A computer architecture for managing Internet Protocol (IP) addresses data. Implementations may: receive, from an IP address management system of an registrant, a request to add an IP resource to the marketplace; query an ROA database to confirm the registrant; conduct an external border gateway protocol query to confirm that the subnet is an available subnet; record the at least one IP address subnet information as a subnet record in a marketplace database along with state metadata indicating that the at least one IP address subnet is in a pending state; create route objects and record the route objects as RADb records.

Any request by a user to access the public Internet requires the assignment of a unique public IP address to a client device associated with the user request. Therefore, service providers often have a prescribed set of public IP addresses available to assign to respective subscriber devices. Equipped with a public IP address, a subscriber device may then access the public Internet and thus access services of a service provider.
Typically, Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) allocate blocks of IP address to be managed by Local Internet Registries (LIRs). RIR guidelines permit LIRs to register the IP addresses to ISPs, Enterprises, and other entities that would like to provide the addresses to user client devices or otherwise control the IP addresses. A registrant has broad rights with respect to IP addresses but does not have legal ownership of the IP addresses. Such entities having substantial control over specified IP addresses, and authorized agents thereof, are referred to as "registrants" herein.
As the number of Internet services proliferates and the number of users of these services increases exponentially, public IP addresses are becoming a scarce resource and IP address management is becoming a critical problem. In a typical cloud service provider scenario, inventories of public IP addresses registered to a service provider relatively small. As the subscriber base of service providers increases, many service providers are not able to satisfy the demand for IP addresses out of their existing inventory. There are many IP addresses registered to other parties, such as enterprises. Further, many of these IP addresses are not currently in use by the registrants. However, registrants are reluctant to transfer registration of unused IP addresses to another party, such as an ISP in need of additional addresses because the registrants may need the IP addresses at a later date as internal needs grow. As a result of this situation, there are many service providers desperately in need of temporary use of IP addresses and many other parties (registrants) with currently unused IP addresses. However, there is no pragmatic mechanism for managing the unused IP addresses in a manner that allows temporary use by parties other than the registrants.

Computer systems and methods for managing IP addresses


A driving support device includes: a preceding vehicle recognizer that recognizes a preceding vehicle; a lane mark recognizer that recognizes a lane mark; a path following controller that controls the own-vehicle; and a lane maintaining controller that controls the own-vehicle when a vehicle speed of the own-vehicle is greater than or equal to a predetermined speed. The driving support device further includes a prediction unit that predicts a shift of the own-vehicle to a running state with the predetermined speed or greater, and while the own-vehicle is under control of the path following controller, when the preceding vehicle ceases to be an object recognized by the preceding vehicle recognizer, the vehicle speed is less than the predetermined speed, and the prediction unit (control management unit) predicts the shift of the own-vehicle to the running state with the predetermined speed or greater, the lane maintaining controller controls the own-vehicle.

For instance, two types of driving support control are known. One is driving support control (hereinafter also referred to as lane maintaining control) to maintain an own-vehicle in a traffic lane along a lane mark, and is also called lane keeping control. The other is driving support control (hereinafter also referred to as path following control) to cause an own-vehicle to follow the path of a preceding vehicle.
For instance, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-332192 (paragraphs [0043] to [0046]) discloses that lane maintaining control and path following control are performed. Specifically, it is disclosed that when a preceding vehicle is running away from the own-vehicle, a target running path of the own-vehicle is set based on a lane mark, and when a preceding vehicle is running close to the own-vehicle, a target running path of the own-vehicle is set based on the position of the preceding vehicle.
In the lane maintaining control, it is necessary to capture and recognize a lane mark presented ahead by an in-vehicle camera or the like. However, there are many locations (for instance, intersections) on general roads where a lane mark is discontinued, and cases frequently occur where there is no lane mark to be captured by a camera. Also, when the own-vehicle is running at a low speed due to traffic congestion or the like, the own-vehicle may approach a preceding vehicle and the lane mark ahead may be blocked by the preceding vehicle. Then, cases occur where a lane mark may not be captured by a camera or the like. For this reason, when the own-vehicle is running on a general road or running at a low speed, the lane maintaining control may not be performed in some cases. For instance, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-168395 (paragraph [0038]) discloses that while the lane maintaining control is performed, when the vehicle speed of the own-vehicle becomes less than or equal to a predetermined vehicle speed, driving support control performed up to now is cancelled.
When a vehicle capable of performing lane maintaining control and path following control performs the path following control on a highway, a preceding vehicle may move to a branch traffic lane and disappears from the area ahead of the own-vehicle. According to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-168395, in this situation, when the own-vehicle is running at a low speed due to traffic congestion or the like, the driving support control is automatically canceled. Then, a driver is unable to receive the driving support, and the operational burden of the driver increases.


