In a voice messaging system, as voice memory fills, voice messages are retrieved from memory, re-compressed at a higher compression ratio and re-stored to memory as necessary to maintain a balance between stored voice quality and available memory for storage of new voice messages. The messages may be compressed using ADPCM, CELP, LPC or bit robbing. By re-compressing previously-stored voice messages on an as needed basis, a balance can be maintained between the need to maximize available memory while at the same time maintain the highest voice quality possible for the newest messages. While memory utilization is low, messages can be maintained in memory using a high voice quality, low compression ratio. However, as memory utilization is shrunk due to the storage of more messages, previously stored or other selected voice messages are re-compressed at a higher compression ratio while the newer messages continue to be compressed at the lowest compression ratio.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the storage of speech in memory. More particularly, it relates to the managed compression of speech messages already stored in memory to provide a balance between the quality of the stored speech and sufficient memory availability for new messages as required.
2. Background of Related Art
Voice messaging has become an everyday requirement in today's society. Early voice messaging apparatus comprised magnetic cassette tapes which recorded a significant amount of voice messages, e.g., 60 minutes of voice messages. However, cassette tapes were disadvantageous because of the mechanics and time required to fastforward and rewind the cassette tapes to the storage points of individual messages. Moreover, cassette tape voice message systems were not best suited in a business environment where multiple persons may utilize a common telephone switching system or voice messaging system.
More recently, particularly as the size of memory has increased in density while at the same time decreased in price, digital voice messaging systems have become commonplace. Voice compression techniques such as linear predictive coding (LPC) or code-excited linear predictive (CELP) coding utilized by some conventional digital voice messaging systems maximized the length of voice messages which could be stored in the finite amount of memory provided in such apparatus. Compression techniques have been developed for use with digital voice messaging systems which in general reduce the number of bits necessary to represent voice message data. In general, the greater the compression, the greater the degradation in the quality of the speech stored in the memory.
Most recently, variable ratio voice compression techniques have been employed in voice messaging systems to maximize voice quality. Using variable ratio voice compression, the first message or so received by a voice messaging apparatus is typically stored in a memory at a lowest compression ratio, if compressed at all, and thus at the highest voice quality possible. "Compression ratio" as used herein refers to the ratio of the number of bits representing the voice message in linear form divided by the number of bits used to represent the same voice message in compressed or coded form. As new voice messages are stored, higher compression techniques are employed to compress new voice messages using higher compression ratios as the memory fills. This leads to a generally inverse relationship between the amount of memory utilized and the voice quality of the stored voice messages. The newest voice messages stored by these devices are stored using the highest compression ratios with respect to the oldest stored voice message. Moreover, the oldest stored voice messages utilize the most memory on a length-of-message basis with respect to the newest voice messages and are typically of the highest quality whether or not subsequent voice messages are stored. Thus, the stored voice quality of the newer voice messages suffers at the expense of the least compressed, not yet deleted, higher voice quality, older voice messages requiring more relative memory for storage
FIG. 9 shows a prior art voice messaging apparatus. A signal from a microphone or other analog signal source 806 is input to a codec 804 for conversion to .mu.-law or A-law pulse code modulated (PCM) data. The .mu.-law or A-law PCM data is output to a variable compression ratio encoder 803a. The codec 804 also receives PCM data from a variable compression ratio decoder 803b and converts the same into an analog signal output to speaker 808 for playback. A processor 802 controls the encoder 803a and decoder 803b including the compression ratio of the variable compression ratio encoder 803a and decoder 803b. Processor 802 also controls storage of the compressed (encoded) speech data from the variable compression ratio encoder 803a into memory 800, and controls the retrieval of compressed speech data from memory 800 and output of the same to the variable compression ratio decoder 803b.
FIG. 10 depicts the generally linear relationship between the compression ratio of the variable compression ratio encoder 803a and the amount of physical memory utilized in memory 800. As stored voice messages build up in memory 800 as represented by percentage on the vertical axis in FIG. 10, the compression ratio of the variable compression ratio encoder 803a is increased, causing the quality of the stored speech (voice) messages to decrease. FIG. 11 similarly depicts the variation in stored speech quality as the memory usage increases.
While the use of variable compression ratio speech encoders and decoders increases the amount and length of voice messages which can be stored in memory, the capacity of the memory is maximized by the conventional voice messaging system at the expense of the quality of the stored speech. Thus, as the volume of stored messages increases, the quality of the most recently stored speech messages decreases.


An apparatus, and a corresponding method, for stress-testing wire bond-type semiconductor chips is disclosed. The apparatus includes a clamp housing, with a spring-loaded screw extending through the top end of the housing. Contained within the clamp housing is a substantially rigid, electrically insulating base plate positioned at a lower end of the clamp housing. The upper surface of the base plate includes a depression which contains an insert fabricated either from an elastomeric material or a semiconductor material, such as silicon. A flexible, electrically insulating layer made from, for example, polyimide, overlies the base plate and insert. Significantly, the upper surface of the flexible, electrically insulating layer includes a plurality of dendritic contacts. It is through these dendritic contacts that electrical contact is made to the contact pads of a wire bond-type semiconductor chip.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to an apparatus, and a corresponding method, for stress testing wire bond-type semiconductor chips, i.e., semiconductor chips having contact pads to which wire bonds are to be attached.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is now a great need to detect faulty semiconductor integrated circuit devices (hereinafter referred to as semiconductor chips) before such semiconductor chips are mounted onto electronic packages, such as multi-chip modules (MCMs). This need arises from the fact that if a faulty chip is detected only after it is mounted onto, for example, an MCM, it may be necessary to scrap the entire MCM, even though the other semiconductor chips on the MCM are not defective.
Stress testing of semiconductor chips, i.e., electrically testing semiconductor chips while subjecting the chips to elevated temperatures, is now recognized as an effective method for detecting faulty chips before such chips are mounted onto, for example, MCMs. As a result, the development of apparatuses for carrying out such stress testing, particularly apparatuses which can be used to sequentially test a large number of individual semiconductor chips, has become important. Because wire bond-type semiconductor chips, i.e., semiconductor chips having electrical contact pads to which wire bonds are to be attached, are the most common type of semiconductor chips, the development of apparatuses for carrying out stress testing of wire bond-type semiconductor chips has become particularly important.
One apparatus which has been developed to achieve stress testing of wire bond-type semiconductor chips includes a clamp housing containing a spring at its upper end. A substantially rigid and inflexible base is positioned at the lower end of the clamp housing. This base includes a depression in its upper surface, which contains an elastomeric insert. A flexible, polyimide layer overlies the base and insert. The upper surface of the flexible, polyimide layer includes a plurality of gold bumps.
In the operation of the above-described apparatus, a wire bond-type semiconductor chip is placed on the upper surface of the flexible, polyimide layer, directly over the elastomeric insert and directly beneath the spring. By pressing the clamp housing toward the base, a force is applied to the back of the semiconductor chip through the spring. As a result of this force, the contact pads on the semiconductor chip are brought into electrical contact with the gold bumps on the flexible, polyimide layer. While in this configuration, test voltages and/or test currents are applied to the gold bumps, and thereby applied to the contact pads, and the apparatus and semiconductor chip are heated to an elevated temperature.
Significantly, the total force which must be applied to the back of the semiconductor chip to achieve good electrical contact between the chip contact pads and the gold bumps corresponds to a force of 0.5 newtons or more being applied to each contact pad. This constitutes a relatively large force per chip contact pad and is thought to be due, in part, to the fact that each gold bump electrically contacts a corresponding chip contact pad at only a single point. Unfortunately, so large a force per chip contact pad often results in unacceptable, physical damage to the semiconductor chip.
Thus, those engaged in the development of apparatuses, and corresponding methods, for stress testing wire bond-type semiconductor chips have sought, thus far without success, apparatuses and methods which do not damage chips and which can be used to sequentially test a large number of chips.

Apparatus, and corresponding method, for stress testing wire bond-type semi-conductor chips

International Business Machines Corporation


The invention relates to a polypeptide of a protective antigenic determinant (PAD polypeptide) of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) and nucleic acids encoding a PAD polypeptide. The PAD polypeptide and nucleic acids encoding a PAD polypeptide are useful in the development of antibodies directed to PAD, vaccines effective in providing protection against PRRSV infection, and diagnostic assays detecting the presence of PAD antibodies generated by a PAD-specific vaccine. The invention also discloses methods of generating antibodies to PAD, for vaccinating a pig to provide protection from PRRSV infections, a method of preparing the vaccine, a method of treating PRRSV infections in a pig, and a method of detecting antibodies to PAD of PRRSV.

