A control method for an optical transceiver includes interrupting internal repetitive internal processing in response to a command from a host apparatus and executing an interrupt process for transmitting monitoring data. The method sets a processing mode of the interrupt process to a first processing mode when a processing time necessary to execute the interrupt process and one cycle of the repetitive processing is shorter than a threshold value, and to a second processing mode when the processing time necessary to execute the interrupt process and one cycle of the repetitive processing is longer than the threshold value. In the first mode, the interrupt process stores first monitoring data read out from a memory unit in a transmission register, stops the stretching of a clock signal, and subsequently reads out second monitoring data from the memory unit to follow the first monitoring data. In the second mode, the interrupt process stores the first monitoring data read out from the memory unit in the transmission register, reads out the second monitoring data from the memory unit, and subsequently stops the stretching of the clock signal.

WO 2006/090473 discloses a communication method that complies with the I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit) interface specification. In the communication method disclosed in WO 2006/090473, a slave sets clock stretching when receiving 1-byte data from a master. When having judged that the received data is a request for transmitting data from the slave to the master, the slave transmits acknowledgment information to the master. Then the slave stops the clock stretching, transmits data stored in a transmission register, and reads out data to be transmitted next from a memory unit and stores the read-out data in a transmission register. In this manner, delay of transmission timing due to a data reading time is reduced.
Optical transceivers are known which perform data transmission and reception with a higher-level host apparatus using a communication method that complies with the I2C interface specification (hereinafter referred to as an "I2C communication method"). This data transmission and reception is performed to allow the host apparatus to monitor and control the optical transceiver rather than to enable high-speed transmission of traffic. The optical transceiver responds to a request from the host apparatus. The data transmission and reception for monitoring and control is performed irregularly rather than all the time. A control device installed in such optical transceivers sometimes executes another process repetitively in addition to performing data transmission and reception (I2C slave process) with a host apparatus. An example of such a process executed repetitively (repetitive process) is monitoring of optical signals that are output from a TOSA (transmitter optical sub-assembly) provided in an optical transceiver.
To allow the optical transceiver to perform a prescribed function, plural different processes are executed internally. Such plural processes are executed by, for example, a control device one by one sequentially. Each of the plural processes is executed repeatedly during operation of the optical transceiver. As such, the plural processes are executed one by one sequentially and are returned to the first process upon reaching the last process and executed again. The term "repetitive process" means plural processes that are executed repeatedly in this manner. When receiving a data transmission request from the host apparatus, the control device executes an I2C slave process preferentially as an interrupt process. That is, the control device needs to execute a repetitive process while no interrupt process is being executed.
In executing a repetitive process while transmitting data to the host apparatus using the communication method disclosed in WO 2006/090473, the control device executes, as an interrupt process, a process of performing judgment relating to a data transmission request received from the host apparatus and then reading out data to be transmitted next and storing the read-out data in a transmission register. In the communication method disclosed in WO 2006/090473, data to be transmitted next is read out in parallel with transmission of data stored in the transmission register after stopping of clock stretching. In this case, as the rate of communication between the control device and the host apparatus increases, the transmission time of one-byte data becomes shorter and hence the time interval from the end of one interrupt process to the next interrupt process becomes shorter. This may result in a problem that a repetitive process cannot be performed because of an insufficient time secured for it.

Control method of optical transceiver and optical transceiver


A method and apparatus for increasing the capability of a network topology model having a plurality of nodes connected by existing links to maintain service continuity in the presence of faults. The steps of the method include adding new links to the network topology model to protect against single node failures, and adjusting link weights for the network topology model to reduce at least one of a cost of network operation and an imbalance in link utilizations. Preferably, the link weights are adjusted to reduce the imbalance in link utilizations without deteriorating the cost of network operation. The link weights are preferably adjusted to reduce the cost of network operation without increasing the imbalance in link utilizations. Preferably, the link weights are adjusted to reduce the cost of network operation without increasing the imbalance in link utilizations while keeping the utilization for each link below a specific threshold. In addition, links can be added to the network topology model to reduce the cost of network operation.

Survivability has been defined as "the capability of a network to maintain service continuity in the presence of faults." D. Awduche, A. Chiu, A. Elwalid, 1. Widjaja, and X. Xiao, "Overview and Principals of Internet Traffic Engineering," Re-quest for Comments (Informational) RFC 3272, Internet Engineering Task Force, May 2002. Since the Internet has become a key for communications and commerce in the world today, network survivability has assumed great importance. Networks need to be designed so that connectivity is maintained in the face of failures in the network. Links have to be provisioned so that there is sufficient capacity to carry the additional network traffic coming their way in the event of failures. Protecting the service quality (minimally assuring availability of capacity) in the face of network failures requires redundant resources (over what is required for failure free operation) which increases the cost of network operation.
Accordingly, there is a need for methods to evaluate the extra cost of survivability and to reduce the cost of network operation with survivability.

Method and apparatus for increasing survivability in IP networks


A double resonance NMR apparatus in accordance with the present invention comprises a first resonator, a slotted resonator, and a slotted Rf shield. The axial shield slots on the Rf shield are aligned with the axial resonator slots on the slotted resonator to provide increased penetration of the Rf field from the first resonator into the sample, thereby increasing the total magnetic energy deposited into the sample.

In a typical NMR experiment, a sample is placed in a uniform static magnetic field (B.sub.0) and excited by a Rf magnetic field (B.sub.1) applied in a direction orthogonal to the static magnetic field. An NMR probe holds the sample coaxially within a resonator (or coil), which generates the Rf magnetic field. The resonator also detects the resonance signal of the sample, which is delivered to a receiver circuit to obtain the NMR spectrum.
While the sample is within the resonator, ionic species in the sample tend to electrically couple to the resonator, which causes losses in the NMR signal. To prevent electric coupling of the sample to the resonator, a Rf shield 10a, 10b is placed inside the resonator 12, between the resonator and the sample (not shown), as FIG. 1 illustrates. The Rf shield comprises two conductive rings 10a, 10b, one of which is placed coaxially at each end of the resonator, but without extending into the Rf window 14 of the resonator. Generally, the Rf shield is made of a susceptibility compensated conductive material and can be encased in a dielectric material, such as quartz, such that the conductive rings capacitively couple with the resonator.
For double resonance NMR experiments, the probe comprises two resonators, with an inner resonator placed coaxially within an outer resonator such that the Rf magnetic fields generated by the two resonators within the probe are orthogonal to each other. Most commonly, one resonator is tuned to the frequency of proton (.sup.1 H) excitation, while the other resonator is tuned to a lower resonant frequency nuclide of interest (X).
To increase the penetration of the lower frequency Rf magnetic field into the sample, axial slots are made in the other resonator. FIG. 2 illustrates a double resonance NMR probe having the slotted resonator 22 within the lower frequency coil 20. The two axial slots 24a, 24b in the slotted resonator 20 are placed 180.degree. from each other and 90.degree. out of phase with the Rf window 26 of the slotted resonator. This arrangement permits greater penetration of lower frequency Rf field through the slotted resonator into the sample.
Lengthening of the axial slots allows for greater penetration of lower frequency Rf field into the sample, and also allows the lower frequency resonator to be lengthened, which desirably increases lower frequency Rf field homogeneity. However, lengthening the axial slots in the slotted resonator is not without limit. Lengthening of the axial slots would require an accompanying lengthening of the Rf window, and in most cases, such drastic changes to the geometry of the slotted resonator would result in a change in the self-resonance frequency of the resonator and so could not be tolerated.
It is known in prior art to employ in probe components, slots of various types and orientations to accomplish reduction of eddy currents, increased transparency to RF irradiation from an outer coil, and other desired results. Representative references are patents U.S. Pat. No. 4,641,098 to Doty; U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,911 to Hill and Cummings; U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,013 to Murakami, et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,929,881 to Yabusaki, et al; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,748,412 to Yamamoto, et al.


