Two previously virtual concepts, such as, for example, the concept of “me” and the concept of “my data” are reified into physical objects which can be physically manipulated and interact with legacy technologies such as, for example, desktop or portable computers. In one exemplary embodiment, a portable computing device in the form of an animal, such as, for example, a bear, with a manipulatable user interface, is used to log onto and off of various computers.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to reification of virtual concepts into physical devices having manipulative user interfaces.
2. Description of Related Art
This invention is related to co-pending application, Ser. Nos. 08/921,274, now U.S. Patent No. 6,243,075; Ser. No. 08/920,443, now U.S. Patent No. 6,268,857; Ser. No. 08/921,414, now abandoned; Ser. No. 08/920,378, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,243,074; Ser. No. 08/920,363, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,297,838; Ser. No. 08/920,981, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,297,805; and Ser. No. 08/921,390, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,340,957, each incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. These applications disclose manipulatable computer user interfaces (MIUI).
A wide variety of smart cards exist which can interact with computers and computer systems, including networked computer systems. These smart cards are usually inserted into a computer and provide electronic signals representative of predetermined information, such as personal characteristics of an individual, financial information about an individual, security clearance of an individual, etc.
Typically, smart cards have a definite size and shape. The computer device with which they are designed to work has a receptacle for accepting the smart card to permit transfer of information between the smart card and the computer. Smart cards are not physically manipulated, i.e., they retain their unique physical shape and orientation while they interact with a computer device. Smart cards are also designed to fit into a specific receptacle, and the information they convey to the computer or receive from the computer does not change depending on where they are located with respect to the computer with which they are designed to interact.

Manipulative user interface systems and methods


A method is for selecting at least one additional service in a mobile telephone or mobile equipment having a keyboard for dialing a number to set up a telephone communication. The at least one additional service may be provided by an Integrated Circuit (IC) Card in the mobile equipment. The method may include comparing a dialed number with at least one service number stored in the IC Card and associated to the at least one additional service, terminating the set up of the telephone communication, and triggering the associated additional service corresponding to the dialed number.

A known mobile equipment or mobile telephone generally includes a display and a keyboard intended to support interaction with a user. With reference to FIG. 1, an example known mobile telephone is schematically depicted with a display showing a menu. The menu comprises a plurality of entries (Entry 1, Entry 2 . . . Entry n) being displayed. When a user selects an entry from the menu, a corresponding service is executed.
Based upon the choice of the mobile telephone manufacturer, the mobile telephone provides the service and the menu with the corresponding entry. For example, taking into consideration first and second mobile telephones, a service of writing an Short Message Service (SMS) is reached according to a different selection of entries on corresponding menus on the first and the second mobile telephones. Additional to the services provided by the mobile telephone, one or more additional services may be supported by an IC Card hosted inside the mobile telephone.
More particularly, a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) toolkit applet is a specific application intended to be stored and executed on an IC Card in order to provide an additional service. The additional service is initialized by the mobile telephone hosting the IC Card, for example, through its keyboard. More particularly, one or more entries inside the menu of the mobile telephone, for example, the entry "Entry N" (FIG. 1), provide access to the additional services.
Generally, such additional services are recalled by a submenu comprising a plurality of application entries (App. Entry 1, App. Entry 2 . . . App. Entry n) so that the one or more entries inside the menu of the mobile telephone provide access to the submenu, and the submenu manages the access to the additional services through the application entries.
In FIG. 1, the recall of the submenu is executed by a selection of the entry "Entry n" of the menu of the mobile telephone. In this way, a plurality of additional services, being provided by corresponding SIM toolkit applets, are called by an application entry inside the submenu after browsing the menu of the mobile telephone to reach the entry corresponding to the submenu recall. Currently, there is no standard relative location inside the menu for an entry dedicated to recalling the submenu of the additional entries. Accordingly, an additional service furnished by the SIM Toolkit applet is reached according to a different sequence of menu choices on the mobile telephone, depending on the model of the mobile telephone that hosts the IC Card.
When such a sequence of menu choices on the mobile telephone keyboard is not user-friendly, for example, because the entry for accessing the submenu is severely nested, the access to the additional service is unpractical for the user. To address such a limitation, some telecom operators provide a hardware approach based on a special button on the mobile telephone keyboard in order to directly access the submenu. The hardware approach depends on the mobile telephone manufacturer and is not portable.
Due to the prior art drawbacks, there is need for a method for selecting one or more additional services provided by an IC Card to a mobile telephone that hosts the IC Card while avoiding the selection of a specific sequence of menu choices in the mobile telephone. Moreover, at the same time, there is need for a method that may provide direct and immediate access to the additional services independent of the hardware of the mobile telephone and may provide an approach to the limitations currently bounding the recall of additional services provided by IC Cards.

Method for accessing an additional service provided by an IC card toolkit applet


Prior to the loading of a main program, the rotation speed of a disk provided in a hard disk drive is increased to a common rotation speed adapting to all types of hard disk drive. At the common rotation speed and a common recording density, a main program is read from a system area in the disk where the main program is recorded. The main program is written to a RAM provided in a hard disk controller. After control processing of the hard disk drive is handed over to the main program, the rotation speed of the disk is increased to a proper rotation speed for a device. This allows main programs to be loaded in a common way from disks provided in respective hard disk drives independent of the type thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a program boot method for a hard disk controller, a hard disk controller and a hard disk drive to which the method is applied, and a control program for a hard disk controller and, more specifically, it relates to a technology for allowing a hard disk controller to cope with a plurality of disk rotation speeds.
Hard disk drives have been increasing in speed year after year. Along with this trend, there arises a need to develop hard disk controllers to cope with increases in rotation speed of spindles and in recording density, in a very short period, with cost increase kept low as much as possible. This is because there has been a growing demand for lowering the cost of the whole hard disk drive through the years.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 6 shows an example of a general configuration of a hard disk controller.
In a hard disk controller 410 shown in FIG. 6, a disk controlling section 411 intermediates exchange of control data on the operation of a hardware section, between a processor 412 and the hardware section which comprises a spindle motor 404 for rotating a disk 403, a servo motor 405 for moving a magnetic head 402, and a motor driving section 401 for controlling their operations. The disk controlling section 411 also relays processing of sending and receiving input and output data between the processor 412 and the magnetic head 402. The motor driving section 401 shown in FIG. 6 drives, in accordance with an instruction from the disk controlling section 411, the spindle motor 404 for rotating the disk 403 and the servo motor 405 for moving the magnetic head 402. As shown in FIG. 6, the hard disk controller 410 is provided with a mask ROM 413 storing therein a boot program and a RAM 414 to store therein a main program.
Further, in a system area (shown with hatchings in FIG. 6) of the disk 403 shown in FIG. 6, a main program for operating a hard disk drive in an optimal condition is recorded by a manufacturer of the hard disk drive before shipment of the device. As shown in FIG. 6, an outer peripheral portion of the disk 403 or a recording area of concentric shape in the radial direction of the disk 403 may be assigned to this system area, for example, in place of a central portion of the disk 403. Meanwhile, a user area of the disk 403 shown in FIG. 6 is an area that a user can freely use.
Upon power-on of the hard disk drive, the processor 412 starts processing required to boot the hard disk drive in accordance with the boot program stored in the mask ROM 413. First, an operation setup section 416 inputs an instruction for operating hardware such as the spindle motor 404, the servo motor 405 and so on into the disk controlling section 411, in accordance with associated procedures and data included in the boot program. In response to this, the disk controlling section 411 drives the spindle motor 404 and the servo motor 405 via the motor driving section 401, thereby rotating the disk 403 at an appropriate speed as well as moving the magnetic head 402 to the system area where the main program is recorded. Then, a program loading section 417 receives via the disk controlling section 411 the main program read from the disk 403 by the magnetic head 402, and writes the main program to the RAM 414.
After the main program is stored in the RAM 414 as described above, a normal operation section 418, in turn, controls operations of the disk controlling section 411 and an interface controller 415 in accordance with the main program stored in the RAM 414.
This main program includes adjustment data and so on suited to characteristics of hardware provided in an individual hard disk drive. Therefore, the hard disk drive cannot normally operate to achieve expected performance without the main program loaded in a manner as described above.
Conventionally, the system area and the user area are not divided on the disk 403 shown in FIG. 6, and servo controlling data equivalent to expected highest rotation speed and recording density of an operative hard disk drive is recorded thereon. Accordingly, the main program is recorded on the disk 403 at the above highest rotation speed and recording density as data recorded in the user area.
To correctly load the main program thus recorded on the disk 403, the operation setup section 416 needs to drive the motor driving section 401 via the disk controlling section 411, and to accelerate the rotation speed of the spindle motor 404 to the rotation speed at which the main program has been recorded.
For implementation of this operation setup section 416, the boot program stored in the mask ROM 413 has to include data indicating a rotation speed to which the spindle motor 404 should reach.
In the prior art, therefore, there has to be developed a dedicated boot program to a new rotation speed and recording density, or a new combination of a data table including data suitable for a new disk rotation speed and a general-purpose boot program, every time the rotation speed or the recording density of disks is improved. In addition, to install a mask ROM storing therein the new dedicated boot program or combination of the general-purpose boot program and the data table, a disk controller LSI with integrated circuits for implementing a hard disk controller has to be newly developed.
Besides, a hard disk controller is also developed which properly functions coping with a plurality of types of hardware operating at a plurality of different disk rotation speeds.
This hard disk controller incorporates a mask ROM on which a plurality of boot programs for a plurality of types of hardware having different rotation speeds and recording densities from each other. By switching these boot programs for use, one disk controller LSI copes with the plurality of types of hardware.
It is very disadvantageous to develop a new hard disk controller in keeping with improvements in hardware performance as described above because it requires not only a number of man-hour to develop boot programs for hardware of each different type but a number of man-hour required for inspection of every disk controller LSI with these boot programs installed therein.
On the other hand, in the case where a plurality of boot programs are stored in a mask ROM, developmental works for coping with a plurality of types of hardware can be integrated into a development work for one disk controller LSI. The boot program to be stored, however, is accordingly increased in size, requiring use of an expensive large-capacity mask ROM. In short, one disk controller LSI can cope with various types of hardware, on the other hand, the hard disk controller itself is greatly increased in cost. In addition, it is still necessary to develop boot programs adaptable to individual types of hardware as in the first mentioned measures.
The boot program's expected basic functions are to read a main program recorded on a disk and store it in a RAM provided in a hard disk controller, and to hand over processing to the main program. These basic functions are in common with all boot programs irrespective of the type of hardware.
Nevertheless, in the prior art separate boot programs are developed for every type of hardware. This is because it is assumed that individual hard disk drives are to read the main program from a disk at their attainable highest rotation speed and recording density which will educe their respective expected operative performance.

