Method and system aspects for providing efficient management interaction in a consumer transaction system are described. The system includes a plurality of point of sale (POS) systems, a central controller system coupled to the plurality of POS systems, and a mobile manager system. The mobile manager system communicates with the plurality of POS systems through the central controller system by a wireless communication mechanism and remotely monitors and responds to the plurality of POS systems.

Consumer demand for fast and efficient customer service has steadily increased with the wide-spread utilization of computerized systems for processing customer sales and transactions. As demand is met, expectation levels rise, so that problems that occur with these point of sale (POS) systems cause annoyance and frustration to customers. Dissatisfied customers are a significant concern for any consumer-oriented business.
One particular problem associated with POS systems is the need for manager intervention under various circumstances, such as an override situation. These situations normally arise during a transaction when some limit or store policy is exceeded. Unfortunately, during such situations, the POS application does not allow the cashier to complete the operation without getting a manager's approval and merely informs the user what limit was exceeded with a request that a manager's override be performed. In most stores, this means the cashier will call for a manager to come to the register and either use a manager's key or type in a manager's override code, which causes a delay in the checkout process.
Accordingly, a need exists for a more efficient and productive manner of achieving manager interaction with POS systems. The present invention addresses such a need.

Method and system for managing a consumer transaction system with a mobile management device

International Business Machines Corporation


A receiver device includes an acquisition engine and a reconfiguration engine. The acquisition engine uses a first circuit size. The acquisition engine is configured to receive a first signal including a plurality of first satellite vehicle signals, and identify a first satellite vehicle based on the first signal. The reconfiguration engine is configured to receive an indication that the acquisition engine identified the first satellite vehicle, and responsive to receiving the indication, generate a reconfiguration file defining a second circuit size less than the first circuit size. The reconfiguration engine is configured to cause the acquisition engine to be reconfigured based on the reconfiguration file to use the second circuit size.

The inventive concepts disclosed herein relate generally to the field of navigation systems. More particularly, embodiments of the inventive concepts disclosed herein relate to systems and methods for scalable GNSS acquisition and tracking.
In existing satellite receivers, such as for acquiring and tracking signals from a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) satellite vehicle, when a GNSS receiver starts up or loses track of satellite vehicles, it must attempt to acquire satellites. Because of the significant computational load needed to successfully perform acquisition, existing GNSS receivers may allocate a significant amount of computational resources to performing the acquisition. However, this allocation may result in wasted resources after acquisition is completed; for example, in a field programmable gate array (FPGA) implementation, the hardware resources allocated to acquisition may be idling and continuing to use power even after acquisition is completed.

Systems and methods for scalable GNSS acquisition and tracking


A semiconductor device according to the present invention has an address scrambling circuit for performing address scrambling operation of an address and a redundancy judging circuit for judging that redundancy judgment is performed about the address scrambled by the address scrambling circuit. This structure makes it possible to completely refresh operation concerned with normal word lines and redundancy word lines.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and its refresh method and more particularly to a semiconductor device with a plurality of banks and its refresh method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, in a semiconductor device, such as a DRAM, which has a large memory capacity, a memory array is often divided into a plurality of banks (that is, blocks). In a device of this type, the respective banks are arranged in row (X) and column (Y) directions and have each a plurality of memory mats each of which includes a plurality of memory cells. In addition, X and Y decoders are placed in each bank. The X decoder is used to select a word line while the Y decoder is used to select a bit line. Further, each of the bit lines is connected to a sense amplifier via memory cells in the memory mat.
The latest DRAM often adopts a structure of arranging a single sense amplifier for the plurality of memory cells in order to connect the sense amplifier to the bit line. As a system for connecting the plurality of memory cells to the single sense amplifier, an open bit line system and a folded bit line system have been proposed. The open bit line system allows chip size reduction and hence is more frequently adopted than the folded bit line system.
In the device of the open bit line system, since a pair of bit lines connected to each of the sense amplifiers are drawn out from memory cells within mutually adjacent memory mats, the word line of the memory cell in each memory mat intersects only a single bit line. Thus, the open bit line system is sometimes called a one-intersection system.
On the other hand, in the DRAM which has memory arrays each of which is divided into the plurality of banks, a refreshing operation is usually performed simultaneously in connection with the plurality of banks. Problems peculiar to the refreshing operation in the DRAM with the plurality of banks and their solving means are described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-55005.
Specifically, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-55005 points outs that in a case that the open bit line system is adopted in the DRAM in which the memory array is divided into the plurality of banks, the current required to refresh an end memory mat (hereinafter, referred to as an end mat) disposed at an end of each bank becomes larger than that required to refresh a normal memory mat disposed in a position other than the end.
In Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-55005, the current required for refreshing end mats of each bank can be reduced by changing address allocation to a row selection line of each memory mat for each bank so as to avoid simultaneous activation of end mats in two or more banks upon refreshing the end mat. That is, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-55005, in order to change address allocation to the row selection line, the wiring layout of the X decoder is changed for each bank.
On the other hand, in order to cope with an increase in memory capacity, a semiconductor device, such as a DRAM, usually has a redundancy circuit which includes spare cells (redundant cells) and which is arranged, for example, for each word line, in preparation for generation of a defective cell. In this event, the defective cell is replaced with the redundant cell included in the redundancy circuit upon generation of the defective cell.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-55005 refers only to the refresh operation performed when the memory mat normally operates and does not describe the case where a defective bit line is generated in a memory mat and the memory mat concerned is replaced with a redundancy circuit.

Semiconductor device and method of refreshing the same


A drive control system for an hydraulic elevator that reduces the time delay between the starting of an hydraulic pump in the system, and the first upward movement of the elevator.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a drive control system for an hydraulic elevator.
2. Description of Related Art
The present invention is an improvement over the invention of my prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,495 of January 1987 entitled Pressure/Viscosity Compensated Up Travel of an Hydraulic Elevator, incorporated herein by reference.
Hydraulic elevators should accelerate smoothly and approach their scheduled stopping positions gently and accurately and establish alignment of the bottom of an elevator car and a floor when the stopping point is approached from below at a creeping speed of travel during the final stage of approach. Different control systems have been developed for this purpose, which are however dependent in relatively large degrees on load and viscosity, and which suffer a delay in starting and an uncomfortable acceleration caused as result of said dependency.


A heat exchanger has a corner metal temperature attenuator that may attenuate a localized stack wise temperature gradient. The corner metal temperature attenuator may locally reduce or eliminate the source of large amplitude temperature swings near the end of the stack of passages which are correlated with the areas of greatest low cycle fatigue (LCF) damage. The corner metal temperature attenuator may locally block the inlet flow to every other (alternating) passage in the stack, beginning with the second passage inward from each end of the stack. The width of the blocked flow at any passage can be minimized using existing analytical methods to determine the threshold at which the metal damage index (DI) falls below a predetermined threshold at that location. Since the damage index naturally attenuates toward the passage stack midplane, the width of the blocked flow may also be reduced moving toward the stack midplane and eventually may go to zero blockage for all remaining alternating passages.

The present invention relates to apparatus and methods in the field of heat exchangers and, more particularly, to apparatus and methods for controlling the flow through a heat exchanger to minimize incidence of low cycle fatigue metal damage.
The usable life of a typical high temperature cross- or counter-flow, plate-fin heat exchanger, e.g., an aircraft precooler, is often limited by low cycle fatigue (LCF) induced by large air temperature or air mass flow excursions which occur in the flow through the heat exchanger during repeated vehicle maneuvers, repeated engine start/stop cycles, or repeated ground maintenance cycles.
Analysis, testing and field operations have identified that the vulnerable areas for LCF are in the extreme corner areas of one of the inlet faces, typically the corners of the hot inlet face. Thermal/stress analysis has indicated that stack-wise temperature gradients generated at the corner of the alternating stacked passages are correlated with high strain ranges which accelerate the initiation and propagation of cracks in the metal of the separator plates (tube-sheets) which segregate the alternating hot/cold flows. Leakage between passages initiates and increases until some specified loss of performance ends the useful life of the heat exchanger.
Typical strategies for extending the useful LCF life of a heat exchanger involve increasing the gauge (thickness) of various metal components used to construct the entire heat exchanger. These strategies usually add significant weight to the heat exchanger and often degrade overall performance since metal is added to areas that are not associated with a described localized problem. Because these are "whole" heat exchanger approaches to a localized problem, they quickly become limited in the extent to which they can mitigate the scale of the localized problem. They are also limited in applicability since design changes become more difficult to implement at the point in the timeline when LCF issues become illuminated analytically.
As can be seen, there is a need for a targeted, localized approach to attenuating a localized stack-wise temperature gradient which has greater leverage to abate a large range of gradients while having minimal impact on heat exchanger design, weight and performance.

