A support base for supporting a structural pole is provided. The support base includes a frame having an internal cavity for housing hardware, such as a speaker assembly, that is associated with the corresponding structural pole. The frame is generally open laterally thereabout for permitting access to the internal cavity. A footing region of the support base secures the frame to an underlying support surface and a platform atop the frame receives the structural pole thereon. The frame is sized to receive an ornamental protective cover thereabout for enhancing the aesthetic perspective of the base and for protecting the hardware within the frame internal cavity.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a structural pole, more particularly to a base of a structural pole.
2. Background Art
Structural poles have been utilized for public thoroughfares, sidewalks, landscapes and large interior spaces. These areas include city streets, parks, residential neighborhoods, office buildings, campus areas, exterior walkways, shopping malls, atriums, casinos, and the like. These structural poles include light poles, traffic poles, utility poles, bollards, speaker poles and the like. The poles are fixed to an underlying support surface through various arrangements. For example, the poles may include a direct burial post, a base that is unitary with the pole and can be fastened to the underlying support surface, or a separate base that is fastened to the underlying support surface and receives the pole. For decorative purposes, these bases have been cosmetically enhanced with ornamental indicia cast or formed thereon or, alternatively provided in a cover or apron that may be affixed over the fixed end of the structural pole.
Each of these structural pole base examples includes a removable access door or the like for providing access to an internal cavity of the pole so that cables, or wires for power or signals to equipment supported by the pole can be accessed. These access doors provide limited access to the components housed therein and limit the availability of components that can be inserted through the access door.
In many thoroughfares it is desirable to provide more than just lighting on a structural pole. For example, electronic sign displays may be mounted to the pole or speaker systems or the like. It is also desirable to provide such auxiliary features to the structural pole while preventing the features from being accessible to the elements or vandalism. It is also desirable to conceal such auxiliary equipment to avoid obfuscating the aesthetic appeal within the given location. Accordingly, the prior art has partially addressed this need by mounting speaker assemblies within a fixed end of a structural pole and spacing the fixed end of the structural pole above the underlying support surface so that acoustical vibrations provided by the speaker assembly exit the structural pole omnidirectionally.
A goal of the present invention is to provide a support base for a structural pole that enhances flexibility in hardware mounting without upsetting the aesthetic or ornamental aspects thereof.


The present invention relates to an infant hammock comprising a substantially rectangular mesh type panel having a substantially rectangular frame member integral with the panel's peripheral edges. Perpendicularly extending from each corner of the frame member is a support leg for contacting the upper surface of a baby crib and for supporting the fabric panel a predetermined distance thereabove. Disposed on the peripheral edges of the fabric panel is one or more digital micro-chips for selectively emitting soothing tones such as lullabies or similar songs. The frame member components and support legs are detachable allowing the device to be easily disassembled for transport or storage.

The present invention relates to a hammock designed to be used in conjunction with a baby crib so that infants may more safely sleep on their stomachs. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) has been identified as a leading cause of infant deaths especially for those between the ages of 0-1 years. Although the exact cause of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome has not yet been accurately determined, it is believed to be related to infants sleeping on their stomachs. Some theories have suggested that because an infant cannot raise its head, it may not have sufficient access to fresh air when lying on its stomach. Accordingly, many parents are advised to place small babies on their back or side when placing an infant in a crib. However, infants sleeping on their back are at risk for other complications such as choking on their own vomit. The present invention provides a hammock supported by an integral frame that suspends the hammock a short distance above a baby crib mattress. The hammock is constructed of a mesh type material allowing infants to lie on their stomach with little or no risk of suffocation or reduced air flow to the baby's mouth. Furthermore, the hammock has an integral sound producing means which may selectively emit songs, lullabies or similar tones for appeasing an infant.


A sound absorptive material has powder particles having a sound absorption characteristics at a low frequency and generally supported in a vibratable state by a porous support, whereby the sound absorptive material can be increased in the sound absorption coefficient in the low frequency range while maintaining the absorptive material to be thin.

This invention relates to a sound absorptive material.
The particular sound absorptive material finds its utility when employed as a wallboard or the like interior material for making a room which is required to possess excellent the acoustic properties, as a filler material for a hollow part in a double structure installation which is required to have good sound insulating properties and as an inner liner of sound absorbing ducts, soundproof covers for use with noise-generating machines, instruments, and so on.


An oscillating apparatus, such as a tattooing apparatus applying an electric motor such as a linear motor, and a first sensor and a controller. A method for controlling an oscillating apparatus such as a tattooing apparatus, includes a controller and various sensors to control, among other things, the position, velocity and acceleration of a needle either directly or via a needle connector.

Handpoking is a very old method of applying a tattoo. The artist uses a needle attached to a pen sized stick. The needle is dipped in ink and then pressed under the skin, leaving behind a dot of ink deposited under the skin. This is essentially the whole function of a tattooing apparatus.
Today, different motors are traditionally used for driving the needle in a tattooing apparatus:                an electromagnetic coil machine includes electromagnetic coils providing the oscillation or reciprocation of the needle. Electromagnetic coils are mounted to a frame which includes a spring-loaded armature biased away from the electromagnetic coils and the frame further includes a contact screw and an electrical contact. In operation, when the screw contacts the electrical contact, then the electromagnetic coils receive power and create a magnetic field which attracts the armature towards the electromagnetic coils. As the armature moves toward the electromagnetic coils, the armature drives the needle into the skin. Further, as the armature moves towards the electromagnetic coils, the screw and electrical contact separate and open the electric circuit powering the electromagnetic coils. Accordingly, the electromagnetic coils turn off, and the armature, which is spring-biased away from the electromagnetic coils, moves away from the electromagnetic coils and pulls the needle out of the skin. As the armature moves away, the screw and electrical contact touch, the electric circuit is closed, and the electromagnetic coils are reactivated. This process repeats as long as electricity is supplied to the contacts. Traditionally, the handle of an electromagnetic coil tattoo apparatus is placed on a needle tube in which the needle is placed whereas the electromagnetic coils and the reciprocating mechanism is placed above the handle.        a rotary tattoo machine includes a motor spinning a cam wheel as an oscillating or reciprocating mechanism. The cam wheel includes an offset shaft that is offset from the rotational axis of motor by a distance. A first end of a needle is attached to the offset shaft, while the main shaft of the needle is received in a needle tube or otherwise fixed in at a lateral position. The second end of the needle oscillates back and forth through the skin surface. The stroke length of a rotary tattoo machine is primarily determined by the distance between the center of the cam wheel and the offset shaft, the stroke length may be reduced if the rotary tattoo apparatus is configured with a give-function such as a flexible part placed between the offset shaft and the needle. Traditionally, the handle of a rotary machine is placed on a needle tube in which the needle is placed whereas the motor and the reciprocating mechanism is placed above the handle.
US2017/0007814A discloses a tattooing apparatus having an automated control of penetration depths. The tattooing apparatus includes a needle having at least one tip and a needle drive mechanism configured to move the needle between a first position and the second position, in the first position the tip is located above the surface of a skin and in the second position the tip is located at a penetration depth underneath the skin surface. The needle is configured to deposit an ink between the skin surface and the penetration depth. The tattooing apparatus includes a sensor (210) located in the outer frame of the tattooing apparatus, which sensor scans the skin at the point where the tip of the needle penetrates the skin and the sensor is configured to provide an output in form of a feedback signal corresponding to a skin thickness characteristic, possibly the sensor utilizes optical coherence tomography (See [0029]) or ultra sound (See [0030]) to detect skin layer depths and thicknesses. The tattooing apparatus also includes a controller configured to receive the feedback signal from the sensor, the controller then determines the optimal penetration depth based on the skin thickness characteristic and then adjust the penetration depth (See [0028]). The needle penetration depth is adjusted during use such that ink is consistently deposited within a particular layer of skin. In a rotary tattoo apparatus, the needle penetration depth is adjusted by moving the motor and cam wheel vertically up and down in small increments relative to the needle tube or alternatively, the distance between the rotational axis and the offset shaft is adjusted or alternatively, the length of the needle tube is varied. In an electromagnetic coil machine, the needle penetration depths may be adjusted by varying the distance between a frame (302) to which the coils are attached and the needle tube (308) (See [0035]). If a linear electric motor is used for the tattooing apparatus, the stroke distance of the needle may be adjusted by controlling the actuation of the motor (See [0037]).
The tattooing apparatus of US2017/0007814A varies the end position of the stroke length as a function of the skin characteristics. For the rotary machine and the electromagnetic coil machine, the stroke length is kept constant while the distance between needle attachment and the handle of the apparatus is varied. In the FIGS. 2A and 3A of the document, the apparatuses are illustrated in a vertical position, it is not clear how the device will react if it is held in an 45°-angle relative to the skin surface.
Normally, the parameters a tattooist must set when using a traditional tattooing apparatus is the voltage of the motor, determining the frequency of the needle, and set the stroke length of the needle. Both parameters are normally set at the beginning of a tattoo session and may then be manually changed during a session. However, drastically changing give, or stroke length of the needle often requires replacing a mechanical part of the tattooing apparatus taking both time and effort. Also, mechanical give may be subject to wear and other conditions.