In a router and a communication network system reserving network resources in compliance with an RSVP (Resource ReSerVation Protocol), that is a protocol for resource reservation, a router stores an encapsulated destination address associated with an address of a second host upon encapsulating and transferring a packet addressed to the second host, transfers a first path message transmitted from a first host to make a resource reservation in compliance with a resource reservation protocol, obtains thereafter the encapsulated destination address from the address of the second host, and transmits a second path message in a non-capsulated state to make a resource reservation with the same communication quality as that of the first path message to the encapsulated destination address.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a router and a communication network system, and in particular to a router and a communication network system reserving network resources in compliance with an RSVP (Resource ReSerVation Protocol), that is a protocol for resource reservation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Application Examples of RSVP
In the RSVP, each router transferring packets between a first and a second host makes a reservation (resource reservation) of quality of service (QoS) provided.
FIG. 24 shows an example of a general resource reservation by the RSVP. In this example, a communication network NW is composed of routers R1-R3 and a home agent HA, and a first host CN is connected to the router R1. It is to be noted that the home agent HA is a router as well.
Also, a mobile node MN is a terminal having an address used in a home link HL, which can move to a foreign link FL1 managed by the router R2 or to a foreign link FL2 managed by the router R3 in addition to a home link HL managed by the home agent HA.
In the example shown, the mobile node MN is located in the home link HL, while the router R1 and the home agent HA transfer a packet addressed to the mobile node MN from a corresponding node CN.
Hereinafter, the procedure by which the corresponding node CN in this state makes a resource reservation in compliance with the RSVP before transmitting an ordinary packet will be described.    (1) The corresponding node CN transmits to the mobile node MN a path message PM1 having set therein an address of the node itself as an RSVP_HOP (occasionally referred to as PHOP since IP address of Previous HOP (PHOP) is generally used). The router R1 having received the path message PM1 holds the information therein as a path state.
As contents of a general path state, session information (destination address (DestAddress), a protocol ID (Protocol_ID), a destination port number (DestPort)), the RSVP_HOP, and the like are used. As a path state in the router R1 shown, the PHOP is the address of the corresponding node CN, and the destination is the home address of the mobile node MN.
The router R1 sets the address of its own in the PHOP of the path message PM1 to be transferred as a path message PM2 to the mobile node MN.    (2) The home agent HA having received the path message PM2 generates and holds a path state based thereon in which the PHOP is the address of the router R1 and the destination is the home address of the mobile node MN.
Moreover, the home agent HA sets the address of its own in the PHOP of the path message PM2 to be transferred as a path message PM3 to the mobile node MN.    (3) The mobile node MN having received the path message PM3 generates and holds a path state based thereon in which the PHOP is the address of the home agent HA and the destination is the home address of the mobile node MN, and transmits a reservation message RM1 in response to the path message PM3.
It is to be noted that the destination of the reservation message RM1 is the PHOP stored in the path message PM3.    (4) The home agent HA having received the reservation message RM1 holds the information of the reservation message RM1 as a reservation state, so that a service quality upon transferring a packet transmitted from the corresponding node CN can be provided. It is to be noted that the reservation state includes session information, resource reservation information, and the like.
Moreover, the home agent HA transmits a reservation message RM2 to the address of the router R1 that is the PHOP of the path state held.    (5) The router R1 having received the reservation message RM2 holds the information of the reservation message RM2 as a reservation state, and further transmits a reservation message RM3 addressed to the corresponding node CN that is the PHOP of the path state held.
By the above-mentioned procedures (1)-(5), the resource reservation is made for all of the routers supporting the RSVP between the corresponding node CN and the mobile node MN, namely, the router R1 and the home agent HA in this case. It is to be noted that the corresponding node CN can recognize that the resource reservation has been completed by receiving the reservation message RM3.
Various Forms of Encapsulation-and-transfer
Meanwhile, examples of using a technology of an encapsulation-and-transfer in the communication network will be described hereinafter.
(A) Encapsulation-and-transfer in General Mobile IP
In a general mobile IP, when the mobile node MN moves from the home link HL, the home agent HA generates an entry associating the mobile node MN with its care-of address (hereinafter, occasionally abbreviated as CoA) in a binding cache, so that a packet addressed to the mobile node MN arriving thereafter from the corresponding node CN is encapsulated and transferred (hereinafter, simply and occasionally referred to as "encapsulated") to the care-of address.
Also, when the link in which the mobile node MN is located is changed by moving, the mobile node MN receives a new router advertisement from the connected router, so that a new care-of address is generated again.
Thereafter, the mobile node MN notifies the change of the care-of address to the home agent HA using a binding update message. Upon receiving the binding update, the home agent HA updates the corresponding entry of the binding cache, so that the packet addressed to the mobile node MN from the corresponding node CN arriving thereafter is encapsulated to the new care-of address.
In a communication network having applied thereto such a general mobile IP, an example where the home agent HA encapsulates a packet destined for the home address of the mobile node MN with the care-of address of the mobile node MN to be transferred will be described referring to FIG. 25. The arrangement of FIG. 25 is the same as that of FIG. 24, except that FIG. 25 shows a state where the mobile node MN has moved to the foreign link FL1 managed by the router R2.    (1) Firstly, the corresponding node CN transmits a packet M1 to the mobile node MN. In this case, the corresponding node CN knows only the home address of the mobile node MN, so that the destination of the packet M1 indicates the home address of the mobile node MN.    (2) When the packet M1 reaches the home agent HA through the router R1, the home agent HA retrieves the binding cache, reads the care-of address (CoA) of the mobile node MN, and encapsulates the packet M1 with the care-of address as the destination, to be transferred as a packet M2.    (3) When the encapsulated packet M2 reaches the mobile node MN through the router R2, the mobile node MN takes out the original packet M1 by decapsulating the packet M2.(B) Encapsulation-and-transfer in Hierarchical Mobile IP System
In contrast to the above-mentioned general mobile IP, there is a hierarchical mobile IP system (described as "Hierarchical MIPv6" in the IETF draft "draft-ietf-mobileip-hmipv6-04.txt") in which a mobility agent MA equivalent to an agent for the home agent HA is provided aside from the home agent HA, whereby the movement of the mobile node MN within the network managed by the mobility agent MA is concealed from the home agent HA.
FIG. 26 shows such a hierarchical mobile IP system, having an arrangement where the mobility agent MA is added to the arrangement of FIG. 25.
In such a hierarchical mobile IP system, the binding cache of the home agent HA associates the home address of the mobile node MN with a virtual care-of address (VCoA) under the mobility agent MA.
Also, the mobility agent MA associates the home address of the mobile node MN with a physical care-of address (PCoA) under the router where the mobile node MN is actually located, e.g. the router R2.
In this case, the mobile node MN transmits the binding update not to the home agent HA but to the mobility agent MA as far as the movement is within the network managed by the mobility agent MA.
Thus, it seems to the home agent HA as if the mobile node MN is located under the mobility agent MA.
Hereinafter, the encapsulation-and-transfer in such a hierarchical mobile IP system will be described referring to FIG. 26.    (1) The corresponding node CN transmits a packet M1 to the mobile node MN.    (2) When the packet M1 reaches the home agent HA through the router R1, the home agent HA retrieves the binding cache, reads the virtual care-of address (VCoA) of the mobile node MN, and encapsulates the packet M1 with the care-of address as the destination, to be transferred as a packet M2.    (3) The mobility agent MA having received the encapsulated packet M2 encapsulates it again, or re-encapsulates it, destined for the physical care-of address (PCoA) in the network to which the mobile node MN has moved, to be transferred as a packet M3.    (4) The mobile node MN having received the encapsulated packet M3 destined for the PCoA through the router R2 takes out the original packet M1 by decapsulation.(C) Mobile IP System Using Edge Node
Hereinafter, a mobile IP system using an edge node will be described referring to FIG. 27 in which a virtual home agent VHA and an edge node EN are respectively substituted for the home agent HA and the router R1 in FIG. 24.
In this case, the edge node EN provided in a position nearer to the corresponding node CN than the virtual home agent VHA copies the binding cache of the virtual home agent VHA upon arrival of the packet, retrieves the binding cache instead of the virtual home agent VHA, and performs the encapsulation processing, thereby optimizing a transferring route within the network.
Also, the virtual home agent VHA (occasionally referred to as a temporary home agent (THA) when applied to the above-mentioned hierarchical mobile IP) has a function of the home agent HA and a function of delivering the binding cache to the edge node EN.
Hereinafter, an example of the encapsulation-and-transfer in the mobile IP system using the edge node will be described referring to FIG. 27.    (1) The corresponding node CN transmits a packet M1 to the mobile node MN.    (2) When the packet M1 reaches the virtual home agent VHA through the edge node EN, the virtual home agent VHA retrieves the binding cache, reads the care-of address (CoA) of the mobile node MN, and encapsulates the packet M1 with the care-of address as the destination, to be transferred as a packet M2.    (3) The encapsulated packet M2 reaches the mobile node MN through the router R2.    (4) The edge node EN having transferred the packet M1 in the above-mentioned (1) transmits a cache request C1 addressed to the transferring destination, i.e. the home address of the mobile node MN.    (5) The virtual home agent VHA having received the cache request C1 returns a binding cache associated with the mobile node MN by a cache notification C2 to the edge node EN, in the presence of a binding cache corresponding to the destination.    (6) The edge node EN having received the cache notification C2 generates and holds a binding cache associated with the home address of the mobile node MN.    (7) Hereafter, the corresponding node CN transmits a packet M3 to the home address of the mobile node MN.    (8) The edge node EN refers to the binding cache, and encapsulates the packet destined for the home address of the mobile node MN with the care-of address CoA as the destination, to be transferred as a packet M4.    (9) The mobile node MN having received the encapsulated packet M4 destined for the PCoA through the router R2 takes out the original packet M3 by decapsulation.(D) Encapsulation-and-transfer in IP-VPN
Apart from the communication network using mobile IP in the above-mentioned (A)-(C), the encapsulation-and-transfer is performed in an IP-VPN (Internet Protocol-Virtual Private Network), that is a virtual private network service restricting the transmission protocol to the IP.
FIGS. 28A and 28B show an example of the IP-VPN using a tunnel mode of an IPsec (IP security). As shown in FIG. 28A, terminals CN1-CN3 and MN1-MN3 are respectively connected to gateways GW1 and GW2. The gateways GW1 and GW2 respectively have stored therein encapsulation tables TBL1 and TBL2 to be referred upon an encapsulation.
Also, an encapsulation-and-transfer section between the gateways GW1 and GW2 is composed of e.g. routers R1-R6 as shown in FIG. 28B. It is to be noted that the routers R1 and R2 are the gateway routers respectively corresponding to the gateways GW1 and GW2, so that in the following explanation, the gateways GW1 and GW2 are occasionally represented by the routers R1 and R2.
In such an IP-VPN, e.g. a packet transmitted from the terminal CN1 to the terminal MN1 is encapsulated at the gateway GW1. At this time, the gateway GW1 (router R1) refers to the encapsulation table TBL1 in which the destination address and an encapsulated destination are associated with each other as shown in FIG. 29, and encapsulates the packet addressed to the terminal MN1 with the destination of the router R2, to be transferred.
The encapsulated packet has, for example, a packet format of the tunnel mode of the IPsec as shown in FIG. 30. An encryption region of the packet format shown in FIG. 30 is a region where an ESP trailer is added to an original IP header, an original expanded header, a TCP header, and data composing the packet before the encapsulation.
An ESP header and ESP authentication data are added to this encryption region, and a new expanded header and a new IP header are further added thereto.
The gateway GW2 (router R2) recovers the original packet by decapsulating the received packet, to be transmitted to the terminal MN1.
The first problem when making the resource reservation in compliance with the RSVP is that when the encapsulated transfer of the packet is performed as in the above-mentioned (A)-(D), the path message transmitted when making the resource reservation in compliance with the RSVP is also encapsulated.
FIG. 31 shows a case supposing that the corresponding node CN makes a resource reservation in a state where the mobile node MN has moved to the foreign link FL1 in the same way as in FIG. 25.
In this case, the operations of the corresponding node CN, the router R1, the home agent HA, and the mobile node MN are the same as those of FIG. 24, except that in FIG. 31, the path message PM3 transferred by the home agent HA to the mobile node MN is encapsulated through the router R2 since the mobile node MN has moved to the foreign link FL1.
The encapsulated path message PM3 can be decapsulated only by the mobile node MN which is the destination, so that the router R2 on the way treats the path message PM3 as an ordinary packet. Namely, a path state is not generated by the router R2. Therefore, the router R2 does not generate a reservation state when transferring the reservation message RM1 from the mobile node MN to the home agent HA.
Thus, in FIG. 31, the resource reservation can be made in the router R1 and in the home agent HA, but can not be made in the router R2. However, the corresponding node CN receives the reservation message RM3 in the same way as in FIG. 24. Therefore, although it seems as if the resource reservation is completed, as a matter of fact, the operation will be continued by a service quality different from what was requested.
Similar problems arise in the hierarchical mobile IP system shown in FIG. 26, and in the mobile IP using the edge node shown in FIG. 27.
Also, as shown in FIG. 32, when the resource reservation is made between the transmitting terminal CN1 and the second host MN1 in the IP-VPN, the resource reservation is made by the path messages PM1-PM3 and the reservation messages RM1-RM3 as follows:    (1) The path message PM1 from the transmitting terminal CN1 is encapsulated by the router R1, to be encapsulated as a path message PM2 to the router R2. At this time, the router R1 generates and holds a path state wherein the PHOP is the address of the transmitting terminal CN1, and the destination is the address of the second host MN1.    (2) The router R2 having received the path message PM2 through the routers R4 and R3 decapsulates the path message PM2. While transmitting the path message PM3 to the second host MN1, the router R2 generates and holds a path state wherein the PHOP is the address of the router R1, and the destination is the address of the second host MN1.    (3) When the second host MN1 transmits a reservation message RM1 in response to the path message PM3, the router R2 having received the reservation message RM1 generates and holds a reservation state wherein the destination is the address of the second host. Also, the reservation message RM1 is encapsulated as the reservation message RM2 addressed to the router R1.    (4) The router R1 having received the reservation message RM2 through the routers R3 and R4 decapsulates the reservation message RM2. While transmitting a reservation message RM3 to the transmitting terminal CN1, the router R1 generates and holds a reservation state wherein the destination is the address of the second host MN1.
Thus, the routers R1 and R2 hold the path states and reservation states, so that the resource reservation is made. However, the routers R3 and R4 transferring the encapsulated path message PM2 and the reservation message RM2 do not make the resource reservation.
Specifically, when the path message PM2 and the reservation message RM2 are encrypted packets as shown in FIG. 30, the routers R3 and R4 on the way can not make the resource reservation since the determination or the decoding of the message is not possible.
The second problem in making the resource reservation in compliance with the RSVP is that in a mobile communication system, even if a normal resource reservation is made, when the mobile node MN moves, the communication will be continued without making a resource reservation between the home agent and the moving destination of the mobile node MN.
Such an example will be described referring to FIG. 33. FIG. 33 shows a case similar to FIG. 24 in which the mobile node MN moves to the foreign link FL1 after the completion of the resource reservation by the path messages PM1-PM3 and the reservation messages RM1-RM3 in the state where the mobile node MN has been located in the home link HL.
In this case, the router R1 holds a path state in which the PHOP is the address of the corresponding node CN and the destination is the home address of the mobile node MN as shown by (1) in FIG. 33, as well as a reservation state in which the destination is the home address of the mobile node as shown by (5) in FIG. 33.
Also, the home agent HA holds a path state in which the PHOP is the address of the router R1 and the destination is the home address of the mobile node MN as shown by (2) in FIG. 33, as well as a reservation state in which the destination is the home address of the mobile node MN as shown by (4) in FIG. 33.
Furthermore, while being located in the home link HL, the mobile node MN holds a path state in which the PHOP is the address of the home agent and the destination is the home address of the mobile node MN as shown by (3) in FIG. 33.
When the mobile node MN moves to the foreign link FL1 in such a state, a packet M1 transmitted thereafter from the corresponding node CN to the mobile node MN reaches the mobile node MN as a packet M2 having encapsulated by the home agent HA.
In this case, the resource reservation is not made in the router R2, so that the service by the requested service quality is not provided. Also, although the router R1 having made the resource reservation in advance provides the service, there is a problem that the home agent HA does not provide the service since the destination of the encapsulation-and-transfer at the home agent HA assumes the care-of address of the mobile node MN which is different from the home address of the mobile node MN, that is the address when the resource reservation was made.


