This invention relates to generally inhibiting histone deacetylase (HDAC) enzymes (e.g., HDAC1, HDAC2, and HDAC3).

To date, 18 HDACs have been identified in humans and there is increasing evidence that the 18 histone deacetylases (HDAC) in humans are not redundant in function. HDACs are classified into three main groups based on their homology to yeast proteins. Class I includes HDAC1, HDAC2, HDAC3, and HDAC8 and have homology to yeast RPD3. HDAC4, HDAC5, HDAC7, and HDAC9 belong to class IIa and have homology to yeast HDAC 1. HDAC6 and HDAC 10 contain two catalytic sites and are classified as class IIb, whereas HDAC11 has conserved residues in its catalytic center that are shared by both class I and class II deacetylases and is placed in class IV. These HDACs contain zinc in their catalytic site and are inhibited by compounds like trichostatin A (TSA) and vorinostat [suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA)]. Class III HDACs are known as sirtuins. They have homology to yeast Sir2, require NAD+ as cofactor, and do not contain zinc in the catalytic site. In general, HDAC inhibitors of zinc-dependent HDACs include a Zn-binding group, as well as a surface recognition domain.
HDACs are involved in the regulation of a number of cellular processes. Histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and HDACs acetylate and deacetylate lysine residues on the N termini of histone proteins thereby affecting transcriptional activity. They have also been shown to regulate post-translational acetylation of at least 50 non-histone proteins such as α-tubulin (see for example Kahn, N et at Biochem J 409 (2008) 581, Dokmanovic, M et al Mol Cancer Res 5 (2007) 981).
Altering gene expression through chromatin modification can be accomplished by inhibiting histone deacetylase (HDAC) enzymes. There is evidence that histone acetylation and deacetylation are mechanisms by which transcriptional regulation in a cell—a major event in cell differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis—is achieved. It has been hypothesized that these effects occur through changes in the structure of chromatin by altering the affinity of histone proteins for coiled DNA in the nucleosome. Hypoacetylation of histone proteins is believed to increase the interaction of the histone with the DNA phosphate backbone. Tighter binding between the histone protein and DNA can render the DNA inaccessible to transcriptional regulatory elements and machinery. HDACs have been shown to catalyze the removal of acetyl groups from the ε-amino groups of lysine residues present within the N-terminal extension of core histones, thereby leading to hypoacetylation of the histones and blocking of the transcriptional machinery and regulatory elements.
Inhibition of HDAC, therefore can lead to histone deacetylase-mediated transcriptional derepression of tumor suppressor genes. For example, cells treated in culture with HDAC inhibitors have shown a consistent induction of the kinase inhibitor p21, which plays an important role in cell cycle arrest. HDAC inhibitors are thought to increase the rate of transcription of p21 by propagating the hyperacetylated state of histones in the region of the p21 gene, thereby making the gene accessible to transcriptional machinery. Further, non-histone proteins involved in the regulation of cell death and cell-cycle also undergo lysine acetylation and deacetylation by HDACs and histone acetyl transferase (HATs).
This evidence supports the use of HDAC inhibitors in treating various types of cancers. For example, vorinostat (suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA)) has been approved by the FDA to treat cutaneous T-cell lymphoma and is being investigated for the treatment of solid and hematological tumors. Further, other HDAC inhibitors are in development for the treatment of acute myelogenous leukemia, Hodgkin's disease, myelodysplastic syndromes and solid tumor cancers.
HDAC inhibitors have also been shown to inhibit pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as those involved in autoimmune and inflammatory disorders (e.g. TNF-α). For example, the HDAC inhibitor MS275 was shown to slow disease progression and joint destruction in collagen-induced arthritis in rat and mouse models. Other HDAC inhibitors have been shown to have efficacy in treating or ameliorating inflammatory disorders or conditions in in vivo models or tests for disorders such as Crohn's disease, colitis, and airway inflammation and hyper-responsiveness. HDAC inhibitors have also been shown to ameliorate spinal cord inflammation, demyelination, and neuronal and axonal loss in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (see for example Wanf L et al, Nat Rev Drug Disc 8 (2009) 969).
Triplet repeat expansion in genomic DNA is associated with many neurological conditions (e.g., neurodegenerative and neuromuscular diseases) including myotonic dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, fragile X syndrome, Huntington's disease, spinocerebellar ataxias, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Kennedy's disease, spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy, Friedreich's ataxia and Alzheimer's disease. Triplet repeat expansion may cause disease by altering gene expression. For example, in Huntington's disease, spinocerebellar ataxias, fragile X syndrome, and myotonic dystrophy, expanded repeats lead to gene silencing. In Friedreich's ataxia, the DNA abnormality found in 98% of FRDA patients is an unstable hyper-expansion of a GAA triplet repeat in the first intron of the frataxin gene (see Campuzano et al., Science 271:1423 (1996)), which leads to frataxin insufficiency resulting in a progressive spinocerebellar neurodegeneration. Since they can affect transcription and potentially correct transcriptional dysregulation, HDAC inhibitors have been tested and have been shown to positively affect neurodegenerative diseases (see Herman D et al, Nat Chem Bio 2 551 (2006) for Friedreich's ataxia, Thomas E A et al, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 105 15564 (2008) for Huntington's disease).
HDAC inhibitors may also play a role in cognition-related conditions and diseases. It has indeed become increasingly evident that transcription is likely a key element for long-term memory processes (Alberini C M, Physiol Rev 89 121 (2009)) thus highlighting another role for CNS-penetrant HDAC inhibitors. Although studies have shown that treatment with non-specific HDAC inhibitors such as sodium butyrate can lead to long-term memory formation (Stefanko D P et al, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 106 9447 (2009)), little is known about the role of specific isoforms. A limited number of studies have shown that, within class I HDACs, main target of sodium butyrate, the prototypical inhibitor used in cognition studies, HDAC2 (Guan J-S et al, Nature 459 55 (2009)) and HDAC3 (McQuown S C et al, J Neurosci 31 764 (2011)) have been shown to regulate memory processes and as such are interesting targets for memory enhancement or extinction in memory-affecting conditions such as, but not limited to, Alzheimer's disease, post-traumatic stress disorder or drug addiction.


A replica circuit derived from the bias generating circuit for an amplifier. The replica circuit duplicates the operating point of the op-amp transistors, and generates two reference voltages. The average of these two voltages is the optimum common-mode desired output level to maximize differential op-amp swing. Several circuits are disclosed that make use of these two voltages to set the op-amp output to the average of the two voltages.

The present invention relates to differential amplifiers, and in particular to circuits for providing a common-mode feedback to such an amplifier.
Differential amplifiers typically have an output common-mode level desired signal provided to them. The common-mode feedback will adjust the output common-mode level in the amplifier to match the common-mode desired level through negative feedback. It is desirable to set a common-mode output level that gives the largest differential output swing possible.
Typically, a common-mode desired voltage signal is generated globally and distributed to individual amplifiers. A typical method of generating such a signal is to use a resistor divider between the positive voltage supply and negative voltage supply. This signal is then provided to the individual amplifiers as the desired common-mode signal.

Replica bias circuit to optimize swing of differential op-amp


A system is provided and includes a first controller, a non-transitory computer-readable medium and a second controller. The first controller is configured to control operation of at least one compressor circuit including one or more compressors. The non-transitory computer-readable medium is configured to store instructions of a stage profiler for execution by the controller. The instructions include: determining a target system capacity profile for the at least one compressor circuit; determining system stage capacities for stages of the at least one compressor circuit; selecting some of the system stage capacities based on the target system capacity profile to provide an available system capacity profile; generating modulation information based on the available system capacity profile and a load request signal; and controlling operation of the one or more compressors based on the modulation information and according to the available system capacity profile.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent the work is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Compressors are used in a wide variety of industrial, commercial and residential applications including, but not limited to, heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Electric motors are used to power and/or actuate elements of the compressors. A control system for controlling operation of an electric motor of a compressor can include a drive. The drive can include: a charging circuit, a power factor correction (PFC) circuit; filters, such as an electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter and a direct current filter; an inverter power circuit; a processor; and other circuit components.
An HVAC system may include multiple compressor circuits, where each of the compressor circuits includes multiple compressors. As an example, a first compressor circuit may include a tandem arrangement of two compressors. A second compressor circuit may include three compressors (referred to as a "Trio"). The compressors in the first compressor circuit are connected in parallel. The compressors of the second compressor circuit are connected in parallel. The first compressor circuit may be connected in series or parallel with the second compressor circuit.
Each of the compressors of the HVAC system may be (i) a fixed capacity (or single stage) compressor, (ii) a dual-capacity (or dual-stage) compressor, or (iii) a multi-capacity (or variable) speed compressor. (iv) a multi-capacity digital compressor. The capacity of a compressor refers to an amount of load that the compressor is able to handle for a particular stage. For a single stage compressor, the rated capacity is a maximum load that the compressor is able to handle. An HVAC system may receive or generate a load request signal (sometimes referred to as a "demand input"), which denotes a cooling need for an area being cooled by the HVAC system. The HVAC system selects a stage of operation based on the load requested. In a parallel arrangement, total system capacity of the above-described HVAC systems is equal to a sum of individual compressor capacities. The stage of operation that provides the total system capacity is selected when the demanded input is at a maximum.
The arrangement of compressors of an HVAC system provides a scope for compressor modulation to achieve energy efficiency. Compressor modulation refers to a selected stage of operation of a compressor and/or frequency of a voltage signal provided to a motor of a compressor. As the frequency of a voltage signal supplied to a variable speed compressor increases, the capacity of the variable speed compressor increases.

