This invention relates to the coating of steel parts with organic polymeric materials for resistance to corrosion, abrasion, impact, salt solutions of high and low pH (both in liquid as well as vapor state) and corrosive atmospheric gases under the environment of high relative humidity and ambient conditions of temperature and pressure. To obtain secure and permanent adhesion of the coating on the steel article a polymeric coating is formulated so as to achieve chemical grafting to the steel face. This involves the use of monomers, prepolymers, catalyst and a graft initiator system. The monomers are preferably polyfunctional and when applied onto a metallic substrate, react via graft polymerization with the metal to form a polymerized layer coated onto the surface of the steel substrate. The monomers and prepolymers are so selected that when polymerized onto steel the coating has substantially zero moisture vapor-gas transmission rate and consequently acts as a barrier to moisture, oxygen and other gases from coming in contact with the surface of the steel substrate thereby improving the protective potential of the coating. Fillers may be included in the coating material to enhance physical or wear characteristics. Other components that can be added are slip agents, wetting agents, thixotropic promoters and adhesion promoters. This coating process is particularly advantageous for use with steel parts used in the manufacture of cranes

The present invention relates to a protective coating for steel parts used in the manufacture of cranes. It also relates to a method of grafting a protective coating onto metallic parts that not only protects the part from corrosion and other adverse effects of the environmental conditions of temperature, pressure, humidity, corrosive gases like hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide but also imparts an excellent degree of abrasion resistance.
The current process for the production of steel parts used in the manufacture of cranes doesn""t apply organic coatings on the finished products so as to protect them against corrosion, abrasion, impact, under environmental conditions of temperature, pressures, humidity, salt solutions of low and high pH and high concentration of corrosive gases like hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, sulfur oxide and other gases. This is particularly true when the steel cranes are continuously used outdoors in the open air at ambient conditions of temperature and pressure, where they are being subjected to wear and tear and more importantly undergo corrosion. This may be due to the fact that water, water vapor or moisture readily dissolves a small amount of oxygen from the air in the solution and this, when condensed on the surface of the steel substrate, contributes to corrosion. For such a situation, the present instant invention relates to a process and composition for graft polymerizing a protective coating onto metallic substrate, so that the protection is sufficiently durable and is not readily removed from the metal as it undergoes abrasion and exposure to the environmental conditions during routine use.
Presently many different types of surface coatings are used in an effort to achieve the necessary requirements in terms of protection against corrosion and other properties. These include protective paints, yellow and clear chromatic coatings, and precious and non precious metal platings. Each of these methods have coat or performance deficiencies. Lack of surface resistivity to wear, abrasion, corrosion, impact, adhesion and durability resistance are all problems associated with these organic paints and coatings. The metal platings are generally expensive, and in some cases, are not tenacious enough for the abrasive environments of corrosion liquids and gases encountered by these steel products. As these coatings are applied at a minimal thickness and are physically rather than chemically bonded to the metallic substrate, they are susceptible to removal by normal abrasion when used in working conditions in outdoor environments. These platings are also susceptible to galvanic corrosion when contacting dissimilar metal surfaces. There is also a phenomena known as xe2x80x9cfretting corrosionxe2x80x9d which occurs with minimal mating pressures and is associated with metal migration/loss across the boundary area. In these cases, base metal corrosion occurs and environmental protection is lost. Also, in some instances, aesthetics are impacted due to surface contamination and discoloration. Therefore, the tenacity of these coatings is not sufficient for the requirements as warranted by the present invention. Even when the metallic parts are coated with expensive organic coatings, the coatings tend to be permeable to various corrosive gases and liquids so that the requisite degree of corrosion protection is not obtained. Because these coatings adhere to the substrate only through physical bonds, they can be readily dislodged from the metallic substrate over a short period of time as moisture, oxygen, chlorine, hydrogen sulfide and other corrosive gases permeate beneath the coated polymeric film. In view of this, there is a need for a coating that not only protects the metal from corrosion but also is abrasion resistant and is tenacious with a high degree of durability.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,015,507 to Des Lauriero describes a method of converting a rusted surface to a durable one by using a reducing agent which will function to reduce trivalent iron to divalent iron; an organic monomer which is capable of polymerization in the presence of the reducing agent on the surface; and a free radical initiator, which will polymerize the organic monomer to form the durable coating.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,988 to Slater discloses a method for coating a rusted metallic surface that uses a meth(acrylic) monomer; a peroxide curing system; and drying oil. Both these coating systems suffer from poor adhesion to the metal surface, since no method is described for directly bonding the film to the metal.
A number of inventions have been described previous to this instant invention which address the bonding problem through grafting of the film. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,105,811 by Horowitz, hereby incorporated by reference, grafting technology is described to achieve a transparent, impervious protective coating on aluminum. In this case a peroxide and silver ion are present to initiate and catalyze graft polymerization of monomers and prepolymers which attach to the aluminum surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,043,226 to Wiedeman, hereby incorporated by reference, described a method of grafting a conductive, tenacious and protective coating on a metallic substrate such as steel, aluminum iron, platinum or silver. This method employed one or more polymerizable monomers having at least two functionalities, one or more graft initiators containing nickel ion and a reducing agent capable of reducing nickel ion to nickel metal.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,106,955 to Horowitz, hereby incorporated by reference, relates to the coating of steel articles wherein monomers containing hydroxyl, carbonyl, amine, glycidyl or azirdinyl groups react with steel surface to produce a corrosion and abrasion resistant surface.
The present invention employs a coating composition which differs from those used previously and provides superior corrosion and abrasion resistance to those previous compositions now cited. The instant invention is particularly advantageous for steel cranes which because of specific metallurgical considerations require a polymerizable/graftable species and initiator combination which is adapted to reaction with that specific surface. It is felt that this process, using the composition specified, will have general utility in a number of applications. In addition, the superior bonding achieved will confer improved corrosion and abrasion resistance in other applications as well.
Chemical grafting involves the activation of the substrate. Once the substrate has been activated, chains of monomers linked by carbon-carbon bonds grow on the substrate as whiskers. These whiskers impart new and desirable properties permanently imparted to the substrate without damaging any of the existing positive characteristics of these materials. Many materials, both naturally occurring and synthetic, posses hydrogens which are more reactive than the xe2x80x9cbulk hydrogensxe2x80x9d, for example, the tertiary hydrogen in polypropylene (1) the amide hydrogen in proteins (2) and the hydroxyl hydrogen in polysaccharides (3).
Graft initiators (G.I) have the capacity of removing these active hydrogens and concomitantly initiating the growth of polymer chains at the side from where the active hydrogen was removed.
In the case of polypropylene, this can be represented as follows:
Where * can represent a free radical, anion or cation, depending on whether the G.I. removes a hydrogen and one electron, no electrons or two electrons respectively. (There are a wide variety of monomers which do not lend themselves to the free-radical type of polymerization. The use of all three mechanism broadens the scope of application of this method).
represents a unit of vinyl monomer where xe2x80x9cXxe2x80x9d governs the property or properties that are obtained. In many instances a mixture of monomers is employed and often more than one property can be altered in one processing step. These polymer chains whose length can be controlled, are permanently attached to the xe2x80x9csubstratexe2x80x9d. The linkage between the graft-polymer and the substrate is covalent in nature, therefore, the graft-polymer cannot be leached from the substrate. In essence the chemical grafting consisted of growing polymer chains on the backbone chain of a substrate. The graft polymer chains are formed from vinyl monomers or monomer containing appropriate functionability, e.g., groups such as hydroxyl, carboxyl, epoxy, amide, amine anhydride.
Without being bound by any metal grafting theory, the details of which have not been fully established, the mechanism of reaction between the steel surface and monomers or prepolymers is thought to involve a reactive species on the steel surface. In the presence of moisture, there is a layer of oxide and hydroxyl groups tenaciously bound to the steel substrate. The hydrogen of the hydroxyl group may be removed by the graft initiator and form a radical which reacts with the monomer starting graft polymerization. The oxides and hydroxyl groups react with epoxy groups of the prepolymers or monomers starting a chemical reaction which also leads to a strong bonding between the steel and organic polymer formed on the surface.
Thus, the mechanism of graft polymerization may be presented in a series of steps as follows:
The process of termination may undergo differently when the formulation contain reactive prepolymers or polymers. The prepolymers may undergo also activation by the graft initiator giving reactive radicals P which react with the radical on the steel surface forming a graft coating on the substrate:
The graft initiator G may consist of the following metal ions; Fe+++/Fe++, Ag+, Co++, Cu++and the peroxide should be chosen from catalysts such as benzoyl peroxide, methyl ethyl ketone peroxide, tert butyl hydroperoxide and hydrogen peroxide. The monomers and prepolymers have side functional groups x, which may react between themselves and with additional prepolymers or polymers included into the formulation forming a graft crosslinked organic coating. The functional groups of the monomers and prepolymers should consist of hydroxyl groups, carbonyl groups, secondary and/or tertiary amino groups and epoxy groups. The molecular ratio of the functional groups of the reactive components should be adjusted so that no free groups should be left after the reaction is finished.
It is accordingly a primary objective of the present invention to provide an improved process for the graft coating of steel surfaces with organic polymer material.
Another object of the invention is to provide organic materials which when coated onto the steel surface effect a graft coating, bonding the coating to the surface.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide steel workpieces, and especially crane parts having a coating of organic polymer material bonded permanently to the steel of the workpiece and adapted to resist corrosion and have desirable wear resistance and frictional characteristics.
A Still further object of the invention is to produce coated steel parts with substantially zero permeability to oxygen and other corrosive gases and with substantially zero water vapor transmission rates.


