An oximetry sensor comprising a wrap member including a fastener and adhesive member and an LED assembly and photodiode connected to a cable.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to sensors applied to the body for monitoring or making measurements of body tissue conditions, metabolism or other body functions indicative of health. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a pulse oximetry sensor which can be readily attached and reattached to a portion of the body in a non-invasive manner having an adhesive wrap member for use with a reusable pulse oximetry sensor to retain the sensor in the desired position comfortably on a patient.
2. State of the Art
In the prior art, a non-invasive pulse oximetry sensor may be used to measure the relative oxygen saturation of the blood. Typically, in such prior art types of oximetry sensors, a light source, such as a light emitting diode (LED) is used to alternately direct light of two different wave lengths, such as red and infrared light, to the blood through the skin. The light transmitted or reflected by the blood at the different wave lengths can then be compared to provide a measurement of oxygen saturation of the blood.
A typical prior art probe system contains the light emitting sources, such as the LED's, and a light detector, such as a photodiode, mounted on the appendage of the body, such as a finger, toe, ear lobe, nose, hand, tongue or foot. However, such devices need to be capable of being readily attached to the body appendages, comfortable when attached to a patient, be reusable on the same patient, be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, remain in the desired position on the patient during use without substantial movement, and fit a wide variety of patients without discomfort.
One type of prior art type oximetry sensor uses the mechanical clamping action of spring biased jaws to retain the sensor on an appendage of a patient. Such a device is illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,685,464 and 5,438,986. While such devices are effective, they are inherently difficult to clean and inappropriate for the long term use or application on a patient and can only be used on the fingers of a patient. The clamping pressure of the spring biased jaws necessary to maintain the oximetry sensor in position on the patient's finger often is uncomfortable during long-term usage.
Another type of oximetry sensor relies upon a deformable member being located in the device to retain the sensor on the appendage of a patient. Such a device is illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,865,038, 4,928,691, and 5,217,012. During the reuse of such sensors on a patient, since the retaining member has been deformed and has a memory, reinstallation of the sensor may affect the comfort of the patient.
In yet another type of oximetry sensor, in an effort to facilitate reuse of the sensor and to provide comfort to the patient during use of the sensor, the sensor is retained on the finger of a patient through the use of hook and loop fabric. However, such sensors have used complex shapes of hook and loop fabric as retaining devices, thereby causing the manufacturing expense of the device to increase. Also, the sensors may need to be installed tightly on an appendage to prevent movement, thereby causing discomfort for the patient. Such sensors are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,825,879, 5,209,230, and 5,469,845.
In another type of oximetry sensor with an adhesive, the adhesive is used to attach the sensor to a patient in an attempt to lower manufacturing cost of the sensor, provide comfort to the patient during use of the sensor, and provide a secure attachment of the sensor to the patient. However, since the device must be often repositioned on a patient, the adhesive loses its adhesive quality during reuse, thereby allowing movement of the sensor. Also, the adhesive may irritate the patient during use, thereby causing discomfort. Such sensors are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,830,014 and 5,170,786.
In yet another type of oximetry sensor, an elastomeric member is used to retain the sensor on the finger of a patient. Although this allows reuse of the sensor, the degree of pressure applied by the elastomeric member and the elastomeric member being in contact with the skin may cause discomfort to a patient and, if too weak, may allow movement of the sensor during use. Such a sensor is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,744.
Since the prior art sensors are generally either reusable and expensive to manufacture, or are not easily reusable and have a relatively low manufacturing cost, or reusable and cause discomfort to the patient, there is a need for a readily positioned, comfortable, extended life, reusable, disposable attachment piece, low manufacturing cost pulse oximetry sensor.

Disposable adhesive wrap for use with reusable pulse oximetry sensor and method of making


A directory operational block data structure is provided by a processor within a memory. The directory operational block data structure allows configuration of a directory of a file system, at an operating-system level, with at least one executable program to be executed in response to configurable operating-system level directory events associated with the directory. A first program is attached within the directory operational block data structure to execute in response to a specified directory event. The attached first program is executed at the operating-system level in response to detection of the specified directory event.

The present invention relates to operating system functionality. More particularly, the present invention relates to operating system control of directory events with dynamic program execution.
A directory within a file system operates as a container of files. Directory attributes allow assignment of directory access properties, such as read-only and hidden, to all files within the directory. The directory properties control access to files that are stored within the directory. File properties associated with a particular file control access to that file. For example, a file within a directory that has its read-only attribute set may not be modified, while a file within a directory that has its read-only attribute cleared may be modified. A directory with its hidden flag set will not appear in a higher-level directory listing.

