A process for making a solid composition comprising alkoxide groups, chloride groups, one or more metals, M, in the +2 oxidation state selected from Mg, Ca, Mn, Cu, Co or Zn, and one or more metals, T, in the +3, +4 or +5 oxidation state selected from Ti, Zr, V, Sm, Fe, Ni, Rh, Co, Cr, Mo, W or Hf, the molar ratio M/T of the composition being from 2.5 to 3.75, said process comprising contacting one or more alkoxide containing compounds of metal M, one or more alkoxide compounds of metal T, and a halide compound, the molar ratio M/T of the contacting compounds being from 2.5 to 3.5, and recovering the resulting solid.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mixed metal alkoxide complexes useful as precursors for polymerization procatalysts that are ultimately useful in polymerizing xcex1-olefins. The precursor complexes can be prepared by reacting a mixture of various metal alkoxides, halides or amides in the presence of a clipping agent to form a solid complex. The solid complex then can be used to form a procatalyst by contacting it with a halogenating agent and optionally an electron donor. The procatalyst then can be converted to an olefin polymerization catalyst by contacting it with a cocatalyst and optionally a selectivity control agent
2. Description of Related Art
Polymers and copolymers of lower xcex1-olefins, particularly, ethylene, propylene and butylene are widely used throughout the world. These polymeric products are relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and they exhibit a number of commercially useful properties. These polymers are most commonly utilized in the form of highly crystalline solids. During the polymerization process, whether it be by liquid pool, gas phase, slurry phase or any other commonly utilized process, it is beneficial for the polymer particles (and consequently the catalyst particles) to be of a satisfactory shape and size. As examples: denser particles allow for higher hourly production rates; spheroidal particles allow for higher polymer bulk density; narrow particle size distribution allows for better gas phase fluidization. Overly small catalyst and polymer particles (commonly called fines) are also undesirable.
When ethylene is polymerized, the process is less complicated than with higher olefins in that the product type is not greatly influenced by the manner in which the ethylene molecules add to the growing polymeric chain during polymerization. The polymeric product of ethylene does not generally exist in stereoisomeric forms. The simpler catalysts required to effect this polymerization can normally be obtained by straightforward chlorination of a catalyst precursor. If the shape of the catalyst particle and thus the shape of the resulting polymer particle is of importance, the catalyst precursor must be sufficiently robust so that it can withstand the rigors of this chlorination step.
When propylene is polymerized, however, the presence of pendant methyl groups on the polymeric chain provides a possibility of several product types, depending on the steric regularity with which propylene molecules add to the growing chain. Much if not most of the commercial polypropylene results from the stereoregular addition of propylene molecules in a regular head-to-tail manner. The form of polymer having a substantial proportion of random addition of propylene units is termed atactic and this amorphous form is less desirable. If present in a significant proportion, the atactic polymer must be removed through an extraction process to provide a more desirable crystalline material.
These polymers typically are formed by using a polymerization catalyst. The activity of the catalyst is significant in that the more polymer produced per unit weight of catalyst the better. The early titanium, chromium or vanadium catalysts were of low activity and the product contained a significant proportion of catalyst residues. These residues had to be removed in an effort to obtain commercially satisfactory properties.
More recent titanium-based olefin polymerization catalysts are stereoregulating and have sufficient activity to avoid extraction and deashing. These high activity catalysts typically are prepared via chlorination of a magnesium containing precursor, in the presence of an electron donor compound, to form a solid procatalyst that usually contains magnesium, titanium and halide moieties, and comprises additionally a cocatalyst (usually an organoaluminum compound) and an optional selectivity control agent (SCA) for propylene polymerization. The magnesium containing complex is typically referred to as a xe2x80x9cprecursorxe2x80x9d, the solid titanium-containing compound typically is referred to as a xe2x80x9cprocatalystxe2x80x9d, the organoaluminum compound, whether complexed or not, usually is referred to as the xe2x80x9ccocatalystxe2x80x9d and the third component external electron donor, whether used separately or partially or totally complexed with the organoaluminum compound, is referred to as the xe2x80x9cselectivity control agent.xe2x80x9d Throughout this disclosure, these terms will be used in accordance with the aforementioned designations. As before, if the shape of the catalyst particle and thus the shape of the resulting polymer particle is of importance, the catalyst precursor must be sufficiently robust so that it can withstand the rigors of the chlorination process.
Many chemical combinations of procatalysts, cocatalysts and selectivity control agents are known in the art to produce active catalysts. Through considerable experience, however, certain materials are of greater interest than others. For example, there is significant research in the area of procatalysts, which typically contain some chemical combination of magnesium, titanium tetrachloride and an internal electron donor. These internal electron donors usually are oxygen containing compounds such as tetrahydrofuran and aromatic esters such as ethyl benzoate or ethyl p-toluate. Conventional cocatalysts include an aluminum trialkyl such as triethylaluminum or triisobutylaluminum that is often complexed with a portion of the selectivity control agent (or external electron donor), which also is typically an aromatic ester or an organosilane. Although variations in any of these catalyst components will influence the performance of the resultant catalyst, the component that appears to offer the greatest opportunity for modification to produce greater catalyst activity is the procatalyst.
The literature is rife with disclosures relating to the various known methods of preparing procatalysts. For example, Kioka, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,330,649, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, describes a solid catalyst component (procatalyst) that is prepared by heating a soluble magnesium compound such as magnesium chloride with a higher alcohol in the presence of an ester to produce a solution. This solution contains a xe2x80x9cprecursorxe2x80x9d of the procatalyst, which then is added to titanium tetrachloride and an electron donor (internal) to form the procatalyst. A number of United States patents issued to Robert C. Job (and Robert C. Job, et al.,) describe various mechanisms for preparing magnesium-containing, titanium-containing compounds that are useful as precursors for the production of procatalysts that are ultimately useful in preparing catalysts for the polymerization of xcex1-olefins. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,034,361; 5,082,907; 5,151,399; 5,229,342; 5,106,806; 5,146,028; 5,066,737; 5,122,494, 5,124,298, and 5,077,357, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety, disclose various procatalyst precursors. U.S. Pat. No. 5,034,361 discloses solubilizing a magnesium alkoxide in an alkanol solvent by interaction of the magnesium alkoxide compound and certain acidic materials. This magnesium alkoxide then can be used either directly as a magnesium-containing catalyst precursor, or can be reacted with various titanium compounds to produce a magnesium and titanium-containing catalysts precursor.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,082,907; 5,151,399; 5,229,342; 5,106,806; 5,146,028; 5,066,737; 5,122,494, 5,124,298, and 5,077,357 disclose various magnesium and titanium-containing catalyst precursors, some of which are prepared by using the aforementioned magnesium alkoxide as a starting material. These precursors are not active polymerization catalysts, and they do not contain any effective amounts of electron donor. Rather, the precursors are used as starting materials in a subsequent conversion to an active procatalyst. Magnesium and titanium-containing procatalysts are formed by chlorinating the magnesium and titanium-containing precursor with a tetravalent titanium halide, an optional hydrocarbon and an optional electron donor. The resulting procatalyst solid then is separated from the reaction slurry (by filtration, precipitation, crystallization, and the like). These procatalysts then are converted to polymerization catalysts by reaction with, for example, an organoaluminum compound and a selectivity control agent.
While these magnesium and titanium-containing procatalysts are very effective in producing polyolefins, they are not as effective in producing polyolefins with unconventional properties. For example, these traditional Ziegler-Natta procatalysts typically are not used, in conjunction with other catalysts (i.e., metallocenes), to make polymers having a bimodal molecular weight distribution. The magnesium and titanium-containing procatalysts known in the art also are not prepared to have specifically tailored catalyst decay rates, which is a useful attribute in assuring homogeneous product composition over a range of reactor residence times, and is a useful attribute when the catalyst is used in consecutive reactor polyolefin processes. In addition, these procatalysts are sensitive to esoteric, or unconventional comonomers, like dienes and the like, and they typically lose a substantial portion of their activity in the presence of such comonomers.
There exists a need to develop a procatalyst precursor that can be converted to an olefin polymerization catalyst capable of producing polymers in high yield, low fines, improved average particle size and increased bulk density. There also exists a need to provide a method of making a substantially spheroidal procatalyst having controlled catalyst decay rates, and a method of making a substantially spheroidal procatalyst capable of making tailored polymer particles having desired molecular weight distributions (narrow, broad, dissimilar, etc.). In addition, there exists a need to develop a precursor that can be converted into a polymerization catalyst that is not severely poisoned by esoteric olefin comonomers, and which has excellent activity. A need also exists to develop a precursor and method of making a precursor that does not suffer from any of the aforementioned disadvantages.
