The present invention relates to a liquid (or solution)-phase manufacturing process for preparing the decapeptide Degarelix, its protected precursor, and other useful intermediates. The invention further relates to polypeptides useful in the solution-phase manufacturing process and to the purification of Degarelix itself. Degarelix can be obtained by subjecting a Degarelix precursor according to formula (II): (P1)AA1-AA2-AA3-AA4(P4)-AA5-AA6(P6)-AA7-AA8(P8)-AA9-AA10-NH2 (II) or a salt or solvate thereof, to a treatment with a cleaving agent in an organic solvent, wherein P1 is an amino protecting groups; preferably acetyl; P4 is hydrogen or a hydroxy! protecting group, preferably a hydroxyl protecting group; P6 is hydrogen or an amino protecting groups; preferably an amino protecting groups; and P8 is an amino protecting group.

Prostate cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality for men in the industrialised world. Degarelix, also known as FE200486, is a third generation gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) receptor antagonist (a GnRH blocker) that has been developed and recently approved for prostate cancer patients in need of androgen ablation therapy (Doehn et al., Drugs 2006, vol. 9, No. 8, pp. 565-571; WO 09846634). Degarelix acts by immediate and competitive blockade of GnRH receptors in the pituitary and, like other GnRH antagonists, does not cause an initial stimulation of luteinizing hormone production via the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, and therefore does not cause testosterone surge or clinical flare (Van Poppel, Cancer Management and Research, 2010:2 39-52; Van Poppel et al., Urology, 2008, 71(6), 1001-1006); James, E. F. et al., Drugs, 2009, 69(14), 1967-1976).
Degarelix is a synthetic linear decapeptide containing seven unnatural amino acids, five of which are D-amino acids. It has ten chiral centers in the back bone of the decapeptide. The amino acid residue at position 5 in the sequence has an additional chiral center in the side-chain substitution giving eleven chiral centers in total. Its CAS registry number is 214766-78-6 (of free base) and it is commercially available under the Trademark Firmagon™. The drug substance is chemically designated as D-Alaninamide, N-acetyl-3-(2-naphthalenyl)-D-alanyl-4-chloro-D-phenylalanyl-3-(3-pyridinyl)-D-alanyl-L-seryl-4-[[[(4S)-hexahydro-2,6-dioxo-4-pyrimidinyl]carbonyl]amino]-L-phenylalanyl-4-[(aminocarbonyl)amino]-D-phenylalanyl-L-leucyl-N-6-(1-methylethyl)-L-lysyl-L-prolyl- and is represented by the chemical structure below (in the following also referred to as Formula I):

The structure of Degarelix can also be represented as:                Ac-D-2Nal-D-4Cpa-D-3Pal-Ser-4Aph(L-Hor)-D-4Aph(Cbm)-Leu-Lys(iPr)-Pro-D-Ala-NH2 where Ac is acetyl, 2Nal is 2-naphthylalanine, 4Cpa is 4-chlorophenylalanine, 3Pal is 3-pyridylalanine, Ser is serine, 4Aph is 4-aminophenylalanine, Hor is hydroorotyl, Cbm is carbamoyl, Leu is leucine, Lys(iPr) is N6-isopropyllysine, Pro is proline and Ala is alanine.
For the purposes of describing this invention, each amino acid in Degarelix will be given the shorthand notation as follows:
AA1 is D-2Nal, AA2 is D-4Cpa, AA3 is D-3Pal, AA4 is Ser, AA5 is 4Aph(L-Hor), AA6 is D-Aph(Cbm), AA7 is Leu, AA8 is Lys(iPr), AA9 is Pro and AA10 is D-Ala.
Thus, as an example, Degarelix can be represented as Ac-AA1-AA10-NH2, the tetrapeptide Ac-D-2Nal-D-4Cpa-D-3Pal-Ser can be represented as Ac-AA1-AA4 and the hexapeptide 4Aph(L-Hor)-D-4Aph(Cbm)-Leu-Lys(iPr)-Pro-D-Ala-NH2 as AA5-AA10-NH2.
Degarelix has previously been prepared using Boc-solid phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) methodology as reported in WO 98/46634 and Jiang et al., J. Med. Chem. 2001, 44, 453-467.
Basically, Boc-protected D-Ala is first coupled to MBHA resin in dimethylformamide (DMF)/CH2Cl2 using diisopropylcarbodiimide (DIC) and 1-hydroxybenzotriazole (HOBt) as activating or coupling agents. Once D-Ala is coupled to the resin, synthesis proceeds by washing, deblocking and then coupling the next amino acid residue until the decapeptide has been completed. The side chain primary amino groups of 4Aph in the 5-position and of D-4Aph in the 6-position are protected by Fmoc when they are added and modified with L-Hor and Cbm respectively before the next amino acid in the chain is added. This requires the additional steps of first removing the side-chain protection with piperidine, reacting the newly freed amino group on the peptidoresin with tert-butyl isocyanate or L-hydroorotic acid, ensuring that the reaction is complete with a ninhydrin test and then washing the peptidoresin before adding the next amino acid residue (see also Sorbera et al., Drugs of the Future 2006, Vol. 31, No. 9, pp 755-766).
While Boc-SPPS methodology has afforded sufficient quantities of Degarelix until now, the growing demand for this polypeptide means that ever larger quantities are required. Boc-SPPS, which requires HF cleavage, is not suited to large scale industrial synthesis. Indeed, WO 98/46634 mentions that SPPS is only suitable for limited quantities of up to 1 kg while classical peptide solution synthesis, or liquid phase peptide synthesis (LPPS), is preferred for larger quantities of product. WO 98/46634 does not specify how such synthesis should be performed. While the existence of a liquid phase peptide synthesis of Degarelix has been reported [EMEA Report: Assessment Report for Firmagon™ (Degarelix): Doc. Ref. EMEA/CHMP/635761/2008], as of now no details of such a process have been publically disclosed.
WO 97/34923 and WO 99/26964 are documents concerned with liquid phase processes for the preparation of biologically active peptides. WO 99/26964 is particularly concerned with the liquid phase synthesis of decapeptides having activity as GnRH antagonists. WO 99/26964 lists a number of inherent limitations of the SPPS methodology for producing GnRH antagonists including the limited capacity of the resin, the large excess of reagents and amino acids required, as well as the need to protect all reactive side chains such as the hydroxy group in Ser, the aromatic amino groups in Aph and D-Aph, the ε-i-propylamino group in Lys(i-Pr). WO 99/26964 proposes a liquid phase process which involves first preparing the central peptide fragments of the 5 and 6 positions of a decapeptide with the side chains fully elaborated and then assembling the peptide through a "4-2-4", "3-3-4" or "3-4-3" fragment assembly pattern. For example, in the preparation of the GnRH antagonist Azaline B, a tetrapeptide is coupled with a hexapeptide to form the desired decapeptide. When the same fragment assembly pattern is attempted for Degarelix, racemisation of the Ser amino acid (AA4) occurs resulting in about 20% impurity of L-Ser. This impurity carries over into the final decapeptide and is difficult to remove. Furthermore, when preparing the tetrapeptide AA1-AA4 by adding the Ser unit to the tripeptide AA1-AA3 following the procedure described in WO 99/26964, tetrabutylammonium ions from the hydrolysis of the benzyl ester group could not be removed completely during the subsequent operations and were carried through to the final product. It was further found that in the Degarelix synthesis, the L-hydroorotyl group rearranges to its hydantoinacetyl analogue when L-dihydroorotic acid is coupled with 4 Amp to prepare AA5. These and other problems with the solution-phase synthesis of Degarelix have now been overcome and a new solution-phase polypeptide synthesis of this decapeptide is disclosed herein for the first time.

Process for the manufacture of Degarelix and its intermediates


A method and device for treating myocardial ischemia in which an implantable pulse generator delivers electrical stimulation to electrodes disposed near a coronary artery. The stimulation parameters may be adjusted to produce vasodilation and/or vasoconstriction of the artery. The device may be configured to operate in a vasodilation and/or vasoconstriction mode in accordance with specified entry and exit conditions.

