Apparatus for handling pipe, coiled tubing, casing, and conventional tubing in well drilling and servicing operations.

This invention relates to the use and handling of pipe and tubing in various well operations. More specifically, the invention relates to the use of pipe and tubing and the like being handled with tubing injectors in drilling and well servicing operations.
Jointed pipe or tubing are typically run into wells during well drilling or servicing operations using either a drilling rig or a workover rig. Such rigs can be expensive and time consuming to use. To help minimize some problems in the time and expense of using jointed piped or tubing in well drilling and well servicing operations coiled tubing has been used in its place on a selective basis. Typically, coiled tubing has been used in well servicing operations where time and convenience are important considerations.
In such coiled tubing use, the coiled tubing used has been of the small diameter type where the nominal bore of the coiled tubing is approximately one-inch. The use of such small diameter tubing has occurred in well servicing operations in an effort to provide the maximum amount of tubing mounted on reels that are easily transported over the road on conventionally licensed vehicles to and from well sites. Also, the small diameter coiled tubing may be conveniently transported in reel form installed on skid units to remote locations and offshore. However, such small diameter coiled tubing limits the flow of fluids therethrough, the amount of compression force that can be transmitted through the string of coiled tubing in the well, the amount of tension force that can be transmitted through the string of coiled tubing in the well, the amount of torque that may be applied to the coiled tubing during use in a well, the types of tools that may be used on coiled tubing in a well, the weight of tools that may be used on the string of coiled tubing in the well at any depth, and the length of coiled tubing that may be used in any well.
With the advent of using coiled tubing in a wider variety of well servicing operations and well drilling operations it is desirable and necessary to use larger diameter coiled tubing than in the past, such as three and one-half inches external diameter or greater as may be available from time to time. However, the use of such larger diameter coiled tubing creates a series of problems when coiled tubing handling apparatus designed for handling the small diameter coiled tubing exists is used.
Conventional coiled tubing handling equipment for handling small diameter coiled tubing typically comprises, in simplest form, a reel of coiled tubing mounted on a platform, such as a vehicle, an injector including an integrally attached gooseneck to run the coiled tubing into and from the well, a lifting device to support the injector when running the coiled tubing into and from the well, a power pack to provide power to the reel, to reel the tubing in the well, lifting device to support the injector, the injector to run the coiled tubing into and from the well, and surface equipment to seal around the coiled tubing as it is run into and from the well, such as strippers and/or blow-out preventors.
The vehicle is typically a trailer, pulled by a tractor, upon which the coiled tubing and accessories are mounted to be transported to a well site. Alternatively, a skid unit may be used in place of a vehicle trailer. A hydraulically powered reel is used to run the string of coiled tubing into and from the well. The reel may be of various sizes depending upon the size of the coiled tubing to be reeled thereupon, the length of coiled tubing to be reeled, the size limits of the vehicle for over the road transport, the weight limits for vehicular transport over the road, etc. The lifting device used to support the coiled tubing is typically a hydraulically powered boom or crane which is located at the rear of the trailer so that it may be located adjacent the well and its surface equipment for supporting the injector and gooseneck thereover during coiled tubing operations. The injector having an integrally attached gooseneck is hydraulically powered comprising drive chains having fixed geometry tubing grippers located thereon mounted on beams to run the coiled tubing into and from the well. The integrally mounted gooseneck on the injector typically comprises a curved member, forming a small radius bend having an approximately ninety degree (90.degree.) arc, or less, for directing the coiled tubing between the drive chains of the injector after the tubing has been received, generally horizontally or at a slight angle, from the reel. The gooseneck further includes a plurality of pairs of roller assemblies for the coiled tubing rest upon while being directed by the gooseneck into the injector. The power pack comprises one or more engines driving one or more hydraulic pumps to power the reel, boom or crane, injector, and any surface equipment desired. The power pack may also be used to provide power to any other hydraulic accessory desired.
Since the gooseneck is permanently attached to the injector, the injector must be suspended from the hydraulic boom over the surface equipment of the well at the well site requiring the assembly and disassembly of equipment to be run into the well to occur after the coiled tubing has been run through the gooseneck and the injector. This creates a difficult and sometimes hazardous working environment at the well site in a confined area surrounded by well service equipment.
In some instances, if in addition to coiled tubing, it is required to use jointed pipe, casing, or tubing to be included in the work string used in the well, it will be necessary to use a jack-up frame and power tongs in addition to the normal completion equipment used in coiled tubing operations. In such instances, the injector having an integrally mounted gooseneck thereon will be mounted above the work deck of the jack-up frame for the coiled tubing use. This necessitates the removal of the injector and gooseneck during any operations not utilizing the running of the coiled tubing into and from the well as the jointed pipe, casing or tubing cannot be run through the injector as the grippers of the injector are designed to handle solely coiled tubing of a predetermined external diameter which cannot be varied without changing the grippers on the drive chains of the injector.
In order to improve the efficiency of all types of well drilling and servicing operations it is desirable to use and run pipe, coiled tubing, casing and tubing into and from a well using the same equipment. To do so an injector must be used along with associated equipment that is capable of handling drill pipe of various diameters, coiled tubing of various diameters, well casing of various diameters and tubing of various diameters. Additionally, the equipment used to handle such pipe, coiled tubing, casing, and tubing must occupy the smallest possible space at the well site and be easily transported thereto and therefrom. On-land, offshore, and remote well sites must be considered when using such equipment.
In using coiled tubing it is also desirable to minimize the amount of bending and permanent deformation of the tubing during its use to help prevent fatigue failure of the tubing. When large diameter coiled tubing is used with equipment which is designed to handle smaller diameter coiled tubing, such use may only cause greater bending and permanent deformation of the tubing and its subsequent early fatigue failure because the large diameter tubing is being reeled, supported, and run into a well under the same conditions as smaller diameter coiled tubing which normally utilizes equipment employing smaller reel diameters, smaller radius of bending and support, etc.
It is known to use a mechanism to raise and lower pipe while providing a means for rotating the pipe. Such a device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,191,450.
It is also known to use an injector for injecting coupled pipe into a well using a pair of endless chains to hold the pipe therebetween during running operations. Such an injector is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,285,485. However, the high loads of squeezing of the pipe between the pair of endless chains tends to deform the pipe couplings making it difficult to disassemble the pipe and reuse it.
It is further well known to use an injector to run coiled tubing to support the tubing without the use of a derrick. Such an injector is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,331,346.
It is known to use an apparatus similar to a coiled tubing injector to run sucker rods into and from a well. Such an apparatus is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,559,905.
It is also known to use an apparatus to make up a pipe string continuously as it is being run into and from a well. Such an apparatus is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,345.
It is further known to use gripper pads on drive chains in a sucker rod injector apparatus. Such an apparatus is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,754,474.
It is further known to use injectors having movable rails and endless chain drives to allow the use of coiled tubing or jointed pipe to be run through the injectors without the use of a derrick at the well site. Such an apparatus is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,291, which shows an injector with a pair of chains, each of which is mounted on a rail or pressure beam which is transversely movable with respect to the injector housing.


An exerciser includes a frame assembly including a lower frame portion constructed and arranged to be stably supported in an operative position on a horizontal surface and rigid upright frame structure defining laterally spaced left and right free end portions. A user support assembly is operatively connected with the lower frame portion and is constructed and arranged to support a user thereon. Left and right moving assemblies are disposed in normal inoperative positions with respect to the user support assembly constructed and arranged to be manually engaged and individually manually moved away from the normal inoperative position thereof into a desired extended position by a user supported on the user support assembly.

