Ballistic resistant fabric laminates are provided. More particularly, reinforced, delamination resistant, ballistic resistant composites are provided. The delamination resistant, ballistic resistant materials and articles may be reinforced by various techniques, including stitching one or more ballistic resistant panels with a high strength thread, melting the edges of a ballistic resistant panel to reinforce areas that may have been frayed during standard trimming procedures, wrapping one or more panels with one or more woven or non-woven fibrous wraps, and combinations of these techniques. The delamination resistant, ballistic resistant panels may further include at least one rigid plate attached thereto for improving ballistic resistance performance.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fabric laminates having excellent ballistic resistant properties. More particularly, the invention pertains to a reinforced, delamination resistant, ballistic resistant composites.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ballistic resistant articles containing high strength fibers that have excellent properties against deformable projectiles are known. Articles such as bullet resistant vests, helmets, vehicle panels and structural members of military equipment are typically made from fabrics comprising high strength fibers. High strength fibers conventionally used include polyethylene fibers, para-aramid fibers such as poly(phenylenediamine terephthalamide), graphite fibers, nylon fibers, glass fibers and the like. For many applications, such as vests or parts of vests, the fibers may be used in a woven or knitted fabric. For many of the other applications, the fibers are encapsulated or embedded in a matrix material to form either rigid or flexible fabrics.
Various ballistic resistant constructions are known that are useful for the formation of articles such as helmets, vehicle panels and vests. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,403,012, 4,457,985, 4,613,535, 4,623,574, 4,650,710, 4,737,402, 4,748,064, 5,552,208, 5,587,230, 6,642,159, 6,841,492, 6,846,758, all of which are incorporated herein by reference, describe ballistic resistant composites which include high strength fibers made from materials such as extended chain ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene. These composites display varying degrees of resistance to penetration by high speed impact from projectiles such as bullets, shells, shrapnel and the like.
For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,623,574 and 4,748,064 disclose simple composite structures comprising high strength fibers embedded in an elastomeric matrix. U.S. Pat. No. 4,650,710 discloses a flexible article of manufacture comprising a plurality of flexible layers comprised of high strength, extended chain polyolefin (ECP) fibers. The fibers of the network are coated with a low modulus elastomeric material. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,552,208 and 5,587,230 disclose an article and method for making an article comprising at least one network of high strength fibers and a matrix composition that includes a vinyl ester and diallyl phthalate. U.S. Pat. No. 6,642,159 discloses an impact resistant rigid composite having a plurality of fibrous layers which comprise a network of filaments disposed in a matrix, with elastomeric layers there between. The composite is bonded to a hard plate to increase protection against armor piercing projectiles.
It is well known that a small pointed projectile can penetrate armor by laterally displacing fibers without breaking them. Accordingly, ballistic penetration resistance is directly affected by the nature of the fiber network. For example, important factors impacting ballistic resistance properties are the tightness of a fiber weave, periodicity of cross-overs in cross-plied unidirectional composites, yarn and fiber deniers, fiber-to-fiber friction, matrix characteristics and interlaminar bond strengths.
Another important factor affecting ballistic resistance properties is the ability of the ballistic resistant material to resist delamination. In conventional composite ballistic panels, the impact of a projectile on the ballistic fabric layers passes through some of the layers while surrounding fabric layers are stressed or stretched, causing them to fray or become delaminated. This delamination may be limited to a small area, or may spread over a large area, significantly diminishing the ballistic resistance properties of the material, and reducing its ability to withstand the impact of multiple projectiles. Such delamination is also known to occur as a result of cutting sheets of ballistic resistant materials into desired shapes or sizes, causing trimmed edges to fray, and thereby compromising the stability and ballistic resistance properties of the material. Accordingly, there is a need in the art to solve each of these problems.
The present invention provides a solution to these problems. The present invention provides delamination resistant, ballistic resistant materials and articles that are reinforced by various techniques, including stitching one or more ballistic resistant panels with a high strength thread, melting the edges of a ballistic resistant panel to reinforce areas that may have been frayed during standard trimming procedures, wrapping one or more panels with one or more woven or non-woven fibrous wraps, and combinations of these techniques. The invention also provides one or more ballistic resistant panels including one or more rigid plates attached thereto for improving ballistic resistance performance, which may also be reinforced with one or more of the aforementioned techniques. The present invention presents an improvement over U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,455 which does not describe materials reinforced by melting panel edges, nor does U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,455 describe the incorporation of two fibrous wraps which are wrapped in different directions. U.S. patent further does not teach structures that incorporate outer polymer films on their panels, nor structures having rigid plates attached thereto. Articles formed from the materials described herein have been found to have excellent delamination resistance and ballistic resistance properties, which are particularly retained after being stressed by multiple impacts.

Restrained breast plates, vehicle armored plates and helmets


A battery includes a plurality of battery modules which are arranged in battery strings and are selectively activated or deactivated by driving. The battery module voltage of a respective battery module contributes to an output voltage of the corresponding battery string of the battery in the activated state. The battery further includes a switching converter topology which is coupled to the battery strings and is configured to selectively generate currents flowing into one or more of the battery strings.

The present disclosure relates to a battery having a plurality of battery modules which are arranged in battery strings and can be selectively activated or deactivated by means of driving, the battery module voltage of a respective battery module contributing to an output voltage of the corresponding battery string of the battery in the activated state. The disclosure also relates to an associated method for operating the battery. In addition, the disclosure relates to a vehicle having the battery.
It is becoming apparent that new batteries, on which very high demands with regard to reliability, safety, performance and service life will be imposed, will be increasingly used in future in stationary applications, for example wind power installations, in vehicles, for example hybrid and electric vehicles, and in the consumer sector, for example in laptops and mobile telephones. Batteries having lithium ion technology, in particular, are suitable for such tasks. They are distinguished, inter alia, by a high energy density and an extremely low self-discharge.
Previous disclosures by the applicant presented methods concerning how a lithium ion battery can be expediently subdivided into modules which are then connected to form individual strings which then directly drive an electric motor. An example of a modular battery is disclosed in the document DE 10 2010 027 864 A1. The corresponding principle is explained in more detail by way of example below using FIG. 1.
According to FIG. 1, a battery 100 has a plurality of battery strings 101 with battery modules 102. Each battery module 102 has one or more battery cells 103, only one battery cell 103 of which is illustrated in the drawing for each battery module 102. Each battery module 102 also respectively has two switches 104, 105, a respective battery module 102 being able to be activated or deactivated depending on the switching position of the switches 104, 105. In the activated state, the battery module voltage of the respective connected or activated battery module 102 contributes to an output voltage of the corresponding battery string 101, which output voltage is then available at a connection 106. In contrast, in the deactivated state, the battery module 102 is decoupled from the battery string 101 and is bridged in an electrically conductive manner.
An advantage of the arrangement according to FIG. 1 is that a battery voltage can thus be set in a variable manner. For example, with sufficiently fine division of the battery strings 101 into a multiplicity of battery modules 102 and with appropriate driving, a sinusoidal profile of the battery voltage can be set at the terminals 106, which profile has a phase shift. This makes it possible to drive a (three-phase) electric motor 107, even without the need for a special interposed inverter.
Previous disclosures by the applicant also presented a battery, in which the individual battery modules are connected to a DC/DC converter. FIG. 2 illustrates such an arrangement by way of example, the circuits of the battery modules 102 shown each being supplemented with a secondary subcircuit 207 of the DC/DC converter. The DC/DC converter is preferably in the form of a flyback converter. The secondary subcircuits 207 each have a diode 201 and a secondary coil 202. The primary-side subcircuit 206 of the battery 200 has a primary coil 204 and a switch 205. DC-isolation between the battery modules 202 and the primary-side subcircuit 206 can also be effected using the coil core 203. As an advantage of the circuit topology shown, it is possible, for example, to charge the battery modules 202 from the 12-V power supply system or, depending on the configuration of the DC/DC converter, from the 220-V domestic power supply system. However, the circuit topology from FIG. 2 results in a high wiring complexity and therefore high costs since each battery module 202 must be wired to a separate secondary coil 202 on the DC/DC converter. In addition, although it is possible to carry out active balancing between the battery modules 102 and individual battery strings 101 in the battery 200 during operation by connecting the individual battery modules 102 for different periods of time depending on their performance during the production of the desired AC output voltages, such a method cannot be used at a standstill or during charging, for example.

Battery having a plurality of battery modules arranged in battery strings, and method for operating the battery


The present invention provides improved laser beam quality with fewer parts than the current method demands and decreasing the transmit aperture, said apparatus comprising: two or more independently pumped gain modules, two or more pump diodes, a polarizing waveplate, non-linear optical crystals, and a passive Q-switch.