Compressor capacity stage profile systems and methods for multi-compressor circuits each of which having multiple compressors


A circuit for incorporation into LAN-compatible devices uses both the link integrity test (LIT) pulses and the end of frame delimiter (EOF) waveform information in received data transmissions to detect polarity errors on the twisted-pair media to which the devices are connected. The circuit integrates this information and a new auto-polarity detection/correction algorithm with the LIT algorithm of the IEEE 10 Base T standard to provide a stable and reliable twisted-pair link operation. Also, once the circuit is in its normal operational stage, it will not declare that a link is faulty unless it fails to receive a LIT pulse or an EOF waveform within a time-out period that is in accord with the IEEE standard. Therefore, the circuit is quite insensitive to line noise.

A local area network (LAN), such as an Ethernet network, allows the exchange of data among computers, workstations and other such data terminal equipment (DTE). The DTEs are linked to one another either directly or via repeater units for office automation, distributed processing and other applications requiring exchange of information.
In a typical network, at least some of the network link segments consist of two twisted-wire pairs. Each pair consists of two continuous insulated conductors twisted helically about one another. The ends of the twisted pair are coupled to a DTE or repeater unit by way of a medium attachment unit (MAU) which provides the means by which the signals to and from the DTE or repeater unit are coupled to and from the twisted pairs.
The Ethernet LAN uses the Manchester signal encoding scheme defined in the IEEE 802.3 CSMA/CD 10 Base T standard. With this type of binary-to-phase encoding, there is a phase transition in every bit cell center. A logical one is a transition from low to high; a logical zero is a transition from high to low. The transition every bit allows clocking to be combined with data transmission and allows the carrier to be detected by the presence of transitions on the twisted pair media.
In the Ethernet LAN the encoding-decoding function is carried out by a controller board in each DTE or repeater unit on the network. The same board is responsible for data encapsulation and decapsulation according to the 10 Base T standard. In particular, when a packet of data is to be transmitted from the DTE over the network, the controller formats it as a frame with a preamble, a starting delimiter, address fields, a data field and an end-of-frame delimiter (EOF) waveform, necessary for transmission in accordance with the network protocol. The MAU contains the logic required to send this frame over the twisted pair after determining the availability of the link. Conversely, when the MAU receives a transmission over the twisted pair, it couples the encoded data to the encoder/decoder of the DTE. That unit checks the incoming frame to verify that it should be accepted, strips off the frame preamble and the delimiters and passes the address and data fields to the DTE.
In addition to providing the transmit and receive functions just described, the MAU provides other functions specified in the above standard, namely collision detection, loopback, jabber, and link integrity test (LIT) functions. Of these, the LIT function is of relevance to the present invention, so we will amplify upon it at this point.
In order to protect the network from the consequences of a media failure or an installation error of the twisted pair wire, each MAU includes a LIT pulse generator which emits a positive-going LIT pulse periodically for transmission over the associated link segment when that MAU is not transmitting a frame. Each MAU also monitors the associated link segment for frame data and LIT pulses from the MAUs.
While the MAU is in its so-called LIT Fail State, its normal communication functions, e.g., transmit, receive, loopback, are disabled and it looks continually for a frame or for a pre-defined sequence of LIT pulses and/or receive frames in order to enter the LIT Pass State in which it is enabled to perform the normal data transfer functions. More particularly, when frame information or a selected number, LC Max=2-10, of consecutive LIT pulses is received, the MAU enters the LIT Pass State. The standard also specifies that only LIT pulses that occur between a time, LIT Max=25-150 ms, of each other will be considered consecutive and countable.
In addition, while the MAU is in the LIT Pass State, detected LIT pulses that occur within a time, LIT Min=2-7 ms, of a previous frame or LIT pulse are ignored. In the LIT Fail State, such pulses reset the counted number of consecutive LIT pulses to 0.
When the MAU is in the LIT Pass State, it operates to provide the normal communication services between the twisted-pair media and associated DTE or repeater unit.
If, while the MAU is in the LIT Pass State, the MAU receives neither frame data nor a LIT pulse for a defined time, LINK-loss=50-150 ms, the MAU enters the LIT Fail State and disables the MAU's normal communication functions.
Further in accordance with the above IEEE standard, each Manchester-encoded signal transmitted and received via the twisted pair media is a differential-mode voltage which constitutes the algebraic difference between the two signals on the twisted pair, with both signals being referred to a common reference. In order for the differential signaling arrangement to work properly, the drivers and receivers of the MAUs must agree about the polarity of the conductors in the twisted pair, i.e., the positive and negative inputs to the receiving MAU must agree with the positive and negative outputs from the transmitting MAU. If there is a polarity difference due, for example, to a twisted pair wire installation error, the link cannot establish proper communication between the devices at the opposite ends of the link.
It should be understood also that the above standard assumes that the twisted pair polarity for each network link is correct, i.e., it does not require detection or correction of wiring polarity errors.
Actually, wire installation errors are quite common because when a LAN is installed in a building or office complex, the people who install the physical medium or wires are usually not the same people who install the DTE or repeater units and/or the wires and those devices are installed at different times. Consequently, wiring polarity errors are typically not discovered until after the devices have been installed and tested. Needless to say, correction of such wiring errors in a large network installation can be a tedious and time consuming task.
Some devices do incorporate means which allow detection and correction of twisted pair polarity errors. Typically, a chip is incorporated into the equipment which allows detection of the polarity of the twisted pair based on the polarity of a received LIT pulse. Depending on the polarity of that received pulse, the MAU receiver input polarity is selected accordingly.
However, the prior polarity detection/selection scheme is quite sensitive to electrical disturbances or line noise which may result from cross-talk or from noise impulses caused by telephone operations on telephone wires bundled in close proximity to the network twisted pair bundles. Whatever the cause, such noise can produce unwanted switching of the receiver polarity, resulting in undesirable switching errors and packet frame loss. Even if the equipment is correctly wired to the twisted pairs at the outset, such noise can cause the equipment to falsely switch polarity, resulting in errors.

Method and means for automatically detecting and correcting a polarlity error in twisted-pair media


An apparatus and method for variable length coding are provided. The apparatus for variable length coding includes a central processing unit which has a software module programmed in advance for variable length coding in a predetermined method, performs variable length coding of input symbol data by using the software module, and generates variable length code information. The apparatus further includes a bitstream processor which is a separate processor receiving the variable length code information from the central processing unit and generating a bitstream. According to the apparatus and method, modification or addition of a VLC table can be more easily performed through downloading software such that new video data coding standards can be easily supported. Also, by implementing the bitstream processor as a separate dedicated processor and thus implementing variable length coding as a software module, load to the central processing unit is reduced and high speed processing is enabled.

This application claims the priority of Korean Patent Application No. 2003-52394, filed on Jul. 29, 2003, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to video data coding, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for variable length coding.
2. Description of the Related Art
As leading international standards for video data coding, there are MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4 and H.26X. In order to efficiently compress video data, these standards use coding technologies, such as discrete cosine transform (DCT) using spatial correlation of video data, motion estimation/motion compensation using temporal correlation, and variable length coding (VLC) using occurrence probabilities of data.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a prior art video data coder. Referring to FIG. 1, the video data coder includes a DCT transformer 1, a quantizer (Q) 2, a VLC coder (VLC) 3, an inverse quantizer (IQ) 4, an inverse DCT transformer (IDCT) 5, a motion compensator (MC) 6, a motion estimator (ME) 7, and a frame memory 8.
The video data coder as shown in FIG. 1 is manufactured in the form of a dedicated chip by a chip manufacturer, or is implemented by software so that it can be executed by an apparatus such as a computer. Recently, video data coders have been developed in the form of a system-on-chip with an embedded central processing unit (CPU). That is, with respect to characteristics of each of coding steps in the entire video data coding process, some coding steps are implemented as dedicated hardware modules, and other coding steps are implemented as dedicate software modules such that a video data coder can be implemented in the form of a chip integrating hardware and software.
Due to the characteristics of variable length coding, preferably, a module for variable length coding is implemented by a software module so that flexibility can be provided. This is because this flexibility makes modification, update, or addition of a VLC table easier whe in order to support new video data coding standards, the contents of a VLC table used for variable length coding should be modified or a new VLC table should be added. If the module for variable length coding is implemented as a hardware module, the hardware module itself should be newly designed for modification, update, or addition of the VLC table such that time, efforts and expenses increase.
Meanwhile, if the entire variable length coder is implemented by a software module, there is a problem that when the performance of the CPU operating the software module is lowered, a situation where real time data processing is impossible can occur.

