A method of filtering to remove coding artifacts introduced at block edges in a block-based video coder, the method having the steps of: checking the content activity on every line of samples belonging to a boundary to be filtered and where content activity is based on a set of adaptively selected thresholds determined using Variable-Shift Table Indexing (VSTI); determining whether the filtering process will modify the sample values on that particular line based on said content activity; and selecting a filtering mode between at least two filtering modes to apply on a block boundary basis, implying that there would be no switching between the two primary modes on a line by line basis along a given block boundary. The two filtering modes include a default mode based on a non-recursive filter, and a strong filtering mode which features two strong filtering sub-modes and a new selection criterion that is one-sided with respect to the block boundary to determine which of the two strong filtering sub-modes to use. The two strong filtering sub-modes include a new 3-tap filter sub-mode and a 5-tap filter sub-mode that permits a more efficient implementation of the filter.

Video compression is used in many current and emerging products. It has found applications in video-conferencing, video streaming, serial storage media, high definition television (HDTV), and broadcast television. These applications benefit from video compression in the fact that they may require less storage space for archived video information, less bandwidth for the transmission of the video information from one point to another, or a combination of both.
Over the years, several standards for video compression have emerged, such as the Telecommunication Standardization Sector of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU-T) recommended video-coding standards: H.261, H.262, H.263 and the emerging H.264 standard and the International Standardization Organization and International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC) recommended standards MPEG-1, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4. These standards allow interoperability between systems designed by different manufacturers.
Video is composed of a stream of individual pictures (or frames) made up of discrete areas known as picture elements or pixels. The pixels are organised into lines for display on a CRT or the like. Each pixel is represented as a set of values corresponding to the intensity levels of the luminance and chrominance components of a particular area of the picture. Compression is based mainly on the recognition that much of the information in one frame is present in the next frame and, therefore, by providing a signal based on the changes from frame to frame a much reduced bandwidth is required. For the purpose of efficient coding of video, the pictures or frames can be partitioned into individual blocks of 16 by 16 luminance pixels called "macroblocks". This practice simplifies the processing which needs to be done at each stage of the algorithm by an encoder or decoded. To encode a macroblock (or sub-macroblock partition) using motion-compensated prediction, an estimation is made of the amount of motion that is present in the block relative to the decoded pixel data in one or more reference frames, usually recently decoded frames, and the appropriate manner in which to convey the information from which the current frame may be reconstructed. The residual signal, which is the difference between the original pixel data for the macroblock and its prediction, is spatially transformed and the resulting transform coefficients are quantized before being entropy coded. The basic processing blocks of an encoder are a motion estimator/compensator/predictor, a transform, a quantizer and an entropy coder. Due to the quantization of the transformed coefficients of the residual signal, the reconstructed pixel values are generally not identical to those of the original frame. Since the coding is block-based, the errors that are introduced by the quantization process tend to produce artifacts in the form of sharp transitions in image intensity across transform block boundaries in the reconstructed frame. Such artifacts are referred to as "blocking artifacts". The appearance of blocking significantly affects the natural smoothness seen in video images and leads to a degradation of the overall video image quality.
Blocking artifacts are inherent in hybrid block-based video coders, especially in low bit rate video applications. A number of solutions have been presented to alleviate the degradation in visual quality due to the presence of blocking artifacts. Two general approaches have been proposed to deal with blocking artifacts. The first approach is based on using a deblocking filter in the decoder only as a post-processing stage, and applying the deblocking filter on the decoded and reconstructed video frames before they are displayed. The purpose of the filter is to modify the sample values around the block boundaries in order to smooth unnatural sharp transitions that have been introduced by the block-based coding process. Having a deblocking filter applied outside of the motion-compensation loop can be viewed as an optional process for the decoder, placing no requirements on the video encoder. However, this scheme has a disadvantage in that the reference frames that are used for generating predictions for the coding of subsequent frames will contain blocking artifacts. This can lead to reduced coding efficiency and degraded visual quality. The second approach to reduce the visibility of blocking artifacts is to apply a deblocking filter inside the motion-compensation loop. In this case, the reference frames that are used for generating predictions for subsequent encoded frames represent filtered reconstructed frames, generally providing improved predictions and improved compression and visual quality. In order to create identical predictions at both the encoder and decoder, the deblocking filter (sometimes referred to as a "loop filter" if it is inside the motion-compensation loop) must be applied in both the encoder and the decoder.
In order to reduce the appearance of blocking artifacts, a number of video coding standards, including H.263 version 2, and most recently the emerging H.264 video coding standard specify the use of a deblocking filter inside the motion-compensation loop. In particular, the H.264 video coding standard fully specifies a deblocking filter that is to be used inside the motion-compensation loop in both the encoder and decoder.
One of the known prior art methods is described in a document "Working Draft Number 2, Revision 2 (WD-2)" by the Joint Video Team (JVT) of ISO/IEC MPEG and ITU-T VCEG. In this prior art method, filtering occurs on the edges of 4×4 blocks in both the luminance and chrominance components of each reconstructed video frame. The filtering takes place on one 16×16 macroblock at a time, with macroblocks processed in raster-scan order throughout the frame. Within each macroblock, vertical edges are filtered first from left to right, followed by filtering of the horizontal edges, from top to bottom. The filtering of samples for one line-based filtering operation occurs along the boundary separating unfiltered samples p0, p1, p2, and p3 on one side of the boundary, and unfiltered samples q0, q1, q2, and q3 on the other side, as illustrated in FIG. 3a. The block boundary lies between samples p0 and q0. In some cases p1, p2 may indicate samples that have been modified by filtering of a previous block edge. For each line-based filtering operation, unfiltered samples will be referred to with lower-case letters, and filtered samples with upper-case letters. For each block boundary segment (consisting of 4 rows or columns of samples), a "Boundary strength" parameter, referred to as "Bs", is computed before filtering. The calculation of Bs is based on parameters that are used in encoding the bounding blocks of each segment. Each segment is assigned a Bs value from zero to four, with a value of zero indicating that no filtering will take place, and a value of 4 indicating that the strongest filtering mode will be used.
The process for determining Bs is as follows. For each boundary, a determination is made as to whether either one of the two blocks that neighbour the boundary is intra-coded. If either block is intra-coded, then a further determination is made as to whether the block boundary is also a macroblock boundary. If the block boundary is also a macroblock boundary, then Bs=4, else Bs=3.
Otherwise, if neither block is intra-coded then a further determination is made as to whether either block contains non-zero transform coefficients. If either block contains non-zero coefficients then Bs=2; otherwise if a prediction of the two blocks is formed using different reference frames or a different number of frames and if a pair of motion vectors from the two blocks reference the same frame and either component of this pair has a difference of more than one sample, then Bs=1; else Bs=0, in which case no filtering is performed on this boundary. The value of boundary strength, Bs, for a specific block boundary is determined by the encoding characteristics of the two 4×4 blocks along the boundary. Therefore, the control of the filtering process for each individual block boundary is well localized. The block boundary is filtered only when it is necessary, based on whether the coding modes used for the neighbouring blocks are likely to produce a visible blocking artifact.
The known filtering process starts with the step of filtering each 4×4 block edge in a reconstructed macroblock. The filtering "Boundary strength" parameter, Bs, is computed and assigned based on the coding parameters used for luma. Block boundaries of chroma blocks correspond to block boundaries of luma blocks, therefore, the corresponding Bs for luma is also used for chroma boundaries.
Filtering takes place in the order described above on all boundary segments with non-zero value for Bs. The following describes the process that takes place for each line-based filtering operation.
TABLE 1QPav dependent activity threshold parameters α and βQPav0123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627α000000000000000000004456791012β0000000000000000000033344466QPav282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051α141720242833394655657690106126148175207245255255255255255255β778899101011111212131314141515161617171818
A content activity check is performed. If the check is passed, filtering continues; otherwise, the sample values are not modified on this line of the boundary segment. The activity check makes use of a pair of activity threshold parameters, ALPHA (α) and BETA (β), whose particular values are selected from the above Table 1, based on the average quantization parameter (QPav) used in coding each boundary segment. It is noted that QPav represents the average value of the quantization parameter values used in encoding the two blocks that neighbour the boundary, with rounding of the average by truncation of any fractional part. Accordingly, the content activity check is passed if|p0−q0|<ALPHA (α) AND |p1−p0|<BETA (β) AND |q1−q0|<BETA (β).
Further, if this first content activity check is passed, and Bs is not equal to 4, default mode filtering is performed. Otherwise, if the check is passed and Bs is equal to 4, a second, stricter activity check is performed. This activity check involves the evaluation of the condition1<|p0−q0|<(QPav>>2) AND |p2−p0|<BETA (β) AND |q2−q0|<BETA (β).If this second condition is true on a particular line of samples, a strong mode filtering is used on this line of samples. Otherwise, a default mode filtering is used on this line of samples. It should be noted the symbol ">>" is used to represent the operation of bit-wise shifting to the right.
Among the disadvantages of the above described known method is that it permits switching between two filtering modes with very different characteristics at the level of each line of samples within a boundary segment. This switching adds complexity to the filtering process and can significantly increase the worst-case critical path for processing on many architectures.
Further disadvantages include the particular values in the tables of filtering parameters, ALPHA (α) and BETA (β), which are not optimized to produce the best subjective viewing quality of reconstructed and filtered video. Further, the characteristics of the deblocking filter in terms of the threshold parameters used in the activity checks and equations used for generating filtered sample values are fixed in the known method, providing the encoder with little or no flexibility to control the properties of the deblocking filter. This hinders optimization of the subjective quality of the decoded video for different types of video content and displays.
In the default mode of the above identified filtering method, the value Δ, which represents the change from the unfiltered values of p0 and q0 to their respective filtered values is computed using:Δ=Clip(−C, C, (((q0−p0)<<2+(p1−q1)+4)>>3)),where C is determined as specified below and the function "Clip" is defined as:
Clip(a, b, c)=IF (c<a) THEN a                ELSE IF (c>b) THEN b        ELSE cFurther, the filtered values P0 and Q0 are computed whereP0=Clip(0, 255,p0+Δ) and Q0=Clip(0, 255,q0−Δ).
In order to compute the clipping value, C, that is used to determine Δ, and also determine whether the values of p1 and q1 will be modified on this set of samples, two intermediate variables, ap and aq are computed, where:αp=|p2−p0| and αq=|q2−q0|.
If αp<β for a luminance edge, a filtered sample P1 is produced as specified by:P1=p1+Clip(−C0, C0, (p2+P0−(p1<<1))>>1).
If αq<β for a luminance edge, a filtered sample Q1 is produced as specified by Q1=q1+Clip(−C0, C0, (q2+Q0−(q1<<1))>>1) where C0 is specified in Table 2 (see below), based on Bs and QPav, for the block boundary. For both luma and chroma, C is determined by setting it equal to C0 and then incrementing it by one if αp<β, and again by one if αq<β.
TABLE 2Value of filter clipping parameter C0 as a function of QPav and BsQPav012345678910111213141516171819202122232425Bs = 100000000000000000000000111Bs = 200000000000000000000011111Bs = 300000000000000000111111111QPav2627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051Bs = 111111112222333444566789101113Bs = 211111222233344556788101112131517Bs = 312222333444566789101113141618202325
It is important to note that the computation of the filtered values P1 and Q1 require as an input to the filtering equation the filtered values of P0 and Q0 from the current line of samples. This recursive filtering method presents a disadvantage as the values of P0 and Q0 must be computed before the computation of P0 and Q1 can begin. This design can impede parallel processing of the different samples and thereby increases the critical path for the default mode filtering on most hardware architectures.
An additional disadvantage in the default mode filtering process of the known method is that the calculation of the clipping parameter, C, for chroma samples is unnecessarily complex. The chroma samples p1 and q1 are never filtered in the default mode and, therefore, the computation of the variables ap and aq is only necessary to determine the C parameter that is used to clip the value of Δ. These computations could be avoided by specifying a simpler method to compute C for chroma filtering.
For strong mode filtering in the known method, the following equations are applied to calculate the filtered sample values:P0=(p2+2*p1+2*p0+2*q0+q1+4)>>3,P1=(p3+2*p2+2*p1+2*p0+q0+4)>>3,Q0=(p1+2*p0+2*q0+2*q1+q2+4)>>3 andQ1=(p0+2*q0+2*q1+2*q2+q3+4)>>3.For the luminance component only, p2 and q2 are also filtered as specified by:P2=(2*p3+3*p2+p1+p0+q0+4)>>3 andQ2=(2*q3+3*q2+q1+q0+p0+4)>>3.
Filtering with this set of equations can lead to insufficient reduction in the visibility of blocking artifacts. It is therefore an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate the above-mentioned disadvantages.


