The present invention is a system and method that produces features and indices that indicate the presence or absence of a disease or condition, or of the progression of a disease or condition. The system and method of the present invention also produce features and indices that predict responsiveness to medication from a premedication baseline. The system and method of the present invention further incorporates a testing methodology to improve the performance characteristics of the features or indices. To obtain such features and indices, time domain, power spectrum, bispectrum and higher order spectrum values are derived from biopotential signals taken from the subject being tested.

This invention relates to assessing neurological conditions and more particularly to the diagnosis and monitoring of progression of dementia, the assessment of depression and the prediction of depression treatment efficacy. The invention may also be applied to diagnosing and monitoring epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, attention deficit (hyperactive) disorder, stroke, delirium, vigilance and sleep assessment.
Dementia is a generalized designation for a state of mental deterioration, manifested in cognitive dysfunction, such as memory loss, impaired thinking, and strange behavior. There are many types and causes of dementia, including vascular dementia, Alzheimer's type dementia (ATD), HIV/AIDS-related dementia, alcoholic dementia, depression, Huntington's disease, tumors and Parkinson's disease. ATD is the most common type of dementia and is a progressive, neurological disorder of the brain. ATD is the fourth leading cause of death in adults, after heart disease, cancer, and stroke.
Early diagnosis of ATD is desirable for several reasons. If the dementia is due to a cause other than Alzheimer's disease, it is often treatable. Identification of a cause other than Alzheimer's disease also relieves concern about the prognosis. Finally, a diagnosis of ATD at an early stage allows the afflicted and their family an opportunity for medical and financial planning. In addition, while the current treatment methods for ATD offer only short-term symptomatic relief, there are numerous treatments and prevention methods in development that promise a radically improved level of treatment. The widespread application of such therapies will require a much more effective method of diagnosing ATD in its earliest stages, before other symptoms have made their appearance. Even at present, early diagnosis is important to identify other symptomatically similar disease processes that are often easily treated and possibly reversed.
There is no definitive test for ATD; only by studying brain sections obtained during an autopsy may one conclusively arrive at a diagnosis of "definite ATD". The most definitive diagnosis that may be obtained during the course of the illness is that of "probable Alzheimer's type dementia". This diagnosis is typically arrived at by a rule-out procedure. Other disease processes that could produce similar symptoms are systematically ruled out using a standardized decision tree, generally the NINCDS-ADRDA criteria. This diagnosis of "probable ATD" is not always correct, however. When histopathological findings are compared with the clinical diagnosis following autopsy, it appears that 80–88% of clinical diagnoses are correct. The application of the NINCDS-ADRDA criteria is time-consuming and requires a degree of expertise that is not available to all general practitioners, internists and psychologists. Moreover, these methods are only applicable after the onset of symptoms such as memory loss and confusion.
Patients with dementia of many types (ATD, vascular, etc.) exhibit changes in EEG in comparison to age-matched normal subjects. Typical changes include increased EEG activity in the delta (0–4 Hz) and theta (4–8 Hz) bands and decreased EEG activity in the beta band (12–30 Hz). This is in contrast to elderly normal subjects, who exhibit decreased low frequency activity and increased high frequency activity with increasing age. In addition to differences between normal patients and those with dementia, there are characteristic changes in the EEG power spectra observed at progressively worsening levels of cerebral function, implying a progressive change in EEG parameters that may be used to stage the progression of the dementia. The change in theta power as a percent of the total power has been shown to distinguish between mild, moderate and severe dementia, as well as controls.
The EEG observed in patients with ATD exhibits specific characteristics that are different from those observed in cognitively normal, aged patients. Numerous published studies have reported on the analysis of electroencephalographic signals (EEG) with the objective of identifying patients with ATD. These studies and methods are generally designed to differentiate ATD patients from normal subjects and/or patients having dementias with similar symptoms but different etiologies, such as vascular infarcts. These methods generally utilize discriminant analyses or neural networks based upon various processed EEG parameters designed to quantify the changes in EEG typically observed in ATD (e.g., alpha power, the power observed in the 8–14 Hz band of the EEG power spectrum). The median accuracy of a variety of methods for differentiating ATD patients from cognitively normal controls in a series of 16 EEG studies was 81%, with a range of 54–100%. In general, these methods have reported sensitivities and specificities in the 80% range, approximately equivalent to that achievable by an expert clinician deriving a diagnosis from a clinical interview and history. However, it must be noted that in almost all studies the criteria used to differentiate normals from ATD were defined using the data in the analysis. There are few prospective studies that used a first population to develop a criterion and then applied that criterion to a second population. Thus, the actual accuracy of existing methods is difficult to determine.
Several investigators have proposed the use of a drug challenge for the assessment of dementia. Holschneider reported differential changes in the power in the 20–28 Hz spectral band in normal, ATD and vascular dementia subjects following administration of a thiopental bolus. While both normal and vascular dementia subjects showed significant increases in 20–28 Hz log power compared to baseline, the ATD subjects exhibited no change from baseline. Neufeld used a similar protocol to determine the differential effect of a dose of scopolamine between age-matched normal subjects and those with ATD. At baseline, ATD patients exhibited smaller absolute and relative alpha amplitudes (8–11.5 Hz) and larger relative theta amplitudes (4–7.5 Hz) compared with normal subjects. After intravenous administration of 0.5 mg scopolamine, the normal subjects exhibited a larger increase in absolute and relative delta amplitude (1–3.5 Hz) than the ATD subjects in comparison to a placebo. Scinto demonstrated a method of diagnosing Alzheimer's disease using an automated apparatus that can continuously monitor pupil diameter before and after the administration of a neural transmitter mediator to the targeted eye. The presence of hypersensitivity to the administered neural transmitter mediator serves as a marker of Alzheimer's disease.
Depression is a mood disorder that affects 17 million Americans each year, and is responsible for 9.7 million doctor visits. It affects sufferers in a variety of ways, resulting in depressed mood, irritability, sleep disorders, feelings of agitation; guilt and worthlessness, loss of energy and initiative, an inability to concentrate and an increased incidence of suicide. It is difficult to diagnose, due to comorbidities and the fact that it is largely self-reported. There are a number of antidepressant pharmacological agents, and once the proper treatment is determined, their effectiveness is quite high. Selection of the most efficacious agent and the initial dose is largely by trial and error. There is thus a need for an objective measure of depression as well as a method of predicting efficacy of antidepressant treatment. Diego, et al. found that the level of depression was correlated with frontal EEG alpha asymmetry and left frontal EEG alpha power. In another study, EEG theta activity was correlated with pre-treatment level of depression, and improved level of depression with treatment was correlated with slow (delta and theta) activity and fast (beta) activity at frontal recording sites. Still others have demonstrated that prefrontal EEG response to antidepressant medication therapy was seen as early as 48 hours after initiation of treatment and such changes preceded clinical response. These changes were absent in non-responders. Another earlier study reported small but statistically significant differences in pre-treatment theta power between responders and non-responders to an antidepressant medication. None of these methods have resulted in a device with high enough sensitivity and specificity to be clinically useful.
A commercially available device that uses bispectral analysis of the EEG is the Bispectral Index™ (BIS™). BIS is a univariate processed EEG parameter derived from surface electrodes placed on the forehead and temple. The Bispectral Index is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,907,597; 5,010,891; 5,320,109 and 5,458,117, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. BIS is a complex parameter, consisting of a set of components that include power spectral and higher order (bispectral) components as well as time domain components. These components are combined into a single number scaled from 0 to 100. BIS has been designed to reflect the hypnotic state of an individual, both while awake and while undergoing anesthesia. In a patient under the influence of anesthetic agents, the probability of recall is closely related to the hypnotic state. For this reason, BIS is highly correlated with the probability of both free and cued recall in subjects under the influence of anesthetic and sedative agents. Decreased formation of new memories and an impaired ability to recall preexisting memories are hallmarks of various dementias. In certain progressive dementias, such as ATD, the degree of memory impairment increases as the disease progresses. BIS was observed to be lower at unmedicated, presurgical baseline in patients with dementia (ATD and multi-infarct dementia) compared to age-matched control subjects. It is well known that cerebral glucose metabolism is decreased in patients with ATD in comparison to age-matched patients with normal cognitive function. BIS was shown to be correlated with reduction of cerebral glucose metabolism resulting from anesthetic agents, as determined using positron emission tomography imaging. It is thus a reasonable conjecture that the one of the underlying technologies of BIS, bispectral analysis, might be useful in assessing neurological function in a global sense.