In a portable radio equipment, a first power unit (11) and a second power unit (15) can be selectively mounted to or removed from a radio equipment main unit (1). The main unit contains a transmit audio circuit (3), a first microphone (4), and a power circuit (5). When the first power unit is mounted to the main unit, a short-circuiting member (12) in it connects the first microphone to the transmit audio circuit, and a power source (8A) in it provides power to the power circuit. When the second power unit (15) is mounted to the main unit (1), a second microphone (16) in it is connected to the transmit audio circuit to the main unit, and a power source (8B) provides power to the power circuit.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing a prior-art portable radio equipment. As illustrated, the portable radio equipment comprises a radio equipment main unit 1 and a power unit 2 which is configured so that it can be mounted to and removed from the main unit 1.
The main unit 1 contains a transmit audio circuit 3 modulating a transmit speech signal and sending it to a transmitter section, not shown. A microphone 4 is provided to receive transmit speech. A power circuit 5 receives power supply and distributing it within the main unit 1. The main unit 1 has a power supply terminal 6 and a ground terminal 7.
The power unit 2 contains a battery 8 serving as a power source providing power to the power circuit 5 of the main unit 1. A positive terminal 9 is connected to the power supply terminal 6 when the power unit 2 is mounted to the main unit 1. A negative terminal 10 is connected to the ground terminal 7 when the power unit 2 is mounted to the main unit 1.
The operation will now be described. When the power unit 2 is mounted to the main unit 1, the positive terminal 9 and the negative terminals 10 of the power unit 2 are respectively connected to the power supply terminal 6 and the ground terminal 7 of the main unit 1. Power is thereby supplied from the battery 8 in the power unit 2 to the power circuit 5 in the main unit 1, and the portable radio equipment is ready to operate.
In this state, when the portable radio equipment is turned on and it is brought to a connected state in which communication link has been established and speech communication is possible, the microphone 4 receives transmit speech of the user or the operator, and inputs it to the transmit audio circuit 3. The transmit audio circuit 3 modulates the speech signal and sends the modulated signal to the transmitter section.
Since the prior-art radio equipment is configured as described above, size reduction of the radio equipment is accompanied with size reduction of the main unit 1, and the distance between the microphone 4 and an ear piece (earphone), not shown, is decreased, so that user feels uneasy in using the radio equipment.


The size and shape of molten solder droplets ejected from a nozzle of a droplet pump are stabilized using flux transported into the aperture region of the nozzle through which the droplets are ejected. The flux is periodically replenished as necessary to remove solder oxides and dross, as well as to lubricate the aperture. The flux may be deposited by spraying onto the nozzle, submersion of the nozzle, contact of the nozzle to a flux film, contact of the nozzle with an intermediate transfer medium, or through injection internal to the nozzle assembly. Fluxes exhibiting high activity and high thermal stability at elevated temperatures are preferred.

Digital electronic systems, and in particular personal computers, are undergoing significant reductions in size and increases in functionality with successive design iterations. Associated decreases in the dimensions of integrated circuit components and component input/output terminals have had a direct effect on the patterns of printed circuit board contacts.
Conventional techniques for solder bonding integrated circuit device packages to printed circuit boards are either approaching their technology limits or proving to be expensive to implement with the small dimensions typical of advanced designs. The prevailing technology, stencil printing of solder paste on printed circuit boards, is at its limits while the prevailing alternative technique, forming solder deposits on printed circuit boards by plating, is relatively expensive.
An analogous situation applies to the formation of solder deposit arrays on integrated circuit die, such as with flip-chip devices, or on ceramic integrated circuit packages. The reflow connection of solder balls or solder columns onto integrated circuit die or ceramic packages is likewise a complex and expensive endeavor.
Thus, there has developed a surge of interest in dispensing or jetting molten solder directly onto integrated circuit die (individually or in wafer form), ceramic integrated circuit packages, and printed circuit boards. There are numerous advantages to the use of a solder droplet dispensing or jetting technology when the quality of the molten solder droplets can be controlled in composition, volume, and deposit location. The ability to accurately locate the molten solder droplets as deposited on a substrate has proved to be a manageable task. However, the realization of a molten solder dispensing system which is reliable enough for a manufacturing application, to the extent that the molten solder droplets are consistent in composition, volume, and formation has yet to be realized.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,961 describes an electrodynamic pump for dispensing molten solder in droplets of relatively controlled volume. The electrodynamic pump described in this patent is a significant improvement over droplet dispensing machines utilizing electro-strictive transducers, such as piezoelectric devices, and as such defines the basics of a relatively controllable molten solder dispensing system. Though early tests established the viability of the electrodynamic pump for dispensing molten solder droplets, evaluation in a manufacturing setting, where repeatability of droplet dispensing, consistency of droplet composition, and stability of droplet size are crucial, indicated that refinements were needed. In this regard, testing determined that the molten solder located in close proximity to the nozzle aperture did not remain a homogeneous mixture of pure solder with time. Metallurgical analysis of solder ejection nozzle residues and camera analyses of droplet dispensing confirmed that there was a mixture of pure solder and oxidized tin and lead within the droplets, the combination resulting in the creation of droplets with non-uniform physical properties such as surface tension, melting point and affinity for other materials (wettability). Enclosing the nozzle area within a nitrogen gas (oxygen-free) environment did not solve the problems.
Testing of the electrodynamic solder pump determined that the solder droplets were dramatically different after a few hours of operation, notwithstanding the consistency of the input parameters which define the pressure pulses creating the single shot droplets. Further investigation confirmed that the instability was attributable to the nonhomogeneous nature of the solder near the nozzle aperture, the nonhomogeneous solder being composed of the earlier noted mix of pure solder with oxidized tin and lead.
The problem identified during the investigation of droplet uniformity over extended electrodynamic solder pump operation became one of determining what conditions around the nozzle, other than a nitrogen environment, would lead to uniform and stable dispensing of solder droplets over extended periods of time in the context of molten solder having both tin and lead. Solder alloys including other oxidizing metals are inherently so encompassed.

Stability enhancement of molten solder droplets as ejected from a nozzle of droplet pump


A semiconductor wafer ID recognition apparatus includes an image sensing optical section and recognition processing section. The image sensing optical section reads at least one identification information (ID) marked at an arbitrary position on a semiconductor wafer in accordance with a plurality of first read optical conditions registered in advance. The recognition processing section performs recognition processing including calculation of an evaluation score representing a read likelihood ratio for an image output from the image sensing optical section every read optical condition, and adopts a recognition result under a read optical condition exhibiting the highest score as an ID of the semiconductor wafer.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor wafer ID recognition apparatus for recognizing identification information (ID) formed at an arbitration position on a semiconductor wafer, and a semiconductor wafer ID recognition sorter system for transferring the semiconductor wafer to a predetermined position on the basis of the ID recognized by the ID recognition apparatus.
In general, the surface of a semiconductor wafer has a character or sign as identification information (ID) for identifying the semiconductor wafer. The character or sign is formed from a material having a reflectivity different from that of the surface of the semiconductor wafer or is formed by shaving the surface of the semiconductor wafer.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-296147 (reference 1), an ID recognition apparatus for automatically recognizing an ID formed at an arbitrary position on a semiconductor wafer has conventionally been known. The ID recognition apparatus disclosed in reference 1 uses a light-receiving element to receive light reflected by the surface of a semiconductor wafer illuminated by an illumination means, uses a recognition means to process an image obtained by the light-receiving element, and thus recognizes an ID.
An ID recognition sorter for performing sorting operation of transferring a semiconductor wafer to a predetermined position has conventionally been known. This sorter is manually operated because of the existence of a wafer state in which an ID is difficult to read in the process. Recently, demands have arisen for automatic read of a wafer ID and sorting operation which can operate online. Automatic read of a wafer ID can use the ID recognition technique described in the ID recognition apparatus.
A conventional ID recognition apparatus reads the ID of a semiconductor wafer under a plurality of preset read optical conditions, then calculates a score representing a read likelihood ratio for each read optical condition, and adopts an recognition result whose score exceeds a predetermined acceptable score, as the ID of the semiconductor wafer.
If, however, this acceptable score is set too low, many mistakes occur; if the score is set too high, no ID can be determined. The conventional ID recognition apparatus sets the acceptable score around 70 in consideration of this situation. In practice, even this score causes many mistakes. Particularly when the lateral stripe of a pattern or the like overlaps a wafer ID, the ratio of character mistakes increases. If a wafer ID is mistaken, the ID recognition sorter using the ID recognition technique erroneously performs sorting operation.