A method of processing contaminated soil whereby the soil in the form of feed stock is heated in a combustion chamber of a processor with the hydrocarbons being evacuated to a condensing system resulting in a petroleum product while the soil feed stock is detoxified in an afterburner to form clean soil for general use.

In the past many systems and processes have been devised in order to remove hydrocarbons due to various oil spills on water and land with various degrees of effectiveness.
For example U.S. Pat. No. 3,520,367 to Needham is directed to a process for recovering oil in an oil bearing subterranean strata using steam at temperatures and pressures which minimize damage to the tubing and casings of the apparatus. U.S. Pat. No. 4,529,496 to Kryer concerns recovery of oil from mined oil sand, such as tar and bituminous sands. U.S. Pat. No. 5,057,227 to Cohen is directed to a process for managing ground water which has been contaminated with hydrocarbons, such as petroleum products, and one of the methods described is the removal of contaminated soil with a subsequent soil treatment, which is not particularly set forth.
The present invention relates to a system using an oil reclamation processor which has an assembly directed toward handling of solid materials such as pit sludge, well cuttings, tar sands and soils contaminated by surface spills.
It is a principal object of the present invention to excavate the contaminated soil and reclaim the hydrocarbons therein while detoxifying the soil so that it may be reused for general fill, for example for road or general excavation use.
It is a further object of the present invention to transport the decontaminated soil from an excavation site into a soil processor whereby the petroleum mixed in with the soil is extracted and delivered to a tanker for reuse, while the soil passes through a further processor wherein the toxic elements remaining in the soil are removed and the decontaminated soil material is transported to an area accessible for removal.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an arrangement whereby contaminated feed stock can be accelerated or decelerated for the proper distillation of the feed stock, which varies with the petroleum content of the soil.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an operating fuel with proper emission controls for cleaning exhaust fumes in order to meet EPA requirements of the United States.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a soil decontamination processor which is housed on a trailer bed for quick dispatch to any location wherein a cleanup is desired.
Still another feature of the present invention is to provide means for testing the soil material periodically in order to maintain quality control.
In order that the present invention may be more clearly understood it will now be disclosed in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein the sole Figure shows an oil decontamination processor assembly in which contaminated soil is placed into the system and the petroleum therein is recovered while the soil is processed and detoxified, and in which the remaining soil may be disposed of as a general fill for road or excavation use all in accordance with the teachings of my invention.


An uncooled infrared tunneling sensor in which the only moving part is a diaphragm which is deflected into contact with a micromachined silicon tip electrode prepared by a novel lithographic process. Similarly prepared deflection electrodes employ electrostatic force to control the deflection of a silicon nitride, flat diaphragm membrane. The diaphragm exhibits a high resonant frequency which reduces the sensor's sensitivity to vibration. A high bandwidth feedback circuit controls the tunneling current by adjusting the deflection voltage to maintain a constant deflection of the membrane which would otherwise change deflection depending upon incident infrared radiation. The resulting infrared sensor will meet or exceed the performance of all other broadband, uncooled, infrared sensors and can be miniaturized to pixel dimensions smaller than 100 .mu.m. The technology is readily implemented as a small-format linear array suitable for commercial and spacecraft applications.

Instruments for the measurement of infrared radiation are becoming increasingly important for a variety of commercial and non-commercial applications. Research into the development of uncooled sensors with response throughout the infrared spectrum has become particularly important due to the limitations on the operation of cooling systems. Uncooled infrared sensors would have important applications for space-based remote-sensing of thermal sources, night vision, target identification, thermal mapping, event detection, motion detection, and others. The limitations of the performance of the existing uncooled sensors often are the primary constraint to the performance of infrared imaging systems for many applications. As a result, there has been considerable investment in the development of uncooled infrared sensors.
A broad assortment of infrared detectors has been developed over the last 40 years. In most cases, they may be classified as either quantum or thermal detectors, depending upon whether the incoming radiation is converted to excitations which are collected, or is converted to heat and detected through changes in temperature. In general, a quantum detector which operates at detector temperature T.sub.d is usually superior to a thermal detector at the same temperature for infrared frequencies: hu>>k.sub.B T.sub.d, where h is Planck's constant and k.sub.B is Boltzmann's constant. However, for infrared frequencies: hu<<k.sub.B T.sub.d, thermal detectors represent the only functional technology. The operation of quantum detectors is limited by the availability of efficient photon conversion mechanisms, while the operation of thermal detectors is limited by the availability of sensitive thermometers. Only thermal infrared sensors operate in the mid-to-far infrared (.lambda.>10 .mu.m) and at room temperature.
The pneumatic infrared detector, which was originally developed by Golay, is classified as a thermal detector. Golay's detector consisted of a small cavity filled with gas at room temperature. The cavity is separated from the surroundings by a window and a thin, flexible membrane. The membrane was coated on one side with a thin metallic film, which has significant absorption throughout the infrared spectrum whenever the sheet resistance of the film is approximately half of the impedance of free space. The trapped gas in the Golay cell was heated by contact with the membrane and expanded thermally, which forced the membrane to deflect outward. This deflection is usually detected with optical or capacitive displacement transducers. At present, these detectors are bulky, fragile, difficult to fabricate, and expensive. Nevertheless, they have been widely used, primarily because of their improvement in sensitivity over all other room-temperature detectors in the mid to far infrared range. Attempts to miniaturize the Golay cell for incorporation into focal plane arrays have been unsuccessful because of scaling laws which relate the sensitivity of conventional displacement transducers and their active area. The need for focal-plane arrays of uncooled detectors stimulated the development of pyroelectric detector arrays, the best of which are 5-10 times less sensitive than the Golay cell.
With the above considerations in mind, the present invention is based on the development of an improved Golay cell. This new sensor is constructed entirely from micromachined silicon components. To detect the motion of the membrane, the invention uses an electron tunneling displacement transducer. This sensor, like the assemblies used in Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM), detects electrons which tunnel through the classically forbidden barrier between a tip and a surface. As in the STM, the electron current is exponentially dependent on the separation between the tip and the surface. Through use of the electron tunneling transducer, the scaling laws which have prevented the miniaturization of the Golay cell are avoided.
Any new developments in transducer technology that avoid the constraints which relate to the sensitivity and dimensions of classical displacement transducers are very important. The STM, which was invented by G. Binnig and H. Rohrer of IBM Zurich and won the 1986 Nobel Prize in Physics, is based on the measurement of electron tunnel current between a surface of interest and a sharp tip, while the tip is raster-scanned across the surface. This device is capable of resolving atomic-scale structure on the surface of interest and bas enabled many pioneering discoveries of the structure and behavior of atoms at surfaces. The most important element of STM is the measurement of tunneling current between the tip and substrate. The tunneling current, I, has the following dependence on the separation, s, between a pair of metallic electrodes: ##EQU1## where .PHI. is the height of the tunneling barrier and V is the bias voltage; V is the small compared to .PHI., and .alpha.=1.025 (.ANG..sup.-1 eV.sup.-1/2). For typical values of .PHI.=5 eV and s=7.ANG., the current varies by an order of magnitude for each 1 .ANG. change in electrode separation. This sensitivity to relative position is superior to that available in all conventional compact transducers. Since tunneling only occurs in regions where the tip is within several .ANG. of the surface, the active area of the sensor is microscopic. The use of electron tunneling as the active element of a displacement transducer for generic sensor purposes has been pioneered at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) over the last several years resulting in the construction of a series of proof-of-concept prototypes. These prototypes initially were constructed from a variety of materials, and served to illustrate that, if designed properly, tunneling could be used in a displacement transducer.


