Methods and devices for generating and receiving a training sequence in a radio communication network for a user sharing the same transmission slot with other users is provided where multiple users are multiplexed in the same time slot.

In order to continue improving the spectral efficiency of GSM/EDGE Global (System for Mobile Communication (GSM)/Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution), there is a need to find effective ways of multiplexing multiple users' signals into a single time slot over a 200 kHz channel while avoiding or minimizing mutual interference among users.
In accordance with a proposal in 3GPP/GERAN (third generation partnership project/GSM EDGE Radio Access Network) a fast feedback channel for Voice over IP is proposed, see GERAN#44 GP-091988 "Fast Feedback Channel" (v1). The idea is to allow the Voice over internet protocol (IP) users to signal the network when there are packets available for transmission. This channel must allow fast feedback and must consume as little bandwidth as possible. To this end, several users are multiplexed into one timeslot by means of time division multiplexing.
Another example is Voice services over Adaptive Multi-user channels on One Slot (VAMOS), in which up to two full rate users are multiplexed in the same time slot. VAMOS is a standardized 3GPP/GSM feature. However, in the uplink, the receiver requires complex multi-user detection since the two user signals are ordinary Gaussian minimum shift keying (GMSK) co-channel interferers.
Due to the scarcity of the electromagnetic spectrum, it is desirable to multiplex more than 2 users into a single time slot, while keeping the receiver complexity low. Moreover, it is desirable to allow the users to employ GMSK modulation. This non-linear modulation technique has very good spectral properties and it is well suited for energy efficient analog Radio Frequency (RF) front ends. Energy efficiency is always important in mobile stations.
Multi-user multiplexing has been standardized in GSM. In the uplink the users transmit using GMSK modulation, and become ordinary co-channel interferers. In the downlink AQPSK modulation is used, see 3GPP Technical Specification TS 45.004 v9.1.0. Note that neither the uplink nor the downlink transmission modes in VAMOS create truly orthogonal sub-channels. In the uplink the users are ordinary co-channel interferers, and the signals are separated in the receiver with the help of their training sequences. The training sequences are such that they have low cross correlation.
Two-layer transmission was standardized recently in GSM (Global System for Mobile communication). The feature is as set out above called VAMOS. Since accurate synchronization and channel estimation are critical for successful decoding, a new set of training sequences was also introduced, see 3GPP TS 45.002 v9.5.0. These training sequences were designed to be orthogonal with the legacy set of training sequences, in the sense that the cross-correlations are small. However, complete orthogonality is not achieved. It seems difficult to increase the number of layers, say to 3 or 4 users, and still be able to perform accurate channel estimation. This is particularly challenging if the receiver has a small number of antennas, say one or two. As an illustration, the Cramer-Rao lower bound of the estimation error for a 5-tap channel estimate is shown in FIGS. 1-3, assuming a single antenna receiver. This is a theoretical bound on the variance of the estimation error, see Steven M. Kay, "Fundamentals of Statistical Signal Processing, Estimation Theory", Prentice Hall 1993. Theorem 4.1. Training sequences 0, 3 of set 1 and set 2, in 3GPP TS 45.002 v9.5.0, see tables 5.2.3a and 5.2.3b, have been chosen due to their good cross correlation properties. FIG. 2 shows the power of the estimation error for one user, normalized so that the maximum error has 0 dB variance. FIG. 2 shows the variance of the estimation error for two users. Now there are twice as many taps to estimate, so that the estimation error increases. FIG. 3 shows the variance of the estimation error for 4 users. Not surprisingly, the theoretical error has increased dramatically, since 20=4×5 parameters must be estimated given the same number of received samples. Therefore, it is doubtful whether a single antenna receiver can estimate with sufficient accuracy the channels for 4 simultaneous users. In other words, a straightforward extension of the VAMOS technique in the uplink to more than two users seems unfeasible. There is therefore a need for a technique that can handle more than two users in one slot in the uplink of a radio communication system.
In sum there exists a need for an improved transmission methods and devices for use in radio networks and in particular in radio networks where multiple users are to transmit simultaneously in a single transmission slot.

Methods and devices for transmission of signals in a telecommunication system

Abstract: A first, original, bit sequence, is repeated and a cyclic prefix and a cyclic postfix is added to the repeated bit sequence thereby forming the training sequence for the user.


Compositions and methods for enhancing the absorption of active agents across the mucosa of animal subjects are provided. Methods of administration and appropriate dosage forms are also provided.

The effectiveness of a drug regimen is often highly dependent on achieving the necessary bioavailability of the drug once it is administered. Poor bioavailability of a drug makes it necessary to administer higher doses in order to achieve efficacy, but higher dosage requirements can lead to toxicity, undesirable side effects, and/or decreased patient compliance. Although the gastrointestinal tract is a common route for drug delivery, not all drugs are well absorbed through the lining of the gastrointestinal tract. In the case of some drugs, their polar nature or hydrophilic character may make them difficult to be absorbed. For example, drugs of high molecular weight molecules are difficult to successfully administer orally, because the acidic conditions and high enzymatic activity in the stomach can degrade such drugs. Delivering drugs through other routes, such as buccal, sublingual, rectal, nasal, vaginal mucosa, is one way to provide systemic access for drugs while avoiding the hostile environment of the gastrointestinal tract. However, for this to be successful, the drug administered must overcome the resistance of these membranes to absorption. It is therefore clear that any factor that enhances the rate of absorption through such surfaces will result in improved clinical efficacy of many drug therapies.
Early efforts to enhance the absorption, and therefore bioavailability, of drugs include the use of adjuvants, such as surface active agents, including ionic and non-ionic surfactants to increase biomembrane permeability. However, use of some adjuvants is attended by the risk of damaging the biomembrane. Therefore, a need continues to exist for compositions that safely promote the absorption of poorly absorbed drugs.

Compositions and methods for enhancing active agent absorption


Content data encrypted with a content key, the content key encrypted with an individual key specific to an information sending device, and the individual key encrypted with a distribution key that is updated in a predetermined cycle, and supplied are sent to an information receiving device, and the information receiving device decrypts the individual key with the distribution key, decrypts the content key with the individual key, and decrypts the content data with the content key. Thus, the information sending device does not have the distribution key, and accordingly piracy of content data can be prevented with a simple configuration. Also, the information receiving device sends the content key and a playback command to other apparatuses. Thus, other apparatuses can play back contents using the playback command and the content key. Furthermore, the information sending device decrypts the content key with the distribution key before being updated, and stores the same. Thus, contents purchased by an advance order can be actually purchased regardless of expiration dates of the distribution key. Furthermore, usage right is passed from a first information receiving device to a second information receiving device different in registration information at the tome of using contents. Thus, contents can be used among information receiving devices different from each other in registration information.

There are systems in which information (contents) such as music is encrypted and is sent to an information processing device of a user with whom a predetermined contract has been signed, and the user decrypts contents with the information processing device to use the contents.
For example, cases where two content sending devices and a content receiving device are provided as shown in FIG. 96 will be described.
A first content sending device 600 has a data encrypting portion 601, a data encrypting portion 602, a content key generating portion 603 and a tamper resistant memory 604. Furthermore, the tamper resistant memory cited herein may be one that cannot be easily read out by a third party, and does not require a particular limitation in terms of hardware (for example, it may be a hard disk placed in an entrance-controlled room, a hard disk of a password-controlled personal computer, or the like). A distribution key Kd required for encrypting a content key Kco is supplied in advance to the tamper memory 604 from an electronic distribution service center (not shown) and is stored therein.
For generating data to be passed to the content receiving device 620, the content sending device 600 uses the content key generating portion 603 to generate the content key Kco1, and uses this key to encrypt contents at the content encrypting portion 601. Also, the content key Kco1 is encrypted at the data encrypting portion 602 using the distribution key Kd. The encrypted contents and content key Kco1 are sent to the content receiving device 620.
In this connection, as in the case of the content sending device 600, a second content sending device 610 has a data encrypting portion 611, a data encrypting portion 612, a content key generating portion 613 and a tamper resistant memory 614, generates the content key Kco2 at the content key generating portion 613, and encrypts contents by the data encrypting portion 611 using this key. Also, the data encrypting portion 612 encrypts the content key Kco2 using the distribution key Kd supplied from the electronic distribution service center (not shown). In this way, the second content sending device 610 sends the encrypted contents and the encrypted content key Kco2 to the content receiving device 620.
The content receiving device 620 has a sending and receiving portion 621, a host controller 622, a cipher processing portion 623, a memory 624, a data decrypting portion 625, a data decrypting portion 626 and a tamper resistant memory 627. Furthermore, since any number of users use contents and it is impossible to understand how content users manipulate an apparatus, the tamper resistant memory cited herein needs to have internal data protected in terms of hardware, and thus the cipher processing portion 623 is a semiconductor chip having a structure that is hardly accessed from the outside, and has a multi-layer structure, and its internal tamper resistant memory is sandwiched between dummy layers such as aluminum layers, and also the range of operating voltage and/or frequency is narrow, and so on, thus characteristically making it difficult to read out data illegally from the outside. And, in the tamper resistant memory 627, the distribution key Kd supplied in advance from the electronic distribution service center (not shown) is stored.
In this connection, the tamper resistant memories 604, 614 of the content sending devices, 600, 610 are memories that can be accessed from the outside, but constraints are added to methods of making an access to those memories. It may be a password or room entrance-control. On the other hand, in the tamper resistant memory 627 of the content receiving device 620, the memory itself has a structure that is not accessed illegally from the outside, methods of reading internal data from the outside using normal accessing means are limited, or there are no such methods at all. Furthermore, for the tamper resistant memory 627, its internal data cannot be read at all from the outside, but there may be a accessing method in which only the change of data can be performed from the outside if previous key data and the like are used. Also, in the cipher processing portion 623, predetermined data can be read out by making an access to the memory, while the internal memory cannot be read out from the outside.
The contents and the content keys Kco1 and Kco2 sent from the content sender 600 or 610 are received at the sending and receiving portion 621, and are delivered to the host controller 622. The host controller 622 stores these data in the memory on a temporary basis, and passes the content key Kco and the contents to the cipher processing portion 623 in case of using the contents. The cipher processing portion 623 which receives them performs decryption using the distribution key Kd stored in advance in the tamper resistant memory 627 at the data decrypting portion 625, and then decrypts contents at the data decrypting portion 626 using the content key Kco, and uses the contents. At this time, accounting may be involved.
However, in the conventional information processing system shown in FIG. 96, the content sending devices 600 and 610 use the same distribution key Kd, thus raising a problem that content information can be pirated by each other. As one method for solving this problem, the method in which the piracy of content information among sending devices is avoided by using a different distribution key Kd for each content sending device is conceivable. In this case, however, there is a disadvantage that the content receiving device needs to retain all the distribution keys Kd, thus making a configuration and receiving method of the content receiving device more complicated.
Also, an information receiving device that does not have content usage right, among information receiving devices that receive contents, can hardly use the contents.
Furthermore, information needed for using the distribution key Kd and the other contents distributed from the information sending device is updated in predetermined timing, and information receiving devices that do not have a new key Kd and other information hardly use the contents.
Furthermore, in the case where registration information for using contents is different among a plurality of information receiving devices that use the contents, it is difficult to exchange content data between information receiving devices different from each other in such registration information.