ID recognition apparatus and ID recognition sorter system for semiconductor wafer


An insertion machine of the type used to form and insert the lead-wires of an electronic component into openings of a printed circuit board insertion machine comprising a frame and a head assembly. The head assembly receives an electronic component and includes means for forming the lead-wires into a predetermined shape and means for inserting the lead-wires into the openings of the printed circuit board. A clinching assembly is positioned below the head assembly and includes means for trimming the lead-wires and means for clinching the lead-wires. A work-support table for holding the printed circuit board is rotatable about a vertical axis and is positioned between the clinching assembly and the head assembly.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to machinery for securing wire terminals to planar work pieces, and particularly, to equipment for inserting and securing electronic components to printed circuit boards (PC boards) by cutting and clinching the lead wires of such electronic components.
2. Prior Art
Mass-produced printed circuit boards common in the electronics industry are circuit-prepared insulative substrates provided with preformed openings. Each opening is carefully positioned and adapted to receive one lead-wire of a variety of electronic components, including resistors, capacitors, transistors, etc. which are intended to be electrically interconnected with the printed circuit formed on the insulative substrate.
It has been found that such electrical components can be quickly and economically inserted into the appropriate openings of the PC board through the use of automatic equipment called "inserters" or insertion machines. A typical insertion machine includes three basic mechanical assemblies which are all connected to a common frame; a head assembly, a work-support assembly, and a clinching assembly. An insertion machine is programmed to rapidly form (or otherwise prepare) the lead wires of various electrical components as they are supplied from adjacent supply bins, cartridges, or from a pre-sequenced supply ribbon and position and insert the lead wires into the proper openings of the PC board. The head assembly, the work-support assembly, and the clinching assembly of a typical insertion machine function together similar to the operation of a desk-top stapler which secures staples to a sheet of paper, wherein each "staple" is analogous to a prepared electrical component and the sheet of "paper" is analogous to a PC board. A PC board is secured to a work-support table. The work-support table, which is usually selectively pivotal, is positioned between the head assembly and the clinching assembly. The head assembly and the work-support table move with respect to each other during operation of the inserter machine to properly align and insert the lead wires of each electrical component into the proper pre-assigned openings of the PC board. The head assembly includes a "lead-former" sub-assembly which is used to cut an individual electrical component from a supply ribbon, for example, and bend the lead wires (assuming an axial-type lead wire arrangement) into a predetermined shape. A pusher sub-assembly called a "driver", which is also located within the head assembly, pushes prepared (formed) electrical components from the lead-former sub-assembly through the properly aligned openings of the PC board.
Prior art insertion machines typically utilize pneumatic linear actuators or motor-driven lead screw assemblies to provide the downward linear motion required to move the driver sub-assembly into contact with a formed electrical component and force it towards the PC board which is secured to the work-support table. Among the problems associated with pneumatic-type actuators of prior art insertion machines include noise, speed limitations and a need for auxiliary means to accommodate varying component body and lead wire diameters. The problems associated with using lead-screw type actuators of prior art insertion machines include the expense of manufacturing and implementing the lead screw components and the difficulty of interfacing the lead screw with certain indexing features.
After each of a pair of lead wires of a particular electrical component is inserted into its respective openings on the PC board, the clinching assembly cuts excess lead wire material and clinches the remaining lead wire portions of the particular electrical component to the PC board to ensure that accurate, reliable and "clean" electrical connections are established.
When all of the desired electrical components are clinched to the PC board in their proper openings, the PC board is removed from the work-support table and moved to undergo subsequent manufacturing processes, including a reflux process during which molten solder is applied to the underside of the PC board to permanently and electrically bond the clinched portions of each lead wire of each electrical component to the actual printed circuit.
The head assemblies of component insertion machines of the type generally described above and under consideration in the present invention are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,550,238, U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,323 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,719,810. These patents disclose inserters that are pneumatically and/or servo actuated.
Examples of work-support tables of component insertion machines of the type generally described above and under consideration in the present invention are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,670,977, U.S. Pat. No. 4,193,186, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,574,660. Examples of clinching devices of component insertion machine of the type generally described above and under consideration in the present invention are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,758, U.S. Pat. No. 4,292,727.
All patents identified herein are hereby incorporated by reference.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic component inserter machine which overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art.
It is another object of the invention to provide a head assembly for use with an electronic component inserter machine which overcomes the deficiencies of prior art head assemblies.
It is another object of the invention to provide a work-support table for use with an electronic component inserter machine which overcomes the deficiencies of prior art work-support tables.
It is another object of the invention to provide a clinching assembly for use with an electronic component inserter machine which overcomes the deficiencies of prior art clinching devices.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a head assembly having a simple linear drive mechanism which provides smooth reciprocating linear motion to a driver sub-assembly.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide such a linear drive mechanism which concurrently drives a component supply ribbon feed mechanism.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a pivotal worksupport table which includes a fast, simplified, and accurate indexing system.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a clinching device which automatically determines the present of the leads of an electrical component located within an opening during a cutting operation.


A method and apparatus for correlating faults in a networking system. A database of fault rules is maintained along with and associated probable causes, and possible solutions for determining the occurrence of faults defined by the fault rules. The fault rules include a fault identifier, an occurrence threshold specifying a minimum number of occurrences of fault events in the networking system in order to identify the fault, and a time threshold in which the occurrences of the fault events must occur in order to correlate the fault. Occurrences of fault events in the networking system are detected and correlated by determining matched fault rules which match the fault events and generating a fault report upon determining that a number of occurrences for the matched fault rules within the time threshold is greater than or equal to the occurrence threshold for the matched fault rules.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to networking systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to a correlation method and apparatus for correlating network faults over time in order to perform network fault management in a networking system, and monitor the health of devices in the network.
2. Background Information
As networking systems proliferate, and the problems involved in configuring and maintaining such networks also increase, network management becomes an increasingly complex and time-consuming task. One of the primary considerations in managing networks, especially as their size increases, is fault management. Very simple types of fault management may be performed by determining when communication links and devices in the system fail, then, some sort of corrective and/or diagnostic measures may be taken such as manual connection and reconnection of physical links, and testing and diagnosis of network devices and/or end stations.
More sophisticated techniques for fault detection and diagnosis include receiving traps or other types of alert signals from devices within the network. As faults are detected, devices can alert a centralized device such as a computer system or other networking system management console, that such faults have occurred. These prior art techniques have suffered from some shortcomings, however. First, typical prior art fault detection and diagnostic systems include centralized consoles which receive and record fault alert signals or traps as they occur. Management tools which provide such diagnostic capability frequently rate faults received from units in the networking system according to their severity. Unless a certain number of traps are received of a particular type, according to predefined rules, then no action is taken upon the traps.
A fundamental problem with these pre-existing systems is that because functionality is concentrated in a single device in the network, networks errors at various devices in the network may not be able to be detected. Moreover, these errors may occur in such a volume that actual network errors may be obscured. In fact, some errors may be lost due to the large volume of faults at the single device. Because a large amount of faults may be generated which do not indicate any specific problems in the network (e.g., transient faults), errors indicating actual severe faults actually requiring action may go unnoticed.
Yet another shortcoming of certain prior art systems includes the ability to determine whether the detected faults are indicative of a one specific problem identified by the fault type, rather than a symptom of a different problem. Multiple faults of a specified fault type may need to be detected in order for a one particular problem type to be identified. Thus, individual faults which are detected are simply "raw" error data and don't necessarily indicate an actual problem. These may, given certain circumstances, indicate a specific problem, and current art fails to adequately address the correlate multiple faults over time intervals to identify specific problems.
Another fundamental shortcoming of prior art network diagnostic techniques is that such prior art techniques typically rely upon a single count of a number of errors of a particular type occurring. This technique, known as "filtering", has fundamental shortcomings in that it does not provide for other types of measurement of faults such as time such faults are occurring, number of faults within a given time period, or other more sophisticated approaches. Moreover, some prior art diagnostic systems only provide records of faults, but do not, based upon other measured fault characteristics, attempt to determine a possible reason for a fault or group of faults, and moreover, do not offer any practical solutions to a network manager or other user.
Other prior art solutions to network fault management include displaying the status of network devices in a manner which allows, at a glance, to determine whether a given device is functioning or not. These solutions include displaying color-coded iconic representations of devices on a computer console based upon single polls or "pings" of devices in the networking system. This solution fails to take into account intermittent failures of links and/or devices which may only occur a single time, the time of the poll, or sporadically, and which do not necessarily pose any substantial threat to normal network operation. Other prior art solutions show network health in this manner using user-defined state machines which are used by the management console. Both of these solutions usually rely upon simple displays of representations of individual devices in the network rather than displays at various levels of abstraction in the system, including, the port, slot, chassis and device level. In addition, none of these prior art solutions use network topology information in order to determine how network health changes for related devices causes corresponding changes in each of the related devices' health.
Thus, the prior art of network fault detection and network health monitoring has several shortcomings.


A method for processing an event notification includes recognizing an event to be indicated via a mobile apparatus, determining whether a default notification scheme for the event is prohibited by a notification setting of the mobile apparatus, and, if the default notification scheme for the event is prohibited by the notification setting of the mobile apparatus, determining a modified notification scheme for the event and notifying the event according to the modified notification scheme.

