A pressure regulating valve in a hydraulic control system for an automatic transmission according including a pressure regulating unit having a spool made slidable in a valve sleeve 10. An electromagnetic unit for causing a hollow core (or stator) is provided to attract a plunger (or movable element) arranged on a push rod communicating with the spool. The spool is moved by a spool moving mechanism in a direction to increase the flow from an input port to an output port to thereby raise an output pressure from an output port when the output pressure is lowered by a leakage. The spool position is controlled to control the output pressure in accordance with a balance among a spring force of spring means fitted in the valve sleeve, a feedback force resulting from the output pressure, and an electromagnetic attraction to be established in response to an electric signal provided to the electromagnetic unit having the hollow core and the plunger. In another embodiment, an input pressure feedback port is provided in the valve sleeve, and spool position control is additionally dependent upon an input pressure feedback force provided to the input pressure feedback port.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pressure regulating valve, and, more particularly, to a pressure regulating valve in a hydraulic control system for an automatic transmission which raises output pressure responsive to output pressure leakage.
2. Related Art
In a prior art pressure regulating valve for an automatic transmission hydraulic control system, as shown in FIG. 20, a spool S is controlled to control an output pressure by taking a balance among a spring force of spring means B, a feedback force resulting from an output pressure, and an electromagnetic attraction established in response to an electric signal input to an electromagnetic unit R. The controlled output pressure is fed to a change-over valve and a regulator valve to control the application/release of a clutch or a brake.
The leakage of oil from the clearances between the spools and valve bodies of a change-over valve and a regulator valve, for example, is increased as a result of thermal expansion and other changes in the pressure medium (or oil). As a result, the output pressure of the linear solenoid is lowered, and shift shock is created at the time of applying/releasing the clutch or brake.
As a method of raising the output pressure of the regulator valve, therefore, it is conceivable to increase the valve diameter and accordingly the displacement. This concept raises a problem in that the space for mounting the regulator valve has to be enlarged. Another approach would be to reduce the size of, or omit, each valve to which the output pressure is applied from the regulator valve, or to lower the control pressure for the clutch or brake. However, either concept is technically or practically difficult to execute.
There is, therefore, a need in the art for a compact, simple and cost-effective design for a pressure regulating valve for automatic transmission hydraulic control systems which automatically increases output pressure in response to leakage.

Pressure regulating valve in a hydraulic control system for an automatic transmission


Embodiments of the invention provide low-noise arrangements for very-large-scale integration (VLSI) differential input/output (I/O) structures (I/O pins, solder bumps, vias, etc.). Novel geometries are described for arranging differential pairs of I/O structures in perpendicular or near-perpendicular “quads.” The geometries effectively place one differential pair on or near the perpendicular bisector of its adjacent differential pair, such that field cancellation and differential reception can substantially eliminate noise without the need for added spacing or shields. By exploiting these effects, embodiments can suppress noise, independent of I/O structure spacing, and arbitrarily small spacings are permitted. Such arrangements can be extended into running chains, and even further into arrays of parallel chains. The parallel chains can be separated by supply structures (e.g., power supply bumps, or the like), and such supply structures can supply power to the I/O circuits of the IC, while also shielding adjacent chains from each other.

Embodiments relate generally to very-large-scale integration (VLSI) integrated circuits, and, more particularly, to low-noise arrangements for VLSI differential input/output (I/O) structures.
Integrated circuits are becoming increasingly complex. For example, in VLSI integrated circuit (IC) design, there has been a trend towards increasing die sizes, numbers of circuits, compaction of circuits, etc. Such increases tend to increase the complexity of interfacing with those ICs. For example, interfacing with higher numbers and densities of signals being communicated to and from the circuits of the IC can involve higher numbers and densities of pins, solder bumps, and/or other vertical I/O structures.
Often, there is also a desire to operate ICs with high signal integrity, which can be difficult with large numbers of densely arranged I/O structures. For example, many I/O signals can be communicated as differential signals (e.g., by pairs of pins), which can permit more noise tolerance because much of the noise can be common mode and can be rejected by a receiver having good common-mode rejection properties. However, densely arranged I/O structures can experience appreciable amounts of coupling (e.g., cross talk) from adjacent I/O structures, and such coupling can increase at higher frequencies.

Low-noise arrangement for very-large-scale integration differential input/output structures


A board-to-board connector assembly for connecting two printed circuit boards together includes a female connector and a male connector. The female connector has a plurality of walls to form a mating channel and a pedestal formed in the mating channel. At least one locking projection is arranged on top portion of the wall and extends to the mating channel. The male connector includes a bottom board and a plurality of side boards to form a male housing coupling with the pedestal of the female connector. While the male connector is inserted in the female connector, the locking projection presses the bottom board of the male connector. Thereby, the female connector and the male connector of the board-to-board connector assembly are firmly engaged together.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a board-to-board connector assembly, and more particularly to a board-to-board connector assembly with improved locking mechanism for registering and holding male and female connectors together.
2. The Related Art
A board-to-board connector assembly generally contains a male connector and a female connector. Each of the connectors is fixed on a printed circuit board, respectively. Through the engagement of the male connector and the female connector, the printed circuit boards communicate with each other. But the trend of the electric industry is to constantly reduce the size of electric devices. Accordingly, the size of the connector becomes extremely small. The joint force is reduced too. In order to increase the joint force, a locking mechanism of the connector is required. Conventional locking mechanism comprises a locking projection formed on one connector and a locking cavity formed on another connector. Through the mating of the locking projection and the locking cavity, the connectors are engaged firmly. But because the connector is very small, the body or the wall of the connector becomes extremely thin. While several locking cavities are formed thereon, the connector becomes weak and easily broken when being hit.
Therefore, the present invention provides a board-to-board connector assembly with improved locking mechanism in order to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages and firmly hold the associated connectors together regardless of the size of the connectors.


A control system for the linearization of an amplifier circuit having a power amplifier operating in the non-linear region for the amplification of an RF input signal. In a modulator a local oscillator is derived from a coupled-out input measurement signal. In a mixer, the local oscillator signal is mixed with the input and output measurement signal to form a respective intermediate-frequency signal. In a detector, level signals are derived from the intermediate-frequency signal and are compared in an amplitude controller. A derived amplitude control signal controls an amplitude controlling element for the linearization of the amplification of the input signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, generally to a control system for the linearization of an amplifier circuit and, more specifically, to a control system which reduces the distortions of the output signal of a power amplifier operating in the non-linear region in an amplifier circuit.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In radio apparatuses - for example, in the base stations of mobile radiotelephone systems - amplifier circuits are standardly used as output stages for the production of the required transmission power. In order to achieve the highest possible degree of efficiency, the power amplifiers used in the amplifier circuits for the amplification of the RF transmission signals are often driven into the non-linear operating range of the amplifier elements (transistors, traveling magnetic field tubes, etc.). In this non-linear region, there is no proportionality between the input amplitude and the output amplitude of the transmission signal. As a result, amplitude distortions occur. In addition to these amplitude distortions, phase distortions can also occur so that, dependent on the amplitude, a phase displacement can occur between the phase of the input signal and the phase of the output signal (AM-PM conversion). Given transmission signals with chronologically varying envelope (e.g. AM, QAM, CDMA), these two types of distortion lead to a worsening of the quality of the transmission signal to be processed by the receiver as well as to a widening of the transmission spectrum that is not tolerable under certain circumstances.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to reduce the distortions of the output signal of a power amplifier operating in the non-linear region in an amplifier circuit.

Control system for the linearization of an amplifier circuit


A document authentication system and method combine digital and non-electronic (or visual) authentication methodologies in an integrated, unified manner. As well as providing indicia of digital authentication, the invention generates a physical artifact that can be validated by unaided human visual perception. The present invention thus provides an opportunity to improve the level of trust in authentication of documents, while preserving the advantages of both traditional and digital authentication mechanisms.

Systems and methods exist for generating document authentication indicia that can be verified by conventional, non-electronic means. Such mechanisms have been used for centuries, so as to reassure a reader of a document that the document is authentic, that its source or author is as stated, and that the document has not been tampered with. Such authentication mechanisms can also provide a document recipient with a mechanism for ensuring that the author or signer of a document cannot later repudiate his or her authorship or assent to the document. Examples of mechanisms for performing these functions are handwritten signatures, seals (such as wax, embossed, or ink seals), non-erasable ink, and the like.
More recently, digital means for authenticating documents have emerged. Digital signatures, implemented by a combination of hash operations and asymmetric encryption, provide assurances as to document authenticity and integrity. Digital signatures are generally applied, transmitted, and verified by computers, in a manner that is usually invisible to users. Authors and signers generate digital signatures by activating commands in a software package or operating system, while document recipients and other users can verify signature authenticity by activating validation commands. In many cases, validation takes place automatically upon receipt of a document that requires it.
Each of these two methodologies has its strengths and weaknesses. Digital mechanisms are often more reliable and accurate and may be more convenient as long as the appropriate software and computer equipment are readily available. However, such techniques require complete trust in the computer system and software. Older visual-based methodologies appeal to some users by providing more tangible indicia that can be visually perceived, readily understood, and directly verified; many users consider such visual indicia to be more trustworthy than the mysterious processes that take place in digital mechanisms. Visual methodologies can also be used in situations where a computer is not available or is not convenient.
Since each mechanism has its advantages and disadvantages, it is not uncommon for some users to apply both traditional and digital authentication methods to the same document. However, such approaches do not generally integrate the two types of authentication. Rather, they are often even more cumbersome and inconvenient to apply, and often emphasize the disadvantages of the two methodologies rather than their strengths.
What is needed, then, is a technique that brings together the advantages of both authentication methodologies in a unified approach that streamlines and improves the processes of generating authentication indicia and verifying such indicia. What is further needed is a technique that provides users with the intuitive assurance of a visual authentication methodology, combined with the reliability and convenience of digital authentication methods.

