When parallel processing is executed by parallel computers composed of a host computer and a plurality of processors connected to the host computer through a common bus, there is provided a method of assigning jobs to respective processors with high efficiency. A job in which a ratio between a communication time and a calculation time is larger than a predetermined value or larger than a fraction of processors and a job in which a ratio between a communication time and a calculation time is smaller than a predetermined value or smaller than a fraction of processors can be alternately assigned to respective processors. Alternatively, jobs are assigned to respective processors in such a manner that a plurality of processors and a plurality of jobs are divided into a plurality of groups in a one-to-one relation, jobs in which sizes comprising communication time and calculation time and ratios between the communication times and the calculation times approximate to each other may belong to different job groups and the order in which the jobs in which the sizes comprising the communication time and the calculation time and the ratios between the communication times and the calculation times approximate to each other are assigned within respective job groups may differ from each other among a plurality of job groups.

In the field of chemistry, molecular orbital method, molecular dynamics method, Monte Carlo method and the like are available as methods for analyzing states and behaviors of molecules numerically. Of these methods, the ab initio molecular orbital calculation method intends to describe behaviors of electrons in molecule in quantum mechanics based upon the first principle. Therefore, this method is evaluated as a base of molecular simulation and is considered as an important method that is useful for analyzing material structures and chemical reactions in detail from an industry standpoint.
In the ab initio molecular orbital calculation, one or a plurality of basis functions are prepared for single atom. These basis functions are represented as reciprocal numbers of exponential functions whose exponential factor is defined as multiplying empirical constants with square of distance between atomic nucleus and orbital electrons comprising molecule. The linear combination of these basis functions may describe wave functions within molecule, i.e. molecular orbital.
A major processing in an ab initio molecular orbital calculation method is to determine linear combination coefficients of basis functions in the molecular orbital. Such calculation needs a calculation amount and a storage capacity proportional to biquadrate of number of basis functions. Accordingly, at present, the ab initio molecular orbital calculation method is applied to only molecular systems of a scale of approximately 100 atoms at best. Development of calculation systems specially designed for the ab initio molecular orbital calculations and which will be useful as application to molecule systems of scale of several 1000 s of atoms is indispensable for realizing molecular solution of life process/chemical development more clearly.
As examples of calculation systems specially designed for the ab initio molecular orbital calculations of large scale, there are known systems that had been described in a literature 1 ("The Architecture of a Molecular Orbital Calculation Engine (MOE)", written by Shirakawa et. al. in Technical Reports of the Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers, Vol. CPSY96-46, No. 5, pp. 45-50, 1996) or a literature 2 ("PPRAM-MOE:A Processing Node LSI of the Molecular Orbital Calculation Engine (MOE)" written by Inabata et. al. in Technical Reports of the Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers, Vol. CPSY98-21, No. 4, pp. 77-84, 1998).
The calculation systems described in these literatures are parallel processing systems comprising a host computer and 100 processors (in the following descriptions, processor for use in parallel processing will be referred to as a "processor element") connected to the host computer through a common bus and intend to execute the ab initio molecular orbital calculation at high speed, for example.
Because these systems include parallel processor elements that are high in processor capabilities and the whole system can be realized by low costs, it is possible to provide calculation systems that are excellent in cost performance.
When a calculation amount is vehement as in ab initio molecular orbital calculation, it is important that ab initio molecular orbital calculation can be made at higher speed by using a plurality of processor elements for use in parallel processing efficiently. In particular, in the systems that had been described in the above-described literatures, since the respective processor elements communicate with the host computer through the common bus and execute calculations while they are transmitting and receiving necessary data between them and the host computer, to make processing become efficient by reducing a communication standby time in the respective processor elements as much as possible is important for realizing high-speed processing.
However, when jobs are formed and assigned to parallel processor elements with respect to the ab initio molecular orbital calculation simply, since calculation amount (calculation time and traffic) differs at every job, communication overhead (standby time) is produced. There then arises a problem that improvements of throughput proportional to the number of processor elements cannot be obtained.
As the number of processor elements for use in parallel processing increases, a total amount of data transmitted and received between the host computer and the processor elements is not changed but throughputs of the processor elements increase in proportion to the number of the processor elements. As a consequence, traffic that should be made within a constant time (average communication time) increases. If the number of the processor elements increases in excess of a certain number, then the average traffic will exceed throughput of a communication network (communication performance). This is one of the causes to produce communication overhead.
When communication load is unequally produced, from a time standpoint, such that communication requests concentrate within a short time and a total traffic exceeds communication performance of communication network temporarily, communication overhead is produced, which as a result causes parallel efficiency to be degraded. This trouble occurs when average traffic is not beyond communication performance of communication network as well.
To decrease resultant total traffics and to make occurrence of communication load become uniform from a time standpoint (distribution of communication load from a time standpoint) are indispensable for making efficient processing in a parallel computer.
If a plurality of jobs is those in which calculation amount (calculation time: this calculation contains conversion processing using ROM (Read Only Memory). In this specification, calculation and operation are used as synonyms) and traffic (communication time) are equal, parallel processing can be made by assigning jobs to the respective processor elements without producing communication overhead.
A literature 3 (official gazette of Japanese laid-open patent application No. 5-324581) describes a load distribution method for making calculation load become uniform when calculation of many-body problem is processed in a parallel processing fashion. The load distribution method that had been described in the literature 3 assumes that sizes of respective jobs are all equal. Accordingly, calculation loads are made equal by making the number of jobs assigned to processor elements become equal.
In the ab initio molecular orbital calculation, however, the number of calculation loops differs at every job and traffic provided by difference of data amounts obtained from the host computer is also different. There then arises a problem that calculation loads cannot be made equal only by making the number of jobs become equal.
In addition to the above-described literatures, a literature 4 (official gazette of Japanese laid-open patent application No. 6-35870), a literature 5 (official gazette of Japanese laid-open patent application No. 6-243112), a literature 6 (official gazette of Japanese laid-open patent application No. 7-295942), a literature 8 (official gazette of Japanese laid-open patent application No. 8-185377) and a literature 9 (official gazette of Japanese laid-open patent application No. 10-240698) had disclosed load distribution methods required when a plurality of processor elements make parallel processing).
Since the load distribution methods that had been described in these literatures 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9, however, have measured or estimated the load states of the processor elements and execute scheduling of jobs, they need functions specially prepared for measuring or estimating the load states of the processor elements and also need additional processing for measuring or estimating the load states of the processor elements.
Moreover, although the distribution calculation system that had been described in the literature 8 discloses processing in which a distribution system is separated into groups having equal capability and load distribution is made at the unit of groups, since distribution of communication load is not considered, there arises a problem that communication overhead increases unavoidably.
In view of the aforesaid aspect, it is an object of the present invention to provide a job assignment method in which a specially-designed mechanism need not be provided and loads can be made equal by a simple method even when calculation loads and communication loads differ at every job and in which efficient parallel processing is made possible and processing time of the whole system can be reduced.

Method for assigning job in parallel processing method and parallel processing method


A contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging comprising a complex of a paramagnetic cation, preferably Gd+3, Dy+3, and Fe+3 with three equivalents of a charge neutralizing chelator that provides a lipid soluble complex of the paramagnetic cation is described. The complex is retained intracellularly when introduced into a mammalian cell. A method of providing an image of an internal pathology of a patient by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) by administering the MRI contrast agent or tagged cells to the patient and scanning the patient using magnetic resonance imaging to obtain visible images of the internal pathology of the patient is also set forth.

Medical technology makes use of many different types of imaging in order to assist in the visualization for diagnostic purposes of organs, cells, and other features internal to animal bodies. Among these different types of imaging technologies are: X-ray technology, including Computed Axial Tomography (CAT) scans; ultrasound technology; nuclear technologies, including: Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT); Positron Emission Tomography (PET); scintigraphic imaging of cells labeled with radioactive materials; and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Each of these technologies is based upon significantly different scientific principles. The present invention relates to MRI, which makes use of magnetism and radiofrequency pulses to provide images of features internal to the bodies of mammals.
Conventional MRI contrast agents work on water outside the cells. Many human pathologies resulting from inherited or mutated genes and subsequent defective proteins are inside the cells. The interactions of these defective proteins having conformational changes with intracellular water in cytoplasm and organelles may be different in diseased cells. The MRI contrast agents of the present invention work on water inside the cells.
Current MRI technology makes use of a complex of gadolinium (Gd) with a single chain anion diethylenetriaminepentaacetate (DTPA) as a contrast agent. Schering AG, for instance, provides MAGNEVIST, an ionic formulation of Gd-DTPA. Amersham Health, Inc. provides OMNISCAN, a nonionic formulation of Gd-DTPA-bismethylamide. Upon intravenous administration, these contrast agents diffuse from the vascular space into extracellular or interstitial space of tissues.
Stem cells have been labeled with magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MION) and the paramagnetic iron oxide in the cells has then been tracked by MRI. See, e.g., Arbab, et al., "Efficient Magnetic Cell Labeling with Protamine Sulfate Complexed to Ferumoxides for Cellular MRI", Blood, 104:1217-1223 (2004). After several cell divisions, the iron concentration in vivo is reduced by dilution with the endogenous iron pool, adversely affecting the signal/noise ratio. Iron also induces susceptibility artifacts in the MR images. Luminescent particles of zinc sulfide-coated cadmium selenide 1.5 to 8 nanometers in diameter, called "quantum dots", have been used in a similar manner, for tracking implanted stem cells by optical imaging. See, e.g., Dabbousi, et al., "(CdSe)ZnS Core-Shell Quantum Dots: Synthesis and Characterization of a Size Series of Highly Luminescent Nanocrystallites", J. Phys. Chem. B, 101:9463-9475 (1997). The Dabbousi et al. article is reflective of the state of the art with respect to the preparation and administration of quantum dots. Other transfection agents, e.g. green fluorescent proteins (GFP) are used in stem cell tracking by optical imaging. However, the foreign proteins in GFP-transfected cells are susceptible to immune attack in the body thus shortening their expected lifetimes. In addition, they could only be imaged in small animals, due to lower ability of tissue penetration of emitted light used for optical imaging.

