A radiator fan of an internal combustion engine in a motor vehicle is provided in the form of a one piece injection molded combination of radial fan blades and axial fan blades supported on a conical annulus for increasing air pressure flow across the radiator. The conical annulus has the same axis as that of the hub of the fan. The radial blades connect the interior face of the conical annulus to the hub of the fan. The axial blades are connected to the exterior surface of the conical annulus and extend radially outward. The fan is coupled to the engine through a fluid friction clutch. An air guide ring is positioned upstream of the fan for deflecting axial incoming air flow to help improving efficiency of the fan.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a fan, in particular a fan for radiators of internal-combustion engines in motor vehicles.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional fan having inner radial blades and nouter semi-axial blades is disclosed in Swiss Patent 63 202. The entirety of a conical hub supporting the axial blades is designed as a centrifugal fan or radial blower. An object of the Swiss patent was to provide an axial fan without a so-called center cup, i.e. a hub through which axial flow can occur. Because a recirculation flow forms in such a hub, the inner region of this known axial fan incorporates the radial blower. In the Swiss patent, the leading edges of the radial and axial blades are flush with one another. At the outflow region of the radial blower, an outlet parallel to the axis of rotation is provided by a deflection in the blade passages. The fan disclosed in the Swiss patent is driven directly via a shaft fastened to the centrifugal fan.
German Patent 94 03 217 discloses an axial fan having inner and outer axial blades separated by a coaxially running intermediate ring. The spacing between the outer axial blades is substantially smaller, or the blade number is correspondingly greater, than that of the inner axial blades. According to the German patent, an increased fan output is achieved.
One consequence of installing fans in motor vehicles behind the radiator of the internal-combustion engine and in front of the internal-combustion engine is that the fan, which is in principle designed as an axial fan, is subjected to relatively pronounced throttling. This produces a semi-axial flow as described in detail in the Behr company brochure entitled "Dusenmantellufter fur Nutzfahrzeugkuhlanlagen" by Kurt Hauser, published in MTZ, Motortechnische Zeitschrift, Volume 53, No. 11/92.

Radiator fan for internal combustion engines


A method of generating image compensation data for a display device includes concurrently measuring, by a first image compensation device, first luminance values and first color coordinate values from an image displayed at a display panel in the display device, a number of the first color coordinate values being less than a number of the first luminance values; concurrently generating first luminance data and first color coordinate data associated with the image based on the first luminance values and the first color coordinate values, respectively; and generating first image compensation data for compensating the image based on the first luminance data, the first color coordinate data, a reference luminance value and a reference color coordinate value.

1. Field
Example embodiments relate generally to display devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a display device generates a data signal having a voltage for each gray level based on a reference gamma voltage, and displays an image corresponding to the generated data signal. Because luminance of the display device may be different from target luminance due to variations that result from manufacturing processes, the display device may compensate the luminance of the display device to correspond to (or achieve) the target luminance. However, if only the luminance is compensated, white balance may be distorted due to the efficiency disparity among red, green, and blue pixels. Therefore, it may be desirable to compensate color coordinate in addition to the luminance.
In a conventional display device, the luminance compensating operation and the color coordinate compensating operation are separately performed, and thus a time for generating image compensation data for the display device may be relatively long.

Method of generating image compensation data for display device, image compensation device using the same, and method of operating display device


A ventilating and aspirating apparatus for delivering respiratory gases to the trachea of a patient and aspirating congested lungs and breathing passageways includes a flexible catheter tube extendable into and withdrawable from the patient's trachea, a resilient pliable sheath lending a structural rigidity to the apparatus and receiving the catheter tube when withdrawn from the patient, a valve structure attached to the catheter tube which is slidable along the length of the sheath, a manifold structure and swivel mounting means to allow coaxial swivel motion of the components, and a collapsible/extendable sealing envelope structure arranged to cover components on the proximal side of the manifold.

1. Field
This invention relates generally to an apparatus for ventilating and aspirating the lungs of a medical patient and is particularly directed to an improved apparatus and method for ventilating and aspirating congested lungs and obstructed breathing passageways.
2. State Of the Art
Several issued U.S. patents disclose ventilating and aspirating apparatus. Notable among these patents are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,836,199; 4,569,344; and 3,991,762, each of which discloses a device in which a flexible catheter tube is sealed inside a collapsible plastic envelope. This arrangement is intended to assure sterility even when the catheter tube is removed from the trachea of a patient. The catheter of the device is attached at its proximal (user) end to a valve so that a vacuum source can be selectively communicated to the catheter lumen. The device also contains a manifold which attaches to a endotracheal tube and a ventilating fixture. Insertion of the catheter tube into the trachea of a patient is accomplished by grasping the catheter tube through the envelope and manually moving it into the trachea. Each of these devices also contains a port through which the exterior of the catheter tube can be rinsed with a suitable irrigating solution. The '762 patent further discloses a wheel attached to the catheter tube so that it can be rotated during its insertion or removal.
Several disadvantages exist with respect to this class of ventilating/aspirating devices. The catheter tubes are relatively pliant and lack any structural reinforcement. Accordingly, the device tends to fall where it may, interfering with both patient movement and patient care. Further, the device itself tends to interfere with other structures attached to the patient. Structures such as intravenous delivery tubing or electronic sensors may become tangled with the pliant catheter tube. Moreover, the catheter tube cannot conveniently be taped to the patient or secured out of the way because it must be positioned generally in line with an endotracheal tube to facilitate insertion of the catheter into the patient.
These devices also require a user to employ both hands when inserting the catheter into the trachea of a patient. One hand must grasp the catheter tube to insert it incrementally into the trachea, while the other hand must hold either the manifold body (to ease insertion) or the proximal end of the device (to keep it out of the way). If aspiration is desired during the insertion step, a second person must operate the valve.
Indiscriminate movement of the pliant catheter tube, repeated insertions into the patient, or exposure to objects which can penetrate the flexible envelope result in inadequate assurance of sterility. Pin holes in the envelope can easily occur, exposing the catheter to outside air and destroying sterility of the catheter.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,938,741 and 4,981,466 disclose a suctioning catheter tube with an elbow bend at the distal (patient) end. The purpose of the bend is to facilitate entry of the catheter into the left bronchus. The left bronchus is disposed at an angle from the trachea making it more difficult to enter than the right bronchus. The elbow bend, however, is temporary. A retaining device must be inserted into the distal end of the catheter tube to retain the bend during storage. The bend must be heated before use to destroy the memory of the linear catheter tube and set the bend.
It is known to provide a radiopaque band at the distal end of a catheter to aid in placement of the catheter in either bronchus. The radiopaque band reveals the linear positioning of the distal end of the catheter but is incapable of relaying information concerning the direction in which the distal end beyond an elbow is pointing. Proper orientation of the distal end is helpful for proper placement of the catheter in a bronchus. To obtain positioning information via radiopaque bands requires expensive radiological equipment to locate the band during catheter insertion. Such equipment is not always available as, for example, to a paramedic at an accident scene. In instances in which locating the radio indicia on the catheter would be the only purpose for radiological services, such services cannot ordinarily be economically justified to the patient.

Apparatus and method for ventilating and aspirating


The present invention provides a method for preparing a variant lipid acyltransferase enzyme by expressing a nucleotide sequence encoding a lipid acyltransferase which may comprise at least one modification at a position(s) which corresponds in the encoded amino acid sequence to an amino acid(s) located in a) the canyon region of the enzyme (i.e. preferably amino acid residues 31, 27, 85, 86, 119, and 120); and/or b) insertion site 1 (i.e. amino acid residues 22-36) and/or c) insertion site 2 (i.e. amino acid residues 74-88), wherein the canyon region, insertion site 1 and/or insertion site 2 are defined as that region which when aligned based on primary or tertiary structure corresponds to the canyon region, insertion site 1 or insertion site 2 (or the corresponding amino acid residues taught above) of the enzyme shown herein as SEQ ID No. 16 or 6 in a host organism.

