A method for digital-to-analog conversion of a digital signal (xd(ti)) comprises resolving the signal (xd(ti)) in the time region into intervals and successively transforming these intervals on the basis of orthogonal functions (gjd(t)). Coefficients (ajd) associated with the orthogonal functions (gjd(t)) are determined and converted from digital to analog and the signal (xa(t)) is transformed back in the analog region on the basis of analog coefficients (aj), which result therefrom, by means of orthogonal functions (hj(t)).

The invention relates to a method and a device for digital-to-analog conversion of a signal.
Apart from fast analog-to-digital converters, there is also a need for fast digital-to-analog converters for digital signal processing. Such devices or circuit arrangements for digital-to-analog conversion (called D/A conversion in the following) are used for digital signal processing in, for example, television, radio broadcasting or radio receiving technology, as D/A changers, D/A converters or D/A transformers for image signals and sound signals. In that case digital signals are, for processing, converted into analog signals.
The performance capability of digital signal processing has expanded through constantly increasing capacity of memory chips as well as increasing performance of processors at great speed. The performance capability of D/A converters with respect to resolution and bandwidth has increased substantially more slowly by comparison with components of that kind in digital signal processing. In particular, fast D/A converters are needed for direct digital frequency synthesis (abbreviated to DDS), since the performance of the fastest DDS modules currently available is limited by the D/A converter.
The invention therefore has the object of providing a method and a device for digital-to-analog conversion of a digital signal in which an improved performance capability may be possible with respect to bandwidth and resolution capability.
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a method of digital-to-analog conversion of a band-limited digital signal, in which the signal is transformed on the basis of orthogonal functions, wherein coefficients associated with the orthogonal functions and the signal are determined and these are subjected to digital-to-analog conversion and wherein the signal is transformed back in the analog region on the basis of the analog coefficients, which result therefrom, by means of orthogonal functions.
Such a method proceeds from the consideration that, instead of sequential digital-to-analog conversion of individual scanning values of a conventional D/A converter, a whole interval of the time function of the signal is processed. For that purpose, the signal time-limited to the interval is preferably described on the basis of orthogonal functions. The signal is preferably broken down into several intervals. Through limitation of the time function of the signal to the interval with subsequent transformation by means of orthogonal functions, the signal is fully determined in the digital region on the basis of digital coefficients of the orthogonal functions in equidistant or non-equidistant spacing and can be reconstructed from these coefficients. In other words, the digital signal is processed on the basis of orthogonal functions into an equation for its transform, which is then converted from digital to analog and transformed back in the original region, whereby the original function of the signal is determined in the analog region.
Expediently, the signal is limited in the time region to the interval and is represented within the interval by a sum of orthogonal functions with a presettable number of summands, wherein the coefficients, which are associated with the orthogonal functions, for the interval are determined and subjected to digital-to-analog conversion and wherein the signal is represented in the analog region by multiplication of the analog coefficients, which result therefrom, by orthogonal functions. The signal is preferably resolved into several intervals so that the signal can be represented over a large time range. In the case of band limitation of the signal, the scanning theorems are preferably followed. According to the scanning theorems, discrete values of the frequency function or time function suffice for complete description of the signal in the case of limitation of the time function or frequency function. The time function of the signal is preferably represented by development according to a complete system of orthogonal functions. The band-limited signal is fully described by a finite summation.
The achievable quality of the approximation results from the number of summands, which is discontinued in a real system after a finite number. In that case, the minimum value for the number N of the summands (also termed support points) results from the scanning theorems in the time region and frequency region for time-limited and band-limited signals. The number of summands N is preferably determined by the equation:                     N        =                  T          τ                                    (        1        )
wherein T=length of the interval in the time region and xcfx84=segment in the time region,
wherein                     τ        =                              1                          2                            B                                                      xe2x80x83                                          (                          Nyquist                                            xe2x80x83                                          criterion                        )                                              (        2        )
wherein B=bandwidth.
The number of summands is in that case preferably selected so that a sufficient resolution is ensured. The systems of orthogonal functions in the digital region (transformation) and in the analog region (inverse transformation) are preferably selected to be the same. Alternatively, the systems of orthogonal functions (also termed basic functions) can also be different.
Expediently, the digital signals are transformed in such a manner that these are multiplied in the digital region by presettable orthogonal functions and the digital coefficients associated with these functions are ascertained. The digital signal is fully described in the digital region on the basis of this transformation. In the example of Walsh functions, the transformation (=determination of the inner product) is described in accordance with the following equations:                                                         x              d                                                  (                              t                i                            )                                =                                                                      ∑                  j                                N                                                                            a                  j                  d                                ·                                                      g                    j                    d                                                                          (                    t                    )                                                                        =                                                            ∑                  j                                N                                                                            (                                                                                x                        d                                                                                (                        t                        )                                                              ,                                                                  g                        j                        d                                                                                (                        t                        )                                                                              )                                ·                                                      g                    j                    d                                                                          (                    t                    )                                                                                ,                            (        3        )            xe2x80x83adj=xcexa3xd(ti)xc2x7wal(j"PHgr")xc2x7xcfx84xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(4)
wherein   Θ  =      t    T
and, for example, wherein gjd(t)=wal (j,xcex8)=Walsh functions, wherein xd(t)=time function of the digital signal, gjd(t)=orthogonal functions in the digital region, ajd=coefficients, in the digital region and N=number of summands (=number of parallel channels or branches or D/A converter).
The equation (3) is the definition of the inner product between xd(ti) and gjd(t). For brevity, the symbolic term (x(t), gj(t)) is used in the following.
In a case where basic functions differ in the digital and the analog, the linking of the coefficients takes place by a linear transformation according to:                                           x                                      (              t              )                                =                                                                      ∑                  j                                N                                                                            a                  j                  d                                ·                                                      g                    j                    d                                                                          (                    t                    )                                                                        =                                                            ∑                  j                                N                                                                            b                  j                                ·                                                      h                    j                                                                          (                    t                    )                                                                                ,                            (        5        )
under the precondition that gj(t)≈hj(t), wherein x(t)=time function of the signal, gjd(t)=orthogonal functions in the digital region, aj, bj=coefficients in the analog region, hj(t)=orthogonal functions in the analog region, ajd=coefficients in the digital region and N=number of the summands.
For determination of the coefficients bj in equation (5), the scalar product (inner product) is formed.                                           ∑            j                                                                        (                                  x                  ,                                      g                    j                                                  )                                            ⏞                                  a                  j                  d                                                                                g              j                                      =                                            ∑              j                                                                                (                                      x                    ,                                          h                      j                                                        )                                                  ⏞                                      b                    j                                                                                h                j                                              |                                    h              i                                                  xe2x80x83                                    formation                                      xe2x80x83                                    of                                      xe2x80x83                                    the                                      xe2x80x83                                    inner                                      xe2x80x83                                    product                                              (        6        )                                                      ∑            j                                                        (                              x                ,                                  g                  j                                            )                                                  (                                                g                  j                                ,                                  h                  i                                            )                                      =                  (                                    x              ,                                                  h              i                                )                                    (        7        )                                                      ∑            j                                                        a              j                                                  (                                                g                  j                                ,                                  h                  i                                            )                                      =                  b          i                                    (        8        )
In that case, the coefficients in the digital region are preferably ascertained on the basis of a transformation matrix with matrix elements (gj, hi)=mj,i according to:                               (                                                    …                                                                    …                                                                                b                  i                                                                                …                                              )                =                              (                                                            …                                                  …                                                  …                                                  …                                                                              …                                                  …                                                  …                                                  …                                                                              …                                                  …                                                  …                                                  …                                                                              …                                                  …                                                  …                                                                      (                                                                  g                        j                                            ,                                              h                        i                                                              )                                                                        )                                          xe2x80x83                                          (                                                            …                                                  …                                                                      a                    j                                                                    …                                                      )                                              (        9        )
In accordance with the respective prescriptions and criteria for the digital signal processing, trigonometric functions, Walsh functions and/or complex exponential functions are used as orthogonal functions. In the analog region, trigonometric functions, for example sine and or cosine functions, are preferably used. In the digital region, functions such as, for example, Walsh or Haar functions are preferably used, which functions can assume only the value +1 or xe2x88x921.
Preferably, the analog coefficients are transformed back in such a manner that the signal is described in the analog region by multiplication of the analog coefficients by orthogonal functions and subsequent summation. For example, the signal is represented in the analog region on the basis of the generalised Fourier analysis:                                           x                                      (              t              )                                =                                                                      ∑                  j                                N                                                                            a                  j                                ·                                                      g                    j                                                                          (                    t                    )                                                                        =                                                            ∑                  j                                N                                                                            (                                                            x                                                                    (                        t                        )                                                              ,                                                                  g                        j                                                                                (                        t                        )                                                                              )                                ·                                                      g                    j                                                                          (                    t                    )                                                                                ,                            (        10        )
wherein x(t)=time function of the signal, gj(t)=orthogonal functions, aj=coefficients, N=number of the summands=number of the orthogonal functions=number of the support points in the transformed region (frequency region for the special case of the Fourier transformation)=number of the parallel channels and T=length of the interval in the time region.
In an orthonomised system there applies for the inner product of orthogonal functions:       (                  g        j            ,              g        i              )    =      {                                                                      0                ,                                                                                when                                                        xe2x80x83                                                      j                                ≠                i                                                                                1                ,                                                                                when                                                        xe2x80x83                                                      j                                =                i                                                                      xe2x80x83                                  (                                    h              j                        ,                          h              i                                )                    =              {                                                            0                ,                                                                                when                                                        xe2x80x83                                                      j                                ≠                i                                                                                1                ,                                                                                when                                                        xe2x80x83                                                      j                                =                i
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a device for digital-to-analog conversion of a band-limited digital signal with an input module for transformation of the signal in the digital region by means of orthogonal functions, a module for digital-to-analog conversion of digital coefficients of the transformation function and an output module for transformation back of the signal in the analog region.
Advantageously, the input module serves for representation of the signal within the interval by a sum of orthogonal functions with a presettable number of summands. For preference, the entire signal is broken down into several intervals. Preferably, the determination of the coefficients for the interval takes place by means of the input module.
The digital signal is described within the interval by means of the input module on the basis of the orthogonal functions. Subsequently, the digital coefficients associated with the functions are determined, wherein the digital-to-analog conversion of the N coefficients takes place in N modules, for example in N conventional D/A converters. The signal can be fully represented in the analog region through multiplication of the analog coefficients, which are thus ascertained, by the orthogonal functions in the analog region by means of the output module and subsequent summation.
In an advantageous embodiment the input module comprises a number, which corresponds with the number of summands, of cells of a shift register and a corresponding number of N multiplicators and summation elements. The shift register and the multiplicators serve for the transformation of the digital signal on the basis of presettable orthogonal functions. The digital coefficients associated with the functions are ascertainable by means of the summation elements. A particularly simple construction of the device, in terms of circuitry, for transformation of the digital signal thereby results.
After the transformation of the digital signal and consequently the determination of the coefficients of the orthogonal functions in the digital region, the digital-to-analog conversion of the coefficients can be carried out by means of the conventional D/A converters. In the analog region the output module advantageously comprises a number, which corresponds with the number of summands, of multipliers and a summation element. The multiplier serves for multiplication of the respective analog coefficients by the orthogonal functions in the analog region. Through subsequent summation of all parallel branches, the signal can be fully represented in the analog region. The number of branches or channels in that case corresponds with the number of summands. The device can comprise N branches with N cells of the shift register, N times the number of multiplicators, N summation elements, N D/A converters and, for the transformation back at the output side, N multipliers and the summation element. A device, which has this construction in terms of circuitry, for digital-to-analog conversion of the signal is also termed a correlation digital-to-analog converter.
In addition, an integrator, for example a low-pass filter, can be provided. The low-pass filter is preferably connected downstream of the summation element for smoothing the functions in the analog region.
Advantageously, the above-described device for digital-to-analog conversion of a signal comprises a direct digital frequency synthesis module (DDS module). The performance of the DDS module is substantially improved relative to conventional DDS modules in the respect of a particularly high scanning rate.
The advantages achieved by a method exemplifying and a device embodying the invention are that by comparison With a single conventional D/A converter with a high scanning rate, the scanning rate of the individual D/A converter of the device can, through the plurality of parallelly connected D/A converters (number of parallel branches equal to number of presettable summands), be selected to be smaller by the factor of the number of summands.