A food material capable of suppressing the genesis of breast cancer or proliferation of terminal breast cancer. An extract of Agaricus Blazei Murill comprising an ingredient capable of suppressing the genesis of breast cancer or proliferation of terminal breast cancer is provided. This ingredient can be a chromatographic main elution fraction of 100 to 2000 molecular weight obtained through the steps of extracting the fruit body of Agaricus Blazei Murill with hot water, dialyzing the obtained extract and subjecting the obtained dialysis external fluid to chromatography. Alternatively, the above ingredient can be a dialysis external fluid obtained through the steps of extracting the fruit body of Agaricus Blazei Murill with hot water, adding ethanol to the obtained extract to thereby obtain precipitates, and dissolving the precipitates in water and dialyzing the resultant solution.

The Mushroom, which is generally called Kawariharatake, belongs to the family Agaricaceae of the division Basidiomycota, and is referred to by the botanical name "Agaricus blazei Murill" and the Japanese name "Kawariharatake". Agaricus blazei Murill (hereinafter, generally referred to as Kawariharatake, ABM, or agaricus) has been traditionally used as a medicament in the Piedade region in Sao Paulo, Brazil. It is said that Kawariharatake has a variety of immunostimulatory activities and effects on cancer prevention and suppression of tumor growth. Currently, it is widely provided for internal use as health food.
Polysaccharides contained in Kawariharatake include β-1,6-glucopyranosyl residues and have anti-tumor activity against Sarcoma 180 (Ebina T et al. (1986), Jpn. J. Cancer Res 77:1034-1042).
Extracts from Kawariharatake include (1→4)-α-D-glucan having (1→6)-β branched chain, and they have natural killer cell activation activity and selective anti-tumor activity mediated through apoptosis (Fujimiya Y et al. (1998), Cancer Immunol Immunother 46:147-159).
Peptideglycans from Kawariharatake have a direct cytotoxic activity against Meth A tumor cells in a double implanted tumor system and an indirect immune enhancement activity in tumor-bearing mice (Ebina T et al. (1998), Biotherapy 11:259-265).
Polysaccharides contained in Kawariharatake changed the percentage of spleen Thy1,2-, L3T4 positive cells in a T cell subset of mice (Mizuno M et al. (1998), Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem. 62:434-437).
These reports suggest that polysaccharides contained in Kawariharatake have cytotoxic activity against tumor cells through an immunomodulation activity.
In this manner, although there are many reports regarding immune enhancing activities and anti-cancer activities of Kawariharatake extract, those tests were conducted in vitro or conducted on animals already suffering from cancer to examine the effects of Kawariharatake, and none of those examined the effects of Kawariharatake in the genesis of cancer such as breast cancer. Further, there are no reports, to the best of inventor's knowledge, that examined the effects of Kawariharatake extract and ingredients contained therein on terminal cancer.    Non-patent document 1: Ebina T et al. (1986), Jpn. J. Cancer Res 77:1034-1042    Non-patent document 2: Fujimiya Y et al. (1998), Cancer Immunol Immunother 46:147-159    Non-patent document 3: Ebina T et al. (1998), Biotherapy 11:259-265    Non-patent document 4: Mizuno M et al. (1998), Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem. 62:434-437.


A tabletop linking device for removably linking together a perimeter edge of a first table to an abutting perimeter edge of an adjacent second table. Each perimeter edge has a perimeter lip member extending away from a bottom surface of the corresponding tabletop. The second table includes a recess along an inner wall of the perimeter lip. A connection member is pivotally connected to a base member on the bottom surface of the first table. The connection member rotates between a stowed position and a latched position. In the latched position, the ridge engages the recess to removably link the perimeter edge of the first and second tables together.

Blow-molded plastic tabletops have been used for many years on banquet tables, utility tables and other portable folding tables. Due to their versatility and relatively lightweight, blow-molded tables are ideal for banquet settings, conventions, meetings, etc., where tables are often rearranged and reconfigured to suit a variety of needs. Often in these types of applications, tables are configured end-to-end in order to provide a longer table surface than that offered by a single tabletop. However, no blow-molded tabletops have been developed that may be arranged and quickly secured and unsecured while in an end-to-end or side-to-side configuration.
Therefore, what is needed is a tabletop linking device that permits blow-molded tables to be quickly and easily arranged and secured or unsecured while in an end-to-end or side-to-side configuration.


This invention concerns a system for the distribution of films by electronic means, and in particular, for ensuring a director's intended rendition of the images is attained in differing viewing conditions and technologies. Thus master data enabling the luminance and chromaticity of every part of every frame as previously displayed in a first display environment to be determined may be modified to achieve a similar subjective effect in a second display environment, the modification depending for example on data characterizing the said second display environment.

A vital part of the production of cinema films is the "grading" process in which the exposure and colour balance of a "master" print are determined and agreed by the creative team. Subsequent processes, including distribution and final exhibition to an audience, should not change the appearance, or "look" that was decided upon at the conclusion of the grading process.
It is now becoming common for electronic methods of image storage and processing to be used in at least part of the film production process; and there is considerable interest in the use of electronics for distribution and for exhibition, using projectors where the image is generated electronically by a "light-valve" rather than from a transparent film medium.
For historical and other reasons relating to the development of television technology, the methods of working in television production and distribution are very different from those used for cinema film production and distribution. In particular, in television, it has been more usual for the "look" of the image to be decided at the time of acquisition in the camera, with only limited modification during the subsequent production processes. The technological limitations which led to this method of working are now becoming less stringent as a result of developments in electronic camera and image processing technology.
It is also now possible to use both electronic and photochemical processes at different stages in the production of the same film. The great flexibility offered by modern electronic image processing has potential benefits for film makers, but they need methods of working and systems which ensure that the electronic tools are used in a controlled and acceptable manner.
One area where electronic processing can help film makers is in simplifying the creation of "versions" of a film to be shown in different conditions and by different display technologies. Distribution processes can be defined which are guaranteed to have a small effect on the appearance of the images. It should then be possible to agree that in certain circumstances these processes can be used with less stringent requirements for review by the director.
FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a film production and distribution process. A production process (1) feeds three distribution processes, each intended for a different display method. The film process (2) produces film prints for exhibition in cinemas; the electronic-cinema process (3) produces data for electronic projectors in cinemas; and the TV process (4) produces video data (usually on tape) which is distributed to TV sets.
The route through production (1) to film distribution (2) is well known, and will involve a grading process to determine an agreed exposure and colour balance, as indicated above, whose result will be checked by being projected in a reviewing cinema under controlled viewing conditions.
The inputs to the routes (3) and (4) could be obtained by scanning the graded film of route (2), or, possibly by taking information from earlier in the production process. There is no certainty that the end result will have the same "look" that was chosen in the reviewing cinema. This is so even if the graded film is scanned in a telecine since the process of colorimetric analysis in the telecine and presentation via an electronic display is almost certain to introduce errors.
The visual experience in the reviewing cinema will depend on the amount of stray light in that cinema and the way that light from bright parts of the image contaminates dark parts of the image (flare). Even in the cinemas at the end of the route (2), the viewing experience will probably be different from that in the reviewing cinema, because the level of stray light is unlikely to be the same (it is probably higher).

