Author: claimsbot

1. A method for switching a touch keyboard, adapted for a handheld electronic device having a touch screen, the method comprising:
activating a character input function and displaying a first type touch keyboard on a side of the touch screen;
receiving a touch signal produced within a display area of the first type touch keyboard;
determining whether the touch signal moves to another side of the touch screen; and
displaying a second type touch keyboard on the another side of the touch screen if it is determined that the touch signal moves to the another side of the touch screen,
wherein the step of determining whether the touch signal moves to the another side of the touch screen comprises determining whether the touch point moves to the display area of the second type touch keyboard,
wherein the display area of the second type touch keyboard is displayed along the another side of the touch screen, and the display area of the first type touch keyboard is displayed along the side of the touch screen,
wherein a location of the second type touch keyboard on the another side of the touch screen is different from the location of the first type touch keyboard on the side of the touch screen.
2. The method for switching a touch keyboard according to claim 1, wherein the touch signal is produced by continuously touching a touch point within the display area of the first type touch keyboard.
3. The method for switching a touch keyboard according to claim 2, wherein the touch point is located in a specific area within the display area of the first type touch keyboard excluding a key.
4. The method for switching a touch keyboard according to claim 2, wherein the step of determining the touch signal moves to the another side of the touch screen and displaying the second type touch keyboard on the another side of the touch screen further comprises closing the first type touch keyboard.
5. The method for switching a touch keyboard according to claim 1, wherein, after the step of activating a character input function and displaying the first type touch keyboard on the side of the touch screen, the method further comprises receiving a key input from the first type touch keyboard and displaying a corresponding character on the touch screen.
6. The method for switching a touch keyboard according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining the touch signal moves to the another side of the touch screen and displaying the second type touch keyboard on the another side of the touch screen further comprises:
changing a display direction of a plurality characters in a character editing area of the touch screen, wherein the character editing area is an area of the touch screen excluding the second type touch keyboard; and
changing a display direction of the characters in the second type touch keyboard.
7. The method for switching a touch keyboard according to claim 1, wherein, after the step of determining the touch signal moves to the another side of the touch screen and displaying the second type touch keyboard on the another side of the touch screen, the method further comprises:
enabling the second type touch keyboard when the touch signal is terminated; and
receiving a key input from the second type touch keyboard and displaying a corresponding character on the touch screen.
8. A handheld electronic device capable of switching a touch keyboard, comprising:
a touch screen for detecting a touch signal; and
a processing unit for switching a touch keyboard displayed on the touch screen to another one based on the touch signal detected by the touch screen, wherein
when a character input function is activated, a first type touch keyboard is displayed on a first side of the touch screen,
if the touch signal is produced within a display area of the first type touch keyboard and moves to another side of the touch screen, a second type touch keyboard is displayed on the another side of the touch screen,
wherein the processing unit determines whether the touch point moves to the display area of the second type touch keyboard to determine whether the touch signal moves to the another side of the touch screen,
wherein the display area of the second type touch keyboard is displayed along the another side of the touch screen, and the display area of the first type touch keyboard is displayed along the side of the touch screen,
wherein a location of the second type touch keyboard on the another side of the touch screen is different from the location of the first type touch keyboard on the side of the touch screen.
9. The handheld electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the touch signal is produced by continuously touching a touch point within the display area of the first type touch keyboard.
10. The handheld electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the touch point is located in a specific area within the display area of the first type touch keyboard excluding a key.
11. The handheld electronic device according to claim 9, wherein, after displaying the second type touch keyboard on the another side of the touch screen, the processing unit closes the first type touch keyboard.
12. The handheld electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the processing unit receives a key input from the first type touch keyboard and displays a corresponding character on the touch screen.
13. The handheld electronic device according to claim 8, wherein, when it is determined that the touch signal moves to the another side of the touch screen, the processing unit changes a display direction of a plurality of characters in a character editing area of the touch screen and changes a display direction of the characters in the second type touch keyboard, wherein the character editing area is an area of the touch screen excluding the second type touch keyboard.
14. The handheld electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the processing unit further enables the second type touch keyboard when the touch signal is terminated, and receives a key input from the second type touch keyboard and displays a corresponding character on the touch screen.
15. The handheld electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the side of the touch screen comprises upper, lower, left, or right sides of the touch screen.
16. The handheld electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the first type touch keyboard and the second type touch keyboard comprises an English letter keyboard, a phonetic symbol keyboard, a numeric keyboard, a T9 keyboard, or a twenty-key keyboard.