In 1987, the swine-producing industry in the United States experienced an unknown infectious disease which had a serious economic impact on the swine industry. The disease syndrome was reported in Europe including Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain and England.
The disease is characterized by reproductive failure, respiratory disease and various clinical signs including loss of appetite, fever, dyspnea, and mild neurologic signs. A major component of the syndrome is reproductive failure which manifests itself as premature births, late term abortions, pigs born weak, stillbirths, mummified fetuses, decreased farrowing rates, and delayed return of estrus. Clinical signs of respiratory disease are most pronounced in pigs under 3-weeks-of-age but are reported to occur in pigs at all stages of production. Affected piglets grow slowly, have roughened hair coats, respiratory distress ("thumping"), and increased mortality.
The disease syndrome has been referred to by many different terms including mystery swine disease (MSD), porcine epidemic abortion and respiratory syndrome (PEARS), swine infertility and respiratory syndrome (SIRS). The name now commonly used is porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS); this term will be employed throughout this patent application.
PRRSV preferentially grows in alveolar lung macrophages (Wensvoort et al., 1991). A few cell lines, such as CL2621 and other cell lines cloned from the monkey kidney cell line MA-104 are also susceptible to the virus. Some well known PRRSV strains are known under accession numbers CNCM I-1102, I-1140, I-1387, I-1388, ECACC V93070108, or ATCC VR 2332, VR 2385, VR 2386, VR 2429, VR 2474, and VR 2402. The genome of PRRSV is 15 kb in length and contains genes encoding the RNA dependent RNA polymerase (ORF1a and ORF1b) and genes encoding structural proteins (ORFs 2 to 7; Meulenberg et al., 1993 and Meulenberg et al., 1996). ORF5 encodes the major envelope glycoprotein, designated GP5. The ORFs 2, 3, and 4 encode glycoproteins designated GP2, GP3, and GP4, respectively. These glycoproteins are less abundantly present in purified virions of the Lelystad virus isolate of PRRSV. The GP5 protein is approximately 200 amino acids in length and is 25 kDa in molecular weight and forms a di-sulfide-linked heterodimer with the matrix protein M encoded by ORF6 in the ER. The M protein is approximately 190 amino acids in length, is 19 kDa and is non-glycosylated. The nucleocapsid protein N is encoded by ORF7. The analysis of the genome sequence of PRRSV isolates from Europe and North America, and their reactivity with monoclonal antibodies has proven that they represent two different antigenic types. The isolates from these continents are genetically distinct and must have diverged from a common ancestor relatively long ago (Murtaugh et al., 1995).
The genomic organization of arteriviruses resembles coronaviruses and toroviruses in that their replication involves the formation of a 3′-coterminal nested set of subgenomic mRNAs (sg mRNAs) (Chen et al., 1993, J. Gen. Virol. 74:643-660; Den Boon et al., 1990, J. Virol., 65:2910-2920; De Vries et al., 1990, Nucleic Acids Res., 18:3241-3247; Kuo et al., 1991, J. Virol., 65:5118-5123; Kuo et al., 1992; U.S. application Ser. Nos. 08/131,625 and 08/301,435). Partial sequences of several North American isolates have also been determined (U.S. application Ser. Nos. 08/131,625 and 08/301,435; Mardassi et al., 1994, J. Gen. Virol., 75:681-685). Currently available vaccines either do not induce viral neutralizing VN antibodies or induce them at inadequate levels needed for protection against PRRSV infection. There are currently no commercially available products containing antibodies for the prevention of PRRSV infection or treatment of PRRS. Currently available commercial vaccines do not provide adequate protection against PRRS. Conservative estimates indicate that PRRS is costing the US industry $600 million per year.
For these and other reasons, there is a need for the present invention.

Identification of protective antigenic determinants of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus and uses thereof

Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc.


A cholecystoscopic laser-sclerosis surgical procedure for the elimination of a human gallbladder in a single session using a local anesthesia, which utilizes a specially-designed cholecystoscopic cannula to couple the gallbladder fundus to the cannula by forcing a ring of gallbladder tissue into a groove in the cannula, by performing an operative endoscopy inside the gallbladder, closing the cystic duct meatus using a forceps, sealing the cystic duct using electrocoagulation, removing the gallstones, ablating the mucous membrane of the gallbladder by using a CO2 laser, injecting a biological cement into the gallbladder, applying a vacuum in order to collapse the gallbladder, eliminating the gallbladder tissue within the cannula by using a CO2 laser or electrocoagulation, and finally, releasing the coupling of the cannula to the gallbladder fundus and removing the cholecystoscopic cannula. The gallbladder disappears by means of atrophy.

The present invention relates to a cannula and a procedure for gallbladder elimination.
The accepted medical practice in resolving gallbladder lithiasis is the complete elimination of the gallbladder and its stones. There are two methods in present usage which achieve that goal:
1) the cholecystectomy (removal of the gallbladder) and PA1 2) the percutaneous radioscopic gallbladder chemical-sclerosis (the gallbladder disappears by means of atrophy).
Cholecystectomy, which is a major, accepted and successful surgical procedure (FIG. 1A), is performed by means of an abdominal incision (a laparotomy) or by means of an abdominal endoscopy (laparoscopy). In both cases, general anesthesia is required. The conventional cholecystectomy, which is used most often, requires general anesthesia because of the need to make an incision in the abdominal wall 2 to remove the gallbladder 3 and close the cystic duct 8 (the exit duct from the gallbladder 3 which communicates between the gallbladder 3 and the main duct 9 which leads to the liver 10). The endoscopic (or laparoscopic) cholecystectomy requires general anesthesia also, as the procedure involves a hypertensive pneumoperitoneum, where the abdomen is insufflated to create a space within which the surgeon can work.
Percutaneous radioscopic gallbladder chemical-sclerosis (FIG. 1B) requires only a minor local anesthesia. The procedure commences with a puncture in the abdominal wall 2 by insertion of a needle (not shown) and then a catheter 24 into the gallbladder 3 while under radioscopic control. Dilatation of the passage created by the catheter 24 is performed in a progressive manner over several days. Retrieval of the gallbladder stones 11 is performed by means of instruments placed through the dilated passage under radioscopic control. Occlusion of the cystic duct 8 (the exit duct from the gallbladder 3 which communicates between the gallbladder and the main duct 9 which leads to the liver 10) is performed by means of electrocoagulation using a monopolar wire or bipolar wires guided under radioscopic control. The scar created by the electrocoagulation procedure requires several days to occlude the cystic duct 8. Ablation of the gallbladder mucous membrane (the inner layer of the gallbladder 3) is then performed by means of chemical liquids injected through a catheter 24 into the gallbladder lumen, in repeated sessions over weeks or months. The percutaneous radioscopic gallbladder chemical-sclerosis procedure removes the bile and stones 11, closes the cystic duct 8, and ablates the gallbladder mucous membrane, inducing a definitive sclero-atrophy until the gallbladder 3 disappears. Although this procedure is mini-invasive and requires only local anesthesia, it is used infrequently in high (surgical) risk patients (in whom it is necessary to avoid general anesthesia) as it has the drawback of requiring multiple sessions over weeks or months to be completed.

Cholecystoscopic cannula and cholecystoscopic gallbladder laser-sclerosis procedure


A conveyor belt tracking system in which rollers which support the belt are mounted to a support frame which is pivotally movable about an axis which is centrally positioned relative to the belt and which is inclined to the direction of belt movement.

Misalignment or mistracking of a conveyor belt can have various adverse consequences including belt downtime, and damage to mechanical components and to the belt.
There are many factors which can cause conveyor belt misalignment. For example, misalignment can be produced by a tail roller or idler frames which are not perpendicular to the direction of belt movement. A change of length in the belt due to a bad splice, incorrect loading and so on can also cause mistracking. Other causes of belt misalignment include scrapers or skirtings which are incorrectly adjusted, material build-up on idlers, damaged lagging on rollers, and so on.
The applicant is aware of a number of techniques which have been proposed to correct belt misalignment, substantially in an automatic manner.
One proposal makes use of a central pin which is inclined at 45° to the vertical. The pin supports a belt carriage to which horizontally-orientated rollers are mounted. If the belt drifts to one side then a roller, on that side, tilts downwardly and, due to the inclination of the pin, also moves in a horizontal sense. The conveyor belt then automatically tends to move to a higher roller and a self-correcting action takes place.
In a different approach, a roller with tapered ends, of reducing size, is mounted to a central pin for limited rotational movement in a horizontal plane. Movement of the belt to one side causes the belt to contact the tapered surface on that side of the roller. This action accelerates the tapered surface which is then moved in the same direction as the direction of belt movement. The belt then tends to revert to a central position with a correcting action.
Another solution is proposed in a so-called bidirectional belt trainer which makes use of a ball joint to which a roller carriage is mounted for pivotal movement in a horizontal plane. Tracking of a belt to one side causes a corresponding movement of the roller carriage and corrective action which is generated through the medium of an intermediate control device helps to restore the belt to a desired position.
Another solution requires a carriage to be mounted to a centrally positioned pivot point. Rollers supported by the carriage are movable in unison with the carriage to correct belt misalignment.
Each of the aforementioned techniques, in the applicant's opinion, functions at least to some extent in a satisfactory manner. However, some of the systems are difficult to install or expensive to fabricate. There is also a need for a system which can be adjusted on site to suit particular installation conditions.