Method and device for digital-to-analog conversion of a signal


An oscillation circuit comprises a SAW resonator having a pair of reflectors disposed on a piezoelectric substrate and a pair of IDTs which are set up in parallel between the pair of reflectors and which are constituted by teeth-of-a-comb electrodes; an inverter to which the pair of IDTs are connected in parallel; and a change-over unit which is provided between each of a pair of the teeth-of-a-comb electrodes constituting either of the IDTs of the pair of IDTs and the inverter and which changes over and connects an input side and an output side of the inverter connected to each of the pair of the teeth-of-a-comb electrodes.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an oscillation circuit and electronic equipment with the oscillation circuit built therein, and particularly to an oscillation circuit suited to equipment performing communications through Frequency Shift Keying (FSK) and electronic equipment with the oscillation circuit built therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a method of communicating in digital signals, a communications method through FSK has hitherto been known. FSK is, for example, a modulation method of discretely changing an instantaneous frequency of a carrier wave corresponding to digital signals of 0 and 1. This makes it possible to apply modulation while keeping an amplitude change at a constant level, subject to very little effects due to level fluctuation and noise. Further, there are characteristics of simple circuit configuration and a wider band width than Amplitude Shift Keying (ASK) and Phase Shift Keying (PSK).
As mentioned above, the communications method through FSK has a high utilization value, and oscillation circuits and oscillators using this type of communications method have been variously proposed. For example, the oscillation circuits and the oscillators proposed in Japanese Patent No. 2925158 and Japanese Published Unexamined Patent No. 2004-40421 make use of the communications method of FSK.
The oscillator described in Japanese Patent No. 2925158 is constituted such that a plurality of SAW resonators of different resonant frequencies are provided on a piezoelectric substrate, and that the same number of oscillation circuits as SAW resonators are provided on a semiconductor integrated circuit substrate, while the oscillation circuit is connected to a change-over circuit.
In the oscillator of such configuration, a change-over circuit is operated according to a band of a frequency in use, an oscillation circuit connected to a SAW resonator corresponding to a desired frequency band is selected, and oscillation is generated.
Further, the oscillation circuit described in Japanese Published Unexamined Patent No. 2004-40421 is provided in the circuit with SAW filters of two different types of frequency bands which are permitted to pass, with the change-over circuit on an output side of the SAW filters, thus constituting a feedback circuit equipped with an amplifier and a fixed phase shifter.
In such oscillation circuit, it is possible to select only a frequency of a desired frequency band by changing over a SAW filter connected by the change-over circuit.
According to the oscillators and the oscillation circuits described in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent No. 2925158 and Japanese Published Unexamined Patent No. 2004-40421, an oscillator and an oscillation circuit corresponding to a design frequency band can be provided.
However, the oscillators and the oscillation circuits described in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent No. 2925158 and Japanese Published Unexamined Patent No. 2004-40421 are constituted such that a plurality of SAW resonators or SAW filters of different resonant frequencies are respectively provided, which correspond to a required frequency band by changing over a frequency band in use. Consequently, when changing over SAW resonators or SAW filters, an oscillating frequency may be instantaneously cut off as a result of factors due to electrical connection, factors due to a phase shift difference in SAW resonators and SAW filters, and the like, thereby causing a discontinuity of output phase shifting and generating an error at the time of change-over. Such problems exert considerable effect upon high-speed communications. Further, in the oscillation circuit described in Japanese Patent No. 2925158, by providing a plurality of SAW resonators of different specifications within one circuit, there is a problem which makes it impossible to obtain frequency precision and deviation precision in respective SAW resonators.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an oscillation circuit and electronic equipment with the oscillation circuit built therein, which can solve the above-mentioned problems and, even in a case where the frequency band changes, eliminate discontinuity of output phase shifting accompanying the change-over of the frequency band, and properly maintain the frequency precision and the deviation precision as well.
To accomplish the above-mentioned object, with any of the SAW resonators changing over the frequency band as a reference, it is conceived proper if a phase shift at the time of change-over can be instantly made to correspond to a signal of the SAW resonator set as the above-mentioned reference. Also, to keep the frequency precision and the deviation precision properly, it is considered necessary to reduce mutual interference among the SAW resonators performing the change-over.