Program boot method for hard disk controller, hard disk controller and hard disk drive, and control program for hard disk controller


A method for loading tube bundles on a railcar includes placing the tube bundles lengthwise on the car and stacked above the car to form packs. These packs are spaced longitudinally one from another on the car. Spacing blocks are configured to go within the longitudinally extending spaces. These spacing blocks include parallel plates which are rigidly displaced one from another by blocks. Padding is arranged on the outer side of the plates. One set of blocks extending between the parallel plates is arranged in juxtaposition with the bed of the railcar to receive strapping for retention.

The field of the present invention is systems for loading railcars.
The rail industry has developed a great deal of experience in the handling of materials on railcars. Particular requirements have been established for stacking materials on flat cars including dunnage, blocking and specific strapping requirements.
With bundled and elongate products such as tubing, wood beams are laid laterally across the car as dunnage to support the bundles. The tubes are in bundles and extend longitudinally of the railcar. Short stakes, blocking and strapping then retain the load in place. FIG. 2 illustrates one such recommended stacking.
In spite of these carefully defined methods for retaining tube bundles, the natural vibration of the car can result in individual tubes slowly working longitudinally outwardly from the bundle. If left unattended, the individual tubes can extend into harms way or come into contact with adjacent tube bundles or bulkheads. This can make the bundles difficult to unload and cause damage to the tubing. Naturally, bulkheads can be placed against the ends of the tubing or the tubing against barriers. However, such tight assemblies create their own problems in terms of loading, unloading and damage from motion of the tubes relative to other tubes, the bulkheads and barriers.

Method for loading tube bundles on railcars


A graphics accelerator responds to commands from a computer in a graphic system by storing the definitions of nonuniform rational B-spline patches and their associated triming curves. The graphics accelerator then produces device coordinates for trimmed polygons computed for each patch and sends these polygons to a display. Various improvements are incorporated to minimize the effects of roundoff error. The B-spline definitions of the trimming curves in the uv parameter space of each patch are converted to approximating short straight line segments. Untrimmed polygon vertices, the end points of the straight line segments and the intersections of the straight line segments with subspan boundaries corresponding to polygon edges are kept in a data structure of linked lists of vertex tables. The data structure is traversed to determine new polygon vertices for trimmed polygons. The trimming mechanism is compatible with recursive subdivision of patches to overcome pratical limitations on the number of trimming curves that may be associated with each patch. The length of the straight line segments of the trimming curves is adjusted to compensate for less than ideal parameterization of the trimming curve functions. Associated with each trimming curve within a patch is information about the position of that trimming curve in the span. As each polygon for that patch is generated, those trimming curves that are clearly outside the clip limits for that polygon are excluded from consideration. This reduces the average number of trimming curves that must be processed for the patch, and increases the speed of the graphics accelerator.

A typical high performance three dimensional graphics system will describe a surface to be rendered as surface patches defined by functions for each patch. Such functions might be, for example, nonuniform rational B-splines. The use of B-splines imposes certain limitations upon the edges of surface patches. Associated with B-spline functions is a normally rectangular uv parameter space. Parametric patch generation functions of u and v compute the values of the coordinates in XYZ space. The rectangular uv space limits the exactness with which the B-spline patch generation functions can represent surface patches having edges of certain shapes. For example, it is difficult to produce a good B-spline description for a patch that is a rectangular region with a circular portion removed from its interior. Either of the rectangular region or the circular portion by themselves would be practical, but their combination is too complex a primitive for a single unified B-spline description at the patch level. Subdividing the patch thwarts the motive for having patches in the first place. Trimming is a way to augment the B-spline description of the rectangular region with another one for the circular portion, and producing a hybrid surface patch in which one B-spline description "trims away" the surface described by another.
In the prior art, trimming has been performed by the software of the graphics system prior to the sending of device coordinates to the display hardware. Such trimming is necessarily a very complex task, and is generally too slow for use with moving images or interactive systems. It would be desirable to retain the use of B-splines and achieve the advantages offered by that technique of surface description, but at the same time allow high speed trimming.
According to a preferred method of the invention, trimming is performed on B-spline surface patch descriptions in a hardware graphics accelerator. It receives B-spline descriptions of the patch generation functions for the untrimmed patches and B-spline descriptions of trimming curves in the uv parameter space of the patch generation functions. The B-spline descriptions of the trimming curves are themselves functions of a parameter t. The graphics accelerator computes a sufficiently dense point by point representation of each trimming curve in uv space, in addition to point by point representations of the individual subspans in uv space whose associated polygons in XYZ space approximate the patch. The graphics accelerator determines where straight line approximating segments of the trimming curves cross subspan boundaries and changes the vertices of the subspans to trim away portions of the associated polygon. It does this by building a data structure of linked lists of vertex tables that represent the untrimmed polygon and any trimming curves that cut it. An appropriate traversal of the lists in the data structure produces a list of trimmed polygon vertices in device coordinates. That list may then be further processed to the pixel level by other hardware in the graphics accelerator.
Considerable attention is paid to avoiding the evils of roundoff error. A mechanism for describing where in a span a trimming curve is located allows the trimming operation to exclude from consideration those trimming curves that cannot possibly affect the polygon being processed. Another mechanism compensates for the effects of a non-ideal parameterization of the trimming curve functions, to prevent the production of an unnecessarily high number of polygon vertices. The trimming method is also compatible with recursive subdivision of patches to handle patches with a high number of trimming curves.

Method and apparatus for trimming b-spline descriptions of patches in a high performance three dimensional graphics system


A vehicle detector comprising a flux gate magnetometer with vertical and horizontal sensing coils is positioned within a roadway. The ambient levels of the earth's magnetic field as sensed by the magnetometer are used to establish reference levels and deviations therefrom are evaluated by a microprocessor which produces a vehicle arrived signal when the vertical component of sensed perturbations exceed a threshold and in an alternate mode when either vertical or horizontal levels exceed threshold values. Both vertical and horizontal levels must fall below threshold levels to determine a departure in either mode. Vehicle arrival and departure events are encoded as NRZ data packets which are transmitted by an edge-fired antenna as FM modulated signals. A remote multi-channel receiver capable of responding to a plurality of magnetometer modulated FM transmitters processes the received data and provides signals that are used by traffic signal controlling computers.

