A common aperture, dual mode semi-active laser (SAL) and millimeter wave (MMW) sensor having transreflector configured to allow transmission of SAL energy therethrough, a separator and a fresnel lens configured to pass MMW energy therethrough and to focus SAL energy passing therethrough, the separator being configured to separate SAL energy from MMW energy, and a twist reflector positioned in alignment with the transreflector, configured to rotate the polarization of the MMW energy such that, for received MMW energy, the twist reflector reflects and rotates the received MMW energy toward the transreflector, which reflects it onto a feed and comparator, and for transmitted MMW energy, the transreflector reflects toward the twist reflector, whereupon polarization of the transmitted MMW energy is rotated and reflected therefrom to then pass through the transreflector.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to dual-wavelength sensors. More particularly, this invention relates to dual mode millimeter wave and optical sensors employing a common aperture.
2. Description of the Background Art
Dual mode (millimeter wave (MMW) and optical) sensors have traditionally used curved reflectors to collect MMW energy and optical energy and focus such energies on appropriate detectors. In some embodiments, separate apertures for each wavelength band are employed. However, in aperture-limited applications such as missiles or covert sensors, a common aperture is usually employed so as to allow each sensor to collect the maximum incoming energy.
Representative patents include U.S. Pat. No. 4,652,885 entitled "Dual Mode Antenna for Millimeter Wave and Infrared Radiation" and U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,797 entitled "Dual Mode Dichroic Antenna/Aperture". In both of these patents, there is disclosed a dual mode antenna that allows both millimeter wave and infrared radiation to enter a single aperture and propagate through a common transmission device to a point where the respective energies are divided to follow separate paths for subsequent processing. Both patents teach the use of cassegrainian optics for directing the incoming millimeter and infrared energy into the common transmission device in the form of a waveguide. Other representative patents of lesser relevance to the subject invention include U.S. Pat. No. 4,866,454 entitled "Multi-Spectral Imaging System" and U.S. Pat. No. 4,282,527 entitled "Multi-Spectral Detection System with Common Collecting Means". The disclosure of each of the above-referenced patents are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
Presently, there exists a need for increasingly robust gun-launched precision munitions applied to indirect fire against point targets. In order to satisfy such need, autonomous fire-and-forget and man-in-the-loop terminal guidance sensors must be integrated into a single munition. It has been known that an active millimeter wave (MMW) sensor provides the autonomous fire-and-forget terminal guidance capability in adverse weather. Complementarily, a semi-active laser (SAL) that tracks a laser-designated target allows man-in-the-loop terminal guidance capabilities. Combined synergistically, MMW and SAL sensors provide precision guidance to achieve a high hit probability with minimal collateral damage against a broad spectrum of targets and engagements in a variety of battlefield conditions. Unfortunately, successful achievement necessitates integrating the dual sensors (MMW and SAL) with conflicting design constraints into a single compact package with a common aperture.
More specifically, the challenge associated with a common aperture SAL/MMW sensor is the collimation and detection of two widely diverse operating wavelengths on a non-interfering basis. Sensor elements that are used by both SAL and MMW must either be broad-band to encompass both operating wavelengths or have selective coatings to pass one wavelength while reflecting the other. Conversely, sensor elements that are utilized by either SAL or by MMW, but not both, must not significantly interfere with the performance of the other. Accordingly, any acceptable solution must be innovative and employ the appropriate materials to achieve good dual mode performance, relative simplicity and low cost.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvement which overcomes the aforementioned inadequacies of the prior art devices and provides an improvement which is a significant contribution to the advancement of the dual mode common aperture sensor art.
Another object of this invention is to provide a common aperture, dual mode semi-active laser (SAL) and millimeter wave (MMW) sensor apparatus and method, comprising (1) shared elements including a transreflector, a fresnel lens, and a separator, with the transreflector being configured to allow transmission of SAL energy therethrough, with the fresnel lens being configured to pass MMW energy therethrough and to focus SAL energy passing therethrough, and with the separator being configured to separate SAL energy from MMW energy; (2) a field lens positioned in alignment with the SAL energy flowing from the separator for focusing the SAL energy onto a detector; and (3) a twist reflector positioned in alignment with the transreflector, the twist reflector being configured to rotate the polarization of the MMW energy such that, for received MMW energy, the twist reflector reflects and rotates the received MMW energy toward the transreflector whereupon it is reflected therefrom onto a feed and comparator and, for transmitted MMW energy from the feed and comparator, the transmitted MMW is reflected from the transreflector toward the twist reflector whereupon polarization of the transmitted MMW energy is rotated and reflected therefrom to then pass through the transreflector, such that the sensor of the invention is operable in a SAL mode and a MMW mode.
The foregoing has outlined some of the pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Common aperture dual mode semi-active laser/millimeter wave sensor


There is provided a sensor threshold circuit that makes available a hysteresis width that is not dependent on the change in a threshold point. Since a bias current IB is generated by a threshold current IT and a threshold adjusting current ICONT, the threshold point is given by a coefficient A and a coefficient K and the hysteresis width |BH| is given by the coefficient K. Accordingly, when the coefficient K is determined, the hysteresis width |BH| is not dependent on the coefficient A and keeps a constant value. In addition, since the coefficient A depends on the resistance ratio, the threshold point is variable by changing a single resistor. Further, when the coefficient K is determined, the hysteresis width |BH| is also determined to be a single value with no variations in its value, no changes according to temperature, and no changes over time.