The prior art discloses a number of ways to achieve multi-wavelength laser transmission.
United States Patent Application Publication 2010/0220753, for example, concerns a monofrequency, intra-cavity, frequency-tripled, continuous laser. This assembly is a diode-pumped device. It includes an amplifying medium, two birefringent non-linear mediums for frequency doubling and tripling, and a polarizing medium used as a Lyot filter adapted to allow monofrequency output emission.
This invention, US 2010/0220753, is a method for generation of a Continuous Wave (CW), monofrequency UV laser source using intra-cavity, temperature controlled, birefringent non-linear converters, driven by a Nd based diode pumped laser operating at ˜1 μm.
United States Patent Application Publication 2010/0142962 involves a multiwavelength transmitter comprised of several laser sources and electroabsorption modulators. The lasers are configured to generate differing wavelengths and the modulators are configured to match the lasers, modulating one corresponding wavelength.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,792,162 features a selectable multiwavelength laser for outputting visible light. This assembly is comprised of a laser capable of producing multiple wavelengths simultaneously to resonate in a cavity. One of the frequencies is generated by a Raman crystal. A tunable non-linear medium is positioned within the cavity for frequency conversion, and a tuner is used to tune it to select a wavelength for conversion. The output beam from this assembly is used for treatment, detection, and diagnosis of patients in ophthalmology and dermatology.
Comprised of a single gain element, Q-Switch, and multiple intra-cavity non-linear converters, using both folded and liner cavity configurations with multiple partially reflective output mirrors to outcouple laser light of varying wavelengths, this invention, U.S. Pat. No. 7,792,162, is optically complex, requires removal and replacement of various intra-cavity, elements to achieve particular sets of multiple wavelengths, and in each case requires a combination of angle and/or temperature tuning to attain specific wavelengths.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,356,088 concerns a compact laser scanning microscope with an integrated short-pulse laser. This assembly is useful for multiphoton microscopy for three-dimensionally resolved microscopic analysis because it circumvents optical direct coupling and fiber coupling. It is used for analysis of materials, particularly for optical beam induced current analysis.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,356,088 utilizes multiple wavelengths using lasers sources in ultrafast regime which are combined and converted with various non-linear converters similar to that described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,792,162 but configures the laser to be consistent with small volume packaging for an advanced compact laser scanning microscope.
An improved way, however, is still necessary to achieve better laser beam quality using fewer parts while allowing for a decrease in the size of the transmit aperture.

Shared multi-wavelength laser resonator with gain selected output coupling

BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.


A wireless communication device includes: an antenna including an antenna element, and a ground conductor; an IC connected to the antenna; and a metal member arranged to face the antenna. The ground conductor includes one end and the other end in the X direction. The metal member includes a metal plate, and a projection protruding from the metal plate toward the antenna. The projection is arranged at a position of overlapping with the end of the ground conductor as viewed in the −Z direction. Such a configuration improves the transmission and reception gains at the communication frequency of a radio element.

Many electronic apparatuses in recent years, such as imaging apparatuses (smartphones, etc.) and personal computers (PCs), have been equipped with wireless communication devices that communicate through a wireless LAN or Bluetooth®. Digital cameras and X-ray image diagnostic apparatuses in recent years equipped with the aforementioned wireless communication devices to transmit taken images to another camera or PC have been widespread.
Radio waves in a 2.4 [GHz] band or 5 [GHz] band are used for wireless communication via wireless LAN or Bluetooth®. An antenna for wireless communication is attached to an electronic apparatus equipped with a wireless communication device. Various antennas are used, the types of which include, for example, monopole antennas, dipole antennas, inverted-F antennas, patch antennas, and chip antennas.
These antennas are required to be embedded in a limited space to reduce the size of electronic apparatuses and improve aesthetic designs. Furthermore, the cost is required to be reduced. To reduce the size and cost, the antenna is often arranged in a casing of a product. However, if the antenna is accommodated in a small electronic apparatus, the antenna and an adjacent metal member are required to be arranged close to each other. This arrangement causes a problem of varying resonant characteristics of the antenna.
Conventionally, as one of measures for preventing such a problem, a method has been known that increases power supplied to a radio element made of, e.g., a semiconductor package to compensate the amount of degradation in radiant power and increase the radiant quantity of radio waves in a communication frequency (NPL 1).

Wireless communication device and electronic apparatus


An object of the present invention is to find a novel pharmaceutical that has an excellent tryptophanase inhibitory effect, and suppresses worsening of renal function to preserve the kidney by reducing production of indoxyl sulfate in the blood. The present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition containing, as an active ingredient, a compound represented by the following formula, or a pharmacologically acceptable salt thereof:

Chronic kidney disease is a significant problem in society. In current drug therapy for chronic kidney disease patients, a renin-angiotensin-based inhibitor such as an angiotensin II receptor antagonist (ARB) or an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor is used as a first-line-drug, and a calcium antagonist and a diuretic are used as second- or third-line-drugs. Based on comorbid diseases and primary diseases, a large number of oral drugs are prescribed, such as therapeutic drugs for hyperuricemia, therapeutic drugs for hyperlipidemia, therapeutic drugs for diabetes, steroid/immunosuppressive agents, antiplatelet drugs/anticoagulation drugs, therapeutic drugs for hyperphosphatemia, erythropoiesis stimulating factor preparations, analgesics, antiarrhythmic drugs, antidepressants, therapeutic drugs for Alzheimer type dementia, Parkinson's disease drugs, proton pump inhibitors (PPI), antiallergic drugs and antimicrobials. There is, however, a demand for development of better therapeutic drugs for these diseases.
Indole, which is produced by tryptophanase-expressing intestinal bacteria with tryptophan as a substrate, is a precursor of indoxyl sulfate (IS), a uremic toxin which accelerates the progression of pathological conditions of chronic kidney disease. Indoxyl sulfate, which is produced from indole through hydroxylation/sulfation, is a uremic toxin that not only deteriorates kidney function and thus accelerates transition to end-stage kidney failure (transition to renal replacement therapy or kidney transplant) but also causes deterioration and dysfunction of blood vessels to cause cardiovascular disease and a further increase in morbidity. Uremic toxins are also deeply involved in disorders of various organs such as nerves, bones, blood cells and skeletal muscles, and uremic symptoms. Spherical adsorptive carbon is commercially available as a pharmaceutical capable of reducing indoxyl sulfate in the blood, and adsorbs indole produced by tryptophanase in the lumen of the digestive tract to evacuate it with excrement. The indoxyl sulfate-reducing function of spherical adsorptive carbon in blood is, however, weak, particularly in humans, and is insufficient because it is unable to reduce blood indoxyl sulfate concentration down to a concentration level of a healthy person (Non Patent Literature 1).
Transition to kidney transplant or dialysis based on kidney dysfunction is increasing worldwide. For example, the number of dialysis patients in Japan exceeds 310,000 at present and is still increasing. A patient needs to go to hospital three times a week for dialysis, and the dialysis itself takes time. Besides, dialysis is a heavy burden also from the point of view of medical economics. Kidney transplant is also considered as an alternative to dialysis, but the number of donors is limited, and there is therefore a significant problem to be solved preserving renal function as long as possible to support the life of patients. In other words, it has become very important to delay transition to renal replacement therapy in patients undergoing conservative treatment of chronic kidney failure to gain time until appearance of a donor for kidney transplantation. Besides, after transition to renal replacement therapy, it is important, also in the sense of water regulation and the like, to suppress worsening of remaining renal function and obtain a sufficient urine volume. Indoxyl sulfate accelerates production of ROS (reactive oxygen species) in renal tubular epithelial cells and accelerates cell senescence (Non Patent Literature 2). It is also known to cause failure in renal glomerular epithelial cells via an AhR (aryl hydrocarbon receptor) (Non Patent Literature 3) Therefore, reducing the production of indoxyl sulfate is expected to greatly reduce such influences on renal cells and to suppress worsening of renal function and preserve the kidney.
Patent Literature 1 and 2 describe an aryl urea derivative having a N-formylpeptide receptor modulatory function, but neither disclose or suggest a compound of formula (I) of the present invention described below, or a specific salt of the compound.

Besides, Patent Literature 3 describes a urea derivative that inhibits fatty acid binding protein (FABP) 4 and/or 5, but neither discloses nor suggests the compound of formula (I) of the present invention described below, or a specific salt of the compound.

In this formula, R1 and R2 form a cycloalkyl group together with the carbon atom to which they are bound. In addition, a variety of reagents are commercially available from AKos Consulting and Solutions Deutschland GmbH, Aldlab Chemicals, LLC, Aurora Fine Chemicals LLC, Shanghai Chemhere Co., Ltd. and the like, but medical uses such as the tryptophanase inhibitory effect of the present invention are not known.

Abstract: wherein R1 and R2 are the same or different, and represent a C1-C6 alkyl group or the like, and Ar represents an optionally substituted phenyl group or an optionally substituted thienyl group.


Carbonyl reductase (CR) of a yeast strain, Kluyveromyces marxianus, and its isolation and purification method thereof is provided. The reduction reaction by the reductase obtained in the present invention is more stereospecific and requires less cost and time than the reduction reactions by the microorganisms or by the reducing enzymes obtained from a chemical synthesis.