Oscillation circuit and electronic equipment


A liquid-state nuclear-magnetic-resonance measurement cell includes a reservoir for a liquid medium; a fluidic circuit connected to the reservoir and comprising a measurement chamber; a gas injector opening into the fluidic circuit, at a distance from the measurement chamber; and a coil encircling the measurement chamber; wherein it also comprises at least one capacitive element forming, with the coil, an electromagnetic resonator; and in that it has a shape allowing its introduction into a nuclear-magnetic-resonance probe in replacement of an assembly formed by a nuclear-magnetic-resonance tube and a spinner bearing the tube, the coil encircling the measurement chamber being then positioned so as to couple by induction to at least one radiofrequency coil of the probe. Nuclear-magnetic-resonance measurement system comprising such a measurement cell. Magnetic-resonance measurement method using such a cell is also provided.

NMR is a technique in which very small amounts of energy are involved and therefore a number of acquisitions are accumulated in order to increase signal-to-noise ratio. Conventionally, between two successive measurements carried out on a given sample, it is necessary to wait for the longitudinal relaxation of the excited nuclear spins. However, for certain nuclear species, the longitudinal relaxation time (traditionally designated by "T1") may be very long—a few tens of seconds to several minutes. The accumulation of a large number of measurements may therefore take a very long time. In certain cases, it is possible to circumvent this difficulty by transferring magnetization to a nucleus having a shorter relaxation time. This approach however cannot be generalized.
In the case of a fluid sample, one possible solution to the problem of longitudinal relaxation time consists in causing the sample to flow through a measurement chamber containing, at any given time, a small portion of the total volume of the fluid. Thus, different nuclei are the subjects of the various measurements to be accumulated; relaxation time therefore no longer limits the acquisition rate. This however raises the problem of how to produce such a flow of fluid in the interior of an NMR apparatus.
Document FR 3 030 770 and the article by G. Carret, T. Berthelot and P. Berthault "Enhancing NMR of Nonrelaxing Species Using a Controlled Flow Motion and a Miniaturized Circuit", Analytical Chemistry 2017, 89 (5), pp 2995-3000, disclose a measurement cell allowing this problem to be solved. This measurement cell comprises a reservoir for a liquid sample, a measurement chamber encircled by a radiofrequency (RF) micro-coil and channels forming a fluidic circuit connecting the reservoir to the measurement chamber. An additional channel allows a gas to be injected into the fluidic circuit, at a certain distance from the measurement chamber. More precisely, the measurement chamber is arranged in a bottom portion of the cell, the reservoir in a top portion and the injection of the gas occurs in a substantially vertical section of the circuit. The injected gas forms bubbles that rise toward the reservoir, from where the gas escapes; this causes the liquid to flow in the direction of movement of the bubbles (principle called the "bubble micropump" principle). It is important that the bubbles do not penetrate into the measurement chamber, because this would decrease the uniformity of the electromagnetic fields. The radiofrequency micro-coil is electrically connected in the place of a "conventional" coil of an NMR probe in order to excite nuclear spins in the interior of the measurement chamber and to detect their response, which forms the NMR signal.
In addition to allowing the liquid to be made to move, the gas injection may also serve other purposes:
It may be a hyperpolarized gas (for example xenon or helium 3) in order to achieve a transfer of magnetization and thus increase the signal level.
It may convey oxygen, for example in order to keep cells in suspension in the liquid alive, or other additives.
It may form the fluid to be studied, in which case the presence of liquid is not essential.
Moreover, the duct for injecting the gas may also be used to introduce liquids or powders. One particularly advantageous application consists in using this duct to introduce a reagent that reacts with the liquid already present in the cell; the introduction of gas causes the mixture to move and homogenizes it (if several fluid-introduction ducts are available, it is preferable to start by injecting gas, and therefore by making the liquid move, before introducing the reagent). In this way, it is possible to track by NMR the progress of a biochemical or chemical reaction (an enzymatic reaction for example). It is important to note that the reaction starts in the interior of the NMR spectrometer, this allowing its beginning to be studied. In contrast, in a conventional system, the reagents are mixed in the NMR tube before its introduction into the spectrometer; it is therefore not possible to follow the beginning of the reaction.
The prior-art measurement cell has a simple structure and may be manufactured additively ("3D printing"). However, it has two major drawbacks:
Firstly, in order to be able to be supplied with a radiofrequency signal, the micro-coil must have a specific connector, compatible with that of a commercially available NMR probe into which the cell is integrated, and the RF coil of which it replaces. It follows that one measurement cell is specifically suitable for one particular type of NMR probe.
Secondly, mounting of the cell is long and complex. It is firstly necessary to extract the NMR probe from the magnet of the measurement apparatus, to demount its RF coil, to replace it with the measurement cell, then to reintroduce the assembly into the apparatus. Furthermore, these operations must be repeated on each change of sample.
The publication by A. Tang and A. Jerschow: A. Tang and A. Jerschow, "Practical aspects of liquid-state NMR with inductively coupled solenoid coils", Magnetic Resonance in Chemistry, 48: 763-770, 2010, presents an NMR micro-coil encircling a capillary tube that contains a liquid sample, the capillary tube/micro-coil assembly being located in an NMR tube filled with an oil allowing the effects of magnetic susceptibility to be decreased. The tube is inserted into a commercially available NMR probe and the micro-coil is powered by inductive coupling using the paired saddle coil of the probe. This assembly has the drawback of being single-use.

Cell for nuclear magnetic resonance measurement in a liquid medium, system comprising such a cell and the use thereof

COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES


An RF transmitter module for a cellular radio that includes a delta-sigma modulator having a plurality of interleaving dynamic element matching (DEM) circuits providing interleaved digital bits at a reduced clock rate. An interleaver controller controls the DEM circuits so as to provide groups of the digital bits at different points in time. In one embodiment, a summation junction adds the groups of the digital bits to provide a continuous stream of the interleaved digital bits, a DAC converts the stream of interleaved digital bits to an analog signal, and a power amplifier amplifies the analog signal.

Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an RF transmitter module for a cellular radio that includes a delta-sigma modulator and, more particularly, to an RF transmitter module for a cellular radio that includes a delta-sigma modulator having a plurality of interleaving dynamic element matching (DEM) circuits providing interleaved digital bits at a reduced clock rate.
Discussion of the Related Art
Traditional cellular telephones employ different modes and bands of operations that have been supported in hardware by having multiple disparate radio front-end and baseband processing chips integrated into one platform, such as tri-band or quad-band user handsets supporting GSM, GPRS, etc. Known cellular receivers have integrated some of the antenna and baseband data paths, but nevertheless the current state of the art for mass mobile and vehicular radio deployment remains a multiple static channelizing approach. Such a static architecture is critically dependent on narrow-band filters, duplexers and standard-specific down-conversion to intermediate-frequency (IF) stages. The main disadvantage of this static, channelized approach is its inflexibility with regards to the changing standards and modes of operation. As the cellular communications industry has evolved from 2G to 3G, 4G and beyond, each new waveform and mode has required a redesign of the RF front-end of the receiver as well as expanding the baseband chip set capability, thus necessitating a new handset. For automotive applications, this inflexibility to support emerging uses is prohibitively expensive and a nuisance to the end-user.
Providing reliable automotive wireless access is challenging from an automobile manufacturers point of view because cellular connectivity methods and architectures vary across the globe. Further, the standards and technologies are ever changing and typically have an evolution cycle that is several times faster than the average service life of a vehicle. More particularly, current RF front-end architectures for vehicle radios are designed for specific RF frequency bands. Dedicated hardware tuned at the proper frequency needs to be installed on the radio platform for the particular frequency band that the radio is intended to operate at. Thus, if cellular providers change their particular frequency band, the particular vehicle that the previous band was tuned for, which may have a life of 15 to 20 years, may not operate efficiently at the new band. Thus, this requires automobile manufactures to maintain a myriad of radio platforms, components and suppliers to support each deployed standard, and to provide a path to upgradability as the cellular landscape changes, which is an expensive and complex proposition.
Known software-defined radio architectures have typically focused on seamless baseband operations to support multiple waveforms and have assumed similar down-conversion-to-baseband specifications. Similarly, for the transmitter side, parallel power amplifier chains for different frequency bands have typically been used for supporting different waveform standards. Thus, crucially, receiver front-end architectures have typically been straight forward direct sampling or one-stage mixing methods with modest performance specifications. In particular, no prior application has required a greater than 110 dB dynamic range with associated IP3 factor and power handling requirements precisely because such performance needs have not been realizable with complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) analog technology. It has not been obvious how to achieve these metrics using existing architectures for CMOS devices, thus the dynamic range, sensitivity and multi-mode interleaving for both the multi-bit analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and the digital-to-analog converter (DAC) is a substantially more difficult problem.
Software-defined radio architectures do not exist in the automotive domain, but have been proposed and pursued in other non-automotive applications, such as military radios with multi-band waveforms. However, in those arenas, because of vastly different waveform needs, conflicting operational security needs and complex interoperability requirements, a zero-IF approach has proven technically difficult. Known software defined radios have typically focused on backend processing, specifically providing seamless baseband operations to support multiple waveforms. The modest performance specifications haven't demanded anything more aggressive from front-end architectures. Straight-forward direct sampling or 1-stage mixing methods have been sufficient in the receiver. For software defined radios that employ delta-sigma modulators, the component function is commonly found after a down conversion stage and has low-pass characteristics. With regard to the transmitter, parallel multiple power amplifier chains to support differing frequency bands and waveform standards have been sufficient for meeting the requirements.