Disclosed is a method for producing an antibody directed against a protein, particularly a transmembrane protein, expressed on the surfaces of cells.

Antibodies recognize specific antigens and thereby provoke various in vivo phenomena. Thus, antibodies play an important role in in vivo defense mechanisms. In particular, since antibodies have antibody dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) and complement dependent cytotoxicity (CDC), which are effective for elimination of cancer cells and the like, they have been used as anticancer agents. There are many antibody agents, which have been produced as a result of focusing the above-mentioned activities and have been put into practical use. Among such antibody agents, a considerable number of agents exhibit good therapeutic effects. In addition to the intended use as pharmaceutical agents, antibodies have been widely used as, for example, various diagnostic agents, or useful tools for research and development. Accordingly, it is desired to produce an antibody which recognizes, as an antigen, a protein that plays an important role in various in vivo phenomena.
An example of such a protein that plays an important role in in vivo phenomena is a protein that penetrates to a cell membrane (hereinafter referred to as a "transmembrane protein"). Examples of such a transmembrane protein include various types of receptor proteins and ion channel proteins. A majority of such transmembrane proteins are associated with transmission and/or migration of information and substances inside and outside a cell, and thereby they play an important role in the survival, growth, differentiation and the like of the cell. Thus, it is extremely significant to produce an antibody capable of recognizing the above-described transmembrane protein, which can be used as the aforementioned pharmaceutical agent, diagnostic agent, or research and development tool.
To date, there have been developed various methods for producing an antibody directed against any given antigen (a hybridoma production method, a DNA immunization method, a phage display method, etc.). Particularly, in recent years, a method, referred to as an ADLib system (or an ADLib method), has attracted considerable attention as a technique of easily producing a large amount of antibody having high specificity (see Patent Literature 1 and Non Patent Literature 1). According to this method, an antibody having desired specificity and affinity can be provided by a simple method.
However, the production of an antibody directed against a transmembrane protein according to the above-described various methods for producing antibodies has been problematic in the following respects.
In the method of directly administering a transmembrane protein-expressing cell as an antigen to an animal to be immunized, so as to induce an immune response, the transmembrane protein is expressed in a physiologically three-dimensional structure on the protein-expressing cell membrane. Since the protein-expressing cell undergoes protein degradation in vivo, it is difficult to produce an antibody directed against the transmembrane protein that is in a physiological state.
The DNA immunization method comprises incorporating the cDNA of a transmembrane protein into a suitable mammalian cell expression vector and then directly administering the expression vector to an animal to be immunized (see Non Patent Literature 2). According to this method, the three-dimensional structure of the transmembrane protein is likely to be reproduced on a cell membrane in vivo. However, the action mechanism of the protein is still unknown, and thus, whether or not an antibody can be produced directed against the transmembrane protein that is in a physiological state has not yet been clarified.
The phage display method is a system whereby an antibody variable region gene is fused with a coat protein of a filamentous phage as one type of Escherichia coli virus, such that the infectious ability of the phage is not lost, and the gene is allowed to express as a fusion protein (see Non Patent Literatures 3 and 4). In this method, when phage particles are allowed to react with a transmembrane protein and a desired antibody is selected, the use of a purified transmembrane protein is required, and whether or not the transmembrane protein as a target maintains physiological functions is not guaranteed.
The ADLib method, which promotes somatic homologous recombination that occurs in immunocytes so that a variety of antibody molecules are presented on the surfaces of the immunocytes, also has the above-described problems. Hence, it is not always easy to select an antibody directed against a transmembrane protein which is hardly purified in a physiological state.
Given the above, it has been difficult for all of the production methods to produce an antibody directed against a transmembrane protein.

Method for producing antibody directed against protein expressed on cell surface

Abstract: Specifically disclosed is a means for obtaining a desired antibody by mixing cells capable of expressing an antigen protein on the surfaces thereof (i.e., antigen molecule-expressing cells) with an antibody library composed of antibody-expressing cells, viruses or the like, and subsequently concentrating/isolating only components (e.g., antibody-expressing cells, viruses) capable of binding to the antigen molecule-expressing cells from the components (e.g., antibody-expressing cells, viruses) of the antibody library.


An assay plate assembly comprising a plurality of microfluidic modules arranged in a rectilinear matrix of rows and columns microfluidic channels. Each microfluidic module has an inlet well leading to a serpentine microfluidic channel that is set at a cant angle. The well is laterally offset from the detection area to avoid optical interference. The geometric center of each detection area is positioned according to ANSI/SLAS standards for well-centers. A drain from each microfluidic channel is located so that it does not interfere with any detection areas. An array of optically-transmissive micro-posts are disposed within each microfluidic channel. The micro-posts extend perpendicularly from the top surface of the top plate toward the underside and are equally distributed throughout the entire detection area. The plate assembly provides reduced assay time and sample volume, and increased sensitivity and specificity in biological and chemical assays.

A powerful and widely used current diagnostic technique, Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), is demanded to improve sensitivity and reduce assay times. The main detection principles of current ELISA are based on Ultraviolet-visible absorption, chemiluminescence, and fluorescence detections. Drawbacks of traditional ELISA are: (1) long testing time (3-6 hours+overnight coating), which makes the ELISA almost useless when dealing with emergency care (such as heart attack, septic shock, traumatic brain injury, etc.) where the results should be obtained within 15-30 minutes; (2) large sample and reagent consumption (50-100 μL per sensor well), which adds significant costs to customers (˜$200 per test); and (3) inadequate detection limit, typically on the order of 10-100 pg/mL, which makes it impossible to measure many clinically significant biomarkers at low concentrations. All those drawbacks hinder the employment of ELISA in various applications that needs rapid, low cost, high sensitivity testing of trace quantity of analytes.

THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN


A method includes determining, at a first eNodeB (eNB) associated with a first cell of a network, that a first user equipment (UE) is to engage in a device discovery process. The method also includes coordinating parameters of the device discovery process with a second eNB. The second eNB is associated with a second cell of the network and with a second UE. The parameters define one or more resources to be used in the first and second cells during the device discovery process. The method further includes communicating at least some of the parameters to the first UE. The device discovery process includes a process in which the first UE identifies one or more other UEs with which the first UE is able to engage in device-to-device communications.

Traditionally, cellular communication networks have been designed to establish wireless communication links between mobile devices and fixed communication infrastructure components (such as base stations or access points) that serve users in a wide or local geographic range. However, a wireless network can also be implemented utilizing only device-to-device (D2D) communication links without the need for fixed infrastructure components. This type of network is typically referred to as an "ad-hoc" network. A hybrid communication network can support devices that connect both to fixed infrastructure components and to other D2D-enabled devices.
In hybrid networks that include D2D-enabled devices, device discovery is typically performed periodically to allow devices to discover and identify neighboring devices. This is often accomplished using a discovery message signaling protocol. For example, a specified device may transmit a discovery message, and other devices can receive the discovery message and use information in the discovery message to establish communication links with the specified device.

Network-assisted multi-cell device discovery protocol for device-to-device communications


A prognostic processor for predicting machine failure in avionics electronics comprises prognostic capabilities in a single integrated circuit, with a processor, volatile and non-volatile memory, clock, on-chip and off-chip sensors and transducers, A/D converters, a common I/O interface adapted to be employed in a network of similar prognostic processors, and predictive Failure Analysis (FA) model software, which may be distributed throughout the network. The FA software employs a log file history, with the log file history storing data collected by the prognostic processor, real-time execution of a predictive model, with the ability to update the FA model with data from field failures. The prognostic processor network supports hierarchical processing to work with multiple prognostic processors. The prognostic processor system is applicable to FA monitoring of a wide range of avionics electronic equipment, in particular, Line Replacement Units (LRUs).

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of failure or fault analysis (FA) of electronic systems, in particular avionic electronic systems, and even more particularly line replacement units (LRUs) in those systems.
2. Description of Related Art
Avionics electronic systems employ redundant LRUs so that when one fails, the other is available during flight. Such redundancy creates obvious increases the cost of the system. There are additional costs in these systems with failing LRUs. When a unit fails, aircraft are generally not allowed to operate unless both redundant systems are functional. Since an unscheduled delay of a Boeing 747 airplane can cost $1000 a minute with customer, crew, and schedule impacts, it is important to estimate when a LRU is about to fail. Historically, LRUs have been subject to failure analysis by manually estimating when the units will fail.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,947,797 (Dean et al.) discloses a method and system for diagnosing machine malfunctions through Case Base Reasoning. Dean et al. does not, however, disclose the prognosis of machine failure. Further, the '797 patent, while suggesting collecting data in real-time, does not utilize this data in real-time to predict failure, but employs the data later over a selectively focused time interval to diagnose a repair.
What is lacking in the prior art is a method and apparatus for real-time failure analysis of a LRU using self-contained computer-automated means.

