A method for effecting assignment of addresses in a system including at least one server device communicatingly coupled with a plurality of client devices, the addresses permitting communications among the at least one server device and at least one selected client device, includes the steps of: (a) identifying a respective geographic locus for each respective client device; and (b) assigning a respective geographic address for each respective client device; each respective geographic address identifying a particular respective geographic locus for a particular respective client device. A system for effecting communication among a plurality of server devices and a plurality of client devices includes: (a) a communication bus coupling the plurality of server devices; and (b) a plurality of connection loci coupled with the communication bus. Respective client devices are coupled with selected connection loci. Each respective connection locus is uniquely identified by a respective address.

The present invention is directed to construction of components within a system to facilitate easier, more cost effective operation and maintenance of the system. In particular, in its preferred embodiment the invention relates to an addressing arrangement in a system that employs Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) servers for communicating with a plurality of client devices via a communication bus structure. The invention is embodied in a method for implementation of the addressing arrangement and in the system that employs the addressing arrangement.
In systems that include server apparatuses that are required to communicate with client devices for effecting the configuration of the client devices, there is a need for both the servers and the clients to be able to uniquely identify each client device in order to configure each client correctly. This identifier is provided to one or more servers when requesting configuration information for itself, so that the server or servers know which client's configuration is to be supplied. The need for unique identifiers being assigned to client devices is complicated as more servers are added to the system to provide parallelism and backup capabilities for the system. The need for unique identification of client devices is even further exacerbated when address assignment is effected dynamically by servers during operations. The unique client identifiers are typically an address of some sort, as will be described below herein.
One exemplary such dynamic addressing system is a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) system. DHCP is an operational protocol standard that permits a server to dynamically assign Internet Protocol (IP) addresses to nodes or workstations (i.e., client devices) on the fly. The DHCP protocol supports manual, automatic and dynamic address assignment. It is in the dynamic address assignment arrangement that the present invention is especially advantageous. A prior art DHCP protocol system operating in a dynamic address assignment mode provides client information, including subnetwork mask, gateway address and Internet addresses (i.e., IP addresses). The DHCP server is generally configured as a dedicated server. In dynamic address assignment, the DHCP server verifies a given client device's identity, "leases" an IP address to the client device (usually for a given period of time) and reclaims the address for reassignment at the expiration of the lease period. Thus, the DHCP protocol permits assignment of IP addressees from a common address pool and facilitates re-use of addresses. Such reusing of addresses for limited lease periods is advantageous in relieving strain on address numbering schemes that offer limited digits for coding addresses.
There are two important design results that are desirable in implementing a DHCP addressing scheme in a server-client system. (1) It is desirable to provide redundant service without requiring communication among the servers themselves. Such a desirable arrangement requires that the DHCP address database have a fixed association between client identifiers (e.g., hardware identification) and IP addresses. (2) It is desirable to allow a failed client device to be replaced merely by removing the failed client device and installing a replacement device in its place, commonly known as a "plug-and-play" replacement, and that the new client retains the Internet address, i.e., IP address, that was originally assigned to the now-failed client. The retention of the original IP address allows other components on the network that communicate with the clients to be able to communicate with the new client without reconfiguration of those other components. That is, in replacing a client device there is no need for reconfiguration of the DHCP server or reconfiguration of the client device when effecting the replacement.
Prior art DHCP protocol systems have been configured to satisfy either design result (1) or design result (2). However, no prior art DHCP protocol system has succeeded in satisfying both of design results (1) and (2).
Prior art DHCP protocol systems have satisfied design result (1) by configuring each DHCP server with identical associations between client identifiers (e.g., a hardware address or a DHCP client identification string) and IP addresses. Because a hardware address is associated with the particular item of hardware employed for the client device, replacement of the client device necessarily requires reconfiguration of the DHCP servers with the new hardware address. That is, a technician must enter the new hardware identification into the servers indicating the new piece of hardware that constitutes the replacement client device.
In such manner, design result (1) is satisfied, but design result (2) cannot be satisfied. By way of farther example, if a DHCP client identification string is employed, the DHCP servers must somehow be notified of the new identification string associated with the replacement client device at or before the time the client device first communicates with the servers. However, in order for the replacement client device to properly present the required information to the server the DHCP client identification string must be known to the replacement client device itself. The DHCP client identification string would need to be entered into a non-volatile storage site in the replacement client device. A DHCP client identification string depends upon exactly where in the system the replacement client device is installed. For this reason the DHCP client identification string cannot be entered into the client device non-volatile storage before its installation. A technician must intervene during installation of the replacement client device to configure the replacement client device with its location-related information. That is, a technician installing a replacement client device must enter the DHCP client identification string into the non-volatile memory of the client device, including information regarding the location within the system at which the new client device is situated. This requirement for on-site entry of information into a client device during installation precludes satisfying design result (2).
Prior art DHCP protocol systems have satisfied design result (2) by employing a single DHCP server that maintains dynamic associations between hardware addresses and IP addresses. Because there is only a single DHCP server in such systems there is no need for communication between or among several DHCP servers to maintain hardware address-IP address associations. However, for the very reason that there is only one DHCP server in such prior art arrangements, no redundancy of DHCP server functions can be provided and design result (1) cannot be satisfied.
There is a need for a system for effecting communication among a plurality of devices and servers, and a method for assigning addresses therefor that can provide redundant service without requiring communication among servers and that can permit device replacement without reconfiguration of servers or the replacement device.

System for effecting communication among a plurality of devices and method for assigning addresses therefor