Myocardial ischemia refers to a condition in which the blood supply to a region of myocardium (i.e., heart muscle) becomes so compromised that the region is not supplied with adequate oxygen for oxidative metabolism. Ischemia, as opposed to hypoxia without any reduction in perfusion, is also accompanied by reduced removal of metabolic by-products. The heart is an aerobic organ that generates energy almost exclusively from the oxidation of substrates with oxygen delivered by the blood. It can develop only a small oxygen debt and is therefore extremely sensitive to disruptions in blood supply. Myocardial ischemia occurs when there is an imbalance between oxygen supply and demand as a result of increased myocardial oxygen demand, reduced myocardial oxygen supply, or both. Myocardial ischemia causes many patients to experience chest pain or discomfort, referred to as angina pectoris. Angina pectoris can serve as a useful warning of insufficient myocardial perfusion that can lead to the more serious situation such as a heart attack or cardiac arrhythmia.
Coronary artery disease (CAD) occurs when the coronary arteries that supply blood to the myocardium become hardened and narrowed due to the buildup of atherosclerotic plaque. An atherosclerotic plaque is the site of an inflammatory reaction within the wall of an artery and is made up of a core containing lipid and inflammatory cells surrounded by a connective tissue capsule. A myocardial infarction (MI), or heart attack, occurs when atherosclerotic plaque within a coronary artery ruptures and leads to the clotting of blood (thrombosis) within the artery by exposing the highly thrombogenic lipid core of the plaque to the blood. The complete or nearly complete obstruction to coronary blood flow can damage a substantial area of heart tissue and cause sudden death, usually due to an abnormal heart rhythm that prevents effective pumping.
In the presence of coronary obstruction due to CAD, an increase in myocardial oxygen requirements brought about by, for example, physical exertion or emotional distress, can cause a temporary imbalance in oxygen supply and demand. Such demand ischemia can cause what is called exertional anginal or chronic stable angina. In other situations, an imbalance can occur acutely due to a sudden reduction in blood flow, sometimes referred to as supply ischemia. An acute blood flow disruption may be secondary to a coronary vasospasm, causing what is called unstable angina. As noted above, an acute blood flow disruption can also result from coronary thrombosis, causing an MI. Myocardial ischemia often results from both an increase in oxygen demand and a reduction in supply.

Method and device for cardiac vasoactive therapy


An approach for creating dynamic content. The approach receives advertiser data associated with activities of one or more advertisers and receives publisher data associated with activities of one or more publishers. The approach manages the one or more DSPs activities associated with the received advertiser data and publisher data. Furthermore, the approach manages the one or more SSPs activities associated with the received advertiser data, publisher data and the one or more DSPs activities and selects one or more advertisement for one or more website. Finally, the approach manages the one or more consumer behaviors associated with the selected one or more advertisement.

The present invention relates generally to networking technology, and more particularly to monitoring and facilitating a targeted digital advertisement between vendors and suppliers associated with supply-side and demand-side platforms.
A data management platform (DMP) is a type of software that collects first, second, and third-party data and then organizes the data to help marketers get better marketing results. It is usually used to help target, select, and segment audiences to improve marketing campaigns.
A demand-side platform (DSP) is another type of software in the digital advertisement ecosystem that is used to purchase advertising (e.g., display, video, mobile, social and search ads) in an automated way. A DSP allows advertisers, (i) to buy advertisement inventory across a range of publisher sites, and (ii) target advertisement inventory to individual users based on, for example, user behavior, actions, demographics, location, or previous online activity. Digital publishers make advertisement inventory available through advertisement (ad) exchanges, and DSPs aggregate these exchanges and automatically decide which impressions (i.e., a view or an ad view, is a term that refers to the point in which an ad is viewed once by a visitor, or displayed once on a web page) for an advertiser to buy.
A supply-side platform (SSP) is another type of software in the same ecosystem as DSP, that allows a publisher to sell digital ad impressions via automated auctions. The moniker for "supply side" stems from the fact that people that use an SSP supply the inventory for the ad to appear and be consumed.

Dynamic content fulfilment associated with real time bidding

International Business Machines Corporation


A liquid crystal display includes: a first substrate; a reference voltage line including a storage electrode; a pixel electrode including a first subpixel electrode and a second subpixel electrode, and disposed in a pixel area; a second substrate facing the first substrate; and a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the first subpixel electrode includes a first horizontal stem and a first vertical stem, the second subpixel electrode includes a second horizontal stem and a second vertical stem, the second subpixel electrode is provided to an external side of the pixel area to surround the first subpixel electrode, and the storage electrode includes a first storage electrode overlapping the first horizontal stem of the first subpixel electrode, and a second storage electrode overlapping the second vertical stem of the second subpixel electrodes.

(a) Technical Field
The inventive concept relates to a liquid crystal display.
(b) Description of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display is one of the flat panel displays which are currently most widely used, and includes two sheets of display panels in which field generating electrodes such as a pixel electrode and a common electrode are formed, and a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween.
The field generating electrodes are applied with a voltage to generate an electric field in the liquid crystal layer, and an orientation of liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer is determined and polarization of incident light is controlled based on the generated electric field to display an image.
The liquid crystal display further includes switching elements connected to each of the pixel electrodes, and a plurality of signal lines, such as gate lines and data lines, which control the switching elements to apply a voltage to the pixel electrodes.
Among the liquid crystal displays, a liquid crystal display of a vertically aligned mode in which major axes of the liquid crystal molecules are aligned perpendicular to the display panel in a state in which an electric field is not applied has a large contrast ratio and a wide reference viewing angle, and therefore has gotten a lot of attention. Herein, the reference viewing angle means a viewing angle in which a contrast ratio is 1:10 or an inter-gray luminance inversion critical angle.
In the case of the liquid crystal display of the vertically aligned mode, in order to make side visibility close to front visibility, a method of dividing one pixel into two subpixels and making transmittance different by applying a different voltage to the two subpixels has been proposed.
However, when the side visibility is close to the front visibility by dividing one pixel into two subpixels and making the transmittance different, transmittance is reduced due to a gap between two subpixels.
When the size of the liquid crystal display is increased, image quality is deteriorated by crosstalk. The deterioration of image quality may be prevented by increasing storage capacitance of a storage capacitor of the liquid crystal display. However, an area in which a pixel electrode overlaps a storage electrode must be increased to increase storage capacitance of the storage capacitor, so an aperture ratio of the liquid crystal display is reduced.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the inventive concept and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art.


In a device and a method for extracting non-magnetic ores from a pulp comprising non-magnetic ore particles and having a solid fraction of at least 30 mass percent, the pulp flows continuously through a reactor in the direction of flow and magnetic or magnetizable magnet particles that form ore magnetic particle agglomerations with the non-magnetic ore particles are added to said pulp. The ore magnetic particle agglomerations are moved by a magnetic field into an accumulation range of the reactor, and are then discharged out of reactor range and separated into ore and magnetic particles. In a device and a method, the separated magnetic particles are treated, in particular hydrophobized, such that during a new interaction with non-magnetic ore particles, new ore magnetic particle agglomerations are formed. Accordingly, a high yield of ores can be obtained and the mine can be operated in an economical and environmentally friendly manner.

Flotation cells are often used nowadays in order to extract ores from ore-containing bulk material removed during mining. A flotation cell is supplied with an ore-containing pulp, that is to say a suspension consisting of water, of ground rock and of ground ore. All insoluble solids in the pulp form the solid fraction of the pulp which is usually around at least 30% by mass. As a rule, the solid fraction is higher than 30% by mass, in particular around at least 40% by mass, since a flotation cell can be operated appropriately in an efficient way only beyond these solid fractions.
As a result of the addition of appropriate chemicals, the ore particles in the suspension are hydrophobized. A gas, usually air, is injected into the flotation cell. The formation of small bubbles occurs in the pulp. The hydrophobized ore particles adhere to the likewise hydrophobic bubbles and are transported to the surface. A foam having a high ore content is formed there. This foam is removed from the pump via foam run-off gutters and is further processed.
The disadvantage of this solution is that the bubbles which occur are difficult to control. Furthermore, the time until the ore-rich foam passes from the pulp reservoir into the foam run-off gutter is relatively long because of the high viscosity of the pulp. The result of this is that ore particles adhering to the bubbles may be lost again due to interactions of air bubbles with one another. The output of the flotation cell is thereby reduced.
In an alternative variant of ore extraction, non-magnetic ores are extracted from a pulp with the aid of magnetic particles. These usually have a higher output of the ore from the pulp than the conventional flotation method by means of a flotation cell. In this alternative variant, the properties, in particular the surface properties, of magnetic particles are set in such a way that these particles accrete selectively onto the ore to be extracted. By means of a magnetic field, the ore adhering to the magnetic particles can then be removed from the pulp.
Methods of this type are known, for example from U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,666 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,926,789.
The disadvantage of these methods is that large quantities of magnetic particles have to be provided in relation to the quantity of ore to be extracted. This requires a high outlay in logistical terms and may lead to the unprofitability of the plant.
To make the problem even clearer, the following example is given. In a typical mine, as a rule, several 1000 t of bulk material are worked through per hour. The valuable substance, for example ore, has to be withdrawn from this removed bulk material. The bulk material often contains, on average, approximately 1% to 2% of ore to be extracted. Since the ratio of ore and magnetic particles in the extraction of ore by means of magnetic separation is approximately of the same order of magnitude, about 10 t to 100 t of magnetic particles per hour are therefore required, that is to say 240 t to 2400 t per day. This means that the mine requires approximately 10 to 100 truckloads of magnetic particles per day so that the ore extraction process can be maintained. In addition, environmental pollution is caused by the "spent" ore particles. Considerable costs are thereby incurred.

