Author: claimsbot

1. An orthosis support comprising:
a belt having a connector to close the belt;
a belt attachment member receiving the belt; and
a strap extending from the belt attachment member, the strap having a first end and a second end;
wherein the strap is closable as a loop with at least one of the first and second ends releasably connectable to the strap itself.
2. The orthosis support of claim 1 wherein the belt attachment member is movable along the belt.
3. The orthosis support of claim 1 wherein the belt attachment member includes a belt entrance and a belt exit.
4. The orthosis support of claim 3 wherein the belt attachment member has a longitudinal axis and the belt entrance and belt exit are slots that are generally parallel to the longitudinal axis.
5. The orthosis support of claim 4 wherein the longitudinal axis divides the belt attachment member into two portions; wherein the first portion includes the belt entrance and the second portion includes the belt exit.
6. The orthosis support of claim 3 wherein the belt attachment member includes a strap passage that the strap passes through.
7. The orthosis support of claim 6 wherein the strap passage is a slot oriented generally perpendicular to the belt entrance and belt exit.
8. The orthosis support of claim 1 wherein the belt attachment member includes a sleeve that defines the strap passage.
9. The orthosis support of claim 8 wherein the strap passage is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the belt attachment member.
10. The orthosis support of claim 1 wherein the first end and the second end of the strap are releasably connectable to the strap itself.
11. The orthosis support of claim 1 wherein the first end and the second end of the strap both include releasable attachment members and the segment between the first and second ends includes first and second mating releasable attachment members positionable to mate with the first end and the second end, respectively.
12. The orthosis support of claim 11 wherein the segment between the first and second ends includes two sections each having similar first and second major surfaces; wherein the two sections are connected together such that, when the strap is lying open, the first major surface of section one faces the same direction as the second major surface of section two.
13. The orthosis support of claim 12 wherein the open strap has the first releasable attachment member of the first end facing the same direction as the second mating releasable attachment member of section one and the second releasable attachment member of the second end facing the same direction as the first mating releasable attachment member of section two.
14. The orthosis support of claim 13 wherein the first end is connected to section one by a first junction, the second end is connected to section two by a second junction, and the two sections are connected by a third junction.
15. The orthosis support of claim 1 wherein the strap is at least partially elastic.
16. The orthosis support of claim 15 wherein the segment between the first and second ends of the strap is elastic.
17. The orthosis support of claim 16 wherein the first and second ends are flexible but non-elastic.
18. An orthosis support comprising:
a belt having a connector to close the belt;
a belt attachment member receiving the belt, the belt attachment member being slidable along the belt; and
a strap extending from the belt attachment member, the strap having a first end and a second end;
wherein the strap is closable as a loop with the first and second ends both releasably connectable to the strap itself.
19. The orthosis support of claim 18 wherein the first end and the second end of the strap both include releasable attachment members and the segment between the first and second ends includes first and second mating releasable attachment members positionable to mate with the first end and the second end, respectively.
20. The orthosis support of claim 19 wherein the segment between the first and second ends includes two sections each having similar first and second major surfaces; wherein the two sections are connected together such that, when the strap is lying open, the first major surface of section one faces the same direction as the second major surface of section two.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A mass spectrometry apparatus comprising:
an ion source arranged in a substantially horizontal orientation and from which a quantity of ions may be sourced;
an ion filter device arranged for receiving a stream of ions for filtering thereof; and,
an ion guide arranged so as to guide ions sourced from the ion source toward the ion filter device;
wherein the ion source and the ion filter device are arranged relative to one another so that the profile of the apparatus is reduced so as to minimize the effective footprint of the apparatus.
2. A mass spectrometry apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ions from the ion source are extracted and arranged to flow along a first intended path of travel, and wherein the ions receivable by the ion filter device are arranged to flow along a second intended path of travel so as to be received by an ion analysis device for spectrometry analysis.
3. A mass spectrometry apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the apparatus is arranged to divert or guide the ions from the first intended path of travel to flow along the second intended path of travel, the arrangement being such that the apparatus has a reduced footprint when supported on a typical supporting surface such as a bench or desk top.