A fluid display cover assembly comprising a sealed container coupled to a cover such as a notebook cover. The container has a light-transmissive front, and encloses a fluid comprising a gas, a liquid, or a plurality of gases and/or liquids. There also can be solid objects within the container. The cover can include a cutaway section replaced by the container. Displays within the container, on the cover, or below the cover can be visible through the front of the container.

The present invention relates to covers for notebooks, binders and the like and, more particularly, to a display for a cover.
There are many different covers for articles such as pads, notebooks, calendars, menus, books, albums and so forth. Some of such articles are inexpensive and include folded paper products. Other such articles may be more expensive and comprise finely bound leather.
It is desirable to provide a cover with an attractive display.
An improved display assembly is provided which comprises: (1) an article for holding at least one item, and (2) a sealed container which cooperates with and is coupled to the article for containing matter comprising at least one liquid, gas, or solid object, or a combination thereof. The article can comprise: a mouse pad, a deskmat, a keychain, a clipboard, a coaster, a refrigerator magnet, or an article with a cover. The container can be or have a portion which is: opaque, translucent, transparent, rigid, or flexible.
In one preferred form, the improved display assembly features an improved, aesthetically appealing, fluid display cover assembly which comprises an attractive display coupled to a cover of an article, such as a notebook, binder, pad, etc. for holding paper or other items. The fluid display cover assembly of the present invention includes a sealed container with a light-transmissive front that provides a window for viewing a fluid comprising one or more liquids and/or gases within the container. The cover can include a cutaway section about the container. Displays within the container can include different fluids, and can include stationary or movable solid objects dispersed in the fluid. In addition to displays within the container, different embodiments can include displays below the cover, and/or on the cover but beneath the container, which can be visible through the front of the container.
The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth below with particularity in the appended claims. The invention, together with further advantages thereof, may be understood by reference to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying figures, which illustrate some embodiments of the invention.


The present disclosure encompasses embodiments of nucleic acid minicircle vectors most advantageous for the detection of tumor cells. In particular, the minicircles of the disclosure incorporate a tumor-specific promoter operably linked to a nucleotide sequence desired to be selectively expressed in a tumor cell or a tissue comprising a population of tumor cells. In embodiments of the disclosure, the minicircle vectors comprise a tumor-specific promoter operably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide useful as a reporter. Accordingly, when expressed by a recipient tumor cell, the reporter may be detectable, thereby providing information such as a visual image of the tumor cell and/or its location in a tissue of the subject human or non-human animal. Tumor-specific minicircle vectors driving the expression of either secreted embryonic alkaline phosphatase or firefly luciferase and their utility validated for detecting tumors after systemic administration using blood- and/or imaging-based assays are disclosed.

Cancer is an enormous global health problem. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2008 alone there were an estimated 12.7 million new diagnoses of cancer and 7.6 million deaths due to cancer. The time at which cancer is detected, both prior to initial cancer diagnosis and during tumor recurrence, is one of the most important factors affecting patient outcome since if detected early, current treatments are likely to be more effective. Unfortunately, the majority of cancers are detected relatively late, leading to high mortality rates. These rates are expected to double by 2030 unless more effective detection strategies and treatments are developed. To stem the tremendous loss of life due to this terrible disease, a broadly applicable tool capable of detecting cancer in its earliest stages is urgently needed.
Two current paradigms for improving cancer detection include the development of blood-based assays that detect endogenous cancer biomarkers (e.g. protein, microRNA, circulating tumor DNA, circulating tumor cells, etc.) that are shed or released into the bloodstream, and molecular imaging assays that utilize biomarker-targeted imaging probes to better visualize tumors that are undetectable with conventional anatomical imaging.
Blood assays are highly attractive as they facilitate affordable cancer screening programs but often suffer from sensitivity and specificity issues due to low blood biomarker concentrations (Nagrath et al., (2007) Nature 450: 1235-1239), rapid in vivo and ex vivo biomarker degradation (Haun et al., (2011) Sci. Translational Med. 3: 71ra16), and highly variable background expression in non-malignant tissues (Diamandis E P (2010) J. National Cancer Inst. 102: 1462-1467). Using current clinical biomarker assays, it has been estimated that a tumor can grow for 10-12 years and reach a spherical diameter greater than 2.5 cm before endogenous blood biomarker amounts reach sufficient levels to indicate disease (Hori & Gambhir (2011) Sci. Translational Med. 3: 109ra116). Of the thousands of potential blood biomarkers reported, less than 1% are used in the clinic (7), and the implementation of new blood biomarkers into the clinical setting is decreasing due to their lack of validated specificity and diagnostic value (Haun et al., (2011) Sci. Translational Med. 3: 71ra16; Kern S E (2012) Cancer Res. 72: 6097-6101). Overall, while enormous effort has been devoted to developing tools for detecting endogenous cancer blood biomarkers, there have been very few successes. Thus new strategies and tools capable of sensitive and specific cancer detection are urgently needed.

