Provided are an apparatus and method of searching a protein active site. The apparatus includes a database which stores information on a plurality of reference active sites, a comparing unit which calculates 3D structural similarities according to the number of overlapping residues, with respect to an input active site and the stored reference active site, and a search unit which searches the reference active site with respect to the input active site according to the similarities. Accordingly, similar active sites can be searched with a low computational complexity, thereby be used for a correct new drug design.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method of searching a protein active site, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method of searching a protein active site, which detect and provide a similarity between a protein active site playing a crucial role in new drug development and other active sites by approaching a feature of the protein active site in a 3D manner.
2. Description of the Related Art
In past related researches, methods of searching similar shaped-proteins have been proposed, but protein active sites have not been subject to a comparison search. Conventionally, various methods of comparing protein structures include a method of comparing a distance between protein atoms, and a method of measuring a similarity of protein atoms by using only the location of a protein alpha-carbon. In addition, a method using geometric hashing has also been proposed. However, computational complexity increases in proportion to a square of the protein size, and therefore more calculation time is required.

Apparatus and method for searching protein active site

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


To provide a magneto-optical reading method of making the inclinations of the front and rear edges of a waveform of a reading signal formed on a magneto-optical recording medium to be read more symmetric by applying a reading magnetic field different in accordance with the direction of a recording magnetic field when reading the recording marks to which recording magnetic fields in different directions are applied for recording because the present ranges of the front and rear edges are previously determined.

The present invention relates to a magneto-optical recording medium reading method and an apparatus and a magneto-optical recording medium used for execution of the method, particularly to a magneto-optical recording medium, a method, and an apparatus realizing the MSR (Magnetically Induced Super Resolution) reading.
It is requested to further increase the recording capacity of a magneto-optical disk. To improve the recording density, it is necessary to form more recording marks on a medium and thus, it is necessary to make the recording mark length smaller than the spot diameter of a laser beam and shorten an interval between the recording marks. The recording density of recording marks for magneto-optical recording or reading is restricted by the spot diameter of a light beam irradiated to a disk. It is relatively easy to form very small recording marks having a cycle equal to or less than a spot diameter. However, it is difficult to read very small recording marks exceeding the resolution of an optical system.
Therefore, an MSR reading method and an MSR medium producing the same effect as the case of decreasing a spot diameter by using the temperature distribution of a medium produced in the spot of a light beam and thereby reading recording marks out of some regions in the spot are disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 1-143041 (1989) and 3-93058 (1991). The former is a magneto-optical reading method of emitting a light beam while applying a reading magnetic field to a magneto-optical disk having a multilayer structure obtained by superposing a reading layer, switching layer, and recording layer on a substrate. A temperature distribution is produced in the beam spot due to rotation of the magneto-optical disk at the time of reading and a high-temperature region and a low-temperature region are formed. In the low-temperature region, recording marks on the recording layer are transferred to the reading layer due to the exchange coupled force between the recording layer and the reading layer through the switching layer and read out. In the high-temperature region, because the exchange coupled force between the recording layer and the reading layer is lost, magnetization of the reading layer is arranged in the direction of a reading magnetic field and the recording marks on the recording layer are masked. Thereby, the recording marks are read only from the low-temperature region in the spot (FAD system) and the read resolution is improved substantially similarly to the case of focussing the beam spot.
The MSR medium disclosed in the latter Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-93058 (1991) uses a magneto-optical reading method of emitting a light beam while applying an initial magnetic field and a reading magnetic field to a magneto-optical disk having a multilayer structure obtained by superposing a reading layer, auxiliary reading layer, intermediate layer, and recording layer on a substrate. A temperature distribution is produced in a beam spot S due to rotation of the magneto-optical disk at the time of reading. In a low-temperature region, magnetization of the reading layer is arranged in the direction of an initialization magnetic field and recording marks of the recording layer are masked (front mask). In a high-temperature region, magnetization of the reading layer is arranged in the direction of a reading magnetic field and recording marks of the recording layer are masked (rear mask). In a middle-temperature region, the recording marks of the recording layer are transferred to the reading layer through the intermediate layer and the auxiliary reading layer and read out (aperture portion). Thereby, the recording marks are read only from the middle-temperature region in the beam spot and the read resolution is improved substantially similarly to the case of focussing the beam spot (RAD double mask system).
In the case of the MSR reading system disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-93058 (1991), it is necessary to arrange the magnetization of the reading layer and that of the auxiliary reading layer in the same direction by applying an initialization magnetic field with thousands of Oe by an initialization magnet. This is because the coercive force between the reading layer and the auxiliary reading layer is larger than the exchange coupled force from the recording layer through the intermediate layer.
To solve the above problem, the applicant of the present invention proposes a magneto-optical recording medium for realizing MSR reading by the RAD double mask system by applying a low reading magnetic field with hundreds of Oe without using an initialization magnet in the Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-244877 (1995). FIGS. 1A and 1B are illustrations showing a magnetized state when reading an MSR medium proposed by the applicant of the present invention together with a film structure, in which FIG. 1A shows a magnetized state when applying a reading magnetic field in the direction opposite to the recording direction of recording marks and FIG. 1B shows a magnetized state when applying a reading magnetic field in the same direction as the recording direction of them. In FIGS. 1A and 1B, the substrate and protective layer of the medium are omitted.
As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, a magneto-optical disk 1 is constituted by superposing a reading layer 33, an intermediate layer 34, and a recording layer 35 on a substrate (not illustrated) in order. The reading layer 33 is a transition-metal magnetization dominant film and has a magnetization easy axis in the perpendicular direction or the superposing direction. The intermediate layer 34 is a rare-earth magnetization dominant film and has a magnetization easy axis in the in-plane direction at room temperature (10.degree. to 35.degree. C.). When the layer 34 has a predetermined temperature higher than room temperature or higher, the direction of the magnetization easy axis changes from the inward to perpendicular directions. The recording layer 35 is a transition-metal magnetization dominant film and has a magnetization easy axis in the perpendicular direction.
To form recording marks on the magneto-optical disk 1 having the above structure, a recording laser beam is emitted while applying a recording magnetic field. Information is recorded by assuming upward as the recording direction to explain the magnetized state of the magneto-optical disk 1 at the time of reading. As shown in FIG. 1A, when a reading laser beam is emitted to the magneto-optical disk 1 and a downward reading magnetic field (negative magnetic field) opposite to the recording direction is applied, the exchange coupled force between the intermediate layer 34 and the recording layer 35 is weak in a low-temperature region at the front side of the laser beam and magnetization of the intermediate layer 34 is arranged in the direction of the reading magnetic field, that is, downward. Then, the magnetized direction of the reading layer 33 is arranged upward due to the exchange coupled force between the intermediate layer 34 and the reading layer 33 to mask the magnetized direction of the recording layer 35 (front mask). Moreover, a high-temperature region is a region in which the temperature exceeds the Curie temperature of the intermediate layer 34, in which the exchange coupled force between the intermediate layer 34 and the reading layer 33 is lost. Thereby, the magnetized direction of the reading layer 33 is arranged in the downward direction of a reading magnetic field to mask the magnetized direction of the recording layer 35 (rear mask). In the middle-temperature region between the low- and high-temperature regions, the magnetized direction of the recording layer 35 is transferred to the reading layer 33 through the intermediate layer 34 (aperture portion) due to the exchange coupled force between the recording layer 35 and the reading layer 33.
Moreover, as shown in FIG. 1B, when a reading laser beam is emitted to the magneto-optical disk 1 and an upward reading magnetic field (positive magnetic field) opposite to that in FIG. 1A is applied to an irradiation region, the exchange coupled force between the intermediate layer 34 and the recording layer 35 is weak in the low-temperature region and the magnetization of the intermediate layer 34 is arranged in the direction of the reading magnetic field, that is, upward. Moreover, the magnetized direction of the reading layer 33 is arranged downward by the exchange coupled force between the intermediate layer 34 and the reading layer 33 to mask the magnetized direction of the recording layer 35 (front mask). Furthermore, the high-temperature region is a region in which the temperature exceeds the Curie temperature of the intermediate layer 34, in which the exchange coupled force between the intermediate layer 34 and the reading layer 33 is lost. Thereby, the magnetized direction of the reading layer 33 is arranged in the upward direction of the reading magnetic field to mask the magnetized direction of the recording layer 35 (rear mask). In the middle-temperature region between the high- and low-temperature regions, the magnetized direction of the recording layer 35 is transferred to the reading layer 33 (aperture portion) through the intermediate layer 34 due to the exchange coupled force between the recording layer 35 and the reading layer 33 through the intermediate layer 34. Thus, in the case of an MSR medium of the applicant of the present invention, because the magnetized direction of the intermediate layer 34 can be arranged in the direction of the reading magnetic field with hundreds of Oe, it is possible to form a front mask without using an initial magnet with thousands of Oe.
In the case of the above-described MSR medium obtained by forming a mask in the beam spot S, the mask forming range in the beam spot slightly differs depending on the direction of a magnetic field applied for reading. It is found that the inclinations of the front and rear edges of the waveform of a reading signal (reading waveform) are different from each other due to the difference in the mask forming range. FIG. 2 is an illustration showing the recording marks formed on the magneto-optical disk 1 and the waveforms of reading signals obtained by applying reading magnetic fields of negative and positive magnetic fields, which are measured by the applicant of the present invention. The recording marks whose magnetized direction is the same as that of the recording direction are shown by hatching them.
In the case of the reading waveform, the inclination of the front edge is moderate compared to that of the rear edge when reading the MSR medium by applying a negative magnetic field to the medium but the inclination of the rear edge is moderate compared to that of the front edge when reading the MSR medium by applying a positive magnetic field to the medium as shown in FIG. 2. Thus, it is found that the reading waveform has nonlinearity in either case. The front edge of the reading signal becomes steeper by applying a positive magnetic field because the magnetized direction of the intermediate layer 34 at the aperture portion is the same as the direction of the reading magnetic field at the point of time of reading the recording marks of the recording direction when applying the negative magnetic field but it is opposite to the direction of the reading magnetic field when applying the positive magnetic field (see FIGS. 1A and 1B) and thereby, the front mask is formed up to a position closer to the center of the beam spot S by applying the positive magnetic field compared to the case of applying the negative magnetic field. Moreover, the rear edge of the reading signal becomes steeper by applying the negative magnetic field because the magnetized direction of the reading layer 33 becomes the same as the magnetized direction of the intermediate layer 34 at the aperture portion at the point of time of reading recording marks when applying the negative magnetic field but it becomes opposite when applying the positive magnetic field (see FIGS. 1A and 1B) and thereby, the rear mask is formed up to a position closer to the center of the beam spot S by applying the negative magnetic field compared to the case of applying the positive magnetic field.
The inclination of the reading waveform influences jitter. As the inclination of an edge becomes moderate, the jitter increases. As described above, when the reading waveform has nonlinearity, there is a problem that the jitter of either-side edge increases and greatly influences reading characteristics. Moreover, as the recording density rises, the jitters of front and rear edges increase. In the case of a high-recording-density medium such as an MSR medium, there is a problem that a reading signal with asymmetric edges is greatly deteriorated in quality.
To solve the problem, the applicant of the present invention proposes a method of detecting the timing of an edge of a produced waveform in accordance with an obtained reading signal and reversing a reading magnetic field after detecting the edge. According to this reading method, it is possible to apply a positive magnetic field when the front edge of a recording mark is generated and a negative magnetic field when the rear edge of the mark is output and moreover, making the both edges of the reading waveform more symmetric. However, when considering the circuit delay of a signal processing circuit and the time required for reversal of a magnetic field, there is a problem that reversal of the magnetic field may not be completed before the next edge is read in the case of magnetic field modulation on the basis of the detection result of a reading signal when very small recording marks are formed at short edge intervals.