Information transmission system, transmitter, and transmission method as well as information reception system, receiver and reception method


A DV codec process for reduced-quality size decoding of DV encoded video data receives a DV encoded bit stream. Compressed macroblock information and DCT information, including a DC coefficient value, is read for a current DCT block. It is determined whether the current DCT block is a still DCT block. If the current DCT block is a still DCT block, run length decoding is performed to obtain a number of low frequency AC coefficient values for the current still DCT block and a reduced coefficient inverse discrete cosine transform is performed on the low frequency AC coefficient values to yield decoded pixel values for the current still DCT block. If the current DCT block is a motion DCT block, run length decoding is performed to obtain a number of low frequency AC coefficient values for the current motion DCT block and a reduced coefficient inverse discrete cosine transform is performed on the low frequency AC coefficient values to yield decoded pixel values for the current motion DCT block. The codec produces one-quarter size or full-size images.

Video data signals may be analog or digital. In analog video standards, e.g., NTSC or PAL for television, video sequences are typically divided into frames and raster lines. With reference to FIG. 1A, an analog video frame 102 is shown to facilitate discussion. The analog video frame 102 includes two interleaved fields; the first field includes a first set of raster lines 104 and the second field includes a second set of raster lines 106. Each field includes half the raster lines 104, 106 of a full frame 102. The frame repetition rate is therefore half the field rate.
The analog video signals shown in FIG. 1A may be converted to digital video signals via, for example, analog to digital conversion (ADC). Common applications for digital video signals include, for example, multimedia, video-conferencing, television, magnetic resonance imaging, and remote-sensed imaging. As is well known, digital video signals may be processed via a computer system for display as video images on a suitable video display device.
Color video images typically include three components. Each component may be thought of as being comprised of a two dimensional array of samples, with each sample being a digital representation of the intensity of a component at a point on a raster line. The color of a pixel itself may be expressed in terms of a luminance component and two chrominance components. These components may, as is well known, be readily converted into the familiar red, green, and blue (RGB) primary colors or other sets of primary colors. The sample values at a point in a picture form a picture element (pixel or pel). If all three components use the same sampling grid, each pixel has three samples, one from each component.
The quality of a digital video image is typically a function of its resolution, which may be measured in a number of horizontal and vertical pixels in the image. As the number of pixels increases, the resolution of the image increases. As the resolution of an image increases, unfortunately, the amount of digital video data required to store or transmit the image correspondingly increases.
To reduce the number of digital bits required to store and/or transmit an image, compression is often performed. One of the objectives of video data compression is to maximize picture quality while minimizing the data required per pixel. By way of background, current video compression techniques include two major categories: entropy processes, or information preserving processes, and information losing, or so called "lossy" processes. Entropy processes introduce no errors in the encoding/decoding process so that the original signal may be reconstructed exactly. However, entropy processes tend to have a small compression ratio, i.e., a small reduction in video bit rate. Conversely, "lossy" compression processes tend to introduce errors in the encoding/decoding process but achieve much higher compression ratios. To strike an acceptable compromise between quality and compression ratio, typical digital video compression processes may combine both entropy coding processes and "lossy" coding processes.
A video frame may be compressed in accordance with either an intra compression technique or a nonintra compression technique. Intra compression techniques compress a video frame using information only from that video frame. Contrarily, nonintra compression techniques compress a video frame using information from one or two other video frames displaced in time. Nonintra compression techniques include, for example, predictive coding techniques. Predictive coding techniques are based on previously transmitted and decoded spatial and/or temporal information. Predictors may employ pixels from a current frame or from previous frames. Motion compensated predictive coding is a type of predictive coding which takes into account the frame to frame displacement of moving objects in a sequence.
A variety of standards have emerged in the video industry for digital video compression. Digital Video (DV) is one such compression standard. The DV compression standard is commonly employed for compressing digital video data generated by, for example, a DV camcorder for storage on digital video tape (DV tape). DV includes versions which are designed to interface with specific analog video standards. DV includes an NTSC version (DV-NTSC) and a PAL version (DV-PAL). In addition, DV includes a standard definition version (DVSD), a reduced bit rate version, a high definition version, and a Sony version developed by Sony Corporation.
In the DV format, two basic forms of a discrete cosine transform (DCT) are used to transform picture sample values into frequency domain components, which may then be transmitted with a reduced bandwidth. These include a still DCT process used for a still type sample block and a motion DCT process used for a motion type sample block. As the terms are used herein, a still type sample block is a two dimensional array of samples in which where there is not much difference between interleaved fields of an analog video frame. A motion type sample block is a two dimensional array of samples in which there is a significant difference between interleaved fields of an analog video frame.
To facilitate discussion, a diagram representing a still type DCT based video encoding process for a still type 8.times.8 video sample block 108 is shown in FIG. 1B. The still type 8.times.8 sample block 108 includes 64 samples 110. In the DV format, the still type 8.times.8 sample block 108 is transformed, using a standard DCT form, into an 8.times.8 DCT block 112. The 8.times.8 DCT block 112 has 64 spatial frequency patterns including a DC spatial frequency pattern 114 and 63 AC spatial frequency patterns 116.
The DC spatial frequency pattern 114 is located in row zero, column zero of the 8.times.8 DCT block 112. The DC spatial frequency pattern 114 has a DC coefficient value and each of the 63 AC spatial frequency patterns 116 has an AC coefficient value. The DC coefficient value of the DCT block 112 is equal to the average of each of the AC coefficient values of the DCT block 112. In the DV format, further encoding steps are typically included for implementing a zigzag based scan 118 of the DCT block 112.
With reference to FIG. 1C, diagram representing a motion type DCT based encoding process for a motion type 8.times.8 video sample block 120 is shown. The motion type 8.times.8 video sample block 120 includes 64 samples 110. The motion type 8.times.8 video sample block 120 is encoded in the DV format by performing two 8.times.4 DCTs; one on a sum of interleaved lines from separate fields of the video frame and one on a difference between interleaved lines from the separate fields of the video frame. The DV format motion type DCT based encoding process yields a first zigzag based 8.times.4 DCT block 122 and a second zigzag based 8.times.4 DCT block 124 when performed on the motion type 8.times.8 video sample block 120. In the DV format, further encoding steps are typically included for implementing a zigzag based scan 123 of the first 8.times.4 DCT block 122 and a zigzag based scan 125 of the second 8.times.4 DCT block 124.
In addition to the above described frequency domain encoding processes, the DV format encoding process typically utilizes a form of entropy coding called run length encoding (RLE). In the DV format, specific RLE codes are derived from a table which is set forth in the DV standard "Blue Book." RLE codes are used to compress a digital video bit stream by taking advantage of repetitive patterns of zeros and ones. The RLE codes, which are of a variable length, are segmented in the DV format within a DV encoded video bit stream. The outer most layer of the DV encoded video bit stream includes DV format video segments.
With reference to FIG. 1D, a DV format video segment 126 is shown. The video segment 126 typically includes 5 compressed macroblocks (CMBs) 128. Each CMB 128 usually includes six DCT blocks 130. Of the six DCT blocks 130 in each CMB 128, four are luminance DCT blocks 131 (Y0, Y1, Y2, and Y3) and two are chrominance DCT blocks 132 (Cr and Co). Therefore, the video segment 126 typically includes 30 DCT blocks 130. In the DV format, each luminance DCT block 131 (Y0, Y1, Y2, and Y3) typically includes 100 bits and each chrominance DCT block 132 (Cr and Co) typically includes 68 bits. The DV format typically uses 4-1-1 sampling.
In the DV format, RLE coded data is typically distributed throughout each video segment according to a unique protocol. With reference still to FIG. 1D, the RLE data is distributed throughout the video segment 126 using three passes. In the first pass, RLE data is stored in allotted areas for each DCT block 130 in a video segment 126. The second pass finds unused areas in each CMB 128 and stores further RLE bits into those areas. The third pass finds any free space in the video segment 126 and stores any remaining RLE bits in that space until the space runs out or until there are no more bits left.
The above described process of distributing RLE coded data in the DV format provides advantages in terms of video picture quality and integrity. With reference still to FIG. 1D, the top CMB 128 represents samples corresponding to a center of a display screen. Since the above described bit packing scheme always starts at the top CMB 128 when looking for extra space, the top CMB 128 receives first priority and therefore is most likely to contain more information than the other four CMBs 128 of a video segment 126. Because the CMB 128 corresponds to the center of the display screen, the center of the display screen is well defined. This feature of the DV format minimizes loss of picture quality in the event that drop out occurs on a DV video tape.
Video data encoded in the DV format, as described above, must be decoded in order to render a video image. One problem in decoding video images, compressed in the DV format, is that a very large amount of processing time is required to fully decode the video data. The amount of processing time required to decode compressed video data is proportional to the resolution of the image represented by the data. The full DV-NTSC format encodes a 720.times.480 image and the full DV-PAL encodes a 720.times.576 image. For full resolution decoding of DV encoded data, a Pentium microprocessor operating at 133 Megahertz (Pentium 133) may process about two frames per second. A real time decoding rate refers to a rate fast enough to satisfy human visual perception of motion. A decoding rate of 20 to 30 frames per second (30 fps) is generally accepted as a satisfactory real time decoding rate.
It is well known to those skilled in the art of video compression that there are typically three decoding subprocesses in the DV format which require a large amount of processing time: (1) performing the inverse discrete cosine transform (IDCT), (2) unpacking the inverse run length encoded (RLE) AC coefficient values from each video segment, and (3) color space conversion. The large amount of processing time required to decode DV-formatted video data renders quality video display all but impossible on some computer systems. For example, typical personal computers which include central processing units such as, for example, the Intel Pentium Processor, require too much to decode full resolution DV-formatted video data.
Regarding the first two sub-processes, to provide a partial solution to the above described processing time problems, the DV format allows for a reduced resolution fast preview decoding option. To accomplish this, the DV format embeds a DC coefficient of each DCT block in an easy-to-read location and format, allowing a DC preview which is effectively one pixel per DCT block. DC preview decoding typically corresponds to a 90.times.60 resolution for DV-NTSC and a 90.times.72 resolution for PAL. As an example of DC preview decoding, a Pentium microprocessor operating at 133 Megahertz (Pentium 133) may require about 3 to 4 milliseconds to process a single video frame. Although a preview based on displaying these DC values provides real time decoding of the image, at 30 frames per second (fps), on a Pentium 133, the DC preview image may still have too low a resolution and sacrifice too much detail to be acceptable for some video applications. Faster decoding of video data in video editing applications in order to provide faster video editing functions. Faster decoding of video data also allows for displaying higher resolution real time video images.
As can be appreciated from the foregoing, full resolution decoding of DV encoded data requires an undesirable large amount of processing time due to the processing intensive requirements of performing IDCTs and unpacking RLE coded data. While DC preview decoding of DV encoded data may be achieved without requiring an undesirable large amount of processing time, DC preview decoding tends to provide low resolution video images. Therefore, what is needed is a reduced-quality resolution DV codec which provides video images having adequate resolution without demanding an undesirable large amount of processing time to decode.

