An active matrix substrate is provided, including a substrate, a plurality of pixel units, a static releasing conductive line and an ESD protection circuit, wherein the substrate has an active area and a peripheral area adjacent to each other. The pixel units are arranged in the active area in an array, and the static releasing conductive line is disposed in the peripheral area of the substrate. The ESD protection circuit is also disposed in the peripheral area of the substrate, being electrically connected between the pixel units and the static releasing conductive line. The ESD protection circuit includes a protection ring and a static consumption device, wherein the protection ring is disposed in a peripheral area of the substrate and the static consumption device has a floating gate, the static consumption device being electrically connected between the ESD protection circuit and the static releasing conductive line.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display (LCD), and particularly to an active matrix substrate having an electronic static discharge (ESD) protection circuit.
2. Description of Related Art
During a manufacturing process of an LCD, such as film deposition or dry etching in array process, alignment film rubbing in cell process, or the electric test on a substrate when the process ended, could inevitably lead to accumulation of static charges on the substrate. In details, the plasma used in the process of film deposition or dry etching may cause accumulation of static charges; rubbing during the alignment film fabrication process may cause accumulation of static charges; and electrical test on the substrate may also cause residue of charges. Because the material of the substrate is insulating transparent glass, the accumulated static charges on the substrate generated during the manufacturing process can not be easily conducted out of the substrate. When accumulated to a certain degree, the static charges may discharge at the substrate, and the static discharge may cause serious damage to the active matrix substrate.
Therefore, many methods for avoiding an active matrix substrate from being damaged by static discharge are developed accordingly. A conventional method is to design an ESD protection circuit for protecting the internal circuits of the active matrix substrate.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for illustrating a conventional active matrix substrate 100. FIG. 2 is a partial enlarged diagram of FIG. 1. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, on a substrate 110, a plurality of pixel units 120 arranged on an active area 112 in an array, a static releasing conductive line 130 and an ESD protection circuit 140 on a peripheral area 114 adjacent to the active area 112 are disposed. The ESD protection circuit 140 includes an outer short ring (OSR) 142, an inner short ring (ISR) 144 and a high-resistance consumption resistor 146 formed by a sinuous circuit. In details, the OSR 142 and ISR 144 are respectively composed of a plurality of parallel diodes, thin film transistors (TFT), capacitively coupled field effect transistors (CCFET) or a combination thereof. The OSR 142 and the high-resistance consumption resistor 146 are connected in series for forming an ESD protection circuit 140. Therefore, when static discharge occurs at the active matrix substrate 100, the ESD protection circuit 140 can protect the internal active device from being damaged.
Generally, in a manufacturing process of an active matrix substrate 100, a first metal layer of an active device and a scan line are formed by a first photolithography/etch process, a channel layer is formed by a second photolithography/etch process, a second metal layer of an active device and a data line are formed by a third photolithography/etch process, a through hole is formed by a fourth photolithography/etch process, and a pixel electrode is formed by a fifth photolithography/etch process. When the pixel electrode is formed by a fifth photolithography/etch process, the high-resistance consumption resistor 146 of the conventional ESD protection circuit 140 is fabricated simultaneously. Specifically, the high-resistance consumption resistor 146 including a sinuous trace with high resistance formed on a first cutting area 114a of the substrate 110, and the material of the trace is same as the material of the pixel electrode, such as indium tin oxide (ITO) indium zinc oxide (IZO) and so on. However, a time gap exists between forming the data line of the active matrix substrate 100 and forming the high-resistance consumption resistor 146, during which the ESD protection circuit 140 is not yet formed and can not protect the active matrix substrate 100. But the abnormal static discharge may occur to damage the active device of the active matrix substrate 100 after forming data line.
Referring to FIG. 2, a conventional ESD protection circuit 140 is usually disposed in a peripheral area 114. However, according to the process of the active matrix substrate 100, a plurality of cutting and edge grinding steps must be performed on the substrate 110 before the subsequent module assembly process. When the substrate 110 is cut at the second time, the high-resistance consumption resistor 146 located at the first cutting area 114a and a part of the ESD protection circuit 140 are cut away, therefore the ESD protection circuit can no longer protect the active matrix substrate 100. Unfortunately, static discharge may still occur during the following steps such as polarizer attachment, autoclave with pressuring or rework, therefore the active matrix substrate 100 without the protection of the ESD protection circuit 140 is still relatively vulnerable to the static discharge.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a conventional active matrix substrate being damaged due to static discharge. Referring to FIG. 3, when an ESD occurs at "A" in an active matrix substrate 100, an OSR 142 of an ESD protection circuit 140 provides a first protection, and an ISR 144 of the ESD protection circuit 140 provides a second protection. Because the conventional ESD protection circuit 140 can not provide complete protection, the internal circuits of the active matrix substrate 100 such the data line at "D" are relatively vulnerable and therefore the display quality is affected accordingly.


A color processing system is provided that corrects color artifacts such as red eye typically formed in images from a camera flash. An image is captured or processed by inputting the image into the system. To correct red eye artifacts, a xe2x80x9crednessxe2x80x9d mask is computed by calculating the colorimetric distance, in an approximately perceptually linear color space, between a prototypical reference xe2x80x9cred eyexe2x80x9d color and each pixel of the image, or a selected portion thereof, containing the red eye. Each pixel of the redness mask is then reduced to one of two values by comparing the calculated colorimetric distance recorded by each mask pixel to a threshold value. Various filtering, morphological, and blob analysis techniques may be applied to the mask to eliminate noise, reduce errors, and facilitate a more natural look. The mask serves to identify pixels in the color image needing correction, and further serves to identify the amount of correction needed. Pixels identified as having red-eye artifacts are modified to a substantially monochrome color. The bright, substantially white, specular reflection of the eye, however, is preserved.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to color image processing, and in particular to a system for correcting artifacts in a color image, such as the red eye created by camera flashes.
2. Related Art
Red-eye artifacts are a well-known problem in photography. Red-eye artifacts are caused by light entering a subject""s eye through the pupil, reflecting off the retina at the back of the eye, and traveling back through the pupil toward the camera lens. The light typically comes from a flash attached to the camera taking the photograph. The reflection is red because the retina absorbs non-reddish components of the light entering the eye.
Several systems or methods have been proposed or attempted to reduce the problem of red-eye artifacts at the time the photograph is taken. One commonly known technique is to increase the distance between the flash and the lens. Although a substantially equal amount of light is reflected, less of the light is reflected toward the lens. Another common technique is to take several pre-flashes to reduce the size of the subject""s pupils. These solutions, however, are not satisfactory because red-eye artifacts, although usually less pronounced, typically remain. Also, increasing the distance between the flash and the lens generally requires a less compact and less user-friendly camera. Furthermore, pictures taken with multiple pre-flashes consume more power than those taken with a single flash and require more time to take a picture. Therefore, red-eye artifacts continue to be a significant problem in amateur photography.
Various digital processing techniques have been created in an effort to remove red-eye artifacts from photographs in post-image capture processing. Such packages include Microfrontier""s (trademark) Digital Dark Room(trademark), Photodex""s (trademark) CompPic(trademark), Microsoft""s (trademark) PhotoDraw(trademark), Adobe""(trademark) PhotoDeluxe(trademark), and Corel""s(trademark) CorelScan(trademark), which use techniques for removing red eye with varying, but often less than satisfactory, success.
A need exists to remove the red-eye without removing the specular reflection of the flash, because the specular reflection is often a desirable feature of the image. A need also exists to make red-eye removal appear more natural. Some prior art techniques fail to eliminate all of the red eye, make the pupil look unnaturally large, leave unnatural-looking red-fringes around the pupil, or make the transition between the pupil and the surrounding iris look too abrupt.
A system of correcting artifacts of a color image is provided where image capture circuitry captures the color image and image processing circuitry identifies and corrects artifacts in the color image. To identify the artifact, the image processing circuitry compares all or a part of the color image to at least one reference color characteristic. To correct the artifact, which has a plurality of color characteristics, the image processing circuitry modifies at least one of the color characteristics of the artifact. This modification process reduces the color saturation of red-eye artifacts to at or near zero, obtaining an achromatic appearance of the pupil.
The invention also provides a system for identifying artifacts by computing a color difference mask of at least a portion of the image containing the artifact. The color difference mask is computed by calculating, for each pixel of the portion of the image being analyzed, the colorimetric distances between the color of the pixel and a predefined typical artifact color. Additional systems provide enhancement of the red-eye artifact identification process by reducing each pixel of the mask to one of two values based on a comparison with a threshold value, and by filtering and adjusting the mask.
Another system provides converting the identified red-eye portions of an image to a substantially monochrome color that accommodates the fact that the pupil of the eye is substantially black. The bright, substantially white, specular reflection of the eye is preserved by keeping the luminance of the corrected pixels substantially unchanged.
The invention also improves the artifact-detecting and correcting functionality of the color difference mask by applying morphological filtering and blob analysis operations on the mask. Image appearance is further improved by tapering the color correction process near the perimeter of the red-eye artifact.

Red-eye removal using color image processing


A cruise controller and method are provided for motor vehicles for the purpose of adjusting the vehicle speed on the basis of a predefined setpoint speed. The cruise controller includes a monitoring device, which is designed to evaluate the vehicle state variables steering wheel angle, lateral acceleration, and/or yaw rate. If one of the evaluated vehicle state variables exceeds a predefined first vehicle state variable limit value, the cruise control function is switched into a standby mode.