Operating system control of directory events with dynamic program execution

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for measuring a distribution of body fat for human body. The method comprises the step of measuring a bioelectrical impedance and a thickness of abdominal subcutaneous fat, based on the personal data such as sex, age, height, weight, etc. The method further comprises the step of calculating an area or an amount of abdominal visceral fat or abdominal subcutaneous fat, based on the measurements of the bioelectrical impedance and the thickness of abdominal subcutaneous fat as well as the girth of abdomen. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the method comprises the step of measuring the thickness of abdominal subcutaneous fat and the girth of abdomen. Thereafter, the area of abdominal visceral fat and the area of abdominal subcutaneous fat are calculated, based upon the measurements of the thickness of abdominal subcutaneous fat and the girth of abdomen.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for measuring a body fat for a person, and more particularly, to a method and an apparatus for measuring a distribution of body fat for a human body.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past, the weight of a person was frequently used as a factor to represent a personal health condition. But, recently, a rate of body fat for a person has becoming to be an important factor to represents the health condition for the person. Accordingly, various types of method and apparatus for measuring an amount of body fat have been developed and proposed. For instance, TOKUKAISHO No. 62-169023 discloses a technique for measuring an amount of body fat for a person by entering the personal data such as height, age, sex, etc., and measuring the weight for a person and the impedance between the extreme parts on a body of the person. In addition, TOKUHYOSHO No. 57-500900 discloses a technique for measuring the thickness of a fatty fascia. According to this technique, an ultrasonic pulse signal is applied to an animal from the rear side, and any received signal reflected from a boundary between a fatty fascia and a muscle fascia is detected. Then the time period between transmission and reception of the pulse signal is measured to determine the thickness of the fatty fascia. Furthermore, TOKUKAISHO No. 62-87139 discloses an estimating method for body fat. According to this method, subcutaneous fat on each part of a human body is measured by using an ultrasonic signal. Then the measurement is multiplied by a cross sectional area factor or a body fat estimation factor on each part of the body for producing an estimate of body fat on each part of the body. Thereafter, the individual estimates are integrated to determine whole body fat.
Recently, it has found that a risk for a person to get so called xe2x80x9cadult (noncommunicable) diseasesxe2x80x9d, such as diabetes, arteriosclerosis, etc., may vary depending upon the distribution of fat or whether he has a subcutaneous fat or a visceral fat, irrespective of the same rate of fat he has. Therefore, a method of measuring the distribution of fat by analyzing a tomographic image of an abdomen taken by CT or MRI has been proposed.
Such method, however, is problematic in that the analysis of the image is highly complex and CT may produce an exposure of X-ray to the human body.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for measuring a distribution of body fat, that can solve the problems of the prior art.
In order to attain such object, the prior art problems are solved, according to one aspect of the present invention, by providing a new and improved method of measuring a distribution of body fat for a human body, characterized in that it comprises the steps of. measuring a bioelectrical impedance and a thickness of abdominal subcutaneous fat, based on the personal data such as sex, age, height, weight, etc.; and calculating an area or an amount of abdominal visceral fat, based on the measurements of the bioelectrical impedance and the thickness of abdominal subcutaneous fat.
According to another aspect, the present invention provides a method of measuring a distribution of body fat for a human body, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: measuring a bioelectrical impedance and a thickness of abdominal subcutaneous fat, based on the personal data such as sex, age, height, weight, etc.; and calculating an area or an amount of abdominal subcutaneous fat, based on the measurements of the bioelectrical impedance and the thickness of abdominal subcutaneous fat.
According to further aspect, the present invention provides a method of measuring a distribution of body fat for a human body, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: measuring a bioelectrical impedance and a thickness of abdominal subcutaneous fat, based on the personal data such as sex, age, height, weight, etc.; and calculating an area or an amount of abdominal visceral fat and an area or an amount of abdominal subcutaneous fat, based on the measurements of the bioelectrical impedance and the thickness of abdominal subcutaneous fat.
According to yet further aspect, the present invention provides a method of measuring a distribution of body fat for a human body, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: measuring a bioelectrical impedance and a thickness of abdominal subcutaneous fat, based on the sex, age, height and weight of a person; measuring a girth of abdomen; and calculating an area or an amount of abdominal visceral fat, based on the measurements of the bioelectrical impedance, the thickness of abdominal subcutaneous fat and the girth of abdomen.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, said thickness of abdominal subcutaneous fat is measured by using an ultrasonic signal.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, said thickness of abdominal subcutaneous fat is measured by using a skin hold caliper.
According to yet further aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for measuring a distribution of body fat for a human body, characterized in that it comprises: a first input unit that enters the personal data such as sex, age, height, weight, etc.; a measuring unit that measures a bioelectrical impedance; a second input unit that enters a thickness of abdominal subcutaneous fat; and an arithmetic element that calculates an area or an amount of abdominal visceral fat, based on the data from said first input unit, said measuring unit and said second input unit.
According to yet further aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for measuring a distribution of body fat for a human body, characterized in that it comprises: a first input unit that enters the personal data such as sex, age, height, weight, etc.; a measuring unit that measures a bioelectrical impedance; a second input unit that enters a thickness of abdominal subcutaneous fat; and an arithmetic element that calculates an area or an amount of abdominal subcutaneous fat, based on the data from said first input unit, said measuring unit and said second input unit.
According to yet further aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for measuring a distribution of body fat for a human body, characterized in that it comprises: a first input unit that enters the personal data such as sex, age, height, weight, etc.; a measuring unit that measures a bioelectrical impedance; a second input unit that enters a thickness of abdominal subcutaneous fat; a third input unit that enters a girth of abdomen; and an arithmetic element that calculates an area or an amount of abdominal visceral fat, based on the data from said first input unit, said measuring unit, said second input unit and said third input unit.
According to yet further aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for measuring a distribution of body fat for human body, characterized in that it comprises: a first input unit that enters the personal data such as sex, age, height, weight, etc.; a measuring unit that measures a bioelectrical impedance; a second input unit that enters a thickness of abdominal subcutaneous fat; a third input unit that enters a girth of abdomen; and an arithmetic element that calculates an area or an amount of abdominal subcutaneous fat, based on the data from said first input unit, said measuring unit, said second input unit and said third input unit.
According to yet further aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for measuring a distribution of body fat for human body, characterized in that it comprises: a first input unit that enters the personal data such as sex, age, height, weight, etc.; a measuring unit that measures a bioelectrical impedance; a second input unit that enters a thickness of abdominal subcutaneous fat; and an arithmetic element that calculates an area or an amount of abdominal visceral fat and an area or an amount of abdominal subcutaneous fat, based on the data from said first input unit, said measuring unit and said second input unit.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, said second input unit includes an ultrasonic probe.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the data detected by said ultrasonic probe is transmitted to said arithmetic element via a radio communication means or an optical communication means
According to further embodiment of the present invention, said second input unit includes a skin hold caliper.
According to further embodiment of the present invention, the data detected by said skin hold caliper is transmitted to said arithmetic element via a radio communication means or an optical communication means
According to yet further aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for measuring a distribution of body fat for a human body, characterized in that it comprises: a first arithmetic element that calculates an area of abdominal visceral fat; a second arithmetic element that calculates an area of abdominal subcutaneous fat; and a decision unit that determines the type of corpulence by dividing the area of abdominal visceral fat calculated in said first arithmetic element by the area of abdominal subcutaneous fat calculated in said second arithmetic element.
According to yet further aspect, the present invention provides a method of measuring a distribution of body fat for a human body, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: measuring the thickness of abdominal subcutaneous fat and the girth of abdomen; and calculating the area of abdominal visceral fat, based upon the measurements of the thickness of abdominal subcutaneous fat and the girth of abdomen.
According to yet further aspect, the present invention provides a method of measuring a distribution of body fat for a human body, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: measuring the thickness of abdominal subcutaneous fat and the girth of abdomen; and calculating the area of abdominal subcutaneous fat, based upon the measurements of the thickness of abdominal subcutaneous fat and the girth of abdomen.
According to yet further aspect, the present invention provides a method of measuring a distribution of body fat for a human body, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: measuring the thickness of abdominal subcutaneous fat and the girth of abdomen; and calculating the area of abdominal visceral fat and the area of abdominal subcutaneous fat, based upon the measurements of the thickness of abdominal subcutaneous fat and the girth of abdomen.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, the step of deriving the area of abdominal visceral fat or the area of abdominal subcutaneous fat further comprises the step of performing a correction process based upon the personal data including sex, age, height, etc.
According to yet further aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for measuring a distribution of body fat for a human body, characterized in that it comprises: a first input unit that enters the thickness of abdominal subcutaneous fat; a second input unit that enters the girth of abdomen; and an arithmetic element that calculates the area of abdominal visceral fat based upon the data from said first and second input units.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, said first input unit includes an ultrasonic probe.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, said first input unit includes a skin hold caliper.
According to further embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus further comprises a third input unit that enters the personal data including sex, age, height, etc.

Method and apparatus for measuring distribution of body fat


Provided is a fiber-optic sensor device. The fiber-optic sensor device is capable of sensing a change in physical quantity by using two fiber Bragg grating units arranged within an optical fiber and a fiber-optic sensor unit arranged therebetween, thereby implementing a low cost fiber-optic grating sensor having a simple structure without requiring a reference FBG.

An optical fiber grating widely used for optical communication and fiber optic sensor devices is generally manufactured by the change of a refractive index of a fiber optic core which is generated by radiating strong ultraviolet rays on the optical fiber.
At this point, the optical fiber grating is classified as a short period optical fiber grating and a long period optical fiber grating according to the characteristic of the optical fiber, such as a refractive index modulation period or the like, and studied and used as a reflection and penetration filter or the like in relation to the wavelength based on the characteristic.
In addition, a fiber Bragg grating induces periodic changes of the refractive index of the optical core in the axial direction. The optical fiber grating has a characteristic of reflecting only the rays satisfying a Bragg condition and having a narrow line width (generally, 0.1 to 1 nm) around a Bragg wavelength and passing rays of the other wavelengths. If temperature of the fiber Bragg grating is changed or a stress is applied to the fiber Bragg grating, the Bragg wavelength also is changed. Accordingly, a variety of fiber-optic grating sensors for measuring temperature, strain, pressure or the like using the characteristic have been developed.
However, since the fiber-optic grating sensor requires an expensive reference fiber Bragg grating (FBG), it is expensive and has a complex structure. Accordingly, development of a measure for implementing a fiber-optic grating sensor of a low price and a simple structure is required.

Fiber-optic sensor device having a second fiber bragg grating unit to reflect light passing through a fiber optic sensor

INDUSTRIAL COOPERATION FOUNDATION CHONBUK NATIONAL UNIVERSITY


A battery cast-on-strap machine unloading apparatus includes a first and a second unit. Each unit includes a rotary drive mechanism; and, a pinion co-axial with and directly driveable by the rotary drive mechanism. The apparatus further includes an elongate rack. The rack includes teeth along a first side and an opposing second side. The first and second units are mounted adjacent to each other on the rack. Operation of each drive mechanism causes rotation of the respective pinion to be converted into linear motion of the respective unit along the rack. Adjacent rotary drive mechanisms are located on opposing sides of the rack, such that the pinion of the first unit meshes with the teeth along the first side of the rack, and the pinion of the adjacent second unit meshes with the teeth along the opposing second side of the rack.

In the manufacture of batteries, particularly lead acid batteries, cast-on-strap machines are used to cast connectors known as straps onto the lugs of battery plates, for the purpose of providing a connection between a set of plates within a cell of the battery. Typically, straps are cast-on across a pack or group comprising a plurality of battery plates. The lugs of the negative plates within a group are connected via a first cast-on strap, whereas the lugs of the positive plates within the group are connected via a second cast-on strap.
Such groups are then output from the cast-on-strap machine, and require transporting from the cast-on-strap machine into a battery container. Battery containers typically comprise a housing, usually made of plastic. Within the housing are a series of partitions which divide the housing into individual cells. Each cell normally receives a single group of cast-on battery plates.
The groups of battery plates are usually transported from the cast-on strap machine to the battery container using an unloading apparatus, which comprises several gripper mechanisms. The gripper mechanisms are driven linearly along a rack by a motor, between the output from the cast-on strap machine where they pick up the groups of battery plates, and the battery container where they release the groups of battery plates into the appropriate cell within the container.
Typically each gripper mechanism will do this simultaneously, and as such, it is important to set the spacing between each gripper mechanism so that they are all correctly placed to pick up and release their respective group of battery plates.
However, there is a lower limit on the size of battery plate groups, and size of the resulting battery, that can be processed by the cast-on strap machine and unloading apparatus, which is at least in part dictated by the width of the motor used. The gripper mechanisms cannot be brought closer together than the width of the motor. However, switching the standard motor for one with a smaller width has the disadvantage that the smaller motor may not be powerful enough to operate the unloading apparatus, which still needs to be able to handle larger groups of battery plates and produce larger batteries (such as for cars or trucks).
It is an object of embodiments of the present invention therefore to provide an unloading apparatus which can handle smaller groups of battery plates, and thus produce smaller battery sizes, all whilst using a standard motor size.