Document authentication combining digital signature verification and visual comparison


This invention relates to a feminine hygiene absorbent article comprising superabsorbent foams obtainable by foaming an aqueous mixture comprising at least one monoethylenically unsaturated monomer bearing acid groups, at least one blowing agent, at least one crosslinker and at least one surfactant, polymerizing the foamed mixture and drying the polymerized mixture, to the foams and also to their use for absorbing aqueous fluids.

Superabsorbent foams based on crosslinked monomers comprising acid groups are known, cf. EP 858 478 B1, WO 97/31971 A1, WO 99/44648 A1 and WO 00/52087 A1. They are produced for example by foaming a polymerizable aqueous mixture comprising not less than 50 mol % neutralized acid-functional monoethylenically unsaturated monomers, crosslinkers and at least one surfactant and then polymerizing the foamed mixture. The foaming of the polymerizable mixture can be effected for example by dispersing fine bubbles of a gas which is inert toward free radicals or by dissolving such a gas in the polymerizable mixture under elevated pressure and depressurizing the mixture. The water content of the foams is set in the range from 1% to 60% by weight for example. The foams may be subjected to surface-postcrosslinking, if appropriate, by spraying a crosslinker onto the foamed material or dipping the foam into the cross-linker and heating the crosslinker-laden foam to a higher temperature. The foams are used for example in hygiene articles to acquire, distribute and store body fluids.
WO 03/066717 A2 discloses a process whereby wet strength is enhanced and residual monomer content lowered for superabsorbent foams by addition of amino-comprising polymers.
WO 2004/007598 A1 discloses water-absorbing foams comprising finely divided hydrophilic silicon dioxide and/or a surfactant at the surface. The treatment of the foams leads to an increase in the takeup rate for liquids.
WO 2004/035668 A2 discloses water-absorbing foams comprising superabsorbent fibers or fruit fibers, in particular apple fibers.
WO 2006/094977 A2 describes superabsorbent foams comprising wood fibers or waste paper fibers.
WO 2005/042039 A2 describes superabsorbent foams possessing enhanced blood absorbence due to their being coated with hydrophobic compounds.
The present invention has for its object to improve the properties of feminine hygiene absorbent articles comprising superabsorbent foams, in particular by providing foams that have good absorbing, retaining and conducting properties for aqueous fluids and are stable, in particular in the wet state, efficiently handleable, efficiently processable and simple to produce.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Feminine hygiene absorbent article comprising a superabsorbent foam of high swell rate


A reversible braking mechanism is described, wherein a female member (5) receives a male member (3). One member (3, 5) carries a pair of bushes (19, 31) and the other member (3, 5) carries a pair of uni-directional roller bearings (21, 39) which engage the pair of bushes (19, 31). The uni-directional roller bearings (21, 39) are arranged in opposing directions, and a bush braking device (17) is selectively engageable with either of the bushes (19, 31).

Fly fishing reels require a spool that rotates freely whilst the fishing line is wound onto the spool, and that provides a braking means whilst the fishing line is withdrawing from the spool. As there are, of course, left and right handed anglers, this feature has to be reversible.
Traditionally, this mechanism has been achieved in a number of ways, but principally by utilising a series of springs with pawls engaging a gear on the back of the spool, or by using a sprag clutch or freewheel. However, using these traditional methods, it is necessary to dismantle the braking mechanism, remove and then change over either pawls or freewheels, in order to accommodate either the left or right handed angler.


The apparatus for checking the volume of bottles (1) comprises a head (2) adapted to be moved sealingly onto the bottle mouth (21), with a metering piston (7) which is displaceable in relation to the head (2) to be inserted into the bottle (1) and compress the air contained therein, and a pressure sensor (9) for measuring the excess pressure produced in the bottle. The measured volume (11) in the bottle is linked to a compensating volume (12) through a duct (10). The compensating volume is determined on the one hand by the constant starting height of the metering piston (7) and on the other hand by the variable displacement path length of the head (2). This ensures that the compression ratios are always the same for bottles of different heights, since differences of bottle height are compensated by a balancing piston (13) in the opposite direction, which alters the compensating volume (12) according to the sealing displacement path of the head (2) and thus always keeps the compressed measured volume exactly constant. The apparatus enables deviations in volume occurring in a series production process for plastic or glass bottles to be determined without the need to supply external air to the bottles. The measuring cycle is initiated by recording the pressure rise when the head (2) is placed upon the container (1).

The invention relates to a method of testing containers, more particularly glass or plastic bottles, involving placing a head sealingly onto the mouth of the container, putting the interior of the container under pressure by means of a metering piston which can be displaced in relation to the head, and measuring the pressure by means of a pressure sensor to check the volume of the container.
The invention further relates to an apparatus for implementing the method, comprising a head adapted to be moved sealingly onto a mouth of the container, a metering piston which is displaceable in relation to the head and can be used to pressurize the interior of the container, and a pressure sensor for measuring the pressure in the interior of the container.
One such apparatus is known in conjunction with an inspection machine for plastic bottles from DE 37 22 422 C2. In the case of this known apparatus the bottle can be clamped on a plate by means of a head fastened in freely rotatable manner to a vertically displaceable carriage. The interior of the bottle can be pressurised through the head, said pressure being recorded by a pressure sensor disposed on the head. The interior of the container is pressurised using a metering piston adapted to be displaceable at right angles to the head in a cylinder provided inside the carriage. A piston rod joined to the metering piston is able to be displaced against the pressure of a return spring by a cam disc attached to the machine frame via a follower roller. On the side of the metering piston nearest the return spring is a cylinder chamber. Whenever the metering piston is displaced, the air in this cylinder chamber is forced into the bottle along a bore provided in the head, and the pressure sensor records the pressure that builds up inside the bottle. An electronic analyser compares this pressure with a limiting value and subsequently actuates an ejector in the event of excessive deviation from this limiting value. A bottle of nominal volume has a given limiting pressure value. If the volume of the bottle is smaller or greater than the nominal volume, the limiting pressure value is respectively exceeded or not attained when the said volume of air is forced in.
The aforesaid inspection machine is primarily intended for inspecting returnable bottles made from plastic, i.e. bottles returned by the customer and then refilled. The known apparatus works perfectly satisfactorily on this type of inspection machine. However, it has been shown that problems can arise if the apparatus is used on an inspection machine employed for series production of PET or glass bottles. Volume deviations may even occur in this sort of series manufacturing process. It is therefore necessary to check the volume of the bottles using an apparatus of the type indicated initially. If the volume deviations are outside a given tolerance, the bottles concerned again have to be identified as defective and removed. In this type of series production process the bottles, which have usually come from a blow moulding machine, contain warmed air. The volume of air forced into the bottle using the metering piston is relatively small in comparison to the volume of the bottle, and the excess pressure produced by forcing in the volume of air is correspondingly small. If in the series production process the measurement result is also affected by volumes of air at different temperatures, it is no longer possible to obtain reliable readings. Furthermore, it is in any event no simple matter to provide an external volume of air that is always constant and ideally at the same temperature and force it into a bottle, for in series production there is usually less than a second available for the entire check per bottle.
It has been found that fixing the start of the pressure measurements is a difficult matter. Yet a precise starting point for the pressure measurements is indispensable, for as a rule it is necessary in the very brief time available for measurement to take a plurality of pressure measurements under various defined measurement conditions.

Method and apparatus for testing containers


A zero insertion force (ZIF) connector can include a connector housing defining an opening and an interior space for receiving a mating member, multiple LIGA springs positioned within the interior space and configured to apply pressure to the mating member while in a first position, and a locking component to cause the LIGA springs to move to a second position responsive to a user pressing the locking component. The LIGA springs do not apply pressure to the mating member while in the second position.

Current systems tend to be inadequate for solving custom requirements for solder-down tip solutions. Certain applications require bandwidth performance up to 28+ GHz with a reliable contact that is robust, miniature in size, and low-cost but, because certain types of probe tips must be able to accommodate up to six signals (e.g., two via coaxial connections and four via direct current), the use of standard radio frequency (RF) connectors and cables would not provide an acceptable customer solution. Indeed, no current systems or devices meet these needs.
Accordingly, a need remains for an interconnector system suitable for use with such probe tips.