1. Field
The following description relates to an event notification to indicate the occurrence of an event, and more particularly, to an event notification using a notification interface, e.g., a popup window.
2. Discussion of the Background
In communications between terminal devices, such as smartphones, a variety of events may occur, including incoming call, receipt of messages, system state change, etc. Generally, in smartphone communications, a popup window or a status bar on top of the display screen is usually used to indicate an event. FIG. 1 illustrates a diagram of an operating system configuration for an event notification, whereby the occurrence of an event is broadcast to each application in a smartphone, and the broadcast event notification is processed in a broadcast receiver in the application and the processing result is displayed on a display screen. Referring to FIG. 1, in response to a request from a broadcast component, an ActivityManagerService may activate registered receivers corresponding to an action associated with the request. Accordingly, the user may easily recognize the occurrence of the event. However, if a popup window for an event notification appears on a display, as shown in FIG. 2, while a user is enjoying a game or video content displayed on the entire display screen, the popup window may disturb the user. In other words, the event notification may cause inconvenience to the user because the notification is automatically delivered in a popup window regardless of a current state of a terminal device. Further, even if the popup window is not displayed on the screen of the terminal device, the event notification may cause a temporary disturbance to the operation of the executed application.

Apparatus and method for processing event notification


The present invention provides a method, data processing system and program product in which scanning for a virus is improved by prioritizing the scan of executable files, such as applications, libraries, services etc., which are more likely to cause a problem to a computer system, ahead of other files. A priority order is determined free from user input by obtaining information from the operating system which can be used to determine such an order. For example the information comprises details of startup applications and/or launch frequency of installed applications. This enables the virus scanner to prioritize the scan of higher risk files which, if they contained a virus, would otherwise adversely affect a computer system if a prior art virus scan was performed based on an arbitrary search order.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to scanning for viruses on a computer system and more specifically to improving virus detection.
2. Background to the Invention
An extremely common problem in computing is the infection of a computer system with a so called virus. Viruses can take many forms but in general are software programs which make unwanted use of computer resources and in worst cases render a computer system unusable.
In order to combat such virus infections many software providers, such as Symantec Corp and McAfee Inc, provide virus scanning software which can be used to scan for the existence of viruses in files held in computer storage and take action to remove them. Further such software allows a user to tailor the virus scan which is performed. For example it is possible to specify directories of the file system to include in, or exclude from, the scan, and similarly file types or file extensions to include in, or exclude from, the scan. Further it is possible to specify a scan of running programs held in memory and a scan for extended threats, such as spyware and adware. This provides the user of virus scanning software with many ways of tailoring a virus scan to be performed to suit the needs of a user.
However a problematic aspect of existing virus scan software is that the order in which directories of the file system are scanned is arbitrarily selected, a common solution being to scan the directories included in a scan in alphabetic order. For example, consider a virus which exists in a file of the file system and which loads and re-boots the computer system a short time after the computer system is started. In this case, whether or not virus scanner software manages to detect and remove the virus within the short time the computer is running will depend on whether the arbitrary scan order which is used happens to search the appropriate directory within the time available. Thus there is no guarantee that such a virus can be detected and removed by prior art virus scan software.

Lenovo Enterprise Solutions (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.


Disclosed is an SMPS for preventing abnormal overcurrents. A circuit having a short circuit delay is used to generate a control signal for turning off a main switch (i.e., a switching MOS transistor) when the overcurrent occurs, that is, in an initial startup or when a protection circuit is operated. Accordingly, a drain-source voltage of the main switch is reduced when the main switch is turned off, and a switching MOS transistor with a low withstanding voltage can be used.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to switching mode power supplies (SMPSs). More particularly, the present invention relates to an SMPS for preventing overcurrents.
(b) Description of the Related Art
In general, an SMPS is a device for converting a DC supply voltage into at least one DC output voltage which may be greater or less than the DC supply voltage. The SMPS may be used as a power supply for batteries installed in mobile telephones and laptop computers.

Switching mode power supply with controller for handling overcurrents


A connector assembly includes a housing, a signal contact and a power contact. The housing has a mounting body and a mating body coupled together and separated by a gap. The gap permits air to flow between the lower and mating bodies. The mating body is configured to engage an upper substrate and the mounting body is configured to engage a lower substrate to mechanically interconnect the upper and lower substrates. The signal contact extends between and protrudes from the mating and mounting bodies and is configured to communicate a data signal between the mating and mounting bodies. The power contact extends between and protrudes from the mating and mounting bodies and is configured to communicate electrical power between the upper and lower substrates. The housing separates the upper and lower substrates by a predetermined stack height.

The invention relates generally to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to a connector assembly that mechanically and electrically connects substrates.
Known mezzanine connectors mechanically and electrically interconnect a pair of circuit boards. The mezzanine connectors engage each of the circuit boards to mechanically interconnect the circuit boards. The circuit boards are separated from one another by a stack height when interconnected by the mezzanine connector. Signal contacts in the mezzanine connector mate with the circuit boards and provide an electrical connection between the circuit boards. The signal contacts permit the communication of data or control signals between the circuit boards. While the signal contacts may permit the communication of electric power between the circuit boards, the amount of electric current that may be communicated using the signal contacts is relatively small. For example, the electric power may be communicated between the circuit boards to supply electric power to a component connected to one of the circuit boards. The relatively low amount of electric current that may be communicated using the signal contacts in known mezzanine connectors limits the amount of electric power that can be provided to the components. As a result, the range of components that may receive electric power from a circuit board through the mezzanine connector is limited.
In order to supply a greater amount of electric power between circuit boards, additional power connectors must be used to connect the circuit boards. For example, some electrical components connected to the circuit boards may require more electric power than can be supplied by the signal contacts in known mezzanine connectors. Additional known power connectors that also couple the circuit boards must be added. The power connectors include power contacts that mate with the circuit boards already interconnected by the mezzanine connector. The power contacts permit the communication of increased amounts of electrical power between the circuit boards. However, the power connector that is added between the circuit boards must be of approximately the same size as the mezzanine connector. For example, the power connector must be of approximately the same height as the mezzanine connector to maintain the stack height between the circuit boards. If either of the mezzanine connector and the power connector is of a different size, then the circuit boards may not be able to mate with both connectors at the same time. Finding both a power connector and a mezzanine connector that are matched in size such that the circuit boards coupled to each connector are separated by the same stack height may be time consuming and/or impossible. Thus, a need exists for a connector system that provides for the communication of both electric power and data signals between a plurality of circuit boards while maintaining a stack height between the circuit boards.

Connector assembly with variable stack heights having power and signal contacts


One or more cooling systems for ventilating a turbine and rotary shaft of a gas turbine system is provided. The gas turbine system includes a gas turbine engine and a turbine exhaust collector in separate enclosures. A first cooling system includes an educator that sucks exhaust gas through a diffuser and directs it out of the turbine exhaust collector enclosure based on suction pressure created from the high velocity of exhaust gas. A second cooling system include struts that enable the exhaust gas to flow from the diffusers to a ventilation flow stack. A third cooling system includes exhaust gas sucked from an opening to a top duct based on suction pressure created from the rotation of the rotary shaft disposed about a coupling. A guideway associated with the third cooling system also directs the exhaust gas to flow to the top duct. These cooling systems are designed to increase the efficiency of ventilating the turbine and rotary shaft, prevent misalignments of the rotary shaft, which may result in thermal stresses, and allow the use of the gas turbine systems in higher ambient temperature environments.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to cooling a turbine shaft coupling of a gas turbine system, such as a turbine shaft coupling downstream of an exhaust outlet of a gas turbine system.
Gas turbine systems may be used in a variety of applications, such as power generation. For example, a gas turbine generator may include an electric generator driven by a gas turbine to generate electricity for a power grid or a local facility. Gas turbine systems generally include one or more shafts and associated couplings to connect with a load, such as the electric generator. In certain configurations, the shaft and coupling may be disposed downstream from an exhaust outlet, such that a considerable amount of heat transfer may occur from an exhaust gas to the shaft and coupling. Unfortunately, the heat transfer can lead to thermal expansion and stress at the coupling, which in turn can cause shaft misalignment and associated vibration. As a result, the heat transfer to the shaft and coupling can cause performance issues, maintenance problems, and downtime for the gas turbine system. Accordingly, a need exists for cooling the turbine shaft coupling.

System for cooling turbine shaft coupling


A process for producing a powder comprises spray freeze-drying an aqueous solution or suspension comprising a pharmaceutical agent, said solution or suspension having a solids content of 20% by weight or more. The spray freeze-dried powder may be administered to a subject via a needleless syringe.