Charge neutral complexes of paramagnetic metals as intracellular magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents


A method and apparatus of imaging fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is provided. The instrument allows the user to simultaneously acquire images from several different colors. This system, used in conjunction with a combinatorial fluorescence approach, is able to create a FISH karyotype with each chromosome being painted with a different color. The optical system is continuously tunable over the detection wavelengths. In one embodiment of the system the sample is simultaneously irradiated in more than one wavelength band and the detection system uses a common path interferometer to scan through the detection wavelengths.

The present invention relates generally to fluorescence imaging systems and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for fluorescence imaging in which the emission detection wavelength is continuously tunable.
In the biotechnical field, fluorescent dyes are routinely used as sensitive, non-isotopic labels. These labels are used to identify and locate a variety of cell structures such as specific chromosomes within a DNA sequence. One application, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), first attaches specific chromosome regions with DNA probes and then images the probes using microscopy.
In a paper by Thomas Ried et al. entitled "Simultaneous Visualization of Seven Different DNA Probes by In Situ Hybridization Using Combinatorial Fluorescence and Digital Imaging Microscopy," Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA:Genetics, 89 (February 1992), the authors describe a combinatorial probe labeling scheme. The disclosed technique increases the number of target sequences that can be simultaneously detected using a given number of fluorochromes. Specifically, the authors disclose simultaneously analyzing up to seven probes using only three fluorochromes.
A variety of devices have been designed to read fluorescent-labeled samples. In general, a device designed to read and/or image a fluorescent-labeled sample requires at least one light source emitting at one or more excitation wavelengths and means for detecting one or more fluorescent wavelengths.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,419, a multi-color fluorescence analyzer is described which irradiates a sample with two or more excitation sources operating on a time-shared basis. Band pass filters, image splitting prisms, band cutoff filters, wavelength dispersion prisms and dichroic mirrors are use to selectively detect specific emission wavelengths.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,213,673, a multi-colored electrophoresis pattern reading apparatus is described which irradiates a sample with one or more light sources. The light sources can either be used individually or combined into a single source. Optical filters are used to separate the fluorescence resulting from the irradiation of the sample into a plurality of fluorescence wavelengths.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,632, a multi-colored electrophoresis pattern reading apparatus is described in which one or more light sources are used to generate a mixture of light capable of exciting two or more fluorescent substances. Both optical filters and diffraction gratings are used to separate the fluorescence by wavelength.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,942, a fluorescence detection apparatus is described in which a fluorescent light image is separated into a plurality of virtual images. Bandpass filters are used to separate the virtual images by wavelength.
In an article by Cothren et al. entitled "Gastrointestinal Tissue Diagnosis by Laser-Induced Fluorescence Spectroscopy at Endoscopy," Gastrointestinal Endoscopy 36 (2) (1990) 105-111, the authors describe an endoscopic system which is used to study autofluorescence from living tissue. The excitation source is monochromatic with a wavelength of 370 nanometers. Optical fibers are used to collect the fluorescence emitted by the irradiated tissue. Emission spectra are collected from 350 to 700 nanometers using an imaging spectrograph coupled to a gated optical multi-channel analyzer. A similar autofluorescence system was described by Andersson et al. in "Autofluorescence of Various Rodent Tissues and Human Skin Tumour Samples," Lasers in Medical Science 2 (41) (1987) 41-49.
The above fluorescence analyzers suffer from a number of performance disadvantages. For example, all of the systems have a very limited selection of excitation wavelengths; none of them give the user the ability to specify any particular excitation wavelength. Thus these systems do not allow the user to optimize the excitation of the fluorescent label. Furthermore, the prior art systems generally detect fluorescence in discrete wavelength bands as opposed to being continuously tunable over the detection wavelengths of interest. Without the ability to continuously tune the excitation and emission detection wavelengths, the user is not able to peak the fluorescent response.
The lack of continuous tunability of the detection wavelengths in the prior art fluorescence analyzers is especially problematic in those instances in which the chosen fluorescent labels undergo spectral shifts due to external environmental effects. For example, some fluorescent probes exhibit sensitivity to solvent polarity, solvent in this context including the interior regions of various biomolecular structures (e.g., cells, membranes, proteins, etc.). This phenomena is commonly observed in fluorescent probes which have large excited-state dipole moments. Another commonly observed cause of fluorescence spectral shifts is the pH sensitivity of many fluorescent labels. Generally, pH sensitivity is the result of a reconfiguration in the probe's .pi.-electron system.
From the foregoing, it is apparent that a fluorescence analyzer is desired which is continuously tunable over the emission detection wavelengths.

Fluorescence imaging instrument utilizing fish


A pressure transducer, in particular for sensing a lateral collision in a motor vehicle, delivers an electric useful signal which is determined by a relative pressure change relating to a pressure event. Low-frequency changes in an output signal of a sensor device, which depend on the ambient pressure, are compensated by a control device with an integrating behavior. The sensitivity of the sensor device, as a manipulated variable, changes in a manner inversely proportional to the ambient pressure. Higher-frequency pressure changes in the output signal of the sensor device are not compensated, but as a result of the variable sensitivity of the sensor device, determine as relative pressure changes the useful signal, which is additionally independent of temperature influences and offset errors of the pressure transducer.

Field of the Invention:
The invention relates to a pressure transducer, in particular for sensing a lateral collision in a motor vehicle, which converts a pressure signal into an electric useful signal that is determined by an output signal of a variable-sensitivity sensor device, in which the sensor device and a control device form a single-loop control loop, and in which a control difference of the control device is determined by a setpoint and the output signal of the sensor device.
A pressure transducer which is known from International Publication WO 94/11223 uses an air pressure detector as a sensor to monitor the air pressure in a cavity of a motor vehicle side part, in particular in the event of a lateral collision of the motor vehicle, and emits an electric useful signal which is determined by the measured air pressure change. An electronic system evaluates the useful signal and, if appropriate, triggers restraining devices of the motor vehicle.
The useful signal of such a pressure transducer is not unambiguous.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,717,038 discloses a pressure transducer for determining the gas flow in a gas-operated engine. The pressure transducer has two sensor devices. The first sensor device picks up a pressure change in a measuring pipe and the second sensor device picks up the ambient pressure. The second sensor device is disposed in a feedback line of a control loop, with a control device which has a proportional behavior, as does the controlled system. A differential amplifier forms a control difference from output signals of the two sensor devices. An output signal of the differential amplifier is fed as a controlled variable to the second sensor device and influences the sensitivity of the second sensor device. The pressure transducer delivers a signal, at the output of the comparator, which is proportional to the pressure change in relation to the ambient pressure.
Such a pressure transducer requires two sensor devices which measure different pressure variables independently of each other. However, neither of the two sensor devices picks up the total pressure as the sum of the ambient pressure and a pressure change.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,841,150, a pressure transducer is proposed in which an output signal of a sensor device depends on pressure changes. The sensor device contains two piezo-resistive measuring resistors on a diaphragm. A constant-current circuit configuration with a voltage source, operational amplifiers and calibration resistors ensures a constant current flow through the measuring resistors. The voltage difference between the voltages across the measuring resistors on one hand is used as a useful signal and on the other hand is fed back to the constant-current circuit configuration, in order to increase the linearity of the sensor device.

Pressure transducer, in particular for sensing a lateral collision in a motor vehicle


A method is provided for calibrating a stereo imaging system by using at least one camera and a planar mirror. The method involves obtaining at least two images with the camera, each of the images being captured from a different camera position and containing the mirror view of the camera and a mirror view of an object, thereby obtaining multiple views of the object. The method further involves finding the center of the picture of the camera in each of the images, obtaining a relative focal length of the camera, determining an aspect ratio in each of the images, determining the mirror plane equation in the coordinate system of the camera, defining an up-vector in the mirror's plane, selecting a reference point in the mirror's plane, determining the coordinate transformation from the coordinate system of the image capturing camera into the mirror coordinate system, and determining a coordinate transformation.