Reduced-quality resolution digital video encoder/decoder


Provided is a non-aqueous electrolyte-based, high-power lithium secondary battery having a long service life and superior safety at both room temperature and high temperature, even after repeated high-current charging and discharging. The battery comprises a mixture of a lithium/manganese spinel oxide having a substitution of a manganese (Mn) site with a certain metal ion and a lithium/nickel/cobalt/manganese composite oxide, as a cathode active material.

Technological development and increased demand for mobile equipment have led to a rapid increase in the demand for secondary batteries as an energy source. In recent years, applicability of secondary batteries has been realized as power sources for electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). In the light of such trends, a great deal of research and study has been focused on secondary batteries which are capable of meeting various demands. Among other things, there has been an increased demand for lithium secondary batteries having high-energy density, high-discharge voltage and power output stability.
Particularly, lithium secondary batteries for use in EVs require not only high-energy density and capability to exert large power output within a short period of time, but also a long-term service life of more than 10 years even under severe conditions in which high-current charge/discharge cycles are repeated within a short time, thus necessitating remarkably superior safety and long-term service life compared to conventional small-size lithium secondary batteries.
Lithium ion secondary batteries that have been used in conventional small-size batteries generally employ a layered structure of lithium cobalt composite oxide as a cathode material and a graphite-based material as an anode material. However, the main constitutional element of the lithium cobalt composite oxide, cobalt, is very expensive and is not suitable for use in electric vehicles due to safety concerns. Therefore, as the cathode material of lithium ion batteries for EVs, a lithium manganese composite oxide having a spinel structure made up of manganese is ideal in terms of both cost and safety.
However, the lithium manganese composite oxide, upon high-temperature and high-current charge/discharge, undergoes elution of manganese ions into an electrolyte due to the influence of the electrolyte, thus resulting in degradation of battery properties and performance. Thus, there is a need for measures to prevent such problems. In addition, the lithium manganese composite oxide has drawbacks such as a low capacity per unit weight, i.e., a low charge density, as compared to conventional lithium cobalt composite oxides or lithium nickel composite oxides. Thus, there is a limit to charge density of the battery and in order to enter practical use as the power source of EVs, HEVs and the like, designs of the battery to solve such disadvantages should be effected together.
In order to alleviate the above-mentioned respective disadvantages, various studies and attempts to fabricate electrodes using a mixed cathode active material have been made. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication Nos. 2002-110253 and 2004-134245 disclose techniques utilizing a mixture of lithium/manganese composite oxide, and lithium/nickel/cobalt/manganese composite oxide and/or lithium/nickel/cobalt/manganese composite oxide to enhance recovery output and the like. These arts, however, still suffer from problems associated with a poor cycle life of the lithium manganese oxide and limited improvement of safety.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Cathode active material and lithium secondary battery containing them


A computer based test bench generator (1) for verifying integrated circuits specified by models in a Hardware Description Language includes a repository (10) storing a general set of self-checking tests applicable to the integrated circuits. A capability is provided for entering behavior data (21) of an integrated circuit model (20), and for entering configuration data (22) of the integrated circuit model. The generator automatically generates test benches (30) in the Hardware Description Language by making a selection and setup of suitable tests from the repository according to the specified integrated circuit model, configuration and behavior data.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electronic design automation (EDA) and, more particularly, to a system and method for the automatic generation of test benches suitable for verifying integrated circuits, with particular reference to memories.
2. Description of Related Art
Exhaustive verification and testing is a major issue in the process of achieving quality custom integrated circuits and ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits).
Despite the latest advances in verification technology, it is very hard and rare to obtain safe and robust ASICs which work correctly the first time they are manufactured, so that it is often necessary to review the design in several steps, each time a misbehavior is encountered.
Due the increasing complexity of ASICs and circuits in general and to the major effort required in testing and revising hardware components, exploitation of electronic design automation is today a mandatory choice.
Electronic design automation is a computer-based technology that provides designers with automated or semi-automated tools both for the designing and the verifying of custom circuit designs.
It is thus used for creating, analyzing and editing several kinds of electronic designs for the purpose of simulation, emulation, prototyping, execution or computing, and to develop further, complex systems which use a previously user-designed subsystem or component.
Typically, the end result of an EDA session is a modified and enhanced design that is an improvement over the original design, without departing from the original aim and scope of that initial design.
Since EDA is heavily based on software prototyping and simulation of integrated circuits, specific languages have been introduced to permit the specification of hardware through software. Such languages are usually referred to as Hardware Description Languages (HDL).
In fact, despite the latest advances in electronic designing which have helped significantly in reducing the design-to-product time scale, the complexity of today's ASICs is such that self-checking HDL test benches have fully replaced the simplistic vector-based methodologies used in the past.
Unfortunately, developing a self-checking test bench is a difficult and time consuming task: recent surveys show that this process can easily consume between 50% and 70% of the overall design schedule.
In other words, the so called verification problem is growing because both the design complexity and, in parallel, the required amount of stimuli required for a comprehensive circuit test, are growing.
A typical test bench development process involves a combination of preparing or purchasing models from independent suppliers, doing large amounts of HDL coding, manually gluing the pieces together and developing an exhaustive test sequence to evaluate the behavior of the ASIC in its intended environment.
Nowadays, it has become clear that even state of the art verification techniques are breaking down as ASIC complexities increase, and the trend is such that this already extremely difficult and time consuming task is getting more and more complex and critical.
Therefore, a strong need exists in the industry for a new system and method overcoming the problems of the state of the art.

