The present invention is directed to the design and manufacturing of a field durable, repeatedly launderable and permanently fire resistant, comfortable and economical FR nonwoven composite fabric based garment, which meets the stringent requirements of military combat uniform clothing. The nonwoven based garment is designed to replace the traditional woven textile fabric used in the military today. The novel garment of the current invention is constructed using a unique spunlaced or hydroentangled FR nonwoven composite fabric that exhibits mechanical, physical, durability and comfort characteristics similar to or better than that of the current woven military uniform fabric. In particular, the present invention contemplates the nonwoven composite fabric used to make the garment is prepared by combining at least two separate nonwoven webs forming the inside and outside layers of the garment. An optional rip-stop element such as a loosely knitted fabric may be sandwiched between the two nonwoven webs to improve the dimensional stability of the entire garment. Hydroentangling process combines the individual nonwoven webs to form a coherent base nonwoven composite fabric before dyeing and printing which is then made fire resistant by application of a phosphate ester chemical in an ammonia-cure process to form the FR nonwoven composite fabric of the garment.

Nonwoven composite fabric manufacturing is the fastest and the most economical way of converting fibers to fabrics. Before discussing the importance of FR nonwoven composite fabrics for use in military and functional garment applications, it is important to outline the basics of the manufacturing of conventional woven fabrics presently used in the military garments to clearly distinguish the difference between the woven and nonwoven fabrics.
Yarn Formation: The manufacturing of conventional woven textile fabric that is presently used to make the military garments is a laborious and multi-step (over 15) process with very slow production speeds. The production of conventional textile fabrics from staple fibers begins with the opening of bales of compacted fibers, synthetic or natural, combing, and then carding, whereby the fibers are individualized and aligned, the web from the doffer of the card then combined to form a thick rope called sliver. Multiple strands of sliver are then processed on drawing frames to further align the fibers, blend, improve uniformity and reduce the sliver's diameter. The drawn sliver is then fed into a roving machine to produce roving with false twist to provide some integrity. The roving is then fed into the ring or rotor spinning machine to be spun into yarn. The smaller yarn packages from the spinning machines are placed onto a winder where they are transferred into larger spools. The yarns are then wound onto a warp beam to be woven into fabrics.
Woven Fabric Formation: The woven fabric from the loom consists of warp and weft yarns. The warp yarns run in the machine direction whereas the weft yarns run in the cross direction or perpendicular to the warp yarns. The warp beams supply the warp yarns by unwinding and the weft yarns are inserted by high-speed shuttle, air or water to complete the fabric design. The warp yarns themselves are subjected to a sizing treatment with starch to provide some stiffness and abrasion resistance to take them through the process of weaving. The sizing treatment is removed by scouring and bleaching after the fabric is made on the loom before the fabric can be dyed and finished. One of the limiting factors of woven fabrics, apart from being a multi-step process, is the very slow production speed, i.e. a few feet (1-2) per minute even on the most modern looms.
On the other hand, nonwoven composite fabrics, when properly designed and processed, offer both technical and economic advantages, especially in the area of functional apparel. From an economics standpoint, the production of nonwoven fabrics and their composites using spunlaid and carded webs is known to be more efficient than traditional textile processes, with many fewer steps (less than 5) and faster production rates with machine speeds over 100 feet per minute. From a technology standpoint, multiple layers of fibers with varying functionalities, such as water repellent or absorbent and fire retardant, can be incorporated to provide unique structures that are not possible to manufacture by traditional yarn spinning and weaving techniques.
Nonwoven Composite Fabric/Garment: Nonwoven composite fabrics based FR garments can be made suitable for use in a wide variety of military and other applications where the efficiency with which the garments/fabrics is manufactured provides a significant economic advantage for these fabrics versus traditional woven textiles. However, nonwoven fabrics, especially the FR chemical treated fabrics, have been unable to penetrate the functional and everyday wear garment markets because of commonly known disadvantages, such as poorer drape, aesthetics, stiffness, abrasion resistance, launderability, tear resistance, recovery after stretching, etc. when compared with woven FR fabrics. Many of the nonwoven processes are intended for creating disposable or non-durable articles, such as pillow covers, baby diapers, sanitary napkins, medical gowns etc. at faster production speeds and cheaper price. None of the currently available nonwoven technologies, when used alone, offer a durable fabric for apparel or garment end use application. The challenge has been to judiciously use several known bonding methods and finishing treatments, while using proper fiber blends, additive, finishing chemicals and fabric construction. Attempts have been made to develop nonwoven fabrics for everyday wear, such as shirts and pants, as referenced in U.S. Pat. No. 3,933,304, where a washable spunlaced nonwoven cloth containing binder chemicals has been disclosed. U.S. Pat. No. 3,988,343 discloses a nylon fabric treated with binder chemicals. U.S. Pat. No. 5,874,159 discloses a spunlaced fabric containing a net made of a polymer that melts at lower temperature than base fibers and bonds with the nonwoven layers and thus provides the necessary durability during the end use application. More recently, U.S. Patent Application No. 2003/0166369 A1 describes a durable nonwoven garment with elastic recovery where a carded web is hydroentangled and modified with very high levels of acrylic binder before being assembled into a garment. The absence of any of these materials from the prior art in the commercial marketplace for everyday wear is an indication that further improvement and enhancement are required with respect to the processing, finishing and assembling of nonwoven based materials for apparel usage, especially for durable fire resistant military garment applications.
Hydroentangled/Spunlaced Nonwovens: It is an established fact that the best nonwoven bonding technology that is available on a commercial basis today to create fabrics that somewhat mimic the properties of woven fabrics, is the hydroentangled or spunlaced nonwoven fabric technology. The entanglement and the twisting of the fibers that occur in the case of spunlace fabrics is somewhat similar to the twist in the yarns of the woven fabrics and thus, spunlace fabrics provide the best drape characteristics among the commercially available nonwoven fabrics. The use of the right type of nozzles, their length, design, diameter and number of holes per jet strip, coupled with the position of the jet manifolds, the number of manifolds per side of the fabric and the water jet pressure critically impact the final fabric properties, especially the bonding of fibers and thus the strength and surface abrasion resistance. Even the spunlace nonwoven composites exhibit a higher degree of elongation or stretch than desired and poorer recovery from deformation. In addition, spunlace fabrics without any post thermal and chemical treatment show much poorer launderability and abrasion resistance compared to the woven fabrics. The loose end surface fibers need to be bound to the matrix of the fabric by thermal and/or chemical treatment techniques. Without these critical chemical treatments, the fabric is rendered useless just after a single laundering cycle.
The art of combining various nonwoven layers with and without support scrim through hydroentangling for multiple end use application is already established in the literature. Different nonwoven layers or webs, such as spunlaid or spunbonded, carded, wet-laid and needle-punched, can be combined with and without reinforcing scrim or nonwovens as referenced in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,240,764, 5,334,446, 5,587,225, 6,669,799, 6,735,832 B1, and U.S. Patent Application No. 2005/0022321 A1 to provide unique composite structures for various end use applications. U.S. Patent Application No. 2004/0016091 by Rivera et al. discloses a method of forming a two-sided, nonwoven composite intended for use in durable three-dimensional imaged surfaces that is resistant to washing. The composite of the Rivera et al. application has been designed for applications other than functional apparel, as the fibrous and scrim elements incorporated in the application do not withstand the rigors of the military and outdoor end use. In addition, according to the Rivera et al. application, the fiber layers are separated by the scrim to avoid intermixing of the layers, which leads to delamination and failure of the composite based garment. The current invention addresses the need for intimate bonding, additional down-stream FR and binder chemical treatment to "lock" the twisted configuration of fibers for enhancing the abrasion resistance and wash durability.
Carded Precursor Webs: The carded precursor nonwoven webs contain staple or cut fibers used as the individual layers of the final bonded spunlace nonwoven composite fabric. It is possible to use synthetic fibers such as polyester, or nylon in blends with natural fibers, such as cotton, and regenerated fibers, such as rayon and cellulose acetate or blends of both types of fibers. For carded webs, the useful fiber denier ranges from 1-6 dpf and the fiber length ranges from 0.5-3 inches. Basis weight of the fabric ranges from 0.5 oz/yd2 to 6 oz/yd2. The fabric properties are determined by the optimization of fiber denier, length and construction. The compacted fibers from the bales are fed into various pre-opening and blending stations before being fed to the licker-in roll of the carding machine. The difference in surface velocity between the main cylinder and the numerous worker rolls or flat circulating wire strip located above the main cylinder is the reason for the thorough opening, individualization and parallel alignment of fiber web. The web can be cross-laid at a 45-degree angle using multiple layers to provide balanced properties in the machine and cross direction. The web integrity is possible only by bonding employing thermal calendering, needle punching or spunlacing techniques.
Military Uniform Garments: To date, the use of nonwovens in the military sector has been restricted mostly for special and niche applications, such as disposable apparel and shoe interlinings, due to limitations in performance. The FR military garments made using FR nonwoven composites of the current invention have the potential to offer relief from heat stress combined with better economics. However, the military applications require functional garments with specific performance attributes. The functional properties of current woven uniforms are fixed or limited by the properties of the individual yarns that lie in a two-dimensional plane. The three-dimensional, nonwoven, composite, fabric offers numerous possibilities of utilizing various fibers and fiber blends in multiple webs or layers and additive chemical technologies to impart specific functional characteristics for the intended use.
Dyeing and Printing: The polyester based nonwovens are traditionally dyed using disperse dyes where heat is applied to open the fiber structure for mechanical incorporation of dye molecules. In the case of nylon-based nonwovens, the fabrics can be dyed using acid, basic or vat dye molecules. Cellulosic fibers may also be dyed using the vat dyes. The vat dyes offer the best solution for color fastness and thus, durability of shade in end use. Deep shade is not a requirement for the military and outdoor garment fabrics; however, deep dyeing is possible with nylon-based garments.
Finishing Treatments: The finishing treatments consist of imparting abrasion resistance, wash durability, water repellency and fire resistance based on the needs of the end use application. The finishing treatments can be carried out using commonly known chemicals, such as phosphorous, silicone, acrylate, melamine, urethane, etc. using spraying, padding and curing or knife coating techniques commonly known in the industry. Spraying or padding intumescent fire retardant finishing chemicals can provide additional improvements in the fire resistance characteristics. Whatever the finishing treatment may be, care must be taken to avoid stiffening the fabric and reducing breathability and physical properties.