Systems and methods for modifying master film for viewing at different viewing locations


A flexographic printing plate is prepared from a photosensitive element having a photopolymerizable elastomeric layer with specific rheological properties. The element is imagewise exposed and thermally treated to form a relief structure suitable for flexographic printing.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to a method for preparing flexographic printing plates and, in particular, a method for thermally treating a photosensitive element to form a relief structure suitable for flexographic printing.
2. Description of Related Art
Flexographic printing plates are well known for use in printing surfaces which range from soft and easy to deform to relatively hard, such as packaging materials, e.g., cardboard, plastic films, aluminum foils, etc. Flexographic printing plates can be prepared from photopolymerizable compositions, such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,323,637 and 4,427,759. The photopolymerizable compositions generally comprise an elastomeric binder, at least one monomer and a photoinitiator. Photosensitive elements generally have a layer of the photopolymerizable composition interposed between a support and a coversheet or a multilayer cover element. Upon imagewise exposure to actinic radiation, polymerization, and hence photocuring (insolublization) of the photopolymerizable layer occurs in the exposed areas. Conventionally, the element is treated with a suitable solution, e.g., solvent or aqueous-based washout, to remove the unexposed areas of the photopolymerizable layer leaving a printing relief which can be used for flexographic printing.
However, developing systems that treat the element with a solution are time consuming since drying for extended period (0.5 to 24 hours) is necessary to remove entrained developer solution. In addition, these developing systems produce potentially toxic by-product wastes (both the solvent and any material carried off by the solvent) during the development process.
To avoid the problems with solution development, a "dry" thermal development process may be used. In a thermal development process, the photosensitive layer, which has been imagewise exposed to actinic radiation, is contacted with an absorbent material at a temperature sufficient to cause the composition in the unexposed portions of the photosensitive layer to soften or melt and flow into an absorbent material. See U.S. Pat. No. 3,060,023 (Burg et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 3,264,103 (Cohen et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,015,556 (Martens); U.S. Pat. No. 5,175,072 (Martens); U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,859 (Martens); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,697 (Peterson et al.). The exposed portions of the photosensitive layer remain hard, that is do not soften or melt, at the softening temperature for the unexposed portions. The absorbent material collects the softened un-irradiated material and then is separated/removed from the photosensitive layer. The cycle of heating and contacting the photosensitive layer may need to be repeated several times in order to sufficiently remove the flowable composition from the un-irradiated areas and form a relief structure suitable for printing. Thus remains a raised relief structure of irradiated, hardened composition that represents the irradiated image.
The photosensitive compositions suitable for use in thermal development process as disclosed by Martens in the above citations primarily are radiation curable polyurethane elastomers. Martens discloses that the polyurethane elastomer have a melt transition temperature of less than 180° C. and a melt index of at least 0.5 grams/minute at 180° C., and, that the melt indices of molten radiation crosslinkable elastomeric compositions when measured according to ASTM No. 1238-70 should be in the range of 0.5 grams/minute to 10.0 grams/minute in the temperature range from 100° C. to 180° C.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,859 Martens also discloses that commercially available flexographic printing plates, e.g., DuPont PLS, can be used in a dry development process for preparing printing plates. (Commercially available plates, such as PLS are prepared using conventional solution, e.g., solvent, washout processes to form the relief.) However, a PLS plate had poor clean out, i.e., removal of polymer, of the uncured portions, i.e., poor relief depth, upon thermal development and also distortion of fine printing elements and highlight dots could be seen. In order to improve the removal of the polymer (clean out) of the uncured portions without extending the development time, the development temperature was raised. But raising of the development temperature caused even more severe distortion of the fine image elements of the plate and/or polymeric base support for the plate.
So a problem arises with the use of conventional and/or prior art flexographic printing elements in a thermal development process for preparing printing plates in that clean-out of uncured portions is insufficient to form a relief suitable for quality printing of highlight dots and fine lines. Efforts to improve the clean out of these elements are counter to the desired performance of the system and plate. Increasing number of cycles of heating and contacting of the photosensitive layer is counter to maintaining the productivity of the thermal development system. Increasing the temperature to heat the photosensitive element and to cause the uncured portions of the layer to melt or flow more readily may be contrary to maintaining dimensional integrity of the element.

Process for preparing a flexographic printing plate


A timepiece movement for a watch, including a main plate and a bar holding a wheel set in a reference position, and a device to adjust the height of this bar in relation to the plate in the direction of the axis of rotation of the wheel set, at a first point remote from the reference position, and this height adjustment device includes a screw or a worm rotatably movable about an oblique control axis in relation to the axis of rotation, and a cone or a curved surface for transforming motion between this screw or worm and a pusher movable in a parallel direction to the axis of rotation.

Adjusting the shake of a timepiece wheel set pivoted between two structural elements, particularly between a plate and a bar, also called a cock in the case of a bar for a balance, often optimises the operation of the wheel set and the performance of the movement in which it is integrated. Often, this shake is not adjustable, and results from manufacturing tolerances and operating plays. To overcome this lack of adjustment range, the experienced watchmaker knows how to perform a local deformation of one of the components of the assembly, the least rigid component, for example the cock, to perform a shake adjustment, for example with an amplitude of 20 to 40 micrometers for a balance shake adjustment at T1.
This operation is complex, approximate, costly in terms of time, requires highly skilled personnel, is not reproducible and cannot be automated.
The other option consists in manually modifying the relative position of a bar with respect to a main plate, and particularly modifying the position of a shock absorber bearing holder comprised in the plate, with respect to the bar or vice versa, which requires driving out an element and, as in the case above, results in an effect on the holding force of the shock absorber and/or a deformation of at least one of the components, which is undesirable.
A mechanical adjustment is thus preferred, since it makes it possible to solve problems of reproducibility, is accessible to less highly qualified personnel, and can be automated. However, the space available inside a calibre is not generally sufficient to house an additional adjustment mechanism, especially in the direction of the thickness of the movement in which this type of shake adjustment generally has to be performed.
FR Patent No 1545748 in the name of THE UNITED STATES TIME CORPORATION discloses a device for axially adjusting a balance cock with respect to a main plate, with a cam element whose axis is perpendicular to the plate, including an eccentric head cooperating with a sloping bottom surface of the cock to adjust the position of the latter. This device includes position locking means.
CH Patent Application No 705087A2 in the name of HUBLOT SA describes a member for adjusting the distance between the cock and the plate, provided with an externally threaded part screwed into the cock and including a toothed wheel.

Mechanical adjustment of the shake of a timepiece wheel set


An automotive vehicle equipped with an air bag system includes an interior gas discharge device for communicating a vehicle interior to the outside upon detection of a vehicular collision and a forced ventilation device provided for operation upon detection of the vehicular collision.

1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improvement in an automotive vehicle equipped with an air bag system, and especially to the discharge of a gas, which has been generated upon actuation of the air bag system, from a vehicle interior into the outside.
2) Description of the Related Art
As a cushioning system for providing additional safety beyond that provided by a seat belt system for holding safely an occupant or the like of an automotive vehicle, an air bag system has been put into practical use. With the air bag system, the body of an occupant, especially his head and chest, is supported by a balloon-like air bag in the event of a collision and the internal gas is then gradually discharged, whereby a cushioning stroke is prolonged to reduce impact to the body.
Such an air bag system includes a module constructed of a center pad, a folded air bag, an inflator (gas generator) and the like. The module can be built into a steering wheel, for example. When triggered by an electric signal from a sensor which has detected a vehicular collision, the inflator is activated so that the air bag is instantaneously inflated by the resulting gas. After the air bag so inflated has supported as a cushioning member the head and chest of the occupant in the event of a collision, the gas is gradually released through a gas release hole formed in the air bag. As a result, impact to the occupant is reduced.
Such air bag systems include not only an air bag system for a driver's seat as described above but also an air bag system for a front passenger's seat or a rear passenger's seat. The air bag of the latter system has a greater volume than that of the former system. When all the air bag systems are actuated, the total volume of gas and smoke generated by inflators of the respective air bag systems becomes substantial.
Incidentally, gas and smoke produced from a detonator of each inflator to inflate its associated air bag contain components which give discomfort to passengers. Especially when the ventilation of an automotive vehicle is in a naturally-ventilated state (i.e., in a state not forcedly ventilated with the exterior air), an opening through which the vehicle interior is in communication with the exterior air is extremely small so that the gas filled in the vehicle interior can be hardly discharged into the outside of the automotive vehicle. This leads to the problem that the gas and smoke released from the air bags remain at high concentrations inside the vehicle interior.