Prognostic processor system for real-time failure analysis of line replaceable units


A conductive diffusion barrier surrounding a conductive element is enhanced by an implanted diffusion barrier enhancing material. The enhancing material is implanted using a low energy implant at an angle to the substrate, such that the portion of the diffusion barrier at the bottom of the conductive element is protected during implantation. This prevents the increased resistivity caused by the enhancing material from affecting the conductive path between the conductive element and another conductive element. The diffusion barrier is preferably titanium nitride (TiN) and the enhancing material is preferably silicon (Si).

1. Field of the Invention
Preferred embodiments of the invention pertain to the prevention of diffusion of copper into a surrounding dielectric in an integrated circuit.
2. Related Technology
Integrated circuits (ICs) are manufactured by forming discrete semiconductor devices such as MOSFETS and bipolar junction transistors on a semiconductor substrate, and then forming a back end metal wiring network that connects those devices to create circuits. The wiring network is composed of individual metal wires called interconnects that generally lay parallel to the plane of the substrate. Interconnects are connected to the semiconductor devices by vertical contacts and are connected to other interconnects by vertical vias. A typical wiring network employs multiple levels of interconnects and vias.
The performance of integrated circuits is determined in large part by the conductivity and capacitance of the wiring network. Copper (Cu) has been adopted as the preferred metal for wiring networks because of its low resistivity compared to other conventional metals such as tungsten (W) and aluminum (Al), and because of its low cost compared to other low resistivity metals such as silver (Ag) and gold (Au). High quality Cu is also easily formed by damascene (inlay) processing using wet plating techniques such as electroplating or electroless plating followed by annealing.
Although Cu provides the aforementioned desirable features, it also has detrimental characteristics that must be addressed in order to produce functional products. One problem with Cu is its tendency to diffuse into surrounding semiconductor and insulating substrate materials. This diffusion degrades the semiconductive or insulative properties the surrounding material, and also affects the adhesion of the copper to the substrate. As a result, it is now conventional to provide a diffusion barrier between the copper and surrounding material. FIG. 1 shows an example of a conventional copper via 10. The via is formed in a substrate that includes an interlevel dielectric (ILD) layer 12. The via 10 is inlaid in a trench that extends through the ILD 12 to contact an underlying conductive element 14 such as an interconnect. The copper material of the via 10 is surrounded by a diffusion barrier 16 that is formed as a conformal layer over the substrate to line the trench prior to inlaying of the via material. The diffusion barrier 16 prevents diffusion of copper from the via 10 into the surrounding ILD material 12. Conventional Cu diffusion barrier materials include titanium (Ti), titanium nitride (TiN), tungsten (W), chromium (Cr), tantalum (Ta), and tantalum nitride (TaN). The substrate and the upper surface of the via are protected by a passivation material 18, which is typically a layer of dielectric material such as silicon nitride (SiN) that covers the entire substrate. In some instances, selectively deposited metal is used as a passivation material.
The barrier materials listed above are preferred over other diffusion barrier materials such as SiN because they are conductive and may therefore be located in the conductive path of the conductive element. For example, referring to FIG. 1, the conformally deposited diffusion barrier 16 may be left at the bottom of the trench between the via 10 and the interconnect 14 because it is able to conduct current between those two elements, whereas an insulating barrier material such as SiN would have to be removed from the bottom of the trench prior to formation of the via 10 in order to provide a conductive path. Such removal requires masking of the substrate and exposing only the trench bottoms to an etching agent. Such processing is exacting and time consuming, and becomes more difficult as critical dimensions continue to shrink.
While conductive diffusion barriers are presently the preferred diffusion barrier materials, they do not provide as much diffusion protection as insulative barrier materials such as SiN. As critical dimensions continue to shrink, the thickness of diffusion barriers must also be reduced, however thinner diffusion barriers provide less protection against diffusion. Thus there is an incentive to enhance the diffusion protection provided by conventional conductive barrier materials, for example, TiN may be enhanced by doping with silicon (Si). However, such enhancing materials tend to increase the resistance of the diffusion barrier, leading to the problems discussed above regarding insulating diffusion barriers.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, a conductive diffusion barrier is doped with one or more diffusion barrier enhancing materials through a low energy implantation process. The implantation is performed at an angle with respect to the broad surface of the substrate so that the sidewalls of the trench protect the bottom of the trench from being implanted. In this manner, the barrier properties of the sidewalls are enhanced, and the conductive properties of the barrier at the bottom of the trench are not degraded. This processing may be performed with any conventional trench structure such as a via, an interconnect, or a dual damascene structure. Any of a variety of conductive barrier materials and any of a variety of barrier enhancement materials may be employed.
In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the invention, a conductive element in the back end wiring network of an integrated circuit is surrounded by a diffusion barrier. The diffusion barrier is comprised of a conductive diffusion barrier material. The sidewall portion of the diffusion barrier is comprises the conductive diffusion barrier material and a diffusion barrier enhancing material, while the bottom of the diffusion barrier comprises the conductive diffusion barrier material but not the diffusion barrier enhancing material.

Diffusion barrier and method for its production


A sanitary phone patch system for use with a telephone assembly including first and second protective pads having an adhesive backing comprising an adhesive and a peel-away sheet; and a carrying case for carrying them therein. The telephone assembly includes a telephone with a mouthpiece comprising a microphone; and an earphone acting as a receiver. The first protective pad covers the mouthpiece and the second protective pad covers the earphone. The adhesive backing is located on a bottom portion of the first and second protective pads for removeably-attaching to the mouthpiece and the earphone, respectively. The first protective pad for covering the mouthpiece and the second protective pad for covering the earphone are treated with an antibacterial solution. The protective pads for covering the mouthpiece and earphone are disposable and comprise fibrous material(s).

The following includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention(s). It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art, or material, to the presently described or claimed inventions, or that any publication or document that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of adhesive patches and more specifically relates to an adhesive patch having antibacterial properties adapted to be secured onto a telephone.
2. Description of the Related Art
A telephone colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually in the form of the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other. Developed by Alexander Graham Bell and others, the telephone has long been considered indispensable to businesses, households and governments, is now one of the most common appliances in the developed world.
All telephones have a microphone to speak into, an earphone which reproduces the voice of the other person, and most have a ringer which makes a sound to alert the owner when a call is incoming (being received), and a keypad (or in older phones a telephone dial) to enter/input the telephone number of the telephone to be called. The microphone and earphone are usually built into a handset which is traditionally held up to the face to talk. The keypad may be part of the handset or of a base unit to which the handset would be connected. A landline telephone is connected by a pair of wires to the telephone network, while a mobile phone or cell phone is portable and communicates with the telephone network by radio (wirelessly.) A cordless telephone has a portable handset which communicates by radio with a base station connected by wire to the telephone network, and can only be used within a limited range of the base station.
A recent study of phone receivers determined that a phone receiver has 25 thousand germs per square inch; a shocking statistic. During normal speaking, people expectorate and this bacteria-laden fluid can penetrate the holes in the telephone mouthpiece. Therefore, if a seriously ill person coughs or sneezes while on the telephone, pathogenic bacteria can be deposited on and in the telephone. These germs can live for days, and whether at home, work, or traveling, people are exposed to these germs whenever they pick up the telephone and inhale the bacteria. Whenever a public phone is used, whether it be indoor or outdoor, urban or suburban, idle or immediately following its use, chances are that there will be some exposure to one or more infectious agents. The spread of germs spreads infections; an undesirable result for the public at large. Preventing the spread of germs is the best way to prevent infection and illness at home, at school, and at work. Therefore a need exists for a device designed to provide a user with a simple and effective way to protect him/her from contracting germs while having a phone conversation and provides a simple and effective means to reduce the spread of germs while utilizing a telephone.
Various attempts have been made to solve problems found in telephone sanitation devices art. Among these are found in: U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,265 to Colella, U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,063 to Josephine N. Lo et al, and U.S. Pat. No. 2009/0060173 to Williams. This prior art is representative of telephone sanitation devices and means.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the invention as claimed. Thus, a need exists for a reliable antibacterial patch adapted to be secured on a telephone to reduce the spread of germs while utilizing a telephone and to avoid the above-mentioned problems.


An integrated control module for connection to a fuel-water separator for controlling the drainage of water from the fuel-water separator includes a water-in-fuel sensor having a pair of spaced-apart probes, a drain valve whose open or closed condition is controlled by a solenoid, an electrical connector for receiving input power and a control circuit arranged with first and second circuit portions which cooperate so as to control the energizing of the solenoid and thus the opening or closing of the drain valve based on the resistance between the pair of spaced-apart probes. The integrated control module is designed to attach to either a sidewall or a base of the fuel-water separator so that the probes extend into the interior of the fuel-water separator into a region where separated water accumulates. The resistance between the probes is then used as a means for sensing an average probe voltage which in turn determines the state of the solenoid. Timing circuits are provided so as to prevent any toggle effect and to keep the drain valve open for a sufficient time duration in order to drain a suitable volume of accumulated water.