Lipid:cholesterol acyltransferase enzymes have been known for some time (see for example Buckley—Biochemistry 1983, 22, 5490-5493). In particular, glycerophospholipid:cholesterol acyl transferases (GCATs) have been found, which like the plant and/or mammalian lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferases (LCATs), will catalyse fatty acid transfer between phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol.
Upton and Buckley (TIBS 20, May 1995, p 178-179) and Brumlik and Buckley (J. of Bacteriology April 1996, p 2060-2064) teach a lipase/acyltransferase from Aeromonas hydrophila which has the ability to carry out acyl transfer to alcohol receptors in aqueous media.
A putative substrate binding domain and active site of the A. hydrophila acyltransferase have been identified (see for example Thornton et al 1988 Biochem. et Biophys. Acta. 959, 153-159 and Hilton & Buckley 1991 J. Biol. Chem. 266, 997-1000) for this enzyme.
Buckley et al (J. Bacteriol 1996, 178(7) 2060-4) taught that Ser16, Asp116 and His291 are essential amino acids which must be retained for enzyme activity to be maintained.
Robertson et al (J. Biol. Chem. 1994, 269, 2146-50) taught some specific mutations, namely Y226F, Y230F, Y30F, F13S, S18G, and S18V of the A. hydrophila acyltransferase, none of which is encompassed by the present invention.
WO 2005/066347 relates to variant lipid acyltransferases and methods of making same. These variant enzymes are not encompassed by the present invention.
The development of variant lipid acyltransferases with modified (enhanced) activity has not been without difficulties, particularly in finding variant lipid acyltransferases which have high specific activity in a number of applications.
Citation or identification of any document in this application is not an admission that such document is available as prior art to the present invention.

Lipid acyltransferase proteins and methods of making them


A universal water meter connector assembly that is configured to be used with different sized water meter couplers and a variety of dwelling supply lines. The universal water meter connector assembly includes a hexagonal hollow body that terminates in an externally threaded head at one end. The hexagonal body is provided with an internally threaded medial portion an end adjacent the head and an internally threaded end portion at the other end of the hexagonal body. The thread size of the medial portion is smaller than the thread size of the end portion to accommodate different sized water meter couplers. A internal stop is formed in the body below the head and above the medial portion for limiting movement of a supply line inserted into the body. The free end of the head is formed with an internally tapered portion that is configured to receive a cone-shaped member having a narrow end and a wide end with a beveled rim. The narrow end of the cone-shaped member is sized and shaped to mate with the internally tapered portion of the head. A gripper ring with depending fingers is positioned on the beveled rim. An open ended connector nut with an internal flange at an upper end has an internally threaded portion that is sized to be threaded onto the externally threaded head. The gripper ring and cone-shaped members are positioned within the connector nut, the narrow end of the cone-shaped member positioned in the internally tapered portion of the head. The internal flange of the connector nut engages the gripper ring and urges the depending fingers into contact with a supply line inserted in the connector assembly when the connector nut is turned onto the externally threaded head.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to plumbing apparatuses, and more particularly, to a universal water meter connector assembly that is configured to be connected with different sized water meter couplers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A water meter is connected to a supply line for a dwelling by means of a water meter connector. The water meter is provided with a meter coupler. The water meter connector couples the water meter coupler to the dwelling supply line. Since water meter couplers come in various sizes, for example, one inch and three-fourths of an inch, a plumber must carry different sized water meter connectors. Also, it is to be noted that a dwelling supply line can be made of a variety of materials from flexible tubing composed of a polymer or copper, for example, and rigid pipes. Since different sized water meter couplers and various dwelling supply lines are used, a plumber must carry a large number of meter connectors to cover the multitude of different combinations of meter coupler size and dwelling line material. That is, the plumber must carry meter connectors that are sized to fit the particular water meter coupler at the site. Also, the plumber must carry water meter connectors that are configured to interconnect with the particular dwelling supply line. A need has arisen for a relatively simple and inexpensive water meter connector assembly that can be used with different sized water meter couplers and a variety of dwelling supply lines.

Universal water meter connector assembly


An embodiment of the present invention is a technique to functionalize carbon nanotubes in situ. A carbon nanotube (NT) array is grown or deposited on a substrate. The NT array is functionalized in situ with a polymer by partial thermal degradation of the polymer to form a NT structure. The functionalization of the NT structure is characterized. The functionalized NT structure is processed according to the characterized functionalization.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to the field of nanotechnology, and more specifically, to carbon nanotubes.
2. Description of Related Art
Carbon nanotubes are promising elements in nanotechnology. They are fullerene-related structures which consist of graphene cylinders. Applications that may be benefited using carbon nanotubes include high thermal conductivity materials for future packaging thermal demands, and highly sensitive materials for bio-recognition, and for in situ biochemical reactions on a bio-/micro-electronic chip. Such applications require an effective in-situ functionalization of carbon nanotubes.
Existing techniques for covalent or non-covalent functionalization of carbon nanotubes are insufficient to meet the above demands. In acid treatments, the vigorous acid sonication techniques introduce defects in the nanotube surface and are not in situ either. Anionic polymerization may be carried out in situ. But it needs a very careful control over chemistry, and is time consuming. Direct functionalization of polymers or larger radicals onto the nanotubes using plasma treatment has not been demonstrated yet. Currently there are no known strategies for in situ functionalization of nanotubes with polymer macro-radicals.

In-situ functionalization of carbon nanotubes


A speaker cabinet in which a cross section of an outer peripheral portion (11) is formed as an elliptic shape and opening portions (22 to 25) formed on the outer peripheral portion (11) and into which speakers (2 to 5) are mounted are formed as horn shapes whose diameters are improved toward the outside. The speaker cabinet includes a plywood member (10) that is formed by laminating a hard plate member, a soft plate member and a light and soft rear surface plate member on a face front surface plate member. The cabinet is molded in a predetermined curved fashion to have an elliptic shape. Thus, an acoustic characteristic of the speaker cabinet can be increased and a manufacturing cost of the speaker cabinet can be reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a speaker cabinet which accommodates speakers therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional speaker cabinet comprises a baffle plate formed in front of a rectangular cabinet, a horn-shaped plate made of a material different from that of the baffle plate and a speaker mounted on the inside of the horn-shaped plate secured to the baffle plate by screws.
Sound waves radiated from a speaker unit are generally affected by a diffraction because of a shape of the speaker cabinet. To remove a disturbance caused by the diffraction of sound waves from a sound pressure frequency characteristic standpoint, it is desirable that the speaker cabinet is formed as a smooth curve shape such as a ball or the like. If, however, the speaker cabinet is formed as the smooth curve shape, then a baffle effect that can push sound pressure in the forward direction is reduced, resulting in an efficiency being lowered. Therefore, from the standpoint such that sensitivity is improved by the baffle effect, it is desirable that the speaker cabinet be formed as a rectangular solid shape. On the basis of the above aspect, a proposed speaker cabinet has a configuration of a curve like a column (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 59-176896).
A conventional speaker cabinet having an elliptic configuration is formed of a wooden plate such as a lauan single plate that can be curved relatively easily upon working.
In the conventional speaker cabinet thus arranged, a crack and a stepped portion are produced between the baffle plate and the horn-shaped plate, resulting in an acoustic characteristics.
Further, the horn-shaped plate is generally formed of an expensive material and therefore the speaker cabinet becomes expensive. In addition, the process for mounting the horn-shaped plate on the front baffle plate becomes complex.
Furthermore, although the lauan single plate utilized to make the elliptic-shaped speaker cabinet is relatively inexpensive, the lauan single plate has poor acoustic characteristics. In addition, the lauan single plate is low in rigidity and therefore tends to be deformed after it has been molded. Also, the lauan single plate cannot be formed as a complex curved surface.


A method and a device for operating an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders are described, each cylinder having at least one intake valve and one exhaust valve having fully variable valve control, a fuel feed to at least one first cylinder of the plurality of cylinders being deactivated, a first quantity of fresh air being drawn in by opening the at least one intake valve of the at least one first cylinder in a first downward movement of the piston of the at least one first cylinder, and a second quantity of fresh air being ejected by opening the at least one exhaust valve with a first upward movement of the piston of the at least one first cylinder.

