The steering angle of a vehicle is monitored using position sensors of an electric motor of an electric power assisted steering (EPAS) system. A position of the electric motor corresponding to the straight-ahead, center position of the steering system is stored in non-volatile memory during a steering calibration procedure, such as an end-of-line calibration in a vehicle assembly plant. Following power loss due to a dead battery, a steering angle zeroing procedure performed in a vehicle stability control (VSC) system generates a center position with enough accuracy to be within one electrical cycle of the motor. The pre-stored electric motor position is then used to determine the electrical cycle where the center position was located, and accurate monitoring of steering angle is resumed.

The present invention relates in general to maintaining an accurate steering angle position relative to a center steering angle of a motor vehicle, and more specifically to electric power assisted steering systems for vehicles wherein an electric motor operatively connected to a steering assembly includes position sensors for assisting in the determination of the steering angle.
It is well known to provide electric power assisted steering (EPAS) systems. A steering assembly typically comprises a hand wheel connected to a steering shaft which is operatively connected to one or more road wheels through a steering rack, although many different assemblies are in common use. Some EPAS systems use brushless electric motors with a motor position sensor to control the timing of switching (i.e., commutation of windings of the motor). The motor position sensor typically comprises an electromagnetic type switch or switches which change state whenever a magnet provided on the rotor passes the sensor. Alternatively, a magnetized disc can be mounted on the rotor shaft and the sensor may detect movement of the magnets on the disc.
A measure of vehicle steering angle position (i.e., the direction of the road wheels) relative to a straight-ahead or center steering angle is needed by various vehicle systems, such as suspension damper control systems, vehicle stability control systems, and lane guidance systems.
In a 3-phase brushless permanent magnet motor, for example, three Hall effect sensors can be located around the rotor in such a manner that a rough measurement of rotor electrical position can be obtained. However, this measurement alone is not sufficient for use as an indication of the position of the steering angle because 1) the electric motor goes through many complete electrical cycles as the steering system passes through its full range of motion, so the motor position output will repeat at different steering angles and thus produce an ambiguous signal (just as a steering shaft position sensor does), and 2) the angular resolution may be inadequate for any associated control systems using steering angle as an input (e.g., a vehicle stability control system).
When low resolution is not a problem, an EPAS motor Hall-effect sensor can be used in combination with a marker coupled to the steering system (e.g., a single position pulse at a reference position, such as the center position), as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,364,050, issued to Horton. To remove ambiguity from the EPAS motor position signal, transitions in the output of the motor position sensor are counted and the count is reset whenever an index signal is produced from the steering shaft sensor indicative of the steering assembly position being in the straight ahead (i.e., center) position for the vehicle. The index signal can be provided from a geared steering column sensor, a steering rack sensor, or a yaw rate sensor adapted to produce an output indicative of the yaw rate of the vehicle.
The counting of transitions is comprised of incrementing the count signal when the Hall-effect sensor output changes state corresponding to rotation in one direction, and decrementing the count signal when a change of state occurs corresponding to rotation in the opposite direction. The value of the count is therefore indicative of the angular position of the steering shaft relative to the known angular position at which the reset by the center position index marker occurs.
It is desirable to maintain the contents of the counter even when the vehicle ignition is turned off and the EPAS system would usually be de-powered. If the count was lost, then the absolute steering angle would not be known on the next driving cycle until an index signal was received. In addition, the steering angle may be changed while the ignition is off, resulting in an inaccurate count unless the sensor continues to be monitored. Therefore, the position sensing system included means adapted to "strobe" or periodically energize the motor position Hall-effect sensors and to sample the output of the sensing means when energized. The sensors may then be de-energized between samples (this is often referred to as sleep mode). This minimizes the average current drain compared to running the sensors continuously while enabling the counter to keep track of the steering shaft position even when the vehicle ignition switch is turned off without draining the vehicle battery excessively. A latch may be provided to latch the sampled value.
In the event of a dead main battery or other loss of power to the EPAS system, the latched value of the Hall counter may be lost, resulting in ambiguity of the absolute steering angle. After the dead battery is replaced, absolute position is nevertheless restored when the steering angle passes through the center position and the index marker is detected. It would be desirable, however, if system cost could be reduced by eliminating the index sensor and its associated wiring.
Where higher resolution measurement of steering angle is needed, it is known to utilize a high resolution angular position sensor either mounted directly on the steering shaft or connected thereto via a gear drive. This produces an output which does not depend on the EPAS gearbox ratio since it reads directly from the steering shaft, but is expensive to produce.
As shown in prior U.S. Pat. No. 6,354,396, issued to Horton et al, a motor position sensor can be used to assist a steering shaft position sensor in the determination of the position of the steering angle in order to overcome ambiguity in finding an absolute reference position. A motor position sensor comprising a Hall-effect sensor having a relatively coarse resolution is combined with a position sensor on the steering shaft. The motor is coupled to the steering shaft through a gearbox having a non-integer reduction gear ratio so that position signals from the two sensors are not synchronous and their relative phases identify the particular revolution of the steering shaft.
The resolution obtainable with Hall-effect sensors of reasonable cost may be insufficient for some motor control purposes. Prior application WO9908374A1, in the name of Wilson-Jones et al, teaches the use of a high resolution sensor on the steering shaft in order to increase the resolution of measuring the motor rotor position between the positions detected by a Hall-effect sensor. As previously mentioned, it would be an advantage to avoid the cost of a high resolution position sensor on the steering shaft.
Electronically commutated motors are known that internally incorporate position sensors that provide a higher resolution than can be easily achieved with Hall-effect sensors. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,239, issued to Persson et al, teaches an inductive sensor providing high resolution within each electrical cycle of motor rotation. Since the position sensor is formed integrally with the motor, it can be fabricated and installed more cheaply that a separate, steering shaft mounted high resolution position sensor. However, there are typically several electrical cycles within one full mechanical rotation of the rotor, so that the position derived from the inductive sensor is ambiguous with respect to the mechanical position. It is, however, sufficient for motor control purposes since the position within an electrical cycle is not ambiguous.