Recent years have seen an increasing awareness of the benefits of physical exercise and widespread use of exercisers. The therapeutic value of progressive resistance exercises has long been recognized. Exercising muscles against progressively increasing resistance not only results in added strength and endurance in the muscles, but also in a more efficient functioning of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.
Various types of exercisers have been suggested which use elastomeric members such as resistance bands to provide non-gravity resistance to the performance of the exercises.
One such exerciser is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,674,167 issued to Piaget et al. The exerciser taught by Piaget et al. includes a first plurality of resistance cords for providing resistance to pivotal movement of first and second arm members and a second plurality of resistance cords for providing resistance to a leg member. Each plurality of resistance cords are releasably secured to a fixed anchor such that the first plurality of resistance cords provides resistance to the arm members independently from the resistance provided by the second plurality of resistance cords to the leg member. A user may exercise his/her arms and legs without complex maneuvering or adjustments to the exercise machine as taught by Piaget et al. However, varying the resistance by using elastomeric resistance as taught by Piaget et al. involves adding or subtracting individual resistance cords to the apparatus, which can be both burdensome and time consuming. Further, since the resistance cords are typically separate units, they can be lost or misplaced, increasing costs for replacement, and frequently are strewn about the apparatus in a manner to create substantial tripping hazards.
Another such exerciser is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,906,566 issued to Whitcomb. The exerciser taught by Whitcomb includes a single plurality of resistance elements for either providing resistance to handle grips or to a leg unit which are connected to opposite ends of the resistance elements. Whitcomb provides an exercise machine having a single plurality of resistance elements, which are not removed from the exercise machine during normal usage, thus eliminating the risks and cost described above with respect to loose resistance elements. Even though the exercise machine is relatively versatile, it includes numerous pivotally movable components, which can be relatively bulky and can require many steps to maneuver the exercise machine into various positions for effecting the different modes of exercise. These extra steps require extra time to move the exercise machine between different positions and can significantly lengthen the workout. Thus, the ability to maneuver the exerciser into various positions for effecting the different modes of exercise quickly is greatly desirable to help reduce unnecessary time between exercises.
While the cited prior art exercisers are effective for their intended purpose, there is always a continuing need for new and improved exercisers which are cost-effective, convenient for transportation and storage, versatile, capable of providing variable resistance and relatively easy to maneuver between various positions for effecting different modes of exercise.
To achieve this need, an exerciser comprising a frame assembly including a lower frame portion constructed and arranged to be stably supported in an operative position on a horizontal surface is provided. The frame assembly also includes rigid upright frame structure defines laterally spaced left and right free end portions. A user support assembly is operatively connected with the lower frame portion constructed and arranged to support a user thereon. Left and right moving assemblies are disposed in normal inoperative positions with respect to the user support assembly constructed and arranged to be manually engaged and individually manually moved away from the normal inoperative position thereof into a desired extended position by a user supported on the user support assembly.
The left and right moving assemblies comprise left and right upper pulley members rotatably mounted on the left and right upper free end portions of the rigid upright frame structure respectively and left and right lower pulley members rotatably mounted on the frame assembly at fixed positions below the upper pulley members respectively. The left and right moving assemblies also comprise left and right flexible elongated structures trained around the left and right upper and lower pulley members respectively and left and right user hand grip units connected with left and right end portions of the left and right flexible elongated structures extending in positions to enable a user supported on the user support assembly to move the left and right user hand grip units away from inoperative positions thereof into desired extended positions.
The left and right flexible elongated structures include left and right bungee cords having fixed ends and movable ends provided with stop structure thereon for engaging cooperating stop structure associated with left and right pulley members respectively so as to determine inoperative positions thereof and enable resilient movements therefrom to desired extended positions and to resiliently return the left and right user hand grip units to the inoperative positions thereof when no longer moved by the user.
Connecting structure is provided on the frame assembly which is constructed and arranged to enable the fixed end of the left and right bungee cords to be fixed in selected fixed positions on the frame assembly which provide selected different resilient bias of the bungee cords when in the inoperative and extended positions thereof.
Generally, exercisers of this type have been known to provide a user support assembly or bench for supporting users while they effect various different modes of exercise. Numerous exercisers that incorporate benches for providing support to users have heretofore been known in the art.
Some exercisers incorporate benches such as a split bench having a seat back and a seat member hingeably connected so that the bench can be adjusted for use in connection with both a flat bench position and a sitting position. Snyderman et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,447 represents an example of one such exerciser.
Other exercisers, especially those configured to provide multiple exercises or a bench which may be maneuvered between various positions may be cumbersome to transport and may take up a large area. One such exerciser, such as Rockwell U.S. Pat. No. 4,634,127, includes a bench assembly which may be moved into a storage position. The exercise machines taught by Piaget et al. and Whitcomb may also be moved into a storage position, but both exercise machines require a relatively complex series of movements and adjustments before being moved into the storage positions thereof.
Consequently, there exists a need in the art to provide an exerciser that is cost-effective, convenient for transportation and storage, versatile, and relatively easy to maneuver between various positions for effecting different modes of exercise.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an exerciser comprising a frame assembly that includes a lower frame portion constructed and arranged to be stablely supported in an operative position on a horizontal surface and left and right rigid upright support members fixed at lower end portions thereof on the lower frame portion. The left and right rigid upright support members extend upwardly from the lower frame portion when in the operative position thereof. The left and right rigid upright support members have integral laterally spaced left and right upper free ends disposed above the lower frame portion in outwardly diverging relation with respect to one another. A user support assembly is operatively connected with the lower frame portion and is constructed and arranged to support a user thereon. Left and right moving assemblies are disposed in normal inoperative positions with respect to the user support assembly and are constructed and arranged to be manually engaged and individually manually moved away from the normal inoperative position thereof into a desired extended position by a user supported on the user support assembly.
The left and right moving assemblies comprise left and right upper pulley members rotatably mounted on the left and right upper free end portions of the left and right rigid upright support members respectively and left and right lower pulley members rotatably mounted on the frame assembly at fixed positions below the upper pulley members respectively.
Left and right flexible elongated structures are trained around the left and right upper and lower pulley members respectively. Left and right user hand grip units are connected with left and right end portions of the left and right flexible elongated structures extending in positions to enable a user supported on the user support assembly to move the left and right user hand grip units away from inoperative positions thereof into desired extended positions.
The left and right flexible elongated structures include left and right bungee cords having fixed ends fixed directly to the frame structure and movable ends provided with stop structure thereon for engaging cooperating stop structure associated with left and right pulley members respectively so as to determine inoperative positions thereof and enable resilient movements therefrom to desired extended positions and to resiliently return the left and right user hand grip units to the inoperative positions thereof when no longer moved by the user.
Another aspect of the present invention is achieved by an exerciser that comprises a frame assembly including a lower frame portion constructed and arranged to be stablely supported in an operative position on a horizontal surface and left and right rigid upright support members fixed at lower end portions thereof on the lower frame portion. The left and right rigid upright support members extend upwardly from the lower frame portion when in the operative position thereof. The left and right rigid upright support members have integral laterally spaced left and right upper free ends disposed above the lower frame portion in outwardly diverging relation with respect to one another.
A user support assembly is operatively connected with the frame assembly and is constructed and arranged to support a user thereon. The user support assembly includes a user seat member, a user seat back member and an elongated support member having one end connected to the upright frame assembly and extending in an operative position generally horizontally outwardly therefrom. The user support assembly also includes an outer leg structure that is constructed and arranged to engage and be supported on the horizontal surface in spaced relation to the frame extending in an operative position in supporting relation with respect to the elongated support member to maintain the elongated support member in the generally horizontally outwardly extending relation from the lower frame portion. Seat mounting structure constructed and arranged to mount the user seat member for movement horizontally with respect to the elongated support member when in the operative position thereof between an outer position and a inner position and spaced inwardly of and at generally the same level as the outer position. Seat back mounting structure operatively associated with the seat back member that is constructed and arranged to enable the seat back member to be selectively retained in a bench position extending in generally horizontally aligned relation to the user seat member in an outer position thereof and an upright position extending generally inwardly in inclined relation to the user seat member in an inner position thereof.
The upright frame assembly includes a lower frame portion constructed and arranged to be stablely supported on a horizontal surface and an upstanding portion extending upwardly from the lower frame portion, and a seat support portion extending upwardly from the lower frame portion in horizontally spaced relation to the upstanding portion. The elongated support member is pivotally mounted on the seat support portion so as to be moved between the operative position thereof and an upright storage position wherein the elongated support member, the outer leg structure and the seat and seat back members are alongside the upstanding portion.
Left and right moving assemblies are disposed in normal inoperative positions with respect to the user support assembly and are constructed and arranged to be manually engaged and individually manually moved away from the normal inoperative position thereof into a desired extended position by a user supported on the user support assembly. The left and right moving assemblies have left and right portions operatively associated with cooperating structure on the left and right upper free ends.
Other objects, aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

Exerciser with multiple bungee cord resistance and enhanced bench movements


Anatomic points within the body are projected outside the body through the use of extenders. The projected points may then be used for measurement, or to facilitate the selection or configuration of an implant that is to be positioned proximate the anatomic points. Such an implant may be a rod for a posterior spinal fusion system. Pedicle screws may be implanted into pedicles of the spine, and may then serve as anchors for the extenders. The extenders may have rod interfaces that receive the rod in a manner that mimics the geometry of the pedicle screws so that the selected or configured contoured rod will properly fit into engagement with the pedicle screws.

The present invention relates generally to the selection and/or configuration of implantable devices, and more precisely, to posterior spinal fusion systems.
A wide variety of orthopedic implants exist. Such implants are typically anchored to bones within the body. Every person has different bone structure; accordingly, implants must vary considerably in geometry to meet the needs of a broad range of patients. Although visualization methods such as X-Rays and fluoroscopy can be utilized to help determine bone geometry, contact with the bones must often be made in order to provide a sufficiently accurate measurement of bony landmarks. Current procedures often involve the exposure of a relatively large area to permit such measurement.
According to new minimally invasive surgical (MIS) procedures, many orthopedic implants can be secured to bone through relatively small incisions. Unfortunately, if a larger incision must be made to permit bone measurement and implant selection or configuration, most of the beneficial effects of the MIS implantation procedure will be lost. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for bony landmark measurement and implant selection or configuration methods that can be carried out through small incisions. Such methods should be relatively simple and quick to perform, with comparatively simple instrumentation.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method for orthopedic implant configuration

Stryker European Operations Holdings LLC


A semiconductor laser device incorporates a beam control layer for reducing far field and beam divergence. Within the beam control layer, a physical property of the semiconductor material varies as a function of depth through, the beam control layer, by provision of a first sub-layer in which the property varies gradually from a first level to a second level, and a second sub-layer in which the property varies from said second level to a third level. In the preferred arrangement, the conduction band edge of the semiconductor has a V-shaped profile through the beam control layer.