Modern internal combustion engines having fully variable valve drive may operate with electromagnetic valve control (EMVC), electrohydraulic valve control (EHVC) or with mechanical options such as a variable camshaft control (VACSC) for phase control in conjunction with a variable valve drive (VVD) for lift control. In electromechanical and electrohydraulic valve control, the engine does not include a camshaft, although a camshaft is may be present in the mechanical variants.
Because there is no camshaft, electromagnetic and electrohydraulic valve controls offer more degrees of freedom in controlling the opening, the closing and the lift of the intake and exhaust valves of an engine, e.g., a spark-ignition engine or a diesel engine. Using electromagnetic valve control, the opening angle and the closing angle of a valve may be controlled, and with electrohydraulic valve control, the opening angle and the closing angle, the opening speed and closing speed, as well as the lift of the corresponding valve may be controlled.
The possibility of individually controlling the intake valves and exhaust valves of each cylinder of the engine may allow improved engine operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,631 describes an internal combustion engine which is operated in a 6-, 8- or 12-stroke operation instead of the conventional 4-stroke operation. In this case, one or more cylinders are deactivated during engine operation in indirect proportion to the engine load. Fuel injection is suppressed in the deactivated cylinders and the intake and exhaust valves are closed with the downward and upward movement of the piston in the cylinder. Thus, the downward movement of the piston just creates a vacuum when the cylinder is deactivated, and the upward movement of the piston returns the internal pressure in the cylinder back to atmospheric pressure. This may allow unthrottled operation of the engine with less friction in deactivated cylinders, thus making available an engine having lower fuel consumption.
To reduce hydrocarbon emissions (HC emissions) immediately after starting a spark-ignition engine, it is conventional today to inject fresh air directly downstream from the exhaust valves of the engine by using an electric pump. Such a pump is referred to as a secondary air pump and may include secondary air valves, secondary air tubing and electric triggering. Fresh air induces oxidation of the hydrocarbons (HC) in the exhaust gas while the latter is still hot. This is referred to as secondary oxidation.
In the secondary oxidation described above, the spark-ignition engine may also be operated at a λ<1. This secondary oxidation of a fuel-air mixture creates an exothermic reaction, thus the catalytic converter may be arranged in an exhaust system of the spark-ignition engine to be rapidly heated up.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,075,837 describes an internal combustion engine in which a second intake duct, which is separate from a main intake duct and is connected to a single cylinder, is provided so that secondary air may be supplied downstream from the exhaust valves. An exhaust duct of this single cylinder includes connections to a main exhaust duct of the remaining cylinders, opening into the exhaust ducts directly downstream from the exhaust valves of the remaining cylinders. Therefore, secondary air is supplied in operating states in which the exhaust is purified further by supplying secondary air, i.e., by suppressing a fuel supply and an ignition operation in this one cylinder including the separate intake duct. Thus, the piston acts like a pump in this cylinder in which the fuel supply and ignition have been suppressed, drawing air in through the intake valve with a downward movement of the piston and, with the upward movement of the piston, when the intake valve is closed, pumping, through the exhaust duct of this cylinder, the fresh air in the cylinder as secondary air to the remaining cylinders.
According to U.S. Pat. No. 4,075,837, however, it is necessary to provide another intake duct, which is separate from the main intake duct, as well as another exhaust duct for the cylinder which is used as an air pump. This increases the cost and the required maintenance of the engine.

Method and device for operating an internal combustion engine


A method is provided to use a Smith Chart technique to obtain frequency domain network performance information corresponding to a passive network including one or more passive devices comprising: receiving first data representing a first Smith Chart plot of coefficients representing measured mismatch between a source impedance of a network and a load impedance of the network for higher frequency components; and extrapolating a predicted substantially spiral shaped second Smith Chart plot of coefficients based upon the first data, which includes a coefficient representing predicted mismatch between the source impedance of the network and the load impedance of the network for lower frequency components.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to characterization of frequency dependent behavior of a passive electrical network and more particularly, the use of a Smith Chart to evaluate frequency dependent behavior at lower frequencies.
2. Description of the Related Art
The behavior of electrical networks consisting of passive linear devices such as, connectors, cables, micro strip lines and printed circuit boards may be frequency dependent. Characterization involves measurement of a network's response to excitation by signals at different frequencies. One measure of the frequency response of a network is its complex coefficient, which can be defined in terms of a ratio between a reflected voltage wave and an incident voltage wave. Typically, a network will manifest different coefficient values in response to excitation by signals at different frequencies.
FIG. 1 is an illustrative drawing showing an incident voltage Vinc and reflected voltage Vrefl in a network comprising a transmission line having characteristic impedance Z0 and a load having load impedance ZL. Impedance of a component or circuit is a measure of the component's or circuit's opposition to a sinusoidal alternating electric source. The coefficient (called Gamma and symbolized by F) is defined as,ΓL=Vrefl/Vinc=ZL−Z0/ZL+Z0=Γr+jΓi.
The amount of reflected signal from a load to the source is dependent upon the degree of mismatch between characteristic impedance and load impedance. Matching of characteristic impedance and load impedance avoids reflection of energy back from the load to the source. Specifically, to obtain the maximum power transfer from a source to a load, the characteristic impedance should be equal to the complex conjugate of the load impedance. In higher frequency environments such as video lines, RF and microwave networks, for example, spurious elements like wire inductances, interlayer capacitances and conductor resistances can have a significant yet unpredictable impact upon impedance matching. As a result, theoretical calculations and simulations may be insufficient to predict frequency dependent device behavior. Accordingly, actual measurements of device behavior at different excitation frequencies are obtained to characterize frequency dependency.
Characterization of passive devices or networks of passive devices over a range of different frequencies results in a frequency domain signature for the devices or the network of devices. Signal processing techniques can be used to predict network behavior in the time domain from a device frequency signature based on the frequency domain signature. For instance, the inverse Fourier transform often is used to obtain the time-domain response of circuits and systems from measured frequency-domain data. In order for the Fourier transform to function properly, however, information throughout the entire spectrum should be provided. Theoretically, this spectrum spans from DC (zero frequency) to infinity. In reality, since the Fourier process is discretized and the data is truncated, the highest frequency information is considered as infinite frequency data. In general, the inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) algorithm expects to receive a frequency domain signature that comprises a list of data points corresponding to uniformly spaced frequency points the first of which will be considered as DC and the last of which will be treated as infinite frequency. Therefore, the Fourier transform algorithm ordinarily treats the first measured data point as the DC (zero frequency) information. If the first data point in the list (which corresponds to the lowest measured frequency) is not an actual DC point, then there can be serious inaccuracies in the inverse transform process.
Unfortunately, in many cases, the lowest frequency at which measured data points are available is much higher than DC. Current state-of-the-art equipment measurement equipment typically can provide network parameter data at frequencies no lower than about 45 MHz. For instance, data from systems characterized with a standard HP8510C/110 GHz Network Analyzer ordinarily do not contain information for frequencies below 45 MHz. For RF and Microwave applications, this is in general not a problem. For signal integrity analysis on digital PCB/Packaging, however, it can be a serious problem since the digital spectrum is broadband, from DC to daylight, and the DC value of the network parameter is critical to the correctness of entire transient waveforms in time domain.
In the past, extrapolation techniques have been used to compensate for missing low frequency signal measurement information. However, these prior methods generally assume that certain data points are relatively close to DC. The correctness of the extrapolated data obtained through these algorithms depends at least in part upon the assumption that certain data points are close to DC, and in many cases that assumption may not be accurate.
For example, one prior approach is to use a measurement value obtained for the lowest measured frequency as if it was the DC frequency value. Unfortunately this can be an inaccurate approximation of the DC value. For instance, the accuracy of DC measurement data may be diminished if the lowest frequency is beyond the onset of the skin effect region. Another prior approach is to extrapolate the magnitude and phase of a network parameter separately. Still another approach is to extrapolate the real and imaginary parts of the parameter separately. These latter two approaches assume that the DC value can be linearly extrapolated from the last two measured data values. However, the validity of this assumption is case dependent. It depends on the specific structures (e.g., simple uniform transmission line or 3D discontinuity structures) and the range of missing frequency data at low frequency end.
Thus, there has been a need for improvement in the acquisition of information concerning low frequency behavior of a network. In particular, there has been a need for improvement in the acquisition of information concerning the behavior of networks at frequencies below the frequency at which behavior ordinarily can be measured using typical measurement equipment. The present invention meets these needs.

Use of smith chart to compensate for missing data on network performance at lower frequency


Apparatus which segments visual scenes into discrete objects. The apparatus is able to perceptually group the elements corresponding to a coherent figure, and to segregate them from the background or from another figure. Reentrant signaling among rhythmically active neuronal groups is used to correlate responses along spatially extended contours. The efficacy of the connections is allowed to change on a fast time scale resulting in active reentrant connections which amplify the correlations among neuronal groups and provides the desired segmentation.