The invention relates to a cruise controller, which is intended for motor vehicles, and which adjusts the speed on the basis of a predefined setpoint speed.
Cruise controllers make it possible to drive at a setpoint speed, which can be adjusted by the driver, so that the driver does not have to constantly preset the speed by use of the gas pedal. These controllers are especially suitable primarily for driving on highways with little traffic congestion, since in such situations driving at a constant speed is often desired.
In addition, such cruise controllers can be equipped with an inter-vehicle distance control function. Basically, in this case the speed is adjusted on the basis of the predefined setpoint speed so long as no vehicle traveling ahead is detected. If, however, a vehicle is travelling ahead of the vehicle equipped with the cruise controller, then the speed is adjusted on the basis of a predefined desired distance, in order to maintain a safety margin in relation to this vehicle that is travelling ahead. In the event that one's own vehicle is following another vehicle (so-called "tailing"), cruise controllers that are expanded to include an inter-vehicle distance control function can adjust to the speed of the vehicle travelling ahead to some extent even up to and out of a stationary state.
In the event that the speed has been adjusted on the basis of a predefined setpoint speed, situations may occasionally arise, in which for safety reasons it would be disadvantageous to adjust the speed on the basis of the predefined speed. For this reason there already exist cruise controllers that are automatically deactivated in the event of a braking action in order to stabilize the operating dynamics.
Moreover, EP 1 726 471 A1 discloses a cruise controller with a monitoring unit for modifying the control function as a function of the condition of the roadway. To this end, the monitoring device is designed to determine and evaluate the roadway condition by way of the measured rotational speed of the wheels. If the differences between the rotational speed of the individual wheels deviate from the typical differences between the rotational speed of the wheels during cornering or owing to the drive slip, then the control function is modified, for example, in the form of switching-off the cruise controller.
Furthermore, DE 195 02 954 A1 discloses a method for controlling the vehicle speed. In this case, the current or stored roadway data about the stretch of road ahead of the vehicle can be used to preset different cruising speeds of the vehicle. Thus, a setpoint speed is determined as a function of the characteristics of the stretch of road that has been traveled and is compared with the setpoint speed that is predefined by the driver. If, for example, the determined setpoint speed, characterizing a curve, drops below the driver's predefined setpoint speed, then the correction factor for controlling the speed is calculated on the basis of the determined, lower setpoint speed.
The object of the invention is to provide a cruise controller, which considers in a simple way the current roadway data during an active cruise control.
This object is achieved by a cruise controller, which is intended for motor vehicles for the purpose of adjusting the speed on the basis of a predefined setpoint speed. The cruise controller includes a monitoring device, which evaluates vehicle state variables in order to modify the cruise control function as a function of the determined roadway data. The monitoring unit is designed to evaluate the current steering wheel angle, the current lateral acceleration, and/or the current yaw rate. Upon exceeding at least one predefined first vehicle state variable limit value by one of the evaluated vehicle state variables, the cruise control function is switched into a standby mode. Advantageous further developments are described herein.
The inventive cruise controller for adjusting the speed on the basis of a predefined setpoint speed is equipped with a monitoring device for evaluating the vehicle state variables. The monitoring unit is designed to evaluate the current steering wheel angle, the current lateral acceleration, and/or the current yaw rate. Upon exceeding at least one predefined first vehicle state variable limit value by one of the evaluated vehicle state variables, the cruise control function is switched into a standby mode. The standby mode is characterized in that although the cruise control system is switched on during this mode, it is not active. That is, the cruise control system is interrupted, and the driver is himself responsible for controlling the travelling speed.
It is possible to determine in a simple way by use of the steering wheel angle, the lateral acceleration, or the yaw rate, whether the vehicle is on a stretch of road, where it is possible under some circumstances that a speed adjustment could lead to critical situations. The said vehicle state variables are a measure for the actual geometric design feature of the lane, in particular, the radius of the curve in that stretch of road, on which the vehicle is currently travelling. If the current steering wheel angle exceeds a predefined first steering angle limit value and/or the current lateral acceleration exceeds a predefined first lateral acceleration limit value and/or the current yaw rate exceeds a predefined first yaw rate limit value, then the cruise controller is switched into a standby mode from its previously active operating mode, the active mode. As long as the driver does not specify a request to accelerate or decelerate, the vehicle is automatically decelerated on the basis of the engine brake and/or the engine drag torque. In this way, it can be guaranteed that the speed of the vehicle is automatically reduced in a simple way to a speed that is adjusted on the basis of this geometric feature of the road, as long as the driver does not do anything. For example, a value of 3 m/s2 can be preset as the first lateral acceleration limit value.
The current steering wheel angle and/or the current lateral acceleration and/or the current yaw rate can be determined through calculation either by use of a sensor, which is provided to this end, or from other signals. The vehicle state variable limit values can be preset in a fixed manner or as a variable, for example, as a function of the current speed.
In order to return from the standby mode into an active mode, in which the adjustment of the speed on the basis of a predefined setpoint speed is active again, there are a variety of alternatives. Hence, in one advantageous embodiment of the cruise controller, the monitoring device automatically switches the cruise control function back into the active mode and/or the originally active operating mode from the standby mode, if none of the evaluated vehicle state variables exceeds the predefined first vehicle state variable limit value or a predefined second vehicle state variable limit value. Thus, each of the evaluated vehicle state variables drops below its second vehicle state variable limit value. The second vehicle state variable limit values can be preset identically to the first vehicle state variable limit values. However, it is advantageous if they are preset so as to be less than the predefined first vehicle state variable limit values, so that the cruise control function is not continuously activated and deactivated. For example, a value of 2 m/s2 can be preset as the second lateral acceleration limit value.
If, therefore, neither the current steering wheel angle exceeds the predefined second steering angle limit value nor the current lateral acceleration exceeds the predefined second lateral acceleration limit value, nor the current yaw rate exceeds the predefined second yaw rate limit value, then the conclusion can be drawn that the vehicle is no longer in a sharp curve and, thus, the speed can be re-adjusted again.
In order to guarantee that the driver is not on a stretch of road that exhibits a plurality of sharp curves in succession and, thus, it would be necessary to switch multiple times from the standby mode into an active mode, one alternative embodiment of the cruise controller provides that the monitoring device does not automatically switch the cruise control function again into an active mode and/or the originally active operating mode from the standby mode until none of the evaluated vehicle state variables (steering wheel angle, lateral acceleration and/or yaw rate) exceeds one of the predefined first or second vehicle state variable limit values for a predefined time interval. Thus, each of the evaluated vehicle state variables falls below its first or second vehicle state variable limit value for a predefined time interval. In this context, the time interval can be preset in a fixed manner or as a variable as a function of the various surrounding parameters of the vehicle or as a function of the determined surrounding parameters (for example, navigation data, type of road).
As an alternative or in addition, a return from the standby mode into an active mode can also occur, if the driver actuates, for example by depressing the gas pedal or not until the actuated gas pedal is released again. Actuating the gas pedal makes it clear that the driver does not perceive or no longer perceives a decrease in speed to be necessary. As a result, the system can be returned again into an active mode.
Depending on the configuration of the controller, a return into the active mode can take place either immediately when the gas pedal is actuated or not until the actuated gas pedal has been released. An immediate return into the active mode upon actuating the gas pedal is usually not noticed by the driver, since in this case the setpoint speed always matches the current speed. As soon as the driver takes his foot from the gas pedal, he will discern the cruise control function, because the speed will be maintained, even though the gas pedal is no longer actuated.
The automatic return option, according to the first or second alternative, can be combined with the driver's consciously initiated return from the standby mode into an active mode in such a way that the actuation of the gas pedal as the return request overlaps the automatic return circuit on undershooting the corresponding vehicle state variable limit values. As soon as the driver steps on the gas pedal, it is detectable that he would like to drive faster again. If the driver releases the actuated gas pedal, the cruise control system can return into an active mode, even if at least one of the vehicle state variables, evaluated in the monitoring unit, exceeds the associated first or second vehicle state variable limit value. This is logical, because the driver should always have control over his vehicle and/or its functions.
If the system returns into the active mode owing to a gas pedal actuation (for example, due to the driver stepping on the gas pedal, or to the driver stepping on the gas pedal and subsequently releasing the gas pedal), even though at least one of the evaluated vehicle state variables exceeds one of the predefined first and/or second vehicle state variable limit values, then the conclusion is drawn that the driver perceives the predefined threshold for the vehicle state variable limit values to be too low. Therefore, when the gas pedal is released, the predefined first and/or second vehicle state variable limit value is (are) replaced. The predefined first or second vehicle state variable limit values can be replaced by the current vehicle state variables or a vehicle state variable that is increased compared to the current vehicle state variable. If the end of the curve and/or the curvilinear stretch of the road is detected with the aid of the current vehicle state variables, then the currently predefined first and second vehicle state variable limit values can be replaced again with the original vehicle state variable limit values.
If the driver does not actuate the gas pedal, the system does not switch back again into an active mode from the standby mode, until all of the evaluated vehicle state variables no longer exceed their predefined first or second vehicle state variable limit value (for a predefined time interval).
The active mode, into which the system returns, can be configured in a variety of ways. Hence, it can be equipped in a first alternative such that after switching back into the active mode—for example, either owing to the current vehicle state variables or owing to the gas pedal being actuated—the predefined setpoint speed of the vehicle at the time prior to the standby mode is preset as the setpoint speed. Then, the cruise controller would be operated again in the active operating mode that was operated prior to the standby mode at the same setpoint speed. The vehicle would be accelerated again on the basis of the original setpoint speed, and on reaching this speed, it would be maintained.
As an alternative, the active mode can also be configured such that when the system returns from the standby mode, the current speed is preset as the setpoint speed. In this way it can be guaranteed that in the event that the standby mode was active for a prolonged period of time, the driver will not become irritated due to a sudden acceleration.
As an alternative, the presetting of the setpoint speed upon returning into an active mode can also depend on the reason for switching back into the active mode. Hence, for example, in the event of a short term actuation by means of the gas pedal and, as a result, the return into the active mode, the original setpoint speed can be preset as the setpoint speed. If the driver actuates the gas pedal for a longer period of time, then the current speed at the time after the gas pedal has been released can be preset as the setpoint speed. Similarly, in the event of an automatic return into the active mode, the setpoint speed can be preset as a function of the duration of the standby mode. If the standby mode was active for just a short period of time, then the originally predefined setpoint speed can be preset as the setpoint speed. If the standby mode persists for a longer period of time, then the current speed can be preset as the setpoint speed.
As an alternative, the setpoint speed could also be preset from the difference between the current speed and the original setpoint speed.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