The distance between a camera and a spatial point in a scene can be determined or well estimated from the position of the point within two or more associated images showing the same point, wherein either the scene is stationary or the associated images are captured simultaneously. The distance calculation is still possible if one or more planar mirrors are arranged in the scene, and some of the images are captured in the mirror. The three dimensional (3D) position of a point can be computed from basic geometric relationships when the relationship between the spatial position of the image recording device and the spatial position and specific parameters of the reflecting surfaces (e.g. mirrors) are known. The challenge in computing an unknown distance from multiple images using reflecting surfaces is called catadioptric stereo vision. In J. Gluckman and S. K. Nayar: Catadioptric Stereo Using Planar Mirrors (International Journal on Computer Vision, 44(1), pp. 65-79, August 2001), the basic theory of catadioptric stereo image generation is described in detail. In this paper an image capturing setup including one camera and one planar mirror is introduced with a known relative position of the camera and the mirror, and hence calibration is not needed This method results in a volumetric 3D representation of an object in the real cameras view.
In the paper of Hu et al. 'Multiple-view 3-D Reconstruction Using a Mirror' (ftp://ftp.cs.rochester.edu/pub/papers/robotics/05.tr863.Multiple-view_3-d_reconstruction_using_a_mirror.pdf) a stationary camera and a planar mirror are used for multiple-view three dimensional object reconstruction. The distance between the mirror and the camera is obtained by a single object point and a pair of points of the mirrored view of the object. The mirror image of the camera is searched in the captured images and then the epipoles of the virtual camera are used to determine the spatial relationship between the virtual camera and the real camera. This method, however, cannot be used for 3D object reconstruction if the real object is not visible in the captured images.
The paper of Kumar et al., 'Simple calibration of non-overlapping cameras with a mirror' (http://frahm.web.unc.edu/files/2014/01/Simple-Calibration-of-Non-overlapping-Cameras-with-a-Mirror.pdf), introduces a calibration method for set of cameras. Although this method also uses the mirror images of the cameras, it does not use the images of the real object, and therefore at least five images are required in order to recover the real camera position and orientation.
Calibrating a stereo (or multi-view) camera system is a difficult task. In general, it requires to find several corresponding points in the captured images, and then to solve a non-linear optimization problem with six to eight parameters (depending on whether or not the focal lengths of the cameras are known). In our proposed method, calibration can be obtained by reducing the aforementioned optimization problem to two independent, much simpler optimization problems, each having three or four parameters (depending on whether or not the focal lengths are known). Due to this decomposition of a more complex computation into two simpler computations, the method of the invention is faster, more reliable and more robust than the prior art calibration methods.
The key idea of the calibration methods of the present invention is that by using the mirror view of the real camera along with multiple (different) views of an object in one or more captured images, the 3D coordinates of a point in the real space with respect to the mirror coordinate system can be easily determined. Additionally, by selecting two spatial points which both appear in the one or more captured images, the real distance between the two points can be determined on the basis of their corresponding image points.

Methods and computer program products for calibrating stereo imaging systems by using a planar mirror


A photovoltaic cell assembly suitable for use in a dense array concentrated photovoltaic cell module includes a plurality of photovoltaic cells mounted on a substrate and a by-pass diode associated with each cell to allow the cell to be by-passed in the electrical circuit in the event that the cell fails or has low illumination. The diodes are positioned in the shadows of the cells. The diodes provide direct pathways for heat and electricity from the cells to the substrate.

One significant issue associated with the development of commercially viable solar radiation-based electrical power generating systems of the type described above is energy conversion efficiency.
Energy conversion efficiency is a very strong driver of the economics of solar power systems. When a conversion efficiency increase can be achieved at a percentage system cost increase which is less than the percentage efficiency increase, the commercial prospects for the solar power system are improved.
Current indications are that the present invention can achieve an efficiency increase of the order of 5% at a system cost increase of less than 0.5%.
Two issues that have a negative impact on energy conversion efficiency in a solar radiation receiver are (a) dead space and (b) flux variation.
The issue of dead space relates to the ratio of active photovoltaic cell area versus the total module area. This ratio is the Active Cell Area Ratio (ACAR). Dense array systems known to the applicant typically have ACARs of only 65% to 95%.
Challenges that have limited the ACARs of prior art arrangements known to the applicant include:
(a) a space limitation and complexity of interconnection of adjacent photovoltaic cells to form a circuit;
(b) the 'bus bar' connection on the top of cells causing shading of the cells and reducing the effective active area;
(c) the diode connection; and.
(d) the area occupied by an edge seal which provides for safety and reliability
The issue of flux variation relates to the arrangement and characteristics of the cells and modules in a receiver (including cell size and connections between cells) and to the flux distribution impinging on the receiver relating to the collectors for reflecting solar radiation to the receiver. The variation in flux can also be time-based and, typically, is a more significant issue with collectors that reflect and concentrate solar radiation, such as heliostat-based concentration systems.
The applicant has considered the issues of dead space and flux variation in relation to dense array CPV module design.
The applicant decided that it is desirable to have a module that has a high ACAR and a high voltage. The high ACAR results in high conversion efficiency in a module because of the greater percentage of active cell area exposed to radiation for a given module size. This is a driver for larger cells with a minimum number of connectors, diodes and a small edge seal. High voltage allows maximum parallel connections of modules, which results in high average module efficiency across a receiver which has a plurality of modules subject to variable flux. This is a driver for smaller cells. These issues therefore are opposing issues.
Known photovoltaic cells which are used in dense array CPV modules are typically low voltage (0.5 to 6 V). Thus, many cells must be connected in series to achieve a desirable high voltage (typically 200 to 1000 V). This means the cells must be relatively small and there are many connections in the module. This means the connections must consume a minimum of (active area) module space, otherwise the advantage gained will be lost due to the dead space taken up by the increased number of connections.
The many hundreds of cells and connections must also be very reliable or have a means to bypass a failed cell or connection so that the effect due to its failure is minimised.
It has been proposed in the non-patent literature to use a "shingle" arrangement of a string of photovoltaic cells in a module rather than a more standard end-to-end arrangement of cells. The proposed prior art shingle arrangement includes a leading edge of one photovoltaic cell overlapping a trailing edge of a successive cell in a short straight string of cells, to cover an inactive "bus bar" area of these successive cells. The proposed prior art shingle arrangement potentially results in a high ACAR in view of the cell overlap with resultant bad heat transfer.
The applicant has found in research and development work that when cells are appropriately mounted, the shingle approach may be practical for a single short straight length string of cells but may not be a solution for large scale solar radiation-based electrical power generating systems which require large areas of a large number of active cells to be interconnected in one or more lines of cells in order to achieve a required module voltage.
More specifically, limitations/challenges of the known shingle arrangement approach that have been identified by the applicant include:
(a) low voltage due to short string length,
(b) low power due to short string length,
(c) high mechanical strain due to the monolithic nature of overlapping arrangement effectively increasing size of the cell physical structure in one direction,
(d) poor heat transfer due to limited contact of sloped cell with a cooled substrate (such as a copper pad) to which it is usually attached,
(e) difficulties changing direction of a string; and.
(f) cost of interconnects and or modified cells (for non-shingle arrangements).
In summary, there is a need for a shingle arrangement that includes bypass diodes and a simple "cross" connection so that a low strain serpentine string can cover a 2 dimensional array with minimal dead space and excellent heat transfer to minimise cell temperature for use in concentrated light. In more general terms, not confined to shingle arrangements, there is a need for an alternative photovoltaic cell assembly that is suitable for use in a dense array CPV module to the currently available assemblies.
The above description is not to be taken as an admission of the common general knowledge in Australia or elsewhere.


A computing device having partitions, and a method of communicating between partitions, are disclosed wherein each partition comprises at least one address area readable but not writable from the other of the at least two partitions. In one embodiment one partition sends to the other partition a request for information, which information is in the other partition in an address area not accessible to the one partition, the other partition copies the information to an address area accessible to the one partition, and the one partition reads the information from the accessible address area. In another embodiment the at least one accessible address area of each partition includes a data area and a consumer pointer indicating the position to which that partition has read the data area in another partition.

In computers and other data handling systems, it is sometimes desirable to partition parts of the system from one another. "Partitioning" denotes an arrangement in which a larger system is divided into parts that are not totally isolated, but in which access from one partition to another is restricted. Partitioning may for example be used to reduce the risk that a malfunction in one partition will interfere with the working of another partition. Partitioning may for example be used to reduce the risk that malicious activity in one partition can interfere with other partitions. Partitioning may for example be used to simplify programming, by enabling a programmer to ignore the existence of other partitions.
However, for some purposes it may be necessary or desirable for different partitions to communicate. Communication may then take place without unduly weakening the partitioning.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A high voltage power supply having a high voltage output terminal and capable of receiving an input for providing an alternating voltage signal to the power supply is provided. A voltage multiplier circuit is provided for operating on the alternating voltage signal and generating a high voltage across positive and negative polarity terminals. An electromechanical transducer is preferably provided for moving the multiplier circuit between a first position where the positive polarity terminal is electrically connected to the high voltage output terminal, and a second position where the negative polarity terminal is electrically connected to the high voltage output terminal.

