a current transformer is utilized to indirectly supply the sensor or charge storage device during a time at which said load is powered by said AC source thereby minimizing the storage requirements of the charge storage device.

Two wire PIR occupancy sensor utilizing a rechargeable energy storage device


A night vision module is adaptable as an input stage on a daylight viewing and aiming device for constituting a system operational during night. It comprises an infra-red imaging unit and a unit for reproducing an image of the field of view of the imaging unit on a screen for display in the input field of the daylight device which has fixed reference marks. The image reproducing unit has a generator for inlaying, in the image of the field, a plurality of marks having a predetermined position with respect to the optical axis of the module, out of the central aiming zone. The inlaid marks are so located as to be centered with respect to the fixed reference marks when the module is harmonized. The module further comprises potentiometers enabling to control the location of the image on the screen and to center the inlaid marks with respect to the reference marks.

The invention relates to a night vision module which is adaptable, as an input stage, on a daylight viewing and aiming device, for constituting a system which is operational at night by simply adding the module to the device.
Such a night vision module is of interest regarding ergonomy, since night viewing is through the same optical channel as daylight viewing. Furthermore, the degree of precision with which the night module is mechanically located on the daylight device is without effect on the harmonisation of the complete system, if the night module is itself harmonised (i.e. if its input axis is parallel to its optical output axis), all the more since the night module generally constitutes an afocal device having a magnification of 1.
Night viewing modules are already known of the type comprising an infra-red imaging unit and a unit for reproducing an image of the field of view of the imaging unit on a small size screen (typically the bottom of a cathode ray tube) for display in the input field of the daylight device.
In such a module, the image reproducing unit frequently has such a nature that it is subject, as time elapses or due to temperature variations, to a shift which results in a harmonisation error due to a displacement of the image of the field of view on the screen and possibly due to a change in the magnification. If practically the second cause of error is negligible, this is not so for the first one.

Night vision module for a viewing and aiming system


An apparatus and method is disclosed for transporting and agitating a substance having solid and liquid constituents. The apparatus includes a mobile wheeled chassis having a pressure vessel mounted thereon. The vessel has a floor and at least one wall with an inner surface defining a vessel interior space for containing the substance. A plurality of supports are located within the interior space and mounted to the inner surface. A plurality of motors each having a shaft are located and mounted to a respective support. A plurality of agitator blades are each coupled to a respective shaft and rotated about a substantially vertical axis for directing the substance toward the floor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for transporting and agitating a substance having solid and liquid constituents.
2. Description of Related Art
Many industrial processes require raw materials consisting of solid and liquid mixtures. For example mixtures, such as calcium carbonate in water or clay water slurries, are extremely difficult to transport and store because dense solid materials settle on the bottom of storage containers during transportation and/or storage. When the container is drained the liquid portion of the mixture is readily removed, but a portion of the solid sediment remains in the storage container. Thus it is difficult to completely unload all of the solid material.
Calcium carbonate is a substance used as a component in a number of common household medical products such as antacid and toothpaste. Additionally, the paper industry uses this material as a substitute for wood pulp paper filler to eliminate the need for unnecessary destruction of forestry. Because of the great demand for the end products produced by these industries, extremely large quantities of calcium carbonate must be transported.
Calcium carbonate is mined from the earth in large boulders, and crushed to create a fine powder substance. This powder is then normally mixed with water to create a solid and liquid suspension that is relatively easy to handle. The calcium carbonate and water mixture is loaded in transportation devices, such as railroad tank cars for shipping.
While the solid and liquid mixture is within the tank of a transportation device, the calcium carbonate solid material settles in the liquid and gradually forms a sediment on the bottom of the tank. This solid sediment is extremely difficult to remove from the tank when the tank is unloaded. The retention of solids in the bottom of the tank poses numerous disadvantages. First, the backhaul of the tank to pick up another load requires unnecessary rehauling of the solids back to the original pickup point, making the tank heavier and wasting fuel. Additionally, the build-up of solids reduces the capacity of the tank so that each subsequent refill of the tank includes less and less volume. Therefore it is desirous to remove all of the settled solid material along with the liquid when the mixture is unloaded. This removal process, however, is normally an extremely time consuming and expensive process.
Some previous attempts to deal with this problem have met with limited success. In one removal process, a worker introduces a pressurized air hose through the opening of a tank and passes the open end of the hose along the bottom of the tank. The pressurized air circulates through the solid material to mix the solid with the liquid. This process is extremely inefficient, because a worker is required to pass the open end of the hose along the entire bottom surface of the tank in a time consuming procedure.
Additionally, sparger systems have been used on tank cars to recirculate a substance within a tank. These systems include a pipe positioned along the floor of a tank and having small holes along its length. This pipe is either connected to a source of compressed air or a fluid pump. When the product within the tank is nonflammable, the tank is vented and the compressed air is blown in the pipe to emit air bubbles from the holes for mixing the products in the tank. If a flammable product is within the tank, the material is recirculated in the tank by pumping liquid from the top of the tank into the pipe and allowing the liquid to flow through the holes into the bottom of the tank. These sparger systems have met with limited success, because settled solid material is not adequately mixed unless it is an extremely lightweight powder. Further, the small holes in the pipe are prone to clogging with solid material that has settled in the tank.
Because many of the current means for unloading solid and liquid mixtures are time consuming, large storage tanks having agitators are required at destination sites. These storage tanks maintain solid and liquid materials in a mixture form for immediate use in an industrial process, however, these on-site tanks could be eliminated if a solid and liquid mixture was able to be immediately unloaded from a transportation tank.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,652,960 to Snelling et al. discloses a tank for transporting materials along a railway. This tank has a series of rotatable agitating blades mounted to vertical shafts that extend through a top wall of the tank. These shafts are rotated by a horizontal drive shaft that is positioned on the tank exterior and connected to a belt pulley. Because the vertical shafts extend through a wall of the tank, complicated drive connections, bearings and seals are required. Additionally, it is often important to pressurize the vessel to facilitate unloading. However, because the shafts pass through the tank wall, it would be difficult if not impossible to comply certain Department of Transportation regulations as well as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers' pressure vessel standards.