Compositions and methods are provided for producing functional mammalian inward rectifier, G-protein activated potassium channels (Kir3.0 channels). A channel is a multimeric protein comprising one or more Kir3.0 polypeptides, e.g. Kir3.1, Kir3.2, etc., where the polypeptides may be from the same or different species. The functional channel has the distinctive features of an anomalous rectifier, in that it conducts inward but not outward K+ current; it is blocked by low concentrations of extracellular Cs+ or Ba2+; and the conductance of the channel does not depend solely on voltage, but on (E-EK). The ability of the channel to conduct inward K+ current is modulated by G-proteins, particularly G-proteins of the Gi/Go family. A number of mammalian cell surface receptors activate G-proteins as a consequence of specific ligand binding. The signal transduction from receptor to Kir3.0 channel is therefore coupled through G-protein intermediates.

The regulation of heart rate in response to stress, activity, and other stimuli is essential for mammalian survival. While each independent heart muscle has an inherent faculty for independent excitation, the heartbeat is initiated in a specialized group of muscle cells in the sinoatrial node of the heart, which form the pacemaker. The heart is also innervated by nerves that regulate the beat. When these nerves are active, they liberate chemicals such as noradrenaline or acetylcholine from their terminals, and these neurotransmitters affect the cardiac muscles directly. The pacemaker is inhibited by acetylcholine and excited by noradrenaline.
The release of acetylcholine (ACh) opens a K+ channel in the atrium, slowing the rate of depolarization that leads to initiation of the action potential.
This effect is mediated through a G-protein signal transduction pathway, involving a pertussis toxin-sensitive, heterotrimeric G-protein, Gk, probably belonging to the Gi/Go family. Activation of the K+ channel by Gk does not require cytoplasmic intermediates, suggesting direct coupling of one or more G-protein subunits to the channel. However, a long-standing controversy exists as to which subunit couples to the channel. Both purified βγ subunit complex and α subunits of the Gi/Go family activate the channel in cell free, inside-out patches of atrial myocytes. Activation by the α subunits occurs at lower concentrations than that by βγ, but seems to be less efficient. The relative physiological importance of each pathway, as well as of possible involvement of the arachidonic acid pathway, is unclear.
A similar K+ channel is activated in the atrium by adenosine, ATP and epinephrine, probably also via a G-protein pathway. Furthermore, in nerve cells various 7-helix receptors, such as serotonin 5HT1A, ∂-opioid, GABAB and somatostatin couple to similar K+ channels, probably through direct activation by G-proteins. The similarity of the channels and signaling pathways in atrium and nerve cells is also shown by the coupling of a neuronal 5HT1A receptor (5HT1A-R) to the atrial channel, through transient expression in myocytes.
By electrophysiological and pharmacological criteria, these K+ channels belongs to a family of inward rectifiers that conduct K+ much better in the inward than the outward direction, are blocked by extracellular Cs+ and Ba2+, and are believed to possess a single-file pore with several permeant and blocking ion binding sites. Recently, the primary structures of two mammalian inward rectifier channels have been elucidated by cDNA cloning: an ATP-regulated K+ channel from kidney, and an inward rectifier from a macrophage cell line. Both appear to belong to a new superfamily of K+ channels, with only two transmembrane domains per subunit and a pore region homologous to that of K+, Ca2+ and Na+ voltage-dependent channels.
G-protein regulated K+ channels are important for the regulation of heart and nerve function. Determination of their molecular structure and regulation is therefore of great interest. Cloning of the channel protein genes and expression in a heterologous system would allow a molecular approach to investigation and manipulation of these regulatory pathways.
Relevant Literature
The activation of atrial K+ channels by G-proteins is reviewed in Kurachi et al. (1992) Prog. Neurobiol. 39:229–246; and Brown and Birnbaumer (1990) A. Rev. Physiol. 52:197–213. Logothetis et al. (1987) Nature 325:321–326 and Kurachi et al. (1989) Pflugers Arch. 413:325–327 provide evidence for activation by the βγ subunits. Codina et al. (1987) Science 236:442–445 show activation by the α-subunit. Karschin et al. (1991) P.N.A.S. 88:5694–5698 demonstrates the coupling of a neuronal receptor to the atrial K+ chanel.
Physiological characterization of the atrial K+ channels is reviewed by Hille, B. (1992) Ionic Channels of Excitable Membranes, 2nd edition (Sinauer, Sunderland, Mass.). The role of Mg2+ in blocking K+ efflux is discussed in Horie and Irisawa (1987) Am. J. Physiol. 253:H210–H214.
The sequence characterization of a mammalian inward rectifier K+ channel is disclosed in Ho et al. (1993) Nature 362:31–38; and Kubo et al. (1993) Nature 362:127–132. A brief review of these inward rectifying K+ channels may be found in Aldrich (1993) Nature 362:107–108.

Method of inhibiting inward rectifier, G-protein activated, mammalian, potassium channels and uses thereof

Abstract: The functional Kir3.0 channels are useful in drug screening assays directed to modulation of cellular electrophysiology. Nucleic acids encoding Kir3.0 polypeptides are useful for expression of the gene product, and for identification of homologous genes from other species, as well as other members of the same family of proteins. Expression of the nucleic acids in a heterologous cell, e.g. Xenopus oocyte, confers the ability to cause a change in potassium flow in response to G-protein activation.


The present invention is a therapeutic or prophylactic agent for viral diseases whose active ingredient is antileukoprotease (ALP). Formulations containing ALP as an active ingredient have particularly effective application against viral diseases, particularly viral diseases caused by viruses which are activated by tryptase Clara, i.e. viruses with envelope glycoproteins, which replicate by infection of the respiratory-tract, such as influenza virus, parainfluenza virus, RS virus, measles virus and mumps virus.

ALP is present in external secretions such as bronchial mucous, saliva, seminal fluid, cervical mucous and nasal discharge, and it is a serine protease inhibitor with a molecular mass of 12 kDa consisting of 107 amino acid residues, which is considered to be the same substance as secretory leukoprotease inhibitor (SLPI), bronchial mucous inhibitor, mucous protease inhibitor and human seminal inhibitor. The amino acid sequence of ALP has been determined (WIPO Publication No. WO86/03497), and the protein's gene has been isolated and sequenced (WIPO Publication No. WO86/03519).
From homology comparisons, ALP is known to comprise two inhibitor domains. One is an N-terminal domain which is postulated to inhibit various trypsin-like enzymes, and the other is a C-terminal domain which from X-ray crystal structure analysis research is believed to bind to chymotrypsin and has an elastase-inhibiting activity. M. G. Gruetter, The EMBO. Journal, Vol.7, No.2, pp.345-351 (1988)!.
Since ALP inhibits chymotrypsin-like enzymes such as leukocyte elastase and cathepsin G and also inhibits trypsin-like enzymes such as trypsin, plasmin, kallikrein and thrombin, etc., it is known to be connected with emphysema, arthritis, glomerular nephritis, periodontitis, muscular atrophy, tumor invasion (WIPO Publication No. WO86/03497), chronic bronchitis, and chronic cervical inflammation (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 62-259591). However, the role of ALP in viral diseases is still unknown.
Viral infections occur through the steps of 1) attachment of a virus to membrane receptors on the target cells, 2) membrane fusion between the virus envelope and the target cell membrane, and 3) transfusion of the viral genome into the target cells. In the step 2) of membrane fusion, viral envelope glycoprotein precursors have to be converted to the mature form of virus envelope glycoproteins with membrane fusion activity. After this conversion by proteolysis, the virus acquires the activity of membrane fusion between the virus envelopes and cell membranes in the respiratory-tract. Hemagglutinin (HA) of influenza virus and F.sub.0 of Sendai virus (Paramyxovirus parainfluenza virus Type I) are the envelope glycoprotein precursors, and their proteolytic cleavage is essential for expression of viral infectivity and for the viral replication.
The present inventors have succeeded in isolating a novel arginine-specific serine protease from rat lungs, which has been named "tryptase Clara" (The Journal of Biological Chemistry, Vol.267, pp.13573-13579, 1992).
Tryptase Clara cleaves the F.sub.0 of Sendai virus into two subunits F.sub.1 and F.sub.2, and activates infectivity of the virus in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, antibodies against tryptase Clara are known to inhibit the proteolytic activation of Sendai virus in rat lungs, resulting in the suppression of the viral replication and pathological changes in rat lungs (Journal of Virology, Vol.66, pp.7211-7216, 1992).
Furthermore, tryptase Clara also cleaves the HA of influenza A/Aichi/2/68(H3N2) virus into HA.sub.1 and HA.sub.2 (The Journal of Biological Chemistry, Vol.267, pp.13573-13579, 1992).
Taken together, tryptase Clara is believed to be a principal host factor which determines the pathogenicity of such contagious viruses in the respiratory-tract.
The present inventors have previously discovered that pulmonary surfactant inhibits the cleavage by tryptase Clara of virus envelope glycoprotein precursors, and thus blocks the viral infection of bronchial mucous epithelial cells and viral replication (WIPO Publication No. WO94/00181, FEBS Letters, 322, 115-119 (1993)).

Remedy for respiratory-tract viral disease


A telecommunications service provider network gateway computer system. The gateway computer comprises a processor, a non-transitory memory, and a probe application stored in the non-transitory memory. When executed by the processor, the probe application monitors data packets received from a radio access network (RAN), identifies data packets addressed to a server computer hosting a mobile application downloading site, for the data packets addressed to the downloading site, collect information associated with telecommunications service subscribers downloading applications from the downloading site based on a telecommunications service subscriber identity associated with each of the data packets provided to the gateway server computer by the RAN, generates a report based on the information collected that anonymizes the subscribers' identities, and transmits the report to an operator of the downloading site. The gateway computer system transmits the data packets received from the RAN on to destination hosts identified in the data packets.