High oversampling ratio dynamic element matching scheme for high dynamic range digital to RF data conversion for cellular communications


In a gate structure of a non-volatile memory device is formed, a tunnel insulating layer and a charge trapping layer are formed on a substrate. A composite dielectric layer is formed on the charge trapping layer and has a laminate structure in which first material layers including aluminum oxide and second material layers including hafnium oxide or zirconium oxide are alternately stacked. A conductive layer is formed on the composite dielectric layer and then a gate structure is formed by patterning the conductive layer, the composite dielectric layer, the charge trapping layer, and the tunnel insulating layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to non-volatile memory devices and methods of manufacturing the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to gate structures, such as silicon oxide nitride oxide semiconductor (SONOS) structures or metal oxide nitride oxide semiconductor (MONOS) structures, of non-volatile memory devices and methods of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A semiconductor device, in general, may be classified as a volatile semiconductor memory device or a non-volatile semiconductor memory device. Volatile semiconductor memory devices, such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices and/or static random access memory (SRAM) devices, have a relatively high response speed. However, the volatile semiconductor memory devices may lose data stored therein when applied power is shut off. Although non-volatile semiconductor memory devices, such as electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) devices and/or flash memory devices, have a relatively slow response speed, non-volatile semiconductor memory devices can maintain data stored therein when the applied power is shut off. In EEPROM devices, data may be electrically stored (i.e., programmed) or erased through a Fowler-Nordheim (F-N) tunneling mechanism and/or a channel hot electron injection mechanism. Flash memory devices may be classified into non-volatile memory devices of the type having a floating gate electrode and non-volatile memory devices of SONOS type or MONOS type.
For example, non-volatile memory devices including a tunnel oxide layer, a charge trapping layer, and a gate dielectric layer (or a blocking layer) are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0251489, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-158810 and Korean Patent Application Publication Nos. 2004-106074 and 2004-93606.
Recently, a high-k material layer having a relatively high dielectric constant (or permittivity) has been used as a gate dielectric layer. For example, a high-k material, such as aluminum oxide, hafnium oxide, zirconium oxide, and the like, has been used in the gate dielectric layer for improving the capacitance of a cell transistor.
According to U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0251489, a SONOS memory device includes a tunnel oxide layer, a memory node layer, a blocking layer, and an electrode layer. The blocking layer includes an aluminum oxide layer serving as a first blocking layer and a hafnium oxide layer or a zirconium oxide layer serving as a second blocking layer. When, the high-k material is used in the gate dielectric layer of the non-volatile memory device is of the SONOS type, a leakage current problem may occur due to crystallization of the gate dielectric layer.
In more detail, a gate structure is formed by patterning the tunnel oxide layer, the memory node layer, the blocking layer, and the electrode layer. Damage caused by the patterning process may be cured by performing a heat treatment process. The blocking layer of the gate structure is crystallized during the heat treatment. The crystallization of the blocking layer may cause current to leak through the blocking layer, which may deteriorate operating characteristics of the non-volatile memory device. The problem may be exacerbated when the high-k material is individually used in a single layered gate dielectric layer as the surface morphology of the gate dielectric layer may deteriorate and leakage current through the gate dielectric layer may increase.

Gate structures of a non-volatile memory device and methods of manufacturing the same


A method and apparatus are provided for conducting meso-scale rainfall simulations and runoff collections. The apparatus includes a system for continuously applying to a test plot simulated rainfall having a droplet size spectrum, an impact velocity, a spatial uniformity and an intensity simulating natural rainfall. Additionally, the apparatus includes a collector assembly for collecting runoff from the test plot for analysis. In accordance with the present method, natural rainfall for a geographic area including the test plot is studied in order to determine the drop size spectrum, drop impact velocity, spatial uniformity and intensity of the rainfall. A sprayer or irrigation head is then selected providing a droplet size spectrum closely resembling that of the natural rainfall to be simulated. Next, the spacing between and relative height of the irrigation heads is adjusted to ensure that the spatial uniformity, intensity and drop impact velocity resemble that of the natural rainfall to be simulated. The simulated rainfall is then continuously applied over the entire test plot. Next is the collecting of the runoff from the test plot and the analyzing of the runoff that is collected.

It has long been a desire of various environmental scientists, organizations and agencies to be able to complete effective studies or research relating to erosion and pesticide runoff such as occurs on agricultural fields or turf. For example, field studies designed to quantitate pesticide runoff and subsequent contamination of surface water need to be performed to obtain aquatic exposure assessments. Experience has, however, shown that pesticide runoff studies driven by natural rainfall are sometimes unsuccessful because the intense rainstorms typically required to provide useful data do not occur during the limited period of time when high pesticide residue levels remain in the field. The inherent risk associated with the weather dependent nature of these studies and the high cost of conducting experiments at multiple locations as needed to describe the runoff on a regional basis has led to the development of rainfall simulators adapted to complete the studies in a quick and cost effective manner.
In order to complete a valid study accurately reflecting what is naturally occurring in the environment, it must be appreciated that natural rainfall and, more particularly, natural rainfall as found in the particular geographic region under study needs to be simulated as closely as possible. This allows a "designed" rainstorm to be generated at any time after the pesticide is applied, thereby ensuring that the necessary weather conditions exist for a constructive study.
Attempts to accurately simulate natural rainfall began at least as early as the 1930's. The attempts to date have, however, met with only limited success. This is because the duplication of the rainfall characteristics of a natural storm is extremely difficult. In some instances the rainfall characteristics of geographical regions are not known in sufficient detail to allow accurate descriptions of the storms. In others, while the rainfall characteristics are known, it has been impossible up to the present time to develop a device capable of reproducing all desired characteristics. Accordingly, up to the present time complete rainfall simulation has not been possible. Accordingly, it has also not been possible to undertake completely accurate studies of erosion and pesticide runoff on anything other than small research plots of perhaps a few square meters.
A large number of natural rainfall characteristics or parameters must be considered in order to provide an effective simulation. This is particularly true as research has not as of yet clearly established the relative importance of the characteristics. Some of the characteristics that must be considered include: (1) the droplet size spectrum; (2) the droplet impact velocity with the ground; (3) the intensity/duration of the rainfall application; (4) the spatial uniformity of the droplet distribution over the test plot; and (5) the continuous application of the simulated rainfall over the entire test plot. Additionally, the expense of constructing, maintaining and operating a system must also be considered. Further, the portability of the system is important as on-site studies are absolutely essential and many sites are found in remote areas. It is also desirable to provide a simulation apparatus that may be quickly and efficiently reconfigured to simulate different natural rainfall such as may occur during a different season, in a different type of storm and/or in a storm from another geographic region.
One of the better rainfall simulators developed to date is disclosed in the article entitled "Multiple-Intensity Rainfall Simulator for Erosion Research on Row Side Slopes" by L. D. Meyer and W. C. Harmon reprinted from the transactions of the ASAE, 1979. This simulator includes oscillating spray nozzles to apply droplets of a size and at an impact velocity closely approximating natural rainfall.
Despite effectively simulating these two parameters, the device suffers from a number of shortcomings. More particularly, the oscillating spray nozzles only intermittently apply simulated rainfall over the test plot. This results in a non-uniform input of water and energy to the test plot over time unlike that associated with natural rainfall. The application of intermittent "rainfall" may significantly effect erosion patterns and pesticide runoff resulting in skewed data that lead directly to inaccurate conclusions.
It must also be appreciated that the design of the rainfall simulator in question only allows the application of the simulated rainfall over a relatively small test plot. The relatively small size of that test plot does not allow the collection of data that may be reasonably extrapolated to field-scale or meso-scale conditions. More particularly, a small test plot cannot support typical agricultural practices with respect to tillage and application using common farm equipment. This "tillage effect" is particularly significant because much of the water moving over a field is often conducted along the compacted tracks formed by modern farm machinery.
Further, while it is possible that a number of the apparatus in question could be positioned adjacent each other in a field to effectively provide a larger test plot, the viability of such a system is questionable. More particularly, the system would be very expensive to produce and operate. It would also be difficult to transport, arrange and effectively operate under field scale conditions. Further, the combined system would still rely upon oscillating spray nozzles for "rainfall" application. Thus, the drawbacks of intermittent energy input are not overcome. Accordingly, it should be appreciated that a need very clearly exists for an improved meso-scale or field-scale rainfall simulating apparatus particularly adapted to provide better simulations and accordingly, more accurate research data upon which to base study conclusions.