Cruise controller for motor vehicles and method of operating same

Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft


The present invention is directed to a voltage controlled single-package integrated circuit device, capable of thermal compensation, for biasing a quasi-linear bipolar device. The bias circuit also provides a low impedance source to a RF device so that the bias point does not dynamically change with the RF signal, thus improving linearity. Changes in the base-emitter voltage level of the RF device are monitored by a reference diode to provide automatic temperature compensation. The reference diode is in close thermal proximity to the RF device, allowing for accurate thermal tracking. The base-emitter voltage may be electronically adjusted by means of a control voltage input, such being suitable for hook-up to a computer system having a digital to analog convertor thereby allowing for fine voltage adjustments. The control voltage may also be used to adjust the class of operation of the RF device or provide external temperature control.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an integrated circuit for biasing a quasi-linear bipolar device, and more specifically to a voltage controlled single-package integrated circuit device capable of thermal compensation for biasing such a device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well-known in the art that biasing circuitry is required for quasi-linear devices such as bipolar RF transistors. Quasi-linear devices are characterized as being in the common-emitter configuration with a conduction angle of 180 degrees to 360 degrees. The biasing circuitry must supply the proper current levels required by the device while compensating for drifts in the device operating point brought about by changes in ambient temperature and operating conditions. Systems which are not protected from temperature fluctuations are more susceptible to ambient temperature changes and system heat-sinking properties which are not optimal. If operating point drift is not addressed and remedied, catastrophic device failure, or "thermal runaway" may result.
Because of this potential danger caused by thermal variations, biasing circuitry has long monitored and compensated for fluctuations in temperature. Typically, the base-emitter voltage level of the RF device being biased is monitored and, when increases in temperature cause the voltage level to drop, the voltage is stabilized by decreasing the amount of current in the RF circuit. However, biasing circuitry of the prior art has usually included multiple active components, capacitors, and inductors, on a PCB. Since these components are usually fabricated by different suppliers, the RF characteristics of the active devices typically have different geometries and, thus, often do not exactly match the characteristics of the RF device being biased. In addition, the use of discrete components utilizes more valuable board space than would a biasing circuit on a single integrated circuit. This is very important in today's market of high performance, low cost, small RF power hybrid modules.
Besides thermal tracking of the biased device, another important concern is the ability to change class of operation as system demands dictate. Typical quasi-linear modes of operation include classes A, AB1, AB2, and B. It may be desirable to change a system's mode of operation to any one of these. For example, if more efficiency and less linearity of operation is required, it may make sense to change class of operation from class AB1 to AB2. The class of operation of an RF device is typically altered by varying the voltage supplied to the device. However, the prior art has not successfully addressed this need with a single-package integrated circuit device.

Voltage controlled integrated circuit for biasing an RF device


The present invention relates to immunogenic conjugates comprising S. aureus serotype 5 and 8 capsular polysaccharides conjugated to carrier proteins and methods for their preparation and use. Methods for making the immunogenic conjugates of the invention involve covalent conjugation of the capsular polysaccharides with the carrier proteins using conjugation chemistry involving either 1,1-carboyl-di-1,2,4-triazole (CDT) or 3-(2-pyridyldithio)-propionyl hydrazide (PDPH).

Humans are a natural reservoir for Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus. For example, S. aureus can colonize the skin, nares and throat, either permanently or transiently, without causing disease. S. aureus infections range from mild skin infections to endocarditis, osteomyelitis, bacteremia and sepsis. S. aureus also causes a majority of nosocomial infections, and its prevalence in community-onset infections is increasing. Moreover, in 2005, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) infections were estimated at 31.8 per 100,000 individuals, including 16,650 deaths in the United States in 2005 (Klevens et al. (2007) J. Am. Med. Assoc. 298:1763-1771). Disease subsequently occurs when individuals become immunocompromised due to breaches in immune barriers, such as during surgery, placement of indwelling catheters or other devices, trauma or wounds.
S. aureus produces a large number of extra- and intra-cellular antigens, including numerous toxins and enzymes. Of particular interest herein are capsular polysaccharide serotypes of S. aureus (see, Karakawa & Vann, "Capsular polysaccharides of Staphylococcus aureus," In: Weinstein & Fields, eds. Seminars in Infectious Disease. IV. Bacterial Vaccines. (New York, N.Y.; Thieme Stratton; 1982. pp. 285-293), especially serotype 5 and 8 capsular polysaccharides. Epidemiological studies on a large number of strains of S. aureus isolated from individuals showed that 70% to 80% were either serotype 5 or 8 capsular polysaccharide (Arbeit et al. (1984) Diagn. Microbial. Infect. Dis. 2:85-91). Unfortunately, the capsular polysaccharides are poor immunogens by themselves.
Staphylococcal infections and diseases dramatically increased in the last twenty years, as has use of intravascular devices and invasive procedures. The rise in disease incidence is more troubling because of a parallel rise of antibiotic resistance; therefore, there is an urgent need for immunogenic compositions to prevent Staphylococcal infections and diseases.


A cable area network (CAN) bus termination (100) is provided by an interface 104 operably coupling a cable detection input pin (3), a switch (120) and a termination resistance (130) to detect the presence and absence of one or more cables (108). The termination resistance (130) is automatically enabled to create terminations at end nodes and is automatically disabled to provide a daisy-chain connection between interim nodes of a multi-cable system.

The Controller Area Network (CAN) protocol is a serial communication protocol for communicating between various electronic devices or nodes. In accordance with CAN protocol (ISO 11898), multiple different electronic devices or nodes can be coupled to a single serial bus. Identifier bits are provided in CAN frames to allow messages and data to be directed to certain nodes on the CAN bus, and not to other nodes on the CAN bus. For example, if a device associated with an automobile dashboard sends a frame onto the CAN bus requesting that the headlights be turned on, the device on the CAN bus responsible for the brake lights can determine that the frame is intended for another device and not act upon the frame. The device controlling the headlights, however, receives and acts upon the frame by turning on the headlights.
Since the CAN signals are propagated on a common bus, reflected signals can compromise the integrity of the system. To address signal reflection concerns, resistors are typically incorporated into the CAN bus circuit at the ends of the CAN bus. Resistors are also typically provided to satisfy driver requirements of a resistive load. For example, in the ISO11898, the drivers require 60 ohms of resistive load. This requires finding the last nodes (each end) on a CAN bus and adding a termination resistor only to the ends of the nodes (ISO898 recommends approximately 120 ohm+/−10%). Because CAN bus nodes are connected in parallel, it is not always an easy task to find the last node, especially when an undetermined number of nodes are present.
Both mechanical and electrical approaches have been used to attempt to address CAN termination. Most mechanical approaches tend to use expensive relays and customer depression switches. As an example of a mechanical approach, some Ethernet boxes include a physical switch that engages or disengages when attaching a cable. Although this allows for cable detection, this mechanical approach does not adequately resolve auto-termination, since most of the boxes require a phone-jack plug containing a resistor in order to terminate the node. Another mechanical approach is to put the termination resistors inside a plug which attaches to the end of a cable, thus mechanically terminating only the nodes to which the plug is attached. This mechanical approach, however, can lead to issues if an individual inadvertently disconnects the plug thus defeating the purpose of the termination to the bus and making, for example, an entire remote-mount radio system unreliable. In the automotive industry, such terminations are not typically accessible to the consumer for just that reason.
An existing electrical approach to auto-termination described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,587,968 involves monitoring an electrical operating parameter of CAN data communication activity. However, this two stage circuit approach is rather complicated and is dependent on active signal detection in order to accomplish auto-termination. The power-on signal requirement means that each node is responsible for regenerating a power-on signal for the next node. This approach has a limitation in that a threshold is necessary in order to determine node presence, through techniques such as current monitoring. If the threshold varies, due to events such as temperature or part tolerance variations, or if a node is unable to power-up and draw current, then the method of cable detection can be compromised. As remote mount radios and accessories become more prevalent the need to adopt an auto-termination circuit becomes highly desirable.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved termination circuit and technique for a CAN bus.