Recovery of calibrated center steering position after loss of battery power


A sound suppressor for a firearm for reducing sound and flash levels upon the discharge of a firearm comprises a cylindrical housing, a proximal end cap with means for attachment to a firearm and to the cylindrical housing, a distal end cap with means for attachment to the housing, and a plurality of baffles positioned within the housing and between the proximal end and distal end caps of the suppressor. A separate cylindrical spacer element is positioned between the proximal end cap of the suppressor and the first baffle. This spacer provides axial positioning of the baffles within the cylindrical housing of the suppressor. The distal end cap of the suppressor is provided with a concentric circular hole or aperture for the projectile to pass through the end of the suppressor. In a number of preferred embodiments, the sound suppressor utilizes baffles that use two or more of the disclosed features that enhance reduction of sound and flash, these features being a rearward conical protrusion provided with multi-annular steps, a flange with an external diameter slightly less than the internal diameter of the cylindrical housing, a frontal turbulence generation structure, a frontal turbulence generation structure provided with at least one cut-out, a turbulence generation structure, and gas cross-flow enhancement cuts positioned on the proximal and distal sides of the baffles.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sound suppressor for a firearm, and more particularly to baffles for use in a sound suppressor for a firearm.
2. Background of the Invention
Sound suppressors for firearms are well known in the prior art, and many have been patented over a considerable period of time. Many different techniques have been developed and patented, and baffles of varying designs have been extensively used. The aim and intention of a sound suppressor, regardless of the technique used, is to reduce the pressure and velocity of the propellant gases from the sound suppressor so that the resulting sound level is significantly reduced.
Quite complex baffle structures are known in the prior art. Some of these baffles have more recently used asymmetric features, such as slanted sidewalls or baffles that have been positioned at an angle to the bore, to achieve high levels of sound reduction. U.S. Pat. No. 4,588,043 (Finn) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,535 (Leasure) are indicative of the complex baffles using slanted sidewalls or asymmetric cuts into the bore of the baffles. Known prior art as practiced also includes baffles known as 'K' baffles, where the baffle consists of a flat flange joined to a conical section by a web. An inner chamber was formed between the front face of the flat flange and the rear face of the conical section. The 'K' baffle first appeared during the mid-1980s, and while initially symmetrical venting or porting was used to vent gases into the inner chamber between the rear and front faces of the baffle, slanted sidewalls were used to improve the performance of the 'K' baffle, as well as asymmetric cuts or scoops on the rear face and on the conical front face, with the scoop on the front face penetrating through the conical front face and into the inner chamber. This had the effect of venting gases into the inner chamber and this enhanced the sound reduction of the suppressor. These asymmetric cuts or scoops are similar to the slanted sidewall feature of the Finn patent in that the cuts or scoops are positioned 180 degrees apart. However, while such a modified 'K' baffle worked well with pistol caliber firearms, the asymmetry caused some detrimental effect on accuracy when used with rifle caliber firearms, and required an increase in the size of the bore aperture of the baffle to ensure minimization of bullet yaw. This would otherwise result in projectiles striking the baffles and the end cap of the suppressor. What is required is a baffle that offers high levels of sound reduction, and minimizes bullet yaw and enhance and/or maintain the normal accuracy of the host firearm.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a sound suppressor for a firearm using baffles that have little or no detrimental effect on the accuracy of the fired projectile, and produce high levels of sound and flash reduction. This is achieved through the use of a number of structures that may be used with a variety of different baffles, and the use of these structures provide enhanced performance.
Additional objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description as follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned by practice of the invention.