The present invention relates in general to fuel-water separation arrangements which are used in conjunction with a fuel filter to separate water from fuel so that the accumulated water can be removed from the fuel filter. Removal of the water is typically accomplished by means of a valve-controlled drain. More specifically, the present invention relates to the design, packaging, and assembly of a water-in-fuel conditioning transducer, or as referred to herein, an integrated control module. The integrated control module of the present invention incorporates a solenoid-controlled drain valve with a water-in-fuel sensor and controller circuitry for detecting and removing water trapped in the collection bowl of a water-separating fuel filter.
The water which is separated from the diesel fuel and collected in the fuel filter bowl requires periodic draining in order to prevent loss of filter capacity and costly fuel system damage due to water ingestion. The integrated control module of the present invention detects the presence of this water and drains it from the fuel filter bowl. Water is detected by monitoring the impedance between two electrodes located inside the fuel filter water collection bowl. When the water detection criteria is met, the system automatically opens a solenoid-actuated drain valve for a predetermined length of time.
There are a number of earlier patent references which discuss the water-in-fuel concerns generally and which specifically evaluate the state-of-the-art in the field of diesel engine technology. While the focus of these earlier patent references is normally on a particular improvement or enhancement to the state of the art, it is still helpful to look at the background discussions in these references in order to understand the issues driving the particular inventive effort. For example, as explained in U.S. Pat. No. 5,534,161 which issued Jul. 9, 1996 to Tarr, et al., the use of water separators in diesel engine fuel filters is a well-known expedient to rid the fuel of contaminants that might cause a malfunction of the engine. Many of these earlier water separators consist merely of a water drainage reservoir at the bottom of the fuel filter connected by a drain tube which expels the water to the ground. Concern over such cavalier discharge of contaminated fluids into the environment has led to the design of water separators that collect the separated water in a container located at the bottom of the filter assembly. Such containment of the separated water requires that the driver of the vehicle periodically empty the separated water from the container prior to the container becoming full. A problem arises, however, in that the driver cannot always be relied upon to remember to empty the separated water when required. To overcome this problem, some water separators contain sensors which are activated when the water reaches a predetermined level in the reservoir, thereby energizing a signal light located on the dashboard of the vehicle which warns the driver of the need to drain the filter. However, such signals still require that the driver stop the vehicle and manually empty the separated water from the filter unit. This represents an inconvenience to the driver, and there is still no guarantee that the driver will not simply ignore the warning light on the dashboard. Accordingly, it was concluded that there was a need for a fuel system that provides for the automatic draining of water separated from the fuel in the fuel filter when such separated water reaches a predetermined level.
The invention which was conceived in the Tarr, et al. patent involves the design of an automatic water drain and priming pump for a fuel system in which a reversible pump is operable in a first direction to pump separated water out of a fuel filter and into a water drain and further operable in a second (opposite) direction to pump fuel into the fuel filter in order to prime the fuel pump. Operation of the pump in the first direction to drain water from the fuel filter is initiated by water-in-fuel sensors within the fuel filter. Operation of the pump in the second direction to prime the fuel pump is initiated by manual activation of a switch during servicing of the fuel filter.
While the invention of the '161 patent is believed to have achieved its objectives, there remain opportunities for further improvements. For example, the complexity of certain water-in-fuel drain systems is a disadvantage. Another disadvantage of earlier systems is the need to assemble numerous components and make various connections, one-by-one, in order to establish all of the system requirements.
It would be an improvement to existing fuel water separation units and the design of the water drain function to configure the water-in-fuel sensor and drain valve functions into an integrated control module which is designed to assemble directly to the wall of the fuel filter housing. In this manner, there is a design simplicity and efficiency. It is easy to fabricate the integrated control module of the present invention separate from the fuel filter, a feature which facilitates the repair of the fuel filter as well as the repair or replacement of the integrated control module. If operational problems occur with the integrated control module, for example, it can be readily disassembled, a replacement integrated control module attached, and the removed integrated control module evaluated for repair or replacement. When all of the components and connections are assembled together as loose, separate items, there is no integration and thus no integrated control module. Accordingly, there is no way to easily substitute a replacement integrated control module while the original equipment integrated control module is being evaluated and/or repaired.
The present invention provides an improvement to the current state of the art in the field of fuel water separation units by configuring an integrated control module which provides design simplicity and ease of assembly and use, all in a single package with a single external connection for the source of power. The package is designed for attachment directly to a fuel filter housing, either on the side (first embodiment) or onto the base (second embodiment).


A method and system in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) medical imaging systems corrects for three-dimensional distortions arising from the apparatus and patient specific distortions using a phantom and a helmet, both of which have fiducial markers in a three-dimensional matrix. The positions of the phantom and helmet fiducial markers are automatically detected and compared in a computer system which uses image transform algorithms to correct for the various distortions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to in-vivo human subject medical imaging systems using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) three-dimensional imaging and more particularly to the correction of distortion errors in NMR systems.
2. Related Art
In Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) or (MR) a strong magnetic field is applied across a subject and precisely pulsed radio frequency radiation waves are also applied. An atomic nucleus, for example, an atom of a portion of the human brain, as a result of its spin, has slightly different energy values. The nucleus absorbs the radio-frequency radiation and changes its energy value. That change is detected by a coil.
In one type of NMR system a steady (static) uniform magnetic field is applied in one plane and a linear gradient magnetic field is applied perpendicular (orthogonal) to the steady field. The gradient field is turned (rotated about an axis. Three-dimensional data is obtained, processed by a computer system and used to produce a set of images representing slices of the body taken in various directions.
NMR imaging permits patients to be diagnosed without an invasive surgical procedure such as biopsy. It does not use X-rays, as in a CT scan, which may be harmful and yet permits a series of images to be taken over time.
While Magnetic Resonance (MR) images are invaluable because of their high degree of anatomical differentiation and their lack of ionizing radiation, they contain an inherent distortion which can exceed ten percent. The distortion arises from a number of sources including magnetic field inhomogeneities and patient-specific factors.
A series of articles has examined various aspects of the distortion problem. The articles are cited herein by their first author and year and the full citation is given at the end in the section entitled "Literature Cited". These articles, and the patents cited below, are incorporated by reference at the place of their citation. The articles relating to the distortion problem are: Lai, 1982; Crooks, 1984; Bendel, 1985; Pykett, 1983; Manassen, 1985; Sekihara et al, 1984; Sekihara et al, 1985b; Shenberg & Macovsky, 1985a; Feinberg, 1985; Hutchison et al., 1984. Although the existence of this distortion has not been well documented by MR device manufacturers, without distortion compensation, quantitative MR measurements, regarding position, length, area and volume, are likely to be erroneous.
The distortion can be classified as subject dependent or subject independent Subject independent distortion arises mainly from magnetic field inhomogeneity and calibration error which remains the same from patient to patient. It can therefore be measured and corrected from images of a phantom of known dimensions. Subject-dependent distortion changes with the chemical makeup and geometry of the subject being scanned, and is particularly difficult to detect and remove.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,547 entitled "Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Apparatus Having Means For Compensating a Projecting Signal", a pair of standard signal sources of a specified atomic nucleus is positioned in a NMR device, around a body to compensate a projection signal.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,672,320 entitled "Imaging Apparatus and Method Using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance" describes a direct Fourier imaging system providing compensation for distortion caused by (i) changes in intensity of the static magnetic field from a predetermined standard and (ii) changes in intensity of the gradient magnetic field from a different predetermined standard. The system uses a computer-based system for such compensation and a small probe having a signal detecting coil.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,096 entitled "Imaging Systems", in a NMR device, the magnetic fields at a plurality of positions in the plane of a slice are measured to provide error signals used to adjust the gradient and orthogonal magnetic fields.

Three-dimensional magnetic resonance image distortion correction method and system


A portable card file capable of being removed from its base such that it may be inserted into another base at a different location. The base is mountable in a vehicle.

1. Field or the Invention
This invention relates to a mobile card file which contains a head for holding index cards and a base or fastening means constructed and arranged so that the head is removably attached to the base or fastening means and may be inserted into another base or fastening means at a different location.
2. Description of the related art
Rotary card files are known in the art, such as Rolodex.RTM. brand rotary card files. However, these rotary card files in existence are not easily transferable from an office or stationary setting to a non-stationary setting such as a vehicle.
With the advent of the mobile car telephone, many people now work out of their automobiles. This necessitates carrying file books, address and telephone numbers and the like in order to more easily communicate with the public. A problem with current office information systems is that they are not easily mobile.


A computing system can include a server computer and a configurable hardware platform. The server computer can include instances or domains such as a management partition and a user partition. The management partition can be used to perform management services for the user partitions and the configurable hardware platform. The configurable hardware platform is coupled to the server computer, and can include a host logic and a configurable application logic. In an embodiment, the computing system is configured to provide the user partition with physical or virtual access to a first part of the configurable hardware platform through the host logic in the configurable hardware platform. The computing system is also configured to provide the user partition with virtual access to certain portions/resources associated with the configurable hardware platform.