Tumor-specific minicircles for cancer screening


A window mill is positionable in a wellbore having an annulus. The window mill includes a mill body having an outer surface, a conduit extending axially through the mill body, and a flow port extending from the conduit through the outer surface. A nozzle shuttle including a nozzle is arranged in the conduit. The nozzle shuttle selectively extending over the flow port. A selectively openable port adapter extends between the flow port and the nozzle shuttle. The selectively openable port adapter is responsive to fluid pressure to fluidically expose the conduit to the annulus through the flow port.

In the drilling and completion industry, boreholes are formed in a formation for the purpose of locating, identifying, and withdrawing formation fluids. Once formed, a casing may be installed in the borehole to support the formation. Often times, it is desirable to create a branch from the borehole. A whipstock is used to guide a window mill supported on a drillstring through the casing into the formation at an angle relative to the borehole. The whipstock directs the window mill to form a window or opening in the casing.
Generally, whipstock is lowered into the wellbore, oriented, and disconnected from the window mill to form the branch. To disconnect the whipstock from the window mill, fluid is introduced into the wellbore and pressure is applied. The fluid passes into a port in the window mill to initiate a disconnection process. Often times, the port may be clogged by drilling debris and mud.
If the port is clogged, the whipstock and window mill is withdrawn from the borehole, cleaned, and re-introduced to the desired position at a selected orientation. Tripping out and running in the whipstock can be a difficult and time-consuming process. Given the need to increase efficiency at the rig floor, the art would be open to new systems for guiding fluid into the window mill to initiate the separation process.

Selectively openable communication port for a wellbore drilling system


The invention relates to a microgyroscope, that is to say an inertial micromechanical sensor dedicated to the measurement of angular velocities, which is produced by micromachining techniques, and has a novel arrangement of the modules for measuring the movement of the vibrating masses. The gyroscope comprises two symmetrical moving assemblies (30, 50; 30′, 50′) that are coupled by a coupling structure (20, 20′, 22). Each of the two assemblies comprises a moving mass (30) surrounded by a moving intermediate frame (50). The frame (50) is connected to the coupling structure (20, 20′, 22) and can vibrate in two degrees of freedom in orthogonal directions Ox and Oy of the plane of the wafer. The mass (30) is connected, on one side, to the frame and, on the other side, to fixed anchoring regions (34, 36) via linking means (40-46; 52-58) that allow the vibration movement in the Oy direction to be transmitted to the mass without permitting any movement of the mass in the Ox direction. An excitation structure (70) is associated with the frame in order to excite its vibration along Ox. A movement detection structure (90) is associated with the mass (30) in order to detect its vibration along Oy.

The inspiration for micromachining sensors comes from techniques for producing integrated circuits. This consists in producing, collectively on a single thin wafer (in principle a silicon wafer), several tens or hundreds of identical sensors using deposition, doping and photoetching techniques that define not only the electrical parts of the sensor but also the cut-out geometrical features that give the sensor its mechanical properties.
The etching techniques are well controlled and collective fabrication considerably reduces the costs. The robustness of the devices is excellent and the small size of the structures is highly advantageous.
To produce a microgyroscope, a suspended vibrating mass is formed in a silicon wafer together with an electrical excitation structure for making this mass vibrate in a defined direction. When the gyroscope rotates about an axis called the sensitive axis of the gyroscope, perpendicular to this vibration direction, a Coriolis force is exerted on the mass. This Coriolis force, which is a vector sum of the vibration movement and the rotation movement, produces a vibration of the mass in a direction perpendicular both to the excitation vibration and to the axis of rotation. This resulting natural vibration is detected by a detection structure, which is itself produced by micromachining. Structures having two vibrating masses that are mechanically coupled in the manner of a tuning fork have already been produced. The two masses are coplanar and machined in the same silicon wafer.
In general, the sensitive axis of these gyroscopes lies in the plane of the silicon wafer and the detection structure detects any movement perpendicular to the plane of the masses using electrodes placed above each moving mass. The electrical signals resulting from this detection are used to determine an angular velocity of rotation of the gyroscope about its sensitive axis.
However, to produce structures for detecting movements perpendicular to the plane of the moving masses generally requires the gyroscope to comprise several machined wafers, which have to be joined together. One of the wafers includes the actual micromachined vibrating structure with its moving masses, its linking arms and a vibration excitation structure, while at least one other wafer includes electrodes for detecting the vibration generated by the Coriolis force. To fabricate the multi-wafer assembly is expensive.
This is why there is also a need to produce technologically simpler structures, machined in a single silicon wafer, in which an excitation movement of the moving mass is generated in a direction Ox in the plane, whereas a movement resulting from the Coriolis force is detected in a direction Oy in the same plane, perpendicular to Ox. The sensitive axis of the microgyroscope is in this case an Oz axis perpendicular to the plane of the silicon wafer. The excitation structure and the detection structure are interdigitated capacitive combs produced when machining the silicon wafer. All the electrical structures are produced on the same wafer as the vibrating mechanical structure. Fabrication is therefore much less expensive.
In this type of gyroscope it is necessary for the excitation movement along the Ox axis to be well separated from the detection movement along the Oy axis—specifically, this means that the detection structure must detect mainly the movement along Oy that results from the Coriolis force, without the measurement being contaminated by parasitic detection of the excitation movement along Ox.
In the case of a gyroscope of the prior art comprising two vibrating masses and detecting in the plane of their movement, a differential effect is employed to overcome non-linearities and to achieve a high sensitivity. This differential effect consists of subtraction of the signals generated by the movement of the masses, the masses vibrating along the same axis but in phase opposition. When the two masses do not have a perfectly identical static capacitance, the difference in capacitance of the two masses is the cause of a drift of the gyroscope, which impairs its proper operation. Moreover, the gyroscopes of the prior art comprise a detection module for measuring the movement of each mass. These detection modules deliver a signal that changes in the same sense, although the movements of the two masses are the reverse of each other, thereby making the gyroscope sensitive to an acceleration, whether dynamic or static, collinear with the axis of movement of the masses.

Micro-machined gyrometric sensor for differential measurement of the movement of vibrating masses


A body fluid pressure sensor module according to the invention comprises a housing having a first end and a second end and enclosing a pressure sensor. The pressure sensor is electrically coupled to a plurality of electrical conductors extending into the housing through a feedthrough disposed within, and hermetically sealing, the first end of the housing. The housing defines a chamber disposed between the feedthrough and the second end of the housing. The chamber contains a material in communication with the pressure sensor, the material being capable of transmitting pressure variations to the pressure sensor. The plurality of electrical conductors have ends within the housing, and the pressure sensor is mounted on the end of at least one of the conductors. Also disclosed are medical leads incorporating the pressure sensor module, and methods for fabricating the modules. The pressure sensor module is compact, and particularly so where cable conductors are utilized and the sensor is directly mounted on at least one of the cable conductors. The compactness of a pressure sensor module pursuant to the invention facilitates its incorporation into a small diameter, flexible medical lead enhancing its placement within a patient's body, for example, within the left atrium of the heart.