Degradable polyacetal polymers and functionalized degradable polyacetal polymers have properties favorable for use in pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. The degradable polyacetal polymers are relatively stable at physiological pH with favorable biodistribution profiles, and degrade readily in low pH conditions. Conjugates of the polymers with drugs, especially anticancer drugs, and methods of treatment of cancer.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to degradable polyacetal polymers and therapeutic agents derived therefrom, the production of these materials, and methods of disease treatment using them.
2. Description of the Related Art
Polymer therapeutics (R. Duncan, "Polymer therapeutics for tumor specific delivery", Chem. & Ind., 7, 262–264, 1997) are developed for biomedical applications requiring physiologically soluble polymers; and include biologically active polymers, polymer-drug conjugates, polymer-protein conjugates, and other covalent constructs of bioactive molecules. An exemplary class of a polymer-drug conjugate is derived from copolymers of hydroxypropyl methacrylamide (HPMA), which have been extensively studied for the conjugation of cytotoxic drugs for cancer chemotherapy (R. Duncan, "Drug-polymer conjugates: potential for improved chemotherapy", Anti-Cancer Drugs, 3, 175–210, 1992; D. Putnam et al., "Polymer conjugates with anticancer activity", Adv. Polym. Sci., 122, 55–123, 1995; R. Duncan et al., "The role of polymer conjugates in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer", STP Pharma, 6, 237–263, 1996). An HPMA copolymer conjugated to doxorubicin, known as PK-1, is currently in Phase II evaluation in the UK. PK-1 displayed reduced toxicity compared to free doxorubicin in the Phase I studies (P. Vasey et al., "Phase I clinical and pharmacokinetic study of PKI (HPMA copolymer doxorubicin): first member of a new class of chemotherapeutic agents: drug-polymer conjugates" Clin. Cancer Res., 5, 83–94. 1999). The maximum tolerated dose of PK-1 was 320 mg/m2, which is 4–5 times higher than the usual clinical dose of free doxorubicin.
The polymers used to develop polymer therapeutics may also be separately developed for other biomedical applications that require the polymer be used as a material. Thus, drug release matrices (including microparticles and nanoparticles), hydrogels (including injectable gels and viscous solutions) and hybrid systems (e.g. liposomes with conjugated poly(ethylene glycol) on the outer surface) and devices (including rods, pellets, capsules, films, gels) can be fabricated for tissue or site specific drug delivery. Polymers are also clinically widely used as excipients in drug formulation. Within these three broad application areas: (1) physiologically soluble molecules, (2) materials, and (3) excipients, biomedical polymers provide a broad technology platform for optimizing the efficacy of an active therapeutic drug.
An increasing number of physiologically soluble polymers have been used as macromolecular partners for the conjugation of bioactive molecules. Many polymers have the disadvantage of being non-degradable in the polymer backbone. For example, poly(ethylene glycol) (C. Monfardini et al., "Stabilization of substances in circulation", Bioconjugate Chem., 9, 418–450, 1998; S. Zalipsky, "Chemistry of polyethylene glycol conjugates with biologically active molecules", Adv. Drug Delivery Rev, 16, 157–182, 1995; C. Delgado et al., "The uses and properties of PEG-liked proteins", Crit. Rev. Ther. Drug Carrier Syst., B, 249–304, 1992; M. L. Nucci et al., "The therapeutic values of poly(ethylene glycol)-modified proteins", Adv. Drug Delivery Rev. 6, 133–151, 1991; A. Nathan et al., Copolymers of lysine and polyethylene glycol: A new family of functionalized drug carriers", Bioconjugate Chem. 4, 54–62, 1993) and HPMA (D. Putnam et al., "Polymer conjugates with anticancer activity", Adv. Polym. Sci., 122, 55–123, 1995; and R. Duncan et al., "The role of polymer conjugates in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer", STP Pharma, 6, 237–263, 1996) copolymers have been extensively studied for conjugation. PEG is also generally used in the pharmaceutical industry as a formulation excipient. These hydrophilic polymers are soluble in physiological media, but their main disadvantage is that the polymer mainchain does not degrade in vivo. Thus it is not possible to prohibit accumulation of these polymers in the body. Only polymers with a molecular weight lower than the renal threshold can be used for systemic administration. It is imperative that for the systemic use of non-degradable polymers such as BPMA and PEG only molecules of a molecular weight which are readily cleared be administered or else long-term deleterious accumulation in healthy tissue will invariably result (L. Seymour et al., "Effect of molecular weight (Mw) of N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide copolymers on body distributions and rate of excretion after subcutaneous, intraperitoneal and intravenous administration to rats", J. Biomed. Mater. Res. 21, 341–1358, 1987; P. Schneider et al., "A review of drug-induced lysosomal disorders of the liver in man and laboratory animals", Microscopy Res. Tech. 36, 253–275, 1997; C. Hall et al., "Experimental hypertension elicited by injections of methyl cellulose", Experientia 17, 544–454, 1961; C. Hall et al., "Macromolecular hypertension: hypertensive cardiovascular disease from subcutaneously administered polyvinyl alcohol", Experientia 18, 38–40, 1962).
Although some natural polymers such as polysaccharides have the advantage of being degradable in vivo, e.g. dextran, they typically lack a strict structural uniformity and have the propensity upon chemical modification (i.e. conjugation of a bioactive molecule) to become immunogenic or non-degradable (J. Vercauteren et al., "Effect of the chemical modification of dextran on the degradation by dextranases", J. Bio. Comp. Polymers 5, 4–15, 1990; W. Shalaby et al., "Chemical modification of proteins and polysaccharides and its effect on enzyme-catalyzed degradation", in: S. Shalaby, ed. Biomedical Polymers. Designed-to-degrade systems. New York: Hanser Publishers, 1994). Other polysaccharides which have been investigated for biomedical conjugation applications include chitosan (Y. Ohya et al., "α-1,4-Polygalactosamine immobilised 5-fluorouracils through hexamethylene spacer groups via urea bonds", J. Cont. Rel., 17, 259–266, 1991), alginate (A. Al-Shamkhani et al., "Synthesis, controlled release properties and antitumor activity of alginate cis-aconityl daunomycin conjugates", Int. J. Pharm., 122, 107–119, 1995; S. Morgan et al., "Alginates as drug carriers: covalent attachment of alginates to therapeutic agents containing primary amine groups", Int. J. Pharm., 122, 121–128, 1995), hyaluronic acid (B. Schechter et al., "Soluble polymers as carriers of cisplatinum", J. Cont. Rel., 10, 75–87, 1989), 6-O-carboxymethyl chitan (Y. Ohya et al., "In vivo and in vitro antitumor activity of CM-Chitin immobilized doxorubicins by lysosomal digestible tetrapeptide spacer groups", J. Bioact. Compat. Polymers, 10, 223–234, 1995) and 6-O-carboxymethyl pullulan (H. Nogusa et al., "Synthesis of carboxymethylpullulan peptide doxorubicin conjugates and their properties", Chem. Pharm. Bull., 43, 1931–1936, 1995).
Other natural polymers such as proteins can also be used to conjugate a bioactive molecule. For example albumin has been investigated as a protein used to conjugate a bioactive molecule (P. Balboni et al., "Activity of albumin conjugates of 5-fluorodeoxyuridine and cytosine arabinoside on poxyiruses as a lysosomotropic antiviral chemotherapy", Nature, 264, 181–183, 1976; A. Trouet et al., "A covalent linkage between daunorubicin and proteins that is stable in serum and reversible by lysosomal hydrolases as required for a lysosomotropic drug-carrier conjugate. In vitro and in vivo studies", Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 79, 626–629, 1982; F. Dosio et al., "Preparation, characterization and properties in vitro and in vivo of a paclitaxel-albumin conjugate", J. Cont. Rel., 47(3), 293–304, 1997; T. Yasuzawa et al, "Structural determination of the conjugate of human serum albumin with a mitomycin C derivative, KW-2149, by matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry", Bioconjugate Chem., 8, 391–399, 1997; A. Wunder et al., "Antitumor activity of methotrexate-albumin conjugates in rats bearing a Walker-256 carcinoma", Int. J. Cancer, 76, 884–890, 1998). The major limitations for using a protein to conjugate a bioactive compound include the propensity for inducing immunogenicity and non-specific degradation of the protein in vivo, and denaturation and irreversible alteration of the protein during preparation of the conjugate. Other proteins such as transferrin, which binds to the transferrin receptor and thus have the potential to undergo receptor-mediated uptake (T. Tanaka et al., "Intracellular disposition and cytotoxicity of transferrin-mitomycin C conjugate in HL60 cells as a receptor-mediated drug targeting system", Biol. Pharm. Bull, 21(2), 147–152, 1998) and various immuno-conjugates (D. Gaal et al., "Low toxicity and high antitumor activity of daunomycin by conjugation to an immunopotential amphoteric branched polypeptide", Eur. J. Cancer, 34(1), 155–16, 1998; P. Trail et al., "Site-directed delivery of anthracyclines for the treatment of cancer", Drug Dev. Res. 34, 196–209, 1995; E. Eno-Amooquaye et al., "Altered biodistribution of an antibody—enzyme conjugate modified with polyethylene glycol", Br. J. Cancer, 73, 1323–1327, 1996; P. Flanagan et al., "Evaluation of antibody-[N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide] copolymer conjugates as targetable drug-carriers. 2. Body distribution of anti Thy-1,2 antibody, anti-transferrin receptor antibody B3/25 and transferrin conjugates in DBA2 mice and activity of conjugates containing daunomycin against L1210 leukemia in vivo", J. Cont. Rel., 18, 25–38, 1992; C. Springer et al., "Ablation of human choriocarcinoma xenografts in nude mice by antibody-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (ADEPT) with three novel compounds", Eur. J. Cancer, 11, 1362–1366, 1991.) also have been investigated. Monodisperse molecular weight distribution is often claimed to be a significant advantage for using proteins to conjugate drugs, but this can only be useful if a single species of the protein-drug conjugate can be reproducibly prepared on adequate scale which stable on storage. This is generally not economically or technologically possible to achieve in practice. Thus, there is a need for degradable synthetic polymers developed for biomedical application, and specifically for conjugation applications, which can address the limitations inherent in the use of natural polymers for these applications.
Synthetic polymers which have been prepared and studied that are potentially degradable include polymers derived from amino acids (e.g. poly(glutamic acid), poly[5N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-L-glutamine), β-poly(2-hydroxyethyl aspartamide), poly(L-glutamic acid) and polylysine). These polymers when prepared for conjugation applications that require physiological solubility do not degrade in vivo to any extent within a time period of 10–100 hours. Additionally polymers and copolymers including pseudo-poly(amino acids) (K. James et al., "Pseudo-poly(amino acid)s: Examples for synthetic materials derived from natural metabolites", in: K. Park, ed., Controlled Drug Delivery: Challenges and Strategies, Washington, D.C.: American Chemical Society, 389–403, 1997) and polyesters such as copolymers of polylactic and poly(glycolic acid), poly(a or b-malic acid) (K. Abdellaoui et al., "Metabolite-derived artificial polymers designed for drug targeting, cell penetration and bioresorption", Eur. J. Pharm. Sci., 6, 61–73, 1998; T. Ouchi et al., "Synthesis and antitumor activity of conjugates of poly (a-malic acid) and 5-fluorouracil bound via ester, amide or carbamoyl bonds", J. Cont. Rel, 12, 143–153, 1990), and block copolymers such as PEG-lysine (A. Nathan et al., "Copolymers of lysine and polyethylene glycol: A new family of functionalized drug carriers", Bioconjugate Chem., 4, 54–62, 1993.), poly(lysine citramide) (K. Abdellaoui et al, "Metabolite-derived artificial polymers designed for drug targeting, cell penetration and bioresorption", Eur. J. Pharm. Sci., 6, 61–73, 1998) and amino acid-PEG derived block copolymers (G. Kwon et al., Block copolymer micelles as long-circulating drug vehicles", Adv. Drug Del. Rev., 16, 295–309, 1995; and V. Alakhov et al., "Block copolymeric biotransport carriers as versatile vehicles for drug delivery", Exp. Opin. Invest. Drugs, 7(9), 1453–1473, 1998) have also been investigated for conjugation.
Acetals are well known to be hydrolytically labile under mildly acidic conditions. Thus, biomedical polymers possessing acetal linkages in the polymer mainchain may undergo enhanced rates of hydrolysis in biological environments that are mildly acidic compared to biological environments that are at neutral or basic pH. For example, soluble polyacetals that can conjugate a bioactive molecule are expected to degrade at enhanced rates at the acetal functionality during cellular uptake because of the increase in acidity during endocytosis. Polyacetals will also display enhanced rates of hydrolysis in acidic regions of the gastrointestinal tract. Additionally polyacetals would be expected to degrade at enhanced rates at sites of diseased tissue that are mildly acidic (e.g. solid tumors).
Preparing polyacetals can be accomplished by acetal- or transacetalization reactions which result in the formation of a low molecular weight by-product (e.g. water or an alcohol). Complete removal of such a by-product is necessary for reproducible polymerization and to ensure the polyacetal does not degrade on storage. Usually harsh conditions are required to obtain high molecular weight polymer. If functionalized monomers relevant for biomedical applications are used, such conditions can often lead to unspecified chemical changes in the monomer. Polyacetals can be prepared without generation of a small molecule which requires removal by cationic ring-opening polymerization using bicyclic acetals (L. Torres et al., "A new polymerization system for bicyclic acetals: Toward the controlled/"living" cationic ring-opening polymerization of 6,8-dioxabicyclo[3.2.1] octane", Macromolecules, 32, 6958–6962, 1999). These reaction conditions lack versatility because they require bicyclic acetal monomers that are difficult to prepare with a wide range of chemical functionality useful for conjugation applications.
Polyacetals can also be prepared without generation of a small molecule byproduct that requires removal by the reaction of diols and di-vinyl ethers using an acid catalyst, as described by Heller (J. Heller et al., "Preparation of polyacetals by the reaction of divinyl ethers and polyols", J. Polym. Sci.: Polym. Lett. Ed., 18, 293–297, 1980; J. Heller et al., "Polyacetal hydrogels formed from divinyl ethers and polyols", U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,441, 1987). Such polyacetals have uniform structure in that they are strictly alternating polymers of the A-B type. Uniform structure in biomedical polymer development is critical for optimization of the biological profile and to ensure the polymer meet regulatory requirements. The polymerization of diols and di-vinyl ethers occurs without the elimination of a small molecule under mild conditions. This is more efficient than polymerizations where there is a molecule (e.g. water or methanol) which must be removed. Polyacetals suitable for conjugation can be prepared by utilization of suitably functionalized diols, di-vinyl ethers, and/or hydroxy-vinyl ether monomers. Thus it becomes possible to prepare polyacetals for conjugation that possess conjugation functionality on either the A or B monomeric unit. Such structural uniformity is advantageous for controlling conjugation of bioactive molecules along the polymer mainchain.
The production of biodegradable polyacetals derived from polysaccharides which chemically has been described in WO 96/32419. This approach does not give polymeric materials displaying structural uniformity and suffers from the aforementioned limitations where chemical modification (i.e. conjugation of a bioactive molecule) often leads to the polysaccharide to become immunogenic or non-degradable. It is not possible to prepare polymeric materials displaying an alternating A-B structure, rather the structure of these polysaccharide derived polyacetals are too diverse to chemically analyze to the degree necessary to fulfill regulatory requirements.
The disclosures of these and other documents referred to throughout this application are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.