In general, carbonyl compounds exhibit in vivo toxicity due to their high reactivity. Carbonyl reductase is known to detoxify such carbonyl compounds by reducing them [Udo C. T. Oppermann, Toxicology 144 (2000) 71–81]. Carbonyl reductase usually exists as monomers and has diverse substrate specificities to different carbonyl compounds [B. Wermuth, Clin. Biol. Res. 174 (1985) 209–230].
Generally, the methods of reducing the above carbonyl compounds includes those using the microorganisms that have the reducing enzymes or using the reducing enzymes obtained from a chemical synthesis.
Asymmetric reduction of carbonyl compounds by using microorganisms such as yeast is a very useful method to synthesize optically active chemical compounds. The conventional reduction of carbonyl compounds by using microorganisms, however, yield (S)-alcohols preferably to (R)-alcohols. Asymmetric mixture of (2S,3R) and (2R,3R) compounds is produced when α-substituted β-keto esters are reduced. The ratio between the two products depends greatly on the substituting group at the α position. Generally, yeast is known to produce (S)-3-hydroxy compounds by reducing β-keto esters (European patent 0290385), and carbonyl reductases of yeast, known up to date, produce asymmetric mixture of (2S,3R) and (2R,3R) compounds.
Even though it is convenient and economical to carry out the reduction reaction by the above method using microorganisms, it is difficult to obtain compounds that are highly stereospecific to substrates since many oxidases and reductases exist in reality. Chemical synthesis of reductase requires complex production process, time and cost since many steps must be carried out for the reaction. Therefore, there is a demand for easy and economical methods for obtaining the carbonyl reductase that is highly stereospecific to substrates.
To overcome the above problems, the present invention provides highly stereoselective carbonyl reductase that can be purified and synthesized easily by separating an enzyme that reduces carbonyl compounds from a yeast strain, Kluyveromyces marxianus, by identifying the amino-terminal sequence and by purifying the reductase.

Korea Institute of Science and Technology


An operating unit for an endoscope is provided in which focusing and/or zooming operations can be easily performed using a hand holding an operating unit, without removing a hand holding an insertion unit from the insertion unit. An optical system operating member for performing focusing and/or zooming operations on an observation optical system is disposed at a position where the optical system operating member is operable by the thumb of a hand holding an operating unit. The optical system operating member is arranged to be coaxially rotatable with a bending operation member disposed on a side face of the operating unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an operating unit for an endoscope having focusing and/or zooming functions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. 63-269113 discloses an operating unit for an endoscope having focusing and/or zooming functions. The endoscope has an objective optical system forming an image on an image receiving unit of an image transmitting system. The objective optical system and the image receiving unit are both installed in a front end of an insertion unit of the endoscope. To remotely control a relative distance between the objective optical system and the image receiving unit for focussing and/or zooming, the operating unit is equipped with an optical system operating ring 79 for moving one or both of the objective optical system and the image receiving unit back and forth through an operating wire passing through the insertion unit. The optical system operating ring 79 is provided on an eyepiece projecting from the head portion of the operating unit and is juxtaposed to a diopter adjusting ring 121.
The operating ring 79 provided on the eyepiece is located at a position where the fingers of the left hand holding the operating unit cannot reach. Therefore, the operating ring 79 must be operated using the right hand.
In contrast to the diopter adjustment ring 121, which need not be adjusted during endoscopic observation after it has been initially adjusted, the optical system operating ring 79 for performing focusing and/or zooming operations must be operated at a most critical time when the objective diseased part is observed through the endoscope. If the optical system operating ring is operated at this time using the right hand, which must be used for holding the insertion unit, the front end of the insertion unit is unintentionally moved from a position where the objective diseased part can be observed. Consequently, a series of operations, starting with an operation of guiding the front end of the insertion unit to the objective diseased part, must be repeated.


In various embodiments, a support device is provided for at least one covering element, in particular of a bumper device of a motor vehicle having at least one support body, on which at least one covering element can be arranged or is arranged, and having at least one support unit, which can be fixed or is fixed to the support body and to a vehicle structure or an impact device, which supports the support body when a load acting on the support body is less than a defined load and which releases the support body for a movement when the load acting on the support body exceeds the defined load.

Bumper devices and support devices are known with motor vehicles for example in the front region. On the support devices, the fascia is supported, which for example comprises bumper elements such as bumper skin or covering.
The bumper device is designed in order to deform on the exceeding of a defined load for example an impact and to absorb energy by doing so.
With the known bumper devices and with the known support devices it has proved to be disadvantageous that the plurality of the individual parts of the support device are plastically deformed through the exceeding of the defined load, which proves to be time-consuming and cost-intensive for a restoration of the support device.
Accordingly, it is desirable to propose a support device, a support unit and a support body for the support device as well as a bumper device, wherein the absorption action is increased and wherein a restoration, for example after a collision, can be realized quickly and cost-effectively.


A system for synchronizing data after they are collected and stored locally in sensor units in a distributed sensor system, so that wired or wireless communication is not required during a data-collection session. Each sensor unit has a local clock providing local-clock times before and after a data-collection session, and a data processor uses its local clock or a sensor unit's local clock as the reference to compute each sensor unit's time-scaling factor, which is the ratio of the elapsed reference local-clock time and the elapsed local-clock time. The data processor uses the time-scaling factor to convert each sensor unit's local-clock data-sampling times to the reference local-clock data-sampling times, and the data processor subsequently interpolates sensor data to approximate simultaneous sensor-data values at desired reference local-clock times. A physical-activity monitoring system can use this synchronization method to reduce the size, power consumption, and cost of the sensor units.

1. Field
This application relates to time synchronization of data obtained from sensors distributed at different locations, specifically to synchronization of sensor data after they are timestamped with local clocks in a distributed sensor system.
2. Prior Art
In a distributed sensor system that has multiple sensor units at different physical locations, each sensor unit's local clock may be used to schedule sensor-data collection or to timestamp sensor-data samples, and synchronization and syntonization of the local clocks in the distributed sensor system are important for obtaining simultaneous data from the sensors. Clock synchronization sets the clocks to the same time at a given instant, and clock syntonization adjusts the clocks to the same clock frequency.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,894,450 (1999) to Schmidt et al. discloses a system that synchronizes the sensor data from a number of underwater vehicles by placing a synchronization subsystem in each underwater vehicle. The synchronization subsystem synchronizes the sensor data by periodically resynchronizing its clock with other synchronization subsystems' clocks. Since the minimum time interval required between resynchronization depends on the accuracy and stability of the clock in the synchronization subsystem, the synchronization subsystem typically includes a highly accurate clock to timestamp each sensor-data sample. Accurate clock synchronization is achieved by frequent optical or acoustic communication among the vehicles. Sensor data may be processed in each vehicle in real time or near real time, or they may be stored in a data unit and processed later, when the vehicle is docked at a network node or when the vehicle is recovered. Each vehicle requires an accurate clock in the synchronization subsystem and a wireless (optical or acoustic in this case) communication system for resynchronization of the clocks during data collection. Furthermore, the wireless communication system consumes additional electrical power for clock resynchronization. If the system is used for small battery-powered sensing devices, the use of a wireless communication system in each device increases the size and cost of the device because of the additional electrical components needed for the wireless communication system, and because of the extra energy drained from the battery, necessitating a larger battery.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,180 (1996) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,654,356 B1 (2003), all to Eidson et al., disclose a method for synchronization and syntonization of local clocks of two nodes in a data-communication network by having the nodes send local-time information to each other using the data-communication network, and then having each node compare the difference between the received local-time information and its own local-time information. When the purpose of the nodes is to perform control or sensing function, the synchronization method requires an accurate local clock in each node and a data-communication network for frequent synchronization and syntonization of the local clocks. The synchronization system is not suitable for small portable devices, because a wired data communication network would restrain the portability of the devices and a wireless data-communication network would increase the size, power consumption, and cost of the devices.
The need for time synchronization of sensor data of a battery-powered system is exemplified in a physical-activity monitoring system described by K. Zhang et al. in "Measurement of Human Daily Physical Activity", Obesity Research, Vol. 11, No. 1, 2003, pages 33-40. The system uses five small sensors attached to the body of a human subject to monitor physical activity of the subject, with two sensors placed at the anterior sides of the thighs, two sensors at the inferior sides of the feet, and the fifth sensor below the angle of the sternum. The output electrical signal of each sensor is transmitted through a cable to a data-collection device worn at the waist, so that types of physical activity can be identified from the synchronous signals from all of the sensors on the body. For future work, the authors of the paper propose wireless transmission of the sensor signals during data collection to a data-collection device to alleviate the inconvenience of wearing multiple wired sensors. However, as discussed above, incorporating a wireless communication system in each sensor increases the size and cost of the sensor.
L. Bao and S. S. Intille describe a wireless physical-activity monitoring system in "Activity Recognition from User-Annotated Acceleration Data", Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Pervasive Computing 2004, pages 1-17. In the system, accelerometers are placed on each human subject's right hip, dominant wrist, non-dominant upper arm, dominant ankle, and non-dominant thigh to recognize ambulation, posture, and other physical activities. During a data-collection session, data of the accelerometer at each location are timestamped with an independent quartz-crystal clock and stored locally, so that after data collection the accelerometer data from all the different locations can be processed together to identify the types of physical activity performed. To achieve synchronization of the data samples obtained with independent clocks without using wired or wireless communication links, all the accelerometers are shaken together simultaneously with a fixed sinusoidal pattern at the beginning and end of each data-collection session. Then, during data processing, the authors use a computer to visually align the peaks of these distinct beginning and end sinusoidal signal patterns among all the accelerometers. Finally, timestamps of acceleration data are linearly scaled between the manually aligned start and end points. The post data-collection synchronization technique described in this paper is not practical for widespread use, because it requires sinusoidal vibration of the accelerometers before and after each data-collection session and tedious manual alignment of the accelerometer data. For future research, the authors of this paper recommend using small wireless accelerometers and a mobile computer to receive the wireless accelerometer data.
Physical activity, as a major form of energy expenditure, is considered one of the most important factors in the etiology, prevention, and treatment of obesity, and the development of an accurate physical-activity monitoring system to estimate energy expenditure for both research and widespread use has become a pressing need. The pedometer, a conventional device for counting the number of physical steps a user takes, fails to monitor other types of physical activity, and alternative accelerometer-based devices that monitor more types of physical activity are often inconvenient or expensive—significant barriers for integration into mainstream society. Because simultaneous data from multiple sensors on different parts of the subject's body are required for identifying the types of physical activity performed, using a wireless communication port in each sensor to transmit data during data collection has been proposed by many leading researchers in the field as a way to overcome the inconvenience of wearing multiple wired sensors. However, this approach suffers from a number of disadvantages:
(a) A wireless data recorder worn by the subject or installed in a mobile computer nearby is needed to receive the simultaneous sensor data.
(b) The limited number of wireless signal channels available for public use can result in signal interference if users in close proximity wear similar devices.
(c) Intermittent signal loss may occur when metal objects in the vicinity absorb transmitted electromagnetic signals, or when an antenna orientation changes while a physical activity is being performed.
(d) The transmitted radio-frequency signals can be tracked and decoded by undesired third parties, compromising the privacy of the user.
(e) The required transmission power for wireless communication during data collection drains extra energy from the battery, necessitating a larger battery.
(f) The wireless components, such as external inductors and an antenna, increase the size of the sensor.
(g) The manufacturing cost is increased because of the wireless component cost and labor cost for testing and tuning the wireless communication ports.
The use of post data-collection synchronization instead of wireless communication during data collection for a physical-activity monitoring system retains the benefit of user convenience while avoiding the disadvantages of wireless communication discussed above. However, this approach has been unviable in the past because of the impracticality of existing techniques to compensate for the time drift of the independent quartz-crystal local clock located in each sensor unit. The accuracy of common low-cost surface-mounted quartz crystals is 0.002 to 0.010%, resulting in a time drift of 1.7 to 8.6 seconds a day. Previous attempts to synchronize accelerometer data have required shaking all the accelerometers of a multi-accelerometer system simultaneously with a fixed sinusoidal pattern before and after a data-collection session.

