A process for preparing an asymmetrical indocyanine dye comprising the steps of:

This application claims priority from European Patent Application No. 00126019.9, filed in English on Nov. 28, 2000, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Indocyanine dyes conform to the generalised formula:
where R11, R12, R13, R14, R21, R22, R23 and R24 are either hydrogens or substituents; the substituent couples R13, R14 and/or R23, R24 can form a condensed benzene ring, in turn bearing substituents; n=1-3; Ln1, Ln2 are either methines (Cxe2x80x94H) or substituted methines (Cxe2x80x94R).
Comprehensive reviews regarding indocyanine dyes have been written by Frances M. Hamer, xe2x80x9cThe Chemistry of Heterocyclic Compoundsxe2x80x9d, vol. 18, xe2x80x9cThe Cyanine Dyes and Related Compoundsxe2x80x9d, Weissberger Ed., Wiley Interscience, New York, (1964); D. M. Sturmer, xe2x80x9cThe Chemistry of Heterocyclic Compoundsxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cSpecial Topics in Heterocyclic Chemistryxe2x80x9d, chapter VIII, xe2x80x9cSynthesis and Properties of Cyanine and Related Dyesxe2x80x9d, Weissberger Ed., Wiley, N.Y., (1977); xe2x80x9cThe Kirk-Othmer Encyclopaedia of Chemical Technologyxe2x80x9d vol. 7, p. 782, xe2x80x9cCyanine Dyesxe2x80x9d, Wiley, N.Y., (1993).
For many years, indocyanine dyes have been very useful as sensitisers in photography, especially in the red and near infrared regions of the spectrum. However, in more recent years, there has been an upsurge of new uses of these dyes in innovative technological areas, such as laser and electro-optic applications, optical recording media, medical, biological and diagnostic. These new applications of indocyanine dyes place high demands on the degree of purity required, and the reproducibility of synthetic methods and purification steps is very important. These requirements are especially stringent for dyes designed to improve detection of ribonucleic acid (RNA), deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and of antigens in immunoassays. In these fields, the trend toward an increasing miniaturisation is accompanied by an increasing demand on sensitivity of the reporter molecules or labels. One way to increase the sensitivity of conventional fluorescence method is to use laser sources for the excitation. However, traditional fluorescent labels based on fluoresceins or rhodamines required expensive and/or bulky lasers. Moreover, their fluorescence occurs in the blue-green to green regions of the visible spectrum, where interference from the sample matrix is more likely to occur. Indocyanine dyes do not suffer from these limitations. They can be efficiently excited by means of small, inexpensive solid state devices such as laser diodes or light emitting diodes, with extinction coefficients often several times higher than fluoresceins and rhodamines; they emit in the red and near-infrared regions of the spectrum, where non-specific fluorescence from the sample is low or lacking; another sources, Raman noise, becomes smaller with the inverse fourth power of wavelength.
To be useful as a label, a dye has to be provided with a suitable side chain containing a functional group. While the main part of the dye structure is generally known from previous applications, the introduction of a functional group into the structure for the purpose of conjugation, or binding to another molecule, represents the innovative step in the inventions concerning the use of the dye as a labelling reagent. In general, only one such functionalised side arm is preferable, in order to avoid cross-linking or purification problems. With a few exceptions, limited to heptamethine dyes, the standard approach in the design of indocyanine labelling reagents has been to attach the functionalised side arm to one of the heterocyclic nuclei of the dye:
HET1xe2x80x94HET2xe2x80x94Z
See, for instance: J. S. Lindsey, P. A. Brown, and D. A. Siesel, xe2x80x9cVisible Light-Harvesting in Covalently-Linked Porphyrin-Cyanine Dyesxe2x80x9d, Tetrahedron, 45, 4845, (1989); R. B. Mujumdar, L. A. Ernst, Swati R. Mujumdar, C. J. Lewis, and A. S. Waggoner, xe2x80x9cCyanine Dye Labelling Reagents: Sulfoindocyanine Succinimidyl Estersxe2x80x9d, Bioconjugate Chemistry, 4, 105, (1993); G. Mank, H. T. C. van der Laan, H. Lingeman, Cees Goojer, U. A. Th. Brinkman, and N. H. Velthorst, xe2x80x9cVisible Diode Laser-Induced Fluorescence Detection in Liquid Chromatography after Precolumn Derivatization of Aminesxe2x80x9d, Anal. Chem., 67, 1742, (1995).
The general synthetic strategy necessary to prepare these labelling reagents is as follows. First, a quaternised nitrogen heterocycle HET1 is prepared. Then, this heterocyclic base is reacted with an electrophilic reagent such as PhNHxe2x80x94(CHxe2x95x90CH)nxe2x80x94CHxe2x95x90NHPh.HCl or ROxe2x80x94(CHxe2x95x90CH)nxe2x80x94CH(OR)2, where Ph is a phenyl ring and R a methyl or ethyl group, to obtain a so-called hemicyanine dye, HET1xe2x80x94(CHxe2x95x90CH)nNHPh/HET1xe2x80x94(CHxe2x95x90CH)nNAcPh, where Ac is the acetyl radical or HET1xe2x80x94(CHxe2x95x90CH)nxe2x80x94OR. These intermediates are then reacted with a different quaternary nitrogen heterocycle, HET2. The functionalised side arm can be attached either to the first or to the second quaternised nitrogen heterocycle. The final result is an asymmetric polymethine labelling reagent, HET1xe2x80x94(CHxe2x95x90CH)nxe2x80x94HET2xe2x80x94Z.
Unfortunately, the hemicyanine intermediates are notoriously difficult to obtain in good yields and/or in a pure form. For example, the condensation of N-methyl-2,3,3-trimethyl[3H]indolium iodide with malonaldehyde dianil monochloride in acetic anhydride is said (Piggott and Rodd, BP 355,693/1930) to give rise to a green intermediate, indicating a strong contamination of the desired, yellow hemicyanine intermediate (yellow) with symmetric, blue indocyanine dye, FIG. 2. Moreover, when F. M. Hamer, in xe2x80x9cSome Unsymmetrical Pentamethincyanine Dyes and their Tetramethin Intermediatesxe2x80x9d tried to prepare a pure sample of the same hemicyanine intermediate, obtained it in an 8% yield, after a lengthy and wasteful procedure based on multiple extractions and precipitations. More recently, R. B. Mujumdar, L. A. Ernst, Swati R. Mujumdar, C. J. Lewis, and A. S. Waggoner, in xe2x80x9cCyanine Dye Labelling Reagents: Sulfoindocyanine Succinimidyl Estersxe2x80x9d, Bioconjugate Chemistry, 4, 105, (1993) described the synthesis of hemicyanine intermediates for the preparation of sulfoindocyanine dyes active esters, useful as labelling reagents. One intermediate was obtained by condensing 1-ethyl-2,3,3-trimethyl[3H]indolium-5-sulfonate with N,Nxe2x80x2-diphenylformamidine in acetic acid for four hours. While the reported yield of the crude compound was 30%, the carboindocyanine dyes prepared from it were obtained only in 25% and 5% yields, after extensive purification by reverse phase HPLC chromatography. Similarly, the condensation of 1-ethyl-2,3,3-trimethyl[3H]indolium-5-sulfonate with malonaldehyde dianil hydrochloride in a mixture of acetic acid and acetic anhydride at reflux for four hours was said to produce the corresponding hemicyanine intermediate in an unreported yield. Again, the yields of the dicarboindocyanine dyes obtained from these intermediates were very low (5%). In fact, when Mank (Anal. Chem., 67, 1744) tried to synthesise the same dicarbocyanine label described in the previous reference he obtained a total yield of 18% of dicarbocyanines, from which the desired product was difficult to separate. He then devised an alternative approach based on 1,3,3-trimethoxypropene. Unfortunately, this chemical is no longer available commercially. Similar difficulties were encountered by us when trying to repeat the syntheses indicated above.
For these reasons it became necessary to investigate more carefully the technique employed to prepare the required hemicyanine intermediates and the properties of the latter. We thus discovered two main sources of trouble. The first was the formation of symmetrical indocyanine dye in variable and often erratic amounts in the condensation step. The other complication arose from the reversibility of this reaction. For example, when a pure sample of hemicyanine intermediate was exposed to the same conditions used for the formation of the asymmetric cyanine dye, namely to a base such as acetate, pyridine or triethylamine, formation of symmetric dye was observed. This phenomenon was more evident with the more reactive quaternised indolenines.
The steps we took to deal with these problems are described in details in the next section.
When a quaternised indolenine is reacted with N,Nxe2x80x2-diphenylformamidine in acetic acid, or acetic acid anhydride, or a mixture of these two solvents a hemicyanine is formed. This hemicyanine can be present in two forms, one in which the terminal anil group (NH-phenyl) is free and the other one where it is acetylated, NAc-phenyl, FIG. 3. The two forms have different UV-visible absorptions and can be easily differentiated. Even when acetic anhydride alone is used, some non acetylated hemicyanine is often formed. Similar observations apply to the reaction of quaternised indolenine with the vinilogs of N,N-diphenylformamidine, e.g. malonaldehyde dianils. Our initial aim in the optimisation of this reaction was the obtainment of only one of the two forms of hemicyanine, the acetylated form. We thought the addition of a stronger acetylating agent, such as acetyl chloride to the acetic anhydride solvent would be more effective in achieving the complete acetylation of the hemicyanine. Surprisingly, not only our assumption turned out correct, but, more importantly, the addition of acetyl chloride completely inhibited the formation of symmetric cyanine dye. Therefore, one aspect of our invention lies in the addition of variable amounts of acetyl chloride to the acetic anhydride solvent used for the preparation of hemicyanine. The amount of acetyl chloride can vary from 0.5% to 50%, with a preferred range from 1% to 20%.
In a further aspect of our invention, we developed a purification method of the intermediate hemicyanine by means of continuous extraction of the crude product with a suitable solvent. Such solvent should extract any unreacted N,N-diphenylformamidine or malonaldehyde dianil or substituted derivatives thereof, without contemporaneous dissolution of the hemicyanine. Preferred solvents are ethyl acetate, methylene chloride, chloroform, 1,1,1-trichloroethane and other chlorinated solvents. Methods for continues extraction include Soxhlet extraction or similar liquid-solid extractions, or liquid-liquid extractor; the latter can be in either of two forms, namely, the extracting liquid can be either lighter or heavier than the liquid containing the hemicyanine to be purified, either in solution or in a suspension. When the hemicyanine is present in a suspension, the density of the hemicyanine should be lower than the extracting solvent.
In yet another aspect of our invention, we designed a general strategy for the synthesis of asymmetric cyanine dyes to be used as labelling reagents. As we have seen previously, one of the complications present in these syntheses is the reversibility of the intermediate hemicyanines, especially when the second quaternised indolenine is less reactive then the first. In this case, large amount of symmetric hemicyanine, HET1-HET1 form, contaminating the desired HET1-HET2 product. The separation of the two products is often difficult to achieve, especially when the indolenine nuclei are similar. Of the different indolenines employed in these syntheses, the more reactive are those not bearing electron withdrawing groups in the benzene ring or with additional condensed benzene rings and with simple alkyl chains attached to the quaternary nitrogen. A decrease in reactivity is observed when these cyanines bear carboxylalkyl or sulfonatoalkyl chains or electron withdrawing groups in the benzene ring, such as sulfonic or carboxylic groups. A similar decrease in reactivity is also observed with cyanines bearing additional condensed benzene rings. The least reactive cyanines are those with additional condensed benzene rings bearing sulfonic groups and quaternised with sulfoalkyl or carboxylalkyl groups. In view of this behaviour we adopted the following strategy. First, we synthesised the hemicyanine with the less reactive indolenine according to the improved methods illustrated previously. These intermediate where then purified, when possible, by extraction of the impurities in an solid-liquid or liquid-liquid extractor. The purified hemicyanine intermediate was then reacted with the more reactive indolenine. Thus the reaction leading to the desired cyanine product was relative fast compared to the dissociation of the hemicyanine back to its starting materials. The products thus obtained were much more pure and their yields also increased significantly. Especially useful was found the combination of a hemicyanine made from a benzoindolenine bearing sulfonic groups and quaternised with a carboxylalkyl chain and an indolenine with sulfonic groups, but quaternised only with simple alkyl chains. This scheme is the opposite of those utilised according to known methods, especially those described in the above mentioned references, where the indocyanine intermediate is always synthesised from the more reactive indolenine, while the less reactive indolenine was added in the cyanine forming step.
In a further extension of this strategy, a more reactive malonaldehyde dianil reagents, 2-chloromalonaldehyde dianil hydrochloride was employed, especially when the indolenine to be reacted with it had very reduced reactivity.
The subject matter of the invention is defined by the appended claims.
In the claims, the term xe2x80x9csubstituted phenylxe2x80x9d is meant to include preferably phenyl with one or more substituents selected from alkyl and halogen atoms. Alkyl in the claims is preferably C1-C6 alkyl.
The following examples are simply meant to further illustrate specific applications of the present and are not intended to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention.