Durable and fire resistant nonwoven composite fabric based garment


A new and distinct cultivar of Euphorbia plant named ‘BONPRI 1516’, characterized by its relatively compact, upright and mounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; inflorescences with deep red-colored flower bracts; and good post-production longevity.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Euphorbia plant, an interspecific hybrid botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ex Klotzsch X Euphorbia cornastra, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name 'BONPRI 1516'.
The new Euphorbia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia. The objective of the program is to create and develop new interspecific Euphorbia plants with compact, upright and mounded plant habit and attractive flower bracts.
The new Euphorbia plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of a proprietary selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ex Klotzsch X Euphorbia cornastra identified as code number 917.2, not patented. The new Euphorbia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of the mutation parent selection in a controlled greenhouse environment in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia in January, 2015.
Asexual reproduction of the new Euphorbia plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia since January, 2015 has shown that the unique features of this new Euphorbia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.


Technology for identifying that a communication is from a verified enterprise includes receiving, by a device associated with a user, a data packet from a phone network. The data packet can be included in a communication to the device, which can have an application configured to verify communications from at least one enterprise. A token within the data packet can be identified by the application, and the application can compare the token to at least one token identifier associated with the at least one enterprise. In response to the token corresponding to at least one token identifier, the application can verify that the communication is from the at least one enterprise. In response to the communication being verified, the application can display a validation image on the device.

Phone companies can detect a phone number, if it is identified, of an incoming call and display the phone number to the user. Some users will store phone numbers in a list of contacts on their device, and their device can then display a business or other name associated with the phone number. Unfortunately, scammers and spoofers can send phone numbers, names, and/or location information through the phone system that can identify the call as originating from a different business and/or location. Therefore, users may answer the phone because they believe that they are receiving a legitimate call from a known business. Users may provide private and/or personal information to the caller that can result in fraud or identify theft.
The techniques introduced here may be better understood by referring to the following Detailed Description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals indicate identical or functionally similar elements. Moreover, while the technology is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are described in detail below. The intention, however, is not to limit the technology to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the technology is intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the technology as defined by the appended claims.

Verification of caller identification using application

United Services Automobile Association (USAA)


A shave ice device having a first compartment, a second compartment below the first compartment, a gripping mechanism for gripping a block of ice, a rotating mechanism for rotating the gripping mechanism, a shaving plate separating the first compartment from the second compartment, and a cooling mechanism in communication with the first compartment. The cooling mechanism maintains the temperature of the first compartment at about 0 degrees Celsius or lower.

Known shave ice devices are typically operated by an owner/facility operator specially trained to operate the shave ice device. To operate a conventional shave ice device, the owner/facility operator must first remove a block of ice from a freezer. Next, the owner/facility operator directly mounts the ice by hand onto a supporting structure within the device. The owner/facility operator then operates the device which rotates the block of ice along a cutting element. As the ice block rotates around the cutting element, the shaved ice drops onto a receiving plate. The owner/facility operator typically has to rotate the plate and/or readjust the position of the ice block to provide a proper distribution of shaved ice. During shaving, in the conventional devices, the compartment containing the ice block is open to allow the operator to manipulate the ice block. Thus, during shaving, some of the ice may be expelled outwardly toward the owner/facility operator in addition to downwardly onto the receiving plate. After shaving the ice, the owner/facility operator manually returns the ice back into the freezer. The owner/facility operator adds flavoring to the shaved ice as requested by the customer, then gives the customer the flavored shave ice product. The owner/facility operator repeats the above steps every time a customer orders a shave ice, including mounting and returning the ice block to the freezer.
The above operation has several drawbacks. First, it requires a specially trained operator to provide a customer with the shave ice product. Second, because the ice block is handled by the operator every time a shave ice is ordered, there is substantial risk of contamination. Third, because of the open ice block compartment, ice debris can easily spray onto the surrounding area during shaving. Fourth, moving the ice back and forth between the device and the freezer is inefficient. The ice block shaves the best at about −20 degrees Celsius. Thus, as soon as the ice is removed from the freezer into the ambient room temperature to be mounted onto the ice shaver, the quality of the shaved ice starts to deteriorate. This problem is magnified by high volume businesses where the operator must move the ice block between the freezer and device many times through the day. Thus, the process of removing the ice block from the freezer and mounting it onto the device can be time consuming, labor intensive, and unsanitary.
Furthermore, the conventional device and operation method causes a problem in customer satisfaction. Consumers are well aware of cleanliness in food preparation. When a customer observers the operator repeatedly handling the same ice block multiple times before being served, the customer may no longer want to ingest the product. Accordingly, the conventional device and method may often lead to loss of potential customers.
For the above reasons, there is a need in the art for a customer-operable/self-service shave ice device that avoids the above-described disadvantages.

Shave ice device and method of use thereof


A data processing apparatus is configured to receive a first string related to a natural-language voice user entry and a second string including at least one natural-language refinement to the user entry; parse the first string into a first set of one or more tokens and the second string into a second set of one or more tokens; determine at least one refining instruction from the second set of one or more tokens; generate, from at least a portion of each of the first string and the second string and based on the at least one refining instruction, a group of candidate refined user entries; select a refined user entry from the group of candidate refined user entries; and output the selected, refined user entry.

The human-machine interface of any automated system, such as a computer or smart phone, requires provisions for accepting data entry from a user. Some examples of data entry devices include keyboards, cursor positioning devices, such as touch pads, joysticks, trackballs, and mice, and speech recognition systems.
Recent trends in user interfaces favor those containing speech recognition systems. Such user interfaces generally include software specially configured to interpret audio signals obtained from a microphone into digital codes according to a user's voice, speech patterns and pronunciation of words. Such systems generally require some level of training.

Natural language refinement of voice and text entry


A method of forming a high temperature sensor includes preparing a substrate having a surface from an electrically insulative material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), preparing an electrical conductor from a metal material having a second CTE that is different from the first CTE, and creating an interface between the electrical conductor and the substrate with a CTE blending medium that is provided between the substrate and the electrical conductor. The CTE blending medium accommodates differing thermal expansion rates of the substrate and the electrical conductor at temperatures of at least 700° C.

In the resource recovery industry sensors are employed in a wide variety of applications. Sensors may be used to detect formation parameters, formation fluid parameters, flow and the like. Sensors are also employed to detect a position of various downhole tools. Such sensors often take the form of a proximity sensor that detects when, for example, a piston or a sleeve moves to a selected position. Downhole tools are often subjected to temperatures that may approach or exceed 1000° C.
Current proximity sensors are not robust enough to withstand downhole temperatures that may approach and/or exceed 700° C. for sustained periods. Differing coefficients of thermal expansion between a base and a conductor results in delamination after a short service life. Accordingly, the industry would welcome a sensor that is built to withstand higher downhole temperatures for prolonged periods.

Method of forming a high temperature sensor


A system for testing electronic modules comprising at least one mapping board box, and at least one harness operably attached to the mapping board box with a harness port is disclosed. The mapping board box comprises pin receptors, wherein the receptors are in communication with a pinned circuit board to comprise a system for testing electronic modules. The mapping board box is pre-wired to receive circuit boards with a variety of pin configurations.