A power seat operating device for a vehicle has a switch module for operating a power seat of the vehicle. In particular, the switch module includes a plurality of seesaw type switches to control operation directions of the power seat, and the operation directions of the power seat according to the operation of each switch is displayed with arrows on a display, thereby improving the switch operating convenience of the user such as accurately controlling the operation direction of the power seat according to the switch operation by the user, and accurately recognizing a selection state and an operation direction of the switch desired by the user.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Generally, a power seat for a vehicle includes a seat cushion for seating, a seatback against which the back leans, and a headrest supporting a neck and a head, as an essential configuration, and additionally, further includes power mechanism configurations for adjusting various positions of a seat.
Particularly, the side portion of the power seat is mounted with a switch module for adjusting the seat cushion, the seatback, and the like to various locations.
The switch module adopts a structure in which several switches are combined and arranged for the forward and backward movement adjustment in the seat, the height adjustment in the seat cushion, the extension adjustment for the front portion of the seat cushion, the bolster angle adjustment in the seatback, the reclining adjustment in the seatback, the support direction adjustment in a lumbar support installed within the seatback, and the like.
Further, a touch sensor is embedded in each switch of the switch module, such that the selection state and operating direction of the switch may be displayed through a display around a driver seat together with the sensing operation of the touch sensor when the user's hand touches the switch.
Therefore, the user may easily, visually recognize the selection state and the operation direction of the switch displayed on the display while keeping an eye on the front during driving.
That is, the user may easily, visually recognize the selection state and the operation direction of the switch displayed on the display, thereby eliminating the user's inconvenience such as turning the head toward the switch module while bending the upper body for directly confirming the operating state of the switch module mounted on the side portion of the seat.
Meanwhile, the switch module may be composed of a first switch for the adjustment in a total of six directions such as the forward and backward movement adjustment in the entire seat (two directions), the up and down of the front portion of the seat cushion (two directions), and the vertical height adjustment in the seat cushion (two directions), a second switch for the extension adjustment for the front portion of the seat cushion (two directions), a third switch for the reclining adjustment in the seatback (two directions), a fourth switch for the bolster angle adjustment in the seatback (two directions), a fifth switch for the support direction adjustment in the lumbar support (four directions), and the like.
Further, touch sensors may be embedded in the first to fifth switches.
Therefore, when the touch operation is performed in which the user's hand touches the surface of one switch of the first to fifth switches desired by the user to operate, a sensing signal of the touch sensor embedded in the corresponding switch is output to a controller, and subsequently, the arrow indicating the operation direction of the power seat according to the operating of the switch touched by the user's hand may be displayed on the display by the control of the controller.
Therefore, the operation direction of the power seat according to the operating of the switch touched by the user's hand may be displayed on the display, such that the user may visually, easily recognize the operation direction of the power seat according to the switch operating.
For example, when the touch operation is performed in which the user's hand touches the first switch for the adjustment in a total of six directions such as the forward and backward movement adjustment in the seat (two directions), the up and down of the front portion of the seat cushion (two directions), and the height adjustment in the seat cushion (two directions), as illustrated in FIG. 23, a total of six arrows guiding the operation direction of the power seat according to the operating of the first switch are simultaneously displayed on a display 200 together with the sensing operation of the touch sensor embedded in the first switch, such that the user may visually, easily recognize that the first switch is being selected.
However, we have discovered that even if the user touches any portion of the first switch, a total of six arrows guiding the operation direction of the power seat by the operating of the first switch are simultaneously displayed on the display, such that there is a disadvantage in that the user does not accurately receive the guidance for the operation direction of the first switch and the operation direction of the power seat actually desired by the user.
Likewise, even in the case of the second switch to the fifth switch, even if the user touches any portion of the second to fifth switches, all operation directions of the power seat according to the operating of the second to fifth switches are simultaneously displayed on the display by the arrows, such that there is a disadvantage in that the user does not accurately receive the guidance for the operation directions of the second to fifth switches and the operation direction of the power seat actually desired by the user.
For example, even if the touch operation is performed in which the user's hand touches the surface of the rear end of the first switch for the forward movement adjustment (e.g., pushing the first switch forward) of the seat, a total of six arrows guiding the operation direction of the power seat according to the operating of the first switch are simultaneously displayed on a display, such that the user may recognize that his/her hand touches the first switch, but there is a disadvantage in that the user does not accurately receive the guidance for the operation direction of the first switch for the forward movement adjustment in the seat and the operation direction of the power seat (e.g., the forward movement adjustment in the seat) according to the operating of the first switch.
That is, if the touch operation is performed in which the user's hand touches the surface of the rear end of the first switch for the forward movement adjustment (e.g., operating of pushing the first switch forward) of the seat, the user may accurately recognize the operation direction of the first switch for the forward movement adjustment in the seat when only one arrow guiding the forward movement adjustment in the seat is displayed on the display, but as described above, a total of six arrows guiding all operation directions of the power seat which may be operated by the operating of the first switch are simultaneously displayed on the display, such that there is a problem in that the user does not accurately receive the guidance for the operation direction of the first switch desired by the user, thereby rather increasing the inconvenience when the user handles the switch.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the disclosure and accordingly it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Power seat operating device having seesaw type switch for vehicle


In one embodiment, a capacitor comprises a substrate defining a first electrical terminal; a catalyst layer disposed on the substrate; a plurality of carbon nanotubes disposed on the catalyst layer; a dielectric layer disposed over the plurality of carbon nanotubes; and a conductive layer disposed on the dielectric layer and defining a second electrical terminal.

1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the present invention are related to the field of electronic devices, and in particular, to capacitors.
2. Description of Related Art
A decoupling capacitor may be embedded in an integrated circuit (IC) package adjacent to a die (chip) or included in a capacitor interposer disposed between the IC package and a die. The decoupling capacitor stores charge to provide a stable power supply by decoupling the supply from high frequency noise, damping power overshoots when the die is powered up, and damping power droops when the die begins to use power. High capacitance density is needed in many applications such as for decoupling the power supply for integrated circuits of the die. Inductance between the capacitor and the die slows response time of the capacitor to voltage changes. By embedding the capacitor in close proximity to the die, this inductance may be reduced.
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are hollow graphite tubules having a diameter of generally from several nanometers to several tens of nanometers. The tubules may be capped at their ends. Single-wall carbon nanotubes (SW-CNT) and multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MW-CNT) have relatively great mechanical strength and relatively high electrical and thermal conductivities. SW-CNTs may be formed essentially of sp2-hybridized carbon atoms typically arranged in hexagons and pentagons. MW-CNTs are nested single-wall carbon cylinders and possess some properties similar to SW-CNTs. Various methods have been applied to the synthesis of SW-CNTs and MW-CNTs, including the use of catalysts to initiate growth of some CNTs.