Post data-collection synchronization for approximation of simultaneous data


The invention relates to a method of soldering components on a carrier foil whereby hot gas is conducted onto the lower side of the carrier foil. Special soldering methods are necessary especially in SMD technology, whereby components can be soldered in large numbers on a carrier foil in a non-destructive manner both for the component itself and for the carrier foil. According to the invention, the hot gas is aimed at a soldering spot through a nozzle, heating this spot until solder heated by the hot gas flow melts on the surface of the carrier foil.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of soldering components on a carrier foil, by which method hot gas is conducted onto the lower side of the carrier foil. The invention also relates to a device for carrying out this method.
One of the main requirements imposed on circuit technology is that increasingly large numbers of functions are to be accommodated in ever smaller spaces. Various techniques are used for this. In the SMD technique (Surface Mounted Devices), discrete components of very small dimensions are soldered on the surface of a board or carrier foil. In a so-called hybrid technique, for example, integrated semiconductor circuits and discrete (SMD) components are provided on a joint carrier. Special soldering processes are necessary to achieve that the component to be soldered itself or a semiconductor crystal present adjacent the soldering spot are not damaged by the heat during the soldering process.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A device for soldering components on a carrier is known from EP-A 461 961. The supporting boards are transported through an oven by means of a transport apparatus. Several blower units are arranged in the oven in pairs above or below the transport apparatus. These blower units blow hot gas through a porous plate onto the supporting board, so that the supporting board itself and a soldering paste provided thereon are heated. The heating zone is followed by a cooling zone in which cold gas is blown against the supporting board, so that the solder solidifies.
Since hot gas flows against the supporting board in this method from above and from below, uniformly heating the entire portion of the board present in the gas flow, heat-sensitive components already present on the supporting board may become damaged. A further problem is that the soldering paste may flow away from the soldering spot during heating in the case of a hot gas flow from above.

Method of soldering components on a carrier foil


An apparatus is disclosed for differentially treating a medical device. One portion of the device is treated with a first fluid and a separate portion is treated with a second fluid. The second fluid generally is substantially different from the first fluid. The first fluid can be contacted with an flow region of the medical device. The apparatus can include a conduit system, where fluid flowing through the conduit system flows through the flow region. Sheet material can be treated differentially on the opposite surfaces of the sheet. The medical device can include vascular tissue.

The invention relates to the treatment of separate portions of medical devices such as bioprosthetic devices, with selected, different treatment solutions.
A variety of medical devices such as prostheses can be used to repair or replace damaged or diseased organs, tissues and other structures in humans and animals. Some of these medical devices incorporate tissue or synthetic material as at least a component of the prosthesis. Prostheses generally must be biocompatible due to possible prolonged contact with bodily fluids.
It is often necessary or desirable to treat the natural or synthetic tissue prior to use to improve performance of the prosthetic. Tissue used in prostheses typically is fixed prior to use. Fixation stabilizes the tissue, especially from enzymatic degradation, and reduces antigenicity.
In addition, a prosthesis can be treated with a variety of agents to reduce calcification, i.e., the deposit of calcium salts, particularly calcium phosphate (hydroxyapatite), following implantation in a recipient. Calcification affects the performance and structural integrity of medical devices constructed from these tissues, especially over extended periods of time. For example, calcification is the primary cause of clinical failure of bioprosthetic heart valves. The tissue can also be decellularized in an effort to reduce the effects of calcification and to promote cell growth. Other possible treatments include the application of, for example, antimicrobials, antioxidants and antithrombotics.
Some treatments for medical devices involve the use of potent chemicals, which can result in degradation of delicate portions of the medical device. Also, treatments beneficial to one portion of a medical device may be detrimental to another portion of the bioprosthesis. Furthermore, certain treatments may be appropriate for one portion of a medical device but not other portions due to differences in material or due to the different environments to which the different portions of the medical device may be exposed during use.
The present invention provides for the treatment of different portions of a medical device with different treatment solutions. Therefore, delicate parts of a device can be protected while treating other, less sensitive parts with relatively potent but beneficial treatment solutions. In addition, different portions of a medical device may be in different environments following implantation into a patient. These different portions can be prepared in different ways in preparation for exposure to the different environments. Other advantages of the invention are evident from the description below.
In a first aspect, the invention features an apparatus including:
(a) a first fluid applicator for contacting a first portion of a medical device with a first fluid; and
(b) a second fluid applicator for contacting a second portion of the medical device with a second fluid, the second fluid applicator applying the second fluid in effective isolation from the first portion of the medical device and the first fluid applicator applying the first fluid in effective isolation from the second portion of the medical device.
In some embodiments, the first fluid applicator includes a fluid conduit system including a support system for attaching the fluid conduit system to the medical device such that when attached to the device, fluid flowing through the conduit system contacts a flow region. The support system of the apparatus can include a support that inserts within an opening in the tissue, where the support has a passageway such that fluid flowing through the conduit system flows through the passageway and contacts the first portion of the tissue. The treatment fluid can include a liquid bath, a liquid spray, an aerosol, a gas or a combination thereof.
The apparatus can further include a fastener that holds the tissue against the supports. The fluid applicator can include a container for holding a fluid into which the tissue attached to the conduit system is immersed. In another embodiment, the fluid applicator includes a porous member that direct streams of liquid at the tissue attached to the conduit system.
In another embodiment, the apparatus includes a frame that holds a sheet section of a medical device to facilitate the application of the second fluid in effective isolation from the first portion of the medical device. The first portion can be one side of said sheet section. The second portion can be a side of the sheet opposite the first portion.
In another aspect, the invention features a method of treating a medical device including the steps of:
(a) contacting a first portion of the device with a first fluid such that a second portion of the device is not significantly contacted by the first fluid; and
(b) contacting the second portion of the device with a second fluid substantially different from the first fluid such that the first portion of the device is not significantly contacted by the second fluid.
In some embodiments, the contacting of said first portion involves flowing a first fluid through a fluid conduit system attached to the device such that the fluid flowing through the conduit system contacts the first portion of the device. The fluid conduit system can include a support that inserts within an opening in the device, where the support has a passageway such that fluid flowing through the conduit system flow through the passageway and contacts the first portion of the device.
In the method of treating the device, the contacting of the second portion can be performed by surrounding the tissue with the second fluid, where the second fluid includes a liquid. In an alternative embodiment, the contacting of the second portion is performed by spraying the second portion of the device with the second fluid, where the second fluid can be a liquid. In another alternative embodiment, the contacting step is performed by surrounding the device with the second fluid, where the becond fluid includes a gas.
In another aspect, the invention features an isolated, i.e., ex vivo, vascular tissue including a first region treated with a surface modifying composition and a second region substantially devoid of modification by the surface modifying composition. The surface modifying composition can include, for example, a calcification inhibiting composition such as polyvalent metal cations, an antimicrobial composition, a fixation composition, and/or a decellularization composition such as a composition of digestive enzymes. The first region and/or the second region can be a flow region. Alternatively, the first and second regions can be opposite sides of a sheet material.
In another aspect, the invention features a vascular tissue having an outer decellularized portion and an inner portion substantially devoid of decellularization.
In another aspect, the invention features a vascular tissue having an outer decellularized portion and an inner decellularized portion comprising leaflets, said leaflets substantially maintaining the mechanical properties of the native leaflets.