Apparatus and method for transporting and agitating a substance


An apparatus providing Fault Detection Diagnostics (FDD) for a Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning (HVAC) system comprising a permanent magnet attached to a movable damper and a magnetometer attached to a stationary frame to provide a magnetic field measurement of the permanent magnet. The apparatus converts the magnetic field measurement into a damper position measurement and determines a difference between the damper position measurement and a damper position actuator voltage command, and if the difference is greater than a damper actuator voltage tolerance, then the apparatus generates a FDD alarm signal. The apparatus calculates a com puted Outdoor Air Fraction (OAF) damper position based on a measured HVAC parameter, and if the difference between the computed OAF damper position and the OAF damper position command is greater than a damper position tolerance, then the apparatus generates a FDD alarm signal or an actuator voltage signal to correct the movable damper position.

The present invention relates to Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems and in particular to outdoor air introduced into buildings during HVAC operation through economizer dampers or non-economizer dampers.
Buildings are required to provide a minimum flow of outdoor air into their HVAC systems per the American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Standard 61.1 (ANSI/ASHRAE 62.1-2010. Standard Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality) and the California Energy Commission (CEC) Building Energy Efficiency Standards for Residential and Nonresidential Buildings (CEC-400-2012-004-CMF-REV2). When the outdoor airflow exceeds the minimum required airflow, the additional airflow may introduce unnecessary hot outdoor air when the HVAC system is cooling the building, or introduce unnecessary cold outdoor air when the HVAC system is heating the building. This unnecessary or unintended outdoor airflow reduces space cooling and heating capacity and efficiency and increases cooling and heating energy consumption and the energy costs required to provide space cooling and heating to building occupants. Known methods for measuring the amount of outdoor airflow introduced into buildings to meet minimum requirements are inaccurate and better methods are required to improve thermal comfort of occupants, reduce cooling and heating energy usage, and improve cooling and heating energy efficiency.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,415,617 (Seem 2002) discloses a method for controlling an air-side economizer of an HVAC system using a model of the airflow through the system to estimate building cooling loads when minimum and maximum amounts of outdoor air are introduced into the building and uses the model and a one-dimensional optimization routine to determine the fraction of outdoor air that minimizes the load on the HVAC system. The '617 patent does not provide apparatus or methods to measure the Outdoor Air Fraction (OAF) defined as the ratio of outdoor airflow through the economizer or non-economizer dampers to total system airflow. Nor does the '617 patent provide methods to adjust the economizer outdoor air damper minimum damper position until OAF is within the allowable minimum regulatory requirement.
US Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0,309,120 (Bujak 2015) discloses a method to evaluate economizer damper fault detection for an HVAC system including moving dampers from a baseline position to a first damper position and measuring the fan motor output at both positions to determine successful movement of the baseline to first damper position. The '120 publication does not teach how to measure the OAF or electronically control the actuator to adjust the economizer outdoor air damper minimum damper position until OAF is within the allowable minimum regulatory requirement.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,444,251 (Nikovski 2008) discloses a system and method to detect and diagnose faults in HVAC equipment using internal state variables under external driving conditions using a locally weighted regression model and differences between measured and predicted state variables to determine a condition of the HVAC equipment. The '251 patent does not provide apparatus or methods to measure the OAF. The '251 patent does not provide apparatus or methods to measure the OAF. Nor does the '251 patent provide methods to adjust the economizer outdoor air damper minimum damper position until OAF is within the allowable minimum regulatory requirement or measure the temperature difference across the evaporator or heat exchanger to determine whether or not the sensible cooling or heating capacities are within tolerances.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,223,544 (Seem 2001) discloses an integrated control and fault detection system using a finite-state machine controller for an air handling system. The '544 method employs data regarding system performance in the current state and upon a transition occurring, determines whether a fault exists by comparing actual performance to a mathematical model of the system under non-steady-state operation. The '544 patent declares a fault condition in response to detecting an abrupt change in the residual which is a function of at least two temperature measurements including: outdoor-air, supply-air, return-air, and mixed-air temperatures. The '544 patent measures the mixed-air temperature with a single-sensor and without a minimum temperature difference between outdoor and return air temperatures. The '544 patent does not provide apparatus or accurate methods to measure the OAF. Nor does the '544 patent provide methods to adjust the economizer outdoor air damper minimum damper position until the OAF is within the allowable minimum regulatory requirement or measure the temperature difference across the evaporator or heat exchanger to determine whether or not the sensible cooling or heating capacities are within tolerances.