At least one of a plurality of gastrointestinal disorders is treated by stimulating an enteric nervous system of a patient to enhance a functional tone of the enteric nervous system. A treatment includes electrically stimulating a vagus nerve of the patient at a stimulation site proximal to at least one site of vagal innervation of a gastrointestinal organ. The electrical stimulation includes applying a stimulation signal at the stimulation site. An optional proximal electrical blocking signal is applied to the vagus nerve at a proximal blocking site proximal to the stimulation site. The proximal blocking signal is selected to at least partially block nerve impulses at the proximal blocking site.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to treatments of disorders associated, at least in part, with neural activity. These may include, without limitation, gastrointestinal, pancreo-biliary, cardio-respiratory and central nervous system disorders (including neurological and psychiatric, psychological and panic disorders). More particularly, this invention pertains to treatment of such disorders through management of neural impulse stimulation and blocking.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A. Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (FGIDs)
Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (FGIDs) are a diagnostic grouping having diagnostic criteria based on symptomatology, because the pathophysiology of these diseases is multifactorial with some pathophysiologic mechanisms in common. FGIDs are thought to be due to altered autonomic nervous system balance and to be pathophysiological combinations of: (1) abnormal GI motility; (2) visceral hypersensitivity; and, (3) brain-gut interactions. Tougas, "The Autonomic Nervous System in Functional Bowel Disorders", Gut, Vol. 47 (Suppl IV), pp. iv78-iv80 (2000) and Drossman, "Rome II: A Multinational Consensus Document on Gastrointestinal Disorders—The Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders and the Rome II Process", Gut, Vol. 45 (Suppl II):II1-II5 (1999). The FGIDs of interest to the present invention are functional dyspepsia (dysmotility-like) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Nerve stimulation and blocking for treatment of gastrointestinal disorders


One example includes a switch system. The system includes a first signal port and a second signal port. The system also includes a first switching path arranged between the first and second signal ports. The first switching path includes at least one first switch and at least one of the at least one first switch being configured as a high-speed switching device. The system further includes a second switching path arranged between the first and second signal ports in parallel with the first switching path. The second switching path includes at least one second switch and at least one of the at least one second switch being configured as a high-performance switching device.

Multifunction sensor systems are rapidly becoming the expectation for upcoming sensor systems. Therefore, front-end electronics that are closest to the antenna are typically desired to possess low-loss, high-performance, and wideband RF switching capability. Phase-change material (PCM) switching devices typically provide extremely low-loss performance, but at the expense of switching speed. For multifunction systems, many of the applications, such as radar or electronic attack, require fast switching speeds (e.g., on the order of tens of nano-seconds). Other types of switching devices can provide such switching speeds, but typically provide significant signal losses that can be detrimental to such applications.

Hybrid high-speed and high-performance switch system


Liquid cooled electric motors including stator frames having cast in place cooling conduits are described. In an exemplary embodiment, the conduit is arranged in a generally helical configuration and the stator frame is cast around the conduit so that the conduit is embedded within, and integral with, the frame. Spacer, or stabilizer, bars are engaged to the conduit and provide support for the conduit and facilitate maintaining the desired spacing between lengths of conduit and between the conduit and the frame wall. The stator frame with the cast in place cooling conduit has the advantages of a liquid cooled motor yet is believed to be lower cost than known liquid cooled motors. The frame also is believed to be less susceptible to corrosion and liquid leaks as compared to known liquid cooled motors. Further, the advantage that the cooling coil and frame material may be different is provided, which enables selection of optimum material for the coil and frame with respect to cost, corrosion resistance, mechanical strength, and machinability.

Electric motors generate heat during operation as a result of both electrical and mechanical losses, and an electric motor typically must be cooled in order to ensure the desired and efficient operation of the motor. An excessively high motor temperature may result in motor bearing failure or damage to the stator winding insulation.
Electric motors generally have an enclosure, or housing, including a frame and endshields. The most common enclosures are "open" or totally enclosed. With an "open" enclosure, ambient air circulates within the enclosure, and heat is removed by convection between the air and heat generating motor components within the enclosure. The air is exhausted out from the enclosure.
Totally enclosed type enclosures typically are used in applications in which airborne contaminants, e.g., dirt, oil, or mist, must be prevented from entering within the enclosure. Both convection and conduction type cooling occurs within the enclosure, and some form of convection cooling occurs at the external surfaces of the enclosure. For example, forced convection cooling is provided by a fan mounted to the motor shaft external the enclosure. The fan forces air over the frame and endshields. Alternatively, free convection and radiation type cooling may occur if no shaft mounted fan is provided.
Known open and totally enclosed fan cooled motors generally require a fan or compressor for circulating air over or through the motor. Providing the required air volume and velocity for proper cooling often results in significant fan noise. Such noise can be reduced by eliminating the fan. Eliminating the fan, however, results in a significant reduction in the cooling since the cooling coefficients associated with free convection and radiation type cooling are significantly lower than the cooling coefficients associated with forced convection cooling. Due to the lower cooling coefficients, a motor utilizing free convection and radiation type cooling must physically be larger than a forced air cooled motor, or the motor power output must be reduced as compared to the power output of the forced air cooled motor.
With the above described enclosures and cooling, heat from the motor is exchanged with ambient air in the immediate vicinity of the motor. In many applications, the heated ambient air must be continually refreshed with cooler air in order to maintain proper motor cooling.
In a totally enclosed liquid cooled motor, the motor is connected to a coolant supply. The coolant supply is connected in a cooling circuit, which can be a closed loop or open loop type circuit. The liquid coolant could, for example, be water, hydraulic oil, or other relatively low temperature process liquids.
In a closed loop system, the coolant is pumped through the motor and removes the generated heat. The coolant is then circulated through a remotely mounted heat exchanger and returned to the motor. As one example, in a closed loop system the motor is connected to a cooling circuit including a motor cooling coil, a circulating pump, an external evaporative chiller, and associated piping.
In an open loop system, the coolant is not returned to the motor as in the closed loop system. The coolant could, for example, be waste liquids, process liquids, or any other available source of liquid that functions as a coolant. As one example, in an open loop system, the motor is connected to a motor driven pump which pumps liquid from a large reservoir, and a small percentage of the high-pressure fluid exiting the pump is diverted through the motor cooling coil and returned to the reservoir.
The heat transfer coefficient for forced convection cooling using liquid is generally much higher, or better, than the heat transfer coefficient for air. Therefore, in a liquid cooled motor, the overall cooling typically is much better than a similarly sized, substantially similar air cooled motor. Further, in a liquid cooled motor, and by using a remotely mounted heat exchanger such as an evaporative water chiller, the immediate surroundings of the motor are not heated as with an air cooled motor. The remotely mounted heat exchanger therefore further facilitates improving motor operation. Also, in a liquid cooled motor, the external fan can be eliminated which facilitates reducing motor noise.
In one known totally enclosed water cooled motor configuration, the stator frame includes a cooling jacket or passage, and a cooling medium from an external source flows through the jacket and removes heat generated by the motor. Particularly, in known liquid cooled motors, the cooling jacket is formed by an inner shell and an outer shell. The inner shell is machined to form a water path through the shell, and the outer shell is then press fit or welded to the inner shell to form the water jacket. Significant machining, welding, and assembly time are required to fabricate the above described water jacket. In addition, leak checking and rework typically are required and further increase the frame cost.
The improved overall heat transfer of liquid cooling enables operation of the motor at a higher output for a particular motor size as compared to an air cooled motor of the same size. Therefore, totally enclosed liquid cooled motors may be smaller than totally enclosed air cooled motors having the same horse power ratings, even taking into account the water jacket. The size of the motor affects, of course, the cost of motor components.
Also, known totally enclosed air cooled motors are believed to be noisier than liquid cooled motors since the liquid dampens at least some of the noise resulting from motor operation. The totally enclosed air cooled motor with an external fan generates significant noise due to air velocity and turbulence. For example, an air cooled motor may operate at approximately about 70-80 dBA, and a similarly rated liquid cooled motor may operate at approximately about 50 dBA.
Although liquid cooled motors are believed to provide many advantages, such motors also have disadvantages. For example, such motors typically are more expensive to fabricate than air cooled motors, and liquid cooled motors are susceptible to corrosion and to liquid leaks. Further, as corrosion builds-up within the cooling jacket over time, the overall heat transfer capability of the water cooled motor degrades.
It would be desirable to provide the many advantages of a liquid cooled motor yet at a lower cost than known liquid cooled motors. It also would be desirable to provide a liquid cooled motor that has a reduced susceptibility to corrosion and liquid leaks as compared to known liquid cooled motors.
An object of the present invention is to provide a low cost liquid cooled motor.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a liquid cooled motor which is less susceptible to corrosion and liquid leaks than known liquid cooled motors.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a simplified and lower cost process for fabricating liquid cooled motors.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an integral cooling jacket and stator frame for reducing the labor required in fabricating a liquid cooled motor as compared to the labor required in known liquid cooled motors.


Systems and methods are disclosed for adjusting oil pressure supplied to engine components. In one example approach, a method for controlling oil flow in an engine comprises adjusting oil pressure supplied to the engine based on engine acceleration. For example, engine acceleration may be used to predict future engine lubrication requirements so that oil pressure adjustments may be scheduled accordingly.