Device having a support for aerially suspending an optical fiber termination box to which an optical cable is routed. Features of the device are adapted to transfer cable load to the support thereby bypassing the optical fiber termination box, which can help to prevent damage to the optical fiber termination box and the optical fibers it supports.

Subscribers to data/communications providers can be connected to data networks with optical fibers. In the case of residences or other subscriber buildings, optical fibers can be routed in a main cable along power lines and then aerially routed to the building, connecting telecommunications equipment at a utility pole with telecommunications equipment at the subscriber building.
To reduce the number of separate cables that must be routed from the utility pole to the subscriber location (e.g., when the subscriber location includes multiple subscribers, such as in the case of a multi-dwelling unit), the multiple optical fibers are often combined into a single drop cable that is aerially suspended between the utility pole and the subscriber location. At the provider side of the drop cable, the drop cable is terminated at an optical cable termination box, which is itself affixed to the utility pole. The termination box is a robust weather-proof enclosure that can house structures for separation, routing, splicing, and/or organizing of the multiple optical fibers of the drop cable and linking those fibers, via ports, to the main optical cable.
In some regions, there are fees associated with affixing structures, such as optical cable termination boxes, directly to utility poles. In addition, in existing arrangements, the load of the drop cable is transferred directly to the optical cable termination box to which it is connected and routed, potentially straining or damaging the termination box, particularly when the load of the drop cable shifts or increases due to, e.g., weather, an object that falls on the drop cable, or a technician working in the area.

Device and method for aerially suspending an optical cable termination box


An image signal processing apparatus includes a clamp circuit that clamps an image signal having a horizontal synchronization signal, an optical black level period representing an optical black level, and an effective signal period representing an image signal for one horizontal line so as to clamp a value offset from the image signal on the basis of a first reference value during the optical black level period and to clamp the image signal on the basis of a second reference value different from the first reference value during the effective signal period, and a level computation circuit that determines the second reference value on the basis of a signal level clamped during the optical black level period.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image signal processing apparatus and an image signal processing method for controlling the optical black level of an image signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
The optical black level of an image signal obtained by an image capturing device (imaging device) can vary according to the intensity of the light received by the device. Such being the case, in the case of a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) solid state image capturing device, a light-shielded pixel region, that is, an optical black (OPB) region, is commonly provided along the outer edge of the effective pixel region in the image capture unit so as to perform processing to clamp the reference level representing the optical black level of an image on the basis of an optical black signal (OPB signal) obtained correspondingly to this OPB region. Also, in an output of an AGC (Auto Gain Control) circuit provided at a subsequent stage, the optical black level of the image signal can vary according to the gain set therein. A clamp circuit to control the optical black level is therefore commonly provided in the subsequent stage of the AGC circuit.
During clamp processing of the optical black level in the related art as is shown in FIG. 6, the final reference optical black level is found by clamping the reference optical black level within the clamp range in the vicinity of the low reference side (L side, which is often on the high voltage side of an image signal in voltage) in the clamp region of an analog-to-digital converting circuit in analog processing, and by applying low-pass filter processing to the reference optical black level in the following digital processing. A desired imaging signal level can be obtained by subtracting the reference optical black level from an imaging signal.
The reference optical black level clamped during analog processing, however, may vary due to noise superimposed on the imaging signal. Hence, when the level to be clamped is adjusted to the low reference side in the clamp region of the analog-to-digital converting circuit, as is shown in FIG. 7, noise below the low reference (that is, exceeding the high voltage limit of the clamp region) is clipped by the analog-to-digital converting circuit in the optical black portion, making it impossible to determine a precise optical black level in the digital processing in the subsequent stage.

Image signal processing apparatus and image signal processing method for controlling optical black level of image signal

Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC


A hollow sleeve is mounted in a hole of a holder block to receive a rotary cutter bit. The sleeve includes a front flange and a shank extending rearwardly from the front flange and defining a longitudinal axis. The shank includes an outer periphery having a radially stepped configuration, wherein an outer surface of the shank includes a plurality of axially adjacent surface sections that become successively smaller in cross-section in a direction away from the flange. Each surface section occupies one-third of the hole length. Each surface section has longitudinally spaced front and rear ends, wherein a portion of each surface section situated between its front and rear ends is spaced farther from the axis than are the front and rear ends. Each surface section has a generally longitudinally extending groove formed therein.

The present invention relates to cutting bit holders, especially to holders which support pressed-in replaceable sleeves that carry rotatable cutting bits.
Drum-type cutters are conventional in the mining and road-working industries for example, wherein cutter bits are mounted on a drum which rotates about a horizontal axis. Such cutters can be used to cut through minerals in a mine, or to rip up asphalt or concrete from a roadway. The cutter bits, which are carried by holder blocks welded to the outer surface of the drum, are rotatable about their own longitudinal axes so as to be self-sharpening. During a cutting operation, not only do the bits tend to wear, but the holder blocks wear as well. That is, the area of the holder block that surrounds the bit-receiving hole wears due to abrasion thereof by the materials being cut. It will be appreciated that the need to replace the welded-on holder blocks results in a serious expenditure of time and money.
To minimize that problem, it has been proposed to mount each cutter bit in a replaceable hollow sleeve which is inserted into a respective holder block. The sleeve includes a flange that overlies the area of the holder block that surrounds the mouth of the bit-receiving hole, and thereby shields the holder block from appreciable wear. Instead, the sleeves become worn and are replaced when necessary.
One type of such sleeve 10, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,106,166 and depicted herein in FIG. 1, includes a cylindrical shank 12 that is received in a cylindrical open-ended hole 14 of a holder block 16 that is to be mounted on any suitable carrier 17, such as a rotary drum or an endless chain (e.g., trench digger), or even a non-rotatable carrier. The sleeve is hollow, in order to receive a cutter bit 18 that is mounted in the sleeve for rotation relative thereto by a retainer, e.g., a split sleeve (not shown), that fits within a groove 20 of the bit. The sleeve 10 is held within the hole 14 by a retainer, e.g., a split-ring retainer clip 22 which fits in an external groove 24 of the shank 12. In order to prevent the sleeve from rotating within the holder block, and thus wearing the surface of the hole 14, a key 26 is disposed within aligned recesses formed in a front flange 28 of the sleeve and the holder 16, respectively.
In order to enhance the securement of the sleeve, it has been proposed to mount the sleeve by an interference fit, or press fit. One known type of interference fit comprises a long single cylindrical interference fit. Another type comprises a pair of short cylindrical (or conical) bands of interference fit having different respective cross-sectional sizes (e.g., see U.S. Pat. No. 5,302,005). The provision of such short bands of interference fit is intended to eliminate the need for separate retainers such as split-ring clips and anti-rotation keys. Nevertheless, some sleeves still become prematurely dislodged. Moreover, as the sleeve is being inserted, closed spaces are created between the short bands and the hole surface which can become filled with lubricating oil that is used to facilitate the installation of the sleeve. As the sleeve is advanced into the hole, the oil can become trapped and pressurized as the volume of the spaces diminishes, thereby tending to force the sleeve back out of the hole. As the drum rotates during a cutting operation, the cutting forces push the sleeve into the hole during a cutting phase, but then the pressurized oil pushes the sleeve out of the hole when the respective bit moves out of engagement with the material being cut. Such a reciprocating action of the sleeve can produce undesirable wear of the hole surface.
It would be desirable to ensure that the sleeve is not able to be pushed out of the hole by pressurized lubricating oil, as well as to maximize the forces holding the sleeve against axial and rotary movements within the hole in order to prevent dislodgement of the sleeve during operation.

