A liquid crystal display panel projector including a housing having a thermally isolated hot compartment which has an illumination source and a cold compartment which retains liquid crystal display panel. The housing includes individual cooling fluid paths for the hot and cold compartments. The display panel is disposed in the cold compartment where it is isolated from the thermal energy of the illumination source to provide a substantially stable thermal environment.

Liquid crystal projectors employ a liquid crystal display panel positionable between a projector lamp and a lens. An illumination beam from the lamp passes through the liquid crystal display panel to form an image beam. The image beam is enlarged by a projection lens system and focused to cast an enlarged picture on a display screen.
To provide maximum contrast of the displayed image, liquid crystal display panels must be maintained at a cool and uniform temperature. The exposure of the display panel to heat from the projection lamp substantially degrades the quality of the projected image.
A prior projector employing a liquid crystal display panel is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,064 to Umeda. In the Umeda projector, the illumination beam passes through ultraviolet reflectors and absorbers to remove thermal energy from the beam. A reflective mirror redirects the illumination beam so that the beam is perpendicular to the lamp. A condenser lens directs the illumination beam to the liquid crystal display panel. The display panel forms an image beam which passes through a fresnel lens, and is redirected by a mirror. The image beam then passes through a projection lens, off a projection mirror, and on to a projection screen. While the Umeda device provides a relatively compact projector and employs ultraviolet reflectors and absorbers, the liquid crystal display panel is located in the same thermal environment as the illumination source, and is therefore subject to substantial heat and temperature fluctuations which degrade the quality of the image and contribute to premature failure of the panel.
A need exists for a liquid crystal display panel projector which provides a cool, thermally stable environment for the display panel. There is also a need for a compact projector having a reduced volume to permit integration with control equipment.


The disclosure discloses a method of calibrating a moving region of a guide robot, including: detecting and receiving a movement instruction, and sending the received movement instruction to a controller; determining region calibration parameters corresponding to the received movement instruction according to a predetermined mapping relation between the movement instruction and the region calibration parameters, wherein the region calibration parameters include a pending moving region of the guide robot, a light display parameter in the pending moving region, and a driving parameter corresponding to the pending moving region and the light display parameter; driving the light emitting module to carry out light display calibration in the pending moving region according to the determined region calibration parameters. The disclosure further provides the guide robot and a computer storage medium. The technical solution of the disclosure enables the guide robot to display a marked region to be passed.

An independent guide robot is a kind of smart robot, which is applied to a place such as an exhibition hall, and is capable of guiding visitors to different functional regions according to a business requirement, making corresponding explanations and answering relevant questions. It can move fast through two driving wheels and one driven wheel that are arranged at the bottom. At the present, the guide robot is positioned and avoids obstacles via its own sensors, but in actual application, people find that various emergencies will occur during moving or steering of the guide robot, for example:
1. in a moving process of the guide robot, if someone stands on its movement track, the guide robot will automatically avoid the obstacle according to feedback information of its own sensors, but due to its unpredictable obstacle avoiding direction, it will avoid the obstacle towards one side based on instinctive reaction, so that such a phenomenon of secondary or multiple times of mutual avoiding between the guide robot and people, which is caused by the fact that the avoiding direction of people is consistent with the obstacle avoiding direction of the guide robot, often occurs, and it takes more time for the robot or the robot selects a non-optimal path to reach a preset region, and even the robot misjudges that there is an unbridgeable obstacle around, and it may not reach the preset region and would go around in circles, thus affecting normal operation of the robot.
2. when the guide robot suddenly moves from a static state, as people do not know that the guide robot would move in advance, and even do not know which direction that the guide robot would move towards, such a phenomenon that people burst in a region, at which the guide robot will arrive, occurs easily, which leads to collision between the guide robot and people, resulting in injury to people or damage, malfunctions and the like of the guide robot.

Guide robot and method of calibrating moving region thereof, and computer readable storage medium


An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit for forming a correcting image for correcting gradations of an output image, on a bearing body; a sensor for measuring reflected light quantity of the correcting image formed on the bearing body; a gradation correcting unit for correcting the gradations of the output image, based on a measurement result of the measured reflected light quantity of the correcting image; and a timing correcting unit for detecting a shift of measurement timing, based on the measurement result by the sensor, and for correcting the detected shift of the measurement timing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printer, a facsimile machine, a copying machine and a compound machine of them (hereinafter referred to as an image forming apparatus), which form an output image on a recording medium such as a sheet of paper based on input image data. The present invention also relates to a gradation correction method for correcting the gradations of an output image, and control method of the image forming apparatus.
2. Related Art
In an image forming apparatus based on an electrophotographic system such as a laser printer, printing is performed by undergoing the processes of exposure, development, transfer and fixing. To put it concretely, first, in the exposure process, an electrostatic latent image of an image to be printed is formed on the surface of a photosensitive drum by the irradiation of an exposure beam the light quantity of which is modulated In accordance with the image data of the image to be printed. Hereupon, the light and shade, or the gradation, of the image can be expressed by modulating the intensity of the exposure beam, or by controlling an exposure time. Next, in the development process, toner is blown to the photosensitive drum, and the electrostatic latent image is developed on the photosensitive drum as a toner image. In the transfer step, the toner image is primarily transferred from the photosensitive drum to a transfer belt, and then the transferred toner image is secondary transferred from the transfer belt to a sheet of printing paper. In the fixing process, the printing paper is heated, and thereby the toner image is fixed.
In case of a color printer using a plurality of color toner, the so-called tandem system color printer is well known. In the tandem system color printer, an exposure unit and a development unit are provided for each color. Toner images of respective colors are superposed one upon another on a transfer member such as the transfer belt, and then the superposed toner images are transferred on the printing paper in a lump.
In an image forming apparatus based on the electrophotographic system described above, there are some cases where output density values of the apparatus change owing to the dispersion of respective characteristics of the apparatus and the influences of the environment in which the apparatus is used (the influences of temperature, humidity and the like), and thereby desired output gradations according with input density values cannot be obtained.
Accordingly, a conventional image forming apparatus performs a gradation correction of an output image at every fixed period. As shown in FIG. 13, the gradation correction of the conventional image forming apparatus uses a correcting image including a gradation pattern composed of a plurality of gradations, or patch-shaped density steps changing in density by steps. The conventional image forming apparatus detects output densities of the correcting image which has been transferred on a transfer belt through a photosensitive drum by measuring the reflected light quantities of the correcting image with an optical sensor, and performs the gradation correction of the output image based on measurement results (see, for example, JP-Tokukai-2002-14505A and JP-Tokukai-2001-142266A).
To put it concretely, as shown in FIG. 14, the conventional image forming apparatus calculates a measured curve by plotting measured density values at respective density steps measured by the sensor as output density values to input density values. Then, a correction curve having an inverse characteristic of the measured curve with respect to a straight line indicating aimed output gradations is obtained, and output gradations are corrected based on the correction curve.
However, in the case where the distance from the position where a toner image is developed to the position where the toner image is measured by the sensor on the transfer belt is long, there are some cases where the driving speed of the transfer belt has changed until the density of the correcting image is measured by the sensor owing to deflection of the transfer belt, or mechanical errors of respective members such as a drive motor, gears and the diameters of conveying rollers, each being for driving the transfer belt. As the measurement timing by the sensor, specified timing is previously set in order that density measurements may be performed at correct positions of respective density steps based on the turning speed of the transfer belt, the positions where the gradation pattern is formed, and the patch sizes of the respective density steps. However, when the turning speed of the transfer belt changes, the measurement timing is shifted, and consequently the densities at positions different from the positions where the densities should be measured originally are measured. Because such measurements do not bring about correct output density values to the input density values, erroneous gradation corrections are performed based on inaccurate measurement results.
For solving the problem, it is also considerable that a specific pattern such as a reference line indicating a correct measurement starting position of the sensor is added to the correcting image to correct the shift of the measurement timing of the sensor. However, in that case, a new pattern should be written in the correcting image, and toner for the writing of the pattern is additionally consumed. Consequently, the costs of the apparatus are increased.

Image forming apparatus, gradation correction method and control method of image forming apparatus

Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.


The present invention provides an isolated tyrosyl tRNA synthetase (TyrRS) polypeptide variant which comprises (a) a Rossmann fold region or a portion thereof, preferably including an 5 coil; and (b) an anticodon recognition domain or portion thereof, preferably including an 14 coil. Preferably, the 5 coil and the 14 coil have a greater spatial separation in the tertiary structure of the variant compared to the corresponding spatial separation in native human TyrRS. The variant preferably comprises an amino acid residue sequence identity of at least about 50% compared to the amino acid residue sequence of human TyrRS (SEQ ID NO: 3), includes at least one non-conservative amino acid residue sequence of human TyrRS, and preferably presents an exposed ELR motif in the 5 coil on an external portion of the tertiary structure of the polypeptide. A preferred TyrRS protein variant comprises the amino acid residue sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4 or a portion thereof. The proteins and protein fragments of the invention are angiogenic and are useful for stimulating angiogenesis in mammalian tissues.