Apparatus and method for variable length coding


According to a method of manufacturing carbon nanotubes, minute concavities and convexities are formed at a surface of a substrate, a catalyst metal layer having a predetermined film thickness is formed on the surface having the concavities and convexities, the substrate is subject to a heat treatment at a predetermined temperature to change the catalyst metal layer into a plurality of isolated fine particles. The catalyst metal fine particles have a uniform particle diameter and uniform distribution. Then, the substrate supporting the plurality of fine particles is placed in a carbon-containing gas atmosphere to grow carbon nanotubes on the catalyst metal fine particles by a CVD method using the carbon-containing gas. The carbon nanotubes can be formed to have a desired diameter and a desired shell number with superior reproducibility.

Electronic elements using carbon nanotubes have been studied intensely. A carbon nanotube has a basic structure in which a graphene sheet having a hexagonal mesh-like structure of a carbon atom is rolled to have a cylindrical shape. When carbon nanotubes are miniaturized to be single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) or double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWNT), the carbon nanotubes have metallic electric characteristics or semiconducting electric characteristics depending on a difference in the diameter or chirality. The carbon nanotubes having the respective electric characteristics are expected to be used for electronic devices. Although carbon nanotubes are still in the research phase, various examples of applications of carbon nanotubes to electronic devices have been reported.
For example, WO 02/063693A1 suggests a structure of an electrode electrically connected to multi-walled carbon nanotubes. According to this structure, the carbon nanotubes are cut just before the formation of the electrode, metal that is strongly chemically-bound to a carbon atom is formed on the cut carbon nanotube to form the electrode. This reduces the contact resistance between the electrode and the carbon nanotubes in order to realize the application to an electronic device.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-171903 suggests a field-effect transistor structured in which a metallic inner layer of double-walled carbon nanotubes functions as a gate electrode and a semiconducting outer layer functions as a channel. The Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-171903 also discloses a field-effect transistor, as a prior art, in which a semiconducting inner layer of double-walled carbon nanotubes functions as a channel region and a metallic outer layer functions as a gate electrode.
As described above, the application of carbon nanotubes to electronic devices has been reported. However, only a few methods have been reported to manufacture single-walled or double-walled carbon nanotubes having a semiconducting property with superior reproducibility.
For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-182537 discloses the generation of a carbon nanotube having a desired diameter by forming minute projections at the surface of a silicon substrate to coat catalyst metal only on the tip ends of the projections.
Chemical Physics Letter 382 (2003)361 discloses that laser light is emitted to catalyst metal required for the formation of a carbon nanotube to gasificate the catalyst metal to fall and accumulate the gasificated catalyst metal on the substrate via gas stream to support the fine particle-like catalyst metal by the surface of the substrate. According to this method, fine particles of catalyst metal having a desired diameter can be generated. The use of such catalyst metal to grow carbon nanotubes can realize the manufacture of a carbon nanotube having a desired diameter or shell number.


RF coil array assemblies include an RF coil array with a plurality of coil elements. The coil elements each have an RF conductor that defines an RF path. The coil elements operate in an RF mode for at least one of transmitting RF excitation signals or receiving MRI image signals on the RF conductors. The RF coil array assemblies also include at least one wireless module connected to the RF coil array, the at least one wireless module including a wireless transceiver operative at a wireless communication frequency band and attached to at least some of the coil elements to provide input and output signals to the at least one wireless module. At least some of the coil elements can concurrently transmit or receive wireless communication data and the RF excitation signals or the received MRI image signals.

Major developments in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology have been driven by the ever increasing demand for higher static magnetic field (B0) strengths. This increase, however, has posed many technical challenges, most notably the exacerbated inhomogeneity in both the main magnetic field (B0) and the radiofrequency (RF) magnetic field (B1). See, e.g., Blamire A M. The technology of MRI—the next 10 years? Brit J Radiol 2008; 81: 601-617; and Bernstein M A, Huston J, Ward H A. Imaging artifacts at 3.0 T. J Magn Reson Imaging 2006; 24:735-746.
A homogeneous B1 field can be required to ensure a uniform excitation across the sample. Recent advances in parallel excitation (also known as parallel transmit) technology have provided an effective means to address this issue by using a process termed "RF" or "B1" shimming, in which the amplitude, phase, timing, and frequency of the RF current in each coil element are independently adjusted. See, e.g., Vaughan T, DelaBarre L, Snyder C, Tian J F, Akgun C, Shrivastava D, et al. 9.4 T human MRI: preliminary results. Magn Reson Med 2006; 56:1274-1282; and Setsompop K, Wald L L, Alagappan V, Gagoski B, Hebrank F, Fontius U, Schmitt F, Adalsteinsson E. Parallel R F transmission with eight channels at 3 Tesla. Magn Reson Med 2006; 56:1163-1171. See also, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,598,739 and 7,800,368, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference as if recited in full herein.
A homogeneous B0 field is required to ensure a correct spatial representation of the imaged object. Homogenization of the magnetic field distribution (i.e., B0 shimming) is often a difficult task when strong localized B0 inhomogeneities are present. See, e.g., Koch K M, Rothman D L, de Graaf R A. Optimization of static magnetic field homogeneity in the human and animal brain in vivo. Prog Nucl Magn Reson Spectrosc 2009; 54:69-96.
Passive shimming, which relies on the optimal arrangement of magnetized materials, is limited by the often tedious work required and the lack of flexibility in subject-specific conditions. See, Wilson J L, Jenkinson M, Jezzard P. Optimization of static field homogeneity in human brain using diamagnetic passive shims. Magn Reson Med 2002; 48:906-914.
On the other hand, active shimming, which utilizes continuously adjustable electromagnets, is the most widely used shimming method and typically employs spherical harmonic (SH) coils, including the ability to provide dynamic shimming. See, Golay M J, Field homogenizing coils for nuclear spin resonance instrumentation. Rev Sci Instrum 1958; 29:313-315; and Romeo F, Hoult D I. Magnet field profiling: analysis and correcting coil design. Magn Reson Med 1984; 1:44-65. And de Graaf R A, Brown P B, McIntyre S, Rothman D L, Nixon T. Dynamic shim updating (DSU) for multislice signal acquisition. Magn Reson Med 2003; 49:409-416. The contents of these documents are hereby incorporated by reference as if recited in full herein.
In practice, however, SH shimming often cannot effectively correct for high-order localized field distortions because the required number of coils increases dramatically with the SH order. See, Golay M J, Field homogenizing coils for nuclear spin resonance instrumentation, Rev Sci Instrum 1958; 29:313-315. As such, it is typically limited to the second or third order.
Recently, Juchem et al. have proposed a multi-coil modeling and shimming method, in which a large number of small, localized electrical coils are used to shape the B0 field by independently adjusting the direct current (DC) in each coil, thus achieving an improved performance relative to SH shimming. However, it requires a separate set of shim coils adjacent to the RF coil array, which takes a considerable space within the constricted space between the subject and the magnet bore. In addition, when the shim coil array is placed within the RF coil array, a large gap needs to be kept open in the middle of the shim coil array to allow RF penetration and reduce the electromagnetic interference between the RF and shim coil arrays (i.e., RF damping), which reduces the flexibility and performance of the shimming. See, e.g., Juchem C, Nixon T W, McIntyre S, Rothman D L, de Graaf R A. Magnetic field modeling with a set of individual localized coils. J Magn Reson 2010; 204:281-289; Juchem C, Brown P B, Nixon T W, McIntyre S, Rothman D L, de Graaf R A. Multi-coil shimming of the mouse brain. Magn Reson Med 2011; 66:893-900; and Juchem C, Brown P B, Nixon T W, McIntyre S, Boer V O, Rothman D L, de Graaf R A. Dynamic multi-coil shimming of the human brain at 7 T. J Magn Reson 2011; 212:280-288. The contents of these documents are hereby incorporated by reference as if recited in full herein.
Data transfer between 1) the MRI scanner or peripheral systems (e.g., sensors) located inside the scanner room and 2) the MRI console or auxiliary computers located outside the scanner room can be important to its operation. For example, data is transferred: to acquire MRI data, to obtain information from sensors for physiological monitoring (i.e. heartbeat and breathing), from a camera for motion tracking, or from NMR probes for far field monitoring, to present visual, auditory, or somatosensory stimuli to, or record responses from, subjects during functional MRI, to perform localized B0 shimming, or to detune a radio-frequency (RF) receive coil array during pulse sequence RF transmit periods. Currently, the data is transferred through a network of wired connections, which can add significant complexity to the system.
Recently, in an effort to reduce the number of wired connections and connectors, prototype receive coil arrays have been proposed to perform wireless data transfer between the RF coil array and the scanner. See, e.g., Aggarwal, K et al. Proc ISMRM 2016; 24:545; Aggarwal, K et al. IEEE Trans Med Imaging 2016; DOI: 10.1109/TMI.2016.2622251; and Bulumulla, S. B et al. MRI 2015; 33:351-357, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference as if recited in full herein. However, these solutions require additional dipole antennas or antenna arrays or "sniffer" coils to be added onto the coil array and inside the scanner bore to support wireless data transfer within the scanner.