Tool holder block and sleeve retained therein by interference fit


One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates locked prefetch scheduling in general cyclic regions of a computer program. The system operates by first receiving a source code for the computer program and compiling the source code into intermediate code. The system then performs a trace detection on the intermediate code. Next, the system inserts prefetch instructions and corresponding locks into the intermediate code. Finally, the system generates executable code from the intermediate code, wherein a lock for a given prefetch instruction prevents subsequent prefetches from being issued until the data value returns for the given prefetch instruction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to compilers for computer systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for performing locked prefetch scheduling in general cyclic regions of a computer program within an optimizing compiler.
2. Related Art
Advances in semiconductor fabrication technology have given rise to dramatic increases in microprocessor clock speeds. This increase in microprocessor clock speeds has not been matched by a corresponding increase in memory access speeds. Hence, the disparity between microprocessor clock speeds and memory access speeds continues to grow, which can cause performance problems. Execution profiles for fast microprocessor systems show that a large fraction of execution time is spent not within the microprocessor core, but within memory structures outside of the microprocessor core. This means that the microprocessor systems spend a large fraction of time waiting for memory references to complete instead of performing computational operations.
In order to remedy this problem, some microprocessors provide hardware structures to facilitate prefetching of data and/or instructions from memory in advance of where the instructions and/or data are needed. Unfortunately, existing techniques typically target structured program loop constructs and rely on the computation of an "ahead" distance, which is used to control how far ahead the prefetches are of the target loads or stores.
This technique works well for many cases, but it does not have the coverage and precise control over prefetch that is needed to maximize performance. In many systems, a prefetch that is issued too early may be dropped if too many prefetches are outstanding so the system cannot accept a new prefetch request. Conversely, a prefetch that is issued too late may lead to under-utilization of the central processing unit.
Hence, what is needed is a method and an apparatus for controlling prefetches without the problems cited above.

Locked prefetch scheduling in general cyclic regions


A new and distinct apple tree is disclosed. ‘Burkitt Gala,’ a limb sport of ‘Tenroy’ gala is notable for its distinctive fruit, which exhibits a 100% cherry red coloration, with underlying striping present. ‘Burkitt Gala’ is further distinguishable from its parent by its early maturity. ‘Burkitt Gala’ matures ten days earlier than ‘Tenroy’ gala.

The new cultivar originated as a limb sport mutation of 'Tenroy' gala (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,121). It was discovered by the inventor in February 1993 in a cultivated orchard at Pakowhai, New Zealand. 'Burkitt Gala' was asexually propagated at Pakowhai, New Zealand in 1997, and has been shown to remain true to type over successive generations.