Test bench generator for integrated circuits, particularly memories


A network node may determine parameters of an authenticated client session for a client device, wherein the parameters comprise a network address of the client device. The network node may determine inactivity of the client device in the authenticated client session. The network node may generate, based on determining the inactivity of the client device, an address resolution protocol (ARP) message or a neighbor solicitation (NS) message to send to the client device, wherein the ARP message or the NS message is to trigger a response from the client device to indicate that the network address of the client device is in use. The network node may provide, toward the client device, the ARP message or the NS message. The network node may perform one or more actions based on receiving or not receiving the response, from the client device, to the ARP message or the NS message.

Some network providers require a client device to be authenticated before the network provider allows the client device to access a network. An authentication process includes exchanges of information for the client device to receive authentication. Once authenticated, a network node may establish an authenticated client session, for the client device, and store parameters of the authenticated client session within a data structure. The network node may maintain the authenticated client session as long as the client device is active in the network. If the network node becomes inactive, the network node may remove the parameters of the authenticated client session from the data structure. If the parameters of the authenticated client session are removed, the client device may need to be authenticated again before reconnecting to the network.

Liveness detection for an authenticated client session


A method and system corrects steering of a vehicle upon a brake system malfunction. The brake system has a diagonal split layout. An electronic brake system (EBS) controls operation of the master cylinder. An electronic power steering system (EPS) includes sensors to measure motion and torque of a steering column of the vehicle and includes a motor to provide torque to the steering column. During driver braking when one of the brake circuits has failed, the system calculates a yaw torque value introduced by a driver braking with just one functioning brake circuit. Based on a steer wheel angle and a steer wheel torque obtained from the sensors of the EPS and on the yaw torque value, a steer wheel torque request defining a steer wheel torque/angle needed to counter the yaw torque value is calculated and sent the EPS which operates the motor to compensate for the steering deviation.

With reference to FIG. 1, a conventional vehicle brake system is shown, generally indicated at 10 having a diagonal split layout. The system 10 includes two brake circuits. A first circuit includes a first hydraulic brake line 12 connected between a right front disc brake 14 and a left rear drum brake 16, and the second circuit includes a second hydraulic brake line 18 connected between a left front disc brake 20 and a right rear drum brake 22. A tandem master cylinder 24 controls fluid flow in the brake lines 12, 18. A brake pressure control valve 26 is also provided.
With the system 10, if one of the circuits (brake line 12 or 18) fails or is inoperable, braking is only available at two diagonally disposed wheels (front left and rear right wheels or front right and rear left wheels). In a hard braking situation, the vehicle tends to auto-steer towards the front wheel side which has brake torque, which can increase the likelihood of skidding and possibly losing control of the vehicle.
Thus, there is a need in a diagonal split braking system to eliminate an auto-steer effect when one of the brake circuits is non-functional.

Driver steer recommendation upon loss of one brake circuit of a diagonal spilt layout


The present invention reduces color mixture (cross talk) and the degradation of sensitivity in a peripheral region of a pixel area to achieve a reduction of sensitivity irregularity in the pixel area. A solid-state imaging apparatus having a pixel area including a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements includes: a semiconductor substrate in which the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements are formed; a plurality of air gap formed layers which are arranged above the semiconductor substrate, and correspond to the photoelectric conversion elements in the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, respectively; and air gaps arranged between the air gap formed layers in the plurality of air gap formed layers, respectively, wherein the air gap in a peripheral region B of the pixel area has a width larger than the air gap in a central region A of the pixel area.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solid-state imaging apparatus having a pixel area including a plurality of light receiving elements, and to a method for manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional solid-state imaging apparatus, there has been the case where when light is incident on the solid-state imaging apparatus from an oblique direction, the light is not incident on a photoelectric conversion element (light receiving element) of a pixel on which the light should originally be incident, and the light becomes stray light, is incident on the photoelectric conversion element of an adjacent pixel, and is photoelectrically converted into an electric charge. Because of this, there has been the case where the solid-state imaging apparatus causes optical crosstalk between the adjacent pixels and imaging characteristics of the solid-state imaging apparatus are aggravated. In order to alleviate the aggravation of the imaging characteristics, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-295125 proposes a technology of forming a gap (void) between color filter layers that are arranged above light receiving elements so as to correspond to the light receiving elements, respectively.

Solid-state imaging apparatus and method for manufacturing the same


A fuel battery includes an oxidant gas flow passage having a downstream section, in which a gas diffusion porous body is arranged. The fuel battery includes a fuel gas flow passage having a downstream section, in which a gas diffusion porous body is arranged. A cooling medium flow passage is formed between a first separator of each unit cell of the fuel battery and a second separator of a unit cell adjacent to the unit cell. The flowing direction of a cooling medium in the cooling medium flow passage is the same as that of oxidant gas in the oxidant gas flow passage. An upstream section of the cooling medium flow passage is located closer to a surface of a membrane-electrode assembly that faces the oxidant gas flow passage adjacent to the cooling medium flow passage as compared with a downstream section of the cooling medium flow passage.

In a solid polymer electrolyte fuel battery, membrane-electrode assemblies (MEAs) and separators are alternately arranged. The MEA is composed of an ion-exchange electrolyte membrane, an anode (fuel electrode) arranged on one surface of the electrolyte membrane, and a cathode (oxygen electrode) arranged on the other surface of the electrolyte membrane. The separators form fluid passages for respectively supplying fuel gas (hydrogen) and oxidant gas (oxygen, normally air) to the anode and the cathode. The fuel battery has a stack structure in which unit cells (electric cells) each composed of an MEA and a separator are stacked and integrated. Since the solid polymer electrolyte fuel battery has advantages of easy miniaturization, operation at low temperatures and others, it is attracting attention particularly as a power supply for a moving body such as a vehicle.
Miniaturization and lower cost for fuel batteries of this type have been sought for practical use. In this respect, a cooling system and a humidification system can be simplified if a fuel battery is operable under high temperature and no humidity.
Patent Document 1 discloses a fuel battery operable under high temperature and no humidity which is configured to, when the moisture content is insufficient near the oxidant gas flow passage inlet, which is most likely to become dry, i.e. in the upstream section of the oxidant gas flow passage, increase the moisture content near the inlet of the oxidant gas flow passage by increasing a fuel gas flow rate or decreasing a fuel gas pressure.
Patent Document 2 discloses a fuel battery having a transverse section as shown in FIG. 12. Each unit cell 100 of the fuel battery includes a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) 108 and a pair of separators 110, 112. The membrane-electrode assembly 108 is so structured that a polymer electrolyte membrane 102 is sandwiched between a cathode (oxygen electrode) 104 and an anode (fuel electrode) 106. The separators 110, 112 of each unit cell 100 are arranged to sandwich the membrane-electrode assembly 108. An oxidant gas flow passage 114 is formed between the separator 110 and the cathode 104. A fuel gas flow passage 116 is formed between the separator 112 and the anode 106. The cathode 104 is formed by laminating a cathode catalyst layer 104a and a gas diffusion layer 104b. The anode 106 is formed by laminating an anode catalyst layer 106a and a gas diffusion layer 106b. Each separator 110, 112 includes a plurality of grooves. The grooves of the separator 110 of each unit cell 100 are located to face the grooves of the separator 112 of a unit cell 110 adjacent to the same unit cell 100, and a cooling medium flow passage 120 is formed by these grooves facing each other. Since the cooling medium flow passages 120 are provided near the membrane-electrode assemblies 108, the fuel battery is efficiently cooled with a low thermal resistance by a cooling medium (e.g. cooling water) flowing in the cooling medium flow passages 120.
Patent Document 3 discloses a fuel battery having a transverse section as shown in FIG. 13. In FIG. 13, components corresponding to those of the fuel battery of FIG. 12 are denoted by the same reference signs as in FIG. 12. In the fuel battery of FIG. 13, gas diffusion porous bodies 130, 140 are respectively provided in a fuel gas flow passage 116 and an oxidant gas flow passage 114 to uniformly diffuse gases in the entireties of the respective fuel gas flow passage 116 and oxidant gas flow passage 114, thereby enhancing the performance of the fuel battery.
Further, in a fuel battery disclosed in Patent Document 4, a water-conducting layer is provided in a gas diffusion porous body to improve the drainability of water produced in the fuel battery.


A shock absorber includes a damper main body that has a tubular outer shell and a piston rod that advances and retreats freely into and from the outer shell, and that is configured to generate a damping force for suppressing relative movement in an axial direction between the piston rod and the outer shell. The shock absorber includes a tubular dust cover that is connected to the piston rod and is configured to allow the outer shell to advance into an interior thereof and a tubular extension cover that is attached to an outer shell side end of the dust cover in a condition where the outer shell is inserted therein.