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases are essential enzymes that catalyze the addition of amino acids to their cognate tRNAs as a first step in protein synthesis. These essential enzymes are separated into two classes based on the presence of unique sequence motifs and overall structure of their catalytic domains. Class I synthetases have two highly conserved amino acid motifs, i.e., the sequences HIGH (SEQ ID NO: 1) and KMSKS (SEQ ID NO: 2), within the catalytic domains of its ten members. In contrast, the Class II synthetases have three highly degenerate sequence motifs, referred to as motifs 1-3. Over the past twenty years, several additional roles for tRNA synthetases were discovered, including RNA splicing, nuclear export and regulation of gene transcription. These additional functions have been acquired during the long evolution of these ancient enzymes. Many of these added functions are a result of appended domains, which have been fused to the core synthetase sequences. In higher eucaryotes, the appended domains of two synthetases have been demonstrated to have functional biological roles unrelated to the function of the core enzyme. For instance, fragments of two human tRNA synthetases, i.e., tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase (TyrRS) and tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase (TrpRS), have been demonstrated to have cytokine-like activities. Two related fragments of human TrpRS, known as mini-TrpRS and T2-TrpRS, are negative regulators of angiogenesis. Human TyrRS (SEQ ID NO: 3) can be readily separated into two active fragments. A C-terminal appended domain fragment has activity similar to the pro-inflammatory cytokine endothelial-monocyte-activating polypeptide II (EMAP II), while an N-terminal fragment (mini-TyrRS, residues 1-364 of SEQ ID NO: 3) induces angiogenesis.
Angiogenesis is a tightly regulated process in which a careful balance between pro-angiogenic and anti-angiogenic factors must be maintained. Disruption of this balance, leading to excessive or insufficient growth of blood vessels, is associated with diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, rheumatoid arthritis, delayed wound healing, as well as many other conditions. Regulation is controlled through a variety of processes including transcriptional and translational control, post-translational modifications and processing of the ligand. Other proangiogenic cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha and hepatocyte growth factor, are generated by proteolytic cleavage of precursor proteins. Similarly, cleavage by proteases releases active cytokine fragments from human TrpRS and TyrRS.
The TrpRS and TyrRS enzymes of higher eukaryotes are composed of a core catalytic region that includes a Rossmann fold having a number of alpha coils interspersed with beta sheet segments. The Rossmann fold catalytic domain of human TyrRS (residues 1 through 230 of SEQ ID NO: 3) includes a hydrogen bond tether between the α5 coil of the Rossmann fold domain and the α14 coil of the anticodon recognition domain (see FIG. 3, Bottom Panel, and FIG. 4, Top Panel). The tether partially blocks the Glu-Leu-Arg (ELR) motif in the α5 coil of the active site domain of the protein.
The catalytic domain of human TyrRS and TrpRS are each homologous to the catalytic domains of their respective corresponding bacterial and lower eukaryotic enzymes, appended with a C-terminal or N-terminal extension, respectively. The C-terminal extension of human TyrRS shares about 51% sequence identity to the pro-inflammatory cytokine EMAP II. In each case, the full-length enzymes are inactive as cytokines, though functional as synthetases. When the extensions unique to higher eukaryotes are removed, the enzymes become active cytokines capable of controlling angiogenesis.
It has now been discovered that opening the separation between the α5 coil of the catalytic Rossmann fold domain and the α14 coil of the anticodon recognition domain relative to the separation of these coils in native human TyrRS renders the protein angiogenic. The present invention provides TyrRS protein variants and fragments thereof, which are useful for stimulating angiogenesis in mammalian tissues.

Angiogenic tyrosyl tRNA synthetase compositions and methods


A ball toss apparatus for tossing a ball is disclosed. The ball toss apparatus includes an air compressor for compressing air. An air storage tank is connected to the air compressor for storing the compressed air. A pressure regulator is connected to the air storage tank for regulating the pressure of the compressed air contained in the air storage tank. A pneumatic air cylinder is connected to the air storage tank via a three-way solenoid actuated valve for receiving the compressed air. A ball launch arm is connected to the pneumatic cylinder for launching the ball.

The present invention is an apparatus for tossing a ball. More particularly, the present invention is a free standing device which can launch a series of volleyballs spaced in time to replicate numerous volleyball situations including a serve, a pass, a set or a hit in a volleyball environment.
The sport of volleyball has become one of the fastest growing participation sports in the United States, as well as in the entire world. More people play organized volleyball at the present time than at any other time in the past. Volleyball leagues and tournaments are held both throughout the United States and throughout the world. In addition, indoor volleyball has been an Olympic sport for several years, and beach volleyball made its Olympic debut in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Ga.
There are a variety of different types of volleyball leagues and tournaments. In particular, there are women's leagues and tournaments, men's leagues and tournaments, and co-ed leagues and tournaments. In each of these categories, volleyball games can be played indoors on a hard court surface, or outdoors on either a grass surface or sand surface. In addition, the number of players per team can vary anywhere from two to six players playing for one team at any given time.
Due to the increasing popularity of the sport of volleyball, most colleges and universities have both men's and women's varsity and/or club volleyball teams which compete against other college or university teams similar to the sport of basketball. Likewise, a majority of all high schools in the United States offer volleyball as a varsity sport for both boys and girls. In addition to the college and high school arena, there is also an official governing body in the United States which governs both boys and girls volleyball activities during the off-season and mens and womens volleyball activities throughout the year. This governing body is called the United States Volleyball Association. The United States Volleyball Association offers tournaments throughout the off-season for boys and girls ranging from ages 10-18 in their junior Olympic program. The Unites States Volleyball Association also governs men's and women's volleyball leagues and tournaments throughout the United States. Presently, there are over 2,000 adult men and women volleyball teams and over 5,000 junior Olympic volleyball teams registered with the United States Volleyball Association. Finally, in addition to both men's and women's professional beach leagues and tournaments, a womens professional indoor league has begun and a mens professional indoor league is slated to begin before the year 2000.
With the increasing popularity of volleyball in the United States, as well as the rest of the world, more and more players are becoming members of teams which practice regularly. During any given practice it is often desireous to practice various volleyball skills such as passing a served ball, setting a passed ball hitting a set ball or blocking a hit ball. Presently, a coach or an extra player is necessary to continuously serve or feed (toss) volleyballs to the practicing team. However, often times there is not an extra player to perform this task. In addition, consistency in the toss is very important. Without consistency, it is difficult to practice a particular skill. Finally, an individual player may want to practice a variety of volleyball skills such as passing a served ball, setting a passed ball, hitting a set ball or blocking a hit ball at a time when no other persons are present. Without the aid of additional personal to serve, pass, set or hit the volleyball, this player cannot replicate a game situation.
Therefore, there is a need for a machine which can provide the repetitive function of consistently serving, passing or setting a plurality of volleyballs to a player such that the player can practice one or more volleyball skills.


A fundus camera, which does not take time for adjustment of illumination light amount and focusing even if brightness of the fundus is different for each eye to be inspected, includes an illumination unit for illuminating the fundus of the eye to be inspected, a photometry unit for performing photometry of reflection light from the fundus illuminated by the illumination unit, an illumination light amount control unit for controlling a light amount of the illumination unit, a focus detection area determining unit for determining a focus detection area with respect to a fundus image taken by an image pickup unit, and a focus detection unit for detecting a focus position in the area determined by the focus detection area determining unit. The photometry unit calculates a photometry value of the focus detection area, and the illumination light amount is controlled based on the photometry value.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ophthalmologic imaging apparatus such as a fundus camera and an ophthalmologic imaging method used for a physical examination in a group checkup or a general checkup, and to a program therefore.
Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a fundus examination is performed in a group checkup such as a resident checkup or a company checkup. Usually in fundus imaging in the group checkup, non-mydriatic imaging is performed, which does not need mydriatics. In the non-mydriatic imaging, an examination room is darkened, or a simple darkroom is used so that the eye to be inspected is shielded from indoor light, and thus natural mydriasis of the eye to be inspected is urged for imaging.
An ophthalmologic imaging apparatus that performs non-mydriatic fundus imaging includes an observation light source in an infrared wavelength range that usually does not cause miosis, and a visible imaging light source. In the fundus imaging, the observation light source is used for illuminating the fundus to perform positioning and focusing of the imaging apparatus. After that, an image is taken of the fundus illuminated by the imaging light source.
As to focusing, there is known a fundus camera of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-50531 in which automatic focusing is performed on a specific section of the fundus of the eye to be inspected. In the fundus camera described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-50531, a focus evaluation value is calculated based on a focus state detection unit that detects contrast of a specific section in the fundus of the eye to be inspected, and the automatic focusing is performed on a focus position that is a position at which the focus evaluation value becomes maximum. In addition, the fundus camera of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-50531 includes an illumination light amount control unit that adjusts the illumination light amount of the light source for observation as a technique for realizing more accurate automatic focus. The illumination light amount control unit controls the illumination light amount based on an output of the focus state detection unit.
When detecting contrast of the fundus of the eye to be inspected, because brightness of the fundus is different for each eye to be inspected, and because the light source for observation also has an individual variation, brightness of the fundus in observation has a variation. This variation also affects detection of a contrast value, and hence stable focus detection cannot be performed. Therefore, in order to perform stable focus detection, it is necessary to detect brightness of the fundus in advance and to adjust the illumination light amount in accordance with the brightness. In order to adjust the illumination light amount, it is necessary to detect the illumination light amount.
The fundus camera disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-50531 uses a focus state detection unit so as to output the focus evaluation value based on the contrast calculated from a luminance value of each pixel in the fundus image, and detects a local maximum value of the focus evaluation value so as to perform focus evaluation. In addition, because the focus evaluation value refers to the luminance value of the fundus image, it is possible to detect whether or not the luminance value is saturated at the same time as the focus evaluation. If the luminance value is saturated, the illumination light amount is adjusted.
However, after starting the focus evaluation, if the illumination light amount is adjusted so as to change the observation condition for the fundus, the contrast value of the fundus image also changes. Therefore, it is necessary to search for the local maximum value of the focus evaluation value again. In this case, it takes time to obtain an in-focus state, or extra amount of light illuminates the eye to be inspected, which increases a load on an examiner or a subject.