Sensors for measuring pressure within a body cavity, organ or vessel have been in use for many years. For example, when a patient's heart does not function normally due to a genetic or acquired condition, various treatments may be prescribed to correct or compensate for the condition. Pharmaceutical therapy may be prescribed for the patient or a pacemaker may be implanted in the patient to improve the operation of the patient's heart.
In conjunction with such therapy it may be desirable to measure pressure in one or more chambers of the heart. For example, absolute cardiac pressure may be used as an indicator for several potentially lethal cardiac conditions. By measuring cardiac pressure, abnormal conditions may be detected and in some cases the patient's therapy may be modified to compensate for the abnormal conditions. As an example, if cardiac pressure is continuously measured, the operation of an implanted device such as a pacemaker may be adjusted, as necessary, according to conditions diagnosed as a result of the pressure measurements.
Conventionally, pressure sensing devices have been used to measure pressures on the right side of the heart. However, measurements of right side pressure may not provide sufficient indications for detection of conditions such as congestive heart failure, hypertension and mitral valve defects. In particular, left atrial pressure has been identified as an excellent indicator for left ventricular failure.
Obtaining pressure measurements from the left side of the heart presents several challenges. First, access to the left side of the heart must be provided in a safe manner. In addition, the pressure sensors need to be implanted in a manner ensuring that accurate pressure measurements may be made.
Cardiac blood pressure may be measured directly in real time using a pressure sensor device incorporated into a distal end of a permanent or temporary endocardial lead. The lead is typically inserted into the right side of the heart and routed through an opening formed in a septal wall to gain access to the left side of the heart. The lead includes one or more sensors for measuring cardiac pressure on the left side of the heart and, if needed, the right side of the heart. The lead also includes an attachment structure that secures the distal end of the lead to the septal wall.
It will be evident that the diameter of the lead should be as small as possible to minimize trauma to the septum during placement of the lead and to permit the lead to be utilized with other endocardial leads suitable for delivering multi-chamber stimulation, sensing and shock therapy.
As exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,434 issued on Oct. 15, 1996, existing pressure sensor devices that are incorporated into endocardial leads use some form of substrate carrying a pressure sensor chip and associated circuitry enclosed within a housing having feedthroughs for making electrical connections. Such pressure sensor devices tend to be bulky and the endocardial leads into which they are incorporated need to have relatively large diameters, for example, greater than 0.104 inch (8 F), compromising their flexibility, making their placement more difficult and time consuming, and limiting the number of leads that may be placed. These sensor devices further tend to be complex, including housing parts that are difficult and expensive to machine. These disadvantages are not offset by any appreciable gain in functionality.
Another drawback of existing endocardial lead pressure sensor devices results from the sealing of the ends of the housing. In an effort to provide a hermetically sealed housing, metal closures are welded to the housing ends. However, the thermal expansion of the dielectric gel or oil used to fill the housing cannot be compensated for by the metal closures, sometimes causing leaks and adversely affecting the sensor's thermal response.

Pressure sensor and method of fabricating such a module


A system and method for multicasting control signals to selectively operate one memory device or groups of memory devices comprises a memory controller coupled to a plurality of memory devices by a command bus and a data bus. Each of the plurality of memory devices has a unique identification number. The system provides an addressing scheme in which an individual memory device or groups of memory device can be selected for operation by addressing the devices with a command packet. The memory controller broadcasts a command packet over the command bus to the plurality of memory devices. The packet includes an identification number. At each of the memory devices, selection logic is included to make the memory device operational if the identification number in the packet matches the identification number assigned to the memory device. The address in the packet is preferably encoded such that identification number has the same size regardless of whether a single memory device is being selected for operation or a group of memory devices are being selected for operation. The present invention also includes a method for selecting groups of memory devices for operation by multicasting a select address comprising the steps of: providing an memory identification number to each memory device, transmitting an memory device selection address, comparing the memory device selection address to the memory identification number, and asserting a signal to make the memory device operational if the memory device selection address and the memory identification number match.

1. Field of the Invention.
The present invention relates generally to memory devices in computer systems. In particular, the present invention relates to a system and method for specifying operation of one or more of a plurality of memory devices by multicasting address signals to the plurality of memory devices.
2. Description of the Background Art.
There are a variety of interconnect architectures for connecting memory devices to a controller. Examples of such prior art approaches are shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. The prior art often uses a memory controller to provide the coupling between a system bus and the memory devices (RAM). As shown in FIG. 1A, the memory controller can be coupled to the memory devices by a command and address bus for passing command and address signals, and a data bus for sending and receiving data from the system bus. Typical prior art systems also include a series of chip select signal lines. The chip select signal lines are used to selectively activate the memory device(s) for operation. However, one significant problem with this prior art approach is that the chip select signal lines have different physical properties (i.e., varying lengths). Therefore, in high performance memory systems, the different physical properties of each signal line affect the timing characteristics for the chip select and command signals. In other words, the skew between the chip select signals and the command signals places a fundamental limit on the speed at which the commands can be sent between a memory controller and its attached memory devices. This is a particular problem when high speed bus architectures are used. Further, the use of individual chip select lines requires the memory controller have a pin for each chip select line which increases the cost of the memory controller. Similarly, when memory modules such as Single In-Line Memory Modules (SIMMs) or Dual In-Line Memory Modules (DIMMs) are used it is not practical to provide a pin for each chip select of each memory in the SIMM. Such an approach would require eight pins just for the chip select input to a SIMM having eight memories. Also, unless a large number of pins for chip select lines are provided, the flexibility or ability to use the memory controller with varying number of memory device is limited. Furthermore, there have been attempts in the prior art to adjust or add components to make the physical properties the same for all lines. This is very difficult to accomplish when the physics of the chip select signal lines (which attach to only one memory chip) and the address signal lines (which attach to all memory chips) are inherently different.
Yet another prior art approach is shown in FIG. 1B, and more fully disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,319,755 issued to Farmwald et al. FIG. 1B illustrates a memory controller coupled to the memory devices by a combined command, address and data bus. In this second prior art approach, one of the memory devices can be addressed or special transactions (like refresh) can be broadcast to all memory devices. While this approach does not suffer from the shortcomings of the approach in FIG. 1A, this second approach does not offer the flexibility of selecting groups of memory devices for operation. Further not all commands can be broadcast to groups of memory devices. For example, reads and other commands cannot be broadcast to the multiple memory devices because only one data bus is provided on which the memory devices can respond. Broadcast messages to the memory devices have been provided for this second approach, but they have been limited to clearing and refreshing the memory devices. Additionally, when memory modules (SIMMs, DIMMs, etc.) are used, the broadcast messages can only be used to select all memory modules and not an individual memory devices or an individual memory module for refreshing or clearing. Accessing an individual memory device is useful when only one byte is being modified. Accessing one memory module is useful for reading or writing a block of locations (a memory line), where each memory device contains a portion of that memory line. Both types of accesses are not possible with the prior art approach of FIG. 1B.
Thus, there is a continuing need for a system and method for selecting individual or groups of memory device for operation. This system and method should not require extensive hardware and be adaptable to a variety of memory architectures that include the use of memory modules.

Multicasting system for selecting a group of memory devices for operation


A position determining unit has an assistance data processing and relaying module (software client) (1318) that obtains localized assistance data, such as Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) assistance data and/or non-GNSS (such as Wireless Positioning System) assistance data, from an assisting peer position determining unit and relays the localized assistance data to an assisted peer position determining unit. The relaying may be done via an assistance server. In a relaying GNSS position determining unit, such as a GPS receiver, the chip (1310) architecture has multi-frequency GNSS baseband (1311), GSM or UMTS baseband (1312) for long range communication and short range baseband (1313) such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi or UWB. The assistance data generating module (1316) generates localized assistance data at the relaying GNSS unit from the GNSS R.F. front end and/or GNSS baseband and/or microcontroller running the GNSS solutions software portion. The assistance data feed module (1317) supplies assistance data to any combination of the main modules of the GNSS position determining unit. The supplied assistance data may originate in the relaying GNSS unit itself or the assisting GNSS unit.