The present invention relates to semiconductor waveguide devices, and in particular to methods for controlling the optical output beam divergence therefrom.
The invention has particular, though not exclusive, use in the manufacture of semiconductor lasers, amplifiers, modulators and other waveguides suitable for use in telecommunications and printing applications where low coupling loss to other optical components (such as optical waveguides) and high kink-free power output is required. More particularly, the invention has particular, though not exclusive, use in the manufacture of 980 nm pump lasers for telecommunications applications, and in the manufacture of 830 nm high power lasers for printing applications.
Conventional semiconductor lasers generally provide an optical output beam of substantially elliptical cross-section. With reference to FIG. 1, such conventional lasers typically comprise a succession of layers formed on a substrate 10, to include a lower cladding layer 11, an optically active core region 12 and an upper cladding layer 13. In a conventional ridge type laser, lateral optical confinement is effected by way of a ridge waveguide 14 upon which suitable electrical contact material 15 may be deposited with which to provide electrical injection to drive the lasing mode. The resultant optical output beam 16 emerges from the output end 17 along the longitudinal or z-axis as shown.
The core region 12 typically comprises a plurality of layers, such as a central layer 12a defining the quantum well and two or more outer layers 12b, 12c with composition varying as a function of depth within the layer to provide a so-called graded index separate confinement heterostructure (GRINSCH) core region 12.
The structure of FIG. 1 provides a conduction band edge profile as shown in FIG. 2, in which the cladding region 20 corresponds to the lower cladding layer 11; the cladding region 24 corresponds to the upper cladding layer 13; the quantum well region 22 corresponds to the central layer 12a; and the graded index regions 21 and 23 respectively correspond to the outer layers 12b, 12c.
The output beam 16 (FIG. 1) from this structure typically has a beam divergence in the vertical direction (shown in the figure as the y-direction) of the order of between 30 and 40 degrees, resulting in a large vertical far field. Vertical direction is generally defined as the wafer growth direction, i.e. the direction that is orthogonal to the plane of the substrate, as shown. By contrast, beam divergence in the horizontal or lateral direction (shown in the figure as the x-direction) is typically of the order of between 5 and 10 degrees.
The very large far field and asymmetry of the far fields in the vertical and horizontal directions cause a number of problems such as high coupling loss to optical components downstream of the laser output 17 (such as optical fibres) and particularly low coupling tolerance between the laser and a single mode fibre (which requires a circular beam profile).
A number of techniques have been proposed to reduce the far field or beam divergence in the vertical direction and hence to reduce the asymmetry in far field output. The vertical far field can be reduced to some degree by simply reducing the thickness of the core region 12. However, in this case, optical overlap with the quantum well 12a is also reduced which in turn increases the laser threshold current and cavity loss occurs from losses associated with intervalence band absorption. In addition, it becomes more difficult to achieve high kink-free emission power due to the occurrence of higher mode lasing at high current injection levels.
A number of different approaches have been proposed to provide 'mode-shaping' layers that reduce far field into the semiconductor laser structure.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,815,521 describes a laser device in which a mode-shaping layer is introduced into each one of the cladding layers. Each of the mode-shaping layers comprises a layer of increased refractive index relative to the rest of the respective cladding layer, to form a conduction band edge profile as shown in FIG. 1 of US '521. It is noted that the mode-shaping layers each comprise a localized step change in band energy level.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,923,689 describes another technique in which a pair of passive waveguides of reduced refractive index is provided on either side of the quantum well structure, separated therefrom by a barrier layer. A similar structure, this time also in conjunction with a graded index confinement structure, is also shown in "Semiconductor lasers with unconventional cladding structures for small beam divergence and low threshold current" by Shun-Tung Yen et al, Optical and Quantum Electronics 28 (1996) pp. 1229-1238. Both of these documents advocate a step-wise local reduction in refractive index within the cladding layers.
"Design and fabrication of 980 nm InGaAs/AlGaAs quantum well lasers with low beam divergence" by Guowen Yang et al, SPIE Vol. 2886 (1996), pp. 258-263 describes the insertion of two low refractive index layers inserted between the cladding and graded index layers to decrease beam divergence in the vertical direction.
"980 nm InGaAs/AlGaAs quantum well lasers with extremely low beam divergence" by Shun-Tung Yen et al, Proceedings of Semiconductor Laser Conference (1996), 15th IEEE International, pp. 13-14 also describes the introduction of two low refractive index layers respectively adjacent to the graded index layers also to reduce the vertical far field distribution.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,141,363 contemplates the reduction of beam divergence by means of a plurality of layers within the core region, of alternating high and low refractive index.

Control of output beam divergence in a semiconductor waveguide device


A system and method for routing the audio output from a selected one of a plurality of independent audio sources to an audio system for amplification/playback; the routing being based upon the movement of a user's head, and in particular the user's line-of-sight inferred from the movement. The invention employs a spatial mapping of the plurality of audio sources and routes the respective audio output of each of the sources to the audio amplification/playback system upon making the determination that the user's line-of-sight is being directed to a particular one of the audio sources.

In any given residential environment, it is not uncommon to have multiple media devices collocated in a single room, living space or listening area, each of these media devices being capable of producing an independent audio output. For example, a multimedia gateway device (such as a digital set-top box) could be co-located with an audio device adapted to play streaming or recorded audio, as well as a separate gaming system which would produce audio output as a function of game play. It would also not be unusual for all of these disparate audio sources to share a single audio output device, such as a multi-channel audio system, a soundbar, or a digital television.
A user may choose to have one or more of these media devices active at the same time. For example, a user may choose to utilize a soundbar to listen to music being reproduced from the audio device, while employing the set-top box to display a news channel on the screen of a digital television. When a given news item was of particular interest to the user, the user could manually switch the input of the soundbar to the set-top box, enabling the playing of the news channel audio.
Although manually switching between sources could be accomplished by direct actuation of a switch upon a device such as a sound bar, or via commands issued from a wireless remote-control unit, it may not always be convenient or practical for a user to accomplish the desired switching. A user may not be within reach of the soundbar, or in possession of the particular remote-control unit required to issue needed command, or the particular command to affect the desired the audio switching isn't intuitively obvious to the user (certain commands may require the user to access a particular menu or place a remote-control unit into a particular mode before they can be accessed).
Consequently, it would be advantageous to provide for a system and method whereby a user could quickly select a desired audio source through the execution of simple, intuitive device-independent commands.

System and method for dynamic line-of-sight multi-source audio control


A vehicle hood structure includes a hood outer panel and a hood inner panel. The hood outer panel includes at least one character line extending substantially in a vehicle front-rear direction. The character line intersects a central line that extends in a vehicle width direction and that passes through a central point where a center of the hood outer panel in the vehicle front-rear direction and a center of the hood outer panel in the vehicle width direction are superposed on each other. The character line intersects the central line at an intersection point positioned within a region extending from the central point by 300 mm or less in the vehicle width direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle hood structure that includes a hood inner panel and a hood outer panel and that has good pedestrian protection performance when a vehicle collides with a pedestrian and good front collision performance when the vehicle collides with another vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are many design requirements to be satisfied other than pedestrian protection performance for a vehicle hood structure including a hood inner panel and a hood outer panel. In particular, when a front collision with another vehicle occurs, it is required that the vehicle hood structure be deformed such that the center of the vehicle hood structure rises and is bent into an angular shape in sectional view so as to prevent entrance into the vehicle. In order to facilitate this bending deformation, a structure that includes a crush bead extending in the vehicle width direction has been proposed (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-75163, Japanese Patent No. 4407755, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-239092). Furthermore, according to these patent documents, the crush bead is applied to the hood inner panel provided with hat-shaped beads extending in the vehicle front-rear direction.
Furthermore, in order to obtain both the front collision performance and the pedestrian protection performance, some vehicle hood structures (see FIGS. 7A to 7C) have been proposed which include a hood outer panel 10 and a hood inner panel 20 that includes a crush bead 20d and a plurality of substantially hat-shaped beads 20f extending in the vehicle width direction as illustrated in FIG. 8 (for example, see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-44311).


The present invention relates to a resilient material lined stator and method of forming. A method of forming a resilient material lined stator can include disposing a resilient material tube 400 with a profiled helical inner surface 401 into the bore of a body 420. A cast material 410 can be disposed therebetween. The cast material 410 can bond to the body 420 to form a resilient material lined stator or the body 420 can be removed. The cast material 310 can include a conduit 312 or conductor 314 extending therethrough. The cast material 310 can include a pathway 316 formed therethrough. The resilient material can be an elastomer.