Automatically augmenting online content with contextually relevant comments. Online content and associated comments are received. The comments are classified as chit-chat or informative. For each informative comment, a portion of the online content to which the comment is most relevant is determined, and the comment is associated with a position in the online content that corresponds to the determined portion of the online content. A subset of the informative comments is selected for presentation.

The present invention relates generally to the field of presentation processing of online content, and more particularly to annotating online content.
Online content, or web content, refers to textual, visual, or aural content that may be encountered as part of the user experience on web sites. It may include text, images, audio and video files, and animations. In many cases, online content may be augmented with user comments. Comments are typically viewed in a separate comments section of the web page below or to the side of the online content. In some cases, a comment may express a critique or other form of feedback that relates to a specific portion of the content, or it may provide additional information relevant to a specific portion of the content. An example is timed comments, which are anchored by individual commenters to specific moments in a video or audio recording.
Comments can be of various types, including unimportant chit-chat and comments that support or are critical of the online content. Many comments are simply spam, including disruptive or commercial messages, or constitute trolling, i.e., are deliberately inflammatory or provocative.

Annotating content with contextually relevant comments

International Business Machines Corporation


A probe array wafer includes a substrate upon which a plurality of compliant probes are mounted. Pairs of axially aligned probes may be electrically connected together to provide a pass through power connection from the test equipment to the device under test. Likewise, pairs of axially aligned probes may be electrically connected together to provide a ground connection from the test equipment to the device under test.

Interconnecting of two separate boards or components has been accomplished by an array of spring test probes installed into receptacles. The probes are press fit into a matrix of holes drilled in a block. The block is mounted to one circuit board with the probes perpendicular to the surface of the board to mate with a device under test or another circuit board to perform functional testing, parametric testing or burn-in testing, for example.
Difficulty in installing the probes in the substrate block and accurate location of the retaining holes increases the cost of producing the block of probes. The blocks are not readily adaptable for more complex applications such as testing with active or passive components coupled to the spring probes. Additionally, the block must fit the application and is therefore not adaptable for other applications not having the same probe pattern or probe number.


A method, computer program product, and a data processing system for generating a single object file from which a plurality of per-processor architecture executables may be produced. Source code includes instructions that are associated with a plurality of processor architectures and a plurality of instruction sets each associated with one of the plurality of processor architectures. The source code is compiled into an object file that includes common text and data associated with the plurality of processor architectures and a plurality of processor-specific data and text sets. The object file may then be linked by a processor of one of the plurality of processor architectures to produce an executable that is optimized for a plurality of processor architectures.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an improved data processing system and in particular to a method and computer program product for optimizing creation of software executables. Still more particularly, the present invention provides a method and computer program product for generating a processor specific virtualization layer that facilitates installation of a software executable optimized for a plurality of processor architectures.
2. Description of Related Art
Contemporary software vendors invest significant amounts of labor and capital to improve the speed of software products by using different optimization techniques for different processor architectures. The current approach is to deliver different executables each addressing a specific processor architecture. In such implementations, the software code is only optimized for a particular processor architecture. The deficiency of this approach is that every application has to be compiled and packaged multiple times thereby increasing the size of the distribution package and the management complexity. To obtain the best performance on a specific architecture, a user has to install the executable compiled specifically for the architecture on which the installation is being performed.
Thus, it would be advantageous to provide an improved mechanism for producing processor-optimized executables. It would further be advantageous to provide a mechanism for producing a processor-optimized executable for one of a plurality of processor architectures from a single object file. It would further be advantageous to provide a mechanism for installing a processor-optimized executable from an object file that supports executables optimized for a plurality of processor architectures.