The present invention relates to robotics, and in particular to apparatus controlled by a computer simulated neuronal network. As used herein the term robotics refers not only to completed robots capable of performing physical tasks but also to an apparatus which provides output information that may be used as an input by, for example, unintelligent electromotive devices. The invention enables such apparatus to distinguish simple figures from a background on the basis of the movement of the figure relative to the background. This is an important step towards an artificial vision system capable of segmenting complex visual scenes into discrete components such as objects. The present invention does not assume in advance any particular configuration for the moving figure or the background. In effect it quickly adapts to the shape of the moving figure in ways suggestive of the actual functioning of real nervous sytems.
There have been attempts to simulate intelligence systems capable of visual scene segmentation. The present invention deals with a fundamental aspect of this task, perceptional grouping and figure-ground segreation. This refers to the ability to group together elementary features into discrete objects and to segregate these objects from each other and from the background. Psychologists have identified fundamental aspects of such perceptual grouping and segmentation, such as those of similarity, continuity, proximity, and common motion. To mention an example taken from human psychology, if, within an array of moving elements, some nearby elements start to move coherently with the same velocity and direction, they are immediately perceived as a single figure segregated from the background. Computer programs that directly look for such effects prove to be ineffective when confronted by slight modifications of the environment in which they were programmed to operate. A more effective way to provide these aspects is to develop a computer simulated neuronal network capable of performing grouping and segmentation. The present invention is concerned with such neuronal networks, in particular those that employ reentrant interactions along reciprocal excitatory connections among neuronal groups.
The development of apparatus for figure-ground segregation by networks has been held back because the neural basis for such grouping and segmentation is still largely unknown. Hierarchical models have been suggested, which are composed of multiple layers of specialized detectors of increasing specificity. These require an enormous number of cells and lengthy computation times and, as a result, have never resulted in an actual apparatus. Another suggestion was to simulate neurons responding to a single, coherent object and that would interact cooperatively to form an "assembly" identified by a high firing rate, while other, unrelated neurons would fire at a lower rate. However, such a system cannot deal with stimuli containing multiple different objects.
A further alternative is to rely on the belief that neurons may express their relatedness by temporal correlations of activity. Recent experimental evidence supports this hypothesis. Orientation selective and direction selective cells in the cat primary visual cortex tend to discharge in an oscillatory fashion when stimulated appropriately. The frequency of these oscillations varies stochastically around 50 Hz. However, groups of cells with non-overlapping receptive fields become tightly synchronized when they respond to a coherent stimulus such as a long light bar. Correlations are reduced or absent if two unconnected bars are used. Thus, the phase coherency of oscillatory activity in the visual cortex may be used to link together spatially separated parts of an extended contour.
The present invention is an improvement upon work published as "Reentrant signaling among simulated neuronal groups leads to coherency in their oscillatory activity", 86 Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA pp. 7265-69 (Sep. 14, 1989), (herein "Sporns et al"). In that article we examined a computer simulation of a neuronal network and observed correlations generated by reciprocal reentrant signaling between the activity of distant neuronal groups. The simulation of reentrant activity between arrays of neuronal groups selective for oriented lines and pattern motion displayed cross-correlations between groups that were responsive to different parts of a stimulus contour if there was colinearity of the stimulus. As used in that work, the term "reentry" refers to a process of ongoing dynamic signaling via reciprocal connections between distant neuronal groups.

Apparatus capable of figure-ground segregation


The present disclosure provides an intake air flow rate measuring device. The intake air flow rate measuring device includes a flange, a casing, a flow rate sensor, a humidity sensing element, an element terminal, and a humidity terminal. The humidity terminal is spaced away from the element terminal. A portion of the casing between the element terminal and the humidity terminal is defined as a suppressing portion, and a cross-section of the suppressing portion is defined as a suppressing portion cross-section. An end portion of the casing close to the flange is defined as a base portion, and a cross-section of the base portion is defined as a base portion cross-section. The suppressing portion cross-section is set to be smaller than the base portion cross-section.

In order to improve fuel economy or purifying level of exhaust gas, there has been a demand in recent years for measuring a humidity of an intake air that is to be drawn into an engine. Thus, such an intake air flow rate measuring device is equipped with a humidity sensing element to measure a humidity of an intake air as well as a flow rate (refer to, for example, JP 2010-151795 A).
JP 2010-151795 A discloses an intake air flow rate measuring device that is inserted into an intake air duct and is equipped with a humidity sensing element.
Typically, a humidity ratio has been used for controlling an engine. The humidity sensing element for detecting such a humidity ratio includes, in addition to a humidity detector to detect a relative humidity, a temperature detector to detect a temperature of the humidity sensing element itself. Then, the humidity sensing element calculates a humidity ratio based on the relative humidity detected and the temperature of the humidity sensing element.
However, as shown in FIG. 19 illustrating curves of a relative humidity with respect to a temperature, the slope of each of the relative humidity curves increases as the temperature increases. Therefore, a detection error may increase as the temperature increases.
In the intake air flow rate measuring device disclosed in JP 2010-151795 A, heat in an engine compartment transfers to the humidity sensing element in the intake air duct through, e.g., a flange of the intake air flow rate device. As a result, the temperature of the humidity sensing element may be increased by the heat.
If the humidity sensing element is heated, the detection error may increase as described above, and therefore accuracy of detecting a humidity may be deteriorated.
With reference to FIG. 19, one example situation where detection accuracy is deteriorated due to an increase of the temperature of the humidity sensing element will be described. In this example, detection accuracy of a relative humidity is set to be within ±3% RH, and a humidity ratio of an intake air is 18.8 g/kg. When the temperature of the intake air is 30° C., the detection error range of the humidity sensing element is 18.3-19.7 g/kg. However, when the temperature of the humidity sensing element increases to 50° C. due to, e.g., heat in the engine compartment, the detection error range of the humidity sensing element is substantially deteriorated to 16.4-21.3 g/Kg.
In view of the above, it is an objective of the present disclosure to provide an intake air flow rate measuring device that is configure to avoid deteriorating a detection error of a humidity due to an increase in a temperature of a humidity sensing element due to heat in an engine compartment.


The invention as disclosed is a method for mitigating spatial aliasing that takes advantage of the forward motion of towed array elements to overcome the frequency constraints imposed on beam forming by the spatial separation of the array elements. The method employs the motion of a towed array of hydrophones to generate at least one synthetic array element to compensate for spatial under sampling.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to towed arrays of hydrophones. In particular, the present invention is directed to a method for mitigating spatial aliasing that takes advantage of the forward motion of towed array elements (hydrophones) to overcome the frequency constraints imposed on beam forming by the spatial separation of the array elements.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
The Nyquist criterion describes the sampling rate required for a given frequency without aliasing. Similarly, if an array of sensors (hydrophones) is coherently processed to determine the direction of an incoming acoustic signal through beam forming, then the separation of the array elements determines the maximum frequency that can be processed without producing an alias in direction. If the beam forming limits are exceeded, however, spatial aliasing occurs in the form of grating lobes as graphically illustrated that interfere with the interpretation of the direction of the incoming signal. Grating lobes appear at an aliased look direction that is a function of both source direction and frequency, so a loud, multi-tonal signal will produce grating lobes that are present at multiple look directions, interfering with the interpretation of the number of signals present. Grating lobes are caused by spatial under sampling. What is needed is a method for mitigating spatial aliasing to avoid grating lobes.

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


A composition is provided which serves as an antifeedant, preventing terrestrial molluscs from feeding upon living plants. The active ingredient, which may be present at concentrations of above 0.05% by weight, is a saponin-containing plant extract. At concentrations above about 0.15% by weight, the composition acts as a terrestrial molluscicide. Exemplary sources of the active ingredient include Yucca schidigera and Hedera helix. The composition may be a liquid or a dry powder, and various formulation enhancing agents may be added to the composition.

The invention relates to effective and environmentally compatible compositions that prevent terrestrial molluscs from feeding on plant tissue.
Terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs, slugs and snails (collectively, "molluscs") are significant crop pests that affect commercial agriculture and horticulture, and domestic gardening. Control of these pests can be achieved through physical trapping, hand picking, physical or chemical barriers, or with chemical controls. Poison baits such as metaldehyde or methiocarb are synthetic chemicals that are effective in poisoning slugs, but snails have developed resistance to some of these pesticides. An additional disadvantage of using such synthetic pesticides is the potential hazard to children and pets should they consume or contact the poison baits.
Certain aquatic molluscs, including snails of the genera Biomphalaria, Bulinus and Oncomelania, have been implicated in the transmission of schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease endemic throughout South America, Africa, and the Far East. These molluscs that live in stagnant or slow moving water serve as vectors for the schistosomes that cause human infection. Schistosomiasis and the organisms responsible for the disease have attracted the attention of many researchers since over 200 million people are affected by the disease.
Although various anti-schistosomal drugs are known, researchers have also sought means to destroy the aquatic mollusc vector. Accordingly, certain naturally occurring compounds have been widely studied and identified as being compounds effective to kill the aquatic molluscs when added to the aquatic environment in which the molluscs live. Among such effective compounds are triterpenoid saponins and spirostanol saponins. These compounds can be extracted from many plants native to the areas affected by schistosomiasis. These plants include the desert palm (Balanites aegyptiaca), the sisal plant (Agave sisalana), and the cashew tree (Anacardium occidentale.L).
Despite the great deal of attention directed to the control of aquatic molluscs using saponin-containing materials, no investigation is known to previously have been made to use these compounds to control terrestrial molluscs. This is so despite the significant problems posed by terrestrial molluscs as crop pests.
Sapogenins are present in several monocot families (e.g., Liliaceae, Amarylidaceae, and Dioscoreaceae) and in dicots (e.g., Scrophulariaceae and Solanoceae). In plants, the sapogenins are combined with sugars to form saponins. The sapogenin may be a steroid or a triterpene, and the sugar moiety may be glucose, galactose, a pentose or a methyl pentose.
Saponins also are widely used in the beverage industry as a foaming agent. In addition, plant extracts containing saponins have been used to enhance microbial growth in septic fields, for reducing ammonia and hydrogen sulfide odors and sludge accumulation in manure holding ponds and lagoons, to control ammonia emissions in floor-raised poultry, and in a variety of other uses. Steroid saponins are also known to be effective in improving crop yields when growing conditions are less than ideal, usually due to drought conditions. The addition of steroid saponins to irrigation water serves to substantially increase crop yields while lowering water demands. In addition, steroid saponins show promise as animal feed additives where they apparently optimize the conditions for microorganisms living in the digestive tract of the animal.
The efficient and safe control of terrestrial molluscs would be of great benefit to agriculture and horticulture. Currently used non-chemical control means are not entirely effective, and quite often can be tedious to use. Currently used chemical control means for terrestrial molluscs rely upon the use of synthetic chemicals that can pose significant dangers to humans, pets, and to the environment. Accordingly, there is a need for a safe, chemically based means that prevent and control the infestation of living plants by terrestrial molluscs.
Thus, it is an object of the invention to provide a method for preventing terrestrial molluscs from feeding upon living plants. A further object of the invention is to provide a safe and effective composition, composed of natural, biodegradable active ingredients, which may be applied to living plants to serve as a terrestrial mollusc antifeedant. Another object of the invention is to provide a safe, effective and biodegradable composition that is fatally toxic to terrestrial molluscs. Other objects of the invention will be apparent upon reading the following disclosure.