17. The handheld electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the touch screen comprises a long side and a short side, the touch screen displays the English letter keyboard or the phonetic symbol keyboard when the touch point moves to the long side, and the touch screen displays one of the numeric keyboard, the T9 keyboard and the twenty-key keyboard when the touch point moves to the short side.
18. A non-transitory storage medium for storing a computer program, the computer program comprising a plurality of codes to be loaded into a computer system to enable the computer system to implement a method for switching a touch keyboard, adapted for a handheld electronic device having a touch screen, the method comprising: activating a character input function and displaying a first type touch keyboard on a side of the touch screen; receiving a touch signal produced within a display area of the first type touch keyboard; determining whether the touch signal moves to another side of the touch screen; and displaying a second type touch keyboard on the another side of the touch screen if it is determined that the touch signal moves to the another side of the touch screen, wherein the step of determining whether the touch signal moves to the another side of the touch screen comprises determining whether the touch point moves to the display area of the second type touch keyboard, wherein the display area of the second type touch keyboard is displayed along the another side of the touch screen, and the display area of the first type touch keyboard is displayed along the side of the touch screen, wherein a location of the second type touch keyboard on the another side of the touch screen is different from the location of the first type touch keyboard on the side of the touch screen.

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 water-absorbent sheet composition, comprising
an absorbent layer, comprising a water-absorbent resin and an adhesive, which is sandwiched with two or more sheets of hydrophilic nonwoven fabrics,
wherein the water-absorbent sheet composition has a structure in which the absorbent layer is fractionated into a primary absorbent layer and a secondary absorbent layer, and
wherein the water-absorbent sheet composition satisfies:
(1) a median particle size of the water-absorbent resin in the primary absorbent layer and the median particle size of the water-absorbent resin in the secondary absorbent layer are from 100 to 600 \u03bcm;
(2) a water absorption rate of saline solution of the water-absorbent resin in the primary absorbent layer is from 20 to 70 seconds;

(3) a water absorption rate of saline solution of the water-absorbent resin in the secondary absorbent layer is from 1 to 20 seconds; and
(4) a difference, the water absorption rate of saline solution of the water-absorbent resin in the primary absorbent layer\u2014the water absorption rate of saline solution of the water-absorbent resin in the secondary absorbent layer, is 10 seconds or more.
2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the water-absorbent resin in the primary absorbent layer has an initial water-absorption rate of 0.35 mLs or less, and
wherein the water-absorbent resin has an effective amount of water absorbed of saline solution of 45 mLg or more.
3. The composition of claim 1, wherein the water-absorbent resin in the secondary absorbent layer is a water-absorbent resin obtained by a reversed phase suspension polymerization method.
4. The composition of claim 1, wherein the water-absorbent resin is comprised in an amount of from 100 to 1,000 gm2, and
wherein the adhesive is comprised in an amount, by mass, of from 0.05 to 2.0 times that of the water-absorbent resin.
5. The composition of claim 1, wherein the water-absorbent resin is comprised in an amount of from 200 to 800 gm2, and
wherein the adhesive is comprised in an amount, by mass, of from 0.05 to 2.0 times that of the water-absorbent resin.
6. The composition of claim 1, wherein the hydrophilic nonwoven fabric comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of a rayon fiber, a polyolefin fiber, and a polyester fiber.
7. The composition of claim 1, wherein the adhesive is at least one member selected from the group consisting of a polyolefin-comprising adhesive, a polyester-comprising adhesive, a ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer adhesive, and a styrenic elastomer adhesive.
8. The composition of claim 1, having all of properties (A) to (C):
(A) a thickness of 5 mm or less;
(B) a total permeation rate of 120 seconds or less; and
(C) a leakage index of 100 or less.
9. An absorbent article, comprising the composition of claim 1, sandwiched between a liquid-permeable sheet and a liquid-impermeable sheet.
10. The composition of claim 2, wherein the water-absorbent resin in the secondary absorbent layer is a water-absorbent resin obtained by a reversed phase suspension polymerization method.
11. The composition of claim 2, wherein the water-absorbent resin is comprised in an amount of from 100 to 1,000 gm2, and
wherein the adhesive is comprised in an amount, by mass, of from 0.05 to 2.0 times that of the water-absorbent resin.
12. The composition of claim 3, wherein the water-absorbent resin is comprised in an amount of from 100 to 1,000 gm2, and
wherein the adhesive is comprised in an amount, by mass, of from 0.05 to 2.0 times that of the water-absorbent resin.