Carrier. 1995. HVAC Servicing Procedures. SK29-01A, 020-040 (Carrier 1995). The Carrier 1995, page 149-150, describes the "Proper Airflow Method" (pp. 7-8 of PDF) based on measuring temperature split and hereinafter referred to as the Temperature Split (TS) method. The TS method focuses entirely on measuring temperature split to determine if there is proper airflow and does not mention that temperature split can be used to detect low cooling capacity or other faults. The TS method is recommended after the superheat (non-TXV) or subcooling (TXV) refrigerant charge diagnostic methods are performed (pp. 145-149). The TS method was first required in the 2000 CEC Title 24 standards, only to check for proper airflow not for proper cooling capacity.
California Energy Commission (CEC). 2008. 2008 Residential Appendices for the Building Energy Efficiency Standards for Residential and Nonresidential Buildings. CEC-400-2008-004-CMF, California Energy Commission, Sacramento, Calif.: pp. RA3-9 to RA3-24 (CEC 2008). The CEC 2008 report provides a Refrigerant Charge Airflow (RCA) protocol disclosed in the Carrier 1995 HVAC Servicing Procedures document and defined in Appendix RA3 of the CEC 2008 Building Energy Efficiency Standards, which is a California building energy code. The Temperature Split (TS) method is used to check for minimum airflow across the evaporator coil in cooling mode per pp. RA3-15, Section RA184.108.40.206 Minimum Airflow.                "The temperature split test method is designed to provide an efficient check to see if airflow is above the required minimum for a valid refrigerant charge test."In 2013, the CEC adopted the 2013 Building Energy Efficiency Standards and no longer allowed the TS method to check for minimum airflow due to the perceived inaccuracy of the TS method as disclosed in the Yuill 2012 report.
Yuill, David P. and Braun, James E., 2012. "Evaluating Fault Detection and Diagnostics Protocols Applied to Air-Cooled Vapor Compression Air-Conditioners." International Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Conference. Paper 1307. http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/iracc/1307. (Yuill 2012). The Yuill 2012 report evaluated the Refrigerant Charge Airflow (RCA) protocol including the TS method specified in the Appendix RA3 of the CEC 2008 Building Energy Efficiency Standards, which is the California building energy code. Yuill applied the TS method to cooling mode air-conditioners to determine whether an Evaporator Airflow fault (EA) is present, and if none is present to determine whether a refrigerant charge fault is present (UC or OC). Yuill 2012 evaluated the accuracy of correctly diagnosing Evaporator Airflow (EA) faults from −90% to −10% of proper airflow (equivalent to 10% to 90% of proper airflow.) Page 7 of the Yuill 2012 report makes the following statement:                "The results, overall, seem quite poor. About half of the times it's applied, the RCA protocol gives a correct result. The most serious problems are the high rates of False Alarm and Misdiagnosis (30% and 33%), because each of these outputs will result in costly and unnecessary service when the protocol is deployed. In practice, users of FDD on unitary equipment commonly have no tolerance for False Alarms, but are quite tolerant of Missed Detections, so it could be concluded that this protocol is overly sensitive."Yuill reported that the TS method was 100% accurate for diagnosing low airflow from −90% to −50% (i.e., 10% to 50% of proper airflow), but the accuracy was unacceptable for diagnosing low airflow from −40% to −10% (i.e., 60% to 90% of proper airflow). The Yuill 2012 report identified:        "a great need for a standardized method of evaluation, because it is likely that better-performing methods currently exist, or could be developed, and could take the place of RCA, but with no method of evaluating them it is impossible to know what those methods are."Based on the Yuill 2012, the CEC, HVAC industry experts, and persons having ordinary skill in the art no longer recommended using the TS method for checking "proper airflow" or any other fault. In 2013, the CEC Title 24 standards mentioned the TS method, but did not allow this method to be used for field verification of proper airflow. Nor did the CEC recommend using the TS method to check low capacity or other faults. Instead the CEC required other methods for field verification of proper airflow. From 2000 through 2017, the CEC has not recommended or required using the TS method to diagnose low capacity faults caused by low refrigerant charge, dirty air filters, blocked evaporator/condenser coils, low refrigerant charge, iced evaporator, faulty expansion device, restrictions, non-condensables, duct leakage, excess outdoor airflow or low thermostat setpoint, then longer compressor operation will result which wastes energy.
California Energy Commission. 2012. Reference Appendices The Building Energy Efficiency Standards for Residential and Nonresidential Buildings. CEC-400-2012-005-CMF-REV3. (CEC 2012). CEC 2012 reference appendices of the building standards page RA3-27-28 require the following methods to measure airflow: 1) supply plenum pressure measurements are used for plenum pressure matching (fan flow meter), 2) flow grid measurements (pitot tube array "TrueFlow"), 3) powered-flow capture hood, or 4) traditional flow capture hood (balometer) methods to verify proper airflow. CEC 2012 required supply plenum pressure measurements to be taken at the supply plenum measurement access locations shown in Figure RA3.3-1. These holes were previously used to measure Temperature Split (TS), but TS is not required since the CEC and persons having ordinary skill in the art do not believe the TS method provides useful information.
