(19)

(11)

EP 1 008 064 A1

(12)

(43) Date of publication: 14.06.2000 Bulletin 2000/24 (21) Application number: 98918951.9 (22) Date of filing: 05.05.1998

(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: G06F 17/30, G06F 17/00, G06F 15/00, G06K 9/62 (86) International application number: PCT/US9809/124 (87) International publication number: WO 9850/869 (12.11.1998 Gazette 1998/45)

(84) Designated Contracting States: AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE (30) Priority: 05.05.1997 US 45637 P (71) Applicant: THE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK New York,New York 10027 (US)	(72) Inventors: CHANG, Shih-Fu New York, NY 10027 (US) CHEN, William New York, NY 10027 (US) MENG, Horace, J. New York, NY 10027 (US) SUNDARAM, Hari New York, NY 10027 (US) ZHONG, Di New York, NY 10027 (US) (74) Representative: Franks, Robert Benjamin  352 Omega Court,Cemetery Road Sheffield S11 8FT Sheffield S11 8FT (GB)