FIG. 8 shows a conventional sensor threshold circuit. This sensor threshold circuit includes: a four-terminal sensor 10; a voltage comparator 20; a sensor drive current detecting circuit 30; a sensor bias current generating circuit 50; and a bias current switching circuit 70, and obtains a sensor output voltage VSO (=VP−VN) by use of a sensor input BIN applied from the exterior, for instance, magnetic field. In this configuration, the bias current switching circuit 70 switches between resistors RO and RR to change a sensor bias current IB, whereby a digital output voltage VO with a hysteresis characteristic as shown in FIG. 9 is made available in receipt of the sensor input BIN (See Patent Document 1, for example).
FIG. 9 is a circuit diagram indicative of the relationship between the sensor input BIN and the output voltage VO in the sensor threshold circuit with the hysteresis characteristic. When the sensor input BIN is increased, the output voltage VO is decreased from VOH to VOL at a threshold point BOP. On the other hand, when the sensor input BIN is decreased, the output voltage VO is increased from VOL to VOH in an opposite manner at a threshold point BRP smaller than threshold point BOP. Accordingly, the digital output voltage VO with a hysteresis width |BH| is obtainable.
Next, the operation of the conventional threshold circuit will be described with reference to FIG. 8.
Firstly, the threshold point occurring when a switch SWO is conductive and a switch SWR is opened in the bias current switching circuit 70 of FIG. 8 will be described with reference to FIG. 10. For brief description, FIG. 10 shows a circuit configuration indicative of the four-terminal sensor 10, the voltage comparator 20, and the sensor bias current IBO extracted, with the switch SWO conductive and the SWR opened, from the bias current switching circuit 70 of FIG. 8.
In order to facilitate the analysis, firstly, it is assumed that a resistance value of a resistor RS for detecting a sensor drive current IS is considered to be much smaller than the resistance values of sensor resistors R1, R2, R3, and R4. It is also assumed that a drive terminal voltage VCC2 be equal to a sensor drive voltage VCC, accordingly. The resistance value of a sensor drive current detecting resistor RS may take any value, because the result to be produced later will exhibit that the threshold point is not dependent on the sensor drive voltage VCC.
At this point, the current IBO generated by the sensor bias current generating circuit 50 is shown as the following expression (1), where IS represents the sensor drive current.IBO=IS×RS/RO  (1)
For simplification, a current mirror ratio 1/KO is defined as follows.1/KO=RS/RO  (2)
Now, as shown in FIG. 10, the following expressions (3a) to (3c) are satisfied, where I1 represents current flowing through the sensor resistor R1, I2 represents current flowing through the sensor resistors R3 and R4, VP represents a connection point of the sensor resistors R1 and R2, and VN represents the potential of the connection point of the sensor resistors R3 and R4.I1=(VCC−VP)/R1  (3a)I2=VCC/(R3+R4)  (3b)VP/R2=I1+(I1+I2)/KO  (3c)
When VP is solved,VP=VCC×[(1+1/KO)/R1+1/{KO×(R3+R4)}]/(1/R2+(1+1/KO)/R1)  (4)is satisfied. The voltage comparator 20 switches at the voltage satisfying VP=VN, thereby forming the following expression (5).VCC×[(1+1/KO)/R11/{KO×(R3+R4)}]/{1/R2+(1+1/KO)/R1}=R4×VCC/(R3+R4)  (5)
In the four-terminal sensor 10, in response to the sensor input BIN applied from the exterior, it is assumed that the balance be lost among the resistors R1, R2, R3, and R4, thereby resulting in R1=R4=R+ΔR, R2=R3=R−ΔR, or R1=R4=R−ΔR, R2=R3=R+ΔR. The sensor output voltage VSO (=VP−VN) will be generated. Accordingly, if R1=R4=R+ΔR and R2=R3=R−ΔR are satisfied, the expression (5) is formed as follows:[(1+1/KO)/(R+ΔR)+1/{KO×(R−ΔR+R+ΔR)}]/(1/(R−ΔR)+(1+1/KO)/(R+ΔR)=(R+ΔR)/(R−ΔR+R+ΔR)  (6)
Then, ΔR/R satisfying the above expression (6) is solved.
                                                                        ΔR                /                R                            =                                                          1                /                                  [                                      (                                          2                      ×                                              K                        O                                            ×                                              {                                                  1                          +                                                      1                            /                                                          (                                                              2                                ×                                                                  K                                  O                                                                                )                                                                                }                                                              ]                                                                                ≈                                                          1                /                                  (                                      2                    ×                                          K                      O                                                        )                                            ≡                              B                OP                                                                        (        7        )
That is to say, ΔR/R satisfying the above expression (7) is the threshold point BOP. In this sense, the output voltage from a general sensor ranges from several hundreds microvolts to several tens millivolts, whereas the sensor drive voltage substantially ranges from 1 V to 5 V. Approximation is achieved with KO considered to be a sufficiently great value.
Likewise, the threshold point occurring when the switch SWO is opened and the switch SWR is conductive in the bias current switching circuit 70 of FIG. 8 will be described with reference to FIG. 11. For brief description, FIG. 11 shows a circuit configuration indicative of the four-terminal sensor 10, the voltage comparator 20, and the sensor bias current IBR extracted, with the SWO opened and the switch SWR conductive, from the bias current switching circuit 70 of FIG. 8.
At this point, current IBR generated by the sensor bias current generating circuit 50 is shown as the following expression (8).IBR=IS×RS/RR  (8)
For simplification, a current mirror ratio 1/KR is defined as follows.1/KR=RS/RR  (9)
Here, the current is defined as shown in FIG. 11, so the current mirror ratio 1/KO, in a case where IBO represents the sensor bias current, is equal to 1/KR, and considered in the same manner. ΔR/R is given by the following expression (10), when VP=VN is satisfied.ΔR/R≈1/(2×KR)≡BRP  (10)
That is to say, ΔR/R satisfying the above expression (10) is the threshold point BRP.
The hysteresis width |BH|, which is produced by switching between the switch SWO and the switch SWR in the bias current switching circuit 70, will now be discussed.
The hysteresis width |BH| is obtained by the following expression (11).
                                                                                        BH                                            =                                                                                    B                    OP                                    -                                      B                    RP                                                                                                                                  =                                                                                    1                    /                                          (                                              2                        ×                                                  K                          O                                                                    )                                                        -                                      1                    /                                          (                                              2                        ×                                                  K                          R                                                                    )                                                                                                                                                      =                                                                                    R                    S                                    ×                                                            (                                                                        1                          /                                                      R                            O                                                                          -                                                  1                          /                                                      R                            R                                                                                )                                        /                    2                                                                                                                          (        11        )
FIG. 12 depicts the relationship of the threshold points BOP and BRP, the hysteresis width |BH|, and the sensor drive current detecting resistor RS which are obtained from the above expressions (7), (10), and (11).
As shown in FIG. 12, in the conventional sensor threshold circuit, it turns out that when the threshold point is varied by changing the resistor RS of the sensor drive current detecting circuit 30, the hysteresis width |BH| is also varied. This is also exhibited by the above expression (11).
Patent Document 1: JP 2001-108480 A
It is to be noted, however, that when the threshold point is varied by changing the resistor RS as described above in the conventional sensor threshold circuit, the hysteresis width |BH| is also varied in the same manner. The hysteresis width |BH| reduces the variations in the output caused by sensor output noises. Hence, when the threshold point is varied, there is a drawback in that the influences of the output variations caused by the sensor output noises are different depending on the threshold point, due to the variations in the hysteresis width |BH|.
Moreover, when the threshold point is varied by changing the resistor RO and the resistor RR, the hysteresis width |BH| that is not dependent on the change in the threshold point is obtainable. However, two output terminals are needed to change the two resistors, thereby leading to another drawback of increasing the chip area and chip costs.
The present invention has been made in view of the above drawbacks, and has an object of providing a sensor threshold circuit that enables variations in a threshold point by changing a single resistor to achieve a hysteresis width that is not dependent on the variations in the threshold point.


An apparatus and method for analyzing an impurity in a liquid. The apparatus comprises a cell coupled to a light source and a detector. The cell includes a first mirror at a first end of the cell to receive and pass the light into the cell along a longitudinal axis of the cell, and a second mirror at a second end of the cell to at least partially reflect the light. A liquid supply device projects a stream of the liquid between the first mirror and the second mirror and across the longitudinal axis of the cell. The detector is coupled to the second end of the cell and determines a decay rate of the light within the cell based on the light passing through the liquid.

Referring now to the drawing, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout, FIG. 1A illustrates the electromagnetic spectrum on a logarithmic scale. The science of spectroscopy studies spectra. In contrast with sciences concerned with other parts of the spectrum, optics particularly involves visible and near-visible light—a very narrow part of the available spectrum which extends in wavelength from about 1 mm to about 1 nm. Near visible light includes colors redder than red (infrared) and colors more violet than violet (ultraviolet). The range extends just far enough to either side of visibility that the light can still be handled by most lenses and mirrors made of the usual materials. The wavelength dependence of optical properties of materials must often be considered.
Absorption-type spectroscopy offers high sensitivity, response times on the order of microseconds, immunity from poisoning, and limited interference from molecular species other than the species under study. Various molecular species can be detected or identified by absorption spectroscopy. Thus, absorption spectroscopy provides a general method of detecting important trace species. In the gas phase, the sensitivity and selectivity of this method is optimized because the species have their absorption strength concentrated in a set of sharp spectral lines. The narrow lines in the spectrum can be used to discriminate against most interfering species.
In many industrial processes, the concentration of trace species in flowing gas streams and liquids must be measured and analyzed with a high degree of speed and accuracy. Such measurement and analysis is required because the concentration of contaminants is often critical to the quality of the end product. Gases such as N2, O2, H2, Ar, and He are used to manufacture integrated circuits, for example, and the presence in those gases of impurities—even at parts per billion (ppb) levels—is damaging and reduces the yield of operational circuits. Therefore, the relatively high sensitivity with which water can be spectroscopically monitored is important to manufacturers of high-purity gases used in the semiconductor industry. Various impurities must be detected in other industrial applications. Further, the presence of impurities, either inherent or deliberately placed, in liquids have become of particular concern of late.
Spectroscopy has obtained parts per million (ppm) level detection for gaseous contaminants in high-purity gases. Detection sensitivities at the ppb level are attainable in some cases. Accordingly, several spectroscopic methods have been applied to such applications as quantitative contamination monitoring in gases, including: absorption measurements in traditional long pathlength cells, photoacoustic spectroscopy, frequency modulation spectroscopy, and intracavity laser absorption spectroscopy. These methods have several features, discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,528,040 issued to Lehmann, which make them difficult to use and impractical for industrial applications. They have been largely confined, therefore, to laboratory investigations.
In contrast, continuous wave-cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CW-CRDS) has become an important spectroscopic technique with applications to science, industrial process control, and atmospheric trace gas detection. CW-CRDS has been demonstrated as a technique for the measurement of optical absorption that excels in the low-absorbance regime where conventional methods have inadequate sensitivity. CW-CRDS utilizes the mean lifetime of photons in a high-finesse optical resonator as the absorption-sensitive observable.
Typically, the resonator is formed from a pair of narrow band, ultra-high reflectivity dielectric mirrors, configured appropriately to form a stable optical resonator. A laser pulse is injected into the resonator through a mirror to experience a mean lifetime which depends upon the photon round-trip transit time, the length of the resonator, the absorption cross section and number density of the species, and a factor accounting for intrinsic resonator losses (which arise largely from the frequency-dependent mirror reflectivities when diffraction losses are negligible). The determination of optical absorption is transformed, therefore, from the conventional power-ratio measurement to a measurement of decay time. The ultimate sensitivity of CW-CRDS is determined by the magnitude of the intrinsic resonator losses, which can be minimized with techniques such as superpolishing that permit the fabrication of ultra-low-loss optics.
FIG. 1B illustrates a conventional CW-CRDS apparatus 100 for measuring an impurity in liquid 111 contained within glass cell 109. As shown in FIG. 1B, light 104 is generated from a narrow band, tunable, continuous wave diode laser 102. Laser 102 is temperature and/or current tuned by a temperature and/or current controller (not shown) to put its wavelength on the desired spectral line of the impurity. Focusing lens (or lens system) 106 is positioned in line with light 104 emitted from laser 102. Light 104 exits focusing lens 106 and enters optical cell 112. Optical cell 112 includes mirror 108 at its input side and mirror 110 at its output side. As light 104 enters optical cell 112 it travels along the longitudinal axis of cell 112 and exponentially decays as it repeatedly travels between cell mirrors 108 and 110. The measure of this decay is indicative of the presence or lack thereof of an impurity in liquid 111 contained in glass cell 109.
Detector 114 is coupled between the output of optical cell 112 and processor 116. Processor 116 processes signals from optical detector 114 in order to determine the level of impurity in glass cell 109. A shortcoming of this system is that, although glass cell 109 is oriented at Brewster's angle with respect to light 104, refraction from the surface of glass cell 109 will deviate the path of light 104 away from Brewster's angle as it travels through liquid 111. Adjusting the orientation of glass cell 109 to compensate for the refraction will instead produce external reflection at the exterior surface of glass cell 109. Thus, the walls of glass cell 109, through which the light 104 must travel, inevitably introduce an additional interface which produces undesirable refractions. The result is increased signal loss which decreases sensitivity of the apparatus.
To overcome the shortcomings of conventional systems, an improved system and method for analyzing impurities in liquids using CW-CRDS is provided.