The invention relates generally to stators for use with progressive cavity pumps or motors. More specifically, to a resilient material lined stator and a method of forming the stator.
Progressive cavity pumps or motors, also referred to as a progressing cavity pumps or motors, typically include a power section consisting of a rotor with a profiled helical outer surface disposed within a stator with a profiled helical inner surface. The rotor and stator of a progressive cavity apparatus operate according to the Moineau principle, originally disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,892,217.
In use as a pump, relative rotation is provided between the stator and rotor by any means known in the art, and a portion of the profiled helical outer surface of the rotor engages the profiled helical inner surface of the stator to form a sealed chamber or cavity. As the rotor turns eccentrically within the stator, the cavity progresses axially to move any fluid present in the cavity.
In use as a motor, a fluid source is provided to the cavities formed between the rotor and stator. The pressure of the fluid causes the cavity to progress and a relative rotation between the stator and rotor. In this manner fluidic energy can be converted into mechanical energy.
As progressive cavity pumps or motors rely on a seal between the stator and rotor surfaces, one of or both of these surfaces preferably includes a resilient or dimensionally forgiving material. Typically, the resilient material has been a relatively thin layer of elastomer disposed in the interior surface of the stator. A stator with a thin elastomeric layer is typically referred to as thin wall or even wall design.
An elastomeric lined stator with a uniform or even thickness elastomeric layer has previously been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,084,631 on "Helical Gear Pump with Stator Compression". The prior art has evolved around the principle of injecting an elastomer into a relatively narrow void between a stator body with a profiled helical bore and a core, or mandrel, with a profiled helical outer surface. The core is then removed after curing of the elastomer and the remaining assembly forms the elastomeric lined stator. The elastomer layer is essentially the last component formed.
The stator bodies mentioned above have a pre-formed profiled helical bore. The profiled helical bore is generally manufactured by methods such as rolling, swaging, or spray forming, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,543,132 on "Methods of Making Mud Motors", incorporated by reference herein. Similarly, a profiled helical bore can be formed by metal extrusion, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,568,076 on "Internally Profiled Stator Tube", incorporated by reference herein. Further, various hot or cold metal forming techniques, such as pilgering, flow forming, or hydraulic forming, as described in P.C.T. Pub. No. WO 2004/036043 A1 on "Stators of a Moineau-Pump", incorporated by reference herein, can be used to form a stator body with a profiled helical bore.
A stator body can also be formed by creating a profiled helical bore in relatively thin metal tubing. This formed metal tube can then be used as the stator body by itself, with an injected inner elastomeric layer, or the formed metal tube can be inserted inside into a second body with a longitudinal bore to form the stator body. A stator body with a profiled helical bore can also be formed through other process such as sintering or hot isostatic pressing of powdered materials, for example, a metal, or the profiled helical bore can be machined directly into a body.
The prior art designs lead to several inherent manufacturing problems when lining the profiled helical bore of the stator with an injected or molded elastomeric layer, for example, rotational and lateral misalignment. Rotational misalignment can occur when the apex of a lobe of a stator and the apex of an adjacent lobe of the core are not substantially aligned relative to a radial line extending from the central axis during the elastomer injection step. The rotational misalignment caused by not appropriately matching the profiles of the core (not shown) and the inner bore of the stator 120 is shown in FIG. 1. The result is a loss of control of the elastomer 100 thickness on both sides of a lobe 102. One side 104 of each lobe has an elastomeric layer thicker than intended and the other side 106 of each lobe has an elastomeric layer thinner than intended.
Another obstacle to forming a desired thickness of an elastomeric layer in a stator is lateral misalignment of the core (not shown) and the stator, shown in FIG. 2. When forming an elastomeric layer 200, there can be lateral misalignment of the profiled helical bore of the stator body 220 and the core (not shown). For example, in a long stator there can be lateral misalignment at the mid section even when the ends of the stator body 220 and the core are aligned properly due to a sagging of the core and/or the stator body 220. Lateral misalignment during the elastomer injection step creates a loss of control of the elastomer 200 thickness in the profiled helical bore, where one side 204 of the bore has an elastomeric layer thicker than intended and the other side 206 of the bore has an elastomeric layer thinner than intended.
One potential solution that has been attempted to solve the lateral alignment problem is the use of radial alignment pins and/or screw plugs passing through the stator body 220 to support the core during the elastomer molding step. However, this typically resulted in another failure mode with fluid leaking through those holes and/or plugs in the stator when used as a progressive cavity apparatus.
It is also desirable to have a conduit, a conductor, and/or a pathway extending through the stator. The conduits, conductors, and/or pathways can be used for communicating in electrical, hydraulic and/or mechanical form between the two ends of the stator. One such implementation is covered in U.S. Pat. No. 5,171,139 on "Moineau Motor With Conduits Through The Stator" which discloses conduits that are embedded within the elastomeric layer of the stator. However, embedding a conduit within the elastomeric layer can limit the size of conduit used when a thin elastomer layer is desired or create other complications.

Controlled thickness resilient material lined stator and method of forming


A fiber structure for forming the reinforcement of a part to be made is placed in a mold (22) having at least one wall formed by a flexible membrane, and then a resin composition is injected into the mold, the composition having a volatile material content of less than 25% by weight and being at a temperature of a value such that its viscosity lies in the range 0.1 Pa·s to 0.3 Pa·s. The resin is polymerized in the mold placed in an enclosure (20) with temperature being raised progressively and with polymerization including at least a final stage of polymerization under pressure in order to obtain a composite material part presenting residual porosity of less than 11% by volume.

The invention relates to making composite material parts with fiber reinforcement and a resin matrix by using a method of injecting resin under pressure also referred to as resin transfer molding (RTM).
The field of application of the invention is more particularly that of making thick parts out of composite material. As examples of such parts, mention can be made of the diverging portions of rocket engine nozzles such as those made of composite material having carbon fiber reinforcement and a phenolic resin matrix. Naturally, the invention is applicable to fabricating a wide variety of parts, whether parts for rocket engines or airplane engines, or parts suitable for use more generally in the fields of aviation and space, or in other fields.
A technique commonly used for making thick parts of composite material consists in using a resin to pre-impregnate layers or strips of woven fabric or other fiber textures, in draping or winding the pre-impregnated layers or strips on a shaper and a mandrel until a desired thickness is obtained, then covering the resulting blank in a delamination film, a resin drain fabric, and an elastomer membrane in order to allow the resin to be polymerized in an autoclave and thus obtain a part having substantially the desired shape.
Such a method makes it possible to achieve technical results that are satisfactory for certain potential applications, i.e. low residual porosity and a reinforcing fiber fraction that is quite high. Nevertheless, implementing that method industrially presents drawbacks: resin impregnation and polymerization within an autoclave after draping or winding are implemented as a plurality of successive steps. The operation of impregnation by passing through baths implies using solvents and requires special treatment of effluents since they present problems in terms of the environment, hygiene, and safety.
The RTM method has also been known for a long time and it is in widespread use, enabling the steps of impregnating a fiber reinforcement in a mold by injecting resin to be followed immediately by polymerization in an autoclave without the impregnated fiber reinforcement being left in open air.
Nevertheless, if a conventional RTM method is implemented on fiber reinforcement of great thickness, it is difficult to obtain composite material parts presenting little residual porosity. In order to be able to impregnate thick fiber reinforcement right through to the core it is necessary for the resin to present low viscosity. Lowering viscosity by using solvents, and using resins that give off volatile materials during polymerization, as applies in particular for phenolic resins, mean that a high level of residual porosity is present in the composite material after the resin has been polymerized. It is indeed possible to reduce porosity by repeating the impregnation and polymerization cycle several times, but only with significantly increased durations and processing costs.

Densification of fibrous structures by resin transfer moulding for making thick parts of composite material


The present invention provides a mat for training proper stance for a pool player. The mat comprises linear indicia marked thereon for alignment with respect to a cue held by the player and hand position indicia marked on the linear indicia for positioning of the mat directly below the player's rear hand when properly held on the cue. Further indicia are marked on the mat for proper location and orientation of the player's right and left feet when the mat has been oriented and positioned with respect to a cue and a cue ball to be hit on the basis of the linear and hand position indicia. When properly used, this mat enables a pool player to quickly and easily understand and adopt a proper stance, resulting in improved consistency of pool playing.

The key to learning to play the game of pool is technique. Technique includes the player's stance, the player's grip on the cue, the player's stroke and the bridge formed by the player's hand. The most important of these is the stance. If a player develops a proper stance then that player is able to learn how to play pool effectively in a fraction of the time it would take otherwise. Once a player is in a proper stance, his or her body must be perfectly still with only the cue arm in motion. This stance is the only one that will give the player the motionless consistency that is required to be a good pool player. Without proper stance, a player will acquire habits that are so bad that it will be difficult for that player to improve no matter how much he or she practices.
Training devices for sports requiring a player to use a bat or club are well-known. Thus, to train a golfer to have a proper stance, and hence golf swing, golf stance alignment mats have been described and illustrated, for example, in Lundquist U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,738 issued Mar. 18, 1997, De Knight et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,478,082 issued Dec. 26, 1995, Todd U.S. Pat. No. 5,590,882 issued Jan. 7, 1997 and Lundquist U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,328 issued Feb. 20, 1996. Batting training devices for baseball, incorporating mats have been taught in Wiseman et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,004 issued Jul. 16, 1996 and Pierce U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,656 issued June 12, 1990.
For training of persons to play pool, U.S. Pat. No. 4,120,494 of Roa issued Oct. 17, 1978 describes and illustrates a mat to be placed on a pool table playing surface, on which are marked lines for guiding a player to properly position the cue in making a predetermined billiard shot.
Neither this device, however, nor any of the other devices described above, is of any assistance in teaching proper stance to a pool player.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device which will teach a pool player a proper stance for playing pool.


The present invention relates to a method for treating or preventing Parkinson's disease in a patient, the method comprising administering to the patient a therapeutically effective population of neuronal cells transformed with a nucleic acid molecule encoding SRY, wherein the transformed cells express SRY.