In accordance with these and other features of the invention, there is provided a mixed metal complex precursor containing, as the mixed metal portion, (M1M2)x(T1T2)y where M1and M2 may be the same or different and are selected from one or more metals having a +2 oxidation state, T1 and T2 may be the same or different and are selected from one or more metals having oxidation states of +3, +4 and +5, and wherein the molar ratio of x/y is about 2.5 to 3.75, with the proviso that if M1and M2 are both Mg then T1 and T2 cannot both be chosen from Zr and Ti+4. The precursor also has, complexed to the mixed metal portion, at least one group selected from alkoxide groups, phenoxide groups, halides, hydroxy groups, carboxyl groups and amide groups. The invention also provides a method of making the precursor comprising contacting a mixture of M1and M2 metal alkoxides, halides, carboxyls, amides, phenoxides or hydroxides with a mixture of T1 and T2 metal alkoxides, halides, carboxyls, amides, phenoxides or hydroxides to form a solid precursor complex, and then separating the solid complex from the mixture. In accordance with this method, a clipping agent preferably is used and, optionally, a halide and an aliphatic alcohol can be used to form the solid precursor complex.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, there is provided a procatalyst prepared by reacting the above-mentioned precursor with an appropriate halogenating agent, and optional electron donor, where the procatalyst, when converted to a catalyst and used to polymerize at least one olefin, has improved catalytic activity and yields polymer having a broad molecular weight distribution, excellent bulk density, melt index, flow index and melt flow rate. In addition, the catalyst has a controlled catalyst decay rate.
The invention also provides a high activity olefin polymerization procatalyst that comprises: (i) the procatalyst precursor comprising the mixed metal portion as described above; (ii) an electron donor; (iii) a halide of tetravalent titanium; and (iv) optionally, a hydrocarbon. The invention additionally provides a high activity olefin polymerization catalyst that comprises: (i) the above-described procatalyst; (ii) an organoaluminum cocatalyst; and (iii) an optional selectivity control agent. The invention also provides methods of making each of the above-described precursors, procatalysts and catalysts. In addition, the invention provides methods of polymerizing olefins (homopolymers, copolymers, terpolymers, etc.) by contacting an olefin monomer (or monomers) with the above-described high activity olefin polymerization catalyst.
These and other features of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the detailed description that follows.
Throughout this description, the expression xe2x80x9cclipping agentxe2x80x9d denotes a species that is capable of assisting in the breakup of a polymeric magnesium alkoxide. Specifically, clipping agents include: (i) those species which, in large excess are capable of dissolving magnesium alkoxides; (ii) large anions; and (iii) those that prevent magnesium alkoxides from polymerizing.
Throughout this description the term xe2x80x9cprecursorxe2x80x9d and the expression xe2x80x9cprocatalyst precursorxe2x80x9d denotes a solid material that contains a mixture of M1, M2, T1, and T2 metals, (keeping in mind that M1, M2, T1, and T2 each can comprise more than one metal), but does not contain an electron donor, and which can be converted to a xe2x80x9cprocatalystxe2x80x9d (defined below) by contacting it with a halogenating agent such as alkylaluminum halide or tetravalent titanium halide (preferably TiCl4) and optionally an electron donor. Throughout this description, the term xe2x80x9cprocatalystxe2x80x9d denotes a solid material that is an active catalyst component, and that can be converted to a polymerization catalyst by contact with an organoaluminum compound (preferably triethyl aluminum (TEAL) and aluminoxane), and an optional external donor, or selectivity control agent.
The present invention relates to a mixed metal alkoxide complex precursor containing, as the mixed metal portion, (M1M2)x(T1T2)y where M1and M2 may be the same or different and are selected from one or more metals having a +2 oxidation state, T1 and T2 may be the same or different and are selected from one or more metals having oxidation states of +3, +4 and +5, and wherein the molar ratio of x/y is from about 2.5 to about 3.75, with the proviso that if M1and M2 are both Mg, then T1 and T2 cannot both be chosen from Zr and Ti+4. The precursor also has, complexed to the mixed metal portion, at least one group selected from alkoxide groups, phenoxide groups, halides, hydroxy groups, carboxyl groups and amide groups.
It is preferred in the present invention that M1and M2 are one or more metals selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Mn, Cu, Co and Zn, and mixtures thereof, and more preferably M1and M2 are selected from Mg, Mn, and Co. Most preferably, M1and M2 are the same and are Mg. It also is preferred in the present invention that T1 and T2 are one or more metals selected from the group consisting of Ti (Ti+3 and Ti+4), Zr, V (V+4 and V+5), Sm, Fe, Sn, Ni, Rh, Co, Cr., Mo, W and Hf, and mixtures thereof, more preferably T1 and T2 are selected from Ti and Zr. In addition, the mixture of T1 and T2 preferably is not a mixture of titanium and zirconium.
The molar ratio of the M1and M2 metals to the T1 and T2 metals, (i.e., the ratio of x/y) preferably is within the range of from 2.5 to 3.75, more preferably within the range of from 2.7 to 3.5 and most preferably, the molar ratio is 3. The mixed metal alkoxide precursor also has, complexed to the mixed metal portion, at least one group selected from alkoxide groups, phenoxide groups, halides, hydroxy groups, carboxyl groups and amide groups. Preferably, alkoxide groups and halide groups are complexed to the mixed metal portion to form the mixed metal alkoxide precursor of the present invention.
The mixed metal alkoxide precursor can be made by any method capable of forming a complex between the mixture of metals, and the additional complexing groups, at least one of which is selected from alkoxide groups, phenoxide groups, halides, hydroxy groups, carboxyl groups and amide groups. Preferably, the precursor is prepared by contacting a mixture of M1and M2 metal alkoxides, halides, carboxyls, amides, phenoxides or hydroxides with a mixture of T1 and T2 metal alkoxides, halides, carboxyls, amides, phenoxides or hydroxides to form a solid precursor complex, and then separating the solid complex from the mixture. In accordance with this method, a clipping agent preferably is used and, optionally, an aliphatic alcohol can be used to form the solid precursor complex. In addition, a halide can be used during the preparation of the mixed metal alkoxide precursor complex, preferably a chloride, and most preferably, TiCl4.
A particularly preferred method of making the mixed metal alkoxide precursor of the invention is shown in the table below.
Any clipping agent that is capable of carrying out the functions described above can be used in the present invention. Clipping agents useful in the present invention include species which in large amounts will dissolve the magnesium alkoxide, large anions, and species that prevent the magnesium alkoxide from polymerizing. Preferably, the clipping agents are selected from cresol, 3-methoxyphenol, 4-dimethylaminophenol, 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol or p-chlorophenol, HCHO, CO2, B(OEt)3, SO2, Al(OEt)3, CO3=, Brxe2x88x92, (O2COEt)xe2x88x92, Si(OR)4, Rxe2x80x2Si(OR)3, and P(OR)3. In the above compounds, R and Rxe2x80x2 represent hydrocarbon groups, preferably alkyl groups, containing from 1-10 carbon atoms, and preferably R and Rxe2x80x2 are the same or different and are methyl or ethyl. Other agents that release large anions or form large anions in situ (i.e., clipping agent precursors) can be used, such as MgBr2, carbonized magnesium ethoxide (magnesium ethyl carbonate), calcium carbonate, and the like. Thus, the expression xe2x80x9cclipper anionxe2x80x9d mentioned in the table above denotes these anions.
The clipping agent preferably is used in an amount less than that required to fully dissolve the magnesium alkoxide. Preferably, the clipping agent is used in an amount ranging from 0 (if a clipping agent precursor is used) to 0.67 moles of clipping agent for every mole of the mixture of M1and M2. More preferably, the clipping agent is used in an amount ranging from about 0.01 moles to about 0.3 moles, and most preferably, from about 0.03 moles to about 0.15 moles per mole of the mixture of M1and M2.
Any alcohol or mixtures of alcohols can be used to prepare the mixed metal alkoxide complex precursor. Preferably, the alcohol is an aliphatic alcohol, and more preferably, the alcohol is selected from methanol, ethanol, butanol, propanol, i-propyl alcohol, n-butyl alcohol, n-propyl alcohol, and mixtures thereof Most preferably the alcohol is ethanol, butanol, and mixtures thereof.
The mixed metal alkoxide complex precursor can be produced by any of the methods described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,122,494, 5,124,298, and 5,371,157, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety, including the modification of substituting the magnesium alkoxide and titanium tetraalkoxide with suitable mixed metal compounds (i.e., halides, alkoxides, amides, etc. of M1, M2, T1, and T2). The complex mixed metal-containing alkoxide compound preferably can be produced by reacting one or more M1and M2 alkoxides, one or more T1 or T2 alkoxides, a halide selected from TiCl3 TiCl4, VCl4, FeCl3, SnCl4, HfCl4, MnCl2, MgCl2, and SmCl3, and an optional phenolic compound in the presence of an inert reaction diluent. The diluent then can be removed to produce, as a particulate solid, the complex alkoxide compound. This solid then can be treated with a halogenating agent to produce an olefin polymerization procatalyst, which then can be used, in the optional presence of selectivity control agent, to promote the polymerization of lower xcex1-olefins by polymerization techniques which are largely conventional.
The alkoxide moieties of the mixed metal alkoxides of M1and M2 are the same as or are different from the alkoxide moieties of the mixed metal alkoxides of T1 and T2, it being understood that not all M1, M2, T1, and T2 metals are in the form of an alkoxide. Moreover, the alkoxide moieties of one metal alkoxide reactant can be the same as or different from the alkoxide moieties of the other metal alkoxide reactant. In part for reasons of complex alkoxide purity, it is preferred that all alkoxide moieties of the mixed metal alkoxides be the same. The preferred alkoxide moieties are methoxide or ethoxide (R and Rxe2x80x2 above are methyl or ethyl) and particularly preferred is ethoxide. Magnesium ethoxide, titanium tetraethoxide, zirconium tetraethoxide, and hafnium tetraethoxide are the preferred metal alkoxide reactants for the production of the mixed metal alkoxide complex.
If a phenolic compound is used to form the mixed metal alkoxide precursor, the phenolic compound preferably is selected from phenol or an activated phenol. By the term xe2x80x9cactivated phenolxe2x80x9d is meant a monohydroxylic phenol of one aromatic ring having aromatic ring substituents other than hydrogen which serve to alter the pKa of the phenolic compound. Such substituent groups are free from active hydrogen atoms and include halogen, e.g., chlorine or bromine, alkyl and particularly alkyl of up to 4 carbon atoms inclusive, and dialkylamino wherein each alkyl has up to 4 carbon atoms inclusive. Suitable substituent groups do not include hydroxy. Illustrative of suitable phenolic compounds are phenol, p-cresol, o-cresol, 3-methoxyphenol, salicyl aldehyde, methyl salicylate, 2,6-di-t-butyl-4-methylphenol (BHT), 2,4-diethylphenol, p-chlorophenol, p-bromophenol, 2,4-dichlorophenol, p-dimethylaminophenol and m-diethylaminophenol.