4. A mass spectrometry apparatus comprising:
an ion source from which a quantity of ions may be sourced for providing a stream of ions moving along a first intended path of travel;
an ion filter device provided for receiving a stream of ions moving along a second intended path of travel for filtering the ion stream prior to analysis by an ion analysis device; and,
an ion guide arranged so as to divert ions moving along the first intended path of travel to move along the second intended path of travel;
wherein the first and second intended paths of travel are arranged relative to one another so that the profile of the apparatus in a plane aligned substantially orthogonal to the second intended path of travel is reduced so as to minimise the effective footprint of the apparatus.
5. A mass spectrometry apparatus comprising:
an ion source from which a quantity of ions may be sourced for providing a stream of ions capable of moving along a first intended path of travel;
an ion filter device provided for receiving a stream of ions moving along a second intended path of travel for filtering the ion stream prior to analysis by an ion analysis device; and,
an ion guide arranged so as to divert ions moving along the first intended path of travel to move along the second intended path of travel;
wherein the first and second intended paths of travel are arranged relative to one another so that the profile of the apparatus in a plane aligned substantially horizontally is reduced so as to minimise the effective footprint of the apparatus.
6. A mass spectrometry apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the ion guide comprises any arrangement capable of directing a beam or stream of ions between the first and second intended paths of travel.
7. A mass spectrometry apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first and second intended paths of travel are generally linear, whereby the first intended path of travel may be a path having a desired direction within a first plane, and the second intended path of travel may be a path having a desired direction within a second plane.
8. A mass spectrometry apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first and second planes are aligned so as to be substantially orthogonal to one another.
9. A mass spectrometry apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first plane is aligned so as to be substantially parallel with a horizontal plane, and the second plane is aligned so as to be substantially parallel with a vertical plane.
10. A mass spectrometry apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the distance traveled by ions along the first intended path of travel is substantially smaller than the distance traveled by ions along the second intended path of travel.
11. A mass spectrometry apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the ion filter device comprises a mass filter or mass analyzer arranged to receive a stream of ions from the ion guide for filtering purposes.
12. A mass spectrometry apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the mass analyzer is arranged to receive ions traveling along the second intended path of travel in the direction of the ion analysis device.
13. A mass spectrometry apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ion filter device may comprise two or more pole elements such as metallic rods arranged in a spaced apart but parallel relationship with one another.
14. A mass spectrometry apparatus according claim 13, wherein the mass analyzer is a quadrupole mass analyzer having four spaced apart but parallel metallic rods.
15. A mass spectrometry apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ion filter device may be arranged so as to be aligned substantially parallel to a vertical plane, whereby, a longitudinal axis of the ion filter device is arranged so as to be substantially parallel with a vertical plane.
16. A mass spectrometry apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the ion guide comprises an ion optics lens arrangement capable of directing the ion beam from the first intended path of travel to the second intended path of travel.
17. A mass spectrometry apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the ion guide comprises curved elements arranged so as to guide or direct the ion stream between the first and second intended paths of travel.
18. A mass spectrometry apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the curved elements are shaped in a manner that is commensurate with a portion or segment of the intended path of the ion stream.
19. A mass spectrometry apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the apparatus further comprises one or more collisional cells arranged for filtering interfering particles from the ion stream, thereby serving to improve the signal strength of the ion stream at the ion analysis device.
20. A mass spectrometry apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the or each collisional cell is arranged so as to accommodate one or more of the following reaction or collisional gases: ammonia, methane, oxygen, nitrogen, argon, neon, krypton, xenon, helium or hydrogen, or mixtures of any two or more of them, for reacting with ions extracted from the plasma.
21. A mass spectrometry apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the or each collisional cell is placed at any desired location along the first and or second intended paths of travel of the ion stream so as to remove unwanted particles from the ion stream.
22. A mass spectrometry apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ion source may be provided by an inductively coupled plasma, whereby, the inductively coupled plasma is arranged so as to be orientated in a substantially horizontal plane.
23. A mass spectrometry apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first and second intended paths of travel are arranged relative to one another so that the profile of a housing in a plane substantially parallel with the first intended path of travel is reduced so as to minimise the effective footprint of the housing.