Method and apparatus for CAN bus auto-termination


A reserve battery including a dual-purpose fill port member that also operates as a battery activation mechanism. The reserve battery includes a frangible barrier positioned inside a case. The frangible barrier divides the case into a first compartment holding cell electrodes and a second compartment capable of holding an electrolyte in isolation from the first compartment. Positioned in the second compartment proximate to the frangible barrier is a fill port member that is movable in response to an applied force for rupturing the frangible barrier. The fill port member also has a fluid passageway for use in transferring an amount of the electrolyte to the second compartment. The dual purpose of the fill port member is that it efficiently uses the available space and permits the design and production of a more compact reserve battery for use in space-limited applications, such as artillery shells.

Reserve batteries represent reliable sources of portable electrical power following long periods of storage and are designed to be activated very quickly with little degradation in performance over time. In some applications, the reserve battery must have a prolonged shelf life even at extreme temperatures. Once activated, the reserve battery electrically powers a circuit for a few seconds to a few minutes. No maintenance is required for the reserve battery during storage prior to use, permitting it to be permanently installed in equipment.
One reserve battery construction, widely used as a source of in-flight electrical power for components of artillery projectiles, physically separates a reservoir filled with electrolyte and cell electrodes with a frangible barrier. The battery cells are stored in a dry condition and are wetted during flight of the projectile with electrolyte. In artillery projectiles, the reserve battery should have a shelf life exceeding twenty years while stored at temperatures ranging from −40° F. to +145° F. When the artillery shell is loaded into a weapon and the weapon is fired, the set back force applied by the artillery projectile to the reserve battery precipitates rupture of the frangible barrier.
Electrolyte flows from the reservoir through the breach in the frangible barrier and wets the cell electrodes, which activates the reserve battery for powering a circuit in the artillery projectile such as electronics of a proximity fuse or electronics of a self-destruct mechanism.
Conventional reserve batteries include, as distinct components, a fill port and a breaking device. The fill port is used to introduce electrolyte into the reservoir inside the reserve battery and may be sealed using a ball seal with an interference fit.
The breaking device operates to rupture the frangible barrier when the weapon is fired, so that the electrolyte can wet the cell electrodes. In small conventional reserve batteries, the fill port and the breaking device collectively occupy a significant volume of the reservoir that could otherwise be used to store electrolyte, which represents a significant disadvantage.
It would be desirable, therefore, to provide a compact reserve battery with improved space utilization.

Reserve battery with set back mechanism for delayed battery activation


Described herein are systems and computer-implemented methods for controlling a gain state of a thermal camera. According to an example method, a processor can obtain, from a thermal camera, temperature readings for respective pixels of a plurality of pixels of an image captured by the thermal camera, and the processor can determine respective weights for the temperature readings using a weight function. The method can also involve the processor determining a weighted average of the temperature readings using the temperature readings and the respective weights for the temperature readings. Further, the method can involve the processor determining based at least on the weighted average, a gain state for the thermal camera, and the processor causing the thermal camera to operate in the gain state.

Many manufactured products occasionally have to be repaired. Thermal cameras, also referred to as thermographic cameras or thermal imaging cameras, can be useful to repair such products. By way of example, a thermal camera can form an image of a portion of a vehicle using infrared radiation, similar to the manner in which a camera forms an image using visible light. An operator can use an image output by a thermal camera to detect and visualize areas of heat, which may help the operator analyze an irregularity in the vehicle's operation.
Some thermal cameras include multiple gain states. For instance, a thermal camera can be configured to operate in either a high-gain state or a low-gain state. The high-gain state may provide a first, high accuracy and support a narrow intra-scene range of temperatures, whereas, the low-gain state may provide a second, lower accuracy but support a higher intra-scene range of temperatures.
As a particular example, in a high-gain state, a thermal camera may have an accuracy of ±5° C. and an intra-scene range of about −10° C. to 140° C., and in a low-gain state, the thermal camera may have an accuracy of ±10° C. and an intra-scene range of about −10° C. to 450° C. When the thermal camera operates in the high-gain state and a scene imaged by the thermal camera includes temperatures above 140° C., those temperatures may saturate sensors of the thermal camera. To view the temperatures above 140° C., the thermal camera can be switched to the low-gain state, so that the temperatures above 140° C. may be more accurately quantified and visualized.

Gain switching techniques for thermal cameras


An adaptive noise quantification system and associated methods are disclosed for use in the dynamic biosignal analysis of a user. In at least one embodiment, the system includes a biosignal sensor positioned and configured for obtaining and transmitting data related to a select at least one vital of the user as a biosignal, and a motion sensor positioned and configured for obtaining and transmitting data related to a motion level of the user as a motion signal. A computing device is configured for receiving and processing the biosignal and motion signal.

The subject of this patent application relates generally to biosignal analysis, and more particularly to a system and associated methods for adaptive noise quantification in dynamic biosignal analysis.
Applicant(s) hereby incorporate herein by reference any and all patents and published patent applications cited or referred to in this application.
By way of background, biosignal sensors are commonly used to acquire biological signals which are used extensively in the assessment of various clinical physiological conditions—for example, without limitation, in the monitoring of a cardiac condition. Sensors are traditionally placed in contact with the skin of an individual, such as photodiode sensors (i.e., photopletismography) or voltage sensors (i.e., electrocardiography), and the physiological signals which result are examined. Some other sensors, such as magnetic sensors (i.e., magnetoencephalography) do not need to be in direct contact with the skin but rather merely in sufficient proximity to the skin. Such data may be used to monitor and/or evaluate the health and/or physical state of the wearer of such sensors.
While using such a sensor can provide an accurate measurement of a signal, there are several factors that can affect the signal quality, including, without limitation, stability, noise and/or sensibility. These limitations are due, at least in part, to factors related to relative movements between the biosignal sensor and the user which result in motion artifacts that corrupt the biosignal. This can be exacerbated when a sensor is included in a wearable device. In such a situation, the sensor needs to be integrated in a wearable—such as a garment, for example—in a minimally invasive manner that allows, for example, without limitation, flexibility and comfort to an individual's body; especially in movement. At the same time, the sensor must also be capable of measuring a signal accurately. Thus, motion artifacts are an inherent problem of biosignal sensing in the context of wearable devices and it is necessary to dispose of the proper tools to analyze the biosignal in this adverse situation. Thus, being able to estimate the signal-to-noise ratio of a biosignal is greatly important since making analysis decisions on noisy signals can lead to interpretative mistakes.
Aspects of the present invention fulfill these needs and provide further related advantages as described in the following summary.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and methods for adaptive noise quantification in dynamic biosignal analysis


A process of producing a magnetic recording medium comprising the steps of kneading ferromagnetic fine particles and a binder using an organic solvent to prepare a kneaded mixture, dispersing said kneaded mixture with the addition of an additional binder and/or an additional organic solvent to prepare a magnetic coating composition, and coating said magnetic coating composition on a non-magnetic support followed by drying,. wherein the crystalline size of said ferromagnetic fine particles is not larger than 350 angstrom and said binder used at the kneading step comprises PA1 (3) a urethane resin having at least 3 hydroxyl groups in the molecule.. (1) an amine type epoxy compound represented by following formula: ##STR1## wherein A represents ##STR2## or an alkylene group having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, (2) a vinyl chloride copolymer having a polar group and an organic side chain group having a hydroxyl group at the terminal, and