The contacting of the mixed metal compounds, clipping agent (or clipper), optional halide, optional phenolic compound, and optional alcohol preferably takes place at an elevated temperature in an inert reaction diluent. The reaction diluent is one in which all reactants are at least partially soluble and which does not react with the reactants or the complex alkoxide product. Preferred reaction diluents are hydrocarbon such as isooctane, isopentane or n-heptane, or are halohydrocarbon such as methylene chloride, carbon tetrachloride or chlorobenzene. The contacting preferably takes place at a reaction temperature from about 50xc2x0 C. to about 120xc2x0 C. Contacting typically is effected in a suitable reactor and is facilitated by conventional procedures such as shaking, stirring or refluxing. The phenolic compound, if used, preferably is provided in a quantity of from about 0.01 mole to about 2 moles per mole of mixed T1 and T2 metals (e.g., titanium tetraalkoxide, titanium tetrachloride, vanadium tetrachloride and the like), but preferably in a quantity of from about 0.1 mole to about 0.4 moles per mole of mixed T1 and T2 metals. The mixed M1and M2 metal compounds can be provided in a quantity from about 1.5 mole to about 8 moles per mole of mixed T1 and T2 metals. Preferred quantities of mixed M1and M2 compounds are from about 2.5 moles to about 3.5 moles per mole of mixed T1 and T2 metals.
Upon contacting all of the components, the mixture then can be heated to anywhere from about 50xc2x0 C. to about 120xc2x0 C. by any suitable heating apparatus. The components are mixed at this elevated temperature for about 5 minutes to about 9 hours, preferably, from about 25 minutes to 7 hours, and most preferably from about 45 minutes to 2 hours; such time to be determined by visually inspecting the components for evidence of the consumption of original solid reactants. Those skilled in the art are capable of determining when the original mixed metal reactants have disappeared and/or when a homogeneous slurry has been formed, using the guidelines provided herein.
Upon forming the homogeneous slurry, the alcohol then is preferably removed from the solution by heating the solution at temperatures above 100xc2x0 C., and/or passing nitrogen over the solution. Removal of alcohol enables the precipitation of additional mixed metal alkoxide complex which may remain dissolved in solution (i.e., solid precursor material) and results in enhanced yield of product. The solid complex then can be removed from the reaction mixture by conventional means.
Preferably, the solid precursor materials are separated from the reaction mixture by any suitable means, including but not limited to, decantation, filtration, centrifugation, and the like. More preferably, the solid material is filtered, most preferably under the impetus of pressure and/or temperature. The filtered solids then can be washed at least once with one or more solvents, including but not limited to monochlorobenzene, toluene, xylene, isopentane, isooctane, and the like. After separation from the mixture, (or mother liquor, and subsequent wash solvents), the solid procatalyst precursor preferably is dried. Drying typically is conducted by supplying dry, moisture-free inlet nitrogen at a temperature of about 25xc2x0 C. to about 45xc2x0 C. for anywhere from about 10 minutes to about 10 hours thereby resulting in a product that is substantially dry. Higher temperatures on the order of 50 to about 150xc2x0 C. can be used to dry the precursor in shorter periods of time.
Any mechanism can be used to carry out the drying of the present invention. For example, the filter cake could be dried by flowing a heated inert gas stream through the cake for the time period described above. Alternatively, the filter cake could be removed from the filter and then subsequently dried in a conventional drying apparatus using direct, indirect, infrared, radiant or dielectric heat. Any apparatus capable of drying solids at temperatures above about 25xc2x0 can be used in accordance with the present invention. Particularly preferred drying apparatus include, but are not limited to, direct continuous dryers, continuous sheeting dryers, pneumatic conveying dryers, rotary dryers, spray dryers, through-circulation dryers, tunnel dryers, fluid bed dryers, batch through-circulation dryers, tray and compartment dryers, cylinder dryers, screw-conveyor dryers, drum dryers, steam-tube rotary dryers, vibrating-tray dryers, agitated pan dryers, freeze dryers, vacuum rotary dryers and vacuum-tray dryers. Most preferably, the solid precursor material is dried in a single or multiple-leaf combined filter and dryer. Those skilled in the art are capable of designing a suitable dryer and drying protocol to effect drying the precursor in accordance with the present invention.
The precursor of the present invention then can be immediately converted to a procatalyst by any suitable means known to the art described below, or it can be stored for later use or for shipment to a facility capable of converting the precursor to a procatalyst. Upon drying, the solid precursor material can be discharged by any suitable means to downstream processing.
Conversion of the dried procatalyst precursor to a procatalyst can be accomplished in any suitable manner. For example, the dried precursors of the invention can be converted to polymerization procatalyst by reaction with a halide, like tetravalent titanium halide, an optional hydrocarbon or halohydrocarbon and an electron donor. The tetravalent titanium halide is suitably an aryloxy- or alkoxy di- or trihalide such as diethoxytitanium dichloride, dihexyloxytitanium dibromide or diisopropoxytitaniumchloride or the tetravalent titanium halide is a titanium tetrahalide such as titanium tetrachloride or titanium tetrabromide. A titanium tetrahalide is preferred as the tetravalent titanium halide and particularly preferred is titanium tetrachloride. Halogenation also can be carried out by any of several means known to the art. These include but are not limited to treatment of the precursor with SiCl4, RxAlCl3xe2x88x92x, BCl3 and the like. Suitable procatalyst preparation procedures are described in the aforementioned patents U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,124,298 and 5,132,263.
Any electron donor can be used in the present invention so long as it is capable of converting the precursor into a procatalyst. Suitable electron donors are those electron donors free from active hydrogens that are conventionally employed in the formation of titanium-based procatalysts. Particularly preferred electron donors include ethers, esters, amides, imines, nitriles, phosphines, stibines, dialkyoxy benzenes, and arsines. The more preferred electron donors, however, include esters and ethers, particularly alkyl esters of aromatic monocarboxylic or dicarboxylic acids and particularly aliphatic or cyclic ethers. Examples of such electron donors are methyl benzoate, ethyl benzoate, ethyl p-ethoxybenzoate, 1,2-dialkyoxy benzenes, ethyl p-methylbenzoate, diethyl phthalate, dimethyl naphthalene dicarboxylate, diisobutyl phthalate, diisopropyl terephthalate, diethyl eher and tetrahydrofuran. The electron donor is a single compound or is a mixture of compounds but preferably the electron donor is a single compound. Of the preferred electron donors, ethyl benzoate, 1,2-dialkoxy benzenes and diisobutyl phthalate are particularly preferred.
In a preferred embodiment, the mixture of procatalyst precursor, halide, electron donor and halohydrocarbon is maintained at an elevated temperature, for example, a temperature of up to about 150xc2x0 C. Best results are obtained if the materials are contacted initially at or about ambient temperature and then heated. Sufficient halide is provided to convert at least a portion and preferably at least a substantial portion of the alkoxide moieties of the procatalyst precursor to halide groups. This replacement is conducted in one or more contacting operations, each of which is conducted over a period of time ranging from a few minutes to a few hours and it is preferred to have halohydrocarbon present during each contacting. Sufficient electron donor usually is provided so that the molar ratio of electron donor to the mixed metals (M1and M2) present in the solid procatalyst is from about 0.01:1 to about 1:1, preferably from about 0.05:1 to about 0.5:1. The final washing with light hydrocarbon produces a procatalyst that is solid and granular and when dried is storage stable provided that oxygen and active hydrogen compounds are excluded. Alternatively, the procatalyst is used as obtained from the hydrocarbon washing without the need for drying. The procatalyst thus produced is employed in the production of an olefin polymerization catalyst by contacting the procatalyst with a cocatalyst and a selectivity control agent.
The mixed metal-containing procatalyst serves as one component of a Ziegler-Natta catalyst system where it is contacted with a cocatalyst and optionally, a selectivity control agent. The cocatalyst component employed in the Ziegler-Natta catalyst system may be chosen from any of the known activators of olefin polymerization catalyst systems employing a transition metal halide, but organoaluminum compounds are preferred. Illustrative organoaluminum cocatalysts include trialkylaluminum compounds, alkyaluminum alkoxide compounds alkylaluminoxane compounds and alkylaluminum halide compounds in which each alkyl independently has from 2 to 6 carbon atoms inclusive. The preferred organoaluminum cocatalysts are halide free and particularly preferred are the trialkylaluminum compounds such Suitable organoaluminum cocatalysts include compounds having the formula Al(Rxe2x80x2xe2x80x3)dXeHf wherein: X is F, Cl, Br, I or ORxe2x80x3xe2x80x3, Rxe2x80x2xe2x80x3 and Rxe2x80x3xe2x80x3 are saturated hydrocarbon radicals containing from 1 to 14 carbon atoms, which radicals may be the same or different, and, if desired, substituted with any substituent which is inert under the reaction conditions employed during polymerization, d is 1 to 3, e is 0 to 2, f is 0 or 1, and d+e+f=3. Such cocatalysts can be employed individually or in combination thereof and include compounds such as Al(C2H5)3, Al(C2H5)2Cl, Al2(C2H5)3Cl3, Al(C2H5)2H, Al(C2H5)2(OC2H5), Al(i-C4H9)3, Al(i-C4H9)2H, Al(C6H13)3 and Al(C8H17)3.
Preferred organoaluminum cocatalysts are triethyl aluminum, triisopropyl aluminum, triisobutyl aluminum and diethylhexyl aluminum. Triethyl aluminum is a preferred trialkylaluminum cocatalyst.
The organoaluminum cocatalyst also can be an aluminoxane such as methylaluminoxane (MAO) or modified methylaluminoxane (MMAO), or a boron alkyl. The method of preparing aluminoxanes is well known in the art. Aluminoxanes may be in the form of oligomeric linear alkyl aluminoxanes represented by the formula:
or oligomeric cyclic alkyl aluminoxanes of the formula:
wherein s is 1-40, preferably 10-20; p is 3-40, preferably 3-20; and R*** is an alkyl group containing 1 to 12 carbon atoms, preferably methyl or an aryl radical such as a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl or naphthyl radical. In the case of MAO, R*** is methyl, whereas in MMAO, R*** is a mixture of methyl and C2 to C12 alkyl groups wherein methyl comprises about 20 to 80 percent by weight of the R*** group.