Mobile communication devices and the applications installed on these mobile communication devices are very widely used in the United States. These mobile communication applications provide voice communication and data communication services. Many mobile communication devices support downloading and installing mobile applications, such as gaming applications, special interest applications, streaming media applications, and other applications.

Attribution of network events pursuant to configuring mobile communication devices


The invention provides an optical method and apparatus for non-invasively determining blood hematocrit. The method includes the step of first irradiating blood with optical radiation. Radiation reflected or transmitted from the blood is then collected to determine an optical spectrum. Hematocrit is then determined by comparing this spectrum to a mathematical model relating optical properties to blood Hematocrit.

This invention relates to measurement of blood hematocrit (Hct).
Hematocrit is the volume percent of red blood cells in a blood sample and is one of the most commonly performed blood tests. The standard method for measuring hematocrit involves collecting a blood sample in a capillary tube and centrifuging the tube to separate out the red blood cells from the plasma. By measuring the height of a resulting layer of red blood cells in the capillary and referencing it to the total blood volume, the volume percent of red blood cells can be quantified. Hematocrit measurements on blood samples are now often made with more automated techniques such as conductivity measurements.
Hematocrit can also be measured non-invasively. Two approaches have been reported for such non-invasive monitoring of hematocrit, an optical approach and an impedance method. Impedance methods are found to be inaccurate when protein and electrolyte levels are abnormal, such as when blood is replaced with crystalloid solutions, as would happen during resuscitation of trauma victims. All of the reported optical techniques are variations on oximetric methods where hematocrit is measured using only the concentrations of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin. The concentrations of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin are directly measured by absorption or reflection using 2 to 4 wavelengths of light in the near-infrared region of the hemoglobin spectrum.

Non-invasive optical measurement of blood hematocrit


An object of the present invention is to provide a communication proxy apparatus that achieves a high-speed access to latest information by making full use of a cache data in response to an access request for the information data without changing a server device or a client device, and that realizes high-speed access control using a simple instruction.

The present invention relates to a communication proxy apparatus, which relays communication between a server device and a client device as an agent in a network system including WWW (World Wide Web) used for accessing information data on the server device from the client device connected through a communication line, and also relates to a system that uses said communication proxy apparatus.
A conventional communication proxy technology is described in RFC2068 "Hypertext Transfer Protocol—HTTP/1.1" (pages from 11 to 13) issued on January 1997. According to this prior art, a communication proxy apparatus for relaying communication as an agent is provided between a WWW server device and a client device to speed up an access to World Wide Web data, which is information data on the server device, from the client device.
In the prior art, speed-up of an access from the client device is achieved by the following: the communication proxy apparatus for relaying communication between both devices as an agent is provided between the server device and the client device; and the communication proxy apparatus maintains and manages relayed information data as a cache. More specifically, the congestion of accesses from the plurality of client devices to the server device are prevented, and speed-up of an access from each client device is achieved, by the following steps: holding information data, which has been relayed by the communication proxy apparatus as an agent, as a cache; and for an access request from the client device for an access to information data, of which a latest version has already been held as a cache, not relaying the access request as an agent, but returning the cache.
In addition, a technology for efficiently accessing information data on a server device, which is periodically updated, from a client device is described in "An introduction to XML" issued by Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Inc. in 1998 (pages from 36 to 47).
In this prior art, cache expiration time information is added to information data, which is distributed from the server device, as attribute information of the information data, before transmitting the information data to client devices. Client devices can acquire the latest information data by reacquiring the latest information data repeatedly according to the cache expiration time information.

Abstract: The communication proxy apparatus additionally comprises:                an individual action control means for conditionally instructing execution of an action by explicitly instructing identification information of specific information data, or by adding the information data and an individual action tag to reply data received from another device; and        a distributed access control means for performing the following: keeping an access log for the specific information data using said means; referring to the log; executing the instructed process for the communication proxy, which has accessed the information data; aggregating execution results; and returning the aggregated result.


Electronic equipment according to the present invention includes a display element. The electronic equipment includes a holding frame 23 holding a display unit 22 and including an elastic piece that can be elastically deformed in a substantially planar direction of the display surface of the display unit 22, a rear unit 21 holding a holding frame 23 and including an opening that allows the display unit 22 to be visible from outside, and a front unit 24 fixed to the rear unit 21 and covering the rear surface side of the display unit 22. The holding frame 23 is held with the rear unit 21 by elastically deforming the elastic piece. With this configuration, it is possible to attach and detach a display element such as a liquid crystal panel to and from the case easily, thus simplifying the assembling process.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electronic equipment on which a display element such as a liquid crystal panel is mounted.
2. Description of Related Art
The display apparatus disclosed in JP2005-250145A is formed by fixing a liquid crystal panel 10 into a case 14 with a double faced tape 13, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of this patent document. When foreign matter such as dust enters between the liquid crystal panel 10 and the case 14 in the assembling process of such a display apparatus, it is necessary to strip off the double faced tape 13 to detach the liquid crystal panel 10 from the case 14, and remove the foreign matter.
However, with the configuration disclosed in JP2005-250145A, the operation of attaching and detaching the liquid crystal panel to and from the case is very complicated. That is, the liquid crystal panel is fixed inside the case with the double faced tape, so that the operation of detaching the liquid crystal panel from the case while stripping off the double faced tape was very complicated. Furthermore, when re-fixing the liquid crystal panel to the case after removing the foreign matter, it was necessary to position the liquid crystal panel and the double faced tape with respect to the case with high precision, which was very complicated.


The present invention relates to a conveyor adapted to operate by utilization of magnetic wheels and more particularly to a conveyor wherein the power from a drive source in transmitted to a large number of rollers through magnetic wheels capable of affecting the power transfer in a non-contact manner under the action of magnetic force, whereby the rollers constituting a conveyance surface are driven to perform a simultaneous multi-shaft rotation. According to this construction, the generation of noise is suppressed and mechanical wear, rising of dust and damage are prevented. Further, it is possible to prevent the interference of magnetic forces induced inevitably between adjacent magnetic wheels and hence possible to avoid malfunction of the magnetic wheels.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a conveyor and more particularly to a conveyor wherein a large number of rollers are arranged on a conveyance path and the driving force from a drive motor is transmitted to each roller by means of a drive mechanism to cause a simultaneous multi-shaft rotation of the rotors, thereby conveying articles carried on the conveyance path. Such a type of conveyors are disclosed, for example, in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open NOS. 116006/87 and 33820/94.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, in such a conveyor as a roller conveyor or the like wherein a large number of rollers are arranged side by side along the upper surface of a conveyance path, a belt mechanism using a round belt or a V belt has been used widely as drive means for rotating the rollers. In this type of a conveyor, an endless belt is stretched between a driving shaft supported along the lower portion of the conveyor and the rollers arranged on the conveyance surface, thereby causing the rollers to rotate simultaneously with rotation of the driving shaft.
In the conveyor wherein the rollers are driven by the use of such belt mechanism as mentioned above, the rotative driving force is transmitted to the rollers by contact of the belt with pulleys of the rollers and driving shaft so that there occur problems such as wear of the belt, rising of dust and generation of contact noise; in addition, frictional resistance is inevitably induced by such contact of the belt with the pulleys.
Further, In the case where a lot of rollers are rotated at a time as mentioned above, some troubled rollers on one shaft may affect the rotation of the other rollers, and sometimes there occurs such an inconvenience as cutting of the belt and stranding.


In at least one embodiment, an apparatus for detecting a phase sequence in a vehicle is provided. The apparatus includes a control module for being operatively coupled to a power grid for receiving an incoming power signal therefrom, the incoming power signal providing a first voltage and a second voltage in a vehicle. The control module is configured to determine a phase difference between the first voltage and the second voltage and to determine a signal frequency of the incoming signal to determine a country type for the power grid. The control module is further configured to control a number of switching devices to generate an output voltage signal based on the phase difference and the signal frequency to charge at least one battery on the vehicle.

It is generally known to detect a phase sequence for an electrical circuit. One example of such an implementation is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 7,633,185 ("the '185 patent") to Rowell.
The '185 patent discloses an apparatus that monitors and controls the application of three phases of alternating voltage to a load by detecting the sequence of the three phases. A switch module is operated, in response to the detected sequence, to ensure that the three phases are properly applied to the load, even if the utility lines are improperly connected. The monitoring also senses loss of a phase in which case the switch module disconnects the application of electricity to the load. The apparatus is capable of being used with different loads that operate at different peak to peak levels of alternating voltage.

Apparatus and method for detecting a phase sequence in a vehicle


A screen assembly for a vibratory screening machine including a plate having openings therein, a plurality of screens firmly bonded to the plate, channels on the edges of the plate, and a plurality of hollow plastic channeling strips fused into the plurality of screens. A method of fabricating a screen assembly for a vibratory screening machine including the steps of firmly bonding a plurality of screens to a plate having openings therein, laying a plurality of plastic tubes into grooves of a fixture, superimposing the plurality of screens bonded to the plate over the plastic tubes, and applying a heated platen to the plate and the screens bonded thereto to thereby cause the plastic tubes to fuse into the screens.