This invention is directed to a high voltage power supply, and, in particular, a high voltage power supply having a multiplier circuit located therein, with the multiplier circuit mounted on a movable plate, such that the positive output and negative output of the multiplier circuit can be selectively switched to provide either a positive or negative high voltage output.
There are many known power supplies in the prior art and three such power supplies are diagrammatically represented in FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C. In particular, the prior art power supply shown in FIG. 1A includes conventional control circuits 100 coupled to a conventional driver circuit 102. The driver circuit is connected via a transformer 104 to a conventional Cockcroft-Walton multiplier 106. The output of the Cockcroft-Walton multiplier provides the generic high voltage output which is filtered and modified to provide a clean high voltage output. This is a manual high voltage power supply, which means that the user must reconfigure the high voltage circuits by physically disconnecting and connecting key electrical nodes. In particular, the dashed lines 108 indicate the manual links required in order to obtain a positive polarity high voltage output. When dashed lines 108 are connected, solid lines 110 must be disconnected. Alternatively, if a negative polarity high voltage output is desirable, the links shown by the dashed lines 108 must be removed and the electronic links indicated by the solid lines 110 must be connected manually. The circuitry of FIG. 1A requires the high voltage electrodes to be accessed by the user, and presents a safety hazard by exposing the user to energized high voltage circuits. This technique also requires significant time to perform the switchover from positive polarity to negative polarity, thereby making it impracticable for automated system requirements.
With reference to FIG. 1B, a more advanced manual system is provided, including control circuits 112 coupled to driver circuit 114, which is connected via a transformer 116 to a center feed Cockcroft-Walton multiplier circuit 118. By providing a center feed Cockcroft-Walton multiplier circuit, rather than the convention Cockcroft-Walton shown in FIG. 1A, the number of manual links is reduced. In particular, the user would be required to connect dashed wires 120 for a positive polarity high voltage output, and alternatively, solid lines 122 are required to obtain a negative polarity high voltage output. Thus, it can be seen that the total number of manual links that must be connected and disconnected to change the polarity is reduced from six to four. However, this reduction in number of connections does not change the fact that a user is exposed to energized high voltage circuitry which presents a safety hazard. Furthermore, the reduction in number of manual links from six to four does not significantly increase the switchover time in order to make this construction practical for an automated system.
Particular reference is now made to the prior art of FIG. 1C, which illustrates an advancement over the manual technique of FIGS. 1A and 1B. In particular, the circuitry of FIG. 1C includes control circuits 130 electrically connected to driver circuit 132 which is connected via a low voltage relay 134 to either high voltage transformer 136 or high voltage transformer 138. High voltage transformer 136 is connected to Cockcroft-Walton multiplier 140 and high voltage transformer 138 is connected to Cockcroft-Walton multiplier 142. A high voltage relay 144 is connected to the output of Cockcroft-Walton multipliers 140 and 142 and is synchronized with low voltage relay 134. Thus, if a positive polarity is desired the low voltage relay 134 and high voltage relay 144 selectively switch to couple Cockcroft-Walton multiplier 140 to driver 132 and high voltage output 146. Alternatively, if a negative polarity high voltage output is desired the low voltage relay 134 and high voltage relay 144 switch to couple the driver circuit 132 and high voltage output 146 to Cockcroft-Walton multiplier 142. This circuitry requires relay control logic 148 to be linked to control circuit 130, low voltage relay 134 and high voltage relay 144, in order to control the switching of relays 134 and 144. The circuitry used in the prior art of FIG. 1C makes significant advancements over the manual techniques illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B. However, the relay technique of FIG. 1C requires a high voltage relay (e.g. high voltage relay 144) which requires an expensive vacuum relay. Vacuum relays are expensive, due to the clean room production requirements, and are limited to maximum operating voltages based on the currently available technology. Furthermore, the high voltage relay technique requires two high voltage output circuits, a low voltage relay to switch the converter to the desired output, a high voltage relay to switch the output circuit to the appropriate polarity, and significant control circuitry to ensure no damage occurs to the relay and output circuits during switchover transitions. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a high voltage power supply capable of being used in today's automated systems, wherein the expense of manufacture is decreased by eliminating the requirement of expensive high voltage vacuum relays, and the expense of providing dual multiplier circuits.

Reversible polarity high voltage power supply


A server-assisted approach for synchronizing timebases (120 and 140) in a client-server system utilizes global positioning system (GPS) receivers (136 and 110) at both the client and server. In a typical implementation, the GPS receiver (136) associated with the client system receives fragmentary or incomplete data from satellites that are part of the GPS. Thus, the client GPS receiver (136) is capable of receiving only fragmentary information and cannot derive accurate time signals therefrom. The server system (102) is associated with a GPS receiver (110) capable of generating accurate time and position data based on signals from GPS satellites (114). The fragmentary information from the client GPS receiver (136) is transmitted to the server (126) along with time information indicating the time at which the client captured the fragmentary GPS data. The server (126) analyzes the fragmentary GPS data with respect to the complete GPS data available from the GPS receiver (110) associated with the server. The server (126) accurately determines the actual time at which the fragmentary GPS data was captured and transmits timing signals to the client (146). The timing signals are used to correct the client timebase (140) thus synchronizing the client and server timebases (140 and 120).

Many communication systems, such as wireless communication systems, require an accurate timebase for satisfactory operation. For example, a code division multiple access (CDMA) wireless communication system comprises a plurality of base stations, each of which is typically positioned in a fixed location and requires an accurate timebase for satisfactory operation. The operation of a CDMA system and the requirement for an accurate timebase are known in the art and need not be described in greater detail herein.
It is known to use a global positioning system (GPS) array of satellites to provide an accurate timebase for such communication systems. Each base station is equipped with a sophisticated GPS antenna and receiver (not shown) to communicate with multiple satellites of the GPS. Based on synchronized communication with a number of satellites of the GPS, the GPS receiver provides the base station with a highly accurate timebase that may be used in subsequent communications between the base station and other base stations and between the base station and one or more mobile units.
The aforementioned GPS requires a sophisticated receiver and antenna system to assure adequate communications with multiple satellites. In an ideal implementation, the GPS antenna is mounted in a location that is free from obstructions, such as natural terrain (e.g., mountains) or man-made structures (e.g., buildings). If the base station is located in an area where communication links with the satellites are disrupted by terrain or man-made structures, it may not be possible to provide the base station with an accurate timebase. Therefore, it can be appreciated that there is a significant need for a technique to provide accurate timebase in circumstances where the GPS cannot be used to provide the desired degree of accuracy. The present invention provides this, and other advantages, as will be apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying figures.

Method and apparatus for timebase synchronization for use with cellular base stations


A wireless power generating unit, includes, in part, a multitude of transmitting elements transmitting a multitude of RF signals to a wireless device, a backscatter RF receiver configured to receive the backscattered RF signal from the wireless device in response to the transmission of the RF signals, and a processor adapted to change the phases of the multitude of RF signals values in accordance with the strength of the received backscattered signal. The phases are changed to maximize the strength of the backscattered signal which may be modulated by varying a resistive load at the wireless device. The modulated backscattered signal may be encoded to carry information. The modulation frequency may be representative of the identity of the wireless device. The information may define the amount of RF power received by the wireless device.

Wireless power delivery enables powering up or charging electronic devices remotely. United States Patent Publication No. 20140175893 discloses an array of frequency synchronous RF sources with programmable phase settings to radiate and deliver energy to a target location where a device with an energy recovery unit receives the RF power and converts it to DC power.
To deliver power to the desired location and track the recovery unit as it moves and changes its location, the phase setting of the RF sources need to change dynamically to keep the energy focused on the recovery unit continuously.
One known method, as disclosed in United States Patent Publication No. 20120326660, is phase conjugation in which the recovery unit transmits a pilot signal. The power generating unit records the phase of the pilot signal received at each of its antennas and applies the conjugated phase to that RF source. To achieve this, the recovery unit includes a signal generation circuit to generate an RF pilot whose frequency must match the frequency of the generating unit. The generating unit is similarly required to include at least one coherent receiver per antenna of its antenna array. Therefore, generating a conjugated phase using a pilot signal requires a relatively high level of complexity in the power generating unit as well as the recovery unit. In addition, tracking the frequency of the RF pilot signal consumes considerable amount of power. Furthermore, since during transmission of the pilot signal, the generating unit is not transmitting power and is in the listening mode, local energy storage (such as batteries) are required during the tracking. A need continues to exist for an improved method of wireless power delivery and tracking.