13. The composition of claim 2, wherein the water-absorbent resin is comprised in an amount of from 200 to 800 gm2, and
wherein the adhesive is comprised in an amount, by mass, of from 0.05 to 2.0 times that of the water-absorbent resin.
14. The composition of claim 3, wherein the water-absorbent resin is comprised in an amount of from 200 to 800 gm2, and
wherein the adhesive is comprised in an amount, by mass, of from 0.05 to 2.0 times that of the water-absorbent resin.
15. The composition of claim 3, wherein the water-absorbent resin is comprised in an amount of from 200 to 800 gm2, and
wherein the adhesive is comprised in an amount, by mass, of from 0.05 to 2.0 times that of the water-absorbent resin.
16. The composition of claim 2, wherein the hydrophilic nonwoven fabric comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of a rayon fiber, a polyolefin fiber, and a polyester fiber.
17. The composition of claim 3, wherein the hydrophilic nonwoven fabric comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of a rayon fiber, a polyolefin fiber, and a polyester fiber.
18. The composition of claim 4, wherein the hydrophilic nonwoven fabric comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of a rayon fiber, a polyolefin fiber, and a polyester fiber.
19. The composition of claim 5, wherein the hydrophilic nonwoven fabric comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of a rayon fiber, a polyolefin fiber, and a polyester fiber.
20. The composition of claim 2, wherein the adhesive is at least one member selected from the group consisting of a polyolefin-comprising adhesive, a polyester-comprising adhesive, a ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer adhesive, and a styrenic elastomer adhesive.

1. A biometric monitoring system to measure a body weight of a user, the biometric monitoring system comprising:
a housing configured to be placed on a flat horizontal surface and including a platform configured to receive at least one foot of the user and capable of supporting the body weight of the user;
one or more physiological sensors, wherein the one or more physiological sensors includes a body weight sensor, mechanically coupled to the platform and configured to generate data representative of the body weight of the user and to output the data representative of the body weight of the user to processing circuitry; and
the processing circuitry, wherein the processing circuitry is:
communicatively coupled with the one or more physiological sensors,
configured to calculate biometric data from the one or more physiological sensors,

wherein the biometric data includes body weight data that corresponds to the body weight of the user and that is based on the data representative of the body weight of the user,
configured to compare a user physiological goal with the biometric data and determine that the user physiological goal has been met based, at least in part, on the biometric data;
configured to recommend a social group to the user based, at least in part, on information selected from the group consisting of: a) the user physiological goal, b) the data representative of the body weight of the user, and c) the user physiological goal and the data representative of the body weight of the user, the recommendation being presented through a display; and
configured to rank the user against other members of the social group based on one or more parameters selected from the group consisting of: recent weight lost, cumulative weight lost, and progress towards the user physiological goal.
2. The biometric monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the one or more physiological sensors further includes, in addition to the body weight sensor, a first physiological sensor configured to collect data selected from the group consisting of: caloric consumption data, sleep data, activity data, body fat data, blood pressure data, heart rate data, heart waveform data, blood sugar data, hydration data, respiratory rate data, and arterial stiffness data.
3. The biometric monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is selected from the group consisting of: processing circuitry internal to the housing, processing circuitry external to the housing, and processing circuitry both internal and external to the housing.
4. The biometric monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the one or more physiological sensors further includes a first physiological sensor in addition to the body weight sensor, wherein:
the first physiological sensor is configured to generate data representative of a first physiological state of the user and output the data representative of the first physiological state of the user to the processing circuitry;
and
the processing circuitry is configured to calculate first physiological data using the data representative of the first physiological state of the user.
5. The biometric monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the first physiological sensor is selected from the group consisting of: a body fat sensor, a heart rate sensor, a respiratory rate sensor, a hydration sensor, a height sensor, a blood pressure sensor, an arterial stiffness sensor, and a bio-impedance sensor.
6. The biometric monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the data representative of the first physiological state of the user is selected from the group consisting of: data representative of user body fat, data representative of user heart rate, data representative of user respiratory rate, data representative of user hydration, data representative of user height, data representative of user sun exposure, data representative of user blood pressure, and data representative of user arterial stiffness.