System and method for producing per-processor optimized executables


A money management card adapted to provide a method of saving and investing for a user of the money management card. An entity, such as, for example, a card issuer, receives a user designation of one or more designated accounts that are to receive at least a portion of any additional amount added to purchases made using the money management card. The entity receives an indication that a user has used the money management card to make a purchase for a specified purchase amount subsequent to receiving the user designation. The entity adds a calculated additional amount to the specified purchase amount, for example, based on the fact a purchase was made or based at least in part on the specified purchase amount. The entity transfers an appropriate portion of the calculated additional amount to each of the one or more designated accounts. Third parties can also transfer matching funds that match at least a portion of the calculated additional amount.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention extends to both methods and systems for using a money management card. In particular, the present invention relates to a money management card providing (potentially automated) transfer of funds to one or more designated accounts. The money management card and various accounts are adapted to transfer a user's funds subsequent to, and potentially in response to, the user using the money management card.
2. Background and Relevant Art
The use of money management cards that allow a user to make purchases is an important aspect of modern commerce. The credit card industry provides vast amounts of credit to consumers and business alike to facilitate the purchase of goods, services, and other necessities using money management cards. Money management cards can include a variety of cards including, but not limited to, credit cards, automated teller machine (ATM) cards, check cards, and the like.
In recent years, the financial industry has expanded the use of money management cards beyond simply providing a means of making purchases. Money management cards have been utilized in a variety of roles including airline frequent flier programs, cash back incentives, and discount programs. These programs typically represent incentive programs adapted to encourage card users to use the money management card for purchases. The issuer of the card, at times in connection with other merchants, subsidizes the incentive programs with revenue generated from the credit card business. The subsidies are offered as a benefit of membership and are often linked to the amount of purchases made using the card.
Notwithstanding the incentive offered by such cards, credit card spending is typically associated with lessening of a user's assets. When the user makes purchases using a money management card, the user is spending financial assets to make purchases of goods, services, or other necessities. Though some cash back and investment mechanisms associated with money management cards provide a method of receiving a return of a portion of all purchases made using the card, typically such mechanisms are offered merely as a promotion. However, these mechanisms do not provide a meaningful method of saving or investing the user's assets or any way to transfer additional funds (above a purchase price) to other designated accounts. Additionally, investment mechanisms associated with money management cards that provide access to investment instruments typically require that the user satisfy dollar minimums associated with the investment instruments.

Transferring funds to designated accounts through the use of a money management card