Automotive vehicle equipped with air bag system


At a high level, embodiments of the invention relate to augmenting video data with presence data derived from one or more proximity tags. More specifically, embodiments of the invention generate forensically authenticated recordings linking video imagery to the presence of specific objects in or near the recording. One embodiment of the invention includes video recording system comprising a camera, a wireless proximity tag reader, a storage memory and control circuitry operable to receive image data from the camera receive a proximity tag identifier identifying a proximity tag from the proximity tag reader, and store an encoded frame containing the image data and the proximity tag identity in the storage memory.

1. Field
Embodiments of the invention generally relate to augmenting video data with presence data derived from one or more proximity tags. More specifically, embodiments of the invention generate forensically authenticated recordings linking video imagery to the presence of specific objects in or near the recording.
2. Related Art
Video recordings of law enforcement activities are becoming more common and more frequently used in legal proceedings. However, it is presently a weakness of such systems that the recordings they produce cannot be verifiably traced back to a specific recording device or authenticated as unaltered. Furthermore, specific objects appearing in the scene cannot be identified. This can be particularly significant when, for example, calibration or identification records for a device need to be produced.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Forensic video recording with presence detection


Method for inoculating a vertebrate host against malaria, by administering to the host a live Plasmodium organism that is genetically engineered to disrupt a liver-stage-specific gene function.

Malaria has a tremendous impact on human health, killing millions annually and the disease is a major impediment for social and economic development of nations in malaria-endemic areas, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa (1, see the appended Citations). Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease that is transmitted by inoculation of the Plasmodium parasite sporozoite stage. Sporozoites invade hepatocytes (2), transform into liver stages, and subsequent liver stage development ultimately results in release of pathogenic merozoites (3).
Because an effective 'subunit' malaria vaccine has remained elusive and the complexity of the malaria parasite Plasmodium might preclude the successful development of such a vaccine, whole organism vaccine approaches against malaria have lately found renewed interest (4). The feasibility of such a vaccine has been demonstrated in animal models and subsequently in humans by induction of sterile protective immunity through inoculation with irradiation-attenuated parasites (5, 6). Liver stages are a prime malaria vaccine target because they can be completely eliminated by sterilizing immune responses, thereby preventing malaria infection (7). The recent availability of complete Plasmodium genome sequences (8, 9) may now permit the development of live-attenuated parasites by more precise and defined genetic manipulations.
Using expression profiling, we previously identified genes that are specifically expressed during the pre-erythrocytic part of the parasite life cycle (11, 12). A number of pre-erythrocytic genes named UIS (up-regulated in infective sporozoites) also showed up- regulation in sporozoites when they gain infectivity for the mammalian host (11).

Live genetically attenuated malaria vaccine


To present a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery using iron compound which is inexpensive and abundant in resource, as the active material for the positive electrode. An iron compound with particle size of 1 to 300 nm or less, being composed of substantially spherical primary particles of pore-free matter, is used as the active material for a positive electrode, which is used together with a negative electrode and a nonaqueous electrolyte for composing the battery. By forming the primary particles for composing particles of the iron compound as a pore-free matter, being controlled in a range of 1 to 300 nm, nano effects are brought about, and it is also effective to suppress excessive increase of surface area which may lead to promotion of decomposition of electrolyte, and an excellent discharge capacity is realized stably for a long period.

The present invention relates to a nonaqueous electrolyte battery using an iron compound as an active material for positive electrode, and more particularly it is intended to realize a stable nonaqueous electrolyte battery of high energy density utilizing iron which is abundant in resource and inexpensive, by forming iron compound powder as nano particles in an appropriate particle size range composed of primary particles of pore-free matter.
Recently, in the cordless and portable trend of electronic appliances such as audio and video apparatuses and personal computers, lithium secondary batteries of high energy density using nonaqueous electrolyte come to be employed widely. In these practical nonaqueous electrolyte lithium secondary batteries, a composite compound of much lithium and transition metal is used as the positive electrode active material. In particular, LiCoO2 is regarded as one of the important materials presenting a high operating voltage of 4 V class stably.
However, cobalt is a precious resource and the material cost becomes high, and an inexpensive positive electrode active material of high performance capable of replacing LiCoO2 has been demanded. From this point of view, the iron compound mainly composed of profuse and cheap iron has been one of important research objects. Regrettably, many problems are left unsolved, and it is not put in practical use at the present.
First, the iron compound has been questioned about possibility of basic electrochemical reactions such as operating voltage and discharge capacity. For example, as reported in Battery Discussion Papers 1995, pp. 23-24, LiFeO2 having zigzag layer structure was synthesized, and a nonaqueous electrolyte battery was fabricated by using it as the positive electrode, and its operation as a battery was confirmed. In this case, the discharge voltage was 2 V, and unlike the battery using LiCoO2 as the positive electrode, operation of 4 V class not observed.
B. Fuchs et al. reported that LiFeO2 of layer structure similar to that of LiCoO2, instead of zigzag layer structure, was synthesized (Solid State Ionics, 68, 1994, p. 279). Their report, however, did not include the action of the obtained LiFeO2 as positive electrode active material, that is, operation of insertion and desorption of lithium.
Japanese Laid-open Patent No. 8-78019 discloses a nonaqueous electrolyte battery using iron oxide containing lithium expressed in the formula LixFeOy (0<x 1.5, 1.8<y<2.2) as the positive electrode. Herein, the specific surface area of the iron oxide was measured by the BET method, and a preferable surface area was presented in a range of 0.5 to 20.5 m2/g. The battery obtained in the preferred condition operated in a 4 V region, and the discharge capacity per unit weight was 110 to 130 mAh/g. It is also disclosed that the preferable specific surface area range was obtained by selecting the particle size in a range of 0.4 to 20.5 m2/g. However, as mentioned in the patent publication, as the specific surface area increases, in the iron compound, the iron oxide containing lithium and electrolyte solution react, and the electrolyte solution is decomposed. Actually, the battery using the iron oxide having such large specific surface area presents a large discharge capacity per unit weight in the first cycle, but suddenly and substantially drops in the capacity after the second cycle, and the stability was very poor as the positive electrode active material for secondary battery.
On the other hand, it has been attempted to pulverize the active material further into a region of nano particles and increase the discharge capacity per unit weight of active material. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,569,561 discloses a technology of using oxides in nano particle form in a size of 1 to 250 nm, such as TiO2, Nb2O5, HfO2, MnO2, LiyNiO2, LiyCoO2, Liy(NiCo)O2, and LiMn2O4, as active material. In this United States patent, a battery using titanium oxide as the active material for negative electrode is disclosed, and the preferred particle size of this titanium oxide is specified to be in a range 1 to 300 nm. Although it is disclosed that the capacity is increased by using particles in a nano region, nothing specific is mentioned about the iron compound particles.
Separately, Japanese Laid-open Patent No. 9-82312 discloses a nonaqueous electrolyte battery using transition metal oxide or sulfide containing lithium composed of primary particles with particle size of 0.5 μm or less as the positive electrode active material. Nothing specific is mentioned about iron compound in this patent publication, but iron compound is included in the group of oxide and sulfide containing lithium, and a range of 5 nm to 200 nm is given as preferred particle size, and the range of preferred specific surface area is 100 m2/g or more. As disclosed also in this publication, the positive electrode active material powder has a peak of pore distribution at radius of 50 nm or less, and a section of a primary particle of porous matter is illustrated.
As explained in Japanese Laid-open Patent No. 8-78019, although it is affirmatively known that the initial capacity is heightened by pulverizing the active material and increasing the specific surface area, if using the iron oxide containing lithium as positive electrode active material, the electrolyte solution is decomposed when the specific surface area exceeds 100 m2/g, thereby producing a contradictory result of disturbance of stability of characteristic. That is, by nano pulverization, particles increase in the region inducing such problems.
These prior arts may be summed up as follows. That is, by synthesizing a layer structure similar to LiCoO2, and selecting a region of large specific surface area in a fine nano particle region, it was once considered possible to apply the iron compound in the active material for nonaqueous electrolyte battery of 4 V class. Actually, however, the specific surface area increases by nano pulverization, and there is a risk of inducing a serious problem for iron compound such as decomposition of nonaqueous electrolyte. From the viewpoint of realizing a stable secondary battery of high capacity by applying the iron compound as the active material, it seemed necessary to develop a new particle control technology that cannot be controlled by the nano pulverization of particles alone. In other words, it is a new and vital issue for using iron compound as nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery to solve simultaneously two contradictory problems, that is, to heighten the capacity by using nano particles, and to avoid decomposition of electrolyte solution due to pulverization of particles.


This invention describes the design and implementation of a low power CMOS bidirectional I/O buffer that translates low voltage core logic level signals into the highest logic level signals to drive the final output stage which outputs a selectable logic level signal. The invention further translates input signals of a variety of logic levels into low voltage core logic level signals. In either case, AC and DC power consumption is minimized in a mixed power supply environment that requires voltage translation to represent the proper binary logic levels.