System and method of assessment of neurological conditions using EEG


The present invention relates to newly identified open reading frames comprised within the genomic nucleotide sequence of Streptococcus pneumoniae, wherein the open reading frames encode polypeptides that are surface localized on Streptococcus pneumoniae. Thus, the invention relates to Streptococcus pneumoniae open reading frames that encode polypeptide antigens, polypeptides, preferably antigenic polypeptides, encoded by the Streptococcus pneumoniae open reading frames, vectors comprising open reading frame sequences and cells or animals transformed with these vectors. The invention relates also to methods of detecting these nucleic acids or polypeptides and kits for diagnosing Streptococcus pneumoniae infection. The invention finally relates to pharmaceutical compositions, in particular immunogenic compositions, for the prevention and/or treatment of bacterial infection, in particular infections with Streptococcus pneumoniae. In particular embodiments, the immunogenic compositions are used for the treatment or prevention of systemic diseases which are induced or exacerbated by Streptococcus pneumoniae. In other embodiments, the immunogenic compositions are used for the treatment or prevention of non-systemic diseases, particularly of the otitis media, which are induced or exacerbated by Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Streptococcus pneumoniae infections are a major cause of human diseases such as otitis media, bacteremia, meningitis, septic arthritis and fatal pneumonia worldwide (Butler et al, 1999; James and Thomas, 2000). Over the past 10-20 years, Streptococcus pneumoniae has developed resistance to most antibiotics used for its treatment. In fact, it is common for Streptococcus pneumoniae to become resistant to more than one class of antibiotic, e.g., β-lactams, macrolides, lincosamides, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, tetracyclines (Tauber, 2000), meaning Streptococcus pneumoniae treatment is becoming more difficult.
Thus, the rapid emergence of multi-drug resistant pneumococcal strains throughout the world has led to increased emphasis on prevention of pneumococcal infections by immunization (Goldstein and Garau, 1997). The currently available 23-valent pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide vaccine, is not effective in children of less than 2 years of age or in immunocompromised patients, two of the major populations at risk from pneumococcal infection (Douglas et al., 1983). A 7-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide-protein conjugate vaccine, recently licensed in the United States, was shown to be highly effective in infants and children against systemic pneumococcal disease caused by the vaccine serotypes and against cross-reactive capsular serotypes (Shinefield and Black, 2000). The seven capsular types cover greater than 80% of the invasive disease isolates in children in the United States, but only 57-60% of disease isolates in other areas of the world (Hausdorff et al, 2000). There is therefore an immediate need for a cost-effective vaccine to cover most or all of the disease causing serotypes of pneumococci. While this can be achieved by adding conjugates covering additional serotypes, efforts continue to find non-capsular vaccine antigens that are conserved among all pneumococcal serotypes and effective against pneumococcal disease.
Protein antigens of Streptococcus pneumoniae have been evaluated for protective efficacy in animal models of pneumococcal infection. Some of the most commonly studied candidate antigens include the PspA proteins, PsaA lipoprotein, and the CbpA protein. Numerous studies have shown that PspA protein is a virulence factor (Crain et al., 1990; McDaniel et al., 1984) but it is antigenically variable among pneumococcal strains. A recent study has indicated that some antigenically conserved regions of a recombinant PspA variant may elicit cross-reactive antibodies in human adults (Nabors et al., 2000). PsaA, a 37 kD lipoprotein with similarity to other gram-positive adhesins, is involved in Mn+ transport in pneumococci (Sampson et al., 1994; Dintilhac et al., 1997) and has also been shown to be protective in mouse models of systemic disease (Talkington et al., 1996). The surface exposed choline binding protein CbpA is antigenically conserved and protective in mouse models of pneumococcal disease (Rosenow et al., 1997). Since nasopharyngeal colonization is a prerequisite for otic disease, intranasal immunization of mice with pneumococcal proteins and appropriate mucosal adjuvants has been used to enhance the mucosal antibody response and thus, the effectiveness of candidate antigens (Yamamoto et al., 1998; Briles et al., 2000).
While the PspA protein, PsaA lipoprotein and the CbpA protein antigens appear promising, it is possible that no one protein antigen will be effective against all Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes. Laboratories therefore continue to search for additional candidates that are antigenically conserved and elicit antibodies that reduce colonization (important for otitis media), are protective against systemic disease, or both. Thus, there is an immediate need for a cost-effective vaccine to cover most or all of the disease causing serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae and methods of diagnosing Streptococcus pneumoniae infection. A better understanding of the genetic and molecular levels of Streptococcus pneumoniae infection will provide the basis for further development of preventative treatments, therapeutic treatments, new diagnostics and vaccine strategies which are specific for Streptococcus pneumoniae.


A synchronous switching DC-DC regulator uses the output switching node as the control reference for the main FET gate drive voltage limiting and the appropriate on-time gate drive FET as the controlled switch. The control reference provided by the output switching node times the main FET gate drive voltage setting process and supplies most of the energy necessary to turn on the main FETs. The energy is provided in part from an external inductor coupled to the output switching node.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to switching DC-DC regulators, and more particularly, to switching DC-DC regulators that maintain high light load efficiency at a fixed switching frequency when using large external FET switching devices.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Switching DC-DC regulators having large output FET devices capable of switching synchronously at high frequencies (greater than 680 kHz) and at light loading are well known. These known devices use any one or more known techniques in their attempts to attain higher light load efficiency. These techniques, however, rely on methods that are not always possible to implement, or otherwise do not meet the needs of integrated circuit applications such as integrated circuits defined by cellular phone specifications. A significant problem associated with light loading is that more power is lost in turning a large FET switch on and off, than that lost due to the resistance of the switch itself.
Basic variables associated with power loss relating to switching DC-DC regulators are seen in the well known power loss equation (1) below:
Ploss=2Cg*Vgs2*fs+RdsON*I2/3Tsxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(1)
where fs is the switching frequency, RdsON is the switch on resistance, Cg is the gate capacitance, Vgs is the gate switching voltage, I is the current through a switching device, and Ts is the switching period. At light loads, the switching frequency fs term dominates, so presently known techniques seek to minimize it. U.S. Pat. No. 5,912,552, entitled DC to DC Converter With High Efficiency for Light Loads, issued Jun. 15, 1999 to Tateishi, discloses use of a burst mode that reduces fs by passing more energy each time and that randomly turns on when needed. This technique is useful only in cases that can tolerate high ripple and broad spectrum noise. This technique is not, however, acceptable in many RF applications. U.S. Pat. No. 5,731,731, entitled High Efficiency Switching Regulator with Adaptive Drive Output Circuit, issued Mar. 24, 1998 to Wilcox, et al., discloses reduction of Cg with a smaller switch during light loading conditions. This technique is a good strategy when the output FET devices are integrated into the IC. This technique, however, is very costly in parts count, PCB area and pin count when the output FET devices are external to the IC. This technique is however, unacceptable for certain integrated circuit applications such as compact, cost sensitive cell phone applications. U.S. Pat. No. 5,420,777, entitled Switching Type. DC-DC Converter Having Increasing Conversion Efficiency At Light Load, issued May 30, 1995 to Muto, disclosing a technique for reducing Vgs. This technique, however, applies only to nonsynchronous boost applications. Further, the technique of Muto is not feasible at high switching frequencies since a comparator can not act fast enough, given the current state of processing technology. Moto does not disclose or suggest a method or structure for limiting the P-side FET gate voltage to Vddxe2x88x92Vgs, which is necessary to accommodate a synchronous switcher topology. High power and current switching regulator ICs, such as those described herein above, often have efficiencies below 30% at low current loads.
In view of the foregoing, a need exists for a switching regulator technique capable of maintaining high light load efficiency at a fixed high switching frequency f, when using large external FET devices.
The present invention is directed to a switching regulator capable of maintaining high light load efficiency at a fixed switching frequency fs, even when using large external FET devices. The switch node (SWn) is used as a control reference for the Vgs gate drive limiting; and the appropriate on-time gate drive FET as the controlled switch. The switch node (SWn) precisely times the Vgs setting process and provides substantially all of the energy necessary to turn on the main FET devices. The drive signals are like those for a typical switching regulator. The output driver FET, PonSW, that turns on the main PMOS device, and the output driver FET, NonSW, that turns on the main NMOS device, however, each have their source referenced to the switch node (SWn) instead of Vdd or ground respectively.
In one aspect of the present invention, a MOS-based switch mode power converter has the gate drive of the output FET devices configured such that the on-time driver FET device has its source connected to the output switch node.
In another aspect of the present invention, a switching regulator detection circuit is provided that senses the output switch node voltage to determine light load conditions.
In still another aspect of the present invention, a switching regulator voltage setting circuit is provided to drive the gate switching voltage Vgs of the output FET device to a predetermined minimal value that guarantees FET turn-on and generates a signal to end the Vgs setting process.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a switching regulator technique is provided whereby the on-time driver FET device recirculates substantially all the gate drive energy necessary by reusing normally wasted inductor energy.
In another aspect of the present invention, a MOS-based switch mode power converter is provided to establish exact timing parameters necessary to turn off the gate drive of the out FET devices.
In still another aspect of the present invention, a switching regulator is provided that automatically clamps the output FET device switch node in discontinuous mode to limit ringing to one Vt above Vdd or below ground when all output FET devices are off.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a switching regulator is provided that guarantees a minimum gate drive speed during normal load conditions as determined by a light load detection circuit.
In still another aspect of the present invention, a switching regulator is provided that guarantees the output FET device turns on during light loading conditions as determined by a light load detection circuit.
In another aspect of the present invention, a switching regulator is provided whereby a multiplicity of gate drive devices operate to assist the on-time driver FET device to quickly turn on the output FET device, thereby preserving die area.

High efficiency switching DC-DC regulator


An embodiment of the invention relates to a method for generating short optical pulses comprising the steps of:                operating a single section semiconductor laser in a nonlinear regime to emit chirped optical pulses at an output facet of the laser cavity, and        compressing the chirped optical pulses outside the laser cavity using a dispersive element in order to generate the short optical pulses.