The ever increasing traffic burden born by existing roadways has necessitated traffic regulating signal devices such as intelligent traffic control systems which are responsive to current traffic flow patterns. Historically such control systems involve embedded wires in the roadway such as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,863,206 for "Digital Vehicle Detector". Such systems sense the passage of vehicles so that the signalling devices will give priority to the more heavily travelled roadways at intersections. Unfortunately such devices require wires spanning vehicle lanes. These spans of wire are subject to wear and if buried, the vibrations and shifting of the roadway caused by vehicle traffic and thermal expansion and therefor have a high failure rate. When a wire fails, the roadway must be dug up so that a replacement wire may be buried. Digging up the roadway may consist of simple narrow slit trenches a few inches wide but nevertheless the process interrupts traffic flow for hours or even days when complications arise. Furthermore, such devices only sense traffic waiting or crossing an intersection and therefore are useful only to cycle a traffic control device at intersections of infrequently traveled roadways with busy arteries whereby the traffic flow through the busy artery is not interrupted unless a vehicle is waiting in the less traveled roadway.
Prior attempts have been made to utilize vehicle sensing magnetometers to control traffic signalling devices such as the various systems developed by the Naval Surface Weapons Center of Silver Spring, Md. and described in their final report FHWA-RD-79-89 of October 1978 which is incorporated herein by reference. These devices proved successful in controlled experiments but failed to provide dependable service in an actual working environment. Therefore it is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a magnetometer means for sensing vehicular traffic combined with a computer control means for regulating traffic signalling devices which will operate reliably under the ambient conditions found in all traffic control situations.

Traffic control system and method of operation


The present invention is a compact, multiplanar magic-T junction that generally consists of four planar waveguides and/or planar transmission lines, with at least one planar waveguide or planar transmission line residing in a different circuit layer from the other planar waveguides and/or transmission lines. Each planar waveguide and planar transmission line in the multiplanar magic-T junction is electromagnetically connected to an input/output feeding port with which it communicates. The ground planes common to the planar transmission lines and/or planar waveguides in the magic-T junction contain a coupling aperture. The planar waveguides and planar transmission lines which are on different sides of the common ground planes of the magic-T junction communicate electromagnetically through this coupling aperture.

This invention relates generally to a compact, multiplanar magic-T junction that electromagnetically connects planar waveguides and/or planar transmission lines, while allowing conduction of electrical current or transfer of electromagnetic energy through and between these planar waveguides and planar transmission lines. More specifically, the planar magic-T junction of the current invention contains a difference port that is separated from its other three ports by a ground plane.
In general terms, a magic-T junction consists of a waveguide arrangement with four branches, in which energy is transferred from any one branch into two of the three remaining branches. A signal which enters one branch will divide and emerge from the two adjacent terminal branches, but will be unable to reach the opposite terminal branch.
A waveguide arrangement may consist of one or more planar waveguides and one or more planar transmission lines, with the total number of planar waveguides and planar transmission lines usually not exceeding four. A planar waveguide is formed by a solid dielectric rod or a dielectric filled tubular conductor capable of guiding electromagnetic waves. A planar transmission line for guiding electromagnetic waves generally takes the form of one or more extended, narrow members of uniform width which is commonly designated as a microstrip line when the member is a conducting strip insulated from a single ground plane by a dielectric. The narrow member or members may generally be conductors.
Many microwave and millimeterwave systems utilize planar waveguides and planar transmission lines. The signals from such waveguides are often used in hybrid and monolithic integrated circuits, and are of planar construction.
When planar transmission lines are used in conjunction with planar waveguides, wave energy must be coupled between the associated planar transmission lines and planar waveguides. Prior art techniques for such coupling are illustrated in the following U.S. Patents, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,239 to Sedivec; U.S. Pat. No. 4,143,342 to Cain et at; U.S. Pat. No. 3,969,691 to Saul; U.S. Pat. No. 3,882,396 to Schneider; U.S. Pat. No. 3,755,759 to Cohn; U.S. Pat. No. 3,732,508 to Ito et al; U.S. Pat. No. 3,579, 149 to Ramsey; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,483,489 to Dietrich.
A magic-T junction is commonly found in microwave and millimeterwave circuit components, and is employed in devices such as amplifiers, power distribution networks and mixers, as disclosed by M. Davidovitz in "A Planar Magic-T Junction with Aperture-Coupled Difference Port," IEEE Microwave and Guided Wave Letters, August 1997, which is incorporated herein by reference. Prior to the present invention, the only magic-T junctions available for use in these and other devices were uniplanar, in that all of the input-output ports leading into these magic-T junctions resided in the same ground plane. This design causes complications such as routing problems, as lines from the input-output ports of the components are forced to cross on the same level. The multiplanar magic-T junction of the present invention overcomes routing problems, and can be easily integrated into microwave and millimeterwave integrated circuits.

Aperture-coupled multiplanar magic-T junction

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force


In an example embodiment, previous search queries and clicked-on results are retrieved. This results in one or more pairs, each pair containing a query from the search term database and a first set of search engine results from the click database. Then a score is calculated for each feature within the one or more pairs, and a second set of search queries is boosted using the scores for the features.

Search engines search collections of documents and return a list of documents relevant to a search query. While general Internet search engines, such as Google, Bing, Yahoo! Search, etc. come to mind when discussing search engines, search engines can be more narrowly tailored. For example, a search engine may be designed just to focus on retrieving product listings, and the query can be tailored to best retrieve product information. Many search processes common in search engines provide for more meaningful results by examining information about the document more than simply whether or not the document contains a particular keyword. Specifically, it is common for search engines to examine how commonly the document is linked by other documents in its index, for a measurement of popularity that can then be used to weight the results. When applying such a technique to products, and more particularly to documents pertaining to products (such as product web pages), however, a problem can be encountered in that documents related to newer products, which would have few or no references from other documents due merely to their newness, are unfairly penalized. This despite the fact that in many cases a newer product web page is actually more desirable a search result to a user than an older product web page.

Enhancing product search engine results using user click history


A semiconductor device having the base and collector surrounded by a continuous tungsten filled slot as ground plane. The portion of the tungsten filled slot over the buried layer extends beyond the surface of the buried layer and the portion of the tungsten filled slot not over the buried layer extends beyond the interface between the epitaxial layer and the substrate.