The present invention relates to a method of converting the size of an image, i.e., resolution of an image, and more specifically, to a method of reducing or enlarging the size of an image using coefficients of integer discrete cosine transform (Integer DCT), which is a type of block transform. Since the method of reducing and enlarging the size of an image according to the present invention reduces or enlarges the size of an image through an integer operation, hardware can be implemented using shifts and additions, and therefore, complexity of the hardware may be lowered, and the method of the present invention provides images of a good quality that is almost the same as the quality of an image provided according to a conventional method of reducing and enlarging an image using real-number DCT coefficients. The method of reducing and enlarging the size of an image according to the present invention is compatible with a H.264/AVC codec.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of converting the size of an image, i.e., resolution of an image, and more specifically, to a method of reducing or enlarging the size of an image using integer discrete cosine transform (Integer DCT) coefficients.
2. Background of the Related Art
Different communication networks are merged with one another in the present communication environments using broadband convergence networks (BcN), i.e., core networks capable of providing services such as connection of wired and wireless communications, merger of broadcasting and communication networks, IP convergence using IP networks, and the like, and such a trend will be further accelerated in the future. Along with the trend of digital convergence in heterogeneous communication network environments, researches on universal media communications are actively in progress recently. Since the types of multimedia terminals used in a variety of communication networks are more and more diversified, techniques for converting the size of an image are developed in various ways to reasonably harmonize different networks and different multimedia terminals with one another.
Among the techniques for converting the size of an image, a method using real-number discrete cosine transform (DCT) coefficients shows superior performance. Since the real-number DCT coefficients are used in conversion techniques employing a moving picture codec such as MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, H.261, H.263, or H.26L, the techniques using the real-number DCT coefficients are advantageously compatible with existing moving picture codecs.
However, there is a problem in that conventional techniques for converting the size of an image using real-number DCT coefficients cannot be applied, as it is, to a H.264/AVC codec that generates integer DCT coefficients using an integer discrete cosine transform (integer DCT) technique in a transforming procedure of the codec. Furthermore, since conventional techniques for converting the size of an image using real-number DCT coefficients perform real-number operations, complexity is so high in manufacturing hardware that they are not easy to implement.

Method for resizing images using integer DCT coefficients

University-Industry Cooperation Group of Kyung Hee University


The invention provides an amplifier arrangement which is of multistage design. The output transistor in the output stage has a coupling path between its control input and its controlled path. The coupling path comprises a series circuit comprising a Miller compensation capacitance and a resistance with a controllable resistance value. It is thus possible to ensure stable operation of the amplifier regardless of bias and load conditions while simultaneously reducing the quiescent current drawn.

An amplifier arrangement, more particularly an operational amplifier having Miller compensation is described, by way of example, in the printed document from Gregorian Roubik "Introduction to CMOS OP-AMPS and Comparators", John Wiley and Sons, 1999, Chapter 4.4. In such operational amplifiers, however, the problem may arise that unwanted parasitic pole points arise under different load and bias conditions.
If no pole point/zero point compensation is carried out for these pole points, the parasitic pole could be shifted to higher frequencies. However, this disadvantageously results in a higher power requirement. Otherwise, the stability of the amplifier is reduced.
If compensation for the additional parasitic pole is performed at the output, however, for example, using a series circuit comprising the Miller compensation capacitor and a resistor, then the quiescent current can be significantly reduced.
However, stability problems may arise under different load conditions. The stability problems arise particularly disadvantageously if the operational amplifier is in the form of a class AB operational amplifier.


A lens driving mechanism eccentrically drives at least one lens or lens subunit, hereunder called a correcting lens, in a lens system constituting a taking lens unit in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis direction, and includes a movable frame holding the correcting lens, two coils fixed at a lens barrel where the taking lens unit is disposed, and magnetic circuit formation members generating a magnetic field crossing the coils that are disposed around the correcting lens when viewed in the optical axis direction of the taking lens unit. The members include at least two magnets and yokes disposed at each of the two coils for generating movement forces in different directions perpendicular to the optical axis. The yokes oppose the respective magnets. Either the magnets or the yokes are held by the movable frame, and the other of the magnets and yokes are secured to the lens barrel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel lens driving mechanism and a novel image pickup device. More specifically, the present invention relates to a technology which makes it possible to achieve size reduction, in particular, size reduction of a lens barrel in a diametrical direction thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, there is a demand for, along with automating a focusing operation and exposure determination, automatically overcoming image blurring caused by a movement of a camera occurring when pushing a shutter button, that is, shooting an image that one wants to shoot so that it is sharp without requiring any skill in correcting the camera movement.
There are broadly two methods of correcting camera movement: an electronic method and an optical method. The optical method is carried out by detecting any camera movement perpendicular to an optical axis with a sensor and shifting a correcting lens perpendicularly to the optical axis so as to correct the amount of movement.
Many related optical camera movement correcting mechanisms using a moving coil for moving a correcting lens have been proposed. A lens driving mechanism in such camera movement correcting mechanisms is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 7-98470.
The lens driving mechanism disclosed in the aforementioned document is schematically illustrated in FIG. 14 and described.
A correcting lens 71 is supported by a supporting frame 72. The supporting frame 72 is supported by a support shaft 74y, secured to a supporting arm 75, so as to be slidable in a Y direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the correcting lens 71. The supporting arm 75 is supported by a support shaft 74p, secured to a lens barrel 710, so as to be slidable in an X direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the correcting lens 71 and the Y direction. Therefore, the supporting frame 72 supporting the correcting lens 71 is movable along with the supporting arm 75 in the X direction with respect to the lens;,barrel 710, and in the Y direction with respect to the lens barrel 710 and the supporting arm 75.
Two coils, that is, a Y-direction driving coil 79y and an X-direction driving coil 79p are supported by the supporting frame 72. Magnets and yokes (not shown) for the respective coils 79y and 79p are disposed at the lens barrel 710.
When the coil 79y is energized, a thrust is generated in a Y direction in the coil 79y, causing the supporting frame 72 to move in the Y direction with respect to the lens barrel 710 and the supporting shaft 75. When the coil 79b is energized, a thrust is generated in an X direction in the coil 79p, causing the supporting frame 72 to move, along with the supporting arm 75, in the X direction with respect to the lens barrel 710.
By virtue of the above-described structure, the supporting shaft 72, that is, the lens 71 can move in all directions perpendicular to the optical axis thereof.
In the lens driving mechanism disclosed in the aforementioned document and shown in FIG. 14, since a structure in which the direction of movement of movable members (the supporting frame 72 and the supporting arm 75) is guided by guide shafts (the supporting shafts 74y and 74p) is used, two movable members (the supporting frame 72 and the supporting arm 75) are required for shifting the correcting lens 71 in all directions perpendicular to the optical axis thereof. This means that the structure includes two movable members that are disposed above and below each other vertically. Therefore, the structure inevitably becomes sophisticated and large.
To overcome this problem, a lens driving mechanism (shown in FIG. 15) using only one movable member by opposing the movable member with respect to a stationary member, such as a housing, via small balls has been proposed.
In the lens driving mechanism shown in FIG. 15, with three small balls d, d, and d being interposed between a movable frame b holding a correcting lens a and a stationary frame c secured to a lens barrel (not shown), a coil spring g is compressed between the movable frame b and a spring holding frame f held by the stationary frame c with screws e and e, and the movable frame b is biased towards the stationary frame c via the small balls d, d, and d by the resiliency of the coil spring g. This allows the movable frame b to move in an X direction or a Y direction by the resiliency of the coil spring g and the opposing force resulting from contact of the movable frame b with the small balls d, d, and d while the movable frame b is being held in the optical axis direction.
Two coils hx and hy are held by the movable frame b, and magnets jx and jy are held by the stationary frame c so that the respective coils hx and hy are disposed between the stationary frame c and a yoke i. Energizing the coil hx generates a thrust in an X axis direction in the coil hx, causing the movable frame b holding the coil hx and thus the correcting lens a to move in the X axis direction. Energizing the coil hy causes a thrust to be generated in a Y axis direction in the coil hy, causing the movable frame b holding the coil hy and thus the correcting lens a to move in the Y axis direction. Therefore, energizing the coils hx and hy as required causes the movable frame b and thus the correcting lens a to move in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction.
The lens driving mechanism shown in FIG. 15 only needs one movable member, so that the structure of the lens driving mechanism is simplified, and its size is reduced.