High power laser systems emitting short optical pulses are useful for many emerging applications in materials processing, biotechnology, instrumentation, metrology and medicine, representing one of the fastest growing laser markets nowadays. In particular, semiconductor laser based systems can benefit from the higher efficiency, compactness, wavelength tunability, lower cost, as well as the reduced complexity and footprint of laser diodes when compared to commercially available Ti:sapphire and fiber lasers.
The generation of optical pulses in semiconductor laser diodes is commonly achieved by means of gain switching, by driving the laser diode with an electrical injection of high peak current pulses having a duration of a few hundred picoseconds. The minimum pulse width that can be achieved with this technique is typically of a few tens of picoseconds which is in many cases longer than required by most applications. Besides, the average power is typically limited to a few mW due to the low duty cycle of the electrical pulse train used to forward bias the laser diode.
Passive mode locking is another well-established technique from which less than 10 ps optical pulses are commonly attained. It makes use of a two-section laser configuration used for separately pumping a gain and an absorber section. The technique has the advantage of only requiring DC sources without any fast electronics, therefore being a compact and cost-effective alternative.
However, in order to obtain short picosecond pulses, the two-section laser needs to be driven with high reverse absorber bias in the absorber section and low injection currents in the gain section, also resulting in very low average powers in the order of a few mW. Another factor severely limiting the maximum achievable peak power of the laser is catastrophic optical damage as a consequence of the increase in optical power density when short optical pulses propagate within the cavity.
Furthermore, as high peak power pulses are absorbed by the saturable absorber section, a high photocurrent is generated causing catastrophic damage of the absorber element. Additionally, fabrication of the laser diode requires extra processing steps as well as more challenging post-processing techniques, particularly if the laser is to be p-side down bonded for efficient heat dissipation. This arises from the small gap that is required to electrically isolate the gain from the absorber section within the laser contact layers.
In both techniques, the low average power level is not sufficient for the aforementioned applications, which are currently being addressed by costly Ti:sapphire or fiber lasers providing average powers in the Watt level or more. One way of increasing the output power of semiconductor pulsed laser diodes is through optical amplification, resulting in the so-called master-oscillator power amplifier configuration, typically consisting of several pre-amplification and amplification stages based on solid state or semiconductor active media. Besides being a complex solution which is less compact and cost effective, another disadvantage of this configuration arises when amplifying ultra-short optical pulses in the ps or fs range due to the very high peak power levels generated within the amplifier, leading to detrimental nonlinear pulse distortion and damage of the gain medium. This problem can be overcome through complex and sophisticated chirped pulse amplification techniques, in which the short optical pulses are first stretched before being launched into the amplifier and then recompressed at its output.

Method and device for generating short optical pulses


A graphics processing circuit includes a line end generation circuit operative to generate line aligned end cap data in response to primitive data; and a rasterizer, coupled to the line end generation circuit, operative to generate pixel data representing a line to be rendered, the pixel data including the line aligned end cap data. A graphics processing method includes receiving primitive data for a line to be rendered, the primitive data including start endpoint data and stop endpoint data, determining the height and width of the line in screen space, determining line end cap orientation with respect to the line to be rendered, and determining vertices that define the line to be rendered, wherein the vertices define end caps aligned with the line to be rendered.

Computer graphics systems, set top box systems or other graphics processing systems typically include a host processor, graphics/video processing circuitry, memory (e.g. frame buffer), and one or more display devices. The host processor may have a graphics application running thereon, that provides vertex data for a primitive (e.g. triangle) to be rendered on the one or more display devices. The display device, for example, a CRT display includes a plurality of scan lines comprised of a series of pixels. The graphics/video processing circuitry receives the vertex data and generates pixel data including the appearance (e.g. color, brightness, texture) attributes which may be presented on the display device according to a particular protocol. The pixel data is typically stored in the frame buffer in locations that correspond to the pixels location on the display device.
FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a two dimensional display space 10, for example, the visual area of a display device. The display space 10 is represented by a plurality of intersecting horizontal and vertical lines that form pixels 11. A pixel is one of a series of points along a raster scan line that when viewed in the aggregate, provides an image that may be presented on the display device. Line segments 12, 14, 20 and 22 which may be complete lines or portions of larger lines to be drawn on the display space 10, include line ends. For example, line segment 12 includes a line end 13. Typically, conventional graphics processing circuitry renders line ends as screen aligned segments. For example, if vertical line segment 12 is drawn, the corresponding line end 13 will be aligned with the horizontal boundary 16 of the display space 10. If horizontal line segment 14 is drawn, the corresponding line end 15 will be aligned with the vertical boundary 18 of the display space 10.
When non-vertical or non-horizontal line segments are drawn on a display space, the line ends typically will be aligned with the corresponding horizontal and vertical boundaries of the display space; not with the line segment. For example, if line segment 20 is drawn the corresponding line end 21 will be aligned with the horizontal boundary 16 of the display space 10. In the like manner, if line segment 22 is drawn, the corresponding line end 23 will be aligned with the vertical boundary 18 of the display space 10. Such line end alignment results in the rendered line segments 20, 22 or larger image including the line segments, containing visual artifacts (e.g. uneven edges) which degrade image appearance. To compensate for the visual artifacts, software executed by a host processor typically has been used to calculate the ends of non-horizontal and vertical lines, with the calculated line ends subsequently being sent to hardware, such as a graphics chip, for rendering. A drawback associated with using software to calculate the line ends is that it requires the processing of additional primitives which takes up valuable host processor time. In turn, this increases the time required to render an object or image.

Apparatus for generating efficient wide-line ends


A display error occurs upon contention between writing of pixel data in a GRAM and reading of pixel data representing a scanning line including pixels which correspond to the pixel data above. Pixel data corresponding to pixels representing a scanning line stored in a latch circuit is displayed on a display panel, and when contention occurs between writing of pixel data in a GRAM and reading of pixel data corresponding to pixels representing a scanning line to the latch circuit from the GRAM, a controller delays reading of the pixel data corresponding to the pixels representing the scanning line and controls so as to perform reading of the pixel data corresponding to the pixels representing the scanning line to the latch circuit from the GRAM once again.

A liquid crystal display apparatus for use in mobile telephone terminal or the like uses, for the purpose of displaying a video signal, a video processing circuit which processes a video signal by digital signal processing (See Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Gazette No. 2000-330520 for instance). FIG. 4 shows a conventional video processing circuit 13 which is used in a mobile telephone terminal.
The video processing circuit 13 comprises a latch circuit 3 and a GRAM (graphics Random access memory) 2. The GRAM 2 is a readable/writable memory which stores pixel data amounting to one screen displayed by a display panel 8, and in this memory, pixel data corresponding to one pixel which forms the display panel 8 is written in synchronization to a memory clock signal 12 which is input.
The latch circuit 3 is a circuit which reads from the GRAM 2 pixel data equivalent to one scanning line displayed by the display panel 8 and which stores the same.
An operation of such a conventional video processing circuit 13 will now be described.
A data latch signal 10 is input to the latch circuit 3. Meanwhile, a display read control signal 9 and the memory clock signal 12 are input to the GRAM 2.
FIG. 5 is a timing chart of these various types of drive signals and the control signal to the video processing circuit 13.
In the timing chart in FIG. 5, the display read control signal 9 shown in FIG. 4 is shown as a display read control signal 51, the data latch signal 10 shown in FIG. 4 is shown as a data latch signal 52, and the memory clock signal 12 shown in FIG. 4 is shown as a memory clock signal 53. Further, in FIG. 5, display data 54 and display data 55 are output data from the GRAM 2 corresponding to the bits of memory elements which form the GRAM 2, of which the display data 54 is data output from the GRAM 2 corresponding to a bit of a memory element forming the GRAM 2 when this bit is set to the L-state from the H-state while the display data 55 is data output from the GRAM 2 corresponding to a bit of a memory element forming the GRAM 2 when this bit is set to the H-state from the L-state. At each bit of the memory elements forming the GRAM 2, one bit of pixel data to be displayed is stored.
The display read control signal 51 is a control signal which can be in the H (High)-state which is indicative of a discharge period and the L (Low)-state which is indicative of a memory update period. When the display read control signal 51 fed to the GRAM 2 is in the H-state, that is, the discharge period, all of display data from the GRAM 2 is in the L-state regardless of whether the bits of the memory elements which form the GRAM 2 corresponding to this display data are in the L-state or the H-state. When the display read control signal 51 fed to the GRAM 2 is in the L-state, that is, the memory update period, the latch circuit 3 reads from the GRAM 2 pixel data equivalent to one scanning line and stores the same.
However, the display data output from the GRAM 2, once set to the H-state during the memory update period, remains in the H-state during the memory update period independently of the values of the bits of the memory elements which form the GRAM 2. The display data output from the GRAM 2 can return to the L-state only after the display read control signal 51 has switched to the H-state, that is, the discharge period. In other words, the display data output from the GRAM 2 enters the L-state as soon as the display read control signal 51 switches to the H-state, even without the L-state written at the bits of the memory elements which form the GRAM 2. This is the characteristic of display data output from the GRAM 2.
Further, when the data latch signal 52 is fed to the latch circuit 3, the latch circuit 3 finalizes the values of the bits of memory elements which form the latch circuit 3 in response to falling of the data latch signal 52.
Further, when pixel data are written in the GRAM 2, the memory clock signal 53 is fed to the GRAM 2 and the memory clock signal 53 falls. In this manner, the pixel data are written in the GRAM 2 in synchronization to the memory clock signal 53.
Writing of the pixel data in the GRAM 2 takes place independently of reading of pixel data equivalent to one scanning line from the GRAM 2 to the latch circuit 3.
This operation is summarized as follows.
That is, while the display read control signal 51 remains in the H-state, the display data output from the GRAM 2 becomes the L-state. Upon inputting of the memory clock signal to the GRAM 2, the pixel data is written in the GRAM 2 at falling of the memory clock signal.
As the display read control signal 51 changes to the L-state from the H-state, i.e., as the display read control signal 51 enters the memory update period, the latch circuit 3 reads the pixel data equivalent to one scanning line stored in the GRAM 2 into the respective memory elements which form the latch circuit 3 and stores the pixel data in the respective memory elements.
After inputting of the data latch signal 52 to the latch circuit 3, the latch circuit 3 finalizes the pixel data equivalent to one scanning line read and stored into the memory elements when the data latch signal 52 falls.
When display data output from the GRAM 2 is updated to the L-state from the H-state as in the case of the display data 54 for example, the latch circuit 3 sets the corresponding memory elements of the latch circuit 3 to the L-state in response to falling of the data latch signal 52.
On the contrary, when display data output from the GRAM 2 is updated to the H-state from the L-state as in the case of the display data 55 for example, the latch circuit 3 sets the corresponding memory elements of the latch circuit 3 to the H-state in response to falling of the data latch signal 52.