Power consumption in electronic devices can be approximated by the equation P=VI. Power consumption is equal to the value of the DC supply voltage multiplied by the amount of consumed current from the supply. Power consumption can be decreased by lowering the voltage supply (such as from five volts to three and one third volts) and or decreasing the amount of current consumed. The decrease in DC supply voltage from five volts to three volts will approximately decrease power consumption by forty percent. With the increase of portable electronics and battery operated systems the power consumption and operation time of portable units has become important. Electronics technology has charged from TTL to CMOS in order to decrease the current consumption thereby reducing power consumption. To further decrease power consumption it is desirable that the operating voltage be reduced.
Thus, to achieve low power consumption in portable computer systems it is necessary to operate at voltages below the present 5 V CMOS and TTL DC power supply of 5.0 V (volts) plus or minus 0.5 V. JEDEC (Joint Electronic Development Engineering Committee) specified two standards for low power systems known as LVCMOS (Low Voltage CMOS or 3.3 V CMOS) and LVTTL (Low Voltage TTL). Both of these standards require circuitry to operate with a 3.3 V plus or minus 0.3 V power supply. Other low voltage standards, such as LVBO CMOS (Low Voltage Battery Operated CMOS) which operates with a DC power supply of 2.8 V plus or minus 0.8 V, are being prepared by JEDEC at this time. Each of these standards specify logic level values for inputs (VIH and VIL) and outputs (VOH and VOL). VIL is the maximum voltage at the input of the input buffer that will be recognized as logical zero. VIH is the minimum voltage level at the input of the input buffer that will be recognized as logical one. In a CMOS fabrication process output voltages generally range from ground to the maximum supply voltage. Thus for 3.3 V CMOS the typical logic levels are 0 V to represent logical zero and 3.3 V to represent logical one. In 5 V CMOS the typical logic levels are 0 V to represent logical zero and 5 V to represent logical one. However, in TTL fabrication the typical logic levels are 0.4 V to represent a logical zero and 2.4 V to represent a logical one. It is generally desirable to design a system with one type of logic family with similar logic levels. However due to the lengthy development cycle of integrated circuits, it may be a few years before note-book and hand-held computer designers have all the components necessary to design a complete system operating with only a 3.3 V DC power supply. Presently most floppy disk and hard disk controller integrated circuits that interface with the ISA or EISA bus require a 5.0 V power supply. Most flat panel and CRT Monitor display controllers require a 5.0 V power supply as well. Presently most microprocessors and DRAMs require a 5.0 V power supply to operate.
A system designer may need to design a system that operates with devices using a mixed set of DC power supplies. For example the designer may desire to design a system using a 3.3 V memory, a 5.0 V ISA bus, and internal core logic operating with a 3.3 V power supply. Hence there is a need for integrated circuit components that operate internal core logic using a 3.3 V power supply to conserve power and can simultaneously interface with other system components that generate 5 V CMOS, TTL, 3.3 V CMOS, or LVTTL logic levels from their respective DC power supplies.
In both mixed-voltage and low-voltage-only systems it is sometimes necessary to overdrive a bidirectional pin (also referred to as an Input/Output pin) with an input voltage that is greater than the DC supply voltage for the electronics of that bidirectional pin. For example assume the DC supply voltage is 3.3 V. This device may have to receive an input signal that reaches a value of 5 V from another device that has a DC supply voltage of 5 V. It is also possible that transmission line effects will cause the input voltage to ring above 3.3 V. In any case, it is desirable that power is not excessively consumed and that electronic components are not damaged.
Some prior-art methods for interfacing components of mixed DC supply voltages (also referred to as multiple DC supply voltages) to generate various logic levels use external components, such as diode clamps or voltage translators. Other prior-art methods use open-collector or open-drain output buffers that require an external pull-up resistor. These methods consume power because of extra current drawn from one of the DC supplies. Furthermore, many prior-art methods consider only unidirectional signals and not bidirectional signals, such as those within a data bus. Also such external components use space that is often very valuable, such as within a portable computer. Such additional components also reduce the reliability of a system.
This overdrive or overvoltage condition input at a pin of an integrated circuit was thought to be resolved by the PN junctions of the output transistors or the input protection diodes for an input only pin. Normally these diodes were reversed biased and had no effect on the electronic operation. However if the voltage applied to the pin becomes greater than the DC supply for that pin the diode forward biases. The diode then sinks current from the overvoltage source in order to reduce and maintain the amplitude at approximately 0.6 V above the DC supply voltage. This input protection diode current increases power consumption. In systems that use mixed DC voltage power supplies the input protection diode current can be considerable and cause damage to electronic circuits. In the case of CMOS devices excessive input protection diode current can lead to an effect called "latch-up". Thus, in low voltage (low power) CMOS systems it is desirable that a different approach to handle overvoltage conditions and mixed DC voltage power supplies be found. This would reduce power consumption and decrease the potential for circuit damage.
FIG. 1 represents the schematic of a prior-art CMOS bidirectional I/O buffer. In this case the pin of the integrated circuit has a P-type transistor pull-up 150. Thus, a separate input protection diode is not needed because the PN junction between the transistor drain and the n-well (or n substrate as the case may be) of the P-type transistor 150 is a natural diode. This diode is reverse biased for input voltage levels below the DC supply voltage VDD.
Assume that the I/O buffer of FIG. 1 is in an input mode. Assume that the DC supply voltage VDD 120 is set to 3.3 V. If the input voltage tries to overshoot or ring above VDD+0.6 V, the diode between the P-type transistor drain and substrate will sink current and increase power consumption.
Now assume VDD 120 is set to 5.0 V and the I/O buffer is in the input mode such that the output buffer is tristated. Assume that 3.3 V CMOS logic level signals are input to the PAD at node 101 where a logical one is represented by a voltage level of 3.3 V. The inverter that consists of transistors 160 and 161 has 3.3 V applied to their respective gate connections. Because VDD is set to 5 V and 3.3 V is applied to the gates of transistors 160 and 161 both transistors are in their on state. In this case each transistor is conducting and causes a current to flow from VDD to Ground (also referred to as VSS). In this document this current is referred to as a crowbar current and becomes nearly zero when either transistor 160 or 161 reach an off state. The off state for transistor 160 is reached when the input voltage at the PAD is above a value of VDD minus one P-type transistor threshold (VDD-VTP). The off state for transistor 161 is reached when the input voltage at the PAD is below a value of one N-type transistor threshold (VTN). Thus it is desirable to eliminate the crowbar current to decrease power consumption while supporting mixed logic level signals.
The prior-art tristate output buffer consists of a P-type power transistor 150, an N-type power transistor 151, a NAND gate pre-driver (consisting of transistors 152, 153, 154, 155), and a NOR gate pre-driver (consisting of transistors 156, 157, 158, and 159). Signal OEN* 103 is a signal from the core logic that tristates the power transistors 150 and 151. The "*" after a signal name represents that the signal is active low. Thus OEN* is an active low signal. In the case that the output buffer is tristated OEN* is logical one. OEN* is inverted by the inverter consisting of transistors 164 and 165 to generate OEN signal 104. If OEN* is a logical one OEN is a logical zero. OEN* is input to the NOR pre-driver at transistors 157 and 158. In this case OEN* is a logical one and forces the NOR output 111 to be a logical zero. Thus, transistor 151 is turned off because the gate voltage is 0 V. OEN 104 is input into the NAND pre-driver at transistors 154 and 152. In this case OEN is a logical zero and the NAND output 110 is forced to a logical one. Thus transistor 150 is turned off because the gate voltage is VDD volts. For the case that OEN* is a logical one, power transistors 150 and 151 are both off thereby tristating the output buffer.
In the case that the output buffer is turned on and not tristated, OEN* 103 is a logical zero. OEN 104 is a logical one. The NAND pre-driver is enabled and acts like an inverter of DO signal 102. Similarly the NOR pre-driver is enabled and acts like an inverter of DO signal 102. If DO 102 is a logical one, both the NAND pre-driver output 110 and the NOR pre-driver output 111 are logical zero. This turns on transistor 150 and keeps transistor 151 turned off. The PAD output 101 is charged towards VDD to represent a logical one. In the case that DO 102 is a logical zero, both the NAND pre-driver output 110 and the NOR pre-driver output 111 are logical one. This turns on transistor 151 and keeps transistor 150 turned off. The PAD output 101 is discharged towards Ground to represent a logical zero.
To conserve power the core logic that generates the signals OEN* 103 and DO 102 may have the power supply reduced. With the reduced power supply, the voltage representing binary logical values for OEN* and DO may be reduced to a range of 0 V to 3.3 V. The logic one value represented by 3.3 V is insufficient to properly drive an output buffer with a 5 V power supply. The 3.3 V causes crowbar currents in the output buffer. The PAD voltage levels are reduced from the normal range of 0 to 5 V. The rise, fall, and propagation times are greatly effected by the core logic voltage difference. Therefore it is desirable that the core logic with a different supply voltage be able to properly drive an output buffer.
Please note in the figures that wires crossing over do not connect unless the cross-over is highlighted by a darkened circle such as that at node 110. Wires that join at a "T" are understood to represent a connection and may also be highlighted by a darkened circle. Input protection resistor 190 is used to protect the gate oxide of transistors 160 and 161 from static charges that suddenly occur from handling a device. The resistor absorbs some of the energy that is transferred into the integrated circuit from an external source.