Configurable electronic devices contain identifying information in a dual-ported memory. A plurality of un-configured units are assembled into a set. Using identifying information, a provisioning server matches each particular unit to configuration settings needed to appropriately configure that device for use by a specific end user. The configuration settings and/or data may be transmitted to the devices via their embedded RFID systems and stored in their dual-ported memory (via the first memory port). The electronic devices may comprise processor-based systems and, upon system initialization, the configuration data can be read from the memory via a second port thereof and used to configure the device for use by the user. In this way, devices may be configured as a set destined for a particular end user immediately prior to shipment and/or deployment and it is not necessary to separately track customized units prior to assembling them into a set.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to configuring electronic devices prior to their deployment in the field. More particularly, it relates to downloading configuration data to devices using RFID technology.
2. Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98.
Many electronic devices must be customized for use by a particular user and/or use in a particular environment or system—e.g., a local area network ("LAN") or private branch exchange ("PBX"). The process of customizing such devices is called "configuration" or "provisioning." The data used to effect the configuration may be stored on (and retrieved from) a "provisioning server."
Current solutions involve removing a device to be provisioned from the package, applying power, provisioning the device, and repackaging the device. This procedure can be costly and error prone. Moreover, once a generic device has been provisioned, it becomes a unique device and must be individually managed and tracked throughout the remainder of the deployment process.
At least one electronic provisioning system is commercially available in the prior art. It employs a technology known as "Radio-frequency identification" (RFID) which commonly involves the use of an object (typically referred to as an "RFID tag") that is applied to or incorporated into a product for the purposes of identification and tracking using radio waves. Some tags can be read from several meters away and beyond the line of sight of the reader.
Radio-frequency identification involves "interrogators" (also known as "readers"), and "tags" (also known as "labels").
Most RFID tags contain at least two parts. One is an integrated circuit for storing and processing information, modulating and demodulating a radio-frequency (RF) signal, and other specialized functions. The second is an antenna for receiving and transmitting the signal.
There are generally three types of RFID tags: active RFID tags, which contain a battery and can transmit signals autonomously; passive RFID tags, which have no battery and require an external source of power to provoke signal transmission; and, battery assisted passive (BAP) RFID tags, which require an external source to wake up but have significantly higher forward link capability (thereby providing greater range).
A provisioning system known as Asset ID™ technology available from IBM (Armonk, N.Y.) employs a small radio-readable (and writable) memory chip that can be mounted on the motherboard of a personal computer. The electronic tag contains information about the computer, and can be both read and written using Quetel software, Symbol 6100 PDTs and HID AMH-100 Handheld Asset Tag Readers. For other applications, HID Corporation (Irvine, Calif.) provides wall-mounted or doorway-shaped tag readers. Briefly, the type of information on the RFID tag includes the computer UUID (Unique User Identification) number, serial number, software image loaded onto the PC, CPU type and RAM, hard drive capacity, user name, position, address, and many other types of data elements. IBM Asset ID™ tags are "Dual-ported" and by being mounted on the mother board during manufacture they can be accessed either from the computer BIOS or from the various tag readers.
The rewritable Asset ID tags have enough memory capacity to store additional pertinent information about the personal computer. During the procurement process, user-specific information can be written to the embedded Asset ID tag.
Asset ID is made up of components both internal to PCs and external to system units. The Asset ID subsystem includes three components:    An EEPROM non-volatile memory module, integrated on the system planar.    A passive antenna, attached inside the system unit.    A radio frequency (RF) reader, an external device. One implementation uses the combination of a handheld programmable barcode scanner (known as a portable data terminal or PDT) and an RF reader. There are generally three types of reader: handheld, portal, and panel.
The EEPROM and antenna are collectively called the tag.
Typically, the system interface of the EEPROM is connected to a bus within the asset to allow access to the data from the system. Since the tag is integrated into the asset, this tag is called an integrated tag.
The Asset ID EEPROM is a non-volatile memory space. Information stored there remains intact even after a system power failure. It can be read from and written to using either of two interfaces:
The system bus interface is used by the system BIOS and application software running on the system to store and retrieve asset information on the EEPROM. LOCM, IBM Director and UM Services are three examples of an application that writes to the Asset ID EEPROM through the system bus interface.
The RF interface connects to the antenna where the asset information can be read and written by an RF reader.
When the system is switched on, the EEPROM draws its power from the system power supply. When the system is not switched on, the EEPROM draws its power from the RF field generated by the RF reader. This allows one to access the tag even when the system is not connected to a power outlet, such as when it is inside a shipping carton.
The serial area holds all the serial numbers of the system. This area can be written and read through the system interface but can only be read by the RF interface.
The configuration area contains details about the basic system configuration. It is updated automatically by the system BIOS during the initial power-on sequence when it detects a new component. The BIOS will compare the system state with the configuration area and make corrections if differences exist (for example, a new memory DIMM or CPU is added).
The user area consists mostly of personal data. This area is the only one that can be updated via the RF interface. The fields are separated into groups which may include user information, lease information, asset information, network connection information and one or more custom fields.
In the IBM Asset ID system, the antenna is a passive RF receiver/transmitter and therefore does not have any power source of its own. It is designed to read data from the EEPROM and write data to the EEPROM using the energy generated by the RF field from the reader. In operation, the reader initiates communications by generating a 125-kHz RF carrier signal modulated with information to be sent to the antenna and EEPROM (collectively called the tag). The reader then generates an unmodulated carrier and waits for a response from the tag. The tag uses backscatter modulation (BSM) to respond to the reader.
In this technique, the tag sends information to the reader by modulating the field generated by the reader and reflecting it back. The tag inside the PC is not capable of generating any RF signal on its own. It can only respond to the field generated by a reader designed for use with RFID.
The RF reader/writer is an external device that communicates with the Asset ID tag via the RF antenna. A reader is required to read or write data using the RF interface. The three types of reader are: handheld, portal, and panel.
A handheld reader is a reader that is battery operated and designed for portable use. These devices are typically designed to be lightweight with an antenna that is easily positioned within close proximity to a tag.
Applications for these readers include deployment or inventory of assets throughout the enterprise.
An example is the combination of the Symbol Corporation Portable Data Terminal (PDT) and HID Corporation's AMH100 handheld reader as discussed below. This portable combination allows one to read from and write to the Asset ID tag plus upload that data to a PC-based application via the PDT's serial interface.
The PDT is completely programmable via the serial interface. Typically, the PDT software is downloaded during the installation of the asset software on the PC to which it is connected.
Panel readers are usually mounted on a wall or placed on a counter near a protected area. This type of reader is primarily used in a paperless, property pass application.
Portal readers are devices that have a more permanent installation, typically located at a doorway or portal to a protected area. Portal readers are positioned so as to require the asset to be carried through the reader field to exit or enter the area.
Regardless of the reader type, since power for the EEPROM is obtained from the RF signal generated by the reader, it is possible to read and write the EEPROM with the asset still in the shipping box. However, once unique data is written to the EEPROM, the device becomes customized—i.e., unique—and must be individually tracked through the remainder of the deployment process. This can necessitate a rather complex infrastructure and preclude the use of such a system in facilities lacking all of the necessary components and systems. The present invention solves this problem.