The organoaluminum cocatalyst, during formation of the olefin polymerization catalyst, is preferably employed in a molar ratio of aluminum to the mixture of T1 and T2 of the procatalyst of from about 1:1 to about 150:1, but more preferably in a molar ratio of from about 10:1 to about 100:1.
The final component of the Ziegler-Natta catalyst system is the optional selectivity control agent (SCA), or external electron donor, which typically is used when polymerizing propylene, or mixtures thereof. Typical SCAs are those conventionally employed in conjunction with titanium-based procatalysts and organoaluminum cocatalysts. Illustrative of suitable selectivity control agents are those classes of electron donors employed in procatalyst production as described above as well as organosilane compounds including alkylakoxysilanes and arylalkoxysilanes. Particularly suitable silicon compounds of the invention contain at least one silicon-oxygen-carbon linkage. Suitable silicon compounds include those having the formula R1mSiYnXp wherein: R1 is a hydrocarbon radical containing from 4 to 20 carbon atoms, Y is xe2x80x94OR2 or xe2x80x94OCOR2 wherein R2 is a hydrocarbon radical containing from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, X is hydrogen or halogen, m is an integer having a value of from 0 to 3, n is an integer having a value of from 1 to 4, p is an integer having a value of from 0 to 1, and preferably 0, and m+n+p=4. R1 should be such that there is at least one non-primary carbon in the alkyl and preferably, that such non-primary carbon is attached directly to the silicon atom. Examples of R1 include cyclopentyl, t-butyl, isopropyl or cyclohexyl. Examples of R2 include ethyl, butyl, isopropyl, phenyl, benzyl and t-butyl. Examples of X are Cl and H.
Each R1 and R2 may be the same or different, and, if desired, substituted with any substituent which is inert under the reaction conditions employed during polymerization. Preferably, R2 contains from 1 to 10 carbon atoms when it is aliphatic and may be sterically hindered or cycloaliphatic, and from 6 to 10 carbon atoms when it is aromatic. Silicon compounds in which two or more silicon atoms are linked to each other by an oxygen atom, i.e., siloxanes or polysiloxanes, may also be employed, provided the requisite silicon-oxygen-carbon linkage is also present. The preferred selectivity control agents are alkylalkoxysilanes such as ethyltriethoxysilane, diisobutyl dimethoxysilane, cyclohexylmethyldimethoxysilane, propyl trimethoxysilane, dicyclohexyl dimethoxysilane, and dicyclopentyl dimethoxysilane. In one modification, the selectivity control agent is a portion of the electron donor added during procatalyst production. In an alternate modification the selectivity control agent is provided at the time of the contacting of procatalyst and cocatalyst. In either modification, the selectivity control agent is provided in a quantity of from 0.1 mole to about 100 moles per mole of mixture of T1 and T2 in the procatalyst. Preferred quantities of selectivity control agent are from about 0.5 mole to about 25 mole per mole of mixture of T1 and T2 in the procatalyst.
The olefin polymerization catalyst may be used in slurry, liquid phase, gas phase and liquid monomer-type reaction systems as are known in the art for polymerizing olefins. Polymerization preferably is conducted in a fluidized bed polymerization reactor, however, by continuously contacting an alpha-olefin having 2 to 8 carbon atoms with the components of the catalyst system, i.e, the solid procatalyst component, cocatalyst and optional SCAs. In accordance with the process, discrete portions of the catalyst components can be continually fed to the reactor in catalytically effective amounts together with the alpha-olefin while the polymer product is continually removed during the continuous process. Fluidized bed reactors suitable for continuously polymerizing alpha-olefins have been previously described and are well known in the art. Fluidized bed reactors useful for this purpose are described, e.g., in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,302,565, 4,302,566 and 4,303,771, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Those skilled in the art are capable of carrying out a fluidized bed polymerization reaction using the guidelines provided herein.
It is preferred sometimes that such fluidized beds are operated using a recycle stream of unreacted monomer from the fluidized bed reactor. In this context, it is preferred to condense at least a portion of the recycle stream. Alternatively, condensation may be induced with a liquid solvent. This is known in the art as operating in xe2x80x9ccondensing mode.xe2x80x9d Operating a fluidized bed reactor in condensing mode generally is known in the art and described in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,543,399 and 4,588,790, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. The use of condensing mode has been found to lower the amount of xylene solubles in isotactic polypropylene and improve catalyst performance when using the catalyst of the present invention.
The catalyst composition may be used for the polymerization of olefins by any suspension, solution, slurry, or gas phase process, using known equipment and reaction conditions, and is not limited to any specific type of reaction system. Generally, olefin polymerization temperatures range from about 0xc2x0 C. to about 200xc2x0 C. at atmospheric, subatmospheric, or superatmospheric pressures. Slurry or solution polymerization processes may utilize subatmospheric or superatmospheric pressures and temperatures in the range of about 40xc2x0 C. to about 110xc2x0 C. A useful liquid phase polymerization reaction system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,324,095. Liquid phase reaction systems generally comprise a reactor vessel to which olefin monomer and catalyst composition are added, and which contains a liquid reaction medium for dissolving or suspending the polyolefin. The liquid reaction medium may consist of the bulk liquid monomer or an inert liquid hydrocarbon that is nonreactive under the polymerization conditions employed. Although such an inert liquid hydrocarbon need not function as a solvent for the catalyst composition or the polymer obtained by the process, it usually serves as solvent for the monomers employed in the polymerization. Among the inert liquid hydrocarbons suitable for this purpose are isopentane, hexane, cyclohexane, heptane, benzene, toluene, and the like. Reactive contact between the olefin monomer and the catalyst composition should be maintained by constant stirring or agitation. The reaction medium containing the olefin polymer product and unreacted olefin monomer is withdrawn from the reactor continuously. The olefin polymer product is separated, and the unreacted olefin monomer and liquid reaction medium are recycled into the reactor.
Preferably, gas phase polymerization is employed, with superatmospheric pressures in the range of 1 to 1000, preferably 50 to 400 psi, most preferably 100 to 300 psi, and temperatures in the range of 30 to 130xc2x0 C., preferably 65 to 110xc2x0 C. Stirred or fluidized bed gas phase reaction systems are particularly useful. Generally, a conventional gas phase, fluidized bed process is conducted by passing a stream containing one or more olefin monomers continuously through a fluidized bed reactor under reaction conditions and in the presence of catalyst composition at a velocity sufficient to maintain a bed of solid particles in a suspended condition. A stream containing unreacted monomer is withdrawn from the reactor continuously, compressed, cooled, optionally fully or partially condensed as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,528,790 and 5,462,999, and recycled to the reactor. Product is withdrawn from the reactor and make-up monomer is added to the recycle stream. As desired for temperature control of the system, any gas inert to the catalyst composition and reactants may also be present in the gas stream. In addition, a fluidization aid such as carbon black, silica, clay, or talc may be used, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,994,534.
Polymerization may be carried out in a single reactor or in two or more reactors in series, and is conducted substantially in the absence of catalyst poisons. Organometallic compounds may be employed as scavenging agents for poisons to increase the catalyst activity. Examples of scavenging agents are metal alkyls, preferably aluminum alkyls, most preferably triisobutylaluminum.
The precise procedures and conditions of the polymerization are broadly conventional but the olefin polymerization process, by virtue of the use therein of the polymerization catalyst formed from the solid precursor, provides polyolefin product having a relatively high bulk density in quantities that reflect the relatively high productivity of the olefin polymerization catalyst. In addition, the polymeric products produced in the present invention have a reduced level of fines.
Conventional additives may be included in the process, provided they do not interfere with the operation of the catalyst composition in forming the desired polyolefin.
When hydrogen is used as a chain transfer agent in the process, it is used in amounts varying between about 0.001 to about 10 moles of hydrogen per mole of total monomer feed. Also, as desired for temperature control of the system, any gas inert to the catalyst composition and reactants can also be present in the gas stream.
The polymerization product of the present invention can be any product, homopolymer, copolymer, terpolymer, and the like. Usually, the polymerization product is a homopolymer such as polyethylene or polypropylene, particularly polypropylene. Alternatively, the catalyst and process of the invention are useful in the production of copolymers including copolymers of ethylene and propylene such as EPR and polypropylene impact copolymers when two or more olefin monomers are supplied to the polymerization process. Those skilled in the art are capable of carrying out suitable polymerization of homopolymers, copolymers, terpolymers, etc., using liquid, slurry or gas phase reaction conditions, using the guidelines provided herein.
Ethylene polymers of the invention include ethylene homopolymers, and interpolymers of ethylene and linear or branched higher alpha-olefins containing 3 to about 20 carbon atoms, with densities ranging from about 0.90 to about 0.95 and melt indices of about 0.005 to 1000. Suitable higher alpha-olefins include, for example, propylene, 1-butene, 1-pentene, 1-hexene, 4-methyl-1-pentene, 1-octene, and 3,5,5-trimethyl 1-hexene. Cyclic olefins such as vinyl cyclohexane or norbornene may also be polymerized with the ethylene. Aromatic compounds having vinyl unsaturation, such as styrene and substituted styrenes, may also be included as comonomers. Particularly preferred ethylene polymers comprise ethylene and about 1 to about 40 percent by weight of one or more comonomers described above.
The invention will now be illustrated by examples exemplifying particularly preferred embodiments thereof. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that these examples do not limit the invention but rather serve to more fully describe particularly preferred embodiments.