Diverse ranges of electronic devices are increasingly making use of positioning information to deliver new services to users. Technologies such as satellite positioning systems, Inertial Navigation Systems (INS), Wi-Fi Positioning System, transmitter signal strength measurement, and motion sensors, are all used separately or in combination to provide location information to a wide range of devices including mobile phones, personal navigation devices, laptops, netbooks, in-car telematics etc. In particular, Location Based Services (LBS) are now a common feature available on mobile devices.
One of the most ubiquitous location technologies in recent years has been the GPS (Global Positioning System) that is the United States' positioning and navigation system primarily developed as military system but which is being popularly used by civilians all across the globe for positioning, timing, navigation and many other purposes. It contains numerous orbiting satellites around the globe in the different planes that transmit their positions with corrections, timing information and other useful data. All the satellites involved in the system have different identity in the forms of different transmission codes. The system is designed in such a way that users on the surface of the earth or up to a certain distance above it (this distance is limited by the height of the satellite planes) can at any time, given unobstructed visibility of the sky, see four or more satellites. Measurement of the time and phase differences among the four or more satellite signals reaching the receiver are used to uniquely and unambiguously determine the position of the user receiver.
The ability of the user receiver to calculate an accurate position is influenced by many error sources such as errors in satellite orbit positions (ephemeris), satellite and user clock inaccuracies, ionosphere and troposphere signal propagation effects, and local environment errors due to multipath signal reception and receiver measurement errors.
Differential correction techniques have been devised to minimise many of the major sources of errors. A fixed reference receiver or a network of receivers, with precisely known position, measure their pseudo-ranges from the visible satellites and derive a measure of the common mode atmospheric, ephemeris and satellite clock errors. These error measurements in the form of corrections are transmitted to the user receiver in the appropriate regions, either through local ground based communication links or through geostationary satellites. The latter system is the SBAS (Satellite Based Augmentation System) comprising of WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) in the U.S., EGNOS (European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service) in Europe and several others.
When the user receiver does not have direct line of sight to four or more satellites, a situation which is very common in urban areas, indoors, multi-storey car-parks and under vegetation canopies, it will fail to obtain a position and navigation fix because of the very low signal to noise ratio. To assist users in these circumstances, a technology called Assisted GPS (AGPS) has been developed where useful information like ephemeris, almanac and sometimes precise timing information is transmitted to users through mobile phone networks to assist them in obtaining a lock on the satellites. AGPS has many variations and many proprietary techniques but almost all of them require some sort of communication link to mobile network service providers or links to the internet to deliver assistance data.
In known AGPS, an AGPS service provider has a network of many fixed reference GPS receivers across the globe. All these fixed reference stations continuously track all of the GPS satellites and the tracking information is fed back to the network assistance server where assistance data such as ephemeris, almanac, clock correction, Doppler offset etc. are derived. These data are then provided to the Mobile Service Operator upon request and transmitted to the end user. This method is standardised and known as Secure User Plane (SUPL) AGPS. Delays in broad adoption of the standard, data overhead, roaming and out of coverage issues still limit SUPL AGPS from becoming a ubiquitous solution.
Another technique called Real Time Kinematic (RTK) satellite navigation uses carrier phase measurements of the GNSS signals with a single fixed reference station providing real-time corrections to increase positioning accuracy. The connection from the fixed reference (or control) station to the GNSS rover receiver may be via a direct radio link. The Virtual Reference Station (VRS) technique adds to RTK with a network of fixed reference stations.
Post-processed second generation AGPS solutions, often referred to as predictive or extended ephemeris, use a server to synthesize assistance data. Valid for a week, or even a month into the future, this GPS assistance data is downloaded to an AGPS mobile device in advance. These solutions require frequent ephemeris downloads/updates with size varying from 2 k to 200 Kbytes, involve processing overheads and are exempt from other GPS assistance information i.e. time, coarse position estimates, ionospheric corrections etc.
It is also known that a plurality of GPS enabled devices can communicate to share satellite data residing on only one of the devices, so that a device otherwise with insufficient information to derive a position can augment its GPS solution by receiving assistance from another device already in possession of that additional information. In this known art, GPS enabled devices each with similar functionality, for example a group of mobile handsets, can form networks in order to share position and assistance data.
So, a network of similar GPS enabled devices would theoretically be able to share GPS assistance data and hence augment their LBS capability, but since the peer to peer connections are generally over short range communication links, for practical use in the current state of the art, there will not be a sufficient critical number of users within communication range. There is then a low probability of successfully linking with another device and the advantages of sharing GPS assistance information is lost. In addition, it is known that a range of technologies are used to offer positioning and navigation data as a compliment to GPS, to enhance precision and improve service coverage, but this additional position data is generated and consumed at a device level and not made available to a wider network.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an assistance data processing and relaying module for a relaying position determining unit wherein the assistance data processing and relaying module is operable to obtain localised assistance data from an assisting peer position determining unit and is further operable to relay the localised assistance data to an assisted peer position determining unit.
Preferably, the localised assistance data comprises non-GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) assistance data.
Preferably, the non-GNSS assistance data comprises Wireless Positioning System (WPS) assistance data.
Preferably, the localised assistance data comprises GNSS assistance data.
Preferably, the localised assistance data comprises data derived from measurements by the assisting peer position determining unit in a locality of the assisted peer position determining unit.
Preferably, the assistance data processing and relaying module is operable to obtain the localised assistance data directly from the assisting peer position determining unit over a local wireless link.
Preferably, the assistance data processing and relaying module is operable to obtain the localised assistance data from the assisting peer position determining unit via an assistance server.
Preferably, the assistance data processing and relaying module is operable to relay the localised assistance data to the assisted peer position determining unit via an assistance server.
Preferably, the assistance data processing and relaying module is operable to form a first peer to peer network with another peer position determining unit and to cause the other peer position determining unit to establish a second peer to peer network for the other peer position determining unit to obtain the localised assistance data.
Preferably, the assistance data processing and relaying module further comprises an assistance data feed module operable to supply assistance data to a positioning, timing and navigation engine of the relaying position determining unit.
Preferably, the assistance data processing and relaying module further comprises an assistance data generating module operable to generate additional localised assistance data at the relaying position determining unit.
Preferably, the assistance data processing and relaying module is also operable to transmit the generated additional localised assistance data to the assisted peer position determining unit.
Preferably, the generated additional localised assistance data comprises data derived from measurements performed by the relaying position determining unit.
Preferably, the assistance data processing and relaying module is operable to transmit the generated additional localised assistance data to the assisted peer position determining unit over a local wireless link.
Preferably, the assistance data processing and relaying module is operable to transmit the generated additional localised assistance data to the assisted peer position determining unit via an assistance server.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a position determining unit comprising the assistance data processing and relaying module of the first aspect.
Preferably, the position determining unit is operable to form a cluster with one or more peer position determining units in which the clustered position determining units exchange cluster assistance data with each other.
Preferably, the position determining unit is operable to select preferred assistance data available within the cluster.
Preferably, the position determining unit is operable to compare the generated additional localised assistance data with the cluster assistance data, to determine if the cluster assistance data may be enhanced and to cause the modification of the cluster assistance data responsive to the generated additional localised assistance data.
Preferably, the position determining unit is further operable to assume a special role in the cluster to arbitrate changes to the cluster assistance data.
Preferably, in the special role, the position determining unit communicates assistance data with an assistance server.
Preferably, the position determining unit is further operable to act as a repository for local geospatially relevant data.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of processing assistance data at a relaying position determining unit, the method comprising the steps of obtaining localised assistance data from an assisting peer position determining unit and relaying the localised assistance data to an assisted peer position determining unit.
Preferably, the localised assistance data comprises non-GNSS assistance data.
Preferably, the non-GNSS assistance data comprises WPS assistance data.
Preferably, the localised assistance data comprises GNSS assistance data.
Preferably, the localised assistance data comprises data derived from measurements by the assisting peer position determining unit in a locality of the assisted peer position determining unit.
Preferably, the localised assistance data is obtained directly from the assisting peer position determining unit over a local wireless link.
Preferably, the localised assistance data is obtained from the assisting peer position determining unit via an assistance server.
Preferably, the localised assistance data is relayed to the assisted peer position determining unit via an assistance server.
Preferably, the method further comprises the step of generating additional localised assistance data at the relaying position determining unit.
Preferably, the generated additional localised assistance data comprises data derived from measurements performed by the relaying position determining unit.
Preferably, the method further comprises the step of transmitting the generated additional localised assistance data from the relaying position determining unit to the assisted peer position determining unit.
Preferably, the step of transmitting the generated additional localised assistance data comprises transmitting from the relaying position determining unit to the assisted peer position determining unit over a local wireless network link.
Preferably, the step of transmitting the generated additional localised assistance data comprises transmitting from the relaying position determining unit to the assisted peer position determining unit via an assistance server.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of exchanging assistance data comprising the steps of forming a cluster of a plurality of peer position determining units and exchanging cluster assistance data between the clustered position determining units in accordance with the method of the third aspect.
Preferably, the method further comprises the step of selecting preferred assistance data available within the cluster for a clustered position determining unit.
Preferably, the method further comprises the step of comparing localised assistance data generated by a clustered position determining unit with the cluster assistance data, to determine if the cluster assistance data may be enhanced and to cause the modification of the cluster assistance data responsive to the generated localised assistance data.
Preferably, the method further comprises the step of operating a position determining unit to assume a special role in the cluster to arbitrate changes to the cluster assistance data.