Printed circuit boards (PCB) and embedded software have become common place in consumer and commercial products. As use of PCBs and embedded software has increased, so has the use of electronic modules. An electronic module (ECU) is a circuit on a PCB that performs a specific function. The ECU may use embedded software to perform complex functions. In modern automobiles, electronic modules perform a variety of functions, and control a wide variety of devices. In automobiles, electronic modules control the radio, brakes, overhead lighting, cruise control, wipers, etc. Outside of automobiles, electronic modules can control any electronic device, from streetlights to cameras, from televisions to telephones.
Design engineers test systems of electronic modules to verify a new system's functionality. The engineers design and build test benches containing all of the electronic modules within the new system. An example of a system may be an entire electronic system in an automobile or an airplane. The testing of a system is done early in the design process, and therefore the actual, production-intent wiring harnesses are not available to interconnect the ECUs. Since the design engineers need to test the system functionality before the final electrical harnesses are created, they need to manually design and build a custom harness. After the engineer designs a new custom harness, a circuit map is created that indicates where the electrical signals from the ECUs should connect. The circuit map may involve the use of a spreadsheet program, such as Microsoft Excel from Microsoft, Inc. of Redmond, Wash.
To ensure that the new system, and therefore the ECUs, function as designed, the ECUs are tested. Electronic module simulators are known to those of ordinary skill in the art. The simulators simulate the sensor inputs to ECUs, such that the ECU software operates as though in the real environment. For example, instead of having a real engine present, the simulator simulates a real operating engine. As a result the ECU's software "thinks" it's connected to a real engine. It is also known that a system may comprise the use of multiple ECUs, each of which must be tested, alone and in concert with the other ECUs that comprise the new system.
As electronic modules have grown in popularity, they have also grown in complexity. Complexity may be measured, at least in part, by the number of pins inserted into the board, by the number of boards required for the electronic module, and by the amount of embedded software within each electronic module. Furthermore, while the actual testing of the electronic system is a complex process, preparing the new system for testing has been a comparatively time consuming, and error-prone process.
In order to test the new electronic system, it is necessary to ensure that current flows and all the software functions as desired by the engineer. This assurance is provided by connecting the ECUs to ECU Simulators and by interconnecting the ECUs to each other. The interconnections represent the future interconnections in the new system. Each ECU pin is connected to a wire that is connected to a specific input of the simulators or other ECUs. This laborious process is fraught with the potential for error. Each pin is manually connected using a wire. While this process may be relatively efficient for 5 or 6 pins, when 500 or 600 pins are connected, the efficiency is degraded. When 3000 or 4000 pins are interconnected, efficiency is nearly lost. Furthermore, although complete accuracy is needed to ensure an accurate test, accuracy is quite difficult to obtain through a maze of 3000 wires.
FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art testing system bench 100. System Bench 100 comprises terminal strips 105 in electric communication with ECUs 130 and simulators 140 via wires 120. Wires 120 are individually connected to a particular pin on terminal strips 105. Between the individual pins on the terminal strips, the engineers manually wire all the interconnections between each module 130 and each simulator 140. The manual wiring is done to represent the same interconnections on the future vehicle the system bench 100 represents. Those of ordinary skill in the art are well aware that the use of terminal strips 105 is optional and often the engineers directly wire the interconnects between ECUs 130 and simulators 140. Although FIG. 1 is shown with 9 total ECUs 130 and simulators 140, those of ordinary skill in the art are well aware that systems with as few as one ECU are possible, with only practical limits for an upper bound for the number of ECUs 130 and simulators 140. The complexity of the system bench 100 correlates directly, and in some systems exponentially, with the number of ECUs 130 and simulators 140, and therefore the number of wires 120.
What is needed therefore, is an improved apparatus and method for testing electronic modules that overcomes these, and other, limitations.


The present invention provides a retinoid-related receptor (except retinoic acid receptors) function regulating agent comprising a compound represented by the formula:

As the retinoid-related receptor function regulating agents, compounds described in the following references are known.
(1) WO 00/01679 describes, as a retinoid-related receptor function regulating agent, a 1,3-azole derivative represented by the formula:
wherein R1 is an optionally substituted aromatic hydrocarbon group or an optionally substituted aromatic heterocyclic group; R2 is a hydrogen atom or an optionally substituted hydrocarbon group; X is O, S or a group of the formula: —NR4— (R4 is a hydrogen atom or an optionally substituted alkyl group); A is an optionally substituted aromatic hydrocarbon group or an optionally substituted aromatic heterocyclic group; and R3 is a group of the formula: —OR5 (R5 is a hydrogen atom or an optionally substituted hydrocarbon group) or —NR6R7 (R6 and R7 are the same or different and each is a hydrogen atom or an optionally substituted hydrocarbon group, R6 and R7 may form a ring together with the adjacent nitrogen atom).
(2) WO 97/34869 describes, as a pharmaceutical agent having retinoic acid receptor agonism, a fused ring-containing carboxylic acid derivative represented by the formula:
wherein  is a single bond or a double bond, in the formula, X, Y, Z, P, Q, U, V and W are each a group of the formula: —O—, a group of the formula: —S— or a group of the formula:
wherein Rk (k: 1–8) is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a lower alkyl group optionally having substituents and the like, and one of R7 and R8 is a group of the formula:
(ring A and ring B are each independently an aromatic hydrocarbon ring or unsaturated heterocycle, each of which optionally has substituents, and D is a carboxyl group optionally having a protecting group).
(3) WO 97/02244 describes, as a new retinoid-related compound replacing retinoic acid, a heterocycle containing carboxylic acid derivative represented by the formula: A-B-(D)n1-(C═O)-M wherein A is a heteroaryl group which has at least one nitrogen atom and optionally has substituents, and the like, B is a heteroarylene group, a group of —CONH—, a group of —CR6═CR7— (R6 and R7 are each H, a lower alkyl group etc.), and the like, D is an arylene group, a heteroarylene group and the like, n1 is 0 or 1, M is a hydroxyl group, a lower alkoxy group and the like.
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), a member of the intranuclear hormone receptor superfamily, which is typically exemplified by steroid hormone receptors and thyroid hormone receptors, plays an important role as a master regulator in the differentiation of adipocytes with its expression induced in the very early stage of adipocyte differentiation. PPARγ forms a dimer with retinoid X receptor (RXR) by binding to a ligand, and binds to a responsive site of the target gene in the nucleus to directly control (activate) transcription efficiency. In recent years, the possibility that 15-deoxy-Δ12.14 prostaglandin J2, which is a metabolite of prostaglandin D2, serves as an endogenous ligand for PPARγ, has been suggested, and it has been shown that a class of insulin sensitizers, typically exemplified by thiazolidinedione derivatives, possess ligand activity for PPARγ, and that its potency is proportional to its glucose-lowering action or adipocyte differentiation-promoting action [Cell, vol. 83, p. 803 (1995); The Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 270, p. 12953 (1995); Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, vol. 39, p. 655 (1996)]. Furthermore, in recent years, it has been shown that 1) PPARγ is expressed in cultured cells of human liposarcoma origin, whose proliferation is ceased by the addition of a PPARγ ligand [Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, vol. 94, p. 237 (1997)], 2) nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, typically exemplified by indomethacin and fenoprofen, have PPARγ ligand activity [The Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 272, p. 3406 (1997)], 3) PPARγ is expressed at high levels in activated macrophages, with the transcription of a gene involved in inflammation inhibited by the addition of a ligand therefor [Nature, vol. 391, p. 79 (1998)], and 4) PPARγ ligands suppress the production of inflammatory cytokines (TNFα, IL-1β, IL-6) by monocytes [Nature, vol. 391, p. 82 (1998)] and the like.

Function regulator for retinoid relative receptor

Abstract: wherein one of R1 and R2 is an optionally substituted monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbon group or an optionally substituted monocyclic aromatic heterocyclic group containing one heteroatom, and the other is a hydrogen atom and the like; B is a 5- or 6-membered heterocycle (except 1,3-azole); A is an optionally substituted aromatic hydrocarbon group or an optionally substituted aromatic heterocyclic group; and R3 is a hydrogen atom and the like, or a salt thereof, which is useful as an agent for the prophylaxis or treatment of diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, impaired glucose tolerance or the like.


Outer circumference of a rotor is alternately provided with a plurality of circumferential portions and a plurality of convex portions. Straight lines each connecting a rotational axis to one of circumferential centers of circumferential portions are referred to as radial lines. Straight lines each bisecting one of convex portions are referred to as bisectors. A plurality of magnetic flux blocking regions are located on a rotor. One of the magnetic flux blocking region is located in a range between the radial line and the bisector adjacent to and preceding the radial line in the rotation direction. Therefore, a permanent magnet embedment rotating electric machine is capable of preventing decreases in torque and suppressing torque ripple.

The present invention relates to a permanent magnet embedment rotating electric machine, a motor for car air conditioner, and an enclosed electric compressor. The rotating electric machine includes a stator having coils and a rotor rotatably arranged in the stator. Permanent magnets are embedded as magnetic poles inside the rotor.
Permanent magnets are embedded inside the rotor of this type of rotating electric machine so as to be adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction of the rotor. A pair of the permanent magnets adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction of the rotor are arranged so as to have different polarities. Sudden magnetic flux density fluctuation occurs at a location between the two adjacent permanent magnets, that is, a magnetic pole switching part. Thus, torque pulsation occurs, which causes vibration and noise in the rotating electric machine. Hereinafter, the torque pulsation is referred to as torque ripple. The torque ripple represents fluctuation range of output torque of the rotating electric machine.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-69701 discloses a motor that suppresses torque pulsation. The radius of a rotor is minimal at magnetic pole switching parts, and is maximum at central portions of permanent magnets, that is, magnetic pole centers. The rotor has an outer circumference having a sinusoidal waveform.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-95194 discloses a motor having a rotor, parts of the outer circumference of which correspond to magnetic pole centers project outward into the shape of an arc.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-136011 discloses a motor having a rotor, parts of the outer circumference of which correspond to magnetic pole centers form circumferential portions coaxial with the rotational center of the rotor. Parts of the outer circumference of the rotor in the vicinity of the ends of the adjacent magnetic poles of two permanent magnets are grooved.
In Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 10-285851, an iron core of the rotor has magnet insertion holes, which accommodate permanent magnets. The iron core has slits formed at portions outward of the magnet insertion holes.
However, in the motors of the above publications No. 2001-69701 and No. 2002-95194, the gap between teeth of a stator and the outer circumference of the rotor becomes minimal only at points. These points are portions corresponding to the magnetic pole centers in the side cross-section of the outer circumference of the rotor. Thus, a torque constant of the motor, that is, possible output torque per unit current is small compared to a case, for example, where the radius of the outer circumference of the rotor is constant through the entire circumference.
In the motor of the above publication No. 2002-136011, the gap between the teeth of the stator and the outer circumference of the rotor varies greatly between the circumferential portion and the grooved portions. Therefore, the torque pulsation is not easily suppressed. When the grooves are deep, the torque constant of the motor disclosed in the above publication No. 2002-136011 is smaller than the torque constant of the motor disclosed in the publications No. 2001-69701 and No. 2002-95194.
The publication No. 10-285851 describes that the slits prevent magnetic saturation of the teeth that face parts of the iron core toward the rotation direction of the rotor. However, the publication No. 10-285851 does not describe the relationship between the existence of the slits and suppression of the torque ripple.