Method and device for extracting non-magnetic ores


A plurality of transmitting (14, 16, 18, 20) and receiving antenna elements (22, 24, 26, 28) are formed on a support member (12) which may be mounted on a corner of a vehicle for scanning a pattern including areas on opposite sides of the vehicle corner. In an automotive application, the pattern may include a rear area, and a blind spot on the side of the vehicle adjacent to the rear area. A transmitter (50) is connected to the transmitting antenna elements (14, 16, 18, 20) by a passive phased array (30) such as a planar microstrip Butler matrix, and an electronic switch (52) which sequentially connects the transmitter (50) to inputs of the transmitting array (30). A receiver (62) is similarly connected to the receiving antenna elements (22, 24, 26, 28) by a planar microstrip passive phased array (40), and an electronic switch (64) which sequentially connects the receiver (62) to outputs of the receiving array (40). The support member (12) may be formed into a non-planar shape, or be flexible enough to be bent into a non-planar shape, to conform to a non-planar surface of the vehicle on which the sensor is to be mounted.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a sensor for sensing objects in proximity to a vehicle, and more particularly to an electronically scanning radar sensor which is especially advantageous for scanning around a corner of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Phased array radar systems are effective for scanning areas to sense the presence of objects therein. However, such systems have been heretofore very expensive, and limited to military applications in which cost is not a particular problem. Applications of conformal radar antenna arrays for mounting on aircraft, missiles, satellites, etc., are described in chapter 21 of a textbook entitled "Antenna Engineering Handbook", edited by R. Johnson et al, McGraw Hill, New York (1984). This textbook also includes a general description of microstrip antennas in chapter 7, and phased arrays including Butler and Blass matrices in chapter 20, as component elements of phased array radar systems.
A major obstacle to adapting phased array radar sensors to civilian applications such as near-object detectors (NOD) for automotive vehicles has been the complexity of the phased arrays which interconnect the transceiver to the antenna elements. Waveguides have been conventionally used for this application, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,812,788, entitled "WAVEGUIDE MATRIX INCLUDING IN-PLANE CROSSOVER", issued Mar. 14, 1989, to M. Wong et al. This patent discloses an improved configuration which enables the waveguides to be formed in a single plane without crossovers. However, the manufacturing process requires precisely forming the waveguides, walls separating the waveguides, coupling apertures, and phase shifters in a parallel array within a common metallic plate using automated milling machines. This process is very time consuming and expensive, and generally precludes application to commercial use.

Electronically scanning vehicle radar sensor


The present invention includes processes and methods of preparing the hybrid polymer latex for coating composition that can be used for traffic markings, transportation and signages. The process may comprise preparing an initial monomer mix pre-emulsion of unsaturated organic compounds, preparing an initial inorganic dispersion feed comprising modified inorganic component, preparing an initiator solution, and adding at least 2 parts per 100 parts polymer by weight of polyfunctional amines to result in final hybrid polymer latex. The coating composition obtained by the disclosed process provides superior qualities of moisture proofing, water repellence and early rain resistance to enhance durability of the product.

Roads, airport runways, bridges, railway crossings etc. need to contain certain markings, usually executed through paints. These transportation surfaces are marked for lane markings, pedestrian crossings, directional markings and other markings which serve multiple purposes. On the one hand, this helps to control the flow of traffic while on the other it averts collision dangers. Further, the said traffic markings also act as safety markings to provide information to the vehicle operator. With such an important role in maintaining order on roads, runways and other transportation surfaces, these markings need to be highly durable so as to be visible to the driver under different weather conditions like high humidity, ultra-violet ray exposure, heavy rainfall etc.
In the previous art, traffic markings for roads and other surfaces have been produced using a high percentage organic binders. However, solvent-based organic coating materials are associated with various issues. Firstly, pure solvent based organic coatings tend to degrade faster upon exposure to high humidity, heavy rainfall and upon exposure to ultra-violet rays, and this greatly decreases their life-span requiring the traffic markings to be replaced within shortened spans of time. Secondly, pure solvent based organic coatings are associated with the release of volatile organic compound(s) (VOC) into the atmosphere, which is environmentally unsustainable due to its catastrophic impact on the protective ozone layer of the earth. Thirdly, many such organic moieties are photo-sensitive and undergo rapid degradation. For e.g. polystyrene (PS), one of the most important materials in the modern plastic industry, having been used all over the world due to its excellent physical properties and low-cost, however, when polystyrene is subjected to UV irradiation in the presence of air, it undergoes a rapid yellowing and a gradual embrittlement (Yousif E., and Haddad, R., Springerplus. 2013; 2: 398).
In the state of art, coating compositions with thermoplastic binders have been utilized on a commercial scale for traffic markings as an alternative to solvent-based organic binders due to absence of VOC. However, the application range covering the suitability of these thermoplastic coating compositions is limited and the application of paints having thermoplastic binders is rather difficult because it requires heating and spreading the paints during application of the paints.
In the state of art, the use of inorganic binders for coating compositions has been disclosed. Such inorganic coating materials can be produced with good adhesion properties, high crack resistance, fire resistance, weather resistance and high gloss. Various ingredients can be used to produce aqueous viscous inorganic binder formulation which further hardens the inorganic coating material along with the use of a crosslinking agent and water and silica based binder of an alkali metal silicate is a popular choice. However, these inorganic-based materials do not possess the desired properties for traffic markings and are brittle and inflexible which defeats the visual and structural integrity of the markings and are therefore not fit for this purpose. Further, the accumulation of dirt and yellowing of the paint composition over the course of time decreases their visibility and usefulness.
In the state of the art, the use of some hybrid polymers of organic and inorganic moieties have been disclosed. However, such hybrid latexes suffer from various shortcomings. Firstly, the mode of preparation of such hybrid coatings is such that the polymer hybrid is not formed in situ but rather separately prepared and does not allow homogenous integration and association of the inorganic moiety in the polymer resulting in paints with shorter durability and resultantly such paints are unsustainable in the long run.
Therefore, what is needed is a process of obtaining a durable, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective polymer latex for wide scale and diverse application(s) across a plurality of traffic markings. Thus, disclosed is an organic-inorganic hybrid coating composition is that is durable, easy to apply and stable over an enhanced period of time for traffic and road markings and at the same time is environmentally friendly which may solve long pressing need.

Organic-inorganic hybrid polymer latex for high durable traffic marking paint


A transducer system includes a plurality of transducer elements formed on a flexible substrate with localized circuit elements and interconnects associated with each transducer element.

The present disclosure relates to arrayed transducer systems with sensory measurement and actuation capabilities. Transducers may be designed to measure and/or actuate in response to a multitude of sensory information such as strain, temperature, light and electromagnetic radiation. Strain is a geometrical measure of the deformation of an object resulting from an applied stress. Stress may be applied to an object, for example, via mechanical contact, aerodynamic forces, hydrodynamic forces and/or changes in temperature. Resultant strain and therefore the applied stress may be measured by use of various types of strain gauge sensors.
Temperature is an inherent property of all objects. Temperature of an object may be changed by the addition or subtraction of heat. Temperature may be measured by the use of temperature sensitive elements such as strain gauges, resistive temperature detectors ("RTDs"), thermistors and thermocouples. Light may be emitted by devices such as photodiodes, lasers, light emitting diodes ("LEDs") and sensed by devices such as photodiodes, phototransistors and solar cell elements.
Electromagnetic radiation such as radio frequency ("RF") energy may be emitted or sensed by the use of RF antennae such as used for radio frequency identification ("RFID") systems. Transduction of sensory information such as temperature and imparted forces are important for characterizing a wide variety of systems and processes including mechanical systems such as fabrication machines, vehicles and aircraft in both static and dynamic environments as well as human and/or animal motion. Measurement and actuation capabilities also provide methods for measuring change and incorporating feedback in monitored systems.