Apparatus and method for improved analysis of liquids by continuous wave-cavity ring down spectroscopy


A martial arts kicking apparatus has a base with a post hinged to the base so that the post can be raised or lowered. The post support arm is hinged to the base and attached to the post for supporting the post. The post may be a telescoping post and has an elongated telescoping arm attached to one end thereof. A kick stick support arm is attached to the elongated arm and a kick stick is magnetically attached to the kick stick support arm for separation from the kick stick support arm when receiving a kick of predetermined force so that a martial arts kicking apparatus can be used for practice or in the martial arts game. A means to vary the magnetic force holding the kick stick to the kick stick support arm may be a movable permanent magnetic movably mounted to the kick stick support to vary the distance between the magnet and the kick stick or can be an electromagnet having a variable magnetic field. The kick stick has an arm or a magnet placed therein positioned for being attractive to the kick stick support arm magnet. The kick stick support arm is rotatably and positionable in a variety of positions for practicing martial arts kicking.

This invention relates to a martial art kicking apparatus for use by martial artists or anyone wishing to develop a kicking technique and power and to a kick stick removably attached to the apparatus.
Persons in the martial arts, such as Karate, Kung Fu, Tae Kwon Do, and the like, have been for many years trained by hitting or kicking a striking pad, bag, boards or other members. Martial art students try to develop split second reflexes of a physical and mental nature and constantly train themselves to be able to perceive, analyze, and react to a given situation rapidly. Various techniques of developing such reflexes have been widely used. A martial art student can practice with a partner or teacher or can drill to instructions from a teacher. The martial arts have also attracted spectator interest in the United States and other countries in response to a growing awareness of oriental culture. However, training in martial arts has commonly been practiced between two individuals or between a student and an individual or teacher in a training facility.
There have also been a wide variety of training devices, such as breaking board devices and other devices for use in practicing martial arts. One of the most common types of training devices has been striking surfaces of different types. Striking surfaces have included posts buried in the ground, makawari boards, which are boards mounted in a holding fixture and having striking areas which are covered with foam, straw, or the like. Punching bags have commonly been used and are generally hung from above or placed on the floor or suspended between the floor and ceiling. Hand-held striking surfaces are used which allow the target to be moved from place-to-place by a training partner. It has also been suggested to provide striking surfaces which include sensors for measuring the force of the strike. Breaking boards include one or more boards held by a training partner which are broke by a sharp blow with the hand or foot.
My prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,537 is for a martial arts game and to a method of playing a game utilizing martial arts. This game is a full contact sport which brings the martial arts into more of a spectator sport. This martial arts game includes a predetermined playing field marked off in a predetermined manner and having a goal post at each end thereof. The goal posts have a removably attached kick scoring member attached to a predetermined position. The present invention for a martial arts kicking apparatus is ideally suited for using as a goal post in this martial arts game.
Other prior U.S. patents to martial arts training devices can be seen in the Wells U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,679 for a martial arts practice apparatus for improving the skills in the art of kicking or punching a target and includes a target which resists rotation on the shaft but which returns a target to a neutral position. The McCorry U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,941 has an adjustable target holder for martial art training having a horizontally adjustable target holder mounted to a base. In the U.S. Pat. No. 4,309,029 to Tomko, a martial arts striking machine is provided while the Williams U.S. Pat. No. 4,201,379 has a martial arts practice bag. The Davis U.S. Pat. No. 5,527,185 is an athletic training device. The Tumminia U.S. Pat. No. 5,665,035 is a martial arts training apparatus as is the Bruner U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,433.


A method and apparatus in a system comprising cordless telecommunication utilize fuzzy-logic to evaluate at least two radio communication parameters when making a handoff decision, or to produce basic data on which a handoff decision can be made. The parameters are assigned membership to at least two input data sets, each having its own membership function. The parameters are divided into groups and a rule table of fuzzy-condition statements is formed. The fuzzy-condition statements are executed and the consequences weighted to a crisp-value which is used in conjunction with handoff. The inventive apparatus includes a fuzzy-processing unit for grouping parameters and executing rules, a unit for determining the crisp-values, for instance the average value, maximum value and/or the minimum value of rule consequences, and an evaluating unit which uses the crisp-values in conjunction with establishing a candidate list or in making a handoff decision.