It is well known to provide an oil supply system for an engine that supplies oil from a reservoir, often referred to as a sump, to various components on the engine requiring a supply of oil, such as bearings, pistons, hydraulic valve mechanisms, and piston cooling jets.
Approaches are known which adjust oil pressure supplied to various components of an engine based on engine rotational speed (RPM). For example, oil pressure may be increased in response to increases in engine speed in order to overcome centrifugal forces in the engine crankshaft while meeting engine lubrication requirements.
However, the inventors herein have recognized that engine rotational speed may change rapidly during certain engine operating conditions and oil pressure adjustments based on engine speed may arrive too late due to the response time of oil supply system components, such as an oil pump or valves. For example, typical engine oil pressure response is 0.2 to 1 second depending on oil pump conditions. Thus, oil pressure adjustments based on a current engine rotational speed may be delayed under certain conditions which may lead to degradation of engine components which rely on accurate oil pressure adjustments, for example.
Accordingly, systems and methods are disclosed herein to at least partially address the above issues. In one example approach, a method for controlling oil flow in an engine is provided. The method comprises adjusting oil pressure supplied to the engine based on engine acceleration. For example, engine acceleration may be used to predict future engine lubrication requirements so that oil pressure adjustments may be scheduled accordingly.
In this way, oil pressure adjustments may be scheduled accordingly to account for oil pressure response time, engine response time, and/or actuator response time, for example, so that lubrication requirements of engine components may be met under different engine operating conditions. Further, degradation of engine components may be reduced since current oil pressure demands by the engine are met in a timely fashion rather than implemented in a delayed fashion.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.

Oil pressure scheduling based on engine acceleration


A mobile communication terminal includes a display module to display image data on an image display area, an input module to generate touch data according to a touch input in a touch area, and a storage module to store the touch data associated with the image data. A data input method includes displaying image data on an image display area, generating touch data according to a touch input in a touch area, associating the touch data with the image data, and storing the touch data associated with the image data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data input method and a mobile communication terminal that may display touch data such as characters and pictures along with image data on an image display area, may generate touch data according to a touch input in a touch area, and may store the touch data associated with the image data.
2. Discussion of the Background
With increased usage and development of communication technologies, various services such as games, wireless Internet connectivity, still and video image capture, and the like, are provided in a mobile communication terminal, along with voice call service and a short message service (SMS).
A user may record moving images and take photos using a camera installed in a mobile communication terminal. Image data taken from photos and moving images may be transmitted to one or more other mobile communication terminals using a multimedia messaging service (MMS).
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of recording moving images in a mobile communication terminal.
The mobile communication terminal may generate image data based on a user's operation, and may store the generated image data in a storage module. However, the mobile communication terminal has no capability to insert characters and pictures into the image data when generating the image data. That is, mobile communication terminal may not provide such functions as inserting pictures and characters into the image data.
Accordingly, a new technique is required to save touch data, such as characters and pictures, associated with image data and to display the touch data along with the image data when the image data is played or retrieved.

Mobile communication terminal and data input method


The flexible bearing is formed of a sleeve-shaped smooth bearing 6 fixed in a flexible block 4 nested in a housing 3 of the boat so as to absorb the bending deformations of the mainpiece without transmitting them to the structure. The housing 3 is streamlined so as to block the flexible block.

Generally speaking, the mainpiece of a rudder is supported by the boat by means of at least two bearings, that is either smooth bearings or ball bearings or needle bearings or even cylindrical roller bearings allowing the rudder blade to rotate.
Owing to the particular hydrodynamic forces possibly exerted transversally on the rudder blade, especially in difficult sea conditions, the mainpiece of the rudder may be subjected to bending deformations inducing an embedding force in these bearings which, when combined with a shearing force, strongly stresses the structure of the boat. These forces thus provoke a premature fatigue of the rudder mainpiece and the boat structure close to the bearings. Similarly, the induced deformations provoke premature wear of the mainpiece guides, this frequently requiring that the latter be replaced.
One conventional solution aiming to overcome these drawbacks consists of providing extremely solid, heavy and expensive mainpieces, mainpiece supports and a boat structure so as to avoid any ill-timed ruptures during navigation. Consequently, it is preferable to avoid implementing these solutions by using spherical rocker bearings or spherical ball bearings or barrel-shaped roller bearings. However, the drawback of these materials is the fact that they are extremely expensive, require constant maintenance to ensure correct functioning and are moreover extremely fragile, having regard to a marine environment.
Furthermore, the time involved in changing bearings in the event of the latter becoming worn or broken proves to be long and arduous as these elements need to be forcefully mounted, indeed often permanently cemented.

Flexible bearing for supporting the mainpiece of a rudder


A nonvolatile storage device is provided with at least one stacked poly gate structure formed on the substrate and disposed between a first trench and a second trench. The trenches each having two walls. A first doped area having a first conductivity type extending along the wall of the first trench and a second doped area having a second conductivity type extending along the wall of the second trench. The first doped area and the second doped area having heights greater than widths, the heights being parallel to the trench walls and the widths being perpendicular thereto. The trench walls are lined with a metal silicide to decrease resistivity.

This invention is in the field of nonvolatile memory devices, and specifically relates to Electrically Erasable and Programmable Read-Only (EEPROM) devices.
EEPROM devices in general, and methods for making such devices, are well known in the art. Typically, an EEPROM memory cell structure has a source region, a drain region, a floating gate, a control gate, and a dielectric layer isolating the control gate from the floating gate.
The source and drain regions are typically disposed as lateral doped areas as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,698,787, U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,228 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,849,369. Such configurations take up a significant amount of horizontal space in the memory cell structure because the surface source and drain areas are defined by conventional photolithography.
The source and drain regions have also been disposed as vertical doped areas in a trench structure which also contains gate regions as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,004. Such devices include pleated gates that are less reliable than the typical stacked poly gate or mesa structure. Defects of the semiconductor material concentrate in the bottom of the trench, where the pleated gate structure is located, thus making the pleated gate devices vulnerable to such defects.
Another disadvantage to the prior art is that individual electrical contacts must be connected to each gate, source and drain region. This requires quite an extensive amount of conductive interconnections and space. Such contacts to the drain, for example, have been made by a silicide film pad and selective tungsten plugs as described in an article by Y.S. Hisamune, et al., A 3.6um.sup.2 Memory Cell Structure for 16MB EPROMS, IEDM 89-583. Such technology requires multilayers of metallization in order to achieve operability of such contacts including at least one layer of metallization for word lines and at least one additional layer for bit lines. Thus, for a high density memory the current state of art requires complicated production and manufacturing processes. Such complicated processes are expensive.
Therefore, there has been a long standing need for a high density, reliable EEPROM structure with a reduced memory cell area that is contactless with only a single layer of metallization.

Electrically erasable and programmable read-only memory with source and drain regions along sidewalls of a trench structure


A method and apparatus for providing improved intelligibility of contemporaneously perceived audio signals. Differentiation cues are added to monaural audio signals to allow a listener to more effectively comprehend information contained in one or more of the signals. In a specific embodiment, a listener wearing stereo headphones listens to simultaneous monaural radio broadcasts from different stations. A differentiation cue is added to at least one of the audio signals from the radio reception to allow the listener to more effectively focus on and differentiate between the broadcasts.

The invention relates generally to communications systems and particularly communications systems where a listener concurrently receives information from more than one audio source.
Many situations require real-time transfer of information from an announcer or other source to a listener. Examples include a floor director on a set giving instructions to a studio director, lighting director, cameraman, or so forth, who is concurrently listening to a stage performance, rescue equipment operators who are listening to simultaneous reports from the field, a group of motorcyclists talking to each other through a local radio system, or a pilot listening to air traffic control ("ATC") and a continuous broadcast of weather information while approaching an airport to land.
Signals from the several sources are typically simply summed at a node and provided to a headphone, for example. It can sound like one source seems to be "talking over" the second source, garbling information from one or both of the sources. This can result in the loss of important information, and/or can increase the attention required of the listener, raising his stress level and distracting him from other important tasks, such as looking for other aircraft.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a system and method for listening to several sources of audio information simultaneously that enhances the comprehension of the listener.