Magneto-optical reading method and apparatus and magneto-optical recording medium used for execution of the method


The present invention relates to the field of ambulatory and non-invasive monitoring of a plurality of physiological parameters of a monitored individual. The invention includes a physiological monitoring apparatus with an improved monitoring apparel worn by a monitored individual, the apparel having attached sensors for monitoring parameters reflecting pulmonary function, or parameters reflecting cardiac function, or parameters reflecting the function of other organ systems, and the apparel being designed and tailored to be comfortable during the individual's normal daily activities. The apparel is preferably also suitable for athletic activities. The sensors preferably include one or more ECG leads and one of more inductive plethysmographic sensor with conductive loops positioned closely to the individual to preferably monitor at least basic cardiac parameters, basic pulmonary parameters, or both. The monitoring apparatus also includes a unit for receiving data from the sensors, and for storing the data in a computer-readable medium. The invention also includes systems comprising a central data repository for receiving, storing, and processing data generated by a plurality of physiological monitored apparatus, and for making stored data available to the individual and to health care providers.

In the following, the term "plethysmography" (and its derivative words) means measurement of a cross-sectional area of the body, such as a cross-sectional area of the chest or of the abdomen, or a body part, such as a cross-sectional area of the neck or of an arm. (This meaning is somewhat more limited than is standard in the medical arts.) Further, the phrase "inductive plethysmography" means herein plethysmographic measurements which depend on inductance determinations.
Measurement of pulmonary and cardiac physiological parameters by means of inductive plethysmography is known. For example, many measurement methods and apparatus are disclosed in the following U.S. patents, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein, in their entireties, by reference, for all purposes.
(1) The '872 patent: U.S. Pat. No. 4,308,872, issued Jan. 5, 1982 and titled "Method and Apparatus for Monitoring Respiration," discloses a method and apparatus for monitoring respiration volumes by measuring variations in the patient's chest cross sectional area, or variations in both chest and abdomen cross sectional areas, each area being measured by determining the inductance of an extensible electrical conductor closely looped around the body, and the measurements being calibrated by measuring the area variations for a few breaths while directly measuring corresponding volumes of breath, preferably while the patient assumes at least two body positions, for example sitting and supine.
(2) The '534 patent: U.S. Pat. No. 4,373,534, issued Feb. 15, 1983 and titled "Method and Apparatus for Calibrating Respiration Monitoring System," discloses methods and systems in which respiration volume is determined by weighting signals representing abdominal and chest cross-sectional areas, where the weighting factors are determined by a procedure involving measuring respiration volume by an alternate measuring apparatus along with unweighted chest and abdomen signals, the measurements occurring for a first series of breaths based with a first relative chest and abdominal contribution and for a second series of breaths based on a second relative chest and abdominal contribution.
(3) The '252 patent: U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,252, issued Jun. 5, 1984 and titled "Non-invasive Method for Monitoring Cardiopulmonary Parameters," discloses a method for monitoring cardiopulmonary events by inductive plethysmographic measurement of a cross-sectional area of the neck, and further discloses a method for monitoring mouth volume by inductive plethysmographic measurement of a cross-sectional area of the head in a plane which extends through the mouth.
(4) The '015 patent: U.S. Pat. No. 4,456,015, issued Jun. 26, 1984 and titled "Non-invasive Method for Semiquantitative Measurement of Neck Volume Changes," discloses a method of plethysmographic measurement of a subject's neck volume by providing an extensible conductor closely circling the neck and, first, calibrated against cross-sectional area so that neck volume may be determined from the conductor's inductance, and also, second, calibrated against invasively-measured intrapleural pressure so that the intrapleural pressure may also be determined from the conductor's inductance, and also so that intrapleural pressure may also be obtained from measured neck volume.
(5) The '407 patent: U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,407, issued Mar. 10, 1987 and titled "Method for Detecting and Differentiating Central and Obstructive Apneas in Newborns," disclosing methods for detecting the presence and origin of apnea in newborns by concurrently monitoring relative movement of the cranial bones (which have been found to move with respiration as a function of intrapleural pressure), preferably by a surface inductive plethysmographic transducer, and nasal ventilation, preferably by a nasal cannula, thermistor, thermocouple or CO2 sensor, wherein absence of changes in both cranial bone movement and respiratory air flow at the nose indicates of the presence of central apnea, while absence of nasal air flow accompanied by continuing cranial bone movements indicates of obstructive apnea.
(6) The '962 patent: U.S. Pat. No. 4,777,962, issued Oct. 18, 1988 and titled "Method and Apparatus for Distinguishing Central Obstructive and Mixed Apneas by External Monitoring Devices Which Measure Rib Cage and Abdominal Compartmental Excursions During Respiration," discloses an apparatus and method for distinguishing between different types of apneic episodes. The method includes measuring a new index, Total Compartmental Displacement/Tidal Volume (TCD/VT), and measuring the phase relation between the abdominal and rib cage contributions to total respiration volume, wherein an episode is classified as central, obstructive or mixed based on the value of TCD/VT and the phase relation.
(7) The '640 patent: U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,640, issued Feb. 28, 1989 and titled "Stretchable Band-type Transducer Particularly Suited for Respiration Monitoring Apparatus," discloses an improved, low-cost stretchable band incorporating a conductor for disposition about the human torso or other three dimensional object, and particularly intended for use with respiration monitoring by means of inductive plethysmography, a method for making the band, which method is suitable to mass production techniques, and an improved enclosure housing circuitry releasably connected to the conductor in the band when the band is incorporated in respiration monitoring apparatus.
(8) The '473 patent: U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,473, issued Mar. 28, 1989 and titled "Method and Apparatus for Monitoring Respiration," discloses a method and apparatus for monitoring respiration volumes by inductive plethysmographic measurement of variations in a patient's chest cross sectional area, or preferably, variations in both chest and abdomen areas during breathing, and a method for calibrating such an apparatus by measuring cross-sectional area variations for a few breaths while directly measuring corresponding volumes of breath, preferably while the patient assumes at least two body positions, for example sitting and supine.
***(9) The '766 patent: U.S. Pat. No. 4,860,766, issued Aug. 29, 1989 and titled "Noninvasive Method for Measuring and Monitoring Intrapleural Pressure in Newborns," discloses measuring intrapleural pressure of a newborn subject by detecting relative movement between adjacently-proximate cranial bones, preferably, using a surface inductive plethysmographic transducer secured on the subject's head across at least two adjacently-proximate cranial bones, and a method of calibrating such measurements by temporarily manually occluding the subject's nose or, if intubated, the endotracheal tube, to measure the airway pressure during such occlusion as the subject makes an inspiratory effort and comparing the measured pressure to the measured signal.
(10) The '109 patent: U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,109, issued May 30, 1989 and titled "Single Position Non-invasive Calibration Technique," discloses an improved method for calibrating inductive plethysmographic measurement of respiration volume by totaling, during a period of breathing, a plurality of values of a parameter indicative of the relative amplitude, for each breath, of uncalibrated rib cage and abdomen signals, and by dividing the average variability of the means of the total of the values of one of the rib cage and abdomen signals by the average variability of the mean of the total of the values of the other signal, the quotient being so derived represents a signal weighting factor for determining respiration volume.
(11) The '277 patent: U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,277, issued Jan. 22, 1991 and titled "Method and Apparatus for Non-invasive Monitoring of Central Venous Pressure," discloses a method and apparatus for measuring central venous pressure (CVP) and changes in CVP along with an improved transducer (50) for measuring CVP in infants, wherein a plethysmographic transducer is disposed on the neck of a subject (or on the head in the case of infants), the signal from the transducer is processed to obtain a cardiac component, and the vertical distance from the transducer to a reference level is adjusted until a position is located at which the signal changes between a venous configuration and an arterial or mixed venous-arterial configuration, at which position the vertical distance approximates CVP.
(12) The '540 patent: U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,540, issued Aug. 20, 1991 and titled "Method and Apparatus for Non-invasive Monitoring of Central Venous Pressure, and Improved Transducer Therefor," discloses an improved method and apparatus for measuring central venous pressure (CVP), and changes in CVP, along with an improved transducer for measuring CVP in infants.
(13) The '935 patent: U.S. Pat. No. 5,159,935, issued Nov. 3, 1992 and titled "Non-invasive Estimation of Individual Lung Function," discloses a non-invasive method and apparatus for plethysmographic monitoring individual lung function by disposing a transducer on the torso above the lung to be monitored, the transducer producing a signal corresponding to movement of the torso portion there beneath which, in turn, corresponds to changes in the volume of the underlying lung, and also a method and apparatus for monitoring regional lung volume changes by utilizing transducers positioned on the torso to encompass only a portion of the underlying lung.