1. Cross Reference to Related Applications
This application is related to Application, Ser. No. 08/897,165, filed on the filing date of this application, entitled REDUCTION OF DEPLETION SPREADING SIDEWAYS UTILIZING SLOTS, Application, Ser. No. 08/897,265, filed on the filing date of this application, entitled ELIMINATION OF RADIUS OF CURVATURE EFFECTS ON P-N JUNCTION AVALANCE BREAKDOWN USING SLOTS, Application, Ser. No. 08/897,167, filed on the filing date of this application, entitled USE OF MULTIPLE SLOTS SURROUNDING BASE REGION OF A BIPOLAR JUNCTION TRANSISTOR TO INCREASE CUMULATIVE BREAKDOWN VOLTAGE and Application, Ser. No. 08/897,082, filed on the filing date of this application, entitled USE OF SLOTS IN DEEP ISOLATION AND COLLECTOR PICKUP REGIONS FOR MINIMIZATION OF SUB-COLLECTOR UP-DIFFUSION.
2. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to high voltage semiconductor devices. More particularly, this invention relates to high voltage bipolar semiconductor devices having tungsten filled slots as ground plane that reduce high frequency signal degradation and parasitic signal propagation.
3. Discussion of the Related Art
The bipolar transistor is an electronic device with two pn-junctions in very close proximity. There are three device regions: an emitter region, a base region, and a collector region. The two pn-junctions are known as the emitter-base (EB) junction and the collector-base (CB) junction. Modulation of the current in one pn-junction by means of a change in the bias of the other nearby pn-junction is called bipolar-transistor action. Because the mobility of minority carriers (electrons) in the base region of npn transistors is higher than that of holes in the base of pnp transistors, higher frequency operation and higher speed performances can be obtained with npn devices. For this reason, the following discussion will be in terms of npn transistors but it is to be understood that the discussion is applicable to pnp transistors as well.
The desired device characteristics of bipolar transistors include: high current gain, high frequency ac operation, fast switching speed, high device-breakdown voltages, minimum device size (to achieve high functional density) and high reliability of device operation. In order for high-frequency ac performance and fast switching speed to be achieved, the parasitic resistances of the transistor; R.sub.E, R.sub.B, and R.sub.C, and the parasitic junction capacitances; C.sub.EB, C.sub.CB, and C.sub.CB must be minimized. In addition, high-level injection effects, for example, the Kirk effect should be avoided. For faithful amplification of ac signals, the Early voltage must be high.
Another factor that must be considered in transistors are the errors due to parasitic signal propagation. As the semiconductor devices are being shrunk to meet the needs of consumers and to satisfy the increasing demand for faster and faster semiconductor devices, the errors due to parasitic signal propagation and high frequency signal degradation are becoming more and more critical.
The ground planes typically used today for applications such as analog circuits are the silicon substrates under the active region on the surface on which the transistors/circuits are located. The ground plane is then contacted with a backside contact.
In complex circuits with many interconnected transistors, a ground plane can eliminate resonances causing signal attenuation or non-linearity that is critical for analog applications, and in more general terms reduce electrical noise. This type of extraneous signal propagation occurs via the substrate.
A second path for extraneous signal propagation occurs between the interconnect lines. The use of a ground plane allows reduction of cross-talk or noise generation on adjacent interconnect lines; the electric field radiating from a signal line terminates on the ground plane rather than coupling to an adjacent line. With a complete ground plane, interconnect lines with controlled impedances can also be achieved. This becomes increasingly important as the frequencies at which signals propagate increase leading to enhanced sensitivity of an interconnect line to its surroundings. While the problems discussed above play a critical role in high frequency analog circuits, they are becoming significant issues for digital applications operating at very high clock frequencies.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,029 to Crabbe et al. describes an on-chip ground plane for reducing high frequency signal degradation and parasitic signal propagation. The ground plane in Crabbe et al. is a buried low resistivity semiconductor region in a plurality of non-device regions of the chip with reach-through regions electrically connected to the buried low resistivity semiconductor region. A front-side contact is electrically connected to the reach-through regions for electrically coupling the reach-through regions and the buried low resistivity semiconductor region to a ground potential to electrically ground the on-chip ground plane.
The drawback to the prior art device disclosed in Crabbe et al. is that isolation structures are still needed and the reach-through regions require additional space on the chip.
Therefore, what is needed is a semiconductor device with an on-chip ground plane that does not require additional space on the chip and that is effective in reducing high frequency signal degradation and parasitic signal propagation.

Use of tungsten filled slots as ground plane in integrated circuit structure


A financial instruments trading system provides a front end user interface comprising dynamically generated tradescreens that enable the trader to calculate the effects of a hypothetical trade or transfer of a financial instrument on the corresponding portfolio and on aggregate holdings of the financial instrument in that portfolio before the trade or transaction is actually executed. The tradescreens display financial information characterizing the current status of the portfolio and the current status of all holdings of the financial instrument in the portfolio. The tradescreens further include fields for entry of information characterizing the hypothetical trade or transfer, and routines for calculating the revised values of the displayed financial information for the portfolio and the holdings of the financial instrument that reflect changes that will occur in the event that the hypothetical trade or transfer is executed. Each tradescreen further enables the trader to submit the trade or transfer for execution from the tradescreen. The tradescreens are dynamically generated by a server based on portfolio data maintained in a portfolio database, and are customized to the selected financial instrument and the type of action to be taken. The submission of a trade or transfer causes data entered into the tradescreen to be communicated to the server, where the tradescreen calculations are replicated and the portfolio database and a general ledger are updated to reflect the trade or transfer. The server also dynamically generates reports describing various aspects of the portfolio's holdings based on the data stored in the portfolio database.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to systems for trading or simulation of trading in financial instruments, such as securities and their derivatives.
2. Background Technology
The trading of financial instruments such as stocks, options, commodities futures, currency futures and the like is engaged in daily around the world on a vast scale.
The majority of this trading is done by professional money management organizations, such as brokerages and investment companies, in which professional money managers analyze and make investments for the portfolios of client persons and organizations. A smaller but growing segment of the trading population consists of on-line traders who engage in trading directly for their own portfolios.
A complex infrastructure exists to support the execution of trades on behalf of traders and related parties such as market makers and clearinghouses. However, tools for analyzing the effects of a transaction on a trader's portfolios are not as sophisticated. Currently the systems that execute transactions are not linked to systems that track portfolio status and performance, and so a trader desiring such information needs to perform a separate analysis using a spreadsheet. This requires a great deal of data entry and formula development that is time consuming and prone to errors, and is therefore not feasible to perform on a large scale or in a comprehensive manner for all available trading possibilities. Consequently, because traders must use one system to determine the effects of a hypothetical trade on the portfolio for which the trade is being made, and then use another system to actually execute the trade, they are unable to assess the effects of available trades on their portfolios in a convenient and meaningful way.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and methods for financial instrument trading and trading simulation using dynamically generated tradescreens


The conductor wire surface for constituting a circuit formed by print or junction on a substrate formed from a composite member of ceramics, resin, and an inorganic member and from a resin member is coated with glass, resin, solder, or silver paste, thus the corrosion resistance can be improved, and a highly reliable electronic device for car use can be provided. Further, the probing portion necessary for adjustment of the resistance and characteristics and the mounting portion for mounting parts are formed in a shape having no corners at 90° or less, for example, in a circular shape, in an elliptical shape, or in a shape that the corners of a tetragon are rounded (R) or chamfered (C).

The present invention relates to an electronic device, and particularly to a sealing structure for various sensors for outputting various physical quantities as electrical signals by a sensing element for detecting various physical quantities. The invention also relates to an electronic circuit for controlling the sensing element installed in an engine compartment and to a mounting structure with improved corrosion resistance, for mounting an electronic circuit of an electronic device in a vehicle, said electronic device having a microprocessor for controlling various states of the vehicle upon receipt of electrical signals of the aforementioned various sensors.
Various kinds of known hybrid IC substrates have a thick film resistor printed on a ceramic substrate and include parts such as a semiconductor integrated circuit, a capacitor, and a diode. For a hybrid IC substrate having conductor wires of silver, silver alloy, copper, or copper alloy, (particularly for a hybrid IC substrate adopted in an electronic device for car use), corrosion of the conductor wires due to corrosive gas is a concern, and as a corrosion improvement measure, coating the conductor wires with glass is considered.
However, the resistors printed on a hybrid IC substrate and the mounted electronic parts are varied, and to provide a highly precise electronic device, the resistance and characteristics must be adjusted. For that purpose, an exposed conductor part is required. As a method for covering the exposed part, soldering is generally used.
However, it is a method in consideration of contact at the time of probing instead of a target of improving the corrosion resistance, which is limited to a case necessary for probing. Further, even when soldering is adopted, there are many exposed parts of the conductor wires due to poor wettability of solder.
As an improvement measure for solder wettability, as described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. Hei 04-334083, an improving method by a process such as two-dimensional calcination is adopted.


A system is provided that resources media content of multiple display channels. The system includes a memory with logic, tuning resources to receive media content of a plurality of display channels, buffering resources for buffering the media content, display resources for displaying the media content from at least one of the display channels, and a processor configured with the logic to determine when the resources are unavailable to receive media content of a newly requested display channel. The processor is further configured with the logic to, responsive to a determination of insufficient resources, determine the lowest priority display channel using at least one user configurable rule, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to effect discontinuing the receipt of media content of a display channel designated as having the lowest priority among a plurality of received display channels.

With recent advances in digital transmission technology, subscriber television systems are now capable of providing much more than the traditional analog broadcast video. In implementing enhanced programming, the home communication terminal device ("HCT"), otherwise known as the set-top box, has become an important computing device for accessing media content services (and media content within those services) and navigating a user through a maze of available services. In addition to supporting traditional analog broadcast video functionality, digital HCTs (or "DHCTs") now also support an increasing number of two-way digital services such as video-on-demand and personal video recording.
Typically, a DHCT is connected to a cable or satellite, or generally, a subscriber television system, and includes hardware and software necessary to provide the functionality of the digital television system at the user's site. Some of the software executed by a DHCT may be downloaded and/or updated via the subscriber television system. Each DHCT also typically includes a processor, communication components, and memory, and is connected to a television or other display device, such as a personal computer. While many conventional DHCTs are stand-alone devices that are externally connected to a television, a DHCT and/or its functionality may be integrated into a television or personal computer or even an audio device such as a programmable radio, as will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art.
DHCTs are typically capable of providing users with a very large number and variety of media content choices. As the number of available media content choices increases, viewing conflicts arise whereby the user must choose between watching two or more media content instances (e.g., discrete, individual instances of media content such as, for a non-limiting example, a particular television show or "program" episode), all of which the user would like to view. Further, because of the large number of viewing choices, the user may miss viewing opportunities. Buffering of media content instances in memory, or more recently, in storage devices (e.g., hard disk drives, CD-ROM, etc.) coupled to the DHCT, has provided some relief from the conflict in viewing choices while providing personal video recording functionality. However, current buffering mechanisms for personal video recording make inefficient use of tuner and buffer resources for a plurality of display channel changes using buffering mechanisms that operate under single-tuner constraints and/or assumptions. Therefore, there exists a need to exploit multi-tuner functionality to make more efficient use of DHCT resources.
Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.