System and method for in-box electronic device provisioning


An apparatus, system, and method for the detection of contents within a container includes a plurality of transducers mounted on an exterior surface of the container. A plurality of acoustic signals is transmitted into the container, and an echo is generated when the signals contact an object. The echo is received at a transducer and a processor analyzes the echo to detect the object. Similarly, two acoustic transducers can be used to angularly transmit the signal into a container. The signal reflects off a sediment surface and is received at another acoustic transducer. The reflection signal can be used to analyze a sediment surface within the container.

Containers such as conduits, pipes, hoses, smokestacks, and the like, are utilized for the transportation and transmission of fluids, which includes liquids, gases, plasmas, and similar materials. Other containers, such as vessels, tanks, and storage facilities may be used to hold fluids for periods of time. With containers used for either or both transportation and/or storage of fluids, it is often the case that particulate matter within the fluids can build up within the interior of the containers over time, which may result in damage to the container or damage downstream from a container. This particulate may collect on the inner surface of the container and build up obstructions to fluid transmission.
When an obstruction is suspected, or pressure buildup is detected, or performance is lagging, the container must go through a maintenance procedure, wherein it is often taken offline so it can be flushed out and cleaned. This can be an expensive and time consuming process due to the effort involved in accessing the interior of the containers and performing the cleaning procedures. Additionally, the time the container is offline commonly results in a loss of productivity and revenue for an entity operating the container.
In a more specific situation, it is common for industrial containers, and especially those used in the oil and gas industry, to have sludge form on the bottom of the container, often from sediment gravitationally settling to the bottom. For example, according to an investigation conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), each refinery in the USA produces an annual average of 30,000 tons of oily sludge. It is estimated that, in 2001, large oil refineries (processing (2-5)×105 barrels per day) in the USA, produced 10,000 m3 of sludge and in India about 50,000 tons. Total production of sludge goes up because of the increasing demand for refined petroleum products worldwide.
The sediment on the bottom of a container in many industries has an uneven surface due to liquid flow over the sludge over a period of time. This uneven surface is characteristic for oil and gas industry as well as construction water processing. Within the oil industry specifically, the sediment at the bottom of the oil tanks mostly contains crystalized paraffin wax. The process of the sediment settling at the bottom of the tanks occurs naturally due to gravity and density of the sediment relative to the fluid in the tank. In one example, it is common for there to be several layers of sediment that build up on the bottom of the tank, and often, a layer of water forms on the top of the sediment. The crude oil is then located above the layer of water, and a layer of air is positioned above the crude oil. The sludge itself in crude oil tanks is typically made of up of water, petroleum hydrocarbons, and solids.
It is important to know the volume of the sediment at the bottom of the tank since this knowledge allows one to accurately estimate the crude oil in the tank and provides information on when to clean the bottom of the tank. For example, the sludge at the bottom of a crude oil tank can reach to 6-8 feet, which if not accounted for, can significantly affect an estimate of the volume of crude oil in a tank. In the construction industry, water from construction sites must be treated in a sedimentation tank before it can be sent to the outside of the construction site. This prevents solids like sand and grit from settling and blocking the flow. Accounting for the amount of sedimentation at the bottom of the tank allows for an accurate understanding of how much water can be processed through the tank and when the tank needs to be cleaned, among other aspects.
Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.

Apparatus, system, and method for the detection of objects and activity within a container


The present disclosure describes antibodies that target HM1.24. In various aspects, the antibodies have specific CDR, variable, or full length sequences, have modifications with the parent antibody, or include at least one one modification relative to a parent antibody that alters affinity to an FcγR or alters effector function as compared to the parent antibody. Nucleic acids encoding the antibodies and methods of using the antibodies are also disclosed.

B cells are lymphocytes that play a large role in the humoral immune response. They are produced in the bone marrow of most mammals, and represent 5-15% of the circulating lymphoid pool. The principal function of B cells is to make antibodies against various antigens, and are an essential component of the adaptive immune system.
Plasma B cells (also known as plasma cells) are a large mature B cells that have been exposed to antigen and produce and secrete large amounts of antibodies, which assist in the destruction of microbes by binding and facilitating targeting by phagocytes, as well as activation of the complement system. Plasma cells are sometimes referred to as antibody factories.
Several plasma cell disorders are known. Multiple myeloma is among the most prominent. Autoimmune disorders resulting from in breakdown of self-tolerance can arise from terminally differentiated plasma cells. Additional plasma cell disorders include amyloidosis, which occurs when antibodies or protein fragments accumulate in organs of the body, Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia, a malignant blood cancer characterized by a high level of IgM antibodies in the blood and the bone marrow, plasmacytoma (which is related to multiple myeloma), POEMS syndrome (characterized by polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, multiple myeloma, and skin changes), heavy-chain diseases (such as gamma heavy-chain disease (Franklin's disease), alpha heavy-chain disease (Seligmann's disease) which occurs together with a small intestinal lymphoma called immunoproliferative small intestinal disease), and Mu heavy-chain disease.
To date, there has not been an antibody therapy capable of addressing these indications. This disclosure addresses this and other needs.