JP2000-81071A and JP2010-175043A disclose a shock absorber having an outer shell and a piston rod inserted into the outer shell to be free to advance and retreat. The shock absorber is configured such that when the piston rod moves in an axial direction relative to the outer shell, a damping force is generated to suppress the relative movement between the piston rod and the outer shell. The shock absorber is disposed in a vehicle between a vehicle body and an axle or between a cabin and the vehicle body, for example, in order to suppress vibration of a damping subject such as the vehicle body or the cabin using the damping force.
The shock absorber is exposed to the outside during use, and therefore dust, dirt, and so on are likely to adhere to the piston rod of the shock absorber. When the piston rod advances into the outer shell, the dirt and so on adhered to an outer periphery of the piston rod are scraped away by a dust seal that seals the outer periphery of the piston rod. When dirt and so on dry out so as to adhere firmly to the piston rod, the dirt and so on adhered to the piston rod cannot be scraped away by the dust seal, and may cause an oil seal provided inside the dust seal to deteriorate. Therefore, the shock absorber is provided with a dust cover that covers the outer periphery of the piston rod so that the piston rod is protected from dirt and so on by the dust cover.


A method of sampling a suction effusion fluid is provided, which is convenient and highly efficient and which leaves no marks on the skin. First, (a) A suction cell with a cup-shaped hollow body is prepared. The body has an inner space, an aperture connected to the inner space, and a suction port connected to the inner space. The aperture is applied to a skin of a living organism. The inner space of the body is evacuated through the suction port. Next, (b) Bores are formed in a horny layer of the skin of the living organism. The bores has a depth that penetrates the horny layer and do not reach a capillary tube in the skin. Further, (c) The suction cell is held so that the aperture of the cell is opposed to the skin. The cell covers the bores formed in the horny layer and is tightly contacted with the skin. Finally, (d) The inner space of the suction cell is evacuated in such a way that the skin is bulged and the bores are expanded. Thus, the suction effusion fluid is sampled from the skin of the living organism through the suction cell.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus of sampling a suction effusion fluid and more particularly, to a method of sampling a suction effusion fluid by sucking a body fluid from the skin surface of a human body for the purpose of determining the in-vivo substances, and a sampling apparatus used for the sampling method.
2. Description of the Related Art
A suction effusion fluid is an extremely small quantity of fluid obtained by vacuum-sucking a skin whose horny layer is removed. This fluid is considered to be an interstitial fluid in a subcutaneous tissue or a blood filtered and effused through the wall of a capillary.
In recent years, it has been clarified by many years of researches that the suction effusion fluid is a body fluid similar to a blood serum, and that the concentrations of some constituents such as glucose and lactic acid in the suction effusion fluid have a good correlation with the concentrations in the blood. This is disclosed in a paper, the 35th Japan Soc. ME & BE Conference, pp. 474, May, 1996, which was written by Murakami, Kaneyoshi, Nishida, Twasaki, Kawakami, Kayashima, Arai, and Kikuchi.
Because sampling of a suction effusion fluid is performed without viewing the blood, the physical and mental pain or a subject is little and the possibility of infection is low compared to those in blood drawing. Because the sampled suction effusion fluid contains no blood corpuscle constituents, the constituents of a body fluid can be continuously determined with ease without the need for a special treatment such as anticoagulation. Accordingly, if the suction effusion fluid is used for determination of the living organism related substances, there arises an advantage that the physical and mental pain associated with blood drawing is reduced and thus, the constituents of the body fluid of women and infants, with whom blood-gathering is difficult, can easily be determined.
Until recent years, sampling of the suction effusion fluid had been made after removing the horny layer by such a method as the tape stripping method. In this conventional method, however, there are a problem that much labor and time are required to remove the horny layer and that a time period of two weeks or so is required for regeneration of the tissue of the horny layer.
To solve this problem, an improved sampling method of a suction effusion fluid, which eliminates the need for removing the horny layer, has been offered. This method is disclosed in, for example, the Japanese Patent Application No. 7-241774 filed in September 1995.
FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of a sampling apparatus of a suction effusion fluid used with the improved method disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application No. 7-241774 filed in September 1995.
As shown in FIG. 1, this sampling apparatus is comprised of a suction cell 503 having a suction port 501 at one end and an aperture 502 at the other end, and a channel plate 504, fitted to the aperture 502. The aperture 502 is opposed to a human skin and the channel plate 504 is directly contacted with the skin on sampling.
On the side of the suction port 501 of the channel plate 504, a plurality of channel grooves 505 are radially formed from the center of the plate 504. A plurality of through holes 506 are formed to extend axially in the plate 504. The through holes 506 are connected to the channel grooves 505.
On the side of the aperture 502 of the channel plate 504, a plurality of protrusion needles 507 are formed. Each of the protrusion needles 507 is formed by a protruded edge of the plate 504 in the vicinity of a corresponding one of the through holes 506. The length of the needles 507 is approximately 50 .mu.m, and the diameter of the through holes is in the range of 50 to 200 .mu.m.
Sampling of an effusion fluid with this apparatus in FIG. 1 is made in the following way.
First, in a portion of the skin where an effusion fluid is to be sampled, the aperture 502 of the suction cell 503 is brought into tight contact with the horny layer. Then, the inside of the suction cell 503 is evacuated from the suction port 501. With this evacuation, the protrusion needles 507 bite the skin surface to pierce the horny layer and as a result, an interstitial fluid in the skin is effused through the horny layer as an effusion fluid. The sucked effusion fluid is collected to the suction port 501 through the holes 506 and the grooves 505, and is taken out to the outside of the suction cell 503.
The improved sampling method of a suction effusion fluid using the sampling apparatus shown in FIG. 1 eliminates the need for removal of the horny layer, and substantially shortens the pretreatment time in sampling and the time period until the tissue is regenerated. Therefore, the above problems of the conventional method that removes the horny layer are solved. However, this improved sampling method has the following problems.
A first problem is that a suction effusion fluid is effused with a low efficiency. One reason is that only the portions of the skin with which the through holes 506 are contacted are sucked and therefore, the area of the surface layer of the skin contributing to the effusion is small, when compared to that with the conventional method where the horny layer is removed. Another reason is that the gap between the protrusion needles 507 serving as an effusion path for the effusion fluid and the opposing horny layer is narrow, when compared to that with the conventional method.
A second problem is that penetration of the horny layer by the protrusion needles 507 tends to be insufficient. This is because the skin is deformed so that the piercing pressure is distributed, which results from the piercing of the needles 507 is made by a semi-static behavior consisting of pressing and suction.

Method and apparatus of sampling suction effusion fluid


A learning device for attention deficit children is disclosed, having a wall mounted cabinet with an audio equipped model train located in a mirrored frontal surface, and sufficient timing devices to guide the child through a series of planned tasks, and having storage capability for associated task cards, listing pre-planned tasks, to be completed by the child, and storage space for negative correction cards, to be given to child upon non-completion of tasks. A slot is located on the side of the cabinet, and, when child successfully completes a task, in the time allowed, insertion of the corresponding card in the slot ejects a chip to the child, to be accumulated by the child, and, at certain periods of time, marked on a furnished calendar, the child is rewarded from a list of chosen rewards, each reward requiring a different number of chips, the rewards being weighted by importance to child.