Channel buffering and display management system for multi-tuner set-top box


An absorbent article, such as a disposable diaper, adult incontinent pad, sanitary napkin, and the like, is disclosed which has a rapid acquiring, multiple layer absorbent core. The absorbent article may be in an improved shape that can be worn in the wearer's usual undergarments. The absorbent article of the present invention comprises a liquid pervious topsheet, a liquid impervious backsheet, and a multiple layer absorbent core positioned between the topsheet and the backsheet. The multiple layer absorbent core comprises at least one rapid acquiring acquisition/distribution layer and at least one storage layer positioned subjacent each acquisition layer. The acquisition/distribution layers have a fluid acquisition/distribution rate of at least about 2 cubic centimeters of synthetic urine per second when tested under a pressure of about 28 grams per square centimeter. The storage layers at least partially comprise a "high-speed" absorbent gelling material which is capable of reaching at least about 40% of its absorptive capacity in less than or equal to about 10 seconds. A multiple layer absorbent core for an absorbent article is also disclosed.

Absorbent articles such as disposable diapers, adult incontinent pads, sanitary napkins and the like come in many different sizes and shapes. Diapers and incontinent pads are generally garments worn by infants or incontinent persons that are drawn up between the legs and fastened about the waist of the wearer. Sanitary napkins are designed to receive and contain vaginal discharges, such as menses, and are typically held adjacent to the human body through the agency of a garment, such as an undergarment or a panty, or a specially designed belt.
There is a continual effort to make such absorbent articles more comfortable and discrete and less obtrusive for the wearer. This is particularly true in the case of adult incontinent pads. Adult incontinent pads, by their nature, have previously been made fairly thick so they can handle the relatively large quantities of body exudates, such as urine, they receive. The desire for less bulky incontinent pads is particularly great among incontinent persons, many of whom are elderly adults, because it can be embarrassing to wear diaper-like articles. In addition, most individuals would rather use some type of article that could be worn with the undergarments they normally wear.
One key component of an absorbent article that contributes to its size and bulk is the absorbent body used therein. Typically, absorbent articles comprise a liquid pervious material that faces the wearer's body, a liquid impervious material that faces the wearer's clothing, and an absorbent body or absorbent core that is sandwiched between the liquid pervious material and the liquid impervious material. In prior absorbent articles, a material comprising comminuted wood pulp, referred to as airfelt, was used in the absorbent core to serve the functions of acquiring, distributing, and storing liquids and other exudates deposited on the surface of the absorbent article. One of the disadvantages of using airfelt was that a thick layer of airfelt had to be used to obtain the needed capacity.
Recent attempts to improve the effectiveness of absorbent cores have included distributing particles of absorbent gelling material throughout or in portions of the absorbent core. Some of these improvements are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,678 issued to Paul T. Weisman and Stephen A. Goldman on Sep. 9, 1986; U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,402 issued to Paul T. Weisman, Dawn I. Houghton, and Dale A. Gellert on Jun. 16, 1987; and European Patent Application EP-A-254,476 assigned to The Procter & Gamble Company, published Jan. 27, 1988, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein. Another improvement to the effectiveness of absorbent cores is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,711 issued on Nov. 1, 1988 to Dawn I. Houghton and Nicholas A. Ahr, the disclosure of which is also incorporated by reference herein. While the absorbent articles described in the above references work quite well, the search for improved absorbent articles that are capable of rapidly and efficiently absorbing increasingly greater quantities of exudates has continued.
The structure of the absorbent core ideally should be such that the absorbent article absorbs exudates immediately when they are discharged so that such exudates will not pool or otherwise remain on top of the core. The absorbent core ideally should also be constructed so exudates initially absorbed will be immediately transported to a place within the absorbent core where they can be stored. One problem with many of the prior absorbent articles that used absorbent gelling materials is that the absorbent gelling materials do not absorb liquid exudates as fast as they are deposited on the core. Slow absorbing absorbent gelling materials, thus, do little to increase the immediately available capacity of the core. Such absorbent gelling materials typically require several seconds or minutes to absorb fluids.
The absorbent core should also provide a system of distribution and storage for exudates that efficiently uses the entire capacity of the absorbent core. One problem that often arises in absorbent articles without such a system (particularly those absorbent articles that use the same layer or batt of material to serve the different functions of acquiring, distributing, and storing exudates) is that the storage capacity of the absorbent article is exhausted prematurely. This can occur in several different ways. In many absorbent articles, the saturation of the absorbent material in the region where exudates are initially deposited reduces the ability of the absorbent material to transport additional exudates to other parts of the core. This phenomenon can also lead to the undesirable pooling of exudates on top of the core discussed above.
In other absorbent articles the effectiveness of absorbent cores containing particles of absorbent gelling material can be adversely affected by a phenomenon called "gel blocking". The term "gel blocking" describes a situation that occurs when a particle of absorbent gelling material is wetted and the surface of the particle swells so as to inhibit liquid transmission into the interior of the absorbent core. Wetting of the interior of the absorbent core, therefore, takes place via a very slow diffusion process. In practical terms, this means that acquisition of liquid by the absorbent core is much slower than the discharge of the liquids to be absorbed, and leakage from the absorbent article may take place well before the particles of absorbent gelling material in the absorbent core are fully saturated or before the liquid can diffuse or wick past the "blocking" particles into the rest of the absorbent core.
Therefore, a need exists for an absorbent article of an improved shape that has an absorbent core that quickly acquires and distributes exudates throughout the absorbent core where they can be stored.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an absorbent article, particularly an incontinent article, of an improved shape that can be worn in the wearer's usual undergarments.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an absorbent core for an absorbent article which is especially efficient in acquiring, distributing, and storing exudates as they are deposited on the absorbent article.
In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide an absorbent core that has a system in which the functions of acquiring and distributing exudates are handled by layers that are separate from the layers used for storing exudates. Ideally, such a system will allow exudates to be continuously acquired and distributed to storage layers by layers that are not subject to the prior problems of saturation and gel blocking.
These and other objects of the present invention will be more readily apparent when considered in reference to the following description and when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Absorbent article having rapid acquiring, multiple layer absorbent core


A ball catching and delivery head including a frame and a base for a lacrosse stick is provided. In addition to a socket for receiving a handle, the base includes a cavity for receiving a flexible cartridge and also trusses laterally located relative to the base that terminally connect with the frame and the base. The frame is vertically flexible relative to the base and the extent to which the frame is so flexible is dependent upon the cartridge flexibility and compressibility. The trusses prevent lateral movements of the frame relative to the base. Different cartridges made of different materials may be substituted for one another to achieve different flexing characteristics.

A ball catching and delivery frame of the type used in the head of a lacrosse stick employed in the sport of lacrosse and relating to the subject of the present invention is variously fabricated but is believed to be most typically made of an injection-molded, monolithic, durable and rigid material such as, for example, nylon, urethane or polycarbonate.
The flexing capability of current lacrosse heads is determined by the configuration of the head and the resiliency and flexibility of the material from which the head is constructed. Unfortunately, however, the flex characteristics are not currently customizable or adjustable by the player to meet his/her playing style or needs.
Thus, there remains a need for a head with a frame and a base whose flexing capabilities can be varied and customized to meet a particular player's needs or playing style.