An auto distinction system images an assembled fiber band which continuously moves on the front side of a background plate applies sync-separating to a video signal by a sync-separating circuit 5a, and clamps the video signal by a clamping circuit 5b. Based on the clamped image signal, the characteristic information containing the defect information of the assembled fiber band is detected, and the defect information is extracted from the detected characteristic information. The clamped image signal is supplied to a noise-eliminating circuit 6a and a defect signal concerning the thickness of the assembled fiber band is extracted. Based on the extracted signal and a reference signal with respect to the information, suitability of the defect information is discriminated by a distinction circuit 7. When the results of distinction are defective, the results are announced. The characteristic information can be used for process control by being supplied to an external computer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an auto distinction system which detects a characteristic information including a defect information of a continuously moving assembled fiber band (for example, a fiber bundle or fiber assembly such as filter tow) and which is useful for quality control of the assembled fiber band on the basis of the defect information or time sequence (TSEQ) fluctuation information; and relates to an auto distinction method.
2. Description of the Related Art
A video signal from an imaging means is used for quality control and discriminating whether an inspection target is non-defective or defective. For example, the specification of Japanese Patent No. 3013903 discloses a defect-sensing device for detecting a defect of an edge of a flat glass having chamfered edges and seaming surfaces, in which the device detects on the edge of glass placed horizontally; wherein the device comprises a light source for irradiating the edge with light from upper diagonal and lower diagonal directions opposite side of the flat glass, and at least two cameras which are disposed outside of the extended ranges of light paths irradiated onto the glass edge; and the device images the edge via transparent portions of the flat glass from opposite sides of the light irradiation directions. The defect-sensing device finds a weathering or burn-in defect based on the level of a brightness signal of an image signal picked up by the cameras. However, this device requires a plurality of light sources and a plurality of imaging means.
The specification of Japanese Patent No. 3025833 discloses an inspection system comprising a signal pattern generating unit, a threshold pattern generating means, and a comparing means. The generating unit generates at least one signal pattern selected from (a) a signal pattern where a maximum value is offset to become higher by an offset value in the video signal pattern and (b) a signal pattern where a minimum value is offset to become lower by an offset value in the video signal pattern, wherein the video signal patterns are obtained by imaging a non-defective product with an imaging means. The threshold pattern generating means generates threshold patterns from the offset signal patterns. The comparing means discriminates quality (or good or bad) of an inspection target by comparing a video signal obtained by imaging the inspection target with threshold patterns. The Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 122269/1996 (JP-A-H8-122269) discloses an image pickup type inspection system comprising an imaging means which outputs a video signal by imaging an inspection target, an inspection region setting means for setting an inspection region in the imaged field through the imaging means, an abnormal portion detecting means for detecting an abnormal portion on the basis of the video signal within the inspection region, and a non-defective/defective distinction signal output means for outputting a non-defective/defective distinction signal according to whether or not an abnormal portion has been detected, wherein these means are housed in one casing. This document also mentions that the image pickup type inspection system further comprises an announcing means for announcing the results of non-defective/defective distinction to the outside by means of light or sound.
However, when these systems are applied to an assembled fiber band which continuously moves, it becomes difficult to accurately detect defects such as stains and unevenness of thick or thin portions, because not only does an inspection target continuously move, but also the width and thickness of the assembled fiber band fluctuate by continuous moving. In particular, when the systems are applied to a fiber bundle such as filter tow which comprises a plurality of yarns and moves at a high speed, not only does the degree of adjacency or overlapping of yarns fluctuates, but also these fluctuations further change every moment as the yarns move. Accordingly it becomes difficult to accurately detect defects (or uneven portions) of the assembled fiber band or fiber pieces.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an auto distinction system which is distinctable suitability of the assembled fiber band by accurately extracting defective portions or uneven portions of the assembled fiber band (or fiber assembly) even when the assembled fiber band continuously moves; and an auto distinction method thereof.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an auto distinction system which is distinctable suitability of an assembled fiber band by extracting or detecting a defect information (or a characteristic information including at least a defect information) concerning at least two characteristics selected from a width, a thickness, and a stain of the assembled fiber band; and an auto distinction method thereof.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a system which efficiently detects fluctuations in a width, a thickness and a stain of an assembled fiber band even when the assembled fiber band is a band-shaped assembled fiber band such as filter tow which moves or runs at a high speed, and a method thereof.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an auto distinction system useful for process control and quality control at a production site, wherein a characteristic information of an assembled fiber band is accurately detected by the system even when the assembled fiber band continuously moves, and further the characteristic information (detection signal and/or data) is transferred to a computer (for example, a process controlling computer) and used as a time sequence fluctuation information (time-series fluctuation information); and an auto distinction method thereof.    Patent Document 1: Specification of Patent Document No. 3013903    Patent Document 2: Specification of Patent Document No. 3025833    Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 122269/1996 (JP-A-H8-122269)


A patient care apparatus and method where the apparatus has an audible sound producing device that sounds an audible alarm when a particular alarm condition is sensed with respect to a patient or the apparatus itself. The apparatus includes a non-hand contact alarm silence switch that can be activated to silence the audible alarm. That non-hand contact alarm silence switch can be activated by various means that do not involve an object or person actually contacting the switch by any portion of the care provider that would be expected to remain in sterile conditions. Various technologies can be used for the non-hand contact alarm silence switch including proximity sensing, optical sensing, temperature sensing, air pressure sensing or voice command, any one of which can activate the switch without the need to make physical contact of the alarm silence switch by a person or object. In one embodiment, the apparatus has a foot-operated alarm silence switch.

The present invention relates to a patient care apparatus and, more particularly, to an infant care apparatus of the type that provides a support or bed for the infant as well as a means of warming the infant to aid in the wellbeing of that infant.
In the use of infant warmers, there is generally a support underlying the infant as well as some overhead heater, generally a radiant heater, that produces warmth to the infant by directing a pattern of infrared energy toward that infant. As a normal component or function of such infant warmers, there are various alarms that produce an audible sound when one of the alarm conditions has been sensed. With the presence of such audible alarms, there is normally also an alarm silence button or switch that allows the care provider to temporarily silence the alarm, it only being of importance with some alarms that the care provider be aware of the existence of an alarm condition and the care provider then can have the option of merely silencing the alarm after being adequately warned of the alarm condition. The activation of the alarm silence button also normally resets a timer within the patient care apparatus so that the audible alarm cannot be permanently silenced but will again cause an audible sound if the alarm condition persists unabated so that the care provider must again take some positive step to push the alarm silence button to cease that audible sound.
As an example, one typical alarm in the use of infant warmers is a pre-heat alarm and concerns the amount of energy supplied to the heater during a warm-up period. Generally, the care provider, in the manual mode of an infant warmer, can manually select from 0 to 100 percent of the rated capacity of the heater during the warm up period. If the care provider sets the heater at above 25 percent, there will be an alarm after a predetermined period of elapsed time at that setting, typically about 15 minutes, at which point the audible alarm sounds as a warning to the care provider. Whatever the source of the alarm, it is normally necessary for the caregiver to manually push the alarm silence button on or near the particular apparatus to silence that alarm so as to take some action in response to the alarm condition or to merely note the existence of the alarm condition and silence that audible sound.
In many instances, the care provider is, at that time, attending to the mother to be in the same room and is operating in a sterile environment, that is, the care provider is wearing gloves that must be maintained in a sterile condition. In such instances, the sterile environment is maintained by the caregiver wearing a gown and with gloves that overlap the sleeves of the gown so that almost the entire upper body of the caregiver is maintained in sterile conditions. Thus, any touching of an alarm silence button by any portion of the caregivers upper body, that is, any portion of the body above the waist, can destroy the sterility of the caregiver and it is, of course, therefore, fully expected, and indeed required, that a considerable portion of the caregiver""s body be maintained in the sterile conditions.
Accordingly, when the audible alarm sounds on the infant warmer, it becomes necessary for the care provider to silence the alarm to prevent the annoyance of a continuous audible alarm and therefore must remove the sterile gloves, push the alarm silence switch or button, and then re-glove to return to attending to the patient then in the birthing process or undergoing some other procedure requiring the sterile conditions. The normal alarm silence button thereby silences the audible alarm, however, it also resets an alarm clock such that the same alarm will again be activated within that reset predetermined time period and the audible alarm will again sound such that the care provider must go through the same procedure again. As such, once silenced, the caregiver is likely to have to repeat the procedure again to maintain that alarm silence.
As can be seen, the overall procedure of carrying out the alarm silence is therefore burdensome, annoying and constitutes an interruption in the continual care that is needed during a rather critical time period in providing care to the patient giving birth. Alternatively, other alarms may be similarly affected, for example there is also normally an alarm that activates an audible sound in the event the skin temperature of the infant is higher or lower by a certain temperature range of a control temperature, that is, the alarm may sound in the event the temperature of the infant is above or below the control temperature by 1 degree Centigrade. Such alarms can therefore activate when the care provider is actually busy working on the infant and, again, the care provider has to remove the gloves that are under sterile conditions, manually push the alarm silence button on the infant warmer control panel and then re-glove to continue with the particular procedure on the infant.
Other bothersome scenarios are, of course, possible such as when the care provider is in a room with a number of infant warmers and is actively carrying out a procedure on an infant when an audible alarm is activated on one of the other infant warmers in that room. That care provider thus has to go over to the other infant warmer and proceed with the steps of removing gloves, manually pushing the alarm silence button and then re-gloving to return to the infant to continue attending to the infant. As also can be seen the problem is not limited to the use of an infant warmer, but is equally applicable to other types and kinds of infant equipment or adult equipment, medical monitors and the like, that is, to a wide variety of environments where a care provider is carrying out some procedure on a patient under sterile conditions.
There is, therefore, clearly a need for some type of alarm silence switch that can be activated to silence an audible alarm that does not require a person to use ones hand or hands to physically push a button or switch in order to carry out that function.
Accordingly, the present invention relates to a alarm silence switch that can be activated by means other than by using ones hands so that the care provider, in any relevant environment, can silence the audible alarm of the particular piece of apparatus and reset the alarm time without the need to remove gloves and to re-glove after the alarm silence function has been carried out. The present invention will be described with respect to an infant warmer, however, it can be seen that the present invention can be used in other infant care equipment or adult care equipment, such as medical monitors and to any environment where the care provider is gloved and working in a sterile surrounding so that the need for the hereinbefore described process of de-gloving and re-gloving is necessary.
In the present invention, therefore, there is provided a means to carry out the normal alarm silence function without actually using the hands of a person, or for that matter, any portion of the caregivers body above the waist, to activate a button or switch and, therefore, is a means wherein the care provider can silence the alarm without the need to remove gloves and go through the entire process of re-gloving and interrupting whatever procedure is being undertaken at the time by that care provider.
In carrying out the present invention, in one embodiment there is a non-contact switch or means to silence the alarm and may include various different types of switches to carry out that purpose. For example, the present invention may utilize a proximity switch or sensor that can be activated by merely passing ones hand in front of or in close proximity to the sensor located on the piece of medical apparatus. Such proximity sensors are commonly available and may operate on the basis of optical sensing, radar, temperature detection or some other technology that is capable of sensing the close proximity of a person""s hand to the sensor. By such sensing, therefore, the care provider can simply wave in front of the sensor to activate the alarm silence function without removing gloves from that hand while maintaining the sterile conditions of the hands.
Other technologies include the use of an air pressure or air flow sensor that detects a change in air pressure or flow created by the care provider blowing into the sensor at an area of the control panel i.e. activated by the motion of air or even a voice activated sensor that can be activated by the recognition of a word, such as xe2x80x9csilencexe2x80x9d or to a human voice exceeding a certain threshold such that the care provider can simply use verbal commands or sounds to activate the alarm silence function without the use of the hands.
As another embodiment, there is a foot activated alarm silence switch that can be physically touched by the foot of the care provider so as to silence the audible alarm without having to compromise the sterile conditions of the care provider in the region of the upper body, that is, above the waist of that care provider.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention.