Process and method for the preparation of asymmetric monofunctionalized indocyanine labelling reagents and obtained compounds

Abstract: a) reacting a first quaternised indolenine or substituted indolenine with a compound of the formula (II)

Abstract: or hydrochloride thereof, wherein n is 0 or 1 Ph is phenyl or substituted phenyl X is hydrogen, halogen or alkyl, preferably chlorine, in a solvent selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, acetic anhydride and mixtures thereof in the presence of acetyl chloride, to obtain an intermediate hemicyanine, and

Abstract: b) further reacting said intermediate hemicyanine with a second quaternised indolenine or substituted indolenine different from said first indolenine.


Sine wave signals generated from a position detector are used as analog values to detect a fine position of a rotating or moving body, a rise or fall edge of the sine wave signal is used to detect a coarse position of the rotating or moving body, and the position or speed of the rotating or moving body is detected based on a signal indicative of the detected coarse position when the rotating or moving body is at high speed and based on a signal indicative of the detected fine position when the rotating or moving body is at low speed to thereby provide optimal control from high speed to low speed. Especially at extremely low driving, speed detection with superhigh resolution is effected using the analog value to decrease an uneven rotation of the rotating body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus and method for detecting the position and/or speed of a rotating body (a rotating object) or a moving body (a moving object). The present invention also relates to systems which transmit to a controller an output signal from a sinusoidal wave encoder as a position detector.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An encoder is known which detects the rotational angle of a rotating body or the position of a moving body magnetically or optically. The encoder changes the signal from the rotating body or the moving body to a pulse signal and counts rise or fall edges of the signal to detect the position of the rotating body or moving body.
The apparatus disclosed in a Japanese application Laid-Open JP-A-61-81185 by H. Tamura et al changes encoder signals to pulse signals, and counts the pulse signals to obtain the speed or position of a rotating body or a moving body. The apparatus includes a high-resolution encoder used at low speed and a lower-resolution encoder used at higher speed.
Data on the actual speed is obtained by counting pulses produced for a predetermined sample time or a predetermined number of (two or more) inter-pulse time intervals.
A specific speed detection process will now be described with reference to FIG. 4 in which reference character P denotes a train of pulses obtained from the encoder, and Ts is a sample time which is about 0.5 msec in the particular example. A high accuracy value indicative of the detected speed is obtained by detecting the number of pulses P.sub.n produced for a sample time T.sub.s, and the interval T.sub.d between the pulses P.sub.n, and performing the following division: ##EQU1##
When the rotating body or moving body falls in a low or extremely low speed region, no pulses P.sub.n are produced in a predetermined sample time to thereby render the detection of the speed uncertain.
This process is hereinafter referred to as a pulse detecting system. According to this system, it it impossible to detect a position falling between adjacent pulses even if the number of pulses per rotation and resolution are increased using excellent manufacturing techniques.
For example, a direct drive motor which drives a load using no gears can rotate at an extremely low speed lower than one rotation per minute. According to the pulse detection system, there are no plurality of pulses in a sample time, or there are only a very few pulses, if any, and therefore, stabilized speed control cannot be expected. It is obvious that the use of long sample time increases the number of pulses to be detected in the sample time to thereby enable stabilized control, of course. However, the responsiveness to control is lowered.
The original signal from the encoder generally takes the form of a sine wave signal or a signal similar thereto. In a sine wave signal detection system which uses the analog value of the original signal as it is as a position signal, a superhigh resolution of more than a million pulse per rotation is obtained to thereby enable substantially stepless position detection and to bring about a shortened sample time and rapid control.
On the other hand, since the analog signal is used, the encoder and the controller cannot be connected in an isolated manner through a photocoupler for a signal transmission. Therefore, the controller is likely to be influenced by noise to thereby render it impossible to provide a long transmission distance.

Method and apparatus for detecting positions and/or speed of a moving body using two phase signals


Method for strip-coating a metallic strip-shaped substrate (1) with a band (3) of plastic comprising the stages: (i) in-situ casting of a plastic band; (ii) leading the plastic band around a cooling roll (5, 5a); (iii) leading away the plastic band until the plastic band production is underway and stabilized; (iv) bringing the plastic band up to speed and heating the substrate to a temperature of the substrate close to the softening temperature of the part of the plastic band facing the substrate; (v) pressing the plastic band onto the substrate and where applicable breaking off the plastic band and stopping it being led away; (vi) coating the substrate (1) with the plastic band (3) at high speed.

The invention relates to a method for strip-coating a metallic strip-shaped substrate with a thin strip of plastic, an apparatus for carrying out the method as well as to the coated strip obtained with the method.
There are at least two methods known for manufacturing a coated product comprising a metal substrate and a plastic layer adhering to it, namely film-laminating and extrusion-coating.
In the case of film-laminating, a finished plastic film is unrolled and applied onto the metal substrate, as disclosed in e.g. WO 93/24324.
In the case of extrusion-coating a sheet of plastic is applied onto the metal substrate directly or virtually directly from an extruder, as disclosed in e.g. EP 0 067 060 Al.
In the case of the first method a roll of finished film is taken as stag material, A problem in making a roll of film is rolling it up. The film tends to stick to itself so that the windings cling to each other. Because in its rolled up state the film shrinks somewhat the roll has to be rolled up loosely to enable it to be unrolled once again in a controlled way. Inevitable stresses in the film then easily cause edge build-up, the roll becomes unround, and the film displays spacing tracks when being unrolled. Among other things this makes the film incapable of being unrolled without difficulty at a sufficiently high speed; if is does succeed then there remains the problem that at higher rolling off speeds electrostatic discharge symptoms need to be reckoned with. To avoid such difficulties additives are added to for example household foils; in the case of film-lamination this solution offers no remedy because the additives unacceptably reduce the capacity to adhere to the metal substrate.
On the face of it extrusion-coating would therefore seem an interesting alternative, and so it is for a small number of applications, namely those whereby the plastic involved has the correct adhesion properties in molten state. When this is no longer the cases or not adequately so, and molecules need to be incorporated in the plastic to migrate to the surface in order to accomplish adhesion, in the case of extrusion-coating the problems occur, at least where a high coating speed is desired. This is because adhesion groups only migrate fast enough, i.e. within tenths of a second, if a sufficiently high temperature can be maintained dig the coating. This is only possible when coating onto one side of the substrate, The required high temperature then also makes it impossible subsequently to coat the other side because the previously applied coating becomes unacceptably damaged on the second exposure to the high temperature. Even non-subsequent but simultaneous two-sided extrusion-coating is no solution because in the case of extrusion-coating the slightest deviation in substrate thickness and the slightest disturbance in the process would cause unstable process operation and consequently coating differences and inhomogeneities on each side.
The problems surrounding the procedures outlined are resolved or at least largely reduced if worked in accordance with the invention.
The method in accordance with the invention is characterized in that it comprises in combination the stages
(i) in-situ casting of a plastic strip;
(ii) leading the plastic strip around a preferably initially water-cooled cooling roll;
(iii) leading away the plastic strip until the plastic strip production is underway and stabilised;
(iv) bringing the plastic strip and the substrate up to speed and heating the substrate to a temper of the substrate close to or above the softening temperature of the part of the plastic strip facing the substrate;
(v) pressing the plastic strip onto the substrate and where applicable breaking off the plastic strip and stopping it being led away, while the substrate and the cooling roll are connected by the plastic strip;
(vi) coating the substrate with the plastic strip at high speed
This achieves the effect of enabling a considerably inner plastic layer to be applied onto the metal strip in a controlled and economically viable manner.
It is remarked that U.S. Pat. No. 5,407,702 discloses a method for coating a metal strip with a polymer extrudate which extrudate after extrusion is firstly brought into contact with a surface having a temperature which will promote sticking or clinging of the extrudate thereto. A typical temperature for this purpose is said to be in the range of about 120xc2x0 C. to 180xc2x0 C.
The invention is also embodied in an apparatus for the continuous strip-coating of a metal substrate with a layer of plastic.
Finally the invention is further embodied in a strip-coated packaging steel.
The invention will now be further illustrated by reference to the drawing comprising FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 each of which show a possible line drawing for coating in accordance with the invention, and several non-limitative examples with references to the Figures.