Ball catching and delivery frame with variable flex


In one embodiment, a programmable vector processor performs preamble detection in a wireless communication network. Implementation of preamble detection in the vector processor is made possible by a set of vector instructions that include (i) a circular load instruction for loading vectors of received data, (ii) a correlation instruction for correlating the vectors of received data with vectors of the scrambling code to concurrently generate a plurality of complex correlations, (iii) a partial-transpose instruction for arranging vectors of the complex correlations for use by a Fast Hadamard Transform (FHT) processor, and (iv) an FHT instruction for performing FHT processing on a vector of complex correlations. Implementing preamble detection in the vector processor allows more of the received data to be processed concurrently. As a result, preamble detectors of the disclosure may detect preambles using fewer clock cycles than that of comparable preamble detectors implemented using hardware accelerators.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to signal processing, and, more specifically but not exclusively, to preamble detection for wide-band code-division multiple access (WCDMA) and other wireless standards.
2. Description of the Related Art
In WCDMA and other wireless standards, user equipment, such as cell phones, transmit preambles to inform base transceiver stations (BTSs) that the user equipment (UE) is available to establish a connection with the network. In systems that adhere to the 3GPP standards, the preamble, which is transmitted on the physical random access channel (PRACH), is a 4,096-chip sequence comprising 256 repetitions of a 16-bit signature code. The 3GPP standard allows for up to 16 different signature codes, commonly referred to as the 16 Hadamard codes, and often, only a subset of the 16 possible signature codes is employed in a given system. Before transmitting, the signature code is scrambled using a long scrambling code. The scrambling code is constructed from scrambling sequences, and there are 8,192 PRACH preamble scrambling codes in total.
When transmitting a preamble, the user equipment randomly chooses one of the available signature codes, scrambles the signature with a preamble scrambling code, and transmits the resulting preamble at the beginning of a WCDMA Acquisition Indicator Channel (AICH) access slot. There are 15 access slots per two frames, and the slots are spaced 5,120 chips apart. The BTS typically does not know a priori which of the randomly chosen signature codes was used in constructing the preamble. Further, the BTS typically does not know the length of the propagation delay of the preamble (i.e., the delay between the time the preamble was transmitted and the time that the preamble is received) because the location of the user equipment within the cell in which the BTS resides is typically unknown to the BTS at the time a connection is requested.
Since the preamble is the first indication of the user equipment to the BTS, the BTS detects the user equipment by correlating received data at the beginning of each AICH access slot. PRACH preamble detection is typically performed by means of implementing a matched filter for each possible signature code in the subset of signature codes. In particular, the received data is correlated with all possible preambles for each signature code in the subset of signature codes and for each possible propagation delay for the cell. Although the particular preamble that was transmitted is not known a priori to the BTS, the BTS typically knows a priori all of the possible preambles that could have been transmitted. The result of these correlations is a correlation profile for each possible signature code, where each correlation profile has a number of values (herein referred to as "correlation profile values" or simply "profile values") that is equal to the number of possible delays. In other words, the total number of correlation profiles is equal to the number of possible signature codes, and the total number of correlation profile values is equal to the number of possible signature codes times the number of possible delays. The correlation profile value for signature s and delay lag may be represented as shown in Equation (1):
                              profile                                (                          s              ,              lag                        )                          =                                                      ∑                              i                =                0                                            L                -                1                                                                                sm                i                                                          c                                  s                  ,                  i                                                                          x                                  i                  +                  lag                                                                                                  (        1        )            where smi is the ith chip of the scrambling code multiplied by
      ⅇ          j                    (                              π            4                    +                                    π              2                                    ⅈ                          )              ,cs,i is the ith chip of the signature code s, and xi+lag is the (i+lag)th chip of received data corresponding to possible delay lag. Note that here i is the chip index, j is the square root of negative one, and L is the preamble length in chips (e.g., 4,096 chips). Further, as used herein, the term "scrambling code" refers to a scrambling code that is modified by multiplying each chip of the scrambling code by
      ⅇ          j                    (                              π            4                    +                                    π              2                                    ⅈ                          )              .
After all correlation profiles are generated, each correlation profile value is compared to a preamble-detection threshold to detect the signature code that was transmitted and one or more possible propagation delays between the user equipment and the BTS. Each of the one or more possible propagation delays corresponds to a different propagation path of the transmitted preamble. The one or more possible propagation delays may then be provided to a path searcher component to detect the propagation delay of the propagation path that is received first in time. Discussions of preambles and preamble detection may be found in Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Technical Specification (TS) 25.211 V9.1.0 (2009-12) "Physical Channels and Mapping of Transport Channels onto Physical Channels (FDD)," 3GPP TS 25.213 V9.1.0 (2009-12) "Spreading and Modulation (FDD)," and 3GPP TS 25.214 V9.2.0 (2010-03) "Physical Layer Procedures (FDD)," the teachings of all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
When a relatively large number of signature codes are employed (e.g., all 16 Hadamard codes), separately performing the above-mentioned matched filter approach for each signature code becomes relatively computationally expensive. In this case, a more-efficient approach to detecting preambles may be employed that is based on the Fast Hadamard Transform by rewriting Equation (1) as shown in Equation (2):
                              profile                                (                          s              ,              lag                        )                          =                                                      ∑                              k                =                0                            15                                                  [                                                c                                      s                    ,                    k                                                                                ∑                                          l                      =                      0                                                                                L                        /                        16                                            -                      1                                                                                sm                                                                        16                                                    l                                                +                        k                                                                                x                                                                        16                                                    l                                                +                        k                        +                        lag                                                                                ]                                                                    (        2        )            where i=16l+k and k corresponds to one of the 16 bits in a signature sequence where k=0, . . . , 15. Equation (2) is derived from the fact that every signature s comprises 256 repetitions of a 16-bit sequence. As shown in Equation (2), the signature code cs,k is broken out into an outer-most summation. The inner-most summation is performed 16 times, once for each bit k of a 16-bit signature code sequence, to generate 16 partial correlation values pc(k, lag) for the signature s, where
      pc              (              k        ,        lag            )        =            ∑              l        =        0                              L          /          16                -        1                                sm                              16                        l                    +          k                                            x                                    16                            l                        +            k            +            lag                          .
Essentially, Equation (2) divides the chips of received data x, and the corresponding chips of the scrambling code sm, into 16 streams, each stream corresponding to a different bit k of a 16-bit signature code sequence. The chips of received data x are split up and assigned to 16 streams such that received data chips x0, x1, . . . , x15 are distributed to streams 0, 1, . . . , 15, respectively, received data chips x16, x17, . . . , x31 are distributed to streams 0, 1, . . . , 15, respectively, and so forth. Note that each partial correlation value pc(k, lag) may be generated by coherently accumulating all L/16 chips. Alternatively, the L/16 chips can divided into smaller groups, where the chips in each group are coherently accumulated, and then the magnitudes or squares of resulting coherent accumulations are non-coherently accumulated to generate the partial correlation value pc(k, lag).
As a result of the signature code cs,k being broken out into an outer-most summation, the inner-most summation is independent of the signature codes, and therefore, the 16 partial correlations that result from the inner-most summation may be reused for all 16 signature codes. The correlation profiles for all 16 signatures are derived by multiplying the 16×16 Hadamard Matrix with the 16 partial correlations from the inner summation as shown in Equation (2). Such calculation may be accelerated by using the Fast Hadamard Transformation.
Even though the Fast Hadamard Transform approach is more efficient than the matched filter approach, the Fast Hadamard Transform approach still has a computational expense that is relatively high. This is due to the relatively large number of correlations that are performed across the numerous signature codes and delays. Therefore, there is a need for even more-efficient methods of preamble detection that reduce the total number of correlations that are needed to detect preambles without negatively impacting detection accuracy.

Preamble detection using vector processors


A lead-acid battery having an improved side terminal construction. The battery includes a case formed of dielectric material and a plurality of positive and negative plates are located within the case. Each group of plates is electrically connected to a strap. One end of an elongated conductor bar projects through the side wall of the case and is welded to each strap, while the opposite end of the bar projects outwardly of the case and is provided with a recess which receives a metal nut. A cable clamping ring is attached to the opposite end of the conductor bar by a bolt which is threaded in the nut. If a longer than required bolt is inadvertently threaded into the nut, the opposite end of the bar will be deflected or bent as the bolt is threaded down, but the welded connection between the conductor bar and the strap will not be adversely effected.