The ability to deliver pharmaceutical agents into and through skin surfaces (transdermal delivery) provides many advantages over oral or parenteral delivery techniques. In particular, transdermal delivery provides a safe, convenient and noninvasive alternative to traditional administration systems, conveniently avoiding the major problems associated with oral delivery (e.g. variable rates of absorption and metabolism, gastrointestinal irritation and/or bitter or unpleasant drug tastes) or parenteral delivery (e.g. needle pain, the risk of introducing infection to treated individuals, the risk of contamination or infection of health care workers caused by accidental needle-sticks and the disposal of used needles).
However, despite its clear advantages, transdermal delivery presents a number of its own inherent logistical problems. Passive delivery through intact skin necessarily entails the transport of molecules through a number of structurally different tissues, including the stratum corneum, the viable epidermis, the papillary dermis and the capillary walls in order for the drug to gain entry into the blood or lymph system. Transdermal delivery systems must therefore be able to overcome the various resistances presented by each type of tissue.
In light of the above, a number of alternatives to passive transdermal delivery have been developed. These alternatives include the use of skin penetration enhancing agents, or "permeation enhancers," to increase skin permeability, as well as non-chemical modes such as the use of iontophoresis, electroporation or ultrasound. However, these alternative techniques often give rise to their own unique side effects such as skin irritation or sensitization. Thus, the spectrum of agents that can be safely and effectively administered using traditional transdermal delivery methods has remained limited.
More recently, a novel transdermal drug delivery system that entails the use of a needleless syringe to fire powders (i.e., solid drug-containing particles) in controlled doses into and through intact skin has been described. In particular, commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,796 to Bellhouse et al. describes a needleless syringe that delivers pharmaceutical particles entrained in a supersonic gas flow. The needleless syringe is used for transdermal delivery of powdered drug compounds and compositions, for delivery of genetic material into living cells (e.g., gene therapy) and for the delivery of biopharmaceuticals to skin, muscle, blood or lymph. The needleless syringe can also be used in conjunction with surgery to deliver drugs and biologics to organ surfaces, solid tumors and/or to surgical cavities (e.g., tumor beds or cavities after tumor resection). In theory, practically any pharmaceutical agent that can be prepared in a substantially solid, particulate form can be safely and easily delivered using such devices.
To enable powdered drug compositions to be effectively administered via this new needleless syringe technique, the powders should have certain physical characteristics. In particular, the size of the particles which form the powders should be controllable, preferably with a narrow size distribution. Further, the particle density should be high, the particles should be free-flowing under a dry environment and their moisture content should be low. Additional properties of the particles which are desired include a spherical shape and a smooth surface. Each of these properties is important to provide good skin penetration whilst avoiding damage to the particles themselves under the forces required for delivery via needleless syringe.
One of the most important factors in determining the physical characteristics of the powders is the particular manner by which they are produced. Various spray freeze-drying techniques have previously been described for, for example, the preparation of powders for aerosol delivery and microspheres for conventional drug delivery. In these applications, particles are desired to be light and porous, properties which are inherent in powders produced by previously described spray freeze-drying techniques. Such light and porous particles are not suitable for use in needleless syringe devices.
Maa et al. (1999) Pharmaceuticals Research 16(2) describe the physical characteristics of spray-freeze-dried particles and their performance as aerosols. The spray freeze-drying process is said to render highly porous particles with a large specific surface area. Maa estimated that the particle density of spray freeze-dried particles is typically approximately one ninth of that of equivalent particles dried by spray-drying.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,400 describes a process for preparing microspheres using very cold temperatures to freeze polymer-biologically active agent mixtures into polymeric microspheres with retention of biological activity and material. Polymer is dissolved in a solvent together with an active agent that can be either dissolved in the solvent or dispersed in the solvent in the form of microparticles. The polymer/active agent mixture is atomised into a vessel containing a liquid non-solvent, alone or frozen and overlayed with a liquified gas, at a temperature below the freezing point of the polymer/active agent solution.
When the combination with the liquified gas is used, the atomised droplets freeze into microspheres upon contacting the cold liquified gas, then sink onto the frozen non-solvent layer. The frozen non-solvent is then thawed. As the non-solvent thaws, the microspheres which are still frozen sink into the liquid non-solvent. The solvent in the microspheres then thaws and is slowly extracted into the non-solvent, resulting in hardened microspheres containing active agent either as a homogeneous mixture of the polymer and the active agent or as a heterogeneous two phase system of discrete zones of polymer and active agent.
If a cold solvent is used alone, the atomized droplets freeze upon contacting the solvent, and sink to the bottom of the vessel. As the non-solvent for the polymer is warmed, the solvent in the microspheres thaws and is extracted into the non-solvent, resulting in hardened microspheres.


A transmit circuit operated with time-interpolated digital pre-distortion (DPD) coefficients to improve adjacent channel power ratio (ACPR) performance during a power mode change is provided. The transmit circuit includes a DPD circuit configured to operate with a first DPD coefficient according to a first transmit power level of a transmit power amplifier of the transmit circuit. The transmit circuit further includes a DPD coefficient management engine configured to retrieve a second DPD coefficient corresponding to the second transmit power level. The transmit circuit further includes a DPD coefficient time-interpolation engine configured to compute a set of time-interpolated DPD coefficients corresponding to a set of time instants for a transient period when the transmit power amplifier is adapted to the second DPD coefficient.

A digital pre-distortion (DPD) circuit is usually operated at a radio transmitter to improve the linearity and efficiency of transmitter power amplifiers. A DPD adaptation engine usually works together with the DPD circuit to adapt the transmitter power amplifier to the DPD coefficients used to run the DPD circuit. In a 5G massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) base station, a single DPD adaptation engine is used for multiple radio frequency (RF) amplifiers for multiple transmission channels. In this case, the DPD adaptation engine adapts each RF amplifier sequentially. For example, when the base station transmit power changes from a low power mode to a high power mode, the temperatures and gains of the RF amplifiers may change significantly. The transient period for each transmit power amplifier to stabilize at the high transmit power mode after transition from the low transmit power mode can be as long as several seconds. During the transient period, the DPD adaptation engine adapts the DPD coefficients for the multiple RF amplifiers until all RF amplifiers stabilize at the high transmit power mode. Thus, the Adjacent Channel Power Ratio (ACPR) performance of the DPD circuit may compromise during the transient period, and sometimes may fall out of the range of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) and Federal Communication Committee (FCC) standards.
Accordingly, it would be desirable and useful to improve ACPR performance of the DPD circuit at a RF transmitter during power mode transition.

System and method for time-interpolated power change in a digital pre-distortion circuit


A storage subsystem and a storage controller adapted to take advantage of high data transfer rates of fiber channels while offering enhanced reliability and availability and capable of connecting with a plurality of host computers having multiple different interfaces. A loop is provided to serve as a common loop channel having fiber channel interfaces. Host interface controllers (HIFC) connected to host computers having different interfaces permit conversion between the fiber channel interface and a different interface as needed. Control processors, shared by the host interface controllers, each reference FCAL (fiber channel arbitrated loop) management information to capture a frame having an address of the processor in question from among the frames passing through the loop. I/O processing is then carried out by the controller in accordance with a range of logical unit numbers (LUN) set in the captured frame.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a storage subsystem and a storage controller, both connected to host computers. More particularly, the invention relates to a storage subsystem and a storage controller adapted to provide enhanced performance and reliability.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, storage controllers have been required to provide better performance, higher reliability and greater availability than ever before as computer systems are getting larger in scale to process data at higher speeds than ever before, 24 hours a day and 365 days a year, with data transfer interfaces also enhanced in speed. Illustratively, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 11-7359 discloses a storage controller incorporating an internal network to improve its performance.
There has been a growing need for connecting a storage controller to a plurality of host computers having multiple interfaces, as shown in FIG.8. In such a storage controller, a host interface section comprises a host interface for addressing each different host computer. A control processor in each host interface analyzes I/O commands received from the corresponding host computer and exchanges data accordingly with a cache memory 215 over a signal line. Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 9-325905 illustratively discloses one such storage controller.
Techniques have been known recently which substitute a fibre channel interface for the SCSI (Small Computer System Interface) between a host computer and a storage controller. Illustratively, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 10-333839 discloses techniques for connecting a storage controller with a host computer using a fibre channel interface. The disclosed storage controller is designed for dedicated use with a host computer having a fibre channel interface.