Lens driving mechanism and image pickup device


A knife handle such as in a utility knife or box cutter knife with a blade carrier having a planar blade support, parallel flanges and laterally projecting tabs for securing the blade in position on the carrier. The knife handle provides improved retention of a knife blade under torsional loads applied to the blade through the use of two or more longitudinally spaced retention tabs that capture both forward and rearward portions of the blade.

Exemplary types of knife handles to which the present invention is particularly related are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,242,795 and 4,586,256. Such utility knives incorporate a blade carrier which mounts and supports a blade at the interior of the handle for longitudinal movement therein. The blade carrier incorporates a thumb-actuated button that can be depressed to unlatch the carrier from one of several latch positions for shifting the blade via the carrier to another longitudinal position. The thumb-actuated button may extend through a slot in the top of the knife handle and is secured to the blade carrier by means of a resilient finger. The knife handle is further adapted so that the blade may be relatively easily dismounted and replaced. The blades are replaced through the front opening of the knife handle or by gaining access through the side of the knife handle. Such knives have found great popularity and are of great utility in a wide variety of cutting operations.
While the foregoing knife handles are relatively inexpensive to manufacture and generally operate in an efficient and safe manner, a continuing concern is that during heavy use the blade may disengage from the carrier and either jamb in the knife handle or entirely disengage from the knife handle. More specifically, when torsional loads are applied to the exposed tip area of the blade, the blade may tend to move laterally and dislodge or disengage from the carrier. Disengagement of the knife blade is a particular problem when the knife is being used for cutting openings in plasterboard or drywall to accommodate junction boxes for electrical outlets, wall switches and telephone jacks and openings for heat registers and cold air returns. The corners for the openings may be cut using a twisting motion of the knife. Commonly, when using such knives, the blade may disengage or partially disengage from the blade carrier upon the application of only a low torsional force particularly when the knife is twisted in the clockwise direction. Therefore, the present invention is directed to further insuring that the knife blade is retained on the carrier and does not disengage from the carrier during use, especially when torsional loads are applied to the knife blade.


A portable passenger seat divider and method for providing a protective separator between adjacent seats. The passenger seat divider includes a middle portion formed into a channel that is adapted to be removably mounted to an armrest disposed between the adjacent seats. The passenger seat divider also includes an upper portion extending above the armrest when the passenger seat divider is mounted to the armrest and a lower portion adapted to extend below the armrest of the seat when the passenger seat divider is mounted to the armrest.

Aircraft seating is typically divided into various classes, for example first class, business class, and coach class. For each class of seating, an individual passenger is allotted a preselected amount of space (both area and volume). First-class seats provide the most individual space, and also may include features to improve comfort, such as fully reclining sleeper functions. In contrast, the coach class, and sometimes the business class is provided with a relatively small amount of space, in order to provide the most efficient transportation and lowest cost.
Typically, passengers are more satisfied by a given quantity of space when that space is completely controlled by the passenger. Since the space for coach-class seating is limited, it is especially important that a passenger's personal space be protected from intrusion from other passengers. However, coach class seats are generally arranged such that passengers that are seated side-by side must share a single armrest. In this arrangement, the armrest width allotted to each passenger, and the dividing line between adjacent seats, is not clearly delineated. Often people will encroach into what is intended to be the space of the person seated next to them. This can lead to conflicts between passengers as each tries to assert control of the single armrest, as well as discomfort of the passenger that gets a smaller portion of the armrest or no armrest at all.


In accordance with one embodiment, a fixing device comprises an induction current generating section, a heating section and an auxiliary heating section. The induction current generating section generates induction current. The heating section generates heat through the induction current. The auxiliary heating section increases the calorific value of the heating section based on the induction current as it is moved closer to the heating section, but does not generate heat itself through the induction current.

Conventionally, there is a multi function peripheral (hereinafter referred to as an "MFP") and an image forming apparatus such as a printer and the like. The image forming apparatus is provided with a fixing device. The fixing device heats a fixing belt through an electromagnetic induction heating method (hereinafter referred to as an "IH method") to fix a toner image on an image receiving medium through the heat of the fixing belt. The fixing belt has a heating layer which generates heat through induction current. The fixing device reduces the heat capacity of the fixing belt to reduce the warming up time and the like. The fixing device includes a magnetic shunt alloy layer for compensating the deficiency of the calorific value of the fixing belt. The magnetic characteristic of the magnetic shunt alloy layer varies according to the temperature. The magnetic shunt alloy layer is transformed from a ferromagnetic body into a paramagnetic body at a curie point. The magnetic shunt alloy layer generates heat itself. The magnetic shunt alloy layer loses its magnetism and does not generate heat any more at the curie point. The calorific value of the fixing belt may be excessively increased due to the heat generated by the magnetic shunt alloy layer itself, which may lead to a problem that the heating efficiency of the fixing belt cannot be improved.

Fixing device having a movable heating section for increasing calorific value and an image forming apparatus


An inspection and adjustment of a liquid crystal module have required a number of processes, which has been inefficient.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal module inspection apparatus and a liquid crystal module. In particular, it relates to a liquid crystal module inspection apparatus and a liquid crystal module which are preferable for inspecting and adjusting the display function of a liquid crystal panel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
At a place where liquid crystal TV sets are manufactured, it is necessary, with respect to every one of the liquid crystal modules mounted on the TV sets, to have a test pattern shown on a liquid crystal panel and to inspect and adjust its display function. In the past, a prescribed test jig was connected to a liquid crystal module of every TV set, and the test pattern was displayed on the liquid crystal panel by feeding image data through the test jig.
Also, in a prior art, a method of inspecting an inverter is known wherein, in the inverter for motor drive equipped with a built-in liquid crystal display unit used when monitoring the operational status or setting operating modes, an operation-check state, which is different from a normal operating state, is prepared and the liquid crystal display is evaluated on a pass/fail basis by turning on and off all the pixels of the liquid crystal display unit according to a test program (see for example, JP2000-166246A).
In the inspection and adjustment described above, since the prescribed test jig has to be connected to every liquid crystal module through a patch code etc, operations were complicated and troublesome, resulting in considerably inefficient inspection and adjustment. Further, in this inspection and adjustment, it is necessary to show a plurality of test patterns on a liquid crystal panel to check the display function of the liquid crystal panel. In the past, it was required for a worker at each inspection line to operate the above test jig etc., and switch the test patterns.
According to the above patent document 1, in a product assembled as an inverter for motor drive, the liquid crystal display unit is evaluated on a pass/fail basis by switching to an operation-check state, which is different from a normal operating state. Also, a CPU having a built-in program to show a test pattern is, in a normal operating state, used for generating pulse-width modulation driving waveforms or normal transmission of data displayed on the liquid crystal display unit etc. Thus, it is in charge of the overall drive control of the inverter for motor drive. Therefore, in the invention of the above patent document 1, even when some error is detected by showing a test pattern on the liquid crystal display unit, it is not possible to judge whether it is caused by the liquid module itself of the liquid crystal display unit or by other parts such as the ones of the CPU or the inverter for motor drive. Further, in order to evaluate the liquid crystal display unit on a pass/fail basis, it is necessary to turn on or off the switch 3 or to connect the setting device 4. Therefore, the problem of requiring a troublesome connecting process and switching operation remains unsolved.