High temperature heat exchanger corner metal temperature attenuator


A waist pack adapted to be worn about the waist of a human which includes at least one interior compartment. Connecting to the waist pack by means of a connecting strap is a seat cushion. The connecting strap and the seat cushion are locatable in a stowage position within an interior compartment of the waist pack in a first embodiment. In a second embodiment, the seat cushion is rolled-up onto the connecting strap and secured. The connecting strap and the seat cushion are movable to an extended position, the seat cushion being inflatable and then to be used by being positioned under the buttocks of the human when in a sitting position.

1) Field of the Invention
The field of this invention relates to human wearing apparel and more particularly to a pack that is to be worn about the waist of a human which includes a seat cushion to be usable by the human when sitting.
2) Description of the Prior Art
Humans long have carried articles on their person. As the humans engage in normal daily activities, the human male frequently carries articles within a billfold and within pockets of trousers. The human female has been known to carry articles within a purse. The purse can either be hand carried or carried by a shoulder strap on the woman.
Purses as well as billfolds are subject to being lost or stolen. Stealing of purses and billfolds is common in crowded environments. Typical crowded environments are streets within cities or within recreational facilities such as theme parks, zoos and so forth.
Within recent years a new form of article carrying device has evolved. This new form of article carrying device constitutes a waist pack. The waist pack is formed of a sheet material fabric which is composed of and has several interior compartments. It is within these interior compartments that the articles are to be stored. The waist pack is to be mounted about the waist of a human and can actually be either worn against the stomach of the human or can fit against the small of the back of the human. If the waist pack is worn against the stomach of the human there is less chance of stealing than if the waist pack is worn at the small of the back. However, even with the waist pack being worn at the small of the back, it is very difficult for any article contained in the waist pack to be stolen. The mere use of the waist pack, because it is attached to the person, makes it very unlikely that it will be accidentally mislayed which is a relatively common occurence having to do with billfolds and purses.
In certain environments humans have a need for a seat cushion. One example of such an environment would be a sporting event where the humans are required to sit on a seat or bench for the extended period of time of the sporting event. An example of such a sporting event would be an automobile race, a football game, soccer match and so forth. It is common for humans in such instances to purchase or bring with them a seat cushion because these benches or seats at the sporting event are quite hard and can become uncomfortable rather quickly. However, this requires that the individual carries something additionally. Inherently such carrying of an item is inconvenient.


An effects and recording system is provided which is capable of recording at least one of a received audio signal and a processed audio signal generated by the application of musical effects to the received audio signal. The audio signal may be captured from any device capable of producing an audio signal. The effects and recording system may provide various recording capabilities including auto track selection and arming, automatic signal routing, delayed recording initialization, automatic level setting and panning settings, editing capabilities, and the merging of recorded tracks. Additionally, the effects and recording system may provide various monitoring capabilities, including automatic level, panning, and/or effects or other filtering of signals recorded or monitored via the system, as well as an enhanced mix-down feature, and music mix-down type.

1. Technical Field
The invention generally relates to audio processing and recording, and, more particularly, to a system capable of applying musical effects to, and recording of, an audio signal.
2. Related Art
Multi-effect units are units capable of receiving an audio signal, such as a signal produced by an instrument connected to the unit, like an electric guitar, and applying musical effects to the signal. The musical effects may include, for example, delay, reverb, and chorus/modulation effects. A loudspeaker is usually provided, either integrated with or connected to the unit, allowing monitoring of the signal with effects applied. The multi-effect units are typically floor-based units to allow for control during practice and live performance, with control primarily being done with the musician's feet.
The multi-effects unit includes a multi-effects processor that allows for limited manipulation and processing of the sound and the application of musical effects and may include amplifier and speaker cabinet modeling capabilities. The multi-effects also unit includes a footswitch, providing control over individual parameters of the signal processing to modify the sound while performing. When the musician desires to record his performance, a recording device with a microphone may be utilized to capture the performance. Alternatively, the multi-effects unit may be connected directly to a recording device, for example an 8-track recording device that is usually either a tabletop or rack mounted device intended for use in a studio installation.
Because of the many settings and connections required for the recording devices, the recording devices are typically designed for a recording engineer to control during the musician's performance. Various technical aspects must be considered to set up and control the recording of the performance, such as input leveling, input mixing, signal routing, signal to noise performance, dynamic range control, track selection and output mixing.
Because of the many considerations in setting-up and recording the performance, it is often difficult, if not impossible for the musician to handle the technical aspects of the recording to capture the performance. Interruption of the creative process of making music to tend to the technical considerations of recording tends to stifle the creativity of the musician attempting to act as both a musician and recording engineer. Accordingly, a musician must typically go to a recording studio and set up a session that is dedicated to recording the performance in order to capture a musical piece or idea. However, many creative ideas are often found during practice or during live performance outside of the studio. Because of the lack of proper recording equipment and control, such creative ideas are usually lost.
Further, the setting up and capturing of the performance with a recording device tends to be a very complicated process, and any errors could result in audio signals being lost and not recorded. Where patch cables are improperly routed between the multi-effects unit and the recorder, the audio signal desired to be recorded may be lost. Further, inadvertent selection of a track to be recorded to on the recorder may result in the loss of an already recorded signal, if the selected track already contained a recorded audio signal. In addition, the output signal from the multi-effects unit may be different than the input requirements of the recording device. If the input level for the recorder is not properly set in this case, the audio signal recorded to the recorder may be distorted or otherwise undesirable, even though the sound being monitored appears acceptable. Additionally, correct panning or balance must be set for the audio track(s) being monitored, which may depend on the particular input audio signal (i.e., guitar, any other instrument, voice). Further, where multiple tracks are recorded in a session, the delay to reroute the audio signals to a new, available audio track, as well as any necessary level and other mixing adjustments, may interfere with the musician's creativity.

Harman International Industries, Incorporated


Disclosed is a method for the generation of a consciousness indicator for a non-communicating subject, including the steps of generating an auditory stimulation, receiving an electrocardiographic signal of the subject obtained from a recording during the generation of the auditory stimulation, extracting at least one feature from the electrocardiographic signal and deducing a consciousness indicator from an analysis of the electrocardiographic feature.

Patients with disorders of consciousness (DOC) are characterized by preserved wakefulness in the absence of clear evidence of awareness such that they remain unable to communicate with their surroundings.
For example, patients in a vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (VS/UWS) open their eyes, but they do not show conscious responses to sensory stimulation. When patients exhibit signs of fluctuating yet reproducible remnants of nonreflex behavior, such as visual pursuit, they are considered to be in a minimally conscious state (MCS). The diagnostic assessment of patients with disorders of consciousness is mainly based on the observation of motor and oculomotor behaviors at the bedside. The evaluation of nonreflex behavior, however, is not straightforward, as patients can fluctuate in terms of vigilance, and may suffer from cognitive and/or sensory impairments, from small or easily exhausted motor activity and pain, which may lead in the underestimation of the level of consciousness. Previous work employing data-driven analyses with neuroimaging and neurophysiological tools suggest relatively accurate patient diagnosis and prediction of clinical outcome. Most of this works uses measurements of brain electrophysiological activity by means of functional MRI or high density electroencephalograms (EEG).
However, neuroimaging, such as functional MRI and neurophysiological techniques are generally complex to implement, especially on patients that are in a vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome or minimally conscious state. To perform neuroimaging, the patient usually needs to be moved from his bed to an imaging facility. When using neurophysiological techniques, the neurophysiological signal may be acquired on site without need to move the patient. However, due to level of accuracy needed to this task, the neurophysiological signal has to be acquired with high spatial density (i.e. high density EEG), producing a large amount of raw data which requires important calculation power. Therefore, data cannot be analyzed on site but need to be transferred for calculation to a remote device or server. Furthermore, neurophysiological techniques are sensible to electric signal of the order of the hundreds of μV in order to detect brain electric signal on the scalp of the subject and therefore are sensible as well to the electromagnetic noise.
In this context, the invention herein described proposes a solution allowing accurate patient diagnosis and prediction of clinical outcome, using physiological techniques that are noise robust.