(14) The '151 patent: U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,151, issued Jan. 12, 1993 and titled "System for Non-invasive Detection of Changes of Cardiac Volumes and Aortic Pulses,", discloses a method and an apparatus therefor for monitoring cardiac function in an animal or human subject including the steps of placing a first movement detecting transducer on the torso, said transducer overlying at least part of two diametrically opposed borders of the heart or great vessels; generating a signal indicative of the movement of the torso portion subtended by the transducer, said signal including a cardiac component comprising at least a segmental ventricular volume waveform or a segmental aortic pressure pulse waveform and assessing cardiac function by monitoring changes in said ventricular volume waveform or said aortic pressure pulse waveform.
(15) The '678 patent: U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,678, issued Apr. 12, 1994 and titled "Stretchable Band-Type Transducer Particularly Suited for Use with Respiration Monitoring Apparatus," an improved, low-cost stretchable band incorporating a conductor for disposition around the human torso or other three-dimensional object, and particularly intended for use with plethysmographic respiration monitoring apparatus, is disclosed.
(16) The '968 patent: U.S. Pat. No. 5,331,968, issued Jul. 26, 1994 and titled "Inductive Plethysmographic Transducers and Electronic Circuitry Therefor," discloses an apparatus and method for improving the detection of the inductance "signal" generated by an inductive plethysmograph by modifying the design of the inductive plethysmograph and also by improving the design of the associated circuitry, both of which permit the associated circuitry may be located remotely rather than on the transducer, the improvement including selecting the impedance matching transformer joining an inductive plethysmograph to an oscillator such that the inductance of its primary winding is greater than about ten times the reflected inductance of the inductive plethysmograph and the cable joining it to the transformer, or circling the conductor of the inductive plethysmograph therein around the relevant body portion a plurality of times, or selecting the cable connecting the inductive plethysmograph to the transformer such that the ratio of the diameter of its screen to the diameter of its center conductor is minimized for reducing the inductance per unit length thereof.
(17) The '425 patent: U.S. Pat. No. 5,588,425, issued Dec. 31, 1996 and titled "Method and Apparatus for Discriminating Between Valid and Artifactual Pulse Waveforms in Pulse Oximetry," discloses a method and apparatus for use in pulse oximetry for discriminating between valid pulse waveforms, determined with a photoelectric plethysmograph, from which arterial oxygen saturation levels are accepted, and artifactual pulse waveforms, from which saturation levels are rejected, according to whether the systolic upstroke time of each pulse waveform is within a predetermined range, it having been discovered that systolic upstroke times for valid pulse waveforms are in a consistent, narrow range which varies only slightly from subject to subject and which may be defined empirically for each subject or established by a default setting applicable to all subjects,
(18) The '388 patent: U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,388, issued Jan. 18, 2000 and titled "Method for Analyzing Breath Waveforms as to Their Neuromuscular Respiratory Implications," discloses a method for measuring respiratory drive by determining a peak inspiratory flow and a peak inspiratory acceleration from a breath waveform derived from rib cage motion and abdominal motion measured by external respiratory measuring devices, such as those based on inductive plethysmography, the measured respiratory drive being usable to initiate inspiration by a mechanical ventilator and for determining an index describing a shape of the waveform for controlling a continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) device.
(19) The '203 patent: U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,203, issued Apr. 4, 2000 and titled "Physiologic Signs Feedback System," discloses a non-invasive physiologic signs monitoring device which includes a garment, in a preferred embodiment, a shirt, with electrocardiogram electrodes and various inductive plethysmographic sensors sewn, embroidered, embedded, or otherwise attached to the garment with an adhesive, signals generated by the sensors being transmitted to a recording/alarm device where they are logged and monitored for adverse or other preprogrammed conditions, which is signaled by When an adverse condition or other preprogrammed condition occurs, a message is communicated to the patient by either an audio message or a display. The recording/alarm unit is also connectable to a remote receiving unit for monitoring by a healthcare professional or other machine.
However, nowhere in the art of inductive plethysmography are found teachings of practical and effective apparatus for non-invasive, ambulatory monitoring, of pulmonary and cardiac parameters. Such practical and effective monitoring apparatus would be of great benefit by assisting the transfer of health care from traditional hospital-based care, which is administered by trained health care workers, to home-based self care, which is administered by the individual patient during, if possible, the patient's normal daily activities. This transfer in health care has been found socially desirable because it may reduce health care costs and may increase patient involvement in and commitment to their treatment plans. Non-invasive and ambulatory monitoring apparatus may assist this transfer, because it eliminates the risks associated with invasive sensors placed within the body, such as intravascular catheters, risks which are considerably heightened outside of the hospital.
Citation or identification of any reference in this Section, including the patents listed above, or in any section of this application shall not be construed that such reference is available as prior art to the present invention.

Systems and methods for ambulatory monitoring of physiological signs


A burner for depositing carbon soot on a glassware mold includes a burner nozzle having an annular array of individual gas outlet ports, a fuel passage within the nozzle connected to a first plurality of the outlet ports and an oxidant passage in the nozzle connected to a second plurality of the outlet ports. The first plurality of outlet ports individually alternate with the second plurality of outlet ports around the annular array such that the array presents alternate fuel and oxidant outlet ports around the array. An ignition electrode is disposed on the burner nozzle within the annular array of outlet ports for igniting fuel and oxidant emerging from the outlet ports. The ignition electrode preferably is in the form of an elongated ignition electrode rod telescopically surrounded by an insulator and centered on the burner nozzle within the annular array of outlet ports, and a ground electrode telescopically surrounding the insulator. The ground electrode preferably is part of the burner nozzle and is electrically connected to a burner mounting block on which the burner nozzle is mounted.

U.S. patent document 2003/0221455A1 discloses a system for flame-deposition of carbon onto the glass-contacting surfaces of a glassware forming mold. A burner includes a nozzle having separate fuel and oxidant gas passages that terminate in respective pluralities of outlet ports from the nozzle. The pluralities of outlet ports preferably form an annular composite array in which the fuel and oxidant outlet ports alternate with each other. The oxidant outlet ports preferably comprise slots having long dimensions radial to the annular array. The fuel outlet ports preferably are circular. A pair of spark electrodes, including an ignition electrode and a ground electrode, are spaced from each other and disposed within the gas stream emerging from the burner. The electrodes are energized to ignite the carbon-containing gas mixture and form a flame that precipitates electrically conductive carbon particles onto the glass-contacting surfaces of the mold.
Immersion of the electrodes in the flame path makes the electrodes susceptible to carbon buildup. Furthermore, the electrodes can deflect or alter the flame pattern, particularly as carbon builds up on the electrodes, resulting in less than optimum carbon deposition on the mold surfaces. U.S. application Ser. No. 11/190,366 filed Jul. 27, 2005 discloses a burner in which one of the electrodes is carried by the burner nozzle so as to be surrounded by the ignited flame while the other electrode is positioned outside of the flame. It is a general object of the present disclosure to provide a glassware mold lubrication system that reduces or eliminates carbon deposition on the spark electrodes, in which the electrodes do not affect the flame pattern of the ignited carbon-containing gas, and in which the spark electrodes (both ignition and ground electrodes) are carried as an assembly with the burner nozzle.
The present disclosure embodies a number of aspects that can be implemented separately from or in combination with each other.
A burner for depositing carbon soot on a glassware mold, in accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, includes a burner nozzle having an annular array of individual gas outlet ports, a fuel passage within the nozzle connected to a first plurality of the outlet ports and an oxidant passage in the nozzle connected to a second plurality of the outlet ports. The first plurality of outlet ports individually alternate with the second plurality of outlet ports around the annular array such that the array presents alternate fuel and oxidant outlet ports around the array. An ignition electrode is disposed on the burner nozzle within the annular array of outlet ports for igniting fuel and oxidant emerging from the outlet ports. The ignition electrode preferably is in the form of an elongated ignition electrode rod telescopically surrounded by an insulator and centered on the burner nozzle within the annular array of outlet ports, and a ground electrode telescopically surrounding the insulator. The ground electrode preferably is part of the burner nozzle and is electrically connected to a burner mounting block on which the burner nozzle is mounted.