A method for treating and/or inhibiting gastric and duodenal ulcers, comprising administering a pharmaceutical composition comprising an oligosaccharide of Formula I EQU (NeuAc-.alpha.(2-3)-pGal-.beta.(1)-(--X--).sub.m --(--Y--).sub.n -).sub.p -Z. wherein. X=a chemical bond or a group capable of linking the p galactose to either the linking group Y or the multivalent support Z;. wherein the C.sub.1 glycosidic oxygen of galactose may be replaced by N, S or C;. Y=a linking group;. Z=a multivalent support;. m=0 or 1;. n=0 or 1; and. p=an integer of 2-1,000 is described. Also described is a method for treating and/or inhibiting gastric and duodenal ulcers, comprising administering a pharmaceutical composition comprising an oligosaccharide of Formula II EQU NeuAc-.alpha.(2-3)-pGal-.beta.(1)-A. wherein. A=a group capable of bonding to the p galactose;. wherein the C.sub.1 glycosidic oxygen of galactose may be replaced by N, S or C.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates a method for treating and inhibiting gastric and duodenal ulcers in a patient.
2. Discussion of the Background
Infection by the gram-negative, spiral, microaerophilic bacterium Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), formerly known as Campylobacter pylori (C. pylori), is a primary cause of non-autoimmune gastritis, is a factor in peptic ulcer disease and is more common in patients with gastric carcinoma. First isolated by Warren (Lancet (1983) 1:1273) and Marshall (Lancet (1983) 1:1273-5), H. pylori has been isolated in gastric tissue biopsies in patients throughout the world. While the precise mechanism of inflammation is not well understood, H. pylori is found in association with the apical surfaces of gastric mucous-secreting cells.
Due to the site specificity of attachment, it has been suggested that there are specific attachment sites for H. pylori which exist on gastric and duodenal mucous-secreting cells. Numerous studies have been undertaken to attempt to identify the specific binding site of H. pylori.
Evans et al (Infection and Immunity (1988) 56:2896-2906) reported that H. pylori binding to an erythrocyte receptor, as measured by hemagglutination inhibition, is preferentially inhibited by N-acetylneuraminyl-.alpha.(2.fwdarw.3)-Gal .beta.1.fwdarw.4 Glc (herein after NeuAc(2.fwdarw.3)-lactose) as compared with N-acetylneuraminyl-.alpha.(2.fwdarw.6)-Gal .beta.1.fwdarw.4 Glc (herein after NeuAc(2.fwdarw.6)-lactose). Sialoproteins which contain the NeuAc(2.fwdarw.3)Gal isomer of NeuAc-lactose, i.e., human erythrocyte glycophorin A, fetuin, and human .alpha..sub.2 -macroglobulin, also inhibited H. pylori binding, but at higher concentrations (mg/ml) than that observed for NeuAc(2.fwdarw.3)-lactose, while no inhibition was observed for the corresponding asialoglycoproteins.
Evans et al ibid, measured the hemagglutination inhibiting ability (HIA) of several compounds containing a NeuAc-lactose structure. Based on the hemagglutination inhibition activity, the researches determined that in order to produce 100% HAI, 1.000 mg/ml of .alpha..sub.2 -Macroglobulin was needed, 0.500 mg/ml of fetuin was needed, 0.250 mg/ml of Glycophorin A was needed and 0.078 mg/ml of bovine NeuAc-lactose was needed. Based on their hemagglutination inhibition studies the researches show fetuin to be about 2 times as effective as .alpha..sub.2 -Macroglobulin but only 0.156 times as effective as bovine NeuAc-lactose which comprises about 80% of NeuAc(2.fwdarw.3)-lactose and 20% of NeuAc(2.fwdarw.6)-lactose,
Evans et al (Infection and Immunity (1989) 57:2272-2278) have also observed that H. pylori binds to monolayers of Y-1 mouse adrenal cells. But, this adherence can be prevented by pretreating the Y-1 cells with neuraminidase and is blocked by fetuin. However, it should be noted that there is no relationship between Y-1 mouse adrenal cells and gastric tissue.
Lingwood et al (Lancet (1989) 2:238-241) have reported the isolation of a gastric glycerolipid material which they observed to behave as a receptor for H. pylori. The material was isolated from red blood cells, and mucosal scrapings of pig stomach and human stomach. The investigators postulated that the material was a sulphated alkylacylglycero-lipid, but the actual structure of this material was not been reported. Subsequent investigations (Lingwood et al., Infection and Immunity (1992) 60:2470-2474) showed that this receptor is phosphatidylethanolamine.
Lingwood et al., Infection and Immunity (1992) 61: 2472-2478 report that Helicobacter pylon specifically recognizes phosphatidylethanolamine, gangliotriaosylceramide and gangliotetraosylceramide and the isolation of an S-adhesin which is believed to be responsible for the lipid-binding specificity of this organism. However, none of the compounds which are reported as specifically recognized by H. pylori, are sialylated oligosaccharides.
Tzovelekis et al (Infection and Immunity (1991) 59:4252-4253) reported binding inhibition of H. pylori to HEp-2 cells by gastric mucin. The investigators observed that purified mucin showed the greatest inhibition of H. pylori binding while asialomucin exhibits somewhat diminished inhibition and periodate-oxidized mucin exhibited the lowest level of binding. On these observations, the researchers concluded that sialic acids are at least partially responsible for the binding interaction between H. pylori and human gastric mucin.
However, it should be noted that mucin contains a variety of different saccharide groups and linkages.
Boren et al (Science (1993) 262:1892-1895) have reported that Lewis.sup.b blood group and H type I antigens mediate H. pylori attachment to human gastric mucosa.
Fauchere et al Microbial Pathogenesis, 1990 9 427-439 report that H. pylori adherence can be assessed by microtiter assays and involves a bacterial surface material which co-purifies with urease and is different from the N-acetyl-neuraminyl-lactose binding hemagglutinin.
Robinson et al report in J. Med. Microbiol. (1990) 33 277-284 that pre-treatment of human erythrocytes with neuraminidase from Arthrobacter ureafaciens and Clostridium perfringens abolished hemagglutination by the soluble, but not the cell-associated hemagglutinin, which suggests that sialic acid is not involved in binding inhibition of H. pylori.
Dunn et al Reviews of Infectious Diseases 1991;13 (Suppl 8):(S657-64) report binding inhibition studies by Mean Fluorescence Intensity by treatment of materials with a neuraminidase. The researchers report a 16.8% decrease in MFI upon neuraminidase treatment of N-acetylneuraminyllactose of 16.8%, a 29.8% reduction with fetuin and an 8.6% reduction of asialofetuin. However, the researchers report a 30% increase upon treatment of KATO cells with neuraminidase. Such results call into question the role of sialylation in the site specific binding of H. pylori.
Saitoh et al report a sulfate-containing glycerolipid as a ligand which is specifically recognized by H. pylori.
While there have been numerous studies into compounds with H. pylori binding inhibition, it clear that the literature is replete with conflicting evidence.
Moreover, there is even a lack of a consensus as to the significance of the methods of testing for H. pylori binding inhibition. Hemagglutination assays have been used by many different researchers (see for example Evans et al (Infection and Immunity (1988) 56:2896-2906), however Figueroa et al report in Journal of Infection (1992) 24 263-267, an adherence mechanism, which is not depending on the expression of specific hemagglutinin antigen. This report openly questions the relationship between hemagglutination inhibition and H. pylori binding inhibition. Furthermore, many of the cell surface adhesion systems, used to test for H. pylori binding inhibition, have no relationship to gastric tissue at all.
In addition to the numerous binding inhibition studies, methods have been pursued to treat gastric and duodenal ulcer patients.
Colloidal bismuth subcitrate (CBS) has been used successfully in treating both gastric and duodenal ulcer diseases (for a review, see Lambert in Reviews of Infectious Diseases (1991) 13 (Suppl. 8):S691-5. CBS has proven effective as a histamine H.sub.2 antagonist and has been associated with lower relapse rates after cessation of therapy attributed to CBS's ability to eradicate H. pylori. Bismuth subsalicylate (BSS) has also been observed to inhibit H. pylori.
Coleman et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,406) reported a method for relieving gastrointestinal disorder, resulting from H. pylori population, through the administration of bismuth (phosph/sulf)ated saccharide compositions. The saccharide compositions according to this method are simple phosphates and sulfates of aldose and ketose monosaccharides.
Clinical trials have been reported (Evans et al, Ann. Internal Med. (1991) August 15, 115(4):266-9) in treating H. pylori using ranitidine in conjunction with a "triple therapy" of amoxicillin or tetracycline, metronidazole (an antiprotozoal), and BSS. The clinical studies suggested that ulcer healing was more rapid in patients receiving ranitidine plus the "triple therapy" than in patients receiving ranitidine alone.
The strong role that H. pylori plays in peptic ulcers has led to announcement in February 1994 by an independent advisory panel of experts convened by the National Institutes of Health, to advise that patients diagnosed with peptic ulcers and H. pylori be treated for two weeks with a combination of antibiotics. A copy of the Consensus Development Conference Statement Helicobacter pylori in Peptic Ulcer Disease is available from the National Institutes of Health. There was no recommendation for any other type of therapy.
However, long-term eradication of this organism has been difficult with these therapies. The antibiotic approach runs the risk of the development of new antibiotic resistant strains. In addition, there are side affects associated from long term antibiotic therapy, which are unpleasant and make compliance with such a treatment regime more difficult. Thus, a method of treating H. pylori with good long-term eradication has not yet been developed.
As evidenced by the prior art identified above, there are a variety of structurally diverse compounds identified as candidates for being responsible for site specific attachment of H. pylori. The state of the art is further complicated by the variety of different in vitro assays used for predicting H. pylori binding inhibition, for which there is no identified correlation with effective H. pylori binding inhibition in mammals (Figueroa et al Journal of Infection (1992) 24 263-267). Even though 3' sialyl lactose has previously been identified as having hemagglutination inhibiting activity, and therefor speculatively identified as being a gastric colonization factor (Evans et al (Infection and Immunity (1988) 56:2896-2906)) it was only one compound of many identified as possible candidates. The same publication, also reports the same activity, albeit only 0.156 times as great, for the compound fetuin. Accordingly, the state of the art, would not allow one to have selected 3' sialyl lactose from the many other and structurally diverse compounds, as a particularly effective means for inhibiting H. pylori binding inhibition in mammals.
Based on the inventors' studies, it has now been discovered that 3' sialyl lactose is a surprisingly effective inhibitor of H. pylori binding inhibition in mammals. And this finding has been validated by the inventors through in vivo mammalian test data.
In addition, contrary to earlier reports, the inventors of the present invention have discovered that fetuin has minimal activity in inhibiting binding of H. pylori cells, in vitro. The inventors have discovered that the binding inhibition activity associated with fetuin, appears to be attributable to a high molecular weight impurity which is a contaminate of commercially available fetuin. Based on their assay, the inventors of the present invention have discovered that 3' sialyl lactose has an ability to inhibit binding of H. pylori to a degree far in excess of what would have been expected in light of that previously reported for fetuin. From previous reports, one would expect that 0.156 times as much 3' sialyl lactose would be needed to achieve the same effectiveness, as achieved with fetuin. But since the inventors of the present invention have discovered that fetuin has minimal effectiveness in binding inhibition of H. pylori cells, their discovery that 3' sialyl lactose surprisingly strongly inhibits H. pylori, provides that 3' sialyl lactose can be used in an amount far below that which would have been predicted from the prior art. It is on the basis of this discovery that the present inventors have realized that 3' sialyl lactose is unexpectedly superior in inhibiting H. pylori in mammals.