The invention relates to a method and apparatus in a system which includes cordless telecommunication. More specifically, the invention relates to a method and to apparatus pertaining to handoff. The inventive method and the inventive apparatus utilize fuzzy logic to evaluate radio communication parameters in conjunction with decisions concerning handoff or producing basic data on which the question of handoff can be decided.
Many different kinds of mobile radio communication systems have been proposed and many kinds of systems are in use. The kinds of systems first suggested and developed were analogue systems. There are plural kinds of analogue systems according to different standards, e.g. those standards normally abbreviated NMT, APMS and TACS. These systems may be classified as FDMA-type systems.
Some systems proposed and developed later than the previously mentioned analogue systems are digital systems or combined analogue and digital systems. There are several kinds of digital systems or combined digital and analogue systems according to different standards, e.g. the European standard, normally abbreviated to GSM, and the U.S. standard TIA IS-54. These systems and other systems such as the recently developed digital system according to Japanese standards may be classified as TDMA-type systems. Other digital systems, e.g. systems according to the draft standard TIA PN 3118 to be published as TIA IS-95, may be classified as CDMA-type systems.
Although mobile radio communication systems may be analogue or digital and may be classified as FDMA or TDMA or CDMA-type systems, they have a number of things in common. One thing which is common to all cellular telecommunication systems that include cordless communication is the need for handoff.
When a mobile station is located in one cell and has a call connection with another mobile station or with a subscriber which has a fixed terminal and uses a base station for the cell concerned for the call connection and moves further and further away from the cell and said base station, it will be impossible sooner or later to use the base station of said cell for the purpose of continuing the call. Sooner or later, it will be necessary to handoff to another base station for another cell.
There may be various reasons for handoff. One obvious reason, which is common to all kinds of systems, is that the strength of the radio signals transmitted by the mobile station may be too weak when received by the base station, due to a very long distance between the mobile and the base station. A similarly obvious reason is that the radio signals transmitted by the base station may be too weak when received by the mobile station, because of a very long distance between the base and the mobile station. Consequently, a highly basic procedure for monitoring the need for handoff would be to monitor the strengths of the signals received by either the base station or the mobile station or by measuring the strength of the signals received at both the base station and the mobile station.
There may be other reasons for handoff. One obvious reason is that noise or interference from radio signals transmitted by other base and mobile stations may make it impossible to understand or reconstruct the information forwarded by the radio signals pertaining to the call or the quality or amount of the information possible to understand or reconstruct may be insufficient for the type of call concerned. A similar reason is that the radio signals transmitted from the base and mobile station for the purpose of the call may cause unacceptable noise or interference on radio signals transmitted from other base and mobile stations for the purpose of other calls.
There may be still other reasons for effecting handoff. One reason is because one cell may tend towards becoming overloaded with desirable calls while a neighbouring cell has free call handling capacity. Mobiles that are located in the vicinity of cell borders may then be ordered to handoff from the overloaded cell to the said other cell.
There, at times, may be circumstances which prevent a handoff which is desirable because of signal strength. One such circumstance may be that there are no free radio channels at that time, or because the handoff may possibly cause an unacceptable increase in noise or interference on other calls. In a FDMA-type system, the number of radio channels is determined by the frequencies, whereas in a TDMA-type system, the number of channels is determined by the time slots of the frequencies. In a CDMA-type system, the number of radio channels is not fixed by a number of frequencies, but is limited by the acceptable maximum level of noise and interference.
In general, a successful handoff requires not only the awareness of the need for handoff but also requires the identification of possible new cell base stations or new radio channels at the same base station, and also a proper selection when more than one alternative exists. Since the majority of cellular systems normally have a hexagonal cell structure, most cells are surrounded by at least six neighbour cells and theoretically, there are at least six cells to choose from.
In some of the existing cellular telecommunication systems, for instance cellular mobile telephone systems, a mobile station (MS) will be in duplex radio contact with a base station (BS) belonging to a serving cell. When signal strength becomes too weak, or when the mobile passes the border to a neighbour cell, handoff can be initiated to a base station which generates stronger signals.
The above description of the handoff procedure is greatly simplified, but the technique behind the procedure is well known in mobile telephony contexts. Variables, parameters, other than signal strength, such as path-loss or BER (Bit Error Rate), may also be determinative in making a handoff decision. Signal strength and BER can be determined or estimated by both MS and BS in a serving cell. BER is used essentially with alarm handoff procedures, i.e., in principle, the "locating"-algorithm processes signal strengths. Alarm handoff is initiated when BER > than a limit value, i.e. signalling quality is so poor as to necessitate immediate handoff, which shunts or by-passes the locating algorithm. The locating algorithm is the process which decides whether a MS shall be coupled to a new cell on the basis of measure data and parameter data. The process results in a list of possible handoff candidates. It should be observed that "intracell"-handoff also occurs, i.e. the mobile switches to another frequency or traffic channel within one and the same cell, for instance when receiving and transmitting conditions are poor.
When a mobile station is in the vicinity of borders between cells handover decisions based on comparison of actual signal strength may cause problems because there may be frequent and rapid changes as regards which signal is the strongest. This might lead to frequent and rapid handoffs back and forth between two base stations for adjacent cells. In order to avoid this a hysteresis is introduced whereby handoff is not done until the signal strength of a candidate base station exceeds the strength of serving base station by a certain amount. Hysteresis is set to equal levels with different signs on both sides of the cell boundaries, precisely for the reason of avoiding the aforesaid handoff back and forth due, for instance, to fading dips or "dead-spots". Since the path losses from the base stations concerned are generally equal, a mobile station MS which crosses a cell border may retain its connection with the serving BS as a result of hysteresis in the signal strength comparison.
It is important that a mobile (MS) is connected to the correct cell in a cell pattern or cluster, such as 3/9, 4/12, 7/21, and so on. This applies particularly to the 3/9 and 4/12 cell pattern, because of the short frequency co-channel reuse distance, which depends on the Carrier-to-Interference ratio problem (C/I). The hysteresis of the cell limits may therefore not be set too high. One problem that can occur when hysteresis is set at a low level is the undesirable handoffs of a MS are not sufficiently avoided.
The overshadowing problem resides in the "locating"-algorithm and the setting of parameter levels, which form the basis for a handoff decision. For instance, 80 parameters may be required with each BS in some cases. Consequently, the "locating"-calculations require comprehensive signalling and calculating capacity in the mobile telephone exchange and between respective switches. By switches is meant here MSCs (Mobile Services Switching Centres) or BSCs (Base Station Controllers).
In certain systems, the "locating"-calculations are effected in the switch part designated TRH (Transceiver Handler), which also organizes candidate lists, i.e. lists which organizes base stations as handoff candidates. The handoff function in the transceiver handler TRH examines the candidate list, allocates and activates a channel and orders the mobile MS to switch to a new channel. Those base stations whose signal strengths are higher than a given lower threshold M, for instance -90 dBm, but lower than an upper threshold K=0, for instance -60 dBm, are ranked in accordance with the K-criterion. In principle, the K-criterion is a ranking from the highest to the lowest signal strength, including a penalty. Those signal strengths which lie beneath the M-value are not ranked. Those base stations whose signal strengths lie above K are considered to have sufficient strength and are ranked in accordance with the L-criterion, which takes, for instance, path loss and penalty into account. A penalty is allocated to base stations which, for instance, have failed to expedite a handoff command. The penalty is often expressed in an additional loss allocation, in the candidate list, to that base station which has failed to expedite a handoff. The penalty is also weighted into the K-criterion, and if the signal strength should lie beneath the M-threshold. Thus, in the case of the L-criterion that base station which has the highest signal strength need not be placed uppermost in the hierarchy. The obtained measurement values are the equalized average values over a given period of time, for instance 480 ms according to GSM.
It will be evident from the description of the background art that, in principle, it is only signal strength that is considered in the "locating"-algorithm and that, in spite of this, it is perhaps necessary to use as many as 80 parameters for a cell "site" (BS physical positioning). When considering the switch capacity that is required, it can be well imagined what problems would arise if further variables were weighted into the "locating"-procedure.
It should be added that some manufacturers of mobile telephone systems do not avail themselves of the "path loss" criterion in the "locating"-algorithm. Some telecommunication companies also have their own signs for switch units (MSC, BSC), although it will be understood that the invention is not restricted solely to systems which have certain criteria or names.
Generally speaking, "fuzzy"-logic is purely a generalization of classic algebra in which two-state Boolean algebra is a set. The "fuzzy"-logic applied by the present invention is called the "max-min-method". The method is based on the use of the logical operators "AND" and "OR" and the complement. The most popular operator, and often the most satisfactory, is the AND-operator. When comparing variables, for instance, in "fuzzy"-logic, there is read-out the AND.tbd.minimum.tbd.intersection, the OR.tbd.maximum.tbd.union and the complement is as usual. AND selects the min-variable and OR selects the max-variable.
The continued method of procedure is mainly as follows:
a. Allocate at least two sets for each input variable for meaningful comparisons. PA1 b. Allocate each variable set a membership function .mu..sub.M, i.e. a function which defines the set. Although not necessarily so, the functions in "fuzzy"-logic often assume values between 0 and 1 on the ordinate (the Y-axis, "co-domain"). In any event, the values are normalized. The domain in which the set assumes the values (preferably normalized) is defined on the abscissa (the X-axis). PA1 c. Set-up linguistic adjectival expressions for comparisons between variables. PA1 d. Form "IF" and "THEN" statements, which are condition statements of the adjectival expressions. "IF" and "THEN" are bound together with the logical operators. PA1 e. All expressions according to d. form a rulebase which is gone through sequentially by the values of the compared variables, parameters (the antecedents in the condition statements). PA1 f. Each rule (condition statement) produces an output value which affects an output set defined through its membership function, .mu..sub.O. The output value is designated the "firing-value" or "rule-firing". PA1 g. Those values which occur when the output set is affected or influenced are called consequences. PA1 h. All consequences are weighed together, normally according to one of the following three evaluation methods "Max-Height", average value method ("Average") or "centroid"-method ("Centre of Gravity", "Momentum"), which produce the "crisp"-value for any further evaluation. In the case of the present invention, the "crisp"-values are used to update the candidate list. PA1 a. RXLEV.sub.-- DL.tbd.Receiver level-DownLink (BS to MS), which is the strength of the signals received at the mobile stations. This reported value extends from 0 . . . 63, where 0 represents -110 dBm and 63 represents -48 dBm. PA1 b. RXLEV.sub.-- UL.tbd.Receiver Level.sub.-- UpLink (MS to BS), which is the strength of the signals received by the base stations. The input reported values according to RXLEV.sub.-- DL above. PA1 c. RXLEV.sub.-- NCELL(n).tbd.Receiver Level.sub.-- Neighbouring Cell (n), which is the signal strength measured in MS from a neighboring cell No. n. The input reported value according to RXLEV.sub.-- DL above. Although the candidate list normally contains only 6 neighbour cells, the mobile shall be capable of measuring the signal strength of 32 neighbour cells, for instance in the GSM system. PA1 d. RXQUAL.sub.-- DL.tbd.Receiver Quality.sub.-- DownLink. This variable represents estimated BER with regard to data bursts received by MS. The input reported values extend from 0 . . . 7, where 0 is smaller than 0.2% and 7 corresponds to more than 12.8%. PA1 e. RXQUAL.sub.-- UL.tbd.Quality.sub.-- UpLink, which represents estimated BER on data received by BS. The same extension (area) as for RXQUAL.sub.-- DL above. PA1 f. TA.tbd.Timing (Advance or Alignment) is the measured distance between MS and BS. The distance is measured from the propagation time between MS and BS. PA1 g. Stored parameters as transmitted power from neighbour base stations, path loss, C/I, C/A, C/R, where C.tbd.Carrier, I.tbd.Interference, A.tbd.Adjacent, R.tbd.Reflexion, and other parameters specified in the GSM recommendation under, for instance, GSM Recom. 03.03, 04.08 and 05.08 ("locating"-algorithm).
The method of procedure with regard to the centroid method is defined remarkably well in Patent Application No. EP-A 2,424,890 which is incorporated here by reference. This document also discloses the state of the art with regard to "fuzzy"-hardware and data communication between included units, and is considered hereafter as known, particularly when it is mentioned in the present Application that the hardware can comprise a control unit, an application memory for sequential user instructions and "fuzzy"-conclusion instructions.
The use of either standard circuits or ASICS for implementation of fuzzy-logic is discussed in ELEKTRONIK I NORDEN, No 9, 1993, part two, page 46-47, Fuzzy-logik med standardkretsar eller Asic.
An attempt to use "fuzzy"-logic within mobile telephony technology has been published as "Handoff Control Using Learnt Cell Boundary for Radio PBX", authors Y. Kinoshita, et al, Dept. of Electrical and Electronics Engineering Chiba University, Chiba, 260 Japan. This document describes the use of "fuzzy"-logic in the form of a method for mapping the surface of a cell in X and Y coordinates and for Learning the cell area by simulations with "fuzzy"-logic. Thus, "fuzzy"-logic is not used for handoff decisions actively and in real time.
Another suggestion to use fuzzy-logic in mobile communication systems is described in IEEE Global Telecommunications Conference. GLOBECOM '91, Conference Record (Cat. No 91CH2980-1) Volume 2, M. Kitagawa, K. Ohno, A. Kaiyama, "AN ADVANCED AIR INTERFACE FOR INTEGRATED DIGITAL MOBILE COMMUNICATIUONS SYSTEMS" page 1474-1479. According to this document fuzzy-logic is not used for handover decision but for determining in which cell a mobile is located.