Video signal processing circuit, control method of video signal processing circuit, and integrated circuit

Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology Co., Ltd.


An information processing apparatus is disclosed that comprises a display device, first and a second display controllers, and a switch. The first display controller converts an externally input first video signal into a second video signal which can be displayed on the display device. The second display controller converts the first video signal into a third video signal which can be displayed on the display device. The switch switches between a first path for outputting the second video signal converted by the first display controller to the display device, and a second path for outputting the third video signal converted by the second display controller to the display device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus which handles video data, and a display control method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, as described in, e.g., Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 6-284364, personal computers with an audio-visual (AV) playback function have prevailed. This AV playback function allows the user to appreciate program information such as externally provided television (TV) broadcasting or the like, and various kinds of AV information such as moving image information provided by an external video playback apparatus.
In a personal computer with such an AV playback function, if a function of displaying an externally input video signal of, e.g., a television game or the like with high image quality without any time delay is to be provided in addition to the video recording and playback functions of externally input TV video data or the like, the video recording and playback function of TV video data and the high-image quality display function without any time delay must be implemented by independent hardware components, resulting in a complex and expensive arrangement.

Information display apparatus and display control method


A hair coloring apparatus, kit, and related methods are provided. The apparatus includes a container having a medial body portion and an inner container chamber formed in the medial body portion for containing a first hair coloring solution. The container also includes an interior recess for containing a second hair coloring solution and a plunger used for mixing the second hair coloring solution into the first hair coloring solution within the inner chamber. The apparatus also includes a recess closing means such as a valve to isolate the second hair coloring solution from the first hair coloring solution prior to mixing. The apparatus also includes a hair color mixture dispenser connected to the container. The dispenser includes a brush applicator having a plurality of clusters of flexible bristles for applying a hair coloring mixture onto the hair of a user.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hair care products. More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus, kit, and related methods for coloring hair.
2. Description of the Related Art
There exists a multitude of different types of hair coloring systems which utilize various types of hair coloring solutions deployed with use of myriad types of hair coloring dispensers capable of dispensing the various types of hair coloring solutions onto the hair of a user. The hair coloring solutions can be of a type that is either temporary or permanent in nature. Where the hair coloring solution is temporary in nature, many of the various hair coloring solutions can often be stored in a single unitary container with a sufficient shelf life to be sold and used by a user prior to significant alteration of its hair coloring formula. For some of the hair coloring solutions that are temporary in nature and in most solutions which are permanent in nature, the component parts which form the hair coloring solution generally cannot be stored or mixed together for any substantial length of time without a significant alteration in the hair coloring formula. In this situation, it is necessary to store the components of the hair coloring solution in either two or more separate storage containers or store them isolated from each other within a single container. At or near the time the user desires to employ the hair coloring solution, the user mixes the components of the hair coloring solution together, typically in a single container.
Many of the hair coloring systems which store the components of the hair coloring solution in separate containers are considered quite messy by the user due to the requirement for mixing the components of the hair coloring solution prior to use. Spillage resulting in a significant loss of the mixed product often stems from problems encountered during the mixing of the components of the coloring solution. Additionally, many of the users simply do not understand how to properly mix the products much less the importance of mixing the proper quantities. The mixing process often results in contamination of personal property in the surrounding areas where the mixing process was conducted.
The art has tried to solve the problems resulting from storage of the hair coloring components in separate containers and the ensuing problems of combining the two components either directly in a separate container prior to entry into the hair of the user or into a separate mixing chamber within a single container for further expressing into the hair of the user. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,357,450B1 by Paice, titled "Hair Dye Applicator," describes a hair dye applicator including a first tubular member having a dye gel within and a second tubular member coupled to the first tubular member and having peroxide within. A trigger and a pair of pistons are used to push the dye gel and peroxide together through a rod where fins mix them together. The mixture is then forced into a manifold and out conduits for positioning on the hair of the user. This type of dispensing device is very complicated due to the numerous parts and connections making this type of dispenser difficult to cost effectively produce as a disposable. Additionally, the numerous parts design requires the user to perform extensive cleaning between uses.
Also, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,586B1 by Herzog et al., titled "Two-Component Container," describes a two component dispensing container. In this dispenser, a first container having peroxide or hair dye is threadingly connected by the user into a second container having the other of the peroxide or hair dye. During the threading process, a sealing plug separating the two containers is ejected. The sealing plug is then used as a shaking ball to assist in the mixing of the peroxide and the hair dye. This type of dispensing container design requires both of the containers be at least somewhat non-pliable to provide sufficient structure to the threads to allow the individual containers to be threaded together. This tends to result in the dispensing container being expensive to manufacture and difficult to use because the non-pliable structure does not allow easy expressing of the hair coloring solution by the user.
Some of the art has instead tried to solve the mixing problem by storing the components of the hair coloring solution in a single container separated by some form of isolation means. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,964,643 by Morane et al., titled "Unpressurized Container for Holding a Plurality of Product Separately and Dispensing Them Simultaneously," describes a dispensing container having a flexible outer jacket having a first component of the hair coloring solution and a glass tube having a second component of the hair coloring solution within. In this form of dispensing container, the two components are mixed by breaking the glass tube. The dispensing container also includes a cloth filter to prevent broken glass shards from being extruded along with the mixed components of the hair coloring solution. Manufacturing costs and safety issues have made this type of device cost prohibitive.
Most, if not all, of hair coloring solution dispensers currently in use, whether having their components stored in separate containers or in isolation within a single container, require some form of mixing other than through natural permeation. Various methodologies implemented to perform this function include shaking the container once the two component parts are placed into a single container. Other methodologies supplement the shaking of the container by including a ball bearing in the mixing container in order to accelerate the mixing process. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,937,864 by Diaz, titled "Hair Coloring Applicator with Mixing Chamber," describes a hair coloring applicator including a first chamber having peroxide material within and a separately stored second chamber having hair dye material within. When the second chamber is connected to the first chamber, a membrane in the second chamber is pierced by a frustro-shaped open end of the first chamber to allow the peroxide material and hair dye material to combine. The second container includes a ball bearing to facilitate the mixing of the two components. This ball bearing mixing methodology, however, is often problematic. Ball bearings are generally made of metal. Metals can have a profound adverse reaction to include heat which can be of a sufficient degree to melt the hair. Additional adverse reactions include alteration of the hair color formula itself which would prevent a predictable color result within the hair.
Still others implement mixing of the components by pressing or kneading the mixing container to perform the mixing function. For example, though not involving hair care products, U.S. Pat. No. 6,036,005 by Krause et al., titled "Package for Storing, Mixing, and Dispensing Multi-Component Products," nevertheless describes a package for storing, mixing, and dispensing multi-component products in the form of paints, epoxy adhesives, or epoxy or polyurethane coatings to which a hardener or accelerator are added. The package includes an outer container and an inner container located within the outer container. The outer container is made of a flexible material and has a hardener/accelerator or coating/adhesive/paint within. The inner container is also flexible and has the other of the hardener/accelerator or coating/adhesive/paint within. The inner container has a frictionally retained closure plug capping an opening end. The components of the product are mixed by squeezing the outer container which squeezes the inner container which results in the dislodging of the closure cap. This type of package often succumbs to loss during transportation and handling. Accidental pressure on the package, even for only a moment, can cause release of the plug and inadvertent mixing of the contents of the outer and inner containers, resulting in total loss of the product.
Some devices have attempted to use a piston for mixing and dispensing the hair coloring solution. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,177 by Sofer, titled "Cartridge For Hair Dye Dispenser" describes a hair dye dispenser which is manually filled by a user with a storage and filling device. The filling device includes a pair of separate hair dye component containers positioned substantially in parallel, whereby a dual piston drives the components from the containers simultaneously into a hair dye dispensing container. The hair dye dispensing container also has a piston whereby a dispensing actuator exerts pressure on the piston to express the mixed hair dye through a plurality of dispensing tines having tip apertures. The design is rather complicated and thus not conducive to being made disposable. Additionally, the cartridge along with the associated filling device and dispensing actuator has multiple parts including a sealing element requiring attachment and/or detachment that can be misplaced by the user. Not being disposable, many of the multiple parts also require extensive cleaning after use, which can be very messy.
Regardless of the methodology employed to produce the mixed hair coloring solution, once mixed, the hair coloring solution must be dispensed onto the hair of the user. Many hair coloring dispensers have teeth (tines) or forks for spreading the hair during the dispensing operation. For example, U.S. Patent App. No. 2003/0041869A1 by Dovergne, titled "Device for Applying a Substance to the Hair," describes a device for applying a substance to dye hair that includes a comb or applicator having teeth that are arranged with gaps between the teeth. The teeth are positioned in such a way as to allow one or more substances, e.g., oxidizer and dye, within the body of the device to be applied onto the hair. Use of the hard teeth (tines) or forks can, however, be problematic and has been equated with trying to paint a wall with the wooden part of a paintbrush. The hair coloring dispenser described in U.K. Patent No. 2,370,264 by Lloyd-Davy, titled "Hair Dye Applicator," and described in other similar devices, may have attempted to solve this problem. The described hair dye applicator includes an applicator comprised of bristles. A felt pad is positioned between the bristles and the application hair dye solution and is used to moisten the bristles of the device. Having such an obstruction extending between the bristles and the hair coloring solution, however, tends to greatly hinder the flow of the hair coloring solution. Thus, Applicant has recognized the need for an applicator having soft bristles and which is designed to easily moisten the bristles to properly apply the hair coloring solution onto the hair of the user.
The above described devices, and some other similar devices, are relatively complex and expensive in construction, and some of them require separate attachments in order to mix the components' solutions with each other. Still others require separate storage containers for the components, which must be combined into a unitary container for dispensing. Thus, Applicant has recognized a need for an apparatus for coloring hair that can hold at least two components separate from one another until it is desired to mix the components to formulate the hair coloring solution and that is not easily inadvertently activated. Also recognized is the need for an apparatus for coloring hair that is disposable and inexpensive to manufacture, relatively simple to use, allows for easy mixing without the use of a ball bearing type device, is designed to help prevent spillage of the mixed hair coloring solution during or after mixing, and which provides an even dispensing of the hair coloring solution via an applicator brush having soft bristles.