Differential treatment of prosthetic devices


A synthetic four sides boundary scanner array is provided for an ultrasound mammography system. Projector and hydrophone elements are alternately disposed on the four array sides for stepped movement along the four sides during a scan of a breast volume. Electric signals generated by the hydrophone elements are processed to provide image data for displaying the breast volume. A breast scan is performed within the time between a patient's heartbeats.

The present invention relates to mammography systems and more particularly to ultrasound mammography systems and ultrasonic scanners therefor.
Mammography is a generic term that is used herein to refer to various techniques by which breast imaging may be performed, normally for medical diagnostic purposes. Elsewhere, however, the term "mammography" has been used and continues to be used in a more limited sense to mean X-ray breast imaging, since X-ray procedures have generally provided the best imaging results to date and, accordingly, have been the most widely used procedures.
While X-ray mammography has been successfully and widely used for breast cancer detection, there are nonetheless disadvantages associated with it. First, the X-ray mammography procedure creates a hazard of radiation exposure which desirably is to be avoided if alternatives are available.
In addition, the X-ray mammography procedure typically is constrained by an equipment capability limit on the depth to which effective breast imaging can be achieved. As a result, effective breast imaging with X-ray mammography often requires breast compression procedures that are usually painful.
X-ray mammography has also been limited in its effectiveness for younger female patients. As set forth in an article entitled "Ultrasound Breast Imaging--The Method of Choice for Examining the Young Patient" and published by Patricia Harper et al. in Ultrasound in Med. & Biol in 1981 in Great Britain, radiographic imaging has not significantly improved the accuracy of diagnosis of masses present in the dense breasts of young women. Thus, as indicated in this article, breasts of a majority of patients under 30 years of age have a predominance of glandular tissue and are usually characterized, for purposes of radiographic imaging, as "dense breasts". The term "dense breast", as used in X-ray mammography, refers to a breast which contains a predominance of dense tissue, such as glandular tissue, and, at the kilovoltages used in mammography, shows poor contrast between the predominant tissue and other breast tissues, either normal or pathological.
X-ray mammography is also somewhat limited from the standpoint of image dimensions. Thus, in the X-ray mammography procedure, a silhouette of a whole three-dimensional breast region is projected on a two-dimensional plate. To obtain an image along another dimension, another image must be taken from another angle.
Microcalcifications in breast tissue are known to be a possible early precursor to a malignant tumor. Accordingly, it has been determined that, to be diagnostically effective, mammography procedures should have sufficiently high resolution to detect microcalcifications 100 microns (millionths of a meter) or less in size. X-ray mammography has been widely accepted largely because it has the capability of detecting microcalcifications as small as 50 to 75 microns, whereas other procedures have lacked such high resolution.
Various other potential mammography procedures have been determined to hold little promise for clinical use as described in a 1990 article entitled "Imaging Techniques Other than Mammography for the Detection and Diagnosis of Breast Cancer" and published by E. A. Sickles in Recent Results in Cancer Research. Thus, computerized tomography (CT) scanning with the use of dedicated breast scanners and whole body scanners have involved high examination cost, intravenous iodide administration with radiation doses higher than those used for X-ray mammography, and difficulty of interpretation.
As further indicated in the 1990 article, transillumination procedures are limited by a fundamental problem of light scattering. Magnetic resonance imaging has been indicated as holding some promise as a diagnostic test to complement mammography and physical examination for already detected lesions. Specifically, magnetic resonance may be useful in distinguishing benign from malignant solid masses with sufficient accuracy so that biopsy of many of the benign lesions can be avoided.
By far, an alternative technology that has held the greatest hope for improved mammography has been the use of sonographic procedures as indicated by much of the literature published over the last ten years or so. An article entitled "Ultrasound Mammography" and published by Pat Harper, M.D. in University Park Press in Baltimore provides some description of the development of ultrasound breast examination procedures and apparatus from the 1960s through the 1980s. Harper concludes that currently (at that time) there is an increased willingness to recognize the benefits of ultrasound as an adjunctive technique to X-ray mammography and under certain precisely specified circumstances as a sole examination modality.
In a 1983 article entitled "Breast Cancer Screening for Younger United States Women" and published by Elizabeth Kelly Fry in 1981 in Ultrasonic Examination of the Breast (John Wiley & Sons), it is indicated that ultrasound visualization had been used in Japan in ongoing investigations for breast cancer screening with instruments similar to those used for examination of symptomatic patients. The Fry article concludes that the primary breast examination technique available to United States asymptomatic women under the age of 35 is manual palpation, while limited use of x-ray mammography has been recommended for women in the age range of 35-50.
Fry further indicates that X-ray mammography is not an adequate detection technique for women between 35 and 50 who have dense (i.e., non-fatty) breasts, so that some of this age group are dependent on manual palpation. Since palpation does not generally detect tumors less than 1 cm, it has limited value from the viewpoint of early detection. Efforts should be made to provide a non-ionizing screening technique for examination of adult women below the age of 50, with particular emphasis given to women under age 35.
Fry recommends that intensive efforts be placed, in the United States, on improving ultrasound instrumentation so that it is capable of detecting minimal cancers in that population of women where such early cancers are most likely to be found, namely, the younger woman.
In the 1990 Sickles article, the major clinical role for breast ultrasound is to differentiate cysts from solid masses. Further, the greatest usefulness of sonography occurs when cyst-solid differentiation is needed for nonpalpable masses for which aspiration is impractical (Kopans 1987; Sickles et al. 1984). This circumstance applies when a noncalcified nonspiculated mass is detected by mammography alone. Similarly, in a 1991 article entitled "Breast Sonography" and published by Lawrence W. Bassett and Carolyn Kimme-Smith in AJR 156, it is concluded that sonographic equipment for breast imaging has continued to improve, and the role of breast sonography has evolved to that of an indispensable adjunct to (x-ray) mammography. Breast sonography, using the hardware available today, is not useful for screening for breast cancer in any age group. Its main use is for the differentiation of cystic versus solid palpable and x-ray mammographically visible masses.
A 1991 article entitled "Usefulness of Mammography and Sonography in Women Less than 35 Years of Age" and published by L. W. Bassett, M.D. et al. in Radiology presents further discussion of the effectiveness of the use of X-ray mammography and breast sonography for younger women. It concludes that mammography is apparently less effective in the evaluation of the radiodense breasts of younger women than of the less radiodense breasts of older women.
In Radiology (1987), an article entitled "Automated and Hand-held Breast US: Effect on Patient Management" and published by L. W. Bassett, M.D. et al. in Radiology, it is indicated that automated ultrasound units, designed for examination of the breasts of symptomatic patients, have been advocated as a potential screening device for breast cancer, with detection rates reportedly approaching those of X-ray mammography. Some investigators, however, have reported significant numbers of cancers detected with mammography but undetected with automated ultrasound. Recently, it has been emphasized that identification of benign breast lesions with ultrasound in asymptomatic patients should not be considered a useful effect because it often leads to unnecessary biopsies. However, ultrasound has been shown to be useful as a complement to X-ray mammography in specific clinical situations. Its most widely accepted current role is in the differentiation of cystic from solid masses found by palpation or on X-ray mammograms. The results of a patient study show that although ultrasound, using currently available hardware, cannot replace X-ray mammography in breast cancer screening, it may play an important role in the evaluation of selected patients.
A more recent 1992 article entitled "Sonographic Demonstration and Evaluation of Microcalcifications in the Breast" and published by W. J. Leucht, M.D. et al in Breast Dis concludes that investigation has shown that sonographic demonstration of microcalcification correlates (as tissue alterations and as visualized calcium particles) is possible. It is further indicated that routine preoperative mammary sonography is regarded as useful, as it can help determine the correct operative procedure. Thus, radiographically detected microcalcifications suggestive of malignancy may be backed up by a sonographic microcalcification correlate predictive of malignancy.
The rapidly increasing interest in very high resolution ultrasonic mammography as represented by the above sampling of articles, is a response to the pain and radiation hazard problems from X-ray mammography and a desire to find a more effective tumor detector. To achieve acoustic resolution comparable to X-ray resolution requires minimizing the image distortion problems arising from the heterogeneity in the breast. Heterogeneity results in variable acoustic path lengths and acoustic path loss variation. Cost of equipment is also a major factor. An acoustic scanning method must also eliminate body movement effects during scanning. In general, these problem areas may be minimized by using an ultrasound mammography system with a scanner having the smallest possible physical array with the lowest element spot count.
The acoustic absorption coefficient of breast tissue increases rapidly with frequency. Therefore, sufficient breast penetration requires use of a relatively low frequency and a large transducer array. For example, to achieve 100 .mu.m resolution at the chest wall 6 inches below the array requires an 8 inch wide real array, operating at 10 mHz. The ray paths from the focus point to different points on this array can travel through different path lengths and tissue types. The resulting signal amplitude and phase distortion across the scanner array can significantly degrade resolution. A fully populated square scanner array of this size would have 7.1.times.10.sup.6 element spots. Fabrication of such a scanner array and its associated electronics is presently beyond the state of the art.
The required high element spot count also produces an excessive computation problem in an ultrasound mammography system. A typical breast volume is 8.2.times.10.sup.-4 m.sup.3. An achievable acoustic resolution volume is 2.5.times.10.sup.-12 m.sup.3 which gives a breast volume of 3.28.times.10.sup.8 resolution cells. The scanner array operates deep in the near field so that the processing load is proportional to the product of the array element spot count and the resolution cell count. The fully populated 8 inch square real scanner array above requires approximately 2.3.times.10.sup.15 real multiplies to image the breast volume. A typical clinic load is 100 breasts per day so that 1.1.times.10.sup.13 real multiplies/second processing rate would be required. This is several orders of magnitude beyond practical machine capability.
A Mill's Cross array reduces the element spot count by a factor of N/2 where N is the element spot count along one edge of the square array. For the example, the real multiply rate is reduced to 8.3.times.10.sup.9 multiplies per second which is an achievable value. The maximum real Mill's Cross array dimensions are the same as the filled array, however, so the acoustic path distortion problems remain.
One dimension of the Mill's Cross beam resolution is produced by the projector beam. The depth of field about the focus range for this beam is very small when applied to the ultrasonic mammography problem. This requires the projector to be refocused for typically 370 depth planes in addition to its typical range of 1270 lateral positions. The time to scan a breast is approximately 35 seconds. On a scale of 100 micron resolution, the breast moves excessively in this time period.
The final problem with the real Mill's Cross array is fabricating its two eight inch real arrays of approximately 2667 elements each. This is beyond the state of the art.
Implementing the Mill's Cross array by scanning a projector element to form a synthetic array and collecting the data with a real hydrophone array reduces scan time computational load sufficiently. It does not reduce array size sufficiently, however, nor does it avoid the problem of fabricating the hydrophone array.
The hydrophone array complexity can be reduced by scanning a single hydrophone element to form the hydrophone array synthetically. The hydrophone element is swept the length of its "array" for each transmission of the projector at spots along its "array" length. This requires approximately 24 seconds to scan a breast, which is excessive.
In a copending patent application Ser. No. 08/072,806 entitled "Sonar System Employing Synthetic Orthogonal Array" and filed by B. Mitchell and G. Greene, a synthetic Mill's Cross array is implemented with paired elements in a manner which reduces the typical breast scan time to 1.1 seconds. The beam sidelobes are low enough so contrast is acceptable under some conditions but the scan time is still excessive to avoid image degradation from body movement.
A single element may be scanned in a circle over the image region to form a synthetic circular array used in the spotlight mode. A breast can be scanned in 0.48 seconds which is acceptable. The excessive sidelobe response results in insufficient contrast.
A single element may also be used to form a square synthetic array. The typical scan time of 0.45 seconds for a breast is acceptable. The high sidelobe problem, which results in low contrast, is more severe than the circular synthetic array.
While interest in ultrasound mammography has been high, the scanner resolution and fabricability problems outlined above have been a major deterrent to development of ultrasound mammography toward becoming a preferable alternative to X-ray mammography.