High performance LIGA spring interconnect system for probing application


The invention concerns a classifying apparatus, used in particular for recognising or characterising odours, applying a combination of statistical methods and neuronal networks to classify into the appropriate class instances of a plurality of different classes presented to the apparatus. The apparatus comprises a processing unit for determining for each class (j) a subspace (SEj) wherein the instances of said class are best separated from instances of other classes, said subspace being defined by synthetic variables (VDj), and for determining a discriminating subspace (SED) defined by the whole set of synthetic variables identified for the whole set of classes. Each neuron in the neuronal input layer corresponds to one of the variables defining the discriminating space (SED) and each neuron of the output layer corresponds to one of the classes.

The present invention concerns pattern classification, notably in the field of the characterisation or the identification of odours.
In odour characterisation or identification apparatus (so-called xe2x80x9celectronic nosesxe2x80x9d) a sample of an unknown product is identified by classifying it in one of several classes which the apparatus recognises thanks to a preliminary learning operation. Apparatus of this type comprises two main parts, a data acquisition portion and a data processing portion. In general, the data acquisition portion comprises a sampling head enabling the sampling of volatile components which are given off by the tested product, and a battery of sensors to which the sampled components are supplied and which produce output signals which, taken together, are characteristic of the volatile components given off by the product and, thus, are characteristic of the product. In general, the data processing portion comprises automatic data processing means which record the sensors"" output signals and perform analyses thereon. By detecting or analysing the patterns inherent in the different sets of data relating to particular products, the data processing portion detects the class of the product (which can correspond to the nature of the product, for example, xe2x80x9ca winexe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9ca whiskyxe2x80x9d, etc., or to a quality of a product, for example, xe2x80x9cfresh milkxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cfermented milkxe2x80x9d, etc.).
The goals pursued in acquiring and in processing the data are different depending upon whether the apparatus is in learning mode or in identification mode.
In the learning mode of the apparatus, the products from which the various samples are taken are known and are analysed several times. The processing methods which are used at this time are those which enable, on the one hand, the detection and characterisation of the different products and, on the other hand, the construction of a robust identification model. The methods used are generally statistical methods (Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Discriminant Factor Analysis (DFA), . . . ) and neural networks (see, for example, J. W. Gardner and P. N. Bartlett, xe2x80x9cSensors and sensory systems for an Electronic Nosexe2x80x9d, Nato Asi, Series E, Vol. 212, pp.161-180 (1992)). In the identification phase, the origin of the samples is unknown and the goal is to identify this origin by using the data, and the model which has already been constructed.
The statistical methods used in processing the data recorded by an electronic nose are linear methods. The variables calculated according to such methods are so-called xe2x80x9csynthetic variablesxe2x80x9d and convey two items of information, quantitative information, indicating the percentage of inertia in the initial cloud of points that is explained by this variable, and qualitative information regarding the structure and discrimination of the cloud which it discloses. By way of contrast, neural networks are among non-linear methods and are capable of learning the behaviour of the different sensors. The two types of methods directly employ the recorded raw data. In general, they are used separately.
Now, it is recalled that the expression xe2x80x9csynthetic variablesxe2x80x9d refers to combinations (whether or not linear) of the measured variables. In general they are obtained by optimisation of a precisely defined criterion. The environment of this optimisation process can be conditioned by additional knowledge or variables. For example, in PCA a criterion is optimised without any additional information whereas, in DFA, there is available knowledge regarding each sample""s affiliation to a group, and in PLS (xe2x80x9cpartial least squarexe2x80x9d) one or several additional variables are measured for each sample (for example, the concentration of a particular chemical element).
The document WO96/26492 describes a particular neural network structure capable, amongst other things, of being used in electronic noses. This neural network comprises, in the output layer thereof, fuzzy logic neurones that enable it to be indicated that the tested product belongs to an unknown class. In this document, it is also proposed to increase the number of neurones in the input layer of the neural network so as to input not only the sensor output signals but also signals representing variables calculated in a Principal Component Analysis of the original signals, for example, the two or three first components of the PCA.
However, by adding wholesale, to the measured signals representing the data, signals resulting from a Principal Component Analysis of the data, in order to constitute the input signals to the neural network, WO96/26492 follows the approach of conventional techniques which superpose statistical methods and neural networks. Moreover, even though the variables obtained by a principal component analysis convey substantial quantitative information, their contribution in terms of qualitative information is not necessarily great, particularly when a large number of distinct products is being handled. Thus, the systematic use of a certain number of predetermined variables derived from a statistical analysis does not automatically ensure the discrimination of the different products. Furthermore, these variables are correlated with certain of the initial variables (channels) and, consequently, their use as input signals to the neural network leads to redundancy.
The present invention relates to a pattern classification apparatus notably for use in the field of odour recognition, in which the statistical methods and the neural techniques are intertwined so as to exploit to the greatest possible extent the synergy between them, and to a method for optimising such an apparatus during the learning phase thereof.
More particularly, the present invention provides a classification apparatus, notably for use in the recognition or the characterisation of odours, comprising: means for acquiring, during a learning phase and by a plurality of channels, raw data representing a plurality of instances of a plurality of different classes; a processing unit for processing said raw data so as to determine, for each class (j), characteristics common to different instances of the class; and a neural network for outputting a classification, into one of the classes, of an instance presented to said classification apparatus, said neural network comprising an input layer, an output layer and at least one intermediate layer disposed between the input and output layers, the output layer comprising a plurality of neurones each being adapted to recognise instances of a respective class from the plurality of classes: characterised in that the processing unit determines for each class (j) a sub-space (SEj) in which the instances of this class (j), for which raw data has been obtained, are optimally separated from the instances of all the other classes, said sub-space (SEj) being defined by a group (VDj) of one or a plurality of synthetic variables (V), and determining the discrimination sub-space (SED) which comprises the sub-spaces of all of the classes, said sub-space (SED) being defined by the plurality of variables (VD) comprised in the sets (VDj) of synthetic variables of the plurality of classes: and that the input layer of the neural network comprises a plurality of neurones each corresponding to a respective variable (V) of the plurality of synthetic variables which define the discrimination sub-space (SED).
The present invention also provides a learning method of a classification apparatus comprising means for acquiring, by a plurality of channels, raw data representing instances of a plurality of different classes; a unit processing said raw data and a neural network comprising an input layer, an output layer and at least one intermediate layer disposed between the input and output layers, the output layer comprising a plurality of neurones each being adapted to recognise instances of a respective class from the plurality of classes, this apparatus being notably for use in the recognition or the characterisation of odours, the method comprising the steps of: applying to the raw data acquisition means, during a learning phase, a plurality of instances of the plurality of classes, the classes to which the instances belong being known; and processing said raw data, by the data processing unit, so as to determine for each class (j) characteristics common to the different instances of the class; characterised in that the processing step comprises the determination, by the data processing unit, for each class (j), of a sub-space (SEj) in which the instances of this class (j), for which raw data has been obtained, are optimally separated from the instances of all the other classes, said sub-space (SEj) being defined by a set (VDj) of one or a plurality of synthetic variables (V), and determining the discrimination sub-space (SED) which comprises the sub-spaces (SEj) of all the classes, said sub-space (SED) being defined by the plurality of variables (VD) comprised in the groups (VDj) of synthetic variables of the plurality of classes; and in that the neural network is provided with an input layer comprising a plurality of neurones for receiving, respectively, as input a value of a respective variable of the plurality of synthetic variables (VD) defining the discrimination sub-space (SED).
The apparatus and the method according to the present invention use the intertwining of the results of a statistical analysis and a neural network so as to draw maximum benefit from the advantages provided by each of these. More particularly, by choosing for input into the neural network the synthetic variables which best discriminate the different classes, there is a significant increase in the contribution in terms of qualitative information, which leads to a reduction in the duration of the learning phase and an increase in the speed of identification of samples during the identification phase.
The choice of synthetic variables which best discriminate the different classes can be made manually or using an automated search. A preferred automated search method consists in the determination, in each of a plurality of different sub-spaces corresponding to combinations of respective different variables, of a region encompassing the points representing the different instances of this class, and the determination of the sub-space in which the determined region both is the furthest from the regions representing the other classes and has the smallest possible size.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the neural network comprises, as intermediate layer, a plurality of individual neural networks each corresponding to a respective class of the plurality of classes. By using this structure of the neural network, it is possible to reduce the duration of the learning phase to a significant extent, which can be of extreme importance when classification of instances of a large number of classes is involved. The training of such a neural network involves the separate training of the individual neural networks.
In certain applications it can be useful, or necessary, to eliminate from the analysis raw data corresponding to channels which do not contribute to the differentiation of instances of different classes. It can also be necessary to eliminate from the calculations the data concerning abnormal instances of a class, that is, the instances which, in terms of synthetic variables, are far away from other instances of the same class. This improves the reliability of the identification model established during the learning phase.
Preferably, the neural networks of the invention are supervised networks the neurones of which apply sigmoid functions. Preferably, the neural networks according to the invention are trained using the back propagation algorithm.
The raw data processing unit applies statistical processing such as a principal component analysis, a discriminant factor analysis, or other similar methods.
So as to check the reliability of the identification model established during the learning phase of the apparatus, it is preferable to determine the sub-spaces (SEj), the sets of synthetic variables and the discrimination sub-space (SED) based on raw data relating to only a certain percentage of the data acquired during the learning phase. The other data is applied to the processing unit so as to calculate values corresponding to the synthetic variables, these values being applied to the neural network and the classifications performed by the neural network being compared with the true classes to which the instances involved belong. If the class identification rate exceeds a threshold value, for example, 80%, then the training of the apparatus is ended and the apparatus can be used for identifying instances of unknown class.