MRI RF coil assemblies with RF coil elements that allow wireless communication data transmission and related methods and systems


If a screw is moved forward after a metering step is completed, the screw moves in a state where a check ring on a tip end of the screw is in open state. Resin flows in a direction opposite to the injection direction. A rotational force is applied to the screw due to the backflow of the resin. If the check ring closes a resin passage, the rotational force acting on the screw is reduced. A peak time of the screw rotational force is detected as closing point in time of the check ring. Physical amounts such as a screw rotational force and a screw position at that timing are detected. Since the closing point in time of the check ring is precisely detected, correction of the injection/hold pressure switching position and the injection speed switching position can be adjusted more precisely. It is possible to precisely determine whether a molded article is non-defective or defective based on the detected physical amount.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an injection molding machine having a screw provided with a check ring.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is conventionally used an injection molding machine having an injection mechanism whose screw provided at its tip end with a check ring mechanism so as to prevent backflow of resin at the time of injection like an in-line screw type injection molding machine. FIG. 1 shows one example of the check ring mechanism. The screw 1 is provided at its tip end with a screw head 2. A portion of the screw 1 which is reduced in diameter is provided between the screw head 2 and a main body of the screw 1. A check ring 3 is provided at the diameter-reduced portion such that the check ring 3 can move in an axial direction of the screw. A check seat 4 is provided at the diameter-reduced portion and on the side of the main body of the screw 1. The check seat 4 comes into intimate contact with the check ring 3 to close a resin passage.
A resin pellet is supplied from a rear portion of the screw 1. The resin pellet is melted by shearing heat generated when the screw 1 rotates and by heat from a heater provided outside a cylinder into which the screw 1 is inserted. The molten resin increases a resin pressure behind the check ring 3 and generates a force for pushing the check ring 3 forward. If the check ring 3 is pushed forward, the resin located behind the check ring 3 passes through a gap between the check ring 3 and the diameter-reduced portion and flows forward of the check ring 3, and increases a pressure in the cylinder in front of the screw head 2.
If a pressure in front of the check ring 3 exceeds a predetermined pressure (back pressure), the screw 1 is pushed backward, and the pressure in front of the check ring 3 is reduced. If the screw 1 rotates further, a pressure behind the check ring 3 becomes higher than the pressure in front of the check ring 3 and thus, resin which is continuously melted is sent forward of the check ring 3, and if the screw 1 is retreated by a predetermined amount, the rotation of the screw 1 is stopped (metering step).
Next, the procedure is advanced to an injecting step. If the screw 1 moves forward to charge resin, a resin pressure accumulated in front of the screw head 2 is increased and thus, the check ring 3 is retreated and comes into intimate contact with the check seat 4 to close the resin passage, and the charging pressure prevents backflow of the molten resin in the retracting direction of the screw. If the check ring 3 retracts and timing for closing the resin passage is varied, an amount of resin to be charged is also varied and the molding becomes unstable.
The check ring mechanism at the time of injection is closed when a pressure in front of the check ring 3 becomes higher than a pressure behind the check ring 3 due to forward movement of the screw 1. However, there is a problem that a pressure remains a groove 6 between flights 5 and the screw 1 behind the check ring mechanism immediately before injection, and the closing point in time is varied due to the remaining pressure. Backflow of resin is generated from the front portion toward the rear portion of the check ring until the check ring is closed after the injection is started. Therefore, the injection capacity is varied between cycles due to the variation of the closing point in time and as a result, this affects quality of a molded article. Hence, there is conceived means for closing the check ring 3 in stable timing every cycle, and there is proposed a method for monitoring the time at which the check ring 3 is actually closed.
(a) For example, Japanese Patent Applications Laid-open No. 4-53720 and No. 4-201225 disclose techniques in which a pressure sensor for detecting a resin pressure in the cylinder is provided at a location rearward from the check ring, the closing motion of the check ring is detected based on a pressure variation detected by the pressure sensor during forward movement of the screw, and it is determined whether the quality of a molded article is non-defective or defective and the molding condition is adjusted based on the detected close position of the check ring.
In the techniques described in the above patent documents, the pressure variation in the cylinder is detected to detect the close of the check ring. According to this method, it is necessary to dispose the pressure sensor behind the check ring. Further, it is necessary that the pressure sensor is disposed away from a tip end of the cylinder by at least the maximum injecting stroke. Therefore, a distance between the check ring and the pressure sensor is varied depending upon the magnitude of the injection stroke, and the detection precision is varied. It is preferable that an inner wall surface of a cylinder is not provided with a step and a smooth passage is formed so that carbide is not produced by the remaining resin. In this case, if a pressure sensor which comes into direct contact with resin is mounted, it is inevitable that a fine step is generated on inner surface of a cylinder, such an adverse influence that a carbide caused by remaining resin is mixed into a molded article can not be avoided. Further, since a distortion of a cylinder is indirectly detected without direct contact with resin, the detection precision is deteriorated in the case of a pressure sensor which detects a resin pressure. There are problems that any type of pressure sensor is expensive and its handling is troublesome, periodical maintenance and calibration are required.
(b) Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 3-92321 discloses a technique in which a conductive member is disposed in the check ring such as to be opposed to the ring valve rearward of the ring valve, and a position of the ring valve (e.g., closing point in time of the resin passage by the ring valve) is detected by detecting capacitance between the ring valve and the conductive member.
According to the technique for detecting the closing point in time of the ring valve by detecting the capacitance as described in the above patent document, there are drawbacks that the conductive member for detecting the capacitance must be disposed in the screw, a hole through which a wire passes must be formed in a center of the screw, a slip ring for taking out a measurement signal must be disposed in the screw and means for measuring the capacitance must be added, and the structure becomes complicated.
(c) Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 1-168421 discloses a technique in which, although detection of closing point in time of the check ring during injection is not disclosed, a rotation torque acting on the screw at the time of injection is detected, and abnormality such as damage of the check ring is detected based on this detected torque.
(d) Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No 2004-216808 discloses a technique in which if the screw is brought into its rotatable state and injection is started, then resin flows backward and the screw is rotated, but the check ring is closed and if the backflow of resin is stopped, the rotation of the screw is stopped, and this fact is utilized and the stop of rotation of the screw is detected as the closing point in time of the check ring, and a switching position of the injection speed and a switching position to the hold pressure are corrected based on the detected closing position of the check ring.
In the technique described in the above patent document, the stop of rotation of the screw which is rotatable during injection is detected, and then the close of the check ring is detected. As shown in FIG. 2, when backflow is generated, a force F acts on the flight 5 of the screw 1 by the backflow of resin. In a normal molding machine, a sensor for detecting a resin pressure is located rearward of the screw (rightward of the screw in the drawing paper), but this sensor detects a pressure acting in the axial direction of the screw with respect to the screw. Therefore, a resin pressure in front of the screw head is also applied to the sensor, and it is difficult to detect a force Fx in the axial direction component of the force flown-back resin acts on the flight.
According to the technique described in the above patent document, attention is paid to a component force Fθ in the rotation direction of the screw of a force flown-back resin acts on the flight, the stop of rotation of the screw which is rotatable during injection is detected and the close of the check ring is detected.
When the rotatable screw is rotated by the backflow resin, however, if the backflow amount is small, since a force for rotating the screw by the backflow resin is within a range of the maximum static friction force with respect to the cylinder, the screw does not rotate. If the backflow amount is increased and the force for rotating the screw exceeds the maximum static friction force, the screw starts rotating. If the screw once starts rotating, the state thereof is shifted to a dynamic friction region, the screw keeps rotating if the force for rotating the screw is greater than the dynamical friction force even if the force for rotating the screw by the backflow resin becomes lower than the maximum static friction force. Therefore, when the force for rotating the screw by the backflow resin is greater than the dynamical friction force and lower than the maximum static friction force, if the rotation of the screw has already been stopped, the stopped state continues, and if the screw was rotating, the rotating state is continued. Hence, it can not be said that a linear relation always exists between the magnitude of the backflow amount and the magnitude of the rotation amount. Therefore, in the case of the method for detecting the close of the check ring from the rotation amount of the screw as in the technique described in the above patent document, there is a possibility that the detection of the closing point in time includes an error.
In the technique described in the above patent document, the fact that the rotation of the screw is stopped is detected, but it is necessary to determine a threshold value for detecting the stop of the rotation. The rotation of the screw may be stopped gradually or abruptly. In order to precisely detect the stop of the rotation under such various conditions, it is necessary to appropriately set the threshold value. However, to obtain an appropriate threshold value, a number of steps are required, and if molding state is changed, the threshold value must be adjusted again in some cases.
(e) Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2006-69219 discloses a technique in which a screw is reversely rotated after metering is completed, a backflow preventing mechanism for interrupting a metering portion and a front of a screw head is provided, and after metering is completed, the screw is reversely rotated, the metering portion and the front of the screw head are interrupted by the backflow preventing mechanism and then, injection is started, and it is determined whether a molded article is non-defective or defective based on a stroke position or stroke amount at the time of injection.
The technique described in the above patent document has a problem that the special backflow preventing mechanism which interrupts the metering portion and the screw head by reversely rotating the screw after the metering is completed is required, and this technique can not be applied to a molding machine having a general backflow preventing mechanism.