A CMOS imager having reduced dark current and methods of forming the same. A nitrided gate oxide layer having approximately twice the thickness of a typical nitrided gate oxide is provided over the photosensor region of a CMOS imager. The gate oxide layer provides an improved contaminant barrier to protect the photosensor, contains the p+ implant distribution in the surface of the p+ pinned region of the photosensor, and reduces photon reflection at the photosensor surface, thereby decreasing dark current.

CMOS image sensors are increasingly being used as low cost imaging devices. A CMOS image sensor circuit includes a focal plane array of pixel cells, each one of the cells includes a photogate, photoconductor, or photodiode having an associated charge accumulation region within a substrate for accumulating photo-generated charge. Each pixel cell may include a transistor for transferring charge from the charge accumulation region to a sensing node, and a transistor for resetting the sensing node to a predetermined charge level prior to charge transference. The pixel cell may also include a source follower transistor for receiving and amplifying charge from the sensing node and an access transistor for controlling the readout of the cell contents from the source follower transistor.
In a CMOS image sensor, the active elements of a pixel cell perform the necessary functions of: (1) photon to charge conversion; (2) accumulation of image charge; (3) transfer of charge to the sensing node accompanied by charge amplification; (4) resetting the sensing node to a known state; (5) selection of a pixel for readout; and (6) output and amplification of a signal representing pixel charge from the sensing node.
CMOS image sensors of the type discussed above are generally known as discussed, for example, in Nixon et al., "256×256 CMOS Active Pixel Sensor Camera-on-a-Chip," IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, Vol. 31(12), pp. 2046-2050 (1996); and Mendis et al., "CMOS Active Pixel Image Sensors," IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, Vol. 41(3), pp. 452-453 (1994). See also U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,177,333 and 6,204,524, which describe the operation of conventional CMOS image sensors and are assigned to Micron Technology, Inc., the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
A schematic diagram of a conventional CMOS four-transistor (4T) pixel cell 10 is shown in FIG. 1. The CMOS pixel cell 10 generally comprises a photosensor 14 for generating and collecting charge generated by light incident on the pixel cell 10, and a transfer transistor 17 for transferring photoelectric charges from the photosensor 14 to a sensing node, typically a floating diffusion region 5. The floating diffusion region 5 is electrically connected to the gate of an output source follower transistor 19. The pixel cell 10 also includes a reset transistor 16 for resetting the floating diffusion region 5 to a predetermined voltage Vaa-pix; and a row select transistor 18 for outputting a signal Vout from the source follower transistor 19 to an output terminal in response to an address signal.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the pixel cell 10 of FIG. 1 showing the photo-conversion device 14, transfer transistor 17 and reset transistor 16. The exemplary CMOS pixel cell 10 has a photosensor 14 that may be formed as a pinned photodiode. The photodiode photosensor 14 has a p-n-p construction comprising a p-type surface layer 13 and an n-type photodiode region 12 within a p-type active layer 11. The transfer transistor 17 and reset transistor 16 gates sit on a thin gate oxide layer 15. The photodiode photosensor 14 is adjacent to and partially underneath the transfer transistor 17. The reset transistor 16 is on a side of the transfer transistor 17 opposite the photodiode photosensor 14. As shown in FIG. 2, the reset transistor 16 includes a source/drain region 2. The floating diffusion region 5 is between the transfer and reset transistors 17, 16.
In the CMOS pixel cell 10 depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, electrons are generated by light incident on the photodiode photosensor 14 and are stored in the n-type photodiode region 12. These charges are transferred to the floating diffusion region 5 by the transfer transistor 17 when the transfer transistor 17 is activated. The source follower transistor 19 produces an output signal based on the transferred charges. A maximum output signal is proportional to the number of electrons extracted from the n-type photodiode region 12.
One common problem associated with conventional imager pixel cells, such as pixel cell 10, is dark current. Dark current is current generated as a photosensor signal in the absence of light. Dark current may be caused by many different factors, including, but not limited to: contaminants that diffuse into the photosensor silicon during the gate-formation steps of pixel fabrication; photosensor junction leakage, i.e., diffusion of ions across the p-n-p layers of the photosensor; and photon reflection at the photosensor surface. Dark current is detrimental to the operation and performance of a photosensor. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an isolation technique that prevents dark current by providing a contaminant barrier to protect the photosensor that can also contain the underlying ion distribution to maintain the photosensor junction and reduce photon reflection at the photosensor surface.

CMOS imager with nitrided gate oxide and method of fabrication


A flightpath guidance system and method is disclosed for using moving waypoints for a curved route plan such as a Bezier curve. The actual location of a vehicle and a leading target point along the path are used to provide commanded guidance of the vehicle along the path and to correct for disturbances from the intended route. Waypoints along the path may be moving with respect to the reference frame in which the vehicle is measured. Curved flightpath guidance using moving waypoints may be used for aerial rendezvous and refueling, multiple vehicle applications such as formation flying and battlefield formation grouping, and carrier landing. Further application includes air traffic control and commercial flight guidance systems.

To reduce the risk to human life, unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) are being developed for unpiloted, autonomous flight operations, such as surveillance or combat missions. Previously, drones were actively commanded and navigated with remote control during such operations or the vehicles were programmed to move according to a predetermined course.
UAV flight guidance systems are suited currently for formation flying, carrier landing, aerial refueling, and other common maneuvers.
Conventional navigation and guidance systems rely upon use of waypoints that are fixed in space and, typically, connected by straight line segments. This leads to ad-hoc modifications for guidance in turns, long linear queues for UAV and UCAV landing approaches that maximize the potential for dangerous wake vortex encounters, and excessively complex mission plans to achieve desired routes. Fixed waypoints are fundamentally incapable of effectively handling rendezvous problems such as carrier landing, aerial refueling, and formation flight, thus requiring separate modes for accomplishing each of these tasks. Other like conventional navigation and guidance systems are similarly limited by use of fixed waypoints or straight-line segments.
Thus it would be advantageous to design an improved flightpath guidance system and method for such applications as future unmanned vehicle systems and air traffic control systems.

Bezier curve flightpath guidance using moving waypoints


Disclosed is a method and system for automatic algorithm selection for image processing. The invention discloses the method and system for automatically selecting the correct algorithm(s) for a varying requirement of the image for processing. The selection of algorithm is completely automatic and guided by a plurality of machine learning approaches. The system here is configured to pre-process plurality of images for creating a training data. Next, the test image is extracted, pre-processed and matched for assessing the best possible match of algorithm for processing.

Image processing involves processing of an image such as a photograph or a video frame to generate a processed image, or a set of characteristics or parameters related to the image as the output of the processing.
The processing of an image may involve various tasks like binarization, page segmentation, skew correction, character recognition, and page layout analysis. These tasks can be accomplished by various conventional known algorithms available in the market. However, a major problem arises in intra image variations wherein a single algorithm may not produce acceptable or desired results. Further, no single algorithm known can process the images well under all conditions.
Moreover, in the conventional approach, an algorithm or a technique, and its corresponding parameters are selected based on user feedback in order to obtain a desired processed image. The major limitation of the conventional approach is that it involves manual intervention which makes the system slow and the final result being sensitive to the human perception. Though there exist various approaches suggesting a suitable algorithm for image processing using machine learning approach, but nevertheless these do not address the challenges faced for intra image variations. Therefore, a need exists for automatically identifying one or more algorithms from a plurality of algorithms, which matches the requirement of an image during processing. Certain embodiments of the present invention are intended to meet these needs and other objectives that will become apparent from the description and drawings set forth below.

Method and system for automatic selection of one or more image processing algorithm


A system, method, and apparatus for dynamically booting processor code memory with a wait instruction is presented herein. A wait instruction precedes the transfer of a new code portion to the code memory. The wait instruction causes the processor to temporarily cease using the code memory. When the processor ceases using the code memory, the processor signals a direct memory access (DMA) module to transfer a new code portion to the code memory. The DMA module transfers the new code portion to the code memory and transmits a signal to the processor when the transfer is completed. The signal causes the processor to resume. When the processor resumes, the processor begins executing the instructions at the next code address.