Method and apparatus for strip-coating a metallic strip-shaped substrate with a plastic band and strip thus obtained


A digital hydraulic system including a hydraulic source, a housing and a transtatic bridge. The transtatic bridge being substantially contained within the housing. The transtatic bridge being in fluid communication with the hydraulic source. The transtatic bridge communicating a force to or from a shaft or a fluid.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hydraulic system and method, and, more particularly, to a digital hydraulic system and method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hydraulics has a history practically as old as civilization itself. Hydraulics, more generally, fluid power, has evolved continuously and been refined countless times into the present day state in which it provides a power and finesse required by the most demanding industrial and mobile applications. Implementations of hydraulic systems are driven by the need for high power density, dynamic performance and maximum flexibility in system architecture. The touch of an operator can control hundreds of horsepower that can be delivered to any location where a pipe can be routed. The positioning tolerances can be held within thousandths of an inch and output force can be continuously varied in real time with a hydraulic system. Hydraulics today is a controlled, flexible muscle that provides power smoothly and precisely to accomplish useful work in millions of unique applications throughout the world.
Most basic systems involve fluid drawn from a reservoir by a pump and forced through a shifted valve into an expandable chamber of a cylinder, which communicates with the work piece, ultimately performing a useful task. After the work is performed, the valve is shifted so the fluid is allowed back to the reservoir. The fluid cycles through this loop again and again. This is a simple on/off operation resulting in only two output force possibilities, zero or maximum. In many industrial and mobile hydraulic applications a dynamic variable force or variable displacement is required. This is accomplished with the use of throttling, a process whereby some of the high-pressure fluid is diverted, depressurized and returned to the reservoir. The use of such a diversion results in an output force at some intermediate point between zero and maximum. If a greater amount of fluid is allowed back to low pressure, the output force is lower. Conversely, if the amount of fluid allowed back to the low pressure portion of the system is less, then the output force is higher. Throttling, while being somewhat inefficient is highly effective.
Another widely implemented form of hydraulics is hydrostatics. A hydrostatic power transmission system consists of a hydraulic pump, a hydraulic motor and an appropriate control. This system can produce a variable speed and torque in either direction. Hydrostatic systems result in an increase in efficiency over the throttling method, but at a high initial expense. An extended control effort is required and response of a hydrostatic system is not as fast as with servo or proportional valves that may be used in a throttling operation.
What is needed in the art is an improved efficiency hydraulic system with a fast control response.


An articulated riser system for aerial access equipment wherein a parallelogram linkage is provided by a support frame, a riser frame assembly, and a pair of substantially parallel arms pivotally connected at each end to the support frame and riser frame assembly. The parallel arms are positioned one above the other and the lower arm is provided with a multicell cross-sectional configuration larger than the tubular cross-sectional configuration of the upper arm so that heavier loads can be supported by aerial access equipment than if both parallel arms had the same cross-sectional configuration. A trough is provided in the upper surface of the lower arm so that the upper arm is nested therein when the parallelogram linkage is in its fully lowered and fully raised positions.

In U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,875, dated Jul. 19, 1988, owned by the same assignee as the instant application, a self propelled aerial work platform is disclosed wherein a pair of substantially parallel tubular arms are each pivotally connected at one end to the superstructure support frame, and at the opposite end to the riser frame assembly to which the telescopic boom assembly, having a work platform mounted on its outermost end, it pivotally connected.
The parallel tubular arms are typically rectangular in cross-section, having the same dimensions and spaced one above the other. While this parallelogram linkage has been satisfactory for its intended purpose, it has been found that heavier loads can be supported by the boom assembly if the lower arm, which is the tension member in the parallelogram linkage, is fabricated to have a larger cross-sectional configuration than the upper arm, which is the compression member in the parallelogram linkage. It has been further found that the compactness of the riser assembly is not sacrificed in using a larger lower arm by constructing the lower arm in such a manner that the upper arm of the parallelogram linkage nests within the lower arm in its fully lowered and fully raised positions.

Multicell articulated riser system for a self propelled aerial work platform


A vacuum compatible high-density electrical interconnect system for use in a vacuum environment is disclosed. In one embodiment, the vacuum compatible high-density electrical interconnect system includes a vacuum compatible base plate, a vacuum compatible printed wiring board (PWB) disposed on the vacuum compatible base plate and a vacuum compatible interposer module disposed in the vacuum compatible base plate. Further, the vacuum compatible PWB includes a plurality of components on a front side of the vacuum compatible PWB and a plurality of associated pads on a back side of the vacuum compatible PWB. In one exemplary embodiment, the vacuum compatible interposer module is disposed in the vacuum compatible base plate such that it operatively connects to the plurality of associated pads on the back side of the vacuum compatible PWB and further operatively connects to a plurality of pads of an external device that is disposed outside the vacuum environment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connections and more specifically to high-density electrical connections in a vacuum environment.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
One of the most difficult challenges posed by a high resolution imaging equipment is management of very high-density electrical connections required to operate many optical sensors used for such applications. The high resolution imaging equipment typically comprises a large number of coordinated optical sensors, such as focal plane arrays, operating in a small area. Each of these optical sensors necessitates a plurality of electrical connections to supply power and transmit input and output data.
Traditional electrical connections require lengths of wire or other conductive materials, which run along a printed circuit board (PCB) and occupy valuable space. This inefficient usage of available space severely limits the number of electrical connections per area and consequently limits the performance of high resolution imaging systems.
Further, due to high equipment cost and changing data capture requirements, the imaging systems commonly require that the aforementioned optical sensors and other circuitry be easily changed or replaced through interconnect systems. Furthermore, these interconnect systems are required in order to segregate modular portions of the imaging systems during assembly and manufacturing processes. Traditional interconnect systems use interposer connectors. Unfortunately, these interconnect systems are most commonly made from plastics or other organics-containing materials, such as flame retardant 4 (FR4). In normal non-cryogenic operating conditions, typically, it is not difficult to provide any needed thermal cooling to these imaging systems. However, when these imaging systems are housed in a cryogenic operating condition, it becomes difficult to provide the needed thermal cooling, as the plastics and other organics used in the interconnect systems may absorb moisture and can outgas and are therefore, not suitable for use in the vacuum environment required for many imaging applications, such as infrared (IR) imaging.

Vacuum compatible high-density electrical interconnect system

BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration


A method of forming a cement composition. The method comprises adding to a hydraulic cementitious material a first strength-enhancing agent and a second strength-enhancing agent, wherein the content of total alkali (Na2O equivalent) in the hydraulic cementitious material is less than or equal to 0.7% by weight of the cementitious material. The first strength-enhancing agent includes a compound represented by structural formula (I):

Cements often exhibit low compressive strength in the early stages of setting (i.e. compressive strength after 1 to 3 days after mixing with water). One solution used in the cement industry to enhance early compressive strength is to add alkali metals in a water-soluble form (e.g., alkali metal salts). However, the drawback of this solution is a decrease in a long-term (late) compressive strength, usually measured 28 days after mixing. It is thus desirable to develop cement additives to increase early compressive strength of cement compositions without negatively affecting late compressive strength.

Abstract: andthe second strength-enhancing agent is sodium sulfate, potassium sulfate, or a mixture thereof. The example values of the variables in structural formula (I) and the example amounts of the first and second strength-enhancing agents being added are defined herein.


A platform for supporting an oxygen tank and its carrier on a conventional folding wheelchair is disclosed. The platform is attached to the wheelchair and pivots between an operative position and a storage position. The platform is located in the operative position when the wheelchair is unfolded for use, and is capable of supporting the oxygen tank and its carrier in the operative position. The platform is located in the storage position when the wheelchair is folded for storage or transport.