System and methods for consciousness evaluation in non-communicating subjects

ICM—INSTITUT DU CERVEAU ET DE LA MOELLE ÉPINIÈRE

INSERM (INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA SANTÉ ET DE LA RECHERCHE MÉDICALE)

CNRS (CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE)


A desired pattern is formed on a non-superconducting oxide film after the non-superconducting oxide film has been formed on a magnesia substrate. A superconducting oxide film is formed over the exposed parts of the substrate and the non-superconducting oxide film. The epitaxial orientation of the superconducting oxide film section on the non-superconducting oxide film is different from that of the superconducting oxide film section on the substrate. A tilt-boundary junction is produced at a boundary between the superconducting film sections which are different in epitaxial orientation from each other. Thus, a Josephson junction having a desired pattern can be obtained.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process of making a Josephson junction device having a superconducting oxide film with a high superconducting transition temperature, and an improved Josephson junction device.
2. Description of the Invention
Josephson junction devices having superconducting elements are now regarded as high-speed elements superior to semiconductors since they can operate at increased speeds and also with reduced consumption of electric power. The trial manufacture of a Josephson computer is being energetically undertaken by many manufacturers (see "Technique of Josephson Computer", Parity, Separate Volume No. 1, 1986, pp 40-47).
Josephson junction devices presently developed are mainly of a tunnel Junction type in which a very thin film is sandwiched between members of niobium or niobium nitride. These conventional Josephson junction devices are made on the assumption that they operate at liquid helium temperature. If Josephson junction devices are formed of a superconducting oxide, they can operate at higher temperature (e.g. liquid nitrogen temperature), resulting in an increase of practicality and economical efficiency.
On the other hand, it is known in the art that the naturally produced tilt-boundary junction functions as a Josephson junction. It has been reported that the critical current was measured in a twin tilt-boundary junction of the yttrium compound (YBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7-.delta.). See "PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS" issued on Jul. 11, 1988, Vol. 61, No. 2, pp 219-222.
However, a method of controlling the production of a Josephson junction of the tilt-boundary junction is still not known. In the prior art, therefore, it was difficult to produce a number of such Josephson junctions having any patterns at desired locations.

Process of making high T.sub.c Josephson junction device


A chain intended for pipe flange connections comprising successive, cross-sectionally U-shaped chain links 8, which are hinged directly to each other and form a ring sector-like contact area 14, 15, 17 and 18. At the contact point of the chain links 8, following on to the eye ring 9, an interstice 13 is provided. Moreover, an interstice 11 is likewise provided between the two flanks 31, 32 of the U-shaped chain links 8 and the two pipes 1, 2 to be connected. The contact points of the chain links 8 are designed as level annular segmental contact surfaces 17, 18 and rest on the likewise level, chamfered outer surfaces 14, 15 of the pipe flanges 3, 4.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to chains for pipe flange connections, in particular pipes for the application of vacuum or for conducting high pressure media, in which chain successive chain links are directly linked with each other in articulated manner and have wedge shaped contact surfaces in cross section so as to embrace and grip the pipe flanges of joined pipe ends to be connected and in which the ends of the chain are connected with a connection and tightening element.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Chains of this type have become known by GB-PS 2 084 235. With these chains the chain links rest on the pipe flanges by means of ball rollers or the like. This chain causes angularly spaced holding pressures to be exerted on the pipe flanges, in each case over a narrow distance only, thus resulting in insufficient sealing and the compression loading of the individual support points leading to premature wear and tear and inadmissible deformation of the individual sealing parts.

Chains for pipe flange connections having an electric tightener


In a control system for a dual-stage airbag firing system, a series circuit of first and second switching elements and a series circuit of third and fourth switching elements are connected in parallel between high and low voltage power lines, the circuit node between the switching elements of each series circuit being connected to a corresponding one of a pair of output terminals. When an impact is received, the first and fourth switching elements are exclusively activated to generate a forward voltage across the output terminals, causing a forward current to flow in the firing system so that its first stage is exclusively fired. Subsequently, the third and second switching elements are exclusively activated to generate a reverse voltage across the output terminals in a direction opposite to the forward voltage, causing a reverse current to flow in the firing system so that its second stage is fired.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic control unit and a system for the protection of vehicle occupants using a restraint system including a dual-stage airbag and/or seat belt pretensioner having both driver and passenger side firing circuits.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,187,465 discloses a dual airbag restraint system having two firing circuits for independently operating a driver-side squib and a passenger-side squib.
Also known is a dual-stage airbag restraint system in which a single airbag is deployed in stages, initially on a driver side and subsequently on a passenger side. As illustrated in FIG. 9, the prior art dual-stage airbag control system is comprised of an electronic control unit 101 and a dual-stage firing module 102. ECU 101 has a first pair of transistors 104 and 105 having their source-drain paths connected in a first series circuit between the high and low voltage terminals of a DC voltage source 103 and a second pair of transistors 106 and 107 having their source-drain paths connected in a second series circuit between the high and low voltage terminals. In the first series circuit the squib 112 of the first-stage firing circuit is connected. In the second series circuit the squib 113 of the second-stage firing circuit is connected. All transistors are controlled by gate control signals supplied from a switching controller 120. Switching controller 120 receives an input voltage representing the impact on the passenger vehicle. When the input voltage exceeds a critical level, the switching controller 120 causes the transistors 104 and 105 to turn ON to fire the squib 112 so that the airbag is deployed on its driver side. Subsequently, the switching controller 120 enables the transistors 106 and 107 to turn ON, causing the squib 113 to deploy the airbag on its passenger side. However, two connector pins 108, 109 are required for activating the first firing circuit 112 and two connector pins 110, 111 are further required for activating the second firing circuit 113. Since it is desired that the number of channels for connecting the dual-stage firing module 102 to the ECU 101 be as small as possible to simplify the vehicle's harness, the prior art system is not satisfactory from the manufacturing viewpoint.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,744,820 discloses a communication system for connecting a master unit to slave units of an occupant protection system using frame messages asynchronously multiplexed on a pair of communication lines. Electrical energy and messages are transmitted from the master unit to a number of slave units by modulating the voltage of the electrical energy. Although the number of channels can be reduced, the components of the system are complex and expensive.

Electronic control unit and system for controlling dual-stage occupant restraint system


The present invention relates to an arrangement (1) for packing banknotes (2) that are received in a closed cassette (3) which is capable of detachable attachment to an emptying machine (5). In accordance with the invention, a path leads from the emptying machine (5) for the transfer of banknotes (2)to a packing machine (6) for banknotes (2). The aforementioned packing machine (6) comprises a holder for supporting security bags and a banknote conveyor which comprises a casing capable of displacement relative to the bag holder and extending internally in the bag in question prepared for receiving. In order among other things to force out air from the bag, movable jaws arranged relative to one another are present, situated to either side of a bag receiving space, and the aforementioned jaws are so arranged as to drive a bag threaded around the case in a downwards direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an arrangement for packing banknotes that are received in a closed cassette that is capable of detachable attachment to a banknote emptying machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are various more or less secure ways of handling banknotes when the question arises of being able to transport the banknotes from the shops and other places at which the money is received, especially in the retail trade. Previously disclosed is the use of so-called security bags made of plastic, which exhibit a closure of the kind which makes the bag impossible to open without the fact of opening being revealed in the course of a check. Security companies which take care of the transport in this case have full control over the content that is being transported. Problems are encountered, however, in respect of the ability to pack the banknotes in the bags, because packing has previously taken place manually. Certain machines exist, which enable bands to be passed around bundles of banknotes, such as one that is described in WO 00/26863.
Also previously disclosed through WO 02/19289 A2, EP 0004436 A2, GB 2352006 B, and EP 1369826 A1 are packing machines for banknotes and bag arrangements with a closure arrangement for the bags.
The principal object of the present invention is thus, in the first instance, among other things to solve the above-mentioned problems by simple and reliably functioning means and to permit the mechanical, automatic, secure packing of banknotes in security bags, wherein the banknotes are handled with the help of cassettes and without permitting access to the contents by any unauthorized persons.


A flat accumulator device (10) includes a planar electrochemical cell with at least two planar electrodes (2, 2') having opposite polarities disposed on either one of the two sides of an electrolyte material (3, 4), a planar housing having planar parts (1, 1') and enveloping the planar electrochemical cell, and electrical contacts (30, 30') of the electrodes forming external electric terminals fixed in a moisture-proof manner to the planar parts of the housing. In this device, the flat accumulator includes a security portion (31, 32; 31', 32') which forms a circuit breaker that can be triggered by a short-circuit produced between the electric terminals of the housing.