Liquid crystal module inspecting apparatus and liquid crystal module

Abstract: According to the present invention, OSD image data is stored in a ROM 42 of a liquid crystal module 10, and the liquid crystal module 10 can independently display a plurality of test patterns simply by receiving a remote-control signal from a remote-control signal transmitter 60. Therefore, simply by putting the liquid crystal module on an inspection line 70, at each inspection station 71, a display pattern necessary for each inspection and adjustment is automatically switched and shown. Therefore, the inspection and adjustment of the liquid crystal module can be conducted without a process of connecting an exclusive substrate 110 and an image data generator 120 which used to be required only during the inspection and adjustment of each liquid crystal module 10 and a process for a worker to operate a prescribed device every time the type of inspection changes.


In a QoS information controller and method, the QoS information controller is used in a multi-cell environment to determine the traffic characteristic, the mobile communication system characteristic, the traffic processing capacity, and the radio resource, and to control the QoS information. In addition, a QoS requested by a user may be achieved since the traffic characteristic, the mobile communication system characteristic, the traffic processing capacity, and the radio resource are determined and the QoS information is controlled to efficiently process the QoS information for the multimedia traffic in the multi-cell environment.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a quality of service (QoS) information control apparatus in a multi-cell environment and a method thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for improving a communication QoS in a mobile communication system and a method thereof.
(b) Description of the Related Art
A conventional mobile communication system provides low speed data services based on voice services. However, multimedia services, such as real-time traffic including data and images, and non-real-time traffic including data transmission, web servers, and e-mails, are the main streams in a next generation mobile communication system.
Accordingly, quality of service (QoS) information including a packet process, a transmission delay, accuracy, and reliability is important in the mobile communication system providing the multimedia services.
In a conventional single network system environment, there are a method for providing the set QoS information and a method for providing the QoS information according to a service priority determined according to a communication state including traffic of the mobile communication system.
In the next generation mobile communication system, an overlapped multi-cell environment will be realized, and a user receives the QoS information on various services according to user preferences and characteristics of the system.
However, in a multi-cell system providing various kinds of traffic, interference caused by neighboring cells occurs since a cell environment is quite complicated, and therefore it is required to design the cell environment without the interference.
In addition, signaling overhead is generated since an unnecessary handover is generated by independently receiving a signal in the multi-cell system, and the communication system is deteriorated.
In general, the communication system is affected very little by a packet loss in transmitting voice information packets, but it may be seriously affected by a packet loss in transmitting a data service.
Accordingly, it is required to retransmit files to compensate an error in the data service since no error is allowed in transmitting the files, which deteriorates a data rate, and the error may not be corrected.
Differing from the single network system, in the multi-cell environment system, when the QoS information of a multimedia service having various characteristics is not managed according to service characteristics in a system, the QoS information requested by the user may not be provided.
Accordingly, when a system for guaranteeing the QoS information is selected and a method for receiving the QoS by accessing a cell of the nearest communication system used in the communication is used, the user may not receive the desired QoS information.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

QoS control apparatus in multi-cell network system and method thereof

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


A wrapping member attaching device for attaching a wrapping member to a container includes a container preheating device, a wrapping member arranging device, and a wrapping member heating device. Due to the foregoing, the wrapping member is attached to the container without being tilted, wrinkles and unevenness of color. The container preheating device may include a container rotating device.

Conventionally in order to enhance the sealing property of a mouthpiece of a container, prevent foreign objects from attaching to the mouthpiece of the container, ensure safety of the contents in the container in the case where the seal is broken by somebody, a wrapping member such as a cap seal or a shrink label is attached to a mouthpiece of a container having a cap.
In the case of attaching the wrapping member to the container, the mouthpiece of the container having the cap is surrounded by a cylindrical wrapping member, the size of which is slightly larger than that of the mouthpiece of the container. Then, the wrapping member is shrunk in the radial direction by heating so that the cylindrical wrapping member can be tightly contacted with an outer circumferential face of the mouthpiece of the container.
At the time of heating the wrapping member, a hot air type heating device for blowing hot air onto the wrapping member is widely used. For example, according to the hot air type heating device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-291926, a container surrounded by a wrapping member is made to pass through a tunnel-shaped heating chamber so as to preheat the wrapping member in the heating chamber. After that, a hot air of a predetermined temperature is blown to the wrapping member, so that the wrapping member can be shrunk by heat shrinkage. For details, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-291926.
However, the hot air type heating device of the related art, which is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-291926, is disadvantageous in that it is difficult to uniformly shrink the wrapping member in the circumferential direction. As a result, the wrapping member is attached to a mouthpiece of a container while being inclined in some cases. Alternatively, wrinkles or color unevenness is caused in the wrapping member after it has been attached to the mouthpiece of the container.
Recently, it is common to use a wrapping member, the length in the longitudinal direction of the container of which is relatively long. Further, it is common to use a wrapping member such as a cap seal or a shrink label on which letters or pictures are printed. Accordingly, the wrapping member is attached to the mouthpiece while being inclined or it wrinkles and/or color unevenness is caused in the wrapping member, information included in the design of the wrapping member cannot be accurately notified to a consumer, which affects sales of the containers to which the above wrapping member is attached.
In the case where the container and the wrapping member are gradually heated while suppressing a rise in the temperature per unit time, it is possible to prevent a wrapping member from being tilted when it is attached to the container. Further, it is possible to prevent the generation of wrinkles and/or color unevenness. However, in this case, it is necessary to extend the length of a conveyor for conveying the containers at the time of heating. Alternatively, it is necessary to reduce a conveyance speed of conveying the containers by the conveyor. Therefore, additional expenses are required or throughput will be lowered, which are not preferable.
The present inventors made investigations into the cause of the generation of wrinkles and color unevenness on the wrapping member after the wrapping member has been attached to the mouthpiece of the container. As a result of their investigations, the present inventors obtained the following knowledge. In the related art, the container and the wrapping member are simultaneously heated by the hot air type heating device. Therefore, at the time of heating, heat is mainly absorbed by the container and a hot air is blown to the wrapping member only in one direction or only in a plurality of directions. Thus, it is difficult to uniformly heat the wrapping member in the circumferential direction. Due to this, wrinkles and color unevenness are caused. According to the above knowledge, the present inventors investigated and obtained knowledge in which the above problems can be solved by preheating the container and then attaching the wrapping member to the preheated container, and accordingly, the present invention has been accomplished. In other words, the present invention has been accomplished in view of the above circumstances. An object of the present invention is to provide a wrapping member attaching method capable of attaching a wrapping member to a container without causing an inclination attaching of the wrapping member and without generating wrinkles and/or color unevenness on the wrapping member. Another object of the present invention is to provide a wrapping member attaching device for executing the wrapping member attaching method.