1.Field of the Invention
An apparatus for supporting an oxygen tank and its carrier on a wheelchair.
1. Description of the Prior Art
Wheelchair users, particularly those with respiratory ailments, often require the use of oxygen to facilitate respiration. Oxygen is available as a compressed gas contained within a cylindrical metal tank. A wheeled oxygen tank carrier to which an oxygen tank is strapped enhances the mobility of the oxygen tank, allowing the user of the tank to wheel the tank about. Wheelchair users, however, have difficulty in maneuvering the oxygen tank and its carrier about while operating the wheelchair at the same time since both of the users hands are required to operate the wheelchair. Similarly, anyone pushing a wheelchair while simultaneously wheeling the oxygen tank carrier may find that maneuvering both the wheelchair and tank carrier at the same time can be difficult.
Conventional foldable wheelchairs have no place to locate an oxygen tank and its carrier in order to remove the burden, of operating both the wheelchair and the tank carrier, from the wheelchair operator. conventional foldable wheelchairs are designed to transport a wheelchair occupant and to fold up neatly for ease of storage, not to carry an oxygen tank. Location of a permanent support for the oxygen tank and its carrier on the wheelchair is made difficult by the collapsible frame of the wheelchair which allows the wheelchair to be folded for storage.

Foldable oxygen tank platform for a wheelchair


A method for manufacturing a high silicon grain-oriented electrical steel sheet. In a method for manufacturing a high silicon grain-oriented electrical steel sheet, comprising the steps of: reheating and hot-rolling a steel slab to produce a hot-rolled steel sheet; annealing the hot-rolled sheet and cold rolling the annealed steel sheet so as to adjust a thickness of the steel sheet; decarburization annealing the cold rolled steel sheet; and finish-annealing the decarburization annealed steel sheet for secondary recrystallization, the improved method further comprising the step of: coating a powder coating agent for siliconization on a surface of the decarburization annealed steel sheet in a slurry state, the powder coating agent including 100 part by weight of MgO powder and 0.5-120 part by weight of sintered powder of Fe—Si compound containing 25-70 wt % Si sintered powder, the sintered powder having a grain size of −325 mesh; drying the resultant decarburization annealed steel sheet; and finish annealing the steel sheet under a conventional condition.

Electrical steel sheets are generally classified into grain-oriented electrical steel sheet and non-oriented electrical steel sheet. Grain-oriented electrical steel sheet contains 3% silicon (Si) and has a texture in which grains are oriented in an orientation {(110) [001]}. Superior magnetic properties in the rolling direction allow these grain-oriented electrical steel sheet products to be used as core material of transformers, motors, generators and other electronic devices.
Recently, as electrical devices are diversified, demands on devices operating in a high frequency band have increased and thus demand for a core material with superior magnetic properties in high frequency has also increased.
In the meanwhile, in alloys of Fe—Si, since higher silicon contents allow hysteresis loss, magnetostriction, coercive force, and magnetic anisotropy among core loss properties to decrease and maximum permeability to increase, it is said that high silicon steel products are superior soft magnetic material. Then, the decrease of magnetostriction and the increase of maximum permeability do not continue limitlessly according to the increase of silicon content but show maximum values in 6.5% Si steel. Also, it is well known that magnetic properties of 6.5% Si steel reach the maximum state in high frequency band as well as commercial frequency band. Due to the superior magnetic properties in high frequency band, high silicon steel is mainly applicable to high frequency reactor for gas turbine generator, tank power supply, induction heating device, uninterruptible power supply or the like, and high frequency transformer for plating power supply, welding machine, X-ray power supply or the like, and is being used as substitution material of silicon grain-oriented steel. In addition, the high silicon steel is applicable for use to reduce power consumption of a motor and improve the efficiency of the motor.
Then, since elongation of the silicon steel sheet decreases abruptly as silicon content in Fe—Si steel increases, it is known that it is nearly impossible to manufacture the silicon steel sheet containing in excess of 3.5% Si by a cold rolling. In spite of such a fact that higher Si contents are effective in obtaining superior magnetic properties, the manufacture of such a high silicon steel sheet is recognized as a limitation of the cold rolling. Accordingly, researches on a new substitution technology that can overcome the limitation of the cold rolling are being tried from a long time ago.
Among the prior art methods for the manufacture of high silicon steel sheets, Japanese Patent Laid Open Publication No. S56-3625, discloses direct casting of a high silicon steel using a single roll or twin rolls, Japanese Patent Laid Open Publication No. S62-103321, discloses a warm rolling in which rolling is performed in a heated state at a proper temperature, and Japanese Patent Laid Open Publication No. H5-171281 discloses a clad rolling in which rolling is performed in a state wherein the high silicon steel is located at an inner portion and a low silicon steel is located at an outer portion. However, the aforementioned prior art has not yet been commercialized.
For mass production of high silicon steel products such as 3% Si non-oriented steel products, a well known process includes the steps of depositing silicon on a surface of a material by a chemical vapor deposition using SiCl4 and then homogenizing the silicon, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid Open Publication No. S62-227078, U.S. Pat. No. 3,423,253 and the like. However, the above process causes the manufactured products to be sold inevitably at a price five times high than the conventional 3% Si steel products due to the difficulty in the CVD process. In spite of the fact that these products have superior magnetic properties, it is difficult to popularize and commercialize such products due to the high cost.
Among the currently circulated electrical steel products, only non-oriented electrical steel sheets containing 6.5% Si are produced and sold as the high silicon steel product. Owing to an irregular arrangement of grain, the non-oriented electrical steel sheets containing 6.5% Si content is used in the rotator with a small magnetic deviation according to magnetizing directions orientations. However, high silicon grain-oriented electrical steel sheet products, which demonstrate excellent characteristics in use for the transformer mainly using only the magnetic property in the rolling direction, have been not yet commercialized. Accordingly, various tries for producing a grain-oriented electrical steel sheet with superior magnetic properties due to high silicon content have been performed, but it has not been informed yet of a success to produce such products.

Method for manufacturing high silicon grain-oriented electrical steel sheet with superior core loss property


An apparatus for coaching improvements for a performer during a performance activity based on observed actual performance in comparison to a possible performance, with sensors measuring performance criteria. A microprocessor computer creates respective pseudo-measurements relevant to the performance activity based on the measurements, which are normalized and evaluated as to proximity to a possible performance value. A display presents the measured actual performance in relation to the possible performance, so the performer may change actions and observe on the display the effect of the change. A method of coaching performer during a performance activity is disclosed.

Sports and athletic performers practice individually and under the instruction and guidance of coaches. The performers engage in practice, and receive coaching and guidance, for developing skills and abilities for sports and athletic performances and for improving such performances. There are a number of support materials and tools useful for a performer to improve performance. These materials and tools include printed documents that illustrate and describe the performance activities, imaging devices such as still image and video image cameras and recorders, and performance enhancing tools such as equipment used during performances, weights, and athletic gear. Also, persons skilled in the particular activity often work as coaches and trainers to instruct and guide the performers. Observation of performers by such experienced persons often provides a basis for a counseling instruction or guidance to the performer for improving the physical and mental skills for sports performance activities.
In the motor vehicle sports field, drivers similarly learn using such materials and tools, and further practice driving skills on road tracks and courses. More experienced drivers and instructors may accompany the driver to provide in-car instructions and explanations of the physics and forces involved in motor sports. Additionally, special equipment may be installed in the car for tracking various parameters involved in motor sports driving including engine speed (rpm), acceleration, torque, and other vehicle parameters. Such systems however are expensive and complicated to install. The data collected is difficult to interpret and further, the study of such information occurs after the driving session. Real-time feedback is limited to observations and comments by the ride-along instructor, but such is typically not robust in view of the dynamics and time limitations associated with motor vehicle racing.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a real-time performance monitoring and instructional guidance system that monitors sportsman actual performance and provides relative determined performance capability as real-time coaching and for performance improvement information and instruction guidance. It is to such that the present invention is directed.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Performance coaching apparatus and method


An adjustable golf putter head assembly is described including a putter head and an adjustable hosel for connecting the head to a putter shaft. The putter head includes a forward ball striking surface formed substantially along a ball striking plane, a bottom sole surface, and a rearwardly facing back surface. The putter head further includes opposed toe and heel ends between which said forward ball striking surface, bottom sole surface and back surface extend. The hosel is of a goose neck configuration, and includes a first end for attachment to the putter head, and a second end for attachment to a club shaft. A pivot connection on the putter head back surface and the first end of the hosel interconnects the hosel and putter head at a location on the putter head substantially midway between the toe and heel ends, for selective pivot adjustment of the hosel relative to the putter head about a first axis substantially normal to the ball striking plane. An interlock component such as an epoxy adhesive joins the first end of the hosel and putter head within the pivot connection to affix the putter head and hosel together after initial adjustment in a selected angular relationship about the axis. The club head is substantially symmetrical to facilitate constant balance and afford adjustment for left or right handed golfers.

The angle that a golf putter shaft makes with the putting surface has an effect on the golfer's stance, particularly the distance that must be maintained between the ball and the golfer's body.
For example, a putter with its shaft axis perpendicular to the putting green will allow the golfer to stand very close to the ball, while a shaft angle at, say 7.degree. from vertical allows the golfer to stand further from the ball. The shape of the putter head's bottom surface will allow some variation, but not without sacrificing the ideal position of the head mass with respect to the ball.
A need has thus been realized for a putter with a head arrangement that can be adjusted to change shaft angle, yet remain balanced regardless of the angular relationship of the putter head to the shaft.
It also is desirable, for manufacturers, to be able to produce a single putter head that can be easily adapted to suit right or left handed golfers.
The present invention provides a solution to the above problems by providing adjustment capability, allowing the golfer to selectively set the shaft angle without upsetting the balance of the club head. The present invention also provides such adjustment features for either right or left handed golfers.