Permanent magnet embedment rotating electric machine, motor for car air conditioner, and enclosed electric compressor


A load transfer device and system having double safety cables permitting users to move freely and safely along elevated surfaces comprising a plurality of elongated T-shaped support brackets each having a body portion for anchoring to a support surface and a head portion for receiving a pair of equispaced cables. A load transfer device for slidable travel on the pair of cables and past the support brackets comprises a rectangular plate for receiving a lanyard, said plate having a pair of elongated hook-shaped jaws hingedly secured to each edge of the rectangular plate for receiving a safety cable therein, each said elongated hook-shaped jaw hinged to a side edge of the rectangular plate whereby the said jaw is substantially planar with the plate during no-load conditions and whereby the load transfer device can freely pass a support bracket during no-load conditions.

Safety line systems for use with horizontal life lines to protect workers from risk of injury or death from a fall when working close to a vertical face such as when washing windows of a high rise building are well known. U.K. Patent Specification No. 1,582,201 discloses a load-transfer device for use by workers in the building and mining industries which enables a load to be moved along a path and past load bearing supports. A rotatable wheel having recesses in its periphery is adapted to slide along a single safety wire and to pass the loops of a hanger secured to a support surface.
The Barrow Hepburn Sala SAYFGLIDA.TM. life line system is another fall-arrest safety sytem which allows a worker to move safely along a horizontal plane tethered to a safety line. A link attached to a harness lanyard and travelling along a support line has a longitudinal slot formed along a side for passing the arm of a support bracket.


A camera includes a lens unit and an imaging unit. The optical axis of the camera is defined as a reference line, and a central line of a shooting area including an object to be shot is defined as an imaging centerline. A shift lens is moved to a shift-lens position which corresponds to the count of pulses supplied to a servomotor of a pan/tilter, so that an object image travels along an optical path generated by the shift lens is incident on another lens, and is then incident on the imaging unit. Accordingly, the object image incident on the imaging unit does not change while the shift lens is moved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a monitoring system, a monitoring method, and an imaging apparatus used in a surveillance camera or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, monitoring systems are used for surveillance over a wide area, for example, for sea surveillance, river surveillance, monitoring of restricted areas, observation of the behavior of wild animals, etc. In monitoring systems, video cameras having an extremely large number of pixels are used in order to shoot an image of a wide area. Accordingly, there is a problem in that the systems are expensive and high costs are incurred. In order to solve this problem, a method has been proposed in which many still images are shot while successively shifting a shooting area of a camera and an image of a monitored area is obtained by connecting the still images. In this case, an image having an extremely high resolution can be obtained as the overall image, and when an enlarged view of a part of the overall image is required, a clear, high-resolution image can be obtained as the enlarged view.
In the case of shooting still images while successively shifting the shooting area of the camera, it is necessary to prevent an imaging unit from moving while an object image is being acquired. More specifically, it is necessary to stop the imaging unit each time the object image is acquired.
As shown in FIG. 14A, a camera 301 includes a lens unit 302 and an imaging unit 303. The camera 301 is moved around the center of a reference circle 304 in the horizontal plane, and the optical axis of the camera 301 is defined as a reference line 305. The lens unit 302 includes a plurality of lenses.
As shown in FIG. 14B, the camera 301 is moved stepwise in the horizontal plane and still images are successively shot at positions indicated by (1), (2), and (3).
More specifically, a still image of an object at the position indicated by (1) is acquired by the imaging unit 303 while the movement of the camera 301 is stopped, and after the image is acquired, the camera 301 is moved to the next shooting area, that is, the shooting area at the position indicated by (2). When the camera 301 reaches the shooting area at the position indicated by (2), the movement of the camera 301 is stopped and a still image of an object at the position indicated by (2) is acquired by the imaging unit 303. After the image is acquired, the camera 301 is moved to the shooting area at the position indicated by (3). When the camera 301 reaches the shooting area at the position indicated by (3), the movement of the camera 301 is stopped and a still image of an object at the position indicated by (3) is acquired by the imaging unit 303. After the image is acquired, the camera 301 is moved to the next shooting area. The above-described processes are repeated to obtain many still images.
In this system, it is strongly required to reduce the time for shooting the still images. However, according to known techniques, in order to reduce the time cycle at which the still images are acquired, it is necessary to reduce the time for taking each still image and increase the moving speed of the camera.
When the time for taking each of the still images is reduced, that is, when a shutter speed is increased, although an image corresponding to an instantaneous angle of view can be obtained, sufficient amount of light cannot be obtained when the shutter speed exceeds a certain limit. When the amount of light is insufficient, only dark and dull images can be obtained.
In addition, when the moving speed of the camera is increased, the shutter speed must be necessarily increased, and the above-described problem occurs in that sufficient amount of light cannot be obtained when the speed exceeds a certain limit. In addition, since the camera must be quickly moved to a desired position and then be stopped, there is also a problem in that high-accuracy motors are necessary and high costs are incurred.
In addition, another method is known in which an optical path along which an object image travels is changed in accordance with the movement of the camera so that the object image incident on the imaging unit does not change even while the camera is being moved. In this case, the lens unit of the camera includes an optical-path changing element which changes the optical path. When the camera moves, the displacement of the camera is detected by an acceleration sensor or an angular-velocity sensor, and the optical-path changing element is controlled on the basis of the detected displacement so that the object image incident on the imaging unit does not change.
However, the acceleration sensor or the angular velocity sensor and a feedback circuit are necessary to control the optical-path changing element, and cumbersome design work is required.

Monitoring system, monitoring method, and imaging apparatus


The present invention relates to a novel strain of Bacillus sp. D747 (deposited as FERM BP-8234) and methods for controlling plant diseases and insect pests, comprising administering cultures of Bacillus sp. D747 (including the viable bacteria) or viable bacteria isolated by culturing, on the plant parts such as roots, stems, leaves, seeds, and the like, or in the culture soil.

As examples of methods for controlling plant diseases and pests, mention may be made of physical control methods and field husbandry control methods which employ crop rotation or solar heating, chemical control methods using agrichemicals, control methods utilizing disease-resistant varieties, biological control methods using attenuated viruses or antagonistic microorganisms on pathogenic fungi, and the like. Among these methods, research and development for agrichemicals and particularly organo-synthetic fungicides have been significantly improved in recent years, and many agents having high potency and exhibiting various effects are continuously being developed. Furthermore, various application methods have also been provided. The chemical control methods using these have greatly contributed to controlling plant diseases, saving labor in controlling operations, and the like, and have been widely employed. However, recently, it is observed in some crop plants and diseases that controlling effects provided by chemical control methods are reduced due to the appearance of so-called chemical-resistant pests, and this has become a problem. In addition, as a result of continuous cropping forced by spreading of monocultures, outbreaks of infectious diseases via soil, which are believed to be difficult to control with agrichemicals, have become a serious problem in various locations. Furthermore, in methods in which large amounts of agrichemicals are repeatedly employed, chemical substances, which are not naturally present, are released into the environment. For this reason, it has been understood that not only chemicals which are directly toxic to animals and plants, but also non-toxic chemicals, can cause adverse effects on the environment.
As described above, the control of diseases with agrichemicals is highly likely to reduce controlling effects due to the appearance of resistant pests. In this case, it is necessary to develop new fungicides. In addition, with respect to controlling diseases which are believed to be difficult to control with agrichemicals, alternative means or means used together with other methods must be implemented. In addition, it is desired that a control technique which is safer in view of the environment be established.
Recently, in light of these circumstances, controlling methods depending on the use of agrichemicals are being reconsidered, and biological control methods utilizing microorganisms (so-called biological control agents) which are believed to be safer for the environment compared with agrichemicals have been proposed, and some of these have been put to practical use.
In research for biological control of plant diseases, utilization of attenuated viruses, utilization of attenuated pathogenic or non-pathogenic type microorganisms of pathogenic microbes, utilization of antagonistic microorganisms, and the like, have been attempted. Among these, there is much research on utilization of antagonistic microorganisms. In addition, there are many reports on research for controlling diseases among the antagonistic microorganisms in the genus Bacillus. However, the genus Bacillus has not been found to exhibit effects for controlling a broad spectrum of diseases.