Cloud computing techniques can include use of networked computing resources (e.g., hardware and software) of a cloud provider to be made available for use by clients. Clients can access the networked computing resources via a network, such as the internet, to configure the networked computing resources to provide a service or to access a provided service provided by another client. Cloud computing techniques can facilitate more efficient use of networked computing resources by, for example, enabling the resources to be allocated as needed between clients (e.g., for clients to scale services operating on cloud computing resources or to prototype new cloud enabled services) and/or by allocating hardware in a time sliced manner to several clients concurrently.
Clients of cloud services may have diverse computing requirements resulting from different use cases. A cloud service provider can include various different computer systems having different types of components with varying levels of performance and/or functionality. Thus, a client can select a computer system that can potentially be more efficient at executing a particular task. For example, the cloud service provider can provide systems with varying combinations of processing performance, memory performance, storage capacity or performance, and networking capacity or performance. However, some clients may desire to use hardware that is proprietary or highly specialized for executing their computing tasks. Enabling use of client defined hardware within a cloud infrastructure can raise security and/or stability integrity concerns.

Virtualization of control and status signals


Method, system, and computer program product for generating a machine-readable code for an electronic document are disclosed. A user interface receives an input for defining one or more areas of interest in the electronic document. One or more location identifiers are determined corresponding to each of the one or more areas of interest. The machine-readable code is then generated for the electronic document based on the one or more location identifiers. Further, the machine-readable code is embedded in the electronic document. The machine-readable code when scanned and decoded enables extracting of one or more descriptors (e.g., text written in various locations specified by the one or more location identifiers). The one or more descriptors are used for at least one of naming the electronic document or determining the one or more attributes of the message.

Documents are available for surveys, academic assessments, admissions, registration, customer-related queries, etc., may include, but are not limited to, a printed form or a handwritten form. The user fills the information in the available fields of the document. The document may then be scanned to generate an electronic document (e.g., a digital image). The information filled by the user may then be extracted from the electronic document. However, while extracting information from a set of filled electronic documents, at times, it becomes tedious to individually select the desired user-related information from each electronic document. The set of filled electronic documents may be identical or distinct. Hence, it is required that the information from the relevant fields only is extracted and not from all the fields available on the document.

Method and system for generating machine-readable code


A driver circuit includes a first switch which has a first terminal coupled to a voltage supply terminal, a second terminal coupled to a high-side gate, and a third terminal coupled to receive a voltage supply enable signal. The first switch is operable to connect the voltage supply terminal to the high-side gate responsive to the voltage supply enable signal. The driver circuit includes a second switch which has a first terminal coupled to a charge pump terminal, a second terminal coupled to the high side gate, and a third terminal coupled to receive a charge pump enable signal. The second switch is operable to connect the charge pump terminal to the high-side gate responsive to the charge pump enable signal.

In DC motor driver systems, two high-side and two low-side field effect transistors (FETs) are generally connected in a bridge configuration which provides two outputs. A DC motor is coupled between the two outputs. In order to turn on a high-side FET to drive the DC motor, the gate of the high-side FET must be charged to a voltage higher than the source of the high-side FET. Since the source of the high-side FET is at a supply voltage level when the high-side FET is on, the high-side gate must be charged to a voltage level that is higher than the supply voltage.
In order to turn on the high-side FET, an internal charge pump is used to supply current to charge the high-side gate to a voltage level that is higher than the supply voltage. The high-side FET is turned on in three phases. In a first phase, the gate to source voltage of the FET is ramped up above a threshold voltage, causing the FET to conduct current. In the first phase, the output voltage does not rise. In a second phase, the output voltage rises to the supply voltage, but in this phase the gate to source voltage does not change. In the second phase, the FET operates in a Miller Region. Finally, in a third phase, the gate to source voltage rises again but the output voltage does not change.
In the Miller Region, as the output voltage slews upward to the supply voltage, the gate draws current from the charge pump to maintain the gate voltage higher than the supply voltage. Due to the current drawn from the charge pump in the Miller Region, the voltage level of the charge pump dips, which adversely affects the operation of the driver system. Also, if the output is short circuited to ground, large current flows from the high-side gate to the source through a Zener diode. As a result, the voltage at the charge pump dips, which adversely affects the operation of the driver system.

Driver circuit for full-bridge DC motor driver system


A wire profile comprises a rib portion and a plurality of teeth over the length of the rib portion. The teeth are sloped with a back slope representing the backbone of the teeth and a front slope representing the side in direct contact with fiber. The back slope has a tangent forming a hack angle with the rib portion, and the front slope is divided into at least two segments, a tip segment converging with the back slope to form a tip of the teeth and serving to penetrate between fibers, and an undercut segment to retain the fibers. The undercut segment has a tangent forming an undercut angle with the rib portion, and the undercut angle is at each point in the undercut segment greater than the maximum of the hack angle and smaller than the smallest value of the tip angle.

Carding is one of the fundamental operations in manufacturing of yarn and in the production of carded nonwoven products. Carding is a process that transforms the raw material, such as cotton, wool or polyester fibres, into a coherent web by disentangling and straightening the fibres and eliminating undesired materials. At the output side of the card, the web is combined into a so-called "sliver", a one dimensional ribbon of fibres; or transferred as a web to the next process. The control of fibres during the carding process is carried out through metallic and/or flexible card clothing and by control of the air flows. Although the basic principles underlying the carding process have not changed for over 100 years, there has been a constant improvement in the manufacturing technology thus resulting in an improved speed and efficiency.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,233,711, 4,964,195, 464,389, 5,755,012 and 6,408,487 relate to different metallic card clothing. WO00/26450 describes card clothing comprising a strip of profile wire having a plurality of longitudinally aligned teeth with respective overhanging tips. The edge-face of each tooth under the overhanging tip includes at least one undercut edge-segment spaced along the edge-face from the tip. This undercut edge-segment increases the retention of fibres by the edge-face during carding by means of a preferably substantially horizontal step in the undercut. WO00/26450 describes that for performance and lifetime related reasons, the undercut edge segments can be optimized by careful design, this statement, however, leaves the drawback unsolved that the wires cannot be made via state of the art rotary punching technology.
The prior art fails to address a desirable card clothing that has the following characteristics (i) a perfect control of the fibre, this is an extremely critical step during carding because the card clothing must not only be capable of penetrating into the fibre material, but also retain the fibre without resulting in damage to the fibres; (ii) desirable card clothing should be able to transfer the fibre between rollers clothed with wires, e.g. from the main cylinder to the removal cylinder known as doffer. An issue noted with the wire profile known in the art is that strong fibre taking capacity leads to fibre loading at the stop-start of the cards. It should be noted that the type of fibre also plays a major part in transfer for instance the card profile being used for woven or non-woven units. (iii) desirable card clothing should minimize the various macroscopic deformations to the fibres such as transverse compression, stretching and twisting; (iv) Certain wire profiles known in the art such as in WO 00/26450 cannot be produced by rotary punching technique and it is thus desirable that the card clothing be mass producible using rotary punching technique for specific geometries and; (v) must be wear resistant so that replacements of card clothing on the rollers and plates of the carding machines are less common thus saving time and maintenance costs. The wire profile known in the art have problems with decreased tooth strength due to stress concentration at the edges thus occurrence of breakage of part of tooth is common and the fibre retention capacity is lost.
In order to obtain desirable card clothing, major amount of research has been focussed on the geometry of the card clothing, these hook shaped card clothing act directly on the fibres to break down and tease the tufts into individual fibres; and to orient the fibres.
To manufacture card clothing, wire forms the basic starting material which is subjected to one or more drawing and rolling operations followed by punching a series of consecutive slots to form the teeth using a suitable mechanical stamping device as described in GB 2 257 164 A.
GB 2 257 164 A elaborates on two punching techniques, vertical and rotary, both these techniques are known for producing teeth in a blade. The vertical punching technique involves a vertically reciprocating cutter tool passing in and out of a shaped die over which the blade is temporarily held. Thus, in accordance with this known technique, the blade must be moved intermittently and periodically held stationary in order to perform the punching operation. One of the disadvantages with this technique is that it is a very slow process to manufacture saw toothed wire and it drastically impacts the efficiency of manufacturing rollers or replacing rollers, cylinders, doffers with saw toothed wires because the low volume output. The rotary punching technique on the other hand involves the use of a rotating cutting tool which is set to pass through a shaped die, over which the blade passes continuously. The advantage of this technique is the high speed and ability to manufacture saw toothed wires in kilometers of stretch in short span of time. U.S. Pat. No. 6,195,843 describes one rotating cutting tool which has a rotary milling spindle with a blanking tool attached to it, the angular position of the milling spindle can be continuously registered by means of an angular decoder, and the feed mechanism can be controlled on the basis of the angular position that has been determined in this manner. There is however a disadvantage with the rotary punching technique which is the limitation to manufacture any geometry and shapes of saw toothed wire. Furthermore GB 2 439 638 mentions the disadvantages of manufacturing card clothing using mechanical tool means (referring to vertical and rotary punching) and in particular mentions the problems of oxide residues during thermal treatment, production accuracy deteriorates with wear and tear on the tool and suggests to use laser for producing card clothing. Precision may be better since the laser beam doesn't wear during the process. A disadvantage of laser cutting is the high energy required. With part geometries, lasers also face the problem with a part absorbing more heat, and consequently the probability of thermal runaways or violent reactions like blowouts increases.