The present invention relates to an improved screen assembly having channeling strips thereon for channeling the flow of material during a vibratory screening operation and to a method of fabrication thereof.
By way of background, screening assemblies for use in vibratory screening machines are well known in the art. One type in common use is fully disclosed and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,575,421. It is also known that screen assemblies having longitudinal strips of various types thereon have been used in the past to channel flow of materials in columns and to thus prevent the materials from migrating away from the center of the screen during vibration. It is with an improved screen of the foregoing type that the present invention is concerned.

Screen assembly for vibratory screening machine and method of fabrication thereof


An improved optical fiber connector utilizes a cylindrical tube press-fit in a longitudinal opening of the connector housing for retaining a cable in the connector housing. The cylindrical tube has engagement projections formed on its outer circumference and guiding surfaces and detent projections formed on its inner circumference. The detent projections are adapted to cut into the outer sheath of the optical fiber when the optical fiber and the tube are inserted into the longitudinal opening of the connector housing for holding the optical fiber within the housing. The longitudinal opening traverses lateral opening extending between the top and bottom surfaces of the connector housing at such location that the projections of the cylindrical tube engage the lateral holes when the cylindrical tube is inserted into the longitudinal opening, locking the tube in the connector housing.

A conventional optical fiber connector requires a retainer to engage an optical fiber after it is inserted into a longitudinal opening of the connector housing, thereby terminating and holding the end of the optical fiber in the connector housing.
The cable terminating work requires application of the retainer to the optical fiber after the cable is inserted into the longitudinal opening of the connector housing. Therefore, the cable terminating work inconveniently requires more than one step.


A linkage guides a flexible cable between two structures. The linkage includes a proximal arm with a proximal pivot joint for coupling the proximal arm to a first one of the two structures; and a distal arm which is coupled to the proximal arm by one or more intermediate pivot joints. The distal arm is shaped to follow a three-dimensional curve along a majority of its length. Shaping the distal arm to form a three-dimensional curve along a majority of its length enables the distal arm to pass through a relatively small aperture as the linkage is adjusted between its retracted and extended positions. It also enables the proximal arm to move in a locus of movement which does not interfere with other system components. The linkage can be used to guide a flexible cable between any two structures, for instance a fixed aircraft wing and a slat.

US 2006/0038088 discloses an aircraft wing comprising a fixed wing and a slat movable relative to the fixed wing between a retracted position and an extended position. An electrical cable extends between the fixed wing and an electrical system on the slat, and a linkage guides the electrical cable between the two structures. The linkage is adjustable between a retracted position when the slat is in its retracted position and an extended position when the slat is in its extended position. The linkage comprises three links which are connected together by two pivot joints. The linkage is coupled to the fixed wing by a rotary joint and to the slat by a gimbal joint. The links have generally straight profiles, although curved or angled links can be used if necessary and/or appropriate.
As the linkage extends, it rotates down about the rotary joint. As a result a large aperture must be provided in the leading edge skin of the fixed wing to accommodate the movement of the linkage. Such a large aperture results in a number of problems. Firstly, the aperture will admit air into the interior of the leading edge and thus create undesirable aerodynamic effects. Secondly, the aperture will admit foreign objects into the interior of the leading edge which may damage structure such as the spar, hydraulic cables or electrical cables. Thirdly the aperture will weaken the leading edge skin of the fixed wing. This is a particular problem if the skin is formed from composite material.
A further problem with the downward rotation of the linkage about the rotary joint is that the linkage will tend to interfere with hydraulic or electrical cables (or other system components) running in a spanwise sense along the wing.


The present invention provides a capacitor device including a plurality of capacitor elements adjacent to each other along an axial direction are electrically connected to each other by fitting between a first terminal of one capacitor element and a second terminal of the other capacitor element, a intermediate plate allows the terminals fitted to each other between the capacitor elements adjacent to each other along the axial direction to penetrate through and positions these capacitor elements, an upper plate is electrically connected to the terminals of capacitor elements arranged on one end portion in the axial direction, a lower plate is electrically connected to the terminals of capacitor elements arranged on the other end portion in the axial direction, and all the capacitor elements are held in place by being sandwiched between the upper plate and the lower plate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a capacitor device constructed by electrically connecting a plurality of capacitor elements.
2. Description of Related Art
Techniques for constructing capacitor devices with desired voltages by connecting a number of capacitor elements in series are conventionally known.
For example, Japanese Examined Utility Model Application, Second Publication No. H07-33370 discloses a technique in which terminals whose poles are different from each other are provided on surfaces adjacent to each other of rectangular parallelepiped storage batteries and connected to each other to unite the batteries into one capacitor device.
However, in the conventional capacitor device, the storage batteries are electrically and mechanically connected to each other only by the connection between the terminals, so that the relative positional relationship among the storage batteries is easily altered, and therefore, the capacitor device easily becomes distorted. In order to prevent such distortion of the capacitor device, it is also considered preferable that the entire capacitor device be housed in a casing, however, in this case, the capacitor device increases in size and weight.


A split-cycle engine includes separate compression and expansion cylinders connected by a crossover passage. Crossover compression and expansion valves define a pressure chamber between them in the crossover passage for storing pressurized gas prior to timed delivery into the expansion cylinder. A fuel-air mixture is delivered into the expansion cylinder for ignition and expansion, developing power. One or more ignition sources, such as spark plugs, are positioned to encourage rapid combustion after ignition in the expansion cylinder but far enough from the crossover expansion valve(s) to prevent burning gases from reaching the crossover expansion valves before they are substantially closed to avoid entry of burning gas therein. A “safe distance” (“S”) between the ignition source and an opening of the crossover expansion valve is expressed by the function: S (mm)=combustion speed (mm/crank angle degree)×crank angle degrees from ignition to crossover expansion valve closing.

For purposes of clarity, the following definition is offered for the term "split-cycle engine" as may be applied to engines disclosed in the prior art and as referred to in the present application.
A split-cycle engine as referred to herein comprises:
a crankshaft rotatable about a crankshaft axis;
a compression piston slidably received within a compression cylinder and operatively connected to the crankshaft such that the compression piston reciprocates through an intake stroke and a compression stroke during a single rotation of the crankshaft;
an expansion (power) piston slidably received within an expansion cylinder and operatively connected to the crankshaft such that the expansion piston reciprocates through an expansion stroke and an exhaust stroke during a single rotation of the crankshaft; and
a crossover passage interconnecting the compression and expansion cylinders, the crossover passage including a crossover compression (XovrC) valve and a crossover expansion (XovrE) valve defining a pressure chamber therebetween.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,543,225 granted Apr. 8, 2003 to Carmelo J. Scuderi contains an extensive discussion of split-cycle and similar type engines. In addition, the patent discloses details of a prior version of an engine of which the present invention comprises a further development.
Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary embodiment of the prior art split-cycle engine concept is shown generally by numeral 10. The split-cycle engine 10 replaces two adjacent cylinders of a conventional four-stroke engine with a combination of one compression cylinder 12 and one expansion cylinder 14. These two cylinders 12, 14 perform their respective functions once per crankshaft 16 revolution. The intake air and fuel charge is drawn into the compression cylinder 12 through typical poppet-style intake valves 18. The compression cylinder piston 20 pressurizes the charge and drives the charge through the crossover passage 22, which acts as the intake passage for the expansion cylinder 14.
A check type crossover compression (XovrC) valve 24 at the crossover passage inlet is used to prevent reverse flow from the crossover passage 22 into the compression cylinder 12. A crossover expansion (XovrE) valve 26 at the outlet of the crossover passage 22 controls flow of the pressurized intake charge such that the charge fully enters the expansion cylinder 14 shortly after the expansion piston 30 reaches its top dead center (TDC) position. Spark plug 28 is fired soon after the intake charge enters the expansion cylinder 14 and the resulting combustion drives the expansion cylinder piston 30 down toward bottom dead center (BDC). Exhaust gases are pumped out of the expansion cylinder through poppet exhaust valves 32.
With the split-cycle engine concept, the geometric engine parameters (i.e., bore, stroke, connecting rod length, compression ratio, etc.) of the compression and expansion cylinders are generally independent from one another. For example, the crank throws 34, 36 for each cylinder may have different radii and be phased apart from one another with top dead center (TDC) of the expansion cylinder piston 30 occurring prior to TDC of the compression cylinder piston 20. This independence enables the split-cycle engine to potentially achieve higher efficiency levels and greater torques than typical four stroke engines.
Because the crossover expansion (XovrE) valve 26 has only a short time (about 30 degrees crank angle) to discharge pressurized air/fuel mixture into the expansion cylinder prior to completion of the compression cylinder piston stroke, closing of the crossover expansion valve occurs after ignition of the air/fuel charge. It is desired for extended valve life to avoid entry of burning fuel mixture into the crossover expansion valve without shortening the valve closing timing.