24. A mass spectrometry apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first and second intended paths of travel are arranged relative to one another so that the profile of a housing in a plane substantially orthogonal to the second intended path of travel is reduced so as to minimise the effective footprint of the housing.
25. A mass spectrometry apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ion source may comprise any known apparatus or device capable of providing ions for analysis.
26. A mass spectrometry apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ion analysis device may include a mass spectrometry ion detector unit.
27. A mass spectrometry apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the apparatus is of the type of an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) mass spectrometer, whereby the ion source comprises an inductively coupled plasma which is aligned so that the first intended path of travel is aligned substantially with a horizontal plane.
28. An inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry apparatus comprising:
an ion source arranged in a substantially horizontal orientation and from which a quantity of ions may be sourced;
an ion filter device arranged for receiving a stream of ions for filtering thereof; and,
an ion guide arranged so as to guide ions sourced from the ion source toward the ion filter device;
wherein the ion source and the ion filter device are arranged relative to one another so that the profile of the apparatus in a plane aligned substantially horizontally is reduced so as to minimise the effective footprint of the apparatus.
29. An inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry apparatus comprising:
an ion source from which a quantity of ions may be sourced for providing a stream of ions moving along a first intended path of travel;
an ion filter device provided for receiving a stream of ions moving along a second intended path of travel for filtering the ion stream prior to analysis by an ion analysis device; and,
an ion guide arranged so as to divert ions moving along the first intended path of travel to move along the second intended path of travel;
wherein the first and second intended paths of travel are arranged relative to one another so that the profile of the apparatus in a plane aligned substantially orthogonal to the second intended path of travel is reduced so as to minimise the effective footprint of the apparatus.
30. An inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the first intended path of travel is aligned substantially with a horizontal plane, and the second intended path of travel is aligned substantially with a vertical plane whereby the stream of ions moving along the second intended path of travel move in a direction substantially upwards relative to the vertical plane.
31. An inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the ion guide is an ion mirror.
32. An inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the ion filter device is a quadrupole mass analyzer.
33. An inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the apparatus further comprises a collisional cell positioned intermediate of the ion guide and the ion filter device.
34. An inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry apparatus comprising:
an ion source from which a quantity of ions may be sourced for providing a stream of ions moving along a first intended path of travel aligned substantially with a horizontal plane;
a quadrupole mass analyzer for receiving a stream of ions moving along a second intended path of travel for filtering the ion stream prior to analysis by an ion analysis device, the second intended path of travel being aligned substantially with a vertical plane and the stream of ions moving therealong arranged to move in a direction substantially upwards relative to the vertical plane;
an ion mirror arranged so as to divert ions moving along the first intended path of travel to move along the second intended path of travel; and,
a collisional cell positioned intermediate of the ion mirror and the quadrupole mass analyzer; and,
wherein the first and second intended paths of travel are arranged relative to one another so that the profile of the apparatus in a plane aligned substantially orthogonal to the second intended path of travel is reduced so as to minimise the effective footprint of the apparatus.
35. (canceled)
36. (canceled)

1. A data transmitter, comprising:
a transmission controller configured to output output data;
an output unit configured to pre-emphasize an output data signal derived from the output data and an error detection code associated with the output data, and to output the pre-emphasized output data signal; and
a control unit configured to output a re-transmission signal controlling re-transmission of the output data to the transmission controller in response to an error indication signal associated with the output data, to change a pre-emphasis control signal in response to the error indication signal, and to output the changed pre-emphasis control signal to the output unit,
wherein a pre-emphasis characteristic of the output unit is changed in response to the changed pre-emphasis control signal.
2. The data transmitter of claim 1, wherein the control unit comprises:
a receiving driver configured to receive the error indication signal;
a re-transmission determiner configured to output the re-transmission signal to the transmission controller in response to the error indication signal, and to output a first control signal in response to the error indication signal; and
a pre-emphasis controller configured to change the pre-emphasis control signal in response to the first control signal, and to output the changed pre-emphasis control signal to the output unit.
3. The data transmitter of claim 2, wherein the re-transmission determiner outputs the first control signal when the error indication signal is received once or N times in succession, where N is an integer more than 1.