The present invention is based upon the surprising discovery that a 5-carbon compound selected from the group of 4-oxopentanoic acid, at least one lactone of 4-oxopentanoic acid, and combinations thereof, may be hydrogenated with a bimetallic catalyst of a noble metal in combination with a second metal and preserve the pendant methyl group. It was further unexpectedly discovered that the same conditions of bimetallic catalyst in the presence of hydrogen are useful for catalyzing the different intermediate reactions for example angelicalactone to gamma-valerolactone and gamma-valerolactone to 1,4-pentanediol. Finally, it was surprising that levulinic acid could be converted to 2-methyltetrahydrofuran with heating in the presence of the bimetallic catalyst and hydrogen in a single process vessel. The method of the present invention unexpectedly produced a fuel or fuel component having 2-methyltetrahydrofuran either in a yield greater than 4.5 mol % or in combination with alcohols.

Levulinic acid is a well-known product of hexose acid hydrolysis 1,2!, it being formed in a 72/28 ratio with formic acid. Numerous attempts have been made of the past century to commercially produce levulinic acid, but its utilization on a large scale has never been accomplished. All current production is apparently limited to small operations in Europe and Japanese production was reported as recently as 1975. Developers in Florida 3! in the 1980s used levulinic acid derivatives, both 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (MTHF) and angelicalactone, as fuel blending agents, which is supported by single engine test stand data. Accordingly, levulinic acid conversion to MTHF is useful as a fuel or fuel additive. In addition, it may be useful for making polymer fibers.
Because levulinic acid may be inexpensively obtained from cellulose, for example pulp waste and/or agricultural waste, there is motivation to find an economic way of converting the levulinic acid to MTHF.
Direct production of MTHF from levulinic acid is not reported in the literature except as a minor byproduct 4!. Copper-chromium oxide was used to catalyze the hydrogenation in a two stage manner at 245.degree. C. and 300.degree. C. and required about 80 minutes. The reaction yielded 11% gamma-valerolactone and 44% 1,4-pentanediol with a 22% yield of a water byproduct with the "odor of a alpha-methyl tetrahydrofuran", but no quantitative analysis of the water byproduct was reported, (estimated 4.5 mol % yield of MTHF in the water byproduct).
However, there has been extensive reporting of processing of levulinic acid and its derivatives which eventually leads to MTHF production. There are two pathways of interest, first beginning with a dehydration step via angelicalactone, and the second beginning with hydrogenation of the levulinic acid to the 4-hydroxypentanoic acid (HPA)(aka hydroxyvaleric acid). The pathway through angelicalactone was proposed by the Floridians 3!, but no actual production of MTHF was reported. The hydrogenation path proceeding through HPA has been tested and the results reported in many publications with various final products indicated.
The dehydration of levulinic acid to angelicalactone is easily accomplished by simple heating of levulinic acid to about 160.degree. C., acid promotes the dehydration, and distillation of the products at atmospheric or reduced pressure of about 10 to 50 mm Hg 3,5,6! (FIG. 1). Angelicalactone and water products separate in the collector. The resulting angelicalactone can be catalytically hydrogenated to 1,4-pentanediol (PDO) using barium-stabilized copper-chromite catalyst at 240.degree. C. 6!. The PDO is readily converted to the MTHF by a dehydration reaction 7! (FIG. 2) owing to the thermal instability of the PDO. The acid-promoted reaction is accomplished in a similar manner to the formation of the angelicalactone from levulinic acid, i.e., by heating of the PDO in the presence of acid and the simple distillation of the MTHF product at 76.degree.-80.degree. C. A more recent version is the processing with Nafion.RTM.-H (Tradename of EI DuPont, Wilmington, Del.) resin in which a 90% yield was obtained within 5 hr at 135.degree. C. 8!.
Catalytic hydrogenation of levulinic acid has been reported to produce a number of different products dependent upon the catalyst and conditions. These differences result from the variations in processing severity and the resulting extent of progress down a sequential pathway shown in FIG. 3. Levulinic acid is reduced to HPA which readily dehydrates to .gamma.-valerolactone (GVL). GVL is hydrogenated to 1,4-pentanediol (PDO) which dehydrates to MTHF. Side products include pentanoic (aka valeric) acid and 1-pentanol.
Early published results claim the recovery of HPA after reduction of levulinic acid with the catalyst sodium amalgam, nickel catalyzed hydrogenation in the vapor phase at 250.degree. C. and electrocatalytically from an alkaline solution 10!. More recent studies claim the formation of the HPA product by hydrogenation using sodium metal in NaOH-ethanol solution at ambient conditions (60% yield after 4 hr) 10!, or Raney nickel in aqueous alkali at 75.degree. C. up to 250.degree. C. with 2500 psig over pressure of hydrogen (84.1% yield after 27 min) 11!, but in both cases the GVL product was recovered after dehydration of the HPA. A more recent study with Raney nickel at 10 to 90.degree. C. in aqueous alkali without added hydrogen 12! showed a combined product of HPA and GVL at conversions of 53 to 65% after 1 hour.
Catalytic production of the GVL from levulinic acid has been investigated by several groups. Schutte and Thomas 13! developed an hydrogenation process using platinum oxide catalyst in an organic solution of the levulinic acid. They were concerned with decomposition of the GVL at higher temperatures (above 160.degree. C.) 14! and questioned earlier reports of high temperature production 16!. Their studies showed a solvent effect on the room temperature reduction at 2-3 atm hydrogen over-pressure. A yield of 87% was achieved in ethyl ether after 44 hr of reaction. Reaction in acetic acid or ethanol proceeded more slowly with only 48% and 52% yield, respectively, after the 44 hr. These results compliment the work of Jacobs and Scott 15! who found that GVL was unreactive over platinum oxide in ethanol solution. Similar tests showed that AL was hydrogenated to GVL in this system.
A process for hydrogenation of levulinic acid was later patented wherein the catalysis is done in the neat liquid phase with a nickel catalyst at 900 psig hydrogen and 175.degree.-200.degree. C. 16!. The basis for the patent is found in a later article 4! where the results are given as 94% yield of GVL after 3 hr at 100.degree. C. up to 220.degree. C. and an initial hydrogen pressure of 700 psig with Raney nickel. Also reported in that article is the use of copper-chromite catalyst to produce a complex product of 11% GVL, 44% PDO and 22% of water solution possibly containing MTHF. The process was completed over a temperature range of 190.degree. C. up to 300.degree. C. over 80 min of reaction time. The reaction was performed in neat liquid phase at 267 atm pressure (200 atm hydrogen initial pressure). This is the first report of the MTHF byproduct, although its ready formation from PDO by thermal decomposition/dehydration 4! explains its presence. Christian et al. contrast their result with the earlier report 17! of direct reduction of the ketone functional group in GVL and other lactones to produce MTHF and related furans. Also reported is a second process using Raney nickel catalyst at less severe conditions (100 atm initial hydrogen pressure and 273.degree. C. reaction temperature) which produced 62% GVL and 21% PDO.
Two later papers describe rhenium catalysts for hydrogenation of levulinic acid to GVL. Rhenium black produced by in-situ reduction from rhenium heptoxide was used to produce a 71% yield of GVL from neat levulinic acid after 18 hr at 106.degree. C. and 150 atm pressure 18!. The balance of the product is described as polymeric esters. It is noted in the text that those hydrogenations run in anhydrous acids always resulted in some by-product ester formation; those run in water solvent gave markedly reduced ester formation, or in most cases no ester formation. In related experiments with acetic acid, the in-situ rhenium catalyst was found to be the only effective catalyst (at only 150.degree. C.) with platinum oxide, copper-chromite and nickel all inactive at temperatures of 250.degree.-300.degree. C. Another form of rhenium, Re(IV) oxide hydrate generated from ammonium perrhenate by reduction with zinc in H.sub.2 SO.sub.4, was also shown to have useful catalytic properties. Levulinic acid was converted 100% to GVL at 152.degree. C. and 200 atm pressure after 12 hr 19!.
Related literature of interest deals with the hydrogenation of GVL. Hydrogenation of GVL over copper-chromite catalyst was described at 250.degree. C. and 200-300 atm pressure 20!. The yield was 78.5% PDO and 8.1% 1-pentanol. In a later study 4! using a copper-chromite catalyst, up to 83% yield of PDO was achieved at 240.degree.-260.degree. C. In tests at higher temperature, 270.degree.-290.degree. C., PDO yields dropped to 32%, and an undisclosed amount of MTHF was found in a low-boiling product fraction.
More recent studies have focused on homogeneous catalysis of the hydrogenation steps. Joo et al. describe both ruthenium 21! and rhodium 22! complexes which can hydrogenate levulinic acid at low temperature (60.degree. C.) in aqueous solutions. However, no indication of products is given. A more interesting study has identified GVL as the product from levulinic acid when using ruthenium iodocarbonyl complexes 23!. These complexes converted 85-100% of the levulinic acid to GVL in 8 hr @ 150.degree. C. Other results with ruthenium triphenylphosphine complexes also show activity for the hydrogenation of levulinic acid to GVL, up to 99% conversion and 86% yield after 24 hr @ 180.degree. C. 24!, but these function in toluene solution and are not stable in water.
Although the literature describes useful processes for conversion of levulinic acid to MTHF, the processes require multiple steps with different catalysts and disparate operating conditions. Homogeneous catalysis has also been reported, but economic processing is not likely for the usual reasons of precious metal catalyst regeneration and recovery.
None of the prior art processes produced MTHF in a concentration or yield greater than about 4.5 mol %. Accordingly, there is a need for a fuel or fuel component of MTHF having a concentration greater than 4.5 mol %.
Further, there is a need in the art for a simpler conversion of levulinic acid to MTHF.