As applications of embedded processors become more complex, the size of code for such applications is increasing, thereby increasing the size of processor code memory. However, increasing the size of the processor code memory is expensive and is also an inefficient use of chip real estate.
Some processors solve this problem by using a cache in place of the code memory. The cache stores only a portion of the code for an application at any given time. When the code address points to a code that is not in the cache at any particular point of time, a cache miss occurs. When a cache miss occurs, the new code is fetched into the code memory from system memory (such as DRAM). The new code replaces some of the existing and in most cases, the Least Recently Used (LRU) code.
Caching portions of the application code is expensive because special hardware is required for detecting cache misses, for translating cache misses into correct system memory accesses, and for deciding which code to replace.
Another possible solution would be to keep the processor under reset during the time new code is loaded into the code memory. However, resetting the processor erases all the information stored in the general purpose registers within the processor. Accordingly, a swap routine is used to copy the registers to the DRAM prior to a reset. The foregoing is disadvantageous because the swap routine resides in and consumes a significant amount of the code memory. In addition to the code space, time is also spent for swapping.

Integrated circuit with DMA module for loading portions of code to a code memory for execution by a host processor that controls a video decoder


Methods, apparatus and computer programs are disclosed for controlling the output of a transmission point. One embodiment provides a method for controlling the output of a transmission point for a wireless communications network. The method includes determining an average output power of the transmission point, in a particular direction, over a period of time, comparing the average output power to an output power reference value, and allocating data, to be transmitted by the transmission point in the particular direction to one or more wireless devices, to a pool of radio resources. The pool of radio resources is adjusted as a function of the comparison between the average output power and the output power reference value.

When any radio equipment is to be deployed, regulatory radio frequency (RF) exposure regulations need to be accounted for. These exposure limitations are typically based on the guidelines from the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) but may take different forms in different countries and regions. The aim of the RF exposure regulations is to ensure that human exposure to RF energy is kept within safe limits, which have typically been set with wide safety margins.
Transmission points for wireless communication networks are increasingly being equipped with advanced antenna systems (AAS). These antenna systems increase the capacity and/or coverage of existing wireless systems by addition of an antenna array. This enables the simultaneous transmission of parallel data streams between a base station and a user, so called multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) transmission. In some cases, like when millimeter-wave (mmVV) carrier frequencies are used, the main desired effect is rather to enhance coverage by exploiting the high beamforming gain of the new AAS systems.
A consequence of the increasing beamforming gain is that the radiated energy is concentrated in beams, in which the effective radiated power is increased as compared to the situation without AAS systems. The RF exposure limits are typically expressed in terms of power density (W/m2) which in the far field is proportional to the effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP), i.e. the power radiated from an antenna with unity antenna gain in all directions. Consequently, the EIRP can be used to determine the power density in the far field. This implies that at a given distance from the antenna, and in the far field, the experienced momentary EIRP and power density will be higher in a beam generated by an AAS system with beam forming gain, than without such an AAS system.
The ICNIRP and other RF exposure limitations are usually expressed as an average power density over a specified time interval T. This means that the momentary or instantaneous power density can be higher than the specified limit, but the sustained power density must be below the limit. It will further be understood that the power density varies inversely (or decays) with distance from the transmitter. The distance from the transmitter at which the specified limit is met is referred to as the "compliance distance". To maintain a certain RF exposure compliance distance, which is shorter than that obtained using the maximum momentary EIRP of the AAS, the time-averaged power needs to be maintained at or below a pre-determined threshold.


A turbine blade includes an airfoil, platform, and dovetail. The airfoil includes a plurality of flow channels being separated by partitions. A primary partition includes an inner saddle. And, a bipedal damper includes a pair of legs extending into the flow channels, and integrally joined together at a seat bridging the saddle.

The present invention relates generally to gas turbine engines, and, more specifically, to turbine rotor blades therein.
In a gas turbine engine, air is pressurized in a compressor and mixed with fuel in a combustor for generating hot combustion gases. Energy is extracted from the combustion gases by turbine rotor blades which in turn power the compressor, and an upstream fan in an exemplary turbofan aircraft engine application.
Turbine blades typically increase in radial size in the downstream direction as energy is extracted from the combustion gases. And, high pressure turbine blades are typically hollow and provided with internal cooling circuits or channels through which a portion of the pressurized compressor air is channeled for cooling the blades during operation in the environment of the hot combustion gases.
Each rotor blade includes an airfoil extending radially outwardly from an inner platform, with the platform being joined by a shank to a supporting dovetail mounted in a corresponding slot in the perimeter in a supporting rotor disk. The flow channels extend through the airfoil, platform, and dovetail and typically include a plurality of inlets in the base of the dovetail for receiving the pressurized cooling air from the compressor.
During operation, the blades drive the rotor at substantial speed and are subject to centrifugal forces or loads which pull the blades radially outwardly in their supporting slots in the perimeter of the rotor disk. The dovetail typically includes multiple lobes or tangs that carry the centrifugal loads of each blade into the rotor disk while limiting the stresses in the blade for ensuring long blade life.
Each rotor blade is also subject to pressure and thermal loads and stresses from the combustion gases which flow thereover during operation. And, the blades are also subject to vibratory stress due to the dynamic excitation thereof by the rotating blades and the pressure forces from the combustion gases.
Since the turbine airfoil is relatively thin for minimizing weight and resultant centrifugal loads, it is subject to the vibratory excitation in various modes. For example, the airfoil is subject to vibratory bending along the radial or longitudinal span thereof, as well as higher order bending modes along the axial chord direction.
Accordingly, turbine blades may also include a suitable vibration damper suitably mounted under the blade platforms. The dampers are supported by the platform and dovetail and add centrifugal loads to the rotor disk. The dampers use friction with the excited platform to provide effective damping of the blade during operation at speed.
However, these dampers have limited effectiveness for the various modes of vibration of the turbine blade during operation, including the higher order natural modes of airfoil vibration which involve complex combinations of airfoil bending in both the chord and span directions.
Accordingly, it is desired to provide an improved damper for a gas turbine engine turbine blade.


A quick cam latch mechanism having an operatively coupled bolt and cam assembly disposed in a latch housing. A handle is coupled to the cam assembly for moving the bolt between an extended or engaged position and a retracted or disengaged position. The cam assembly includes a primary cam operatively coupled to a secondary cam or linkage that is in turn operatively coupled to the bolt. Rotation of the primary cam translates into increased pivoting of the linkage and thereby increased retraction of the bolt. As a result, less rotation of primary cam is needed to retract the bolt. In an example embodiment of the invention, at least two linkages are utilized to quickly retract the bolt regardless of the direction of rotation of the handle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a latch for mounting to a door and in particular to a rotary type latch that requires less handle rotation during operation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Latches mounted to or within a door are well known and typically include a latch housing and bolt. In one common type of latch, the bolt is typically operatively coupled or connected to a handle. Rotation of the handle in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction draws or retracts the bolt into the housing. The bolt is retractable into the housing to permit the door to swing freely. In its extended position, the bolt is adapted to strike and engage a strike plate thereby preventing free movement of the door.
The handle acts on a cam operatively disposed within the housing which in turn acts upon and retracts the bolt. The handle of the conventional latches had to be rotated approximately 60 degrees in either direction in order to fully retract the bolt and permit free movement of the door. More recent devices, however, have been developed that utilize a secondary cam to increase the rate at which the bolt retracts into the housing. One such devise is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,372 to Jans. Devises of this type have an advantage of retracting the bolt more quickly into the housing with less rotation of the handle. However, they have the disadvantage of being complicated and difficult to manufacture.
What is needed in the lock and latch industry is a rotatable latch that utilizes a novel cam assembly to quickly retract a bolt into a latch housing by rotating a latch handle generally less than 60 degrees. What is also needed in the lock and latch industry is a rotatable latch utilizing an uncomplicated, yet novel cam assembly to draw the bolt into the housing.


A method of preparing a cement may include: defining one or more engineering parameters of a proposed cement slurry; selecting at least: a cement and mass fraction thereof and at least one supplementary cementitious material and mass fraction thereof; a retarder and mass fraction thereof; and a water and mass fraction thereof, such that a slurry formed from the cement, the at least one supplementary cementitious material, the retarder, and the water meets at least one of the one or more engineering parameters and has a property of being capable of remaining in a pumpable fluid state for a period of about 1 day or greater at a temperature of about 80° F. in quiescent storage; and preparing the slurry.