Optical communications system for the subscriber area with optical amplifiers.. The system according to the invention is used to distribute information signals, particularly telephone signals, from a center to a plurality of subscribers and to make possible a bidirectional transmission of telephone and data signals between the center and the subscribers. According to the invention, the network used for this purpose is a multistar fiber-optic network in which fiber-optic amplifiers (10, 11) are present between successive branch points. The information signals to be distributed are transmitted via the fiber-optic network with a first wavelength (.lambda..sub.1) to the subscribers, and the subscriber-specific information signals to be transmitted from the center (1) to the subscribers (T.sub.i) are converted by frequency modulation to a different frequency band (FB.sub.2) than the distribution signals (by frequency modulation) and transmitted to the subscribers at the same wavelength as the distribution signals, and the subscriber-specific signals to be transmitted from the subscribers (T.sub.i) to the center (1) are converted by frequency modulation to another frequency band (FB.sub.3) and are transmitted optically to the center with a second wavelength (.lambda..sub.2). This optical signal is amplified at suitable points (A) and several alternative embodiments for this amplification are indicated.

A system of this type is known from IEEE Technical Digest on Optical Amplifiers and their Applications, Monterey, August 1990, pp 232-235 (WB1). The system described there is a pure distribution system for television signals. A large number of subscribers is connected by means of a multistar fiber-optic network to a television center. Fiber-optic amplifiers are present between successive branch points of the fiber-optic network, each of which consists of an erbium-doped length of fiber and a pump source. A frequency band containing the television signals to be transmitted is converted into an optical signal with a wavelength of 1552 nm, and the optical system is transmitted via the fiber-optic network to the subscribers, where it is amplified in the fiber-optic amplifiers.
In many applications, there is the additional requirement for the transmission, in addition to the television signals, of signals of bidirectional services (dialog services), such as, e.g., telephone and data transmission services, between the center and the subscribers and vice versa.
An optical communications system that can transmit not only television signals but also signals of bidirectional services between a center and subscribers is known from German patent application DE-A1 39 07 495. In this, the center is connected by means of an optical waveguide with a front-end device containing a star coupler, from which subscriber-assigned optical waveguides lead to a group of subscribers. These signals to be transmitted from the center to the subscribers are converted as a frequency band into an optical signal with a first wavelength, and this optical signal is transmitted to the subscribers. The signals to be transmitted from the subscribers to the center are converted into signals with subscriber-assigned frequencies, and these are transmitted as optical signals with a second wavelength via the star coupler to the center. The number of subscribers that can be serviced with an optical transmission system of this type is limited to a relatively small number in such a system even if, as is mentioned there, optical amplifiers are present in the star couplers.
It is therefore the task of the invention to indicate an optical communications system of the type mentioned above that is suitable for a larger number of subscribers.


Disclosed is an improved procedure for the manufacture of a diagnostic test device comprising a matrix having uniformly dispersed a tetrazolium salt and a reagent system designed to convert the tetrazolium to its colored formazan upon contacting the matrix with a fluid containing an analyte whose presence and/or concentration is being sought. The procedure involves applying the tetrazolium salt to the matrix from its solution in an organic solvent and, after drying, applying the reagent system to the matrix from its aqueous solution to which has been added hexanesulfonate as wetting agent.

Tetrazolium salts, such as 2-(4-iodophenyl)-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-5-phenyl tetrazolium (INT), are useful in the measurement of analytes which can be converted to an equivalent concentration of NADH due to the reduction of the tetrazolium cation to its corresponding formazan which reduction can be accurately measured by colorimetric means.
A typical reagent system for determining concentration of an analyte, such as glucose, in body fluids is based on reductive chemistry wherein the primary components are hexokinase (HK), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PDH), diaphorase, nicotinamideadenine dinucleotide (NAD) and a tetrazolium salt as indicator. In operation, hexokinase catalyzes the reaction in which, in the presence of the analyte, e.g. glucose, and magnesium as enzyme activator a phosphate radical is taken from ATP thereby converting it to adenosine diphosphate to form glucose-6-phosphate which is oxidized in the presence of NAD and G-6-PDH thereby reducing NAD to NADH. The NADH, in the presence of diaphorase as electron acceptor, reduces the colorless tetrazolium salt to its colored formazan counterpart thereby providing a detectable response which is directly quantitative for the detection of NADH and indirectly quantitative for the analyte whose presence triggers the reduction of NAD to NADH.
Tetrazolium salt indicators are commonly used with dry reagent formulations which employ diaphorase or a chemical mediator in the color generating step. An adequate amount of the indicator must be present to completely consume the reducing equivalents that originate from the influx of an analyte such as glucose into the reagent system.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,655,382 discloses tetrazolium thiazolium salts in which the counteranion can be chloride, iodide, bromide, thiocyanate, thiosulfate, sulfate, paratoluenesulfonate, methylsulfate, ethyl sulfate, nitrate, acetate, perchlorate, perborate, sulfite, hydroxide or carbonate.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,221,864 the patentees state that one of the objects of their invention is to provide a novel light sensitive photographic material containing a tetrazolium compound. They point out that this and other objects can be attained by preparing a photographic material which comprises a support and at least one light sensitive silver halide layer and another hydrophylic colloidal layer coated on the support, one of which layers contains a tetrazolium salt. They point out that where the salt of a tetrazolium compound is used as a non-diffusible ingredient, such salt can be synthesized by reacting a tetrazolium cation with an anion capable of making the selected compound non-diffusible. Counteranions such as those derived from higher alkylbenzenesulfonic acids, e.g. dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid or a higher alkyl sulfuric acid such as lauryl sulfate are disclosed.
Co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 07/898,317 discloses sulfonate and phosphonate salts of tetrazolium compounds which exhibit unexpectedly high solubility in polar solvents. Also disclosed in this application is the manufacture of a test strip by first dipping a substrate in a methanol solution of the benzenesulfonate salt of tetrazolium indicator compounds and then contacting it with an aqueous solution of adenosine triphosphate.

Preparation of diagnostic test strips containing tetrazolium salt indicators


A through-the silicon via (TSV) structure providing a built-in TSV U-shaped FET that includes an annular gate shaped as a TSV partially embedded in a substrate, the annular gate having an inner and an outer surface bound by an oxide layer; a drain formed on an isolated epitaxial layer on top of the substrate conformally connecting the gate oxide layer surrounding the inner annular surface of the TSV; a source partially contacting said gate oxide layer conformally contacting gate oxide layer surrounding the outer surface of the TSV.

With the advance of the semiconductor manufacturing technology, more and more devices are integrated into a semiconductor circuit. Through-Silicon-Vias (TSV) extend all the way through the substrate so that electrical connections can be made from one major planar side of the substrate, perpendicularly through the substrate, and to an opposite major planar side of the substrate. Conventional TSVs are generally copper vias extending through the substrate of a semiconductor chip. The copper via structure is laterally electrically isolated from the substrate by a silicon oxide dielectric liner, and etched into a bulk substrate to a predetermined depth (e.g., 40 μm). The remainder bulk semiconductor below the bottom of the TSV can be utilized as a seed for epitaxial semiconductor or ultimately to be polished away.
TSVs are known to be suitable for high speed signal transmission in structures such as e.g., in an interposer or in a silicon circuit board.
A TSV structure generally includes a metal strip portion that extends through a relatively long and relatively small diameter hole. A method of forming the TSV structure starts with a substrate layer having a hole. A cylindrical metal sheath lines up within the cylindrical sidewall surface of the hole. The substrate layer preferably includes a layer of mono-crystalline semiconductor material having a first major surface disposed in a first plane, and a second major surface disposed in a second plane, where the first and second planes are parallel to one another and are generally separated by more than 75 microns. The hole typically has a small diameter hole, usually less than 100 microns.
Referring to FIG. 1A, a conventional TSV is shown having a metal pad contact 113 covering the entire top surface of the TSV, typically utilized in a C-V measurement with terminals determined by the contacted TSV top surface, illustrated by a cross-sectional plane 116 and surrounded by silicon substrate 120. The resulting measurement is sensitive to leakage and oxide variation in a large area consisting of an annular shaped TSV 112 surrounded by the TSV dielectric liner 111 and substrate 120.
Referring to FIG. 1B, a top-down cross-sectional plane 106 is shown framing the conventional TSV 112 embedded within substrate 120. The substrate can be made of Si, GE, SiAs, silicon-germanium alloy, and the like. The substrate is depicted having a top metal layer 113 embedded in dielectric fill 119. The TSV is further shown surrounded by dielectric liner 111. The region of the TSV surrounded by dielectric liner 111 is referred to as the core of the TSV, the core 131 filled with dielectric resting on the substrate.
Still referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the TSV structure is illustrated having an inner and an outer region of the substrate, the regions separated by TSV 112 annulus. The semiconducting material of substrate 120 within the TSV annulus is isolated from the semiconducting material substrate within the exterior of the TSV. The two regions communicate electrically only by way of the semiconducting material substrate 120 surrounding the bottom surface of the TSV annulus along the entirety of the annulus bottom surface. Therefore, the deeper the TSV, the longer is the bottom surface of the TSV 112, as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 1A. Electrical current flowing through the semiconducting material substrate 120 connecting the inner and outer regions will therefore decrease as the bottom surface of the TSV becomes longer, or conversely the TSV becomes deeper while keeping all the remaining electrical parameters constant for comparison. Additionally, the electrical current varies when the TSV 112 metal electrical potential changes.
Conventional TSVs are generally unable to characterize the integrity of the TSV dielectric liner 111, particularly when the TSV dielectric liner is physically cracked, causing an increase in the flow of electrical current between the TSV 112 metal and the surrounding semiconducting material of substrate 120, which should normally be electrically isolated from each other for optimal use.
The previously described problem is further amplified by having the electrical channel surrounding the entire bottom surface of the TSV via the annulus. Any crack anywhere on the bottom surface can create sufficient electrical current leakage between the TSV 112 metal and either one of the inner or outer TSV regions.
A further problem can be created by the inability to interrogate the integrity of the TSV dielectric liner 111 by detecting copper metal that diffuses out of the TSV via annulus. The copper metal generally degrades the semiconducting properties of the channels.
In summary, the electrical measurements of capacitance generally do not cover the entire depth of the TSV and are therefore of limited use when charactering the overall integrity of the TSV liner. The liner can have a varying thickness along its depth, and can crack at different spots of its surface, or cannot block diffusion of copper from the TSV metal to the semiconducting material surrounding the TSV. Moreover, copper contamination of the semiconducting material surrounding the TSV can degrade the performance of devices in circuits outside the TSV.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to create a structure and a method of manufacturing the same making contact to the TSV core using an epitaxial layer and an annular TSV forming an FET, particularly when the FET is U-shaped. The desired structure should further be capable to provide a characterization to overcomes the limitations with other characterization structures and complement them, and further to make it possible to determine the integrity of the TSV dielectric liner.