Classifying apparatus using a combination of statistical methods and neuronal networks, designed in particular for odour recognition


In a method to operate an inkjet printer with at least one first and one second printing station to print to a continuous recording medium, and wherein a drying device is provided for drying the recording medium that is printed to in the first printing station, the drying device being in a region between the first and second printing stations, after a halt of the recording medium which is equal to or greater than a predetermined duration, removing the print heads of the second printing station out of a printing position from the transport path into a park position, and after the startup only directing the print heads back again into the printing position if a segment of the recording medium that was located in a region before the drying device during the halt has passed the print heads of the second printing station.

The disclosure concerns a method to operate an inkjet printer with at least one first and one second printing station to print to a continuous recording medium, as well as an inkjet printer with at least one first and one second printing station to print to a continuous recording medium.
High-capacity inkjet printers to print to a continuous recording medium normally have two printing stations that are arranged along a transport path of the recording medium. The recording medium is normally a paper web. A turning device is arranged between the two printing stations so that each printing station respectively prints to one of the two sides of the recording medium.
The printing stations have multiple print heads. In the movement direction of the recording medium, a drying device respectively follows the print heads in order to dry the recording medium printed with the liquid ink. The heating power of the drying device is set such that—during normal operation, during which the recording medium is moved with continuous speed—the recording medium is dried to such an extent that the moisture introduced with the ink is removed. If the operation of the inkjet printer is interrupted, so much heat is stored in the region of the drying device and deflection rollers following the drying device that a segment of the recording medium that is located in this region is more significantly dried out than is typical.
In an unprocessed state, paper has a specific basic moisture content. Given an interruption of the printing operation, a large part of this basic moisture content can be driven out of the paper. Since, during a longer pause of the operation of the inkjet printer, the recording medium is significantly dried only in the region of the drying device and in the region following the drying region in the movement direction, and retains its moisture in the remaining regions, transition regions arise in which a segment of normal moisture content and a significantly dried segment adjoin one another. The significantly dried segments are somewhat contracted relative to the segment of normal moisture, whereby there is warping in these transition regions. This warping forms waves.
That recording media can form waves in printing systems was already previously known. The inventor of the present Patent Application has conducted many series of tests and has more closely studied the cause of the wave formation. For the first time, he was able to more specifically define the location of the wave formation, namely adjacent to the transition region between segments of normal moisture content and significantly dried segments of the recording medium or paper. The phenomenon of wave formation was not previously known at this level of precision.
According to U.S. Pat. No. 6,837,635 B1, given a wave formation of the paper in an inkjet printer it is sought to keep the waves outside of the print region so that the print heads are not damaged. For this, special rollers are used that have segments with different diameters so that additional transverse stresses are applied to the paper.
According to JP 02122967 A, folds or waves in the paper are measured by means of an ultrasonic sensor. The height of the print heads is adjusted depending on the determined height of the paper. Here it is also avoided that the print heads come into contact with the paper, whereby they may be damaged.

Method to operate an inkjet printer with at least two printing stations, and inkjet printer with two printing stations


An optical encoder includes an encoder pattern having (i) an A/B pattern of first areas and second areas alternating in a first direction, wherein the first areas have a different optical transmissivity or reflectivity than the second areas, and (ii) an index pattern disposed adjacent the A/B pattern in the first direction.

Optical encoders are used in a wide variety of contexts to determine movement and/or a position of an object with respect to some reference. Optical encoding is often used in mechanical systems as an inexpensive and reliable way to measure and track motion among moving components. For instance, printers, scanners, photocopiers, fax machines, plotters, and other imaging systems often use optical encoding to track the movement of an image media, such as paper, as an image is printed on the media or an image is scanned from the media.
One common technique for optical encoding uses an optical sensor and an encoder pattern (or encoding media). The optical sensor focuses on a surface of the encoder pattern. As the sensor moves with respect to the encoder pattern (or encoding media), or the encoder pattern moves with respect to the sensor, the sensor reads a pattern of light either transmitted through, or reflected by, the encoder pattern to detect the motion.
A typical encoder pattern is an alternating series of features. As the encoder and sensor move relative to the one another, transitions from one feature to the next in the pattern are optically detected. For instance, an encoder pattern could be an alternating pattern of holes, or optically transmissive windows, in an opaque material. In which case, an optical sensor can detect transitions from darkness to light passing through the holes or windows.
FIG. 1 illustrates a basic optical encoder 100 comprising an optical unit 103 including a light emitter 101 and an optical sensor 102, and a light controlling member (encoder pattern) 105 disposed between the light emitter 101 and the optical sensor 102. The optical unit 103 and the encoder pattern 105 can move relative to each other in a linear fashion longitudinally of the encoder pattern 105. For example, if the optical member 103 is mounted on the printing head of the inkjet printer and the encoder pattern 105 is fixed to a case of the inkjet printer, the optical unit 103 moves along the length of the encoder pattern 105 when the printing head moves.
FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate in further detail a 3-channel optical encoder comprising an encoder pattern and an optical sensor. FIG. 2A shows a code wheel (or code strip) encoder pattern 105, comprising an alternating A/B pattern 210 and a separate index pattern 220. The A/B pattern 210 comprises a pattern having alternating areas of differing optical transmissivity or reflectivity, depending on the design of the optical encoder. All of the first ("A") portions 212 have a same length longitudinally along the encoder pattern 105. All of the second ("B") portions 214 have a same length longitudinally along the encoder pattern 105. Further, the length of a first portion 212 longitudinally along the encoder pattern 105 and the length of a second portion 214 longitudinally along the encoder pattern 105 are equal to each other. In other words, a length L as a sum of the length of a first portion 212 longitudinally along the encoder pattern 105 and the length of a second portion 214 longitudinally along the encoder pattern 105 is constant in any adjacent pair of first and second portions 212, 214.
Meanwhile, FIG. 2B shows a optical sensor 102, comprising an A/B channel detector array 250, first and second ("A" and "B") channel processing blocks 270 and 275, index channel detector 280, and index channel processing block 290. Although not shown in FIGS. 2A-B, the optical encoder also includes a light emitter such as light emitter 101 of FIG. 1. The light emitter may comprise one or more light emitting diodes for illuminating the encoder pattern 105.
The optical sensor 102 includes, as shown in FIG. 2B, a photodiode group 260 including four photodiodes 261-264. These four photodiodes 261-264 are arranged close to each other in the direction of the relative movement between the optical unit 103 and the encoder pattern 105. All of the photodiodes 261-264 have a same length in the direction of the arrangement, and a total of the four lengths is K. In other words, a length of the photodiode group 260 in the direction of the relative movement between the optical unit 103 and the encoder pattern 105 is K. In the above arrangement, K and L are each other, for example equal to each other within a manufacturing tolerance or error. It should be noted here that there may be a slight gap between each pair of adjacent photodiodes 261-264 due to technical reasons of manufacture, but these gaps are not illustrated in FIG. 2B. The photodiodes 261-264 have output terminals connected with input terminals of first and second channel processing blocks 270 and 275.
FIG. 3 more clearly illustrates a positional relationship between the encoder pattern 105 and the A/B channel detector array 250 including a plurality of photodiode groups 260.
If the encoder pattern 105 moves longitudinally with respect to the optical unit 103 (or vice versa), the first and second channel processing blocks 270 and 275 output the first and second channel signals "A" and "B" respectively, as shown in FIG. 4.
As can be seen in FIG. 4, the first and second channel signals indicate a relative movement between the optical unit 103 and the encoder pattern 105. However, they do not indicate a positional relationship of the optical unit 103 and the encoder pattern 105 with respect to each other. In many cases it is necessary to detect a relative positional relationship between the optical unit 103 and the encoder pattern 105 to determine an index or homing position of the optical sensor 102, or for end-point detection of the allowable movement range of the optical unit 103.
Accordingly, as shown in FIGS. 2A-B, the 3-channel optical encoder includes an index channel in addition to the first and second ("A" and "B") channels. That is, the encoder pattern 105 includes the separate index pattern 220, and the optical sensor 102 includes the index pattern detector 280. The index pattern detector 280 outputs the index channel signal shown in FIG. 4.
However, there are some disadvantages to the 3 channel optical sensor as described above. For example, as optical encoders are increasingly integrated into smaller devices such as cameras, mobile telephones, etc., it becomes increasingly important to minimize the size of the optical encoder. However, the need for a separate index channel detector for the index channel increases the size of the integrated circuit for the optical unit. Similarly, the separate index pattern increases the size of the encoder pattern and the media (e.g., codestrip or codewheel) on which it is incorporated.
What is needed, therefore is an optical encoder that overcomes at least the shortcomings of known optical encoders described above.