Ophthalmologic imaging apparatus, ophthalmologic imaging method, and program


A hoisting device, especially a cable or chain block, with a hoisting transmission having at least one shaft and with a hoisting load measuring mechanism. In order to determine the hoisting load as accurately as possible and possibly independent of the reeving and without additional structural height, the hoisting load has at least one sensor for detecting the deformation of the shaft produced by the hoisting load and the detected deformation is used as a quantity in determining the hoisting load.

The invention concerns a hoisting device, especially a cable or chain block, with a gearing having at least one shaft and with a load measuring mechanism.
Hoisting devices like cable or chain blocks have a predetermined lifetime, which depends on the load stress and the load frequency distribution. Furthermore, an economical use of hoisting devices requires a high capacity utilization. In order to determine the remaining lifetime each year, one therefore requires, at a minimum, the hours of operation and their load frequency distribution as data.
Formerly, the data needed to determine the hours of operation and the load frequency distribution were gathered manually or estimated. However, this is time-consuming and inaccurate. Methods and devices were therefore developed to automatically count the hours of operation, so-called operating hour counters. Corresponding methods and devices for monitoring of hoisting devices are known, for example, from DE 195 14 050 C2, DE 196 17 105 C2, DE 199 23 824 C2, DE 199 56 265 A1 and DE 40 38 981 A1.
The monitoring data are automatically gathered by means of these methods and with these devices, saved if so required, and put out via displays, wherein both the devices and the displays are usually arranged in the hoisting device. For this, it is known how to perform either a manual, optical reading of the displays or how to electronically read out the data by means of an interface and corresponding reading device.
Besides the hours of operation, the load frequency distributions are also kept track of. For this, one needs to determine the hoisting load.
But the hoisting load measurement is also useful to the safety, since the hoisting devices are designed for a maximum load, which must not be exceeded.
To avoid such overloading of the hoisting device, it is known, for example from DE 34 42 868 A1, how to employ end switches which shut off the hoisting device after exceeding a predetermined spring force corresponding to the maximum load. Although this ensures the safety of the hoisting device in operation, no direct measurement of the actual hoisting load is possible.
Therefore, for actual measurement of the hoisting load, one often uses load measuring mechanisms with measuring elements such as strain gauge strips, which enable a determination of the actual load in terms of the strain in the measurement strips. Furthermore, these are usually also combined with end switches.
The usual devices, however, have a number of drawbacks. They are costly and cumbersome. The strain gauge strips are usually not loaded directly by the full hoisting load, but instead are mechanically reduced, e.g., via suitable levers. But this leads to an increased physical size, especially the structural height. Moreover, only the force acting on the cable strand (or chain) is determined, but this is dependent on the reeving of the cable, so that this has to be factored into the absolute determination of the hoisting load. Also, no measurement without reeving is possible in these devices, since the measurement is done in the load string. On the whole, therefore, the usual devices involve a relatively elaborate evaluation of the signals and circumstances of the load measurement, requiring special electronics for the evaluation, in order to achieve the desired accuracy.
From German Utility Model DE 203 00 942 U1 is known a force transducer for the measuring of axle forces that essentially act transversely on an axle. Such a force transducer can be used, for example, to measure the forces acting on a cable drum, in order to prevent an overloading of the cable drum or the attached device. The force transducer essentially has a lengthwise extending axial body on a first segment for mounting of the cable drum, designated as the force entry zone. This first force entry segment is followed by two force measuring zones on either side, which have a smaller diameter than the force entry zone, as well as the bearing zones adjoining the force measuring zones. In the region of the bearing zones, the axle is mounted in appropriately configured cheeks. Within the force measuring zones there are blind boreholes oriented transversely to the lengthwise dimension of the axle, in which strain gauge strips are arranged. These blind boreholes are hermetically sealed at the outside with a cover, so that the force measuring system is protected against environmental influences. For reasons of redundancy, a blind borehole with strain gauge strips is arranged in each of the opposite force measuring zones in relation to the cable drum. The strain gauge strips can measure stresses, elongations, and shear forces of the material of the axle body in the region of the force measuring zone. The resulting measurement signals can then provide information as to the loading of the cable drum.
Moreover, from German Patent DE 195 12 103 C2 there is known a cable winch with an operating data gathering system. Besides a determination of the number of revolutions and direction of turning, the loading of the cable winch is also measured by torque sensors. This cable winch is essentially characterized by a cuplike pillow block at one side, serving to accommodate a hydraulic motor, and projecting into a cable drum of the winch. The output shaft of the hydraulic motor acts via a gearing on the cable drum of the winch. Torque sensors in the form of strain gauge strips are arranged at the outer circumference of the stationary cuplike pillow block, by which one can measure the loading of the cable winch as a function of the deformation of the pillow block.
Furthermore, from German Patent DE 35 17 849 there is known a torque sensor for a steering shaft or a transmission shaft of a motor vehicle. The shaft consists of a ferromagnetic material or a nonferromagnetic material that is covered with a film of ferromagnetic material. The torque sensor measures without contact the torque exerted on the shaft by sensing the magnetic permeability of the shaft. For this, the torque sensor has an excitation winding unit with two excitation coils and a sensor winding unit with two sensor coils. Since the magnetic fluxes of the excitation coils operated by alternating current pass through the shaft, the electrical signals generated in the sensor coils are dependent on the magnetic permeability of the shaft and, thus, on the torque exerted on the shaft.

Hoisting device with load measuring mechanism and method for determining the load of hoisting devices


An apparatus removes water from a liquid mixture which has formed in a compressed gas system. The apparatus includes a gas compressor having an inlet port for receiving low pressure gas to be compressed and a discharge port through which a stream of compressed gas flows. An aftercooler is disposed in fluid communication with the discharge port for cooling the compressed gas stream. A vessel collects any entrained liquid water and lubricant from the compressed gas stream. The vessel has a sump portion and a vent to an atmosphere external to the compressed air system. A heat exchanger heats the liquid mixture within the vessel to a predetermined temperature to vaporize the water. The water vapor exits the vessel through the vent and the lubricant remains in the sump portion of the vessel. A valve permits the separated lubricant to be drained from the sump portion of the vessel to a location external to the compressed air system.

This invention generally relates to compressed air systems, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for separating water condensate from a water/oil condensate mixture collected during operation of a compressed air system.
Atmospheric air is used as an air source for most compressed air systems. All atmospheric air contains some amount of water vapor which will begin to condense into liquid water in the compressed airstream when the compressed air cools to a predetermined temperature.
During the compression of air, heat is generated. To overcome the detrimental effects of the heat, and to lubricate various compressor elements, lubricating oil is introduced into the compressor at predetermined locations. Downstream of the compressor, a heat exchanger, such as an aftercooler, is typically employed to cool the compressed air, which thereby condensates any water or lubricant vapors present within the compressed airstream.
It has long been recognized that it is desirable to "dry" compressed air before its use by an object of interest. In this regard, typically moisture separators, air dryers, and filter assemblies are employed in the compressed air system to remove any entrained liquid water and oil droplets from the compressed airstream. The liquid water and oil which are removed from the compressed airstream typically are collected at predetermined desired locations within the compressed air system, such as in a moisture separator tank, for example, or at various other locations in the compressed air system, such as in the aftercooler, for example. This condensate mixture (effluent condensate) is typically not re-usable by the compressed air system. Accordingly, to date the effluent condensate has been removed from a respective compressed air system for hazardous waste disposal.
As should be understood, the costs associated with the disposal of a predetermined volume of liquid hazardous waste are extreme, and these costs are increasing. Presently, the volumes of effluent condensate which are removed from compressed air systems are primarily composed of non-toxic water. Accordingly, the costs associated with the hazardous waste disposal of effluent condensate may be significantly reduced by removing the water present therein, to thereby reduce the total volume of effluent condensate to be disposed. Present compressed air systems do not provide for a simple and efficient means for removing the water from a volume of effluent condensate to thereby reduce the total volume of effluent condensate to be disposed.
The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in present compressed air systems. Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an alternative directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations set forth above. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features more fully disclosed hereinafter.

Method and apparatus for separating water from a condensate mixture in a compressed air system


A method of manipulating a three-dimensional object displays a first view of a three-dimensional object on a touchscreen. The touchscreen has three-dimensional views associated with at least one pre-specified visually undelineated portion of the touchscreen. The method receives a touch input on the touchscreen in a visually undelineated portion, and determines a second view of the three-dimensional object based on the view assigned to the visually undelineated portion that received the touch input. The method displays the second view of the three-dimensional object on the touchscreen.

Modern computing devices or computer systems commonly permit a user to view a displayed three-dimensional object from nearly any viewpoint. For example, an architect can design a new house or building using a computer aided design package, and then display that house from any of a variety of angles, such as from the top and sides of the house. To that end, many widely available computer design packages display toolbars and pallets that enable user control of the object. Among other things, the toolbar can have buttons, sliders, or other visual indicia that, when selected or otherwise manipulated by a user, causes the object or viewpoint to move in a desired manner.
This type of user interface/display control has been effective for many years, especially in the desktop computer space and high performance computing space. Undesirably, however, with the accelerating trend toward smaller, portable devices, such as smartphones and tablets, these important toolbars and pallets can take up a great deal of screen space. In fact, they can take up so much space that the ultimate object being displayed may have very little room to maneuver and have significant size limitations.