CMOS low power mixed voltage bidirectional I/O buffer


Processes are disclosed which facilitate improved high-density memory circuitry, most preferably dynamic random access memory (DRAM) circuitry. A semiconductor memory device includes i) a total of no more than 68,000,000 functional and operably addressable memory cells arranged in multiple memory arrays formed on a semiconductor die; and ii) circuitry formed on the semiconductor die permitting data to be written to and read from one or more of the memory cells, at least one of the memory arrays containing at least 100-square microns of continuous die surface area having at least 128 of the functional and operably addressable memory cells, more preferably, at least 100 square microns of continuous die surface area having at least 170 of the functional and operably addressable memory cells.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to semiconductor memory fabrication at the 64M, 16M and 4M integration levels.
2. State of the Art
High-density integrated circuitry is principally fabricated from semiconductor wafers. Upon fabrication completion, a wafer contains a plurality of identical discrete die areas which are ultimately cut from the wafer to form individual chips. Die areas or cut dice are tested for operability, with good dice being assembled into separate encapsulating packages which are used in end products or systems.
One type of integrated circuitry comprises memory. The basic unit of semiconductor memory is the memory cell. Capable of storing a single bit of information, the memory cell has steadily shrunk in size to enable more and more cells per area of a semiconductor substrate or wafer. Such enables integrated memory circuitry to be more compact, as well as faster in operation.
Examples of semiconductor memories include ROMs, RAMs, PROMs, EPROMs and EEPROMs. Some emphasize compactness and economy over speed. Others focus on lightning-fast operation. Some store data indefinitely, while others are so temporary they must be refreshed hundreds of time every second. The smallest memory cell comprises the single transistor and single capacitor of a dynamic random access memory (DRAM).
One industry-accepted manner of classifying a memory chip is by the number of final functional and operably addressable memory cells which are contained on a single chip. To maximize density, individual cells are arranged in multiple repeating memory arrays. DRAM fabrication has progressed to the point where millions of functional and operably addressable memory cells can be included in a single chip. Maximizing density of single transistor and other memory cells is a continuing goal in semiconductor memory fabrication.
With each new fabricating generation, the number of memory cells per die has historically increased by a factor of four. For example, what is commonly referred to as the 256 K generation (262,144 addressable DRAM cells per chip) led to the 1M generation (1,048,576 addressable DRAM cells per chip). The 1M generation led next to the 4M generation (4,194,304 addressable DRAM cells per chip). The 4M generation led to the 16M generation (16,777,216 addressable DRAM cells per chip), which next led to the 64M generation (67,108,864 addressable DRAM cells per chip). The industry is presently working on the next factor of four generation, referred to as 256M (268,435,456 DRAM cells per chip), which has a memory cell pitch of 0.6 micron. Historically, with each generation, the number of addressable memory cells per chip increases exactly by a factor of four with an attendant increase in chip area. However, the increase in chip area has not been directly proportional to the increase in cells due to improved processing techniques which enable the individual memory cell size to be shrunk and thereby to increase in density. Nevertheless, each next generation puts four times the number of memory cells from the previous generation on a single chip.

Integrated circuitry for semiconductor memory


A retractor having an elongate portion with first and second parts each with adjacent pivotally connected segments pivotable from a first configuration to a second configuration, wherein in the second configurations the adjacent segments abut each other to inhibit further movement, at least one of the parts including a control whereby a force required to move the first part from the first configuration towards the second configuration is less than the force required to move the second part from the first configuration towards the second configuration, and an actuator arranged to urge the first and second parts from the first to the second configurations at the same time.

The present invention relates to surgical instruments comprising retractors and a method of controlling such instruments. The invention is particularly applicable to endoscopic surgical instruments.
EP 0 623 004 discloses a surgical instrument comprising a retractor.
US2006/0178562 discloses methods and apparatus for obtaining endoluminal access comprising a steerable endoluminal guide having a variable pivot for altering steering dynamics.
US2009/0079821 discloses a steerable structure (21, 27) of the catheter or endoscope type, the structure comprising an elastically or deformable longitudinal body (22, 28) including at least one actuator (16, 38) of material of the shape memory type incorporated longitudinally with the body (22, 28) together with Joule-effect heater means enabling the actuator (16, 38) to be contracted longitudinally in order to cause the longitudinal body (22, 28) to bend.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,308,342 discloses a catheter composed of an outer coaxial tube or relatively high flexibility and three tandemly disclosed inner coaxial tube segments that vary in stiffness with the stiffest being located a the proximal end of the catheter and the least stiff ending proximal of the proximal end of the catheter.
GB 2 456 165 discloses a shaft 1 for an endoscopic instrument having two series of slots 5 and 6 forming a preferentially flexible portion 2. The series are offset and the length of the slots varies along at least one of the series to vary the flexibility of the shaft.
WO 01/23022 discloses an endoscope having an elongated flexible sheath (12), A first sleeve (20) has a passage (24) therethrough which snugly received the sheath (12), the first sheath (12) being slidable from its proximal end to its distal end.


The present invention relates to compounds of formula I

Haemostasis is referred to as the natural balance of maintaining the fluidity of the blood in the vascular system and preventing excessive blood loss subsequent to blood vessel injury by rapid formation of a solid blood clot. After vascular damage, contraction of the vessels and platelet adhesion occur immediately followed by aggregation of the platelets, activation of the coagulation cascade and finally also of the fibrinolytic system. Haemostatic abnormalities can lead to excessive bleeding or thrombosis, both life-threatening situations.
A series of antiplatelet agents have been developed over the past several years based on different mechanisms of action. The most widely used agent in antiplatelet therapy is aspirin, which irreversibly inhibits cyclooxygenase-1 and thereby affecting the thromboxane pathway. Although not optimally efficacious, treatment with aspirin remains the standard therapy against which new therapeutics are compared and judged.
Other drugs like the phosphodiesterase inhibitors dipyridamole and cilostazol, as well as the vitamin K antagonists (warfarin), are marketed but do not show all desirable features for such drugs. Three intravenously applicable, potent GPIIb/IIIa receptor antagonists (abciximab, eptifibatide, and tirofiban) blocking platelet aggregation are available on the market. Besides, some orally active GPIIb/IIIa antagonists (e.g. sibrafiban, xemilofiban or orbofiban) have not been successful in clinical development so far.
Adenosine 5′-diphosphate (ADP) is a key mediator in platelet activation and aggregation interfering with two platelet ADP receptors P2Y1 and P2Y12.
Antagonists of the platelet ADP receptor have been identified and display inhibition of platelet aggregation and antithrombotic activity. The most effective antagonists known so far are the thienopyridines ticlopidine, clopidogrel and CS-747, which have been used clinically as antithrombotic agents. It could be shown that these drugs, via their reactive metabolites, irreversibly block the ADP receptor subtype P2Y12.
Some P2Y12 antagonists like AR-C69931MX (Cangrelor) or AZD6140 have reached phase III clinical studies. These inhibitors are selective platelet ADP receptor antagonists, which inhibit ADP-dependent platelet aggregation, and are effective in vivo.
piperazino-carbonylmethylaminocarbonyl-naphtyl or -quinolyl derivatives have been described as ADP receptor antagonists in WO 02/098856 and WO 2004/052366.
WO 2006/114774 describes 2-phenyl-4-(carbonylmethylaminocarbonyl)-pyrimidine derivatives as P2Y12 receptor antagonists and WO 2008/044217 describes 2-phenyl-6-(carbonylmethylaminocarbonyl)-pyridine derivatives as P2Y12 receptor antagonists. However all these compounds do not contain any phosphonic acid or phosphonate motif.

Abstract: wherein R1, R2, R4, R5, Ra, Rb, n, W and Z are as defined in the application, their preparation and their use as P2Y12 receptor antagonists in the treatment and/or prevention of peripheral vascular, of visceral-, hepatic- and renal-vascular, of cardiovascular and of cerebrovascular diseases or conditions associated with platelet aggregation, including thrombosis in humans and other mammals.


An oven with a box-like housing for efficient use of plant floor space encases a spiral food product carrying conveyor. A process vapor is circulated within the housing by "plug fans" with the inlet drawing vapor from the central axial zone of the spiral conveyor and exhausting into plenums along the periphery of the conveyor. The plenums have nozzles oriented to project the process vapor laterally towards the conveyor.

The continuous preparation of food products such as meat balls, chicken breasts, sausage links and patties and the like have been carried out very successfully within a controlled atmosphere contained within in a linear extending oven. Co-inventors Clark K. Benson and Andrew A. Caridis were named in patents which disclosed novel apparatus and processes for heating and cooking foods in a substantially closed treatment chamber, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,947,241, granted Mar. 30, 1976, 4,167,595, granted Sep. 11, 1979, and 4,949,629, granted Aug. 21, 1990. The treatment chambers disclosed in those patents contain longitudinally extending, endless conveyors which carry the food products through the oven outlets which were displaced a distance from the oven inlets many times by as much as sixty feet thereby requiring on the order of seventy to seventy-five feet of unobstructed floor space in the processing plant where the ovens were installed. In numerous facilities the requisite length of floor space for an elongated oven was difficult to obtain and often plant building extensions were constructed to house the long ovens while in other instances the purchase of a long oven unit was deferred until space could be made available.
The advantages of increasing cooking conveyor length within a housing by including multiple conveyors within an oven are well understood. In some instances conveyors have been arranged in multiple passes with one conveyor flight stacked atop another. Further, the space-saving advantage of arranging the conveyor in a spiral configuration so as to obtain a long cook length in a volume more compact than that in a linear oven is well recognized. Among the problems that arise when configuring the food treatment conveyor in a spiral within a closed box-like housing is how best to promote the even flow of the process vapor with respect to the products carried upon the spiral conveyor belt. Certain workers in the field proposed creating a steady-state, static atmosphere within the oven enclosure while others proposed moving a cooking atmosphere vertically through the open rods or wire mesh in the spiral conveyor stack. Neither of these arrangements satisfies the need for minimizing the pockets of stagnant, slow-moving cooking vapor around the product. Where efficient use is made of the cooking vapor, virtually all of the products on a conveyor belt receive virtually the same heat load and exposure to the cooking vapor, which results in more predictable and uniform products. This is especially true where breaded chicken, meatloaf, shrimp and similar products are treated in a moving cooking atmosphere.
The hot cooking atmosphere applied to a food product may contain, in the case of a direct gas fired oven, the products of combustion including nitrous oxide [NOX] which is believed to cause "pinking" of the inner meat in some poultry products. While the human health risk of pink meat in poultry products is still an open question, food processors have taken the position that such color is to be avoided in cooked chicken parts. Indirect firing or electric heating of the cooking atmosphere in an oven for cooking poultry has been shown to eliminate or to reduce substantially the tendency to produce pink colored but cooked meat. An oven of a design which permits indirect heating by gas firing, electric or thermal fluid heating is very desirable.