The present invention relates to methods for treating pathological conditions associated with Helicobacter sp infections, specifically H. pylori infection. The present invention further relates to methods for treating pathologies characterized by excess gastric acid secretion. The methods of the present invention comprise oral administration of pentagastrin effective locally in the stomach in conjunction with a gastric proton pump inhibitor. It is disclosed herein for the first time that PG administered orally exerts a local effect in the stomach and may be used in combination with a PPI for treating pathological conditions characterized by excess gastric acid secretion and in pathological conditions associated with Helicobacter sp infections.

Peptic ulcers, once thought to result from stress, excess acidity, or a reduction of the mucosal defense factors in the stomach, are now in a majority of cases considered to be the result of bacterial infection by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). The involvement of H. pylori in peptic ulcers is well documented in "Helicobacter pylori in Peptic Ulceration and Gastritis", edited by Barry J. Marshall, Richard W. McCallum and Richard L. Guerraut, Blackwell Scientific Publications, Boston, U.S.A. The effect of treatment of H. pylori infections on long-term recurrence of gastric or duodenal ulcer is described by David Y. Graham et al. In Annals of Internal Medicine 1992; 116: No. 9.
H. pylori resides within the mucous layer of the human gastric mucosa. Due to extremely low pH, the stomach is a hostile environment to most other microorganisms. The ability of H. pylori to flourish in the stomach has been attributed to protective mechanisms such as the production of urease, protecting the bacterium from gastric acidity by creating a basic microenvironment [Taylor D. N. and Blaser M. J., Epidemiol Rev (1991) 13:42-59].
Presently, the main therapies employed in the treatment of chronic active gastritis and peptic ulcer diseases include agents for reducing the stomach acidity for example the histamine H2-receptor antagonists which result in the suppression of acid and pepsin secretion, and proton pump inhibitors which act by inhibition of the parietal cell H+/K+ ATPase, responsible for acid secretion from these cells. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) e.g. omeprazole and its pharmaceutically acceptable salts are disclosed for example in EP 124495. U.S. Pat. No. 5,093,342 disclosed that omeprazole may be used also as an effective anti-bacterial agent.
Other therapies for H. pylori infections include bismuth compounds and antibiotics. However, currently used treatment modalities are problematic, since post-treatment relapse rates are rising. In addition, several of these therapies are accompanied by significant side effects. For example, effective antibiotic treatment of H. pylori infections requires treatment over an extended duration (1-2 weeks) and may result in the induction of diarrhea and intestinal discomfort. The bismuth compounds are also known to have a number of significant undesirable side effects.
Current antibiotic treatment for H. pylori infections usually consists of combinations of two antibiotic agents together with an adjunctive agent, which is usually either a PPI or H2 blockers. Antibiotic resistance of H. pylori is increasing in prevalence [Hazell, SL, Eur J Clin Infect Dis (1999) 18:83-86]. Triple therapy regimen (Tetracycline, in combination with metronidazole and tripotassium dicitratobismuthate (TDB) has been found to be more effective than mono-therapy, but patient compliance and drug resistance further limits its applicability.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,196,205 (corresponding to patent application WO 89/03219) describes a method for the treatment of H. pylori infections, consisting of the administration of a bismuth compound, an antibiotic belonging to the groups of penicillins and tetracycline, and a second antibiotic, such as metronidazole. The relevant therapy thus consists of the administration of three medications (one for each active principle) several times a day.
There are also other patents and patent applications describing single or multiple therapies for the eradication of H. pylori, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,472,695, 5,560,912, 5,582,837, WO 92/11848 and WO 96/02237. None of these patents and patent applications overcome the problem of the interaction between active principles in a simple and efficient manner.
It has been previously shown by one of the present inventors that the human hormone gastrin serves as a growth factor for the bacterium (Chowers et al., 1999, Gastroenterology 1999 117(5):1113-8). This observation led to the finding that gastrin analogues, particularly the gastrin molecule C-terminal such as pentagastrin (PG), inhibit the growth enhancing effect of gastrin on H. pylori, and can thus be used in the eradication of this bacterium (WO 99/65513).
According to the present art, PG is typically used as a diagnostic agent for evaluation of gastric acid secretory function. PG is prone to pepsin degradation in the stomach, therefore PG is considered inactive when administered orally. Indeed, no effect on acid secretion was noted in four normal subjects subjected to oral administration of PG, whereas some effect was noted in three additional patients with gastrointestinal abnormalities (Morrell & Keynes Lancet. 1975 Oct. 11; 2(7937):712). These findings suggested that the absorption of PG occurred through the injured duodenal mucosa, whereas there was no absorption from the stomach. In fact, this study was cited in a pharmacology textbook as a proof for lack of oral absorption of PG (Martindale Thirty-second edition, p1616, the Chapter: "Supplementary Drugs and Other Substances"). Furthermore, in vitro studies in which a bullfrog model was used, suggested that PG did not affect the gastric mucosa when applied to the luminal surface (Ayalon A. et al., 1981 The Am. J. Surg. 141:94-97).
WO 01/22985 describes the use of systemic PG in conjunction with a PPI to inhibit gastric acid secretion or as a diuretic. According to this publication, the combined administration of PG and a PPI increases the efficacy of the PPI in reducing/mitigating excess gastric acid secretion. This publication mentions that the combined PG/PPI protocol may be used in the treatment of H. pylori infections by enhancing the bioavailability of antibiotics used to treat H. pylori infection. It is neither disclosed nor suggested in WO 01/22985 that PG may be active in the stomach when administered orally.
The development of effective treatment for Helicobacter sp infections such as H. pylori infections would fulfill a long felt need. None of the prior art publications suggest or disclose that PG administered orally in combination with a PPI is effective in treating H. pylori-associated disorders.