Storage subsystem and storage controller


A system includes a supernode generator module configured to generate supernodes. Each of the supernodes includes a plurality of symbol nodes. A supernode splitting module is configured to split each of the supernodes into derived symbols. The total number of edges of the derived symbols in each of the supernodes is equal to a predetermined number of edges of each of the supernodes.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description which may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
In recent years, use of large-scale networks that exchange, process, and store large amounts of data at high speeds is proliferating. Consequently, demand for reliable data transmission and storage systems is increasing. Referring now to FIG. 1, a typical communication or storage system 10 comprises an information source 12, a source encoder 14, a channel encoder 16, and a modulator 18. The system 10 further comprises a communication channel (or a storage medium) 20. The system 10 further comprises a demodulator 22, a channel decoder 24, a source decoder 26, and a destination 28.
The information source 12 may be an analog source such as a sensor that outputs information as continuous waveforms or a digital source such as a computer that outputs information in a digital form. The source encoder 14 converts the output of the information source 12 into a sequence of binary digits (bits) called an information sequence u. The channel encoder 16 converts the information sequence u into a discrete encoded sequence v called a codeword. The modulator 18 transforms the codeword into a waveform of duration T seconds that is suitable for transmission (or recording).
The waveform output by the modulator 18 is transmitted via the communication channel (or stored in the storage medium) 20. Typical examples of the communication channel 20 are telephone lines, wireless communication channels, optical fiber cables, etc. Typical examples of the storage medium 20 are magnetic disks, tapes, etc. Noise, such as thermal noise, electromagnetic interference, inter-channel crosstalk, etc., may corrupt the waveform.
The demodulator 22 receives the waveform. The demodulator 22 processes each waveform and generates a received sequence r that is either a discrete (quantized) or a continuous output. The channel decoder 24 converts the received sequence r into a binary sequence u′ called an estimated information sequence. The source decoder 26 converts u′ into an estimate of the output of the information source 12 and delivers the estimate to the destination 28. The estimate may be a faithful reproduction of the output of the information source 12 when u′ resembles u despite decoding errors that may be caused by the noise.
System designers strive to find ways to control and minimize errors in data transmission and data storage so that data can be reliably reproduced. For example, system designers strive to design codes and channel encoders (hereinafter encoders) that can combat noise. Implementation of encoders partly depends on types of codes used to encode data.
An encoder using a block code typically divides data into blocks of k bits (symbols) each. A message block is generally represented as a binary k-bit message denoted by u=(u0, u1, . . . , uk-1). The encoder transforms each message u independently into an n-bit codeword denoted by v=(v0, v1, . . . , vn-1), v is also called a code vector of the message u. Thus, a k-bit message block can comprise 2k messages, and the encoder may output 2k codewords for 2k possible messages. A set of 2k codewords of length n is called an (n,k) block code.
When k<n, (n−k) redundant bits may be added to each message to form a codeword. The redundant bits enable a code to combat channel noise. The ability of a code to combat noise can be increased by adding more redundant bits to codewords. For example, more redundant bits can be added by increasing a number of message bits k and a block length n of a code while holding a ratio k/n constant. This, however, may increase complexity and cost of hardware used to implement encoders.
Encoder design may be simplified by using block codes that are linear. This is because linear codes have properties that can be represented mathematically. For example, linear codes may be represented by matrices, polynomials, Tanner graphs, etc. Therefore, encoders using linear codes may be easily implemented using simple hardware such as shift registers.
A block code of length n and 2k codewords is called a linear (n,k) code if a modulo-2 sum of two codewords is also a codeword. In that case, every codeword v in the linear code (n,k) is a linear combination of k linearly independent codewords, g0, g1, . . . , gk-1. That is, v=u0g0+u1g1+ . . . +uk-1gk-1, where ui=0 or 1 for 0≦i<k.
The k linearly independent codewords can be arranged as rows of a k×n matrix as follows.
  G  =            [                                                  g              0                                                                          g              1                                                            ⋮                                                              g                              k                -                1                                                        ]        =          [                                                  g              00                                                          g              01                                            …                                              g                              0                ,                                                                                n                  -                  1                                                                                g              10                                                          g              11                                            …                                              g                              1                ,                                                                                k                  -                  1                                                                                ⋮                                ⋮                                                                                ⋮                                                              g                                                k                  -                  1                                ,                0                                                                        g                                                k                  -                  1                                ,                1                                                          …                                              g                                                k                  -                  1                                ,                                                                                n                  -                  1                                                                        ]      where gi=(gi0, gi1, . . . , gi,(n-1)) for 0≦i<k.
Thus, if u=(u0, u1, . . . , uk-1) is a message to be encoded, a corresponding codeword is expressed as follows.v=u*G
                                                                =                                                        (                                                u                                                                                0                                ,                                  u                                                                                1                                ,                …                                                                                ,                                  u                                      k                    -                    1                                                              )                        *                          [                                                                                g                      0                                                                                g                      1                                                                                ⋮                                                                                g                                              k                        -                        1                                                                                ]                                                              =                                              u                                                                          0                        g                                                                          0                    +                      u                                                                          1                        g                                                                          1                    +          …          +                                    u                              k                -                1                                                                g                              k                -                1
Rows of matrix G generate the linear code (n,k). Therefore, matrix G is called a generator matrix for the linear code (n,k). Implementing an encoder that uses the linear code (n,k) is simplified because the encoder may store only k rows of the matrix G to form a linear combination of the k rows based on the input message u.
Codewords of linear codes generally comprise a message part and a redundant part. The message part comprises k unaltered information (or message) digits. The redundant part comprises (n−k) parity check digits, which are linear sums of the information digits. A linear (n,k) code may be alternatively specified by a k×n matrix G as follows.
  G  =            [                                                  g              0                                                                          g              1                                                            ⋮                                                              g                              k                -                1                                                        ]        =          [                                                  p              00                                                          p              01                                            …                                              p                              0                ,                                                                                n                  -                  k                  -                  1                                                                          1                                0                                0                                …                                0                                                              p              10                                                          p              11                                            …                                              p                              1                ,                                                                                n                  -                  k                  -                  1                                                                          0                                1                                0                                …                                0                                                ⋮                                                                                ⋮                                ⋮                                                                                ⋮                                                              p                                                k                  -                  1                                ,                0                                                                        p                                                k                  -                  1                                ,                1                                                          …                                              p                                                k                  -                  1                                ,                                                                                n                  -                  k                  -                  1                                                                          0                                0                                0                                …                                1                              ]      where pij=0 or 1.
If u=(u0, u1, . . . , uk-1) is the message to be encoded, the codeword v is expressed as follows.
                    v        =                                  (                                    v                                                                                0                        ,                          v                                                                                1                        ,            …                                                              ,                          v                              n                -                1                                              )                                        =                                              (                                          u                                                                                0                            ,                              u                                                                                1                            ,              …                                                                        ,                              u                                  k                  -                  1                                                      )                    *          G                    Thus, vn-k+i=ui for 0≦i<k, and vj=u0p0j+uip1j++uk-1pk-1,j for 0≦j<(n−k). The (n−k) equations for vj are called the parity check equations of the code.
The linear code (n,k) generated by G can also be described as a null space of a (n−k)×n matrix H, where H is called a parity check matrix of the code (n,k) and is expressed as follows.
  H  =      [                            1                          0                          …                          0                                      p            00                                                p            10                                    …                                      p                                          k                -                1                            ,              0                                                            0                          1                          …                          0                                      p            01                                                p            11                                    …                                      p                                          k                -                1                            ,              1                                                            ⋮                                                                                ⋮                          ⋮                                                                                ⋮                                      0                          0                          …                          1                                      p                          0              ,                              n                -                k                -                1                                                                          p                          1              ,                              n                -                k                -                1                                                              …                                      p                                          k                -                1                            ,                              n                -                k                -                1                                                          ]
Some linear codes are cyclic or quasi-cyclic. An (n,k) linear code is called a cyclic code if every cyclic shift of a codeword is also a codeword. If a codeword v=(v0, v1, . . . , vn-1) is cyclically shifted one place to the right, a resultant codeword is give by v(1)=(vn-1, v0, v1, . . . , vn-2). Thus, if the codeword v is cyclically shifted i places to the right, a resultant codeword is expressed as follows.V(i)=(vn-1, vn-1+1, . . . , vn-1, v0, v1, . . . , vn-1+1)
Cyclically shifting v by i places to the right is equivalent to cyclically shifting v by (n−i) places to the left.
Cyclic codes may be mathematically represented by polynomials. For example, a codeword v=(v0, v1, . . . , vn-1) can be expressed in the form of a polynomial as follows.v(X)=v0+v1X+v2X2+ . . . +vn-1Xn-1 Thus, each codeword corresponds to a polynomial of degree (n−1) or less. For example, if vn-1≠0, the degree of v(X) is (n−1). If vn-1=0, the degree of v(X) is less than (n−1). Since correspondence between v and v(X) is one to one, v(X) is called a code polynomial of v.
Cyclic codes possess full cyclic symmetry. That is, cyclically shifting a codeword of a cyclic code by any number of symbol positions either to the left or to the right results in another codeword. Therefore, encoders using cyclic codes and corresponding decoders can be easily implemented using simple shift registers and logic circuits.
On the other hand, quasi-cyclic codes do not possess full cyclic symmetry. Instead, quasi-cyclic codes possess partial cyclic symmetry. Specifically, a quasi-cyclic code is a linear code wherein cyclically shifting a codeword a fixed number n0≠1 (a multiple of n0) of symbol positions either to the right or to the left yields another codeword. n0, which is an integer, is called a shifting constraint. Thus, a quasi-cyclic code with n0=1 is a cyclic code.
Quasi-cyclic codes can be represented using matrices called circulant matrices or circulants. A circulant is a square matrix (e.g., a k×k matrix). For any given integer m<k, shifting a column (or a row) by m positions results in another column (or row) of the circulant.
A low-density parity check (LDPC) code is defined as a null space of a parity check matrix having row weights and column weights that are small relative to a length of the code and a number of rows in the parity check matrix. Row weights denote number of 1's in rows of the parity check matrix, and column weights denote number of 1's in columns of the parity check matrix. Since row weights and column weights of the parity check matrix are small, the parity check matrix has a low density of 1's. Consequently, the parity check matrix is a sparse matrix and is called a low-density parity check matrix.
If H denotes the low density parity check matrix, λ denotes the column weight of H, and ρ denotes the row weight of H, then the code specified by H is called a low density parity check code or a (λ,ρ)-regular LDPC code. The code is called regular when the column weight λ and the row weight ρ are constant. On the other hand, when all the columns and all the rows of H do not have identical weight, an LDPC code specified by H is called an irregular LDPC code.
Referring now to FIG. 2, Tanner graphs may be used to graphically represent linear codes such as LDPC codes. A Tanner graph G 40 is denoted by G=(V, E), where V is a set of vertices 42 and E is a set of edges 44. V={v1, v2, . . . , v8} and E={a, b, . . . , h}. The Tanner graph G 40 is called a bipartite graph since vertices V 42 can be partitioned into two disjoint subsets V1={v1, v2, v3} and V2={v4, v5, . . . , v8} such that every edge 44 joins a vertex in V1 to a vertex in V2, and no two vertices in V1 or V2 are connected. A number of edges that are incident on a vertex vi is called a degree of the vertex vi and is denoted by d(vi). For example, degree of vertex v2 is three since edges c, d, and e are incident on vertex v2. Vertices may also be called nodes.
Tanner graphs of linear codes display incidence relationships between code bits of the linear codes and parity checksums that check on the code bits. For a linear code of length n specified by a parity check matrix H with J rows, h1, h2, . . . , hJ, a Tanner graph G comprises two sets of vertices V1 and V2. V1 comprises n vertices, v0, v1, . . . , vn-1, that represent n code bits of the code and are called code bit vertices. Code bit vertices are also called symbol nodes or variable nodes. V2 comprises J vertices that represent J parity checksums or equations, s1, s2, . . . , sJ, that the code bits satisfy and are called checksum vertices or check nodes.
A symbol node vi is connected to a check node sj by an edge denoted by (vi, sj) only if the code bit vi is contained in (or checked by) the parity checksum sj. A degree of the symbol node vi is equal to a number of parity checksums that contain vi. Thus, the degree of a symbol node is equal to a number of edges or symbol node edges with which the symbol node connects to its check nodes. Similarly, a degree of the check node sj is equal to a number of code bits that are checked by sj. Thus, the degree of a check node is equal to a number of edges or check node edges with which the check node connects to its symbol nodes.
For a regular LDPC code, degrees of all symbol nodes in a Tanner graph are identical and are equal to a column weight λ of H. Similarly, degrees of all check nodes are identical and are equal to a row weight ρ of H. Such a Tanner graph is said to be regular. This is helpful in generating regular LDPC codes and in implementing encoders that use regular LDPC codes.
On the other hand, an irregular LDPC code is defined by a parity check matrix H having multiple column weights and multiple row weights. Thus, a Tanner graph of the irregular LDPC code comprises symbol nodes having multiple degrees and check nodes having multiple degrees. Consequently, generating irregular LDPC codes and implementing encoders that use irregular LDPC codes is relatively complex.