Methods and apparatus pertaining to handoff in a mobile telecommunication system


Methods and systems for leveraging one's social network in the context of an opportunities marketplace are described. One aspect of the invention involves integrating social networking features into an online marketplace, or exchange. Accordingly, one aspect of the invention involves facilitating an opportunity search in a manner that provides social networking information with the results of the search.

Computer networks, such as the Internet, have given rise to a wide variety of online marketplaces providing people with new ways to buy and sell goods and services, exchange ideas, and generally connect with other people. One service area in particular that has been significantly impacted by the Internet is job search services. The Internet has changed the approach that many people take when performing a search for a new job. Numerous online websites are dedicated to matching job seekers with job providers. Some of the online job matching services are directed to very specific markets, for example, matching computer programmers with short-term contract work.
Nearly all online job services suffer from the same general problem. Studies have shown that more than half of all jobs and consulting contracts are found when the job applicant is personally referred to the hiring organization, as opposed to when the job applicant responds to a job posting and/or applies directly with no previous connection to the hiring organization. From the perspective of a company or other hiring organization, although only a relatively small percentage of all job candidates are referred by someone in the company or hiring organization, these referrals may account for more than half of the people hired for jobs and consulting contracts.
Generally, online job matching services work in much the same way that a traditional newspaper classifieds section works. A company may post information about a job offering to a database that is accessible via a website hosted by the company or a third-party. Accordingly, potential job candidates may browse, research, or even apply for a job posted on the website. Typically, a job posting from an online job matching service identifies the posting organization (e.g., the organization offering the job) and/or the person responsible for the posting. In some cases, a job posting may even include the name of the person making the hiring decision.
Because most jobs are gained through personal connections, a smart job seeker may attempt to find someone with a connection to the posting organization or posting individual through people in the job seeker's social network. Currently, however, online job matching services do not provide any features or functions that facilitate leveraging one's social network while performing an online job search. Instead, a job seeker must use more traditional means of analyzing his or her personal network of contacts after he or she has identified a potential job opening of interest. Alternatively, a job seeker may turn to an online social networking service that he or she may belong to in order to conduct research of his or her social network, and hopefully identify someone within his or her social network who has a connection to the job posting.
Previous job matching services have implemented reputation systems that accrue reputation information by asking participants to rate other participants with whom they have worked or contracted. For example, such a reputation system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,567,784 to Hans Max Theodore Bukow. However, the type of reputation system described in the patent to Bukow only provides a job provider or a job seeker with the ability to contact a person who has provided reputation information. For example, the system does not provide a job provider or a job seeker with any insight into how he or she can gain access to a trusted source of information. Furthermore, many people who may be willing to provide a private endorsement may be reluctant to provide a public or formal endorsement or rating. Consequently, participants may find it difficult to obtain reputation ratings utilizing systems that rely exclusively on formal reputation ratings.

Method and system for leveraging the power of one's social network in an online marketplace


A wheel-balancing weight mounts to a wheel with a flange. The weight has a weighted body and a clip securely attached thereto. The clip has a gripping section and the body has a gripping portion generally opposite the gripping section of the clip. The gripping section of the clip and the gripping portion of the body in combination define a compartment therebetween, where the compartment receives the flange therein when the weight is mounted thereto such that the gripping section of the clip and the gripping portion of the body are on opposite sides of the flange and grip the flange therebetween.

In the manufacture of pneumatic tires and also wheels and rims for pneumatic tires, it is exceedingly difficult if not impossible to produce a tire, a wheel, or the combination thereof in perfect rotational balance. As known, when out of balance, such a tire, wheel, or combination thereof, vibrates excessively upon rotation and can cause damage to adjacent, coupled-to and/or related components.
Accordingly, and as is known, such tire, wheel, or combination thereof is balanced by appropriately applying one or more counter-balancing weights to compensate for a measured imbalance. Methods of measuring imbalance and determining where to apply the counter-balancing weights are generally known to the relevant public and therefore need not be described herein.
Heretofore, such a counter-balancing weight has been constructed to have a body formed from lead or the like as a unitary mass around a steel clip, where the steel clip securely clips on to an exterior circumferential flange or lip at the rim of the wheel. However, the use of lead has come to be discouraged for environmental reasons , among others.
Accordingly, a need exists for a wheel-balancing weight with a body formed from a material other than lead. More particularly, a need exists for such a wheel-balancing weight that is simple in design and manufacture and therefore is affordable in cost.


A coin wrapping machine includes a coin denomination selecting device for selecting the denomination of coins to be wrapped, a coin discrimination and counter device for discriminating and counting the coins to be wrapped, a coin stacking device for stacking a predetermined number of coins, a coin wrapping device for wrapping a wrapping paper around the stacked coins and crimping both ends of the wrapping paper, and a speed setting device for setting the operating speed of wrapping rollers to a predetermined speed and setting the moving speed of a crimping device to a predetermined speed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coin wrapping machine, in particular to a coin wrapping machine for wrapping coins with various shapes including circular coins, polygonal coins and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional coin wrapping machine is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-113207. The coin wrapping machine disclosed in this Japanese Patent is provided with a rotatable disc for delivering deposited coins to a transport passage, stacking drums for stacking the coins which are transported on the transport passage and whose numbers are counted, wrapping rollers for wrapping a wrapping paper around the stacked coins, and a pair of upper and lower crimp claws for crimping upper and lower ends of the wrapping paper to produce a roll of wrapped coins.
In this conventional coin wrapping machine, the coins deposited on the rotatable disc are delivered one by one by centrifugal force to the transport passage disposed on the circumferential side of the disc, are discriminated and counted, and transported to the stacking drums. The stacking drums stack a predetermined number of the coins to produce columnar stacked coins, and the stacked coins are thereafter moved to the wrapping rollers and are gripped by the rollers. While the stack of coins is rotated about its longitudinal center axis by the wrapping rollers, the wrapping paper is supplied between the rollers and the stacked coins and is wrapped around the stacked coins, and then the crimp claws crimp the upper and lower ends of the wrapping paper to produce the roll of wrapped coins.
The above mentioned coin wrapping machine is a machine for wrapping circular coins, which are the only type used in some countries such as Japan. However, in some countries, polygonal coins are used as well as circular coins. If the above mentioned coin wrapping machine is used to wrap polygonal coins, the contact pressure between the stacked coins and the circumferential surfaces of the rollers when the stacked polygonal coins are being rotated between the rollers fluctuates owing to the ups and downs along the circumferential surfaces of the polygonal coins. The fluctuating contact pressure vibrates the stacked polygonal coins and may cause them to fly out from the wrapping rollers. Accordingly, the conventional coin wrapping machine cannot reliably wrap polygonal coins.
Further, when the coin wrapping machine wraps stacked coins, the diameters of the coins, quality of the wrapping paper and the like have to be taken into consideration.


The present invention provides a method and machine for producing a slotted wound core (50). The machine includes a punch arrangement (16) arranged to punch apertures in a length of material (12a), a mandrel (22) for receiving the punched material, a control means and a mandrel indexing means. The positioning of the punch arrangement (16) and the mandrel (22) is fixed and the mandrel (22) is arranged to be rotated by the mandrel indexing means after each operation of the punch arrangement so that a roll of punched material is formed on the mandrel (22). The mandrel (22) is rotated by an amount (&ggr;) determined by the control means. The control means determines the indexed amount so that selected apertures punched in the length of material align with one another when the material (12a) is rolled onto the mandrel (22) so that the aligned apertures form respective slots (52) of a desired configuration in the core (50).

Devices such as electric motors, generators and transformers include a magnetically conducive base which is generally known as a "stator". The stator includes a core and a winding. The winding is typically a copper winding which is located within the slots formed in the core.
Stators typically adopt either one of two basic geometries. The first geometry is known as "radial flux" and the second geometry is known as "axial flux". In a stator having "radial flux" geometry, the flux that generates torque flows in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation. In a stator having "axial flux" geometry, the flux that generates torque flows in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation.
Devices including a stator adopting "axial flux" geometry are often referred to as "pancake" devices due to their flat round shape. In contrast, devices adopting "radial flux" geometry are typically drum shaped.
Devices adopting "axial flux" geometry have generally been considered to be advantageous. However, it is recognised that the manufacture of the magnetic core for such devices is difficult.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,356,972 describes a machine for constructing laminated cores for electrical devices. FIG. 1 illustrates the layout of the machine described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,356,972. Cores are formed using a punch and wind process whereby core forming material is punched with apertures and then wound onto a roll 2. To begin the process, the free end of the core forming material is bent at a 90° angle 3 and positioned in a locating slot 4 on the roll 2. The entire roll 2 is then rotated, drawing more material around itself, until a required rotation angle (that is the angle between successive slots in the core) has been achieved. An aperture is then punched into the material by a punch and die arrangement 6. This process is repeated until the desired roll size is achieved.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the entire roll 2 is located upon a linear slider 7 which allows free vertical movement of the roll 2. Roller 10 ensures that the top of the roll 2 is always maintained at a set height and thus the spring 9 is compressed as the radius of the roll 2 increases.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the difficulty when producing this form of core is to ensure that the apertures are punched in the material so that they align properly to form the required "straight sided" radial slots. If the apertures are punched at an equal spacing the required "straight sided" slots will not be formed. To address this problem, the machine described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,356,972 includes a ramp 11. The ramp 11 presses against the roll 2 and is arranged to move the punch and die arrangement 6 horizontally away from the roll 2 as the radius of the roll 2 increases. Spring 12 ensures that the ramp 11 is continuously fixed against the roll 2. Brake 14 and guide rollers 13 ensure that the material is fed to the punch and die arrangement 6 in a controlled manner. The horizontal displacement of the punch and die arrangement 6 can, if correctly implemented, produce the required "straight sided" radial slots in the core. Unfortunately, this is not often possible because of the difficulty in maintaining the material between the punch and die arrangement 6 and the roll 2 in a horizontal orientation.
It will also be appreciated that as the punch displacement parts of the machine shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,356,972 wear, the accuracy of the positioning of the aperture punched by the punch and die arrangement 6 will decrease, leading to malformed slots in the resultant core.
Although other forms of machines have been developed to manufacture cores with "straight sided" radial slots, they all suffer from a lack of precision with regard to the positioning of the punched apertures.
The present invention seeks to provide an improved punch and wind machine.