The primary event of sexual development in mammals is the development of the gonadal sex from a bipotential and undifferentiated gonad into either testes or ovaries. This process, known as sex determination, is triggered by the SRY gene (Sex-determining Region, Y chromosome). Evidence that Sry was sex determining initially came from the microinjection of a 14.6 kb genomic DNA sequence containing the mouse Sry gene into chromosomally female embryos. The resulting transgenic mice developed phenotypically as males [Koopman, P., J. Gubbay, N. Vivian, P. Goodfellow, and R. Lovell-Badge, Male development of chromosomally female mice transgenic for Sry. Nature, 1991. 351(6322): p. 117-21]. Sry belongs to the Sox (Sry-box) family, whose members are characterised by a common HMG (high mobility group) DNA-binding motif [Laudet, V., D. Stehelin, and H. Clevers, Ancestry and diversity of the HMG box superfamily. Nucleic Acids Res, 1993. 21(10): p. 2493-501; Wegner, M., From head to toes: the multiple facets of Sox proteins. Nucleic Acids Res, 1999. 27(6): p. 1409-20]. Sox genes have been documented in a wide range of developmental processes, including neurogenesis (Sox2, 3 and 10) [Hargrave, M., E. Wright, J. Kun, J. Emery, L. Cooper, and P. Koopman, Expression of the Sox11 gene in mouse embryos suggests roles in neuronal maturation and epithelio-mesenchymal induction. Dev Dyn, 1997. 210(2): p. 79-86; Rex, M., D. A. Uwanogho, A. Orme, P. J. Scotting, and P. T. Sharpe, cSox21 exhibits a complex and dynamic pattern of transcription during embryonic development of the chick central nervous system. Mech Dev, 1997. 66(1-2): p. 39-53; Uwanogho, D., M. Rex, E. J. Cartwright, G. Pearl, C. Healy, P. J. Scotting, and P. T. Sharpe, Embryonic expression of the chicken Sox2, Sox3 and Sox11 genes suggests an interactive role in neuronal development. Mech Dev, 1995. 49(1-2): p. 23-36] and sex determination (Sox9). In addition, mutational analysis has suggested a role for Sox genes in influencing cell fate decisions during development [Pevny, L. H. and R. Lovell-Badge, Sox genes find their feet. Curr Opin Genet Dev, 1997. 7(3): p. 338-44]. Encoding a 204 amino acid protein, SRY is thought to bind and sharply bend DNA by means of its HMG box to regulate male-specific gene expression [Ferrari, S., V. R. Harley, A. Pontiggia, P. N. Goodfellow, R. Lovell-Badge, and M. E. Bianchi, SRY, like HMG1, recognizes sharp angles in DNA. Embo J, 1992. 11(12): p. 4497-506; Harley, V. R., D. I. Jackson, P. J. Hextall, J. R. Hawkins, G. D. Berkovitz, S. Sockanathan, R. Lovell-Badge, and P. N. Goodfellow, DNA binding activity of recombinant SRY from normal males and XY females. Science, 1992. 255(5043): p. 453-6; King, C. Y. and M. A. Weiss, The SRY high-mobility-group box recognizes DNA by partial intercalation in the minor groove: a topological mechanism of sequence specificity. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 1993. 90(24): p. 11990-4; Nasrin, N., C. Buggs, X. F. Kong, J. Camazza, M. Goebl, and M. Alexander-Bridges, DNA-binding properties of the product of the testis-determining gene and a related protein. Nature, 1991. 354(6351): p. 317-20]. The transient expression of Sry during a brief period in the developing genital ridge, between embryonic days E10.5 and E12.5, is what triggers testis development from a bipotential gonad [Koopman, P., A. Munsterberg, B. Capel, N. Vivian, and R. Lovell-Badge, Expression of a candidate sex-determining gene during mouse testis differentiation. Nature, 1990. 348(6300): p. 450-2]. After this strictly regulated window of expression in mouse fetal gonads, Sry is re-expressed in the adult testis. However, while Sry RNA is expressed in the developing genital ridges as a linear transcript of about 5 kb [Hacker, A., B. Capel, P. Goodfellow, and R. Lovell-Badge, Expression of Sry, the mouse sex determining gene. Development, 1995. 121(6): p. 1603-14; Jeske, Y. W., J. Bowles, A. Greenfield, and P. Koopman, Expression of a linear Sry transcript in the mouse genital ridge. Nat Genet, 1995. 10(4): p. 480-2], in adult germ cells Sry RNA is expressed a circular transcript of about 1.3 kb, presumably untranslatable because not associated with ribosomes [Capel, B., A. Swain, S. Nicolis, A. Hacker, M. Walter, P. Koopman, P. Goodfellow, and R. Lovell-Badge, Circular transcripts of the testis-determining gene Sry in adult mouse testis. Cell, 1993. 73(5): p. 1019-30].
In addition to the gonads, Sry expression has been discovered in both the adult and embryonic mouse brain. For instance, the hypothalamus and the mesencephalon (midbrain) were both positive for Sry expression in RT-PCR experiments [Lahr, G., S. C. Maxsoni, A. Mayer, W. Just, C. Pilgrim, and I. Reisert, Transcription of the Y chromosomal gene, Sry, in adult mouse brain. Brain Res Mol Brain Res, 1995. 33(1): p. 179-82; Mayer, A., G. Lahr, D. F. Swaab, C. Pilgrim, and I. Reisert, The Y-chromosomal genes SRY and ZFY are transcribed in adult human brain. Neurogenetics, 1998. 1(4): p. 281-8]. Interestingly, the hypothalamus and the mesencephalon are two areas that show functional sex differences [Reisert, I., E. Kuppers, and C. Pilgrim, Sexual differentiation of central catecholamine systems, in Phylogeny and Development of Catecholamine Systems in the CNS of Vertebrates, W. Smeets and A. Reiner, Editors. 1994, Cambridge University Press: Cambridge. p. 453-462; Vadasz, C., G. Kobor, P. Kabai, I. Sziraki, I. Vadasz, and A. Lajtha, Peiinatal anti-androgen treatment and genotype affect the mesotelencephalic dopamine system and behavior in mice. Horm Behav, 1988. 22(4): p. 528-39]. A more comprehensive profile of Sry expression was described using mouse brains as early as embryonic day 11 (E11) through adulthood (postnatal day 90 or P90) [Mayer, A., G. Mosler, W. Just, C. Pilgrim, and I. Reisert, Developmental profile of Sry transcripts in mouse brain. Neurogenetics, 2000. 3(1): p. 25-30]. For all embryonic stages studies, whole brains were obtained for analysis while at postnatal stages, brain regions such as midbrain, diencephalon, and cortex, were isolated. Sry expression was seen at all stages and in all regions so obtained. Particular emphasis was placed on the detection of linear versus circular Sry transcripts in this study [Gonzalez-Hernandez, T. and M. Rodriguez, Compartmental organization and chemical profile of dopaminergic and GABAergic neurons in the substantia nigra of the rat. J Comp Neurol, 2000. 421(1): p. 107-35]. During E11 through E19, Sry transcripts were found to be in the circular untranslatable form. In contrast, postnatal brain Sry transcripts were found to be in the linear (translatable) form suggesting that Sry in the brain is developmentally regulated. This switch in transcript form is directly opposite to the one observed for the gonads. All the expression studies of Sry have been performed by RT-PCR so far, which raises two concerns: (1) since Sry is a single exon gene expressed at low levels, the RT-PCR data are often difficult to interpret, and (2) RT-PCR studies do not provide specific anatomical localization of expression. Further approaches involving in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry are needed to confirm specific expression of Sry in the adult brain.
The substantia nigra (SN) is a nucleus located in the midbrain that plays a pivotal role in the control of voluntary movement. The SN is cytoarchitecturally divided into three different parts: the SN pars compacta (SNc), the SN pars reticulata, and the SN pars lateralis [Olanow, C. W. and W. G. Tatton, Etiology and pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. Annu Rev Neurosci, 1999. 22: p. 123-44]. The SNc, a region rich in dopaminergic neurons, has been associated with a prominent human neurological disorder, Parkinson's disease, as dopaminergic neurons of the SNc preferentially degenerate in Parkinson's patients [Castillo, S. O., J. S. Baffi, M. Palkovits, D. S. Goldstein, I. J. Kopin, J. Witta, M. A. Magnuson, and V. M. Nikodem, Dopamine biosynthesis is selectively abolished in substantia nigra/ventral tegmental area but not in hypothalamic neurons in mice with targeted disruption of the Nurr1 gene. Mol Cell Neurosci, 1998. 11(1-2): p. 36-46]. Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by SNc dopaminergic cell death and characterized by rigidity, rest tremor, postural instability and bradykinesia. Dopaminergic neurons of the SNc regulate motor function via nigrostriatal projections to the dorsolateral striatum. Transcriptional factors such as β-catenin, Nurr1 and Pitx3 control the differentiation of the DA phenotype [Maxwell, S. L., H. Y. Ho, E. Kuehner, S. Zhao, and M. Li, Pitx3 regulates tyrosine hydroxylase expression in the substantia nigra and identifies a subgroup of mesencephalic dopaminergic progenitor neurons during mouse development. Dev Biol, 2005. 282(2): p. 467-79; Malbon, C. C., Frizzleds: new members of the superfamily of G-protein-coupled receptors. Front Biosci, 2004. 9: p. 1048-58].
Wnts are secreted, lipid anchored proteins [Nusse, R., Wnts and Hedgehogs: lipid-modified proteins and similarities in signaling mechanisms at the cell surface. Development, 2003. 130(22): p. 5297-305] that bind and activate the Frizzled receptor family [Moon, R. T., A. D. Kohn, G. V. De Ferrari, and A. Kaykas, WNT and beta-catenin signalling: diseases and therapies. Nat Rev Genet, 2004. 5(9): p. 691-701]. In the absence of Wnts, β-catenin is phosphorylated by a destruction protein complex including glycogen synthase kinase-GSK3 β, targeting it for ubiquitination and degradation [Zigova, T., A. E. Willing, E. M. Tedesco, C. V. Borlongan, S. Saporta, G. L. Snable, and P. R. Sanberg, Lithium chloride induces the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase in hNT neurons. Exp Neurol, 1999. 157(2): p. 251-8]. Upon Wnt binding to Frizzled receptors, GSK3 β is inhibited, leading to decreased β-catenin phosphorylation (i.e. stabilisation of β-catenin) and accumulation of stabilised β-catenin in the nucleus, where it modulates transcription of TCF/LEF 1 target genes. Lithium chloride (LiCl) treatment of NT2N neurons at therapeutic doses increased the proportion of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive neurons by six fold after 5 days in culture [Stambolic, V., L. Ruel, and J. R. Woodgett, Lithium inhibits glycogen synthase kinase-3 activity and mimics wingless signalling in intact cells. Curr Biol, 1996. 6(12): p. 1664-8]. LiCl inhibits GSK3 β and thereby stabilises β-catenin [Castelo-Branco, G., N. Rawal, and E. Arenas, GSK-3beta inhibition/beta-catenin stabilization in ventral midbrain precursors increases differentiation into dopamine neurons. J Cell Sci, 2004. 117(Pt 24): p. 5731-7]. In one study, specific inhibitors of GSK3 β increased the size of the DA population ventral mesencephalon neuron cultures by promoting conversion of Nurr1-expressing precursor neurons in TH-positive DA neurons [Becker, J. B., Gender differences in dopaminergic function in striatum and nucleus accumbens. Pharmacol Biochem Behav, 1999. 64(4): p. 803-12]. Therefore mechanisms that lead to stabilisation of β-catenin provide a potential avenue of drug discovery.
Many gender differences in the function of the SNc and its striatal projections have been described and are well summarized by Becker [Saunders-Pullman, R., Estrogens and Parkinson disease: neuroprotective, symptomatic, neither, or both? Endocrine, 2003. 21(1): p. 81-7]. The clinical implications of these differences are apparent in the onset and progression of Parkinson's disease. Males are more susceptible to Parkinson's disease than females, and epidemiologic studies have suggested a role for estrogens in modulating Parkinson's disease (reviewed in [Sherwin, B. B., Estrogen effects on cognition in menopausal women. Neurology, 1997. 48(5 Suppl 7): p. S21−6]). Estrogen administration lowers the severity of Parkinson's disease symptoms in postmenopausal women with early onset of the disease [Fernandez-Ruiz, J. J., M. L. Hernandez, R. de Miguel, and J. A. Ramos, Nigrostriatal and mesolimbic dopaminergic activities were modified throughout the ovarian cycle of female rats. J Neural Transm Gen Sect, 1991. 85(3): p. 223-9]. In animal models, estrogens dramatically alter the function of dopaminergic cells. For example, rat TH and dopamine turnover rate are higher during diestrus (rising estrogen level) than in estrus (low estrogen level) [Ivanova, T. and C. Beyer, Estrogen regulates tyrosine hydroxylase expression in the neonate mouse midbrain. J Neurobiol, 2003. 54(4): p. 638-47]. Estrogen was also shown to regulate TH expression in the mouse midbrain dopaminergic neurons [Dluzen, D., K. Disshon, and J. McDermott, Estrogen as a modulator of striatal dopaminergic neurotoxicity, in Advances in neurodegenerative disorders, Vol. 1, Parkinson's disease, M. J and T. H, Editors. 1998, Prominent: Scottsdale, Ariz.]. Estrogen also has a protective effect against MPTP-induced neurotoxicity in mice [Serova, L. I., S. Mahaijan, A. Huang, D. Sun, G. Kaley, and E. L. Sabban, Response of tyrosine hydroxylase and GTP cyclohydrolase I gene expression to estrogen in brain catecholaminergic regions varies with mode of administration. Brain Res, 2004. 1015(1-2): p. 1-8]. The specific mechanisms by which estrogens act upon dopaminergic neurons are still poorly understood. Short-term injection of estradiol benzoate in rats increased TH mRNA levels in dopaminergic neurons of the SNc, but long-term administration did not [Leranth, C., R. H. Roth, J. D. Elsworth, F. Naftolin, T. L. Horvath, and D. E. Redmond, Jr., Estrogen is essential for maintaining nigrostriatal dopamine neurons in primates: implications for Parkinson's disease and memory. J Neurosci, 2000. 20(23): p. 8604-9]. Consistently, in primates, short-term ovariectomy (10 days) decreased the number of TH-positive cells in the SNc, a reversible effect, whereas long-term ovariectomy (30 days) results in a permanent loss the SNc dopamine cells [Maharjan, S., L. Serova, and E. L. Sabban, Transcriptional regulation of tyrosine hydroxylase by estrogen: opposite effects with estrogen receptors alpha and beta and interactions with cyclic AMP. J Neurochem, 2005. 93(6): p. 1502-14]. The actual transcriptional regulation of TH by estrogen is complex and poorly known, and it seems to depend on the type of estrogen receptors: estrogen increases TH activity with ERalpha but decreases it with ER beta [Castner, S. A., L. Xiao, and J. B. Becker, Sex differences in striatal dopamine: in vivo microdialysis and behavioral studies. Brain Res, 1993. 610(1): p. 127-34]. In addition, there are sex differences in the response of estrogen, as effects seen in females on striatal dopamine release are not seen in males [Dluzen, D. E. and J. L. McDermott, Developmental and genetic influences upon gender differences in methamphetamine-induced nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurotoxicity. Ann N Y Acad Sci, 2004. 1025: p. 205-20], and estrogen functions as a neuroprotectant against metamphetamine in females, but not in males [Canuth, L. L., I. Reisert, and A. P. Arnold, Sex chromosome genes directly affect brain sexual differentiation. Nat Neurosci, 2002. 5(10): p. 9933-4]. More generally, genetically modified mouse models have shown a sex chromosome effect on the number of TH-positive cells cultured from embryonic mesencephalon [Kumer, S. C. and K. E. Vrana, Intricate regulation of tyrosine hydroxylase activity and gene expression. J Neurochem, 1996. 67(2): p. 443-62], suggesting a complex regulation of TH not limited to endocrine influences. In fact, modulation of TH is complex and involves transcriptional control, alternative RNA processing and regulation of RNA stability [Abramham, I. et al., Increased PKA and PKC activities accompany neuronal differentiation of NT2/D1 cells. J. Neurosci. Res., 1991. 28: p. 29 39].
It is proposed that sex differences in the molecular characteristics of brain regions and their associated behaviour are influenced by genetic factors independently of gonadal hormones. The present inventors propose a role for the Y-chromosome encoded testis-determining factor Sry as a transcriptional regulator to increase TH production in DA neurons of the male SN in rodents and humans, and describe a role for Sry in Parkinson's disease.