Embodiments relate to subterranean cementing operations and, in certain embodiments, to extended-life cement slurries and methods of using extended-life cement slurries in subterranean formations.
Cement compositions are used in a variety of subterranean operations. For example, in subterranean well construction, a pipe string (e.g., casing, liners, expandable tubulars, etc.) can be run into a wellbore and cemented in place. The process of cementing the pipe string in place is commonly referred to as "primary cementing." In a typical primary cementing method, a cement composition can be pumped into an annulus between the walls of the wellbore and the exterior surface of the pipe string disposed therein. The cement composition may set in the annular space, thereby forming an annular sheath of hardened, substantially impermeable cement (i.e., a cement sheath) that may support and position the pipe string in the wellbore and may bond the exterior surface of the pipe string to the subterranean formation. Among other things, the cement sheath surrounding the pipe string functions to prevent the migration of fluids in the annulus, as well as protecting the pipe string from corrosion. Cement compositions also may be used in remedial cementing methods, for example, to seal cracks or holes in pipe strings or cement sheaths, to seal highly permeable formation zones or fractures, to place a cement plug, and the like.
A broad variety of cement compositions have been used in subterranean cementing operations. In some instances, extended-life cement slurries have been used. Extended-life cement slurries are characterized by remaining in a pumpable fluid state for at least about one day (e.g., at least about 7 days, about 2 weeks, about 2 years or more) at room temperature (e.g., about 80° F.) in quiescent storage. When desired for use, the extended-life cement slurries should be capable of being activated whereby reasonable compressive strengths are developed. For example, a cement set activator may be added to an extended-life cement slurries to form an activated composition whereby the activated composition sets into a hardened mass. Among other things, the extended-life cement slurries may be suitable for use in wellbore applications, for example, where it is desired to prepare the cement slurries in advance. This may allow, for example, the cement slurries to be stored prior to its use. In addition, this may allow, for example, the cement slurries to be prepared at a convenient location and then transported to the job site. Accordingly, capital expenditures may be reduced due to a reduction in the need for on-site bulk storage and mixing equipment. This may be particularly useful for offshore cementing operations where space onboard the vessel may be limited.
While extended-life cement slurries have been developed heretofore, challenges may exist with their successful use in subterranean cementing operations. For example, extended-life cement slurries developed hereto may require specific formulations of natural glasses and additives to remain in a pumpable fluid state. Furthermore, such specific formulations may be difficult to prepare, natural glasses from one region may differ from natural glasses that may be sourced from a different region, thereby potentially requiring extended-life cement compositions to be tailored to available materials in a region. Additional complexity may arise from the strong inorganic acids relied upon to extend slurry life, which in turn may require strong activators to overcome the retarding effects of the strong inorganic acids. Finally, there may be challenges to formulate an extended-life slurry which forms the required compressive strength (e.g. 24 hour compressive strength) at lower temperatures, such as, lower than about 140° F. (60° C.) for some extended-life slurries.

Low-Portland extended life slurries for use in oilwell cementing


An apparatus for holding a plurality of workpieces (W) in a stack on a pallet (22), supporting the workpieces (W) in place on the pallet (22) by a plurality of workpiece support rods (26), and transporting and transferring the uppermost workpiece by a workpiece gripping hand (50) provided with gripping fingers (54) to a desired position, is provided with elastic lifting springs (32) for continuously biasing the workpiece support rods (26) upward to support the workpieces (W) stably in place by the upright work support rods (26). The workpiece gripping hand (50) grips the uppermost workpiece (W) with the gripping fingers (54) without interference, after depressing the workpiece support rods (26) with a depressing plate (56) provided on the back side of the gripping fingers (54) so that the uppermost workpiece (W) is exposed above the upper ends of the workpiece support rods (26), and then transports the workpiece (W) to a desired position. When placing the workpiece (W) on the pallet (22) by the work gripping hand ( 50), the gripping fingers (54) release the workpiece (W) after the workpiece support rods (26) are depressed with the depressing plate (56).

The automation of a work machining system, i.e., that known as FA (factory automation), has been widely disseminated. The automated work machining system grips a work to be machined, with a gripping device attached to the extremity of the robot hand i.e., an end effector, of an industrial robot, transports the work, feeds the work to an automatic machine tool, such as an automatic lathe or a machining center, and grips the machined work with the gripping device to transport the processed work. Generally, a workshop of an FA system has a work feed station provided with work feed means for feeding work successively to the robot hand of an industrial robot and for receiving the machined work from the robot hand to efficiently handle and process many pieces of work. In most cases, such a work feed means is called a work feeder. The work feeder comprises an intermittently turning base or a circulating device, and a plurality of pallets mounted on the intermittently turning base or the circulating device. The pallets each holding a plurality of work in a stack are located sequentially at a work transfer position. The industrial robot picks up one of the stacked work from the work feeder at the work transfer position, attaches the work to the spindle of an automatic machine tool, i.e., the chuck of the automatic machining tool, and returns the machined work to the empty pallet of the work feeder. The work feeder is replenished with fresh work, and delivers machined work therefrom in accordance with a progress of an automatic machining process.
FIG. 10, 11 and 12 are schematic views of the layout of a conventional industrial robot and a conventional work feeder, and the construction of a pallet and work support rods of the conventional work feeder.
Referring to FIGS. 10, 11 and 12, the industrial robot 1, of the prior art, has a robot body 2, a first robot arm 3 extending from the robot body 2, and a second robot arm 4 pivotally joined to the first robot arm 3. A robot hand 5, i.e., an end effector, is attached to the extremity of the second robot hand 4, and two work grippers 6 are held on the robot hand 5. The first robot arm 3 is capable of both turning and extended. The first robot arm 3 and the second robot arm 4 can be turned together in directions indicated by an arrow P. A work feeder 8 has a base 9, and a plurality of pallets 10 mounted on the base 9. As shown in FIG. 11, each pallet 10 has a work support plate 11 and is provided with a plurality of work support rods 12 for holding work in place on the work support plate 11. The pallets 10 are moved on the base 9 via a work lifter 13 disposed near a predetermined work transfer station.
A plurality of work is held in a stack on each pallet 10 of the work feeder 8 combined with the industrial robot 1, and the pallets 10 are moved sequentially via the work transfer station near the work lifter 13. When the pallet 10 is located at the work transfer station, the work gripper 6 of the robot 1 approaches the work, and grips and lifts up the same. Then, the work gripper 6 is moved away from the work feeder 8 by a motion indicated by the arrow P, and the work is fed to the machining stage of an automatic machining tool such as the spindle of an automatic lathe, not shown, by the turning and linear motions of the first robot arm 3. On the other hand, when the work feeder 8 receives a machined work from the automatic lathe, the machined work is moved away from the spindle of the automatic lathe by the turning and linear motions of the first robot arm 3, and the work gripper 6 approaches the work feeder 8 to return the machined work to an empty one of the pallets 10 of the work feeder 8.
A series of the foregoing operations is carried out according to a predetermined program.
It is understood from considering the actions of the conventional work feeder 8 and the industrial robot 1 that the work lifter 13 of the work feeder 8 functions in gripping the uppermost work among work stacked on the pallet 10 with the work gripper 6 held on the robot hand 5 of the industrial robot 1, to insert a lifting fork accommodated in the work lifter 13 to a space under the work support plate 11, and to lift up the work support plate 11 to place the work on a level corresponding to the upper ends of the work support rods 12 so that the work gripper 6 held on the robot hand 5 is able to easily grip the work. Such an operation of the work lifter 13 is needed because the work support rods 12 are set upright, the length of portions of the work support rods 12 extending upward from the work support surface 11 of the work support plate 11 is fixed, although the work support rods 12 have mounting studs 12a slidably seated on the inner bottom surface of the pallet 10 so that the work support rods 12 are radially movable along cross-shape slots (FIG. 11) formed in the work support plate 10a, depending on the size of works as shown in FIG. 12, the work rods 12 interfere with the movement of the robot hand 5 if the work gripper 6 held on the robot hand 5 is moved toward the uppermost work only by the longitudinal movement of the first robot arm 3, and thus the work gripper 6 is unable to reach the uppermost work.
The use of such a work lifter in the automated machining workshop and timing the operation of the work lifter 13 in synchronism with the work transfer operation of the industrial robot 1 requires a complicated programmed operation for carrying out the automatic machining, and the work can be transferred between the robot 1 and only the pallet 8 located at a position in alignment with the work lifter 13, because the work lifter is essential to the transfer of the work between the industrial robot 1 and the pallet 10. Furthermore, since the disposition of the work lifter 13 is limited when installing the work feeder 8 in the automated machining workshop, there are many restrictions on the disposition of the work feeder 8 relative to the automatic machining tool and the industrial robot.

Apparatus for holding stacked workpieces and feeding the same


A user is provided with both identification of individuals who have authored content responsive to a user's search query and the authored content itself. A user's social network is referenced to identify those individuals to whom the user maintains human connections. Content authored by those individuals is searched and individuals authoring such content are identified, together with the authored content. Additionally, content authored by individuals having unique experiences, perspective, or specialized information is searched to identify responsive content and individuals authoring such content are also identified. An initial identification of responsive individuals comprises a portion of such content and user action directed to an identification of an individual results in additional authored content being presented, thereby enabling the user to recognize the reason for which such an individual was identified in response to the user's search query. Options for establishing interpersonal communications are also provided.

As network communications among multiple computing devices have become ubiquitous, the quantity of information available via such network communications has increased exponentially. For example, the ubiquitous Internet and World Wide Web comprise information sourced by a vast array of entities throughout the world, including corporations, universities, individuals and the like. Such information is often marked, or "tagged", in such a manner that it can be found, identified and indexed by services known as "search engines". Even information that is not optimized for search engine indexing can still be located by services, associated with search engines, which seek out information available through network communications with other computing devices and enable a search engine to index such information for subsequent retrieval.
Due to the sheer volume of information available to computing devices through network communications with other computing devices, users increasingly turn to search engines to find the information they seek. Search engines typically enable users to search for any topic and receive, from this vast volume of information, identifications of specific content that is deemed to be responsive to, or associated with, the users' queries. To sort through the vast amounts of information that is available, and timely provide useful responses to users' queries, search engines employ a myriad of mechanisms to optimize the identification and retrieval of responsive and associated information.
Unfortunately, even with the aid of search engines, users are often overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information available. For example, typical topics searched for by users often result in millions of results that are identified by search engines. Additionally, certain types of search queries are often not adequately answered by the results returned by search engines. In particular, queries directed to human-based attributes, such as evaluations, opinions, experiences and the like often return search results that may not be what the user was searching for. For example, a query searching for experiences dealing with traffic situations in a particular city during a particular time of day may return search results directed to specific traffic incidents in the past, or a current, or historical, traffic data, but may not provide the sort of guidance a user would have been searching for with such a query.