The present disclosure provides smart LED lighting devices and remote video chat systems thereof. A smart LED lighting device includes an LED light-emitting unit, a power supply unit, a wireless communication unit, an audio and video processing and controller unit, a projection unit, a video acquisition unit, a voice input unit, and a voice broadcast unit. The audio and video processing and controller unit receives, parses, and processes audio and video information from the wireless communication unit, the voice input unit, and the video acquisition unit. The projection unit projects the processed video data in projectable format to a screen. The voice broadcast unit plays the processed audio information. The disclosed devices and systems can play audio and video resources from local terminal or the cloud in the Internet, perform remote video chat freely, and integrate with indoor environment, enhancing the smart home life experience.

LED (Light Emitting Diode) is a solid state semiconductor device that can directly convert electrical energy to visible light. LED technologies provide many advantages in energy conservation, environmental protection, controllable lighting, strong practicability, high stability, short response time, long operational lifetime, etc. To promote low carbon life style, LED technologies have been widely adopted in various lighting applications. LED lighting leads the development trend with high efficiency and environmental friendly lighting. The unique power supply and control method allow an easy integration of the LEDs with various intelligent controls and multimedia functions.
Nowadays, people often have remote video chat by computers or smart phones that include a webcam with related applications installed. Using a computer requires an external speaker and other devices so that people cannot move freely while chatting. When using a smart phone, due to the limitations of battery life, it is not convenient to video chat for a long period of time. Further, due to screen size limitations of the computers and cell phones, big screen video-chatting experience is not available.
LED lighting devices can be placed at various locations in a home environment. However, an LED lighting device merely for providing general lighting functions may not satisfy the needs of a smart home environment. To further promote smart applications of LED lighting devices to be integrated with smart home environment, and to bring new smart life experience to users, it is necessary to provide a smart LED lighting device with a related remote video chat system.
The disclosed method and system are directed to solve one or more problems set forth above and other problems.

Smart LED lighting device and remote video chat system thereof


A light fixture has a reflector having a part-elliptical surface and having at least one focal point at which is provided an LED set behind a main shield that prevents light from passing directly out of the light through a light-output plane. The reflector surface is shaped as an ellipse outside the apex point and adjacent the one focal point of the ellipse at which the LED is located. An arcuate portion of the ellipse segment defines the light-output plane, and the reflector surface extends along a longitudinal straight line. The LED, a straight longitudinally extending free edge of the main shield, and a straight longitudinally extending free edge of the reflector surface or a longitudinally extending straight edge of a secondary shield positioned generally at the outer free edge of the reflector surface lie in a common plane.

Such a reflector-type light fixture is known from German 10 16 742 (U.S. Pat. No. 6,648,490). The known reflector-type light fixture shown in the drawing of DE 101 16 742 has a rotation-symmetrical parabolic reflector from whose surface the light is reflected parallel. The light source is at least one light-emitting diode (LED) that is mounted between a generally radially extending shield arm and the reflector surface so as not to be visible from outside. In the setup where the LED is mounted at the focal point of the parabolic reflector, the reflected light beams extend parallel to the parabola axis. In the setup where the LED is inside the focal-point plane, but spaced from the from the focal point, the reflected light forms an angle to the parabola axis. If several LED's are provided in the focal-point plane, selective switching of the LED's allows different patterns to be produced. In this manner the light output can be adjusted without moving the light source.


The present invention relates to ferrite particles for bonded magnets and a resin composition for bonded magnets which exhibit a good moldability, in particular, a good mechanical strength even when rapidly quenched upon injection-cooling, and is capable of producing a bonded magnet molded product having excellent magnetic properties, as well as a bonded magnet molded product such as a magnet roll using the ferrite particles and the resin composition. There are provided ferrite particles for bonded magnets which comprise phosphorus adsorbed and/or incorporated in ferrite, in which a content of the phosphorus in the ferrite is 120 to 5000 mg/kg (0.012 to 0.50% by weight) in terms of P; a resin composition for bonded magnets; and a magnet roll.

As well known in the art, bonded magnets have many advantages such as light weight, good dimensional accuracy, and facilitated mass-production of molded products having even a complicated shape as compared to sintered magnets, and, therefore, have been extensively used in various applications such as toys, office equipments, audio equipments and motors.
As the magnetic particles usable in the bonded magnets, there are known rare earth element magnet particles such as typically Nd—Fe—B-based alloy particles, or ferrite particles. The rare earth element magnet particles have high magnetic properties, but are expensive, resulting in limited applications thereof. On the other hand, the ferrite particles are somewhat deteriorated in magnetic properties as compared to the rare earth element magnet particles, but are inexpensive and chemically stable and, therefore, have been used in more extensive applications.
The bonded magnets have been usually produced by kneading a rubber or plastic material with magnetic particles and then molding the resultant kneaded material in a magnetic field or by using a mechanical means.
In recent years, with the increase in performance of various materials or equipments including an improved productivity and an enhanced reliability upon use, there is also an increasing demand for a high performance of bonded magnets used therein including improvement in productivity as well as enhancement in mechanical strength and magnetic properties of the bonded magnets.
More specifically, upon production of the bonded magnets by injection-molding, etc., in order to not only improve general characteristics but also enhance a production efficiency thereof by increasing an injection frequency per unit time, in other words, in order to enhance the productivity, it is required to rapidly cooling the resulting molded product immediately after the injection-molding. Therefore, it is necessary to use a material having an excellent quenching resistance for production of bonded magnets such that the rapid cooling has no adverse influence on strength of the obtained bonded magnets. Further, the resulting bonded magnets are also required to exhibit a good mechanical strength capable of withstanding severe conditions when used in various applications.
For example, in copying machines, printers or the like using a magnet roll, since the magnet roll is used at a high speed in these equipments with a long service life, it has been strongly required that the magnet roll exhibits a high mechanical strength. In addition, as to the magnetic properties of the magnet roll, it has been especially required to achieve not only increase in a surface magnetic force of the magnet roll, but also uniformity in the surface magnetic force as important technical factors for obtaining clear images in the copying machines, printers, etc.
For this reason, ferrite particles used in the bonded magnets as well as resin compositions for the bonded magnets which comprise the ferrite particles and an organic binder are also required to satisfy the above requirements.
Conventionally, ferrite particles for bonded magnets and resin compositions for bonded magnets comprising the ferrite particles and the organic binder have been improved variously. For example, there are known the method of producing ferrite particles by using an alkali metal compound or an alkali earth metal compound as a flux (Patent Document 1); the method of treating ferrite particles with an acid and then treating the surface of the thus acid-treated ferrite particles with a phosphate-based coupling agent (Patent Document 2); the method of treating the surface of ferrite particles with a phosphoric acid compound (Patent Document 3); the method of treating ferrite particles with an alkali and then treating the thus alkali-treated ferrite particles with a coupling agent (Patent Document 4); the method of controlling a particle size distribution of ferrite particles (Patent Document 5); the method of producing a bonded magnet using ferrite magnetic particles comprising an alkali earth metal as a constituting component and having an average particle diameter of not less than 1.50 μm and a melt flow rate of not less than 91 g/10 min (Patent Document 6); or the like.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 55-145303
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 4-93002
Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 2007-281381
Patent Document 4: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 5-41314
Patent Document 5: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 3-218606
Patent Document 6: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 2005-268729

Ferrite particles for bonded magnets, resin composition for bonded magnets, and molded product comprising the same


A customer service call system that provides both manual (assisted by a service representative) and automated problem solving dialogs. A routing process determines which dialog is appropriate for incoming calls. The routing process determines a probability that the automated system will resolve the problem and also determines an expected hold time for the customer to reach the manual dialog. The routing process uses this information to determine how the call should be routed.

A business or company that provides services and/or products to clients or customers may provide their customers with customer service in the form of a customer service center that handles customer requests. Customer requests may comprise requesting new products or services, getting support for a product or service, asking questions about a product or service, etc. In non-automated systems, when a customer calls the service center with a request, the service center manually routes the call to an agent that services the customer's request.
Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems are systems that provide information in the form of recorded messages over telephone lines in response to customer input in the form of spoken words or touch tone signaling. Examples of IVR systems are those implemented by banks, which allow customers to check their balances from any telephone, and systems for providing automated stock quotes.
IVR may be used to both to acquire information from, or enter data into, a database. For example, banks and credit card companies use IVR systems so that their customers can receive up-to-date account information instantly and easily without having to speak directly to a person. An IVR system may also be used to gather information. For example, an IVR telephone survey might prompt the customer to answer questions by pushing the numbers on a touch-tone telephone.
When fully implemented, an IVR system does not require human interaction over the telephone. The customer's interaction with the database is predetermined by the extent to which the IVR system will allow the customer access to the data.
IVR systems have been successful because they generate significant cost savings due to the ability to route calls to the appropriate call center without having to incur the cost of a service representative to accomplish the routing. Once the call is routed, subsequent dialog with the customer could be additional IVR dialog or it could be assisted by a service representative. Thus, a given customer service task could be partly implemented with IVR and partly with human assistance.
The absence of a service representative can sometimes be frustrating to the customer, such as when an IVR system simply provides recorded answers that assume the customer has already correctly diagnosed a problem. On the other hand, although non-automated systems do provide a live service representative, customers can become frustrated if they are required to be put on hold to wait for service.