Method and system for conducting meso-scale rainfall simulations and collecting runoff


One or more computer-readable media on which is stored a program for selecting an optimum electronic ticket among a plurality of electronic tickets for imparting rights of use of content, the stored program causing a computer to execute functions comprising: extracting a plurality of electronic tickets corresponding to a content; and selecting the optimum electronic ticket among the extracted electronic tickets by comparing conditions of use of content included in the respective extracted electronic tickets.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for selecting an optimum electronic ticket from among a plurality of electronic tickets.
2. Description of the Related Art
A technique involving the use of electronic tickets is known as a technique for preventing abuses and illegal dispositions of digital content such as image and text data.
In an example system using electronic tickets, a digital content provider delivers digital content to a user after encrypting (encapsulating) the digital content. An electronic ticket is required to decrypt the encrypted content. The electronic ticket is issued in accordance with the characteristics of the hardware such as a computer employed by the user, and is provided to the user. Consequently, use of the digital content is permitted only to a legitimate user using the computer corresponding to an electronic ticket.
Varied states of operational authority can also be given to the electronic ticket. For example, it is possible to set whether or not the authority of a printing operation or an editing operation of a digital content is given to a user. Thereby, it becomes possible to permit, for example, only the browsing of the digital content by a user and to restrict other operations.
As described above, the use electronic tickets can prevent abuse of digital content while realizing various forms of providing the content. For example, a plurality of electronic tickets may be provided with respect to one item of digital content.
When a plurality of electronic tickets effective to a certain digital content exist, conventionally a user compares the contents of the electronic tickets, and selects a desired electronic ticket. That the option of an electronic ticket is granted to a user also has an aspect of raising the degree of freedom of use of the electronic ticket. However, for example, when the aspects of operational authority vary among a plurality of electronic tickets, a user is forced to spend time and effort to select an electronic ticket while comparing the various levels or aspects of operational authority. In particular, when using a plurality of aspects of operational authority provided separately by a plurality of electronic tickets, selecting a suitable electronic ticket is complicated and, at times, difficult.
When using a plurality of aspects of operational authority provided by a plurality of electronic tickets in combination, there is a point which should be taken into consideration also from the side of the processing of the computer in which the electronic tickets are used. In the case where a digital content is used with an electronic ticket, the computer using the electronic ticket confirms whether or not the electronic ticket is effective one to the digital content, and performs the processing releasing the encapsulation of the ticket is effective. A series of such authentication processings may undesirabley create an enormous data processing burden on the computer.
Consequently, when a plurality of electronic tickets is used, it is desirable to select an electronic ticket efficient for authentication processing in a computer in addition to realizing the combination of an operation authority advantageous for a user.
Moreover, for example, when mutually different using conditions are imparted to a plurality of electronic tickets, the user is forced to select usage condition while comparing the using conditions. In particular, it is not always easy for the user to select an advantageous ticket.
For example, if a user has electronic tickets 1 and 2, the electronic ticket 1 permitting the use of two sets of content A and B without no limitations, and the electronic ticket 2 permitting the use of content sets B and C only a specified number of times, then, in the case where the user uses the electronic ticket 2 for using the content B, the value of the electronic ticket 2 decreases, and consequently the usable number of times the content C can be accessed decreases. This cannot be said to be an advantageous ticket selection for the user.

Medium storing program selecting electronic ticket, electronic ticket processing apparatus and electronic ticket selection method


A method for switching multi-rate communications is described. The method includes filling a first set of p timeslots with p sets of data from a first data collection of a first type, where the first data collection includes m sets of data and p is less than m. The method also includes loading at least one overflow timeslot with at least one overflow set of data from the first data collection, where the overflow set of data exceeds a size of the first set of p timeslots.

This invention relates generally to switching of data in communications and more particularly to systems and methods for switching multi-rate communications.
In telecommunications, there are a number of standard frame formats which are built from successive combinations of fundamental 64 kilobits/second (KBit/sec.) channels, referred to as communications. One such format is SONET (Synchronous Optical Network) which creates 125 us frames containing virtual tributary (VT) positions, referred to as VTs. A SONET frame includes a limited number of timeslots. The size of the VTs depends on an underlying communication being transported within a SONET frame. Examples of VT sizes include VT1.5, VT2, VT3 and VT6. A VT1.5 can be divided into three equally sized portions, each of which can be called a VT0.5.
A modified version of a SONET STS-1 frame is a system data format (SDF) frame. Within the SDF frame, there are modified versions of VTs. The modified versions are referred to as T virtual tributaries (TVTs). Within the SONET STS-1 frame, VTs are used, and within an SDF frame, TVTs are used. A TVT is equivalent to a VT. Examples of TVT sizes include TVT0.5, TVT1.5, TVT2, TVT3 and TVT6. A DS1 communication occupies 3 TVT0.5s. An E1 communication occupies 4 TVT0.5s and occupies a set of timeslots, such as, for example, columns, n, n+24, n+48, and n+72, within an SDF frame.
A switch fabric that includes cascading time and space switch elements manipulate VTs contained within a SONET frame. For manipulating the VTs, any VT in a SONET frame that is input to the switch fabric should be mapped to any same-sized VT in a SONET frame output from the switch fabric. Examples of configurations of the switch fabric include a T-S-T configuration and a T-S-S-S-T configuration, where T represents a timeslot interchange and S represents a space switch.
Some switch fabrics typically do not support different types of communications in an efficient manner. For example, a switch fabric that has a T-S-T configuration optimized to support a single communication type, may not support mixed DS1 and E1 communications without blocking the E1 and DS1 communications during transit. In the example, although the DS1 and E1 communications may transit through the left timeslot interchange T within the T-S-T configuration, a set of timeslots within the space switch S may not be empty to channel the DS1 and E1 communications. In such a case, the DS1 and E1 communications are blocked until the set of timeslots within the space switch S becomes empty.
Moreover, some switch fabrics cannot handle different types of communications without replacing hardware, such as timeslot interchanges and space switches, within the switch fabrics. For example, if a switch fabric includes timeslot interchanges that support VT1.5s, the switch fabric cannot support an E1 communication without replacing the timeslot interchanges with timeslot interchanges that support VT2s.

Systems and methods for switching multi-rate communications


A light source circuit transmits light incident from a semiconductor laser source to a plurality of optical devices. At least one optical branch section is formed to branch one input-side optical waveguide at least into a first output-side optical waveguide terminal and a second output-side optical waveguide terminal. A light path length (L1) between the optical branch section and a next-stage optical branch section or the optical device is connected to the first output-side optical waveguide extending from the optical branch section and a light path length (L2) between the optical branch section and the next-stage optical branch section selected such that the absolute value of a difference between (L1) and (L2) is (¼+i/2) times (i is zero or a positive integer) the wavelength of the light transmitted through the light source circuit.