The invention relates to a flat accumulator device including a planar electrochemical cell with at least two planar electrodes having opposite polarities disposed on either one of the two sides of an electrolyte material, a planar housing having planar parts and enveloping said planar electrochemical cell, and electrical contact means of the electrodes forming external electric terminals fixed in a moisture-proof manner to the planar parts of the housing.
The invention finds its application in the manufacturing of electric batteries or for rechargeable batteries applied to portable apparatus such as telephone terminals.
A device of the flat and thin accumulator type having an electrochemical cell, a housing and contact means forming external terminals is already known from Japanese patent JP-62-216151 (Matsushita Electric Ind. Co. Ltd. Minoru Yoshinaka). The known housing comprises two plane walls i.e. a lower wall and an upper wall made of a non-conductive material (polycarbonate resin) separated by a plastic body enveloping an electrochemical cell. This electrochemical cell comprises lead electrodes applied against the plane lower and upper walls of the housing. A security valve, disposed through the body of the housing permits of diminishing an occasional internal overpressure of this electrochemical lead cell. The plane upper and lower walls comprise each a current collector in the form of a flat copper plug, passing through said wall to ensure an electrical contact between the electrodes and the exterior of the housing. One point is that the impermeability of these plugs is realized by heating and melting the plane walls, the plugs and the electrodes together to ensure a cohesion of these parts. Another point is that the electrodes are, in addition, made integral with the body of the housing by heating. The plugs are used as positive and negative external contacts of the housing. These plugs have no protrusions so that the housing of the accumulator is thin and flat.
A technical problem is linked with the electrochemical cells called rechargeable chemical batteries. To ensure their operation, certain batteries such as the lead-acid batteries are from the start under a pressure that exceeds the atmospheric pressure. In the case of such batteries, an occasional overpressure may occur during the recharging operation. Other rechargeable chemical batteries, although they do not work in a state of overpressure, may none the less occasionally be subjected to a phenomenon of overpressure. Such a phenomenon may occur, for example, as a result of the fact that during the recharging operation a connection of the battery is defective. The defective connection may be the cause of a short-circuit which generates a rapid release of gas due to an unwanted chemical reaction between the various elements of the cell, and which results in an overpressure in the housing accompanied by a rapid rise of temperature. This reaction may then result in an explosion due to the overpressure, with a fusion of the materials due to the risen temperature.
In the known device, the problem of overpressure is taken into account and resolved by an air hole in the form of a pipe through the body of the housing. This air hole permits of the ejection of a small plug placed on the outer end of the pipe for diminishing the pressure inside the housing and avoiding the explosion of the device.
Another technical problem is that inside an electrochemical cell it is impossible to have an assembly of metallic parts of different metals, soldered or mating and enveloped in the electrolyte. This type of assembly is absolutely to be outside the chemical environment formed by the electrolyte.
In the known device, this problem is taken into consideration and solved by the fact that the lead electrodes are soldered on the whole internal surface of the plane walls of the housing and are soldered furthermore along their periphery between the body and the plane walls of the housing, so that the lead-copper soldering of these electrodes with the plugs which are used as external contacts is not enveloped in the electrolyte.

Flat accumulator device having an electrochemical cell and electrical contacts


A register has a narrow and long air blow outlet long in the longitudinal direction and short in the shorter-side direction, and is provided with a front movable louver along the longitudinal direction inside the air blow outlet. The front movable louver has one vertical fin having an annular fin portion at the center. The annular fin portion is formed so as to have a substantially rectangular opening in an air blowing direction in a front view, and has flat plate portions on both side portions. Upper shaft portions are provided on both end portions of the annular fin portion via upper fin portions, and lower shaft portions are provided via lower fin portions. The upper shaft portions and lower shaft portions are supported turnably on bearing portions of fixed walls.

As a register for air blow adjustment, a register which has a horizontally movable louver and a vertically movable louver disposed on the front and rear sides inside a bezel or retainer forming a ventilation flue, and adjusts an air blowing direction by changing angles of fins of the horizontally movable louver and the vertically movable louver when blowing out air from the air blow outlet provided on the bezel, is provided on an instrument panel, etc., as an air blow outlet of an air conditioning device of an automobile.
In recent years, the design around the instrument panel inside a cabin of an automobile is made in the image which is simple as a whole and provides no feeling of discomfort, and due to the layout of a display which has become larger in size, the space for the air conditioning register is reduced and the air blow outlet of the register tends to be designed as a narrow slit shape which is inconspicuous in terms of design. Such a slit type register has an air blow outlet inevitably having a narrow and long shape long in the longitudinal direction and short in the shorter-side direction, and a front movable louver of the air blow outlet is normally provided with one or two fins along the longitudinal direction (refer to, for example, Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2007-331417).
In this register having a narrow and long air blow outlet, the air blow outlet has a narrow and long shape long in the longitudinal direction and short in the shorter-side direction, so that the number of fins of the front movable louver long in the longitudinal direction is inevitably 1 or 2 and is smaller than that of fins of a front movable louver of a normal register. However, in a register having such a narrow and long air blow outlet, when the number of fins along the longitudinal direction becomes as small as, for example, 1 or 2, even when the directions of the fins are changed upward/downward or leftward/rightward along the shorter-side direction of the air blow outlet, it is difficult to sufficiently change the direction of wind upward/downward or leftward/rightward, so that the directivity of wind is poor.
Specifically, in a register provided with an air blow outlet having a narrow and long shape long in the longitudinal direction and short in the shorter-side direction, if the number of fins of the front movable louver becomes as small as 1 or 2, the air flow is narrowed in the up-down direction inside the ventilation flue short in the shorter-side direction, and further narrowed by air resistance caused by the fins. Therefore, air flow having a certain degree of air blow pressure is narrowed in the shorter-side direction when flowing in the ventilation flue, and accelerated straightly and blown out, and accordingly, even when the direction of the fins the number of which is as small as 1 or 2 is changed to the upward direction or the downward direction, straight air flow to be blown from clearances of the fins strongly influences the degree of upward or downward bend of the air blow. Therefore, the air blow hardly bends in the direction of the fins, and when the direction of the fins of the front movable louver is changed, the directivity of air blow is easily deteriorated.
In view of the above-described circumstances, at least one object thereof is to secure excellent air blow directivity in a register which has a narrow and long air blow outlet and one fin provided in the longitudinal direction of the air blow outlet, and to provide a register which can be easily produced with a small number of components. In addition, other objects, desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent summary and detailed description, and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.


A semiconductor memory includes a memory block consisting of a plurality of cells, a write control section, and a read control section. The write control section sets a potential to each of the plurality of cells in such a manner that the potential corresponds to a level indicated by a bit data string obtained by arranging pieces of bit data which are stored in buffers A and B and which are to be stored in the cell in the order of the buffer A and the buffer B. The read control section has a discriminator corresponding to each of the plurality of cells. The discriminator sets a threshold voltage to a potential level that corresponds to a number of discriminating operations to be performed with respect to a corresponding cell and a result of a discriminating operation already performed with respect to the cell. As a result of these operations, the semiconductor memory can determine the pieces of bit data in the order of the buffer A and the buffer B every time the discriminating operation is performed with respect to the cell.