Injection molding machine having a force peak time detecting device


An electrically actuated liquid dispenser, an electrically addressable liquid dispenser and an electronic device are described.

Portable electronic devices continue to increase and improve in both form and function. For example, mobile phones often include a video function in addition to their audio function. This video function ranges from a basic display to a video recorder. As such, the human senses of hearing and seeing are engaged by many portable electronic devices. However, the olfactory sense is normally not engaged through the use of many known electronic devices.
While the use of scents may be beneficial to the user's experience, there remains the ever-increasing desire for reductions in size and cost of many portable electronic devices. As such, the addition of many known scent dispensing devices is not feasible.
What is needed, therefore, is an apparatus that overcomes at least the shortcomings described above.

Electrically addressable liquid dispenser

Avago Technologies Wireless IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.


Embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method of valve control that eliminates, or at least substantially reduces, the shortcomings of prior art valve control systems and methods. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for multi-channel valve control. One embodiment of the present invention includes a system of valve control that comprises a processor, a computer readable medium accessible by the processor and a set of computer instructions that are executable by the processor to output a first signal on a first channel indicating an initial force to be applied to a valve by an actuator and output a second signal on a second channel indicating a control force to be applied to the valve.

Many thermal mass flow controllers utilize force-actuated "globe" valves to control gas flow through the controllers. A globe valve, as shown in FIG. 1, typically comprises a spherical poppet 10 that seals against a circular or conical valve seat 12. A variable force actuator connected to a valve stem 14 can exert a force to unseat poppet 10 from valve seat 12. A valve, such as that depicted in FIG. 1, can be designed such that the differential pressure force 16 of the fluid being controlled either acts to seal the valve or unseat the valve. In the example of FIG. 1, the differential pressure force 16 acts to unseat the valve. To counteract this force, a preload spring can exert a spring force 18 on the poppet to keep the valve closed in the absence of an actuating force. This preload force is generally set high enough to prevent flow at the highest anticipated inlet pressure.
In many mass flow controllers, the initial application of force by the actuator does not result in appreciable flow, as the valve is held closed by the preload spring force. When the actuating force is approximately equal to the spring force minus the force caused by the differential pressure, the poppet opens and fluid begins to flow. As further actuating force is applied to the valve stem, the poppet is further removed from the valve seat and the flow orifice is enlarged. This causes increased flow through the valve.
FIG. 2 illustrates an example flow/force curve for a valve. The region of the force flow/force curve where no flow occurs is referred to as a deadband. The width of the deadband region is proportional to the preload closing force and the opening force exerted on the poppet by the differential pressure force. The region where flow does occur is the useful control region. The point at which leakage begins to occur and the valve begins to open is referred to as the valve threshold. Flow in the control region is typically proportional to the valve displacement caused by the actuating force acting against the preload spring, valve seat/poppet diameter, and differential pressure. While control region of FIG. 2 is shown as generally linear, the control region can be non linear and suffer from mechanical hysteresis.
Several factors (both dynamic and static) can alter the threshold and gain (i.e., slope of flow/force curve the control region) of the valve. For instance, a change in preload will alter the valve threshold without affecting gain in the control region. A change in valve diameter, on the other hand, will affect the gain with relatively little change in the threshold. This is because the same linear displacement of a larger valve poppet results in greater flow through the valve at the same differential pressure. Similarly, a change in differential pressure will affect gain, with increased differential pressure leading to a larger gain.
FIG. 3 shows three example flow/force curves for three combinations of valve diameters and preload settings. Each of the three response curves is able to reach a one hundred percent flow rate, despite the variance in valve diameter and corresponding preload setting. However, the valves display different threshold levels and gains within their control regions. When the valve diameter is larger or differential pressure anticipated is higher, the valve preload is increased to prevent leak-through. Likewise, when the valve diameter is smaller or the anticipated differential pressure is lower, the preload can be decreased. This compensates for the lower gain of the smaller valve or lower pressure to ensure that the valve can reach an adequate maximum flow rate. In prior art systems, each mass flow controller is individually tuned to compensate for changes in threshold and gain.
Prior art mass flow controller valve systems utilized a single control system output channel to set the opening force applied to the valve stem. When a non-zero mass flow set point is received, the control system begins to increase the output value until flow is established and eventually equals the set point value. The time required to increase the valve force beyond the threshold contributes to a slow response time. Additionally, having to account for the transition through the deadband with a single channel can cause the integral term of the typical control algorithm to overshoot the set point.
To counter these effects, some prior art systems apply a pre-charge to the control system output such that valve drive is driven immediately to the threshold of flow any time a non-zero flow set point is asserted. This system is effective in reducing dead time and control system overshoot, but introduces other problems. One such problem is a loss of resolution in the control region. The actuation force applied to a poppet is generally proportional to the number of quantized step asserted by a digital controller via a digital-to-analog conversion system. Applying a fixed initial force to overcome the valve threshold requires that a single-channel system uses some number of the total available steps for the initial force. As an example, if a single channel control system can adjust the valve opening force in 100 of those steps, the initial force may require 45 of those steps. This leaves only 55 steps to control flow in the control region. As the required threshold force increases, the resolution in the control region decreases as more steps are required for the initial force.
Moreover, the addition of an initial force to reach the valve threshold complicates the control system. Ideally, a control system is most easily implemented when the control output is related to the controlled parameter by a linear function with minimum offset. The use of threshold force, however, introduces a significant offset. The value of the offset can vary greatly based on static and dynamic factors such as valve diameter and differential pressure, making it difficult to calibrate mass flow controllers that apply an initial force through the same channel as the control force.


According to various examples, a stacked semiconductor package is described. The stacked semiconductor package may include a package substrate. The stacked semiconductor package may also include a base die disposed on and electrically coupled to the package substrate. The stacked semiconductor package may further include a mold portion disposed on the package substrate at a periphery of the base die, the mold portion may include a through-mold interconnect electrically coupled to the package substrate. The stacked semiconductor package may further include a semiconductor device having a first section disposed on the base die and a second section disposed on the mold portion, wherein the second section of the semiconductor device may be electrically coupled to the package substrate through the through-mold interconnect.

In order to improve input/output (JO) bandwidths, or for system miniaturization, a die stacking packaging process technology designed to incorporate 2 or more chiplets assembled together may be used. However, this may result in top die power integrity (PI) performance (e.g. Fmax and Vmin) limitations due to additional IR drop losses across base die routing, and the through-silicon vias (TSVs) interconnects. There may also be top die PI performance limitations due to increased distance between circuit blocks and package/board capacitors leading to higher alternating current (AC) noise coupling, and/or maximum current (Imax) constraints driven by base die current carrying capability. Further, there may be an increase in base die footprint to house multiple chiplets which may lead to added silicon bill of material (BOM) costs, package warpage concerns and potentially higher die assembly yield losses. There may also be base die PI performance limitations due to miniaturized trace routing and/or plane geometry between the stacked die hierarchy.
Existing solutions to address the abovementioned challenges include increase of platform voltage supply (e.g. from 0.9V to 1.1V) to ensure performance, reduction of silicon ICCMax threshold to avoid reliability risk, increase of metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitance on chiplets to suppress power delivery network peak impedance (ZPDN), and increase of package substrate thickness to mitigate warpage risk.
However, these existing solutions increase device power consumptions, result in electrical performance degradation e.g., reduction of maximum frequency (Fmax) threshold and/or increase device form factor.