Method and apparatus for wireless power delivery tracking


An electrical noise-filtering assembly includes first and second busbars. The first busbar is spaced from the second busbar at a fixed distance sufficient to induce the proximity effect. As arranged, high frequency noise having high order harmonics adhere to the surfaces spaced by the fixed distance. Noise can be removed efficiently by disposing low equivalent series resistance (ESR) noise filters between the surfaces where the noise harmonics concentrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electrical noise filtering, and more particularly, to filtering of high-frequency ripple noise from electrical circuits.
2. Description of the Related Art
When an alternating current (AC) passes through a conductor, depending on the alternating frequency, the current tends to crowd itself near the surface of the conductor. This phenomenon is called the xe2x80x9cskin effectxe2x80x9d and is known in the art.
FIG. 1 diagrammatically depicts the skin effect in which a cross-sectional area A of a conductor 2 carrying an AC current i in a direction 4 which is perpendicular to and out of the figure. Depending on the frequency of the AC current i, the current i tends to propagate near the surface S of the conductor 2. The higher the frequency, the more the current i travels proximally to the surface S. Skin effect arises from the fact that the current i at different points in the cross-sectional area A does not encounter equal inductance. The current i confronts higher inductance, specifically self-inductance, near the center C of the cross-sectional area A. At the same time, there is much less self-inductance experienced by the current i near the skin surface S of the conductor 2. As a consequence, an uneven current distribution results. The current density near the skin surface S is much higher than the corresponding current density near the center of the area A. With the majority of the current crowds near the conductor skin surface S which has a limited cross-sectional area in comparison to the total area A, the uneven current distribution in effect increases the overall resistance of the conductor 2.
Two main factors contribute to the skin effect, they are, namely, the cross-sectional area of the conductor and the frequency of the current passing through the conductor. Referring back to FIG. 1, when the current i passes through a large cross-sectional area A, even at low frequency such as 60 Hz (Hertz), skin effect can be eminent. Alternatively, effective resistance also substantially increases when the AC current i alternates at high frequency, even with the cross-sectional area A relatively small in dimension. However, most detrimental of all is when the current i passes through the conductor 2 with a large cross-sectional area A and alternates at high frequency.
In reality, the combination of the aforementioned factors occurs in the design of power supplies and related circuits. For example, shown in FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, somewhat schematically, of a section of a pair of power busbars 6 and 8 driving a load 9. The busbars 6 and 8 are in turn driven by a power supply 5. As is known in the art, to supply a high current output with a manageable physical size, the power supply 5 needs to be built as a switch-mode power supply. Modern day power supplies are mostly designed to be miniaturized in size. To accomplish this end, switching frequencies of the power supplies are driven at very high ranges. The rapid switching power supply 5 is a source of high frequency noise which, if not properly controlled, is detrimental to the operation of the load 9. The noise problem associated with the power supply 5 will be explained further below.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 3xe2x80x943 of FIG. 2. The busbars 6 and 8 can be found in a high-current output power supply used to drive Internet routers, for example. The busbars 6 and 8 respectively carry currents 10 and 12 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The directions of current flow for currents 10 and 12 are opposite to each other in this case. Depending on the load 9, the currents 10 and 12 may assume high values. As such, the busbars 6 and 8 are normally designed with large cross-sectional areas. Each busbar 6 or 8 is intended to carry a direct current (DC). However, superimposed on the DC component of each current 10 or 12 is normally high-frequency noise. FIG. 4 graphically shows a typical current characteristic of the busbar 6 or 8. As shown in FIG. 4, there is a DC component signified by the reference numeral 14, and a noise component labeled 16. The noise 16 comes from a variety of sources with a wide spectrum of frequency ranges. As mentioned above, modern day fast switching power supplies substantially aggravate the noise problem. For example, a major portion of the noise 16 may come from switching rectifiers and MOSFETs (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors) which are key components of the power supply 5.
The presence of the noise 16 is undesirable in several respects. Chief among all is the impairment of operational reliability of the load 9. The noise 16 can cause false triggering of logical circuits, as well as erroneous electrical level processing of analog circuits in the load 9. The noise 16, if unmanaged, can render the load 9 totally malfunctional.
Not to be overlooked is the fact that the noise 16 is high-frequency in nature and the skin effect normally takes into effect. For reasons as stated above, the noise 16 tends to crowd itself near the skin surface of the busbars 6 and 8 when propagating through the busbars 6 and 8, as diagrammatically shown in FIG. 3. The noise currents passing through the limited cross-sectional areas near the busbar skins generate unwanted heat which further aggrevates the reliability of the components placed adjacent to the busbars 6 and 8. Quite often, in high-frequency applications, the heat generated can be substantial.
For reasons as stated above, the noise 16 is normally filtered away before reaching any load. Heretofore, filtering of noise on the busbars 6 and 8 has mostly been accomplished by placing noise filtering capacitors 18 between the busbars 6 and 8, irrespective of the distance between the busbars 6 and 8. As a consequence, only a portion of the noise is filtered. That is, noise is filtered only in the areas at or near the capacitors 18. The majority of noise 16 away from the capacitors, such as the noise at the three skin surfaces 6A, 6B and 6C of the busbar 6 remain intact and may not be affected at all. Similarly, noise 16 clustering at the other three surface skins 8A, 8B and 8C away from the capacitors 18 on the busbar 8 may also escape filtering and goes directly to the load 9.
High frequency switching mode power supplies are commonly used to power electronic circuits. There has been a long-felt and increasing need to effectively and efficiently suppress the unwanted noise in practical applications.
It is accordingly the object of the invention to provide a circuit scheme which efficiently filters away unwanted noise, thereby improving operational reliability and curtails wasteful heat generation. The objective of effective noise filtering without resorting to elaborate and expensive implementation is also sought.
The noise filtering assembly of the invention includes first and second busbars. The first busbar is proximally spaced from the second busbar at a fixed distance sufficient to induce proximity effect. As arranged, when current passes through the busbars, the high frequency noise having higher order harmonics adhere to the surfaces spaced by the fixed distance. Noise can be removed efficiently by disposing low equivalent resistance noise filters between the surfaces where the noise harmonics concentrate.
In other embodiments, more than two busbars are proximally disposed together so as to enhance the proximity effect. Noise filters are also disposed on the busbar surfaces where the noise concentrates.
These and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts.

Utilization of proximity effect in ripple noise filtering


When recording a preamble signal and nT precoded data, a switch is provided for obtaining a serial datastream of the preamble signal and the precoded data for recording in a track on a record carrier. Various solutions are described for improving syncword detection upon reproduction of the recorded data. In one such solution, an nT precoder is provided. The nT precoder includes a signal combination unit and a delay unit for realizing a signal delay of nT. Further, a switching unit is provided having a first and a second input, an output and a control signal input. The second input of the switching unit is coupled to an output of the signal combination unit, and the output of the switching unit is coupled to an input of the nT delay unit.

The invention relates to an apparatus for recording a digital information signal in a track on a record carrier, the apparatus including:
input apparatus for receiving the digital information signal;
encoding apparatus for encoding the digital information signal so as to obtain a channel signal, the encoding apparatus including a nT precoder, where n is an integer for which holds n.gtoreq.1, and T is the bit time in the digital information signal, the nT precoder including signal combination apparatus and delay apparatus for realizing a signal delay of nT;
preamble signal generating apparatus for generating a preamble signal;
switching apparatus for combining the preamble signal and the channel signal, the switching apparatus having a first and second input, an output and a control signal input, the first input of the switching apparatus being coupled to an output of the preamble signal generating apparatus;
timing apparatus for timing the switching apparatus such that the switching apparatus supplies a channel encoded block of information of the digital information signal which is preceded by the preamble signal;
writing apparatus for writing the preamble signal and the channel encoded block of information of the digital information signal in the track on the record carrier, and to encoding apparatus for encoding said digital information signal.
An apparatus as defined in the opening paragraph is known from EP-A 492,704, to which U.S. Pat. No. 5,245,493 corresponds, see especially the FIG. 12. n equals 2 in the prior art apparatus.
The prior art apparatus records a digital information signal, that may be a digital video signal or a digital audio signal or may include both the digital video signal and the digital audio signal or may even include a digital data signal, in slant tracks on a record carrier. The tracks are formed by a preamble track portion in which a preamble signal is recorded, followed by a data track portion in which the channel signal is recorded. The channel signal recorded in a data track portion is the 2T precoded version of a sequence of datablocks (syncblocks) each datablock (syncblock) including a sync word which is followed by a number of bytes of information. The preamble signal is used during reproduction to lock the internal oscillator of the reproducing apparatus to the bitclock included in the preamble signal. Next, the syncwords in the datablocks (syncblocks) are detected so as to enable the retrieval of the data information included in the data blocks.
Those skilled in the art are also directed to EP-A 317,013 to which U.S. Pat. No. 5,128,811 corresponds.
The above citations are hereby incorporated in whole by reference.

Apparatus for recording a digital information signal in a track on a record carrier and encoding means for encoding said digital information signal


The present invention relates to the field of virology. More specifically, the present invention provides methods and compositions useful for treating human cytomegalovirus using Wnt pathway modulators. In a specific embodiment, a method for treating human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) in a patient in need thereof comprises administering an effective amount of Wnt pathway modulator.