The present invention relates to semiconductor memories having electrically erasable and programmable nonvolatile semiconductor memory cells. More specifically, the present invention is directed not only to a semiconductor memory for recording a plurality of pieces of bit data on a cell basis by setting one of four or more potential levels to each cell but also to an information storage device capable of including a semiconductor memory.
Keeping pace with the development of portable information devices, storage devices using a writable nonvolatile memory as a storage medium are rapidly gaining popularity in recent years.
However, the cost-per-unit-capacity of a storage device using a nonvolatile memory as a storage medium is higher than that of a storage device using a magnetic disk as a storage medium. Therefore, equipment requiring a large storage capacity often employs storage devices using a magnetic disk as a storage medium.
Under these circumstances, there has been a demand for an increased storage capacity in developing nonvolatile-memory-based storage devices.
Multilevel memory technology is a solution to meet this demand.
The multilevel memory technology involves a control over a potential of a floating gate provided in an electrically erasable and programmable nonvolatile semiconductor memory cell so that the potential belongs to one of a plurality of predetermined potential levels.
This technology also identifies a potential stored in a cell by checking which potential level such potential belongs to. Through these operations, a single cell is allowed to deal with multilevel data.
The aforementioned technology thus opens the way to the recording of data consisting of a plurality of bits in a cell unlike conventional technologies that allow only one-bit data to be recorded in a cell. As a result, large-capacity storage can be implemented.
In the multilevel memory technology, the operation of writing data to a cell is performed with considerations given to provide a margin between a desired potential level and a potential level adjacent to the desired potential level by controlling the setting of a potential to a floating gate more finely.
With respect to the reading of data written in a cell, techniques are disclosed in ISSCC95/Feb. 16, 1995/Digest of Technical Papers: Session 7 xe2x80x9cFlash Memoryxe2x80x9d TA 7.7 (pp. 132 to 133): A multilevel-Cell 32 Mb Flash Memory (INTEL Corporation), and JP-A-4-507320.
In the former technique, the potential level stored in a cell is identified from a plurality of predetermined potential levels through the operation of discriminating the potential stored in the cell (the operation of discriminating one of two levels) performed for a plurality of times. As a result of these operations, data consisting of a plurality of bits written in the cell is determined.
Let us take an example in which two-bit data is written to a single cell by setting the potential to be stored in the cell to one of four levels.
In this example, the four levels are grouped into two. A discriminating operation is performed to determine which group the potential stored in the cell belongs to.
Then, the group to which the potential stored in the cell belongs determined from the result of the discriminating operation is further divided into two subgroups, and another discriminating operation is performed to determine which subgroup the potential stored in the cell belongs to.
As a result of these operations, the level to which the potential stored in the cell belongs is identified from the predetermined four levels. Thus, the two-bit data written to the cell is determined.
On the other hand, in the latter technique, the level to which the potential stored in a cell belongs is identified from a plurality of predetermined levels using a plurality of discriminating means whose discriminating thresholds are different. Through this technique, data consisting of a plurality of bits written to the cell can be determined.
Let us take an example in which two-bit data is written to a single cell by setting the potential to be stored in the cell to one of four levels.
In this example, means for discriminating the first level and the second to fourth levels among the four levels are provided, and means for discriminating the first and second levels and the third and fourth levels are provided, and further means for discriminating the first to third levels and the fourth level are provided. By causing these discriminating means to perform their discriminating operations once, the level to which the potential stored in the cell belongs is identified from the four levels.
Through these operations, the two-bit data written to the cell is determined.
By the way, the read operation involved in the aforementioned multilevel memory technology addresses the following problems.
In the technique in which the level to which the potential stored in a cell belongs is identified from a plurality of predetermined levels through the potential discriminating operation performed for a plurality of times, data consisting of a plurality of bits is determined through the plurality of discriminating operations, and thus the read operation takes time.
The seriousness of this problem increases with increasing number of bits constituting the data to be stored in a single cell. Thus, this problem impairs the high-speed reading performance that is one of the advantages a storage device using a nonvolatile memory as a storage medium has over a storage device using a magnetic disk as a storage medium.
In the technique in which the level to which the potential stored in a cell belongs is identified from a plurality of predetermined levels using a plurality of discriminating means whose discriminating thresholds are different, a plurality of discriminating means must be provided, and thus the area of the chip is disadvantageously increased.
The seriousness of this problem also increases with increasing number of bits constituting the data to be stored in a single cell. That is, if two-bit data is to be stored in a single cell, three discriminating means are required per cell, which means that, if three-bit data is to be stored in a single cell, seven discriminating means are required per cell.
Such disadvantage, which is the increased chip area brought about by the increased number of peripheral circuits, does spoil the advantage, which is the increased storage capacity per array area given by the increased number of bits per cell.
The present invention has been made in view of the aforementioned circumstances. The object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide a semiconductor memory and an information storage device both capable of achieving multilevel memory technology without impairing data reading performance nor increasing chip area.
To achieve the above object, the present invention is applied to a semiconductor memory having an electrically erasable and programmable nonvolatile semiconductor memory cell, and such semiconductor memory includes:
means for setting a potential to the cell, the potential corresponding to a level indicated by a bit data string obtained by arranging a plurality of pieces of bit data to be stored in the cell in a predetermined order; and
means for discriminating or comparing the potential set to the cell by the potential setting means with a reference potential.
The discriminating means sequentially reads a plurality of pieces of one-bit data constituting the bit data string arranged in the predetermined order from a piece of one-bit data corresponding to a starting bit of the bit data string every time the discriminating means performs a discriminating operation with respect to the cell by setting the reference potential to a level, the level corresponding to a number of bits in the bit data string, a number of times of discriminating operations to be performed with respect to the cell and a result of the discriminating operation already performed with respect to the cell.
The discriminating means performs the discriminating operation, e.g., in the following procedure.
In a first discriminating operation with respect to the cell, the discriminating means discriminates the potential set to the cell by setting the reference potential to an intermediate level between a potential level corresponding to a minimum level possibly indicated by the bit data string when a value set to the starting bit of the bit data string is 1 and values set to other bits are unknown and a potential level corresponding to a maximum level possibly indicated by the bit data string when a value set to the starting bit of the bit data string is 0 and values set to other bits are unknown.
As a result of this operation, the starting bit data is read.
In a second discriminating operation with respect to the cell and onwards, the discriminating means discriminates the potential set to the cell by setting the reference potential to an intermediate level between a potential level corresponding to a minimum level possibly indicated by the bit data string when values set from the starting bit to a so-far-read bit of the bit data string are the respective read values and a value set to a next to-be-read bit is 1 and values set to other bits are unknown and a potential level corresponding to a maximum level possibly indicated by the bit data string when values set from the starting bit to the so-far-read bit of the bit data string are the respective read values and a value set to the next to-be-read bit is 0 and values set to other bits are unknown.
As a result of these operations, the to-be-read bit data is read.
By repeating the aforementioned discriminating operations sequentially, the pieces of bit data from the second to the final bit of the bit data string obtained by arranging the plurality of pieces of bit data in the predetermined order are sequentially read.
According to the semiconductor memory of the present invention having such structure, a plurality of pieces of one-bit data stored in a cell can be read on a one-bit data basis every time the discriminating means performs the discriminating operation with respect to the cell.
Therefore, multilevel memory technology can be achieved without impairing data reading performance nor increasing chip area due to an increased number of discriminating means.
In the semiconductor memory of the present invention, data is recorded and reproduced on a data block basis, a data block consisting of a plurality of its. Further, a plurality of cells are arranged in the semiconductor memory, each cell corresponding to the plurality of bits constituting the data block.
The potential setting means sets a potential to each of the plurality of cells, the potential corresponding to a level indicated by a bit data string obtained by arranging as many data blocks as a number of bits corresponding to the cell in a predetermined order.
A plurality of discriminating means are arranged, each discriminating means corresponding to each of the plurality of cells. The discriminating means may read a to-be-read data block from the plurality of cells by performing the operation of discriminating the potential of the corresponding cell for a number of times corresponding to a bit number from a first in the bit data string, the one-bit data constituting the to-be-read data block.
A file-based storage device usually records and reproduces data on a file basis, a file consisting of a plurality of sectors. That is, a plurality of sectors are recorded and read by a single access command operation. Further, the order in which the plurality of sectors are accessed is usually fixed.
When the semiconductor memory of the present invention is applied to a file-based storage device of the aforementioned type, each cell stores one bit from each of a plurality of sectors (data blocks) in a predetermined order. The potential to be set to each cell belongs to a level corresponding to a level indicated by a bit data string obtained by arranging a plurality of pieces of one-bit data respectively corresponding to the plurality of sectors in the order in which the plurality of sectors is accessed.
As a result of this arrangement, the sectors stored in a plurality of cells can be read in the order in which the sectors are accessed every time the discriminating means performs the discriminating operation.
That is, a piece of data can be retrieved from a sector without having to go through with all of the potential discriminating operation that is required to be performed for a plurality of times. Therefore, an access time similar to that required for a two-level memory can be achieved.
For example, a four-level memory cell can store two bits. A total of 4096 cells can store 1024 bytes, i.e., two sectors (one sector=512 bytes) in terms of the storage capacity of an ordinary hard disk drive (HDD).
Thus, the semiconductor memory of the present invention has 4096 cells, and the first to 4096th pieces of bit data in each of the two sectors are stored in the first to 4096th cells.
The potential of each cell is set to a level corresponding to a level indicated by a bit data string obtained by arranging two pieces of bit data to be stored in the cell in the order in which the two sectors are accessed.
As a result of this arrangement, the first discriminating operation performed by a discriminating means dedicated to each of the 4096 cells allows the previously accessed one of the two pieces of sector data to be retrieved, and the second discriminating operation allows the other, subsequently accessed one of the two pieces of sector data to be retrieved.
That is, the sector data can be read every time the discriminating means performs the discriminating operation, and thus an access time similar to that required for a two-level memory can be achieved.