Saponin containing anti-feedant and molluscicide for terrestrial mollusc control


Methods, media, and systems for providing a custom hedged adjustable rate mortgage are provided. These methods, media, and systems provide hedges and mortgages that may be used in conjunction with the retail mortgage sector. To facilitate these hedges and mortgages, computer systems are provided that allow a user to calculate fees, interest rates, and payments for these products based upon various factors selected by a user. The methods, media, and systems also provide a savings calculator that enables a user to determine what savings will be made be purchasing a hedge and/or mortgage under one or more scenarios.

A mortgage is a loan secured by the collateral of some specified real estate and is a contractual agreement between the lender and the borrower that pledges the property to a lender as security for the repayment of the loan through a series of payments. The mortgage also entitles the lender (the mortgagee) the right of foreclosure on the loan if the borrower (the mortgagor) fails to make the contracted payments.
Mortgages can be divided into categories on the basis of various attributes: whether the real estate is residential, like single family houses or multiple family condominiums, or commercial, like office buildings, shopping malls, hotels, warehouses, factories; whether the loan is "conventional" or "guaranteed"—that is guaranteed by a government agency as is the case with borrowers eligible for special loan programs established by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), the Veteran's Administration (VA), or the Rural Development Administration (RDA); whether the rate of interest on the loan is fixed in advanced (fixed rate mortgage), adjusts (ARM or adjustable rate mortgage) with a market index such as a six-month index based on the London Interbank Offer Rate (LIBOR) or 1 year Constant Maturity Treasury Indexes (CMT), or is a hybrid that is fixed for a period of time such as 1, 3, 5, or 7 years and is then becomes adjustable; and how and when the amortization, or the payment of the principal of the loan, is to occur (for example, a loan may have a fixed amortization period such as 10, 20, 30, 40 years (or as is common in Asia, 100 years), may be an interest-only loan with the principal due at the end of the loan, or may be interest only for a period of years and then change to a 30 year amortization period).
The market where the funds are borrowed is called the mortgage market. Typically, in this market there is a primary market consisting of individual borrowers, original lenders (who are typically banks or other financial institutions), and brokers. There is also a secondary market in which original lenders sell packages of loans to investors. These investors can be other banks, corporations, wealthy individuals, and the three Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs) (i.e., the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac), the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae), and the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae)).
The simplest such packaging in the secondary market is a Mortgage Backed Security (MBS) that allocates payments of principal and interest from a pool of mortgages to an investor. As the package is a tradable security, the investor can decide at any time to sell the MBS to another investor on an actively traded market for such purposes. More advanced packaging can take various forms and structures such as Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (CMOs) that can separate out the principal and interest payments and also be used to manage risk by meeting specific maturity and volatility requirements of investors.
The primary risks that are being managed by investors in mortgage pools are the risks of default and prepayment. Default occurs when the borrower is unable or refuses to pay the loan. Many borrowers will default because of financial problems leading to bankruptcy. Another source of default is related to legal issues and explains default by some high-net-worth borrowers who are not in danger of bankruptcy. For example, because some states, such as California, limit a lender's security on an original (or "purchase money") mortgage to the real estate, some borrowers will default when real estate prices have fallen below the original purchase price. In the short run, it can be financially more advantageous to default than to pay the loan on a home with negative equity. Default risk is typically managed at the individual mortgage level through private mortgage insurance and, in some cases, pool-level guarantees of the three GSEs or by Government Agencies such as the Veteran's Administration. Prepayment is the opposite risk—the risk of a loan being paid-up ahead of schedule. Prepayment of existing loans typically occurs for two primary reasons: the turnover of the real estate to a new owner, and refinancing activity. Refinancing can be advantageous for borrowers when there is a reduction in available market interest rates not reflected in the borrower's existing loan or during the introduction of market innovations such as interest-only loans that can reduce the monthly payment of the borrower. The risks of prepayment subtract value from MBSs.
The borrower's abilities to default or prepay can be seen as two risk-management tools for the borrower. However, both default and prepayment are costly to lenders and investors and, with default, also to the borrower in terms of bad credit history. Innovations have stepped in to provide alternatives with benefits to both parties.
Currently, adjustable rate mortgages offer the borrower a lower rate now than fixed rate mortgages and exposure to the possibility of lower rates in the future (reducing prepayment risk to the lender/investor) in exchange for the borrower accepting the risk of higher rates in the future.
Some interest-only and teaser-rate loans offer a borrower an initial escape from high payments, but are often structured with a very low—below market—initial rate (e.g., 1%, 3%, etc.) and then a higher adjustable rate later on (e.g., 6 mo LIBOR+4%). For example, recently the 6 month LIBOR index rate was about 4.75% so that a LIBOR+4% loan would have an interest rate of about 8.75%. Borrowers who have agreed to these terms can expect their payments to multiply by a factor of 300% to 800% when the loan switches from the 1-3% fixed rate to the ˜8.75% variable rate even if future rates do not increase further. If future rates rise, the effect will be even more profound.
By lowering interest rates and/or payments, these loans have enabled borrowers to make a $1 trillion bet on low future interest rates, rising future real estate prices, and rising future incomes. These bets come due when hybrid fixed/adjustable loans switch from the initial fixed-rate (which may be below market) to a market based adjustable rate. In 2005, an estimated $80 billion of mortgage debt was set to switch to an adjustable rate. The estimates for 2006 and 2007 are $300 billion, and $1 trillion, respectively. It seems likely that these bets may need to be hedged, both by the borrowers and by the lenders. This will most likely occur through refinancing to new products that are better able to account for and explain these risks.
The teaser-rate loans are an example of a market response to the borrower's need for low payments to qualify on a loan and lender's desire for high yields in selling the loans to investors. The market is very payment and interest rate sensitive. Initial buyers want to either minimize their payments or maximize their house purchasing power, while borrowers going through refinancing may be carefully rate shopping for their best subjective combination of fixed and adjustable rates.
Opportunities for a suite of new financial products in the primary and secondary lending markets exist for presenting new rates and risk profiles to the borrower and for greater transparency in how interest rate risk is to be shared between lenders and borrowers. Some of these opportunities can include third parties such as investors, insurers, or securities market participants. Many of these opportunities involve chopping-up well known financial derivatives products, such as swaps or options on $100 million of financing, into pieces suitable for residential borrowers. Other opportunities exist from enabling residential borrowers to hedge as only rich corporations and financial experts are able to do today.

System and method for providing a custom hedged adjustable rate mortgage


A heat sink (30) for cooling an electric machine (10), includes: a first part of the heat sink (32) in the form of a hollow cylinder, wherein an inner lateral surface includes a groove (34) extending helically with respect to a central axis of the hollow cylinder; a second part of the heat sink (36) in the form of a hollow cylinder, which includes a radially internal fin (38); and a third part of the heat sink (40) in the form of a hollow cylinder, which includes a connecting section (52), in order to accommodate an output shaft (12) of the machine in a rotationally fixed manner. The second part of the heat sink is accommodated, at least partially, in the first part of the heat sink, so that a radially external surface of the second part of the heat sink rests against the groove.