7. The biometric monitoring system of claim 4, further comprising a user interface, wherein:
the user interface is configured to communicate that the user physiological goal has been met,
the processing circuitry is further configured to determine user physiological information using data selected from the group consisting of: the body weight data and the first physiological data,
the processing circuitry is further configured to store historical user physiological information in a memory disposed in a location selected from the group consisting of: a location inside of the housing and a location external to the housing, and
the user interface communicates that the user physiological goal has been met through providing information representing one or more of current user physiological information, historical user physiological information, and current user physiological information in view of historical user physiological information.
8. The biometric monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the user physiological information is selected from the group consisting of: exercise or diet data, exercise or diet coaching, exercise or data instructions, and user progress towards the user physiological goal.
9. The biometric monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the user physiological goal is selected from the group consisting of: a weight goal, a body fat composition goal, and a caloric consumption goal.
10. The biometric monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine diet or coaching guidance for the user based on the user physiological goal.
11. The biometric monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising a user interface, wherein the user interface is configured to communicate that the user physiological goal has been met responsive to a determination that the user physiological goal has been met.
12. The biometric monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the user interface comprises an audio interface.
13. The biometric monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the user interface comprises a visual display and the processing circuitry is configured to cause the display to present a graphical representation that the user physiological goal has been met responsive to the determination that the user physiological goal has been met.
14. The biometric monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising a user interface, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to select the user physiological goal responsive to user interaction with the user interface.
15. The biometric monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to select the user physiological goal.
16. The biometric monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine a duration since at least the last instance of the user interacting with the biometric monitoring system.
17. A biometric monitoring system to measure a body weight of a user, the biometric monitoring system comprising:
a housing configured to be placed on a flat horizontal surface and including a platform configured to receive at least one foot of the user and capable of supporting the body weight of the user;
one or more physiological sensors, wherein the one or more physiological sensors includes a body weight sensor, interconnected with the housing and configured to generate data representative of the body weight of the user and to output the data representative of the body weight of the user to processing circuitry; and
the processing circuitry including circuitry configured to communicatively couple with the one or more physiological sensors, wherein the processing circuitry is:
configured to, when communicatively coupled to the one or more physiological sensors, calculate biometric data from the one or more physiological sensors, wherein the biometric data includes body weight data that corresponds to the body weight of the user and that is based on the data representative of the body weight of the user,
configured to, when communicatively coupled to the one or more physiological sensors, compare a user physiological goal with the biometric data and determine that the user physiological goal has been met based, at least in part, on the biometric data; and
configured to, when communicatively coupled to the one or more physiological sensors, rank the user against a plurality of other users in a social network based on one or more parameters selected from the group consisting of: recent weight lost, cumulative weight lost, and progress towards the user physiological goal.
18. The biometric monitoring system of claim 17, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to, when communicatively coupled to the one or more physiological sensors, recommend a social group to the user based, at least in part, on information selected from the group consisting of: a) the user physiological goal, b) the data representative of the body weight of the user, and c) the user physiological goal and the data representative of the body weight of the user, the recommendation being provided through a user interface.
19. The biometric monitoring system of claim 17, wherein the one or more physiological sensors further includes, in addition to the body weight sensor, a first physiological sensor configured to collect data selected from the group consisting of: caloric consumption data, sleep data, activity data, body fat data, blood pressure data, heart rate data, heart waveform data, blood sugar data, hydration data, respiratory rate data, and arterial stiffness data.
20. The biometric monitoring system of claim 17, wherein the processing circuitry is selected from the group consisting of: processing circuitry internal to the housing, processing circuitry external to the housing, and processing circuitry both internal and external to the housing.

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

What is claimed is:

1. A method for identifying candidate compounds for regulating skeletal muscle mass or function, comprising:
a. contacting a test compound with a VPAC receptor;
b. determining whether the test compound binds to the VPAC receptor; and
c. identifying those test compounds that bind VPAC receptor as candidate compounds for regulating skeletal muscle mass or function.
2. A method for identifying candidate compounds for regulating skeletal muscle mass or function, comprising:
a. contacting a test compound with a VPAC receptor;
b. determining whether the test compound binds to the VPAC receptor;
c. selecting the compounds that bind the VPAC receptor and further determining whether the test compound modulates muscle mass or function in a skeletal muscle atrophy model system; and
d. identifying those test compounds that modulate muscle mass or function in a skeletal muscle atrophy model system as candidate compounds for regulating skeletal muscle mass or function.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein: in the step (a) the VPAC receptor is expressed on a cell surface, and binding of the test compound to the VPAC receptor activates the VPAC receptor.