Infection with Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) continues to be a major threat for pregnant women, the immunocompromised population including patients with HIV-AIDS (1-3). Because of the limited agents available for HCMV therapy, the side effects associated with anti-HCMV compounds (all viral DNA polymerase inhibitors), and the emergence of resistant viral mutants during therapy (4-6), there is a pressing need to develop anti-HCMV compounds with novel mechanisms of action. Understanding the complex and evolving interaction of HCMV with the cellular machinery may lead to the development of novel anti-HCMV inhibitors.

Treatment of human cytomegalovirus by modulating Wnt


In a wristwatch case, a nonmetal dial plate (305) is disposed so as to face a transparent window plate (304), and a movement (303) with a built-in antenna is disposed between the nonmetal dial plate (305) and a nonmetal back cover plate (306). A metal annular window frame (301) and/or a metal annular back cover frame (302) has an extension (L1, L2) extending appropriately toward a metal annular base (300). Thereby, in the wristwatch case, the outer periphery of the movement (303) with a built-in antenna disposed between the nonmetal dial plate (305) and the nonmetal back cover plate (306) is surrounded so that the region is divided vertically, by the metal annular base (300) and the extension (L1) of the metal annular window frame (301) and/or the extension (L2) of the metal annular back cover frame (302).

In general, most consumers think that a case for a wristwatch is preferably made of metal. Such consumers' taste is often found in people in the middle to high age groups in terms of generation, and in Japan and Europe in terms of region.
For a radio wave wristwatch with a built-in antenna, a radio wave permeating material such as plastics and ceramics are often used as a material for the case. If a metal such as stainless steel is used as the material for the case, radio wave time signals cannot sufficiently penetrate the case, so a normal operation for receiving radio waves cannot be anticipated. If a plastic material is used as the material for the case, purchasers of such radio wave wristwatches with a built-in antenna tend to have a bias toward younger generations mainly because of insufficient sense of luxury in appearance, and the wristwatches of this type actually have poor sales among people in the middle to high age groups. Also, if ceramics is used as the material for the case, sales diminishes due to a high sales price.
On the other hand, in a radio wave wristwatch with an externally mounted antenna, having a receiving antenna disposed on the outside of the case, by accommodating the receiving antenna within a specially designed plastic case, or incorporating it in a leather watchband, the wristwatch case itself containing a movement can be made of metal. However, such radio wave wristwatch with an externally mounted antenna lacks simplicity and smartness in terms of appearance, and the connecting construction between the antenna and the movement becomes complicated, and thereby its sales are not widely spread.
Accordingly, the inventors conducted studies earnestly to develop a radio wave wristwatch with a built-in antenna, capable of receiving radio wave time signals with high sensitivity while using a metal case that is less permeable to radio waves. The process reaching the development is as described below.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a construction of a conventional metal wristwatch case used for an ordinary wristwatch (ordinary wristwatch other than the radio wave wristwatch).
As shown in FIG. 6, this metal wristwatch case 101 is constructed by integrally combining three elements in a lapped manner: the three elements are, a metal annular base 102 for shaping a case contour, a metal annular window frame (generally, referred to as a "bezel" also) 104 positioned on the surface side of the metal annular base 102 to fringe a transparent window plate 103, and a metal back cover 105 positioned on the back surface side of the metal annular base 102.
Inside the metal wristwatch case 101, a metal dial plate 106 is disposed so as to face the transparent window plate 103, and a movement 107 is contained in a space 108 between the metal dial plate 106 and the metal back cover 105.
As the metal annular base 102 shown in the figure, for example, a material SUS304 having a thickness of 4 mm, an inside diameter of 32 mm, and a height D1 of 6 mm is used. Also, for example, a glass material having a thickness of 1 mm and a diameter of 30 mm is used as the transparent window plate 103. Also, for example, a material SUS304 having a thickness of 4 mm, an inside diameter of 28 mm, and a height of 3 mm is used as the metal annular window frame 104. Also, for example, a material SUS304 having a thickness of 2 mm and a diameter of 36 mm is used as the metal back cover 105. Also, for example, a material Bs having a thickness of 0.6 mm and a diameter of 30 mm is used as the metal dial plate 106. Further, for example, an ordinary wristwatch movement having a diameter of 26 mm and a height of 5 mm is used as the movement 107.
If the ordinary wristwatch movement 107 is merely replaced with a movement with a built-in antenna for radio wave wristwatch on the basis of the construction shown in FIG. 6, the movement for the radio wave wristwatch hardly receives radio wave time signals. The reason for this is that the movement for the radio wave wristwatch is completely enclosed by the metal dial plate 106 on the upper side, the metal back cover 105 on the lower side, and the relatively thick metal annular base 102 on the periphery.
Thereupon, the inventors made an attempt to use a dial plate made of a radio wave permeating material (for example, glass or plastics) replacing the metal dial plate 106, and to use a back cover made of a radio wave permeating material (for example, glass or plastics) replacing the metal back cover 105. Thereby, the radio wave time signal reception sensitivity was improved considerably due to the removal of radio wave shielding elements positioned above and below the movement. However, the radio wave time signal reception sensitivity did not reach a level for practical use.
Next, the inventors paid attention to the radio wave shielding elements positioned at the side of the movement 107, and attempted to decrease the thickness of the metal annular base 102. However, since the metal annular base 102 must maintain the strength of the case and hold an operating push button penetrating the metal annular base 102, the decrease in thickness thereof has a limitation. Therefore, although the radio wave time signal reception sensitivity was improved to some degree, it did not yet reach a level for practical use.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described technical background, and accordingly an object thereof is to realize a radio wave wristwatch having a metallic appearance like the appearance of an ordinary wristwatch, by improving radio wave permeability in the vertical direction and at the side of a movement while the strength and thickness of a metal annular base constituting a case body is kept at a required level.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a radio wave wristwatch having a metallic appearance that can also be manufactured at a low cost.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent for a person skilled in the art from the following description.


An improved rare probability connection call registration method using a PTI field information for an asynchronous transfer mode switching system which is capable of registering a rare probability connection code (RPCC) by using PTI field information, which includes the steps of setting a predetermined threshold value, checking payload type indication field information within each cell header which is currently being serviced, and determining whether the cell experienced congestion, continuously checking other cells when the cell did not experience congestion, increasing the congestion experienced counter value with respect to the service when the cell experienced congestion, and comparing the congestion experienced counter value with a predetermined threshold value within a previously designated unit time, clearing the congestion experienced counter value when the congestion experienced counter value is less than a predetermined threshold value within the previously designated unit time, increasing the congestion experienced counter value when the congestion experienced counter value exceeds the predetermined threshold value within a previously designated unit time, and comparing the congestion counter value with a predetermined threshold value within the previously designated unit time.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rare probability connection call registration method using payload type indication (PTI) field information for an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switching system, and in particular to an improved rare probability connection call registration method using PTI field information for an ATM switching system which is capable of registering a rare probability connection call (RPCC) by using PTI field information which indicates the congestion of the switching component within the cell header, whereby it is possible to more quickly control the network and restrict an ineffective call, thus maximizing the efficiency of the network.
2. Description of the Conventional Art
Most traffic congestion of a communication network occurs due to an overload in a receiving system. This communication congestion or the overload of the switching system occurs due to natural disasters, an overload phenomenon of the system when a multitude of call services are requested at one time, or communication traffic concentrated on a specific receiving system due to an unexpected communication failure.
When calls are concentrated at a predetermined time with respect to a specific receiving system (for example, reservations for a public performance, or the audience rating response to a television program), the above-described heavy call concentration phenomenon may occur even though an operator of the switching system predicts such heavy call congestion if special operations on the system are not made.
When call requests are heavily concentrated on a predetermined receiving number, that is when many calls are concentrated at one time on the destination number beyond the design specification of the connection admission control function, the system can only offer limited service, and the system may go down due to the above-described problems.
FIG. 4 is a graph illustrating a performance variation when a switching system is overloaded.
As shown therein, the curved line indicates a theoretical system performance which is obtainable when an overload of the system or traffic congestion occurs, and the curved line "c" denotes system performance when the congestion control function is not operated, and the curved line "b" denotes affordable system performance when the congestion control function is operated.
If the above-described situation is continuously maintained, the system congestion resulting from many call attempts to a specific number may cause further congestion with respect to the neighboring system. So, finally, there is the possibility of system-wide failure.
In order to overcome the above-described problems, a conventional public switched telephone network (PSTN) is directed to check a traffic completion ratio with respect to a candidate code (traffic received in a specific code of a predetermined system) that the operation input, and when a call completion ratio of a corresponding code is less than a predetermined threshold value, the call with respect to the corresponding code is controlled.
Such, method is directed to maximizing the efficiency of the network so that system resources may be evenly distributed for a call except for a congested call by detecting a receiving code for which the call completion ratio is lower than that of a normal call, and controlling the receiving code in a transmitter for which a desired call attempt is possible or the switching system near a transmitting terminal. A call for which the completion ratio is lower than that of a normal call is called a rare probability of a connection call (RPCC).
In the case of the conventional PSTN, control with respect to the code in which the call completion ratio is significantly lower due to the congestion of a specific switching system is performed based on a result of the statistic function after a lapse of a predetermined time after the congestion occurred, so that a large amount of time is required for performing the control, and since the call completion ratio is controlled only by statistic data, if faults in the statistic function error occurs, an error may occur in the system.
In addition, when performing a function based on the candidate code, since the control is performed after a predetermined time after the operator inputs a predetermined code has elapsed, it is impossible to prevent call concentration problems due to an unpredictable and sudden failure of the system in conventional methods.