Hair coloring apparatus, kit and associated methods


The invention relates to a rotation damper (1) including a plastic housing or storage part (2) carrying therein a rotor part (3). The rotor part (3) is joined to a rotatable shaft which extends through the housing. A damping device (4) is located between the storage part (2) and the rotor part (3). The damping device (4) surrounds the shaft and is made of damping plastic. The rotor part (3) and/or the damping device (4), respectively have at least one interengaging contact part which produces rotation resistance when the shaft is turning.

The invention relates to a rotation damper comprising a plastic housing carrying a rotor part, also made of plastic, that is joined to a rotatable shaft. A damping device is located between the housing and the rotor part.
A rotation damper is already known in the state of the art where the housing is fitted at its outer circumference with a gear wheel component, and the shaft of the rotor projects beyond a cover (German Patent No. 4315294 A1). The cover is locked behind a projection of the housing and is located between a sealing disk and a frontal surface of the rotor, facing the shaft. The frontal surface facing away from the rotor is equipped with a space in which a viscous medium is located. The space can be designed either in the form of a closed disk, or it can have an annular shape. Due to the small space for receiving the viscous medium, the damping effect is relatively low.
The state of the art also includes a rotation damper wherein a spiral spring is arranged between an interior delineation area of the cylindrical wall of a housing and an outer delineation area of a cylindrical rotor (German Patent No. 3821982 A1). This arrangement is a structurally expensive design since the rotor and the corresponding adjacent parts must control the spiral spring and there is also the need for the intermediary space for acceptance of the viscous medium.
By contrast, it is the object of the present invention to create a rotation damper which has good damping capability, avoiding the use of viscous medium, and having a less complicated construction.


A device for transporting cartridges comprises a housing for holding a plurality of cartridges in a temperature controlled environment. A transport system is also provided and has a grasping mechanism for grasping one of the cartridges. The transport system is further used to remove the cartridge from the housing and to place the cartridge into a scanner.

This invention relates generally to the field of automation, and in particular to the use of automated equipment to transfer items. More specifically, the invention relates to the automated transfer of array cartridges into and out of an imaging apparatus.
1. Polymer Arrays
Methods for using arrays of polymers to identify receptors with specific affinities for one of the polymers in the array are known. For example, one method uses immobilized antibodies to analyze binding to peptide ligands or vice-versa. Another type of method uses immobilized oligonucleotides to analyze hybridization to a target nucleic acid. For instance, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/624,312, filed Mar. 26, 1996, the complete disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference, describes apparatus and methods for carrying out repeated hybridizations of a target nucleic acid to an array of nucleic acid probes. Such polymer arrays are described in, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,854 and published PCT Application Nos. WO90/15070 and WO92/10092, the complete disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference. These polymer arrays are nucleic acid arrays which include a plurality of different polynucleotides coupled to a substrate in different known locations.
In one exemplary arrangement, such arrays are packaged within a housing or cartridge, like those described in, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,945,334, and in copending U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 08/624,312, previously incorporated by reference, 08/528,173, filed Sep. 19, 1995, and published PCT Application No. WO95/33846. The disclosures of all of these references are herein incorporated by reference. In brief, such a cartridge may be constructed of a body having a reaction cavity or hybridization chamber. The array or substrate is mounted over the cavity on the body such that the front side of the array substrate, e.g., the side upon which the polynucleotides are situated, is in fluid communication with the cavity. The cartridge includes inlet and outlet ports to allow various fluids to be introduced into and removed from the hybridization chamber.
2. Imaging
Imaging the polymer arrays may be accomplished, for example, by placing the cartridges into a scanning device, such as the GeneArray scanner, available from Affymetrix, Inc. Techniques for imaging polymer arrays are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,834,758 and 5,578,832, the complete disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference.
In many cases, it is desirable to maintain the cartridges in a temperature controlled environment. Hence, a need exists for equipment and techniques to transfer cartridges from a temperature controlled environment for placement into the scanner in an organized and efficient manner, and for the return of the cartridges to the temperature controlled environment following imaging. Hence, the invention is related to apparatus and methods to facilitate imaging of array cartridges in such a maimer.


A process for producing an adherent relief coating simulating the appearance of liquid droplets on a surface of an article such as a cosmetics container, including the steps of applying the coating by spraying the surface with a curable liquid coating material to form a multiplicity of discrete raised beads of the material distributed over the surface, and curing the applied coating. The beads can be formed by spraying the beading coat under conditions controlled to provide insufficient atomization to form a continuous uniform coating; by applying two successive coatings with silicon or silicone additive incorporated in the first coat to promote autoreticulation of the second coat; or by a combination of these techniques.

This invention relates to processes for coating articles, and more particularly to processes for producing, on external surfaces of articles, relief coatings of novel and attractive character. The term "relief coatings," as herein used, refers to coatings characterized by local three-dimensional surface irregularities or variations in contour, such as bumps or beads, that are formed in and of the coating material itself and are readily visible and/or tactile.
It is often desired, for reasons of consumer appeal and product identification, to provide cosmetics containers or packages with an external appearance or decor which is novel or unusual as well as attractive and distinctive. In one important aspect, the invention is specifically concerned with the production of relief coatings for such containers or packages.
Illustrative examples of cosmetics packages suitable for coating by the process of the invention are the generally cylindrical, rigid containers of plastic or metal used for lipstick, mascara and the like. These containers commonly have smooth surfaces, which may be bare or covered with a smooth transparent or colored coating. The diversity of aesthetic effects capable of being thus created, however, is limited; and, in addition, flaws or defects in a smooth surface are readily visible. It is known to enhance the surface appearance of cosmetics containers with three-dimensional design elements by molding, embossing or attaching relief features, but these expedients involve some complexity of fabrication or assembly and, again, the range of effects that can thereby be produced is restricted.
More generally, it is known to provide articles with coatings of variegated color as well as coatings exhibiting some degree of relief or roughness, such as wrinkle coatings. Insofar as these known coating techniques are applicable to cosmetics packages, they also are limited as to the types of decorative effects they can impart.
For cosmetics containers that are commonly carried in a user's handbag, and are repeatedly opened for withdrawal of portions of the contents, it is important that any coating or other surface appearance feature be resistant both to abrasion (by objects in handbags) and to chemicals (of the contained cosmetics) that may come into contact with it incident to normal use. These requirements impose constraints on the creation of decorative effects.

Process for producing coatings having multiple raised beads simulating liquid droplets on surfaces of articles


A low-loss acoustic wave filter includes a piezoelectric substrate, a first strongly unidirectional acoustic wave transducer and a second strongly unidirectional acoustic wave transducer. Each of the first and second strongly unidirectional acoustic wave transducers are acoustically coupled to one another. Each of the first and second strongly unidirectional acoustic wave transducers further comprises an acoustic wave reflector and a weakly unidirectional acoustic wave transducer. The acoustic wave reflector and the weakly unidirectional acoustic wave transducer are coupled to the piezoelectric substrate.