Preferably, the method further comprises the step of the position determining unit operated in the special role communicating assistance data with an assistance server.
Preferably, the method further comprises the step of operating the position determining unit as a repository for local geospatially relevant data.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an assistance data receiving module for an assisted position determining unit wherein the assistance data receiving module is operable to obtain localised assistance data from an assisting peer position determining unit via an assistance server.
Preferably, the localised assistance data comprises non-GNSS assistance data.
Preferably, the non-GNSS assistance data comprises WPS assistance data.
Preferably, the localised assistance data comprises GNSS assistance data.
Preferably, the localised assistance data comprises data derived from measurements by the assisting peer position determining unit in a locality of the assisted position determining unit.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an assistance data transmitting module for an assisting position determining unit wherein the assistance data transmitting module is operable to develop localised assistance data and to transmit the localised assistance data to an assisted peer position determining unit via an assistance server.
Preferably, localised assistance data comprises non-GNSS assistance data.
Preferably, the non-GNSS assistance data comprises WPS assistance data.
Preferably, the localised assistance data comprises GNSS assistance data.
Preferably, the localised assistance data comprises data derived from measurements performed by the assisting position determining unit.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a server module for a server, wherein the server module is operable to receive localised assistance data from a plurality of mobile assisting position determining units each having the assistance data transmitting module according to the sixth aspect and to transmit the localised assistance data to an assisted position determining unit having the assistance data receiving module according to the fifth aspect.
Preferably, the server module is operable to select suitable localised assistance data for transmission to the assisted position determining unit in case of similar localised assistance data reception from a multiplicity of the assisting position determining units.
Preferably, the server module is operable to provide and/or enable location based services responsive to the received localised assistance data.
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a position determining unit comprising the assistance data receiving module according to the fifth aspect and the assistance data transmitting module according to the sixth aspect.
Preferably, the position determining unit is a GNSS roving receiver.
Preferably, the position determining unit is a personal mobile device.
Preferably, the position determining unit is operable to form a cluster with one or more peer position determining units in which the clustered position determining units exchange cluster assistance data with each other.
Preferably, the position determining unit is operable to select preferred assistance data available within the cluster.
Preferably, the position determining unit is operable to compare the localised assistance data it has developed with the cluster assistance data, to determine if the cluster assistance data may be enhanced and to cause the modification of the cluster assistance data responsive the localised assistance data it has developed.
Preferably, the position determining unit is further operable to assume a special role in the cluster to arbitrate changes to the cluster assistance data.
Preferably, in the special role, the position determining unit communicates assistance data with an assistance server.
Preferably, the position determining unit is further operable to act as a repository for local geospatially relevant data.
According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of receiving assistance data at an assisted position determining unit comprising the step of obtaining localised assistance data from an assisting peer position determining unit via an assistance server.
Preferably, the localised assistance data comprises non-GNSS assistance data.
Preferably, the non-GNSS assistance data comprises WPS assistance data.
Preferably, the localised assistance data comprises GNSS assistance data.
Preferably, the localised assistance data comprises data derived from measurements by the assisting peer position determining unit in a locality of the assisted peer position determining unit.
According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of providing assistance data from a transmitting position determining unit, the method comprising the steps of developing localised assistance data and transmitting the localised assistance data from the transmitting position determining unit to an assisted peer position determining unit via an assistance server.
Preferably, the localised assistance data comprises non-GNSS assistance data.
Preferably, the non-GNSS assistance data comprises WPS assistance data.
Preferably, the localised assistance data comprises GNSS assistance data.
Preferably, the localised assistance data comprises data derived from measurements performed by the transmitting position determining unit.
According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of exchanging assistance data comprising the steps of forming a cluster of a plurality of peer position determining units and exchanging cluster assistance data between the clustered position determining units in accordance with the method of the ninth or tenth aspects.
Preferably, the method further comprises the step of selecting preferred assistance data available within the cluster for a clustered position determining unit.
Preferably, the method further comprises the step of comparing the localised assistance data developed by a clustered position determining unit with the cluster assistance data, to determine if the cluster assistance data may be enhanced and to cause the modification of the cluster assistance data responsive the developed localised assistance data.
Preferably, the method further comprises the step of operating a position determining unit to assume a special role in the cluster to arbitrate changes to the cluster assistance data.
Preferably, the method further comprises the step of the position determining unit operated in the special role communicating assistance data with an assistance server.
Preferably, the method further comprises the step of operating the position determining unit as a repository for local geospatially relevant data.
According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer program product containing one or more sequences of machine-readable instructions for processing assistance data at a relaying position determining unit, the instructions being adapted to cause one or more processors to perform the method according to the third aspect.
According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer program product containing one or more sequences of machine-readable instructions for exchanging assistance data, the instructions being adapted to cause one or more processors to perform the method according to any of the fourth aspect.
According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer program product containing one or more sequences of machine-readable instructions for receiving assistance data at an assisted position determining unit, the instructions being adapted to cause one or more processors to perform the method according to the ninth aspect.
According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer program product containing one or more sequences of machine-readable instructions for providing assistance data from a transmitting position determining unit, the instructions being adapted to cause one or more processors to perform the method according to the tenth aspect.
According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer program product containing one or more sequences of machine-readable instructions for exchanging assistance data, the instructions being adapted to cause one or more processors to perform the method according to the eleventh aspect.
According to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a GNSS assistance data receiving module for an assisted GNSS receiver unit wherein the GNSS assistance data receiving module is operable to obtain localised GNSS assistance data from an assisting peer GNSS receiver unit via an assistance server.
Preferably, the localised GNSS assistance data comprises data derived from measurements by the assisting peer GNSS receiver unit in a locality of the assisted GNSS receiver unit.
Preferably, the localised GNSS assistance data comprises data derived from an SBAS satellite.
According to a eighteenth aspect of the present invention there is provided a GNSS assistance data transmitting module for a GNSS receiver unit wherein the GNSS assistance data transmitting module is operable to develop localised GNSS assistance data and to transmit the localised GNSS assistance data to an assisted peer GNSS receiver unit via an assistance server.
Preferably, the localised GNSS assistance data comprises data derived from measurements performed by the GNSS receiver unit.
Preferably, the localised GNSS assistance data further comprises data derived from an SBAS satellite.
Preferably, the localised GNSS assistance data comprises geospatial data.
Preferably, the localised GNSS assistance data comprises raw data.
Preferably, the localised GNSS assistance data comprises packaged data.
According to a nineteenth aspect of the present invention there is provided a GNSS receiver unit comprising the GNSS assistance data receiving module of the seventeenth aspect and the GNSS assistance data transmitting module of the eighteenth aspect.
Preferably, the GNSS receiver unit is a GNSS roving receiver.
Preferably, the GNSS receiver unit is a personal mobile device.
Preferably, the GNSS receiver unit is operable to form a cluster with one or more peer GNSS receiver units in which the clustered GNSS receiver units exchange cluster assistance data with each other.
Preferably, the GNSS receiver unit is operable to select preferred assistance data available within the cluster.
Preferably, the GNSS receiver unit is operable to compare the localised GNSS assistance data it has developed with the cluster assistance data, to determine if the cluster assistance data may be enhanced and to cause the modification of the cluster assistance data responsive the localised GNSS assistance data it has developed.
Preferably, the GNSS receiver unit is further operable to assume a special role in the cluster to arbitrate changes to the cluster assistance data.
Preferably, in the special role, the GNSS receiver unit communicates assistance data with an assistance server.
Preferably, the GNSS receiver unit is further operable to act as a repository for local geospatially relevant data.
According to a twentieth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of receiving GNSS assistance data at an assisted GNSS receiver unit comprising the step of obtaining localised GNSS assistance data from an assisting peer GNSS receiver unit via an assistance server.
Preferably, the localised GNSS assistance data comprises data derived from measurements by the assisting peer GNSS receiver unit in a locality of the assisted GNSS receiver unit.
Preferably, the localised GNSS assistance data further comprises data derived from a fixed GNSS reference station.
According to a twenty first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of providing GNSS assistance data from a transmitting GNSS receiver unit, the method comprising the steps of developing localised GNSS assistance data and transmitting the localised GNSS assistance data from the transmitting GNSS receiver unit to an assisted peer GNSS receiver unit via an assistance server.
Preferably, the localised GNSS assistance data comprises data derived from measurements performed by the transmitting GNSS receiver unit.
Preferably, the localised GNSS assistance data further comprises data derived from a fixed GNSS reference station.
Preferably, the localised GNSS assistance data comprises geospatial data.
Preferably, the localised GNSS assistance data comprises raw data.
Preferably, the localised GNSS assistance data comprises packaged data.
According to a twenty second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of exchanging GNSS assistance data comprising the steps of forming a cluster of a plurality of peer GNSS receiver units and exchanging cluster assistance data between the clustered GNSS receiver units in accordance with the methods of the twentieth and twenty first aspects.
Preferably, the method further comprises the step of selecting preferred assistance data available within the cluster for a clustered GNSS receiver unit.
Preferably, the method further comprises the step of comparing the localised GNSS assistance data developed by a clustered GNSS receiver unit with the cluster assistance data, to determine if the cluster assistance data may be enhanced and to cause the modification of the cluster assistance data responsive the developed localised GNSS assistance data.
Preferably, the method further comprises the step of operating a GNSS receiver unit to assume a special role in the cluster to arbitrate changes to the cluster assistance data.
Preferably, the method further comprises the step of the GNSS receiver unit operated in the special role communicating assistance data with an assistance server.
Preferably, the method further comprises the step of the GNSS receiver acting as a repository for local geospatially relevant data.