The present invention provides nucleic acid and amino acid sequences of an ATP binding cassette transporter and mutated sequences thereof associated with macular degeneration. Methods of detecting agents that modify ATP-binding cassette transporter comprising combining purified ATP binding cassette transporter and at least one agent suspected of modifying the ATP binding cassette transporter an observing a change in at least one characteristic associated with ATP binding cassette transporter. Methods of detecting macular degeneration is also embodied by the present invention.

Macular degeneration affects approximately 1.7 million individuals in the U.S. and is the most common cause of acquired visual impairment in those over the age of 65. Stargardt disease (STGD; McKusick Mendelian Inheritance (MIM) #248200) is arguably the most common hereditary recessive macular dystrophy and is characterized by juvenile to young adult onset, central visual impairment, progressive bilateral atrophy of the macular retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and neuroepithelium, and the frequent appearance of orange-yellow flecks distributed around the macula and/or the midretinal periphery (Stargardt, 1909; Anderson et al., 1995). A clinically similar retinal disorder (Fundus Flavimaculatus, FFM, Franceschetti, 1963) often displays later age of onset and slower progression (Fishman, 1976; Noble and Carr, 1979). From linkage analysis, it has been concluded that STGD and FFM are most likely allelic autosomal recessive disorders with slightly different clinical manifestations caused by mutation(s) of a gene at chromosome 1p13-p21 (Gerber et al., 1995; Anderson et al., 1995). The STGD gene has been localized to a 4 cM region flanked by the recombinant markers D1S435 and D1S236 and a complete yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) contig of the region has been constructed (Anderson et al., 1995). Recently, the location of the STGD/FFM locus on human chromosome 1p has been refined to a 2 cM interval between polymorphic markers D1S406 and D1S236 by genetic linkage analysis in an independent set of STGD families (Hoyng et al., 1996). Autosomal dominant disorders with somewhat similar clinical phenotypes to STGD, identified in single large North American pedigrees, have been mapped to chromosome 13q34 (STGD2; MIM #153900; Zhang et al., 1994) and to chromosome 6q11-q14 (STGD3; MIM #600110; Stone et al., 1994), although these conditions are not characterized by the pathognomonic dark choroid observed by fluorescein angiography (Gass, 1987).
Members of the superfamily of mammalian ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporters are being considered as possible candidates for human disease phenotypes. The ABC superfamily includes genes whose products are transmembrane proteins involved in energy-dependent transport of a wide spectrum of substrates across membranes (Childs and Ling, 1994; Dean and Allikmets, 1995). Many disease-causing members of this superfamily result in defects in the transport of specific substrates (CFTR, Riordan et al., 1989; ALD, Mosser et al., 1993; SUR, Thomas et al., 1995; PMP70, Shimozawa et al., 1992; TAP2, de la Salle et al., 1994). In eukaryotes, ABC genes encode typically four domains that include two conserved ATP-binding domains (ATP) and two domains with multiple transmembrane (TM) segments (Hyde et al. 1996). The ATP-binding domains of ABC genes contain motifs of characteristic conserved residues (Walker A and B motifs) spaced by 90–120 amino acids. Both this conserved spacing and the "Signature" or "C" motif just upstream of the Walker B site distinguish members of the ABC superfamily from other ATP-binding proteins (Hyde et al., 1990; Michaelis and Berkower, 1995). These features have allowed the isolation of new ABC genes by hybridization, degenerate PCR, and inspection of DNA sequence databases (Allikmets et al., 1993, 1995; Dean et al., 1994; Luciani et al., 1994).
The characterization of twenty-one new members of the ABC superfamily may permit characterization and functions assigned to these genes by determining their map locations and their patterns of expression (Allikmets et al., 1996). That many known ABC genes are involved in inherited human diseases suggests that some of these new loci will also encode proteins mutated in specific genetic disorders. Despite regionally localizing a gene by mapping, the determination of the precise localization and sequence of one gene nonetheless requires choosing the certain gene from about 250 genes, four to about five million base pairs, from within the regionally localized chromosomal site.
While advancements have been made as described above, mutations in retina-specific ABC transporter (ABCR) in patients with recessive macular dystrophy STGD/FFM have not yet been identified to Applicant's knowledge. That ABCR expression is limited to photoreceptors, as determined by the present invention, provides evidence as to why ABCR has not yet been sequenced. Further, the ABC1 subfamily of ABC transporters is not represented by any homolog in yeast (Michaelis and Berkower, 1995), suggesting that these genes evolved to perform specialized functions in multicellular organisms, which also lends support to why the ABCR gene has been difficult to identify. Unlike ABC genes in bacteria, the homologous genes in higher eukaryotes are much less well studied. The fact that prokaryotes contain a large number of ABC genes suggests that many mammalian members of the superfamily remain uncharacterized. The task of studying eukaryote ABC genes is more difficult because of the significantly higher complexity of eukaryotic systems and the apparent difference in function of even highly homologous genes. While ABC proteins are the principal transporters of a number of diverse compounds in bacterial cells, in contrast, eukaryotes have evolved other mechanisms for the transport of many amino acids and sugars. Eukaryotes have other reasons to diversify the role of ABC genes, for example, performing such functions as ion transport, toxin elimination, and secretion of signaling molecules.
Accordingly, there remains a need for the identification of the sequence of the gene, which in mutated forms is associated with retinal and/or macular degenerative diseases, including Stargardt Disease and Fundus Flavimaculatus, for example, in order to provide enhanced diagnoses and improved prognoses and interventional therapies for individuals affected with such diseases.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Nucleic acid and amino acid sequences for ATP-binding cassette transporter and methods of screening for agents that modify ATP-binding cassette transporter

The United States of America as represented by the Department of Health and Human Services


A high-resolution thermopile infrared sensor array having monolithically integrated signal processing and a plurality of parallel signal processing channels for the signals from pixels of a sensor array, and a digital port for the serial output of the pixel signals are provided, wherein the sensor array is located on one or more sensor chips. The thermal piled infrared sensor array possesses low power loss, high integration density and high thermal and geometric resolution. Each signal processing channel (K1 . . . KN) has at least one analogue/digital converter (ADC), and is assigned a memory region in a memory (RAM) for storing the signals from the pixels (SE).