R. Mowris, E. Jones, R. Eshom, K. Carlson, J. Hill, P. Jacobs, J. Stoops. 2016. Laboratory Test Results of Commercial Packaged HVAC Maintenance Faults. Prepared for the California Public Utilities Commission. Prepared by Robert Mowris & Associates, Inc. (RMA 2016). The RMA 2016 laboratory study states that the TS method was accurate 90% of the time when diagnosing low airflow (cfm) and low cooling capacity (Btu/hr) faults including excess outdoor air ventilation, blocked air filters or coils, restrictions, non-condensables, low refrigerant charge, or other cooling system faults. Page iii of the RMA 2016 abstract makes the following statement.                "The CEC temperature split protocol average accuracy was 90+/−2% based on 736 tests of faults causing low airflow or low capacity."The prior art does not disclose a method or a need to use the TS method to diagnose a low capacity fault based on excess outdoor air ventilation, blocked air filters or coils, low refrigerant charge, restrictions, non-condensables, or other cooling system faults. Due to the poor performance of the TS method for checking low airflow from −10 to −40% as disclosed by Yuill 2012, starting in 2013, the CEC no longer requires using the TS method to check minimum airflow. Instead the CEC requires direct measurement of airflow using one of the following methods: 1) supply plenum pressure (fan flow meter), 2) flow grid measurements (pitot tube array "TrueFlow"), 3) powered-flow capture hood, or 4) traditional flow capture hood (balometer).
U.S. Pat. No. 7,500,368 filed in 2004 and issued in 2009 to Robert Mowris (Mowris '368) discloses a method for correcting refrigerant charge (col 13:1-16).                "if the delta temperature split is less than minus the delta temperature split threshold, and the air conditioning system is not a Thermostatic Expansion Valve (TXV) system: computing one of the a refrigerant undercharge and a refrigerant overcharge based on a superheat temperature; if the delta temperature split is less than minus the delta temperature split threshold, and the air conditioning system is the TXV system: computing one of the refrigerant undercharge and the refrigerant overcharge based on subcooling temperature; and adjusting the amount of refrigerant in the air conditioning system based on one of the refrigerant undercharge and the refrigerant overcharge."The Mowris '368 patent thus discloses a method to compute a refrigerant undercharge or overcharge based on superheat (non-TXV) or subcooling (TXV).
U.S. Pat. No. 8,066,558 (Thomle '558) discloses a method for demand control ventilation to address the issue of temperature sensor failure using an occupancy indicator such that if a temperature sensor measurement is determined to be incorrect, unexpected or otherwise erroneous, the ventilation system can provide an amount of fresh air sufficient for adequate ventilation without over-ventilating a building.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,195,335 (Kreft '335) discloses a method for controlling an economizer of an HVAC system with an outside air stream, a return air stream, and a mixed air stream to provide outdoor air cooling to an HVAC system. The economizer includes one or more controllable outdoor air dampers for controlling a mixing ratio of incoming outside air to return air in the mixed air stream. The control method includes positioning the one or more controllable dampers in first and second configurations such that the mixed air stream has first and second mixing ratios of incoming outside air to return air in the mixed air stream. The method also includes recording first and second measures related to the temperature of the mixed air stream when the dampers are in each of the first and second configurations and based on the recorded first and second measures related to the temperature of the mixed air stream and possibly other recorded measures related to mixed air stream parameters, the method determines whether and/or how much of the incoming outside air to admit into the economizer via the one or more controllable outdoor air dampers.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0207288 (Belim o '288) discloses a control unit for an HVAC system comprising an economizer configured to introduce outdoor air into the HVAC system for cooling and/or ventilation purposes where the economizer is controlled by a control unit comprising a base module with: a control circuit, an interface, and first I/O means for connecting at least one sensor of the HVAC system to control circuit for delivering at least one control signal from the control circuit to control the operation of the economizer where the base module is configured to optionally receive at least one extension module, which can be snapped on and electrically connected to the base module for expanding the functionality of the control unit.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,998,995 A (Oslander '995). Oslander '995 describes a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) magnetostrictive magnetometer that uses, as an active element, a commercial (001) silicon microcantilever coated with an amorphous thin film of the giant magnetostrictive alloy Terfenol-D and a compact optical beam deflection transduction scheme. A set of Helmholtz coils is used to create an AC magnetic excitation field for driving the mechanical resonance of the coated microcantilever. When the coated microcantilever is placed in a DC magnetic field, the DC field will change the amplitude at the mechanical resonance of the coated microcantilever thereby causing a deflection that can be measured. The magnetometer has been demonstrated with a sensitivity near 1 μT.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,046,002 (Edelstein '002). Edelstein '002 describes a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) device comprising a base structure; a magnetic sensor attached to the base structure and operable for sensing a magnetic field and allowing for a continuous variation of an amplification of the magnetic field at a position at the magnetic sensor; and for receiving a DC voltage and an AC modulation voltage in the MEMS sensor or device; a pair of flux concentrators attached to the magnetic sensor; and a pair of electrostatic comb drives, each coupled to a respective flux concentrator such that when the pair of electrostatic comb drives are excited by a modulating electrical signal, each flux concentrator oscillates linearly at a prescribed frequency; and a pair of bias members (mechanical spring connectors) connecting the flux concentrators to one another.