Magnetic recording media are widely used as audio tapes, video tapes, computer tapes, floppy disks, etc. A magnetic recording medium fundamentally has a structure in that a magnetic layer composed of ferromagnetic fine particles dispersed in a binder is formed on a non-magnetic support.
A magnetic recording medium is fundamentally required to be in high levels in various properties such as electromagnetic conversion characteristics, running durability, and running performance. In particular, with the recent increased propagation of 8 mm video tape recorders, etc., a video tape is required to have, in particular, excellent electromagnetic conversion characteristics such as a high video output and excellent original image reproducing faculty.
While there are various methods for improving the electromagnetic conversion characteristics of a magnetic recording medium, a method of improving the properties of ferromagnetic fine particles as a magnetic recording substance is a direct and effective method. Accordingly, the size of ferromagnetic particles becomes finer and finer for enabling high density recording and the material for ferromagnetic particles turns from iron oxide to iron oxide modified by a foreign metal such as cobalt, etc., and further recently, a ferromagnetic metal such as ferromagnetic iron, nickel, or cobalt or a ferromagnetic alloy of these metals has been used.
By using the ferromagnetic particles improved as described above, a magnetic recording medium having improved electromagnetic conversion characteristics can be theoretically obtained but, practically, it is difficult to produce a magnetic recording medium having improved electromagnetic conversion characteristics matching with the improvement of the ferromagnetic particles. The reason is as follows. That is, as the size of ferromagnetic particles is finer, the dispersibility of the ferromagnetic particles tends to reduce. As the property of ferromagnetic particles, there is the tendency that the dispersibility becomes lower and lower in the order of .gamma.-iron oxide, Co-doped .gamma.-iron oxide, and ferromagnetic metal (or alloy) fine particles. Thus, the improvement of ferromagnetic particles rather encounters a problem of reducing the dispersed state of the ferromagnetic particles in the magnetic layer, thereby the excellent characteristics of the ferromagnetic particles are not sufficiently obtained.
For improving the dispersibility of ferromagnetic fine particles, binders having a polar group such as -SO.sub.3 M, -OSO.sub.3 M, -PO.sub.3 M.sub.2, -OPO.sub.3 M.sub.2, or -COOM (wherein M represents a hydrogen atom, an alkali metal or ammonium) or binders having both the aforesaid polar group and an epoxy ring are disclosed, e.g., in JP-B-58-41565 (the term "JP-B" as used herein means an "examined Japanese patent publication"), JP-A-57-44227, 59-30235, 60-238306, 60-238309, and 60-238371 (the term "JP-A" as used herein means as "unexamined published Japanese patent application"). These binders have a high absorptive power to ferromagnetic fine particles and show good dispersibility as compared to conventional binders.
However, even in the case of using such an improved binder, when the particle sizes of ferromagnetic particles become finer and finer for high density recording, the dispersion thereof become more difficult and hence the development of a technique of giving a binder having a faculty of highly dispersing such finer ferromagnetic particles has been desired.
For improving the dispersed state of ferromagnetic fine particles, there is a method of conducting kneading and dispersion of magnetic coating composition for a long period of time at the preparation of the coating composition but in this method, a considerable shearing force is applied to ferromagnetic fine particles at kneading and dispersing, thereby the properties of the ferromagnetic fine particles may be reduced, and further the long time required for the production of a magnetic recording medium gives a problem in production efficiency.
Also, a method of kneading magnetic composition using a specific binder such as a water-soluble carboxylic acid resin (JP-B-57-42888) or polyvinyl butyral (JP-A-59-165237) and then dispersing the mixture with the addition of other binder and solvent is proposed but a sufficient dispersion effect has not yet obtained.
Accordingly, a method of effectively dispersing the aforesaid ferromagnetic fine particles without largely changing conventional production processes of magnetic recording medium has been investigated and as such a method, there are known a method of using ferromagnetic particles subjected to a surface treatment with a surface treating agent such as a silane coupling agent, a method of using a component (dispersing agent) capable of improving the dispersibility of ferromagnetic particles, such as fatty acids, and a method of using a mixture of a vinyl copolymer and a urethane prepolymer added with a low molecular weight epoxy resin as disclosed in JP-B-56-23210.
However, in the aforesaid ferromagnetic particles subjected to the surface treatment using the silane coupling agent, the surface of the ferromagnetic particles is rendered hydrophobic by the silane coupling agent, thereby the compatibility of the ferromagnetic particles with resin components a binder is reduced although the stability in the dispersed state of the ferromagnetic particles in the magnetic coating composition is usually improved. Therefore, in the method, the final dispersed state of the ferromagnetic particles in the magnetic layer may not be sufficiently improved. Furthermore, since the silane coupling agent itself is very expensive, there is a problem in the use of such an expensive material for treating ferromagnetic particles for an ordinary magnetic recording medium.
A fatty acid, which is usually contained in a magnetic layer of a magnetic recording medium as a lubricant, also has a dispersing action for ferromagnetic particles. Thus, by controlling the amount of the fatty acid being used, the dispersed state of ferromagnetic particles can be improved but in general, when a fatty acid is used as a dispersing agent, a larger amount of the fatty acid must be used for obtaining the sufficient effect than the usual case of using the fatty acid as a lubricant for a magnetic layer. On the other hand, it is known that when a fatty acid is used in an excessive amount, it acts as a plasticizer for a binder. Therefore, when a fatty acid is used as a dispersing agent for ferromagnetic particles, there inevitably occurs a problem that the binder is plasticized by the fatty acid.
Apart from the above, there is a problem that by improving the dispersed state of ferromagnetic particles, the smoothness of the surface of the magnetic recording medium is increased to reduce the running property of the magnetic recording medium. For example, the dispersed state of ferromagnetic particles can be improved by using a large amount of a fatty acid but in this case, the magnetic recording medium is insufficient in durability and running property.
Also, when a low molecular weight epoxy resin is added to the specific binder as described above, the binder containing the epoxy resin is kneaded with ferromagnetic and the kneaded mixture is coated on a support. However, in this case, the kind of the binder being used is limited as well as the improvement of the dispersibility of ferromagnetic particles is insufficient, and if the kneading time is prolonged, the aforesaid problem that the characteristics of the ferromagnetic particles are reduced occurs.
It is known that a low molecular weight epoxy compound is incorporated in a binder as disclosed in JP-A-63-146218, and the epoxy compound is used as a component for a binder as in the case of JP-B-56-23210.
However, since in the magnetic recording medium described above, large amounts of binder and solvent are used for kneading and dispersing ferromagnetic particles, it is impossible to sufficiently strongly knead the composition.
Furthermore, if the particle sizes of ferromagnetic particles become very fine, the mechanical strength and the elasticity of the magnetic layer obtained by coating and drying the magnetic coating composition are increased but the shearing elongation of the magnetic layer is reduced and the magnetic layer becomes very brittle. Accordingly, powder dropping from the magnetic layer during VTR running is increased, and the troubles at the slitting step, i.e., the occurrence of cracks at the edge portions of the magnetic layer and the occurrence of powder dropping, are liable to occur.

Process of producing magnetic recording medium


A Cu-Pb system composite bearing has three layers including a backing metal, a bearing alloy layer formed on the backing metal, and an overlay formed on the bearing alloy layer. The Cu-Pb bearing alloy contains 2 to 10% Ni and 0.05 to 1.0% B. An example of the composition of the Cu-Pb system bearing alloy consists of 0.5 to 8% Sn, 15 to 30% Pb, 0.2% or less P, 2 to 10% Ni, 0.05 to 1.0% B and the balance of Cu and unavoidable impurities. The Cu-Pb bearing alloy must have a hardness over HV80. Ni and B contained in the bearing alloy decrease the affinity of the Cu-Pb bearing alloy for tin in the overlay of a tin-containing lead alloy. The corrosion resistance of the bearing is improved by plating the both surfaces of the composite bearing with Sn, Pb or an alloy thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heavy-duty bearing material which is increasingly required with a recent increase in the power of an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional copper-lead bearing alloy material generally used for an internal combustion engine consists of a Cu-Pb system or Cu-Sn-Pb system alloy. This alloy has an overlay (surface layer) provided on the surface thereof and consisting of a Pb-Sn alloy, a Pb-Sn-Cu alloy, a Pb-Sn-In alloy or the like. Particularly, such a copper-lead bearing alloy material often has an intermediate layer (barrier layer) consisting of nickel or the like and interposed between the alloy and the overlay in order to prevent the diffusion of tin or indium contained in the overlay into the alloy.
A sliding member has a sintered copper alloy layer to which 1 to 20% by weight of Ni-B compound is added for improving the wear resistance of a cylindrical bush without an overlay, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application of Serial No. 2-333283 which had not been published at the filing time of the parallel patent application in Japan corresponding to the present application.
In order to prevent the diffusion of tin, indium or the like into the copper-lead bearing alloy, which is contained in an overlay provided on the surface of a copper-lead bearing alloy, a barrier nickel layer (anti-diffusion layer) is generally interposed between the copper-lead bearing alloy and the overlay. However, when the barrier nickel layer is present, there is a problem that if the overlay is worn out during slide-contacting with a shaft of mating sliding member, the barrier nickel layer having poor anti-seizure property is exposed and causes seizure with the mating sliding member. In addition, the production cost is increased by providing the barrier layer. On the other hand, when the barrier nickel layer is lacking, there is a problem that tin, indium or the like contained in the overlay diffuses into the copper-lead alloy and brings about decreases in strength of the overlay and corrosion resistance property.
A bearing alloy material having excellent fatigue resistance, wear resistance and higher strength than that of conventional Cu-Sn-Pb system alloy materials is increasingly demanded with recent increases in the power and performance of engines.
In order to improve the strength and fatigue resistance of a lead-bronze alloy which is known as an engine bearing material, tin content may be increased while decreasing lead content. However, although this expedient prevents diffusion of tin contained in the overlay into the lead-bronze alloy, it causes problems that the heat conductivity of the lead-bronze alloy is significantly deteriorated by an increase in the tin content, and that the anti-seizure property and embeddability of foreign substances (hereinafter referred to as "embeddability") are deteriorated by a decrease in the lead content.

CU-PB system alloy composite bearing having overlay


The present analysis systems and methods provide a dynamic graphical user interface through which a user can view and modify a trading strategy. The various parts of the strategy may be graphically displayed to the user, and any modification to the strategy made by the user may be dynamically integrated into feedback of the graphical user interface.

To assist both professionals and those who manage their own personal stock portfolios with trading, some conventional trading software packages exist. These packages, however, are capable of little more than analyzing the history of a stock and numerically applying a trading strategy. Accordingly, these packages do not provide users with true power to analyze data and customize trading strategies in an intuitive and dynamic environment.