In order to form parallel windings in the longitudinal end region of the empty tube, a drive roller, which is driven at a peripheral speed adapted to the constant thread withdrawal speed provided for the subsequent formation of the crosswinding, is placed onto the peripheral surface of the empty tube, which has been lifted from the winding cylinder, and the thread, which is delivered at a constant speed, is passed to the then driven empty tube. After formation of the reserve winding, the empty tube is lowered onto the winding cylinder. The thread is displaced towards the middle of the bobbin and, by way of adaptation to the shortening of the thread run occasioned thereby and to a change in diameter possibly then brought into effect, the peripheral speed of the drive roller is altered to maintain a constant thread wind-on tension. The thread is passed to the cross-winding device, and the drive roller is lifted from the empty tube. To form the reserve winding, a thread guide is movable into the region of the empty tube, which is held at a distance from the winding cylinder by the bobbin-lifting device. The drive of the drive roller together with the thread guide is connected to a common control device.

The present invention relates to a method of forming a reserve winding on a rotating empty tube, to which a thread drawn off at a constant speed from a work station is passed in order to form parallel windings in the longitudinal end region of the empty tube before passing it to a cross-winding device to form a cross-winding pattern of the thread on the empty tube. The tube is driven at a constant peripheral speed by a winding cylinder. The invention also relates to an apparatus for carrying out the method.
In a known method for forming the reserve winding, the empty tube is driven at the normal winding speed (EP-OS 69 205). This gives rise to a thread excess, which leads to disturbances during the winding-up process and is, therefore, particularly in the case of larger reserve windings, compensated for by temporary storage.
It is further known to hold an empty tube, during the formation of parallel reserve windings, between three roller pairs, of which one pair is driven in a defined, fixed speed ratio relative to the winding cylinder (DE 30 39 857 A1). In this manner, it is possible during the formation of the parallel reserve windings to maintain a wind-on tension which corresponds to the wind-on tension during production. With this apparatus it is, however, impossible to avoid changes in tension when, after the parallel reserve windings have been formed, the thread is fed to the cross-winding thread guide.

Method and apparatus for forming a reserve winding on a rotating empty tube

Rieter Ingolstadt Spinnereimaschinenbau AG


A beam shaping assembly (10) used in a neutron capture system and capable of changing an irradiation range of a neutron beam. The beam shaping assembly includes: a beam inlet (11), a target (12), a moderator (13) adjoining the target (12), a reflector (14) surrounding the moderator (13), a thermal neutron absorber (15) adjoining the moderator (13), a radiation shield (16) arranged inside the beam shaping assembly (10), and a beam outlet (17). The beam shaping assembly (10) further includes replacement components (21, 22) that can be attached to and detached from the beam shaping assembly (10) to change the irradiation range of the neutron beam.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
As atomics moves ahead, such radiotherapy as Cobalt-60, linear accelerators and electron beams has been one of major means to cancer therapy. However, conventional photon or electron therapy has been undergone physical restrictions of radioactive rays; for example, many normal tissues on a beam path will be damaged as tumor cells are destroyed. On the other hand, sensitivity of tumor cells to the radioactive rays differs greatly, so in most cases, conventional radiotherapy falls short of treatment effectiveness on radioresistant malignant tumors (such as glioblastomamultiforme and melanoma).
For the purpose of reducing radiation damage to the normal tissue surrounding a tumor site, target therapy in chemotherapy has been employed in the radiotherapy. While for high-radioresistant tumor cells, radiation sources with high RBE (relative biological effectiveness) including such as proton, heavy particle and neutron capture therapy have also developed. Among them, the neutron capture therapy combines the target therapy with the RBE, such as the boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). By virtue of specific grouping of boronated pharmaceuticals in the tumor cells and precise neutron beam regulation, BNCT is provided as a better cancer therapy choice than conventional radiotherapy.
BNCT takes advantage that the boron (10B)-containing pharmaceuticals have high neutron capture cross section and produces 4He and 7Li heavy charged particles through 10B(n,α)7Li neutron capture and nuclear fission reaction. As illustrated in FIG. 1, a schematic view of boron neutron capture reaction are shown, the two charged particles, with average energy at about 2.33 MeV, are of linear energy transfer (LET) and short-range characteristics. LET and range of the alpha particle are 150 keV/micrometer and 8 micrometers respectively while those of the heavy charged particle 7Li are 175 keV/micrometer and 5 micrometers respectively, and the total range of the two particles approximately amounts to a cell size. Therefore, radiation damage to living organisms may be restricted at the cells' level. When the boronated pharmaceuticals are gathered in the tumor cells selectively, only the tumor cells will be destroyed locally with a proper neutron source on the premise of having no major normal tissue damage.
BNCT is also well known for binary cancer therapy, for its effectiveness depending on the concentration of the boronated pharmaceuticals and the number of the thermal neutrons at the tumor site. The beam shaping assembly in the existing accelerator based boron neutron capture therapy (AB-BNCT) facility usually adopts a variety of collimators with different apertures to adjust the neutron beam. However, in the absence of a collimator, the beam outlet is made up of a reflector and a neutron shield, so the variable range of the beam outlet is limited by relying solely on the collimator's confinement of the beam outlet. For example, when the beam outlet radius of the beam shaping assembly without the collimator is 7 cm, and the tumor area is large, the tumor area cannot be completely irradiated due to the small beam irradiation range. When the beam outlet radius of the beam shaping assembly without the collimator is 10 cm and the tumor area is small, even if a collimator is added, the collimator is limited by its thickness, and because the beam irradiation range is too large, the beam irradiation area cannot be effectively limited, resulting in unnecessary irradiation of surrounding normal tissues.
Therefore, it is really necessary to provide a new technical solution so as to solve the foregoing problem.


The apparatus 10 has a conveyor 12 which may be configured as a multiple tape conveyor and the working section 14 of which, which is driven in a conveying direction (F), forms a supporting face 16 for the printed products 18 which accumulate in an overlapping formation (S). An aligning plate 66 is situated on each side of the conveyor 12. The working section 14 of the conveyor can be deflected out of a conveying plane by means of a switching means 34, in order, in particular for the aligning of thin printed products 18 with few pages, to form a bend 62 in the products which reinforces them transversely with respect to the conveying direction (F) so that they can be laterally shifted into alignment by the aligning plates without damage.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for laterally aligning accumulating flexible, flat objects, such as printed products, while the objects are being transported on a conveyor.
An apparatus of this type is known, for example, from EP 0 223 941 A. For laterally aligning printed products which are situated on a conveyor which is configured as a belt conveyor, said apparatus has guide rails in the form of endless toothed belts which are arranged on both sides of the conveyor and are moved by motor-driven pulley wheels in the same movement direction and at approximately the same conveying speed as the printed products.
A further apparatus for laterally aligning printed products which accumulate in an overlapping formation according to EP 0 567 807 A has a row of aligning columns as aligning unit. Said aligning columns have a round outline and are driven in such a way that their surface which is oriented toward the overlapping formation moves at conveying speed in the conveying direction F. In order to prevent printed products which are conveyed, for example, between two aligning columns with one corner against a spacing being carried between the aligning columns through and below the transport belt, in which case they could endanger the overlapped stream and the latter could be damaged, stop plates are provided between the aligning columns.
Apparatuses of this type function satisfactorily if the accumulating printed products have a certain thickness and therefore a sufficient inherent stability. However, there can be problems if, for example, thin printed products, that is to say having few sheets, predominantly in the tabloid format, accumulate with a great ejection rate from a rotary printing press, the inherent stability of said printed sheets being insufficient for the known lateral aligning.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus of the generic type, by means of which flexible, flat objects having varying inherent stability can be aligned laterally.

Apparatus for laterally aligning printed products


A method for accessing locally stored data at a client site via a network request issued by a client browser of a user includes, with a proxy component at the client site, integrating the locally stored data into a placeholder portlet; and providing the portlet including the locally stored data to the client browser in response to the network request. Another method for accessing locally stored data at a client site via a network request issued by a client browser of a user includes providing a placeholder portlet to a proxy component located at the client site; where the placeholder portlet comprises content from an external service provider and is configured to integrate the locally stored data with the content from the external service provider. An electronic data processing system for accessing locally stored data at a client site includes a proxy component configured to intercept requests for access to the locally stored data that are addressed to an external portal server. The proxy component accesses the locally stored data, integrates the locally stored data with content from the external portal server in a placeholder portlet, and serves the placeholder portlet, including the locally stored data, to a requesting client computer.