A recording device has a recording unit that records on a recording medium; a control unit that controls the recording unit; a storage unit that stores management information related to control by the control unit, and report information corresponding to the management information; an input unit that inputs information to change the report information; and an output unit that outputs the report information stored in the storage unit.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a recording device that records on recording media, a recording system including a recording device and a control device capable of connecting to the recording device, and a method of controlling a recording device.
2. Related Art
Recording devices that store executable firmware and can perform operations related to recording by functions of the firmware, and store firmware version information, are known from the literature. See, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Appl. Pub. JP-A-2009-149015. The stored firmware information may be displayed on a display panel so that the firmware version can be checked.
Management information (such as firmware version information) describing the state of specific components (such as the firmware) such as in the recording device described above is set by the manufacturer and is not always in a display format that is easy for the user to understand. Because the management information is information describing the state of specific components, it must be a value corresponding as much as possible to the actual state of the component. User convenience must therefore be assured while also assuring the reliability of the management information.

Recording device, recording system, and method of controlling recording device


A rotation drive device for driving a rotator is disclosed, comprising an electric motor for driving the rotator, a phase detecting circuit for detecting the phase of rotation of the rotator, a reference signal source for forming a reference signal of a constant period, a phase control circuit for controlling the motor in such a manner that the phase difference between the output of the reference signal source and the output of the phase detecting circuit becomes a constant value, a detecting circuit for detecting a fact that the reading-out of the phase difference is not completed in the time interval between the successive two outputs of the phase detecting circuit, a control circuit for varying the number of cycles of phase difference computing operation of the phase control circuit depending on the time interval between the successive two outputs of the phase detecting circuit, another detecting circuit for detecting a fact that the phase detecting circuit has produced no output in one period of the reference signal, and another detecting circuit for detecting a fact that the production of an output of the phase detecting circuit has repeated a plurality of times in one period of the reference signal.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to rotator drive devices, and more particularly to a phase control device for a rotator.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the conventional rotator drive device, for example, the disk drive device in the electronic still camera, it has been the common practice that the driving of the disk in such a manner to control phase of rotation of the electric motor is brought into coincidence with the clock signal which is used for regulating the timing in operating the camera whole. The use of such a method in controlling the speed (phase) of the motor, therefore, took a very long time. Thus, in the various operations of the camera, its ramp characteristic was less than desirable.
Also, a method of phase control may be considered in which the phase of an FG (Frequency Generator) pulse is synchronized in a delay of .pi. from the clock signal. In this case, however, the possibility of controlling the phase is unavoidably limited so that the phase lag of the FG pulses with respect to the clock signal must fall in a range from 0 to not more than 2.pi..
Yet, with a sudden change of the load on the motor, the phase difference may likely exceed the above-defined maximum acceptable range.
For example, suppose, for every one revolution of the rotator (not shown), 16 FG pulses are obtained. If in this case, as the phase difference between the clock signal and the FG pulse was in the close neighborhood of (15/8).pi. at the time of the (n-1)th cycle of sampling for control, the phase of the FG pulse delays more than (1/8).pi. from the clock signal until the next or nth cycle of sampling. As a result, a phase lag of the FG pulse to the clock signal above 2.pi. occurs. In the above-described control method, this situation is mistaken for a diminishment of the phase gap, because phase lags of 2.pi. and zero cannot be discriminated from each other. Therefore, proper control could no longer be attained.
Hence, there has been demand for a rotator drive device having phase control capable of following larger variations and sudden changes in the load.


A robotic system for rehabilitation using EMG signals to provide mechanical help includes EMG electrodes (6) sequentially connected in series, a DAS card (2) and a control portion (1), and further includes an actuator (3) connected to the DAS card (2) and an additional moment providing portion (4) connected to the actuator (3). The EMG electrodes sense EMG signals corresponding to the muscle of suffering joint, and input the sensed EMG signals to the control portion (1) through the DAS card (2). The control portion (1) uses the input EMG signals and a constant moment set as desired to calculate an additional moment to be applied to the suffering joint, and additional moment providing portion (4) is controlled to apply the corresponding additional moment to the suffering joint through the DAS card (2) and the actuator (3).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to rehabilitation training equipments for assistant medical treatment, specifically to a rehabilitation robotic system and training method for providing mechanical help by using EMG (electromyographic) signals acquired from patients' affected side.
2. Description of Related Art
Stroke is a common disease. The traditional rehabilitative devices have been introduced by Interactive robotic therapist in U.S. Pat. No. 5,466,213 and A Multiple-motion rehabilitation training robot for hemiplegia upper limbs in Chinese Patent application CN 1480118A, for helping patients training their shoulder-elbow joints. However, the patients can merely be trained passively with these devices within such a little space which patients may not reach for their dyskinesia.
Usually, there are some residual measured EMG signals in the patients' affected muscle, and many of the rehabilitation devices use the residual EMG signals to encourage patients to join the rehabilitation trainings initiatively, such as Myoelectricity trainer disclosed in Chinese Patent CN 2103990U. However, these devices provide only a sound or visual feedback to patients based on the detected EMG signals, while there is no actual machinery help to the patients. This means that the devices could help the patients participate in the rehabilitation in their own initiative, but the acting qualities of the patients are restricted due to their own acting difficulties, so the devices could not help the patients' rehabilitation training in a better way.

Robotic system and training method for rehabilitation using EMG signals to provide mechanical help


To provide a recording control device able to control a data recording so as not to use a defective sector free from a sector test before a shipment thereof, which controls a data recording with respect to a plurality of sectors in a recording region of a recording medium and has: a verification unit writing data to be written to a first sector in the recording medium when receiving a write request to the recording medium, then reading out the data from the first sector, and performing a verification processing comparing the data to be written with the read out data; and a processing unit writing the data to be written to a second sector on condition that the verification unit decides that the comparison result is disagreement, and determining attribute data as a management data.

1. Field of the Invention                The present invention relates to a recording control device with a recoding medium in which a recoding region is divided into a plurality of sectors, a recording control method, a program and a recoding system.
2. Description of the Related Art                A hard disk drive (HDD) divides a recoding region of a magnetic disk into a plurality of sectors and records data on each of the sectors as a unit.        A sector may become a defective recoding in producing the HDD, so that the sector is tested in order not to make a defective sector use after a shipment.        The above test is performed by using a test apparatus, and the entire sector in the recording region of the magnetic disk is tested with its quality, namely defective or non-defective.        Further, the HDD stores a read out error frequency of a sector to be read out when reading out data after the shipment. If the error frequency exceeds a predetermined reference, the sector may be recorded as a defective sector and the defective sector may not be used.        On the other hand, when recording data, the HDD selects a sector which is not recorded as the defective sector and writes data to the sector.

Recording control device, recording control method, program and recording system


A stationary induction electric apparatus includes an iron core having legs of core and yokes of core; windings wound around the legs of core; coolant for cooling the windings; a cylindrical insulation structure that forms a flow of the coolant around the windings; baffle members alternately provided on the inner wall side and the outer wall side of the cylindrical insulation structure; and adjustment members for constricting the flow of the coolant. The adjustment members are provided on the same side of the respective baffle members and on the respective baffle members.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stationary induction electric apparatus such as a transformer or an iron-core reactor, and in particular, to a winding cooling structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a stationary induction electric apparatus configured of an iron core, a winding wound around the leg of core, and a plurality of cylindrical insulation structures, heat generated by electrification in the winding is transmitted to the coolant circulating around, and is discharged to the outside air or the like from a radiator or the like. This means that the winding is cooled. There are a case where coolant is forcibly circulated by a pump or the like (hereinafter referred to as forced convection) and a case where coolant circulates due to a temperature rise in the coolant around the winding (hereinafter referred to as natural convection).
In the case where a wire is wound a large number of times to constitute a winding, there is a structure in which the wire is arranged adjacently in a radial direction to produce a disk-like winding element (hereinafter referred to as a coil), and a plurality of them are arranged in an axial direction. In the case of cooling such a winding, as the flow velocity of the coolant differs depending on the position of the wire constituting the coil, heat transmission from the wire to the coolant may differ depending on the position.
In order to make heat transmission uniform in a circumferential direction of the coil mainly, there is a method in which a flow in vertical ducts (flow channel) formed between the winding and cylindrical insulation structures arranged on both sides thereof is sealed so as to form an almost zigzag flow from the inner side to the outer side or from the outer side to the inner side of the winding.
However, in the case of cooling the winding, as described, above, by natural convection, as the flow velocity of the circulating coolant is lower compared with the case of forced convection, there is a problem that the flow velocity of the coolant is likely to vary in the vicinity of respective portions of the winding. In order to cool the winding efficiently, it is desirable to make the flow velocity of the coolant uniform in respective portions of the winding.
As background art of the present technical field, there is JP-07-014723-A. JP-07-014723-A describes a structure in which in a winding having interval spacer plates for sealing the flow in a vertical flow channel to form a zigzag flow, the interval space plates are provided at narrower intervals in the upper portion of the winding and at wider intervals in the lower portion of the winding. There is also JP-2012-119639-A. JP-2012-119639-A describes a structure in which a transformer winding is divided into two, and blockage plates for blocking inner and outer side vertical channels and releasing the center vertical cooling channel and blockage plates for blocking the center vertical cooling channel are alternately arranged in an axial direction. There is also JP-09-199345-A. JP-09-199345-A describes a structure in which a flow dividing plate is provided to narrow the flow channel in the game direction as the downstream side of the opening of a baffle, and on the downstream side of the flow dividing plate, a flow return plate is provided on the vertical duct side opposite to the opening.


The present invention provides a rapid and continuous process for making corn dough masa and tortilla chips by processing non-hydrated corn feed, an alkalizing agent, and water through a cooker-extruder under certain process parameters so as to make the masa and subsequently the finished tortilla product. The corn feed can be any form of corn ranging from whole kernel corn to finely ground corn flour. The extruder process conditions use a Specific Mechanical Energy input of 300 to 550 watt hours per kilogram of material fed to the extruder; a Residence Time Distribution of from about 175 to 400 seconds; a Shear Rate of 65 to 140 reciprocal seconds; and a Peak Temperature of 230.degree. F. to 270.degree. F.