High resolution ultrasound mammography system and boundary array scanner therefor


A modulator used in an IC card reader/writer includes a phase variation detector for detecting a varying point of the phase of a modulated signal, a signal processing circuit for modifying the modulated signal for a half period at the phase varying point to have a frequency and amplitude twice those of the modulated signal, a first Miller integrator for integrating the modified signal to produce a triangular wave signal, and a second Miller integrator for integrating the triangular wave signal to produce a sinusoidal wave signal having a continuous phase. A demodulator used in the reader/writer includes a sync control circuit which controls a carrier sync signal generation circuit thereby to control the phase of a carrier sync signal in response to the discrimination as to whether the carrier sync signal is in lead-phase or lag-phase relative to the signal modulated based on binary phase shift keying (BPSK). A control data signal and non-modulated carrier wave sent from the reader/writer to the IC card are converted into power for use by the IC card.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a non-contact IC (Integrated Circuit) card communication system, and particularly to a modulation, demodulation and an antenna coupling circuit used in a non-contact IC card reader/writer and to a method of supplying power to the IC card while transferring data.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 14 shows the arrangement of the conventional IC card communication system described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-20798. In the figure, reference numeral 10 denotes an IC card of non-contact type, and 11 is a loop antenna for data transmission and reception, provided in the IC card 10. Indicated by 20 is a reader/writer for writing and reading out data to/from the IC card 10, and 21 is a loop antenna provided on the reader/writer 20.
Data is written to or read out of the IC card 10 based on the transmission of pulse signals between the loop antenna 11 of the IC card 10 and the loop antenna 21 of the reader/writer 20 as shown in the FIG. 14. The IC card 10 is supplied with power in the energy form of electromagnetic wave emitted by the reader/writer 20.
However, the transmission of such pulse signals in the space causes spurious sidebands to emerge and also increases artificial noises. In the spatial transmission path having frequency characteristics with delay, it is difficult to carry out the high-rate data transfer with high reliability. The power supply to the IC card 10 based on the transmission of a pulse signal is not efficient due to the spreading of the frequency spectrum.

Modulation, demodulation and antenna coupling circuits used in IC card reading/writing apparatus, and method of supplying power to the IC card


The invention provides an evaluation system for reliably evaluating large amounts of content. The evaluation system is managed by a primary authority that designates one or more contributing authorities by delegating to each a specific quantity of authority. Each contributing authority may in turn designate and delegate authority to one or more additional contributing authorities, subject to the restriction that the total quantity of authority delegated does not exceed the quantity of authority the contributing authority was itself delegated. Each contributing authority, and optionally the primary authority itself, may evaluate one or more portions of content by associating a rating with each evaluated portion of content. A composite rating for a particular portion of content may then be determined based upon the ratings associated with the portion of content. Preferably, the ratings are combined in a manner that affords a higher priority to the ratings provided by contributing authorities to which a greater quantity of authority was delegated.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to systems for assessing the value of content. More particularly, the invention relates to systems for reliably evaluating large amounts of content in a distributed manner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many sites found on the World Wide Web allow users to evaluate content found within the site. For example, the Amazon® web site (www.amazon.com) allows users to submit reviews of books listed for sale, including a zero to five star rating. The Slashdot Web site (www.slashdot.org) allows users to "mod" comments recently posted by other users. Based on this information obtained from the users, the system determines a numerical score for each comment ranging from 1 to 5.
Because such systems do empower a great number of users to evaluate content, the scope and extent of the content that may be evaluated is great. However, because there is no restriction on the users that may participate, the reliability of the ratings is correspondingly diminished. In an effort to address this deficiency, such systems often allow users to evaluate the evaluations themselves. For example, Amazon® allows other users to evaluate the submitted reviews by indicating that they found a review helpful. Slashdot allows users to annotate submitted comments with attributes, such as funny or informative. The large number of submitted comments can then be filtered based on these annotations and the numerical score described above. Nonetheless, each of these approaches essentially relies on a mass consensus in which each contributor to the evaluation process is granted equal significance.
However, evaluation systems that adopt a more centralized, more controlled approach, e.g. commissioning a small number of trusted evaluators or editors, are inevitably overwhelmed by the immensity of the content in need of evaluation. Thus, while the reliability of the evaluations may increase, time constraints ensure that the scope and extent of the content evaluated is diminished.
Thus, there is a need for a new system of evaluating content that obviates this apparent tradeoff. Preferably, the evaluation system should be distributed in nature, ensuring that an extremely large amount of content can be evaluated without unduly burdening any individual evaluator. However, the distribution of the evaluation effort should be performed in a manner that preserves the integrity of the evaluation process. The evaluation system should thus provide evaluations for extensive content in a reliable manner.

Delegating authority to evaluate content


A transmission mechanism for a contact-type image scanner is provided to reduce the height of a contact-type image scanner. The transmission mechanism mainly includes a Contact-Type Image Sensor (CIS) module with two bracket arms disposed beneath the sheet table of a housing, said CIS module having two bracket arms, a pair of shafts parallel to each other and engaged to the arms of the CIS module for supporting said CIS module to contact tightly with the bottom surface of said sheet table, two sets of pulleys each set located at the ends of the shafts, conveying device surrounding the pulleys in a shape of a twisted closed loop, and a driving device connected to one of the pulleys for rotating the conveying device to reciprocally drive the CIS module along the sheet table to and forth.

A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a Contact-type Image Sensor (CIS) flatbed scanner, especially to a CIS scanner having a conveying device of a shape of a twisted closed loop for driving the Contact-type Image Sensor module (CIS module) in balance while still capable of keeping an original sheet within the scene depth of the CIS module.
B. Description of the Prior Art
A CIS scanner is a flatbed scanner that uses a CIS contact sensor for converting image signals into electric signals. A CIS contact sensor is a compact module which mainly includes light sources, mirrors, and a photoelectric converting device. The application of CIS module in a flatbed scanner has several advantages. For instance, it can simplify the inner structure of a scanner, reduce the size of a scanner, and make the scanner more easy to assemble and maintain.
Nevertheless, this approach did not prevail because of several difficulties in the conveying structure of the CIS scanner and the restrictions of its scene depth. The CIS module is in bar-like shape. A conventional conveying device drags the CIS module from one side because it only uses one driven motor. If the CIS module is driven by a conventional driving device from one of its bracket arm, the CIS module will easily become unbalanced while being dragged along the sheet table. If we want to use the conventional conveying device to drag the CIS module from both of its bracket arms, then it may needs two driving motors. That will inevitably increase the manufacture cost. In addition to these problems, the main reason for why the CIS scanner is not popular is because the scene depth of the CIS module is only about 0.3 mm. It is difficult for a conventional CIS scanner to assure a document sheet in focus while the CIS module being dragged along the sheet table.