Optical encoder with integrated index channel


The present invention is concerned with a recording medium wherein, in a recording medium in which the information may be regenerated optically, a track is pre-recorded or pre-formatted by being deviated along the track width with a signal which the baseband signal of a read-only information signal freed of high-frequency components. The present invention is also concerned with a recording apparatus for forming a track of an optical recording medium from which an information can be reproduced optically, wherein the apparatus includes a deviating device for deviating a track-forming recording beam along the width of the track of the optical recording medium, a deviation control signal generating device for generating deviation control baseband signals for controlling the deviation device, and a low-pass filter for eliminating the high-frequency components of the deviation control baseband signals.

In an optical recording medium, such as a magneto-optical disc, it is known to provide a spiral guide groove or concentric guide grooves in advance on a disc and to record and/or reproduce data by taking advantage of the magneto-optical effects with the use of the preformed groove or grooves or the land between the adjoining grooves as the recording track or tracks. In general, addresses and data are recorded alternately on the recording track and data supervision is performed on the basis of the address information. With the aid of the address information, data may be recorded and/or reproduced on a block-by-block or sector-by-sector basis.
There is disclosed in the Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. 63-8768 (1988) a technique in which a wobbling track for detecting the tracking error is recorded by frequency modulation by the timing code. With this technique, a 22.05 kHz sinusoidal carrier signal is frequency modulated on the basis of a timing code signal having a frequency much lower than that of the carrier to produce a wobbling track to obtain a tracking error signal during reproduction, with the timing code being demodulated to produce the position information. However, the volume of the recordable information is small and, when the technique is used for data storage, the optical head cannot be positioned accurately.
On the other hand, there is disclosed in the specification and drawings of the Japanese Patent Application 1-41784 (1989) a technique in which, as shown in FIG. a track 75 is offset in the direction of the track width on the basis of a baseband signal of read-only information, such as the data block address, and in which, during reproduction, the address is obtained with the aid of a so-called push-pull signal from a photodetector divided into two segments along the track direction. That is, by taking advantage of the fact that reproduction of the magneto-optical data signal 77 recorded on the track per se is not affected by the signal obtained by track offsetting, and that the address or the like information is contained in the high frequency range of the push-pull signal, while the tracking error signal is contained in the low frequency range, with these signals having different band widths, the address or the like information may be reproduced and, on the basis of the reproduced information, data may be supervised on a block-by-block basis.
As a principle, the magneto-optical signal (Mo signal) 77 recorded on the track 75 per se is not affected by the signal recorded by offsetting the track 75. However, in effect, the high-frequency components, for example, tend to leak into and affect the reproduced signals (RF) 79 of the MO signal 77 due to fluctuations in detector sensitivity and to the presence of the edge 78 of changes in the width of the track 75. It has also been shown that the more acute the edge, the more difficult it becomes to cut the groove or produce the optical disc by a stamper,
The present invention has been made with the above state of the art in mind. It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical recording medium in which the effect which the signal prerecorded by offsetting the track along its width has on the main signal recorded on the track may be diminished, and an information recording apparatus for prerecording the track on the recording medium.

Optical recording medium and information recording apparatus for recording bursts of low-pass filtered reproduce-only information in a wobbling pre-groove on the optical recording medium


One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that performs voltage sampling over an extended voltage range on a semiconductor chip. During operation, the system receives an input voltage at a node within the semiconductor chip. The system samples the input voltage through a first sampling pathway using NMOS pass gates, which latch the input voltage to produce a first output signal. This first output signal tracks the input voltage from ground up to a cut-off voltage for the nMOS pass gates. The system also samples the input voltage through a second sampling pathway using nMOS pass gates, which latch the input voltage to produce a second output signal. Prior to the NMOS pass gates along the second sampling pathway, the input voltage passes through a source-follower gate, which translates the input voltage down, so that the second output signal tracks the input voltage from a turn-on voltage of the source-follower gate up to Vdd. Next, the system combines the first and second output signals to produce a combined output signal, which tracks the input voltage over the extended voltage range from ground to Vdd.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the design of on-chip circuitry for testing semiconductor chips. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for performing voltage sampling on a semiconductor chip over an extended voltage range.
2. Related Art
On-chip samplers have been used to perform non-invasive probing of voltages on a semiconductor chip. This type of non-invasive probing is advantageous because it can significantly reduce the time required to test and debug a semiconductor chip. For example, FIG. 1 illustrates a simple on-chip sampler design. In FIG. 1, pass transistors M1 and M2 function as analog "flip-flops" which sample a voltage under test and present a modified version of the voltage to the gate of amplifying transistor M3. Amplifying transistor M3 converts this voltage into a current, which is multiplied and sent off-chip to a measuring device, such as an oscilloscope.
In order to calibrate the sampler's input-voltage-to-output-current conversion function, a separate gate M4 communicates an external calibration voltage to the amplifying transistor M3. This external calibration voltage produces a corresponding output, which is used to calibrate the input-voltage-to-output-current function.
During a subsequent voltage measurement operation, the analog flip-flop formed by pass transistors M1 and M2 can be clocked at a slightly different frequency from the chip clock, thereby causing the circuit to sample the on-chip waveform at a slightly different time offset for each cycle of an input signal. If performed properly, this sub-sampling technique can cause the circuit to display a nearly exact replica of the on-chip voltage waveform, but with an expanded time-base.
Unfortunately, the circuit illustrated in FIG. 1 cannot easily sample on-chip voltages near the power supply voltage Vdd. This is because the NMOS pass gates M1 and M2 will turn off when the input voltage rises to within a threshold of the gate voltage for the pass gates (which is asserted as Vdd). One solution to this problem is to use a higher power supply voltage to drive the gates of nMOS devices M1 and M2. This allows the nMOS gates M1 and M2 to continue to conduct because their gate voltages exceed any on-chip voltage being tested. Although this scheme can be made to work, the higher gate voltages can possibly destroy the gates. The risk of gate destruction can be greatly reduced by using thick-oxide I/O devices. Unfortunately, such thick-oxide I/O devices are slow, which can significantly reduce the bandwidth of the sampler. Another disadvantage is that an extra pin is required for the higher supply voltage, which involves additional expense. Moreover, routing the extra supply voltage around the chip can significantly increase routing complexity.
Hence, what is needed is a method and an apparatus for sampling on-chip voltages without the problems described above.

Method and apparatus for performing on-chip sampling over an extended voltage range


An assay technique for label-free, highly parallel, qualitative and quantitative detection of specific cell populations in a sample and for assessing cell functional status, cell-cell interactions and cellular responses to drugs, environmental toxins, bacteria, viruses and other factors that may affect cell function. The technique includes a) creating a first array of binding regions in a predetermined spatial pattern on a sensor surface capable of specifically binding the cells to be assayed; b) creating a second set of binding regions in specific spatial patterns relative to the first set designed to efficiently capture potential secreted or released products from cells captured on the first set of binding regions; c) contacting the sensor surface with the sample, and d) simultaneously monitoring the optical properties of all the binding regions of the sensor surface to determine the presence and concentration of specific cell populations in the sample and their functional status by detecting released or secreted bioproducts.

Optical techniques that measure cellular phenotype and function most often employ labeled antibodies that specifically label proteins of interest. For example, immunohistochemistry employs samples that have been affixed to a slide and labeled with fluorescently or enzymatically labeled antibodies. Immunohistochemistry has been used in many contexts, including the upregulation of proteins and the characterization of cellular phenotypes. Immunofluorescence microscopy measures antigenic structure with fluorescently labeled antibodies. Uses of this technique include studies of surface expression of proteins in normal and leukemic lymphocytes, and surface protein internalization by activated cells. In confocal microscopy, a laser is scanned across cells labeled with fluorescent antibodies. The specimen is brought into focus by an objective lens and laterally scanned under computer control. Cross-sectional areas are computationally compiled into three-dimensional objects and the subcellular location of labeled proteins is then determined. Confocal microscopy has been used to study antigen expression, apoptosis, and cellular activation.
One of the most common technologies used to phenotype cells is flow cytometry. Flow cytometry measures light scattering, impedance, and fluorescent signals to characterize specific cell types and can identify subpopulations of these cells for sorting. Commercially available flow cytometers measure up to eight different fluorescent molecules bound to a cell, each emitting a distinct wavelength of fluorescent light. Flow cytometers also can measure cellular processes such as cell division, apoptosis, necrosis, and differentiation. Recent developments in flow cytometry sort analyzed cells into microchannels and separate these populations according to fluorescence characteristics.
Flow cytometry has a number of limitations. One drawback is that flow cytometry requires pre-labeling of the cells with fluorescent antibodies or other fluorophores and entails complex experimental protocols that may be difficult to implement in many environments (e.g., resource-poor settings). For flow cytometry to be accurate, the cells must be precisely moved through the center of the focal plane of the illuminating light. This requires a sophisticated system of fluidics, and a narrow orifice in the flow cell (usually in the 50 to 100 micron diameter range). Disturbances in the sample stream can alter the information produced by a flow cytometer, making this technology sensitive to sample clogging and to environmental perturbations. Distinguishing the various cell phenotypes in a sample requires excitation at multiple wavelengths and monitoring of the fluorescence signal in multiple spectral bands. This requires a multi-wavelength laser system and multichannel detection, which results in the need for complex compensation and dramatically increases the number of controls. As multiplexing capacity is increased, adding the required spectral channels substantially increase the complexity, cost, size, power and weight of the instrumentation. More fundamentally, the number of specific phenotypes that can be analyzed in such a system is limited by the number of spectral channels available, which is on the order of 10 in current state-of-the-art flow cytometers.