Systems and methods for analyzing trading strategies


Disclosed herein are compositions and methods for treatment of muscle dysfunction (including sarcopenia) and other diseases involving skeletal muscle, including age-related muscle dysfunction. In addition, the invention relates to therapeutic compositions comprising nucleotides and/or polypeptides of the invention in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, wherein the composition facilitates the treatment of skeletal muscle disorder, including those related to thr normal aging process. Moreover, the invention relates to the treatment and/or prevention of pathological conditions associated with altered intracellular Ca2+ regulation and disrupted membrane structure that occurs when the expression levels of MG29 are reduced.

The triad junction of skeletal muscle is comprised of a single invagination of the plasma membrane that plunges into the cytoplasm (the transverse-tubules or T-tubules) that is juxtaposed with two sections of the terminal cisternae of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). Screening of an antibody library for novel proteins that localize to the triad junction by immunostaining identified proteins that are implicated in excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling and other aspects of Ca2+ handling in skeletal muscle. One protein identified during the screening of this library was a novel transmembrane protein called, synaptophysin-like 2 protein (Sypl2) or mitsugumin 29 (MG29).
MG29 is nearly exclusively expressed in skeletal muscle fibers, although some minor levels of expression can be resolved in the kidney, and contains four transmembrane domains that allow the protein to localize at both the transverse (T-) tubular membrane and SR membranes of the triad junction. This subcellular distribution suggest MG29 may mediate communication between the T-tubular and junctional SR membrane. The protein structure of MG29 is homologous in amino acid sequence and shares characteristic structural features with the members of the synaptophysin family of transmembrane proteins essential for neurotransmitter release.
Synaptophysin was originally identified as an abundant and highly immunogenic membrane protein of small synaptic vesicles that is also found in dense-core chromaffin and neurosecretory granules. Synaptophysin and its homologues, synaptoporin (or synaptophysin II) and pantophysin, share a common transmembrane organization, with four membrane-spanning regions and cytoplasmic amino and carboxy termini.
A unique feature of synaptophysin is that it has an oligomeric structure, leading to the proposal that synaptophysin may be a component of the fusion pore that forms during neurotransmitter release. Moreover, Alder et al. have shown that antisense oligonucleotides complementary to the synaptophysin mRNA reduce Ca2+-dependent glutamate secretion from Xenopus oocytes induced by injection of total brain mRNA. Microinjection of synaptophysin antibody into motor neurons blocked neuromuscular transmission. These data are consistent with synaptophysin being essential for neurotransmitter secretion. However, genetic approaches to identify the function of synaptophysin have not been successful; mutant mice lacking synaptophysin show a normal phenotype. This may reflect compensation by synaptoporin or other synaptophysin family members. Indeed, mice doubly deficient in synaptophysin and synaptogyrin display defects in synaptic plasticity.
Synaptophysin has been proposed to play a structural role in vesicle formation. Based on its high capacity to bind cholesterol, synaptophysin has been implicated in the generation of membrane curvature during synaptic vesicle biogenesis. Synaptophysin is also known to tightly interact with other proteins of the synaptic vesicle membrane, i.e. synaptobrevin and the vacuolar H+-ATPase. These interactions are thought to regulate exocytotic membrane fusion at the level of the SNARE complex or fusion pore formation. The latter idea is supported by studies on yeast vacuole fusion that implicate the vacuolar ATPase directly participate in membrane fusion.
The similarities between MG29 and synaptophysin prompted an investigation into whether MG29 plays an important role in modulation of membrane structures in skeletal muscle. Skeletal muscles are among the most plastic tissue in nature, and normal muscle physiology requires the formation and maintenance of the complex membrane structures. Throughout development, aging and other processes including fatigue require constant adaptations of the skeletal muscle system, thus identification and characterization of genes and proteins involved with plasticity in skeletal muscle membrane structures is essential to understand muscle physiology, as well as treating and diagnosing pathologies related to muscle dysfunction. Accordingly, there exists an ongoing need for the development of pharmaceutical modulators of muscle function for the treatment of conditions related to muscle dysfunction.

Compositions comprising MG29 nucleic acids, polypeptides, and associated methods of use

University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey


The moisture and gas barrier properties of an organopolysiloxane having at least two substituents which are able to undergo crosslinking reactions per molecule shall be improved. This is achieved by providing an organopolysiloxane wherein at least 10 mol % of all substituents are represented by formula (1)

In the prior art, there is a huge number of documents disclosing various kinds of organopolysiloxanes, which polymers can alternatively be referred to as silicones. Silicone compositions form cured products having a lot of desirable properties like weather and heat resistance, hydrophobicity and rubber-like properties such as hardness and elongation. According to their intended use the sterical structure as well as the substitution pattern of the organopolysiloxanes can be varied. The sterical structure predominantly depends on the presence of and the relation between M, D, T and/or Q units, whereas the substitution pattern determines the curing mechanism and a lot of further properties.
For example, WO 2004/107458 A2 discloses a light emitting device (LED) encapsulating composition, which comprises at least one polyorganosiloxane with an average compositional formula:(R1R2R3SiO1/2)M·(R4R5SiO2/2)D·(R6SiO3/2)T·(SiO4/2)Q,wherein T+Q>0; R1 to R6 are identical or different radicals selected from organic groups, a hydroxyl group and a hydrogen atom; at least one of R1 to R6 is either a hydrocarbon group with a multiple bond or a hydrogen atom, and at least one of R1 to R6 is an aromatic group. The composition can be used for the encapsulation of LEDs which emit light in the blue through UV spectrum.
WO 2004/148812 A1 discloses a curable silicone composition comprising one linear and one branched organopolysiloxane each having alkenyl groups and one organopolysiloxane having silicon hydrogen groups, all polysiloxanes comprising phenyl groups. The composition is characterized by good fillability and curability. A similar organopolysiloxane composition is disclosed in WO 2008/023537 A1. Both compositions exhibit good optical properties.
Further silicone compositions comprising aryl substituents and being curable by hydrosilylation are disclosed in US 20070073026 A1 and US 2004/0178509 A1.
Aryl groups are a good example for demonstrating the dependency of certain properties on the substituents of the organopolysiloxane. On the one hand, aryl groups may enlarge the refractive index of a silicone composition which for many applications may be highly desired. However, the presence of aryl groups in silicone compositions decreases the thermal stability and UV stability of the cured silicone body, which limits its applicability for instance in high power lighting devices like in headlamps of automobiles.
Thus, cured silicone compositions having a normal refractive index advantageously show better thermal stability and UV stability than those having a high refractive index. This might be due to the fact that in such silicones methyl groups are commonly present as organic groups beside reactive groups like alkenyl and Si—H groups. On the other hand, without any aryl groups, such cured silicone compositions show bad barrier properties and corrosive gases and humidity can pass through the sealing material. As a result, substrates might be corrupted and their lifetime may be significantly decreased.

Silicone resin with improved barrier properties

Abstract: wherein q is an integer from 0 to 5 and R1, R2, R3 each independently are methyl or ethyl groups.

Abstract: Furthermore, the invention is directed to a composition based on the aforementioned organopolysiloxane and to the use of the organopolysiloxane and of the composition.


A method of evaluating metal contamination by measuring the amount of metal contaminants to a silicon wafer in a rapid thermal processing apparatus includes steps of obtaining a Si single crystal grown by the Czochralski method at a pulling rate of 1.0 mm/min or lower, the crystal having oxygen concentration of 1.3×1018 atoms/cm3 or less, slicing silicon wafers from the Si single crystal except regions of 40 mm toward the central portion from the head of the single crystal and 40 mm toward the central portion from the tail, heat-treating the silicon wafer with a rapid thermal processing apparatus and transferring contaminants from members in a furnace of the rapid thermal processing apparatus to the silicon wafer, and measuring a lifetime of the silicon wafer to which contaminants are transferred.

Reduction of metal contamination is a very important issue because contamination of wafers with metal impurities during production processes of silicon wafers or devices causes adverse effect to performance of products.
With regard to this issue, Patent Literature 1 (JP A 2013-84840) or Patent Literature 2 (JP A 2009-302337) discloses that a high-resistivity silicon wafer is processed in a thermal treatment furnace to transfer metal contaminants to the wafer and then metal impurities are detected using results of Fe—B concentration detection by the surface photovoltage (SPV) method or lifetime measurements by the microwave photoconductivity decay (μ-PCD) method.

Evaluation method of metal contamination


A method includes automatically determining a component of a security label for each first record in a first table of a database having multiple tables, including: identifying a second record related to the first record according to a foreign key relationship; identifying a component of the security label for the second record; and assigning a value for the component of the security label for the first record based on the identified component of the security label for the second record. The method includes storing the determined security label in the record.

This description relates to database security. A database can include multiple tables, each of which can include multiple rows. Access to the data records stored in the database can be controlled by controlling access to each of the tables or by controlling access to each row within a table. Row-level security can be provided through the use of security labels associated with each object, such as each row.