This invention relates to an apparatus and method of teaching attention deficit children how to complete tasks within a reasonable time period, and in a manner to emphasize positive rewards, as opposed to negative punishments. The invention consists of a device in the form of a working game, the object of the game being to encourage, and help the child pay attention to the task they are instructed to perform, and to continue doing this task until it is completed.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a disability that is well known to professional psychologists. It is estimated to affect approximately five per cent of school-age children, and is diagnosed by the presence of various behavioral symptoms. The children suffering from this disorder appear restless, or, "fidgety", frequently having difficulty sitting still in school, are very easily distracted, often fail to follow instructions, or complete tasks, lose items required to complete tasks they have been given, and commonly switch from one uncompleted task to another without finishing any of them.
Physicians, and psychologists treat attention deficit children through a variety of methods, including medication, dietary restrictions, psychotherapy, cognitive training, and behavior modification. While no one method of treatment is likely to completely cure attention deficit children, a combination of those mentioned procedures can be quite effective in helping children overcome it. Medicines, and psychological counseling must be administered under the supervision of qualified professionals. However, parents, teachers, and other caretakers can contribute to some of the other treatment methods. Puzzles, and mazes, are commonly used in cognitive training. These devices help attention deficit children to develop problem solving skills, and to channel their interests and energies toward clearly definable goals. Behavior modification is accomplished by programs that generously reinforce positive behaviors, while also making it clear that improper behavior will result in negative consequences. Often, children are encouraged to earn "points", which can later be exchanged for rewards. These mentioned treatment methods have been found useful in dealing with attention deficit behavior, however, the usual mechanism for effecting behavior modification has depended on the parent or, teacher's ability to react properly to the child's actions. Personal reinforcement and praise are essential, of course, but, it has been discovered by the inventor that there are times when a mechanical device is useful in maintaining the positive reinforcement, especially when parents or, teachers, are unable to immediately reward proper behavior.
In researching the field for this invention, no prior arts were found of a similar teaching. Two prior arts found, did appear in the search for games for educational and amusement purposes, however neither of these teachings would be suitable for providing the direct cognitive and direct behavioral training needed by attention deficit children.
Perry, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,878,675 teaches a game having a dual-purpose board, and several decks of cards used in playing a game. One option uses standard playing cards, and bingo type score cards, along with the main board. This part of the game is intended for pure entertainment. The other option uses another track around the board, together with suitably designed reward and punishment cards. The purpose of this option is to teach players about the dangers of alcohol, and substance abuse, while simulating a car trip across the United States. However, this game does not specifically address the problems of attention deficit children, and this type of reward system would not work with these children, since there is no connection between playing of the game, and the specific activities in which the player is currently engaged.
Playing this game in one of its two embodiments can lead to increased awareness of the hazards of drug use, but it does not lead the child through their required tasks, nor provide any immediate consequences as a result of the childish behavior. In addition, considering that the game deals with abuse of substances more closely associated with teenagers and adults, and that it requires some knowledge of geography and driving, it would not be interesting to younger children.
Giesaker, in U. S. Pat. No. 4,974,848 teaches a maze device that can be implemented as a hand held puzzle, a video game, or an arcade game. With suitable modifications, it could also be used as a locking device for safes, or other secured containers. The problems with this device are that it lacks visual, and audio, attractiveness, and poses a problem beyond the capabilities of young children. Attention deficit children, in particular, would tend to lose interest in the device very quickly, and move on to other activities. This is exactly the opposite of the behavior that should be engendered by a teaching device for use with these children.

Learning device for attention deficit children


An example sensor band configured for attachment to a calf of a mammal and used in measuring track and balance motion of the mammal includes one or more first sensors for sensing muscle circumferential pressure at multiple positions; one or more second sensors for sensing Earth's magnetic field; and one or more third sensors for sensing Earth's gravitational field.

This application describes example systems and methods for placing onto a mammal's lower body, leg and thigh limbs, a set of paired bands to measure the lower body locomotion (for bipedalism, upright locomotion) and, if desired, additional arm strapped forearm and arm paired bands on the upper body (for complex motion, crawling, and in other applications, or four calf limb quadrupedalism locomotion). Each band contains multiple MEMs force sensors that measure muscle circumferential pressure at multiple positions, along with Earth's magnetic and gravitational fields. On-band data processing and networked, intra-band RF connectivity from multiple limbs, can be used to produce simple, energy-optimized, least-action metrics of mammal locomotion of two, interrelated functions defined as 1) Track, being a walking, running or other dynamic, from forward footpath creation over firm surfaces such as the ground, water-floats, or snow and ice, and 2) Balance, being required to efficiently move the lower body and/or upper body under Track. These technology metrics include assessment of locomotion related neurological functionality of body, limbs, and muscle disorders.
Details of Track differences in maintaining Balance are related to other physiological disorders, including detecting mental precursors, such as for fall-down behavior. An example system can be worn by many simultaneously and uniquely identified users, with metrics and location of each user being displayed on a laptop through additional RF connectivity, such as in recreational and professional sports. The system's on-band data processing units using battery supplied power, integrate the sensing to determine kinetic and potential energy of the body locomotion over time in a method that integrates out the aperiodic motion of the upper body and extended appendages, about center of mass (ACM), and uses the residual motion to measure the periodic center of mass (CM) locomotion from a known point.
The example systems and methods are self-calibrating, using calibration data collected when standing and jumping, at positions facing compass points. A GPS system can be incorporated for continuous motion measurement, to be used for calibration of the locomotion when GPS satellite data is available, and to establish the initiation geolocation point when beginning operation in GPS-denied regions for navigation, or to relatively geolocate multiple players in sport activities.
The body movement data, when combined with the band pressure and gravity data, removes the effects of the aperiodic, nonlinear locomotion, and leaves the residual movement for determining Track and Balance through a Euler-Lagrangian representation of the Equations of Motion.
The example systems and methods can be embodied for many applications (including the use of metric feedback for improved Balance and Track optimization), such as for human and non-human (e.g., horse) sports trainers, elder health care providers, and physical therapists for prevention and recovery from injuries of the back, knee, spine, and brain, such as from stroke, Alzheimer and Parkinson diseases, and dementia, as well as for other uses in mammal navigation and location purposes.

System and method for measuring balance and track motion in mammals


A probe for measuring epidural pressure and the elasticity of brain parenchyma includes first and second chambers both formed of a thin film with a bag-shape so that they can contract/expand in response to introduction of first and second pressure transmission mediums, respectively, wherein the first and second chambers are independent of each other and provided in a stack. Thus a probe capable of accurately measuring epidural pressure and the elasticity of brain parenchyma can be provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to probes for measuring epidural pressure and the elasticity of brain parenchyma, and more particularly to a probe for accurately measuring epidural pressure and the elasticity of brain parenchyma for use in the field of diagnosis of the neurosurgery.
2. Description of the Background Art
When a patient is suspected to be suffering from acute cerebral hypertension due to injury in the head, infarct edema, intracerebral hemorrhage or the like, or a patient has chronic cerebral hypertension such as hydrocephalus, measuring intracranial pressure, that is, cerebral pressure is particularly important to know the patient's condition and to carry out surgical treatment.
As a method of measuring a cerebral pressure, measuring the epidural pressure of the patient using a cerebral pressure measuring apparatus has been proposed. This epidural pressure closely relates to increase/decrease in intradural pressure, wherein the epidural pressure increases with increase in intradural pressure due to tumefaction of brain parenchyma and decreases with decrease therein, for example.
Accordingly, in order to observe the brain condition of the patient which is changing every moment, it is extremely useful to measure not only the epidural pressure but also the elasticity of brain parenchyma itself. Then, as apparatus for measuring the elasticity of brain parenchyma, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 5-115444 discloses an apparatus for measuring both epidural pressure and the elasticity of brain parenchyma.
This apparatus for measuring the elasticity of brain parenchyma disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 5-115444, however, has the following problems.
According to this measuring apparatus, a chamber formed of a thin film with a bag-shape is provided at one end of a flexible hollow tube, which chamber is inserted outside a dura through an opening formed in the patient's cranium. Then, the chamber is filled with air by means of a plunger pump or the like, whereby epidural pressure is measured from the pressure applied to the chamber, using a measuring apparatus provided at the other end of the tube. A small amount of air is further introduced into the chamber and thereafter change in epidural pressure is measured based on the pressure applied to the chamber. Then, the former epidural pressure is compared with the latter, thereby measuring the elasticity of brain parenchyma.
However, epidural pressure is measured by introducing air into a single chamber in stages as described above. Therefore, if the second air introduction is carried out with the epidural pressure in the first cerebral pressure measurement still being applied to the chamber, epidural pressure corresponding to the second air introduction cannot be measured with high precision because of temporary reverse air flow from the chamber, poor response of the chamber to the additional air introduction using a plunger pump or the like.

Probe for measuring epidural pressure and elasticity of brain parenchyma


A high-sensitivity field effect transistor using as a channel ultrafine fiber elements such as carbon nanotube, and a biosensor using it. The field effect transistor comprises a substrate, a source electrode and a drain electrode arranged on the substrate, a channel for electrically connecting the source electrode with the drain electrode, and a gate electrode causing polarization due to the movement of free electrons in the substrate. For example, the substrate has a support substrate consisting of semiconductor or metal, a first insulating film formed on a first surface of the support substrate, and a second insulating film formed on a second surface of the support substrate, the source electrode, the drain electrode, and the channel arranged on the first insulating film, the gate electrode disposed on the second insulating film.

A field effect transistor (hereafter abbreviated as "FET") is a semiconductor element which includes three terminals of a source electrode, a drain electrode and a gate electrode, wherein electric current flowing a channel connected to the source electrode and the drain electrode is controlled by electric field generated by a voltage impressed to the gate electrode. For example, carbon nanotube field effect transistor (hereafter abbreviated as "CNT-FET"), in which a channel across the source electrode and the drain electrode is composed of carbon nanotube (hereafter abbreviated as "CNT"), is known.
As one example of CNT-FET, those shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B are known (e.g., Non-patent document 1).
In CNT-FET shown in FIG. 1A, source electrode 3 and drain electrode 4, as well as a channel for connecting these electrodes are disposed on insulating film 1 formed on a first plane of substrate 2, and gate electrode 5 electrically connected to silicone substrate 2 is disposed on a second plane. FET with such a configuration is referred to as a back-gate field effect transistor (hereafter abbreviated as "back-gate FET").
With FET shown in FIG. 1B, source electrode 3, drain electrode 4, and gate electrode 5 are disposed on insulating film 1 formed on the first plane of substrate 2. FET of this sort is referred to as, based on arrangement of the gate electrode, side-gate field effect transistor (hereafter abbreviated as "side-gate FET").
Further, developments of sensors utilizing electric characteristics of CNT-FET have been promoted extensively (e.g., Patent Document 1). These sensors utilize the fact that electric characteristics of CNT that serves as a channel change depending on change of state of a molecule recognizing part bound or immobilized to CNT. For example, reaction between the molecule recognizing part and a detection target substance is detected by a change in electric current between source electrode and drain electrode of CNT-FET (hereafter referred to as "source-drain current") or in voltage (hereafter referred to as "source-drain voltage") via changes in electric characteristics of CNT induced by the reaction.    Patent Document 1: WO2004/104568 pamphlet    Non-patent Document 1: K. Matsumoto, "Application of carbon nanotube SET/FET to sensors", Brochure presented at electronic materials study committee, The Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan, Vol. EFM-03, Nos. 35-45, Dec. 19, 2003, pp. 47-50


Method, device and system for providing consistent and reliable glucose response information to physiological changes and/or activities is provided to improve glycemic control and health management.