There is an ongoing need for acoustic wave filters and delay lines for a variety of practical applications. Acoustic wave devices are becoming particularly important in the production of electronic signal processing equipment, especially radios, because they can be readily mass produced and are of small size. Acoustic wave devices are generally constructed on planar surfaces using integrated circuit fabrication techniques.
A number of low-loss acoustic wave filter and transducer design approaches have been developed to meet specific performance goals relevant to particular applications and subject to specified manufacturing constraints. These approaches include multiphase unidirectional acoustic wave transducers, multi-transducer acoustic wave filters, resonators, distributed acoustic reflection transducers (DARTs) and acoustic wave transducers backed by reflectors, with each acoustic device type providing filter performance strengths and weaknesses.
Examples of these and other types of acoustic wave devices are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,602,228, entitled "Surface acoustic wave filter", by J. Yamada; U.S. Pat. No. 4,492,940, entitled "Acoustic surface wave bandpass filter", by M. Hikita; U.S. Pat. No. 4,760,359, entitled "Surface acoustic wave resonator", by T. Shiba et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,837,476, entitled "Surface acoustic wave resonator having transducers and reflectors of different periods", by M. Mochizuki; U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,319, entitled "Surface-acoustic-wave resonator", by T. Sone; U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,146, entitled "Surface acoustic wave resonators utilizing harmonic frequencies", by K. Yen et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,162,465, entitled "Surface acoustic wave device with reflection suppression", by B. J. Hunsinger and K. Hanma; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,506, entitled "Surface acoustic wave device with reflectors in inter-electrode location", by M. F. Lewis, which are incorporated herein by reference. However, these and other prior art approaches suffer from a number of disadvantages well known in the art. These disadvantages tend to become more serious as operating frequency increases.

Method and apparatus for an acoustic wave filter


A mini memory card adapter that receives a mini memory card (e.g. MicroFlash) to make it compatible with a standard memory card interface. The mini memory card adapter is comprised of a base, a cover and a connection module. A socket is defined at a proximal end of the base, and an inner wall of the socket has a positioning tab integrally formed thereon to fix an inserted memory card. A metal panel has a contact finger that electrically contacts a ground point to provide protection against EMI interference.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a memory card adapter, and particularly relates to a mini memory card adapter, by which a mini memory card (e.g. Microflash) can be read by a standard memory card (e.g. SD memory card) interface.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various digital electronic devices are coming into the market nowadays, such as digital players, digital cameras, and multi-functional cellular phones. Those electronic devices always multi-functional and require storage media with large capacities. Memory cards of different sizes and specifications have been developed, such as SM (smart media card), MMC (multi-media card), SD (secure digital memory card), XD (xD-piture card), and MS (memory stick). However, there are still challenges to be faced in regards to size reduction with the development of even smaller digital electronic devices. And Mini SD, RS-MMC (reduced size multi-media card) even MicroFlash have been developed for smaller product applications.
However, a memory card that is smaller than the standard is not compatible with a device with a standard interface. So an adapter must be applied to correlate the memory card and the standard interface.
With reference to FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, a mini SD card adapter has a base (80) with two side walls, a positioning tab (86), a circuit board (87) provided in a distal end of the base (80), a cover (88) made of metal lamina and a second cover (89).
The base (80) and the cover (88) define a socket (81) in a proximal end to receive a mini SD card. Multiple through slots (82) are arranged at equal distance in the distal end of the base (80). The base (80) has two stops (83) formed on outer surface of each wall. In one of the walls, a mounting slot (84) is defined therein which partly communicates with the socket (81). Two tab slots (85) are respectively defined in a top end of each wall.
The positioning tab (86) is provided in the mounting slot (84) with a protruding member (860) formed in a middle part of the positioning tab (86). A mini SD card received in the socket (81) can be positioned by the protruding member (860).
The circuit board (87) at the distal end of the base (80) has a plurality of contacts (not numbered) at a bottom face corresponding to the through slots (82); at the proximal end of the circuit board (87), multiple pins (870) extend into the socket (81) to electrically contact the mini SD card.
The cover (88) has two folded edges (880) on opposite sides, each with two slots (881) that correspond with the stops (83) on the walls of the base (80). Two tabs (882) are formed on two sides at the proximal end of the cover (88), respectively. The tabs (882) tilt inward have a slightly greater width than the tab slots (85). When the cover (88) is fitted onto the base (80), the four stops (83) are inserted to the four slots (881) and the two tabs (882) are inserted to the tab slots (85) to secure the cover (88) to the base (80).
The board (89) is mounted at the distal end of the base (80) above the cover (88).
A mini SD card adapter is formed with above elements to receive a mini SD card. The adapter can then be inserted into a standard SD interface, thus allowing the mini SD card to be used in a device with a standard SD interface.
However, the positioning tab (86) for locating the mini SD card is an additional element that also requires a mounting slot (84) to be defined on the base, necessitating additional molding, which results in increasing the manufacturing costs.
With reference to FIG. 9, another conventional mini SD card adapter is shown having a positioning tab, which has the same function as that of the conventional mini SD card adapter described above.
Therefore, the present invention provides a mini memory card adapter to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.


A learning device includes: a generating unit configured to generate an image having different resolution from an input image; an extracting unit configured to extract a feature point serving as a processing object from an image generated by the generating unit; a calculating unit configured to calculate the feature amount of the feature point by subjecting the feature point to filter processing employing a predetermined filter; and an identifier generating unit configured to generate an identifier for detecting a predetermined target object from the image by statistical learning employing the feature amount; with the filter including a plurality of regions, and the calculating unit taking the difference value of difference within the regions as the feature amount.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a learning device and method, a recognition device and method, and a program, and specifically, a learning device and method, a recognition device and method, and a program, which enable a target object to be detected from an image in a surer manner.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, technology for detecting a person from an image has been studied and developed principally for security or in-vehicle use (e.g., see Navneet Dalal and Bill Triggs "Histograms of Oriented Gradients for Human Detection" CVPR2005, and B. Wu and R. Nevatia "Detection of multiple, partially occluded humans in a single image by bayesian combination of edgelet part detectors" In Proc. 10th Int. Conf. Computer Vision, 2005). With Navneet Dalal and Bill Triggs "Histograms of Oriented Gradients for Human Detection" CVPR2005, and B. Wu and R. Nevatia "Detection of multiple, partially occluded humans in a single image by bayesian combination of edgelet part detectors" In Proc. 10th Int. Conf. Computer Vision, 2005, a feature amount to be obtained by edge extraction is employed as a principal feature amount for detecting (recognizing) a person from an image. With these techniques, various variations of a feature amount obtained by edge extraction are defined as a new feature amount, and recognition of a person is performed.
For example, with Navneet Dalal and Bill Triggs "Histograms of Oriented Gradients for Human Detection" CVPR2005, there is provided an advantage wherein a feature amount is obtained by obtaining a histogram in a direction within a small region including an edge, and employing this feature amount makes this technique strong against some distortion of outlines, and so forth.

Learning device and method, recognition device and method, and program


A process to prepare a gasoline fuel by contacting a Fischer-Tropsch product with a catalyst system of an acidic matrix and a large pore molecular sieve wherein the Fischer-Tropsch product has a weight ratio of compounds having at least 60 or more carbon atoms and compounds having at least 30 carbon atoms in the Fischer-Tropsch product of at least 0.2 and wherein at least 30 wt % of compounds in the Fischer-Tropsch product have at least 30 carbon atoms.