The present specification relates to the field of network computing. In particular, the present specification relates to a method and respective system for accessing locally stored data via a remote service offered by a centrally provided service provider portal.
Many companies operate an intranet portal. This is a web site which aggregates all business applications and information and provides these to the company's employees in a personalized manner. As used herein and in the appended claims, unless otherwise specifically denoted, the term "client" will be used to refer expansively to a device or browser that is able to display the content to the end user. Further, as used herein and in the appended claims, unless otherwise specifically denoted, the term "tenant" will be used to refer expansively to a party who has the right to use such a centralized portal infrastructure hosted by the data center (provider).
Larger companies or associations have centralized data centers that host the infrastructure. However, business areas or cooperation partners also have their own critical business applications and infrastructure that are not centrally hosted because of reasons of autonomy or confidentiality. In contrast, from an IT service and business perspective it is desirable to gain productivity and cost efficiency via a centralized IT and electronically connected business information, e.g. by using a portal integration platform.
Three state-of-the-art integration variants may be considered: A straightforward approach is depicted in FIG. 1 and is meant to give the provider access to the tenant's intranet, so that he can communicate with the tenant's resources and integrate them into the central portal. The basic idea of such a communication is shown in FIG. 1.
When a client requests content from the portal (step 1), the portal opens a connection to the resources in the client's intranet (step 2) through defined ports in the firewall. The requested pieces of local information are then sent back to the portal through the internet (step 3). This data is integrated into the portal and is sent back as aggregated content to the client (step 4). But within this scenario the provider may be capable of reading sensitive data. And, even if the provider was trustable, all data, including all sensitive pieces of information, would be transferred twice through the internet (see steps 3 and 4). This may require an extensive security effort to protect the data from potential aggressors. Also, this form of back-and-forth-data-transport disadvantageously wastes bandwidth.
To avoid the double transferral of potentially sensitive pieces of information through the internet, all of the tenant's resources could be moved into the provider's site (e.g. extranet) (18). With such a centralization step, the integration of all applications and data can be easily achieved. But this also means that the data may again be visible and accessible to the provider, which is not desirable, especially in the case of sensitive data.
Furthermore, the tenant's autonomy in choosing individual business solutions may be heavily constricted because the installed applications are subject to the provider's restrictions, whereas the tenant has the power to decide what content is on his own intranet site. In addition to this, the hosting-costs have to be considered carefully.
Another option would be client-side content integration via state-of-the-art techniques like IFrames or AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML). IFrame is an HTML element which can embed another HTML document inside the main document. The drawback of this solution is that the portal content cannot communicate with this IFrame using standardized portlet to portlet communication mechanisms, and the content of the IFrame is not in the portal context. AJAX is a popular way of exchanging data with application services in order to make web pages feel more responsive. To enable AJAX calls to the portal and to local services the portal and local tenant's services have to be in the same (virtual) domain to circumvent the origin policy of the browser's sandbox security. This again makes the tenant's environment vulnerable because central portlets are also able to access the local tenant's (AJAX) services.
Besides the need of IT to centralize infrastructure and services, many tenants also need to use their own individual infrastructure, which may include confidential workflows and confidential data. Both, intellectual property and pure business data should not be revealed to the provider. In this regard, the above prior art portal cannot fulfill its role as the single point of access to all business applications. Hence, the confidentiality needs of the multiple client companies are not satisfied.


Domino circuit and related architectures and methods for carrier aggregation. In some embodiments, a Domino circuit can include first and second signal paths for respective first and second frequency bands, and each signal path can be configured to present an approximately zero impedance to a signal in the other frequency band. The Domino circuit can further include a coupling circuit that couples the first and second signal paths, and configured such that the approximately zero impedance presented by the signal path to the signal in the other frequency band results in the signal in the other frequency band being substantially excluded from the signal path.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates to carrier aggregation in radio-frequency (RF) applications.
2. Description of the Related Art
In some radio-frequency (RF) applications, cellular carrier aggregation (CA) can involve two or more RF signals being processed through a common path. For example, carrier aggregation can involve use of a path for a plurality of bands having frequency ranges that are sufficiently separated. In such a configuration, simultaneous operation of more than one band can be achieved.


In one embodiment, a processor comprises an instruction buffer and a pick unit. The instruction buffer is coupled to receive instructions fetched from an instruction cache. The pick unit is configured to select up to N instructions from the instruction buffer for concurrent transmission to respective slots of a plurality of slots, where N is an integer greater than one. Additionally, the pick unit is configured to transmit an oldest instruction of the selected instructions to any of the plurality of slots even if a number of the selected instructions is greater than one. The pick unit is configured to concurrently transmit other ones of the selected instructions to other slots of the plurality of slots based on the slot to which the oldest instruction is transmitted. Some embodiments comprise a computer system including the processor and a communication device configured to communicate with another computer system.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to the field of processors and, more specifically, to fetch and dispatch of instructions in processors.
2. Description of the Related Art
Superscalar processors attempt to achieve high performance by processing multiple instructions in parallel. For example, superscalar processors typically include multiple parallel execution units, each configured to independently execute operations. In order to provide enough instructions to effectively make use of the parallel execution units, superscalar processor attempt to rapidly fetch and decode multiple instructions, and transmit them to the instruction scheduling mechanism.
Since operand dependencies between instructions need to be respected, the program order of the fetched and decoded instructions must be discernable so that dependency checking can be performed. For example, processors that implement register renaming often perform the dependency checking as part of the register renaming operation.
The program order of instructions transmitted in different clock cycles is typically apparent: instructions transmitted in earlier clock cycles are older than instructions transmitted in later clock cycles. An older instruction is prior to a younger instruction in the program order. The program order can be speculative, if branch prediction is implemented to direct fetching, for example.
Among instructions that are transmitted concurrently (e.g. in the same clock cycle), the program order is less apparent. To ensure that program order can be discerned, many processors assign a static program order among the parallel decoders. The decoders and other hardware can be viewed as slots to which instructions can be transmitted. The first instruction in program order is transmitted to slot 0, the second instruction in program order is transmitted to slot 1, etc. Thus, the program order of the concurrently transmitted instructions is apparent from the slots to which the instructions were transmitted.
FIG. 1 is an example of such operation for three slots (three concurrently transmitted instructions). Of course, any number of slots can be implemented. Also shown in FIG. 1 is an exemplary sequence of instructions I0 to I10, where the speculative program order of the instructions flows from top to bottom in FIG. 1 (e.g. I0 is first, I1 is second, etc., according to the speculative program order). For various reasons, less than three instructions are issued in some clock cycles (e.g. not enough instructions available from fetching, implementation-dependent constraints, etc.).
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the first instruction in program order in each transmission cycle (labeled D0 to D4 in FIG. 1) is always issued to slot 0. The second instruction in program order, if any, is always issued to slot 1 and the third instruction in program order, if any, is always issued to slot 2. Thus, the program order of the concurrently transmitted instructions is slot 0, then slot 1, and then slot 2.
Implementing instruction transmission in FIG. 1 typically includes a relatively complex rotation mechanism to align the first instruction in program order to slot 0. The rotation mechanism is dependent on the number of instructions previously transmitted and the location of the first instruction in the fetched instructions. Additionally, the resources associated with slot 0 are generally more highly utilized than other slots. If the slots are symmetrical in terms of resources, the resources assigned to slot 0 dictate the achievable parallelism of the processor as a whole. On the other hand, if more resources are assigned to slot 0 than the other slots (and more resources are assigned to slot 1 than slot 2), the implementation is more complex due to the differences between slots. Other proposed mechanisms permit the first instruction to be transmitted to a slot other than 0, but concurrently transmitted instructions are transmitted to higher-numbered slots. Thus, complex rotations are still used in such implementations.

Distributed dispatch with concurrent, out-of-order dispatch


The present invention relates to a method and device for monitoring a control channel in a wireless communication system. A terminal receives a UE-specific reference signal (URS) from at least one extended subframe, and monitors a control channel in an extended control channel region of the at least one extended subframe. The control channel is demodulated using the URS.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns wireless communications, and more specifically, to methods and apparatuses for monitoring a control channel in a wireless communication system.
2. Related Art
3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) TS (Technical Specification) Release-8-based LTE (Long Term Evolution) is a potent, next-generation mobile communication standard. Recently, LTA-A (LTE-advanced) based on 3GPP TS Release 10 that supports multiple carriers is being standardized.
As set forth in 3GPP TS 36.211 V10.2.0 (2011-06) "Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA); Physical Channels and Modulation (Release 10)," physical channels, in 3GPP LTE/LTE-A, may be classified into PDSCH (Physical Downlink Shared Channel) and PDCCH (Physical Downlink Control Channel) that are downlink channels and PUSCH (Physical Uplink Shared Channel) and PUCCH (Physical Uplink Control Channel) that are uplink channels.
The PDCCH is a downlink control channel used for uplink scheduling and downlink scheduling. The PDCCH is detected using blind decoding in a specific region of a sub-frame.
As standardization is underway, the amount and type of downlink control information diversify, and as a plurality of serving cells are introduced in LTE-A, use of PDCCH only is encountered with a number of limits. This is why the PDCCH is transmitted limited to a specific region, multiplexing between terminals is not supported.