Spark plug location for split-cycle engine


The behavior of a group of resources, such as a fleet of servers, can be monitored to attempt to determine a baseline of acceptable behaviors. When a behavior is observed, the baseline can be consulted to determine whether the behavior is indicated to be acceptable. If not, the rate or extent at which the newly observed behavior is observed on groupings of similar resources can be monitored. This information can be used to determine whether the behavior is acceptable in which case information for the observed behavior can be used to automatically update the baseline such that the baseline is representative of current acceptable behavior within the group of resources.

As an increasing number of applications and services are being made available over networks such as the Internet, an increasing number of content, application, and service providers are turning to technologies such as resource sharing, multi-tenant environments, and cloud computing. Such technologies can enable a user to obtain access to electronic resources through services, such as Web services, where the hardware and/or software used to support those services is dynamically scalable to meet the needs of the services at any given time. A user or customer typically will rent, lease, or otherwise pay for access to these resources, and thus does not have to purchase and maintain the hardware and/or software to provide access to these resources.
In at least some environments, a provider of these resources can be responsible for tasks such as upgrading and deploying software, as well as managing configuration information for the various resources. Because outside entities are able to obtain access to those resources, however, it is possible that a user, device, or application might attempt to update information, deploy code, modify settings, or perform other unauthorized activities with respect to the various resources. Oftentimes it is difficult to detect such activity, or at least detect such activity before the changes can be spread to a significant portion of the resource environment.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Detecting anomalous behavior patterns in an electronic environment


An enclosure is provided which is mountable to a base frame carrying a generator. The enclosure includes a lower portion connectable to the base frame. The lower portion includes a lower first sidewall, a lower second sidewall, and a lower first end wall and a lower second end wall. The enclosure further includes an upper portion having a roof, an upper first sidewall, an upper second sidewall, and an upper end wall depending downwardly from the roof. The lower portion and the upper portion are hingedly connected together such that the upper portion is pivotable relative to the lower portion between closed and open positions.

Generally electrical generator sets comprise a prime mover (usually a gasoline-powered internal combustion engine), fuel tank, an alternator, controls and other electronics all supported on a base frame. Such configurations are usually not well suited for placement in exposed unprotected outdoor locations, because prolonged exposure to the environment and the exhaust gas from the generator itself may result in damage to the generator set and its components, and degrade the operation of the generator. Furthermore, the noise emitted from the generator is considerable and thus should be attenuated, particularly when the generator set is intended to be used in built-up areas.
In an effort to safeguard the generator and attenuate the noise, some generator set manufacturers provide a purpose-designed enclosure for the generator. The enclosure may help to protect the generator against direct exposure to outside conditions, such as rain and other increment conditions. Thus, the enclosure enables the generator set to be placed in almost any environmental conditions, at desired locations. Typically, the generator enclosures available in the market are made of some metallic compounds, such as steel. Further, such enclosures may need to be removed from the base frame to enable the generator housed inside, to be accessed, for example, for repair and maintenance works.