Recently, the study on silicon photonics in which various optical devices are integrated on a silicon substrate has received extensive attention.
It is known that silicon is an indirect transition type material, and thus a light source with high energy efficiency is difficult to be realized using the silicon. On the other hand, a compound semiconductor such as GaAs (gallium arsenide) and InP (indium phosphide) is a direct transition type material, and thus a light source with high energy efficiency is able to be realized using the compound semiconductor. For this reason, as a method for integrating the light source on the silicon substrate, a method for integrating a compound semiconductor light source on the silicon substrate is considered as a superior method.
For example, as illustrated in FIG. 28, when a compound semiconductor laser diode is bonded on the silicon substrate as the light source by flip-chip bonding or the like, it is possible to integrate the light source with high energy efficiency on the silicon substrate (Non Patent Document 1).
Light from the compound semiconductor laser diode arranged as described above, for example, is delivered to an optical integrated circuit through a spot size converter, a silicon optical waveguide, or the like. In addition, in order to deliver the light from the compound semiconductor laser diode to a plurality of optical devices on the silicon substrate, a light source circuit including a branched optical waveguide as disclosed in Non Patent Document 2 is used.
As a representative example of the branched optical waveguide, a 1×2 multimode interference waveguide is illustrated in FIG. 29. The 1×2 multimode interference waveguide branches one input light into two output terminals. As illustrated in FIG. 30, when the one light ray is branched into a plurality of light rays by using the light source circuit including the branched optical waveguide, the light from the compound semiconductor laser diode is able to be effectively utilized. As the branched optical waveguide, it is preferable that a multi-stage branched optical waveguide with which the light is able to be distributed to a plurality of optical devices be used.
When the light from the light source such as the semiconductor laser diode is incident on the branched optical waveguide, reflection light is generated in a branch section. As the light source device illustrated in FIG. 30, when the semiconductor laser diode and the branched optical waveguide are combined to be operated, returning light with respect to the laser diode may be generated in the branched optical waveguide. When the returning light is incident on the laser diode, a variation in output intensity of the laser diode (that is, generation of an intensity noise) or a variation in emission wavelength (generation of a phase noise) is caused, and thus a problem of affecting an oscillation property occurs.
Thus, in the light source device of the related art using the semiconductor laser diode and the branched optical waveguide, a problem in which operation of the light source device is unstable due to the returning light from the branched optical waveguide exists.
In addition, as described above, it is preferable that the multi-stage branched optical waveguide be used as the branched optical waveguide such that the light is able to be distributed to the plurality of optical devices. However, in the multi-stage branched optical waveguide, when the number of stages of the branch section is increased in order to increase the number of distributed light rays, the reflection light is generated in the branch section of each stage, and thus a problem in which the intensity of the returning light is likely to be high occurs.
As one of methods for inhibiting the returning light, a method in which an optical isolator which uses a nonreciprocal phase shift effect according to a magneto-optical material (an effect in which a phase change amount received by the light is different according to a propagation direction) is used is suggested (Non Patent Document 3). In this method, an advantage by which the returning light is able to be effectively inhibited exists. However, it is necessary that a magnetic field be applied to the magneto-optical material in order to realize operation of the optical isolator, and thus a problem in which a device for generating a magnetic field has to be additionally disposed exists. In addition, since the magneto-optical material has a physical property which is substantially different from that of silicon, a problem in which the magneto-optical material is difficult to be integrated on the silicon substrate exists.
In addition, in order to solve the problem due to the returning light, the reflection light generated in the branched optical waveguide may be inhibited. As a method for reducing the reflection light generated in the branched optical waveguide, various methods are proposed.
For example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, a branched optical waveguide including a branch section of a special shape is proposed. However, even though the branched optical waveguide generates little reflection light in a theoretical design, a problem in which the reflection light according to a manufacturing error is not able to be prevented from being generated exists. In this case, it is possible to reduce the reflection light with an improvement of microfabrication precision, but enormous cost and rigorous process management are required in order to improve the microfabrication precision.
In addition, in the light source circuit as described above, a branched optical waveguide using silicon is commonly used as the branched optical waveguide because there is an advantage of enabling substantial downsizing compared to a branched optical waveguide using a quartz-based material. However, the branched optical waveguide using silicon has a critically large core-cladding refractive index difference, and thus has a drawback in which the reflection light is difficult to be reduced.

Light source circuit and light source device equipped with same

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY


The present invention relates to a process for recovering individual polymers, such as nylon and polyolefin, from a nylon-containing source such as a carpet. The process includes the steps of shredding a nylon fiber source such as a carpet wherein the shredding is conducted in the presence of a liquid that wets the carpet, granulating the wet shredded carpet slurry, further diluting the granulated slurry by adding additional water, subsequently refining the fibers and removing substantial amounts of polypropylene fibers from the slurry, preferably using a lamella clarifier, and recovering the nylon fibers by hydrocloning the slurry.

Much work has been devoted to the recovery of various nylon fibers such as nylon 6 and nylon 6,6 from carpets because of the value of such polymers. The nylon-containing carpets, generally contain three components, for example from about 40 to about 60 weight percent and generally approximately about 50 weight percent of nylon 6 fiber or alternatively, nylon 6,6 fiber, and generally from about 20 to about 30 and approximately about 25 percent by weight of the carpeting is a polyolefin, such as polypropylene backing generally in the form of a horizontal weave intertwined with the upright or vertical nylon fibers as well as any polyolefin fibers. The remaining amount of from about 20 to about 30 and approximately 25 percent by weight of the carpet composition is an adhesive, such as, but not limited to, a latex adhesive backing or glue that is generally a mixture of rubber such as styrene-butadiene rubber and an inexpensive non-water soluble filler such as calcium carbonate (CaCO3) powder. CaCO3 filled PVC is also used. As known to the art, heat rollers applied to the backing of the carpet generally set or cure the rubber and thus forms a rubber backing.
Polypropylene is incompatible or immiscible with nylon. It also has inferior physical properties to nylon such as much lower melt temperature and substantially lower strength. Congealed droplets of polypropylene serve as crack initiation points, lowering the overall strength of nylon product. The droplets on the surface of a molded part can give poor appearance. The "polymer blooming" of polypropylene can detract from paint and decal adherence. To combat this, expensive ingredients known as compatiblizers can be added with a certain degree of mitigation.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,784,719 granted Aug. 31, 2010, to Wellman Plastics Recycling, LLC relates to methods of recovering primary construction materials from whole carpet. A negative result is that the utilization of a dry size reduction process inherently involves high frictional contact that softens the polypropylene such that it attaches to itself and to nylon fibers resulting in a fiber combination that neither sinks nor floats. The resulting reclaimed nylon can contain detectable amounts of polypropylene therein.
U.S. Publication 2013/0174517 published Jul. 11, 2013, to Environmental Recycled Carpet Systems, LLC relates to a carpet recycling method wherein a toroidal flow pulper shears a carpet in the presence of a liquid to form a slurry of fibrous carpet materials and latex/calcium carbonate solids. After drying, a first output comprising dried separated fibrous carpet materials is produced, and a second output comprising dried latex/calcium carbonate solids is produced. A negative aspect of this application is that it does not adequately reduce the fiber length for efficient separation. Additionally, this process can obtain polypropylene fibers that melt due to the high shear utilized in dry granulation resulting in a high level of contamination between the carpet fiber and backing.
U.S. Publication 2014/0251545 published Sep. 11, 2014, to Burich and Murdock relates to a process and method for recycling carpet wherein desired carpet face fibers are reportedly liberated and separated from the carpet backing. The process reportedly eliminates face fiber shearing. The secondary layer of the carpet backing is then removed either manually or mechanically. Then, the bottom of the primary backing layer of the carpet with the bottom of the face fiber "U's" exposed, is mechanically grip-abraded by a rubber material. The grip-abrasion of the rubber or rubber-like material across the bottom of the primary carpet backing layer loosens the glue and grips and pulls the face fiber from the primary backing reportedly without destructing primary or secondary backing and allows the backing material to be recycled. A dry process is thus utilized with its inherent negative aspect of softening polypropylene. Fiber shortening is not effectively achieved.

Process for recovering nylon and polypropylene from a nylon fiber source


Embodiments include a system and method for monitoring and tracking consumption of digital content. The system comprises a viewer monitoring system coupled to a plurality of content providers via a network and further coupled to a plurality of users via user devices coupled to the network. A method includes a user downloading an application (app) using an API of the system, the user selecting content to view, and a biometric recognition module of the system determining whether the user is actually viewing the selected content.

Digital content is presented for many reasons and consumed for many reasons. As an example, advertisers commonly present short video advertisements on various user devices. When a user chooses an advertisement to view, a video is played. Often the choice process involves the user clicking on the piece of content. There are various current method of verifying whether users chose a piece of content, including record how many clicks a piece of content receives from any users. But it is not traditionally possible to verify that the content has actually been watched by an individual user who chose the content. In another example, users may be required to view content of an indeterminate length for purposes such as compliance with a professional continuing education requirement or an employer education requirement, etc. Various methods of verifying compliance are currently available, such as including audible codes at unpredictable times during the content presentation. The codes are then entered by the user to prove that the user has consumed the content. However, such methods do not verify that the user actually consumed the content, even if watching the content is part of the requirement being complied with. It is desirable to have a method and apparatus for verifying that a user is actually viewing the video content. It is also desirable to have a method and apparatus for tracking user viewing of content in a manner that is permissible by the user and useful for the content provider (for example to reward users for consuming content and to more effectively focus future content presentations).