Stacked semiconductor package and method of forming the same


A hydraulic braking system providing anti-lock braking ("ABS") and traction control ("TC") incorporates a normally closed pilot-operated traction control switching valve to permit brake pressure in the driven wheel greater than master cylinder pressure. A dual flow return path can be used during brake release. The system also uses a normally open pilot-operated supply valve between the pump inlet and the master cylinder.

Three modifications are commonly made to conventional anti-lock braking ("ABS") systems in order to integrate a traction control ("TC") function, namely, (i) the pump must be restructured so as to be a self-priming pump, (ii) provision must be made for providing fluid to the pump inlet, i.e. a "priming" valve, and (iii) providing the means of closing the circuit so that the pump can build pressure at the driven wheel brake higher than that originating from the master cylinder, a function normally provided by a "switching" valve. At least one of these valves, the switching valve, has heretofore been designed as a solenoid controlled or actuated valve. In the conventional split brake system then, this would require two solenoid actuated valves, i.e. one for each side of the brake system.

Traction control system having pilot operated valves


In locating a faulty regenerator, a fault locating filter is used in a T1 or T1C Carrier Repeater Apparatus Case or Office Repeater Bay (ORB) to select the appropriate fault locate sinusoid from the output winding of the repeater. This process uses three different filter types at twelve different frequencies. Conventional filter design requires a different filter for each frequency leading to the need to stock 36 different filters. This patent covers the design of a filter which may be optioned to provide all three types and twelve frequencies within a single unit, reducing the required inventory of such filters by a substantial amount.

When a fault is detected in a T-carrier span (either T1 or T1C) a fault locate signal is placed on the digital line. This signal is a digital signal with bipolar violations, set in triplet (trio) placed with spacing so as to create a low frequency energy on the line to develop a predetermined signal (frequency). If the signal passes through the filter it is an indication that the regenerator associated with that filter is functioning properly. If no signal is passed it indicates that the regenerator, the cable or either of the two apparatus cases involved is defective and should be replaced.


A locking assembly in a launcher for missiles comprises a pivotally mounted blocking latch which is provided with two blocking lugs for extending over a shoe provided on the missile. The blocking latch is biased by a spring toward a blocking position, in which the shoe of the missile is retained by the blocking lugs. A locking lug is provided on the blocking latch. In the blocking position the locking lug engages a safety lever having a contact surface, when inertial forces of the missile act on the blocking latch such that the blocking latch is retained in the blocking position, in which the blocking lugs extend over the shoe of the missile. The safety lever is pivotable about a pivot axis out of the pivotal path of the locking lug. The safety lever comprises means for reducing the distance between the contact surface and the pivot axis during the pivotal movement of the safety lever, such that the contact surface is removed from the locking lug during the pivotal movement.

This invention relates to locking assembly in a launcher for missiles, comprising: a pivotally mounted blocking latch which is provided with two blocking lugs for extending over a shoe provided on the missile; a spring, by which the blocking latch is biased toward a blocking position, in which the shoe of the missile is retained by the blocking lugs; a locking lug provided on the blocking latch; a safety lever having a contact surface which is engaged by the locking lug in the blocking position when acceleration forces of the missile act on the blocking latch, such that said blocking latch is retained in the blocking position, in which the blocking lugs extend over the shoe of the missile; and means for pivoting the safety lever about a pivot axis out of the pivotal path of the locking lug, which enables the blocking latch to pivot against the action of the spring into a release position, in which the blocking latch releases the shoe of the missile.

Locking assembly in a launcher for missiles


A backlight assembly includes at least one U-shaped lamp, a first connecting member, and a second connecting member. The U-shaped lamp includes a U-shaped lamp tube, a first external electrode covering a first end portion of the U-shaped lamp tube, and a second external electrode covering a second end portion of the U-shaped lamp tube. The U-shaped lamp tube generates light when a first driving voltage is applied to the first external electrode and a second driving voltage is applied to the second external electrode. The first connecting member is electrically connected to the first external electrode for applying the first driving voltage to the first external electrode. The second connecting member is electrically connected to the second external electrode for applying the second driving voltage to the second external electrode. Therefore, interference between a wire for applying power to the U-shaped lamp and the U-shaped lamp is reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a backlight assembly and a display device having the backlight assembly. More particularly, the present invention relates to a backlight assembly capable of enhancing productivity and reducing power consumption, and a display device having the backlight assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display ("LCD") device includes an LCD panel for displaying an image and a backlight assembly for providing the LCD panel with light. As a size of the LCD panel increases, a size of the backlight assembly also increases. As a result, the LCD device employs a direct illumination type backlight assembly.
The direct illumination type backlight assembly includes a plurality of lamps. In general, the direct illumination type backlight assembly employs a plurality of cold cathode fluorescent lamps ("CCFLs") and therefore requires a plurality of inverters in order to drive the plurality of CCFLs that are electrically connected in parallel. As a result, cost for manufacturing the direction illumination type backlight assembly is increased and productivity is lowered.
Furthermore, the direction illumination type backlight assembly requires wires for electrically connecting the CCFLs to inverters. The inverters are disposed at a first end of each CCFL, so that a wire electrically connected to a second end of the CCFL, which is opposite to the first end, must extend back towards the first end and connect to the inverters to induce electromagnetic fields, and such an arrangement deteriorates luminance uniformity of the backlight assembly and increases power consumption.

Backlight assembly and display device having the same


A pressure sensor compensation system for a control system of an engine includes N engine-off pressure measuring modules. The N engine-off pressure measuring modules calculate differences between pressure values of a corresponding one of N pressure sensors and others of the N pressure sensors when the engine is off. The N engine-off pressure measuring modules calculate N corresponding pressure correction values based on the differences, where N is an integer greater than one. N pressure compensating modules generate N corrected pressure values when the engine is on based on N uncorrected pressure values from the N pressure sensors and the N pressure correction values.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Pressure sensors may be used by engine control systems to measure operating pressures within components of the engine. The engine control system may use the measured pressures to adjust one or more operating parameters of the engine. For example only, manifold absolute pressure (MAP), barometric pressure (BARO), supercharger inlet absolute pressure (SCIAP), and/or other pressures may be sensed to control spark timing and/or fuel to the engine.
Over time, the accuracy of one or more of the pressure sensors may degrade. If the sensed pressures are incorrectly measured, the control system will not operate the engine correctly. For example, fuel economy or vehicle driveability may be reduced and/or vehicle emissions may be increased due to less accurate pressure measurement.

Systems and methods for compensating pressure sensor errors


After forming a plurality of gate structures over a substrate having a plurality of active regions separated from each other by at least one shallow trench isolation (STI) regions, inter-gate dielectric contact structures extending through an interlevel dielectric (ILD) layer that surrounds the gate structures are formed. Each inter-gate dielectric contact structure encloses a corresponding gate structure and is in contact with a dielectric gate cap and a dielectric gate spacer of the corresponding gate structure and a portion of the at least one STI region abutting the dielectric gate spacer of the corresponding gate structure. The inter-gate dielectric contact structure is electrically insulated from a gate conductor in the corresponding gate structure by the dielectric gate cap and the dielectric gate spacer and serves as a control gate in a memory cell of a flash memory array.

The present application relates to semiconductor device fabrication. More particularly, the present application relates to a flash memory device that can be fabricated using a standard complimentary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) process.
Embedded non-volatile memory (NVM) devices have been widely used to store code and security information or trim information in integrated circuits. Among them, embedded flash memory cells in particular have been incorporated into CMOS integrated circuits. Commercially available flash memory cells generally include a control gate, a floating gate and two interposed dielectric layers disposed upon a semiconductor substrate. The presence of the additional floating gate in flash memory cells compared to field effect transistors requires dedicated device processing in order to integrate the flash memory cells into an integrated circuit. This includes additional steps of depositing an inter-gate dielectric and a control gate, raising additional challenges in gate patterning and gate spacer formation. These additional processing steps result in longer processing times, higher manufacturing costs and low yield. As such, a process flow to fabricate flash memory cells that is compatible with a standard CMOS fabrication process is highly desirable.