The invention relates to a high-resolution thermopile infrared sensor array having monolithically integrated signal processing and a plurality of parallel signal processing channels for the signals from pixels of a sensor array, and also a digital port for the serial output of the signals of the pixels, wherein the sensor array is situated on one or more sensor chips.
In order to construct a high-resolution thermopile infrared sensor array, the number of individual thermopile elements, i.e. the number of pixels, must increase and the geometric dimensions of the pixels themselves must decrease. The thermopile sensor arrays originally available commercially comprised only a small number of pixels (e.g. 8×8 pixels or 16×16 pixels), wherein the individual pixels were very large (e.g. 150 . . . 300 μm×150 . . . 300 μm). There was thus enough space on the sensor chip (e.g. composed of silicon) to accommodate a few amplifiers or low-pass filters on the chip alongside the thermopile sensor array.
Currently customary thermopile sensor arrays having larger numbers of pixels require a reduction of the dimensions of the pixels to a side length of 100 μm, or even down to 25 μm. However, the smaller pixels resulting from the increasing integration density have the disadvantage that they generate an area-proportionally smaller signal. That means that, given half a pixel size, only one quarter of the signal strength is available for the further processing.
The signal voltages, which are thus ever lower and are usually in the nV range up to a few μV, require ever higher gain factors in order that signals can be processed further without additional noise or other interference influences outside the actual sensor housing. The consequence, however, is an ever lower signal-to-noise ratio.
The signal gain required as a result of the low signal voltages is at least a few 1000, usually even above 10,000, in order to raise the signal voltage to an extent such that it can be passed on to other assemblies and processed further. The high-gain analog amplifiers traditionally used for signal amplification require multi-stage amplifiers with a relatively large area requirement and, moreover, these amplifiers have a considerable current consumption. That means that the power loss and thus at the same time the inherent heating increase, which in turn leads to an increase in the measurement error of the thermopile sensor array overall.
In the meantime, infrared thermopile sensor arrays produced on one chip by means of silicon micromachining have become known in a variety of embodiments. In these sensor arrays, a portion of the signal processing takes place on the chip, but only a small number of preamplifiers and a common multiplexer are present, the latter outputting the signals of all the pixels. The thermopiles have so-called "hot" contacts on an infrared reception area becoming smaller and smaller, and so-called "cold" contacts on a heat sink at the edge of the respective pixel. The signal voltage generated by the thermopile is directly dependent on the achievable temperature difference between the "hot" and "cold" contacts.
By way of example, in the case of a thermopile sensor array in accordance with WO 2006/122529 A1, for each row of the sensor array respectively one preamplifier and one low-pass filter are integrated on the chip. That is insufficient, however, for high-resolution sensor arrays having many rows and columns. By way of example, only 64 preamplifiers and 64 low-pass filters are used in the case of an array of 64×64 pixels. The achievable noise bandwidth would be up to 64 times higher than necessary. Since the noise increases with the root of the noise bandwidth, however, the noise could be reduced by up to 8-fold, or the thermal resolution capability could be improved by up to 8-fold.
However, no measures are specified for a current- and space-saving solution for the signal amplification per signal channel.
Furthermore, JP 2004-170375 A discloses a thermopile sensor array which comprises only a single preamplifier.
DE 103 22 860 B4 describes a circuit arrangement for reading out electronic signals from high-resolution thermal sensors with preamplifiers which are situated upstream of a multiplexer. In order to reduce the considerable power loss of the individual preamplifiers operating in parallel, the latter are cyclically switched off in order to save power.
It is precisely as a result of this measure that the high temperature resolution desired is not achieved, however, because the preamplifiers upstream of the multiplexer can obtain the expected result only if the noise bandwidth of the sampled signal is simultaneously reduced proportionally to the number of parallel amplifier channels. That is not possible, however, if the amplified signal, via the preamplifiers, is not continuously "integrated" by means of a low-pass filter for noise bandwidth limiting, or smoothed e.g. via a low-pass filter.
EP 2 587 234 A1 discloses a thermopile infrared sensor having a circuit for signal processing in which the signals of the individual pixels are forwarded without band limiting, or interposed preamplifiers.
All the solutions above describe thermopile infrared sensor arrays, but without proposing measures for signal processing in conjunction with a higher integration density on the chip. In particular, there are no proposals for reducing the noise bandwidth in conjunction with an extremely small space requirement and an extremely low power loss.
The know solutions have an inadequate thermal resolution capability because only a single or only very few preamplifier channels has/have been integrated on the sensor chip, which leads to a high noise bandwidth and at the same time to a poor signal/noise ratio.
A high integration density requires a reduction of the pixel size and the so-called pixel pitch, i.e. the center-to-center distance between the thermopile pixels, in order thereby to accommodate more pixels on the same chip area. In addition, a high thermal resolution, i.e. a high signal/noise ratio, and a low noise-limited temperature resolution NETD (Noise Equivalent Temperature Difference), are also desirable besides a high geometric resolution.
Owing to the smaller reception area and owing to the resultant small distance between the "hot" and "cold" contacts of the thermopile pixels, a reduction of the pixel size simultaneously also leads to a reduction of the sensor signal emitted by the thermopile pixel, which leads to a lower signal/noise ratio, poorer thermal resolution capability and to a reduced measurement accuracy.
In principle, it is possible to reduce the size of thermopile cells (thermopile pixels) and to integrate ever greater numbers of pixels on the sensor chip. By way of example, 16×16, 32×32, 64×64, 128×128 thermopile pixels or more are realized on one sensor chip. The signal voltages of the individual thermopile pixels would have to be multiplexed by means of m×n addressing and MUX switches, i.e. passed onto a common, serial signal line to one amplifier per array, or via a common serial interface per row or column.
Since the signals still able to be minimally resolved from thermopile pixels having further reduced pixel dimensioning are still in the nV range for many applications, the signals still have to be sufficiently highly amplified and processed further on the chip, such that they cannot be influenced by electrical interference influences outside and within the sensor chip.
Gain factors of typically 10,000 or more are necessary in the case of the known solutions in order to amplify the sensor signals of such small thermopile pixels to a few mV, in order that the sensor signals downstream of the MUX (multiplexer) can be output from the sensor chip on a fast serial analog output—or can be converted into digital signals by a fast AD converter integrated on or directly alongside the sensor chip.
The disadvantage here is that the bandwidth of these preamplifiers downstream of the multiplexer has to be very high in order to transmit the sensor signals of many successively sampled thermopile pixels still with image frequencies of from a plurality of Hz to tens of Hz.
This necessitates at least m×n times the frame rate in the case of one preamplifier per array, or m times the frame rate for an array having m columns and respectively one preamplifier per column. With the root of the (noise) bandwidth, however, at the same time the noise of the system also increases and the temperature resolution NETD deteriorates.
High-gain amplifiers which operate stably and accurately require a plurality of amplifier stages, need a relatively large amount of space on the sensor chip and additionally have a considerable current consumption with correspondingly high waste heat, which in turn further reduces the achievable signal voltage of the thermopile elements.
For this reason, it is not possible to accommodate many of such large amplifiers alongside the pixels on the restricted space of a sensor chip.

High resolution thermopile infrared sensor array having monolithically integrated signal processing


An improved bicycle driving apparatus structured to generate driving power including a driving assembly to generate driving power, a tracking assembly to transmit the driving power to the rear wheel, a speed-shifting assembly structured to permit changing of the gears. The driving assembly includes a right pedal assembly and a left pedal assembly, each structured for movement in an alternating direction and along a generally arcuate path of less than 360 degrees. The driving assembly also includes a variable speed transmission assembly structured to vary the amount of power required for movement of the right and left pedal assemblies. The right pedal assembly includes a right pedal cylindrical hub secured to a drive shaft. Furthermore, it includes a first and second pulling rod, a first and second auxiliary pulling rod, and a right pedal arm extending from the right pedal cylindrical shaft. The left pedal assembly includes a left pedal arm, a first roller, and a second roller disposed upon the drive shaft. The first roller is structured to rotate with the left pedal arm and the second roller is structured to rotate with the drive shaft. The rollers are structured so that a clockwise rotation of the left pedal arm causes a counterclockwise rotation of the second roller, and therefore, the drive shaft, right pedal cylindrical hub, and the right pedal arm. Likewise, a clockwise rotation of the right pedal arm will cause a clockwise rotation of the drive shaft and the second roller, as well as a counterclockwise rotation of the first roller and the left pedal arm.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an improved driving apparatus that permits bicycles and the like to be more efficiently powered by movement of a user's legs in an up and down motion. Furthermore, the improved bicycle driving apparatus of the present invention includes a variable transmission assembly permitting a user to choose among an almost unlimited number of gear or speed settings and to smoothly and uniformly shift between these gear or speed settings.
2. Description of the Related Art
The bicycle has been steadily increasing in popularity as a means of transportation, recreation, and fitness. The development of new lightweight metal alloys and other materials have increased the efficiency of bicycles while providing sturdy and durable bicycle designs. Other improvements, such as those permitting a user to shift gears or speeds, have also increased the efficiency and user's enjoyment of bicycles successfully. However, few improvements have increased the efficiency of bicycles by focusing upon the particular leg movements utilized in pedaling so as to impart movement to the bicycle.
Generally, in order to impart movement to a bicycle, a bicyclist moves his legs in a circular manner, and thus, the pedals of the bicycle move in a circular manner, as well and translate into causing the wheels of the bicycle to move forward. Specifically, a user's legs must continuously move the pedals through a forward circular motion of 360 degrees. This type of pedaling motion provides a simplistic design which is relatively easy and inexpensive to manufacture, and which has for the most part, gained universal acceptance, despite the inefficiency inherent in transmitting force by leg movements through a 360 degree circular movement as shown in FIG. 1b. In particular, when a bicyclist's legs move through a 360 degree circular pedaling movement, the majority of force is applied during the downward portion of the forward stroke, "A", as indicated by the arrow marked "A" in FIG. 1b. During this downward portion of the forward stroke, a bicyclist utilizes his or her own body weight advantageously to apply substantial vertical forces and cause forward movement of the bicycle. On the other hand, the top and bottom portions of a circular pedalling stroke require the application of almost entirely horizontal forces. These portions of the pedaling movement are indicated by the arrows marked "B" in FIG. 1b. Naturally, a bicyclist sitting on a bicycle cannot adequately apply horizontal forces to a pedaling mechanism located directly below him or her, as they are very difficult to apply. As such, a significant portion of the 360 degree circular pedal movement is ineffectual in transmitting force or movement to the rear wheel of the bicycle.
Others in the art have struggled to develop a bicycle driving apparatus structured to reduce this inefficiency inherent in a circular pedaling motion of 360 degrees. For example, some prior devices have attempted to limit the motion of the pedals to less than 360 degrees in order to eliminate the "inefficient zones" at the top and bottom of 360 degree pedal movement, such as are labelled B" in FIG. 1b. Existing devices have generally proven to be inadequate, however, in that they entail a variety of intricate parts and a complicated assembly, and in general, they fail to provide a practical solution to eliminating the "inefficient zones" of circular pedal movement.
Furthermore, existing devices have been inadequate in providing a speed-shifting mechanism structured for use with a bicycle driving apparatus which limits the pedal motion to less than 360 degrees. Indeed, the need for a variable speed transmission increases with bicycle or similar device which has a limited range of pedal movement, due to the fatigue that results from the alternating direction of a restricted pedalling movement. Additionally, the ability to vary the amount of force required for pedal movement becomes even more critical when the user must travel uphill, against the wind, or in rough terrain. In conventional bicycle designs which include a variable speed transmission, a complicated series of different sized sprockets are typically disposed on the rear wheel, such that each sprocket size corresponds to a desired "speed" or "gear" for the bicycle. These known designs also typically include a complicated assembly for moving the drive chain from one sprocket to another so as to adjust the speed. Such a speed shifting assembly usually includes several intricate and delicate parts, thereby making the assembly difficult to maintain and readily susceptible to mechanical failures. Furthermore, a user is naturally limited in his or her choice of gears or speeds utilized in existing variable speed transmissions, since a different sprocket must be provided for each speed selected. Moreover, due to the different sized sprockets, a shift in gears typically causes an abrupt change in the pedalling force required and often results in an unsteady and jarring transition between speeds. These problems are further intensified when the circular motion of the pedals is limited to less than 360 degrees, as it will be understood that such a limitation requires the pedals to move in an alternating "up and down" direction, as opposed to a continuous, smooth circular, motion. The lack of a smoothly variable transmission having an infinite number of speed settings further adds to the impracticality of existing devices, since a bicyclist is not able to overcome his or her fatigue by shifting to an easier gear in a smooth and uniform manner. Due to the inability of others in the art to provide a practical and convenient bicycle driving apparatus which limits the circular pedaling motion to less than 360 degrees, it is not surprising that the conventional 360 circular motion apparatus has continued to enjoy universal acceptance in spite of its highly inefficient pedaling mechanism.
Accordingly, there still remains a significant need in the art for a bicycle driving apparatus which limits pedaling motion to the downward portion of the forward stroke in order to eliminate pedal movement through the "inefficient zones" at the top and bottom of a conventional circular 360 degree pedal movement. In particular, there is a need for such a bicycle driving apparatus which is simplistic in design, convenient, and practical. Additionally, in order to overcome problems inherent in prior limited pedal motion devices, there is a need for such a device which includes a smooth shifting transmission so as to permit a cyclist to smoothly and uniformly shift between an infinite variety of speeds or gears to adapt to varying conditions.