The detection and/or monitoring of glucose levels or other analytes, such as lactate, oxygen, A1C, or the like, in certain individuals is vitally important to their health. For example, the monitoring of glucose level is particularly important to individuals with diabetes and those with conditions indicative of onset of diabetes. Diabetics generally monitor glucose levels to determine if their glucose levels are being maintained within a clinically safe range, and may also use this information to determine if and/or when insulin is needed to reduce glucose levels in their bodies or when additional glucose is needed to raise the level of glucose in their bodies.
With the development of glucose monitoring devices and systems that provide real time glucose level information in a convenient and pain-less manner, there is an ongoing desire to integrate such monitoring devices and systems into daily life and activities to improve glycemic control. More specifically, there is a strong desire to identify the impact of daily activities such as exercise, medication administration, meal consumption and so forth on glucose level fluctuation and provide actionable, personalized health related information to tightly control glycemic variations. Furthermore, there is a strong desire to provide accuracy in medication dose determination that accurately assess the correct medication dose determination while reducing errors in such determination by taking into consideration parameters that impact medication therapy in the daily activities including exercise and meal consumption.

System, device and method of dynamic glucose profile response to physiological parameters


Disclosed is an image forming apparatus composed of a combination of multi-layered electrophotographic photoreceptor wherein an undercoat layer is made of at least fine titanium oxide particles and a binder resin and has a thickness of 3 μm or less and the fine titanium oxide particles are surface treated with alumina and silica and have a number average primary particle size of 20 nm or less, and exposing means by LED exposure. Thus, an electrophotographic photoreceptor having good balance between dispersibility of titanium oxide and electrical insulation properties is obtained and image fog does not occur under high temperature and high humidity environment and also excellent image quality can be maintained during continuous printing under low temperature and low humidity environment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as copying machine or printer, which is loaded with a multi-layered electrophotographic photoreceptor having an undercoat layer.
2. Description of Related Art
With the progress of the development, conventionally used inorganic materials typified by amorphous selenium and amorphous silicone have recently been replaced by organic photoconductive materials. An electrophotographic photoreceptor using an organic photoconductive material is slightly inferior in sensitivity, durability and stability in the environment, but has a lot of merits in toxicity, cost and degree of freedom of material design as compared with the inorganic material.
In the electrophotographic photoreceptor, there is widely used an organic photoreceptor comprising a charge generating material which generates charges upon irradiation with light, a charge transporting material which transports charges generated, and a binder resin constituting a layer in which these substances are dispersed. Commonly, the organic photoreceptor is roughly classified into a photoreceptor comprising a single-layered photosensitive layer wherein a charge generating material and a charge transporting material are contained in the same layer, and a photoreceptor comprising a multi-layered photosensitive layer formed by laminating a charge generating layer containing a charge generating material with a charge transporting layer containing a charge transporting material.
A multi-layered photoreceptor obtained by directly forming a multi-layered photosensitive layer on a conductive substrate through coating is likely to be influenced by the surface of a conductive substrate and it is difficult to form a layer uniformly and homogeneously and therefore thickness unevenness occurs, thus causing various image defects and density unevenness. Also, since a layer containing a charge generating substance is directly contacted with a conductive substrate, when electric field is applied by charging, the charge generating substance partially generates charges, and thus the potential locally decreases at the position where the charge generating substance exists in the vicinity, and problems such as blank paper and fog at the gray portion occur in the reversal development. These problems conspicuously occur under high temperature and high humidity environment.
It is known to be effective to provide a resin layer, which is referred to as an undercoat layer or an intermediate layer, between a conductive substrate and a photosensitive layer in case of a single-layered photoreceptor and to provide the resin layer between a conductive substrate and a charge generating layer in case of a multi-layered photoreceptor so as to solve these problems. For example, a layer formed by coating an alcohol soluble polyamide resin and drying the resin is considered to be effective as the undercoat layer (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 52-25638 and Japanese Examined Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 63-018185).
Even if such an undercoat layer is provided, although good electrical characteristics and image quality are obtained at the initial stage, the alcohol soluble resin shows a large change in resistance by the environment such as temperature or humidity and thus a potential conspicuously changes with the environmental change, resulting in defects such as black spots, memory and density unevenness on images.
Thus, a photoreceptor having an undercoat layer made of titanium oxide is proposed (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 56-52757). Furthermore, there is also known a technology about a surface treated titanium oxide for the purpose of improving image characteristics or improving dispersibility of titanium oxide in a coating solution for an undercoat layer.
Specifically, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2-181158 proposes titanium oxide coated with alumina, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 9-152731 proposes coating of titanium oxide with alumina and silica. Also, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 9-258469, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 4-229872 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 8-328283 propose coating of titanium oxide with a reactive organosilicon compound. Furthermore, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2002-236381 proposes coating of titanium oxide with alumina, silica and siloxane.
However, the particle size of titanium oxide has never been optimized with respect to electrical characteristics and image characteristics of a photoreceptor, and particles having a number average primary particle size of 20 to 100 nm were mainly used as ultrafine titanium oxide particles and particles having a number average primary particle size of 0.1 to 1.0 μm were used as a pigment grade titanium oxide.
With the size reduction of a copying machine and a printer, LED has recently been used as exposure light in the formation of a latent image. However, there has been known a specific peculiar image problem such as interference fringe (moire) caused by reflection on the surface of a conductive substrate in the formation of a latent image by LED or laser. Therefore, in the prior art, an undercoat layer containing titanium oxide having average primary particle size of 1 to 20 μm was used so as to prevent the occurrence of the interference fringe.
However, when an organic photoreceptor having an undercoat layer containing titanium oxide having average primary particle size of 1 to 20 μm is used, there arose problems that sensitivity deteriorates during continuous use and fog occurs under high-temperature and high-humidity severe environment.


The present invention is a system and method for displaying and manipulating a multidimensional data set using a computer system. In one embodiment of the invention an input device such as a camera or output from pre-recorded audio-visual data is connected to the computer system. The camera is used to record a data set related to the movement of one or more points on the subject's body. The data set comprises at least 4-dimensions of data and at least one of the dimensions is related to time. The data set is input into the computer and stored in a memory. Three dimensions of the data set are converted into a 3-dimensional perspective data set for display in a display device, and an image is displayed at locations determined by the 3-dimensional perspective data set. The remaining dimensions of the data set which one wishes to display are encoded in an attribute of the displayed images. A selection command is received by the computer system. The selection command selects a portion of the displayed data corresponding to a subset of the data set. A modification signal is received by the computer system. The modification signal modifies data in the subset of the data set.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of motion capture and 3-dimensional or higher data display; and more particularly to the creation and display of motion capture data.
2. Description of Related Art
Two-dimensional and 3-dimensional animation and modeling often begins with the use of live subjects. Live subjects are filmed or video taped and key positions on the subject's body or face are marked. The marked locations are filmed and data related to the marked positions are, using a variety of techniques, digitized and entered into a computer. For example, one might wish to record the facial expressions of an actor as a line of dialog is spoken. The x, y, and z coordinates of critical areas of the actor's face are recorded as time (T) passes. This data is then digitized and entered into a computer. The data can then be used to help create an animated version of the actor's facial expressions.
The data representing the actor's facial motions will often have to be displayed and modified in order to achieve the desired final result. Various techniques are presently available to display and modify data corresponding to facial motion. However, presently available software typically only allows individual dimensions of data to be easily displayed at once. What is needed is a system and method which can display 4-dimensional data, for example, x, y, z, and T in a format which can be easily interpreted by a computer operator and which will allow the data to be easily viewed and altered.


A device for calculating a quantity of fuel in a fuel tank for a fuel cell vehicle is provided. The device includes a first quantity determining system that provides a first quantity value representing said quantity of fuel in said fuel tank based on a physical condition associated with said fuel in said fuel tank, a second quantity determining system that provides a second quantity value representing said quantity of fuel in said fuel tank, and an error correction system that generates an error value based upon the first quantity value and the second quantity value. A method for calculating a quantity of fuel in a fuel tank for a fuel cell vehicle is also disclosed.