Embedded flash memory fabricated in standard CMOS process with self-aligned contact

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


The present invention includes a device for enabling a pilot to maintain a conscious state at a high G-force. The device comprises a platform and seat radially movable about an axis. The device also comprises a mechanism for moving the platform in order to optimize the position of the pilot with respect to the G-force so that the pilot is conscious.

The present invention relates to a device for enabling a pilot to maintain a conscious state while flying an aircraft at high G-forces.
Existing manned high performance vehicles are limited to the ability of the pilot to withstand the effects of accelerative G-forces on the human body. G-forces are the result of gravity and the pull against this force. For the sake of discussion, 1 G is equal to the earth's gravitational pull. 2 G's is equal to two times the earth's gravitational pull, etc. Present day methods of counteracting these effects rely on pilot straining techniques and advances anti-G pressure suits. This allows the pilot to withstand accelerative G-forces along the Gz (+) axis during advances positive G-force maneuvers only (Ref. FIG. 1, 12).
During high positive Gz (+) maneuvers, blood in the human body rushes toward the feet of the pilot. The higher the G-force, the less time the pilot can experience this before "blackout" unconsciousness occurs. The most modem anti-G suits today limit a pilot to just beyond 9 G's for just seconds prior to blackout. Each human is variable with respect to blackout time rates, as an experienced pilot will be able to experience the force longer than an inexperienced one.
In combat, the ability to withstand higher G-forces for longer periods of time results in advanced maneuverability that enemy aircraft may not be able to keep up with. Furthermore, the advent of missile technology limits the survivability of an aircraft during combat because the missile can maneuver at far greater G-forces than what a human pilot can withstand with use of existing technology.
The highest G-force a human has voluntarily withstood and survived was on a water braked rocket sled at Holloman Air Force base in New Mexico, May 16, 1958. The G-force endured was 82.6 G's for 0.04 seconds. This G-force occurred along the Gx (+) axis. The ex-Soviet Union has reported that a man could withstand 26.5 G's without blackout at an inclination of 80 degrees to the direction of acceleration. This is approximately along the Gx (+) axis. It is apparent that the human body can withstand far greater G's when "aligned" with the Gx (+) axis. For the human body, this is the preferred medical angle (PMA) for withstanding accelerative G-forces.

Progressive G-force alignment platform for high performance aerial and spaceborne vehicles


The present invention provides antagonizing antibodies that bind to glucagon receptor and methods of using same. The anti-glucagon receptor antibodies can be used therapeutically to lower glucose levels in blood, and can be in the prevention and/or treatment of glucose-related disorders, including diabetes, hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance, dyslipidemia, or metabolic syndrome.

Diabetes is a major public health concern because of its increasing prevalence and associated health risks. The disease is characterized by metabolic defects in the production and utilization of carbohydrates which result in the failure to maintain appropriate plasma glucose levels. Two major forms of diabetes are recognized. Type I diabetes (T1D), or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, is the result of an absolute deficiency of insulin. Type II diabetes (T2D), or non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, often occurs with normal, or even elevated levels of insulin and appears to be the result of the inability of tissues and cells to respond appropriately to insulin. Aggressive control of T2D with medication is essential; otherwise it can progress into β-cell failure and insulin dependence.
Glucagon is a twenty-nine amino acid peptide which is secreted from the acells of the pancreas into the hepatic portal vein thereby exposing the liver to higher levels of this hormone than non-hepatic tissues. Plasma glucagon levels decrease in response to hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, elevated plasma non-esterified fatty acid levels and somatostatin whereas glucagon secretion is increased in response to hypoglycemia and elevated plasma amino acid levels. Glucagon, through activation of its receptor, is a potent activator of hepatic glucose production by activating glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis. In T2D individuals, basal glucagon levels are high and inadequately suppressed by hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia.
The glucagon receptor is a 62 kDa protein that is activated by glucagon and is a member of the class B G-protein coupled family of receptors. The glucagon receptor is encoded by the GCGR gene in humans and these receptors are mainly expressed in the liver with lesser amounts found in the kidney, heart, adipose tissue, spleen, thymus, adrenal glands, pancreas, cerebral cortex and gastrointestinal tract. Stimulation of the glucagon receptor results in activation of adenylate cyclase and increased levels of intracellular cAMP.
Genetic disruption of glucagon receptor expression in mice (Gcgr−/−) lowers fasting and fed glucose levels and improves glycemic control. However, the Gcgr−/− mice develop hyperglucagonemia, pancreatic a cell hyperplasia, and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (Gelling, R. W. et al., 2003, "Lower plasma glucose, hyperglucagonemia, and pancreatic alpha cell hyperplasia in glucagon receptor knockout mice" Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 100: 1438-1443; Yu, R. et al., 2011, "Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors in glucagon receptor-deficient mice" Plos ONE 6(8): e23397). Similarly, a human patient born with a homozygous inactivating GCGR mutation (P86S) develops pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors and exhibits hyperglucagonemia and pancreatic a cell hyperplasia (Yu, R. et al., 2008, "Nesidioblastosis and hyperplasia of alpha cells, microglucagonoma, and nonfunctioning islet cell tumor of the pancreas" Pancreas 36: 428-431).
Several drugs in five major categories, each acting by different mechanisms, are available for treating hyperglycemia and subsequently, T2D (Moller, D. E., 2011, "New drug targets for Type 2 diabetes and the metabolic syndrome" Nature 414: 821-827): (A) Insulin secretogogues, including sulphonyl-ureas (e.g., glipizide, glimepiride, glyburide) and meglitinides (e.g., nateglidine and repaglinide) enhance secretion of insulin by acting on the pancreatic beta-cells. While this therapy can decrease plasma glucose level, it has limited efficacy and tolerability, causes weight gain and often induces hypoglycemia. (B) Biguanides (e.g., metformin) are thought to act primarily by decreasing hepatic glucose production. Biguanides often cause gastrointestinal disturbances and lactic acidosis, further limiting their use. (C) Inhibitors of alpha-glucosidase (e.g., acarbose) decrease intestinal glucose absorption. These agents often cause gastrointestinal disturbances. (D) Thiazolidinediones (e.g., pioglitazone, rosiglitazone) act on a specific receptor (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma) in the liver, muscle and fat tissues. They regulate lipid metabolism subsequently enhancing the response of these tissues to the actions of insulin. Frequent use of these drugs may lead to weight gain and may induce edema and anemia. (E) Insulin is used in more severe cases, either alone or in combination with the above agents.
From the information available in the art, and prior to the present invention, it remained unclear whether the introduction of anti-glucagon receptor antagonist antibody into the blood circulation to selectively antagonize glucagon receptor would be safe and effective to lower plasma glucose levels and prevent and/or treat diabetes, and, if so, what properties of an anti-glucagon receptor antibody are needed for such in vivo safety and effectiveness.

Anti-glucagon receptor antibodies and pharmaceutical compositions thereof


Systems and methods for dynamically selecting among text-to-speech (TTS) systems. Exemplary embodiments of the systems and methods include identifying text for converting into a speech waveform, synthesizing said text by three TTS systems, generating a candidate waveform from each of the three systems, generating a score from each of the three systems, comparing each of the three scores, selecting a score based on a criteria and selecting one of the three waveforms based on the selected of the three scores.

The present disclosure relates generally to text-to-speech (TTS) systems, and, in particular, to a system and method for selecting among TTS systems dynamically.
The quality of the output of a text-to-speech synthesis system is dependent on the particular text presented as input; some sentences synthesize well, while others are plagued by discontinuities and bad prosody. Moreover, systems using different algorithms or different settings may behave differently on a given text. One system may perform better than another system on some texts, but worse on others. Typically, a TTS system uses a particular algorithm and system, and adjusts the parameters related to that algorithm and system.

System and method for dynamically selecting among TTS systems


A vehicle display device includes a display for displaying an operation screen, an operation unit prepared separately from the display, and a display control unit for controlling display of the display according to an operation of the operation unit. The operation unit is configured to be turnable. The display control unit displays, on the operation screen, an operation unit image mimicking the shape of the operation unit, and a plurality of selection items selectable by a turning operation of the operation unit in an overlapping manner.