Semiconductor memory having electrically erasable and programmable nonvolatile semiconductor memory cells


A predictive robot includes a prediction-related item storage to store terms related to prediction performance, a first communicator which transmits stored prediction-related terms and receives a search result of information search with regard to the prediction-related terms, a search controller to control information search of the prediction-related terms stored in the prediction-related item storage via the first communicator, a media converter to convert the search result into a notification medium, and a notification section to provide the search result by the notification medium. Preferably, predictive information is provided spontaneously.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a predictive robot which provides predictive information through acquisition of prediction terms from information contained in a user's conscious marking activities, such as video recording or selection of TV programs, without awareness on the part of the user. A feature of the invention is that the prediction terms are acquired through natural operation as a part of communication, such as starting a dialog mode or replacement of a fuel cell cartridge.
2. Description of the Related Art
A variety of robots have been developed, including bipedal walking robots, entertainment robots that resemble animals, multilingual robots, house-sitting robots, and personal authentication robots making use of voice recognition and facial images.
These robots execute actions in response to voice commands from a person. More specifically, each of the above-listed robots executes actions, which have been previously performed in accordance with pre-programmed commands with use of a remote controller or a PC, by the user talking to the robot and voice recognition. Methods of determining whether or not the user has talked to the robot include a method of detecting a sound which does not continue for a specific length of time (e.g., hand clapping) (see, e.g., JP2001-154692 (kokai) ([0070], FIG. 7)).
However, in practical daily living, a user would like to be provided with local information before becoming aware of it by other means, such as information that the laundry needs to be taken in because the weather has suddenly become cloudy and rain seems imminent, or information that a meal needs to be prepared because a family member is on the way home from a train or bus station, in a predictive manner rather than by the user issuing commands.
Such provision of predictive information constitutes information provision of push-type rather than information provision of pull-type, such as conventional information retrieval by use of the Internet. In many cases, such push-type information is provided in the form of e-mail delivered to a PC or a cell phone. In robots of the related art, e-mail is vocally read in response to a command issued by an owner user of the robot.
Some robots connect themselves to a network and provide information upon acceptance of a query from a user about weather, or the like, however, such robots provide information in response to predetermined keywords or keywords supplied by the user. Accordingly, content of provided information lacks variety, which poses a problem. To this end, there is a service such that, a user who has purchased goods via Internet shopping is provided with information on the nature of other goods purchased by other users who have purchased the same goods (recommendation engine).
However, the above-mentioned services are provided on the basis of a person's intended action, and cannot cope with a problem of the inability to provide information without prompting by the user, such as information that, the laundry needs to be taken in because an atmospheric low-pressure system is approaching and is likely to bring rain.
Meanwhile, some TV programs display uniform resource locators (URLs) of, for instance, an advertisement or a homepage related to an on-air program. To access the advertisement or homepage, a viewer must write down the URL and directly input the same to a browser. Alternatively, a URL is electronically provided by an electronic program guide (EPG) which is provided in conjunction with digitization of TV broadcasting. However, the URLs are provided solely on a per-program basis. Storage of a link to URLs of athletes or actors/actresses who appear in broadcast programs or periodic acquisition of new information cannot be carried out.
As described above, there has not been developed a robot which voluntarily provides push-type information, such as a weather forecast, notification that a family member is on the way home, or information reported as a news flash, e.g., information about an earthquake, or information about traffic congestion due to a train accident. Accordingly, there are many situations such that laundry has already become wet with rain by the time a user notices that it is raining. To this end, demand exists for a framework which allows a robot to spontaneously provide information obtained through the network, such as a change in the weather or the imminent arrival of a family member. Furthermore, there are required measures for acquiring prediction terms for use in spontaneous provision of predictive information without invoking the user's awareness.

Predictive robot, control method for predictive robot, and predictive robotic system


An audio device can be reconfigured to serve a multi-purpose communication experience as a neck speaker, a headset, a speaker, or standalone microphone, depending on the user's preference. For wearable audio products, comfort is a key aspect of the listening experience. By allowing the user to adjust the wearable position of the components, the user can choose the comfort configuration that is best for him and his daily usage or switch back and forth from the configurations to match their environment. To enable others to hear what the user is listening to, the user can wear it on her neck or place it on a table, but if the user wants privacy, she can wear it around her head.

The headphone listening experience can involve incoming audio (music, friend's voices, movies, etc. . . . ) a person is listening to and outgoing audio (the person's voice) that the person want to transmit to others. As understood herein, a difficulty arises when the person wishes to bridge the gap and communicate with someone digitally and in person. Existing audio equipment makes the person select only one mode, wither to be immersed in the digital world through headphones that nobody else in the room can interact with, or to output the audio through speakers, disconnecting the person from digital friends.
In particular, conventional headphones are locked in a singular position and offer the user little to no flexibility in how a user can experience and share the audio. Many users must switch between two devices—a speaker/soundbar or headphones—to get the experiences they desire.

Modular listening and communication devices to be used as an over-the-ear headset, neck speaker with microphone, or standalone speaker and microphone


A belt driving device includes an endless belt; support members that extend in a width direction of the endless belt and support the endless belt, the support members including a control member that controls the widthwise position of the endless belt; a support body that supports the support members; and a driving mechanism that drives one end of the control member to cause the control member to pivot about a pivot axis in a direction in which stretching of the endless belt is prevented. A portion of the control member shifted from the midpoint toward an edge of the endless belt is pivotably supported by the support member to serve as the pivot axis, so that the moving distances of two points on the control member aligned with the edges of the endless belt when the control member is driven by the driving mechanism are close to each other.

(i) Technical Field
The present invention relates to a belt driving device, a fixing device, and an image forming apparatus.
(ii) Related Art
In a known fixing device, a toner image is fixed onto a medium, such as a sheet, by an endless belt that runs in a loop while being heated and a contact member that comes into contact with the outer surface of the endless belt.

Belt driving device, fixing device, and image forming apparatus


A control method is intended for controlling an antiskid braking system for a four-wheel-drive automobile in which the front and rear wheel sides are connected by a drive system. The control method includes a step of simultaneously reducing braking pressures on two rear wheels in accordance with the select-low principle when at least one of the rear wheels tends to lock. The step includes a process for reducing the braking pressure on that front wheel which is situated on the same side as the selected rear wheel determined in accordance with the select-low principle at the same time with the braking pressures on the rear wheels.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control method for an antiskid braking system for preventing wheels of an automobile from being locked when the automobile is braked, and more particularly, to a control method for an antiskid braking system adapted for use in a four-wheel-drive automobile.
2. Description of the Related Art
An antiskid braking system is used as a braking system for modern automobiles. This system is used to securely prevent wheels of an automobile from skidding or locking when the automobile is braked. Thus, the use of this system not only ensures the driving stability of the automobile, but also allows the braking distance to be shortened.
Conventional antiskid braking systems of this type include a so-called three-channel system. When the automobile is braked, according to the three-channel braking system, braking pressures on left and right front wheels of an automobile are controlled independently of each other in accordance with a tendency of each front wheel to skid, while braking pressures on left and right rear wheels are controlled together in accordance with a tendency of one of the rear wheels to skid. More specifically, the braking pressures on the rear wheels are controlled in accordance with the rotating behaviour of that rear wheel which more positively tends to skid.
When the three-channel antiskid braking system is applied to a four-wheel-drive automobile, the front and rear wheel sides are directly connected by means of a drive system. If the braking pressures on the front and rear wheel sides are independently controlled when the automobile is braked, therefore, a torsional torque in the drive system connecting the front and rear wheel sides increases. As a result, the speeds of the front and rear wheels are subject to undesired fluctuations, so that the braking pressures on the individual wheels cannot be controlled suitably and stably. The fluctuations of the wheel speeds induces vibrations of the body of the automobile, thereby making the automobile uncomfortable to ride in.
Conventionally, therefore, it is not advisable to apply the three-channel antiskid braking system to four-wheel-drive automobiles. Thus, if the three-channel antiskid braking system is incorporated in a part-time four-wheel-drive automobile, its operation may be prevented while the automobile is running in the four-wheel-drive mode, or otherwise, the drive mode of the automobile may be compulsorily switched from a four-wheel-drive mode to a two-wheel-drive mode.