A vehicle lighting device includes at least one headlight, a position and/or acceleration sensor, and a control unit for adjusting a light/dark boundary of the headlight. Pitch movements of the vehicle can be detected by the position and/or acceleration sensor, and a change in the light/dark boundary due to the respective pitch movement can be compensated for by the control unit. The position and/or acceleration sensor and the control unit are arranged in the headlight or directly on the headlight.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to an illumination device for a vehicle and a method for the operation thereof.
DE 10 2011 109 434 A1 discloses a method for keeping a light emission direction of a lighting module of a vehicle constant in the event of movement of the vehicle body that causes a movement of the lighting module. In the process, the movement of the vehicle body is compensated. The compensation of the movement of the lighting module is achieved by means of controlling light sources that are arranged in the lighting module, a position of the lighting module being recorded as an actual value and compared with a target value of a beam direction of the lighting module, and a corrective signal for the control being determined. Furthermore, an illumination device for a vehicle for performing a method of this kind is described. The illumination device comprises a lighting module in which light sources are arranged, and a control unit for controlling the light sources. The illumination device further comprises a sensor for recording the actual value of the position of the lighting module, the control unit being designed to determine the corrective signal for controlling the light sources on the basis of the recorded actual value.
Furthermore, DE 10 2014 225 344 A1 discloses a motor vehicle comprising a headlamp having a first position sensor for outputting first position information, having a second position sensor for outputting second position information, and having an adjustment system. The adjustment system is designed for adjusting a light distribution, generated by the headlamp, on the basis of first and second position information.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention are directed to an illumination device for a vehicle that is improved compared with the prior art, and a method for the operation thereof that is improved compared with the prior art.
An illumination device for a vehicle comprises at least one headlamp, a position and/or acceleration sensor, and a control unit coupled to the position and/or acceleration sensor and is intended for adjusting a cut-off line of the headlamp, it being possible for pitching movements of the vehicle to be recorded using the position and/or acceleration sensor, and for a change in the cut-off line, brought about by the relevant pitching movement, to be compensated using the control unit.
According to the invention, the position and/or acceleration sensor and the control unit are arranged in the headlamp, in particular integrated in the headlamp, or are arranged directly on the headlamp, in particular fastened to the headlamp.
In a method according to the invention for operating the illumination device, pitching movements of the vehicle are recorded using the position and/or acceleration sensor, and a change in the cut-off line, brought about by the relevant pitching movement, is compensated using the control unit, i.e., the cut-off line is in particular adjusted to an orientation of the vehicle that has changed due to the relevant pitching movement.
The cut-off line of the headlamp is stabilized against pitching movements of the vehicle by means of the illumination device and in particular by means of the method for the operation thereof. Pitching movements are understood in particular to be pivot movements of the vehicle about the vehicle transverse axis thereof. In this case, the pitching movements are recorded using the position and/or acceleration sensor, and are compensated using the control unit, which adjusts the cut-off line. Arranging the position and/or acceleration sensor, as well as the control unit, in the headlamp, i.e., in particular the integration thereof in the headlamp, or arranging the position and/or acceleration sensor, as well as the control unit, directly on the headlamp, for example so as to be fastened to the outside of the headlamp, results in particularly short signal paths between the position and/or acceleration sensor and thus minimizes transmission times for sensor information from the position and/or acceleration sensor to the control unit, such that no or at least only very short latencies arise. As a result, very quick reaction to the pitching movements of the vehicle, and resulting very quick adjustment of the cut-off line, is made possible.
As a result of the illumination device according to the invention, and in particular also as a result of the method for the operation thereof, in particular the dazzling of other road users is prevented or at least significantly reduced, in particular the dazzling that may arise due to pitching movements of the vehicle due to ground unevenness. Furthermore, this ensures a maximum permissible range of the illumination by the headlamp, since it is not necessary to preventatively adjust the cut-off line so as to be too low.
The control unit and the position and/or acceleration sensor are advantageously formed as a common structural unit, i.e., they form an integrated structural unit. Particularly advantageously, the position and/or acceleration sensor is arranged in the control unit, in particular integrated in the control unit. This allows for simple handling of the common structural unit during assembly of the illumination device, and for example also in the case of necessary repair.
The position and/or acceleration sensor is in particular designed as a gyro sensor. The position and/or acceleration sensor, in particular when designed as a gyro sensor, can in particular record movements and/or accelerations in parallel with the vehicle height axis, vehicle transverse axis and/or vehicle longitudinal axis, and/or pivot movements and/or pivoting accelerations, and/or rotational movements and/or rotational accelerations, about one or more of the mentioned vehicle axes, and/or a pitch angle, roll angle and/or yaw angle. In order to record pitching movements of the vehicle, the position and/or acceleration sensor in particular records accelerations in parallel with the vehicle height axis and/or pivoting and/or rotational accelerations about the vehicle transverse axis and/or pivoting and/or rotational accelerations about the vehicle transverse axis.
Alternatively, or additionally, the position and/or acceleration sensor records a position of the vehicle, in particular with respect to the vehicle height axis, vehicle transverse axis, and/or vehicle longitudinal axis. For example, the position determination is made possible by determining one or more accelerations during a pitching procedure.
The position and/or acceleration sensor, in particular when designed as a gyro sensor, is for example designed as a micromechanical sensor that determines accelerations on a capacitive basis or is, for example, designed as a piezoelectric or piezoresistive sensor.
A position and acceleration sensor, i.e., a combined position and acceleration sensor by means of which both the position and accelerations of the vehicle can be recorded, is particularly advantageous. In particular, changes in the adjustment of the cut-off line due to an adjustment of the headlamp, for example over a longer usage time of the vehicle, and/or due to external influences, can be determined by means of a combined position and acceleration sensor of this kind. In the case of illumination devices according to the prior art, it is necessary to correct the adjustment during time in a workshop. Arranging the position and acceleration sensor in the headlamp or directly on the headlamp makes it possible, using the position and acceleration sensor, to determine and compensate for position tolerances that arise, with respect to a specified setting, in particular with respect to an ex-factory delivery state, in which factory the vehicle was manufactured, in particular by means of headlamp beam height control and/or modifying a projection of the headlamp, expediently by means of the control unit and corresponding actuation. In order to achieve this, the position and acceleration sensor, in particular the position sensor component thereof, exhibits a very high degree of accuracy of for example much less than 0.1° (<<0.1°).
In an advantageous embodiment, the control unit can be or is coupled to at least one surroundings recording means of the vehicle which records surroundings in front of the vehicle, and/or coupled to an active chassis system of the vehicle.
In the method for operating this embodiment of the illumination device, the control unit thus additionally evaluates information from the at least one surroundings recording means of the vehicle, which records the surroundings in front of the vehicle, and/or information from the active chassis system of the vehicle, and determines and/or predicts pitching movements of the vehicle therefrom. That is to say that, in particular, information of one or more forward-looking systems of the vehicle is used. As a result, in particular pitching movements of the vehicle can already be predicted before they occur. The surroundings recording means may, for example, comprise at least one stereo camera device, at least one lidar device, at least one radar device, and/or at least one ultrasound device. In particular, the active chassis system of the vehicle may also be coupled to the surroundings recording means or comprise the means. For example, the position and/or acceleration sensor, and/or the control unit, may also be a component of the active chassis system, in particular may be integrated therein. Therefore, the position and/or acceleration sensor, and/or the control unit, can be used both for adjusting the cut-off line of the headlamp and for the active chassis system, as a result of which additional components are saved on.
The information of the at least one surroundings recording means of the vehicle, which records the surroundings in front of the vehicle, and/or the information of the active chassis system of the vehicle, can, in particular, be used in a predictive manner, in order to eliminate latencies from the adjustment of the cut-off line and to thus move the stabilization of the cut-off line temporally even closer to the quick reaction speed of the position and/or acceleration sensor that is designed in particular as a gyro sensor. That is to say that, in particular, the adjustment of the cut-off line or at least the actuation of the adjustment can, for example, already begin before a relevant pitching movement is recorded by the position and/or acceleration sensor, since the pitching movement has already been predicted on the basis of the information of the at least one surroundings recording means of the vehicle, which records the surroundings in front of the vehicle, and/or on the basis of the information of the active chassis system of the vehicle. For example, the already initiated adjustment of the cut-off line is then defined more precisely based on the pitching movement recorded by the position and/or acceleration sensor.
In order to adjust the cut-off line, an adjustment device for mechanical adjustment of the headlamp and/or of a lens and/or of a reflector and/or of at least one light source of the headlamp can advantageously be actuated, and/or, in a particularly advantageous manner, a plurality of light sources of the headlamp can be actuated, by means of the control unit.
In particular in the case of the particularly advantageous adjustment of the cut-off line by actuating the plurality of light sources of the headlamp by means of the control unit, the headlamp advantageously comprises a plurality of light sources that are designed as light-emitting diodes (LED) and that are, in particular, arranged in a two-dimensional grid, also referred to as an LED field or LED array. In particular, the headlamp is designed as what is known as a pixel headlamp, in particular as a high-resolution pixel headlamp, advantageously each pixel constituting a light source and being actuable, and thus able to be activated or deactivated, by means of the control unit.
Further possibilities for headlamps comprising high-resolution pixel light sources include equipping headlamps with pixelated light-emitting diodes (key word: μAPS=BMBP project having an LED chip comprising 1014 individually actuable light pixels), laser scanners, micromirror arrays (key word: DLP=Digital Light Processing), or backlit LCDs.
Therefore, in the method for operating the illumination device, in order to adjust the cut-off line, the control unit actuates the adjustment device for mechanical adjustment of the headlamp, and/or of the lens, and/or of the reflector, and/or of at least one light source of the headlamp, and/or, in a particularly advantageous manner, actuates a plurality of light sources of the headlamp, the actuation of the light sources occurring in such a way that the cut-off line is adjusted by activating one or more of the light sources and deactivating one or more others of the light sources.
Arranging the position and/or acceleration sensor, and the control unit, in the headlamp or directly on the headlamp, in the manner described above, also results in particularly short signal paths between the control unit and the adjustment device or between the control unit and the light sources, and thus minimizes transmission times for information from the control unit to the adjustment device or the light sources, such that no or at least only very short latencies arise. As a result, very quick reaction to the pitching movements of the vehicle, and resulting very quick adjustment of the cut-off line, is made possible. Adjustment of the cut-off line by actuating the light sources, in order to activate or deactivate the relevant light source, in particular when the headlamp is designed as a pixel headlamp, in particular as a high-resolution pixel headlamp, is particularly advantageous, since this can be achieved at very short latencies and it is possible to achieve a high degree of precision in the adjustment of the cut-off line, since no mechanical movements are required. In this case, the cut-off line can be adjusted for example in that a projection, comprising the cut-off line, is displaced upwards or downwards by a few light sources, in particular pixels, in that the corresponding light sources are activated or deactivated. This allows for virtually instantaneous correction of the position of the cut-off line.
However, the short latencies achieved by the above-described arrangement of the position and/or acceleration sensor, and the control unit, in the headlamp or directly on the headlamp are also particularly advantageous in the case of the mechanical adjustment of the cut-off line by actuating the mechanical adjustment device, as this also allows for compensation, by means of a mechanical adjustment device of this kind, of the changes in the cut-off line caused by pitching movements.
Particularly in the case of the adjustment of the cut-off line by means of the mechanical adjustment device, but also in the case of the above-described adjustment of the cut-off line by actuating the light sources, the advantageously performed additional processing of the information of the at least one surroundings recording means of the vehicle, which records the surroundings in front of the vehicle, and/or the information of the active chassis system of the vehicle, also proves particularly advantageous for thereby additionally reducing the latencies.
The illumination device, and in particular also the method for the operation thereof, thus makes it possible, for example when the position and/or acceleration sensor detects a deceleration of the vehicle, for the cut-off line to be adapted accordingly, for example by means of the control unit actuating the adjustment device accordingly, or by means of the control unit actuating the light sources such that the projection is displaced upwards by a corresponding number of light source lines, in particular pixels, in order to compensate the pitching movement of the vehicle and to thus stabilize the cut-off line. The inverse adjustment takes place correspondingly in the case of identified acceleration of the vehicle. A similar procedure is also possible in the case of ground unevenness and resultant pitching movements of the vehicle. In this case, too, the position and/or acceleration sensor can identify plunging or tilting of the vehicle, i.e., a corresponding pitching movement, and the control unit can determine a correction of the cut-off line, in particular of the projection comprising the cut-off line, that is accordingly required, and can actuate the adjustment device or the light sources accordingly.
Advantageously, the illumination device, and in particular also the method for the operation thereof, makes it possible to omit level sensors on chassis axles of the vehicle, which sensors are used in the prior art for automatic headlamp beam height control, in particular on the basis of a load of the vehicle.
By means of the illumination device, and in particular also by means of the method for the operation thereof, it is possible in particular to compensate for changes of the cut-off line due to high-frequency pitching movements, which changes occur, for example, on account of driving over corrugations, speed bumps, curbs and similar ground unevenness. In particular, for this purpose, accelerations with respect to rotations about the vehicle transverse axis and laterally in parallel with the vehicle height axis are recorded by means of the position and/or acceleration sensor.
The adjustment of the cut-off line by means of the control unit is advantageously performed only by means of open-loop control, and not by means of feedback control. For this purpose, for example, a relevant position and/or acceleration is recorded by means of the position and/or acceleration sensor and is passed to the control unit. The control unit then determines, based on the transmitted sensor information and/or on the basis of the information of the at least one surroundings recording means of the vehicle, which records the surroundings in front of the vehicle, and/or the information of the active chassis system of the vehicle, one or more corresponding parameters, in particular correction parameters, and/or items of calibration data, for example from a table or characteristic curve, for example from what is known as a lookup table, and actuates the adjustment device or the light sources accordingly. The table or characteristic curve contains specified parameters, in particular correction parameters, and/or items of calibration data, which the control unit selects according to the position and/or acceleration determined in each case by the position and/or acceleration sensor, and actuates the adjustment device or the light sources accordingly. This allows for an adjustment of the cut-off line that can be implemented in a particularly quick, efficient, flexible and simple manner, and which requires, in particular, only minimal computational effort. Complex feedback control, involving a correspondingly high level of computational effort and time investment, which would lead to a delay in the adjustment of the cut-off line, is thus avoided. The parameters, in particular correction parameters, and/or calibration data, are in particular stored directly in the control unit, such that access times for accessing a further unit are omitted.
Mutually corresponding parts are provided with the same reference signs in all the figures.

Headlamp and method for operating same comprising a position and acceleration sensor and a control unit arranged in or directly on the headlamp


A system and method allows an email user to solicit an email thread from another user (or from a server) in situations where the first requesting user may have been added to an email thread after the email thread was started, or in situations where the user may have an incomplete thread (for example, where a user is being added to a thread where an attachment was removed). The complete thread is returned to the first requesting user, after permission has been sought and granted, and after data mining and intelligent aggregation of a plurality of relevant threads in to one interleaved result is performed and returned to the first requesting user.

Situations often arise where an individual may have been added to an email thread late (and have missed earlier parts of the thread), or a user may have an incomplete thread (for example, if a user has been added to a thread where an attachment was removed).
The present art, such as IBM's IWMC (IBM® Workplace Managed Client) and other browser clients such as MSN's Hotmail®, Google's GMail, Yahoo® Mail, do not solve this problem of identifying threads on the specific topic of thread solicitation, aggregation, merging, or returning incomplete threads.
There is currently a need for a system and method to allow such a user to solicit and receive a complete thread from another user when permission has been sought and granted.