Traditional corn chip processing includes the batch cooking and soaking in water of whole kernel corn with the addition of calcium hydroxide (lime) in a process that takes 8 to 12 hours. The cooking and soaking or steeping in water softens and hydrates the corn. The cooked and soaked materials is then washed to remove corn pericarp and drained of lime water; ground to produce masa; sheeted; cut into appropriate shapes, e.g., triangles, rounds, etc.; possibly proofed in a direct fire oven; and fried to a final moisture content. The process involves many time consuming and labor intensive steps, as well as producing an alkaline wasted water disposal problem.
More recently, Mapampianti (MAPA), an Italian equipment supplier, has developed an extrusion process which eliminates the husk removal and the alkaline waste water but still requires about six to eight hours of soaking time. Briefly, the MAPA tortilla process requires soaking of whole kernel corn in tap water to rehydrate the corn. The soaked corn is then transferred to a first single screw extruder for procesing with the original soak water. Excess water is returned to the soak tank and remixed with new water for soaking of the next batch. The corn is transferred to another extruder and eventually ground, cooked and sheeted. A substantially similar process is disclosed in U.S. Pat No. 4,778,690 of the Oct. 18, 1988 to MAPAM, INC., which appears to be a MAPA related company.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,834,996 of May 30, 1989 to Fazzolare et al and 4,645,679 of Feb. 24, 1987 to Lee et al disclose the manufacture of snack products from corn flour or comminuted corn wherein twin screw extruders are diclosed for some portion of the process.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,253 of Sept. 6, 1988 to Willard relates to a process for producing extruded fried snack products which have not been treated with lime from a variety of dry-milled corn ingredients.
U.S. Pat Nos. 3,278,311 of Oct. 11, 1966 to J.D. Brown et al; 4,803,091 of Feb. 7, 1989 to Mottur et al; and 3,020,162 Feb. 6, 1962 to Cunningham, Et Al show conventional methods for making corn chips.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,645,679 of Feb. 24, 1987 to Lee et al shows a generally conventional process for making a corn chip wherein a cooking extruder, preferably a twin screw extruder is used to enhance hydration and gelatinization of the starch.
U.S. Pat. No.4,748,037 of May 31, 1988 to Mastumoto et al as well as its initially filed Japanese patent application 59-178407 of Aug. 29, 1984 relates to a continuous method for preparing a soft snack food cake by extrusion cooking of whole or hulled beans or cereals such as corn in a twin screw extruder.
U.S. Pat Nos. 4,500,588 of Feb. 19, 1985 to Fulger; 3,458,321 July 26, 1969 to Reinhart et al; 4,756,921 of Jul. 12, 1988 to Calandro et al; and 4,790,996 of Dec. 13, 1988 to Roush et al disclosure the processing of various corn products on twin screw extruders.

Continuous extrusion for tortilla chip production


A semiconductor device (10) and process provides first and second, electrically coupled MOS transistors (14, 16) in which the current gain of the second MOS transistor (16) is greater than the current gain of the first MOS transistor (14). First and second gate structures (23, 25) are formed on a gate dielectric layer (26) overlying a semiconductor substrate (12). The gate dielectric layer (26) has a uniform thickness in all regions. The current gain differential between the first and second MOS transistors (14, 16) is obtained by selectively forming a dielectric intrusion layer (42) under the gate structure (23) of the first MOS transistor (14), whereas the dielectric layer (26) underlying the gate structure (25) of the second MOS transistor (16) retains the uniform thickness. The dielectric intrusion layer (42) causes a higher channel resistance in the first MOS transistor (14) which retards the current gain in the first MOS transistor (14) relative to the current gain of the second MOS transistor ( 16).

In many VLSI integrated circuit devices, there is a need to fabricate transistors that have different electrical performance characteristics. For example, SRAM cells suffer stability problems as the cell size is reduced. To function properly, the SRAM memory cell, when charged, must hold a voltage level, either high (logic 1) or low (logic 0). When reading data from the cell, the charge pulse generated as the pass transistor turns on must not flip the voltage level at the storage nodes. To stabilize the cell, the driver transistors are fabricated to have a higher current gain than the pass transistors. Usually, the current gain relationship is controlled by adjusting the width-to-length (W/L) ratio of the driver transistors relative to that of the pass transistors. The ratio of the W/L values of the two sets of transistors is known as the cell ratio and is commonly specified to be at least 3.0 or larger.
The physical adjustment of the W/L ratio for an MOS transistor requires a dimension change in either the width or the length of the gate electrode. In a VLSI circuit, where component sizes are typically reduced as much as possible, a constraint is placed on the maximum dimension of both the width and the length of the gate electrodes used in a circuit. This constraint limits the ability of a circuit designer to affect a parameter, such as the cell ratio. The cell designer is not free to arbitrarily select large values for one dimension relative to the other dimension in order to achieve the desired W/L ratio.
Recognizing a need to control the performance characteristics of one MOS transistor relative to that of another by means other than changing physical dimensions of the gate, technologists have developed other methods to control transistor performance characteristics. In one method, the control of the current gain of a pass transistor relative to a driver transistor is achieved by changing the doping concentration in a source-drain region. The gain of the pass transistor is reduced by omitting the N.sup.+ source region when forming the pass transistor. While this method is effective in changing current gain, the alteration of the source electrical field relative to the drain electric field can result in asymmetric behavior and poor overall performance. In another method, the thickness of the gate dielectric is increased in one set of transistors relative to the thickness of the gate dielectric of the other set of transistors. For example, the thickness of the gate dielectric layer is made thicker in the pass transistors relative to the gate dielectric thickness in the driver transistors. The pass transistors each having the thicker gate dielectric layer have a lower current gain than the driver transistors. While changing the dielectric thickness is effective is altering current gain, additional high-precision processing steps are necessary to obtain an exact dielectric thickness differential between the two sets of transistors.
Although the techniques described above overcome the limitations inherent in adjusting the dimensions of a gate electrode in a VLSI circuit, still more exact control of the current-gain parameter is needed to meet the demands of ever smaller circuit designs. In achieving a desired current gain differential, the method used must not result in abnormal transistor performance, such as asymmetric performance characteristics, and must be readily manufacturable.

Method for fabricating paired MOS transistors having a current-gain differential


A playlist generating method for generating a playlist of content from received broadcasted data is provided. The playlist generating method includes the steps of: extracting features of broadcast content beforehand, storing the features in a content feature file, and storing information relating to the broadcast content in a content information DB; extracting features from the received data, and storing the features in a data feature file; searching for broadcast content of a predetermined kind by comparing data in the content feature file and data in the data feature file; when a name of the predetermined kind of content is determined, storing data corresponding to the broadcast content of the predetermined kind in a search result file; generating a playlist for the broadcast content of the predetermined kind from the search result file and the content information DB.

Conventionally, there is no system for recognizing a music name used in content of image information or music information broadcasted in real time, and storing the music name in a storage.
In addition, there is no apparatus for recognizing and storing a CM broadcasted in real time. In addition, there is no system for comparing and recognizing CM data only by using CM information separated at predetermined intervals.
As mentioned above, according to the conventional system, there is no technique to monitor broadcasted music, so that the music name cannot be stored in a storage with time information when the music is broadcasted. The time information can be assigned to a music name only by manually, so that the name of the broadcasted music and the broadcasted time information cannot be provided in real time.
In addition, as to CM, there is no apparatus for recognizing and storing a broadcasted CM from broadcasted images or voice information in real time. This can be performed manually, so that there is a limit for real time capability and expansion of scale.

Method, system and storage medium for commercial and musical composition recognition and storage


The present invention is directed to molecules, such as monospecific antibodies and bispecific, trispecific or multispecific binding molecules, including diabodies, BITE® molecules, and antibodies that are capable of specifically binding to “Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase Domain-containing Protein 9” (“ADAM9”). The invention particularly concerns such binding molecules that are capable of exhibiting high affinity binding to human and non-human ADAM9. The invention further particularly relates to such molecules that are thereby cross-reactive with human ADAM9 and the ADAM9 of a non-human primate (e.g., a cynomolgus monkey). The invention additionally pertains to all such ADAM9-binding molecules that comprise a Light Chain Variable (VL) Domain and/or a Heavy Chain Variable (VH) Domain that has been humanized and/or deimmunized so as to exhibit reduced immunogenicity upon administration of such ADAM9-binding molecule to a recipient subject. The invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions that contain any of such ADAM9-binding molecules, and to methods involving the use of any of such ADAM9-binding molecules in the treatment of cancer and other diseases and conditions.