Hydrogenated 5-carbon compound and method of making


The present invention relates to a process for synthesis of flyash based Zeolite-A, said process comprising grinding and mixing of flyash and caustic soda in a ratio of 1:1.2 and optionally adding sodium aluminate or aluminium hydroxide to obtain a fine homogeneous fusion mixture; heating the said mixture in an inert vessel at about 500-600.degree. C. for about 1-2 hrs. to obtain a fused mass; cooling, milling, and mixing the said fused mass in distilled water for about 8-10 hrs. with simultaneous optional additon of sodium aluminate or alum solution, in the present or absence of NaC1 followed by optional addition of zeolite-A seeding to obtain amorphous alumino -silicate slurry; subjecting the said slurry to hydrothermal crystallisation at about 90-110.degree. C. for 2 to 4 hrs. to obtain Zeolite-A crystals; and washing the said crystals with water and then subjecting the washed crystals to oven drying at about 50-60.degree. C. to obtain the FAZ-A crystals.

Molecular sieves of the crystalline zeolite type are well known in the art and now comprise over 250 species of both naturally occurring and synthetic compositions. In general, the crystalline zeolites are aluminosilicates whose frameworks are formed from AlO.sub.4 and SiO.sub.4 tetrahedral joined by the oxygen atoms and characterized by having pore openings of uniform dimensions, having significant ion-exchange capacity and being capable of reversibly desorbing an adsorbed phase which is dispersed through the internal voids of the crystal, without displacing any atoms which make up the permanent crystal structure.
In the prior knowledge, the method of preparation of Zeolite-A phase is generally known from sodium silicate/aluminate and from kaolinite. The smallest building units of Zeolite-A are tetrahedral in which a central metal ion like Sl.sup.4+ or Al.sup.3+ is tetrahedrally surrounded by four oxygen atoms. This way, the sodalite unit is formed which is composed of 24 tetrahedra. If sodalite units are linked together at their six quadratic planes via quadratic prisms, the structure of Zeolite-A is formed. It contains large cages, with a near spherical shape and free diameter of 1.14 nm. Each of this cages is connected with six neighboring cages via-8 membered rings (8-MR) or windows with a crystallagraphic diameter of 0.41 nm. Actually, the effective diameter and hence, the critical pore width of Zeolite-A can be manipulated by proper choice of the nature of the cations which are required to compensate the negative lattice charge brought about by each AlO4.sup.2- tetrahedron. The effective pore width of zeolite Na-A is 0.4 nm. The general chemical formula of the synthetically produced, anhydrous, porous, Zeolite-A expressed in terms of moles may be as follows: 1.0.+-.0.2 Na.sub.2 O:Al.sub.3 O.sub.2 :nSiO.sub.2 wherein n has a value from 1 to 1.5 These are commercially more useful as adjuvants or detergent builders as they have proven high exchange capacity.
The detergents used in the household, in commercial establishments and in industry, frequently contain large quantities of condensed phosphates, particularly tripolyphosphates. These are provided to sequester the hardness formers of water and are responsible, to a great extent, for increasing the cleaning power of the capillary active washing substances. The phosphate content of these agents leads to environmental problem viz. eutrophication and hence restrictions on these have been imposed in many countries, throughout the world. A solution to this is set forth with the development of a process for synthesis of economically viable material (FAZ-A) which can be a potential substitute for phosphates in detergents.
Use of flyash as a raw material for production of zeolites would provide an inexpensive alternate to commercially available zeolites (as the process involves replacement of conventional alumina and silica sources with flyash) with concomitant resolution of flyash disposal problems. Special emphasis has been given to synthesis of detergent grade Zeolite-4A from flyash as this particular zeolite is the most suitable substitute for conventional phosphatic detergent builder. Although extensive literature on synthetic methods of Zeolites (Kessler, H, 9th Proc. Inst. Zeo Cong. 1,-73-125, 1992 Dwyer, J. Chem Ind., 7,258-269, 1984 Bhattacharya, A. Das, J., Mitra, S. and Ray, S. K. J. Chem Tech Biotech., 54, 399-407, 1992) using salts of silicates, phosphates/aluminates, clay and clay minerals are available; use of waste materials to synthesize zeolites have not received much attention. Hydrothermal synthesis of kaolinite from blast furnace slag has been reported (Miyawaki, Ritsuo, Tomwa, Shimji, Inukai, Kogaku, 34(1)11-12, 1994 (Japanese). - Harvath,l Gyulo and Sasvari Judit, Kahazt, 127(2), 78-81, 1994) which is a precursor for zeolite synthesis. Formation of sodiumaluminate-silicate hydrates in the Bayer's liquor has been reported recently (Harvath, Gyulo and Sasvari Judit, Kahazi, 127(2), 78-81, 1994), while synthesis of zeolite form waste water treatment sludges and incineration ashes have also been reproted (Sawazaki, Tesuo, Jpn, Kokai Tokkya, JP 06,239, 612 Aug. 30, 1994 Sawazaki, Tetsuo. Jpon Kokai Tokkya Kohio, JP 06, 256-012 Sep. 12, 1994)
In particular, use of flyash to synthesize zeloltes have been attempted by a very few researchers. Pioneering research in the field of zeolite detergency has been initiated by Schwuger et al. Zeolites have been used a phosphate substitute in laundry detergents on a large scale in USA, Japan and Germany. For example, Procter and Gamble Co. marketed "Tide", a heavy duty powder detergent in USA, while leading detergent "Top" marketed by Lion corporation was reformulated to phosphate-free zeolite built product in Japan. In Germany, Henkel KGaA has introduced zeolite based detergent brand "Prodixan" while "Henko" a new product based on zeolite formulation has recently been marked in India.
It is also believed that leading companies like Procter and Gamble and Hindustan Lever are already using zeolites in some of their formulation in India. Recently, work has been published by Bhat emphasizing the use of zeolite as a versatile detergent builder.
In general, zeolite synthetics from flyash involves alkaline treatment using caustic soda solution (NaOH) at temperature of 80-100.degree. C. Most previous studies (Singer, Arich, Berkagat, Vadium, Env. Sci & Technol 29(9), 1748-53, 1995 Cheng-Fang, Lin and Hsing-chang His, Env., Sci & Technol 29, 1109-1117, 1995) evaluated conversion of flyash to zeolite like materials under ambient pressure conditions and did not properly explore the factors affecting zeolite formation. The direct treatment of flyash using caustic soda (NaOH) solution requires prolonged hydrothermal treatment for 24-48 hrs and is an energy intensive step. This is a major disadvantage and has been overcome in the invention by using optimised fusion step. The direct treatment of flyash with caustic soda (NaCH) solution also favours the formation of sodalite which is an undesirable component for detergent formulations. In addition, it has high fraction of unreacted flyash and the yield of zeolite phases is significantly low. In particular, Zeolite. A formation is negligible without modification of SiO.sub.2 /Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 ratio in the reaction mixture by way of alumina addition.

Process for the synthesis of flyash based Zeolite-A

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research


The present invention is a system for repairing asphalt. The system includes a discrete quantity of an asphalt repair composition located within a container and an induction heater. The composition is a combination of an asphalt binder, aggregate particles, and induction particles. The average diameter of the induction particles ranges from approximately 10% above to approximately 10% below an average diameter of the aggregate particles used in the composition. The induction heater heats the composition within the container by generating a magnetic field that penetrates the container. The magnetic field creates eddy currents in the induction particles. These eddy currents in turn heat the composition. Because the induction particles are distributed throughout the composition, the composition heats rapidly.

Military and civilian runways can incur sudden damage due to the impact of planes. This damage can include potholes, fissures and other surface irregularities. These surface defects can cause accidents when the relatively small wheels of a landing plane come into contact with them. Unanticipated repairs to prevent damage to planes can compromise military missions and disrupt civilian flights due to cancellations and diversions to safer landing areas.
Conventional methods of repairing asphalt concrete runways require heating of asphalt repair composition to allow the material to flow and compact to level the defective area. The heating process takes several hours, during which time runaways must be completely or partially closed. However, due to the time sensitive nature of military airfield traffic, repair crews may not have time for the composition to heat. Various attempts have been made in the art to use cold compositions to save time. However, cold compositions do not compact properly, and areas repaired in this manner develop deep ruts. While cold compositions may provide temporary repairs, they are unsuitable for extended use or use in a high-traffic area.
There is an unmet need for a composition suitable for rapid asphalt repair during mission critical military operations to avoid damage to military planes, and during commercial airline service to avoid damage to civilian planes, as well as injury to passengers.

Performance grade asphalt repair composition

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY


Provided is a communication control device that controls radio communication conducted by a terminal device according to a time-division duplex (TDD) scheme on a radio communication network, the communication control device including a configuration section that configures, for each frame that includes a plurality of subframes, a link direction configuration expressing a link direction per subframe for the radio communication. The configuration section configures a timing of control signaling in a second link direction which is associated with data transmission in a first link direction in the radio communication, and which is opposite to the first link direction, independently of the configured link direction configuration.