Vehicles are increasingly equipped with hybrid drives or pure electric drives. Hybrid drives can contribute to the reduction of fuel consumption and pollutant emissions. Drive trains including an internal combustion engine and one or multiple electric motors have largely prevailed as a parallel hybrid or as a mixed hybrid. Since the drive torques of the electric drive and of the internal combustion engine can be summed or added up, depending on the actuation, a comparatively smaller design of the internal combustion engine and/or intermittent shut-down of the internal combustion engine is possible. As a result, a significant reduction of the CO2 emissions can be achieved without significant losses of power and/or comfort. Pure electric vehicles can be operated, at times, without significant emissions.
In particular during the utilization of electric machines that can reach very high rotational speeds, for example, in the range of 20,000 revolutions per minute, the components of the electric machines are exposed to enormous loads and high temperatures. It is therefore known to limit the energy supplied to an electric machine, in order to prevent excessive heating and associated damage of the electric machine. As a result, however, the electric machine cannot reach full potential.
Moreover, it is known to cool the electric machine with the aid of cooling fins arranged on a housing of the electric machine or with the aid of a water cooling arranged on the housing. These types of coolings are not very efficient, since the cooling takes place at a great distance from the heat source.
DE 10 2010 013 302 A1 describes an electric motor including a motor housing in which bearings are provided for supporting a rotor shaft. A stator core, on which a stator winding is arranged, is provided in the motor housing. A rotor core rotationally fixed to the rotor shaft is provided in the motor housing. Recesses are provided on the rotor core, which extend from one axial face end of the rotor core to the other axial face end of the rotor core. It is disadvantageous that the recesses are provided in the rotor, which makes a production of the rotor technically complex. Moreover, this type of rotor is less efficient and has a greater radial extension due to the existing recesses. This type of electric motor is suitable only for utilization with a gaseous cooling fluid.
DE 602 25 725 T2 describes a magnetic bearing spindle, which is utilized as a machine tool spindle. The spindle rotates at speeds of up to seventy thousand rotations per minute (70,000 rpm). A circumferential portion of an axial magnetic bearing rotor is designed in a triangular shape, which reduces a variation rate of a pipe resistance or a pipe strength. As a result, it is to be ensured that a vortex is not generated, so that cooling air can gently pass through the gap in such a way that the cooling air can uniformly divide or separate and flow in a load direction and a direction opposite the load direction. It is disadvantageous that the magnetic bearing spindle is cooled exclusively by an air flow. An above-described cooling is not suitable for lower rotational speeds, which are utilized, for example, in electric prime movers for motor vehicles. Moreover, this type of spindle cannot be cooled—or can be cooled only with high technical complexity—with the aid of a liquid cooling fluid.
In general, it is desirable to cool an electric machine as efficiently as possible, in order to minimize a limitation of the energy supplied to the electrical machine. A limitation of the supplied energy is associated with a loss in the efficiency of the electric machine. Various operating modes are provided, particularly in the case of electric machines for motor vehicles. For example, the electric machine can be operated in a recuperation mode. In this mode, a low efficiency of the electric machine results in a loss in the energy recuperation. Therefore, a portion of the practically freely available energy cannot be recuperated and utilized. It is therefore of particular interest to increase the efficiency of an electric machine, in particular of an electric machine for a motor vehicle.


A pharmaceutical agent for improvement in pruritus cutaneus associated with renal failure and/or for the treatment of renal failure and/or its complications containing as an effective ingredient oligosaccharide or oligosaccharides such as, but not limited to fructo-oligosaccharide, galacto-oligosaccharide, isomalto-oligosaccharide, malto-oligosaccharide, lacto-sucrose and/or xylo-oligosaccharide, in particular, lactulose, rhamnose and lactitol.

Among the countries all over the world, the hemodialysis therapy is most widely practiced in Japan. This therapy over an extended time, however, induces various serious problems. The hemodialysis therapy for a long time, for example, causes the onset of complications such as cardiovascular disorder, anemia, abnormal bone metabolism, dysbolism, and/or immunodeficiency. In addition, it is said that 60-80% of the hemodialysis patients suffer from pruritus cutaneus. Although pruritus cutaneus itself does not impose direct threatening on the life of the patients, its persistent and chronic torment, night and day, is unbearable to the patients, both physically and mentally. From the view point of the maintenance and improvement in the quality of life, pruritus cutaneus is now a big problem in the treatment of the patients.
As a possible cause of pruritus cutaneus, 1. stimulation of the nerve ending by a certain substance accumulated in the blood by renal failure, 2. a decline in the pruritus threshold value due to change in the pH value, etc., or 3. abnormal secretion by the skin glands such as sebaceous glands and sweat glands, is suspected but it Is not yet clear what is responsible for it. For its treatment, antihistaminic agent is generally administered but it has limitation in its efficacy. Besides, due to its side effects like drowsiness, vertigo or generalized malaise, its administration must be discontinued in many cases. In addition, anti-allergic agent, adrenocortical agent or tranquilizer is administered but no agent alone can relieve the patients from the torment and establishment of an effective therapy has been expected.

Use of oligosaccharides for the treatment of pruritus cutaneus associated with renal failure


Disclosed herein is a caching agent for preventing deadlock in a processor. The caching agent includes a receiver configured to receive a request from a core of the processor. The caching agent includes ingress logic coupled to the receiver to determine that the request is potentially a cacheable request. The ingress logic is to determine that the request does not deplete an available coherence resource. The ingress logic is to allow the request to be processed in response to the determination that the request does not deplete the available coherence resource.

In a processor, caches may be used to hold copies of data from memory in order to shorten the latency of subsequent accesses to memory. In some scenarios, caches are shared across multiple entities in a processor, or processing system, that includes several integrated components. The caches may be used to cache data both from memory-mapped input/output devices (MMIO), such as data from stored on a hard disk or in a basic input output system (BIOS) read only memory (ROM), as well as from random access memory (RAM). During caching, a component or logic used to manage the caching may be referred to herein as a caching agent. In some scenarios, a caching agent may be subject to potential deadlock issues as it arbitrates between caching requests issued from various integrated components on the processor.

Caching agent for deadlock prevention in a processor by allowing requests that do not deplete available coherence resources


Method and apparatus for describing a virtual shared space with ease includes a user interface unit which displays a list of avatars (or an avatar page) kept in a scene-graph database on a resource library window. A drag-and-drop operation is carried out by the user on an icon representing an avatar selected from those displayed on the avatar page of the resource library window to add the avatar to the avatar page of a multi-user window. The user interface unit detects the drag-and-drop operation carried out by the user, displaying the dragged and dropped avatar icon on the avatar page of the multi-user window as an additional avatar. Then, in accordance with this drag-and-drop operation, a file input/output unit places the file of the dragged and dropped avatar in a location where a VRML file being edited is recorded, that is, generates an avtimg directory and an avtwrl directory and describes predetermined avatar data therein.