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,215,318 (Schoefthaler '318). Schoefthaler '318 describes a MEMS magnetic field sensor including a printed circuit trace device, which is suspended above a substrate and is capable of being deflected elastically. Also included are a first capacitor plate device that is joined to the printed circuit trace device and is able to be deflected together with the printed circuit trace device, and a second, fixed capacitor plate device that is joined to the substrate and forms a capacitor device by interacting with the first capacitor plate device. A magnetic field sensing device conducts a predetermined current through the printed circuit trace device and measures the change in capacitance of the capacitor device arising in dependence on an applied magnetic field. The magnetic field sensing device can also be designed in such a way that it can be calibrated by calibration current loops.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,895,892 (Aigner '892). Aigner '892 describes a Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) rotation sensor with a substrate and a first surface and a second surface. A shear-wave transparent mirror is arranged on the first surface of the substrate, and a shear-wave isolator is arranged above the shear-wave transparent mirror, the shear-wave transparent mirror and the shear-wave isolator being arranged separated from each other to define a Coriolis zone there between. A bulk-acoustic-wave resonator is arranged above the shear-wave isolator, and a shear-wave detector is arranged on the substrate in a direction, in which a shear-wave generated by the bulk-acoustic-wave resonator upon rotation propagates.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,131,457 (Sato '457). Sato '457 describes a MEMS three-dimensional acceleration sensor having a magnetic body including a mass point, mounted to a vibrator having three-dimensional freedom and an axis in line with a Z-axis within the orthogonal spatial coordinate axes of X, Y and Z. The acceleration sensor includes four or more detector elements including at least two positioned along the X-axis and at least two positioned along the Y-axis with their centers located along a concentric circle around the origin point of the coordinate axes. The sensor detects acceleration in a direction of the X-axis through a relative difference in output voltage between two of the detector elements positioned along the X-axis due to a variation of magnetic field intensity from the magnetic body, acceleration in a direction of the Y-axis through a relative difference in output voltage between two of the detector elements positioned along the Y-axis, and acceleration in a direction of the Z-axis through an aggregate sum of the output voltages of all the detector elements. The acceleration sensor thus has a wide dynamic range as well as high detection accuracy, and may be produced having a reduced size.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,131,998 (Pasolini '998). Pasolini '998 describes a device for measuring the relative angular position of two bodies with respect to a point is provided with a first measuring element and a second measuring element, relatively movable with respect to one another and connectable to a first body and a second body, respectively; the first measuring element includes a first inclination sensor, which has a first detection axis and supplies a first inclination signal, correlated to a first angle of inclination of the first detection axis with respect to a reference axis, and the second measuring element includes a second inclination sensor, which has a second detection axis and supplies a second inclination signal, correlated to a second angle of inclination of the second detection axis with respect to the reference axis.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US20050253710 (Eskildsen '710). Eskildsen '710 describes a MEMS-based overhead garage door intrusion sensor for a security system, such as a residential/home security system, for detecting an intrusion through an overhead garage door. In one embodiment, a MEMS sensor accelerometer is mounted with a sensitive axis of the MEMS device, along which the MEMS device measures acceleration/gravity, pointing vertically downward towards the earth when the overhead garage door is closed, such that the MEMS sensor measures a 1 g acceleration/gravity force, and when the overhead garage door is open, the sensitive axis of the MEMS device points horizontally with respect to the earth, such that the MEMS sensor measures a 0 g acceleration/gravity force, such that the output of the MEMS sensor, indicating either a 1 g or a 0 g measured acceleration/gravity force, indicates whether the overhead garage door is respectively closed or open. Alternatively, the MEMS sensor can be a MEMS switch. An ASIC or microcontroller can monitor the output of the MEMS sensor, and one embodiment employs wireless RF technology.
California Energy Commission. 2016. Reference Appendices the Building Energy Efficiency Standards for Residential and Nonresidential Buildings. JUNE 2015 CEC-400-2015-038-CMF. (CEC 2016). The CEC 2016 Reference Appendices of the Building Standards JA6.3 Economizer Fault Detection and Diagnostics (pp. JA6-7 through JA6-12), requires economizer controllers to be capable of detecting the following faults: 1) air temperature sensor failure/fault, 2) not economizing when it should, 3) economizing when it should not, 4) damper not modulating and 5) excess outdoor air. However, the CEC 2016 does not describe methods to diagnose or evaluate these faults. Therefore, an unresolved need remains to develop apparatus and methods for evaluating economizer faults to improve HVAC energy efficiency.