Method and apparatus for monitoring and tracking consumption of digital content


There is provided a lateral flow assay device for detecting the presence or quantity of an analyte residing in a test sample where the lateral flow assay device has a porous membrane in communication with a wicking pad. The porous membrane has a detection zone which has a chromophore configured to chemically react with an analyte or a secondary trigger or a reaction product from the analyte and a trigger generating reagent(s), to generate a visually detectible signal. Additional chrmophore zones may be located downstream from the first chrmophore zone to generate signals of varying color. Scavenging zones may be included between chromophore zones to attenuate the signal by reacting with the analyte without generating a visually detectable signal.

This invention concerns the use of lateral flow devices in the detection of analyte levels.
Flow through or lateral-flow assays have become more common for many analytes. These devices works on the principal of capillary flow of a mobile phase like a bodily fluid, through a porous solid support membrane. Traditional lateral flow tests use dyed or metallic nanoparticles that become entrapped or bound within pre-defined binding sites in the presence of the analyte of interest. Increasing concentrations of analyte produce increasing densities of nanoparticles within these binding sites. The amount of analyte may therefore be determined by quantifying the number of nanoparticles. This has generally necessitated the use of a reader, adding both to the complexity and to the cost of the test.
There remains a need for a rapid, quantitative test that obviates the need for a reader.

Lateral flow devices using reactive chemistry


A dispensing device for beverage cup lid which prevents excessive human contact with the lid prior to insertion upon the beverage cup, the device providing an externally threaded central rotary rod attached to a direct drive bidirectional electrical motor and suspended within a lid cabinet with a stacked plurality of lids retained upon the rotary rod through a central bore in each lid, the lids urged downward by a traveling press plate having a central threaded hole engaging the external threads of the rotary rod, the rotation of the rotary rod causing the press plate to move up and down the rotary rod, pressing against the uppermost lid on the rotary rod against the stacked plurality of lids in increments programmed to release only the lowermost lid from the end of the rotary rod in a receiving area below the retaining rod. The device is operated by the activation of a presence sensor, either a beverage cup or a clean hand, which causes the incremental dispensing of a single lid.

1. Field of Invention
A dispensing device for beverage cup lid which prevents excessive human contact with the lid prior to insertion upon the beverage cup, the device providing an externally threaded central rotary rod attached to a direct drive bidirectional electrical motor and suspended within a lid cabinet with a stacked plurality of lids retained upon the rotary rod through a central bore in each lid, the lids urged downward by a traveling press plate having a central threaded hole engaging the external threads of the rotary rod, the rotation of the rotary rod causing the press plate to move up and down the rotary rod, pressing against the uppermost lid on the rotary rod against the stacked plurality of lids in increments programmed to release only the lowermost lid from the end of the rotary rod in a receiving area below the retaining rod. The device is operated by the activation of a presence sensor, either a beverage cup or a clean hand, which causes the incremental dispensing of a single lid.
2. Description of Prior Art
The following United States patents were discovered and are disclosed within this application for utility patent. All relate to devices which provide for the dispensation of a drink cup lid, either manually or by operation of a mechanical means. A recent U.S. Pat. No. 7,337,919 to Walsh, a manually operated beverage lid dispenser indicates a contained stack of lids within a cylinder which are horizontally separated from a stack by gravity, one at a time, and horizontally moved by a slide plate which contains the single separated lid and draws it out from beneath the stack for presentation in an inverted position. One must use their hand to remove the lid and right it for application to a beverage cup. Similar devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,474,503 to Davis for drink lids and U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,839 to Ashby for disks, primarily stacked recording media.
A spring is used to push cups and lids upward in a cylindrical stack in U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,783 to Mayfield, Ill. A similar spring type device is used for the horizontal thrust and presentation of beverage lids in both U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,952 to Franz and U.S. Pat. No. 7,207,462 to Gunderson. A mechanical device segregates a single lid from a stack and slides the lid through a slot in the device framework by the rotation of a plurality of gears which separate, grasp and move the lid from its stacked position to the slot by some manually activated means in U.S. Pat. No. 6,659,305 to Thompson. Two simple stacked cylindrical lid dispensing devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,643,334 to Steele and U.S. Pat. No. 2,215,850 to Holdeman. None of the above devices places a stacked group of lids on an externally threaded rotary rod, they do not involve a press plate engaging the rotary rod which apply force to the top of the stacked lids to force the stack downward in a programmed incremental distance to release a single lid, and they do not provide an option for the dispensing of a lid without human contact with the lid prior to being applied to the cup. They also do not disclosed the components similar to the present device to load and unload the lids nor the sensors applied to activate the motion of the device.


A tank display system for a tank filled with fuel, the tank being divided into a main tank and a supplementary tank, has a level limit switch which responds when the main tank is almost empty. If the switch gives off a signal, then a valve is opened, allowing fuel to flow from the supplementary tank into a flood cup of the main tank. Furthermore, this signal activates a unit for detection of fuel consumption, which unit calculates the remaining volume of fuel in the supplementary tank, which volume decreases as a result of the consumption of fuel. As starting volume for the calculation, the completely filled supplementary tank is used. The precise remaining volume of fuel is displayed.

The present invention relates to a tank display system for a fuel tank of a motor vehicle having a sensor which measures the level of fuel in the tank and a tank display which indicates this level of fuel. The fuel tank includes a main fuel tank, and a supplementary fuel tank from which the fuel can be emptied into the main tank when the main tank is almost empty. This invention furthermore relates to a method of determining the remaining volume in a fuel tank in which this volume is to be determined.
Such tank displays are known. In their case, the supplementary tank is not an independent part, but rather is formed by a region in the bottom of the main tank, in the manner that the tank has two outlets which are arranged at different heights. Each outlet can be connected to a fuel line by a valve which is developed as fuel switch and is operated by hand. When the tank is full, the upper outlet is to be connected to the fuel line. The region of the bottom of the tank can be connected to the fuel line via the lower outlet. This bottom region, which serves the function of a supplementary tank, contains a minimum volume of fuel which is measured to serve as reserve. Frequently, a sensor is arranged within the tank, with a float acting on a potentiometer, as a result of which the display field receives a signal and indicates the level of fuel present in the tank. In addition, when the minimum volume is reached, the driver is given a optical signal, for instance by means of a light on the display field. This optical signal serves to indicate that the fuel is down to the reserve state. The driver can, therefore, by means of the display for the level of the fuel and the light for the reserve state, estimate how much fuel is available to him. In modern motor vehicles, the display, however, is very inaccurate since the tank is made flatter and flatter and more and more angled and thus measurement of the height of filling leads to large inaccuracies. Thus, this estimate is very unsatisfactory even with a large amount of experience on the part of the driver and leads, particularly in the reserve state, to a great uncertainty as to the amount of fuel still available.

Tank display system and method for determining the remaining volume in a tank


Human proIslet Peptides (HIP) and HIP analogs and derivatives thereof, derived from or homologous in sequence to the human REG3A protein, chromosome 2p12, are able to induce islet neogenesis from endogenous pancreatic progenitor cells. Human proIslet Peptides are used either alone or in combination with other pharmaceuticals in the treatment of type 1 and type 2 diabetes and other pathologies related to aberrant glucose, carbohydrate, and/or lipid metabolism, insulin resistance, overweight, obesity, polycystic ovarian syndrome, eating disorders and the metabolic syndrome.