An enzyme is purified by absorbing enzymes in an aqueous solution on a specific carrier material T-PbA to which is covalently bound phenyl butylamine ligand groups.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for purifying a protein, particularly enzymes from biomass, particularly the enzyme penicillin amidase.
2. Description of the Background
It is known that proteins, particularly enzymes, can be purified by way of hydrophobic chromatography. For example, the enzyme penicillin amidase (penicillin acylase PcA) can be purified from E. coli (E.C. 184.108.40.206), which is used for technical conversion of fermentatively produced penicillins in 6-amino penicillin acid (df. H. J. Rehm & G. Reed in Biotechnology, Vol. 7a, p. 168, 169 VCH 1987), on phenyl glycine sepharose, by means of affinity chromatography (Indian Patent 15 50 51A, Purification of Penicillin Acylase Enzyme, P. S. Borkar and P. B. Majahan). Furthermore, benzyl EUPERGIT is used for purification of PCA by affinity chromatography. Affinity chromatography with affinity ligands consisting of phenylacetic acid or its derivatives is described in Chem. Abstracts 97, 35363a. Other methodology employs conjugates of agarose or sepharose with ampicillin or amoxicillin as matrices for affinity chromatography (Indian Patent 155 050; P.B. Mahajan et al., Hind. Antibiot. Bull. 24 (1-2) 38, 1982, Chem. Abstracts97, 87551e as well as Chem. Abstracts95, 110 740 K).
The methods which have been proposed thus far are complicated, without exception, both with regard to the number of individual operations required and with regard to the apparatus necessary to perform the operations. In fact the significant time required for protein purification is unsatisfactory. A need therefore continues to exist for a simplified method of protein and purification isolation which is fast and involves minimal loss of protein.

Method of purification of penicillin amidase using phenylbutylamine-eupergit


Hapten-carrier conjugates capable of eliciting anti-hapten antibodies in vivo are disclosed. Methods of preparing the hapten-carrier conjugates and therapeutic compositions are also disclosed. Where the hapten is a drug of abuse, a therapeutic composition containing the hapten-carrier conjugate is particularly useful in the treatment of drug addiction, more particularly, cocaine addiction. Passive immunization using antibodies raised against conjugates of the instant invention is also disclosed. The therapeutic composition is suitable for co-therapy with other conventional drugs.