4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: administering the test compound determined to bind to the VPAC receptor, to a non-human animal, and determining whether the test compound regulates skeletal muscle mass or function in the animal, wherein test compounds that regulate skeletal muscle mass or function in the animal are identified as candidate compounds for regulating skeletal muscle mass or function in vivo.
5. The method for identifying candidate compounds according to claim 1, wherein the VPAC receptor is a VPAC1 receptor, and has an amino acid sequence greater than about 80% identical to SEQ ID NO: 1.
6. The method for identifying candidate compounds according to claim 5, wherein the VPAC receptor is a VPAC1 receptor, and has an amino acid sequence greater than about 90% identical to SEQ ID NO: 1.
7. The method for identifying candidate compounds according to claim 1, wherein the VPAC receptor is a VPAC1 receptor, and has an amino acid sequence greater than about 80% identical to SEQ ID NO: 2.
8. The method for identifying candidate compounds according to claim 7, wherein the VPAC receptor is a VPAC1 receptor, and has an amino acid sequence greater than about 90% identical to SEQ ID NO: 2.
9. The method for identifying candidate compounds according to claim 1, wherein the VPAC receptor is a VPAC1 receptor, and is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9.
10. The method for identifying candidate compounds according to claim 1, wherein the VPAC receptor is a VPAC2 receptor, and has an amino acid sequence greater than about 80% identical to SEQ ID NO: 10.
11. The method for identifying candidate compounds according to claim 10, wherein the VPAC receptor is a VPAC2 receptor, and has an amino acid sequence greater than about 90% identical to SEQ ID NO: 10.
12. The method for identifying candidate compounds according to claim 1, wherein the VPC receptor is a VPAC2 receptor, and has an amino acid sequence greater than about 80% identical to SEQ ID NO: 11.
13. The method for identifying candidate compounds according to claim 12, wherein the VPAC receptor is a VPAC2 receptor, and has an amino acid sequence greater than about 90% identical to SEQ ID NO: 11.
14. The method for identifying candidate compounds according to claim 1, wherein the VPAC receptor is a VPAC2 receptor, and has an amino acid sequence greater than about 80% identical to SEQ ID NO: 12.
15. The method for identifying candidate compounds according to claim 14, wherein the VPAC receptor is a VPAC2 receptor, and has an amino acid sequence greater than about 90% identical to SEQ ID NO: 12.
16. The method for identifying candidate compounds according to claim 1, wherein the VPAC receptor is a VPAC2 receptor, and is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16.
17. The method for identifying candidate compounds according to claim 3, wherein the VPAC receptor is expressed on a eukaryotic cell.
18. The method for identifying candidate compounds according to claim 17, wherein determining whether the test compound activates the VPAC receptor involves determining cellular cAMP level.
19. The method for identifying candidate compounds according to claim 18, wherein the cell further comprises a reporter gene operatively associated with a cAMP responsive element and measuring the cellular cAMP level involves measuring expression or activity of the reporter gene.
20. A method for identifying candidate compounds for regulating skeletal muscle mass or function comprising:
a. contacting a test compound with a cell expressing a functional VPAC2 receptor, and determining level of activation of VPAC2 receptor resulting from the interaction of the test compound with VPAC2 receptor;
b. contacting the test compound with a cell expressing a functional VPAC1 receptor, and determining level of activation of VPAC1 receptor resulting from the interaction of the test compound with VPAC1 receptor;
c. comparing the level of VPAC2 receptor activation with the level of VPAC1 receptor activation; and
d. identifying those test compounds that selectively activate VPAC2 receptor over the VPAC1 receptor as candidate compounds for regulating skeletal muscle mass or function.
21. The method for identifying candidate compounds for regulating skeletal muscle mass or function according to claim 20, further comprising: selecting the compound that selectively activated VPAC2 receptor over VPAC1 receptor according to claim 20, and further determining whether the test compound modulates muscle mass or function in a skeletal muscle atrophy model system; and identifying those compounds that modulate muscle mass or function in a skeletal muscle atrophy model system as candidate compounds for regulating skeletal muscle mass or function.
22. The method according to claim 20 wherein the candidate compound exhibits about 100-fold or greater selectivity for VPAC2 receptor.
23. The method according to claim 20 wherein the candidate compound exhibits about 1000-fold or greater selectivity for VPAC2 receptor.
24. The method according to claim 20 wherein the candidate compound exhibits between about 1-fold and about 100-fold selectivity for VPAC2 receptor.