Prince Henry's Institute of Medical Research


In one embodiment, a method is provided that may include, issuing a read request to request reading of at least one portion of data stored in a first storage device and issuing a write request to request writing of the at least one portion of the data into a second storage device or at least one location in the first storage device. The at least one location may be comprised in a volume of a redundant array of inexpensive disks (RAID), the at least one portion of data being stored in a non-RAID volume in the first storage device. The method of this embodiment also may include, if a request to access one or more other portions of the data is received and/or issued by one or more operating system processes while the reading and/or the writing is occurring, issuing an access request to request accessing of the one or more other portions of the data. Of course, many modifications are possible without departing from this embodiment.

A conventional data storage system initially may include a computer node coupled to a single mass storage device that stores data. A processor in the node executes one or more operating system processes that permit a human to access the data stored in the mass storage device. If it is later desired to distribute the data that is initially stored in the single mass storage device among multiple mass storage devices in accordance with a redundant array of inexpensive disks (RAID) technique, a conventional data migration technique is employed in which the data is copied, from the initial mass storage device, into a backup mass storage device. Thereafter, one or more additional mass storage devices are added to the system, and stripes of the data stored in the backup device are copied, from the backup device, into the initial mass storage device and the one or more additional mass storage devices, in accordance with the RAID technique.
Unfortunately, in accordance with this conventional data migration technique, while the technique is being performed, the one or more operating system processes may be unable to access the data. Disadvantageously, this may result in the human user being unable to access the data while the conventional data migration technique is being performed. Also unfortunately, this conventional technique utilizes a backup mass storage device. Disadvantageously, this increases the cost of implementing this conventional technique.
Although the following Detailed Description will proceed with reference being made to illustrative embodiments of the claimed subject matter, many alternatives, modifications, and variations thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended that the claimed subject matter be viewed broadly, and be defined only as set forth in the accompanying claims.

Data migration from a non-raid volume to a raid volume


In an electrical power conversion system designed to operate on three-phase C voltage generated by a motor generator, a modification is provided to permit the use of a DC power source to operate same. The power conversion system has a plurality of AC-to-DC conversion means for converting the generated three-phase AC voltages. The first specified DC voltage is supplied to a voltage reduction means and the second specified DC voltage is supplied to a control logic circuit of the power source and means, utilizing power from said DC power source, for supplying DC voltages equivalent to the first and second specified DC voltages. The supplying means is isolated from the generated three-phase voltage such that the power conversion system can operate on: 1) three-phase AC voltage generated by the motor generator, 2) DC voltages equivalent to the first and second specified DC voltages from the supplying means, or 3) a combination of the three-phase AC voltage generated by the motor generator and the DC voltages from the supplying means.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electrical power conversion systems designed to operate on three-phase, AC voltage, and more particularly to an improvement for such an electrical power conversion system that allows for its operation when no three-phase, AC voltage is available.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Many of today's high speed computer circuits require a variety of stable DC voltages for proper operation. Since most of these computers are used in environments where three-phase, AC voltage is the primary and most convenient energy source (i.e., via a standard electrical outlet), electrical power conversion systems have been developed to convert the available AC into the needed DC voltages. Thus, the power conversion system has become a standard, integral system in computer design. However, certain applications exist that could well make use of existing computer architecture except for the fact that there is no way to provide the necessary three-phase, AC voltage required to power the system.
For example, the U.S. Navy uses its "Standard Airborne Computer" (AN/AYK-14(V)) in a wide variety of applications in both aircraft and seagoing vessels. The computer uses a 115 volt AC three-phase 400 Hz motor generator as the operating power source and integral power conversion system such as the Control Data Corporation PCM-1. This is not a problem in either aircraft or seagoing vessels since motor generators, which are present for a variety of other uses, are available to generate the necessary AC power. However, certain Naval applications neither have a motor generator available nor would the presence of one be desirable due to the noise signature associated with a motor generator. Unfortunately, if the standard Navy computer and integral power conversion system cannot be used in these certain applications due to the unavailability of the proper AC power source, development of these applications may be canceled due to increased cost associated with a special computer design.