As a vehicle display device to be installed in a vehicle such as an automobile, there is known a configuration including an operation unit to be operated by a driver, a display for displaying an operation screen of a vehicle-mounted device such as a navigation device and an audio device, and a display control unit for controlling display of the display according to an operation of the operation unit. The display is disposed, for example, at a predetermined position of a front portion of a passenger compartment where the driver can visually recognize, and the operation unit is disposed, for example, on a console portion next to the driver's seat.
Concerning the vehicle display device, it is difficult for the driver to move the line of sight to the operation unit during driving the vehicle. In view of the above, there is known a configuration in which an operation guide for guiding an operation of the operation unit is displayed on the operation screen of the display to make it easy for the driver to operate the operation unit.
For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a vehicle display device including a display, and a commander unit as an operation unit, wherein when touch of the commander unit by an operator is detected, an operation guide of the commander unit is displayed on an operation screen.
Specifically, in the vehicle display device described in Patent Literature 1, as the operation guide, an operation unit image mimicking the shape of the commander unit, and a plurality of selection items being a selection target by an operation of the commander unit are respectively displayed at different positions on the operation screen of the display.
However, it is often the case that a display for use in a vehicle has a relatively small and limited area. Therefore, when the operation unit image and the selection items are displayed at different positions on the operation screen of the display as described above, the operation unit image and the selection items are displayed small, and the driver may find it difficult to recognize the operation guide.


Provided is a method and processing unit for computer-implemented analysis of a classification model which is adapted to map, as a prediction, a number of input instances, each of them having a number n of features, into a number of probabilities of output classes, as a classification decision, according to a predetermined function, and which is adapted to determine a relevance value for each feature resulting in a saliency map. The disclosure includes the step of identifying an effect of each feature on the prediction of the instance by determining, for each feature, a relevance information representing a contextual information for all features of the instance omitting the considered feature. Then, the relevance value for each feature is determined. Finally, the plurality of relevance values for the features of the instance is evaluated to identify the effect of each feature on the prediction of the instance.

One of the weaknesses of machine learning models is the lack of interpretability. In particular, it is difficult to explain intelligent decisions to end users in practice. Models are often applied as black boxes, especially, deep neural networks. Deep models achieve human-level performance of many tasks, such as image classification and detection. These neural networks with deep architecture are even difficult to understand for machine learning experts. However, intelligent decisions need to explain to gain user trust.
In recent years, many model-aware saliency methods have been proposed to understand the relationship between the input and the output of deep neural networks. Saliency methods are algorithms identifying relevant features to individual classification decisions by creating so-called saliency maps. However, the existing model-aware saliency methods are not applicable to models with complex structures. Additionally, saliency maps are not reliable as some of them are independent of both the model and the data generating process.
Compared with model-aware methods, the model-agnostic methods seem to be an alternative analysis tool since they can work without accessing their parameters, architecture and gradients of outputs with respect to inputs. They are able to explain any classifiers, their produced explanations from two or more different types of models are comparable and so-called ensemble models can also be explained without requiring knowledge of model components.
Among others, LIME (Local Interpretable Model-agnostic Explanations) and PDA (Prediction Difference Analysis) seem to be the most promising methods for analyzing a black-box classification model.
LIME trains a local interpretable classifier to approximate the behavior of the original complex model on a single instance. The classification of the instance is explained with the trained interpretable classifier. Different interpretable classifiers give different explanations and the optimization of the same type of classifier could end with different parameters. Hence, the produced explanations are not consistent. Furthermore, for each classification, LIME is required to train a new classifier, which is inefficient.
An occlusion method identifies the relevance of each feature by occluding the features using pre-defined values. The occlusion with pre-defined values cannot remove deep evidence of the occluded features without introducing unexpected features.
To overcome these shortcomings, PDA, as a probabilistic sound methodology, was proposed to analyze individual classification decisions. PDA observes the changes of outputs when removing part of features of the instance. If an output score is decreased, the removed features are relevant, otherwise they are negative evidence. The removal of effect is implemented by replacing with different values and taking the average of their output score. However, for each feature, it requires many time classifications. It is infeasible when the dimensions of input are very high, such as when analyzing images. In addition, when many features of the classified instance support the classifications, this method does not work well.

Method and processing unit for computer-implemented analysis of a classification model


A field effect transistor and a method for making the same. In one embodiment, the field effect transistor comprises a source; a drain; a gate; at least one carbon nanotube on the gate; and a dielectric layer that coats the gate and a portion of the at least one carbon nanotube, wherein the at least one carbon nanotube has an exposed portion that is not coated with the dielectric layer, and wherein the exposed portion is functionalized with at least one indicator molecule. In other embodiments, the field effect transistor is a biochem-FET.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of fullerenes and more specifically to the field of biochemical sensors comprising chemically sensitive field effect transistors having nanotubes.
2. Background of the Invention
An increasing interest has occurred in the development of chemical sensors in the identification of biological molecules or fragments. Such an increasing interest has been seen in a wide range of industries including clinical chemistry such as alternative site and critical care measurements, environmental detection of hazardous and mutagenic substances, in-line monitors for the food production industry, gene expression, and the like. For instance, determination of gene sequences is typically based upon spectroscopic characterization of dye molecules that are tagged to specific recognition molecules. The characteristic spectrum of the dye molecule detects binding of the dye molecule to a biological fragment such as DNA. Drawbacks of using the spectroscopy technique include limited sensitivity and selectivity of the technique.
Chemical sensors with enhanced sensitivity have been used for detection in such industries. A typical chemical sensor device is a chemically sensitive field effect transistor (chem-FET). Typical chem-FET devices have relied on the use of a porous dielectric layer into which a substance such as a chemical to be detected is absorbed. The dielectric constant of the dielectric layer is altered by such absorption, which results in a positive detection of the substance. Drawbacks to chem-FETs include a susceptibility to moisture. For instance, a dielectric layer sufficiently porous to allow for DNA will typically also allow water into the gate of the chem-FET, which can result in failure of the device. Consequently, chem-FET devices having carbon nanotubes have been used for such detection. The carbon nanotubes are usually used as a bridge between the source and the drain. The presence of certain molecules such as oxygen or ammonia can alter the overall conductivity of the carbon nanotube by the donation or acceptance of electrons. Selectivity in the carbon nanotubes is typically achieved by functionalizing a majority or all of the surface of the carbon nanotube through the placement of specific functional groups on the nanotube surface, with such functional groups having the ability to selectively bind specific target molecules. Drawbacks of such chem-FETs comprising carbon nanotubes include functionalization changing the electronic properties from that of a semiconductor to that of an insulator. Further drawbacks include the diversity of tube diameters, chiral angles, and aggregation states of the tubes.
Consequently, there is a need for a more efficient chem-FET having improved selectivity and sensitivity. Further needs include a chem-FET that is not susceptible to damage by absorption of water through the dielectric layer. Additional needs include a chem-FET with carbon nanotubes that maintain their semiconductivity.

Method for creating a functional interface between a nanoparticle, nanotube or nanowire, and a biological molecule or system


Methods and devices are disclosed for communicating in a wireless network using multi-protocol label switching (MPLS). A network service node is configured to send identical packets substantially simultaneously to each of a serving network access station and one or more target network access stations via two or more respective MPLS tunnels in response to a handoff trigger message. Additional embodiments and variations are also disclosed.

It is becoming more important to be able to provide telecommunication services to subscribers which are relatively inexpensive as compared to cable and other land line technologies. Further, the increased use of mobile applications has resulted in much focus on developing wireless systems capable of delivering large amounts of data at relatively high speeds.
In development of mobile wireless broadband networks an ongoing issue is how to address mobile handover for a mobile station to switch between a serving network access station and a target network access station with low latency and/or low packet loss.

Mobile handover utilizing multicast in a multi-protocol label switching (MPLS)-based network


A system or method that extends a communication test/measurement agent by providing the communication test/measurement agent with built-in functionality to allow a central communication test/measurement system to generically communicate with and operate the agent, and by providing the communication test/measurement agent with built-in functionality to allow the agent to automatically recognize and dynamically incorporate plugins that are specific to different types of communication interfaces and which allow the network test/measurement system to communicate with the respective different types of communication interfaces.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to the field of network agents for testing and measuring networks. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a network agent designed to communicate with a network test and management system and which can be dynamically expanded to communicate with additional interfaces without being redesigned or recoded; where the agent can be dynamically augmented with functionality for allowing the network test and management system to communicate with different types of interfaces added to the agent.
2. Description of the Related Art
Previous network agents used in a communications testing and measurement system have been designed and written specifically hardcoded to work with certain limited types of voice or network devices. A network test or troubleshooting center system (NTC) may need to communicate with various types of network devices or agents, such as a network analyzer agent, probe, a voice quality testing device, a router, and so on. Previously, these devices have been designed specifically for one type of interface. The NTC will communicate with the different types of agents independently. To date, designers of network test and measurement systems have had to redesign and recode a network agent for each new type of interface to be added to the agent and users have not been able to incrementally install different interfaces for operation with one agent.
What is needed is a method and system for extending network agents in a test and measurement setting to handle newly installed interfaces of different types without having to be redesign and recode the agents.

Network test/measurement agent extensible with different types of network interfaces