A nickel-silicon compound forming method is disclosed which comprises forming nickel on at least one of only silicon and a compound containing silicon, and performing stepwise-heating of the nickel together with the at least one of only silicon and the compound containing silicon.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique capable of improving the electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device and, in particular, to a nickel-silicon compound forming method, semiconductor device manufacturing method, and semiconductor device which can improve the electrical properties of a transistor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, various types of semiconductor devices represented by an LSI have been greatly developed owing to micronization and high-integration of various types of semiconductor elements represented by a transistor. One factor of this may, for example, be a size reduction in a transistor which leads to a lower resistance and a larger amount of current flow on a small transistor. However, as the on resistance of the transistor decreases, the parasitic resistances in the source, drain, and gate which are the main parts of the transistor become non-negligible. To decrease the parasitic resistances in, e.g., a source, drain, and gate, a compound called a silicide or salicide that is a compound of a metal and silicon has been started in use. For example, titanium (Ti), tungsten (W), or cobalt (Co) is generally used as a material of a silicide.
However, as the gate of a transistor nowadays has a size of 50 nm or less, nickel (Ni) has received attention as a silicide material with lower resistance. For example, nickel mono silicide (NiSi) has a lower contact resistance and resistivity than that of a silicide containing Ti, W, or Co. Thus, NiSi has been expected as a feature silicide or salicide material that is to form the main part of a transistor.
In a general semiconductor device manufacturing process, it is ideal to form an NiSi film capable of withstanding high temperatures of 500° C. or more. However, after an Ni film is formed on an Si film, an NiSi film is typically formed by increasing the temperature to near 350° C. at once. This is because when the NiSi film is to be formed by increasing the temperature to near 500° C. at once, cohesion occurs in the NiSi film, and its composition changes into NiSi2 to increase the resistivity. To avoid this problem, it has been a common practice to form an NiSi film at a low temperature near 350° C. Consequently, annealing at a high temperature cannot be performed after NiSi film formation, and this prevents practical use of the film in the various types of semiconductor devices represented by LSIs.

Nickel-silicon compound forming method, semiconductor device manufacturing method, and semiconductor device

Semiconductor Technology Academic Research Center


Method and apparatus for authorizing a calling card telephone call are described. In one example, a telephone calling card includes a planar body having a memory system, an input circuit, a controller, and a display. The memory system is configured to store key code information. The input circuit is configured to receive a personal identification number (PIN). The controller is configured to derive a key code from the key code information using the PIN. The display is configured to present the key code. The user may then use the key code for purposes of authorizing a call made using a calling card. The key code may change from time-to-time as the user uses the calling card. Since the user's PIN is not entered into a telephone by the user, the calling card is less susceptible to unauthorized and/or fraudulent use by third parties.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to telephone systems and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for authorizing a calling card telephone call.
2. Description of the Related Art
The use of telephone calling cards is well known. For example, a customer may receive a telephone card that authorizes telephone call charges to be charged to the customer's account. Typically, the user has to dial a number associated with the calling card processing service and is prompted to dial-in an account number and a personal identification number (PIN) for authentication and authorization purposes. Once the authorization and authentication step is complete, the caller is prompted to dial the called party's telephone number and charges for the call are charged to the customer's account. These types of calling card are susceptible to fraud if the account number and the PIN are disclosed to unauthorized users. One well known fraud technique is to monitor a person making a call using a calling card. By monitoring and recording the numbers being dialed into the phone, a person can determine the numbers which need to be dialed to gain access to the account and thus can make unauthorized telephone calls using the account.
One technique for combating this type of fraud requires the use of a specialized phone having a magnetic card reader. The account and PIN information is embedded in a magnetic strip on the calling card. When a card holder wants to use the calling card, the card is inserted into the magnetic card reader and the account and PIN information can be read. This method of automatically reading the account and PIN information obviates the necessity of the user having to dial this information using the key pad. Therefore, the account and PIN information is not inadvertently disclosed to a third person monitoring the use of the phone by a user. A major disadvantage to this technique, however, is that this calling card can only be used with phones having the capability to read the magnetic strip and it is possible for local phone listening devices to record the account number and pin when the phone converts the magnetic card reader information to dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) tones, which are sent over the phone line.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for a method and apparatus for authorizing a calling card telephone call that prevents fraud and does not require specialized telephone equipment to use.


A thermoplastic resin composition having good coating affinity is disclosed, which comprises (a) from 20 to 80 parts by weight of a resin component containing a modified polyolefin resin which has been graft-modified with an unsaturated hydroxy group-containing compound or an unsaturated carboxylic acid, (b) from 80 to 20 pats by weight of a rubber component containing a copolymer rubber, and (c) a functional group-terminated oligomer in an amount of from 0.1 to 20 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the sum of components (a) and (b).

Polyolefin-based thermoplastic resin compositions show excellent moldability in various molding processes, and they are used for interior or exterior parts of transporting means including automobiles and vessels and for various structural materials in various industrial fields such as household electric appliances, office machines and tools, furniture, living necessaries, miscellaneous goods, and building. A coating is often applied on molded products of these thermoplastic resin compositions for such purposes as surface protection and coloring. However, since polyolefin-based thermoplastic resin compositions are nonpolar materials having poor affinity for coatings, various pretreatments are required for the coating of these resin compositions. Generally known as such pretreatments are primer treatment, corona treatment, and the like.
The primer treatment is a technique of coating a molded product of a polyolefin-based thermoplastic resin composition with a compound, such as a chlorinated polyolefin, having an affinity for both the thermoplastic resin composition and a coating to be applied, thereby to improve the affinity of the molded product for the coating.
However, primers are expensive, and the use thereof necessitates a high-temperature and time-consuming drying step for solvent volatilization because they contain a solvent in a large amount. The primer treatment is also disadvantageous in that a pretreatment with a vapor of trichloroethane (TCE) should be conducted prior to application of a primer so as to improve the adhesion of the primer to the molded product. The primer treatment has these drawbacks and, in particular, the use of TCE is coming to be regulated in recent years because of environmental pollution problems.
The corona discharge treatment is a technique of modifying the surface of a molded product to improve the affinity of the molded product for a coating to be applied. This treatment, however, is disadvantageous in that the molded product is limited in shape and that an investment in the treating equipment is necessary.
If coatings can be directly applied to molded products of thermoplastic resin compositions without either of these treatments, not only a coating process can be shortened, but also coated products can be provided without using harmful substances such as solvents and TCE. Thus, the direct coating is very preferable in that the number of steps can be reduced and equipment investment is unnecessary.
It has been attempted to improve the coating affinity of thermoplastic resin compositions, as described in European Patent 336780. The European Patent discloses a method in which a mixture consisting of a peroxide-crosslinkable olefin copolymer rubber, an olefin-based resin, and a monomer having one or more amino groups is dynamically treated with an organic peroxide at an elevated temperature and the thus-obtained thermoplastic resin composition is blended with an unsaturated carboxylic acid derivative with heating. The European Patent also discloses a method in which a mixture consisting of a peroxide-crosslinkable olefin copolymer rubber, an olefin-based resin, and an unsaturated carboxylic acid or a derivative thereof is dynamically treated with an organic peroxide at an elevated temperature and the thus-obtained thermoplastic resin composition is blended, with heating, with a monomer having one or more amino groups. However, these techniques fail to sufficiently improves coating affinity, and satisfactory coating adhesion strength can not be attained.
A thermoplastic resin composition modified with a hydroxyl group-containing compound is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. 4,908,412. This thermoplastic resin composition is prepared by a method in which a mixture of a peroxide-crosslinkable olefin copolymer rubber, an olefin-based resin, and an unsaturated epoxy group-containing monomer or an unsaturated hydroxy group-containing monomer is dynamically treated with an organic peroxide at an elevated temperature. However, this reference gives no description concerning the coating affinity of the thermoplastic resin composition.
Further, JP-A-58-191706, JP-A-60-55012, and JP-A-60-55052 (the term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application") disclose a composition comprising a polypropylene modified with an unsaturated hydroxy group-containing compound, and an ethylene-propylene copolymer rubber. However, the coating adhesion strength of this composition is not always high.
As apparent from the above, when a coating is applied directly on molded products obtained from these resin compositions, peeling of the coating film is apt to occur. It is, therefore, difficult to attain a particular purpose, such as coloring or surface protection, without a pretreatment such as those described hereinabove.
JP-A-4-272938 and JP-A-4-272948 disclose resin compositions having improved coating affinity, which comprise a blend of a polyolefin resin with (i) a hydroxyl group-terminated diene polymer or a hydrogenation product thereof, or a copolymer of ethylene and a hydroxyl group-containing unsaturated compound, (ii) an organotin compound, and (iii) a tertiary amine compound, and further with a styrene-based or olefin-based (e.g., ethylene-based) elastomer as an optional ingredient. However, the coating affinity of these compositions is still unsatisfactory.
Coating methods and coated moldings are disclosed in JP-A-3-157168, JP-A-3-157169, and European Patent 429236. In these references, nonuse of a primer is clearly stated. However, TCE treatment is performed in most of these techniques and a satisfactory coated product cannot be obtained by any of these techniques without a pretreatment.

Thermoplastic resin composition and paint-coated molded product thereof


A device for exciting a waveguide with circular polarization from a plane antenna, said waveguide (10) being a rectilinear hollow waveguide closed at one of its ends (12), said antenna being excited by at least two coaxial ports (13, 14) fed in phase quadrature by a circuit including a hybrid coupler (15), and being constituted by a radiating plane metal pattern (11) disposed on the surface of an insulating substrate (18) closing the waveguide (10) perpendicularly to its axis of symmetry.