Methods for generating and implementing quasi-cyclic irregular low-density parity check codes


A female condom and an improved method for manufacturing a female condom is disclosed. The invention provides a device that is effective in both acting as a contraceptive and inhibiting the transmission of disease during coitus. The invention employs synthetic latex in an efficient and cost effect manufacturing method that results in an improved product.

Condoms are devices that are used for both contraception and protection during sexual intercourse against the transfer of infectious matter such as bacterial and viral microbes that cause venereal diseases. The continued increase in the incidences of HIV/AIDS has caused various health organizations to encourage people to increase the use of condoms during sexual intercourse in or to prevent the further spread of the disease.
Condoms comprise a thin tubular casing that is typically manufactured from natural rubber latex and that has an open end and a closed end. Traditional condoms are drawn over the penis before coitus. The casing of the condom has an inner diameter that is selected so that the condom fits tightly on the penis. At the open end of a condom an elastic, flexible ring or rolled portion of latex is usually provided. This ring portion is generally the same diameter as the tubular casing of the condom. This elastic ring portion serves primarily to secure the condom on the penis and to prevent leakage of semen for the interior of the condom. These elastic ring portions of a condom do not radially extend the open end of the condom. Indeed, the rings do not supply enough rigidity to alter the shape of the condom.
It is generally accepted that HIV/AIDS can only be transferred through contact with the carrier's bodily fluid. During sexual intercourse such a transfer of HIV/AIDS occurs when skin lesions of the carrier contact the mucous membrane or skin of the carrier's partner or through transfer of the carriers semen. Such a transfer of HIV/AIDS may occur at the base of the penis and at the vulva. There is a risk that lesions in these areas can be caused to bleed during sexual intercourse. When using a standard condom, these areas are unprotected or unshielded by the condom, and consequently a condom does not offer full protection against the transfer of infectious matter such as HIV/AIDS.
Numerous attempts have been made to design a condom or condom-like device that provides effective contraception and/or more protection against the transfer of infectious matter than the standard condom. A sampling of these attempts are described below.
An article, "Outline For Successful Prophylactic Program" (Waterbury, Conn.: The Hemingway Press, 1934), the Gee Bee Company, 7-16, discloses a prophylactic device entitled, "The Gee Bee." This device is a loose fitting tubular prophylactic having a grooved outer ring. The grooved outer ring does not form a collar-shaped, outwardly extending portion at the open of the prophylactic. This invention does not disclose any description of a "female" embodiment having a means for retaining the closed end of the device in the vagina.
German Patent Number 210,413 to Hollmann discloses a condom-like device having an outer ring. The outer ring of this invention radially extends the opening of the condom. This invention has no means for retaining the closed end of the device in the vagina.
U.S. Pat. No. 899,251 to Graham discloses an animal breeder's bag. The bag is a condom-like device for livestock that can be used to collect semen. The bag contains a fixed inner band that is positioned at about the middle of the device. This position for the attachment of the band provides for a tube and a bag-like extension. The purpose of the band and cross strips is to collect semen in a pocket. A rubber frame can be made in various shapes, but is not disclosed as forming a collar-shaped, outwardly extending portion at the opening off the prophylactic. The band of this device is designed and positioned on the device in order to provide a semen collection bag. The band does not have a structure that is located at the closed end of the device to provide a retaining means such as is required for a "female condom".
U.S. Pat. No. 4,004,591 to Freimark discloses a birth control device. This birth control device is a female condom made of a strong rubber, plastic, or other similar material. This condom has a rigid, ring-like rim that is bent or scalloped. This rim can be a wire. The rim is not adapted to radially extend the open end of this device because this device is a hard molded material and not flexible. The cross-sectional dimensions of this condom are disclosed as being sufficiently large to easily accommodate the average width of the penis with some additional clearance space. The primary function of this device is to prevent unwanted pregnancy. This device is useful in preventing the spread of venereal disease. This device provides no means at the vulva to prevent an exchange between partners of secreted fluids that can contain infectious agents. Additionally, this birth control device is intended for use by females, but includes no means to secure or maintain the device in the vagina.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,630,602 to Strickman et al. discloses a disposable contraceptive cervical barrier. The cervical barrier of this invention is similar to standard diaphragms in size and design. This cervical barrier contains various "cavities for cells" that can hold spermicidal lubricants. These spermicidal lubricants can also be placed in numerous grooves within the body of the cervical barrier. Urethane polymers are used to make the device. The cervical barrier of this invention, unlike a condom, has no tubular side walls to prevent the exchange of secretion between partners that can contain a venereal disease.
Retained sheaths or "female condoms" have been sold for some time. One type of such a device is disclosed in the Hessel et al. patents, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,735,621, 4,976,273, 5,094,250, 5,490,519, and 5,623,946. In the principle embodiment discussed in these patents, the urethane ring at the open end of the tubular member is a separate unit from the urethane sheath itself. The sheath is then attached to the ring through for example a welding step. The Hessel patents also discuss that the ring can be formed by rolling the polymer material that forms the walls of the tubular structure from the open end, so as to form a ring of material. This ring of material can then be kept from unrolling by heating or using an adhesive.
The Hessel patents while they mention use of natural rubber latex, never address the problems associated with such a construction. Specifically, while rolling a ring is theoretically possible it presents many challenges. Typical polymer materials used in the construction of contraceptive barriers (i.e., natural rubber latex or polyurethane) will rip upon rolling or are too sticking to be effectively rolled. Often when a material is rolled into a bead of sufficient size, air or moisture is captured in the bead and upon drying the air expands and moisture boils resulting in a rupture in the bead.