Recently, a high-speed cellular radio communication scheme called Long Term Evolution (LTE) is being practically implemented. The LTE scheme is categorized into the FD-LTE scheme and the TD-LTE scheme, on the basis of differences in the duplex scheme. The FD-LTE scheme adopts frequency-division duplex (FDD) as the duplexing scheme, with the uplink and the downlink being operated on mutually different frequency bands. The TD-LTE scheme adopts time-division duplex (TDD) as the duplexing scheme, with the uplink and the downlink being operated on the same frequency band. Both the FD-LTE scheme and the TD-LTE scheme use a frame format in which one radio frame (having a duration of 10 ms) is made up of 10 subframes each having a duration of 1 ms. In the FD-LTE scheme, the link direction does not change over time on the same frequency band, whereas in the TD-LTE scheme, the link direction may change per subframe.
In the TD-LTE scheme, a set of link directions per subframe for each radio frame (that is, a combination of the link directions of 10 subframes) is designated the link direction configuration (or the UL-DL configuration). According to Non-Patent Literature 1, seven types of link direction configurations from Configuration 0 to Configuration 6 are defined. A radio base station (designated eNB in the LTE scheme) signals to a terminal device (designated UE in the LTE scheme) by broadcasting the link direction configuration configured for each radio frame in a system information block type 1 (SIB1). In the current standard specification, the update cycle of the link direction configuration conducted using the SIB1 is 640 ms. Non-Patent Literature 2 proposes shortening this cycle to 320 ms.
In the case of updating the link direction configuration on a short cycle, a problem arises in that link direction collisions frequently occur between the two link direction configurations pre-update and post-update, as described in Non-Patent Literature 3. Link direction collisions cause loss in data transmission and control signaling at the timings when a collision occurs, lowering communication throughput. Non-Patent Literature 3 describes two cases in which link direction collisions may invite lowered throughput: the case of an acknowledgement (ACK) and a negative acknowledgement (NACK) of a downlink transmission, and the case of an uplink grant (UL grant) preceding an uplink transmission. As a solution to this problem, Non-Patent Literature 3 proposes a technique that dynamically modifies the ACK/NACK or uplink grant timing in the case of determining that a link direction collision has occurred.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Communication control device, communication control method, terminal device, program, and communication control system


This invention refers to the traction lugs of reinforced elastomeric endless traction bands, and more particularly to those which are used on heavy vehicles like defense vehicles or for skid steer vehicles. More specifically, the invention relates to traction lugs which are angled with respect to the transversal axis of the traction band and preferably disposed in chevrons, which optimize the band's traction while reducing the occurrences of teeth skipping and the level of vibrations and noise induced by the interaction of the traction band with the sprocket.

Heavy tracked vehicles and skid steer vehicles benefit from numerous advantages coming from the use of bands when traction is needed, when compared to the sole use of wheels. One of the most important advantages is the provision of a better traction on all types of soil: rocky, uneven, muddy or covered with snow, etc. When traction is ensured via the use of a band, a sprocket usually transmits mechanical power from the engine to the traction band, which in turns transmits this power to the ground to provide movement to the vehicle. Therefore, the traction band's efficiency greatly relies on the interaction between the sprocket and the band, and more particularly, on the meshing of the drive lugs with the sprocket.
For metallic tracks, this interaction is extremely solid since the sprocket engages in the band according to the chain drive principle. The meshing efficiency of the sprocket with metallic bands benefits from the high strength and rigidity of steel. However, metallic tracks have drawbacks (high overhaul costs, damages to the ground, weight, noise, etc.) which led to the development of the reinforced elastomeric traction band technology.
By minimizing these drawbacks, the use of elastomeric materials for traction bands generated other problems which particularly concern the meshing of the sprocket and the traction band. These problems include teeth skipping, detracking and they are, among other reasons, attributable to the high elasticity of elastomeric materials.
In order to diminish the occurrences of these problems, it is possible to rigidify the elastomeric material by thickening the drive lugs. However, this solution is limited by the increased interference occurrences when a thickened drive lug meshes with its corresponding sprocket cavity. When the meshing occurs, it must be understood that the traction lug of the band must necessarily have a shape which allows the transit of the lug from a linear motion to a circular motion, in order to obtain a maximal traction. In fact, the ideal meshing process would be obtained if there were no friction nor interference.
Similar principles were applied for the development of the elastomeric traction band designed for defense or skid steer vehicles. It has been found that a similar traction lug profile seems to offer a worthwhile solution to such vehicles, since in usual driving conditions (constant speed on a flat ground), the induced tension in the traction band allows the preservation of a firm contact between the traction lugs and the sprocket.
However, these ideal conditions are rarely encountered by such vehicles equipped with elastomeric traction bands, especially since they are often subject to frequent and brutal accelerations and decelerations, and because they very often ride on inclined and irregular terrains. Thus, those extreme operating conditions, generating large tangential forces transmitted to the traction lugs by the sprocket, sometimes cause the deformation (crushing or stretching) of the traction lugs meshed in the sprocket, therefore changing the actual distance between consecutives lugs (pitch variation). The bench test measurements and the numerical simulations we have done show that the pitch variations can go up to ¼ inch for a lug pitch of 3 to 5 inches. These pitch variations induce important interferences and friction forces between the lug-sprocket assembly which, when combined to a tension decrease in the traction band, are sufficient to generate radial forces which can initiate de-tracking occurrences and teeth skipping. In these conditions and for those instances, it is not possible to solve this problem by modifying the lug profile or thickening the traction lugs.
It was suggested in the prior art to use exterior lug profiles on elastomeric traction bands not perpendicularly oriented with respect to the longitudinal axis of the traction band. For instance, see U.S. Pat. No. 6,068,354 (Akiyama et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,438 (Tsunoda et al.). However, no prior art uses or even suggests the utilization of traction band with traction lugs configured in a chevron pattern or otherwise not parallel to the longitudinal axis of the traction band.


An imaging head faces an imaging surface and is relatively moved along the scanning surface in a predetermined scanning direction. The imaging head includes an imaging element group and an alteration section. The imaging element group is structured by a plurality of imaging elements, which are arranged two-dimensionally in a plane substantially parallel to the imaging surface. The imaging element group generates a group of image pixels at the imaging surface in a two-dimensional arrangement which is inclined, as a whole, at a predetermined inclination angle with respect to the scanning direction. The alteration section alters a number of image pixels in a direction which is inclined from the scanning direction by the inclination angle, on the basis of a difference between the predetermined inclination angle of the imaging element group and an actual inclination angle of the image pixel group.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging head, an imaging device and an imaging method, and particularly to an imaging head which relatively moves, with respect to an imaging surface, in a predetermined direction along the imaging surface, an imaging device which is equipped with this imaging head, and an imaging method which employs this imaging head.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, as examples of imaging devices, various exposure apparatuses which employ spatial light modulation elements such as digital micromirror devices (DMD) for implementing image exposure with light beams modulated in accordance with image data have been proposed.
An example of a DMD is a mirror device in which a plurality of micromirrors, which alter angles of reflection surfaces thereof in accordance with control signals, are arranged in a two-dimensional arrangement of L columns by M rows on a semiconductor support of silicon or the like. Practical exposure can be implemented by scanning the DMD in a certain direction along an exposure surface.
Generally, the micromirrors of a DMD are arranged such that directions of alignment of the respective columns intersect with directions of alignment of the respective rows. By disposing such a DMD to be inclined with respect to a scanning direction, a spacing of scanning lines at a time of scanning can be made tighter, and resolution can be raised. For example, Japanese National Publication No. 2001-521672 discloses that resolution can be raised, in an illumination system which guides light toward sub-regions (spatial light modulation elements) which are equipped with a plurality of light valves, by inclining these sub-regions with respect to projections thereof onto scanning lines.
However, fine adjustment of respective inclination angles of spatial light modulation elements is generally difficult, and the inclination angles will vary slightly from ideal angles. The spatial light modulation elements implement scanning, for example, row by row (or in units of a number of rows). However, when the above-mentioned variation occurs, the spacing of a pitch between rows when moving from a row to a next row becomes irregular, and unevenness in images is caused by gaps and/or overlaps.
In order to prevent such unevenness of images, it is considered that accuracy of the inclination angles of the spatial light modulation elements should be improved. However, production costs increase when improvements in accuracy are sought.
Similar problems can occur not only with imaging heads that employ spatial light modulation elements, but also with, for example, inkjet recording heads which implement imaging by ejecting ink droplets at an imaging surface.

Imaging head, imaging device and imaging method


The present invention relates to an airbag assembly comprising: a folded airbag adapted to be inflated and deployed into a passenger compartment upon detection of a collision, a chute for guiding the airbag when it is inflated, the chute extending between the folded airbag and a deployment opening, wherein the chute widens into a side direction.