Transmission mechanism for a contact-type image scanner


A reflector 11 to which a discharge bulb 16 is attached is made of a conductive material, and a casing (turn-on circuit casing 30) made of a conductor is attached to a rear-side opening portion of a lamp body enclosing the reflector so that the opening is closed. A grounded shielding tube 21 is provided to enclose the discharge bulb 16, and a grounded extension reflector 3B is disposed at the opening of the reflector 11. At least the reflector 11 and the casing 30 are collectively grounded so that it becomes possible to suppress the electromagnetic waves radiated from the discharge bulb 16 to its circumference.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vehicle lamps suitable for use as car front lamps, and particularly to a vehicle lamp using a discharge bulb as a light source in which influence of electromagnetic waves is prevented from acting on the lamp.
2. Background Art
Recently, the idea of using a discharge bulb as a light source for a car lamp has been considered. The reason is that a discharge bulb is excellent in luminous efficiency and color rendering property, and has a long life time. A lamp of this kind, however, requires a high voltage for generating a discharge in the discharge bulb. Accordingly, it is necessary to provide a turn-on circuit on the lamp to raise the voltage of the car battery to a required high value. Further, since a high voltage is generated on the secondary side of the turn-on circuit, electromagnetic waves are radiated outside with the generation of the high voltage and the electromagnetic waves have an influence, as noise, on various car electronic apparatuses to thereby disturb the normal operation of these apparatuses. For example, noise is generated in a radio receiver or noise is mixed into a signal system of a microcomputer mounted on a car, that is, a so-called EMI (electromagnetic interference) is generated.
Further, electromagnetic waves are generated also in the discharge bulb to which the foregoing high voltage is applied and the foregoing EMI is generated by the electromagnetic waves radiated from the discharge bulb. Therefore, for example, JP-A-5-101703 discloses a vehicle lamp in which a shielding member is provided along an inner surface of a lamp body so as to shield a circumference of a discharge bulb and/or a reflector. According to this technique, the radiation of electromagnetic waves to the circumference of the discharge bulb is suppressed through the shielding member to thereby cope with EMI.
This conventional technique is effective in suppression of radiation of electromagnetic waves toward the circumference of the discharge bulb. However, it is necessary to provide a shielding member throughout the circumference of a reflector provided in the lamp body. Therefore, in order to create the space for arranging the shielding member, the size of the lamp body must be increased. Consequently, the conventional technique is not suitable for forming a small sized lamp. An additional complication results from the fact that the reflector is tilted in the up/down and right/left directions in order to adjust the optical axis (i.e., to aim the light). Since the shielding member is provided to cover the region in front of the reflector, which moves relatively large distances at the time of the adjustment of aiming, it is necessary to provide correspondingly large distances between the reflector and the shielding member for the purpose of preventing interference between the reflector and the shielding member. Consequently, the lamp body is necessarily large in size.
Further, in this conventional technique, it is difficult to suppress radiation of electromagnetic waves from a cap of the discharge bulb, that is, a bulb socket portion, although the technique is effective in suppression of radiation of electromagnetic waves from the portion of the discharge bulb enclosed by the shielding member. There is also a fear that electromagnetic waves from the bulb socket portion are radiated outside through the lamp body which is made of resin. In this case, although such electromagnetic waves can be suppressed if the lamp body is made of a metal material, the total weight of the lamp increases. Further, it is difficult to suppress electromagnetic waves radiated from the gap between the shielding member and the reflector to the front side of the lamp.


A garment hanger is comprised of an upstanding integral plastic body having a hook portion and a main body portion depending from the hook portion, the main body portion defining first and second horizontally extending openings therethrough with a first upper continuous course of the main body portion upwardly bounding the first opening and a second lower continuous course of said main body portion lowerly bounding the second opening, the main body portion supporting first and second horizontally extending arms respectively lowerly bounding the first opening and upwardly bounding the second opening, the first and second arms having respective free ends in interfering disposition vertically of said hanger.

Commercially-known tie hangers are evidenced by the showings of FIGS. 1 and 2. Referring to FIG. 1, hanger 10 comprises a plastic body having a hook portion 12a and a main body portion 12b integrally-formed with the hook portion and depending therefrom. Main body portion defines first and second slots 14 and 16, a central deflectable part 18 bounding slots 14 and 16, respectively below and above the same, and a lower deflectable part 20, downwardly bounding slot 16. Deflectable parts 18 and 20 have respective retention courses 18a and 20a, which serve to retain ties resident in slots 14 and 16, the slots being open at their leftward extents. In use of the FIG. 1 hanger, parts 18 and 20 are mutually deflected out of the plane of main body portion 12b and a fold of the tie is applied about part 18 with the parts then self-biasingly returning to the plane of main body portion 12b with the tie depending from the hanger.
Hanger 22 of FIG. 2 has hook portion 24 and main body portion 26 dependent therefrom. Here, main body portion 26 has a single deflectable part 28 with retention course 28a.
Applicants herein see a disadvantage common to both of the prior art hangers shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, namely, that the deflectable part or parts in each thereof are almost coextensive laterally with the main body portions thereof, giving rise to the need for assembly forces displacing the full extent of the deflectable part out of the plane of the main body portions.
Applicants note that there are known garment hanger arrangements in which the noted disadvantage of the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2 is seemingly overcome, i.e., wherein plural deflectable parts, each of less than half of the lateral extent of the main body portion, are disposed in centrally spaced manner along a central axis of the hanger. However, such arrangement is seen as disadvantageously permitting loss of hanging, i.e., wherein the garment escapes from hung relation by passing through the space between the mutually deflectable and spaced parts.


Disclosed is a reciprocating pneumatic tool that includes a retainer mechanism for preventing the piston from freely exiting the barrel of the tool when the retaining sleeve and workpiece are removed. The retainer mechanism does not interfere with the functional operation of the tool when the workpiece and sleeve are attached to the tool. The retainer mechanism is mounted distally around the butt of the workpiece such that no contact occurs with the retainer mechanism or the piston.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to reciprocating power tools, and more particularly, to a improvement for retaining the piston in the barrel of a pneumatic tool.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Reciprocating power tools that hammer, chisel, and drill have been utilized in the construction industry for years, and will likely continue to play an important role on most job sites in the future. Pneumatically driven reciprocating tools have proven to be particularly effective in delivering high performance for relatively low cost. While ongoing design improvements have enhanced certain functional aspects of such tools, the basic design concept of a reciprocating pneumatic tool has not changed.
An example of such a tool is the Chicago Pneumatic.TM. 4181.TM. "Rivet Buster." Like most similar pneumatically driven tools, the 4181 includes an elongated barrel with a handle and trigger at one end and a retaining sleeve at the other end for holding a workpiece (e.g., a chisel or the like). Inside an upper portion of the barrel, proximate the handle, is a piston that reciprocates back and forth within the barrel, repeatedly striking the butt end of the workpiece within the lower portion of the barrel, thereby causing the workpiece head to reciprocate outside of the barrel.
As noted above, such tools include a retaining sleeve, which may be removed to perform routine maintenance on the tool or to remove or replace the workpiece. Unfortunately, in tool designs like the 4181, once the sleeve is removed, the piston can freely escape from the barrel. This typically is not seen as a problem given that easy removal of the piston may be desirable for maintenance purposes. Moreover, as long as the user takes basic precautionary steps, such as disengaging the tool from the air supply before removing the sleeve, the design presents no problem. However, if the worker fails to take such precautions, the piston could inadvertently exit the barrel. For example, if the sleeve is removed and the trigger is pressed while the tool is operable, the piston could be ejected from the barrel with a fair amount of force, causing damage to the piston.
Thus, a need exists to provide a mechanism that can be readily incorporated into existing tools that will prevent the free escape of the piston from the barrel when the retainer sleeve is removed. In addition, the mechanism should be easily replaceable, and be located where it does not interfere with the existing functionality of the tool.

Reciprocating tool having a piston retainer


A transformable flashlight apparatus includes a body member, a head member with a light-emitting device, and a connecting member for connecting the head member to the body member and allowing the re-positioning of the head member with respect to the body member. Attaching structure connects an attachable and moveable object to one or both of the body member and the head member of the flashlight.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transformable flashlight apparatus, and more particularly to a flashlight apparatus that combines the function and play value of a small, multipositionable flashlight with the function and play value of custom designed decorative parts that attach to the flashlight and transform it to other configurations.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional flashlights in the market today and those previously proposed have limited functions. Most of those flashlights are simply handheld light sources. They include a housing, batteries disposed in the housing and a bulb. Some provide the additional feature of a clip mechanism which allows attachment of the flashlight to a variety of supporting structures. Others include a power pack with one or more batteries, a light head and a flexible neck connecting the power pack to the head. One specific example of such a flashlight is the Black & Decker SNAKELIGHT® flashlight.
Unlike the conventional flashlights, the flashlight apparatus of the present invention provides a variety of functions. This unique and beneficial construction substantially increases the function and play value of a flashlight. It includes a multi-positional flashlight which received one or more decorative parts, allowing someone to change the configuration of the flashlight and create various objects. It serves as a flashlight as well as a transformable, interactive toy that allows the exercise of imagination and creativity.