A device, such as a fuel tank, that stores hydrogen and feeds hydrogen to a fuel cell of a fuel cell vehicle typically includes a measuring device for measuring the quantity of hydrogen in the fuel tank. The measuring device determines the quantity of hydrogen in the tank based on a pressure and a temperature of the hydrogen in the tank.


This invention intends to provide a coating device capable of forming, in a good work efficiency, a magnetic layer whose surface is free from irregularities in thickness and is flat. The above object is achieved by providing a device wherein a magnetic paint 3A is coated through an extrusion die 1, and, downstream of the die and close to the non-coated side of a substrate 19, a magnetic field generator 12A with a laminated structure composed of plate-like magnets 15 packed in layers is placed inclined by 45.degree.-85.degree. with respect to the running direction R of the substrate. Through this arrangement, the coated surface of magnetic layer 3 will be free from thickness irregularities and be flattened.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a coating device, for example, to a coating device which is suitable for coating a magnetic layer upon a magnetic recording medium to be utilized as audiotapes, videotapes, etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recording media used in audio apparatuses, video apparatuses and computer systems include mainly so-called coated type magnetic recording media which are produced after a magnetic powder, a binder and various additives have been dispersed in an organic solvent, and the resultant mass has been kneaded to produce a magnetic paint which has been then coated on a non-magnetic substrate and dried to form a magnetic layer thereupon. This is because of the excellent productivity and wide applicability of such recording media.
The conventional method of coating a magnetic layer consists of gravure coating incorporating a gravure roll, but is often found inadequate in coating speed and in the evenness of coat thickness. To meet such problem, what has been often adopted recently is die coating which incorporates an extrusion die whereby a magnetic paint is extruded through a slit to be coated on a substrate, because this method is advantageous in that it allows the coating speed to be raised while the amount of coated paint and the evenness of resulting coat is kept controlled and maintained.
For the production of the coated type magnetic recording medium, to improve the magnetoelectric conversion of the product, it is customary to submit, after a magnetic paint has been coated on a non-magnetic substrate, the resulting coated substrate which is still wet, to a surface smoothing treatment. If the surface of magnetic layer formed on a non-magnetic substrate does not have a sufficient surface property, particularly if the coated film has an uneven thickness owing to faulty coating, the resulting recording medium will give an inadequate signal recording capability. To avoid such inadequacy, a technique has been generally known in which a bar smoother to act as a surface smoothing means is allowed to contact mechanically with the coated surface to smoothen that surface.
Particularly, with the above described die coating incorporating an extrusion die, coating is performed while the die is kept immobilized, and thus surface roughness consisting of minute longitudinal lines in the direction along which the non-magnetic substrate runs easily develops on the surface of the coated layer. The severity of this surface roughness depends on the magnitude of shearing force the paint receives at the coating unit, and is larger with the die contact coating where die is allowed to contact with the substrate than with the die lift coating where die does not contact with the substrate. Moreover, surface roughness tends to develop more easily as the magnetic powder becomes more fine to make the resultant magnetic recording medium more suitable for a high density recording, because the fineness of powder encourages the aggregation of the resulting paint. These effects are more manifest with die coating.
For a conventional die coating to be free from such flaws as described above, it is necessary (particularly with the die lift coating) to combine the die and bar smoother appropriately so that the surface of coated layer may be flawlessly smoothened.
Still, smoothing a coated layer with a bar smoother has following three problems and remains to be further improved.
(1) If a foreign substance(s) is captured by the smoother which is in contact with a magnetic paint, it may cause a line to form on the coated magnetic layer.
(2) Each time coating is completed and the smoother is wound into a roll, it will be necessary to clean the surface of bar, which will reduce the workability of the device.
(3) Both margins of a substrate will face the edges of smoother where paint may be not present, and receive scratches from the bare edges, or will easily suffer deteriorated coating owing to the paint mass which has been dried and adhered to the bar.
To replace such conventional bar smoother, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-202542 disclosed a technique which consists of placing a smoother incorporating magnets downstream of the roller to coat a magnetic paint. The use of such a smoother with magnets seems, on outlook, to achieve complete smoothening of the surface coated with a magnetic paint, but, in reality, smoothening is inadequate with this method because the method consists simply of moving the magnets normal to the direction along which a substrate runs. Therefore, the surface smoothness of the magnetic layer is not improved by this method. In addition, with this method, a magnetic paint is coated with a roll, and thus the coating speed is slow as discussed above, and furthermore the evenness of coat surface is readily impaired.


A bowl cleansing device and a fruit and vegetable cleansing method using the same are provided. The bowl cleansing device comprising: a cabinet for forming a cleansing room; a cleansing basket installed inside the cleansing room, for loading therein articles to be cleansed; a spray nozzle for spraying the cleansing water to the articles loaded in the cleansing basket; a pump for supplying the cleansing water to the spray nozzle; a heater for heating the cleansing water; a mode selector for selecting one of a plurality of modes including a bowl cleansing mode and a fruit and vegetable cleansing mode; and a controller for controlling the heater so that the cleansing water has a temperature suitable for the cleansing mode selected through the mode selector. The bowl cleansing device may further comprise: a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the cleansing water, wherein the controller controls the heater according to the detected temperature of the cleaning water; and a pollution sensor for detecting the pollution level of the cleansing water, wherein if the detected pollution level is below a preset reference value after a cleansing operation, the controller determines that the cleansing operation is completed and stops the cleansing operation. Accordingly, the fruit and vegetable cleansing operation and the bowl cleansing operation can be selectively performed, as necessary.

The present invention relates to a bowl cleansing device and a fruit cleansing method using the same.
A conventional bowl cleansing device includes a cleansing room for containing a basket in which bowls to be cleansed are loaded, a spray nozzle for spraying cleansing water to the basket in the cleansing room and a pump for supplying the cleansing water to the spray nozzle. A heater for heating the cleansing water is installed under the cleansing room to increase a cleansing efficiency.
The conventional bowl cleansing device has only one use of cleansing bowls. It is, therefore, desirable to extend the use of the bowl cleansing device to cleansing of different articles such as fruits or vegetables. However, since hot cleansing water is used for the bowl cleansing operation in the conventional cleansing device, nutritive elements, flavor and freshness of fruits or vegetables may be damaged due to the hot cleansing water.

Bowl cleansing device having fruit and vegetable cleansing mode and fruit and vegetable cleansing method using the same


Systems and methods for noise suppression using noise subtraction processing are provided. The noise subtraction processing comprises receiving at least a primary and a secondary acoustic signal. A desired signal component may be calculated and subtracted from the secondary acoustic signal to obtain a noise component signal. A determination may be made of a reference energy ratio and a prediction energy ratio. A determination may be made as to whether to adjust the noise component signal based partially on the reference energy ratio and partially on the prediction energy ratio. The noise component signal may be adjusted or frozen based on the determination. The noise component signal may then be removed from the primary acoustic signal to generate a noise subtracted signal which may be outputted.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to audio processing and more particularly to adaptive noise suppression of an audio signal.
2. Description of Related Art
Currently, there are many methods for reducing background noise in an adverse audio environment. One such method is to use a stationary noise suppression system. The stationary noise suppression system will always provide an output noise that is a fixed amount lower than the input noise. Typically, the stationary noise suppression is in the range of 12-13 decibels (dB). The noise suppression is fixed to this conservative level in order to avoid producing speech distortion, which will be apparent with higher noise suppression.
In order to provide higher noise suppression, dynamic noise suppression systems based on signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) have been utilized. This SNR may then be used to determine a suppression value. Unfortunately, SNR, by itself, is not a very good predictor of speech distortion due to existence of different noise types in the audio environment. SNR is a ratio of how much louder speech is than noise. However, speech may be a non-stationary signal which may constantly change and contain pauses. Typically, speech energy, over a period of time, will comprise a word, a pause, a word, a pause, and so forth. Additionally, stationary and dynamic noises may be present in the audio environment. The SNR averages all of these stationary and non-stationary speech and noise. There is no consideration as to the statistics of the noise signal; only what the overall level of noise is.
In some prior art systems, an enhancement filter may be derived based on an estimate of a noise spectrum. One common enhancement filter is the Wiener filter. Disadvantageously, the enhancement filter is typically configured to minimize certain mathematical error quantities, without taking into account a user's perception. As a result, a certain amount of speech degradation is introduced as a side effect of the noise suppression. This speech degradation will become more severe as the noise level rises and more noise suppression is applied. That is, as the SNR gets lower, lower gain is applied resulting in more noise suppression. This introduces more speech loss distortion and speech degradation.
Some prior art systems invoke a generalized side-lobe canceller. The generalized side-lobe canceller is used to identify desired signals and interfering signals comprised by a received signal. The desired signals propagate from a desired location and the interfering signals propagate from other locations. The interfering signals are subtracted from the received signal with the intention of cancelling interference.
Many noise suppression processes calculate a masking gain and apply this masking gain to an input signal. Thus, if an audio signal is mostly noise, a masking gain that is a low value may be applied (i.e., multiplied to) the audio signal. Conversely, if the audio signal is mostly desired sound, such as speech, a high value gain mask may be applied to the audio signal. This process is commonly referred to as multiplicative noise suppression.

System and method for providing noise suppression utilizing null processing noise subtraction