Power conversion system modification to permit use of DC power source

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


An operational amplifier that cancels offset voltage while enabling its gain to be set to any value. The operational amplifier includes a first switch for short-circuiting the gates of two transistors in a first differential input unit. A capacitor is connected to the gates of two transistors in a second differential input unit, which is connected in parallel to the first differential input unit. The capacitor holds offset voltage derived from output voltage generated by an operational amplifier circuit. The capacitor generates a potential difference between the gates of the transistors in the second differential input unit to cancel the offset voltage.

The present invention relates to an operational amplifier, and more particularly, to a method for canceling offset voltage of an operational amplifier.
A plurality of operational amplifiers for amplifying analog signals or differential signals are incorporated in an LSI as its basic circuits. The output signal of an operational amplifier includes an error (offset voltage) resulting from characteristic differences between transistors. With such an error, an operational amplifier cannot produce an output signal of 0 V even if the input signal is 0 V. Such an error in the output signal with respect to the input signal is referred to as an offset voltage. As shown in FIG. 1, the offset voltage is expressed as a voltage supply 2, which is connected to an input terminal of an operational amplifier 1.
When an input voltage Vin is applied, an output voltage Vo of the operational amplifier 1 is determined by the value of an input resistor R1 and the value of a feedback resistor R2. The output voltage Vo is calculated using the expression:Vo=(1+R2/R1)×Vin.
In reality, however, the voltage supply 2 shown in FIG. 1 adds an offset voltage e1 to the input voltage Vin. Thus, the output voltage Vo is set as:Vo=(1+R2/R1)×(Vin−e1).
In this way, the offset voltage e1 is also amplified and included in the output voltage Vo. When the input voltage Vin is small, the influence of the offset voltage e1 on the output voltage Vo increases.
A method for canceling such offset voltage of an operational amplifier has been proposed. In this method, an output voltage generated by short-circuiting two input terminals of the operational amplifier is held as an offset voltage, and the held offset voltage is fed back to the input of the operational amplifier.
In one example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 8-18353 describes an operational amplifier including a main amplifier, an auxiliary amplifier, and a holding means. The auxiliary amplifier receives an output signal of the main amplifier and amplifies the signal in a direction opposite to the output signal. The holding means holds an output signal of the auxiliary amplifier and feeds back the held output signal to the main amplifier. In this operational amplifier, the offset voltage of the main amplifier is reduced to a fraction of the gain of the main amplifier.
As another example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-292041 describes an operational amplifier. In the operational amplifier, voltage including an offset and amplified by an operational amplifier circuit is accumulated in a capacitor device. A voltage value of the operational amplifier circuit is feedback-controlled based on the accumulated voltage.

Operational amplifier and method for canceling offset voltage of operational amplifier


Equipment for temporarily coupling an elevator car door leaf with a shaft door leaf and for actuating a car door lock includes a coupling mechanism arranged at the car door leaf with two entraining runners mounted on two pivotable adjusting elements. The spacing between the entraining runners can be adjusted by pivoting of the adjusting elements between an uncoupling setting and a coupling setting, wherein the entraining runners in the coupling setting co-operate with at least one coupling element mounted at the shaft door leaf. One of the entraining runners is coupled by way of a respective articulation member with one arm of each of the two adjusting elements, wherein a contact force arising between the entraining runner and the corresponding coupling element in the coupling setting causes the entraining runner to execute an additional movement which is guided by the articulation members to unlock the car door lock.

The present invention relates to equipment at an elevator car for temporarily coupling a car door leaf with a shaft door leaf and for actuating a car door unlocking means. The present invention concerns the problem of allowing the opening movement of the elevator car door leaf only when the elevator car is disposed at the level of a floor, i.e. when the car door stands opposite a shaft door of the elevator.
A door drive device with a coupling mechanism for coupling a card door leaf with an associated shaft door leaf is shown in European Patent Specification EP 0 332 841. The coupling mechanism comprises two entraining runners which are oriented to be parallel to the travel direction of the elevator car and which are adjustable in their mutual spacing by a parallelogram guide with two adjusting elements each pivotable about a respective pivot axis. If the elevator car is correctly disposed at a floor level, the two entraining runners lie between two coupling elements arranged adjacent to one another at the shaft door leaf and can be laterally guided up to these (spread) in order on the one hand to unlock the shaft door leaf and on the other hand to transmit the opening and closing movement of the car door to the car door leaf in a play-free manner and synchronously. The adjustment of spacing between the two entraining runners in that case takes place by a door drive unit, which is fastened to the car door frame, by way of a linearly acting drive means (for example, by a belt drive), which also produces the closing and opening movements of the car door leaf. In that case the drive means so engages at the car door leaf by way of a pivot lever connected with the adjusting elements of the parallelogram guide that through the opening movement of the linearly acting drive means the adjusting elements are pivoted, before the start of a door leaf opening movement, into a setting in which the entraining runners are led up to the coupling elements, thereby unlock the shaft door leaf and form the coupling between the car door leaf and the corresponding shaft door leaf.
At the end of a door leaf closing movement the adjusting elements are pivoted by the closing movement of the linearly acting drive means back into a setting in which the entraining runners are spaced from the coupling elements so that the locking of the shaft door leaf in its locked position returns.
EP 0 332 841 additionally discloses equipment for unlocking the lock of a car door lock, which ensures that the car door is automatically unlocked only when the elevator car is disposed at the level of a floor, i.e. when the car door stands opposite a shaft door of the elevator.
For this purpose, one of the entraining runners has a scanning runner in the region of the outwardly disposed runner surface of that entraining runner, i.e. the runner surface co-operating with the corresponding coupling element at the shaft door leaf (coupling roller). This scanning runner extends parallel to the entraining runner and is so connected therewith by means of guide springs that in the unloaded state it is spaced a few millimeters therefrom. The contact force exerted by the coupling element on the scanning runner during a coupling process (entrainer spreading) causes displacement thereof against the spring force of the guide springs in direction towards the entraining runner. The scanning runner has a cam which transmits its displacement, which is produced by the coupling element, relative to the entraining runner and thus relative to the car door leaf to a car door lock mounted at this car door leaf and unlocks the car door leaf. If a door opening command and a resulting spreading of the entraining runners of the coupling mechanism take place when the door of the elevator car does not stand opposite a shaft door, then the entraining runners as also the scanning runner do not come into contact with one of the coupling elements at the shaft door leaves. The scanning runner is therefore not displaced relative to the entraining runner and the car door lock remains in its locking setting. A sensor monitoring the setting of the car door lock additionally prevents switching-on of the door drive motor.
This door drive device has some disadvantages.
The most significant disadvantage is that two runners, namely an entraining runner and the scanning runner guided thereat, are required on one side of the coupling mechanism. This has, on the one hand, the consequence of a high material and production cost. On the other hand, technical disadvantages result therefrom, such as losses in precision and large masses to be moved.
A further disadvantage is the relatively imprecise guidance of the scanning movement of the scanning runner by the guide springs, which requires a correspondingly larger scanning path for compensation. The limited stability of the scanning runner guidance by guide springs in the case of eccentric action of force on the scanning runner has the consequence of additional inaccuracies and thus a larger necessary scanning path. This is particularly the case when the coupling element due to variable spacing between elevator car and shaft door engages only in the lateral edge region of the scanning runner. However, larger travel paths increase the bending stresses in the guide springs and thus the risk of spring breakages.
The present invention has the object of creating equipment of the afore-described kind, which does not have the stated disadvantages.

Equipment at an elevator car for temporarily coupling a car door leaf with a shaft door leaf for actuation of a car door unlocking means


Cyclohexane is catalytically oxidized to produce cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone and precursors of these products. The oxidation is carried out in a liquid oxidation reactor at high oxygen concentrations (greater than 30% and preferably greater than 90% oxygen concentration) and at relatively low temperatures (less than 160.degree. C.). The use of the liquid oxidation reactor permits the use of these high oxygen concentrations without forming dangerously high levels of oxygen in the overhead gas phase. The result is an increased yield and selectivity of the desired products.

The present invention relates to the oxidation of cyclohexane for the production of cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone and most particularly to the use of liquid oxidation reactors using pure oxygen or oxygen enriched air and operating at temperatures which are somewhat lower or with reaction contact times which are shorter than conventionally used in cyclohexane oxidizers.
Most of the worldwide production of caprolactam and adipic acid, which are used in the manufacture of synthetics such as nylon, is based on the air oxidation of cyclohexane. The air oxidation of cyclohexane produces cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone and a variety of potential cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone precursors such as hydroperoxides which are then thermally and/or catalytically decomposed to produce additional cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone. The cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone are then used to produce either the caprolactam or adipic acid. The prior art processes for oxidizing cyclohexane employ air and operate at temperatures in the range of 130 to 180.degree. C. in bubble columns or autoclaves. At the lower temperatures, 130 to 160.degree. C., the reaction rates tend to be lower although the selectivity for the desired precursors is higher. At higher temperatures, the reaction rates increase but the selectivity is lower and more lower valued byproducts are produced.
The reaction rate and selectivity would be increased by raising the partial pressure of the O.sub.2 above 21% but that cannot be done using conventional oxidizing systems because of safety problems. If the oxygen concentration is increased, to any significant degree, the oxygen level in the gas phase above the liquid increases and can readily reach a flammability limit which is usually above about 1% oxygen.