Preparing a gasoline having an acceptable octane number from a Fischer-Tropsch product is not straightforward. This because the Fischer-Tropsch product, as such, consists for a large portion, of normal paraffins which have a low octane value or contribution. Various attempts have been made to provide a process which can prepare a gasoline from a Fischer-Tropsch product.
EP-A-512635 discloses a process wherein a gasoline having a motor octane number of 85 is obtained from a Fischer-Tropsch process by means of a hydroisomerization process. The process also involves separation of normal and iso-paraffins using a zeolite bed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,436,278 discloses a similar process as EP-A-512635. The examples illustrate that the gasoline as directly obtained in a hydroisomerization step has an octane number of 43. After enrichment of the gasoline fraction in iso-paraffins the octane number of 68 was obtained.
US2002/0111521 discloses a process to a prepare gasoline by subjecting a Fischer-Tropsch wax to a so-called Paragon reactor to obtain lower olefins. These lower olefins are subsequently oligomerized to obtain a product boiling in the gasoline range.
EP-A-454256 discloses a process to prepare lower olefins from a Fischer-Tropsch product by contacting this product with a ZSM-5 containing catalyst at a temperature of between 580 and 700° C. in a moving bed reactor at a catalysts to oil ratio of between 65 and 86 kg/kg.
The disadvantage of the above-cited processes is that they involve hydroprocessing and/or multiple processing steps in order to obtain the desired gasoline fraction having the required motor octane number.
U.S. Pat. No 4,684,759 discloses a process to prepare a gasoline fraction by catalytic cracking of a Fischer-Tropsch wax as obtained in an iron catalysed Fischer-Tropsch process. The gasoline yield is 57.2 wt %.
A disadvantage of the process disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,759 is that the yield to gasoline is relatively low.
It would be useful to provide a process which yields a gasoline fraction having an acceptable motor octane number from a Fischer-Tropsch product in a high yield.
The invention provides a process to prepare a gasoline fuel by contacting a Fischer-Tropsch product with a catalyst system comprising a catalyst, which catalyst comprises an acidic matrix and a large pore molecular sieve wherein the Fischer-Tropsch product has a weight ratio of compounds having at least 60 or more carbon atoms and compounds having at least 30 carbon atoms in the Fischer-Tropsch product is at least 0.2 and wherein at least 30 wt % of compounds in the Fischer-Tropsch product have at least 30 carbon atoms.
Applicants found that the combination of a relatively heavy Fischer-Tropsch product and the claimed catalyst can yield a gasoline product having a high content of iso-paraffins and olefins, compounds which greatly contribute to a high octane number. Another advantage is that a distillate fraction, which boils in the gas oil range, is obtained in a high yield and having excellent properties, for example Cetane Number, to be used as a diesel engine fuel or as a blending component for such a fuel. A further advantage is that no hydroprocessing is required. For example, the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis product can be directly used in the process according to the invention without having to hydrotreat the feed. Another advantage is that use can be made of well-known catalyst and reactors known for fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) processes.
The relatively heavy Fischer-Tropsch product used in step (a) has at least 30 wt %, preferably at least 50 wt %, and more preferably at least 55 wt % of compounds having at least 30 carbon atoms. Furthermore the weight ratio of compounds having at least 60 or more carbon atoms and compounds having at least 30 carbon atoms of the Fischer-Tropsch product is at least 0.2, preferably at least 0.4 and more preferably at least 0.55. Preferably the Fischer-Tropsch product comprises a C20+ fraction having an ASF-alpha value (Anderson-Schulz-Flory chain growth factor) of at least 0.925, preferably at least 0.935, more preferably at least 0.945, even more preferably at least 0.955.
The initial boiling point of the Fischer-Tropsch product may suitably range from below 200 up to 450° C. Preferably any compounds having 4 or less carbon atoms and any compounds having a boiling point in that range are separated from a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis product before the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis product is used in step (a). Applicants found that a high yield to gasoline can be achieved starting from such a Fischer-Tropsch product thus including the Fischer-Tropsch fractions boiling in the gasoline range. Thus a high gasoline yield relative to the Fischer-Tropsch product is achievable.
Preferably a gas oil fraction is separated from the Fischer-Tropsch product prior to using the product as feed. This fraction having a high cetane number may be advantageously blended with the gas oil fraction obtained in the process according to the present invention. With such a gas oil fraction is here meant the fraction which boils for more than 80 wt % between 215 and 370° C. This embodiment is advantageous because although the gasoline obtained by the present process has a good quality the gas oil has a lesser quality for use as diesel fuel blending component than if it would be obtained by a hydrocracking process as described in for example WO-A-02070628. To compensate for the loss of quality this straight run diesel as separated directly from the Fischer-Tropsch product, which has a very good Cetane number, is blended with the catalytically cracked gas oil fraction. The oxygenates present in the straight run gas oil fraction may be removed or retained prior to this blending.
Such a Fischer-Tropsch product may be obtained by any process which yields a relatively heavy Fischer-Tropsch product. Not all Fischer-Tropsch processes yield such a heavy product. Preferred processes are the cobalt catalyzed Fischer-Tropsch process. An example of a suitable Fischer-Tropsch process is described in WO-A-9934917 and in AU-A-698392. These processes may yield a Fischer-Tropsch product as described above.
A preferred catalyst to be used to obtain the relatively heavy Fischer-Tropsch product is suitably a cobalt-containing catalyst as obtainable by (aa) mixing (1) titania or a titania precursor, (2) a liquid, and (3) a cobalt compound, which is at least partially insoluble in the amount of liquid used, to form a mixture; (bb) shaping and drying of the mixture thus obtained; and (cc) calcination of the composition thus obtained.
Preferably at least 50 weight percent of the cobalt compound is insoluble in the amount of liquid used, more preferably at least 70 weight percent, and even more preferably at least 80 weight percent, and most preferably at least 90 weight percent. Preferably the cobalt compound is metallic cobalt powder, cobalt hydroxide or an cobalt oxide, more preferably Co(OH)2 or Co3 O4. Preferably the cobalt compound is used in an amount of up to 60 weight percent of the amount of refractory oxide, more preferably between 10 and 40 wt percent. Preferably the catalyst comprises at least one promoter metal, preferably manganese, vanadium, rhenium, ruthenium, zirconium, titanium or chromium, most preferably manganese. The promoter metal(s) is preferably used in such an amount that the atomic ratio of cobalt and promoter metal is at least 4, more preferably at least 5. Suitably at least one promoter metal compound is present in step (aa). Suitably the cobalt compound is obtained by precipitation, optionally followed by calcination. Preferably the cobalt compound and at least one of the compounds of promoter metal are obtained by co-precipitation, more preferably by co-precipitation at constant pH. Preferably the cobalt compound is precipitated in the presence of at least a part of the titania or the titania precursor, preferably in the presence of all titania or titania precursor. Preferably the mixing in step (aa) is performed by kneading or mulling. The thus obtained mixture is subsequently shaped by pelletising, extrusion, granulating or crushing, preferably by extrusion. Preferably the mixture obtained has a solids content in the range of from 30 to 90% by weight, preferably of from 50 to 80% by weight. Preferably the mixture formed in step (aa) is a slurry and the slurry thus-obtained is shaped and dried by spray-drying. Preferably the slurry obtained has a solids content in the range of from 1 to 30% by weight, more preferably of from 5 to 20% by weight. Preferably the calcination is carried out at a temperature between 400 and 750° C., more preferably between 500 and 650° C. Further details are described in WO-A-9934917.
The process is typically carried out at a temperature in the range from 125 to 350° C., preferably 175 to 275° C. The pressure is typically in the range from 5 to 150 bar abs., preferably from 5 to 80 bar abs., in particular from 5 to 70 bar abs. Synthesis gas, which is hydrogen and carbon monoxide, is typically fed to the process at a molar ratio in the range from 0.5 to 2.5. The gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) of the synthesis gas in the process of the present invention may vary within wide ranges and is typically in the range from 400 to 10000 Nl/l/h, for example from 400 to 4000 Nl/l/h. The term GHSV is well known in the art, and relates to the volume of synthesis gas in Nl, i.e. liters at STP conditions (0° C. and 1 bar abs), which is contacted in one hour with one liter of catalyst particles, i.e. excluding interparticular void spaces. In the case of a fixed catalyst bed, the GHSV may also be expressed as per liter of catalyst bed, i.e. including interparticular void space. The Fischer-Tropsch synthesis may be performed in a slurry reactor or preferably in a fixed bed. Further details are described in WO-A-9934917.
Synthesis gas may be obtained by well known processes like partial oxidation and steam reforming and combinations of these processes starting with a (hydro) carbon feedstock. Examples of possible feedstocks are natural gas, associated gas, refinery off-gas, residual fractions of crude oil, coal, pet coke and biomass, for example wood. Partial oxidation may be catalyzed or non-catalyzed. Steam reforming may be for example conventional steam reforming, autothermal (ATR) reforming and convective steam reforming.
The Fischer-Tropsch product will contain no or very little sulfur and nitrogen containing compounds. This is typical for a product derived from a Fischer-Tropsch reaction, which uses synthesis gas containing almost no impurities. Sulfur and nitrogen levels will generally be below the detection limits, which are currently 5 ppm for sulfur and 1 ppm for nitrogen.
The catalyst system used in the process according to the present invention will at least comprise a catalyst comprising a matrix and a large pore molecular sieve. Examples of suitable large pore molecular sieves are the faujasite (FAU) type as for example Zeolite Y, Ultra Stable Zeolite Y and Zeolite X. The matrix is preferably an acidic matrix. The acidic matrix will suitably comprise amorphous alumina and preferably more than 10 wt % of the catalyst is amorphous alumina. The matrix may further comprise, for example, aluminium phosphate, clay and silica and mixtures thereof. Amorphous alumina may also be used as a binder to provide the matrix with enough binding function to properly bind the molecular sieve. Examples of suitable catalysts are commercially available catalysts used in fluid catalytic cracking processes which catalysts comprise a Zeolite Y as the molecular sieve and at least alumina in the matrix.
The temperature at which feed and catalyst contact is preferably between 450 and 650° C. More preferably the temperature is above 475° C. and even more preferably above 500° C. Good gasoline yields are seen at temperatures above 600° C. However higher temperatures than 600° C. will give rise to thermal cracking reactions and the formation of non-desirable gaseous products like for example methane and ethane. For this reason the temperature is more preferably below 600° C. The process may be performed in various types of reactors. Because the coke make is relatively small as compared to a FCC process operating on a petroleum derived feed it is possible to conduct the process in a fixed bed reactor. In order to be able to regenerate the catalyst more simple preference is nevertheless given to either a fluidized bed reactor or a riser reactor. If the process is performed in a riser reactor the preferred contact time is between 1 and 10 seconds and more preferred between 2 and 7 seconds. The catalyst to oil ratio is preferably between 2 and 20 kg/kg. It has been found that good results may be obtained at low catalyst to oil ratios of below 15 and even below 10 kg/kg.
This is advantageous because this means a higher productivity per catalyst resulting in, for example, smaller equipment, less catalyst inventory, less energy requirement and/or higher productivity.
The catalyst system process may advantageously also comprise a medium pore size molecular sieve such to also obtain a high yield of propylene next to the gasoline fraction. Preferred medium pore size molecular sieves are zeolite beta, Erionite, Ferrierite, ZSM-5, ZSM-11, ZSM-12, ZSM-22, ZSM-23 or ZSM-57. The weight fraction of medium pore crystals on the total of molecular sieves present in this process is preferably between 2 and 20 wt %. The medium pore molecular sieve and the large pore molecular sieve may be combined in one catalyst particle or be present in different catalyst particles. Preferably the large and medium pore molecular sieve are present in different catalyst particles for practical reasons. For example the operator can thus add the two catalyst components of the catalyst system at different addition rates to the process. This could be required because of different deactivation rates of the two catalysts. The catalyst comprising the medium pore molecular sieve may also comprise of the above described matrix for the large pore molecular sieve catalyst particle. A suitable matrix is alumina. The molecular sieve may be dealuminated by, for example, steaming or other known techniques.
It has been found that the combination of the large pore molecular sieve, more preferably of the FAU type, in combination with the medium pore size molecular sieve, is important to achieve the high selectivities to the desired lower olefins, such as especially propylene and iso-butylene at the preferred catalyst to oil ratios as described above in a riser reactor. The invention is also directed to a process to prepare such lower olefins, such as propylene and/or iso-butylene. Iso-butylene and part or all of the propylene formed may advantageously be used to make high-octane compounds by well-known alkylation processes as will be described below in more detail.
Applicants have found that by performing the process according to the invention with a large pore molecular sieve, more preferably of the FAU type, in combination with the medium pore size molecular sieve as described above, not only lower olefin yield improves but the yield to iso-butane and iso-butylene also increases. Sometimes twice the amount of iso-butane is obtained when compared to a similar process performed in the absence of added medium pore size molecular sieve. Iso-butylene may be saturated to increase the amount of iso-butane as alkylation feedstock. The iso-C4 fraction is ideally suited, in combination with part of the C3—C8 olefins produced in the above process, as feed to an alkylation process to make high octane blending product. This high octane blending product is preferably blended with the gasoline fraction as obtained in the main process. The optimal reactor conditions preferably include a catalyst contact temperature of above 500° C. and more preferably below 600° C. If the process is performed in a riser reactor the preferred contact time is between 1 and 10 seconds and more preferred between 2 and 7 seconds. The catalyst to oil ratio is preferably between 2 and 20 kg/kg. It has been found that good results may be obtained at low catalyst to oil ratios of below 15 and even below 10 kg/kg.
Possible alkylation processes are, for example, the AlkyClean process as described in "The Process: A new solid acid catalyst gasoline alkylation technology," NPRA 2002 Annual Meeting, Mar. 17-19, 2002, the sulfuric acid alkylation process as for example described in Lerner, H., "Exxon sulfuric acid alkylation technology," Handbook of Petroleum Refining Processes, 2nd ed., R. A. Meyers, Ed., pp. 1.3-1.14., The TopsØe fixed-bed alkylation (FBA) technology and the The UOP Indirect Alkylation (InAlk) process. Other references to alkylation processes are found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,125,566.
The lower olefins as obtained by the above process may also be advantageously used to make C8 alkenes, comprising 2,4,4-trimethylpentene, by oligomerization of n-butene and iso-butylene. An example of a possible process is described in for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,689,927, 4,197,185, 4,244,806 and 4,324,646. Also these C8 alkenes are high octane blending components, which may be blended with the gasoline fraction as obtained in the main process. The C8 alkenes may optionally be hydrogenated before being used as blending component.
The invention will be illustrated with the following non-limiting examples.
Comparative Experiment A-D
A Fischer-Tropsch product having the properties as listed in Table 1 was contacted with a hot regenerated catalyst at different temperatures and contact times at a catalyst to oil ratio of 4 kg/kg. The catalyst was a commercial FCC catalyst comprising an alumina matrix and Ultra Stable Zeolite Y, which had been obtained from a commercially operating FCC unit. The Zeolite Y content was 10 wt %. The operating conditions are presented in Table 3.
TABLE 1Initial boiling point100° C.Fraction boiling between 25 and 215° C. (wt %)46.8Fraction boiling between 215 and 325° C.42.2(wt %)Fraction boiling above 325° C. (wt %)11.0