ADAM is a family of proteins involved in various physiologic and pathologic processes (Amendola, R. S. et al. (2015) "ADAM9 Disintegrin Domain Activates Human Neutrophils Through An Autocrine Circuit Involving Integrins And CXCR2," J. Leukocyte Biol. 97(5):951-962; Edwars, D. R. et al. (2008) "The ADAM Metalloproteases," Molec. Aspects Med. 29:258-289). At least 40 gene members of the family have been identified, and at least 21 of such members are believed to be functional in humans (Li, J. et al. (2016) "Overexpression of ADAM9 Promotes Colon Cancer Cells Invasion," J. Invest. Surg. 26(3):127-133; Duffy, M. J. et al. (2011) "The ADAMs Family Of Proteases: New Biomarkers And Therapeutic Targets For Cancer?," Clin. Proteomics 8:9:1-13; see also US Patent Publication No. 2013/0045244).
ADAM family members have a well-conserved structure with 8 domains, among which are a metalloprotease domain and an integrin-binding (disintegrin) domain (Duffy, M. J. et al. (2009) "The Role Of ADAMs In Disease Pathophysiology," Clin. Chim. Acta 403:31-36). The ADAM metalloprotease domain acts as a sheddase and has been reported to modulate a series of biologic processes by cleaving transmembrane proteins, which then can act as soluble ligands and regulate cellular signaling (Amendola, R. S. et al. (2015) "ADAM9 Disintegrin Domain Activates Human Neutrophils Through An Autocrine Circuit Involving Integrins And CXCR2," J. Leukocyte Biol. 97(5):951-962; Ito, N. et al. (2004) "ADAMs, A Disintegrin And Metalloproteinases, Mediate Shedding Of Oxytocinase," Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 314 (2004) 1008-1013).
ADAM9 is a member of the ADAM family of molecule. It is synthesized as an inactive form which is proteolytically cleaved to generate an active enzyme. Processing at the upstream site is particularly important for activation of the proenzyme. ADAM9 is expressed in fibroblasts (Zigrino, P. et al. (2011) "The Disintegrin-Like And Cysteine Rich Domains Of ADAM-9 Mediate Interactions Between Melanoma Cells And Fibroblasts," J. Biol. Chem. 286:6801-6807), activated vascular smooth muscle cells (Sun, C. et al. (2010) "ADAM15 Regulates Endothelial Permeability And Neutrophil Migration Via Src/ERKJ/2 Signalling," Cardiovasc. Res. 87:348-355), monocytes (Namba, K. et al. (2001) "Involvement Of ADAM9 In Multinucleated Giant Cell Formation Of Blood Monocytes," Cell. Immunol. 213:104-113), activated macrophages (Oksala, N. et al. (2009) "ADAM-9, ADAM-15, And ADAM-17 Are Upregulated In Macrophages In Advanced Human Atherosclerotic Plaques In Aorta And Carotid And Femoral Arteries—Tampere Vascular Study," Ann. Med. 41:279-290).
ADAM9's metalloprotease activity participates in the degradation of matrix components, to thereby allow migration of tumor cells (Amendola, R. S. et al. (2015) "ADAM9 Disintegrin Domain Activates Human Neutrophils Through An Autocrine Circuit Involving Integrins And CXCR2," J. Leukocyte Biol. 97(5):951-962). Its disintegrin domain, which is highly homologous to many snake-venom disintegrins, allows the interaction between ADAM9 and integrins, and enables ADAM9 to modulate, positively or negatively, cell adhesion events (Zigrino, P. et al. (2011) "The Disintegrin-Like And Cysteine-Rich Domains Of ADAM-9 Mediate Interactions Between Melanoma Cells And Fibroblasts," J. Biol. Chem. 286:6801-6807; Karadag, A. et al. (2006) "ADAM-9 (MDC-9/Meltringamma), A Member Of The A Disintegrin And Metalloproteinase Family, Regulates Myeloma-Cell-Induced Interleukin-6 Production In Osteoblasts By Direct Interaction With The Alpha(v)Beta5 Integrin," Blood 107:3271-3278; Cominetti, M. R. et al. (2009) "Inhibition Of Platelets And Tumor Cell Adhesion By The Disintegrin Domain Of Human ADAM9 To Collagen I Under Dynamic Flow Conditions," Biochimie 91:1045-1052). The ADAM9 disintegrin domain has been shown to interact with the α6β1, α6β4, αvβ5 and α9β1 integrins.
The expression of ADAM9 has been found to be relevant to disease, especially cancer. ADAM9 has been found to cleave and release a number of molecules with important roles in tumorigenesis and angiogenesis, such as TEK, KDR, EPHB4, CD40, VCAM1 and CDH5. ADAM9 is expressed by many types of tumor cells, including tumor cells of breast cancers, colon cancers, gastric cancers, gliomas, liver cancers, non-small cell lung cancers, melanomas, myelomas, pancreatic cancers and prostate cancers (Yoshimasu, T. et al. (2004) "Overexpression Of ADAM9 In Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Correlates With Brain Metastasis," Cancer Res. 64:4190-4196; Peduto, L. et al. (2005) "Critical Function For ADAM9 In Mouse Prostate Cancer," Cancer Res. 65:9312-9319; Zigrino, P. et al. (2005) "ADAM-9 Expression And Regulation In Human Skin Melanoma And Melanoma Cell Lines," Int. J. Cancer 116:853-859; Fritzsche, F. R. et al. (2008) "ADAM9 Is Highly Expressed In Renal Cell Cancer And Is Associated With Tumour Progression," BMC Cancer 8:179:1-9; Fry, J. L. et al. (2010) "Secreted And Membrane-Bound Isoforms Of Protease ADAM9 Have Opposing Effects On Breast Cancer Cell Migration," Cancer Res. 70, 8187-8198; Chang, L. et al. (2016) "Combined Rnai Targeting Human Stat3 And ADAM9 As Gene Therapy For Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer," Oncology Letters 11:1242-1250; Fan, X. et al. (2016) "ADAM9 Expression Is Associate with Glioma Tumor Grade and Histological Type, and Acts as a Prognostic Factor in Lower-Grade Gliomas," Int. J. Mol. Sci. 17:1276:1-11).
Significantly, increased ADAM9 expression has been found to correlate positively with tumor malignancy and metastatic potential (Amendola, R. S. et al. (2015) "ADAM9 Disintegrin Domain Activates Human Neutrophils Through An Autocrine Circuit Involving Integrins And CXCR2," J. Leukocyte Biol. 97(5):951-962; Fan, X. et al. (2016) "ADAM9 Expression Is Associate with Glioma Tumor Grade and Histological Type, and Acts as a Prognostic Factor in Lower-Grade Gliomas," Int. J. Mol. Sci. 17:1276:1-11; Li, J. et al. (2016) "Overexpression of ADAM9 Promotes Colon Cancer Cells Invasion," J. Invest. Surg. 26(3):127-133). Additionally, ADAM9 and its secreted soluble isoform seem to be crucial for cancer cells to disseminate (Amendola, R. S. et al. (2015) "ADAM9 Disintegrin Domain Activates Human Neutrophils Through An Autocrine Circuit Involving Integrins And CXCR2," J. Leukocyte Biol. 97(5):951-962; Fry, J. L. et al. (2010) "Secreted And Membrane-Bound Isoforms Of Protease ADAM9 Have Opposing Effects On Breast Cancer Cell Migration," Cancer Res. 70, 8187-8198; Mazzocca, A. (2005) "A Secreted Form Of ADAM9 Promotes Carcinoma Invasion Through Tumor-Stromal Interactions," Cancer Res. 65:4728-4738; see also U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,150,656; 7,585,634; 7,829,277; 8,101,361; and 8,445,198 and US Patent Publication No. 2009/0023149).
A number of studies have thus identified ADAM9 as a potential target for anticancer therapy (Peduto, L. (2009) "ADAM9 As A Potential Target Molecule In Cancer," Curr. Pharm. Des. 15:2282-2287; Duffy, M. J. et al. (2009) "Role Of ADAMs In Cancer Formation And Progression," Clin. Cancer Res. 15:1140-1144; Duffy, M. J. et al. (2011) "The ADAMs Family Of Proteases: New Biomarkers And Therapeutic Targets For Cancer?" Clin. Proteomics 8:9:1-13; Josson, S. et al. (2011) "Inhibition of ADAM9 Expression Induces Epithelial Phenotypic Alterations and Sensitizes Human Prostate Cancer Cells to Radiation and Chemotherapy," Prostate 71(3):232-240; see also US Patent Publication Nos. 2016/0138113, 2016/0068909, 2016/0024582, 2015/0368352, 2015/0337356, 2015/0337048, 2015/0010575, 2014/0342946, 2012/0077694, 2011/0151536, 2011/0129450, 2010/0291063, 2010/0233079, 2010/0112713, 2009/0285840, 2009/0203051, 2004/0092466, 2003/0091568, and 2002/0068062, and PCT Publication Nos. WO 2016/077505, WO 2014/205293, WO 2014/186364, WO 2014/124326, WO 2014/108480, WO 2013/119960, WO 2013/098797, WO 2013/049704, and WO 2011/100362). Additionally, the expression of ADAM9 has also been found to be relevant to pulmonary disease and inflammation (see, e.g., US Patent Publication Nos. 2016/0068909; 2012/0149595; 2009/0233300; 2006/0270618; and 2009/0142301). Antibodies that bind to ADAM9 are commercially available from Abcam, Thermofisher, Sigma-Aldrich, and other companies.
However, despite all prior advances, a need remains for high affinity ADAM9-binding molecules that exhibit minimal binding to normal tissues and are capable of binding to human and non-human ADAM9 with similar high affinity. The present invention addresses this need and the need for improved therapeutics for cancer.

ADAM9-binding molecules, and methods of use thereof


An aqueous hydraulic fluid composition comprising of one or more lubricants such as a monovalent metal salt, ammonium, or alkanolamine salt of a dicarboxylic acid, such as a C21 dicarboxylic acid is described in which the aqueous hydraulic fluid composition demonstrates increased thermal stability when exposed to elevated temperatures for a prolonged period of time while being able to tolerate the presence of 10% v/v synthetic seawater. The aqueous hydraulic fluid composition contains less than about 20% by weight (preferably none or substantially none) of an oil selected from the group consisting of mineral oils, synthetic hydrocarbon oils, and mixtures thereof.