The present application claims priority to Japanese application No P10-249353 filed on Sep. 3, 1998 in Japan.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method and a presentation medium. More particularly, the present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method and a presentation medium for describing a virtual shared space using Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML).
2. Description of the Related Art
A Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) is a descriptive language which can be used for uniformly handling 3-dimensional information by utilizing a construction of a World Wide Web (xe2x80x9cWWWxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cthe webxe2x80x9d) for providing various kinds of information over the internet at a worldwide scale. The web has been developed by the European Center for Nuclear Research (CERN) of Switzerland, and enables information including text, picture, sound and the like to be transmitted asynchronously to an information processing terminal such as a personal computer in accordance with a protocol called a Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) so that the information can be viewed and heard in HTTP format. HTTP is a protocol for transmitting files described in the HTML format over the internet and operates to transmit hypertext information of an HTML file to a client terminal in response to a request issued to the web server from client terminal.
A web server includes a server software called HTTP daemon and HTML files each used for storing hypertext information. The daemon software is a computer program executed for carrying out control and processing in the background in a UNIX environment. The hypertext information is expressed by using a descriptive language called an Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML). In an hypertext description using HTML, a logical structure of a statement is expressed by a format specification called a tag sandwiched between the symbols xe2x80x9c less than xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9c greater than xe2x80x9d. A link to other information is described by using a link information called an anchor. When a location of information is specified by using the anchor, a string of characters called a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is utilized.
A popular environment for utilizing the web is a client software called a web browser such as Netscape Navigator(copyright) available from Netscape Communications, Inc., of Internet Explorer(copyright) available from Microsoft Corporation. By using such web browsers, it is possible to view a home page which is a file specified by a URL in the web server on the internet built at a worldwide scale through internet surfing in which home pages connected to each other by links are traced sequentially one after another in order to allow user accesses to a variety of information sources on the web.
In recent years, the web is further expanded, making it possible to describe a 3-dimensional virtual space and to set hypertext links to objects rendered by 3-dimensional graphics. Specifications of a 3-dimensional graphics descriptive language called the Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) have been proposed such that, by tracing such links, web servers can be accessed sequentially one after another.
A VRML browser has also been developed for displaying a 3-dimensional space described in accordance with the specifications of the VRML. Details of the VRML are described in, for example, Knowing VRML: Browsing and Building Cyberspace by Mark Pesce, and translated by Kohichi Matsuda, Terunao Kamachi, Shoichi Takeuchi, Yasuaki Honda, Junichi Koyomoto, Sadayuki Ishikawa, Ken Miyashita and Kazuhiro Hara, first edition of Mar. 25, 1996, Prentice Hall publication ISBN4-931356-37-0 (which is a Japanese translation of VRML: Browsing and Building Cyberspace by Mark Pesce, 1995 New Readers Publishing ISBN 1-56205-498-8), and Recent Trends in VRML and CyberPassage by Kohichi Matsuda and Yasuaki Honda, bit (Kyoritsu publication)/1996, Vol. 28, No. 7, pages 29 to 36, No. 8, pages 57 to 65, No. 9, pages 29 to 36 and No. 10, pages 49 to 58.
In addition, the specifications of Version 2.0 of the Virtual Reality Modeling Language (ISO/IEC CD 14772) is available at the following URL: http://www.vrml.org/Specifications/VRML2.0/FINAL/spec/index.html. A Japanese version of the specifications is also available at the following URL: http://www.webcity.co.jp/info/andoh/VRML/vrml2.0/spec-jp/index.html.
A Community Place(copyright) Browser/Bureau is a typical browser for VRML2.0 and software for a shared server are developed as a product by Sony Corporation, the assignee of the present invention. Its prototype xcex2 version can be accessed at the following URL: http://vs.sony.co.jp.
VRML2.0 can be used to describe and express an autonomous behavior of an object in a 3-dimensional virtual space. VRML contents expressing an object dynamically moving around in a 3-dimensional virtual space are created using VRML2.0 through a process described below. It should be noted that in the following description, VRML contents are a set of script files and VRML files for expressing a sequence of behaviors of an object in a virtual space.
A sequence of processes to create VRML contents is described below.
Model creation is a process to describe attributes of an object (or a model) located in a virtual space such as the shape and the position of the object using VRML2.0 to create a basic VRML file. Sensor-node description is a process to add a description of a sensor node to a VRML file. An example of the sensor node is a TouchSensor which generates an event when a click operation or a pointing operation is carried out by using a mouse for an object in a virtual space. Another example of the sensor node is a TimeSensor which generates an event when a time set in advance is reached.
Additionally, routing edit is a process to add a description of a routing to a VRML file. The routing is used for propagating an event generated by an operation such as a pointing operation for an object for which a sensor node is added. Moreover, script-node description is a process to add a description of a script node for passing an event propagated by a routing to an external script and to add the description to a VRML file. Finally, script-file creation is a process to describe (to program) a script in a language such as Java(copyright) language developed by Sun Microsystems, Inc., for expressing a behavior set in advance for each object in a virtual space on the basis of an event propagated through a script node. Accordingly, the desired VRML contents are created through a sequence of processes work described above.
When creating VRML contents expressing an autonomous behavior of an object in a 3-dimensional virtual space on the basis of VRML2.0, existing authoring software known as a modeler is used to create the shape of an object or animation, and to output the created object or the created animation as a file in VRML2.0 format. An example of the authoring software is Studio Max(copyright). If the modeler does not support the VRML2.0 format, it is then necessary to convert the format of the created file into the VRML2.0 format by using a converter or other equivalent means.
Then, the descriptions of a variety of sensor nodes using VRML2.0 are added to a VRML file using a text editor. The process to create a script written in the Java(copyright) language, to add a script node for the script, to add a route statement, and so on, is carried out repeatedly. In the actual operation verification, the VRML browser for VRML2.0 is activated to verify the behavior of the object by carrying out operations such as a click operation by using a mouse.
With the VRML2.0, the user is capable of defining a new node type and extending an existing node type. In addition, a defined node can be used as if the node were an existing built-in node. A technique used by the user to define a node as described above is called prototyping and the defined node is called a prototype. A keyword PROTO is used to define such prototype.
An example of an extended node defined by using the keyword PROTO is a Sony_WorldInfo announced by Sony Corporation, the assignee of the present application. The Sony_WorldInfo extended node describes attributes of a multi-user world in which a plurality of users share a virtual space using the Community Place Browser described above. It should be noted that details of the Sony_WorldInfo extended node and other information are described in, for example, Java+VRML: Interactive 3D World Created by Using Java and VRML2.0, by Roger Lee and translated by Kohichi Matsuda and Ken Miyashita, a Prentice Hall publication with the original publication entitled Java for 3D VRML Worlds.
To create a multi-user world, a virtual shared space is set in the multi-user world. A port number and an address of a server are added to its VRML file. It should be noted that the setting described above is described by an extended node. Furthermore, by preparing an appropriate file for describing the relationship between the VRML file of an avatar, a picture file of the avatar, their indexes, an operation button picture of the avatar and the operation button and the operation of the avatar, a multi-user world can be created. It is to be noted that an avatar as used herein refers to an incarnation of a user which is an object representing the user itself appearing in a virtual environment. The term avatar originates from an Indian myth and refers therein to the incarnation of a Hindu deity.
However, a VRML2.0 authoring system does not include sufficient support for editing such prototypes such that, to define a new node as a prototype, the descriptions must be written through manual work. In addition, in the conventional authoring system, the operation of an avatar cannot be verified and an avatar cannot thus be edited.
In view of the foregoing, an information processing apparatus for describing a virtual shared space in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a first display control means for controlling a display of a multi-user window for editing information necessary for describing the virtual shared space; a control means for controlling symbols displayed in the virtual shared space; a second display control means for controlling a display of a library window showing a list of symbols controlled by the control means; a detection means for detecting a drag-and-drop operation carried out by the user from the library window displayed by the second display control means to the multi-user window displayed by the first display control means; and a description means for describing information on symbols controlled by the control means in a predetermined file for a user operation detected by the detection means.
An information processing method for describing a virtual shared space in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention comprises: a first display control step of controlling a display of a multi-user window for editing information necessary for describing the virtual shared space; a control step of controlling symbols displayed in the virtual shared space; a second display control step of controlling a display of a library window showing a list of symbols controlled at the control step; a detection step of detecting a drag-and-drop operation carried out by the user from the library window displayed at the second display control step to the multi-user window displayed at the first display control step; and a description step of describing information on symbols controlled at the control step in a predetermined file for a user operation detected at the detection step.
A presentation medium for presenting a program executable by a computer to drive an information processing apparatus for describing a virtual shared space to carry out processing in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention includes: a first display control step of controlling a display of a multi-user window for editing information necessary for describing the virtual shared space; a control step of controlling symbols displayed in the virtual shared space; a second display control step of controlling a display of a library window showing a list of symbols controlled at the control step; a detection step of detecting a drag-and-drop operation carried out by the user from the library window displayed at the second display control step to the multi-user window displayed at the first display control step; and a description step of describing information on symbols controlled at the control step in a predetermined VRML file for a user operation detected at the detection step.
Accordingly, in accordance with the present invention, information on controlled symbols corresponding to detected user operations is described in a VRML file so that a virtual shared space can be more easily described.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be understood upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings.

Method, apparatus and medium for describing a virtual shared space using virtual reality modeling language


A data blob has an operator's certificate that specifies a network. The data blob is encrypted by the network using a private key that authenticates that a user device owns a MAC address. The network sends the encrypted data blob to the user device, which decrypts it using a private key that is locally stored in the user device. From that the user device obtains the operator's certificate, locks the user device to a network specified by the operator's certificate, and sends a response message signed with the private key. The network grants access to the user device based on the signed response message. Various embodiments and further details are detailed. This technique is particularly useful for a WiMAX or WLAN/WiFi network in which there is no SIM card to lock the device to the network.