Social network aware search results with supplemental information presentation


This invention is an automatic boat to trailer latch permitting a one-person operation by a person either in the boat or in the water behind it, in light or in darkness, which allows that person to align the boat's bow with the latching mechanism, without sacrificing control of the boat.

This invention relates to boat trailers, and more specifically to an automatic latching mechanism for attaching and holding a trailered boat to the receiving trailer.
One of the frequent difficulties encountered in trailering a boat is the necessity of assistance in aligning the boat to the trailer, and once so aligned, in affixing it to the trailer so that it may be removed from the water with the trailer.
Trailered boats, in general, are launched and recovered by utilizing a towing vehicle and submerging the trailer in water to a point where the boat may, in launching, be freely floated from the trailer when the latching device holding the boat to the trailer is released, and, conversely, upon recovery, the boat may be floated onto the trailer, held in place by an appropriate latching device, and so secured, removed with the trailer from the water by the towing vehicle.
While apparently simple in concept, the recovery process becomes significantly more difficult when wind and water conditions are less then ideal. Recovery of a boat utilizing a trailer on a calm water surface, with no wind, in daylight and with assistance of others, may be accomplished quite easily with most available boat to trailer latching mechanisms, automatic or not.
Choppy water surfaces, cross-winds and night recovery situations, however, make recovery of a trailered boat a much more tenuous task, particularly when assistance is not readily available.
Various devices are available which ostensibly permit one person boat recovery operations, by providing some type of self-activating locking mechanism. However, for the most part, they presume conditions where, if assistance is not available, conditions will readily permit one person to align the boat, move it over the trailer and, in so doing, activate the locking mechanism. Available devices do not facilitate one-person recovery operations in less than ideal conditions.
Specifically, an optimal automatic boat to trailer latch must permit one-person operation, where water surface disturbance causes pitching which prevents point to point vertical alignment of the boat being recovered and the trailer for any significant period of time.
An optimal automatic boat to trailer latch must permit one person operation under cross wind conditions which prevent longitudinal alignment of the boat being recovered and the trailer during the boat's approach over the trailer.
An optimal automatic boat to trailer latch must permit one-person operation by a person either in the boat or in the water behind it in light or in darkness, by allowing that person to align the boat's bow with the latching mechanism and to observe when the latching operation is complete, without sacrificing control of the boat.
In many instances, sportsmen, recreational boaters, or commercial operators of small trailered boats must recover their craft without assistance. Recovery is often after dark or before dawn. Further, recovery, unlike launch, cannot wait for ideal water and weather conditions.
As noted, existing self-activating locking mechanism for affixing boats to trailers to not satisfy the above requirements.


A method and apparatus for path planning and execution of movements of multiple mobile objects, such as robotic manipulators (64, 66), in a common workspace. Path planning at a relatively coarse scale yields, for each object, path definitions (24) in configuration space (c-space), which is an n-dimensional space, where there are n degrees of freedom of movement of each object. The coarse path definitions are interpolated to provide primary control signals (54) to execute object movements, in combination with collision avoidance control signals (56) derived from an artificial force field model (46) that generates repulsion forces based on mutual proximity of the objects. Path planning includes determining which subregions or cells of c-space are subject to potential collision, and selecting multiple trial path segments until a path is found around those cells. For execution, the coarse scale path parameters, are expanded to a finer scale by interpolation (40), and the artificial force field model generates additional control signals (56) corresponding to the repulsion forces needed to maintain separation of the objects in the workspace.

This invention relates generally to the control of multiple mobile objects to avoid collisions with each other and with other obstacles. More specifically, the invention relates to motion planning and control of multiple robotic manipulators. Robotic manipulators are used in a variety of industrial and commercial applications, to perform tasks such as assembly, disassembly, machining, repair, maintenance and inspection of components. Applications may include sequential or simultaneous combinations of these functions and may involve coordinated motion of multiple manipulators. Basically, a robotic manipulator comprises a tool that is movable to a desired point in three-dimensional space, by means of multiple mechanical links, connected together by joints. The tool, sometimes referred to as an end-effector, may be a gripper, a welding torch, a cutting device, an electromagnet, or other device.
The manipulator may be best visualized in its most common form, in which the tool is connected to a base or frame through a series of rigid mechanical links, which are connected one to the next through joints or gimbals that are simple pivot joints, sometimes referred to as revolute joints. Manipulators may also include other types of joints, involving combinations of sliding and rotational displacement. The positions of the links are defined by multiple joint angles or gimbal angles. A given set of gimbal angles defines a specific position of the tool. Deriving the tool position from a set of gimbal angles is a straightforward problem, usually referred to as involving forward kinetics. A much more difficult problem, involving reverse or inverse kinetics, is the determination of appropriate gimbal angles from a given tool position, which may be defined by multiple sets of gimbal angles.
The present invention pertains to robotic path planning, i.e., the movement of robotic manipulator tools from one point to another in three-dimensional space. Because each position of the tool generally may be defined by any of multiple sets of gimbal angles, the movement of the tool from one position to another may be accomplished over any of multiple paths. One technique for robotic mechanism path planning uses configuration space, sometimes referred to as joint space, instead of Cartesian space, to define the tool positions. The term configuration space (or c-space) will be used in this specification. The tool position in c-space is defined by the gimbal or joint angles. If there are n gimbals, the c-space will have n dimensions. Path planning in c-space has been proposed as a solution for a number of problems that arise in the use of multiple manipulators. See, for example, Lozano-Perez, Spatial Planning: A Configuration Space Approach, IEEE Transactions on Computers, Vol. 32, No. 2, pp. 108-120, February 1983. Fixed obstacles can be "mapped" into c-space so that, in theory, paths can be planned to avoid them, as well as to avoid collisions between manipulator components.
Robotic path planning is an inherently difficult problem for several reasons, such as:
1) The need to perform global planning, that is, to plan a complete move or move sequence from start to end. More local planning often leads to difficulties such as "hunting " for the correct path, dead-end paths, and contention, requiring back-tracking to plan a different path. PA1 2) The need to avoid inadvertent collisions between the manipulators, workpieces on which the tools operate, and the work environment. Collisions can damage the manipulators, the workpieces, or the work environment, causing economic loss or unacceptable safety hazards. PA1 3) The need to work within limited ranges of travel for each axis of each manipulator, since each gimbal may have stops that provide for only a limited range of angular motion. Hitting a gimbal stop may not only halt a current operation, but may also cause physical damage. Manual intervention may be required to restart the operation. PA1 4) The need to resolve the inherent ambiguity in specifying the manipulator gimbal angles to achieve a desired tool location and orientation, i.e., the inverse kinematics problem. PA1 b 5) The need to work within dynamic limitations of the motion, such as limitations in rate, acceleration and jerk. Dynamic limitations arise both from safety concerns and hardware component limitations.
In principle, use of the c-space technique provides a possible solution to the first four of these problems. In practice, however, direct application of the c-space approach results in an excessive computational burden, as explained by Canny, John C., The Complexity of Robot Motion Planning, Ph.D. dissertation, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, MIT, Cambridge, Mass., May 1987 (also published in book form). For example, using a pure c-space cell approach for a system of three 3-axis manipulators, each axis having a 360E range, and assuming a modest resolution of 0.1E, would require computation and storage of (360/0.1).sup.3+3+3 =3,600.sup.9 or about 10.sup.32 cells. No current or projected technology exists for performing a computation of this magnitude.
Another approach to collision avoidance in robotic manipulators uses an artificial potential or force field analogy to keep manipulator components from colliding. Simply stated, this approach generates manipulator "repulsion" forces based on the relative proximity of the manipulators. The closer that two manipulators are to each other, the greater the repulsion force becomes. Basically, each manipulator is controlled to move along a primary path toward its intended destination, but may be deflected from the path by the repulsion forces generated when the path takes the manipulator too close to another manipulator or too close to a fixed obstacle.
Although using artificial potential fields avoids the computational complexity of the conventional c-space approach, the use of artificial potential fields raises other difficulties. In particular, the potential field for a general manipulator system may have local minima that lead to hunting, including non-periodic oscillations and chaotic motion, dead-ends, stopping at a equalibrium position that is not the desired goal position, and contention, a situation in which the system settles into a limit cycle without reaching the goal position.
It will be appreciated from the foregoing that there is still a need for a technique of path planning for multiple manipulators such that collisions are avoided but the problems associated with c-space path planning and artificial potential collision avoidance are minimized. The present invention satisfies this need.