Lead-acid batteries as used in automobiles, lighting, and the like, are produced in a top terminal configuration, as well as a side terminal configuration. With a top terminal design, tapered terminals project upwardly from the top wall of the case and receive cable clamps.
In a side terminal design, the terminals extend outwardly of the side wall and in a typical design, each terminal includes a lead bushing which is mounted within a recess in the side wall of the case. The inner end of the bushing projects through an opening in the side wall of the case and is welded to a conductor strap which is connected to the electrode plates.
In the typical side terminal construction, a stainless steel nut is mounted within a recess in the outer surface of the lead bushing and the cable clamping ring is connected to the bushing by a bolt, which is threaded within the stainless steel nut.
A side terminal battery has certain advantages over a top terminal configuration. The side terminal design provides a lower profile for the battery and as the terminals are located along the side wall, they are removed from the vents in the top wall of the case, through which hydrogen and oxygen can be vented. In addition, with a side wall terminal design, electrical conductive contaminants cannot collect on the side wall and bridge the terminals, as can occur with a top terminal construction.
However, a problem has arisen with side terminal designs, in that if the original bolt is lost or misplaced, the user will invariably substitute a replacement bolt, which has a longer length than required. As the longer bolt is threaded into the nut to clamp the cable to the bushing, the inner end of the longer bolt will bottom out and as torque is continued to be applied to the bolt, the bottom of the malleable lead bushing will deform and in some instances the deformation of the bushing will break the weld between the bushing and the strap. This can result in arcing if a heavy load is encountered, which results in an ignition source and rapid combustion of the hydrogen gas within the battery.


An optical treatment apparatus includes: a power source unit; a light irradiation module, that irradiates an affected part with light; a spacer that is positioned between the light irradiation module and the affected part; a fixing material that applies pressure to the light irradiation module and fixes the light irradiation module at an installation position; and a shielding material that covers the light irradiation module, in which, in a case where the pressure applied by the fixing material becomes lower than predetermined pressure, supply of current is stopped.

Light irradiation is utilized for various purposes including treatment for disease such as neonatal jaundice, psoriasis, or acne, alleviation of pain, and cosmetics. Specifically, green light and blue-white light are used for treatment for neonatal jaundice, ultraviolet light is used for treatment for psoriasis, and blue light, red light, and yellow light are used for treatment for acne. In this manner, various light sources are used in accordance with intended use.
For example, in a case of a light source such as an excimer lamp or an arc lamp, therapeutic light is radiated to an affected part arranged at a constant distance from the fixed light source. However, in a case where such a light source of a lamp type is used, an irradiation area is too large and a part other than an affected part is also irradiated with therapeutic light, so that there is a concern about various side effects on a normal part. Thus, some shielding countermeasures need to be taken to prevent the irradiation to the normal part with therapeutic light, and treatment takes time and effort.
For example, in a case where disease developed in a part of a face is treated, a mask for eyes (blindfold) with which eyes that are normal parts are protected is necessary, and, furthermore, a mask which exposes only an affected part of the face is also necessary to protect normal parts of the face. Moreover, for the treatment, a patient is required to keep his/her posture almost without moving for several tens of minutes in a state where his/her body is restrained, and such an experience is not pleasant even for the treatment.
In a case where an affected part has a curved surface, for example, like an arm or a foot, depending on a part such as a front part, a rear part, or a side part, an irradiating apparatus of a lamp type may force a patient to take an unnatural posture. In addition, irradiation intensity is different for each position of the affected part depending on an angle or a distance of the affected part having the curved part with respect to the lamp, so that it is difficult to irradiate an entirety of the affected part with uniform therapeutic light in some cases. Further, the apparatus using such a light source of the lamp type has many accompanying devices such as a power source and a cooling device and is large-sized, so that a large space is required for installation and a price of the apparatus becomes high.
Under such circumstances, some techniques by which light irradiation is able to be performed with an affected part directly covered have been proposed. For example, PTL 1 discloses an optical treatment apparatus which has flexibility and in which a large number of LEDs serving as light-emitting light sources are arranged on a flexible substrate and the resultant is wound around an affected part to perform light irradiation. PTL 2 discloses an optical treatment apparatus in which an LED serving as a light source is arranged on a flexible substrate and a light-transmitting material is held between an affected part and the LED so that light emitted from the LED is able to be transmitted to the affected part.

Optical treatment apparatus and fixing tool


A hashing-based vector quantization process partitions a codebook into buckets. A hashing function determines the locations of buckets in the codebook and is selected so that buckets containing similar codevectors start near each other in the codebook. One hashing function forms an index from the most significant bits of components of a vector. During encoding, the hashing function generates an index from an input vector, and a search for a codevector matching the image vector begins in a bucket indicated by the index. In one embodiment, the codebook contains flag fields to indicate the starts of buckets and pointer fields to create linked lists of codevectors which form the buckets. Codevectors are compared to the input vector by determining the mean squared error of the difference between the codevector and the input vector. A search is complete when the search finds a codevector having a difference with a MSE less than a threshold. Search time is reduced because each search begins in a bucket likely to contain a codevector matching the image vector.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices and processes for encoding digitized information using vector quantization.
2. Description of Related Art
Hashing is a database technique which organizes records of a database into indexed "buckets" and uses a hashing function to identify the bucket containing a desired record. The hashing function has an input called a key which depends on a record being sought and an output which is an index. The index indicates the location (i.e. starting address) of a bucket containing the desired record. The bucket indicated by the index is searched to find the desired record.
An example of a hashing-based database is a set of customer records for a cash machine, where each record has a unique 19-digit card number. To find a customer's record, an exhaustive search can be made through the database until a record containing the card number is found. This typically results in an unreasonably long search time. Alternatively, a directory to the database could contain pointers to individual records indexed by 19-digit card numbers, but the directory would greatly increase the size of the database. An alternative is to apply a hashing function to the 19-digit card number to generate an index within a range smaller than the range of the card number. The hashing function could, for example, be a mask which preserves the five least significant digits of the card number. Since the range of the hashing function is smaller than the range of the card number, more than one customer record may hash to the same index. When this happens, the index indicates a bucket containing more than one record. The bucket is searched for the desired record, but searching the bucket takes considerably less time than searching the entire database. Additionally, the amount of memory required to implement the hashing function is orders of magnitude less than memory required for a directory of all card numbers.
In the field of digital compression, vector quantization is a coding technique which reduces the amount of data required to represent information such as a digitized sound or image. For vector quantization, a series or array of digital values is partitioned into subsets referred to as vectors. Each vector has components which are values from the series or array. For encoding, a vector is replaced by an index indicating a codevector which most closely matches the vector. Replacing vectors with indices compresses the series or array to fewer digital values. The information is decoded by replacing the indices with codevectors from the codebook.
An example use of vector quantization is in image coding. A digitized image represented by a two-dimensional array of values can be partitioned into image vectors, wherein each image vector is a set of sixteen 8-bit values which represents the intensities of pixels in a 4-by-4 block of pixels. Representing such image vectors without coding requires sixteen bytes of information per image vector. When encoding an image, each image vector is compared to every codevector in a codebook to find a best match. If the codebook contains 256 codevectors, a one-byte index which identifies the best match codevector replaces a 16-byte image vector. This provides a 16-to-1 reduction in the amount of information that must be stored or transmitted to represent the image.
A problem with vector quantization is the relatively long encoding time required to find the best codevector for each image vector in an image. In many applications, such as videophones, vectors must be quantized in real time as images and sounds are generated. Consequently, a number of techniques have been proposed to reduce the encoding time which include tree-structured vector quantization, finite-state vector quantization, and cache vector quantization. Still, fast processes are needed for vector quantization to facilitate real time encoding in systems such as videophones.


A cup-holder arrangement for a vehicle includes a cup-holder, a lighting unit; and a control unit for controlling a color gradient of the lighting unit as a function of a temperature setting of the cup-holder or of a temperature in or on the cup-holder.