Control method for an antiskid braking system incorporated in a four-wheel-drive automobile

Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha


The present invention relates to a method for eliminating noise in a signal. The frequency band of the signal is divided into sub-bands, whereafter the useful value of the signal of each sub-band is determined by comparing the signal level to a reference level, in which case a constant signal of substantially the same level as the reference level is suppressed as noise and a varying signal, defined as a useful signal, is combined, unsuppressed, with the useful signals of the other sub-bands. The frequency band of the channel is divided into sub-bands by means of an all-pass filter construction. The method can be implemented using an analog or a digital filter construction.

Communications signals, for example, mobile radio telephone signals, are often disturbed by noise. This noise may be caused by a variety of factors, such as a poor connection or ambient noise around the microphone. For example, ambient noise in an automobile may be picked up by the telephone and transmitted as background noise.
There are several methods known in the art for eliminating this noise. For example, a high-pass filter may be used to remove low frequency noise. However, when the mobile telephone receives a signal from cellular stations, the generated noise is sometimes within the same high frequency range as the speech signal. Thus, the noise is not eliminated by the high-pass filter and cannot be eliminated without removing the speech as well.
Efforts have been made to eliminate automobile background noise. One method places a second microphone (e.g., a second "telephone mouthpiece") at a location remote from the user so that this microphone picks up only ambient noise. This second microphone's signal is inverted and summed with the signal from the first microphone to cancel or eliminate background noise from the entire signal before transmitting the speech signal. However, this method results in only a slight improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio because it is often difficult to place the microphone in a suitable place where it will pick up the correct amount and type of noise without also picking up and cancelling part of the voice signal.


An implantable medical device and associated method monitor a physiological signal for sensing physiological events and detecting a physiological condition in response to the sensed physiological events. The device senses a first event from the physiological signal, senses a noise signal in the physiological signal and senses a next event from the physiological signal wherein the first event and the next event define a signal interval. The signal interval is declared as a noisy interval in response to the sensed noise signal.

Implantable medical devices (IMDs) sense physiological signals for diagnosing a patient condition and/or managing the delivery of a medical therapy. One example of an IMD used for monitoring a patient is an implantable loop recorder (ILR) that records a patient's ECG subcutaneously for diagnosing pathologic conditions like fainting or transient arrhythmias. A pair of sense electrodes spaced apart on the device housing are used to sense the subcutaneous ECG. The ILR records the ECG signal when the patient, feeling symptomatic, activates the recording function of the ILR by holding a telemetry-enabled activator over the ILR and pressing a button. Alternatively, the detection of an arrhythmia by the ILR using arrhythmia detection algorithms may automatically trigger ECG signal storage.
Another IMD that relies on subcutaneously sensed ECG signals is a subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator (SubQ ICD). The SubQ ICD detects arrhythmias using the subcutaneously sensed ECG and delivers cardioversion/defibrillation (CV/DF) therapy in response to detecting malignant tachcyardias.
Subcutaneous ECG sensing in such devices is complicated by the presence of non-cardiac myopotentials (e.g., skeletal muscle activations in the vicinity of the implanted device), motion artifact, other physiological signals (i.e., respiration and gastrointestinal signals), electromagnetic interference (typically 50 or 60 Hz electrical noise from power mains), and electrostatic discharge (ESD). ESD is characterized by a large common mode or differential mode transient that saturates the input amplifier or overflows the input to an analog-to-digital converter, preventing the detection of cardiac signals for a period of several seconds. Noise in the subcutaneous ECG signal can interfere with the appropriate detection and response to cardiac arrhythmias or other cardiac conditions by implantable devices such as an ILR or SubQ ICD. The presence of noise in the ECG signal sensed by an ILR may trigger data storage inappropriately, causing the memory to filled with data of little use in diagnosing the patient's condition. Over sensing of noise in the subcutaneous ECG signal by a SubQ ICD may cause inappropriate tachycardia detection and unnecessary delivery of a CV/DF high voltage shock.

Method and apparatus for detecting noise in an implantable medical device


A method for operating a converter circuit is disclosed. Such a converter circuit has a converter unit with a multiplicity of actuatable power semiconductor switches and is connected to a three-phase electrical AC mains system and in which the actuatable power semiconductor switches are actuated by means of an actuation signal (SA) formed from a control signal (SR), and the control signal (SR) is formed by adjusting an H-th harmonic component of system currents (iNH) to a system current setpoint value (iNHref), wherein H=1, 2, 3 . . . . For the purpose of reducing a harmonic component in the system voltages, the system current setpoint value (iNHref) is formed by adjusting the absolute value of an H-th harmonic component of the system voltages (uNH) to the absolute value of a prescribable system voltage setpoint value (uNHref). An exemplary apparatus carries out the method.

Known converter circuits comprise a multiplicity of actuatable power semiconductor switches which are connected in a known manner in order to switch at least two switching voltage levels. Typically, a converter circuit of this kind is connected to an electrical AC mains system of, in particular, three-phase design. Such converter circuits are frequently used in industrial installations, wherein the converter circuits are coupled to the mains and wherein further fields of use and opportunities for use are naturally conceivable.
For operation of the converter circuit, a control apparatus is provided which has a control unit for forming a control signal by adjusting an H-th harmonic component of system currents to a system current setpoint value and which is connected to the actuatable power semiconductor switches via an actuation circuit for forming an actuation signal from the control signal, wherein the H-th harmonic component is produced by the converter circuit and generally H=1, 2, 3, . . . . Typical values of H are H=−5, 7, −11, 13. The actuation signal is therefore used to actuate the power semiconductor switches.
The above method for operating the converter circuit allows the control apparatus to be used to adjust an H-th harmonic component of the system currents to a system current setpoint value. However, besides harmonic components in the system currents, harmonic components in the system voltages may also arise in an electrical AC mains system, but these cannot be adjusted using the known method described above and therefore cannot be reduced.

Method for operating a converter circuit, and apparatus for carrying out the method


A device, system and method for transmitting electro-magnetic radiation between at least two separate fibers (as well as for imaging a sample) are provided. For example, a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber may be provided, such that the first and/or second fibers is/are rotatable. At least one first optical arrangement may also be included which communicates with at least one end of the first optical fiber and/or the second optical fiber. Further, at least one second arrangement may be included which is configured to control a position of the optical arrangement to align longitudinal axes of the first and the second optical fibers at least at the ends thereof. In addition, at least one third arrangement can be provided which is adapted to rotate the first and/or second optical fibers at a rate that is greater than 40 revolutions per second. It is also possible to include at least one fourth arrangement which can be adapted for connecting the first optical fiber and/or the second optical fiber to a catheter arrangement, such that the fourth arrangement includes a protector provided at least at one end thereof, and wherein the protector is automatically removed upon a connection of the first and/or second optical fiber to the catheter arrangement via the fourth arrangement.

In vivo optical imaging of internal organs of a patient is commonly performed through a fiber-optic catheter. Many clinical areas such as cardiology, neurocardiology, interventional radiology and gastroenterology require a rotating optical catheter to generate r-φ cross-sectional images. In addition, the rotating catheter may be pulled back along a longitudinal direction to obtain 3D images of the tissue volume of interest.