Method for inhibiting H. pylori infection in mammalian tissue


The present invention broadly comprises an actuator assembly for an aerosol container in which a collar is attached to the aerosol container and substantially encloses an actuator. The actuator is functionally attached to an aerosol valve and includes slots that contact a plurality of guide rails attached to the inner surface of the collar as well as a passage from the valve to a nozzle shaped opening. When the actuator is pushed down, the downward movement is controlled by the interaction of the slots with the guide rails. Also provided is a cover that guards against accidental force being applied to the actuator.

The use of aerosol containers and delivery systems is widespread for both consumer and commercial products. Household products, such as furniture wax and oven cleaners, personal products such as hair sprays and topical burn medications, and commercial products such as insect repellants and paints use aerosol containers for storage and aerosol valves to deliver the contents to the desired target.
Several problems can arise during the use of aerosol container systems. One such problem is found in the aerosol valve itself. Aerosol valves are activated by depressing a valve along a stem that opens the valve and releases the contents that are stored under pressure. Very often, the pressure on the valve is not applied coaxially along the stem, but is applied at an angle. This angled pressure vector can cause bending or breaking of the stem or valve leading to leaks in the container and loss of contents.
Another problem is the potential loose fit of the aerosol actuator, the component that directly contacts the aerosol valve. It is important that the actuator not only be in secure contact with the aerosol valve, but also that the actuator stays oriented in the same direction to ensure that the contents of the container are released in the same direction each time.
Still another problem with aerosol containers is the potential for accidentally pressing on the valve to unexpectedly release the contents. If aerosol containers are kept in a confined space with other objects, such as a purse, it is relatively easy for the valve to be activated by other objects if it is not covered. Detachable covers are often used to correct this problem. However, detachable covers are easily misplaced, add to the overall size of the container, and are inconvenient to use in that they must be completely removed from the container before use and then securely placed back on the container after use.
What is needed then is an aerosol actuator that is configured to always be depressed coaxially with the aerosol valve stem, that will remain in the correct orientation in relation to the release direction of the contents, and that provides a convenient way to prevent accidental opening of the valve.


A metal dome switch assembly with a good snap ratio and having a desired click characteristic near to that of an isolated metal dome includes a carrier base layer and adhesive layer which have a plurality of holes bounded by annular sections which engage the lower outer surfaces of the domes and are larger than the keypad actuation posts, at positions corresponding to fixed contact points on a circuit board. The switch array is especially important in cell phone designs where the snap ratio, tactile feel, is desirable. The switch array can also incorporate an electroluminescent (EL) lamp while still improving the snap ratio.

Low profile operating switch panels are used in smaller instruments, such as mobile telephones. Dome switches have been used for such applications and exhibit snap ratios and click characteristics providing desired tactile feedback to the user. Such attributes have been mitigated, however, by the need to isolate the panel circuitry from outside contaminants including humidity and particulates. A typical approach is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,917,007 wherein the metal dome switches are hermetically encased in composite carrier and adhesive layers. As a result of the composite structure, the flex characteristics of the dome, and accordingly the snap ratio are altered and tactile feedback mitigated, slightly but adversely from a user perspective.
The snap ratio, also referred to as tactile feel, is the response to an operator depressing a keypad and feeling a quick force drop (or click) at their fingertip. Generally, the snap ratio for a dome type switch is represented as shown below:
      Snap                          ratio                                (      %      )        =                    (                  OF          -          RF                )            OF        ×    100
wherein, OF: (Operational Force) is the maximum value of load necessary for deforming the dome shape switch from open position dome shape to flexed state engaging fixed contacts in the closed position: and RF: (Recovery Force) is the value of resistive load at contact closed position. The desired snap ratio is reached when the result of the calculation is 50%. FIG. 7 is a graph illustrating the snap ratio for a single isolated dome (solid lines), for a typical encased prior art dome (dashed lines), and for a metal dome type switch according to the invention (dotted lines) and as described below. The ordinate designates load, and the abscissa designates operational distance. A large force OF is needed during travel after starting to depress the apex portion. However, when the apex portion is recessed to some degree, the necessary load is reduced and a small RF is sufficient to close the fixed contacts
Keypads with snap ratios of 50% have excellent tactile feel and relatively long life. Keypads with snap ratios below 40% have relatively weak tactile feel, yet longer life. It can be determined from the above formula that snap ratio depends upon the variance between Operational Force (OF) and the Recovery Force (RF). This value will directly influence tactile feel, which is caused by force variation. That is, when the force drops from OF to RF, the operator can feel a force change at their fingertip immediately. There have been prior attempts to modify metal dome type switches to improve snap ratio as disclosed by example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,595,653 to Atsushi Saito wherein cut portions are provided along an outer peripheral edge of the dome shaped movable contacts. One shortcoming of this invention is that it includes cuts through the EL (electro luminescent) film to achieve an improved snap ratio. Also, under stress, the switch actuation can shear the adhesive interface between the dome contact and the cuts thereby compromising the hermetic sealing.

Metal dome switch assembly with enhanced snap ratio


A method for dynamically balancing golf putters using radius of gyration as the controlling parameter wherein the center of precussion location on the putter club face is re-located so as to coincide with that location where a golfer consistently makes contact with a golf ball during that golfer's natural putting stroke. The present method also allows one to reposition the golf ball contact point on the putter club face to an optimum location such that the golfer will consistently strike a golf ball at or slightly above its horizontal centerline thereby imparting optimum role characteristics to the golf ball when putting. The present method is based upon the dynamic equations describing compound pendulum motion and uses radius of gyration as the controlling parameter to balance a golf putter based upon optimal putter comfort, feel and performance during the putting stroke. The present method allows one to match a golfer's natural putting stroke to a particular golf putter modified so as to both contact the golf ball at its optimal location for best distance, direction and roll characteristics while also optimizing and improving the overall feel, comfortability, performance and control of such putter during the putting stroke. Although the present invention is specifically directed to dynamically balancing golf putters, it is also recognized that the present method can likewise be utilized for balancing other hand held implements as hereinafter explained.