The prevalence of drug use and abuse worldwide, especially in the United States, has reached epidemic levels. There are a plethora of drugs, both legal and illegal, the abuse of which have become serious public policy issues affecting all strata of society with its obvious medical and social consequences. Some users live in an extremely high risk population associated with poverty and illegal activity. Other users who might classify themselves as recreational users are at risk due to (a) properties of the drug(s) which make them addictive, (b) a predisposition of the user to become a heavy user or (c) a combination of factors including personal circumstances, hardship, environment and accessibility. Adequate treatment of drug abuse, including polydrug abuse, requires innovative and creative programs of intervention.
Two especially problematic drugs of addiction are cocaine and nicotine. Cocaine is an alkaloid derived from the leaves of the coca plant (Erythroxylon coca). In the United States alone, there currently are more than 5 million regular cocaine users of whom at least 600,000 are classified as severely addicted (Miller et al. (1989) N.Y. State J. Med. pp. 390-395; and Carroll et al. (1994) Pharm. News. 1:11-16). Within this population, a significant number of addicts actively are seeking therapy. For example, in 1990, 380,000 people sought medical treatment for cocaine addiction and the number is increasing. At that time, it was estimated that 100,000 emergency room admissions per year involve cocaine use. The cumulative effects of cocaine-associated violent crime, loss in individual productivity, illness, and death is an international problem.
The lack of effective therapies for the treatment of cocaine addiction strongly suggests that novel approaches must be developed. Additional factors contributing to the lack of successful treatment programs is that patterns of cocaine abuse have varied with time. In an article entitled "1994 Chemical Approaches to the Treatment of Cocaine Abuse" (Carroll et al. (1994) Pharm. News, Vol. 1, No. 2), Carroll et al. report that since the mid-1980's, intravenous and nasal dosing of the hydrochloride salt (coke, snow, blow) and smoking of cocaine free-base (crack) have become common routes of administration, producing euphoria and psychomotor stimulation which last 30-60 minutes. Unlike some other abused drugs, cocaine can be taken in binges lasting for several hours. This behavior leads to addiction, and in some cases, to toxic consequences (Carroll et al., Pharm. News, supra.)
There are only very limited treatments for drugs of abuse and no effective long term treatments for cocaine addiction. Treatments include, but are not limited to, counseling coupled with the administration of drugs that act as antagonists at the opioid receptors or drugs that try to reduce the craving associated with drug addiction. One approach to treatment is detoxification. Even temporary remissions with attendant physical, social and psychological improvements are preferable to the continuation or progressive acceleration of abuse and its related adverse medical and interpersonal consequences (Wilson et al. in Harrison's Principle of Internal Medicine Vol. 2, 12th Ed., McGraw-Hill (1991) pp. 2157-8). More specifically, pharmacological approaches to the treatment of cocaine abuse generally involve the use of anti-depressant drugs, such as desipramine or fluoxetine which may help manage the psychological aspects of withdrawal but, in general, do not directly affect the physiology of cocaine. (Kleber (1995) Clinical Neuropharmacology 18:S96-S109). Further, their effectiveness varies widely (Brooke et al. (1992) Drug Alcohol Depend. 31:37-43). In some studies, desipramine reduced self-administration (Tella (1994) College on Problems of Drug Dependence Meeting Abstracts; Mello et al. (1990) J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 254:926-939; and Kleven et al. (1990) Behavl. Pharmacol. 1:365-373), but abstinence rate following treatment did not exceed 70% (Kosten (1993) Problems of Drug Dependence, NIDA Res. Monogr. 85). There has also been the use of drugs which potentiate dopaminergic transmission, such as bromocriptine, but the benefits of such drugs are limited in part by toxicity (Taylor et al. (1990) West. J. Med. 152:573-577). New drugs aimed at replacing methadone for opioid addiction, such as buprenorphine, have also been used based on cross-interference with the dopaminergic system, however only limited clinical study information is available (Fudula et al. (1991) NIDA Research Monograph, 105:587-588). Buprenorphine has been reported to decrease cocaine self-administration (Carroll et al. (1991) Psychopharmacology 106:439-446; Mello et al. (1989) Science 245:859-862; and Mello et al. (1990) J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 254:926-939); however, cocaine abstinence rates following treatment generally do not exceed 50% (Gastfried et al. (1994) College on Problems of Drug Dependence Meeting Abstracts; and Schottenfeld et al. (1993) Problems on Drug Dependence, NIDA Res. Monogr. 311).
Present therapies used to treat cocaine addicts have at least four major limitations leading to a very high rate of recidivism. First, and perhaps most fundamentally, the contributing neurochemical events in cocaine abuse and addiction are complex (Carroll et al. (1994) supra.). As a result, single acting neuropharmacological approaches, such as inhibition of dopamine uptake, do not appear to be sufficient to overcome addiction. Second, the drugs currently used in cocaine addiction treatments have significant side-effects themselves, limiting their utility. Third, drug therapy compliance is problematic among this patient population. Current therapies can require frequent visits to a health care provider and/or self-administration of drugs designed to cure the addict of his habit. Because many of these drugs prevent the euphoria associated with cocaine, there is a strong disincentive to taking the drug. (Carroll, et al. (1994) supra.; Kosten et al. (1993) Problems of Drug Dependence, NIDA Res. Monogr. 132:85; Schottenfeld et al. (1993) Problems of Drug Dependence, NIDA Res. Monogr. 132:311.) Fourth, because of the complex chemistries involved in pharmacological therapies, many of them may be incompatible with other therapies currently in use or in clinical trials. Finally, most of the pharmacotherapy studies have been administered in context of low-intensity outpatient treatment programs and have not been linked with intensive outpatient treatment or other psychosocial treatment that appears necessary for successful management of cocaine dependent patients. (Rao (1995) Psychiatric Annuls 25(6):363-368).
Nicotine (1-Methyl-2-(3-pyridyl)pyrrolidine) is an alkaloid derived from the tobacco leaf. Nicotine use is widespread throughout the world and is legally available in many forms such as cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, and smokeless (chewing) tobacco. Although the addictive nature of nicotine and the dangers of smoking have been known for many years (Slade et al. (1995) JAMA 274(3):225-233), cigarette smoking remains popular. An estimated 51 million Americans smoke and, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 420,000 people each year die from smoking related disorders.
The most popular nicotine delivery system is the cigarette. Cigarettes contain 6 to 11 mg of nicotine, of which the smoker typically absorbs 1 to 3 mg. The typical pack-per-day smoker absorbs 20 to 40 mg of nicotine each day, achieving plasma concentrations of 25 to 50 ng per milliliter. The plasma half life of nicotine is approximately two hours; the half life of the major metabolite cotinine is 19 hours. (Henningfield (1995) The New England Journal of Medicine 333(18):1196-1203).
Since nicotine is legally and widely available there is relatively low pressure against its use, unlike cocaine. Although a large percentage of addicted smokers have expressed a desire to stop smoking, and many actually try to stop, only 2 to 3 percent of smokers become nonsmokers each year. (Henningfield (1995) supra.). The high rate of recidivism in smokers who try to quit is indicative of the strong effect of nicotine dependence. (O'Brien et al. (1996) Lancet 347:237-240).
Nicotine addiction is a chronic, relapsing disorder. Nicotine targets the mesolimbic reward system eventually resulting in physiological dependence. Evidence suggests that nicotine binds to the .alpha.-subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the central and peripheral nervous systems resulting in increased dopamine release. It is thought that increased numbers of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the brain enhance the physiological dependence of nicotine (Balfour (1994) Addiction 89:1419-1423). These physiological effects of nicotine are powerful reinforcers of the psychological addiction. The nicotine users increased cognition and improved mood, as well as the negative effects associated with abstinence (i.e., withdrawal symptoms), serve as powerful motivators for continued tobacco use.
The lack of effective therapies for nicotine dependence and the poor rate of success in those who try and quit its use indicate that there is a strong need for a new therapy. Currently, the two most popular therapies are nicotine polacrilex ("nicotine gum") and transdermal-delivery systems ("nicotine patch"). These "replacement medications" act to deliver low amounts of nicotine to the user over a period of time to slowly wean the nicotine user off the drug. It is thought that these methods reduce withdrawal symptoms and provide some effects for which the user previously relied on cigarettes (such as desirable mood and attentional states). (Henningfield (1995) supra.). These methods, however, suffer from the drawbacks of low penetrance and recidivism of the non-motivated quitter. Moreover, negative effects have been reported by users of nicotine gum such as mouth irritation, sore jaw muscles, dyspepsia, nausea, hiccups and paresthesia. Reported adverse effects from the nicotine patch include skin reactions (itching or erythema), sleep disturbance, gastrointestinal problems, somnolence, nervousness, dizziness and sweating (Haxby (1995) Am. J. Health-Syst. charm. 52:265-281).
Experimental diagnostic approaches and therapies for treating drug addiction have been suggested in the literature which have yet to be practiced. For example, vaccination as a therapeutic approach for drug addiction has been described previously in principle. Bonese et al. investigated changes in heroin self-administration by a 10 rhesus monkey after immunization against morphine (Bonese et al. (1974) Nature 252: 708-710). Bagasra et al. investigated using cocaine-KLH vaccination as a means to prevent addiction (Immunopharmacol. (1992) 23:173-179), although no conclusive results are produced and the methods used by Bagasra are in dispute. (Gallacher (1994) Immunopharrm. 27:79-81). Obviously, if a conjugate is to be effective in a therapeutic regimen, it must be capable of raising antibodies that can recognize free cocaine or nicotine circulating in vivo. Cerny (WO 92/03163) describes a vaccine and immunoserum against drugs. The vaccine is comprised of a hapten bonded to a carrier protein to produce antibodies. Also disclosed is the production of antibodies against drugs, and the use of these antibodies in the detoxification of one who has taken the drug. Carrera et al., Nature 378:727-730 (1995) discloses the synthesis of a cocaine-KLH vaccine to induce anti-cocaine antibodies which block the locomotor effects of the drug in rats. Blincko, U.S. Pat. No. 5,256,409, discloses a vaccine comprising a carrier protein bound to one hapten from the desipramine/imipramine class of drugs and another hapten from the nortriptyline/amitriptyline class of drugs. Liu et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,283,066, discloses use of a hapten-polymeric solid support complex to induce an immune response.
Passive administration of monoclonal antibodies to treat drug abuse has been previously described (see, Killian et al. (1978) Pharmacol. Biochem. Behavior 9:347-352; Pentel et al. (1991) Drug Met. Dispositions 19:24-28). In this approach, pre-formed antibodies to selected drugs are passively administered to animals. While these data provide a demonstration of the feasibility of immunological approaches to addiction therapy, passive immunization as a long term human therapeutic strategy suffers from a number of major drawbacks. First, if antibodies to be used for passive therapy are from non-human sources or are monoclonal antibodies, these preparations will be seen as foreign proteins by the patient, and there may be a rapid immune response to the foreign antibodies. This immune response may neutralize the passively administered antibody, blocking its effectiveness and drastically reducing the time of subsequent protection. In addition, readministration of the same antibody may become problematic, due to the potential induction of a hypersensitivity response. These problems can be overcome by production of immune immunoglobulin in human donors immunized with the vaccine. This approach is discussed in more detail in the Examples. Second, passively administered antibodies are cleared relatively rapidly from the circulation. The half life of a given antibody in vivo is between 2.5 and 23 days, depending on the isotype. Thus, when the antibodies are passively administered, rather than induced by immunization, only short term effectiveness can be achieved.
Another immunological approach to drug addiction has been to use a catalytic antibody which is capable of aiding hydrolysis of the cocaine molecule within the patient (Landry et al. (1993) Science 259:1899-1901). The catalytic antibody is generated by immunization of an experimental animal with a transition state analog of cocaine linked to a carrier protein; a monoclonal antibody is then selected that has the desired catalytic activity. Although this approach is attractive theoretically, it also suffers from some serious problems. Catalytic antibodies must be administered passively and thus suffer from all of the drawbacks of passive antibody therapy. Active immunization to generate a catalytic antibody is not feasible, because enzymatic activity is rare among antibodies raised against transition state analogs, and activity does not appear to be detectable in polyclonal preparations. In addition, the general esterase-like activity of such catalytic antibodies and the uncontrolled nature of the active immune response in genetically diverse individuals makes them potentially toxic molecules, particularly when they are being produced within a human patient.
Yugawa et al. (EP 0 613 899 A2) suggest the use of cocaine-protein conjugate containing a cocaine derivative for raising antibodies for the detection of cocaine or cocaine derivatives in a blood sample. The Syva patents (U.S. Pat. No. 3,888,866, No. 4,123,431 and No. 4,197,237) describe conjugates to raise cocaine antibodies for immunoassays. Disclosed are conjugates to BSA using diazonium salts derived from benzoyl ecgonine and cocaine. Conjugates are made using para-imino ester derivatives of cocaine and norcocaine to conjugate a carrier. Biosite (WO 93/12111) discloses conjugates of cocaine using the para-position of the phenyl ring of various cocaine derivatives increasing stability to hydrolysis by introducing an amide bond. The Strahilevitz patents (U.S. Pat. No. 4,620,977; U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,924; U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,973; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,645) disclose using protein conjugates of endogenous substances and drugs for treatment of diseases, preventing dependence on psychoactive haptens, as well as for use in immunoassays, immunodialysis and immunoadsorption.
Bjerke et al. (1987) Journal of Immunological Methods 96:239-246 describes the use of a conjugate of cotinine 4'-carboxylic acid bound covalently to poly-L-lysine to generate antibodies to the nicotine metabolite cotinine for use in determining the presence of cotinine in physiological fluids. Additionally, Abad et al. (1993) Anal. Chem. 65(22):3227-3231 describe the use of 3'-(hydroxymethyl) nicotine hemisuccinate conjugated to BSA to generate antibodies to nicotine for use in an ELISA used to measure nicotine in smoke condensates of cigarettes. Neither reference, however, teaches or suggests the use of a nicotine-carrier conjugate for use as a vaccine against nicotine abuse.
No effective therapy for drug addiction, especially, cocaine and nicotine addiction, has been developed. Thus, there is a need to develop a long term treatment approach to drug addiction, in particular cocaine and nicotine addiction, which does not depend totally on the addicted individual for compliance and self-administration.

Hapten-carrier conjugates for use in drug-abuse therapy and methods for preparation of same


A romantic greeting card which has several distinct use zones for conveying romantic feelings from the sender to the recipient. One use zone is an adhesive zone that is covered by selectively removable sections of release paper for exposing a desired area of adhesive to be used for mounting a photograph of the sender. Another is a hair-clipping receiving zone also covered by release paper for adhering hair clippings to the card. Other zones are a scent-receiving zone and a greeting message receiving zone. A sticker in the shape of a bow may be used to mount hair clippings to the card.