Rare probability connection call registration method using payload type indication field information for asynchronous transfer mode switching system

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


A plasma processing method includes an etching process of etching an insulating film formed on a processing target object in a chamber by plasma of a first fluorine-containing gas with a TiN film having a preset pattern as a mask; a modifying process of modifying, between a carbon-containing film and a Ti-containing film adhering to a component within the chamber, a surface of the Ti-containing film by plasma of an oxygen-containing gas while removing the carbon-containing film by the plasma of the oxygen-containing gas, after the etching process; a first removing process of removing a TiO film, which is obtained by modifying the surface of the Ti-containing film, by plasma of a second fluorine-containing gas; and a second removing process of removing a residual film of the Ti-containing film, which is exposed by removing the TiO film, from the component within the chamber by plasma of a chlorine-containing gas.

In a semiconductor manufacturing process, a plasma processing apparatus configured to perform a plasma process in order to deposit or etch a thin film has been widely employed. As an example of such a plasma processing apparatus, there is known a plasma CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) apparatus configured to deposit a thin film or a plasma etching apparatus configured to perform an etching process.
The plasma processing apparatus includes, for example, a chamber in which a plasma process is performed on a processing target object, a gas exhaust unit configured to depressurize the inside of the chamber, a gas supply unit configured to supply a processing gas into the chamber, and so forth. Further, the plasma processing apparatus also includes a plasma generation device configured to supply electromagnetic energy such as a microwave or a RF wave in order to excite a processing gas in the chamber into plasma; and a bias voltage application device configured to apply a bias voltage and accelerate ions in the plasma toward the processing target object placed within the chamber.
In the plasma processing apparatus, when etching a processing target object on which an insulating film for dual damascene wiring is formed, there is known a technique of forming a mask having plasma resistance on a surface of the insulating film to form an etching pattern on the insulating film. For example, it is described in Patent Document 1 that a Ti-containing film (e.g., a TiN film) having a preset pattern is formed on a surface of an insulating film of a processing target object and the insulating film on the processing target object is etched by using the TiN film as a mask.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2006-216964
In this conventional method, however, there has been a risk of degrading etching characteristics with a lapse of time due to a Ti-containing film adhering to the inside of the chamber. That is, in the convention method, not only the insulating film but also the TiN film itself may be etched when the insulating film on the processing target objet is etched by using the TiN film as a mask. Accordingly, in the conventional method, the Ti-containing film originated from the etched TiN film may adhere to various components within the chamber, so that plasma density fluctuates within the chamber. As a result, the etching characteristics of the processing target object may be degraded as time passes by. This degradation of the etching characteristics may become remarkable when processing multiple lots of processing target objects.

Plasma processing method and plasma processing apparatus


An audio apparatus includes an input, a first resistor, a first capacitor, an amplifier, a second resistor, a second capacitor, and an output. The input is used for inputting audio signals. The first resistor and the amplifier are serially connected to the input; wherein the first resistor is connected to the inverting input of the amplifier and the non-inverting input of the amplifier is connected to ground. The first capacitor has one end connected to a node between the first resistor and the inverting input of the amplifier, the other end connected to ground. The second resistor has one end connected to a node between the first resistor and the inverting input of the amplifier, the other end connected to the output of the amplifier. The second capacitor is connected between the inverting input and the output of the amplifier. The output is connected to the output of the amplifier, for outputting the audio signals after processing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to audio apparatuses. Particularly, the present invention relates to an audio apparatus using an audio processing circuit.
2. Description of Related Art
Audio apparatuses are used for decoding audio files, and generating audio signals for driving speakers. When decoding the audio files, the audio apparatuses generate a lot of noise signals. Therefore, when the audio signals are fed to the speakers to reproduce the sounds, the noise signals are also produced, causing static sounds and affecting the audio effect.
Commonly, audio apparatuses incorporate filter capacitors in output circuitries, for filtering out the noise signals from the audio signals. However, the filter capacitors can filter out only some of the noise. In some occasions, the filter may even cause parts of audio signals to be lost. Furthermore, by incorporating the filter capacitors, the signal to noise rate (SNR) of the filtered signal can at most be about 85 dB.
Therefore, an audio apparatus capable of providing high audio effects is needed to provide audio signals with high SNR.

Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd.


A control program generation device includes a control program reuse library for storing a plurality of control modules, and an architecture pattern library for storing a plurality of units of pattern information representing architecture patterns. In addition, the control program generation device correlates and displays architecture patterns selected from the architecture pattern library, program structure of control programs including the architecture patterns, execution times of the control modules, and time constraints. Moreover, in addition, the control program generation device connects control modules of the control program reuse library on the basis of the program structure.

In recent years, in order to develop products having various specifications in a short period of time, product line development is performed. In this product line development, a range of use of a product to be developed is specified as a domain, and the portions that have functions that are common among a plurality of other products that belong to the specified domain are reused (in other words, appropriated), and by only performing development for portions that have functions that are not in common with other products (in other words, differences), the development efficiency for developing a product is improved.
A method has been proposed in which in order to reuse a software program that has been developed in this way during the development of new products, a plurality of programs are selected from a plurality of memories that store programs for performing specified operations on a specified electrical device based on a series of operating procedures that are executed by that electrical device, and by linking together the selected plurality of programs, an execution program for a microprocessor that controls that electric device is automatically generated (for example, refer to Patent Literature 1).
Moreover, in order to aid in the creation of a diagram that is used in the design of a program, a system has been proposed in which contradictions that occur between different kinds of diagrams are verified based on known relationships between various diagrams that are used in designing a certain program and other kinds of programs that are used in designing other programs (for example, refer to Patent Literature 2).
Furthermore, a software execution device is proposed that, together with using a computer to virtually form hardware that is controlled by the generated control program, causes the timing of operation of the formed virtual hardware and the timing of operation of the control program that is executed by the virtual hardware to correspond with the timing of actual operation (for example, refer to Patent Literature 3).

Control program generation device, control program generation program, and control program generation method


The present invention discloses a method of enhancing cardiac contractility in a subject with heart failure. The method consists of administering a compound that inhibits the sarcolemmal sodium/calcium exchanger, whose activity is elevated in heart failure. This method results in correction of cellular calcium handling and enhancement of cardiac contractility to healthy levels. This method can be used for treatment of acute heart failure, cardiogenic shock and congestive heart failure.