A fuel supply pipe device for a fuel tank of a vehicle includes a fuel supply pipe connected to the fuel tank, and a filler pipe connected to the fuel supply pipe. A hose intrusion preventing member is situated inside the fuel supply pipe. The hose intrusion preventing member includes plural obstructing plates extending parallel to each other following an axial line of the fuel supply pipe, and an annular member attached to the obstructing plates. A metal pipe member is disposed inside the fuel supply pipe adjacent to the hose intrusion preventing member to locate the hose intrusion preventing member inside the fuel supply pipe.

The present invention relates to a fuel supply pipe or device thereof, for a fuel tank, and in particular, it relates to a fuel supply pipe device for a fuel tank having means for preventing improper fuel-siphoning activity.
In the fuel tanks mounted in automobiles, it is known that an intrusion preventing member for preventing intrusion of a vinyl hose is installed, such as in the mid-course of the fuel supply pipe in order to prevent improper fuel-siphoning activity involving insertion of a vinyl hose, or the like, into the tank from the fuel supply port provided on the vehicle body (see Patent Document 1).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. S61-122925
However, according to the prior art described in Document 1, a circular plate member having plural fan-shaped holes placed at equal intervals on the same circumference is pressed in and fitted on the inner perimeter surface of the fuel supply pipe. By this, in order to prevent the intrusion of a vinyl hose, the fan-shaped holes must be made smaller than the external dimension of the vinyl hose, and this unavoidably increases the channel resistance of the fuel supply pipe.
Also, because there is a risk that the circular plate member may be deformed and fall off if it is struck strongly by a hard metal rod, it is substantially useless if the fuel supply pipe is bent so that the metal rod cannot reach the circular plate member.
The present invention has been made in order to eliminate the inconveniences of such prior art, and an object of the invention is to provide a fuel supply pipe of a fuel tank having means for preventing fuel siphoning, which is constituted so as to suppress the increase of channel resistance of the fuel supply pipe and is sufficient without restricting the shape of the fuel supply pipe.


The card attachment apparatus is provided such that, when a card-like recording medium is inserted or pulled out, the attachment unit is rotated a predetermined angle to project from the device and a blocking cover is simultaneously pulled in, thereby allowing memory card to be pinched and taken out in an easy manner. This attachment unit has top face cover on which operation button is provided, thereby eliminating a space in a main body of camcorder in which operation button is provided. When opening section is moved, the attachment unit is opened and the memory card can be inserted or pulled out.

Recently, more camcorders or digital still cameras or the like have a function to record or reproduce, by receiving a small-sized memory card, a still image or a moving image. Such devices frequently used for entertainment or hobby purposes are strongly required to satisfy requirements regarding the operationality, downsizing, style, and design. A card attachment apparatus to which a memory card is inserted and from which a memory card is removed in particular has been strongly required to provide an improvement in the operationality, downsizing, style, and design.
Hereinafter, a conventional card attachment apparatus will be described.
FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 show a conventional card attachment apparatus. FIG. 6 shows a status in which a memory card as a card-like recording medium is inserted and FIG. 7 shows a status in which an open/close cover which is a part of the card attachment apparatus is closed, respectively. In the drawings, the same components are denoted with the same reference numerals.
First, as shown in FIG. 6, camcorder device 1 has operation buttons 2 for the operation thereof. A card connector (not shown) to which memory card 3 is inserted to provide electrical connection is fixed in camcorder 1 (method for fixing the card connector is not shown).
Open/close cover 4 is provided on camcorder 1 in order to cover, when memory card 3 is not inserted or removed, opening section 5 of card connector.
Open/close cover 4 has a spindle by which open/close cover 4 can be rotated so as to selectively move between the first position (FIG. 6) at which the opening section to which or from which a card-like recording medium is inserted or pulled out is released and the second position (FIG. 7) at which the opening section is closed by storing open/close cover 4 in the device.
Open/close cover 4 has a cover cut-out section 4a to which fingers are put on when open/close cover 4 is opened.
Device 1 includes device cut-out section 6 to which fingers are inserted when memory card 3 is pinched and taken out.
The card attachment apparatus having the structure as described above will be described with regards to the operation.
As shown in FIG. 6, when memory card 3 is inserted or removed, open/close cover 4 is opened and memory card 3 is inserted to or removed from opening section 5. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 7, open/close cover 4 is pushed up and closed in the direction shown by arrow T. Open/close cover 4 is maintained to be closed by a lock mechanism (not shown).
The technique of this type is introduced, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. 2002-42059.
However, the above conventional structure requires device cut-out section 6 having a large size as shown in FIG. 6 to cause the interference between device cut-out section 6 and a space in which operation buttons 2 are provided. Due to this reason, the above conventional structure has required a wide area and thus has been prevented from being downsized.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A movement actuated tone effects system is provided for manipulating the electrical signal of an electric instrument by moving the electrical instrument in relation to a set of reference axes. A movement actuated tone effects unit is positioned within the electric instrument or within an effects cartridge attached to the electric instrument via a cartridge receiver. The movement actuated tone effects unit includes a motion sensor unit, a processor, a tone effects circuit, and a power source, wherein the motion sensor unit measures the motion of the electric instrument and generates electrical signals directed to the processor. The processor analyzes the electrical signals, determines the appropriate tone effect to apply, and then directs the tone effects circuit to produce the desired tone effect. The movement actuated tone effects unit may further include an integrated speaker, a signal converter, a transmitter, and a device terminal.

In the music industry, it has often been desirable to alter the sound produced from a musical instrument using sound effects. Sound effects were originally produced using techniques such as manipulating reel-to-reel tape after recording or through microphone placement during recording. As such, early sound effects were limited to in studio productions. The ability for individual musicians to manipulate instrument sounds in-home became available with the emergence of sound effects modules. Sound effects modules are electronic devices that allow musicians to manipulate the sound produced from an electric or electronic instrument. Earlier stand-alone sound effects modules were impractical as the equipment was both bulky and costly. Thus, the first practical sound effects modules to be used regularly outside of the studio were those built into amplifiers using vacuum tubes. With the emergence of the electronic transistor, sound effects circuitry was able to be even further condensed into small, portable containers commonly referred to as stompbox units. Stompbox units can be designed to produce one or more effects and typically provide a number of controls for adjusting the extent to which the sound of the instrument is manipulated.
While sound effects modules are used with many different types of musical instruments, sound effects modules are most notably used in conjunction with electric guitars in the form of stompboxes. One issue with the use of stompboxes with electric guitars is cable signal loss, which is due, at least in part, to the length of the guitar cable that is used between the guitar and the stompboxes. The cable signal loss across the guitar cable between where the electronic signal of the guitar is generated to where the sound effect is applied results in a loss in tone, which is undesirable to most musicians. Ideally, tone effects are applied as close to the signal generation as possible in order to reduce the amount of signal loss that occurs before the effect is applied. Another issue associated with stompboxes is their accessibility. Stompboxes are typically either placed at the feet of the user or mounted together on a rack. Thus, in order for a musician to adjust the effects controls they must do so with their feet or be within an arm's reach of the rack. Resultantly, effects controls are typically adjusted before a set or an individual song and are not altered throughout.
Therefore it is the object of the present invention to provide a movement actuated tone effects system that is integrated into the body of an electric instrument and allows tone effects to be controlled through the movement of the electric instrument. The present invention provides a motion sensor unit, a processor, and a tone effects circuit, which can be housed within the desired electric instrument or retrofitted to the electric instrument through the use of an effects cartridge and a cartridge receiver. The motion sensor unit includes an accelerometer or a gyroscope or a combination thereof. The tone effects circuit provides the circuitry for manipulating the electrical signal of the electric instrument in the desired manner. The close proximity of the tone effects circuit to the origin of the electrical signal acts to reduce the signal loss before the desired effect is applied to the electrical signal. The motion sensor unit measures the movements of the electric instrument and converts the mechanical motion into electrical signals, which are sent to the processor as input signals. The processor then reads the input signals and outputs appropriate signals to control the tone effects circuit. In this way, the user can activate and deactivate effects, as well as control the parameters of the effects, by simply moving the electric instrument.

Accelerometer and gyroscope controlled tone effects for use with electric instruments


A display device for a luggage case comprises a cap in the form of a sleeve adapted to embrace a top portion of a luggage case, in which other pieces of a matched set of luggage may be nested. The sleeve has a slot in a top wall, through which a top handle of the luggage case projects, and has a retainer that extends inside the luggage case. The retainer has a stem embraced by sliders of a zipper of the case and has a cross bar positioned behind a front wall of the case.

This invention is concerned with display devices for luggage, and is more particularly concerned with a point-of-sale display device for a nested luggage set.
Retailers have customarily sold luggage with different types of point-of-sale display devices. For example, the luggage may be enclosed in a box that serves as a display device, or a luggage case may be wrapped in a band that serves as a display device. Each of these display devices has drawbacks. When a box is used, the consumer cannot see the actual luggage without opening the box. While a band allows the consumer to see most of the exterior of a luggage case without removing the band, the interior of the case cannot be seen without breaking the band. Also, bands tend to be fragile and easily torn off.