Mixed metal alkoxide complexes and polymerization catalysts made therefrom

Union Carbide Chemicals and Plastics Technology Corporation


The present disclosure describes optical element stack assemblies that include multiple substrates stacked one over another. At least one of the substrates includes an optical element, such as a DOE, on its surface. The stack assemblies can be fabricated, for example, in wafer-level processes.

Various optoelectronics modules are used, for example, for imaging applications, such as three-dimensional (3D) imaging, or distance measurement applications, such as proximity sensing. In some applications, an optical emitter assembly is operable to emit a structured optical pattern, which can be useful for imaging as well as distance sensing applications. The structured light can result in a pattern of discrete features (i.e., texture) being projected onto an object. Light reflected by the object can be directed back toward an image sensor, where it is sensed. The sensed signals can be used for distance calculations. In some cases, structured light provides additional texture for matching pixels in stereo imaging applications.
In some modules, an optical element, such as a diffractive optical element (DOE), is introduced into the path of light emitted by a light source such as a vertical cavity semiconductor emitting laser (VCSEL) or VCSEL array. The DOE can be useful in creating the structured light pattern. It also can facilitate multiplying a structured light pattern generated by the VCSEL or other light source.


A method and an equipment for notifying a purpose of a subframe, and a method and an equipment for processing a subframe are disclosed. The method includes: sending a broadcast message to a user equipment (UE), where the broadcast message carries indication information indicating a purpose of a Multicast Broadcast Single Frequency Network (MBSFN) subframe; and sending a radio frame to the UE, wherein the radio frame carries the MBSFN subframe which serves the purpose indicated by the indication information. The technical solutions of the present invention enable the UE to be notified of the true purpose of the MBSFN subframe, and improve communication reliability.

The transmission modes between a base station and a user equipment (UE) generally include a unicast transmission mode and a multicast transmission mode. The unicast transmission mode refers to one-to-one data transmission between the base station and the UE. A Multicast Broadcast Single Frequency Network (MBSFN) transmission mode may be considered as one of the multicast transmission modes. The MBSFN transmission mode generally means that multiple cell base stations in a specific geographic area transmit the same signal on the same band. The UE processes signals transmitted by the multiple cell base stations in a multi-path signal processing mode, implements diversity receiving, and obtains a receive diversity gain.
The Long Term Evolution (LTE) protocol of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) stipulates that one radio frame may include not only multiple non-MBSFN subframes, but also one or more MBSFN subframes. A non-MBSFN subframe may be used for unicast transmission, and an MBSFN subframe may be used for MBSFN transmission.
For a UE, in the unicast transmission mode, a signal sent by a base station in a neighboring cell is an interference signal; in the MBSFN transmission mode, a signal of the neighboring cell is a multi-path signal rather than an interference signal.
The UE identifies which subframes are MBSFN subframes and which are non-MBSFN subframes among multiple subframes in a radio frame. By default, the UE regards the MBSFN subframe as being used for MBSFN transmission, and demodulates and processes data borne by the MBSFN subframe in the processing mode corresponding to the MBSFN subframe.
With continuous evolution of technologies, the purpose of the MBSFN subframe may not be limited to the MBSFN transmission, but may also be bearing data required for implementing other new technologies. Therefore, in the prior art, when an MBSFN subframe is used for bearing data required for implementing other new technologies, because the UE does not know the true purpose of the MBSFN subframe, the UE may be unable to demodulate or process the data borne by the MBSFN subframe correctly, which leads to failure of communication.

Method and equipment for notifying purpose of subframe, method and equipment for processing subframe


An anti-mismatching pair of a first and second connectors are constructed such that the first connector (1) is either of a male and female types and has two connective planes each having at least one restricted ridge (11,12). The second connector (21) is correspondingly either of a female and male types and also has two connective planes each having at least one restricting groove (32,33) corresponding to the restricted ridge (11,12). The number and position of the restricted ridge (11,12) as well as those of the restricting groove (32,33) are designed such that the connective planes in each connector (1,21) have overall contours extending symmetrically with each other with respect to the center point (C) of symmetry lying between the connective planes. The one connector (1,21) mates only with the other connector (21,1), whether it is at its obverse position or at its reverse position relative to the other connector, so that a wrong connection of the one connector (1) with any other mismatching connector (22) is avoided.

The present invention relates to an anti-mismatching pair of complementary connectors such that one of them is unable to fit in or on any wrong foreign connectors, but able notwithstanding its position obverse or reverse to exclusively engage with the other complementary connector.
Generally, the prior art anti-mismatch connectors have each an engagement face formed asymmetric up and down so as not to erroneously engage with wrong connectors, nor to be inverted upside down relative to a correct mating connector. There has been proposed no idea of permitting those anti-mismatch connectors to take their reversed position.
In a case wherein any optional functions are added to a principal existing electronics apparatus, some card-shaped printed circuit boards (hereinafter called xe2x80x98card-shaped boardsxe2x80x99) will be incorporated therein. Each of those card-shaped boards has optional electronics circuits and/or devices surface-mounted thereon, together with an anti-mismatch connector. By inserting the board into the apparatus through its supplementary opening, the anti-mismatch connector secured on an edge of the board will fit in or on a mating connector. In this way, an additional electric communication is established between them within said apparatus. Depending on the size and layout of such additional devices on those boards, some of these boards must be inverted when inserting them. Usually, the electronics apparatus has a plurality of such supplementary inlet apertures or openings. Therefore, the card-shaped board has to be inserted through a predetermined one of supplementary openings so as to engage a predetermined one of mating connectors.
An object of the present invention made considering the requirements and circumstances noted above is to provide an anti-mismatching pair of complementary connectors unlikely to come into wrong connection thereof with any mismatching third connector. This pair of complementary connectors may be designed such that whether one of them takes an obverse position or a reverse position it can engage only with the other complementary connector but can not engage with any other foreign connector.
In order to achieve this object, an anti-mismatching pair of a first and second connectors proposed herein is constructed such that the first connector either of a male or female type comprises two connective planes each having at least one restricted ridge formed integral therewith. The second connector, which correspondingly is either of a female or male type, does likewise comprise two connective planes each having at least one restricting groove formed therein to correspond to the restricted ridge. The number and position of those restricted ridge or ridges and these restricting groove or grooves may be such that the connective planes in each connector have overall contours extending symmetrically with each other with respect to the center point of symmetry lying between them. Such a configuration of each connector will surely restrict it to selectively mate only with another connector of complementary shape, even if it would be reversed upside down.
In an example, one of the first and second connectors may be secured on the end of a card-shaped printed circuit board. Lateral edges of this card-shaped board will be fitted in and guided along a slot that is formed in the other connector so that the one connector can fit in the other connector whether it is at its obverse position or its reverse position relative to the other connector. Preferably, a center plane lying between the connective planes of the connector being fitted in the slot may extend in the direction of insertion to be aligned with the center plane of the card-shaped board.

Anti-mismatching pair of complementary connectors


The present invention provides improved optical switches in which no mechanical movement is required to direct optical pathways between plural fiber ports. Advantageously, the inventive switches incorporate two-stage polarization rotation to improve isolation depth, as well as temperature and wavelength independence. The inventive switches also incorporate light bending devices to allow two fibers to be coupled to the light beams using a single lens achieving small beam separation for compactness. In the inventive switch, an optical signal is spatially split into two polarized beams by a birefringent element, which passes through a polarization rotation device that comprises waveplates, walk-off elements, and electrically controllable polarization rotators, and recombine into an output fiber, achieving polarization independent operation. The switches of the present invention rely on electro-magnetically or electro-optically switching the beam polarizations from one state to another to rapidly direct the light path.

Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to optical devices; more particularly, the invention relates to non-mechanical optical switches.
2. Description of Related Art
Optical switch is a device for directing optical signals along selected fibers of an optical network, in which light signals are transmitted along optical fibers to transfer information from one location to another. The desirable optical switch performance include: high speed switching, none-blocking operation, low optical insertion loss, long operation lifetime, small size, and low cost. Optical switch is a key component in today""s optical network, analogous to the electrical switches in electrical networks. However, it has not been widely adopted because the lack of reliability and the high cost associated with optical switches.
In an optical switch, light signal must be accurately entered into an optical fiber, or much of the signal strength will be lost. The alignment requirements of modern single mode optical fibers are particularly stringent, as their core diameters are typically as small as 2 to 10 micrometers and their acceptance angle is fairly narrow. Additional insertion losses reduce the amplitude of the optical signal. Therefore, optical switches which accept light from an input optical fiber, and which selectively couple that light to any of a plurality of output optical fibers must transfer that light with precise alignment and within the small acceptance angle for light to efficiently enter the fiber. Most prior art optical switches are based on mechanical movement to switch light beams, consequently have drawbacks of slow and less reliable. It is greatly desirable to have optical switches that direct light beams without moving parts, a feature generally associated with high reliability and high speed.
Many types of alternative none-mechanical optical switches have been developed for commercial applications, such as thermal heating, electro-optic phase retardation, and magneto-optic polarization rotator. These devices use various materials and configurations. Thermal heating based switches typically rely on long interaction planar waveguide construction (for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,892,863). This type of switch has a deficiency of large insertion loss due to fiber to planar waveguide coupling and poor isolation due to heat leak. On the other hand, micro-optic assembly generally provides low optical loss. Micro-optic switches of no-moving parts have been described in several patents, as referenced in this disclosure. However, due to their complex configurations, previous non-mechanical optical switches suffer from high insertion loss and high cost. Further, these switches often comprise many elements and require extremely stringent alignment that is unsuitable for low-cost manufacture. Therefore, non-mechanical optical switches have not been widely used in optical communications. Moreover, all known magneto-optic switch designs are limited to transmit light only in one direction. This deficiency hampers their applications in today""s optical networks, which are often bi-directional.
An early concept of a magneto-optic crystal based optical switch for telecommunication use was disclosed by Jin, U.S. Pat. No. 5,627,924. In Jin""s switch, the optical beams from the two ports on the same side propagate desirably parallel but with a relative large spatial location shift. Consequently, this design requires three individual imaging lenses, or three fiber collimators. A fiber collimator is a component consists a collimating lens packaged together with light guiding fibers. Because of the large beam separations between the two adjacent lenses, the design requires large and long crystals to deflect the beams. As a result, the optical device has excessively large size and is expensive to produce. The switch is also a single stage device, having low isolation.
A similar two stage optical switch was also disclosed by Wu, U.S. Pat. No. 5,724,165. Wu""s switch is disadvantageously based a large spatial separation between two fibers location on the same side. Consequently, the configuration requires individual imaging lens for each fiber port and large and long crystals to deflect the beams. Therefore, the optical device typically has large loss, excessively large size, and is expensive to produce. Moreover, the use of liquid crystal materials leads to undesirable properties of slow speed and large temperature dependence.
Recent magneto-optic switch version as described by Shirasaki, U.S. Pat. No. 5,982,539 represents some improvement by using dual fiber sharing a single imaging lens to reduce the optical device size. However, Shirasaki""s switch has a disadvantage that the beam propagations are no long parallel rather with an angle. Consequently the switch requires precise fabrication of complex polarization prisms and matching birefringent wedges. This switch also requires delicacy for maintaining accurate alignment of each optical path, in which the angular and the spatial positions are closely interrelated. Therefore, manufacturing of Shirasaki switch is difficult and consequently the production cost is very high. Shirasaki switch is also a non-reciprocal device, which is unsuitable for bi-directional communication applications.
Recent switches as described by Bergman, U.S. Pat. No. 5,923,472 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,173,092B1 and Robinson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,933,269 utilize mirrors to reflect the beam back to another port on the same side. With a long and fold beam propagation and an unsymmetrical geometry, the devices become less tolerance to both extremely small angle and position misalignment. This type of switch is therefore often very difficult and costly to make. Moreover, the design is a non-reciprocal device.
For the above reasons, what is needed is a system and method for providing non-mechanical optical switches that is amenable to low-cost volume production. It would be particularly desirable to provide optical switches having low optical insertion loss and high speed switching that is also reliable. Its is also important that these switches use less components of small size and require reduced alignment steps with large assembly tolerance to facilitate low cost manufacture. Bi-directional operation is also a desirable feature for many applications.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a compact and economical non-mechanical optical switch that can be efficiently coupled to optical fibers using fewer parts and having large assembly tolerance. The invention consists of optical switches having at least three ports for optical fibers. The inventive switches use at least one single lens to coupling two fibers achieving small beam separation thus small size and low material cost. The invention further consists of a light-bending device, situated to compensate for the angle between the two light beams that share the same lens, advantageously increasing alignment tolerance.

None-mechanical dual stage optical switches


A manually positioned focussed energy transducer system facilitates medical procedures by allowing a physician to manually position the focal point of the focussed energy transducer to a selected tissue. The focal point of the focussed energy transducer is the location which tissue is destroyed when the energy transducer is activated. A tracking device tracks the position and orientation of the ultrasound transducer. An MR imaging system creates an image of internal structures of the patient near the location of the energy transducer. A superposition device receives the position and orientation of the ultrasound transducer from the tracking device and superimposes a symbol on the image corresponding to the position of the energy transducer relative to the patient. This allows the physician to adjust the position of the energy transducer to the appropriate location without the need for energizing the energy transducer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for enabling medical procedures to be performed by ultrasonic heating and more particularly to a system for enabling selective heating of tissue guided by medical imaging.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional medical imaging provides the radiologist with internal views of a patient's anatomy. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging provides excellent contrast between different tissues and is useful in planning surgical procedures. A tumor in a patient is much more visible in an MR image than as seen in actual surgery because the tumor and normal tissue often look similar in surgery. The tumor can also be obscured by blood during surgery.
Tumors have been selectively destroyed in cancer patients using focussed ultrasound heating at the University of Arizona, as reported by B. E. Billard, K. Hynynen and Robert. B. Roemer "Effects of Physical Parameters on High Temperature Ultrasound Hyperthermia" Ultrasound in Med. & Biol. Vol. 16, No. 4, pp. 409-420, 1990 and hereby incorporated by reference. The patient is first scanned in an MRI system to locate the tumor and plan a safe trajectory between the entry and target points. A view of the heated region is provided with the use of MR temperature sensitive pulse sequences. Known MR temperature sensitive pulse sequences are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,914,608 "In-vivo Method for Determining and Imaging Temperature of an Object/Subject from Diffusion Coefficients Obtained by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance" by Denis LeBihan, Jose Delannoy, and Ronald L. Levin issued Apr. 3, 1990. Experiments on animals show that a heated zone above a critical temperature destroys tissue. This zone increases in size with time as the heat is applied to reach a steady state or both temperature and heat flow. If the maximum temperature is limited to 100 deg. C., then the heated zone, the area exceeding a critical temperature causing destruction of tissue, approaches 1 centimeter in diameter. It is difficult to predict the heated zone geometry because the heat flow depends on the profusion of blood as well as the tissue thermal properties.
However, it is difficult to determine the location of the energy focal point without activating the energy transducer.
Currently there is a need for a method of selectively destroying tissue non-invasively without affecting adjacent healthy tissue.

Manually positioned focussed energy system guided by medical imaging


A method and system provide security for a communication network and for one or more nodes within the network. Software can be distributed throughout the network from a centralized location or administrative console. The software can be made resident in the kernel of the operating system of a receiving node. The software can provide an observation functionality, an analysis functionality, a reporting functionality and a remediation functionality or some subset of those functionalities.