Wrapping member attaching method and wrapping member attaching device


Disclosed is a semiconductor computing circuit achievable with simple circuitry and capable of performing analog computations at high speed to compute an absolute-value voltage representing the difference between a first signal voltage and a second signal voltage. The semiconductor computing circuit comprises: a first MOS transistor having a floating gate and a control gate capacitively coupled to the floating gate; a second MOS transistor having a floating gate and a control gate capacitively coupled to the floating gate, and whose source electrode is connected to the source electrode of the first MOS transistor; a write circuit which, with a prescribed voltage applied to the control gates of the first and second MOS transistors, sets the potential at the floating gate of the first MOS transistor to a value equal to the first signal voltage and also sets the potential at the floating gate of the second MOS transistor equal to a value obtained by subtracting the first signal voltage from the prescribed voltage; and a difference voltage computing circuit for computing a voltage representing a value obtained by subtracting the second signal voltage from the prescribed voltage, and wherein: after setting the first and second MOS transistors by the write circuit, when the output voltage of the difference voltage computing circuit is applied to the control gate of the first MOS transistor while at the same time applying the second signal voltage to the control gate of the second MOS transistor, the absolute-value voltage representing the difference between the first signal voltage and the second signal voltage is output.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor computing circuit for performing computations on analog values and a computing apparatus using the same, and more particularly to a semiconductor computing circuit for computing an absolute difference between two analog signal values and a computing apparatus for computing a Manhattan distance which is a measure of a similarity to a reference pattern.
With the advance of computer technology, dramatic strides have been made in data processing technology in recent years. However, if flexible information processing, such as visual recognition or voice recognition as is done by humans, is to be implemented using a computer, it is said that, with today""s digital computers, it is almost impossible to provide computation results in real time. One reason for this is that much of the information we handle in our daily lives is in the form of analog quantities and, when these quantities are represented by digital data, not only does the amount of data become prohibitively large but also the data is inaccurate and ambiguous. It can be said that the problem of today""s information processing systems lies in the fact that extremely redundant analog data are converted to digital quantities and rigorous digital computations are performed one by one. Furthermore, in today""s information processing systems, computing circuits for performing digital computations and memory for holding digital data are provided as separate elements, and as a result, a long computation time is required because of the bus bottleneck between the computing circuit and the memory.
To solve such problems, attempts are being made to achieve information processing more analogous to the human brain by taking in information from the external world in its original form, i.e., in form of analog quantities, and by performing computations directly on the analog quantities. One such approach to information processing involves evaluating the similarity between an input signal pattern and a prestored analog pattern. More specifically, a large number of voice or image code patterns are stored in advance and, by comparing the input signal pattern with each code pattern for similarity, a code pattern having the highest similarity is selected. Similarity is measured using the Euclidean distance or the Manhattan distance (the sum of absolute differences); since the computation of the Manhattan distance can be accomplished by calculating only differences whereas the computation of the Euclidean distance requires a multiplication as well, and since, in such processing, evaluating the degree of correlation is of major concern and mathematically rigorous computations are not required, it is common to measure similarity using the Manhattan distance. The semiconductor computing circuit of the present invention lends itself to computation of the Manhattan distance.
Various methods have been proposed for performing computations directly on analog quantities. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 3-6679 discloses a neuron MOS transistor which behaves like a neuron, a nerve cell, and performs summation of a plurality of analog input signals. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-53431 discloses a computing circuit utilizing this neuron MOS transistor. Further, Republished Patent No. WO96/30853 discloses a semiconductor computing circuit which uses two MOS transistors having a floating gate, with their sources or drains connected together, and which, by applying two analog signals and their difference signal to control gates, computes an absolute-value voltage representing the difference between the two analog signals.
When computing the Manhattan distance, usually, the code pattern is predetermined and the similarity between the input signal and the predetermined code pattern is evaluated; once the code pattern is set in the computing circuit, it is desirable that the computation be performed continuously on various image input signals, and it is rare that the code pattern is changed. However, the computing circuit disclosed in the above cited Republished Patent No. WO96/30853 requires that two analog signals or their processed signals be input for each computation. To meet this requirement, a memory for holding code patterns must be provided, and signals read from the memory must be set in each computing cell of the computing circuit each time the computation is performed; this not only increases the computation time but also presents the problem that the wiring for delivering the signals read from the memory to the respective computing cells of the computing circuit becomes enormous. Moreover, if the code pattern is stored in digital signal form, a D/A converter for converting it into an analog signal must be provided, which causes the problem that the amount of circuitry increases.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor computing circuit achievable with simple circuitry and capable of performing analog computations at high speed.
To achieve the above object, the semiconductor computing circuit of the present invention comprises two MOS transistors, each having a floating gate and a control gate capacitively coupled to the floating gate, and whose source electrodes are connected together, and a write circuit for writing a desired voltage to each MOS transistor.
More specifically, the semiconductor computing circuit of the present invention is characterized by the provision of: a first MOS transistor having a floating gate and a control gate capacitively coupled to the floating gate; a second MOS transistor having a floating gate and a control gate capacitively coupled to the floating gate, and whose source electrode is connected to the source electrode of the first MOS transistor; a first write circuit for writing a desired voltage to the floating gate of the first MOS transistor; and a second write circuit for writing a desired voltage to the floating gate of the second MOS transistor.
When computing an absolute-value voltage representing the difference between a first signal voltage VM and a second signal voltage VX by using the semiconductor computing circuit, first the potential at one floating gate is set to V. and the potential at the other floating gate to VDDxe2x88x92VM while applying a prescribed voltage (for example, supply voltage VDD) to the two floating gates. In this condition, when VDDxe2x88x92VX is applied to the one control gate and VX to the other control gate, the absolute-value voltage representing the difference between the first signal voltage VM and the second signal voltage VX is output.
More specifically, the semiconductor computing circuit of the present invention for computing an absolute-value voltage representing the difference between a first signal voltage and a second signal voltage comprises: a first MOS transistor having a floating gate and a control gate capacitively coupled to the floating gate; a second MOS transistor having a floating gate and a control gate capacitively coupled to the floating gate, and whose source electrode is connected to the source electrode of the first MOS transistor; a write circuit which, with a prescribed voltage applied to the control gates of the first and second MOS transistors, sets the potential at the floating gate of the first MOS transistor to a value equal to the first signal voltage and also sets the potential at the floating gate of the second MOS transistor equal to a value obtained by subtracting the first signal voltage from the prescribed voltage; and a difference voltage computing circuit for computing a voltage representing a value obtained by subtracting the second signal voltage from the prescribed voltage, and wherein: after setting the first and second MOS transistors by the write circuit, when the output voltage of the difference voltage computing circuit is applied to the control gate of the first MOS transistor while at the same time applying the second signal voltage to the control gate of the second MOS transistor, an absolute-value voltage representing the difference between the first signal voltage and the second signal voltage is output.
When the difference between the actually obtained voltage and the ideal voltage, occurring due to the ratio of MOS transistor gate capacitance to floating gate to control gate coupling capacitance, becomes a problem, each potential to be written by the write circuit in the above configuration is, for example, multiplied by a positive constant xcex3 smaller than 1 which is related to the coupling capacitance ratio. To obtain the value of the potential multiplied by the constant xcex3 for writing, the write circuit comprises a readout circuit for reading a voltage on a floating gate of a dummy MOS transistor which is equivalent to the first or second MOS transistor, and a correction voltage computing circuit for computing an output difference of the readout circuit occurring when two voltages, the difference between which is equal to the voltage to be written to the first or second MOS transistor, are applied one after the other to the control gate of the dummy MOS transistor, and the write circuit writes a voltage equal to the output difference to the first or second MOS transistor. This output difference corresponds to the value of the potential to be written, multiplied by the constant xcex3.
Alternatively, in the above configuration, the voltage to be applied to the control gates when setting the potentials of the respective floating gates by the write circuit, and the voltages to be applied to the respective control gates when performing computation, may be divided by the constant xcex3.
The first and second MOS transistors may be constructed using N-channel MOS transistors or P-channel MOS transistors; in the case of N-channel MOS transistors, the high-level supply voltage VDD is applied as the prescribed voltage, and in the case of P-channel MOS transistors, the low-level supply voltage VSS is applied as the prescribed voltage.
In the semiconductor computing circuit of the present invention, once the floating gate has been set at a potential related to the first signal voltage, the computation can be performed by just inputting the second signal voltage and a voltage related to it without having to use the first signal voltage or a voltage related to it. Accordingly, since the potential once set in the floating gate is maintained in its entirety, there is no need to apply the first signal voltage or a voltage related to it when performing the computation, unless the first signal voltage is changed.
The present invention also provides a computing apparatus for computing the sum of absolute differences between corresponding signals in a first signal group and a second signal group each consisting of a predetermined number of signals, comprising: an individual absolute-value computing circuit having semiconductor computing circuits corresponding in number to the predetermined number of signals and each identical with the semiconductor computing circuit of the present invention; and a summing circuit for computing the sum of outputs of the semiconductor computing circuits in the individual absolute-value computing circuit.
As described above, in each semiconductor computing circuit used in the computing apparatus of the present invention, once the floating gate of the semiconductor computing circuit has been set at a potential related to the first signal voltage, there is no need to apply the first signal voltage or a voltage related to it when performing the computation; this eliminates the need to provide a separate memory for storing the signals of the first signal group corresponding to code patterns, and also the signal path from the memory to the gate of each semiconductor computing circuit can be eliminated.
The summing circuit comprises, for example, a plurality of capacitors each having two terminals, the first terminal and the second terminal, wherein the second terminals of the capacitors are connected together to form a common second terminal; and a MOS transistor whose gate electrode is formed from an extended portion of the common second terminal, wherein the source electrodes of the semiconductor computing circuits in the individual absolute-value computing circuit are respectively connected to the first terminals.
As described above, once the floating gate of the semiconductor computing circuit has been set at a potential related to the first signal voltage, there is no need to apply the first signal voltage or a voltage related to it when performing the computation. Accordingly, the write circuit may be made removable so that the write circuit can be removed from the computing apparatus after writing the desired potential to the floating gate using the write circuit.

Semiconductor computing circuit and computing apparatus

Semiconductor Technology Academic Research Center


The invention discloses a method for estimating the space correlation characteristics of noise in a time slotted CDMA system. The method comprises the steps of: making channel estimation for the received signal of each antenna of an antenna array, respectively, to obtain the original channel estimation result including values of P taps, where the value of P equals the period of the basic code used for channel estimation; separating the signal response component and the noise response component from said original channel estimation result to obtain a noise response matrix of said antenna array; and making correlation operation with said noise response matrix to obtain a space correlation matrix of noise. The invention provides a method for estimating the space correlation characteristics of noise in a time slotted CDMA system. The method is simple, effective, and of good numerical stability, displaying good performance of estimation.

With multiple antennas, performance of a wireless communication system can be greatly improved. If not only spatial characteristics of the local cell signal, but those of interference signals of other cells are taken into account in space-time processing of a multi-antenna system, the system performance will be further improved. Said space-time processing can be implemented only when the space correlation characteristics of noise (including heat-noise and interference) have been measured and estimated, i.e. when the space correlation matrix of noise has been given. In P. Jung and J. Blanz, "Joint Detection with Coherent Receiver Antenna Diversity in CDMA Mobile Radio Systems" IEEE Trans. Veh. Tech., vol. 44, pp. 76-88, February 1995, functions and characteristics of a noise space correlation matrix in a time-slotted CDMA system with smart antenna have been discussed. Nevertheless, when implementing and emulating the technique described in the document, it is assumed that noises are not mutually correlation, i.e. without taking into account the correlation characteristics of the noises. No method for estimating the noise space correlation matrix is provided, either. In practice, the signal to be received is accumulated with the noise, i.e. e=s+n, where e is the total received signal, s is the signal component and n is the noise component. In a practical measurement and estimation of the correlation characteristics of noise, it is usually assumed that the noise component is of Gaussian distribution and uncorrelated with the signal component, so the following formula exists:E{n·n*T}=E{e·e*T}−E{s·s*T}
Analysis and emulation results show that the above estimation algorithm of the noise space correlation matrix will be rather instable when the signal-to-noise ratio increases, making the error code rate worse rapidly. Thus, the above estimation algorithm does not satisfy the system requirement in a practical range of the signal-to-noise ratio.