Putting is an object of great concern among golfers as the game of golf is designed such that to complete a round of golf (18 holes) with a regulation score of par, approximately one half of all strokes in the par round are allocated to putting. Putting is a unique element of the game of golf, requiring a totally different stroke and set of skills as compared to the swinging motion required for driving and hitting the golf ball with other golf clubs such as woods and irons. The putt is also one of the most troublesome elements of golf as the ideal putting stroke requires very precise and repeatable or grooved stroke dynamics to enable the golfer to impart an exact amount of force to the golf ball and direct the ball along a desired line the required distance to the hole.
Two important problems face golfers in achieving the ideal putting stroke. First of all, it is important that the golf ball be struck at or near its horizontal centerline so as to impart optimum roll dynamics to the ball as will be hereinafter further explained. Secondly, it is important to contact the golf ball at the center of percussion location on the club face because, as explained hereinafter, contacting the golf ball with the face of the putter away from or out-of-alignment with the center of percussion thereof will impart a torsional or twisting motion to the club face which will result in poor performance. Poor putting performance translates into a putt which is too long or too short, a putt which is off line, or a putt in which the golf ball skips or bounces to some degree instead of having a smooth roll. These two factors contribute the most to poor putting and not only negatively affect the outcome of the putt, but, more importantly, they affect the golfer's putting consistency as well as the golfer's confidence level. This negative affect on the outcome of the putt is compounded by the very fact that the size and weight of the golf ball is such that it will react to any obstruction within its path such as the grain of the grass, bare spots, spike marks, wind, moisture and any sand or dirt particles which may lie within its path. Striking the ball incorrectly with the putter face away from the center of percussion of the putter can also give the putt a dead or otherwise poorly hit feeling. As a result, golf putters come in all shapes, sizes, styles and weights in an effort to alleviate these problems.
Numerous apparatus and methods have been directed to balancing golf clubs to improve the feel and performance of the golf swing. For instance, Benoit U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,674,324 and 4,674,746 disclose a golf club swing weighting method wherein a set of golf clubs consisting of a variety of different woods and irons can be balanced such that all clubs have the same static moment associated with the optimum moment of inertia preferred by the golfer. The Benoit method includes varying the radius of gyration of each golf club so as to enable the center of percussion of each such club to remain in the club head while the resulting static moment associated with an individual golfer's optimum moment of inertia is then held constant and matched to all clubs in the set. The Benoit method is limited, however, as the controlling parameter, namely, the resulting static moment, is still a static parameter. The Benoit method is further limited as it is not specifically adaptable for use in balancing putters.
Other known prior art balancing methods disclose adding weight to a golf club to influence performance and feel, namely, adding weight to the grip end of the club. For instance, Mitchell U.S. Pat. No. 4,461,479 discloses a golf club having a weighted handle which moves the balance point of the golf club closer to the grip end for improving accuracy and control when swinging the club Reisner U.S. Pat. No. 4,988,102 discloses a weighted golf grip for balancing a golf club wherein a weight assembly is added to the grip of a golf club at the furthest point opposite the club head behind the golfer's hands. This is done to move the fulcrum point or center of gravity of the club closer to the grip end to provide greater control over the club during the swinging motion. Contrasted to the present method for dynamically balancing a golf putter using radius of gyration as the controlling parameter, the known prior art methods make no effort to align the center of percussion location with the actual golf ball contact point on the club face nor do such prior art methods specifically address the dynamic balancing of golf putters. Also, importantly, all such known prior art methods are tied to static parameters which alone do not provide accurate means for replicating dynamic feel and performance.
Still other prior art balancing methods disclose means for adding weight to the grip end of a golf club to compensate for the tendency of the club head to pull the golf club down and away from the desired swing path. For instance, Stuff et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,203,598 discloses a balancing method for a golf club based on the Parameters of total club weight, center of gravity length and true swing weight of the club, which true swing weight is to be matched to the swing weight of other clubs in a particular set, and wherein a relatively small component weight W.sub.x is also added at the grip end of the club at a radially displaced location from the center of the club shaft to compensate for forces which tend to move the shaft of the golf club downwardly and out of the swing plane. This method is again tied to static parameters and likewise avoids and/or circumvents the dynamic characteristics of a golf club. The Stuff et al method does not incorporate the important dynamic Parameter of radius of gyration into its balancing methodology, nor does it disclose a method for specifically balancing golf putters. Other prior art balancing methods are also discussed in Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,101, which patent addresses a method for dynamically balancing golf clubs other than putters.
Contrasted to the relatively limited known weighting and balancing methods and apparatus discussed above, the present invention relates to a method specifically directed to dynamically balancing a golf putter so that it has both a desired radius of gyration and a center of percussion location that will provide optimal performance, feel and putting capability to a particular user of such putter. The present method allows a golfer to obtain maximum power and a truer directional roll by modifying the putter to fit the golfer's natural putting stroke instead of changing the golfer's putting stroke to conform to the particular shape, style, weight and characteristics of the putter being used.

Method for dynamically balancing golf putters and other implements using radius of gyration as the controlling parameter


A method includes controlling the connection of a charge pump output to a load capacitor as a function of activation control signals to an oscillator controlling the charge pump. A charge pump system includes a charge pump, an oscillator, a switching element and an enable signal generator. The switching element connects and disconnects the charge pump from a load capacitor. The enable signal generator is connected to the oscillator and to the switching element and enables and disables the oscillator and the switching element as a function of the output of the charge pump.

Charge pumps are devices that operate as power supplies for electronic circuitry. They provide a controlled output voltage that is higher than the input voltage of the charge pump. Charge pumps are generally implemented by cascading stages that include energy injection capacitors and charge transfer elements. Four-phased multi-stage charge pumps are generally considered to be one of the most efficient pump architectures known in the art and are, accordingly, widely utilized in the art.
Energy is injected into a given stage by a driver which provides a clock signal to the input of the capacitor(s). This signal oscillates between a positive supply rail (for example, VDD) and a negative supply rail (for example, GND). The voltage at the output of the capacitor is boosted by the voltage swing between the supply rails (for example, from GND to VDD). The charge transfer element (often a transistor or a diode) transfers the accumulated charge to the next stage. Each charge pump stage boosts the voltage in proportion to the voltage swing of the driver such that the output of the pump is a multiple of the voltage swing.
Known prior art methods of regulating the output voltage of charge pumps have varied limitations that significantly affect the overall efficiency of the charge pump's operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,276,646 of Kim et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, describes a system and method for providing a constant voltage at the output of a charge pump. The system and method taught in Kim continuously measures the output of the charge pump and enables or disables the operation of the charge pump based on the value of the measured output voltage being above or below the desired output voltage. This on/off method causes a large delay between the actual reading of the output voltage and the corrective action taken with respect to the operation of the charge pump such that a ripple effect of as high as 1 volt is introduced at the output voltage of the charge pump. Moreover, when the charge pump is turned on, large substrate noises occur.
It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements shown in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity. Further, where considered appropriate, reference numerals may be repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements.


The present invention recognizes that the determination of an ion transport function or property using direct detection methods, such as patch-clamps, whole cell recording or single channel recording, are preferable to methods that utilize indirect detection methods, such as FRET based detection system. The present invention provides biochips and methods of use that allow for the direct analysis of ion transport functions or properties using microfabricated structures that can allow for automated detection of one or more ion transport functions or properties. These biochips and methods of use thereof are particularly appropriate for automating the detection of ion transport functions or properties, particularly for screening purposes.