Apparatus and method for manipulating the orientation of an object on a display device


A waveguide becomes a single mode waveguide under the condition as described below. If the LiNbO.sub.3 waveguide includes an Na content in a range of 0.1 to 14.3 mol % and an Mg content in a range of 0.8 to 10.8 mol %, and provided that T(.mu.m) represents a thickness of the waveguide, and .lambda. (.mu.m) represents a wavelength of the guided wave, then the relationships in the following equations are preferable, in the case of TM mode, 1.9<(T+0.7)/.lambda.<5.7 (T>0) in the case of TE mode, 0.29<(T+0.04)/.lambda.<1.19 (T>0).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a single mode optical waveguide, more particularly relates to an optical waveguide for use as an optical modulator and an optical switch in an optical integrated circuit used in an optical fiber communication system, an optical information processing system, an optical sensing system, an optical data registration system and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, due to progresses of a single mode optical fiber and a single wavelength laser, a high speed optical data transmission of G b/s has practically been utilized. In particular, the optical waveguide device, which is superior in a high adaptability with the single mode optical fiber, holds a key to a future development of the optical fiber communication system.
In the field of the optical communication system, in order to build up the optical fiber communication networks, it is necessary to develop the optical device such as an optical matrix switch, the optical modulator or the like. The single mode optical waveguide is a component of such an optical device.
As an optical device, hithertofore, a number of optical devices using a Ti diffused LiNbO.sub.3 channel waveguide have been developed. LiNbO.sub.3 is generally utilized as an optical device using the electro-optical effect, since it has a relatively larger electro-optical constant among stable inorganic optical crystals. A Ti diffusion method and a proton exchange method are well known as a method of forming a waveguide.
Such an optical device is constructed by utilizing a single mode channel waveguide capable of transmitting only a fundamental mode in order to prevent unnecessary mode conversion due to interference and little disturbance between modes in waveguide.
As a material for constructing the optical device, as described above, LiNbO.sub.3 is desirable and actually used. However, in such a LiNbO.sub.3, (1) a LiNbO.sub.3 optical waveguide produced by the Ti diffusion method can not perform waveguiding of a short wave length or a visible light due to its a large optical damage, and (2) a LiNbO.sub.3 optical waveguide produced by the proton exchange method has a different crystallizability from that of a virgin LiNbO.sub.3, after the waveguide has been formed, so that together with the other reason, an electro-optic constant is smaller than that of a bulk crystal (or LiNbO.sub.3). Accordingly, when such an optical waveguide is used as the optical device for an optical switch or a directional coupler and the optical modulator or the like, then problem has arisen in an inability to realize the electric-power-saving and the downsizing since a larger switching voltage and a longer effective length are required.
While, the Ti diffused LiNbO.sub.3 waveguide is formed by diffusing Ti at 1000.degree. C., and the proton exchanged LiNbO.sub.3 waveguide is also formed by performing the proton exchange at about 200.degree. C. Therefore, when the temperature arises up to the Curie point of the LiNbO.sub.3 for these waveguides, there is a problem that the Ti or Proton are more diffused enough to change a waveguide mode profile or to eliminate a presence of the waveguide mode.
Then, the present inventors have found that as shown in Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 12,095/92, the above problem is caused by a lower electro-optic effect caused from lattice mismatch between a substrate and a crystalline material forming the waveguide. In order to solve the above problem, the lattice match between the LiTaO.sub.3 monocrystalline substrate and the LiNbO.sub.3 monocrystalline thin film waveguide layer is performed by including an Na content in a range of 0.1 to 14.3 mol % and an Mg content in a range of 0.8 to 10.8 mol % in the LiNbO.sub.3 monocrystalline waveguide, thereby developing a method of producing an optical device with a superior electro-optic effect.
In order to use such an optical waveguide as a practical device, as described above, the single mode optical waveguide must be obtained, but the above lattice matched LiNbO.sub.3 waveguide developed by the present inventors has a different refractive index from that of the conventional LiNbO.sub.3 waveguide so that conditions for single mode are different with each other and thus the LiNbO.sub.3 waveguide obtained by the conventional design did not exhibit a single mode transmission.


The present disclosure is directed to a universal antivenom for the treatment of venomous animal bites, and methods of developing the same using a novel targeted phage display technique.

M13 phages expressing short peptides have been utilized as delivery vehicles to transport various binding motifs to targets. Genetic modification to phage tail proteins allows for the expression of unique peptides of variable sequences, length, and composition. Expressed peptides can bind to specific epitopes, forming the basis of a high throughput system for identifying binding partners.
Animal envenomation is a major public health concern worldwide and is classified as a neglected disease by the World Health Organization. For instance, approximately 400,000 people worldwide, with nearly 9,000 in the United States and Canada, are affected every year by snakebite envenomation. Several antibody-based antivenoms are available for envenomation treatment. Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab (Ovine) is currently the only widely available product for the treatment of patients with North American crotalid; however its high cost and side effects are common concerns.
Antibody-based antivenoms are developed by exposing host animals to pure venom for immunological conditioning, and extracting the resulting antibodies. While an antibody-based strategy has yielded successful therapies for some snake species, there remain limitations in safety, efficacy, and cost of manufacturing. Additionally, antibody-based strategies have limited effectiveness in combating envenomation from other animals such as arachnids and medusae.
Serum is then isolated from the animals, and venom-reactive antibodies purified. While this antibody-based strategy has yielded successful therapies for some snake species, there remain limitations in safety, efficacy, and the economic aspects of manufacturing. One of the most serious side effects of antibody-based antivenom is patient's immunological reactions against heterologous immunoglobulins from horses or sheep, known as serum sickness. In addition, most antibody-based solutions require either special storage conditions or, if lyophilized, reconstitution prior to administration; both of which diminish their utility in remote and austere conditions. Although others have produced antibody-based antivenoms, their continued pursuit of antivenom production is questionable given the impact of a costly and time-consuming production process, as well as limitations of application.
The following references provide background information on the state of the art in antivenom technology and are herein incorporated by reference in their entireties: Molenaar, T. J. et al. Uptake and processing of modified bacteriophage M13 in mice: implications for phage display. Virology 293, 182-191, doi:10.1006/viro.2001.1254 (2002); Rabies and Envenomings A Neglected Public Health Issue (WHO 2007); WHO Guidelines for the Production Control and Regulation of Snake Antivenom Immunoglobulins (WHO 2010); Warrell, D. A. Guidelines for the management of snake-bites (WHO 201 0); Smith, S. et al. Bedside management considerations in the treatment of pit viper envenomation. J Emerg Nurs 40, 537-545, doi:10.1016/j.jen.2014.01.002 (2014); Mowry, J. B., Spyker, D. A., Cantilena, L. R., Jr., Bailey, J. E. & Ford, M. 2012 Annual Report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers' National Poison Data System (NPDS): 30th Annual Report. Clin Toxicol (Phila) 51, 949-1229, doi:10.3109/15563650.2013.863906 (2013); Kanaan, N.C. et al. Wilderness Medical Society Practice Guidelines for the Treatment of Pitviper Envenomations in the United States and Canada. Wilderness Environ Med 26, 472-487, doi:10.1016/j.wem.2015.05.007 (2015); Holland, D. R. et al. The crystal structure of a lysine 49 phospholipase A2 from the venom of the cottonmouth snake at 2.0-A resolution. J Biol Chem 265, 17649-17656 (1990); Fralick, J., Chadha-Mohanty, P. & Li, G. in Advances in Biological and Chemical Terrorism Countermeasures (eds R. Kendall, S. Presley, G. Austin, & P. Smith) 179-202 (CRC Press, 2008); Philipson, L., Albertsson, P. A., Frick, G. The purification and concentration of viruses by aqueous polymer phase systems. Virology, 11, 553-571 (1960); Yu, J. & Smith, G. P. [1] Affinity maturation of phage-displayed peptide ligands. 267, 3-27, doi: 10.10 16/s0076-6879(96)67003-7 (1996); Prakash S.S. Phage display technology for anti-venom production. Clinical Microbiology and Infection 13:4 (October 2015); Roncolato, E. C. et al. Phage display as a novel promising antivenom therapy: a review. 93:79-84 Toxicon. (January 2015; Epub November 2014).


The present invention relates to a process for making a container having an integral handle, comprising the steps of:                a) providing a preform (1) in a mould cavity (2);        b) stretch-blow moulding the preform (1) to form an intermediate container (3);        c) applying one or more inwardly moving plugs (5) to form one or more concave gripping region(s), whilst maintaining the pressure within the intermediate container (3) above 1 bar and whilst the temperature of the material in the gripping region of the intermediate container is at a temperature below the glass transition temperature, Tg;        d) releasing excess pressure within the container, preferably prior to withdrawing the plug (5) from within the container; and        e) ejecting the finished container(6) from the mould cavity (2,4).