An enhanced toy produces repeating, decaying notes in response to applied pressure. The tone of each note is determined, based on the location at which a user applies pressure. The initial amplitude of each note is proportional to the intensity, as measured by a stress sensor. The toy periodically repeats each note, attenuating the amplitude of each successive repetition by a decay factor. The toy may alter the notes associated with each of a plurality of locations. For example, if all currently repeating notes have decayed below a predetermined threshold, the currently available set of notes may be exchanged for a new set of notes, e.g. with different tones or timbres. The stress sensors may comprise flexible capacitors within the toy. As the user applies pressure, the geometry of one or more capacitors deform, altering the measured capacitance, through which the intensity of the applied pressure is determined.

The dramatic reduction in the cost and size of microcontrollers has led to their widespread adoption throughout the toy industry. In particular, many stuffed toys are now equipped with microcontrollers that provide an interactive experience for the owner. In many instances, the stuffed toy is further equipped with devices such as contact switches, e.g. momentary switches, or pressure sensors that can detect if and where a user is contacting the toy. Providing measurements from such devices to the microcontroller can allow the stuffed toy to more compellingly interact with the user. For example, a stuffed toy, e.g. a cat, can produce pre-recorded sounds, e.g. meowing, consistent with the user contact, e.g. stroking along the kitten's back.
Lullabies are a well-established technique for soothing children to sleep. Not all parents, however, are equally patient or musically inclined. Accordingly, toy manufacturers offer a wide variety of musical children's toys to aid parents in "singing their children to sleep". Traditionally, such toys incorporate a windup music box movement that produces music for a limited period of time; long enough, the parents hope, to sooth the child to sleep. More recently, toy manufacturers have incorporated electronic music units, e.g. embedded microcontrollers driving piezoelectric tone generators or MP3 players. Typically, such units provide music of limited duration or music of gradually decreasing tempo or volume.
The musical mechanism is often incorporated within a toy, e.g. a plush stuffed animal, which may provide additional emotional comfort to the child. Older children with greater mental capacity, however, may find such passive toy designs insufficiently engaging. Such toys offer little enticement to a stubborn toddler that is simply not ready for sleep. Parents are thus faced with a dilemma. They desire a toy that is sufficiently engaging to lure a child to bed, yet not so stimulating as to actually inhibit sleep.
It would thus be advantageous to provide a simple and cost-effective mechanism for producing music with a stuffed toy, wherein the music is sufficiently engaging for a child. Such a mechanism would provide a substantial technical advance.
Furthermore, it would be advantageous to provide a structure, system and process for measuring the intensity of a pressure that is applied across one or more portions of the perimeter of an object, such as but not limited to a stuffed toy. Such a development would provide an additional technical advance.

Squeezable musical toy with looping and decaying score and variable capacitance stress sensor


A borehole may be drilled utilizing the bottom hole assembly 10, 50 with a downhole motor 14, which may offset at a selected bend angle. A gauge section 34 is secured to the bit 16 has a uniform diameter bearing surface along an axial length of at least 60% of the bit diameter. The axial spacing between the bend and the bit face is controlled to less than fifteen times the bit diameter. After drilling a section of the well with the BHA according to the present invention, a tubular may be inserted in the well by passing the tubular through an upper tubular, then the inserted tubular expanded while downhole to a diameter substantially equal to the expanded tubular.

Most hydrocarbon wells are drilled in successively lower casing sections, with a selected size casing run in a drilled section prior to drilling the next lower smaller diameter section of the well, then running in a reduced diameter casing size in the lower section of the well. The depth of each drilled section is thus a function of (1) the operator's desire to continue drilling as deep as possible prior to stopping the drilling operation and inserting the casing in the drilled section, (2) the risk that upper formations will be damaged by high pressure fluid required to obtain the desired well balance and downhole fluid pressure at greater depths, and (3) the risk that a portion of the drilled well may collapse or otherwise prevent the casing from being run in the well, or that the casing will become stuck in the well or otherwise practically be prevented from being run to the desired depth in a well. A significant cost of drilling and completing of the well involves the use of increased diameter sections moving upward from the total depth (TD) to the surface. From the standpoint of fluid flow, a 7⅝ inch casing near the total depth may be sufficient to transmit the desired fluids to the surface through a production tubing string, but the size of the outside casing increases from 7⅝ inches to, e.g., 17½ inches, in order that each upper section of casing be able to accommodate the small diameter sections which are run in the well.
To avoid the above problems, various techniques have been proposed for expanding a casing string downhole, in some applications so that the expanded diameter casing string has an internal diameter approximately equal to the internal diameter of the "full bore" casing string through which the smaller diameter tubular passed before being expanded while downhole. Thus in some proposed applications, substantially the entirety of a casing string from TD to surface may be substantially the same "full bore" diameter, so that, for example, if a 7⅝ inch casing ID is installed at the surface, a smaller diameter casing may be passed through the 7⅝ inch casing, which typically may be cemented in the well, and the smaller diameter casing then expanded downhole to 7⅝ inch ID casing. Successively lower sections of the well similarly may be completed by passing the smaller diameter casing downhole of a cemented 7⅝ inch casing section, then expanding the tubular while downhole to continue the 7⅝ inch casing run. In other applications, only a portion of the tubular need be expanded downhole to this "full bore" diameter to obtain the benefits for this technology. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,348,095, 5,366,012 and 5,667,011 to Shell Oil Company disclose casing expansion techniques, as do early U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,179,168, 3,245,471 and 3,358,760. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,021,850, 6,050,341, 5,390,742, 5,785,120 and 6,250,385, as well as publication U.S. 2001/002053241, disclose various types of equipment for expanding a downhole tubular in a well. SPE Papers 56500, 62958, 77612 and 77940, and Offshore January 2003, pp. 62, 64, discuss the commercial advantages of downhole casing expansions in terms of lower well completion costs.
Problems have nevertheless limited the acceptance of casing systems expanded downhole, including difficulties associated with the reliability and cost of expanding the tubular downhole. In most applications, the drilling operator must run a caliper through the drilled borehole to determine the borehole geometry and thereby determine if the borehole has, for example, too great of a spiral to initially run the tubular in the borehole prior to the expansion operation.
The disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention, and an improved expanded casing (or other tubular) system and method are hereinafter disclosed which will result in lower costs for drilling and completing a well, and improved well quality for enhanced hydrocarbon recovery.


Multi-transmitter interference caused by one or more interfering own-cell and/or other-cell transmitters is reduced in a RAKE-based receiver. The RAKE-based receiver comprises a plurality of RAKE fingers, a processor and a combiner. The plurality of RAKE fingers are configured to despread received symbols, wherein a delay for a first one of the plurality of RAKE fingers corresponds to a symbol of interest transmitted by a first transmitter and a delay for a second one of the plurality of RAKE fingers corresponds to an interfering symbol transmitted by a second transmitter. The processor is configured to determine a cross-correlation between the symbol of interest and the interfering symbol. The combiner is configured to combine the symbol of interest with the interfering symbol using the cross-correlation to reduce interference attributable to the interfering symbol from the symbol of interest.

The present invention relates generally to RAKE receivers and particularly to RAKE receivers that suppress multi-transmitter interference.
RAKE receivers represent a well-known approach to multi-path reception, particularly in Direct Sequence Code Division Multiple Access (DS-CDMA) wireless communication. In a multi-path communication channel, a transmitted signal travels through multiple propagation paths to the receiver. Thus, the receiver receives multiple "echoes" of the transmitted signal, with each multi-path echo generally suffering from different path delay, phase, and attenuation effects.
RAKE receivers exploit multi-path propagation by assigning each of two or more RAKE "fingers" to one of the incoming multi-path echoes. Each finger is tuned to a particular multi-path echo. By estimating the channel effects, e.g., phase and attenuation, and by properly accounting for the differences in path delays, the individual output from each RAKE finger may be combined with the outputs from the other fingers to provide a combined RAKE output signal with a greatly improved signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).
In DS-CDMA systems, such as Wideband CDMA (WCDMA), CDMA-2000 and 1XEV-DO, high transmission data rates are achieved by transmitting data at a low spreading factor and/or on more than one spreading code (multi-code). When a low spreading factor and/or multi-code is used, performance is sensitive to multi-path dispersion. With dispersion, there are multiple echoes of the transmitted signal with different relative delays. These echoes interfere with one another. Not only is orthogonality lost between successive symbols as one symbol overlaps with the next, but orthogonality is also lost between symbols sent on different, orthogonal codes, e.g., symbols transmitted to the same user or to different users.
As a result, performance is often limited by interference between different symbols being sent to the same user and/or different users. There are two predominant types of symbol interference: self-interference and multi-transmitter interference. Self-interference occurs when other desired symbols sent in parallel (multi-code) or in series (previous, next symbols) by a transmitter of interest interfere with a symbol of interest. A transmitter of interest is the device from which a receiving device expects to receive data, e.g., a base station serving the cell in which the user is located. All other transmitters are considered interferers in that their symbol transmissions are not of interest to the receiving device and may interfere with a symbol of interest.
Multi-transmitter interference occurs when symbol transmissions originated by one or more interfering transmitters adversely affect a symbol of interest. Interfering transmitters may reside within the same cell as the receiving device or in other cells. For example, multi-transmitter interference in the downlink arises when other-user symbols sent from the same base station interfere with a symbol of interest (own-cell interference). Multi-transmitter interference also arises when other-user symbols sent by a different base station interfere with a symbol of interest (other-cell interference). Nearby mobile devices located in the same or different cell may also cause multi-transmitter interference in the uplink.
A key aspect of symbol interference is that it varies from symbol to symbol. This variation is due to the spreading codes being a combination of Walsh codes and a cell-specific common scrambling code. The scrambling code has a period much longer than the symbol period, which effectively changes the overall spreading code from symbol period to symbol period. In addition, symbols targeted for different users are encoded using different spreading codes.

Multi-transmitter interference suppression using code-specific combining