The invention relates generally to the detection and remediation of software attacks. More specifically, and without limitation, the invention is related to a software based system that is transparent to a host device and which detects attacks directed to that device.
Researchers have long been concerned about software based attacks to computer systems and devices. These attacks, in the form of what is called "malware" can serve various purposes such as surreptitiously collecting information from an attacked device, monitoring or interrupting communication flows via the attacked device, hijacking device or system resources and even disabling the device and/or network. Examples of these types of security threats which can be network borne include traditional threats such a virus, a trojan, and a worm. Traditional detection and remediation techniques ultimately rely on the ability to determine the "signature" of such malware and construct a remediation response that detects an attack by looking for that signature and then undertaking some responsive action. The techniques in which the system first has to determine a signature of a particular form of malware means that at least one, if not multiple, attacks were successful before the attack could be analyzed to determine the signature.
In addition to the shortcomings of existing malware remediation techniques, the evolving complexity of these device and network security threats has created significant concerns. Specifically, network borne security threats are becoming more sophisticated and potentially more damaging. For example, some security researchers have begun to warn about the threat of malware referred to as rootkits. These malware attacks install themselves into the kernel of the operating system. In so doing they can bypass all of the current anti-virus, host and network intrusion detection sensors.
For example, in relationship to one of the operating systems available from Microsoft, the rootkit malware is installed so as to bypass the IP protocol. Communications from this rootkit flow without being blocked by normal firewalls. Also, since the rootkit executes within the kernel of the operating system, that there is no process or executable to be blocked with known or anti-virus and anti-spyware software.
A need therefore exists for a software security arrangement and process that is capable of adapting to the changing malware landscape and which can address rootkit type malware. It would also be useful if a software security arrangement could detect and remedy new trojan viruses which are attempting to exploit the device or network, without having to rely on the traditional signature-based detection and remediation approaches.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and system for cloaked observation and remediation of software attacks


A method for learning an insurance claim statement on a basis of a deep neural network, includes: receiving, by an insurance claim statement reviewing device, an input of a plurality of insurance review claim statements containing at least one of first information, second information, third information and fourth information; classifying, by the insurance claim statement reviewing device, the general items, the diagnosed patient injury/disease items, the treatment history items, or the prescription items; converting, by the insurance claim statement reviewing device, the categorical data or the numerical data; inputting, by the insurance claim statement reviewing device, the converted data; training, by the insurance claim statement reviewing device, the deep neural network using training data of the converted data; and verifying, by the insurance claim statement reviewing device, the deep neural network using verification data of the converted data.

Lives of individuals are endlessly threatened by unpredictable diseases and accidents. Insurance does not actively prevent occurrence of these diseases and accidents, but passively aims to meet the economic demands resulting from occurrence of accidents. In order to achieve this goal, many people form an insurance group to prepare for the risk of occurrence of unexpected accidents, and pay money in advance in the form of insurance premiums to form a common property, and can receive money in insurance when members of the group have accidents.
In this modern society where insurance is generalized, the number of acts of obtaining insurance and the number of submissions of insurance review claim statements for insurance coverage through the insurance plan are rapidly increasing, and each claim statement is becoming very complicated and diversified. For reference, there are various insurances such as accident insurance and health insurance. In order to receive the insurance claim amount for such insurance, an insurance review claim statement should be submitted to the insurance company or the review and assessment service.
Every insurance application form submitted to obtain insurance or every submitted insurance review claim statement should be reviewed by persons, and therefore reviewing the same highly depends on persons and the amount of reviews by a person is large. Accordingly, the accuracy of a person's review may be low, and there is a big variation in accuracy among the reviewers. In addition, while the standards for insurance review are regularly changed, review by a person can make it slow to cope with the change and, thereby obstructing accurate and precise review of an insurance review claim statement.
In order to address such issues, Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2017-0014866 (Feb. 8, 2017) has been disclosed. However, the prior art technology is merely intended to lower the dependence on humans in terms of obtaining insurance, and has not disclosed anything about processing the insurance review claim statement. Nor have prior art techniques disclosed evaluating an insurance review claim statement by utilizing an artificial intelligence deep learning architecture.

Method for learning and device for reviewing insurance review claim statement on basis of deep neural network


The present disclosure relates to devices, systems, and methods for quantitative measurements of colloid properties with a depletion force sensor. An example system of the present disclosure may include a well, a mass, a sensor, and a processor. The well may be contain a test fluid. The mass has a surface which may be immersed in the test fluid during operation. The sensor may include a sensing element which may be immersed in the test fluid during operation. The sensing element may include a sensor face separated from the surface of the mass by a gap. The sensor may measure a force on the sensing element relative to the mass. The processor may be coupled to the sensor and may determine properties of the test fluid based on the force.

Many fluids of interest may be colloids, where one or more different types of particles are suspended in the fluid. For example, emulsions generally include particles (e.g., droplets) of one liquid in another liquid. The droplets may not be soluble in the liquid. Emulsions may be used, for example, in beverages, dressings, paint, or other liquid products. Other colloids may include other types of particles, such as solids. The colloids may be characterized, for example, by a size and concentration of the particles which are suspended in the fluid.
Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.

Device for quantitative measurement of particle properties


A fixing device includes a pressing block, and a bonding block pivotally mounted on the pressing block. The optical protection lens is closely sandwiched between the pressing block and the bonding block rigidly and stably. Thus, the optical protection lens can be mounted on and detached from the liquid crystal display monitor easily and conveniently by design of the fixing device, thereby facilitating the user assembling and disassembling the optical protection lens. In addition, the optical protection lens is closely rested on the liquid crystal display monitor, thereby protecting the user""s eyes efficiently.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fixing device for an optical protection lens of a liquid crystal display monitor, and more particularly to a fixing device for an optical protection lens of a liquid crystal display monitor, wherein the optical protection lens can be mounted on and detached from the liquid crystal display monitor easily and conveniently by design of the fixing device, thereby facilitating the user assembling and disassembling the optical protection lens.
2. Description of the Related Art
The liquid crystal display (LCD) monitor is largely used in the computer to reduce the radiation effect, so as to protect the user""s eyes. In addition, the LCD monitor has a very small thickness, thereby saving space. However, the conventional optical protection lens cannot be mounted on the LCD monitor due to the extremely small thickness of the LCD monitor, so that the conventional optical protection lens is not available for the LCD monitor.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a fixing device having a simplified construction, thereby greatly decreasing costs of fabrication.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a fixing device, wherein the optical protection lens is closely rested on the liquid crystal display monitor, thereby protecting the user""s eyes efficiently.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a fixing device for an optical protection lens of a liquid crystal display monitor, wherein the optical protection lens can be mounted on and detached from the liquid crystal display monitor easily and conveniently by design of the fixing device, thereby facilitating the user assembling and disassembling the optical protection lens.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a fixing device for an optical protection lens of a liquid crystal display monitor, wherein the optical protection lens is closely sandwiched between the pressing block and the bonding block rigidly and stably.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a fixing device, comprising a pressing block, and a bonding block, wherein:
the pressing block has two opposite ends each formed with a pivot slot, the pressing block has a side face formed with a recessed stepped edge formed with two protruding combination posts; and
the bonding block is pivotally mounted on the pressing block, and has two opposite ends each provided with a semi-circular pivot ear pivotally mounted in the respective pivot slot of the pressing block, the bonding block has a side face rested on the stepped edge of the pressing block and formed with two protruding pads each urged on a respective one of the two combination posts of the pressing block.

Fixing device for optical protection lens of liquid crystal display monitor


For anchoring heavy machinery to foundations, previously tensioned stress-level indicating bolt connectors are provided. In a top axial cavity of the connector, threads are provided to mount an angularly adjustable stress-level indicating pin. In use, when the design tension stress level is reached and the connector thereby extended, angular freedom or restraint of the gaging pin indicates that the pre-set stress has been reached or exceeded. Indicia angularly arranged on the connector end facilitate adjustment of the pin to provide upper or lower stress levels.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to tension connectors of the type having means to indicate that a pre-determined tension stress has been reached. It has particular applicability to anchor bolts installed in foundations, as well as to other bolts which cannot be readily removed for substitution and replacement by a bolt set for a different stress level.
2. Description of the Related Art
Anchor bolts are typically installed deep in concrete foundations, with threaded ends projecting upwardly for securement of vibrating machinery to the foundation. Their use presents problems not adequately met by bolts heretofore available.
To hold down vibrating machinery at a plurality of support points, it is important that the bolts be placed in tension at a level that is never fully relaxed regardless of the range of stress reversals imposed by vibrations. It is obviously desirable that such bolts be provided with some indicator means which on installation can be checked to determine that a desired pre-tension has then been applied. However when subjected to actual operation, the bolts may require further tightening; and new factors, such as vibration levels, may bring about the decision to change the preliminarily chosen stress levels. Bolts shown in prior patents do not fill this need.
All relevant patents employ the principle that steel is an elastic material; when stress not exceeding its elastic limit is applied, it elongates proportionately to the load, and resumes its precise original length when the tension is removed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,525,114 to Rotabolt Limited, shows a tension bolt having in its headed end an axial cavity of relatively large diameter, which terminates inwardly in a constricted portion in which the inner end of a headed pin is positively anchored so that it cannot turn. The head of the pin normally projects slightly beyond the bolt head. Under the pin's head is a washer which is rotatable when the bolt has not been elastically extended in tension. As a design tension stress is reached in the bolt, the bolt cavity is elastically elongated, clamping the washer between the heads of the pin and the end of the bolt.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,120 to The Babcock & Wilcox Company shows substantially the same concept, using both a flat washer and a cupped washer. The same general idea is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,881,392 to Illinois Tool Works, Inc.
If a need is present to tighten a bolt to a tension level which is adjustable, the foregoing constructions will not serve. For this more complex purpose, a very complicated apparatus is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,686,859 to SPS Technologies. That patent similarly employs a pin securely fastened in the bottom of an axial cavity, whose outer end is headed by a slender disc. Imposing tension lessens the space between the disc and the top surface of the bolt. This lessening is measured by a complex gaging device to determine the tension stress in the bolt.
Another patent using an external gaging device is U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,004 to Orner. In this patent a large diameter cavity is filled with an incompressible substance such as liquid or rubber. As the cavity is lengthened in tension, the pin is drawn downward. An external gage is provided to measure the pin displacement.
All these patents show the cavities to be formed in the headed ends of bolts, reflecting the thinking that loss of the cross-sectional area to the cavity is not as serious as if the cavity were formed in a threaded end of the bolt.