The formation of integral handles via the stretch-blow moulding process is highly desirable and the art contains a number of attempts to solve the inherent problems which have not proved successful. An integrally moulded handle is generally less expensive than a separate, e.g. clip-on, handle. Previously disclosed approaches to provide an integral handle typically require the formation of a pair of opposing depressions or cavities in the body of the bottle that form the structural basis of the handle. These depressions can either then be welded together and the central section, encompassed by the weld, can be removed such as to form a completely open space through which the fingers and/or thumb can be inserted (a 'through' handle), or, alternatively, left to simply form a grip. If the grip is formed to be sufficiently wide and deep so that a hand can close on the grip without having the tip of the fingers touch the bottom of the recess, then ergonomic studies have shown the resulting grip functionality to be as good as that of a through handle.
One approach to achieving this is disclosed in EP0346518B1, which is a process comprising a first step of blow moulding a preform in a mould cavity; then a second step of pressing and holding an area of the stretched preform between a pair of opposed movable projecting members within the blow mould, after the preform has expanded to substantially fill the inner cavity of the blow mould and before the preform has cooled to a temperature below the glass transition point of the resin.
A first problem with such a process is that the stretch-blow moulding and handle drawing steps must be performed in quick succession, otherwise the temperature decreases below the glass transition temperature. Maintenance of the temperature consumes a lot of energy and so is expensive.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a process to create a deep, concave grip which provides an ergonomic handle.
There is a need in the art for a process which is less energy intensive and in which the steps of stretch-blow moulding and handle drawing can be de-coupled. It is desirable to have a broader operating temperature range, rather than the necessity to maintain specific high temperatures. Therefore, the second step can be performed at a location away from the first step. There is also a need for the material to withstand high stresses during handle drawing to prevent material failure.

Process for making a stretch-blow moulded container having an integrally moulded handle


The present invention relates to system for determining a movement of a control device and a system for detecting drowsiness of a driver of a vehicle, as well as an according processing unit used for this purpose and an according method. The system (12) for determining a movement comprises a plurality of light sensors (16), a processing unit (14) and an interface (18), wherein the light sensors (44-58) are able to transmit light intensity information to the processing unit (14) and the latter is able to provide information to a user. Further, the processing unit (14) is able to determine the movement of the control device based on the light intensity information submitted by the light sensors (44-58).

Drowsiness detection systems become more and more popular and established in today's cars, especially in cars sold by so-called premium-brands.
Those systems directed to monitor and control the driver's fitness and, for example, alarm the driver in the case of lack of fitness are normally still very expensive and even in the aforementioned premium-brands often only available as additional expensive premium packages.
The working principle of these known systems is to monitor the driver with regard to such aspects as steering wheel control, lane deviation etc. If, while monitoring those aspects, the system detects patterns that indicate drowsiness the driver is informed of this fact, either via sound or the car's information display in the dashboard, for example.
For the control of lane deviation, known systems are based on cameras that control the road markings and the car's position with respect to those road markings. If the car leaves the lane between those road markings without any apparent reason, for example, an intended switch of lanes indicated by the turn indicator, the system warns the driver accordingly.
Since those systems are based on the processing of the continuous image data delivered by the camera to the system, the system itself has to be equipped with resource demanding video processing algorithms. Due to the high demand on those resources, like computing power and memory, the system gets very expensive and/or is inaccurate or unreliable in many situations, especially during nighttime when drowsiness detection is most relevant.
Monitoring the steering wheel control is realized in the available systems by accessing the car's subsystems in order to get the steering wheel actuation information. Such a drowsiness detection system therefore needs to be completely embedded in the car's electronic systems in order to function properly. Accordingly, those systems, as well as the aforementioned video based systems, have to be included at the time of ordering the car into its electronic systems and into the whole vehicle.


A system and method of standardizing modular probe housings so that the standardized probe housings may be incorporated into probes adapted to work with at least one of a multiplicity of manufacturers' oximeters. The probe housings are adapted to matingly engage at least a disposable bandage apparatus and a reusable finger attachment device.  A pulse oximeter system comprises a finger attachment device having first and second probe couplers, the first and second probe couplers are configured to be matingly engageable with probe housings of a pulse oximeter probe.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of making and affixing a reusable probe to a patient by means of disposable bandage apparatus so that there is no contact between the costly, reusable portion of the probe and the patient. The contaminated bandage apparatus, which is relatively inexpensive, can then be discarded after single patient use and the probe can be re-used with a new bandage apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore the use of pulse oximeter probes has been limited to the use of a costly, reusable probe, which is contaminated by use on a patient, or cheaper, single-use probes, which, in the aggregate, amount to a considerable expenditure for a healthcare institution.
Others have attempted to convert single-use probes into multi-use probes through a lamination process. In that process, the original adhesive material is removed from the original manufacturer's sensor. The sensor is then laminated in a plastic sheath and the entire sheath is then inserted into a transparent, adhesive-backed sleeve, which is then adhered to a patient. After use, the probe can then be extracted from the sleeve and inserted into a new sleeve for use on another patient.
There are certain disadvantages to this method. Firstly, it is difficult to insert the flexible laminated sensor into a long sleeve. Secondly, the thickness of a laminated sensor inside of a sleeve makes it difficult to bend around, and to stick properly to, a human appendage. Thirdly, transmission and reception of infrared light can be affected by extraneous light entering from the sides of the sleeve. And, fourthly, there is some dispute as to the affect on infrared light transmission when passing through the sleeve and the adhesive material coupled thereto.
One of the problems with pulse oximetry, and the continuity of monitoring a patient, is the vast array of different monitors used in different hospital departments. Many times a patient will start out in the emergency room (ER) where the hospital utilizes one particular brand of monitor. If a disposable probe is affixed to the patient, and the patient is then admitted to intensive care, the disposable probe that was affixed in the ER will only work if the pulse oximeter used in intensive care is of the same make as the one in the ER. If that same patient is once again taken to radiology, or to have an MRI done, once again these different departments may have different pulse oximeter monitors. What happens many times is that the disposable probes affixed in one department are thrown away and new ones are affixed in other departments. Obviously, this creates additional expense in providing pulse oximetry monitoring.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Universal modular pulse oximeter probe for use with reusable and disposable patient attachment devices


A device and method for scrambling data by means of address lines is disclosed, which includes a seed generator, a first parameter generator, a data scrambler and a de-scrambler. The seed generator is connected to an address bus for generating a seed in accordance with a specific address on the address bus. The first parameter generator is connected to the seed generator for generating a first parameter based on the seed. The data scrambler is connected to a data bus for scrambling data based on the first parameter when a CPU core is to write the data to the specific address. The de-scrambler is connected to the data bus for de-scrambling the data based on the first parameter when the core is to read the data from the specific address.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the technical field of processor and, more particularly, to a device and method for scrambling data by means of address lines in a processor.
2. Description of Related Art
Due to the importance of intellectual properties, manufactories usually scramble their intellectual property (IP), including data and programs, off-line for data protection and store the scrambled data in a non-volatile memory or storage medium, such that an unauthorized person cannot access the data even if he/she obtains the memory or storage medium with the scrambled data.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,408,073 granted to Hsu, et al. for an "Scramble circuit to protect data in a read only memory" discloses a scramble circuit for protecting data stored in a read only memory by applying both a pseudo-random generator and an initial value seed1/seed2 to code ROM data and thus generates encoded data. However, since the scrambling technology uses random numbers as parameters, such a data protection method requires a synchronous random generator for decoding. Therefore program codes cannot be executed directly on such a ROM protected by this method, because any branch or jump in a program may dynamically change the decoding sequence. For example, FIG. 1 shows an exemplary set of program codes that are encrypted with sequential random numbers and stored in a ROM from 1F00—0000H to 1F00—0020H. When a processor executes the program codes directly, a conditional branch may lead to a problem. That is, after the processor executes the third instruction (i.e., instruction #3 of FIG. 1) representing bz 1F00—0020Hat address 1F00—000CH, it may jump to address 1F00—0020Hfor next execution in accordance with the content of zero flag. However, on one hand, data stored in address 1F00—0020H results in encoding with a number '78' generated by applying a pseudo random generator 20 to instruction #8 of FIG. 1, and on the other hand, the processor decodes data stored in address 1F00—0020Husing value 60 generated by the pseudo random generator at this moment, instead of the value '78' in the encoding process. Accordingly, the program is not executed properly due to the cited error, even the processor may stall. Therefore, applying a random generator or pseudo random generator can protect ROM data only, not for RAM, Flash and the like.
To solve the problem, U.S. Pat. No. 5,943,283 granted to Wong, et al. for an "Address scrambling in a semiconductor memory" uses address scrambling to convert sequential input addresses into non-sequential physical addresses, thus achieving data protection for RAM or Flash. However, if the stored data has significant sequencing pattern (e.g., Boot-up Strap procedure for a processor, or common function tables), data protection used can easily be cracked by guessing data disposition.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide an improved data protection method to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems.

Device and method for scrambling data by means of address lines


The present invention relates to a transformed plant cell expressing β-amyloid gene, which is known as a causal substance of senile dementia in human, a transformed plant and a preparation method of the same, more particularly, to a transformed plant cell expressing tandem repeats of β-amyloid gene, a transformed plant produced by tissue-culturing the above cells and a preparation method of the same. The transformed plant of the present invention expresses multiple β-amyloid protein, so that the plant can be effectively used for the preparation of an oral vaccine composition for the prevention of senile dementia in human.