TSV structure with a built-in U-shaped FET transistor for improved characterization

International Business Machines Corporation


2,4-Diarylpyrimidines of the formula ##STR1## wherein R is selected from the group consisting of ##STR2## R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, Br, Cl, F, C.tbd.N, CF.sub.3 and OCF.sub.3 ;. R.sub.3 is selected from the group consisting of H, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, CO.sub.2 CH.sub.3, CO.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3, CH.sub.2 Cl, CH.sub.2 OCH.sub.3, CH.dbd.CH.sub.2, C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 thioalkyl, and C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkoxy; PA0 R.sub.4 is selected from the group consisting of H, --OH, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 thioalkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkoxy; and PA0 R.sub.5 is selected from the group consisting of H and F are useful as herbicidal agents.

This invention relates to substituted 2,4-diarylpyrimidines and to their use in herbicidal formulations. In particular, this invention relates to substituted 2,4-diarylpyrimidines of the formula ##STR3## wherein R is selected from the group consisting of ##STR4## R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, Br, Cl, F, C.tbd.N, CF.sub.3 and OCF.sub.3 ;
R.sub.3 is selected from the group consisting of H, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, CO.sub.2 CH.sub.3, CO.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3, CH.sub.2 Cl, CH.sub.2 OCH.sub.3, CH.dbd.CH.sub.2, C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 thioalkyl, and C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkoxy;
R.sub.4 is selected from the group consisting of H, --OH, C.sub.1 -DC.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 thioalkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkoxy; and PA0 R.sub.5 is selected from the group consisting of H and F.
The compounds of the present invention, as will be seen from the description and test data which follows, have utility as both pre-emergence and post-emergence herbicides, against a wide range of plant species. The preferred method of application is pre-emergence, and is particularly useful on wheat, corn, soy, milo and rice crops in view of its selectivity.
The terms "herbicide" and "herbicidal" are used herein to denote the inhibitive control or modification of undesired plant growth. Inhibitive control and modification include all deviations from natural development such as, for example, total killing, growth retardation, defoliation, desiccation, regulation, stunting, tillering, stimulation, leaf burn, and dwarfing. The term "herbicidally effective amount" is used to denote any amount which achieves such control or modification when applied to the undesired plants themselves or to the area in which these plants are growing. The term "plants" is intended to include germinant seeds, emerging seedlings and established vegetation, including both roots and above-ground portions.

Substituted 2,4-diarylpyrimidines and their use as herbicides


A seal according to the present disclosure includes a plate, and a floating shoe supported with respect to the plate in a first direction. The floating shoe has a sealing feature extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. At least one bearing is between the plate and the floating shoe. The bearing is configured to facilitate movement of the floating shoe with respect to the plate in the second direction.

Gas turbine engines have various sealing requirements. For example, rotating components are often sealed with respect to stationary components. More particularly, a turbine in a gas turbine engine can have a stationary structure and a rotating structure, with a seal in between.
Adaptive seals can be used in areas that are subject to varying fluid flow and/or movement of rotating or stationary structures during engine operations. Adaptive seals are dynamic in that they can provide sealing despite these changes in fluid flow and/or movement of structures. In particular, hydrostatic seals are a type of adaptive seal that can adapt to changes in fluid pressure.
Adaptive seals can include one or more components that move or float with respect to other components to provide the adaptive functionality. Such movement or floating can be subject to friction between moving/floating components and stationary components. Friction reduces the effectiveness of the seal by reducing the ability of floating/moving components to move. Friction also causes wear on seal components.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine including the seal and a method of sealing a rotating component with respect to a stationary component are also disclosed.


An automatic and network-transparent “handover convenience information support” method for a subscriber of a primary communications process in which an handover takes place—wherein this handover process can comprise arbitrary times prior or after the “actual handover”.

This invention discloses an automatic and network-transparent "handover convenience information support" method (HOCIS method) for a subscriber (SUBC) of a primary communications process (PTCP) in which a handover takes place—wherein this handover process can comprise arbitrary times prior to or after the handover actual handover.
"Convenience information support" thereby means inter alia that the subscriber has not necessarily requested the convenience information, but he nevertheless as a rule regards this then unasked-for support as convenient or helpful, such as for example a passenger on a flight regarding associated announcements/references/measures (=convenience information support) at the departure or arrival airport. As opposed to such often uniform measures the convenience information is as a rule individually configurable by someone affected by it. The convenience information for such a subscriber takes place by transferring to him relevant information as regards the actual handover—which can be potential or current or retrospective—during the handover process which was supplied for this by at least one non-human module in at least one system of at least one secondary telecommunications process (STCP) for the subscribers of the primary telecommunications process.

Handover process and information support for communication transfer between telecommunication networks

Abstract: “Convenience information support” means that this PTCP-SUBC has not necessarily requested the convenience information, but he nevertheless regards this then unasked-for support as convenient or helpful, such as for example a passenger on a flight regarding associated announcements/references/measures at the departure or arrival airport. As opposed to such often uniform measures the convenience information is as a rule individually configurable by someone affected by it. The convenience support information for a subscriber takes place by transferring to him relevant information as regards this actual handover—which can be potential or current or retrospective—during the handover-process which was supplied for this by at least one non-human module in at least one system of at least one secondary telecommunications process.

Sigram Schindler Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH


A method for design of a fuel assembly for nuclear reactors, including structural components made from zirconium alloy: the mean uniaxial tensile or compressive stress to which the components are subjected during the assembly life is calculated, the zirconium alloy of which the components are made is selected according to the following criteria: those components subjected to an axial or transverse compressive stress of between −10 et −20 MPa are made from an alloy with a content of Sn between Sn=(=0.025σ−0.25)% and Sn=−0.05σ%: those components subjected to such a stress of between 0 et −10 MPa are made from an alloy the Sn content of which is between Sn=traces and Sn=(0.05σ+1)%: those components subjected to such a stress of between 0 and +10 MPa are made from an alloy the Sn content of which is between Sn=0.05% and Sn=(0.07σ+1)%: and those components subjected to such a stress of between +10 and +20 MPa are made from an alloy the content of SN of which is between 0.05% and 1.70%. A fuel assembly made according to the method.

In the core of a boiling water (BWR) or pressurized water (PWR) nuclear reactor, the fuel assembly components made of zirconium alloy are subjected to severe stresses which lead to their deformation. The main components affected are the mixer grids, the guide thimbles, the tubes containing the fuel pellets and the cans.
Deformation of the structural components of the assembly can cause numerous problems in use. For example, during operation, deformation of the assembly as a whole, caused essentially by deformation of the guide thimbles or of the can, can interfere with the operation of the control clusters which permit control of the reactor. Or, during operations of loading and unloading the reactor core, deformation of components such as the grids or the can increases friction and the risks of catching. This often leads the plant operator to reduce the handling speeds, thus increasing the time for which the reactor is not available. Likewise, beyond a certain threshold, deformation of the components means that they are no longer able to perform their functions completely safely and can lead the plant operator to unload the fuel assembly in question prematurely.
The stresses to which these components are subjected are substantially:                temperature;        mechanical stresses which are liable to cause creep of the components;        corrosion by the water circulating in the reactor;        hydriding;        irradiation by the neutron flux, which leads to phenomena of enlargement (free growth) and intensifies corrosion.
The choices of the materials used to produce the structural components of the assembly and the size thereof must take into account all these stresses. Different grades of zirconium alloy have been developed for that purpose, but the choice of a material remains empirical, often resulting in the use of the same alloy for different components, such as the mixer grids and the guide thimbles (PWR) or the cans (BWR), even when they are not subjected to the same stresses.