Hydraulic fluids are low viscosity fluids used for the transmission of useful power by the flow of the fluid under pressure from a power source to a load. A liquid hydraulic fluid generally transmits power by virtue of its displacement under a state of stress. Hydraulic fluids generally operate with a low coefficient of friction. To be effective, the compositions typically have sufficient antiwear, antiweld, and extreme pressure properties to minimize metal damage from metal-to-metal contact under high load conditions.
Hydraulic fluids are usable in subsea control devices that are used to control well-head pressure of an oil well under production. The hydraulic equipment can open or close a well, choke the oil or gas flow, inject chemicals into the well or divert water and/or gas into the well to re-pressurise the system. Some of the hydraulic components are placed within the well, such as the Down Hole Safety Valve and 'Smart Well' flow control systems.
One of the biggest challenges in the oil and gas industry is to 'produce' oil and gas from harsher environments with high pressure and temperature. Since part of the hydraulic system is within the well, the hydraulic equipment and the associated fluid must also be suitable to survive these temperatures and maintain performance. In addition, the demand for aqueous based hydraulic fluid compositions such as may be used in subsea devices continues to increase due to the environmental, economic and safety (e.g. non-flammability) advantages of such fluids over conventional non-aqueous, oil-type hydraulic fluids.
Many conventional hydraulic fluids are not suitable for marine and deep sea applications due to their low tolerance to sea water contamination or to contamination by hydrocarbons, i.e., they tend to readily form emulsions with small amounts of seawater. Furthermore, in marine environments, problems arise due to the lack of biodegradability of the hydraulic fluid and to bacterial infestations arising in the hydraulic fluid, especially from anaerobic bacteria such as the sulphate reducing bacteria prevalent in sea water.
Other problems associated with the use of conventional hydraulic fluids under the extreme conditions encountered in marine and deep sea devices include: (1) some conventional hydraulic fluids may cause corrosion of metals in contact with the fluid; (2) some conventional hydraulic fluids are reactive with paints or other metal coatings or tend to react with elastomeric substances or at least cause swelling of elastomeric substances; (3) poor long-term stability, especially at elevated temperatures; (4) some hydraulic fluids require anti-oxidants to avoid the oxidation of contained components; (5) some hydraulic fluids are not readily concentrated for ease in shipping; and (6) may conventional hydraulic fluids have a non-neutral pH, thereby enhancing the opportunity for reaction with materials in contact with it. For all of these reasons, it has become advantageous to use aqueous hydraulic fluids in certain marine and deep sea applications and various aqueous formulations have been developed that are usable in such applications.
The OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic provides a framework for environmental requirements of chemicals used offshore. There are currently few if any water based fluids that can maintain lubrication at high temperature and meet the required environmental profile.
The inventor of the present invention has identified other lubricants that provide good lubricity and good stability for use under the extreme conditions encountered in subsea devices. In particular the inventor of the present invention has determined that salts of a diacid can be used with good results to improve lubricity of an aqueous hydraulic fluid composition.

Thermally stable subsea control hydraulic fluid compositions


A support for a headrest may have a single-part bending joint support which may have two support regions. A first support region may be situated in a backrest, and a second support region may be designed to receive a headrest body. Also included is a headrest for a seat, including a vehicle seat, that may have at least one headrest body and a support mentioned above and a seat.

Adjustable headrests are well known. Headrests are for example adjustable in height or inclination. To this end, the headrests usually comprise a pad carrier having a pad, which can be fastened thereto, for the head to rest against, and two supporting rods or a supporting bracket for fastening to a backrest of a seat.
For example, DE 102 02 598 B4 discloses a headrest having a main carrier and an impact element that is attached to the main carrier in an articulated manner and is movable relative thereto. The impact element is movable manually between different settings.

Support for a headrest, headrest and seat


A program for playing a game based on an input from an operation section including a first controller and a second controller, the program causing a computer to function as: a movement operation input detection section which determines whether or not an output value from a movement sensor provided in at least one of the first controller and the second controller satisfies a detection condition for a movement operation input; a game calculation section which performs a game calculation process based on the movement operation input; an operation input display control section which performs a display control process of a movement operation input display object for displaying a detection result of the movement operation input; and an image generation section which generates a game image including the movement operation input display object.

The present invention relates to a program, an information storage medium, and an image generation system.
In recent years, a game device has been developed in which a sensor (e.g. acceleration sensor) capable of detecting movement is provided in a game controller, and the movement of the controller is detected and used as a game input.
In such a game device, the player can input a predetermined command by shaking the controller or making a predetermined movement. This makes it possible to provide an exciting game in which the player moves the controller by making a movement similar to the movement performed in the game. JP-A-2003-225467 discloses technology in this field, for example.
However, it is difficult for the player to determine whether or not the operation input performed by movement such as shaking the controller is actually accepted, differing from an input using a button or the like.
Moreover, the amplitude, cycle, and strength of the movement of shaking the controller differ depending on the player, for example. Therefore, when an inexperienced player inputs a command by shaking the controller, the command may not be accepted.

Program, information storage medium, and image generation system


A method for manufacturing a resistivity standard sample include the steps, preparing a first-conductivity-type silicon single crystal substrate, measuring a thickness of the silicon single crystal substrate by using a thickness measuring instrument having traceability to the national standard, growing a second-conductivity-type silicon epitaxial layer on the silicon single crystal substrate to fabricate an epitaxial wafer having a p-n junction, measuring a thickness of the epitaxial wafer by using the thickness measuring instrument having the traceability to the national standard, obtaining a thickness of the silicon epitaxial layer from the thicknesses of the epitaxial wafer and the silicon single crystal substrate, and measuring a resistivity of the silicon epitaxial layer by using a resistivity measuring instrument having traceability to a resistivity standard reference material. Consequently, the method for manufacturing which enables manufacturing a resistivity standard sample having the traceability to the resistivity standard reference material of, e.g., NIST is provided.

As a method for measuring a resistivity of a silicon epitaxial layer, a direct-current four-probe method and a C-V (capacitance-voltage) method have been conventionally known.
According to the direct-current four-probe method, a tungsten carbide which is a cemented carbide is used for probes, four probes are vertically pressed against and brought into contact with a sample surface, a current I (A) is flowed through the outer probes, and a potential difference V (V) between the two inner probes is measured. A resistivity ρ of a wafer is calculated by using Expression (1).ρ(Ω·cm)=2πSV/I·Fw·Fr  (1,where S is a probe interval (e.g., 1 mm), Fw is a correction term based on a thickness of a wafer, and Fr is a correction term based on a diameter and a measurement position of the wafer.
A resistivity measuring instrument used in the direct-current four-probe method can perform calibration with the use of a standard wafer having traceability to resistivity standard reference materials (SRM) on seven levels, i.e., SRM 2541 (0.01 Ω·cm) to SRM 2547 (200 Ω·cm) provided by NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology).
Each of SRM 2541 to SRM 2543 is obtained by lapping a boron-doped p-type CZ crystal into a wafer shape, and each of SRM 2544 to SRM 2547 is obtained by lapping a neutron-irradiated n-type FZ crystal into a wafer shape. The above-described standard wafer is also a bulk wafer obtained by lapping the CZ crystal or the FZ crystal into a wafer shape. The SRM selected to interpose a resistivity of the standard wafer is measured by a measuring instrument adopting the direct-current four-probe method to calibrate the measuring device, and the standard wafer is measured by the calibrated measuring instrument, thereby giving a value to the resistivity as a secondary standard value.
On the other hand, according to the C-V method, a Schottky junction is formed on a surface of a silicon single crystal wafer by using, e.g., a mercury electrode, and a depletion layer is spread in the silicon single crystal wafer by applying a reverse bias voltage to the electrode while continuously changing it, whereby a capacity is changed. Further, dopant concentration at a desired depth is calculated from a relationship between this reverse bias voltage and the capacity, and the dopant concentration is converted into a resistivity by using a conversion expression such as ASTM STANDARDS F723 or the like.
At present, there is no international standard or national standard (national measurement standard) rules or the like concerning resistivities obtained by the C-V method, and resistivity correlations are individually confirmed among trading companies as required. However, it has been already known that resistivities obtained by the C-V method and the direct-current four-probe method substantially have a correlation and, for example, Patent Literature 1 has a description that a resistivity provided by the C-V method and a resistivity provided by the four-probe method after an HF treatment substantially coincide with each other. Furthermore, Patent Literature 1 also has a description that a resistivity of an epitaxial layer in an epitaxial wafer can be calculated from a constant, sheet resistance of the epitaxial layer, and a film thickness of the epitaxial layer.

Method for manufacturing resistivity standard sample and method for measuring resistivity of epitaxial wafer


A method for optimizing performance of a system includes determining, via a controller, a state of health (SOH) for each of a plurality of components of the system, and determining a state of function (SOF) of the system using the SOH of each component. The method includes estimating the remaining useful life (RUL) of the system using the system SOF, selecting a cost-optimal control strategy for the system using a costing model, and dynamically, i.e., in real time, executing the selected strategy to extend the estimated RUL. The method may include comparing the selected cost-optimal strategy to a calibrated performance threshold, and executing the selected strategy only when the selected strategy exceeds the threshold. A system includes first and second components and a controller. The controller dynamically executes the above method with respect to the components, which may be a traction motor and battery in one possible embodiment.

A system is a set of interacting and/or interdependent components functioning as a whole. Over time, each of the various components in a given system may degrade at different relative rates. Moreover, as some components tend to serve a more critical role than others in the overall function of the system, the degradation of a given component can uniquely impact system performance relative to degradation of the other components in the same system. For instance, a gradual degradation of certain vehicle sensors may affect measurement accuracy without causing an appreciable degradation in overall vehicle performance, while a degraded battery may significantly reduce the vehicle's ability to start or function in certain operating modes.
Various onboard diagnostic approaches may be used to measure the performance of a particular component relative to calibrated thresholds. For instance, it is common to measure a battery output voltage and compare this value to calibrated high/low voltage thresholds. An operator may be made aware of the need to repair a given component when the component is no longer functioning properly with respect to such thresholds. System function typically improves when a severely degraded component is eventually repaired. However, immediate repair is not always a convenient or desirable option.

Optimizing system performance using state of health information