The present invention relates to a color-adjustable RGB-ambient lighting for a cup-holder arrangement and a method for operating such a cup-holder arrangement.
The following discussion of related art is provided to assist the reader in understanding the advantages of the invention, and is not to be construed as an admission that this related art is prior art to this invention.
Ambient lightings, footwell lighting, lit door panels, orientation lighting and lighting of handles of a vehicle are already known for a longer time.
Lightings not only increase comfort in the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, but also increase driving safety by facilitating orientation and operation inside the vehicle.
Ambient lightings are generally realized as direct light source in form of incandescent lights or LEDs, however, indirect light sources such as light conductors or surface lighting can also be used to realize ambient lighting.
The ambient lighting must not distract or disturb the driver. Through selection of light color, ambient lighting can be used to effect a subjective perception. In addition, the light color is an important design aspect.
Modern vehicles have a multitude of repository systems and storage systems, which for example include ashtrays and cup-holders. Cup-holders have attained special importance because they have become indispensable for long-distance drivers. They generally serve for receiving containers for beverages.
In order to increase the usefulness of cup-holders, early developments involved temperature-adjustable cup-holders. Such cup-holders are capable to cool or heat beverages received therein. In addition, such temperature-adjustable cup-holders meet the high standard of the premium vehicle market. In the future, with such features a user can enjoy his drive with well temperated beverages more comfortably and more relaxed. The trend regarding the passenger compartment of vehicles is toward individualization and a feel-good atmosphere: "feel at home while on the road". However, many of the proposed solutions of temperature-adjustable cup-holders can still be optimized with regard to their energy consumption and their efficiency.
The printed publication WO 00/71006 A1 discloses a "coffee maker" with a hot-water processor, which has a thermostat arranged in a hot-water container, wherein the hot-water processor is capable to qualitatively indicate a hot-water temperature. By means of a green lamp, the reaching of a defined temperature is signaled, wherein a red lamp lights up as soon as this temperature is fallen below. Further, a cup-holder is provided in order to receive a container for the heated water or respectively the water, which has been processed in the hot-water processor.
A further example shown in the printed publication DE 2008 007 254 A1 is a beverage container, in particular for receiving coffee, into which beverage container steam is conducted under high pressure through a coffee filter. The functionality corresponds to a conventional espresso machine. The collection container for the condensed steam or respectively the coffee simultaneously serves as cup for consumption of the coffee prepared therewith. Beside control switches for the coffee machine, display elements are provided, for example LEDs which indicate an operational condition of or a permission to operate the coffee machine, in particular in dependence on a capacity of an electric system of the vehicle.
It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to provide invention to provide a cup-holder arrangement for a vehicle, which enables an easy use.

Color-adjustable RGB-ambient lighting for a cup-holder arrangement


Novel purine compounds of Formula I.

The following description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed inventions, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
HSP90s are ubiquitous chaperone proteins that are involved in folding, activation and assembly of a wide range of proteins, including key proteins involved in signal transduction, cell cycle control and transcriptional regulation. Researchers have reported that HSP90 chaperone proteins are associated with important signaling proteins, such as steroid hormone receptors and protein kinases, including, e.g., Raf-1, EGFR, v-Src family kinases, Cdk4, and ErbB-2 (Buchner J., 1999, TIBS, 24:136-141; Stepanova, L. et al., 1996, Genes Dev. 10:1491-502; Dai, K. et al., 1996, J. Biol. Chem. 271:22030-4). Studies further indicate that certain co-chaperones, e.g., Hsp70, p60/Hop/Sti1, Hip, Bag1, HSP40/Hdj2/Hsj1, immunophilins, p23, and p50, may assist HSP90 in its function (see, e.g., Caplan, A., Trends in Cell Biol., 9: 262-68 (1999).
Ansamycin antibiotics, e.g., herbimycin A (HA), geldanamycin (GM), and 17-AAG are thought to exert their anticancerous effects by tight binding of the N-terminus pocket of HSP90, thereby destabilizing substrates that normally interact with HSP90 (Stebbins, C. et al., 1997, Cell, 89:239-250). This pocket is highly conserved and has weak homology to the ATP-binding site of DNA gyrase (Stebbins, C. et al., supra; Grenert, J. P. et al., 1997, J. Biol. Chem., 272:23843-50). Further, ATP and ADP have both been shown to bind this pocket with low affinity and to have weak ATPase activity (Proromou, C. et al., 1997, Cell, 90: 65-75; Panaretou, B. et al., 1998, EMBO J., 17: 4829-36). In vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that occupancy of this N-terminal pocket by ansamycins and other HSP90 inhibitors alters HSP90 function and inhibits protein folding. At high concentrations, ansamycins and other HSP90 inhibitors have been shown to prevent binding of protein substrates to HSP90 (Scheibel, T., H. et al., 1999, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 96:1297-302; Schulte, T. W. et al., 1995, J. Biol. Chem. 270:24585-8; Whitesell, L., et al., 1994, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:8324-8328). Ansamycins have also been demonstrated to inhibit the ATP-dependent release of chaperone-associated protein substrates (Schneider, C., L. et al., 1996, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 93:14536-41; Sepp-Lorenzino et al., 1995, J. Biol. Chem. 270:16580-16587). In either event, the substrates are degraded by a ubiquitin-dependent process in the proteasome (Schneider, C., L., supra; Sepp-Lorenzino, L., et al., 1995, J. Biol. Chem., 270:16580-16587; Whitesell, L. et al., 1994, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 91: 8324-8328).
HSP90 substrate destabilization occurs in tumor and non-transformed cells alike and has been shown to be especially effective on a subset of signaling regulators, e.g., Raf (Schulte, T. W. et al., 1997, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 239:655-9; Schulte, T. W., et al., 1995, J. Biol. Chem. 270:24585-8), nuclear steroid receptors (Segnitz, B., and U. Gehring. 1997, J. Biol. Chem. 272:18694-18701; Smith, D. F. et al., 1995, Mol. Cell. Biol. 15:6804-12), v-src (Whitesell, L., et al., 1994, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:8324-8328) and certain transmembrane tyrosine kinases (Sepp-Lorenzino, L. et al., 1995, J. Biol. Chem. 270:16580-16587) such as EGF receptor (EGFR) and Her2/Neu (Hartmann, F., et al., 1997, Int. J. Cancer 70:221-9; Miller, P. et al., 1994, Cancer Res. 54:2724-2730; Mimnaugh, E. G., et al., 1996, J. Biol. Chem. 271:22796-801; Schnur, R. et al., 1995, J. Med. Chem. 38:3806-3812), CDK4, and mutant p53. Erlichman et al., Proc. AACR (2001), 42, abstract 4474. The ansamycin-induced loss of these proteins leads to the selective disruption of certain regulatory pathways and results in growth arrest at specific phases of the cell cycle (Muise-Heimericks, R. C. et al., 1998, J. Biol. Chem. 273:29864-72), and apoptosis, and/or differentiation of cells so treated (Vasilevskaya, A. et al., 1999, Cancer Res., 59:3935-40).
In addition to anti-cancer and antitumorgenic activity, HSP90 inhibitors have also been implicated in a wide variety of other utilities, including use as anti-inflammation agents, anti-infectious disease agents, agents for treating autoimmunity, agents for treating ischemia, and agents useful in promoting nerve regeneration (See, e.g., Rosen et al., WO 02/09696; PCT/US01/23640; Degranco et al., WO 99/51223; PCT/US99/07242; Gold, U.S. Pat. No. 6,210,974 B1). There are reports in the literature that fibrogenic disorders including but not limited to scleroderma, polymyositis, systemic lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, liver cirrhosis, keloid formation, interstitial nephritis, and pulmonary fibrosis may be treatable. (Strehlow, WO 02/02123; PCT/US01/20578).
Ansamycins and other HSP90 inhibitors thus hold great promise for the treatment and/or prevention of many types of disorders. However, their relative insolubility makes them difficult to formulate and administer, and they are not easily synthesized and currently must, at least in part, be generated through fermentation. Further, the dose limiting toxicity of ansamycins is hepatic. Despite the potential of ansamycins, alternative HSP90 inhibitors are therefore needed.
Recently, Chiosis et al. described the design and synthesis of purine analogs that mimic geldanamycin and other ansamycins in their ability to bind the ATP binding pocket of, and thus inhibit, HSP90. See International Patent Application PCT/US01/46303 (WO 02/36075; Chemistry & Biology 8:289-299 (2001). The specific compounds that Chiosis et al. described included a trimethoxybenzyl entity substituted at positions 3,4, and 5. Using gel-binding assays, these were shown to bind HSP90 approximately 20-fold less avidly than the benzoquinone ansamycin, 17-AAG. Chiosis et al. did not attempt a quinone mimic for the methoxybenzyl entity, speculating that to do so would lead to hepatoxicity. Id., pg. 290, col. 1, ¶ 4. Nor did Chiosis et al. teach, suggest, or otherwise report the use of sulfides, sulfoxides, and sulfones as described herein.

Purine analogs having HSP90-inhibiting activity

Abstract: Novel purine compounds of Formula I.

Abstract: and tautomers, pharmaceutically acceptable salts, and prodrugs thereof, wherein X is S, S(O), or S(O)2; and O is selected from alkyl, cycloalkyl, arylalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, and heterocyclic, all optionally substituted, are described, as are pharmaceutical compositions comprising the same, complexes comprising the same, e.g., HSP90 complexes, and methods of using the same.