4. The data transmitter of claim 2, wherein the output unit comprises:
an error detection code generator configured to generate the error detection code in response to the output data;
a parallel-serial converter configured to output the output data signal obtained by incorporating the error detection code into the output data as a differential output data signal; and
an output driver configured to amplify the differential output data signal, to pre-emphasize the amplified differential output data signal according to the pre-emphasis characteristic changed in response to the pre-emphasis control signal, and to output the pre-emphasized differential output data signal as a transmission signal.
5. The data transmitter of claim 4, wherein the output driver comprises:
a transmission driver configured to perform impedance-matching with a channel through which the transmission signal will be transmitted, and to amplify the differential output data signal; and
a pre-emphasis driver configured to pre-emphasize the amplified differential output data signal according to the pre-emphasis characteristic changed in response to the pre-emphasis control signal in response to a delay differential output data signal obtained by delaying a previous differential output data signal by a predetermined amount of time.
6. A data receiver, comprising:
an input unit configured to receive an input data signal including input data and an error detection code associated with the input data, to equalize the input data signal, and to separate the input data and the error detection code from the equalized input data signal;
an error detector configured to analyze the input data and the error detection code received from the input unit, to determine whether a bit error is present in the input data, and to output an error signal in the presence of the bit error;
a receiving controller configured to receive the input data from the input unit, and to execute an operation associated with the input data in the absence of the error signal received from the error detector; and
a control unit configured to output an error indication signal to the outside in response to the error signal, to change an equalization control signal in response to the error signal, and to output the changed equalization control signal to the input unit,
wherein an equalization characteristic of the input unit is changed in response to the changed equalization control signal.
7. The data receiver of claim 6, wherein the control unit comprises:
a re-transmission requester configured to output the error indication signal in response to the error signal, and to output a second control signal in response to the error signal;
an equalization controller configured to change the equalization control signal in response to the second control signal, and to output the changed equalization control signal to the input unit; and
a transmission driver configured to transmit the error indication signal to the outside.
8. The data receiver of claim 7, wherein the re-transmission requester outputs the second control signal when the error signal is received once or N times in succession, where N is an integer more than 1.
9. The data receiver of claim 7, wherein the input unit comprises:
an input driver configured to amplify the input data signal, to equalize the amplified input data signal according to the equalization characteristic changed in response to the equalization control signal, and to output the equalized input data signal; and
a converter configured to separate the input data and the error detection code from the equalized input data signal, to output the input data to the receiving controller, and to output the input data and the error detection code to the error detector.
10. The data receiver of claim 9, wherein the input driver comprises:
a receiving driver configured to perform impedance-matching with a channel through which the input data signal is received, to amplify the input data signal, and to output the amplified input data signal; and
an equalizer configured to equalize the amplified input data signal according to the equalization characteristic changed in response to the equalization control signal, and to output the equalized input data signal.
11. The data receiver of claim 10, wherein the equalizer is a feed forward equalizer (FFE).
12. The data receiver of claim 10, wherein the equalizer is a decision feedback equalizer (DFE).

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method for the treatment or prevention of overweight in a mammal, said method comprising enterally administering to the mammal an effective amount of Bacopa plant material.
2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the Bacopa plant material is administered less than 3 hours before a period of sleep.
3. Method according to claim 1, wherein the Bacopa is administered in a dosage, said dosage containing between 30 mg and 5 grams Bacopa plant material.
4. Method according to claim 1, for stimulating thermogenesis in a mammal.
5. Method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises the administration of a Bacopa plant isolate.
6. Method according to claim 1, wherein the Bacopa is administered in a dosage, said dosage being substantially free of L-dihydroxyphenylalanine.
7. Method according to claim 1, wherein the Bacopa plant material is obtained from Bacopa monnieri.
8. Method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises the administration of Bacopa plant material in an amount equivalent to between 0.01 and 250 mg dry Bacopa plant material per kg of body weight
9. Method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises the oral administration of a Bacopa plant material.
10. Method according to claim 1, wherein the Bacopa plant is administered in a unit dosage form, said unit dosage form further containing a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
11. Method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the administration of a plant material selected from the group consisting of hops, chamomile, lemon balm, passionflower, Scutellaria and valerian.
12. Method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the administration of valerian plant material.
13. Method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the administration of Scutellaria plant material.
14. Method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the administration of melatonin.