System and method for soliciting and retrieving a complete email thread

International Business Machines Corporation


A nozzle, a nozzle hanger, and a ceramic to metal attachment system are provided. The ceramic to metal attachment system includes the nozzle, a ceramic matrix composite, and the nozzle hanger, a metal. The attachment system also includes a clamping member adjacent a second surface of the nozzle and a mounting member of the nozzle. The attachment system includes a plurality of attachment members securing the nozzle, the clamping member, and the nozzle hanger together. A sealing member of the nozzle hanger seals off an airfoil of the nozzle from adjacent airflow.

A number of techniques have been used in the past to manufacture turbine engine components, such as turbine blades or nozzles using ceramic matrix composites (CMC). One method of manufacturing CMC components relates to the production of silicon carbide matrix composites containing fibrous material that is infiltrated with molten silicon, herein referred to as the Silcomp process. The fibers generally have diameters of about 140 micrometers or greater, which prevents intricate, complex shapes, such as turbine blade components, to be manufactured by the Silcomp process.
Another technique of manufacturing CMC turbine blades is the method known as the slurry cast melt infiltration (MI) process. In one method of manufacturing using the slurry cast MI method, CMCs are produced by initially providing plies of balanced two-dimensional (2D) woven cloth comprising silicon carbide (SiC)-containing fibers, having two weave directions at substantially 90° angles to each other, with substantially the same number of fibers running in both directions of the weave.
Generally, such turbine components require attachment to adjoining metallic hardware and/or metallic surfaces. Two disadvantages associated with attaching a CMC to metallic hardware are the wear of the metallic hardware by the hard, abrasive ceramic material surface, and the lack of load distribution in the CMC. Load distribution is critical in the interfaces between the CMC components and metal surfaces, such as shrouds. Typically, metallic shims or ceramic cloths have been interposed between the CMC and metallic surfaces to improve load distribution. Wear is typically reduced by the application of coatings to the metallic hardware or coatings to the nozzle attachment surfaces.
Therefore, a nozzle, a nozzle hanger, and a ceramic matrix composite to metal attachment system that do not suffer from the above drawbacks is desirable in the art.

Nozzle, a nozzle hanger, and a ceramic to metal attachment system


A split winch band shaft fast rotating device is provided herein. The device is disposed at the band shaft extension end at one side of the winch mount, and includes a band shaft joint and a rotator. At least one crowbar hole is set on the rotator. The rotator is coupled to one side of the band shaft joint with a unidirectional linkage mechanism set at the contact surface thereof. The band shaft extension end has at least one pin hole. The band shaft joint could be inserted into or covered on the band shaft extension end with a detachable connection mechanism arranged therebetween which could make the joint fixedly connected to the extension end by inserting one or more axle pins into the pin holes. The split winch band shaft fast rotating device is low in cost, convenient in maintenance, flexible in operation, and could improve the bundling speed of the winch.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to mechanical field, and more particularly to a bundling tool for automobiles.
2. Related Art
Goods usually need to be bundled during transportation, in order to prevent from being dropped off when the automobile runs and colliding with each other with the result of loss or damage. Though it is a usual way to bundle goods directly with ropes, it takes time and labor, and is difficult to bundle goods tightly, thereby inducing safety problems.
The winch is popular with drivers as an advanced bundling tool, as it is convenient and safe to bundle goods with the winch. Currently, the winch widely used is provided with a mount and a band shaft, wherein the band shaft is installed at the mount and can rotate. The bundling bands of the bundler wrap around the band shaft. In this way, the bundling bands are tightened by rotating the band shaft, so that the goods can be bundled tightly. The method currently used for tightening the bundling bands by rotating the band shaft is to insert a crowbar into a crowbar hole at one end of the band shaft, turn the crowbar, and make the band shaft rotate. As the winch is fixed to the automobile body, it is limited in position. Therefore, after the crowbar is turned to make the band shaft rotate some angle in operation, the crowbar must be pulled out and inserted into another crowbar hole, thereby continuing to make the band shaft rotate. It is apparent that said operation takes time and labor, and it tends to damage the fingers and other parts of the operator by pulling the crowbar out and inserting it again on and on.
To overcome the above-mentioned problems, a winch band shaft fast rotating device which includes a fixed seat and a rotor is provided herein, wherein, the fixed seat is fixedly connected to a band shaft, the rotor is coupled to one side of the fixed seat with a unidirectional linkage mechanism set at the contact surface thereof, and at least one crowbar hole is provided on the rotator. With such a rotating device, the crowbar doesn't need to be pulled out during operation due to the unidirectional linkage mechanism, which makes the operation safe and labor saving and will not cause damages to the products or human body. However, said band shaft fast rotating device is integrated with the winch, so that there is such a rotating device set at each one of the band shaft extension ends. Therefore, it is more difficult to manufacture the winch and the manufacturing processes are increased, with the result of the increased manufacturing cost of each winch. Furthermore, once the rotating device fails beyond repair, the whole winch must be replaced, which increases the use cost while decreases the operational flexibility.

Split winch band shaft fast rotating device

Zhejiang Topsun Logistic Control Co., Ltd.


A method of detecting both linear and non linear noise in video data. Linear noise is detected on a line-by-line basis, by blocks within each line. Non linear noise is detected during horizontal blanking periods. The method provides a noise floor value for linear noise and an impulse noise flag for non linear noise, both of which are delivered to a noise reduction filter.

Noise in video equipment may arise from electrical distortions and interference created by power supply hum interactions between internal electrical components, etc. Noise may also be in the form of distractions from the pure signal transference, modification or amplification. For example, conversion between analog and digital domains leads to noise. Any of these factors or a combination of them, can combine to adversely affect the signal to noise ratio (SNR).
Although some noise is found in all video systems, the lower the noise rating of a component the better. Noise can be a problem if one wants to attain enhanced detail. At some point, the signal actually is lower in power than the noise itself (the noise floor), resulting in the true signal being obscured. The lower the noise floor of a component, the smaller a signal the system can cleanly produce and the more detail the system may have at low levels. Stated in other words, the "noise floor" is the point at which the volume or power of noise is greater than the volume or power of an intended and desired signal effectively covering up and obscuring that signal.
Various noise reduction techniques have been developed to improve the image quality of noisy video. Typically, these noise reduction techniques increase the SNR by smoothing the image sequence in the temporal or spatial domains. The amount of smoothing should be proportional to the noise floor of the incoming image sequence. Too much temporal smoothing results in motion blur, and too much spatial smoothing results in loss of detail.
Smoothing techniques are "linear" and are used to mitigate noise that arises from Gaussian noise injection. Non-linear techniques, such as a median filter, are used to mitigate impulse noise, such as the noise that results from spikes on the transmission line.

Video noise floor estimator with impulse noise detection


A system and a method to provide alignment between a source resonator and a capture resonator. The system and method may be used to align a vehicle having a capture resonator to the source resonator of a wireless inductive battery charging system for an electric vehicle. The system includes a display device, a sensor to determine a location of the source resonator relative to the capture resonator, and a controller in communication with the source resonator, the capture resonator, the sensor, and the display device. The controller is programmed to determine a relative distance and a relative direction between the source resonator and the capture resonator, determine a transfer efficiency of electrical power between the source resonator and the capture resonator. The display device is configured to indicate the relative distance and the relative direction between the source resonator and the capture resonator and indicate the transfer efficiency.

Electric vehicles and electric-hybrid vehicles are gaining in popularity with consumers. The electric motors in these vehicles are typically powered from multiple storage batteries disposed in a battery pack in the vehicle. If the battery needs to be recharged while the vehicle is parked, a wired coupling device is connected to the vehicle, typically by the vehicle operator. However, some operators object to having to 'plug-in' their vehicle each time the vehicle is parked.
Wireless or connector less battery chargers have been proposed, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,948 issued Mar. 12, 1996 to Bruni et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 8,008,888 issued Aug. 30, 2011 to Oyobe et al. A known wireless battery charger includes a source resonator or charging pad lying on a parking surface under the vehicle being charged, and a corresponding capture resonator mounted underneath the vehicle. Such wireless battery chargers are most efficient when the vehicle is parked such that the source resonator and capture resonator are horizontally (i.e. laterally and longitudinally) aligned. However, as the source resonator and the capture resonator may be underneath the vehicle and/or out of the vehicle operator's view, it is difficult for the vehicle operator to judge where to park the vehicle so that the source resonator and the capture resonator are aligned.
Some current wireless charging systems rely on methods to align the capture resonator attached to the undercarriage of a vehicle with its corresponding source resonator using trial and error positioning for the vehicle relative to the source resonator. These methods are time intensive, with poor repeatable results. Other wireless charging systems utilize wheel stops to align the capture resonator on the vehicle with the source resonator. While these systems may provide precise alignment for one particular vehicle configuration, they are unlikely to provide adequate alignment for a wide variety of vehicles wherein the spatial relationship between the wheels and capture resonator differ.
The subject matter discussed in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also be inventions.

System and method to align a source resonator and a capture resonator for wireless electrical power transfer