Since 1922, insulin has been the only available therapy for the treatment of type 1 diabetes and other conditions related to the lack of or diminished efficacy or production of insulin. However, diabetic patients on insulin do not have normal glucose metabolism, because insulin is only part of the missing and aberrant pancreatic function. Despite decades of research and the advent of pancreatic islet transplantation in 1974 and newer claims of success resulting from the Edmonton Protocol for islet transplantation, these approaches have not been very successful in the United States. For example, at four years post-transplant, fewer than 10% of patients who have received islet transplants remain insulin independent. Additionally, there is an 18% rate of serious side effects.
Investigators have also researched whether endogenous production of insulin can be stimulated by drug treatment. For example, over the past several decades, several therapies have been studied which are involved in glucose metabolism, and analogs of these peptides have been identified. These therapies include sequences which are similar to Glucagon Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) and include: GLP-1 receptor analogs, Exendin-4, Exenatide/BYETTA™, which is derived from the Gila Monster, Gastric Inhibitory Peptide/Glucose-Dependent Insulinoptropic polypeptide (GIP), and compounds homologous to GLP-1, such as Liraglutide (NN2211), Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitors, which inhibit the breakdown of GLP-1, Gastrin, Epidermal Growth Factor and Epidermal Growth Factor Analogs, and Hamster derived Islet Neogenesis Associated Peptide (INGAP).
More specifically, hamster INGAP fragments have been identified (see Ronit, R, et al. Journal of Clinical Investigation May 1997, vol 99 (9): 2100-2109; U.S. Pat. No. 5,834,590; and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0132644). Hamster-derived INGAP may be effective in facilitating pancreatic islet neogenesis. However, INGAP is not a human peptide, and thus may not be as efficacious and could produce an adverse immune response in some subjects.
Proof of the elasticity of the pancreas with respect to the generation of new pancreatic islets throughout one's lifetime accompanied by pancreatic islet death or apoptosis has replaced the long held concept that the number of insulin producing islet structures is fixed at birth and maintained throughout life, whereas the plasticity and ability of beta cells to proliferate within existing islets has been well established. It is currently accepted that pancreatic islet neogenesis occurs from preexisting pancreatic cells through differentiation of progenitor cells found amongst both the endocrine and exocrine fractions of the pancreas. Data demonstrates that, even decades after the onset of type 1 diabetes, insulin producing islets can be regenerated. For example, patients with type 1 diabetes who can make normal levels of C-peptide during pregnancy. Several teams have found a paradoxical rise in C-peptide levels during the first trimester of pregnancy into the normal range in as many as one-third of all pregnant type 1 patients (Lewis et al., 1976, Rigg et al., 1980, Ilic et al., 2000, Jovanovic et al., 2001). This rise in C-peptide is accompanied by a significant reduction in insulin requirements with some patients being able to completely discontinue insulin transiently during the first trimester of pregnancy. This rise in C-peptide during pregnancy that occurs within 10 weeks of gestation among patients, despite no measurable C-peptide prior to pregnancy, implies the restoration of functioning islet structures. It is hypothesized that the islet neogenesis that occurs during pregnancy results from the concomitant rise in endogenous steroid production and a down regulation of the immune system preventing immune attack on the fetus, which likely also plays a role in suppression of lymphocyte attack on the islets. Along with immune suppression, it is also speculated that there is an up regulation of maternal islet growth promoting factors during pregnancy to compensate for the lowering of the maternal glucose setpoint in pregnancy. Similarly, patients who have been on long term immunosuppression for kidney transplantation have been observed to regenerate insulin producing islets.
Over the past decade, clinical trials have been conducted to evaluate the impact of a number of immune modulators that may arrest the destruction of the beta cells of the pancreas. Anti CD-3 antibodies (hOKT3γ1 (Ala-Ala and ChAglyCD3) that target the immune response and specifically block the T-lymphocytes that cause beta cell death in type 1 diabetes have been utilized, as have, Sirolimus (Rapamycin), Tacrolimus (FK506), a heat-shock protein 60 (DIAPEP277™) an anti-Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase 65 (GAD65) vaccine, Mycophenolate Mofetil alone or in combination with Daclizumab, the anti-CD20 agent, lysofylline, Rituximab, Campath-1H (Anti-CD52 Antibody) and Vitamin D, IBC-VSO vaccine which is a synthetic, metabolically inactive form of insulin designed to prevent pancreatic beta-cell destruction, interferon-α vaccination using CD4+CD25+ antigen-specific regulatory T cells or a similar agent is used in the combination therapy approaches to utilizing regulatory T cells either directly or through the use of immunotherapy to arrest the destruction of insulin-producing cells. The aim of these trials is to determine the ability of such agents to preserve islet function by preventing further immune attack on the beta cells of the islets of the pancreas.
Additionally, recent studies have found that vitamin D may play an important immune modulating role in the prevention of type 1 diabetes. Up to 54.7% of populations in the US, regardless of latitude, have low 25 hydroxyvitamin D levels (Holick, J Clin Endorinol Metab 2005; 90-3215-3224). Vitamin D deficiency has been demonstrated, not only to be associated with the increased risk of type 1 diabetes and seen at the onset of type 1 diagnosis, but also is commonly seen among both patients with type 1 and 2 diabetes. Maintaining levels above 40 ng/ml are recommended to sustain normal immune function (Riachy Apoptosis. 2006 February; 11(2):151-9. Holick. Mayo Clin Proc. 2006 March; 81(3):353-73, Grant. Prog Biophys Mol. Biol. 2006 Feb. 28; [Epub ahead of print]. DiCesar. Diabetes Care. 2006 January; 29(1):174, Reis. Diabetes Metab. 2005; 31(4 Pt 1):318-25, Pozzilli. Horm Metab Revs. 2005; 37(11):680-3). No adverse effects have been seen with dosages up to 10,000 IU/day (Heaney. Am J Clin Nutr, 204-210, Vieth. Am J Clin Nutr. 2001; 73:288-294).
To date, however, there has been no single or combination therapy that has been successfully used to treat the underlying disease mechanisms of type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes or conditions in which there is a lack of or diminished insulin production and/or alterations in glucose metabolism or insulin secretion, including obesity, overweight, insulin resistant syndromes and the metabolic syndrome. There remains a need for new treatments methods and pharmaceutical compositions, which address the underlying mechanisms for the alterations in type 1 diabetes mellitus, type 2 diabetes mellitus and conditions in which there is an alteration in insulin secretion. Especially needed are methods and compositions that can also treat the many other conditions in which the lack of, or diminished, insulin production has a causative role or contributes to the symptoms of patients in need of treatment. At present, there appears to be no treatment that ameliorates the symptoms of type 1 diabetes by targeting the mechanisms underlying all of these disease states. The present invention meets the need for improved therapies for treating type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and other conditions.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Peptides, derivatives and analogs thereof, and methods of using same


An expansible anchor is adapted for inserting into a hole formed with a structure. The anchor includes a load cable and a first chock attached to an end of the load cable. A second chock resides adjacent to the first chock, and is adapted for movement between an anchor-contracting position and an anchor-expanding position. In the anchor-contracting position, the anchor is readily inserted into and removed from the hole of the structure. In the anchor-expanding position, the anchor is locked inside the hole of the structure. A chock-release column bears against at least one of the first and second chocks and has an enlarged head adapted for locating outside of the hole. The enlarged head defines a striking surface adapted for receiving a sudden force. This force is transferred through the chock-release column to the first or second chocks, such that the second chock is movable from the anchor-expanding position to the anchor-contracting position to thereby dislodge the anchor from the hole of the structure.

This invention relates to an expansible hole anchor with an enlarged chock-releasing striker head. The invention is easily installed and removed from a hole formed with a solid structure. In one application, the present anchor is inserted into a hole drilled in a concrete wall at a construction site. A safety harness, lifeline, and other fall protection gear is secured to the worker and to the anchor to arrest the worker in the event of a fall. In another application, the present anchor is applicable for use in recreational rock climbing.
Substantial drawbacks and limitations exist in prior art expansible hole anchors, particularly those with spring-loaded retractable handles. The handle is applicable for moving the anchor from a normal expanded condition to a contracted condition for inserting and removing the anchor from the hole. In order to remove the anchor, the user is instructed to manually retract the handle to disengage the anchor chocks from an inside wall of the hole. In many cases, the anchor is so tightly lodged inside the hole that movement of the handle is difficult, if not impossible. This occurs often, as the operating instructions call for a tug on the load cable to set the anchor during insertion. Additional forces exerted on the anchor during a worker's fall cause even greater locking engagement of the anchor chocks. The instructions commonly provided for dislodging an embedded anchor are to insert a small, narrow flat screwdriver into the hole, and create an impact force on an end fitting to overcome the locking friction. In practice, this procedure is generally ineffective; often resulting in mangled or broken retraction cables, and rendering the anchor unsuitable for future use. This procedure further inconveniences the user by requiring the availability of special tools in order to access and release the anchor chocks. If all methods of removal fail, the exposed portion of the anchor is torched off, a new hole drilled, and the balance of the anchor is left in the old hole.
A further problem of commercial prior art anchors relates to the exposure of control cables operable for moving the anchor from the expanded condition to the contracted condition. Typically, these cables will bear directly against an inside wall of the anchor hole, resulting in substantial abrasion and chaffing when the anchor is inserted into and removed from the hole. Further wear is created when the worker moves about causing the control cables to grind against the concrete lip of the hole. If left undetected, the worn cables will eventually cause the anchor to fail which may result in serious injury or death.

Expansible hole anchor with enlarged chock-releasing striker head