Ion transports are located within cellular membranes and regulate the flow of ions across the membrane. Ion transports participate in diverse processes, such as generating and timing of action potentials, synaptic transmission, secretion of hormones, contraction of muscles etc. Ion transports are popular candidates for drug discovery, and many known drugs exert their effects via modulation of ion transport functions or properties. For example, antiepileptic compounds such as phenyloin and lamotrigine which block voltage dependent sodium ion transports in the brain, anti-hypertension drugs such as nifedipine and diltiazem which block voltage dependent calcium ion transports in smooth muscle cells, and stimulators of insulin release such as glibenclamide and tolbutamine which block an ATP regulated potassium ion transport in the pancreas.
One popular method of measuring an ion transport function or property is the patch-clamp method, which was first reported by Neher, Sakmann and Steinback (Pflueger Arch. 375:219-278 (1978)). This first report of the patch clamp method relied on pressing a glass pipette containing acetylcholine (Ach) against the surface of a muscle cell membrane, where discrete jumps in electrical current were attributable to the opening and closing of Ach-activated ion transports.
The method was refined by fire polishing the glass pipettes and applying gentle suction to the interior of the pipette when contact was made with the surface of the cell. Seals of very high resistance (between about 1 and about 100 giga ohms) could be obtained. This advancement allowed the patch clamp method to be suitable over voltage ranges which ion transport studies can routinely be made.
A variety of patch clamp methods have been developed, such as whole cell, vesicle, outside-out and inside-out patches (Liem et al., Neurosurgery 36:382-392 (1995)). Additional methods include whole cell patch clamp recordings, pressure patch clamp methods, cell free ion transport recording, perfusion patch pipettes, concentration patch clamp methods, perforated patch clamp methods, loose patch voltage clamp methods, patch clamp recording and patch clamp methods in tissue samples such as muscle or brain (Boulton et al, Patch-Clamp Applications and Protocols, Neuromethods V. 26 (1995), Humana Press, New Jersey).
These and later methods relied upon interrogating one sample at a time using large laboratory apparatus that require a high degree of operator skill and time. Attempts have been made to automate patch clamp methods, but these have met with little success. Alternatives to patch clamp methods have been developed using fluorescent probes, such as cumarin-lipids (cu-lipids) (Tsien et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,107,066, issued August 2000). These methods rely upon change in polarity of membranes and the resulting motion of cu-lipids across the membrane. This motion allows for detection using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). Unfortunately, these methods do not measure ion transport directly but measure the change of indirect parameters as a result of ionic flux. For example, the characteristics of the lipid used in the cu-lipid can alter the biological and physical characteristics of the membrane, such as fluidity and polarizability.
Thus, what is needed is a simple device and method to measure ion transport directly. Preferably, these devices would utilize patch clamp detection methods because these types of methods represent a gold standard in this field of study. The present invention provides these devices and methods particularly miniaturized devices and automated methods for the screening of chemicals or other moieties for their ability to modulate ion transport functions or properties.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Biochips including ion transport detecting structures and methods of use


A small diameter spark plug configuration is provided, the configuration has been found to provide additional volume for the insulator member. That is, by limiting the overall number of threads on the intermediate portion along with a limit of the overall diameter of the spark plug, additional volume of insulator material may be achieved in an interior cavity of a metal shell of the spark plug. This additional volume enables a portion of the insulator member to have a larger diameter and hence greater material thickness. The larger diameter of the insulator provides enhanced dielectric properties and protects internal components of the spark plug from high combustion chamber temperatures while simultaneously providing a robust attachment of the spark plug with an engine head.

In general, spark plugs include an insulating sleeve having a central axial bore through which a center electrode extends. The insulating sleeve is positioned within and secured to a metal shell that serves as a mounting platform/interface to an internal combustion engine. The metal sleeve also supports a ground electrode that is positioned in a particular spaced relationship relative to the central electrode so as to define a spark gap. The spark plug is typically mounted to an engine cylinder head and selectively activated to deliver a spark that ignites a fuel/air mixture in an associated engine cylinder.
Smaller engines, particularly those employed in compact motor vehicles, have minimal available space for engine components. Cylinder spacing, i.e., the space between adjacent cylinders is also minimized to optimize engine size. As a result, spark plugs for smaller engines generally have a small diameter, e.g., in the range of 12 mm. Unfortunately, smaller diameter plugs have less available volume for internal components such as an insulator. As a result, insulator thickness must be reduced.

Dielectric enhanced partial thread spark plug


A normal AWB (auto white balance) correction value is calculated based on inputted image data. Further, a face area is identified from the inputted image data and a face AWB correction value is calculated based on image data in the face area. Then, first feature data and second feature data are extracted from the inputted image data and image data in the face area, respectively. A total AWB correction value is calculated in accordance with at least one of the face AWB correction value and the normal AWB correction value based on a comparison result of the first feature data and the second feature data. Thus, an erroneous correction can be prevented in an AWB correction using a face detection function.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a white balance adjustment of an image using a face detection function.
2. Description of the Related Art
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-283025, a skin color region in an image is identified, and a light source is identified in accordance with the tone of the skin color region to thereby obtain a white balance (WB) correction value.
In Japanese National Publication of International Patent Application No. 2005-531189, a face area in an image is identified, a representative skin color is extracted from the face area, and a light source is identified in accordance with the representative skin color to thereby obtain a WB correction value.

Auto white balance correction value calculation device, method, program, and image pickup device


An optical touch panel apparatus for detecting a position of a light blocking object on a flat panel 2 includes a plurality of light emitting elements and light receiving elements arranged along a side of the rectangular flat panel 2. The optical touch panel apparatus sets a peripheral area on the flat panel 2, and performs position detection in an area other than the peripheral area while not performing position detection within the peripheral area. The peripheral area is an area proximal to the light emitting elements or light receiving elements, in which resolution for position detection is deteriorated and unsatisfactory light blocking is likely to occur. By limiting the area for which position detection is performed to the area other than the peripheral area, deterioration in resolution for position detection and occurrence of unsatisfactory light blocking can be prevented, making it possible to stably perform position detection.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an optical touch panel apparatus optically performing position detection and to a recording medium.
2. Description of Related Art
One of the conventionally-used touch panel apparatus is an optical touch panel apparatus. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-91683 discloses an example of the optical touch panel apparatus. The optical touch panel apparatus includes a plurality of light emitting elements arranged in the x-axis direction and the y-axis direction along the side of a rectangular flat panel, and a plurality of light receiving elements at positions opposed to the light emitting elements along the side of the flat panel. The light emitted by a light emitting element moves along the surface of the flat panel and is received by a light receiving element. Accordingly, an optical path in which the light emitting element emits light and the light receiving element receives light is formed on the flat panel. When a user places a light blocking object such as a finger or a pen on the flat panel, a light receiving element which cannot receive light occurs due to the light blocking object blocking light. The optical touch panel apparatus identifies a position of a light receiving element which cannot receive light among the light receiving elements arranged in the x-axis direction and the y-axis direction, to detect a position of the light blocking object on the flat panel.
The light emitting elements and the light receiving elements in the optical touch panel apparatus are so arranged that each light emitting element is opposed to each light receiving element in one-to-one correspondence. As for the method of detecting a position of a light blocking object performed by the optical touch panel apparatus, there are a whole area scanning method scanning the entire flat panel and a specific area scanning method scanning while focusing around the light blocking object. In the whole area scanning method, the optical touch panel apparatus causes a plurality of light emitting elements, from one end to the other end, to sequentially emit light, and causes a plurality of light receiving elements, each of which is opposed to each of the light emitting elements in one-to-one correspondence, to receive the light. The light from one light emitting element is received by one light receiving element. Optical paths of the light received by a plurality of light receiving elements that are in one axial direction are in parallel with one another. The resolution for position detection is determined by a distance between adjacent light emitting elements.
In the specific area scanning method, the optical touch panel apparatus causes a plurality of light receiving elements to receive light from one light emitting element. The optical paths of light received by the plurality of light receiving elements are radial optical paths starting from one light emitting element. Due to increased density of the optical path used for position detection, the resolution for position detection is more enhanced in the specific area scanning method than the whole area scanning method. The optical touch panel apparatus first roughly detects the position of a light blocking object by the whole area scanning method to detect the light blocking object, and then scans an area around the light blocking object with the specific area scanning method, to detect the position of the light blocking object with high accuracy.

Optical touch panel apparatus for detecting a touch on a peripheral area