One of the very valuable things in the world is to relay our nice and romantic feelings to ones we love. The present invention serves that purpose, and it is believed that a greeting card embodying the inventive principles will in many cases create nice feelings in the recipient, especially feelings of romance and true love, in a more effective way than customary greeting cards.
A preferred embodiment of card according to the invention comprises four pages: 1) a front, or cover, outside page; 2) a left-hand inside page that is obverse to the front, or cover, page; 3) a right-hand inside page that is opposite the left-hand inside page; and 4) a back outside page that is obverse to the right-hand inside page. The cover page contains printed matter such as a title. The left-hand inside page contains picture-mounting means providing for the sender of the card to mount thereon his or her picture. The right-hand inside page contains hair-mounting means providing for the sender to mount thereon clippings of his or her hair, kiss-impression receiving means providing for the sender to place thereon a colored impression of his or her kiss by using a colorant previously applied to his or her lips, and a print-receiving means providing for the sender to convey a personalized verbal greeting. The back page may be either blank or may alternatively contain a short story, such as a great love story or the like. The romantic card of the present invention is intended to be used on various occasions, such as sending best wishes, get-well-soon wishes, Valentine wishes, or birthday wishes, or on any occasion where the sender wishes to express his or her romantic and nice feelings to others in a special personalized way.
There are several related aspects of the invention, and one of them involves the colorant that is used by the sender to create the colored impression of his or her lips. The colorant is provided in a special applicator package that is especially convenient for accompaniment of the card at the time the sender purchases the card. Alternatively, the packaged colorant may be sold separately, and the special applicator package may be used separately from the romantic card, such as by ladies for applying lipstick. Moreover, it may be used for applying other than colorant or lipstick to the lips, such as applying medication to the lips; it may also be used for applying any of various medications to any of various parts of the body.
Further features, advantages, and benefits of the invention will be seen in the ensuing description and claims which are accompanied by drawings. The drawings disclose a presently preferred embodiment of the invention according to the best mode contemplated at this time for carrying out the invention.


A method of the data conversion, a data conversion circuit and a data conversion program are provided which make the memory capacity of the circuit for storing the converted data small and can make the error of the output data small. To comprise a priority encoder 11 outputting bit number of “1” located at the most significant bit in the input data as L data, a bit-extracting portion outputting (L-1) to (L-2) bits in the input data as N data and (L-3) to 0 bits as M data, a table address forming portion 13 outputting a first address obtained by combining the L data with the M data, a conversion-table storing portion 14 storing a conversion table where converted data corresponds to table addresses, a multiplexer 15 selecting 0 or converted data and a linear interpolation portion 20 processing interpolation based on the two converted data.

Generally, in an image tube such as CRT, the relationship between drive voltage E and cathode current I is expressed by the following formula.I=KEγγ:gamma
This relationship is referred to as the gamma (γ) characteristic. Cathode current I has non-linearity in response to drive voltage E since the value of gamma is generally around 1.6 to 3. An image transmission side totally sets γ=1 by installing a gamma-correction circuit since it is difficult to set γ=1 in an image tube. In the present application, a gamma conversion is defined as implementing conversion to an image signal as gamma correction.
In an image reading device or an image processing LSI for an image display unit, image data is gamma-converted. When an input is x and an output is y, gamma conversion is expressed as the following formula.
                    Equation                                                  1                                                            y        =                  x                      1            γ                                              (        1        )
FIG. 26 shows a chart of formula (1) when gamma γ=1.8. Gamma conversion is a power function so that a lot of time is necessary to calculate it. However, high-speed gamma-conversion is required since image-reading equipment is operated with high speed. Therefore, in a conventional technique, a conversion table of converted data corresponding to input data is stored by a high-speed memory cell such as SRAM. Then, converted data is read out from a conversion table corresponding to input data.
FIG. 27 shows a diagram of a conventional gamma-conversion circuit. As shown in FIG. 27, a conventional gamma-conversion circuit 70 is provided with a conversion-table storing portion 71 to store a conversion table of converted data corresponding to input data. The circuit 70 outputs the converted data corresponding to the input data. In this case, the conversion-table storing portion 71 is in the form of a high-speed memory cell SRAM.
In gamma-conversion circuit 70, when the input data is 12 bits, and the output data is 8 bits, for example, the size of the conversion table becomes 4096 words (here, a single word=8 bits) so that it is necessary for the memory capacity of the conversion-table storing portion 71 to hold 4096 words. Further, when the input data is 16 bits, and the output data is 12 bits, the size of the conversion table becomes 65536 words (here, a single word 12 bits) so that it is necessary for the memory capacity of the conversion-table storing portion 71 to hold 65536 words. It is extremely difficult to integrate SRAM of a high capacity for storing such large sized conversion tables into a LSI for image processing. Further, even if a SRAM of such a high capacity can be integrated into a LSI for image processing, this causes cost increase of the LSI for image processing.
Further, in order to make the conversion table small, the conversion table having the converted data corresponding to the input data every predetermined period (for example, 16) is stored in a SRAM. When the input data corresponding to the converted data is stored in the conversion table is input, such converted data is output. When the input data which does not correspond to the converted data stored in the conversion table is input, other input data located before or after the subject input data, which corresponds to the converted data stored in the conversion table, is processed with interpolation and output.
FIG. 28 shows a diagram of such a conventional gamma-conversion circuit. As shown in FIG. 28, a conventional gamma-conversion circuit 80 comprises a conversion-table storing portion 81, which stores the conversion table having the converted data corresponding to the input data every specific period and a processing portion for interpolation 82 to process interpolation on the output data from the conversion-table storing portion 81. In this case, the conversion-table storing portion 81 is in the form of high-speed memory cells of SRAM.
In the gamma-conversion circuit 80, when the input data is 12 bits, the output data is 8 bits and a period of the input data corresponding to the converted data is 16, for example, the size of the conversion table becomes 256 words (here, a single word=8 bits) and the memory capacity needed for the conversion-table storing portion 81 is reduced to 256 words. Further, when the input data is 16 bits, the output data is 12 bits and a period of the input data is 16, the size of the conversion table becomes 4096 words (here, a single word=12 bits) and the memory capacity needed for the conversion-table storing portion 81 is reduced to 4096 words.
However, the output data from the gamma-conversion circuit 80 includes errors since these are calculated by interpolation processing. FIG. 29 shows the errors between the formula (1) and output data from the gamma-conversion circuit 80 when the input data is 16 bits, the output data is 16-bits, and a period of the input data corresponding the converted data is 16. As shown in FIG. 29, the output data from the gamma-conversion circuit 80 has about 130 errors at its maximum.
Therefore, in view of the foregoing, one object of the present invention is to decrease memory capacity of the circuit for storing converted data and to provide a data conversion method, a data conversion circuit and a data conversion program while decreasing the errors in the output data.

Data conversion method, a data conversion circuit and a data conversion program


The engine with a variable flow rate oil pump includes a subsidiary relief passage that extends from an oil passage-switching valve to a subsidiary oil pump, a main relief passage that extends from the oil passage-switching valve to the main oil pump separately from the subsidiary relief passage, and a check valve that is provided in the subsidiary discharge passage and cuts off the flow of oil from the main discharge passage side to the oil passage-switching valve side. The oil passage-switching valve has a main pressure-adjusting chamber for the main oil pump, a subsidiary pressure-adjusting chamber of for the subsidiary oil pump, and a spool valve that performs partitioning between the main pressure-adjusting chamber and the subsidiary pressure-adjusting chamber.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an engine with a variable flow rate oil pump that is suitable for small vehicles, such as motorcycles.
2. Description of Related Art
In the related art, an engine is known that includes a variable flow rate oil pump having a main pump section and a subsidiary pump section with mutually different discharge rates, and an oil pressure-adjusting valve that adjusts supply oil pressure from the main pump section and the subsidiary pump section to oil pressure supply destinations (for example, refer to Japanese Utility Model (Registered) Publication No. 2598994).
During low-speed rotation of an engine, the discharge rate of the main pump section is supplied to the oil pressure supply destinations via a main discharge passage, and the discharge rate of the subsidiary pump section joins the oil pressure of the main discharge passage via a subsidiary discharge passage having the oil pressure-adjusting valve and is supplied to the oil pressure supply destinations.
The oil pressure-adjusting valve operates with a rise in the oil pressure of the main discharge passage (main pump section), and during high-speed rotation of the engine (during a rise in the oil pressure of the main discharge passage), the oil pressure of the subsidiary discharge passage (subsidiary pump section) is guided to a relief passage from the oil pressure-adjusting valve and is returned to a pump suction side, a portion of the oil pressure of the main discharge passage flows back in a region on the downstream side of the oil pressure-adjusting valve in the subsidiary discharge passage from a joining portion of the subsidiary discharge passage, is guided from the oil pressure-adjusting valve to the relief passage, and is returned to the pump suction side.


A bone preparation system including a guide body and a plurality of bone locators. The guide body is configured to mate with a patient-specific module having a patient-specific module surface customized based on image data of a specific patient to correspond to the patient's specific bone geometry. The plurality of bone locators are coupled to the guide body and positioned by the patient-specific module surface to define a patient-specific bone engaging surface of the guide corresponding to the patient's specific bone geometry.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure, which is not necessarily prior art.
Patient-specific bone preparation guides often use MRI, CT, x-ray, ultra-sound, or other image data to create a three-dimensional model of a patient's bone. From the model, a pre-operative plan can be made and modified by a surgeon. The pre-operative plan includes a series of points, axes, and planes defined by specific-patient geometry. After the surgeon approves the pre-operative plan, the patient-specific guide is made based on the plan to fit the patient's bone. Because the guide is specific to the anatomy of only one patient, it is typically discarded after surgery. To conserve costs and materials, a bone preparation guide that can be customized for multiple patients, and thus be reused for multiple surgeries, would be desirable.

Multi-point fit for patient specific guide