Tension bolt having adjustable stress level


The present invention relates to management of a state memory in a communications unit. The state memory then stores states that are used in message-based communication with external units in a communications system. The data message communicated between the units are defined into multiple message classes. Furthermore, the state memory is divided into multiple memory portions, where each such memory portion is assigned to store states associated with a specific message class. This will prevent overwriting important states with less useful states.

Today there is an increasing trend of data communication between communications units in different communications systems. Typical examples are communication between computers connected over a communications system such as Internet or a local area network and data communication between mobile user equipment and a communications server or node or another mobile user equipment over a radio communications system.
Many application protocols used in the data communication require that certain information and data is included in the messages transmitted over the communications system. This data could be required for enabling efficient session set-up, efficient delivery of the data messages throughout the system and/or could be used by the receiving communications unit for interpreting and processing the received messages. As a consequence many of the communicated data messages include fields that always comprise more or less the same data for a given pair or combination of communications units. This is generally no problem in communications systems with bandwidth rich communications links. However, in radio communications systems and other systems with typically a limited amount of available communications resources there is a general desire to reduce the amount of data that has to be transmitted between communications units.
As a consequence, a state-mediated data communication can be conducted. In such a case, the relevant states include information that may be used by the communications units in initiating the communications session and/or later on during the session. Thus, by employing states for the inter-unit communication several advantages can be obtained. Firstly, the duration of the very often time-critical communication session set-up can be reduced if the communications units already have access to states that include data required for such set-up procedures. In other words, this required set-up-related data does not have to be communicated between the units before or during the set-up, which results in reduced signaling and reduced set-up times. Furthermore, states can be used also during the subsequent signaling, for example by reducing the amount of data that has to be transmitted between the units and/or during compression and decompression procedures for further reducing the resulting size of the communicated (compressed) data messages.
The states are typically stored in a general-purpose memory or more often in a dedicated state memory in the communications unit. However, the size of the state memory or the state-associated storage portion of the general-purpose memory is often limited. The states in the memory are further often managed in a first-in-first-out (FIFO) basis. This means that when a new state is to be stored in the memory, it overwrites the oldest state found therein or the oldest state is shifted out of the memory, in cases where the memory is filled. This can, though, result in major problems for the inter-unit signaling if not the "right" states are found in the memory. For example, during a session set-up procedure the memory can be filled with presence update states, which will be useless for the session set-up. As a consequence, an inefficient and long set-up will occur, which will ruin the user-perceived interactivity.

State memory management, wherein state memory is managed by dividing state memory into portions each portion assigned for storing state information associated with a specific message class


A fiber optic telecommunications frame is provided including termination modules positioned on left and right sides of the frame. The frame further includes left and right vertical cable guides. The frame includes a horizontal passage linking the left and right panels and the cable guides. The termination modules hold fiber optic modules with front termination locations. The fiber optic modules can house couplers, such as splitters, combiners, and wave length division multiplexers. A retention mechanism retains each fiber optic module in a partially removed position from the termination module.

In the telecommunications industry, use of fiber optic cables for carrying transmission signals is rapidly growing. To connect fiber optic equipment, fiber distribution frames have been developed. Examples of prior art fiber distribution frames are shown in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,995,688; 5,497,444; and 5,758,003 to ADC Telecommunications, Inc. In each of the fiber distribution frames of the prior patents, a plurality of adapters are provided which permit attachment of fiber optic connectors to both sides of each adapter in order to optically couple two fiber optic cables. Cables from the adapters are connected to various pieces of fiber optic equipment. Using patch cords or cables between the adapters, the pieces of optical equipment are then cross-connected through the frame. The frame defines a demarcation point between the equipment.
The use of modular fiber optic connector modules is known for performing so-called cross-connect applications. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,432,875; 5,363,465; and 6,208,796 to ADC Telecommunications, Inc. concern fiber optic connector modules and chassis designs for receiving the modules in cross-connect applications.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,556,763 also to ADC Telecommunications, Inc., concerns a fiber distribution frame with connector modules. The connector modules of the '763 patent slide into termination modules held by the frame.
Notwithstanding advances previously made in the art, there is a continuous need for further advances to maintain a high-density of connector terminals. There are further needs for ready access to the fiber optic connectors and couplers, enhanced fiber management, and avoidance of excessive bending and stresses on the fiber optic cables.

Fiber optic module with adapters mounted at open front


An Image Transceiving Telephone with Integrated Digital Camera (ITTDC) for simultaneous transceiving of real-time audio and non-real time image through a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) is disclosed. The ITTDC includes an integrated telephone front end, a PSTN access device, an audio CODEC, an image input device, an image CODEC, an image display device, a local storage for an embedded system control software and associated control and operating parameters and data, an optional local electronic interface, a user-control and a system control including the embedded system control software. The control software further includes an audio sampling and processing means, an image capturing and processing means and a process priority control means allocating, via a real-time audio but non-real time image transfer protocol control, a highest priority to tasks for audio information processing whereas a lower priority to tasks for image information processing.

This invention is related to the field of telephony. It introduces a new way of transferring audio and image data concurrently through a narrow bandwidth telephony system like PSTN. It discloses the idea of real-time transmission of speech concurrently with a non real-time transmission of quality images over a single physical telephone line.
Nowadays audio and video communication systems are based on the Internet, an intranet, or ISDN, etc. as these audio and video communication systems may require a bandwidth higher than that can be provided by a traditional POTS. Two types of audio and video communication systems are briefly discussed below:
A videophone system requires both audio and video information be simultaneously transferred via a network in real time. Thus, inherently, the videophone system requires a high bandwidth network such as an ISDN for support. For those skilled in the art, the H.320 and H.323 standard describe the implementation of such a videophone system. An example of a commercial videophone system is Polycom""s VS4000 videoconferencing system. While it provides for a simultaneous transfer of audio and video information between its users, the videophone system has the following disadvantages:
1. It is very expensive as both communication sites need to have a set of expensive video and audio equipments.
2. It needs to have a wide bandwidth connection, such as ISDN, for the transfer of video information.
3. It may still need an extra phone line to transfer an accompanying audio information.
4. If the system is implemented completely on a single wide bandwidth connection then it may not be compatible with the existing telephone system.
Another type of audio and video communication system are tele-conference systems. These systems are PC based and the connection is most likely through the Internet via a PC modem. Upon the establishment of a connection, the peer parts can exchange audio, video, data or any other kinds of information. An example of a commercial tele-conference system is Microsoft""s NetMeeting. While it is not as expensive as the video phone system, the tele-conference system still has the following disadvantages:
1. It is still expensive as both communication sites still need a PC with an attached audio device and possibly also an attached video device.
2. Both sites still need to have some kind of Internet or intranet connection, via a Cable Modem, an ISDN or a dial-in modem, etc.
3. If the connection involves Internet, the audio quality could be bad depending upon the condition of the Internet traffic.
4. It is not compatible with the existing telephone system thus no normal phone conversation can take place.
In essence, both of these audio and video communication systems are incapable of concurrently transferring both audio and image information over a narrow bandwidth PSTN efficiently with a low-cost device while maintaining compatibility with the current standard telephone line. Therefore, the present invention of an Image Transceiving Telephone with Integrated Digital Camera (ITTDC) is disclosed to solve the aforementioned problems as well as to transfer high quality images over any long distance connection through the ubiquitous standard phone line.
The ITTDC is invented to simultaneously transfer speech audio and image (including still and multi-frames) information over the same standard telephone line without the need of any expensive equipment. As a matter of course, both the audio and image information have to be digitized and compressed before transmission to make the most use of a single telephone line. However, during the transfer process, audio information is given a highest priority hence it is transferred in real time. On the other hand, image information is given a lower priority hence it is transferred on a non real-time basis generally not in synchrony with the audio information. Basically, the ITTDC is an enhanced telephone comprising three major modules: a digital camera, a telephone (MIC plus speaker) and a modem. The telephone module is made compatible with current standard telephone hence it can make and answer ordinary phone calls with any existing telephone unit of the world. In addition, the ITTDC is equipped with capability to make advanced phone calls to a peer system of another similarly equipped ITTDC. For example, the ITTDC provides for a local image storage and preview whereby a user of the ITTDC can capture an image and preview it before sending the image to a remote peer system. Likewise, the user can save, in a local storage, an image transferred from a remote peer system for later review. With properly integrated software for accessing an ISP, the ITTDC can exchange locally stored images as well as audio clips with an ISP server or with stored images as well as audio clips on a remote peer system connected to the Internet. Accordingly, it can free up its local storage, making itself even more powerful. When the downloaded audio clips are MP3 files, the CCITT can function as an MP3 player. The ITTDC can also function as an enhanced telephone answering machine with accompanying audios and images.
An object of the present invention is to have the ITTDC simultaneously transfer audio and image information over a ubiquitous standard telephone line without the need of any expensive equipment. In essence, the ITTDC would transfer the audio information in real-time while transferring the image information with quality on a non real-time basis.
Another object is for the ITTDC to function essentially as a digital camera with an added audio input/output device and a modem. Thus, the ITTDC can provide the complete capability of a standard digital camera with an additional ability to exchange images with a peer ITTDC or an ISP server.
A third object of the present invention is to have the ITTDC capable of making a phone call to another user of a traditional telephone and carrying on a real-time conversation with the other user.

Image transceiving telephone with integrated digital camera