Various abbreviations that appear in the specification and/or in the drawing figures are defined as follows:
3G third generation mobile phone network
EAP-TLS extensible authentication protocol-TLS
EAP-TTLS: extensible authentication protocol-TTLS
GNU/Linux system having a Linux kernel and GNU (GNU's Not Unix) software
GSM global system for mobile communications
IMSI international mobile subscriber identity
MAC address media access control address (the link-layer device address)
PKMv2 privacy and key management protocol version 2 (IEEE 802.16e-2005)
SIM subscriber identity module
TLS transport layer security
TTLS tunneled transport layer security
WiFi wireless fidelity
WiMAX world interoperability for microwave access (IEEE 802.16e network)
WLAN wireless local access network
X.509 X.509 certificate
The following publications may be of interest to the ensuing description, and each are incorporated by reference in their entirety:    The TLS Protocol, Version 1.0, T. Dierks, C. Allen, January 1999, RFC 2246;    PPP EAP TLS Authentication Protocol, B. Aboba, D. Simon, October 1999, RFC 2716;    EAP Tunneled TLS Authentication Protocol (EAP-TTLS), P. Funk, S. B. Wilson, February 2002, IETF PPPEXT Working Group, Internet Draft RFC; and    Internet X.509 Public Key Infrastructure Certificate and CRL Profile, R. Housley, W. Ford, W. Polk, D. Solo, January 1999, RFC 2459.
WiMAX network operators may have an interest in subsidy locking devices to their mobile WiMAX networks. Since it can be expected that mobile devices will be commodity items purchased from retail consumer electronics stores, it can be anticipated that locking and unlocking the mobile devices will be accomplished over-the-air (i.e., not at a dealer and/or operator location). WiMAX, as a protocol, does not specifically support subsidy locking, and further there may be no removable SIM card to facilitate a subsidy locking operation. As a result, if subsidy locking is to be achieved then it must be implemented utilizing inherent properties of the WiMAX network.
Further, at least one type of WiMAX mobile device known to the inventors is expected to rely on an open GNU/Linux-based platform to enable Internet access. In this case no non-hackable security services can be implemented in the kernel or user space.
In GSM and 3G phones a subsidy lock feature is known as a "SIM lock", where the IMSI of the SIM card defines a specific operator. The GSM or 3G phone can be factory programmed to reject any other SIM cards than those having a specific IMSI numbering block. Such phones that are SIM-locked before sale can be unlocked by entering a code provided by the specific operator.

Apparatus, method and computer program product providing enforcement of operator lock


An article reception device for vehicles with an article reception portion for being interposed in the gap between the vehicle seat and the central console and an article return container with an open inner volume contiguous with an open inner volume of the article reception portion. Articles dropped into the gap can be received by open inner volume of the article reception portion, and articles received by the article reception portion can be passed into the open inner volume of the article return container for retrieval. A seatbelt can pass through an aperture in the article reception portion. The article return container can project beyond the article reception portion longitudinally and laterally. The article return container can be selectively retained relative to either the first end or the second end of the article reception portion.

Modern automobiles and trucks typically have a front row formed by a driver's seat, a passenger seat, and a central console disposed therebetween. The seats are commonly individually adjustable forwardly, rearwardly, and, quite often, up, down, and over a given range of tilting. With that, a gap is necessarily disposed between each seat and the central console. Some manufacturers may seek to make the gap relatively small to maximize the space available for the seats and the console while other manufacturers leave a relatively large gap as they seek to make ergonomically contoured seat structures. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that the gaps between the seats and the central console can vary with the anterior, posterior, upward, downward, and pivoting adjustment of the respective seat in relation the central console.
Unfortunately, the necessary gap between the seats and the central console creates the risk of articles, particularly those pulled from a seat occupant's pocket or temporarily rested in a seat or on the center console, unintentionally falling into the gap. For instance, it is quite possible for a vehicle occupant's phone, pen, loose change, jewelry, and other valuable or precious articles to fall into the gap. Dropped articles can become wedged between, for instance, the seat support frame and the vehicle floor or console structure. With the confined space provided by the gap, retrieving articles can be difficult and frustrating. Indeed, many articles can be lost without extensive, cumbersome searching. Moreover, the attempt to retrieve dropped articles while driving presents severe danger to the vehicle occupant and bystanders. Still further, trash and debris falling into the gap can accumulate undesirably thereby contributing to an overall lack of cleanliness of the vehicle.
It would, therefore, be advantageous to prevent articles from falling into the gap between vehicle seats and the central console to a difficult to retrieve location. A number of inventors have sought to provide a solution to the issues presented by the seat gap. Under some proposed constructions, a member of foam, cardboard, or some other material is disposed simply to bridge the gap thereby to present a substantially continuous surface. While such constructions may prevent articles from falling into the gap, they do not retain the article. As a result, the item that was prevented from falling into the gap may well simply fall behind the seat or into some other similarly difficult to access location. Other proposed solutions to the issues presented by articles falling into the seat gap comprise accordion-like folding, compressible, or collapsible structures that can be interposed between the seat and the central console thereby to be in position to catch and retain fallen articles. However, many of these inventions fail to present a reasonable method for retrieving the article once it has fallen into the necessarily narrow structures. The seat occupant is thus again faced with the challenge of retrieving the fallen article from a narrow location, or he or she must remove the reception structure to retrieve the dropped article.
In light of the foregoing and further deficiencies left by the prior art, it will be appreciated that there is a recognized and ever increasing need for a device capable not only of catching and retaining dropped articles but also of facilitating their return and recovery by a vehicle occupant in an effective, safe, and convenient manner.


A wireless communications device (200) that has a battery power source (330) and that has a power source monitor (332) that produces a low energy notification upon determination of a low energy condition within the battery. The wireless communications device further has a notification list specifying at least one other communications device to receive the low energy notification message. The wireless communications device (200) also has a notification transmitter (316, 314, 304) for transmitting the low energy notification message to communications devices held by other users (504, 506, 508, 512) that are in the list. The low energy notification message has at least one destination address to which the low energy notification message is to be sent. The wireless communications device (200) further serves as a proxy or surrogate relay for other wireless communications devices (200) to provide a robust communications system.

Mobile wireless communications devices are continually being developed with more features and functionalities. These developments in features and functionalities are, however, further stressing the capabilities of battery chemistry and the design of batteries for these mobile wireless communications devices. The further desire to continually shrink the size and weight of wireless communications devices also leads to a desire to shrink battery sizes. As a result, the usable battery life for wireless communications devices of today is unfortunately decreasing.
Convenient and reliable communications is one reason many people use wireless communications devices. For example, being able to keep in touch with a teenage child or other loved one and knowing that he or she can keep in touch with you is one of the fundamental principals behind why most parents buy a cellular phone for their children. Aspects of our busy lives and especially the social lives of children do not always allow for time to replenish cellular phone batteries. A child or teen being notified of a low battery condition in his or her cellular phone will tend to ignore the alert and think nothing of it until either he or she needs to contact someone, or until the batter is totally dead. This results in leaving the parent and child unable to reach each other through the child's cellular phone—destroying the benefit for which the cellular phone was purchased and maintained.
Therefore a need exists to overcome the problems with the prior art as discussed above.

Communications device with low energy notification


The invention provides a method for depositing catalytic clusters on a surface, the method comprising confining the surface to a controlled atmosphere; contacting the surface with catalyst containing vapor for a first period of time; removing the vapor from the controlled atmosphere; and contacting the surface with a reducing agent for a second period of time so as to produce catalyst-containing nucleation sites.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for forming metal clusters, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a method for controlling the size and density of catalytic clusters formed on a surface and a substrate having metal cluster formed on a surface thereof.
2. Background of the Invention
Metal clusters with diameters in the range of 1-10 nanometers ("nm") are extremely effective catalysts given that nearly all of the metal atoms comprising the cluster are present on the surface and therefore available to participate in catalytic reactions.
Metal clusters are difficult to prepare in mono-dispersed form having a narrow size distribution. This is particularly difficult when attempting to deposit the clusters on high surface area substrates which are necessary to support heterogeneous catalysts.
A traditional method for preparing mono-dispersed metal clusters is to use a molecular beam in which ionized metal clusters are size-selected using a quadrupole or electrostatic filtering element.
Metal clusters are also formed by evaporating or sputtering a thin metal film onto a surface and annealing the film such that the metal atoms coalesce to form particles or clusters. Both of the aforementioned techniques are only viable for deposition on flat (i.e., nonporous) surfaces.
Metal nanoparticles may also be created using solution based methods. However, the nanoparticles must still be dispersed on the high surface area support without agglomeration to create the heterogeneous catalyst. Moreover, metal nanoparticles fabricated in solution are typically coated with one or more mono-layers of stabilizing agents, such as polymers, to prevent aggregation of the metal particles, and these layers must be removed in order to use the particles as a catalyst.
Porous supports can be infiltrated with metal atoms using wet chemical or chemical vapor techniques followed by annealing, causing the atoms to aggregate into clusters. However, this method offers little control over particle size and density.
Atomic layer deposition ("ALD") produces conformal films of a variety of materials including some metals with exquisite thickness control by utilizing alternating reactions between gaseous precursor molecules and a solid surface to deposit material in a layer-by-layer fashion. However, attempts to deposit metal on oxide foundation substrates using ALD has met with limited success. This is due to the lack of metalorganic chemisorption on oxide terminated surfaces. J. Senkevich, et al, Chem. Vapor Depos. 8 (2002) 189.
A need exists in the art for a method for depositing catalytic clusters on porous surfaces, and particularly oxide surfaces. The method should enable the formation of clusters between 1 nm and 10 nm in diameter. The method should further enable the formation of clusters in a variety of cluster densities without increasing the size of the individual clusters. Conversely, the method should enable the formation of large clusters without a concomitant increase in the number of clusters.

Method of preparing size-selected metal clusters