WHO pronounced in 1990 that it was its goal to develop a vaccine that was not only safe and stable under heat but also administered orally and supplied widely. The annual vaccine market reached 6 billion dollar scale recently, which was though, continued to be extended to reach 13 billion dollar scale in 2003. A vaccine development system today has some problems such as high price of production facilities and refrigerating equipments necessary for transportation and storage, difficulties in administration of a vaccine, reluctance of people to be injected, etc. So, an alternative vaccine needs to be developed to solve the above problems and especially for the children in underdeveloped countries who have not been favored with preventive inoculation. One of the promising studies to develop an alternative vaccine is a study on plant vaccine for oral administration prepared from transformed crops. An oral plant vaccine has a safety of a recombinant vaccine and easiness in vaccination (oral administration) as well as efficiency. The oral administration of a plant vaccine is just eating a transformed plant inserted with an antigen gene by a plant expression vector, which is as easy as eating food but still can induce immune response.
Korea advances an aging society. Aged men over 65 were 5.7% of total population in 1995 and 7% in 2001, which was a base line for being defined as an aging society by UN. With this tendency, an aged population will reach 15% of total population in 2020. Dementia patients in Korea are estimated to be at least 500,000, and 10,000 to 20,000 new patients are expected to be report annually. According to epidemiological survey, dementia patients are going to be developed by 1 person per 15 families in 2020. Patients with Alzheimer's disease take at least 60% of total dementia patients, which are about 300,000 people. Senile dementia, so called Alzheimer's disease, is a kind of degenerative nervous disease, which progresses for a long while beginning by causing troubles in recognition and going to destroy humanity. Thus, a passive approach to those patients cannot relieve social and economic burdens. An active approach to develop an agent for prevention and treatment of the disease is required.
All the dementia treatment medicines, which have been developed already or are under development, are nothing but symptom relievers, so that they cannot treat a cause of the disease directly but help functioning of cholinergic neurons. From the results of studies on Alzheimer's disease, the cause of the disease is believed to be an accumulation of beta-amyloid, a toxic protein, in brain, resulting in the death of neurons (Bacskai B J et al., 2001, Nature medicine 7:369-372; Schenk D. et al., 1999, Nature 400:173-177). So, one of the most effective ways to prevent and to treat a cause of Alzheimer's disease directly is to develop an agent inhibiting degeneration of nervous system by suppressing the generation of beta-amyloid and toxicity.
Beta-amyloid is a metabolite produced by a protease originated from APP (amyloid precursor protein), type I internal membrane protein, and is composed of 39˜43 peptides consisting of domains of a cell and a cell membrane. The beta-amyloid is formed during amyloidogenic metabolism by the action of β-secretase and γ-secretase, sorts of a protease. According to recent studies, a transformed mouse having Alzheimer type dementia caused by the expression of human beta-amyloid showed alleviation of behavior disorder resulted from the elimination of plaques accumulated in brain by the administration of beta-amyloid vaccine (Chen G. et al., 2000, Nature 408: 975-979; Janus C. et al., 2000, Nature 408:979-982; Morgan D. et al., 2000, Nature 408:982-985).
There has been no such attempt, in domestic and in the whole world, to express human beta-amyloid gene in a plant, so that there has been no report yet saying that a transformed plant, in which the gene was expressed, used as a vaccine for the elimination of beta-amyloid plaque.
One of the 4 major principal crops, potatoes have a perfect nutritive composition and has been widely cultivated to feed human through the world except intense cold and heat areas. Therefore, a successful development of a potato vaccine can create a huge steady demand.
In the meantime, tasty tomatoes are also cultivated and consumed world-widely. It is one of their merits to be eaten in the raw, which is one of the best benefits as an oral plant vaccine. Thus, a tomato has already been selected as a target farm product by many researchers. Both potatoes and tomatoes belong to Solanaceae. And it has also been reported that transformation is easy and the expression of an inserted foreign gene is stably completed in them (Chong D. K. X. et al., 1997, Transgenic Res. 6:289-296; Sandhu J. S. et al., 2000, Transgenic Res. 9:127-135).
Thus, in order to develop potatoes and tomatoes expressing beta-amyloid gene for the purpose of using them as oral plant vaccines for the prevention and the treatment of human Alzheimer type dementia, the present inventors inserted multiple beta-amyloid gene into Agrobacteria using an expression vector plasmid for transformation containing multiple beta-amyloid gene and cultured thereof together with potato leaves or tomato cotyledon tissues, and the inventors completed the invention by producing potato and tomato plants mass-expressing multiple beta-amyloid gene.

Transformed plant cell expressing tandem repeats of beta-amyloid gene and plant produced by the same

Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology


A toilet seat lifting device for selectively raising and lowering the seat of a toilet includes a base disposed on a floor surface, a stanchion secured to the front of the base, and a foot pedal pivotably mounted to the stanchion. A plurality of link arms are pivotably mounted to the stanchion and are linked to the foot pedal so that movement of the foot pedal pivots the link arms. Mounted to the distal ends of the link arms is a lifting arm retaining member which carries an elongated lifting arm capable of vertical repositioning on the lifting arm retaining member to accommodate variously-sized toilet bowls and seats. The upper end of the lifting arm is attached to the under-side of the toilet seat. A main spring attached to the link arms assists in raising and dampens the lowering of the toilet seat, and a helper spring projecting upwardly from the base between the link arms engages when the toilet seat goes past the top dead center position in order to assist in returning the toilet seat to the lowered state.

The present invention comprehends bathroom or lavatory accessory items, and more particularly pertains to a toilet seat lifting device for raising and lowering toilet seats.
Safety, convenience, accessibility, and hygiene are primary factors to consider in designing, building, and using bathrooms, lavatories, and public restrooms. For example, with the passage of the Americans With Disabilities Act in the early 1990's, public restrooms have been redesigned for easy access and use by physically impaired and disabled individuals. Enlarged stalls, easy to reach handrails, and full length mirrors for wheelchair bound individuals are just a few of the improvements added to public restrooms for enhancing their convenience and access as required by the aforesaid Act.
In addition, whether the bathroom is private or public, hygiene is a paramount concern. Warm air blowers for drying the hands, anti-bacterial soap dispensers, and motion-activated faucets are common features in public restrooms. The toilet, however, remains the primary source of pathogenic--and sometimes lethal--bacteria. The toilet seat, lid, rim, tank, and bowl surfaces are rife with bacteria and, given the haste and inattentiveness that accompanies restroom visits--especially public restrooms--it is inevitable that harmful bacteria will be deposited, by direct or indirect means, on the individual because of the difficulty of using the toilet while at the same time avoiding direct physical contact therewith. A major problem arises in raising and lowering the toilet lid and seat while minimizing the amount and duration of physical contact needed to accomplish the task which, in turn, minimizes the chances of pathogenic bacteria transmission.
A number of devices have been invented to accomplish this task quickly, efficiently, and with a minimum of physical contact with the bacteria laden surfaces. U.S. Pat. No. 1,590,298 (Landis), U.S. Pat. No. 3,516,095 (Clifton et al.), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,589 (Rice) disclose toilet seat lifting devices that use pneumatic cylinder assemblies to control the raising and lowering of the toilet seat and lid. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 621,790 (Burger et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 1,511,533 (Staszak), U.S. Pat. No. 2,632,896 (Morikawa), U.S. Pat. No. 2,954,565 (Miller), U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,446 (Crocker), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,075,906 (Robbins) disclose devices for raising and lower toilet seats that incorporate rods, bars, or links that pivot to raise and lower the toilet seat when actuated by some type of foot pedal.
There remains a need, however, for a toilet seat lifting device that can both raise the toilet seat and/or lid in a smooth, continuous manner and also lower the toilet seat and/or lid in a smooth, controlled manner, and which requires very little force or effort to effectuate the raising and lowering of the toilet seat and lid.


A keypad encoding circuit contains a voltage dividing network and an integrated circuit. The voltage dividing network includes a string of resistors that generates an encoding signal voltage. The integrated circuit converts the encoding signal voltage into a digital value indicative of which of the keys has been pressed. The cost of the voltage dividing network is reduced by forming the resistors from a layer of conductive carbon and avoiding the cost of providing discrete resistors. Each resistor has the same resistance even where the dimensions of the conductive carbon patches that form the resistors vary. Providing the resistors does not involve additional manufacturing cost because the resistors are made in the same step as are the landing pads of the voltage dividing circuit. Manufacturing costs associated with etched printed circuit board layers are avoided because inexpensive printed layers are used to realize the required traces and resistors.