Motion planning and control for systems with multiple mobile objects


A strain detector which is improved in corrosion resistance and moisture resistance and is high in reliability. The strain detector comprises a driven member, a magnetic shielding layer of a non-magnetic or diamagnetic material selectively formed on the driven member, a magnetic layer formed at a portion of the driven member at which the magnetic shielding layer is not formed, and a detecting coil provided corresponding to the magnetic layer. The magnetic layer may be formed in such a manner as to project from the driven member by selectively removing a surface of the driven member. Preferably, a protecting layer is formed on surfaces of the magnetic layer and the magnetic shielding layer. A process of producing such strain detector is also disclosed by which a magnetic shielding layer can be formed only at a required portion of a driven member readily in a short period of time.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a strain detector for detecting a strain of a driven shaft such as, for example, a rotary shaft and also to a process of producing such strain or detector.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, where a driven member to which an external force is applied is made of a magnetic material, a strain is produced in the driven member by the external force, and the magnetic permeability of the driven member varies in response to such strain. Accordingly, a degree of such strain can be detected as a variation in magnetic permeability by flowing magnetic flux through the driven member. Thus, a strain of such a driven shaft made of a soft magnetic material having a high magnetic permeability is conventionally detected in such a manner that a magnetic shielding layer of a non-magnetic material having a high electric conductivity is formed at a portion of a surface of the driven shaft, while and a magnetic layer is formed at the remaining portion of the surface of the driven shaft at which the magnetic shielding layer is not formed. A variation in the magnetic permeability of the magnetic layer is detected to detect such strain.
In the conventional strain detector as described above, since the magnetic layer and the magnetic shielding layer are exposed outside, the change of the strain detector with the passage of time is so great that the sensitivity of the strain detector at an initial stage cannot be maintained long. Consequently, the strain detector is low in reliability.
An exemplary conventional strain detector is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 57-211030. Such a strain detector is shown in FIG. 13. Referring to FIG. 13, a driven shaft 1 in the form of a rotary shaft is supported for rotation around a center axis thereof by suitable bearing means not shown. A pair of magnetic layers 2 made of a soft magnetic material having a high permeability and suitable magnetostriction are fixedly mounted on an outer periphery of the driven shaft 1 in a spaced relationship from each other in an axial direction of the driven shaft 1. Each of the magnetic layers 2 is composed of a plurality of parallel layer stripes which extend at angles of +45 degrees and -45 degrees with respect to the center axis. The permeability of each of the magnetic layers 2 thus varies in response to an amount of a strain which is caused by a torque applied to the driven shaft 1. A pair of detecting coils 3 are disposed in a spaced relationship around the magnetic layers 2 on the driven shaft 1 for detecting a variation in magnetic permeability of the magnetic layers 2.
With the strain detector of the construction above construction, if an external torque or force is applied to the driven shaft 1, then a tensile force is produced on either one of the magnetic layers 2 while a compression force is produced on the other magnetic layer 2, thereby causing the magnetic layers 2 to be distorted. The magnetostriction of the magnetic layers 2 allows the orientation of the magnetization within each domain to be altered by such strain, and then the permeability of the magnetic layers 2 is varied. In this instance, the permeability is varied in the opposite direction whether the strain is caused by a tensile force or a compression force, and consequently, the permeabilities of the magnetic layers 2 are varied in opposite directions to each other. The detecting coils 3 detect variations in permeability of the corresponding magnetic layers 2 as variations in magnetic impedance and thus detect an amount of torque applied to the driven shaft 1 and an amount of a strain of the driven shaft 1 produced by such torque.
In the conventional strain detector shown in FIG. 13, however, since the driven shaft 1 and the magnetic layers 2 fixedly applied to the surface of the driven shaft 1 are formed as separate members from each other, a thermal stress is produced in each of the magnetic layers 2 due to a difference in coefficient of thermal expansion between the driven shaft 1 and the magnetic layers 2. Such thermal stress is overlapped with a stress caused by a strain to make an error in measurement of an amount of the strain of the driven shaft 1. Thus, in order to eliminate such error, it has been proposed to form a driven member from a soft magnetic material having a high permeability and selectively form a magnetic shielding layer of a non-magnetic or diamagnetic material having a high electric conductivity at a portion of a surface of the driven member while magnetic layers each composed of a plurality of parallel layer stripes are formed at the other portion of the surface of the driven member at which the magnetic shielding layer is not formed. In this instance, since the driven member and the magnetic layers are formed in an integrated relationship, the problem of a thermal stress described above is eliminated.
With the strain detector described above, however, since the magnetic shielding layer only covers over the surface of the driven member, magnetic fluxes do not readily penetrate into the individual magnetic layer stripes constituting the magnetic layers, and consequently, the magnetic shielding effect of the magnetic shielding layer is low. As a result, the variation in magnetic permeability by a strain of a magnetostrictive layer is small and the output sensitivity of the strain detector is deteriorated.
Further, such conventional strain detector as described above normally adopts vapor deposition, plating, ion plating, or the like as a method of forming a magnetic shielding layer thereof. Any of such methods, however, requires a long period of time to obtain a sufficient film thickness to shield the magnetism and is low in operability. Particularly, conventional electroplating of copper requires about 6 hours to obtain a desired film thickness. Besides, the magnetic shielding layer must necessarily be formed only at a required portion of a driven member, which also deteriorates the operability.


A signal input/output line 101 is used for input and output of a signal. A first resonating part 102 is connected to the signal input/output line 101 at one end and is opened at the other end. A second resonating part 103 is connected to a ground conductor 105 at one end and is opened at the other end. A connecting line 104 has a predetermined length and is connected to a point of connection between the signal input/output line 101 and the first resonating part 102 at one end and is connected to a predetermined point on the second resonating part 103 at the other end.

In general, conventional dual band filters having two pass bands can be classified into two types in terms of configuration.
One type is a filter composed of dual band resonators that have an appearance of one integral unit, resonate at two frequencies and are coupled to the input/output ports and further dual band resonators coupled thereto, such as the filter shown in FIG. 14 (see the non-patent literature 1, for example). For this filter, the structure and the dimensions of the coupling parts of the dual band resonators disposed at the opposite ends and coupled to the input/output line have to be determined to achieve a desired center frequency and a desired bandwidth for each of the two bands.
The other type is a filter composed of a plurality of transmission lines having different impedances and different lengths connected at the respective ends to each other, such as the filter shown in FIG. 15 (see the non-patent literature 2, for example). For this filter, the characteristics of a dual band filter are achieved by determining the characteristic impedance and the length of each transmission line based on the equivalent circuit theory using lumped elements.    Non-patent literature 1: S. Sun, L. Zhu, "Novel Design of Microstrip Bandpass Filters with a Controllable Dual-Passband Response: Description and Implementation," IEICE Trans. Electron., vol. E89-C, no. 2, pp. 197-202, February 2006    Non-patent literature 2: X. Guan, Z. Ma, P. Cai, Y. Kobayashi, T. Anada, and G. Hagiwara, "Synthesizing Microstrip Dual-Band Bandpass Filters Using Frequency Transformation and Circuit Conversion Technique", IEICE Trans. Electron., vol. E89-C, no. 4, pp. 495-502, April 2006

Dual band resonator and dual band filter


A pin electronic adapted for use in an automatic test equipment for testing integrated circuits ICs includes a driver circuit having an input for receiving an input signal from a data source and an output connected with an input pin of a device under test, and a feedback circuit having at least one input, which receives an input voltage or current at the input pin of the DUT, and an output. The feedback circuit is adapted to provide a voltage in order to force a substantially constant voltage or current at the input pin of the DUT, and a switching device for alternatively connecting the input of the driver circuit with the data source or the output of the feedback circuit.

The present invention relates to a pin electronic adapted for usage in an automatic test equipment for testing integrated circuits.
Automatic test equipment (ATE) is used for testing electronic components such as integrated circuits (ICs). An IC ATE usually comprises several channels associated with respective pins of a device under test (DUT). A channel includes a pin electronic for generating and measuring signals at the associated pin of the DUT. For the signal generation, each pin electronic comprises a driver circuit capable of generating a digital data stream as determined by a testprocessor connected to the pin electronic. Several channels are usually combined in a so-called channel module which may be mounted on a heat sink or cooled by air in order take away the heat due to the power consumption. Each channel module is connected over an interface circuit for enabling a communication between one or more testprocessors and a computer controlling the ATE.
For performing various measurements of parameters of the DUT such as the input leakage current of an input pin of the DUT, the ATE can also include one or more parametric measurement units (PMU). During a parametric measurement, the pin electronic is switched into a measurement or PMU mode. In the PMU mode, the driver circuit of the pin electronic is disabled and disconnected from the testing input pin of the DUT. Then, the PMU is switched on and connected with the testing input pin, for putting a constant voltage at it or driving a constant current. The PMU measures the current flowing into the testing input pin driven by the constant voltage, or the voltage at the input pin generated by the constant current. The measured current or voltage, respectively, is a parameter for the input leakage or voltage stability of the testing input pin. Parametric measurements require a high degree in accuracy of the voltage or current at an input pin of the DUT. Therefore, each PMU is supplied by an electric power supply separated from the power supply for the driver circuit for generating substantially constant voltages and currents.

Pin electronic for automatic testing of integrated circuits