Call routing from manual to automated dialog of interactive voice response system


A photoluminescent evacuation route kit includes a U-shaped base frame for mounting on a wall surface or door panel by screws, the base frame defining a mounting groove, a mylar transparency of custom graphics sandwiched in between a photoluminescent back drop and a clear protective lens and inserted with the photoluminescent back drop and the clear protective lens into the mounting groove of the base frame, and a top frame detachably fastened to the base frame by screws to hold the mylar transparency, the photoluminescent back drop and the clear protective lens in the mounting groove of the base frame.

The present invention relates to an evacuation route kit and, more particularly to a detachable photoluminescent evacuation route kit.
In hotels or public places, emergency evacuation route devices are provided to indicate the way to evacuate in case of fire. However, regular emergency evacuation route devices for this purpose do not have back light means. The graphics of emergency evacuation route of these emergency evacuation route devices cannot be seen in the dark. Further, an emergency evacuation route device must be made detachable so that the graphics of emergency evacuation route can easily be changed.
It is one object of the present invention to provide a photoluminescent evacuation route kit, which is detachable so that the user can change the graphics of emergency evacuation route easily. It is another object of the present invention to provide a photoluminescent evacuation route kit, which gives illumination to the graphics of emergency evacuation route in the dark. To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, a photoluminescent evacuation route kit is provided comprising a U-shaped base frame for mounting on a wall surface or door panel by screws, the base frame defining a mounting groove, a mylar transparency of custom graphics sandwiched in between a photoluminescent back drop and a clear protective lens and inserted with the photoluminescent back drop and the clear protective lens into the mounting groove of the base frame, and a top frame detachably fastened to the base frame by screws to hold the mylar transparency, the photoluminescent back drop and the clear protective lens in the mounting groove of the base frame. The photoluminescent backdrop gives illumination to the graphics of the mylar transparency in the dark. Further, after removal of screws from the top frame, the mylar transparency can be taken away for a replacement.


A wiring harness shroud to enshroud a wiring harness. The shroud holds pigtails, takeouts, connectors, harness hold-downs and the like which otherwise extend from the harness against a trunk of the harness so that it can be inserted through an opening in a firewall or other structural member of a motor vehicle or other product for installation of the harness. Once inserted through the opening, the shroud is removed, by a zipper closure device which initially maintains the shroud as a tubular structure but can be released to open the tubular structure to facilitate shroud removal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the installation of a wiring harness used for interconnecting electrical equipment and/or circuits and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for dressing or enshrouding such a wiring harness for installation of the harness through an opening of a structural member during manufacture of a product including the structural member. The present invention is particularly applicable to the manufacture of motor vehicles and accordingly will be described with reference to that application.
2. Description of the Related Art
Wiring harnesses used for motor vehicle electrical circuits are normally preformed as a central bundle of electrical conductors. Projecting from the bundle at varying locations along its length are pigtails, takeouts, connectors, harness hold-downs and the like which may be referred to herein as extensions. The extensions serve to make connections from electrical circuits or equipment to or through the electrical conductors of the wiring harness to associated electrical circuits or equipment or to hold the harness in place in the motor vehicle. Oftentimes, preformed wiring harnesses must be routed through openings in structural members, for example through the firewall of a motor vehicle, to make the required connections. When a wiring harness is to be passed through an opening, the extensions tend to catch on the opening and interfere with quick and easy installation of the harness.
Prior to this time, extensions from a wiring harness typically have been taped against the central bundle or trunk of the wiring harness to facilitate installation. Unfortunately, the application of tape to the individual extensions is a time consuming operation.
An alternate wiring harness dressing arrangement involves the use of tubular "heat shrink" material. The extensions from the wiring harness are held against the harness trunk and a length of tubular heat shrink material is slid over the harness. Heat is then applied to the heat shrink material causing it to shrink or reduce in size and trap the extensions down to substantially the size of the wiring harness trunk. The dressed wiring harness is then inserted through an opening in a motor vehicle firewall or other structural element. Once fully inserted, the shrink wrap material is ripped from the wiring harness to release the extensions for the remainder of the installation of the wiring harness.
However, the application of heat shrink material to wiring harnesses requires substantial floor space, the application process is difficult to control, the application requires at least as much labor as taping and the heat shrink material is more expensive than tape. Further, there have been problems in removing the heat shrink material. Perforations have been formed in the heat shrink material to attempt to overcome the removal problem. However, even if perforations are provided, problems may persist since excessive heat can bond the perforated sections together. Of course, there is also the possibility that excessive heat will damage the wiring harnesses.
A further method is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,064,970, and 5,293,501, each assigned to the assignee of the instant invention by Bennett et al. Bennett teaches the use of a tubular section or sock of stretchable material comprises a generally rectangular piece of cloth having two opposed short sides and two opposed long sides. The long sides of the piece of cloth are joined to one another by a single thread chain stitch and tab means for securing the chain stitch at one end of the tubular means. The wiring harness is then contained within the sock and routed through openings in the structural members. Thereafter the tab means is forcibly removed from the shroud to open the tubular section of stretchable material by freeing or releasing the chain stitch.
Unfortunately, once the chain stich is removed the cloth must be disposed or reprocessed. Disposing each sock after one use is expensive and increases solid waste output of the manufacturing plant. Reprocessing the sock requires the prohibitively expensive off-site replacement of the chain stich.
In a related field, it is known to use a wraparound closure device having a symmetrical zipper to protect elongate substrates from abrasion. One such method is disclosed U.S. Pat. No. 4,891,256, Kite. Kite teaches a device that bundles cables while allowing future access for repair. More specifically the device is particularly intended for use with cables that are already installed. While this is acceptable in the stationary application, it is not suitable for the pass through application intended by the instant invention.
Kite requires that the slide be manually actuated along the entire length of the zipper. Once the wraparound closure is installed over a bundle of cables, Kite does not teach how to easily remove the wraparound closure when the cables are installed through structual elements and are located in a confined area. This is especially difficult due to the tendency of the enshrouded wiring harness to bunch and twist upon installation. It is thus almost impossible to manipulate a slide over an undulating and twisting surface to unzip the shroud. The unzipping is further complicated by the great possibility of the slide snagging on the wiring harness connections. It is therefore extremely difficult for Kite III to be utilized for the dressing and installation of wiring harnesses.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved method and apparatus for dressing wiring harnesses for installation through openings in firewalls or other structural elements of motor vehicles and other products. Preferably the improved wiring harness installation method and apparatus would utilize inexpensive materials, and be readily applied to and quickly and easily removed from the wiring harness. Further, the preferred apparatus would permit recycling or reuse to greatly reduce the expenses involved in wiring harness iinstallation operations

Method and apparatus for installing/dressing a wiring harness


A high isolation electronic multiple pole multiple throw (MPNT) switching device is formed as a ring circuit that includes plural poles, plural throws, plural series switches and plural means for shunting. Each series switch receives a control signal, and each means for shunting receives shunt control signals. In one aspect, the shunt control signals include control signals received by distant series switches. In another aspect, the shunt control signals include control signals received by adjacent series switches. In another aspect, the shunt control signals include signals complementary to signals received by adjacent series switches. In another aspect, the shunt control signals include pole DC potentials or throw DC potentials. In another aspect, a switching device may operate in multiple transmission mode or multiple input multiple output (MIMO) mode. The MPNT switching device provides low insertion loss and high isolation at a wide range of frequencies.

The present application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119 of Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/926,971 which was filed on Apr. 30, 2007. The above-referenced application is incorporated by reference herein.
Electronic multiple pole multiple throw (MPNT) switches are widely used. An MPNT switch is a switch having M poles (P) and N throws (T), where M>1 and N>1. A pole and a throw are coupled to one another by a path that includes at least one switching element. An electrical signal is routed on a path between one of the M poles and one of the N throws when that path is in a conducting state. In a single transmission mode MPNT switch, only a single pole-throw path is conducting at one time. In a multiple transmission mode switch, more than one pole-throw path may be conducting at the same time.
A switch having multiple inputs and multiple outputs is an example of an MPNT switch. An antenna switch for a wireless communication device is one application for an MPNT switch. In one example of a 2P2T (DPDT) antenna switch, a first pole is coupled to a receiver, a second pole is coupled to a transmitter, a first throw is coupled to a first antenna, and a second throw is coupled to a second antenna. Depending upon the state of the switching elements within the paths, the transmitter may be operably coupled to one of the antennas, or the receiver may be operably coupled to one of the antennas. MPNT switches having greater numbers of poles or throws, such as 2P4T (DP4T) or 3P3T switches, may be used in more complex devices such as communication devices that include additional antennas or multiple receivers or transmitters. A multiple transmission mode MPNT switch may be used in a communication device that operates in multiple input multiple output (MIMO) mode. In MIMO mode, two or more paths are conducting at the same time, thereby enabling two or more antennas to transmit or receive signals at the same time.

High isolation electronic multiple pole multiple throw switch