This device is a compact device for exciting a waveguide with wideband circular polarization in both directions and with high purity of polarization. It enables a right and/or left circularly polarized wave to be generated in a waveguide having a section which may be square or circular, for example.
Such a device is intended for use in any waveguide radiating element requiring compact excitation in circular polarization from a transverse electromagnetic (TEM) line feed, e.g. a coaxial line, a three-plate line, or a microstrip line.
Prior systems for generating a circularly polarized wave in a waveguide from a TEM line are:
either systems constituted by a TEM line to waveguide transition together with a polarizer which gives rise to considerable bulk (with a typical length being greater than two wavelengths) for performance equivalent to the performance of a device in accordance with the invention; PA1 or else compact systems using a resonator at the end of a waveguide, but providing mediocre quality in terms of bandwidth and polarization purity and therefore incompatible with pure circular polarization as used in telecommunications frequency bands. PA1 to reduce bulk; and PA1 to increase the frequency band width for given values of matching and ellipticity. PA1 it is extremely compact, circular polarization is directed generated in this case from a TEM line over a length which is shorter than one wavelength; PA1 it is provided with longitudinal rear accesses, thereby enabling these accesses to be coupled without additional coaxial cables to a TEM power distributor for transmission and/or reception parallel to the section of the waveguide, at which location hybrid quadrature-imparting couplers may also be implanted; and PA1 it can be used with any circular polarization antenna where there is a problem of compactness or bulk for the polarization device.
An article by C. H. Chen, A. Tulintseff, and R. M. Sorbello entitled "Broadband two-layer microstrip antenna" published in IEEE 1984 (A.P.S. 8-1 "Antenna and propagation symposium" 1984) describes a broadband two-layer printed antenna that radiates freely. Such an antenna is characterized by two resonant frequencies. By exciting this antenna with two orthogonal modes at equal amplitude and quadrature phase, circular polarization operation is obtained.
In contrast, the object of the invention is to generate a right and/or left circularly polarized wave in a waveguide.

Device for exciting a waveguide with circular polarization from a plane antenna


An elongate, shallow, rectangular duct is formed in a vehicle hood by structure depending from an inner surface thereof, the hood inner surface forming a top surface of the duct. The rectangular duct includes a forward ambient air inlet and a rear air outlet and incorporates a series of baffles strategically located between the two for eliminating moisture from air flowing therebetween. A sealing sleeve disposed in the duct outlet to engage the engine air cleaner is provided within the duct with an internal passage having a bellmouth nozzle entrance section to the outlet and an external surface having a third baffle section thereon within the duct. The portion of the sleeve external of the duct includes a bellows section to accommodate variations in the position of the air cleaner inlet.

The present invention relates to an engine air intake system comprising an air duct incorporating moisture elimination apparatus to separate and eliminate moisture from air entering the system. More particularly, the moisture elimination apparatus includes two baffles and drain valves strategically located within a hood-supported structure forming the air duct for channeling air to the engine air cleaner.

Motor vehicle engine air intake system including moisture elimination apparatus

Navistar International Transportation Corp.


A method and apparatus for the removal or conversion of constituents from bulk organic liquids. A countercurrent biphasic bioreactor system is utilized to disperse and recoalesce a biocatalyst contained in the aqueous liquid phase into the organic liquid phase containing the constituent. Two transient, high-intensity electrical fields rupture the aqueous drops into a plurality of microdroplets and induce continuous coalescence and redispersion as the microdroplets travel through the organic phase, thus increasing surface area. As the aqueous microdroplets progress through the organic phase, the biocatalyst then reacts with the constituent to produce a product which is then removed from the bioreactor in the aqueous phase or retained in the organic phase. The organic liquid, now free of the original constituents, is ready for immediate use or further processing.

Useful organic liquids, such as various forms of petroleum, oil, fuel, organic solvents, and other hydrocarbons, occasionally contain one or more constituents of interest. Sometimes these constituents are contaminants and sometimes they are commercially valuable chemicals. If the constituent is either a contaminant or a commercially valuable chemical, it would be preferable to process it in such a manner as to be able to remove it from the useful organic liquid. These constituents are sometimes referred to as substrates, in that they are substances that can be acted upon by other substances (such as various biocatalysts). These constituents may also be in the form of various organic liquids or be contained in various organic liquids. For example, these constituents may be heteroatom compounds (such as organically bound sulfur or nitrogen), heavy metals (such as those contained in substituted porphyrins), or other organic constituents of interest. The major fraction of the organic liquid is sometimes referred to as the "bulk" organic phase, since most of its volume is comprised of this organic liquid, whereas usually a small volume is comprised of the constituent of interest. Some of these constituents are classified as hazardous wastes by various environmental regulatory agencies. Disposal of these "contaminated" organic liquids is very wasteful, difficult, and expensive. Because these organic liquids would be useful if not for the constituents they contain, it is preferable to identify and develop an acceptable approach which would remove these constituents. If the constituents were solids, removal could be accomplished relatively simply through a series of filtration or sedimentation steps. On the other hand, constituents which are organic compounds or contained in organic compounds are, to a certain extent, miscible in the bulk organic liquids. Miscibility is generally defined as the tendency or capacity of two or more liquids to form a uniform blend, that is, to dissolve in each other. The degrees of miscibility are generally referred to as total miscibility, partial miscibility, and immiscibility. Difficulties are encountered when attempting to separate the two or more different types of organic liquids when they possess partial or total miscibility. What is needed is a method and apparatus for safely, quickly, and economically bioconverting or removing the constituents in the bulk organic liquid whereby the bulk organic liquid is available for immediate use and the useful constituents are available for further processing.

Method and apparatus for the removal of bioconversion of constituents of organic liquids


A system and method for testing sequences of computer-related operations by using subsequences of operations of a given length. The subsequences are used to construct a suite of test cases that reduces the number of testing permutations while satisfying desired testing requirements. A mechanism generates test cases by listing the possible subsequences of a specified length, from which a subsequence is chosen to start a test case, and marked as covered. A selection algorithm may be used to choose a subsequence, such as based on a count of the number of subsequence elements starting still uncovered subsequences. Subsequences are added to the test case until a specified maximum length, with a preference for selecting uncovered subsequences. The process continues adding test cases until no subsequence remains uncovered. The resultant set of test cases is processed based on any specified constraints and preconditions, to produce a final suite of test cases.

Since the beginning of computer programming, bugs have been present in software. Given enough users of a program, bugs will be found, which reflect poorly on the software vendor. Thus, an important part of software development is testing to eliminate bugs in software, and to have the software designed to otherwise handle unusual circumstances. That is one reason why Beta testing is used, so that by sheer numbers, many users (who understand that bugs are likely early in the development process) can help to debug a product before it is sold to consumers. Other testing is performed in a black-box type environment, in which testers intentionally run software through numerous combinations and permutations, looking for bugs.
Some bugs and other computer-related problems are not necessarily a result of programming errors, but instead result from a combination of events that occur in a certain order. For example, one common test scenario that follows such an order-dependent pattern is the installation of software packages. In general, applications may require that a specific version of a runtime (e.g., managed execution) environment be present, and/or that runtime environments be installed in a certain order. Thus, in certain scenarios, testers need to test sequences of operations in which the order of those operations is important. Consider four versions of a runtime environment, such as versions A, B, C, and D in this example. An application may be compiled against any of these and may work only if a specific version of the runtime environment is installed. Further, installing such runtime environment one after another needs to provide a stable environment. Thus, A, B, C, D may be a valid installation order, but installing in the order A, C, B, D may cause instability.
A typical test requires that all possible permutations of the runtime environments be installed, and after each installation step, the attempts to run a set of one or more applications, (which were compiled with different versions of the runtime environment), verifying whether the applications work (or do not work) as expected. To exhaustively test four independent operations such as installations (represented by elements) A, B, C, D in which the order of installations matters, a tester needs to run through twenty-four permutations of the installations, as in the following table:
{A, B, C, D}{B, A, C, D}{C, A, B, D}{D, A, B, C}{A, B, D, C}{B, A, D, C}{C, A, D, B}{D, A, C, B}{A, C, B, D}{B, C, A, D}{C, B, A, D}{D, B, A, C}{A, C, D, B}{B, C, D, A}{C, B, D, A}{D, B, C, A}{A, D, B, C}{B, D, A, C}{C, D, A, B}{D, C, A, B}{A, D, C, B}{B, D, C, A}{C, D, B, A}{D, C, B, A}
Although this is not exceptionally difficult given the number of versions in the simple example above, adding one new element to the set of operations makes the test suite grow by a factor of five, that is, 120 tests. The size of the test suite for n elements is n factorial (n!), which quickly becomes unworkable in many situations with many elements, particularly when each element in a test case corresponds to a somewhat time-consuming operation, such as performing a software package installation. Simply selecting certain test cases and not others would likely leave important sequences of operations untested, providing an unreliable test.
What is needed is a way to provide a test suite that has a reduced number of test cases corresponding to sequences of computer-related operations. At the same time, any such reduction of test cases cannot cause important test sequences to be missed.

Method and system for efficient testing of sequences of computer-related operations