Estimation method for space correlation characteristics of noise in a time slotted CDMA system

Da Tang Mobile Communications Equipment Co., Ltd.


A two-section physical-exercise elastic cudgel comprises a first carbon-fiber rod and a second carbon-fiber rod. The first carbon-fiber rod has a rod body, a first joint end with a first handle structure, and a first balance-weight end with a balance weight. The first handle structure has a handlebar, a male connection block, a supporter and a sleeve ring. The second carbon-fiber rod has a rod body, a second joint end with a second handle structure, and a second balance-weight end with a balance weight. The second handle structure has a handlebar, a female connection block, a supporter and a sleeve ring. The first handle structure is connected with the second handle structure via engagement of the male connection block and the female connection block to form a complete handle, whereby the first carbon-fiber rod and the second carbon-fiber rod form an easy-to-assemble, easy-to-disassemble, easy-to-carry and easy-to-collect two-section physical-exercise elastic cudgel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a physical-exercise elastic cudgel, particularly to an easy-to-carry and easy-to-collect two-section physical-exercise elastic cudgel.
2. Description of the Related Art
The conventional physical-exercise elastic cudgel is used to vibrate away fatness, perform various physical exercises, or function as the toss rod of the Chinese martial art.
Refer to FIG. 4. The conventional physical-exercise elastic cudgel is a carbon-fiber rod 70 with a handle 71 at the middle and two balance weights 72 and 73 at two ends. The user holds the handle 71 and moves the elastic cudgel up and down repeatedly to induce the vibration of the elastic cudgel. The vibration will feed back to the user's body to generate effects of exercise, fitness and weight reduction.
However, the conventional physical-exercise elastic cudgel is an integral body and unlikely to disassemble. Then, the conventional physical-exercise elastic cudgel always has a considerable length, which makes it hard to package, transport, store, and exhibit for the manufacturers and the sellers, and which also makes it hard to carry and collect for the users. Thus, the user can only use the conventional physical-exercise elastic cudgel at a specified location, which greatly reduces the utility of the conventional physical-exercise elastic cudgel. Therefore, the conventional physical-exercise elastic cudgel has room to improve.

Two-section physical-exercise elastic cudgel


A cell colonies dissecting and transplanting apparatus comprises: a base, a platform, a feeding mechanism having at least three axis feeding means, a movable holder, a cutting means, a transplanting means, and a CCD image capturing means. The platform having the CCD image capturing means therebottom is disposed onto the base, and on the platform is defined with the holder for receiving a plurality of loading trays, so as to the original cell colonies and a plurality of media boards of subculture can be placed on the loading trays of holder, the holder can displace from a first axis feeding means and a second axis feeding means of feeding mechanism to moveably align with a first axis and a second axis. In addition, the cutting means and the transplanting means respectively capable of vertically move along a third axis feeding means of feeding mechanism are arranged onto the base, wherein the cutting means is provided with an array of invertable blades, and the transplanting means is defined with a bent capture needle for capturing the cell masses, whereby enabling to use operational analysis of controller to precisely cut, capture and pickedly place the original cell colonies.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cell colonies dissecting and transplanting apparatus that can use automatization equipment to precisely cut, capture and pickedly place the original cell colonies, so as to decrease the infection probability.
2. Description of the Prior Arts
Nowadays, the molecular biotechnology is generally applied in human disease researches, especially in the human embryonic stem cells studyings. Hence, mass-produce of said human embryonic stem cells for medical usages is an indispensable study in the molecular biotechnology industry.
A conventional culturing method of human embryonic stem cells as shown in FIG. 1 comprises a plurality of original cell colonies 1 cultured on trophoblast cell of a media disk 2 for forming subculture. At this step, the biotechnology worker needs to dissect the reproduced cell colonies 1 by using a glass knife, and then pickedly places a plurality of undifferentiated cell masses 3 onto the trophoblast cell of a new media disk 4 for further culture. However, this conventional culturing method still has some defects, for example, the culturing space and production may be limited, and the cells may easy to be differentiated and infected.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages.

Cell colonies dissecting and transplanting apparatus

Industrial Technology Research Institute


An industrial robot wrist unit comprising a wrist housing capable of being detachably mounted to the distal end of a robot arm, the housing having two fork arms supporting a pivotally mounted tilt housing which supports a rotatably mounted turntable on which an external implement can be mounted. The tilt housing is positively confined between the fork arms so that reactive forces stemming from the gearings in the housing are prevented from forcing the fork arms apart.

The present invention relates to an industrial robot wrist unit, comprising a wrist housing, which is intended to be fixed on a distal end of a robot arm and which has two fork arms between which a tilt housing is pivotally mounted, the tilt housing supporting in turn a rotatably mounted turn-table, on which there can be mounted a distal implement, in the wrist housing there being rotatably mounted first and second drive shafts, the first drive shaft, via a first and a second gearing, being able to rotate the turntable about a first axis and said second drive shaft, via a third gearing being capable of pivoting the tilt housing about a second axis which crosses the first axis.
In previously known wrist units of the above mentioned type, the gearings have been mounted in the wrist housing so that reactive forces arising in the gearings during certain operating conditions have been able to force the fork arms apart in an undesirable manner to the detriment of the precision in positioning the tool mounted on the turntable. This can be avoided by increasing the dimensions of the wrist housing, which has, however, caused an undesirable increase in weight in the entire wrist housing.


Communications are received from a user equipment UE on an uplink enhanced dedicated channel E-DCH. The radio resources of at least one downlink channel that supports the E-DCH are either released or configured or reconfigured while the E-DCH is maintained for the UE. The downlink channels may be E-AGCH, E-HICH, or E-RGCH, and the radio resources may include a temporary identifier E-RNTI, signature sequence, and/or channelization codes. At a serving cell change of the UE, either or both of the serving cell and the non-serving cell can add/configure/reconfigure a supporting downlink channel, all without terminating the E-DCH. The UE and the SRNC are notified by an E-RGCH release indicator whether the E-RGCH is released or not at a serving cell change, and the UE deletes its stored E-RGCH parameters when the release indicator indicates it is released.

The following abbreviations that appear in the ensuing description are defined as follows:                3GPP Third Generation Partnership Project        DCH Dedicated Channel        DL Downlink (Node B to UE)        E-AGCH E-DCH Absolute Grant Channel        E-DCH Enhanced DCH        E-HICH E-DCH HARQ Acknowledgment Indicator Channel        E-RGCH E-DCH Relative Grant Channel        E-RNTI E-DCH Radio Network Temporary Identifier        HARQ Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest        HSUPA High Speed Uplink Packet Access        IE Information Element        NBAP Node B Application Protocol        Node B Base station        RNC Radio Network Controller        RNSAP Radio Network Subsystem Application Protocol        RRC Radio Resource Control        SRNC Serving RNC        RL Radio Link        RoT Rise over Thermal        UE User Equipment        UL Uplink (UE to Node B)        VoIP Voice over Internet Protocol
For 3GPP it has been agreed that there are to be two scheduling methods. These are an Absolute Grant method that uses E-AGCH, and a Relative Grant method that uses E-RGCH. The E-AGCH is a shared downlink channel that is used to provide an absolute limitation on the amount of uplink resources the UE may use for the E-DCH, scheduling how much data the UE can send (data rate) and maximum power. The E-RGCH complements the E-AGCH, and is used to increase or decrease the scheduled rate and/or power the UE sends on the E-DCH as compared to the previous value granted (e.g., granted over the E-AGCH or by a previous command over the E-RGCH). The E-AGCH is sent from only one cell, referred to as the E-DCH serving cell. The E-RGCH may be sent from each cell in an E-DCH Active Set, i.e., E-RGCH is not mandated to be sent from all cells in the E-DCH Active Set. It is left to the Node B implementation for configuring the E-RGCH resource for the UE. The E-HICH is the Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) channel, a physical channel used by the HARQ process to acknowledge transmissions from the user equipment on the E-DCH. The makes the uplink more resilient to signal errors by allowing retransmissions of faulty packets, as requested by the Node B by acknowledgements or negative acknowledgements.
Respecting the E-RGCH, there can be a serving relative grant and a non-serving relative grant on that shared physical channel. Transmitted on the downlink E-RGCH, the serving relative grant is from any cell in the serving E-DCH RL service, and allows the Node B to adjust the granted rate of UE's under its control. Typically, the command for the serving relative grant is "UP", "DOWN", or "HOLD". Also transmitted on the downlink E-RGCH is the non-serving relative grant. This allows neighboring Node B's to adjust the transmitting rate of UE's not under its control (e.g., in neighboring cells under control of the serving Node B) in order to avoid overload situations. Typically, the command for the non-serving relative grant is either "HOLD" or "DOWN". Multiple non-serving relative grants can be sent to a UE at one time (since there may be multiple neighboring cells under control of different non-serving Node B's), whereas by definition there may be only one serving relative grant sent to a UE at any one time (from its serving cell as scheduled by the serving Node B).
In the current specification the E-RGCH is configured only when the E-DCH is setup, and there is no technique specified to release, configure and reconfigure the E-RGCH in the Node B after the setup of E-DCH, i.e., the Node B is required to use the same E-RGCH configuration until the E-DCH is released, or until the RL is deleted. Conversely, in the case that the Node B does not configure the E-RGCH at E-DCH setup, the Node B will not have the E-RGCH until the E-DCH is released.
As the E-DCH concept is a new feature for 3GPP, prior to this invention there were no satisfactory solutions to the foregoing problems.