Fiber-optic rotational device, optical system and method for imaging a sample


The aqueous two phase systems (ATPS) contain partly urethanized PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) and hydrophobically modified cyclocopolymers formed from the monomers diallylammonioethanoate, 0-3 mol % dodecyldiallylammonium chloride and sulphur dioxide, the copolymers having varying proportions of polybetaine (PB) and anionic polyelectrolyte (APE) fractions. The aqueous two-phase systems are useful in the separation and purification of biomaterials.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to extraction solvents, and particularly to aqueous two phase systems that contain partly urethanized PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) and a copolymer formed from the monomers diallylammonioethanoate, dodecyldiallylammonium chloride and sulphur dioxide that can be used for the extraction of biomolecules of interest.
2. Description of the Related Art
Aqueous solutions of appropriate concentrations of two polymers, a polymer and a salt, or other alternative components, when combined above or below a certain critical temperature, lead to the construction of biphasic systems known as aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS). ATPS, having the advantage to be readily scaled-up, are efficient, inexpensive, environmentally friendly and biocompatible liquid-liquid extraction systems that have been widely used to separate and purify a variety of industrially important biomolecules. Unequal distribution of biomolecules, such as amino acids and proteins, in ATPS leads to the efficient separation and purification of the biomolecules in downstream processes of biotechnology.
The most commonly used ATPS are based on poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and dextran. In some cases, the polymers have been modified with hydrophobic groups and biospecific ligands for the affinity partitioning of biomolecules. The efficient use of a hydrophobically modified acrylamide-styrene copolymer-PEG aqueous two-phase system in the separation of bovine serum albumin has been demonstrated.
In an effort to develop suitable ATPS, the effect of pH and salt concentration on the coexistence curves of a system containing the pH-responsive copolymer poly(diallylammonioethanoate-alt-sulfur dioxide) and polyethylene glycol has been reported. The system has been successfully employed in the study of protein partitioning; extremely high partitioning levels (partition coefficient of 0.004) and very high separation ratios of bovine serum albumin and cytochrome c (up to 48) were recorded. Hydrophobicity is a key feature that determines the partitioning of proteins in ATPS.
Thus, aqueous two-phase systems solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

KING FAHD UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM AND  MINERALS


Technical solutions for classifying patients with respect to multiple cancer classes are provided. The classification can be done using cell-free whole genome sequencing information from subjects. A reference set of subjects is used to train classifiers to recognize genomic markers that distinguish such cancer classes. The classifier training includes dividing the reference genome into a set of non-overlapping bins, applying a dimensionality reduction method to obtain a feature set, and using the feature set to train classifiers. For subjects with unknown cancer class, the trained classifiers provide probabilities or likelihoods that the subject has a respective cancer class for each cancer in a set of cancer classes. The present disclosure thus describes methods to improve the screening and detection of cancer class from among several cancer classes. This serves to facilitate early and appropriate treatment for subjects afflicted with cancer.

The increasing knowledge of the molecular basis for cancer and the rapid development of next generation sequencing techniques are advancing the study of early molecular alterations involved in cancer development in body fluids. Specific genetic and epigenetic alterations associated with such cancer development are found in plasma, serum, and urine cell-free DNA (cfDNA). Such alterations could potentially be used as diagnostic biomarkers for several classes of cancers. See Salvi et al., 2016, "Cell-free DNA as a diagnostic marker for cancer: current insights," Onco Targets Ther. 9:6549-6559.
With a total of over 1.6 million new cases each year in the United States as of 2017, cancer represents a prominent worldwide public health problem. See, Siegel et al., 2017, "Cancer statistics," CA Cancer J Clin. 67(1):7-30. Screening programs and early diagnosis have an important impact in improving disease-free survival and reducing mortality in cancer patients. As noninvasive approaches for early diagnosis foster patient compliance, they can be included in screening programs.
Noninvasive serum-based biomarkers used in clinical practice include carcinoma antigen 125 (CA 125), carcinoembryonic antigen, carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) for the detection of ovarian, colon, and prostate cancers, respectively. See, Terry et al., 2016, "A prospective evaluation of early detection biomarkers for ovarian cancer in the European EPIC cohort," Clin Cancer Res. 2016 Apr. 8; Epub and Zhang et al., "Tumor markers CA19-9, CA242 and CEA in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer: a meta-analysis," Int J Clin Exp Med. 2015; 8(7):11683-11691.
These biomarkers generally have low specificity (high number of false-positive results). Thus, new noninvasive biomarkers are actively being sought. The increasing knowledge of the molecular pathogenesis of cancer and the rapid development of new molecular techniques such as next generation nucleic acid sequencing techniques is promoting the study of early molecular alterations in body fluids.
Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) can be found in serum, plasma, urine, and other body fluids (Chan et al., "Clinical Sciences Reviews Committee of the Association of Clinical Biochemists Cell-free nucleic acids in plasma, serum and urine: a new tool in molecular diagnosis," Ann Clin Biochem. 2003; 40(Pt 2):122-130) representing a "liquid biopsy," which is a circulating picture of a specific disease. See, De Mattos-Arruda and Caldas, 2016, "Cell-free circulating tumour DNA as a liquid biopsy in breast cancer," Mol Oncol. 2016; 10(3):464-474. This represents a potential, non-invasive method of screening for a variety of cancers.
The existence of cfDNA was demonstrated by Mandel and Metais (Mandel and Metais), "P. Les acides nucleiques du plasma sanguin chez l'homme [The nucleic acids in blood plasma in humans]," C R Seances Soc Biol Fil. 1948; 142(3-4):241-243). cfDNA originates from necrotic or apoptotic cells, and it is generally released by all types of cells. Stroun et al further showed that specific cancer alterations could be found in the cfDNA of patients. See, Stroun et al., "Neoplastic characteristics of the DNA found in the plasma of cancer patients," Oncology. 1989; 46(5):318-322). A number of subsequent articles confirmed that cfDNA contains specific tumor-related alterations, such as mutations, methylation, and copy number variations (CNVs), thus confirming the existence of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). See, Goessl et al., "Fluorescent methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction for DNA-based detection of prostate cancer in bodily fluids," Cancer Res. 2000; 60(21):5941-5945 and Frenel et al., 2015, "Serial next-generation sequencing of circulating cell-free DNA evaluating tumor clone response to molecularly targeted drug administration. Clin Cancer Res. 21(20):4586-4596.
cfDNA in plasma or serum is well characterized, while urine cfDNA (ucfDNA) has been traditionally less characterized. However, recent studies demonstrated that ucfDNA could also be a promising source of biomarkers. See, Casadio et al., 2013, "Urine cell-free DNA integrity as a marker for early bladder cancer diagnosis: preliminary data," Urol Oncol. 2013; 31(8):1744-1750.
In blood, apoptosis is a frequent event that determines the amount of cfDNA. In cancer patients, however, the amount of cfDNA seems to be also influenced by necrosis. See Hao et al., "Circulating cell-free DNA in serum as a biomarker for diagnosis and prognostic prediction of colorectal cancer," Br J Cancer. 2014; 111(8):1482-1489 and Zonta et al., "Assessment of DNA integrity, applications for cancer research," Adv Clin Chem. 2015; 70:197-246. Since apoptosis seems to be the main release mechanism, circulating cfDNA has a size distribution that reveals an enrichment in short fragments of about 167 bp, (see, Heitzer et al., 2015, "Circulating tumor DNA as a liquid biopsy for cancer," Clin Chem. 61(1):112-123 and Lo et al., 2010, "Maternal plasma DNA sequencing reveals the genome-wide genetic and mutational profile of the fetus," Sci Transl Med. 2(61):61ra91) corresponding to nucleosomes generated by apoptotic cells.
The amount of circulating cfDNA in serum and plasma seems to be significantly higher in patients with tumors than in healthy controls, especially in those with advanced-stage tumors than in early-stage tumors. See, Sozzi et al., 2003 "Quantification of free circulating DNA as a diagnostic marker in lung cancer," J Clin Oncol. 21(21):3902-3908, Kim et al., 2014, "Circulating cell-free DNA as a promising biomarker in patients with gastric cancer: diagnostic validity and significant reduction of cfDNA after surgical resection," Ann Surg Treat Res. 2014; 86(3):136-142; and Shao et al. 2015 "Quantitative analysis of cell-free DNA in ovarian cancer," Oncol Lett. 2015; 10(6):3478-3482). The variability of the amount of circulating cfDNA is higher in cancer patients than in healthy individuals, (Heitzer et al., 2013, "Establishment of tumor-specific copy number alterations from plasma DNA of patients with cancer," Int J Cancer. 133(2):346-356) and the amount of circulating cfDNA is influenced by several physiological and pathological conditions, including proinflammatory diseases. See, Raptis and Menard, 1980, "Quantitation and characterization of plasma DNA in normals and patients with systemic lupus erythematosus," J Clin Invest. 66(6):1391-1399, and Shapiro et al., 1983, "Determination of circulating DNA levels in patients with benign or malignant gastrointestinal disease," Cancer. 51(11):2116-2120.
Given the promise of circulating cfDNA, as well as other forms of genotypic data, as a diagnostic indicator, ways of processing such data in order to derive accurate classifiers for cancer diagnosis are needed in the art.

Systems and methods for classifying patients with respect to multiple cancer classes