A method and apparatus for using a contact-list entry of an IM contact-list interface to designate an IM game in progress to facilitate switching between an IM conversation and an IM game.

Communication devices such as personal computers, wireless mobile telephones, personal data assistants, etc. often provide data communication abilities to users. One currently popular form of such communication is Instant Messaging (IM) facilitated by an application having a graphical user interface (GUI) whereby two or more users of different communication devices can engage in a conversational data communication exchange.
To permit IM message exchanges, a user may invite another to agree to receive IM messages and be included in the user's list of IM contacts (sometimes called an IM friend or buddy in view of the agreement to be a potential IM message recipient). The availability of the user or particular contacts for conversations may be maintained in accordance with respective presence information. To begin an IM conversation, a user selects a buddy represented by a contact list entry of a list of contacts and inputs a message. Additional contacts may be invited to engage in a group message, as desired. While IM messaging was originally directed to text, newer protocols support file transports and voice over data communications.
In addition to conducting conversations, an IM user may invite a buddy to engage in an on-line game where two (or more) players take turns during game play to compete against each other. Conventional board and card games such as checkers or poker may be adapted for IM game playing for example, among others. A game may be invoked via a game application interface or from within an IM application providing an interface to a game application.
A user may play more than one game at a time or play a game in a non-linear manner, leaving a game interface to perform other tasks such as email, calendar review, etc. Thus it is desirable to provide an interface to games in progress.
A solution to one or more of these needs is therefore desired.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

IM contact list entry as a game in progress designate


A method. The method includes a) sending a first transaction notification message comprising an original payee identifier to a user. The original payee identifier may be part of original transaction information associated with a first transaction. At some point, the user sees this transaction information and wants to correct one or more items in the transaction information. For example, the user may not recognize that the original payee identifier is wrong or is otherwise unrecognizable. The user may then contact a central server (e.g., via a Web site) and may provide updated transaction information such as an updated merchant identifier to the central server computer. This updated transaction information may be stored so that subsequent transactions can be accurately conducted and reported to the user, and other uses.

When a user conducts a purchase transaction with a credit card or a debit card, details of that transaction are forwarded to the consumer at some point in time. The consumer may be notified of the transaction in his monthly credit or debit card statement, and/or may be notified of the transaction by a transaction notification alert that is sent to the consumer's phone. The transaction notification may include a merchant identifier, the date on which the transaction occurred, and the amount of the purchase.
In some cases, the merchant identifier that is sent to the consumer is not clear and the consumer may not recognize the particular merchant identifier in the notification alert or in his monthly statement. For example, in some cases, the actual merchant that conducted the transaction may operate under a tradename that is different than the real name of the merchant. When the consumer does not recognize the name of the merchant in the transaction notification alert or in the monthly statement, the consumer may get the incorrect impression that some type of fraud is occurring. The consumer may erroneously contact the issuer to report the alleged fraud, only to learn that the transaction was legitimate and that a mistake had been made.
In other instances, the transaction information that is sent to the user may simply be incorrect. For example, the name of the merchant in the transaction notification may simply be incorrect or misspelled, due to a data error at a central server. If this information is incorrect, then the central server that provides such transaction information to the consumer and others may continue to provide incorrect information. It would be desirable if there was an efficient way to "clean" transaction data so that incorrect data in a payment processing system (or the like) is corrected in a timely manner so that subsequent transactions are conducted and reported with accuracy.
Embodiments of the invention address these and other problems, individually and collectively.


The speech recognition rate which is necessary is determined for a selected speech recognition application. The information content of the feature vector components which is at least necessary to ensure the speech recognition rate is determined using a stored speech recognition rate information. The number of necessary feature vector components which is necessary to make available the determined information content is determined and the speech recognition is carried out using feature vectors with the determined required number of feature vector components.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for computer-supported speech recognition, a speech recognition system and a control device for controlling a technical system with a speech recognition system and a telecommunications device.
Within the framework of computer-supported speech recognition, a speech signal which is spoken in by a user is digitized within the framework of pre-processing and mapped onto what are referred to as feature vectors and stored for the speech recognition which is to be carried out.
The feature vectors have, depending on the application, a permanently predefined number of feature vector components which are usually ordered in the feature vector according to their significance within the framework of the speech recognition, usually ordered according to feature vector components with a decreasing information content (statistical variance become smaller).
However, in particular, in a speech recognition application in an embedded system, the computing power which is available and the storage space which is available are limited, for which reason in the currently known speech recognition applications there are frequently problems, in particular owing to a very high number of feature vector components.
2. Description of the Related Prior Art
[1] describes a method for calculating distances between a feature vector and a plurality of comparison vectors. In this method, the discrimination capability is determined for each of the components of the feature vector. For those components of the feature vector whose discrimination capability is worse than a predefined threshold value, a first part distance from a group of components of the comparison vectors is determined. For those components of the feature vector whose discrimination capability is better than the predefined threshold value, second part distances from the corresponding components of the comparison vectors are determined. The distances between the feature vector and the plurality of comparison vectors is determined from the first part distance and the second part distances.

Method for computer-supported speech recognition, speech recognition system and control device for controlling a technical system and telecommunications device