Apparatus, method and computer program product providing for release, configuration and reconfiguration of E-RGCH/E-HICH at a serving cell change


A reticle rotatable rack is provided at an upper position, and a pod rotatable rack is provided at a lower position in a clean stocker. A clean gas is supplied downwardly. In the stocker, a pod transportation device and a reticle transportation device are elevated and lowered. Load ports, a pod opener, and the pod rotatable rack are connected by the pod transportation device. The pod opener and the reticle rotatable rack are connected by the reticle transportation device.

Reticles are used for exposure of semiconductors or the like. The reticles are placed in pods, and transported between a stocker and an exposure apparatus. With respect to storage of the reticles, Japanese Patent No. 3682170 discloses a technique of providing a rack for storing reticles that are not placed in pods, and a rack for storing pods on both sides of a travel route of transportation devices. However, in the technique, the reticles may be contaminated undesirably by the wind generated by the transportation devices moving along the travel route.

Clean stocker and method of storing articles


To provide a method of manufacturing a shaft for a steering device, the shaft including a spline shaft part to be coupled with an input shaft, a stopper part to be coupled with an output shaft, and an intermediate shaft part that couples the spline shaft part with the stopper part. The method includes: a step of forming a hole part recessed in an axial direction from one end of a pillar-shaped material by forging; and a step of pressing the material in which the hole part has been formed into a die to perform drawing in a radial direction on a portion of the material at which the spline shaft part and the intermediate shaft part are formed, and prolonging a length along the axial direction of the hole part at the same time by forging.

Steering devices of an automobile and the like include a steering shaft, an intermediate shaft, and the like for transmitting steering torque input from a steering wheel to a wheel side. Patent Literature 1 discloses a shaft member obtained by coupling a plurality of shafts with each other by press-fitting. Patent Literature 2 discloses a technique of deep hole work by working, for example, a spool hole in a body lower valve for an electronically controlled automatic transmission vehicle.

Shaft for steering device, method of manufacturing shaft for steering device, and electric power steering device


A circuit managing numbers of accesses to logic resources, such as buffer memory data cells in a time switching system. The circuit is structured around a counting cell matrix including a synchronous counter storing an instananeous number of accesses relating to a corresponding data cell of the buffer memory. This encoded access number is representative of the number of outgoing multiplex ways from the system to which a data block received on an incoming multiplex way in the system must still be diffused. A given circuit operating cycle includes the loading of a counter by an access number corresponding to a free data cell address supplied by matrix column and row encoders during a cycle preceding the given cycle. This loading is obtained by selecting a column and row by cell-to-be-charged column and row decoders, and by applying the encoded access number to an input bus of the counters in the cells. Simultaneous to loading, an updated encoded number of a counter in a second matrix cell is decremented by one unity in response to the read-out address applied to cell-to-be-decremented address column and row decoders when the buffer memory cell corresponding to the second cell is being read.

1--Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a circuit for managing numbers of accesses to logic resources thereby deriving write addresses of available resources in a set of logic resources in dependence on the numbers of accesses updated, the number of accesses attributed to a logic resource being decremented by one unity in response to a read address of said resource.
For example, logic resources are data cells of a memory which is used in a time switching system and in which data received randomly are written.
2--Description of the Prior Art
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,264 divulges a system for switching data blocks between plural incoming time division multiplex ways and plural outgoing time division multiplex ways. The blocks in each of the multiplex ways can be synchronous blocks in circuit-mode and/or asynchronous blocks in packet-mode, and have a constant length.
In particular the asynchronous blocks in the same communication are transmitted sporadically in the multiplex ways.
All the data blocks are written progressively with their arrival into a buffer memory and are read-out one or several times from the buffer memory so as to be diffused to one or several outgoing multiplex ways. In effect, the communication relating to data blocks in an incoming way can be a point-to-point communication or a multipoint communication. For a multipoint communication a data block must be read in the buffer memory s many times as there are addressee outgoing multiplex ways which should receive the data block. The buffer memory cell in which a data block is written must be released on the last read of the block.
As embodied by this invention the logic resources can thus be data block cells of the buffer memory, and the number of accesses to a resource designates the number of read-outs or number of outgoing multiplex ways to which a data block stored in the resource must be diffused.
Aware that firstly, the data blocks are written sporadically in the buffer memory, secondly a data block must remain in the buffer memory during several read-out cycles in order to be diffused, U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,264 proposes an access number managing circuit, referred to as a "buffer memory" managing and write addressing circuit" so as to optimize the capacity of the buffer memory whilst managing it, i.e., updating the numbers of accesses progressively as data blocks are diffused.
This managing circuit is basically organized around two memories, each memory containing cells respectively associated to those of the buffer memory.
A first memory, referred to as a "cell release memory", stores the updated numbers access. Initially, when a data block is written-in, a cell in the first memory stores the number of accesses to which the block should be transmitted, then on each time this block is read-out, the number of accesses is decremented by unity until it reaches zero so as to release the associated cell in the buffer memory for writing another block.
In order to update each access number, the data outputs and inputs of the first memory are linked through a decrementation circuit and a zero test circuit, and the first memory is associated to other multiplexers and logic gates for its write-in and read-out addressing as a function of the write-in and read-out times of the buffer memory cells notably.
The second memory referred to as an "available cell address memory", forms a circuit for memorizing logic resource availability conditions, i.e., block cell conditions in the buffer memory, and for deriving free cell addresses. This circuit is described in the European patent application No. 298,793. The second memory basically comprises a matrix of one-bit cells, and a buffer memory cell address encoding circuit. The cells of the matrix are respectively assigned to the block cells of the buffer memory. Each matrix cell memorize an availability condition bit of the respective cell of the buffer memory. The condition bit is at high state "1" when the buffer memory cell is free and is thus ready to store a data block from an incoming multiplex way. The condition bit is at low state "0" when the buffer memory cell is occupied by a written data block which is to be read-out one or several times depending on the respective updated number of accesses memorized in the first memory. The encoding circuit in the second memory is connected to the outputs of all the cells of the matrix so as to select one of the cells of the matrix having a free condition bit "1", according to a predetermined cell priority order, and thus permanently derive the address of a free matrix cell selected equal to the write address of the respective block cell in the buffer memory.
Apart from the decrementation circuit and the zero test circuit, other logic means between the data output of the first memory and the data input of the second memory are provided in the managing circuit so as to modify the condition bits in the second memory. In fact, on reading a data block, only the corresponding cell in the first memory is read-out and write-in addressed to decrement the number of accesses by one unity as long as it is different from zero, the bit at the low state in the corresponding cell of the second memory not being modified. Conversely, when the number of accesses reaches zero, after the last data block read-out, the decrementation circuit requests modification of the condition bit in the second memory.
The material separation of the update of access numbers essentially made by the first memory and of the monitoring of the availability conditions of the logic resources made by the second memory is thus restrictive both from the point of view of the time to perform this operations which depend on the numerous circuits implemented, and the point of view of the cumbersomeness of the different circuits and memories.

Circuit managing numbers of accesses to logic resources


A fuse end cap for providing an electrical connection between a fuse and an electrical conductor. The fuse end cap may include a mounting cuff defining a first cavity that is adapted to receive a fuse body. The mounting cuff may be configured to be mounted to the fuse body by friction fit, for example. The fuse end cap may further include a terminal defining a second cavity adapted to receive a conductor. The terminal may be configured to be crimped about the conductor to retain the conductor within the second cavity.

Fuses have long been used in electrical devices for providing an interruptible electrical connection between a source of electrical power and a component in an electrical circuit that is to be protected. For example, upon the occurrence of an overcurrent condition in a circuit, such as may result from a short circuit or other sudden electrical surge, an element within in the fuse may separate and interrupt the flow of electrical current to a protected circuit component, thereby preventing or mitigating damage to the component that would otherwise result if the overcurrent condition were allowed to persist.
Fuses may be disposed between a source of electrical power and a component in an electrical circuit by conductive wires, for example. These wires may be connected to respective ends of the fuse by soldering, welding, etc. Unfortunately, these methods of attaching wires to a fuse may generate excessive heat that can damage the internal components of the fuse, namely the fuse element. In addition, soldering of the wires to the fuse ends is prone to inconsistent manufacturing methods thereby compromising the electrical conductivity between the wires and fuse as well as susceptibility to disconnection. Moreover, prior fuse connections may have required separate components such as, for example, fuse-holders and/or fuseblocks which occupy valuable circuit real estate as well as adding to circuit complexity. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved fuse end cap that provides a more robust electrical connection mechanism between a fuse and wire connections without the need to additional components that avoids soldered, welded.