Non-hand contact alarm silence system for infant care apparatus


A method of manufacturing a light emitting device is provided in which satisfactory image display can be performed by the investigation and repair of short circuits in defect portions of light emitting elements. A backward direction electric current flows in the defect portions if a reverse bias voltage is applied to the light emitting elements having the defect portions. Emission of light which occurred from the backward direction electric current flow is measured by using an emission microscope, specifying the position of the defect portions, and short circuit locations can be repaired by irradiating a laser to the defect portions, turning them into insulators.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a light emitting device containing light emitting elements fanned on a substrate, in which locations of short circuits between cathodes and anodes are detected and then repaired. Further, the present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a light emitting device in which locations of short circuits are detected, and then repaired, in a light emitting module wherein an IC is mounted to a light emitting panel manufactured by sealing light emitting elements formed on a substrate, using a sealing substrate. Note that the terms light emitting panel and light emitting module are generic names for light emitting devices throughout this specification. In addition, a thin film formation device capable of manufacturing a light emitting device by detecting the aforementioned short circuit locations and then repairing them is contained within the present invention.
2. Description of the Related Art
A light emitting element has high visibility because they emit light by itself, and is optimal for making a light emitting device thin because there is no need for a back light which is not necessary for a liquid crystal display device, and there is no limitation on the field of view. Light emitting devices using light emitting elements have therefore drawn attention recently as substitutes for CRTs and LCDs.
A light emitting element has a layer containing an organic compound in which electro luminescence (luminescence generated by the application of an electric field) is obtained (hereafter referred to as an organic compound layer), an anode, and a cathode. Two types of light emission exist in organic compound luminescence, light emission when returning to a ground state from a singlet excitation state (fluorescence), and light emission when returning to a ground state from a triplet excitation state (phosphorescence), and the method of detecting and then fixing short circuit locations of the present invention is applicable to both of light emitting devices employing each of light emissions.
Note that all layers formed between an anode and a cathode are defined as organic compound layers within this specification. Specifically, layers such as light emitting layers, hole injecting layers, electron injecting layers, hole transporting layers, and electron transporting layers are included as organic compound layers. Light emitting elements basically have a structure in which an anode, a light emitting layer, and a cathode are laminated in order. In addition to this structure, the light emitting elements may take other structures such as one in which an anode, a hole injecting layer, a light emitting layer, and a cathode are laminated in order, and one in which an anode, a hole injecting layer, a light emitting layer, an electron transporting layer, and a cathode layer are laminated in order.
Further, elements formed by an anode, an organic compound layer, and a cathode are referred to as light emitting elements within this specification.
Light emitting elements are formed by forming an organic compound layer between an anode and a cathode. Electrons are injected to the organic compound layer from the cathode, and holes are injected from the anode to the organic compound layer, if a voltage is applied to the electrodes of the light emitting elements.
The organic compound forming the organic compound layer then emits light in accordance with energy generated by recombination of electrons and holes in the organic compound layer.
However, if there are defects in a portion of the organic compound layer due to any reason, then short circuits occur between the cathode and the anode, and a leak current flows in the short circuit locations. Therefore, the light emitting element stops emitting light.
Reasons for defects in the organic compound layer include a case where the organic compound layer may not be formed uniformly by such that the surface of one electrode, formed prior to the formation of the organic compound layer, is not made level. In addition, there is a case in which the organic compound layer may not be formed enough on the electrode because there is dust on the electrode. If another electrode is formed on the organic compound layer having defect locations, then short circuits will occur between the cathode and the anode in portions at which the organic compound layer is not formed (defect locations).
A simple cross sectional view of a light emitting element 1104 is shown in FIG. 10A. An organic compound layer 1102 is formed on an anode 1101, and a cathode 1103 is formed on the organic compound layer 1102, forming the light emitting element 1104. Note that if a portion of the organic compound layer 1102 has a defect portion 1105 in the light emitting element 1104, then short circuits occur because the anode 1101 is contacted with the cathode 1103 in the defect portion 1105 when forming the cathode 1103 on the organic compound layer 1102.
Note that, throughout this specification, the locations at which two electrodes contact in the defect portions in the organic compound layer 1102 is referred to as the defect portion 1105, compared with a normal portion 1106 having the organic compound layer between the two electrodes.
The light emitting element 1104 normally emits light when an electric power source voltage is applied from an external electric power source 1107.
A case in which the light emitting element 1104 does not have the defect portion 1105 namely, a case in which the light emitting element 1104 only has the normal portion 1106 of FIG. 10A is shown in FIG. 10B. If an electric power source voltage Eori from the external power source 1107 is applied, then a voltage Edio is applied to the light emitting element 1104. Note that a wiring resistance is denoted by reference symbol Rwir at this time, and that a voltage applied to a wiring is denoted by reference symbol Ewir.
In contrast, a case in which the light emitting element 1104 has the defect portion 1105 shown in FIG. 10A is shown in FIG. 10C. If the voltage Eori is applied from the external electric power source 1107, then the voltage applied to the normal portion 1106 becomes E′dio, smaller than the voltage Edio shown in FIG. 10B. This is because a voltage drop occurs in the wiring in accordance with an electric current Idef flowing in the defect portion 1105, and because the wiring voltage drops from Ewir to E′wir.
Note that light is emitted in the organic compound layer when an electric current Iori flows in the organic compound layer after a forward bias is applied to both of the electrodes of the light emitting element. The light emitting element does not emit light in a case in which more electric current flows in the defect portions than in the organic compound layer.
In other words, the electric current Idio hardly flows in the normal portions i because most of the current flows in the defect portions when a forward bias is applied to a light emitting element containing a defect portion. This causes light emitting elements that have defect portions to emit light at a lowered brightness, or to turn off altogether, because it becomes difficult for electric current to flow in the organic compound layer.
Note that, in addition to the lowered brightness of the light emitting element or zero light emission therefrom, electric current always flows in the defect portion, and this promotes deterioration of the organic compound layer in the periphery of the defect portion if there is a short circuit in the defect portion.
Furthermore, the turn off of the light emitting element due to the defect portion 1105 induces the problem of a reduction in the display brightness in a pixel portion in which a plurality of pixels each having a light emitting element are formed. There is also a problem in that the electric power consumption is increased along with the occurrence of a leak current.