The present invention relates to the field of airbag safety systems, and more particularly to an airbag assembly.
Airbag safety systems have come into widespread use in automotive vehicles and trucks. For example, a modern car can have various airbags, such as a driver airbag, passenger airbag, knee airbags, side airbags and/or other airbags.
Such airbag systems comprise an inflatable cushion, commonly referred to as an 'airbag' which is stored folded in a storage receptacle and then very rapidly inflated, as with gas from a pyrotechnic gas generator, when a collision of the vehicle is detected by sensors. The airbag is thereby deployed in a position to absorb the impact of the driver or a passenger.
One or more airbag deployment doors normally overlie the airbag receptacle and are forced open when the airbag is inflated to allow deployment of the airbag through the opening created by the door panel movement.
It is critical that the airbag deploys within milliseconds of activation of the airbag system in order to protect the occupant. However, the inflating airbag can exercise a considerable force onto the occupant. This causes a concern for child safety when the airbag deploys into a forward facing child safety seat. In such instances, the airbag may cause considerable harm or even death to the front facing child.
To prevent such harm some prior art airbag safety systems have an airbag deactivation switch. By means of the airbag deactivation switch the airbag safety system can be switched off in order to prevent deployment of the airbag when a collision is detected. This allows placing a child in front of an airbag. However, there is still a residual risk in case the driver has inadvertently forgotten to switch off the airbag system when the child is placed in front of the airbag. Another risk of such systems is that the airbag needs to be reactivated when an adult is placed in front of the airbag which may also be forgotten by the driver.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,846,012 shows a child seat sensor assembly. Upon sensing the presence of a child seat, a control signal is sent to the vehicle control system in order to limit or prevent deployment of the airbag. However, this system requires a special child safety seat.
The invention aims to provide an improved airbag assembly that reduces the maximum force impaled to an occupant in order to reduce the risk of injury, especially when the occupant is a child.


A method of providing a conformal layer of TiSi.sub.x atop a semiconductor wafer within a chemical vapor deposition reactor includes the following steps: a) positioning a wafer within the reactor; b) injecting selected quantities of gaseous Ti(NR.sub.2).sub.4 precursor, gaseous silane and a carrier gas to within the reactor, where R is selected from the group consisting of H and a carbon containing radical, the quantities of Ti(NR.sub.2).sub.4 precursor and silane being provided in a volumetric ratio of Ti(NR.sub.2).sub.4 to silane of from 1:300 to 1:10, the quantity of carrier gas being from about 50 sccm to about 2000 sccm and comprising at least one noble gas; and c) maintaining the reactor at a selected pressure and a selected temperature which are effective for reacting the precursor and silane to deposit a film on the wafer, the film comprising a mixture of TiSi.sub.x and TiN, the selected temperature being from about 100.degree. C. to about 500.degree. C., and the selected pressure being from about 150 mTorr to about 100 Torr.

In the processing of integrated circuits, electrical contact must be made to isolated active-device regions formed within a wafer/substrate. The active-device regions are connected by high electrically conductive paths or lines which are fabricated above an insulator material, which covers the substrate surface. To provide electrical connection between the conductive path and active-device regions, an opening in the insulator is provided to enable the conductive film to contact the desired regions. Such openings are typically referred to as contact openings, or simply "contacts".
As transistor active area dimensions approached one micron in diameter, conventional process parameters resulted in intolerable increased resistance between the active region or area and the conductive layer. A principal way of reducing such contact resistance is by formation of a metal silicide atop the active area prior to application of the conductive film for formation of the conductive runner. One common metal silicide material formed is TiSi.sub.x, where x is predominately "2". The TiSi.sub.x material is provided by first applying a thin layer of titanium atop the wafer which contacts the active areas within the contact openings. Thereafter, the wafer is subjected to a high temperature anneal. This causes the titanium to react with the silicon of the active area, thus forming the TiSi.sub.x. Such a process is said to be self-aligning, as the TiSi.sub.x is only formed where the titanium metal contacts the silicon active regions. The applied titanium film everywhere else overlies an insulative, and substantially non-reactive SiO.sub.2 layer.
Such is illustrated in FIG. 1. Shown is a semiconductor wafer 10 comprised of a bulk substrate 12 having an active area 14 formed therein. An overlying layer 16 of insulating material, predominantly SiO.sub.2 in the form of BPSG, has been provided atop substrate 12 and appropriately etched to form a contact opening 18 to active area 14. A thin layer 20 of titanium is applied over insulating layer 16 and contacts active area 14. The high temperature anneal step is conducted in an inert environment, such as argon, to react titanium metal contacting active region 14 into TiSi.sub.x, thereby forming the illustrated TiSi.sub.x region 22. The remaining portion of layer 20 not contacting region 14 is substantially nonreactive with its underlying insulating SiO.sub.2 layer 16, and thereby remains as elemental titanium metal.
A contact filling material, such as tungsten, is typically applied atop silicide region 22. Tungsten adheres poorly to TiSi.sub.x. To overcome this problem, an intervening layer typically of TiN is interposed between silicide region 22 and an overlying tungsten layer. TiN is commonly referred to as a "glue layer" for the metal tungsten layer. Such can be provided by annealing wafer 10 with titanium layer 20 in an atmosphere which is predominantly nitrogen. Under such conditions, the lower portion of layer 20 overlying active region 14 will react with the silicon to form the TiSi.sub.x, while the upper portion of layer 20 of the titanium over contact area 14 and the remaining portion of layer 20 over insulating material 16 reacts with the nitrogen of the atmosphere to form TiN.
From this point, the predominate conductive material of the runner to be formed is applied. The silicide region 22 which is formed is highly conductive, and provides less electrical resistance between the runner and active area 14 than were silicide region 22 not present. Formation of such silicides, and titanium silicide in particular, are described in Wolf, et al., "Silicon Processing For The VLSI Era, Vol. 2--Process Integration," pages 143-150.
As device dimensions continue to shrink and the contact openings become deeper and narrower, contact walls become vertical and most of the metal deposition techniques fail to provide the necessary step coverage to create adequate contact with the active area 14. Such is illustrated in FIG. 2. There, active area 14a of substrate 12a is shown significantly smaller than active area 14 in FIG. 1. Correspondingly, a significantly narrower contact opening 18a is provided to active area 14, thereby maximizing circuit density. As is apparent, the ratio of the depth of contact opening 18a relative to its width is greater than the ratio of the depth to the width of contact opening 18 in FIG. 1. Such narrow, high aspect ratio contact openings 18a can result in layer 20a failing to make significant contact with region 14a, as shown. Accordingly, the desired TiSi.sub.x and electrical contact are not formed.
It would be desirable to overcome these drawbacks of the prior art and provide a positive TiSi.sub.x region atop active areas 14 and 14a.

Chemical vapor deposition technique for depositing titanium silicide on semiconductor wafers


Methods, systems and computer program products for maintaining components of networked nodes with distributed data dependencies are described. For example, in accordance with one or more embodiments, a method can comprise identifying, by a device comprising a processor, in a group of dependent nodes of a cluster of nodes, a first portion of the dependent nodes for which an update is implicated. The method can further comprise selecting, by the device, from the first portion, a second portion of the dependent nodes that are predicted to be able to be updated with the update without affecting access to data of the group of dependent nodes. Further, the method can comprise communicating, by the device, the update to the second portion of the dependent nodes.

As the use of large amounts of data by organizations increases, modern storage solutions can incorporate different approaches to scaling capacity. One approach to expansion uses distributed systems to horizontally scale capacity, e.g., add additional computing devices to a system to increase capacity, rather than upgrade the capabilities of existing systems. One of the benefits to using distributed systems is an increase in performance that can be realized based on concurrent operation of the systems, e.g., lower latency. Another benefit involves fault tolerance, e.g., individual systems can fail without affecting the entire system.
Like most computing systems, nodes of distributed systems can require periodic updates to continue operating securely, and at an acceptable level of performance. Problems can occur however, when nodes are disabled during updates. Conventional scheduling approaches however can rely on long maintenance windows of unavailability that can cause disruption for those requiring access to the distributed data stored in these systems.

Maintaining components of networked nodes with distributed data dependencies


Systems and methods for performing online spike recovery from multi-channel electrophysiological recordings in accordance with various embodiments of the invention are described. One embodiment of a method of performing online spike recovery from multi-channel electrophysiological recordings includes: determining a set of waveform templates; continuously obtaining multi-channel electrophysiological recordings using a multi-channel electrode; and automatically performing online spike recovery from the multi-channel electrophysiological recordings using a processing system that performs a method for sparse signal recovery that continuously adjusts a processing buffer size based upon newly obtained multi-channel electrophysiological recordings.

Electrophysiology remains one of the leading modalities for basic neuroscience, and has been instrumental for much of our current understanding of functioning neural circuits, particularly in behaving animals. In recent years, advancement in hardware engineering introduced technologies for electrophysiology that increased the channel count by at least an order of magnitude and unlocked simultaneous recordings from several hundreds of neurons at single cell resolution. A multi-channel electrophysiological recording system and the electrophysiological recordings obtained by it are conceptually illustrated in FIG. 1. As can readily be appreciated, the multi-channel electrophysiological recording system can obtain recordings from hundreds of neurons simultaneously. Analysis of the recordings is complicated by the tendency for signals generated by individual neurons to be recorded on multiple channels due to the dense contact spacing in the recording system. Much of the current post-processing of these types of electrophysiological recordings involves manual interaction, may be unsuitable for high channel counts or closely spaced electrode contacts, and may suffer from lengthy computational times.
At present, the viability of brain-machine-interfaces and/or closed-loop neuroscience experiments using high-density electrode arrays is hampered by the lack of efficient methods to extract spiking activity in an online fashion. Conventionally, spike sorting is performed by clustering identified spikes. This approach, however, is commonly limited to the detection of isolated spiking activity, without the capability to resolve overlapping spikes. With the introduction of high-density electrodes with increased spatial footprint the occurrence of temporally overlapping spiking activity is increasingly prevalent. Additionally, processing complexity often scales with the number of neurons and/or electrode counts and can lead to prohibitively long post-processing times in non-optimized algorithms.

Systems and methods for online spike recovery for high-density electrode recordings using convolutional compressed sensing

The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University