Various circuits exist for determining which key is pressed on a keypad of a remote control device. One older circuit includes a voltage dividing network of resistors and an integrated circuit with an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). When a key on the keypad is pressed, a node in the voltage dividing network is connected to a ground lead such that the voltage dividing network outputs an encoding signal voltage that is unique for the specific key that is pressed. The voltage dividing network contains a string of discrete series-connected resistors. The ADC receives the encoding signal voltage and converts it into a digital value that corresponds to the pressed key. U.S. Pat. No. 4,015,254 describes a keyboard encoding circuit with a voltage dividing network.
Some keypad encoding applications are extremely cost sensitive. Each discrete component (for example, a discrete surface mount resistor) adds cost to the circuit. Keypad encoding circuits have been developed that achieve substantial cost savings by reducing the use of discrete components.
FIG. 1 (prior art) is a schematic diagram of one such circuit, called a keypad matrix scanning circuit 10. The keys (0-9, and POWER) of a keypad are arranged in a matrix. Vertical conductors connect keys oriented in columns, and horizontal conductors connect keys along rows. A landing pad is disposed at each location where a vertical conductor and horizontal conductor cross. For example, landing pad 11 is disposed at the intersection of a row conductor and a column conductor at the five key. When a key located at an intersection is pressed, a conductive portion of the key makes contact with both sides of the landing pad thereby coupling the vertical and horizontal conductors together. An integrated circuit 12 periodically scans all keys in the matrix by successively transmitting a digital code on each of the conductors in one dimension and then detecting which of the conductors in the other dimension returns the code.
To determine that a key has been pressed, for example the five key, integrated circuit 12 successively transmits an encoding signal voltage, such as a digital one, on each of its row terminals A, B, C and D. Integrated circuit 12 detects a digital one on a column terminal only at the instant when a digital one is transmitted from output terminal C. This digital one is detected only on column terminal F. The keypad encoding circuit 10 determines that the five key has been pressed because row terminal C and column terminal F can be coupled only by the five key.
In keypad matrix scanning circuit 10, integrated circuit 12 has a separate terminal for each row and column of the keypad matrix. Integrated circuit 12 has four row terminals A, B, C and D, three column terminals E, F, and G, one VCC power terminal and one ground terminal. This large number of terminals results in the package of the integrated circuit being more expensive due to having to provide a large number of terminals (i.e., pins) on the package.
Cost is a major consideration in the business of infrared transmitting remote control devices for electronic appliances. It is not uncommon for a remote control device to have more than thirty-six keys, for example. To scan thirty-six keys, an integrated circuit package having at least twelve terminals would be required. Each of these terminals adds substantial cost. A large number of terminals also often results in the integrated circuit die contained in the package being more expensive due to having to provide a large number of bonding pads and associated bond wires.
The cost of a remote control device can be reduced not only by reducing the number of discrete components in the keypad encoding circuit and the number of integrated circuit terminals, but also by reducing the number of layers on the printed circuit board upon which the keyboard matrix scanning circuitry is disposed. The horizontal and vertical conductors of the scanning circuitry can, for example, be realized on a two-sided printed circuit board having an etched conductive layer of traces on each side. The horizontal conductors may, for example, be traces disposed on one side of the printed circuit board whereas the vertical conductors are traces disposed on the other side. Metal landing pads are placed at the intersection of the column and row traces. To prevent the metal landing pads on the printed circuit board from oxidizing, becoming more resistive, and compromising operation of the keypad, the metal of the landing pads is covered with a conductive carbon layer. The conductive carbon layer is deposited using an inexpensive silk screen process. Providing each of the two layers of traces and the conductive carbon layer in this printed circuit board, however, involves cost.
A lower-cost keypad encoding circuit therefore involves a single-sided printed circuit board. The conductors in one dimension are formed as conventional etched metal traces (for example, copper traces) on the printed circuit board. A solder mask is then disposed over the copper traces. The conductors in the other dimension are then formed as traces of conductive carbon on top of the solder mask using a silk screen mask. Because these conductive carbon traces are formed of the same layer that is used to protect the landing pads from oxidation, providing the second layer of traces does not involve the additional cost associated with providing a second layer of etched traces in a conventional two-sided printed circuit board.
Although the cost of providing keypad encoding circuitry on a remote control device has been reduced considerably, additional cost savings are desired. In the specific business of television remote control devices, the cost savings achieved by eliminating even one discrete resistor, one integrated circuit terminal or one printed circuit board layer is significant. A less expensive keypad encoding circuit is sought.


An electric displaying device for utilizing a multi-scanning control process comprises: a plurality of the pixel units having basic four LEDs (green, red, blue and 2nd green); pixel drivers to control the pixel units; driver controllers to control the pixel drivers; each LED connected independently to the pixel driver and driver controller; pixel-driving cells; pixel-driving blocks; and receiving boards for accessing the image data and control signal to the pixel-driving blocks. A control process for multi-scanning on the electric displaying device comprises: multi-scan card splits and distributes the image and control signal by sections; receiver board addresses the RGB image data and control signal to the pixel-driving blocks for accessing each pixel unit; two phase signals, “phase0” and “phase1” composed with four phase stages, phase-A, -B, -C and phase-D to generate basic images and intensifying image data by overlapping neighboring LEDs; and alternating the image data and control signals through the entire screen.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-scanning control process and LED display board utilizing the multi-scanning control process. More particularly, multi-scanning control is performed by sequentially overlapping horizontally and vertically neighboring LEDs of pixel units to intensify the resolution rate per pixel unit through a multi-scan card, a receiver board and pixel drivers.
2. Related Prior Art
Generally, an electric displaying device (201) is assembled with a plurality of LED modules (202), basic LED panels (203) and pixel units (204) to have appropriate brightness (a minimum of 5,000 to a maximum of 8,000 cd/m2 for an outdoor screen, and a minimum of 1,000 to a maximum of 3,000 cd/m2 for an indoor screen) at a fixed pitch (generally 10 mm, 12.5 mm, 14 mm, 15 mm, 16 mm, 20 mm, etc.). The pixel units (204) consist of three primary colors—red, green and blue LEDs. A LED panel (203) having a plurality of pixel units (204) is the basic unit for assembling the electric displaying device (201). Furthermore, a plurality of LED panels (203) is fabricated to form a LED module (202), so that it is convenient to assemble the final screen (201). As seen in FIG. 2, a typical screen (201) displaying an image with a resolution of 320×224 is assembled from a plurality of LED modules (202) with a resolution of 32×32, basic LED panels (203) with a resolution of 16×8, and pixel units (204) formed from a set of LEDs. In the case of the exemplary screen, the pixel unit is formed from two red LEDs, one green LED and one blue LED.
Usually, an electric displaying device utilizing a conventional single-scanning process emits a pre-set resolution fixed by the screen size. As seen in FIG. 1, all LED panels of 8×8 (101), 16×8 (102), 16×16 (103) and 32×16 (104) have the same resolution rate per pixel unit due to the single-scanning process. The brightness and resolution of each panel is proportionate to the size and area of the pixel panel. That is, the brightness and resolution of a conventional screen is fixed at the manufacturing stage by the size of the pixel panel. In other words, when a pixel unit (204) is represented as a dot, the resolution rate per pixel unit or dot rate per unit size and area of pixel panel is 1:1. Therefore, the resolution rate per pixel unit of each 8×8 LED panel (101), 16×8 LED panel (102), 16×16 LED panel (103) and 32×16 LED panel (104) is the same, and the overall resolution is proportionate to the size and area of each LED panel. The various arrangements (105) of LED pixels are presented as examples.
Generally, a basic LED panel (203) has a size of 16×8 resolution. Therefore, an LED module (202) of 32×32 resolution is fabricated with eight basic LED panels (width 2×length 4). Usually, 70 LED modules (width 10×length 7) are required to produce a screen (201) of 320×224 resolution. That is, 560 basic LED panels (width 20×length 28) or 71,680 pixel units or dots (width 320×length 224) are required to produce a screen.
Although conventional technology may satisfy the required screen resolution, it has a technical limitation due the fixed resolution rate per pixel unit. If a high-resolution screen is required, the screen size should be increased to meet the requirement. To accomplish this, however, the number of basic LED panels must be increased, which therefore raises the product cost. Furthermore, the source of image data and the control signal, as well as the capacities of the controlling device, should be increased as the screen size is increased in order to meet the optimum resolution and displaying condition.
As shown in FIGS. 1e, 3a and 3b, the various arrangements of LEDs for the pixel unit are introduced. For example, a pixel unit adopting two yellow-green LEDs is arranged within a lozenge shape, as seen in FIG. 3a. A pixel unit adopting a pure green LED is arranged within a triangle shape, as seen in FIG. 3b. Usually, a pitch of 12.5 mm is used for arranging the LEDs in the pixel unit of the conventional single-scanning method.
The pixel unit of the conventional method has limited resolution due to the fixed size and number of LEDs in the pixel unit. Because of limited resolution, the conventional screen is for outdoor use, which requires more than 15 m of visual distance. Generally, the conventional screen is not suitable for indoor use, which requires high resolution.
A PDP as a displaying device used for advertisement has 600 cd/m2 of illumination and 5000 hours of lifespan. A projector has 1000 cd/m2 of illumination and 3000 hours of lifespan. Contrarily, an electric displaying board configured with four LEDs per pixel unit has 5000 cd/m2 of illumination and 50,000 hours of lifespan. Although the LED displaying board has the great advantages of high illumination and long lifespan, it cannot be applied to an indoor screen due to the requirements of short visual distance, high resolution rate and high production cost.
Referring to FIG. 5a and FIGS. 6 through 8, an operation of the conventional single-scanning process is disclosed along with the configuration of the pixel unit, the signal flow of a single-scan card, receiver board and pixel driver.
The conventional single-scanning process has a 1:1 resolution rate per pixel unit. The conventional processor equips a control board comprising a scan card, a receiver board and a pixel driver board for controlling the RGB LEDs. Although more than one same color LED exists in the conventional pixel unit, the same color LEDs are connected in parallel to a common pixel driver, as seen in FIG. 8. That is, the red LED is connected to the red pixel driver. Two green LEDs are connected in parallel to a common green pixel driver. The blue LED is connected to the blue pixel driver. So, the common green pixel driver controls two green LEDs, at the same time.
Referring to FIG. 6, the single-scan card (60) of the conventional process receives an RGB signal and control signal from the control PC and distributes the received control signal, RIG data and G/B data to each receiver board (70). The single-scan card (60) comprises a video memory (61), a data latch circuit (62), an RS-422 data converter (63), a clock generator (64), a synchronizing signal generator (65) and a control signal generator (66).
Referring to FIG. 7, a conventional single-scan receiver board (70) receives the control signal, R/G data and G/B data from the single-scan card (60). The scan receiver board (70) comprises a TTL data converter (71) for converting the digital signal to TTL data, a display memory (74) for storing the RGB signal, an address generator (72) for accessing the control data, a data latch circuit (75), a display signal generator (73) for addressing and clocking the data, a serial signal converter (76) for converting the data to a serial signal, a data converter (77) for converting the serial signal to a parallel signal, and an output buffer (78) for outputting the data to the pixel driver block.