Method of manufacturing a light emitting device and thin film forming apparatus

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A method for protecting a pump unit comprising a variable-speed fluid-conveying device, particularly a centrifugal pump, a drive and a control system, is provided, with protection in the event of cyber attacks. Signals relating to the speed and/or speed regulation of the fluid-conveying device are detected and then evaluated to detect a maliciously effected, anomalous operation of the pump unit characteristic of a cyber attack. At least one nominal variable and at least one actual variable derived from the analyzed signal are compared. Subsequently, a unit transmits signals to components of the pump unit in order to control the operation of the fluid-conveying device in a state in which the fluid-conveying device is protected from current and/or other cyber attacks.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for protecting a pump unit, in particular a centrifugal pump unit, from cyber attacks.
The targeted influencing or destruction of a centrifugal pump is one cyber attack means. Cyber attacks are targeted attacks on a specific infrastructure of important computer networks from outside. Such computer networks are also increasingly used for controlling systems.
Centrifugal pumps and in particular centrifugal pump units, comprising pump, motor, control electronics and, if necessary, a control valve, play a significant role in production systems. Normally, centrifugal pumps are driven by regulated or unregulated electric motors.
If hackers attack industrial systems by means of cyber attacks, then it is frequently the case that power supplies are interrupted directly. A production outage is the consequence. For attacks which act in a more differentiated manner than a general shutdown, a more complex procedure is required. If specific processes are targeted, exact knowledge about their structure and control is needed. This makes an attack on specific processes more difficult. However, all processes with fluids have fluid-conveying devices of more or less standardized designs, which are broadly more identifiable and can be attacked in a more structured manner than entire processes.
For example, the speed of the centrifugal pump can be manipulated by a cyber attack.
As a result of said manipulation, the centrifugal pump can be moved into a less beneficial efficiency range, which causes high additional operating costs. In addition, partial or complete destruction of the drive of the centrifugal pump or the centrifugal pump itself or of other parts of the system is conceivable.
Pumps are designed and configured exactly for the specific use in a system. Some pumps are even customized designs so that, following any damage, some weeks or months can elapse until replacement parts or replacement pumps are ready. In the worst case, the system remains at a standstill until then. Thus, high production outages can arise as a result of such attacks on fluid-conveying devices.
In the worst case, even explosions can be caused by such manipulations. In the case of a chemical system, the consequences would be fatal. In oil or gas conveying systems, there can be far-reaching consequences for the environment.
In centrifugal pumps, the controlled adjustment of the speed is designated speed control. This control is used for the energy-efficient adaptation of the pump speed to the values needed in operation (output data). Speed controls by means of a frequency converter are the most efficient method for adapting the pump output to variable flow requirements.
Controlled-speed pumps use only the amount of energy which is needed for a specific task. As compared with other control methods, frequency-controlled speed control offers the highest system efficiency and thus the most efficient utilization of energy for a specific purpose.
Speed-controlled pumps replace the usual procedure of a fixed speed pump for the maximum operating point, the excess output from which is throttled by a valve. This control valve is still available for small changes and for process control, even if this would not be necessary as a result of the speed control of the pump.
The speed of a centrifugal pump is controlled with the frequency converter described by means of the variation of frequency and voltage for the three-phase asynchronous motor which is used, for example. This method offers the optimum benefit with relatively little outlay and high efficiency. The frequency converter converts the voltage and frequency of the mains power supply in accordance with predefined patterns, such that the motor can be operated at different speeds. In this type of frequency control, the following problems can occur:
noises in the motor, which are sometimes transmitted into the system as interfering noise,
high voltage peaks at the output of the frequency converter to the motor.
To measure, control and regulate sequences, for example for the automation of processes and for the monitoring of large systems, so-called industrial control systems (ICS) are used in many branches of the industry. These are frequently used in the production industry. For example, the speed of a pump or the position of a valve controlling a flow can be influenced by such systems.
In the past, ICS were decoupled physically from other IT systems and networks, and therefore protected from external influences. Therefore, their IT security was of lower importance.
With the introduction of IT systems from the office environment and the increasing networking of the ICS, these systems are currently exposed to similar threats as systems from the classical company IT.
The attacker's procedure differs, depending on their target. In systems which can be reached directly via the internet, targeted attacks on the system are started. Therefore, weak points in the attacked system are used directly. This can possibly relate to the operating system or service applications.
In many attacks which have been known in recent years, use is made of so-called spear-phishing attacks as an entry into the company. In this way, a type of "bridgehead" is directed at a computer in the company. From this bridgehead, the network is explored and further systems are identified. Once the attackers have reached the actual target system, they extract the information sought therefrom and perform the manipulation. When the attacker has reached his target, he attempts to cover his tracks and to remain undiscovered.
Other attacks are aimed at closed systems by propagation via mobile data storage means, which are carelessly attached to a closed system. The routine itself is installed by being read from the mobile data storage means.
A computer-implemented method for cyber security management for an industrial control system is described in EP 2 279 465 B1. Here, a centralized system security manager program module is provided. This can be introduced via a processing device. The centralized system security manager program module is integrated into an integrated command and control user interface in a monitoring, control and data acquisition unit.
EP 2 500 579 A1 describes a method for monitoring a centrifugal pump driven by an electric motor. It is explained that the power consumption and the load current of the electric motor are critical for the formation of torque. Since values of the power consumption or the load current are normally present in any case in motor control systems, no additional sensors are required for monitoring the centrifugal pump.
EP 2 433 010 B1 describes a method and an apparatus for determining the operating point of a working machine. An amount of power consumed by the working machine and its delivery rate characterize an operating point. In the method, operating point-dependent measured variables of the working machine are detected by sensors. The measured values are stored and evaluated during operation.
The object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus by means of which cyber attacks to above-described pump units, in particular centrifugal pump units, comprising a fluid-conveying device, in particular a centrifugal pump, a motor, control electronics and, if necessary, control valve, can be prevented effectively. The components of the pump unit itself and all of the components used in the system should be protected reliably, so that failure of the system is prevented. The method and apparatus should be simple to implement in the system, so that a device or retrofitting is associated with the lowest possible expenditure on costs for the manufacturer and operator.
According to the invention, this object is achieved by a method for protecting a pump unit from cyber attacks, and a unit for performing the method. Preferred variants can be gathered from the sub-claims, the description and the drawings.
Accordingly, firstly a method is proposed for protecting a pump unit comprising a speed-controlled fluid-conveying device, in particular a centrifugal pump, a drive and a control system, during cyber attacks. According to the invention, firstly at least one first signal which relates to the speed and/or speed control of the fluid-conveying device is detected. The detection of the first signal can optionally also be carried out by sensors.
The at least one first signal is forwarded to a unit or acquired by a unit and evaluated there. In the unit, within the context of an evaluation, at least one target variable and at least one actual variable derived from the first signal are compared with each other. If there are considerable deviations or if predefined limiting values are overshot or undershot, the unit is able to determine via the evaluation whether a cyber attack on the pump unit, for example on the drive of the fluid-conveying device or another component connected to the latter, has taken place.
In the event that in the course of this evaluation, the unit determines a willful illegal operation of the pump unit, in particular of the drive, the control system and/or the fluid-conveying device, it reacts by outputting at least one second signal and, as a result, brings the pump unit to a secure state, by which the current and/or future cyber attacks are effectively warded off. At the same time, in a reaction to the at least one second signal, the fluid-conveying device is changed to control-conformant operation, by components of the fluid-conveying device and/or the control system and/or of the drive being adjusted appropriately.
The unit preferably analyses signals received by the speed-controlled fluid-conveying device and control system. In particular, the following phenomena can point to a cyber attack:
systematic approach to speed limits,
rapid start and stop cycles,
fast ramps with which the speed is increased or reduced,
excitation of vibrations,
anomalies in the activation which as compared with the usual behavior.
Following an analysis of appropriate input data, the unit sends signals to components of the pump unit to bring about a secure state protected from cyber attacks. The method according to the invention is suitable both to ward off cyber attacks on a central network and to ward off cyber attacks on individual components of the pump unit.
In addition to control electronics, at least one control component, for example a control valve, can also belong to the control of the pump unit according to the invention.
The term cyber attack in the present case designates any willful imposition from outside of an illegal operation.
In a particularly advantageous variant of the invention, the unit has a monitoring module. The monitoring module can have an evaluation unit. The evaluation unit can in turn be connected to a memory. Furthermore, the monitoring module preferably has an input unit and an output unit.
In an advantageous variant of the invention, the monitoring module is connected to a motor module. The monitoring module and the motor module can be completely decentralized from a process control system or a network or, in an alternative variant, can also be part of a process control system or network. It is important that there is no kind of link, possibly even strict separation, so that the monitoring module can monitor the pump unit completely independently, so to speak, can possibly initiate a secure state and output an appropriate alarm.
Preferably, a motor control device is connected to a motor module, the evaluation unit of the monitoring module and the drive, the drive preferably being formed as an electric motor.
To protect the pump unit or the entire system, operating parameters in the pump unit are varied by an evaluation, control and regulating unit, such that the drive of the fluid-conveying device enters a stable state and is effectively protected.
If appropriate, an iterative method is applied, in which individual steps or step sequences or the entire method are repeated once or many times.
A possible cyber attack is detected by the analysis of the operating parameters. To this end, the measured values are compared with a number of operating state patterns stored in the motor control device. Should an operating state which is not stored be detected in the pump unit, an emergency state is automatically initiated. The drive and the fluid-conveying device or the entire pump unit is then preferably disconnected from the network via which the cyber attack has been carried out, so that no further cyber attack is possible. In this way, it is likewise possible to avoid misuse as a result of inadvertent operating errors.
In one embodiment, provision is made for the drive to be an electric motor and for the speed control of the fluid-conveying device to be carried out by a frequency converter connected to the drive. Advantageously, in this case the at least one first signal relates to a state or operating parameter of the frequency converter.
In a variant of the invention, the unit is a decentralized control and/or regulating apparatus. The unit can be attached directly to or in the fluid-conveying device, the control system or the drive. Using said decentralized unit, protection from cyber attacks is possible even when the entire process control system or network has already been infected by the cyber attack. The independent decentralized unit can detect unfavorable operating states of the drive or the fluid-conveying device and therefore detect a cyber attack. Furthermore, said decentralized unit can disconnect the drive, the fluid-conveying device or one or more other components of the pump unit from the network or the process control system until the cyber attack has been warded off.
In a preferred variant of the invention, the unit is set up in such a way that, in the command structure, it is dominant as compared with the process control system or the network to which the pump unit or certain components of the same are connected. If the unit detects a cyber attack, then it disconnects the corresponding components of the pump unit, e.g. the drive or parts of the control system, completely from the process control system or the network and thus protects the pump unit from the current and further attacks.
In addition to bringing about a secure state, the unit can additionally or alternatively initiate alarm messages, so that the operator is informed of the detected cyber attack.
In a variant of the invention, the unit has a data memory. The data memory is used to detect and store technological data of the drive and/or of the fluid-conveying device and/or of the control system and/or of further components of the pump unit.
Preferably, the unit has at least one terminal for a sensor. In particular, vibration, pressure, flow or temperature sensors are suitable for the detection of cyber attacks.
In order to bypass rapid switching of the drive on and off and as a result to ward off the cyber attack, an energy storage unit can be used, which, for example, can be embodied as a battery or capacitor combination.
In addition, excitation of vibrations within the fluid-conveying device or the drive is to be avoided. Using provoked load changes, interactions, for example between impeller and guide wheel of the pump unit (in particular in a configuration as a centrifugal pump unit) or else between other components can lead to pressure fluctuations which, within the fluid-conveying device or the entire system, can experience resonance. In the event of targeted excitation of these resonant frequencies, vibration amplitudes which could lead to damage or even destruction of the fluid-conveying device or of the entire system within which the pump unit is arranged could be produced.
Said states are already known in control devices of centrifugal pump units, since when starting up and running down the systems, it is precisely a matter of overcoming these operating states as quickly as possible in order not to cause any damage. There is also the possibility of using already known system data to avoid targeted damage within the context of a cyber attack or human error.
In a variant of the invention, an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is used. As a result, during cyber attacks, the power supply of the drive or other parts of the pump unit can be ensured.
A further important feature of a UPS is the maximum bypass time, which depends on the capacity of the batteries. It can be a few seconds or several hours, depending on need. In the event of a high demand for power and bypass time, power generating units for recharging the batteries can also be used.
The present invention also relates to a unit for performing the method according to the invention, which is set up to protect a pump unit during cyber attacks. Here, it is obvious that the same advantages and properties result as for the method according to the invention, for which reason a repeated description will be omitted at this point.
The unit is preferably connected to a computer network and set up to interrupt the connection to the computer network automatically when a willfully caused illegal operation of the pump unit is determined by evaluating the at least one first signal.
According to an embodiment, provision is made for the unit to have a signal processing module for processing the at least one first signal, an evaluation module for evaluating the at least one first signal, a memory with data of the fluid-conveying device and/or the drive and/or the control system and preferably an input/output unit.
The unit is advantageously further set up to perform driving/regulation of components of the pump unit automatically when a willfully caused illegal operation of the pump unit is determined by evaluating the at least one first signal, in order to change the pump unit to control-conformant operation and to a state protected from the current and/or from further cyber attacks.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Method and apparatus for protecting pump units from cyber attacks