Method for designing a fuel assembly optimized as a function of the stresses in use in light-water nuclear reactors, and resulting fuel assembly


Provided are systems and methods for minimizing co-channel interference on-board a satellite. An up-link signal received by the satellite is post-compensated, where the up-link signal includes a desired signal transmitted by a first transmitter and an interfering signal transmitted by a second transmitter. The post-compensating includes identifying the interfering signal based on post-compensation parameters. In addition, a down-link signal to be transmitted from the satellite to a receiver is pre-compensated. The pre-compensation process includes determining gain relations between a gain of a first satellite antenna which transmits the down-link in a direction of the receiver and a gain of a second satellite antenna which transmits an interfering signal in the direction of the receiver, sampling and scaling interfering signals at the satellite based on the gain relations, and estimating a co-channel down-link interference component that the down-link signal is expected to experience on a path to the receiver.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to systems and methods for minimizing co-channel interference in signals sent to or received from a satellite, and more particularly, to systems and methods for reducing the co-channel interference on-board a satellite.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is commonplace for communications satellites to receive and transmit signals from and to ground stations in a number of different beam coverage areas, while utilizing the same uplink and/or downlink frequencies. Such frequency reuse schemes (e.g., using different polarization or spatial/geographic isolation) increase the overall satellite capacity, as measured by the throughput data rate in bits per second, but also introduce co-channel interference between the signals in the various beams.
The co-channel interference is evident between beams with identical polarization but it is also present between beams with opposite polarization (cross-polarization). The co-channel interference varies with the number of beams that share the same frequency band and the isolation between beams, as well as the relative location of transmit and receive earth stations with reference to the centers of the corresponding satellite beams. The co-channel interference also depends on the relative power between the carriers transmitted in the different beams.
In the related art, the antennas of the traditional communications satellites are designed in such a way that co-channel interference is in the order of 22 dB, thereby allowing the operation of carriers with signal to noise ratios (SNR) of up to 20 dB. Two methods are used to achieve this goal: 'Spatial Isolation' where, the beams serve different geographical regions as shown in FIG. 1A; and 'Polarization Isolation' where beams that could serve similar areas uses opposite polarization as shown in FIG. 1B. In the first method, in general, the isolation between beam centers is better than 27 dB. In the second method the polarization isolation of the satellite and the terrestrial antennas plays an important role minimizing the co-channel interference. In general the polarization isolation of the satellite antennas is better than 27 dB while the polarization isolation of the terrestrial antennas varies but it is recommended to be better than 26 dB.
If the isolation between beams is reduced due to a reduction of the geographical distance between beams or use of satellite antennas with less isolation, the corresponding SNR is likely to be reduced due to the increase in co-channel interferance. Consequently, either the link quality is degraded or the throughput (typically expressed in bits per second, bps) transmitted through the satellite link is reduced. In other words, the bandwidth efficiency is reduced (bandwidth efficiency typically expressed in bps per Hertz, bps/Hz).
As an example of geographic/spatial frequency reuse in related art satellites, one beam might cover the Western Hemisphere (WH, e.g., the Americas) and another beam, using the same frequency range might cover the Eastern Hemisphere (EH e.g., Europe and Africa), a shown in FIG. 1A. As shown in FIG. 1A, the frequency plan in this scenario uses the same frequency and same frequency bands of 72 MHz as well as the same polarization (Pol. A) for both beams for up-link and down-link signals, since the beams are spatially isolated. An example of the polarization isolation frequency reuse in related art satellites is shown in FIG. 1B. As shown, the beam for the North East Zone (NEZ) serves an area similar to the beam for the Eastern Hemisphere (EH). Therefore, as shown in the frequency plan, both beams use the same frequency and same frequency bands of 72 MHz but use opposite polarization for up-link and down-link signals. In particular, the beam for the EH uses Pol. A, whereas the beam for the NEZ uses Pol. B.
When beams use linear polarization covering similar areas, the polarization isolation is achieved by using horizontal and vertical polarizations on each respective beam. Instead, if the beams use circular polarization, the polarization isolation is achieved using right and left hand polarizations.
Although FIGS. 1A and 1B show traditional bent-pipe satellites implementing "Spatial Isolation" and "Polarization Isolation" to minimize co-channel interference, the "Spatial Isolation" and "Polarization Isolation" techniques could also be implemented in on-board processing satellite. As understood by a skilled artisan, the traditional bent-pipe satellites receive signals from earth station, amplify the received signals and if necessary, shift the uplink frequency to a downlink frequency, and transmit the amplified (and possibly shifted) signal to an earth station. On the other hand, in-board processing satellites, the received signal is demodulated, decoded, re-encoded, and modulated before being transmitted to an earth station.
The ability to advantageously exploit geographic (spatial) frequency re-use is limited by various factors including the distance between the beam centers, the beam gain roll off with distance from the center of one beam towards another co-frequency beam, and the number of co-frequency beams. These factors are a function of the satellite antenna design and quality. An additional factor is the level difference of the signals transmitted in the different beams from the earth stations (uplink case) or from the satellite (downlink case, also referred to below as down-link case). As an example consider the case where two earth stations transmitting on the same frequency, one in Cape Town transmitting to the Eastern Hemisphere Beam and the other in New York transmitting to the Western Hemisphere Beam. If the isolation between the two beams for the stations at New York and Cape Town is 26 dB and the two stations are transmitting at the same level, the uplink co-channel interference ratio would be 26 dB. However, if the New York station were to increase its uplink level by 6 dB then the effective uplink co-channel isolation at Cape Town would be reduced by 6 dB to 20 dB resulting in a co-channel interference ratio of 20 dB. In related art satellite designs there could be 4 to 6 beams that are co-channel or beams reusing the same frequency band. So the uplink levels of earth stations transmitting to the additional two to four beams would have to be taken into consideration in this example.
In the newer related art satellite designs employing multiple circular spot beams (called multi-spot) as shown in FIG. 2, there can be forty or more beams, on the order of ten of which are co-channel, covering areas with diameters of only a few hundred miles. FIG. 2 illustrates four circular spot beams 1-4. As shown in the frequency plan, all four beams 1-4 use the same frequency and same frequency bands of 250 MHz for up-link and down-link signals, but beams 1 and 3 use Pol. A, whereas beams 2 and 4 use Pol. B to achieve polarization isolation. For these satellites the beam isolation provided by the satellite antenna alone may not always be sufficient to obtain the desired beam to beam isolation—In addition, uplink level differences for earth stations transmitting in nine or more beams must be considered.
The spatial isolation and the polarization isolation methods utilized in the traditional satellites that support open networks architecture to minimize the impact of the co-channel interference limit the number of beams, and as a consequence limit the total satellite throughput capacity. In general, a traditional satellite will reuse frequencies and polarizations two or three times to achieve a total useful bandwidth between 2 and 3 GHz. Some satellites that support closed-network architecture use a large number of beams (multi-beams) but there is an associated network management system that assigns the carriers' frequencies, interleaving them to reduce the co-channel interference. This solution also limits the total satellite capacity because, in this case, when one carrier operates at a given frequency in one beam other carriers at the same frequency in the co-channel beams are not allowed to operate. As a consequence, some of the satellite resources need to be available all the time but are rarely used. This type of satellite typically has 20 GHz of equipped bandwidth, but the useful bandwidth is reduced to 12 or 14 GHz at a given time due to interleaved managed operation.
The discussion so far has focused mainly on the uplink case. The same considerations apply to the downlink; when co-channel interference is introduced in the downlink signals, i.e., the signals transmitted from the satellite to the ground stations, the achievable received SNR at the receiver ground station for a given downlink signal is lowered.

System and method for canceling co-channel interference on-board a satellite


A view adjustment portion includes a vertex at a position offset from a driver between a position opposed to the driver and a center position of the vehicle and includes right and left edges uniformly sloped down from the vertex toward each side in the vehicle width direction. On the interior surface of the view adjustment portion, textures densest and smallest in the vicinity of the vertex are provided. This can prevent the driver's visual focus to be directed to the vicinity of the vertex T and guide the driver's visual focus in the travel direction of the vehicle. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the driver from feeling disturbance by a portion of the view adjustment portion around the vertex.

The present invention relates to a view adjustment method and a view adjustment device for a vehicle in which a front windshield is provided with a view adjustment portion in a lower part thereof to adjust a driver's front field of view.
As a conventional view adjustment method for a vehicle, as disclosed in the Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-211355, there has been known a method of screening a lower part of the front windshield and adjusting the driver's front field of view to enhance safety in driving vehicles.

View adjustment method and view adjustment device for a vehicle