A method for verifying a calculation of a neuron value of multiple neurons of a neural network, including: carrying out or triggering a calculation of neuron functions of the multiple neurons, in each case to obtain a neuron value, the neuron functions being determined by individual weightings for each neuron input; calculating a first comparison value as the sum of the neuron values of the multiple neurons; carrying out or triggering a control calculation with one or multiple control neuron functions and with all neuron inputs of the multiple neurons, to obtain a second comparison value as a function of the neuron inputs of the multiple neurons and of the sum of the weightings of the multiple neurons assigned to the respective neuron input; and recognizing an error as a function of the first comparison value and of the second comparison value.

Machine learning methods are increasingly used in order to master complex tasks in various fields. Adaptive systems are particularly suited for tasks such as, for example, classification of images, object recognition, language processing and others. With the possibility of providing highly parallel processing units on a single module, it is possible to implement deep neural networks with a high degree of parallelism.
Hardware errors, which affect one or multiple individual neurons, become more likely, in particular, in a highly integrated implementation of deep neural networks. There is, in principle, a need therefore to recognize functional errors.
A form of redundancy is needed for error recognition and, if necessary, error correction. The manner in which redundancy is utilized in order to recognize and, if necessary, to correct errors is generally problem-specific. Frequently, a combination of various forms of redundancy is also applied at multiple levels of the overall system. The redundancies may, in principle, include spatial redundancy (proliferation of structures), chronological redundancy (time-delayed verification) and coding (redundancy in the form of multiple pieces of information having the same content).
The conventional approaches for providing redundancy may also be used in the area of deep neural networks. This includes, for example, the replication of parts of the neural network and the like. It may be noted, however, that many of the known approaches for deep neural networks are usable only to an unsatisfactory extent. The conventional approaches for providing redundancy for deep neural networks, in particular, interfere in the architecture of the deep neural networks or change their training methods or require a dedicated hardware or a modification of the hardware, which is not provided in the standard modules.

Method and device for verifying a neuron function in a neural network


A method is provided in which two parts (2, 3) are connected to each other by a weld. The two parts (2, 3) are fixed by a magnet (4) during welding. A magnetic field of the magnet (4) influences the flow of a melt in the weld (6).

Such welding methods are known from the prior art, for example, DE 10 2007 028 956 A1, DE 10 2007 027 226 A1, DD 268 418 and EP 0 743 133 A1. However, these welding methods do not enable operationally reliable clamping, in particular of very thin metal sheets, since, as a result of the flexibility thereof, undesirable fluctuations in the gap dimension occur. This results in very high undesirable rejection rates. Furthermore, in the event of a thermal connection operation, for example, laser welding, electron beam welding, CMT arc welding, in particular connection of non-identical materials, for example, aluminum/steel, there are formed in the melt bath intermetallic phases whose type and thickness are difficult to control but which have a decisive influence on the stability and the fatigue strength of the connection.

Welding method having a magnetic welding clamping device


A wireless communication system wirelessly receives a Frequency Modulation (FM) signal including audio data and Radio Data System (RDS) data. The wireless communication system audibly plays the audio data and graphically displays the RDS data from the FM signal. The wireless communication system detects action codes in the RDS data, and in response, initiates a wireless communication session with a wireless communication network. The wireless communication system also audibly captures user data. The wireless communication system then wirelessly transfers the captured user data for delivery to a server over the wireless communication session.

Frequency Modulation (FM) broadcasts transport content, such as music, news, sports, and the like. The FM broadcasts also transport Radio Data System (RDS) data that include data items, such as the time, station call letters, broadcast frequency, station content, song title, song artist, and advertisement text. FM radios decode and display the RDS data to accompany the playing of the audio content.
Vehicles are increasingly receiving computer and communication systems to provide hands-free control to the vehicle operator. The hands-free operation may include an audio control interface for the user, as well as, graphical displays and the like. For example, a user may use spoken commands to operate their phone while driving to place and answer calls in a hands-free manner.
Unfortunately, the FM radios and the vehicle control systems are not effectively and efficiently coordinated for an optimal user experience that enhances safety while allowing robust user interaction with an FM radio program.

Wireless communication session initiation based on a frequency modulation (FM) radio data service (RDS)


This disclosure provides methods for detecting and localizing DNA mutations by DNA microarray. In various embodiments, the described methods include use of restriction endonuclease(s) and/or mismatch-recognition nuclease(s) to detect and/or localize mutations. In one representative method, reference and target DNA are digested using one or more restriction endonucleases, resultant DNA strands are labeled (e.g., using a DNA polymerase), and the labeled mixture of DNAs is hybridized to a microarray. In another representative method, reference and target DNA are denatured and annealed to form a mixture containing heteroduplex DNA, one or more mismatch-recognition nuclease(s) are used to nick or cleave at least a portion of the heteroduplex DNA, resultant DNA strands are labeled (e.g., using a DNA polymerase) and the labeled mixture of DNAs is hybridized to a microarray.

Detection and identification of simple nucleotide mutations and/or polymorphisms among individuals are very important in many biological fields, ranging from biomedical research in hereditary diseases to ecology and evolutionary biology. Identification of the location of mutations involved in heritable diseases can provide clues for the diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic treatment of such diseases. However, it is very difficult to localize most of the mutations into a very small region (several kilo-base pairs) or a single gene at a genomic level.
Sequencing of the genome of different individuals is the most straightforward method for mutation detection, but it is expensive and time-consuming. Some methods have been developed to detect mutations without direct sequencing. Linkage and association mapping use polymorphic markers to approximate the chromosomal location of the mutations. This method is very efficient to localize a mutation into a quite large genomic region (several hundreds kilo-base pairs), but very slow to further localize it into a single gene or a small region (several kilo-base pairs). Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) is good for mutation detection and sequence comparison but can not efficiently define the location of a mutation either if whole genomic DNA is used as the starting material.
Most of the currently developed methods or techniques are suitable for testing mutations in a small region or a handful of genes, but are not good (if not impossible) for localizing mutations or polymorphisms at a genomic level. For example, in polynucleotide microarray hybridization methods (e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 5,837,832 (Chee et al.), and U.S. Pat. No. 6,376,191 (Yu et al.)) mutations in every single base position are detected by a set of four primers. To fully detect a 10 kb region, these methods will need about 10,000 sets of primers to be spotted on a microarray slide. Single stranded conformational polymorphism (SSCP) and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) (Orita et al (1989) PNAS 86:2766; Myers et al (1985) N. A. R. 13:3131; White et al (1992) Genomics 5:301; Mills et al (1994) Biochem. 33:1797) methods are based on the observations that DNA sequence variations can cause DNA electrophoretic mobility changes. These two methods only work with short DNA molecules and can not screen many genes simultaneously.
The two methods I present in this invention have great potential to detect and localize DNA mutations at a genomic level simultaneously and rapidly. The method using restriction endonuclease(s) to detect mutations is termed RE microarray method. The other method using mismatch-recognition endonuclease(s) is named MR microarray method. The principle of the methods is illustrated in FIG. 1.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods for detecting and localizing DNA mutations by microarray

State of Oregon Acting by and Through the State Board of Higher Education on Behalf of the University of Oregon


A multiheaded camera which is formed with a number of heads on one support structure and a different support structure with other heads. At least one of the heads is movable, so that the patient can obtain ingress and egress to the area.

Medical imaging systems may use nuclear materials, called radiopharmaceuticals, for the imaging. One such imaging system is single photon emission computed tomography, abbreviated as SPECT. Other medical imaging techniques may include positron emission tomography ("PET") as well as magnetic resonance imaging.
SPECT imaging attempts to produce a three-dimensional reconstruction of the intensity of the three-dimensional distribution of a photon emitter within the body of the subject being imaged. Typically the emitted photons are gamma-rays from the radiopharmaceutical. SPECT operates by back projecting multiple projection images acquired at equal angular increments over at least 180° around the subject. One or more detector heads collect these projection images and produce a two-dimensional image of the emitted gamma rays.
Having multiple detector heads may increase the camera system's efficiency. This increased efficiency can either be used to improve image quality or to reduce the time of the procedure.
The physical size of imaging heads on current multi-head SPECT cameras has typically limited the camera to have four heads that are positioned over 360°. For a four-headed system, the heads have been typically spaced at 90° increments. One limiting factor is the size of the heads. The head size may constrain the minimum orbit radius, which is the distance from the center of rotation to the photon-sensitive face of the detector heads, for such systems to be approximately 25 cm.
In addition, large heads arrayed over 360° may reduce the ability for patient ingress and egress from the imaging system. The patient enters the imaging volume by being translated into the imaging volume along the axis-of-rotation of the heads.

Multi-small field-of-view detector head SPECT system that scans over 360Å