At a previous stage prior to displaying an input image in a display region, a display device outputs, to a transmitting section, a first instruction to transmit a first data signal having a specific pattern with a phase difference from a clock signal set to a first phase difference; reads, from a receiving section, a first received data signal corresponding to a data signal received by the receiving section from the transmitting section having received the first instruction; performs, as receipt result determination, first determination based on the first data signal and the first received data signal as receipt result determination; and determines, based on a result of the first determination, a set phase difference corresponding to the phase difference from the clock signal employed in transmitting the data signal based on the input data.

The present disclosure relates to a display device and a data transmission method performed in the display device.
Display devices have been further developed to have a higher resolution. For example, a display device applicable to 8K resolution displays images with a resolution of 7680×4320 pixels at a rate of 120 frames/sec. In a display device having a high resolution, it is necessary to perform high-speed transmission of signals of a huge amount of data (such as control data for displaying images based on image data) within the device. When data signals cannot be rapidly transmitted certainly, noise occurs in a displayed image.
As a method for improving the certainty of data receipt on a receiving side, a method in which latch timing is adjusted (tuned) by a reader (host device) reading data from a recording medium has been proposed. This reader transmits, together with a clock signal, a data transmission request signal to the recording medium, and receives data from the recording medium with latching data signal transmitted as a response to the transmission request. Although a data signal from a recording medium is delayed by a standardized fixed value in general in consideration that the data signal is delayed from transmission timing of the transmission request signal, the proposed reader performs processing for selecting appropriate latch timing in accordance with a temperature change, an individual difference of the recording medium and the like.

Display device and data transmission method in display device


A customer service document with an electrical data storage device is provided to deliver customer service information in a secured manner. The data storage device is attached to the customer service document and configured to contain information to be transferred to a customer's data reading device via short-range communication once the data reading device is authenticated. The transferred information can be used by the data reading device in various applications without identity theft concerns.

Financial institutions, such as banks, typically provide financial statements, such as bank statements or account statements, to customers. A financial statement typically contains a summary of financial transactions which have occurred over a given period on an account held by a customer with a financial institution. The financial statement can be printed on one or several pieces of paper and mailed to the customer's address. Although there has been a shift toward paperless, electronic statements, many people still prefer paper statements to online statements for several reasons, such as difficulty in managing overflowing email in-boxes and lack of technical competency.
Financial statements delivered in mail can be exposed to a risk of identity theft when the statements are lost or stolen. Financial statements typically contain personal information, such as a customer's name, address, and account information, which can be fraudulently used by an identity thief.

Customer service document with data storage device


A spinning reel has a reel body, a handle shaft rotatably supported to the reel body, a spool shaft supported to the reel body to be axially slidable thereto and for supporting a spool, a rotary frame rotatable with a rotation of the handle shaft thereby to wind up a fishing line about an outer periphery of the spool and a slide mechanism for causing the spool shaft to slide with a rotation of the handle shaft. The slide mechanism includes a slide element gear rotatable with the rotation of the handle shaft, the slide element gear having a pivot shaft positioned on a side of the rotary frame across the handle shaft, a portion of the gear element being included within the rotary frame, a slide element slidable back and forth along a guide portion to slide the spool shaft in reciprocating motion, and a cam mechanism for transducing the rotary motion of the slide element gear into the reciprocating motion of the slide element.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a spinning reel, and more particularly to a spinning reel including a reel body, a handle shaft rotatably supported to the reel body, a spool shaft supported to the reel body to be axially slidable thereto and for supporting a spool, a rotary frame rotatable with a rotation of the handle shaft thereby to wind up a line about an outer periphery of the spool and a slide mechanism for causing the spool shaft to slide with a rotation of the handle shaft.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a spinning reel of the above-noted type, there are known various kinds of slide mechanisms for causing the slide motion of the spool shaft. The constructions of these conventional mechanisms will be described next.
In one known construction disclosed in e.g. a Japanese published utility model Showa: 60-26626. The construction essentially comprises a rigid transverse shaft defining a spiral groove in its outer periphery and an engaging member engageable with the spiral groove.
In another known construction disclosed in e.g. a Japanese published patent Showa: 59-196026, the construction essentially comprises a slide element gear rotatable with a rotation of a handle shaft and having a pivot shaft positioned on the opposite side across the handle shaft to a rotary frame, a slide element slidable back and forth along a guide portion attached to the reel body so as to cause a spool shaft to slide in reciprocating motion and a cam mechanism for transducing the rotary motion of the slide element gear into the reciprocating motion of the slide element.
The first-noted conventional construction has a cost disadvantage. That is, it is very difficult to cut the spiral groove in the outer periphery of the rigid transverse shaft and the manufacturing cost of the spinning reel tends to be very high because of this difficulty.
On the other hand, the second-noted conventional construction has a space disadvantage. That is, in this construction, the slide element gear, which occupies considerably large space, is positioned on the opposite side across the handle shaft to the rotary frame. Accordingly, in comparison with the above first construction, the reel body tends to have a considerably large externally exposed portion, thereby imposing inconvenience in the handling of the spinning reel.
In view of the above-described state of the art, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a spinning reel which can be manufactured at low cost and which is formed compactly as a whole for easy handling.