Apparatus and methods to determine economizer faults


A method of filtering an input sample stream having a downsampling rate is disclosed to generate an output sample stream having an upsampling rate that is less than the downsampling rate. The input sample stream is input to a rate change filter having multiple filter branches. The input sample stream is filtered at each of the multiple filter branches to output filtered sample substreams. Each of the multiple filter branches have filter coefficients corresponding to a different phase of the filter response. The filtered sample substreams are stored in a memory and the stored filtered sample substreams are combined to generate the output sample stream.

In almost every activity involving electrical devices, some manner of data transmission is necessary to enable communication between the devices. This communication may be transmitted between the devices over a communication channel such as copper wires, optical fibers, wireless communication channels and storage media. The transmitted data may be represented as an electromagnetic signal such as, for example, an electrical voltage, radio wave, microwave or an infrared signal. The signal may be transmitted as an analog signal, which is a transfer of a continuously varying signal, or the signal may be transmitted as a digital signal, which is a transfer of discrete messages that may be represented as a code modulated on the transmission carrier as, for example, a baseband transmission or a passband transmission. The discrete messages may be represented as a bit stream or a digitized analog signal.
In many communication systems, a signal transmitted from a sending device to a receiving device often involves transmission of the signal across different communication media. Such a hybrid transmission path may sometimes require that different data rates be transmitted on particular media due to different capabilities of the media, different quality of service (QoS) requirements or different service level agreements, for example. Sometimes a signal transmitted from a sending device to a receiving device includes traversal of only a single communication medium, but an amount of data provided by the sending device may exceed a capacity of the communication medium.
In that regard, there can be a need to convert the sampling rate of a digital signal from a higher to a lower sampling rate to reduce processing speed requirements or resources. A rational fraction rate change of
                    U        D                                        can be implemented by first up-sampling by a sample rate U, then by filtering the interpolated signal to remove the interpolation images and finally down-sampling by a sample rate D. However, this is not an efficient method to implement in hardware as it may require higher processing speeds and more resources to initially up-sample the signal by a factor of U than the hardware will support or is economically feasible.
Changes to sampling rates can be efficiently implemented through a digital filter called a polyphase Finite Impulse Response (FIR) Rate Change Filter (RCF). The RCF may be implemented as a polyphase FIR filter, in which every output sample y(m) is generated by multiplying the input stream with a subset (phase) of the filter coefficients and summing the resulting products according to the following equation:
                                          y                                      (              m              )                                =                                    ∑                              n                =                0                                            Ntap                -                1                                                                                h                                                  (                                      nU                    +                    mD                    -                                                                  ⌊                                                  mD                          U                                                ⌋                                                                  U                                                        )                                            ×                              x                                                  (                                                            ⌊                                              mD                        U                                            ⌋                                        -                    n                                    )                                                                    ,                                                    m          ∈                                    [                                                0                                                        :                                                                                ⌈                                                                                L                          x                                                ×                        U                                            D                                        ⌉                                                  -                1                            ]                        .                                              (                  Eq          .                                                    1                )
Where:
Ntap is the number of taps, i.e., the number of coefficients per phase;
h is the filter impulse response;
x is the input stream;
y is the output stream;
U is the up-sampling factor;
D is the down-sampling factor;
Lx is the length of the input stream x;
m is the index of output stream y, with length
      ⌈                            L          x                ×        U            D        ⌉    ;
n is the filter tap index;
└a┘ is the rounding function towards minus infinity, i.e., the floor function; and
┌a┐ is the rounding function towards plus infinity, i.e., the ceiling function.
The up-sampling and down-sampling factors are simply determined by the ratio of the filter input and output sample rates. For example, a stream having rate changed from 500 MHz to 400 MHz, the U and D factors could be any combination of integers that produces a ratio of 0.80. The up-sampling and down-sampling factors could be, for example: U=40 and D=50. The length of the filter impulse response is partly determined by the up-sampling factor:Filter impulse response length=Ntap*U.  (Eq. 2):
In recent communication systems, sample data rates are becoming faster, while requiring complex digital signal processing functions. These rates can be too fast to be realizable in digital hardware using a direct method of implementation in existing technologies such as Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) and Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs).
When the procession speed required exceeds the hardware limitations, direct form implementation of the Fractional RCF, as discussed above, is not a viable solution. Therefore parallel branching of the data paths may be used to reduce the required internal processing speed of the hardware, but at the expense of resources. In this invention of a Fractional Rate Change Filter with an
                    U        D                                        ratio of less than one, the signal processing functions must be modified at the algorithm level to implement parallel branching. An output rate of a polyphase Finite Impulse Response (FIR) Rate Change Filter is limited by the operating speed of the hardware. Further, control and coordination of the branches of the hardware resources requires specialized handling.