Multi-scanning control process and LED displaying device


A current compensation circuit for an amplifier, for example an operational amplifier, having input and output stages coupled at a high-impedance node, compensates for any modulation of current occurring at the high-impedance node. Particularly, the compensation circuit of the present invention reduces the error current at the high-impedance node resulting from a mismatch in beta between PNP and NPN transistors in the output stage, and reduces any error current resulting from the Early voltage effects of transistors in the output stage. In this manner, the present invention serves to substantially isolate the amplifier input stage from the output load, and from any beta mismatch or Early voltage effects in the transistors of the output stage, resulting in greatly improved open-loop gain.

In contemporary operational amplifiers, isolation of the voltage of the input signals applied to the input ports from the load at the output port is a common goal, as is the goal of optimal gain. With reference to the example of Prior Art FIG. 1, first and second input signals are provided at input nodes inp, inm at the bases of first and second input transistors q1, q2 respectively. Current sources i2, i1 are coupled between a positive supply voltage VPLUS and the collectors of transistors q1, q2 respectively. The emitters of transistors q1, q2 are jointly coupled to a current source i5, in turn coupled to a negative supply voltage VMINUS. Collectively, the transistors q1, q2 and current sources i1, i2, and i5 comprise a transconductance stage 22 for the amplifier for converting voltage signals applied at the input nodes inp, inm to current signals at nodes N1, N2.
The output nodes N1, N2 of the transconductance stage are provided to the emitters of a folded cascode transistor pair 24, comprising first and second transistors q3, q4. The bases of the transistors q3, q4 are jointly coupled to a voltage source v1, in turn coupled to the positive supply voltage VPLUS, while the collectors are coupled to a current mirror 26. The current mirror 26 comprises transistors q6, q7, and q8, configured as shown, the emitters of which are coupled to resistors r6, r1 and r2 respectively. Collectively, the transconductance stage 22, the folded cascode pair 24, and current mirror 26 comprise an input stage 28, the output of which is provided at a high-impedance node N3. The resulting signal at the high-impedance node N3 represents the difference in current carried by transistors q1 and q2, which is, in turn, a function of the difference in voltage supplied by the first and second input signals at the input nodes inp, inm. The resulting signal at the high-impedance node N3 is provided to an output stage 30.
Output stage 30 includes a gain stage 32, a current source 34, and an output buffer 36. The gain stage 32 amplifies the signal provided at the high-impedance node N3. The current source 34 in combination with the current source i6 bias the transistors q10, q14 of the gain stage 32 to produce the voltage gain, resulting in an amplified difference signal at node N4. The output buffer 36 buffers the amplified difference signal at node N4 to produce a buffered output signal at the output node OUTPUT.
This configuration suffers from a number of limitations. For example, assuming the current provided by the current source 34 to be a constant current, and assuming a positive load current drawn by a load at the output node OUTPUT, the base current at transistor q17, for example comprising an NPN transistor, would be represented by the load current divided the beta, or gain, of transistor q17. Therefore, due to the positive load, the base current of transistor q17 is elevated, and, as a result, less current is provided to the collector of transistor q14. Consequently, it follows that less current is provided to the base of transistor q14, which results in less current drawn from the transistor q10 emitter, corresponding to less current being drawn from the base of transistor q10 at the high-impedance node N3.
Similarly, for a negative load current drawn at the OUTPUT node, transistor q16 becomes active, rather than transistor q17, and the base current at transistor q16, for example comprising an PNP transistor, is represented by the load current divided the beta of transistor q16. Due to the negative load, the base current of transistor q16 is elevated, and, following the explanation above, this corresponds to more current being drawn from the base of transistor q10 at the high-impedance node N3.
Any variance in the base current of q10 causes a corresponding change in the input voltages at the input nodes inp, inm that provide the q10 base current. This is an undesirable outcome, since an important function of the amplifier is the isolation of the input terminals from the load at the output terminals. This modulation of the current into the high-impedance node is referred to in the art and herein as an xe2x80x9cerror currentsxe2x80x9d.
Additionally, during the fabrication process, it is difficult to generate PNP and NPN transistors having the same beta on a common integrated circuit. Since the output stage 36 NPN transistor q17 and PNP transistor q16 are likely to have different betas, their base currents are affected differently by the same load. This translates to a different effect on the high-impedance node N3, and, in turn, a modulation of the voltages at the input nodes inp, inm to different degrees, depending on whether the load is drawing a positive or negative current.
Furthermore, nearly all transistors are subject to a phenomenon referred to as the xe2x80x9cEarly effectxe2x80x9d, which represents a difference in current at the collector of a transistor for a given base-emitter voltage, as a function of the collector-emitter voltage. In the Prior Art configuration of FIG. 1, the Early voltage effects for output stage transistors q14 and q15 will likewise cause a variance in the base current of transistor q10 at the high-impedance node N3, in turn causing a modulation of the input voltages at input nodes inp, inm, as described above. In the present case of FIG. 1, changes to the transistor q14 collector current can occur as a function of the transistor q15 Early voltage effect, as well as changes to the transistor q14 base current (beta) as a function of transistor q14 Early voltage. Any variance in the transistor q14 collector current and beta will result in modulation of the transistor q14 and transistor q10 base currents, which ultimately modulates the input voltage of nodes inp and inm at the input stage 28, as described above.
The present invention is directed to a differential amplifier that addresses the limitations of the prior art. In doing so, the present invention provides an amplifier having greatly enhanced open-loop gain, while maintaining performance-characteristics.
Particularly, the present invention is directed to a current compensation stage for an amplifier, for example an operational amplifier, that compensates for any modulation of current occurring at the high-impedance node. Furthermore, the configuration of the present invention reduces the error current at the high-impedance node resulting from a mismatch in beta between PNP and NPN transistors in the output stage, and reduces any error current resulting from the Early voltage effects of transistors in the current source and gain stage of the output stage. In this manner, the present invention serves to substantially isolate the amplifier input stage from the output load, and from any beta mismatch or Early voltage effects in the transistors of the output stage.
In a first embodiment, the present invention is directed to an amplifier comprising an input stage and an output stage coupled at a high-impedance node, and a compensation circuit. The input stage generates a difference signal that is a function of the difference in voltage between first and second input signals applied to first and second input ports. The difference signal is provided at the high-impedance node. The output stage is coupled to the high-impedance node of the input stage, and includes an output circuit coupled to the high-impedance node. The compensation circuit is also coupled to the high-impedance node such that any error current drawn from the high impedance node by the output circuit is substantially minimized by the compensation circuit.
The difference signal may comprise a current signal and the first and second input signals may comprise voltage signals. The output circuit may comprise a voltage gain stage as well as an output buffer.
The voltage gain stage may comprise: a first transistor, a base of which is coupled to the high-impedance node, an emitter of which is coupled to a current source, and a collector of which is coupled to the compensation circuit; and a second transistor, a base of which is coupled to the emitter of the first transistor, an emitter of which is coupled to a negative voltage source, and a collector of which is coupled to an output stage of the output circuit.
The output circuit may include a first transistor having a base, emitter and collector, the base being coupled to the high-impedance node, the emitter being coupled to a gain stage of the output circuit. The compensation circuit may include a sense transistor cascoded to the collector of the first transistor for generating, at the base of the sense transistor, a compensation current substantially equal in magnitude to the error current. A current mirror transistor, a collector of which is coupled to the base of the first transistor at the high-impedance node, provides the compensation current to the high-impedance node. A bootstrapping transistor, a base of which being coupled to the emitter of the first transistor, and an emitter of which is coupled to an emitter of the current mirror transistor, bootstraps the voltage at the collector of the first transistor to the base of the first transistor, and bootstraps the voltage at the collector of the sense transistor to the voltage at the base of the first transistor.
The compensation circuit may further optionally include: a second transistor, an emitter of which is coupled to the collector of the sense transistor, a collector of which is coupled to a positive voltage source, and a base of which is coupled to a current source; a resistor, coupled between the base of the second transistor and the emitter of the current mirror transistor; and first and second diodes coupled between the emitter of the current mirror transistor, and the emitter of the bootstrapping transistor.
The first transistor, the sense transistor, and the second transistor may comprise NPN transistors, while the current mirror transistor and the bootstrapping transistor may comprise PNP transistors.
A current mirror, for example a Wilson-style current mirror, may also be coupled to the high-impedance node.

Current compensation circuit for improved open-loop gain in an amplifier


A hermetic adapter includes an adapter body, a hermetic seal disposed between the adapter body and a pin, a contact connected to the pin which is disposed within a dielectric, the dielectric being disposed within the adapter body. A sealing ring is press-fit into the adapter body and includes a sharp edge configured to deform a surface of an external adapter to which the hermetic adapter is attachable.

Hermetically sealed cables have been proposed for use in challenging environments in order to prevent intrusion of undesirable foreign matter, gasses, and/or liquids into a cable's interior or into an enclosure to which a cable connects. Such intrusion, if not prevented, may cause premature degradation or failure of a cable or components within an enclosure.
Conventional hermetically sealed cables typically include a connector permanently attached at either end of a cable having an outer sealed sheath enclosing one or more inner conductors. The end connectors are typically permanently attached to the cable by known hermetic sealing methods. However, such conventional cables require that the cable's function as a hermetically sealed cable be known at the time of manufacture. As a result, such conventional cables are typically manufactured to order, increasing manufacturing costs and limiting availability.