Control channel monitoring method and device


An optical information recording method records information with respect to an optical information recording medium having a multi-layer structure recording layer formed by a plurality of recording layers each capable of recording information, and carries out an Optimum Power Control (OPC) prior to carrying out the recording. Recording conditions that are used when carrying out the OPC are read from one of the recording layers of the optical information recording medium to which the recording is to be made, where each of the recording layers is recorded with the recording conditions therefor, and the OPC is carried out using the read recording conditions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to optical information recording apparatuses, information processing apparatuses, optical information recording media, optical information recording methods and computer-readable storage media, and more particularly to an optical information recording apparatus and an optical information recording method for recording information on an optical information recording medium having a multi-layer structured recording layer made up of a plurality of recording layers each capable of recording information, an optical information recording medium having a recording layer with a multi-layer structured recording layer made up of a plurality of recording layers each capable of recording information, an information processing apparatus having such an optical information recording apparatus for recording information on such an optical information recording medium, and a computer-readable storage medium which stores a program for causing a computer to record or to control an optical information recording apparatus to record information on such an optical information recording medium having the multi-layer structured recording layer.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, a Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 11-195243 proposes a recording medium having a multi-layer structured recording layer, and recording and reproducing methods for such a recording medium.
In addition, a Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2002-50053 proposes a technique for recording information that is unique to a data layer in each of the data layers forming a multi-layer structured recording layer of an optical medium.
Furthermore, a Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2000-311346 proposes an Optimum Power Control (OPC) with respect to an optical disk having a multi-layer structured recording layer.
Due to the popular use of multi-media, music CDs, CD-ROMs, read-only media (recording media) such as DVD-ROMs, and information reproducing apparatuses therefor have been reduced to practice. Recently, much attention is drawn to write-once optical disks using dye media, rewritable Magneto-Optic (MO) disks using MO media, and phase change type media, and information recording and reproducing apparatus which use such recording media have also been reduced to practice. Rewritable DVD media are expected to become the next-generation multi-media recording media and large-capacity storage media.
The phase change type media record the information by making a reversible phase change of a recording material between a crystal phase and an amorphous phase. Unlike the MO media and the like, the phase change type media do not require an external magnetic field, and information can be recorded on and reproduced from the phase change type media by simply irradiating a laser beam from a light source such as a semiconductor laser onto the phase change type media. Furthermore, an overwrite recording can be made with respect to the phase change type media by the laser beam which simultaneously carries out the erasure and recording of the information.
For example, as a general recording waveform for use in making a recording on the dye media, there is a single-pulse semiconductor laser emission waveform that is generated based on an 8-16 modulation code or the like. When using the single-pulse recording waveform for the recording, a recording mark may become distorted to a tear-drop shape due to accumulated heat. For this reason, as a Laser Diode (LD) light emission waveform strategy for recording information on the dye media, a system has been proposed to form marks on the dye media by use of a laser beam having a multi-pulse waveform based on recorded data such as an EFM modulation code, as shown in FIG. 1(c). FIG. 1 is a timing charge showing a channel clock, an 8-16 modulated signal and an optical waveform in the optical information recording and reproducing apparatus. FIG. 1(a) shows the channel clock, and FIG. 1(b) shows the 8-16 modulated signal. A system has been proposed to form a mark portion of the multi-pulse waveform shown in FIG. 1(c) by a leading heating pulse and a plurality of consecutive heating pulses which follow the leading heating pulse. In FIG. 1(c), Pw denotes a write power (power when the heating pulse is ON), Pb denotes a bias, power (power when the heating pulse is OFF), Pr denotes a read power, A denotes the leading heating pulse, B denotes the plurality of consecutive heating pulses, C denotes consecutive cooling pulses between the consecutive heating pulses, an D denotes an erase pulse. Normally, the power is not turned OFF completely when the heating pulse is OFF, and the bias power Pb which is approximately the same as the read power. Pr is applied.
Generally, an optimum value of the recording power when making the recording with respect to the optical recording medium changes depending on an ambient temperature, the kind of recording medium, a linear velocity and the like. Hence, when making the recording with respect to the dye medium or the phase change type medium, the optical information recording apparatus optimizes the recording power prior to recording the information by carrying out the Optimum Power Control (OPC) which performs a test write. The OPC is carried out by recording predetermined information in a predetermined area of the recording medium called a Power Calibration Area (PCA), and reproducing the predetermined information.
More particularly, test data having a predetermined pattern made up of marks and spaces amounting to 3 times (3T) to 14 times (14T) of a period T of the channel clock, are recorded on the optical recording medium by varying the light emission power in several levels. The recorded test data are reproduced, and a DC modulation of an RF signal, an asymmetry of the RF signal after AC coupling, and the like at each power level are calculated as evaluation references. A modulation M may be calculated as follows, where Ip−p denotes a maximum amplitude of the RF signal and Imax denotes a maximum value of the RF signal.M=Ip−p/I max  (1)
In addition, an asymmetry β after the AC coupling may be described by the following, where X1 denotes a positive peak level of the RF signal after the AC coupling, X2 denotes a negative peak level of the RF signal after the AC coupling.β=(X1+X2)/(X1−X2)  (2)In the above, "X1+X2" indicates a difference between the positive and negative peak levels of the RF signal after the AC coupling, and "X1−X2" indicates a peak-to-peak value of the RF signal after the AC coupling.
The optimum recording power is obtained based on the modulation M and the asymmetry β after the AC coupling described above.
When recording information on the write-once or rewritable medium, it is necessary to set the recording conditions depending on the type of the medium. Generally, the recording conditions include the setting of the recording power and the setting of the recording pulse shape that are used when carrying out the OPC. In a case where the optical information recording apparatus is capable of specifying the type (manufacturer's name, type identification information, etc.) of the medium to which the recording is to be made, the recording conditions for the medium may be prestored in a memory within the optical information recording medium. In the case of the DVD+R and DVD+RW media, the manufacturer and type of the medium are prerecorded in a wobble signal recorded in a pre-groove that is formed on a recording track, called an Address In Groove (ADIP), in a predetermined region of the medium.
In a case where the optical recording apparatus is not capable, of specifying the type of the medium (unknown medium), the recording conditions that are specified by the manufacturer of the medium are recorded in the ADIP information in the predetermined region, and thus, the recording power setting and the recording pulse shape can be determined based on the recording conditions when carrying out the OPC.
As one approach to increase the amount of information recorded on the optical recording medium as compared to the conventional case, there is a known technique that forms the recording surface by multiple layers. In the DVD-ROM media, this technique is already reduced to practice for media having there cording surface with a 2-layer structure. As described above, the structure and the recording method for the recordable medium having the multi-layer structured recording layer are proposed in the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 11-195243, for example.
In a case where the multi-layer structured recording layer is employed in the write-once or rewritable media, the recording conditions must be set for each layer forming the multi-layer structured recording layer since the recording characteristics differs for each layer forming the multi-layer structured recording layer.
If the optical information recording apparatus is capable of specifying the type of the medium, the recording conditions for each layer forming the multi-layer structured recording layer may be prestored in the memory within the optical information recording apparatus. But if the optical information recording apparatus is not capable of specifying the type of the medium, such as the case where the type of the medium is unknown, optimum recording conditions cannot be set, for each layer forming the multi-layer structured recording layer, to thereby deteriorate the recording quality.
In the case of the medium recorded with the recording conditions of each layer forming the multi-layer structured recording layer in each layer as proposed in the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2002-50053, the recording conditions can be read from each layer forming the multi-layer structured recording layer even if the medium is unknown to the optical information recording apparatus.
But conventionally, there is no known optical information recording apparatus which carries out the OPC, with respect to the medium recorded with the recording conditions of each layer forming the multi-layer structured recording layer in each layer of the multi-layer structured recording layer, using the recording conditions of each layer reproduced from the medium.

Optical information recording apparatus, information processing apparatus, optical information recording medium, optical information recording method, and computer-readable storage medium