Multi-branch down converting fractional rate change filter


The present invention relates to the field of cancer immunoassay. Specifically, a new immunoassay method for prostate specific antigen (PSA) is presented. Also presented is a complex which resembles a complex of PSA and .alpha.-antichymotrypsin (ACT) that can be used as a calibrator or control in an immunoassay for PSA. Further presented is a method for fractionating polyclonal antibodies, to PSA, into those which bind epitopes that are masked by the binding of PSA to ACT and those which do not bind such epitopes.

Prostate specific antigen (PSA) was first described by Wang, M. C., et al., Invest Urol, 17:159 (1979). It is a secretion of prostate epithelium and is also produced by prostate cancer cells. PSA was characterized as a glycoprotein monomer of 33-34,000 dalton molecular weight with protease activity (Wang, M. C., et al., supra and Ban, Y, et al., Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 123:482 (1984)). More recently the amino acid sequence of the antigen has been reported (Watt, W. K., et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 83:3166 (1986)) and the gene for PSA has been cloned (Lundwall, A., Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 161:1151 (1989)). Development of an enzyme immunoassay by Kuriyama, et al, made it possible to detect low concentrations of PSA in the blood of patients with malignant and benign prostate disease and a significant proportion of normal males (Kuriyama, M. et al., Cancer Res. 40:4658 (1980)).
PSA testing can have significant value in detecting metastatic or persistent disease in patients following surgical or medical treatment of prostate cancer (Lange, P. H., et al., Urology 33(6 Suppl): 13, (June, 1989); and Killian, C. S., et al., Cancer Res 45:886 (1985)). Persistent elevation of PSA following treatment or an increase in the post-treatment baseline PSA level is indicative of recurrent or residual disease (Brawer, M. K., et al., Urology, 33 (5 Suppl): 11 (May, 1989); Siddal, J. K., et al., Eur Uro12:1:3 (1986); Stamey, T. A., et al., N Engl J Med 317:909 (1987); Lange, P. H. et al., J Urol. 141:873 (1989); Stamey, T. A., et al., J Urol. 141:1076 (1989); Stamey, T. A., et al., J Urol 141:1084, (1989); Stamey, T. A., et al., J Urol 141:1088 (1989); and Chan, D. W., et al., Clin Chem 33:1916 (1987)).
PSA testing alone is not recommended as a screening procedure in the general population nor as a guide in disease staging. Instead, it is widely accepted as an adjunctive test in the management of prostate cancer patients (Kuriyama, M. et al., J Natl Cancer Inst 68:99 (1982 ); Stamey, T. A., et al., N Engl J Med 317:909 (1987); Lange, P. H. et al., J Urol. 141:873 (1989); Stamey, T. A., et al., J Urol. 141:1076 (1989); Stamey, T. A., et al., J Urol 141:1084 (1989); Stamey, T. A., et al., J Urol 141:1088 (1989); Chan, D. W., et al., Clin Chem 33:1916 (1987); and Oesterling, J. E., et al., J Urol. 139:766 (1988)).
Measurements of the serum concentration of PSA have now found widespread use in monitoring of patients with prostate cancer, although increased serum concentrations of PSA have also been reported in benign prostatic hyperplasia and secondary to surgical trauma of the prostate (Duffy, Ann Clin Biochem, (1989); Brawer, et al., Urology Suppl, (1989)).
PCT patent application WO 92/01936, "Assay of Free and Complexed Prostate Specific-Antigen (PSA)" to Lilja, H. et al., published Feb. 6, 1992, discloses immunoassays for free PSA as well as PSA as a proteinase inhibitor complex. The free PSA and the PSA complex are measured by a non-competitive immunoassay employing at least two different monoclonal antibodies. The invention is further characterized in that the PSA proteinase inhibitor complex of interest is formed either with .alpha..sub.1 -antichymotrypsin (ACT), .alpha..sub.1 -protease inhibitor (API) or .alpha..sub.2 -macroglobulin. Moreover, the invention is characterized in that free PSA, the PSA-proteinase inhibitor complex and their ratio to total PSA are applied in the diagnosis of patients with prostate cancer.