Congestive Heart Failure
Heart failure currently affects more than two million Americans and its economic and human toll will continue to increase as the population ages. Congestive heart failure is the most common inpatient diagnosis for patients 65 years old and older, [Funk, 1996 #14], with more than 400,000 new cases reported each year [Cohn, 1991 #15]. The prognosis is poor, with 60% mortality within 5 years [Cohn, 1991 #15], and 23–52% of deaths attributable to fatal arrhythmias (sudden cardiac death; SCD) [Investigators, 1992 #17; Cohn, 1991 #15].
Heart failure is an inability to match cardiac output to physiological demand. Heart failure is therefore not a specific disease, but a syndrome that represents the end-point of most cardiac diseases, including ischemic heart disease, cardiomyopathies (dilative, restrictive, or hypertrophic), valvular heart diseases and long term hypertension and diabetes. In addition, the symptoms of heart failure can also present acutely (i.e. acute heart failure, or cardiogenic shock) in instances as acute myocardial infarction, post cardiac surgery (stunning, hybernation) or post re-vascularization therapy (i.e. reperfusion injury, post thrombolysis, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty or coronary artery by-pass grafting).
Heart Failure and Cellular Excitation-Contraction Coupling
A momentous discovery was made in the early 1990s, when it was demonstrated that heart failure is ultimately due to changes at the level of the heart cells, which are unable to develop sufficient contractile force. At a cellular level, cardiac contractile force depends on the amplitude of the transient rise in calcium during the action potential (i.e. the Cai transients). The chain of events that link membrane depolarization during the action potential to the Cai transient is called excitation-contraction coupling (ECC). Central to the current model of ECC in heart lies the process of Ca-induced Ca-release (CICR) [Fabiato, 1983 #26]. During the action potential, membrane depolarization opens sarcolemmal Ca channels and allows Ca entry into the cell (which can be measured as L-type Ca current, ICa,L). Sarcolemmal L-type Ca channels are in close apposition to the intracellular release channels of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR, the internal Ca stores), also known as ryanodine receptors (RyR). Entry through L-type Ca channels triggers the opening of the RyR, followed by a large efflux of Ca from the SR into the cytosol. The rise in cytosolic Cai activates the actin-myosin interaction. The subsequent cell shortening and force development will thus depend on both the Cai transient amplitude and the myolilament sensitivity for Ca. In turn, the amplitude of the Cai transients will depend on the amplitude of the trigger ICa,L as well as the amount of Ca stored in the SR (the SR Ca load, CaSR).
In diastole, heart relaxation is brought about by Ca2+ removal from cytoplasm, mainly by two mechanisms: about 70% of Ca2+ is taken up into the SR though the action of the SR Ca pump, and is made available for next Ca release episode. The remainder 30% of cytosolic Ca is extruded from the cell by the sarcolemmal sodium/calcium exchanger (NCX).
In failing heart cells, the ECC process is corrupted, and cytosolic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) does not rise sufficiently during the action potential to activate the required myofilament force [Gwathmey, 1987 #109]. A typical failing heart cell shows a decrease in the ability of the internal stores (the SR) to load with Ca2+,due to a downregulation of SERCA [O'Rourke, 1999 #46]. Another component of altered Ca2+ handling in both human disease [Studer, 1994 #79] and animal models [Hobai, 2000 #37; Pogwizd, 1999 #42] is an increase in Ca2+ extrusion from the cell by the NCX due to NCX overexpression. However, it has been previously unclear whether NCX overexpression is compensatory or one of the primary deficits. One widely held theory has been that NCX overexpression compensated for decreased Ca2+ re-uptake into the SR in diastole by increasing Ca2+ extrusion from the cell [Hasenfuss. 1999 #91], which improved relaxation (positive lusitropic), but at the cost of a further depletion of SR Ca2+ stores (negative inotropic). Further complicating the issue was the observation that NCX overexpression has also been found in hypercontractile models with no SR dysfunction [Sipido, 2000 #36].
Approved and Experimental Treatment Strategies
Despite continuous improvements, the treatment of heart failure is at this time unsatisfactory. Although the foundation of this disease is represented by the decrease in cardiac contractility, only two classes of drugs are approved for use to increase cardiac force (i.e. positive inotropes), cardiac glycosides (like digoxin) and beta-adrenergic agonists (like dobutamine, amrinone or milrinone). Importantly, despite an effective relief of symptoms, the use of these agents has been associated with no change (digoxin) or an increase (beta-adrenergic agonists) in mortality.
Other classes of agents used in heart failure exert their beneficial effects by preventing the long term cardiac remodeling (angiotensin convertin enzyme inhibitors, like captopril, and beta adrenergic blockers, like carvedilol) or by interfering with renal and vascular contributory mechanisms (like diuretics and nitrates). The long term beneficial effect of beta blockers is evident only after an initial, transient decrease in cardiac inotropy, with negative effects on both physician confidence and patient compliance. The need for new, effective positive inotropic drugs is, therefore, hard to overemphasize.
Numerous experimental therapeutic strategies have been or are currently evaluated.
Gene therapy strategies include altering the ratio of SERCA2a and phospholamban in the heart (pending patent to Rosenzweig, Hajjar, Guerrero, Luis; entitled "Use of agents to treat heart disorders"; Ser. No.: 789894; filed Feb. 21, 2001).

Method for treating heart failure by inhibiting the sarcolemmal sodium/calcium exchange


An optical fiber comprising: (i) a silica based, rare earth doped core having a first index of refraction n1; (ii) a silica based inner cladding surrounding the core having a second index of refraction n2, such that n1>n2; (iii) a silica based outer cladding surrounding the inner cladding having a third index of refraction n3 such that n2>n3, wherein inner cladding diameter is at least 125 μm.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to double clad rare earth doped optical fibers, and particularly to all glass rare earth doped optical fibers suitable for use with high power light sources or in optical fiber lasers and optical amplifiers.
2. Technical Background
Optical fiber has become a favorite medium for telecommunications due to its high capacity and immunity to electrical noise. Single clad rare earth doped optical fiber has been widely used in the field of optical amplifiers and fiber lasers. This type of fiber has low capability of handling high power multimode optical sources due to the difficulty of efficiently coupling multimode light from a high power optical (light) source (also referred to herein as optical pump or pump) into the rare-earth doped fiber core.
To solve this problem and to increase the output power of fiber lasers, those of skill in the art utilize optical fiber with a double clad structure (referred herein as double clad optical fiber). Double clad rare-earth doped optical fiber is a fiber that has a core, an inner cladding layer surrounding the core and an outer cladding layer surrounding the inner cladding layer. Optical fibers with Yb doped cores and two cladding layers surrounding the core are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,477,307; 6,483,973; 5,966,491 and 5,949,941.
Double clad optical fiber has been used in applications requiring utilization of optical sources providing between 10 to 100 Watts of optical power, because double clad optical fiber is more efficient in retaining/utilizing optical power provided by the pump than single clad optical fiber. This higher efficiency is due to fiber's utilization of clad-to-core coupling of optical pump power. More specifically, rare-earth doped double clad optical fibers accept light from the optical pump into the inner cladding and then transfer light to the rare-earth doped core through the core-to-inner cladding interface, along the length of the optical fiber. Thus, the optical fiber converts a significant part of the multi-mode light propagated through the inner cladding into a single-mode output at a longer wavelength, by coupling this pump light into the rare-earth doped core.
The inner cladding of the double clad optical fiber has a higher index of refraction than the outer cladding, thus the pump energy is confined inside the inner cladding and is re-directed into the core. The optical fiber is optically active due to the presence of rare-earth dopant in the core, which can be excited to higher electronic energy levels when the optical fiber is pumped by a strong optical pump. Cladding pumping can be utilized in fiber amplifiers, or employed to build high-power single mode fiber pump lasers.
The single-stripe broad-area diode laser remains the most efficient and least expensive pump source. Recent progress in semiconductor laser technology has led to creation of a single-stripe multi mode broad-area laser diodes with output powers of more than 10 Watts.
Recent progress in semiconductor laser technology has led to the creation of light sources utilizing either single stripe broad-area laser diodes or laser diode bars, directly coupled to the intermediate fiber incorporated within the light source. The maximum output power of these light sources is more than 150 Watt at a wavelength of 976 nm at the output end of the intermediate fiber. The intermediate fiber diameter and numerical aperture NA of the light source is 200 μm and 0.22, respectively.
In a double-clad laser, an outer cladding of the optical fiber confines the pump light provided by an optical pump in the optical fiber's multi-mode inner cladding. The much smaller cross-sectional area of the optical fiber's core is typically doped with at least one rare-earth element, for example, neodymium or ytterbium, to provide lasing capability in a single-mode output signal. Typically, a neodymium- or ytterbium-doped double-clad fiber is pumped with one or several high-power broad-area diode lasers (at 800 nm or 915 nm) to produce a single transverse mode output (at the neodymium four-level transition of 1060 nm or the ytterbium four level transition of 1030 nm–1120 nm, respectively). Thus, conventional double-clad arrangements facilitate pumping of the fiber using a multi-mode first cladding for accepting and transferring pump energy to a core along the length of the device. Double-clad laser output can also be used to pump a cascaded Raman laser to convert the wavelength to around 1480 nm, which is suitable for pumping erbium.
How much pump light can be coupled into a double-clad fiber's inner cladding depends on the cladding size and numerical aperture NA. As is known, the "etendue" (numerical aperture multiplied by the aperture dimension or spot size) of the inner cladding should be equal to or greater than the etendue of the optical pump for efficient coupling. If the numerical aperture and spot size of the optical source (optical pump are) be different in both axes, in order to have better coupling efficiency, the etendue of the inner cladding should be maintained or exceed that of the pump in both the x and y directions.
Typically, a high numerical aperture NA of the inner cladding, which is related to the difference in refractive index between the inner and outer cladding, is desired. In the well-known design, the first clad layer (inner cladding) is made of glass and the second layer (outer cladding) is made of plastic (for example, fluorinated polymer) with relatively low refractive index in order to increase the numerical aperture NA of the inner cladding. Such plastic may not have the desired thermal stability for many applications, may delaminate from the first cladding, and may be susceptible to moisture damage. In addition, this type of double clad optical fiber may be suitable only for sustained use with relatively low power (lower than 20 Watts) optical sources. When high power sources (more than 100 Watts) are utilized, this type of optical fiber heats and the polymer material of the outer cladding layer carbonizes or burns, resulting in device failure, especially when the fiber is bent. At medium powers (20 Watts to below 100 Watts), the polymer outer cladding ages relatively quickly, losing its mechanical and optical characteristics and becoming brittle, thus shortening the device life.
All-glass, Yb doped optical fibers are also known. An example of such fiber is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,411,762. The disclosed fiber, however, is not suitable for high power applications because it has a relatively low outer cladding diameter and NA, and therefore, low coupling efficiency due to light leakage outside of the optical fiber. That is, a relatively large portion of the light does not enter the optical fiber and is lost. Although this may not be an issue in applications when only a small amount of optical power needs to be coupled into the fiber, such fiber is not efficient for high power applications when the light source power is 100 Watts or more.