Contraceptive sheath with integrated bead construction


The present invention provides soluble CTLA4 mutant molecules which bind CD80 and/or CD86 antigen.

Antigen-nonspecific intercellular interactions between T-lymphocytes and antigen-presenting cells (APCs) generate T cell stimulatory signals that generate T cell responses to antigen (Jenkins and Johnson 1993 Curr. Opin. Immunol. 5:361–367). Stimulatory signals determine the magnitude of a T cell response to antigen, and whether this response activates or inactivates subsequent responses to antigen (Mueller et al. 1989 Annu. Rev. Immunol. 7: 445–480).
T cell activation in the absence of costimulation results in an aborted or anergic T cell response (Schwartz, R. H. 1992 Cell 71:1065–1068). One key stimulatory signal is provided by interaction of T cell surface receptors CD28 and CTLA4 with B7 related molecules on APC (e.g., also known as B7-1 and B7-2, or CD80 and CD86, respectively) (P. Linsley and J. Ledbetter 1993 Annu. Rev. Immunol. 11:191–212).
The molecule now known as CD80 (B7-1) was originally described as a human B cell-associated activation antigen (Yokochi, T. et al. 1981 J. Immunol. 128:823–827; Freeman, G. J. et al. 1989 J. Immunol. 143:2714–2722), and subsequently identified as a counterreceptor for the related T cell molecules CD28 and CTLA4 (Linsley, P., et al. 1990 Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87:5031–5035; Linsley, P. S. et al. 1991(a) J. Exp. Med. 173:721–730; Linsley, P. S. et al. 1991 (b) J. Exp. Med. 174:561–570).
More recently, another counterreceptor for CTLA4 was identified on antigen presenting cells (APC) (Azuma, N. et al. 1993 Nature 366:76–79; Freeman 1993(a) Science 262:909–911; Freeman, G. J. et al. 1993(b) J. Exp. Med. 178:2185–2192; Hathcock, K. L. S., et al. 1994 J. Exp. Med. 180:631–640; Lenschow, D. J. et al., 1993 Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:11054–11058; Ravi-Wolf, Z., et al. 1993 Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:11182–11186; Wu, Y. et al. 1993 J. Exp. Med. 178:1789–1793).
This molecule, now known as CD86 (Caux, C., et al. 1994 J. Exp. Med. 180:1841–1848), but also called B7-0 (Azuma et al., 1993, supra) or B7-2 (Freeman et al., 1993a, supra), shares about 25% sequence identity with CD80 in its extracellular region (Azuma et al., 1993, supra; Freeman et al., 1993a, supra, 1993b, supra). CD86-transfected cells trigger CD28-mediated T cell responses (Azuma et al., 1993, supra; Freeman et al., 1993a, 1993b, supra).
Comparisons of expression of CD80 and CD86 have been the subject of several studies (Azuma et al. 1993, supra; Hathcock et al., 1994 supra; Larsen, C. P., et al. 1994 J. Immunol. 152:5208–5219; Stack, R. M., et al., 1994 J. Immunol. 152:5723–5733). Current data indicate that expression of CD80 and CD86 are regulated differently, and suggest that CD86 expression tends to precede CD80 expression during an immune response.
Soluble forms of CD28 and CTLA4 have been constructed by fusing variable (v)-like extracellular domains of CD28 and CTLA4 to immunoglobulin (Ig) constant domains resulting in CD28Ig and CTLA4Ig. CTLA4Ig binds both CD80 positive and CD86 positive cells more strongly than CD28Ig (Linsley, P. et al. 1994 Immunity 1:793–80). Many T cell-dependent immune responses are blocked by CTLA4Ig both in vitro and in vivo. (Linsley, et al., (1991b), supra; Linsley, P. S. et al., 1992(a) Science 257:792–795; Linsley, P. S. et al., 1992(b) J. Exp. Med. 176:1595–1604; Lenschow, D. J. et al. 1992, Science 257:789–792; Tan, P. et al., 1992 J. Exp. Med. 177:165–173; Turka, L. A., 1992 Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:11102–11105).
Soluble CTLA4 molecules are effective immunosuppressive agents. There is a need to discover additional soluble CTLA4 molecules for treatments requiring donor-specific and antigen-specific tolerance.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Soluble CTLA4 mutant molecules and uses thereof


A motorcycle frame is provided which enables a conventional automobile engine block to be secured thereto while also eliminating all counterproductive torque generated by the engine block. The frame includes a housing having a pair of subframes of essentially quadrilateral configuration extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the motorcycle. Each subframe comprises a pair of tubes which may be disconnected for access to the engine blocks. Each subframe is formed by a pair of upper and lower tubes. The subframes are connected at one end to a steering head and angle outwardly approximately one quarter of the length of the subframes with the remaining length extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the motorcycle. Generally semicircular shaped tubular members are provided for securing each of the subframe upper tubes to the lower tubes to provide reinforcement for the subframes. A plurality of engine block mounts are provided along the inner periphery of the housing for securing the engine block parallel to the centerline of the motorcycle. Additionally, a plurality of support braces are provided for supporting the engine block within the housing.

In an attempt to increase the horsepower of motorcycles, larger engine blocks are being mounted in conventional motorcycles. One way the mounting for the larger engine block is achieved is by converting the motorcycle to a three wheeled vehicle or by mounting the engine block transverse to the centerline of the motorcycle. Currently, there are no motorcycles which utilize a conventional automobile V-8 engine block.
Several U.S. Patents disclose modified frames to accomplish varied purposes as described hereinafter. U.S. Pat. No. 3,937,484 (Morioka et al.) discloses a motorcycle frame which allows access to the engine mounted below. This access is accomplished by mounting the fuel tank below the seat instead of above the engine.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,047,730 discloses a motorcycle frame for mounting a standard engine. The frame is designed to provide increased flexibility and thus increase rider comfort.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,226,296 (Higaki) discloses a motorcycle frame having a steering head and a pair of upper and lower tubes attached thereto. The lower tubes are designed to suspend a motor which is mounted transverse to the centerline of the frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,323,135 (Tominaga et al.) discloses a motorcycle frame for maintaining a standard transversely mounted motorcycle engine.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,854 (Suzuki et al.) discloses a motorcycle frame having a main tube connected to the lower end of a steering head so that a gas tank with a larger capacity may be attached to the frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,678,054 (Honda et al.) discloses a motorcycle frame which supports a standard motorcycle engine. The frame is provided with a plurality of hollow passages for allowing cable insertion and air flow.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,800 (Kadono et al.) discloses a motorcycle frame having a single main frame tube extending from the head pipe to the detachably mounted down frame. The frame is designed to hold a standard motorcycle engine.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,929 (Sugimoto) discloses a motorcycle frame having a head pipe and main frame sections having boxed sections which interlock to affix the frame sections to the head pipe.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,275 discloses a buggy frame, a four wheeled vehicle, which maintains a transversely mounted engine in the frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,678 (Yamaguchi) discloses a motorcycle frame having right and left engine support members for maintaining a standard motorcycle engine therebetween. The support members are formed by a plurality of triangular shaped members.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,883 (Morinaka et al.) discloses a motorcycle frame having a detachable rear portion. The rear portion of the frame allows for mounting a central trunk as well as left and right trunks.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,508,765 (Bauer et al.) discloses a motorcycle frame having bending moments which are generated in the backbone due to the dynamic loading on the frame. Attached to the backbone are two pairs of tubes which are triangulated with the backbone so that when the backbone is loaded, the tubes act substantially as struts.