Driving apparatus for bicycles and the like


A bearing support for a rotor of an aircraft turbine engine which includes a front bearing and a front bearing support and bearing strut for securely attaching the front bearing, to the aircraft turbine engine support structure, wherein the front bearing support and bearing strut are integral with the aircraft turbine engine support structure.

The present invention relates to an aircraft turbine engine bearing support which eliminates or greatly minimizes stress concentration on the joint or interface between the bearing supports and the aircraft turbine engine support structure, and provides improved stiffness at the joint or interface.
An aircraft turbine engine bearing support system includes a front bearing and a rear bearing, and a first and second bearing support for securely attaching the front bearing and the rear bearing to the aircraft turbine engine support structure. The first bearing support is generally bolted to the aircraft turbine engine support structure, the second bearing support connected to the first bearing support. U.S. Pat. No. 6,428,269 shows such a system. The bolted joint or interface creates an undesirable high stress concentration and reduces the strength of the unit.
It is highly desirable and an object of the present invention to overcome these disadvantages and provide a turbine engine bearing support that eliminates or greatly reduces high stress concentration on the joint or interface between the bearing supports and the aircraft turbine engine support structure.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a turbine engine bearing support that provides increased stiffness and improved strength.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear hereinbelow.


The aberration and refraction power data of an eye to be examined obtained from a first light reception unit and cornea data of the eye to be examined are correlated with each other so as to be overlaid accurately. A first signal and a second signal are concurrently captured, and the optical characteristics and cornea shape of the eye to be examined are measured concurrently or almost concurrently. A measuring unit (111) measures dioptrical characteristics based on a first light reception signal from the first light reception unit (23), and measures a corneal topography based on a second light reception signal from the second light reception unit (35). A coordinates setting unit (112) converts signal in first and second coordinate systems, corresponding to the eye to be examined, included in the first and second reception signal into signal in reference coordinate systems respectively. A conversion unit (116) synthesizes the first and second optical characteristics of the eye to be examined obtained by the measuring unit (111) in association with each reference coordinate system formed by the coordinates setting unit (112). A measuring timing determining unit (117) determines the measuring timing of the first signal and the second signal to be subjected to measuring operation based on the first and/or second signal.

In recent years, an optical equipment used for medicine has been developed variously to a high degree. Especially in ophthalmology, the optical equipment becomes widespread as an optical characteristic measuring apparatus for testing an eye function, such as refraction of an eye or adjustment thereof, and the inside of an eye. In the measurement results of these various tests, it becomes important that for example, a patient's eye to be measured as a test object is put in what decision factor for measuring timing.
Besides, in general, corneal topography is effective in many uses, for example, prediction of results of a surgical operation such as keratotomy or keratectomy, clinic after corneal transplant, design and evaluation of contact lenses for shortsightedness or farsightedness, diagnosis of a cornea and judgment of a disease thereof, and the like. As a conventional measuring method of a corneal shape, there is, for example, a Placido disk technique, a stereoscopic photography technique, a moire technique, a topography interference technique or the like.
As the optical characteristic measuring apparatus, for example, there is known an apparatus in which a point light source is projected on a retina and is converted into a predetermined number of beams by a conversion member such as a Hartmann plate, and the beams are received by a light receiving part to measure the optical characteristic of the eye, or a corneal shape measuring apparatus in which a Placido's disk with visible light is used to measure the corneal shape. Incidentally, in the present specification, a signal obtained through a Hartmann plate required for measuring an optical characteristic of an eye to be measured is made a first signal, and a signal obtained through a Placido's disk required for measuring a corneal shape of the eye to be measured is made a second signal.
However, in the conventional eye characteristic measuring apparatus, a processing has been performed such that a coordinate of the measuring apparatus itself, for example, the center of a light receiving part is made the origin of coordinates. Thus, according to such a coordinate system, for example, in a surgical apparatus, there is a case where measurement data is not fully related to the eye, and it is not necessarily suitable. Besides, as a conventional measuring apparatus, there is an apparatus called a photo-refract meter for obtaining the refractive power of a subject eye and a corneal shape, however, a display is not necessarily carried out in the same coordinate system.
In general, at a point of time when an alignment is adjusted manually or automatically, a measurement is started manually or automatically, however, a coordinate system (CCD coordinate) attached to a CCD at the time of the measurement corresponds to a CCD coordinate of an object side (eye side) opposite to the CCD through a lens. Although a measurement with a Hartmann wavefront sensor (first measurement system) and a corneal shape measurement (second measurement system) are substantially simultaneously performed in the respective CCDs, there is a case where the measurements are performed at times which are not identical strictly. Thus, for example, the eye is moved in the measurement, which becomes a main cause, and there is no guarantee that the CCD coordinate system of the first measurement system becomes identical to the CCD coordinate of the second measurement system. Besides, it is already performed to obtain a pupil edge from an anterior eye image and to use it for alignment. However, in the case where the acquisition timing of a Hartmann image is not completely coincident with the acquisition timing of the alignment image of the anterior eye part, if the alignment is made by only the alignment image of the anterior eye part, there is a possibility that a deviation occurs in the alignment of the Hartmann measurement by the movement of an eye or the like.
Further, in recent years, in an orthokeratology surgical operation, there has arisen a request to superimpose optical characteristic measurement data, such as aberrations of the subject eye or refractive power data, obtained from a first light receiving part as an eye optical characteristic measurement system upon corneal topography measurement data, such as corneal data of the subject eye, obtained from a second light receiving part as a corneal topography measurement system.
Besides, in the convention optical characteristic measuring apparatus, a case is conceivable in which it is difficult to simultaneously measure the optical characteristic of the subject eye and the corneal shape.
In view of the above, an object of the invention is to provide an eye characteristic measuring apparatus which correlates the aberrations of a subject eye or refractive power data obtained from a first light receiving part with corneal data of the subject eye obtained from a second light receiving part so that they can be precisely superimposed. Besides, an object of the invention is to match coordinates of a corneal shape measurement and a wavefront measurement using the same image as an alignment system by graphically comparing pupils of both to make positions coincident with each other, or to correlate a coordinate system of the alignment system with a coordinate system of the wavefront measurement.
Further, an object of the invention is to provide a structure adequate to capture a first signal of a first measurement system and a second signal of a second measurement system simultaneously or substantially simultaneously. Besides, an object of the invention is to provide a structure adequate to continuously capture a first signal and a second signal simultaneously or substantially simultaneously. Besides, an object of the invention is to perform a measurement when a first signal and a second signal are put into a state suitable for the measurement. Besides, an object of the invention is to perform a measurement in such a state that when there are plural factors exerting influences on the measurement, highly reliable measurement results can be obtained by judging the suitability of those factors by use of signals adequate to detect them and by deciding measuring timings.