The patent application discloses three monoclonal antibodies ("MAB"). PSA complexed to ACT ("PSA-ACT complex") and free PSA were identified by MAB 2E9 and 2H11. MAB 5A 10 recognizes free PSA but not PSA-ACT complex. MAB 2E9 is the only anti-PSA MAB that readily identified free PSA and PSA-ACT complex on immunoblots. None of the anti-PSA MAB 2E9, 2H11 or the 5A10 significantly blocked the binding of each other to solid phase-bound PSA.
By using different combinations of the MAB in non-competitive immunoassays of human sera, the application found that increased clinical specificity is achieved by measuring both free PSA and PSA-ACT complex and that the ratios between free PSA/total PSA and free PSA/PSA-ACT complex are significantly different between benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer patients.
MAB specific for free PSA and those reactive with PSA-ACT complex are commercially available, for example, from CanAg Diagnostics AB, Gothenburg, Sweden. Through inhibition studies and analyses of dose-response of different combinations of their MAB, CanAg Diagnostics AB found at least 9 major antigenic determinant groups on the PSA molecule. One group of its MAB-defined epitopes was exposed both on uncomplexed PSA and PSA-ACT complex, and another group of its MAB-defined epitopes was exposed only in free PSA. (CanAg Diagnostics AB, Nilsson et al., Epitope mapping of PSA, and development of assays for determination of different isoforms of PSA, and the abstract of the same title, Abstract P 38, J. Tumor Marker Oncology, 10th Int'l Conference on Human Tumor Markers, Sep. 8-11, 1993, Bonn, Germany).
Competitive radioimmunoassays for PSA are commercially available (e.g., from PROS-CHECK PSA, Yang Laboratories, Inc., Bellevue, Wash.). PROS-CHECK PSA uses polyclonal rabbit antibodies to PSA, and PSA labelled with Iodine.sup.125.
Currently, there are two types of PSA non-competitive sandwich immunoassays on the market. The first type are sandwich assays which use two sets of MAB specific for PSA: (1 ) one set of MAB ("capture antibodies") is bound onto a solid phase to capture PSA in a sample, and (2) the other set of MAB ("probe antibodies") is labelled and in free solution to bind the captured PSA for its detection. These assays are herein referred to as "MONO assays". Generally, the binding of these MAB to PSA is not prevented by the binding of ACT to PSA. That is, generally, these MAB can bind both free PSA and the PSA-ACT complex. Examples of such assays are the Hybritech Tandem-E and Tandem-R PSA Assays (Hybritech, La Jolla, Calif.).
The second type of sandwich assays uses MAB specific for PSA on the solid phase, and polyclonal antibodies to PSA as probe antibodies. Generally, in these assays, the MAB can bind both free PSA and the PSA-ACT complex. In contrast, the pool of polyclonal antibodies contains antibodies which can bind both free PSA and the PSA-ACT complex, and antibodies which can bind free PSA but not the PSA-ACT complex. In the latter case, the epitopes bound by these antibodies are blocked by the binding of the ACT to PSA. Examples of these assays are the Abbott IMx.RTM. PSA Assay (Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, Ill.), and the ACS.TM. PSA Assay (Ciba-Corning Diagnostics Corporation, East Walpole, Mass.).
It has been found that the second type of sandwich assays preferentially detects free PSA over that of PSA-ACT complex (this phenomenon is herein referred to as "bias"). On the other hand, some MONO assays do not exhibit such a bias. See Bluestein, B., et al., J. Tumor Marker Oncology, 7(4) 41 (1992).
It has been found that in the serum of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), there are more free PSA than PSA-ACT complexes. On the other hand, in the serum of prostate cancer patients, there are more PSA-ACT complexes than free PSA. (Lilja, H., et al., Clin. Chem., 37:1618 (1991); Stenman, U., et al., Cancer Res., 51:222 ( 1991 ); Lilja, H., et al., Cancer Suppl., 70:230 (1992); Christensson, A., et al., J. Urology, 150: 100 (1993)).

Immunoassays for prostate specific antigen