A boom stick for use with log booms in water transport and storage of logs is formed by a plurality of vehicle tires (used) arranged in substantially axially aligned, side by side relationship with their tread surfaces forming the outer periphery of the boom stick. Axially extending reinforcing rods pass through the rim receiving holes in the tires and hold the tires together and a material (preferably foam concrete) having a higher specific gravity of less than 1 substantially fills the tires. In a preferred arrangement the tires are filled to a preselected level with light weight material and the remainder filled with a material having a higher specific gravity than the light weight material to provide a longitudinally extending heavy segment that orients the boom stick in the water.

When shipping logs by water it is common practice to form booms wherein a plurality of logs are bound together and confined by boom sticks. Generally there will be a forward boom stick, a pair of side boom sticks and a rear boom stick comprising each log boom. Such boom sticks are usually selected logs having lengths of up to about 66 feet. It is commonly desired that they be capable, without submerging, of carrying a man as he walks along the surface of the boom stick. Commonly boom sticks average about 2 feet in diameter. It will be apparent that such a log contains a significant amount and value of wood. Due to marine bores, decay and mechanical noise, wooden sticks deteriorate and need frequent replacement.
Attempts have been made to provide artificial boom sticks from steel by forming an elongated steel drum of the required length and closing off the ends. Similar artificial boom sticks have been made from hollow concrete sections formed for example by spin casting in a manner similar to that used for forming hollow telephone poles. Obviously the ends of the concrete boom sticks are also capped and the concrete is made non-porous. Neither the steel nor the concrete boom stick have been fully accepted by the industry generally because such boom sticks do not have the characteristics of the wooden boom stick they are intended to replace. Generally artificial boom sticks have been relegated to use in defining the outer periphery of holding areas or corrals for logs and function as the equivalent of the corral fence or gate sections.


The present application provides a display panel having a plurality of subpixels. The display panel includes an array substrate including an array of a plurality of first thin film transistors respectively in the plurality of subpixels for driving light emission of the display panel; a counter substrate facing the array substrate and having a plurality of subpixel areas respectively in the plurality of subpixels; and an optical compensation device for adjusting in real time actual light emitting brightness values of the plurality of subpixel areas to target brightness values. The optical compensation device includes a plurality of actual light emitting brightness value detectors integrated in the counter substrate and respectively in the plurality of subpixel areas.

Organic light emitting diode (OLED) display apparatuses are self-emissive devices, and do not require backlights. OLED display apparatuses also provide more vivid colors and a larger color gamut as compared to the conventional liquid crystal display (LCD) apparatuses. Further, OLED display apparatuses can be made more flexible, thinner, and lighter than a typical LCD apparatus.

Display panel, display apparatus, display substrate, and method of fabricating display panel and display apparatus


Aspects of the technology described herein are directed towards using generic control information in a three-party wireless communication system to schedule a data transmission and reception of the data transmission. A scheduler node transmits the generic control information, comprising identification information that identifies a user equipment device as a transmitter node, and scheduling information that schedules a data transmission. For unicast data transmissions, the generic control information further identifies a receiver node, and can schedule transmission of an ACK/NACK from the receiver node corresponding to receiving the data transmission. A control procedure can be configured in a user equipment device by linking a channel configuration dataset to a resource configuration dataset, which in turn is linked to a channel transmit and receive configuration dataset. Reconfiguration is achieved by changing the linking(s) between one or more different available datasets.

In traditional wireless cellular communications systems, a given geographic area is served by a single base station. The range of its transmitter, the "coverage," determines the "cell," i.e., the geographic area in which user equipment (UE) can be served by the base station. By arranging a plurality of base stations in such a way that their coverage areas (the cells), partially overlap, ubiquitous coverage can be achieved in which user equipment can move through the network and at any given time is served by one base station. When the user equipment travels towards the edge of one base station's coverage area and into the coverage area of another base station, mobility procedures commonly referred to as "handovers" provide seamless connectivity during the time when the user equipment is disconnecting from the first base station and connecting to the second base station. Nevertheless, at any given time, the user equipment is served by a single base station.
In next-generation wireless cellular communications systems, new services, such as vehicular services, are changing this paradigm. For example, sidelink technology provides for local (e.g., vehicle-to-vehicle) traffic. Such local traffic can be managed by a scheduler node (e.g., another vehicle) referred to as the "Node-S," which can be a local manager of a group of user equipments. The sidelink comprises an interface between two (or more) user equipments, e.g., a transmitter user equipment (Node-T) and a receiver user equipment (Node-R), as scheduled by the Node-S, (in contrast to the downlink and uplink interfaces between a base station and a user equipment and a user equipment and a base station, respectively).

Generic control channel configuration for new radio sidelink


A printing device includes: a supply tray; a sensor; a print unit; a memory; and a controller. The sensor is configured to selectively output a first signal indicating absence of a sheet on the supply tray and a second signal indicating presence of a sheet on the supply tray. The controller is configured to: create first authentication information when the first signal changes to the second signal; store the first authentication information in the memory; accept a job that uses a sheet on the supply tray; determine that a first job is accepted, the first job being such a job that accompanies second authentication information, the first job being executable when the second authentication information is in coincidence with the first authentication information; and control the print unit to execute the first job.

A technique of controlling whether to execute printing in a printing device is well known in the art. For example, a user sets a temporary password for a specific sheet supply port of a printing device. The printing device restricts printing through the specific sheet supply port with respect to a print job which does not accompany the password while the password is set (see Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-353933).

Printing device having restriction print function


A vane includes a composite airfoil having a single dovetail root extending chordwise between or near leading and trailing edges of the airfoil. The root is connected to the airfoil and is slidably received in a dovetail slot in an inner vane mount. The dovetail slot has a triangular slot cross section and a flat slot bottom and flat slot pressure and suction side crush faces corresponding to pressure and suction sides of the airfoil. The root has a triangular root cross section, a flat root bottom, and flat dovetail root pressure and suction side crush faces. A biasing means urges the root bottom of the dovetail root away from the slot bottom and presses and preloads the dovetail root pressure and suction side crush faces against the slot pressure and suction side slot crush faces.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to mounting of gas turbine engine composite airfoils and, particularly, for mounting the airfoils in aircraft gas turbine engines.
2. Description of Related Art
Bypass gas turbine engines of the turbofan type generally includes a forward fan and booster compressor, a middle core engine, and an aft low pressure power turbine. The core engine includes a high pressure compressor, a combustor, and a high pressure turbine in a serial flow relationship. The high pressure compressor and high pressure turbine of the core engine are interconnected by a high pressure shaft. The high pressure compressor, turbine, and shaft essentially form the high pressure rotor. The high pressure compressor is rotatably driven to compress air entering the core engine to a relatively high pressure. This high pressure air is then mixed with fuel in the combustor and ignited to form a high energy gas stream. The gas stream flows aft and passes through the high pressure turbine, rotatably driving it and the high pressure shaft which, in turn, rotatably drives the compressor.
The gas stream leaving the high pressure turbine is expanded through a second or low pressure turbine. The low pressure turbine rotatably drives the fan and booster compressor via a low pressure shaft, all of which form the low pressure rotor. The low pressure shaft extends through the high pressure rotor. The fan is part of a fan section of the engine and further includes a fan casing surrounding the fan and supported by a fan frame. Typically, a fan frame includes structural fan struts radially extending across a fan bypass duct. A forward vertical support mount on the fan casing is used to pivotably join and support the engine to a pylon on the aircraft and a thrust mount on the frame located radially inwardly of the bypass duct is used to transfer thrust loads of the engine to the aircraft through the pylon.
The frame may further include fan outlet guide vanes circumferentially distributed between the struts that are used to straighten fan airflow exiting the bypass duct. The fan struts and outlet guide vanes are typically made of metal which are heavier than available composite materials. Outlet guide vane assemblies are used to remove swirl before a fan nozzle at the end of a bypass duct. Such outlet guide vane assemblies are configured to turn the airflow discharged from the fan to a substantially axial direction prior to the fan flow being channeled through the bypass duct. In addition to turning the fan airflow, the outlet guide vane assembly also provides structural stiffness to the fan frame. It is very desirable to incorporate composite materials in the engine in order to lower the weight of the engine which provides a more fuel efficient engine and aircraft. It is known to manufacture aircraft gas turbine engine vane airfoils from composite materials. What is further desired are mounting systems for securely and robustly mounting composite airfoils in the fan frame assembly that will enhance the life of the airfoils and fan frame assembly.