A novel method and device for exercising the rotary torso muscles of the human body, wherein the device is an exercise machine on which a user's body is supported in a generally supine position. The machine is comprised of a frame structure with a rotatable upper torso support (including a head and back rest), a rotatable lower torso support (including a seat) and feet stabilizing rollers, aligned longitudinally. The device further comprises a knee cushion for rotating the lower torso support and a peg upon a weight support arm for holding free weights that impart resistance against the rotation of the upper and lower torso supports. In an alternate embodiment, additional resistance to the rotation movement is provided by a belt mechanism which wraps around a disk connected to the axle of the upper torso support and up through the weight support arm upon which free weights are placed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an exercise machine, and more particularly it relates to a dual rotation rotary torso exercise machine that simultaneously exercises both the upper and lower torso in a generally supine position.
2. Description of the Background
Exercise equipment designed to specifically focus on or isolate the abdominal muscles is well known in the art. However, such equipment does not provide for simultaneous isolated exercising of the upper and lower abdominal muscles through movement of the both the upper and lower torso. Examples of devices designed to target rotary torso muscles traditionally have an arrangement similar to that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,575,884 to Eazor; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,456,245 to Baldwin. Eazor '884 discloses an abdominal exercise machine that lifts both the upper and the lower torso up in the same direction, rather than rotating them in opposite directions to provide more a workout to the abdominal muscles. The Baldwin '245 rotary torso machine is configured so that a user's body is supported in a generally upright seated position, upper and lower torso portions are engaged so as to restrict movement of the user's body to rotary movement of the upper torso relative to the lower torso about an axis extending longitudinally of the user's body, and force (by means of weights in this instance) is imposed to resist such movement. In a seated position the hips are flexed such that the targeted muscles are necessarily slightly flexed and unable to reach maximum extension during the rotary torso exercises.
Applicant's own co-pending application 20060172869 discloses another variation that supports a user's body in a generally supine position with a fixed lower torso support and rotatable upper torso support, and a peg for holding free weights that impart resistance against the rotation of the upper torso support.
In virtually all apparatuses that offer this type of exercise, the arms and shoulders initiate the initial force of the rotation, instead of by the isolated action of the lower muscles themselves. Furthermore, much of the equipment designed to focus exercise effort on the abdominal muscles incorporates the weight of the user as resistance and cannot, therefore, be adjusted for incorporation into a resistance training program.
Ideally, rotary torso exercises should be performed with the hips at least partially extended in a generally supine position, so that the targeted oblique, rectus abdominus, and upper thigh muscles are able to reach maximum extended and flexed positions. Performing the exercise in a generally supine position with hips at least partially extended, vice sitting or standing, also reduces pressure and weight on the lower back and spine, allowing the user to work the targeted area without stress to other areas. In addition, the lower abdominal muscles should initiate the initial force of the rotation, instead of arms and upper torso. Moreover, the user should be able to selectively vary the resistance levels as well as the degrees and directions of rotation, in order to effectively target and condition specific muscles in the torso area.
In light of the foregoing, it would be advantageous over the prior art to provide a dual rotation rotary torso machine in which a user's body is supported in a generally supine position with hips at least partially extended with the upper and lower torso portions separately supported and engaged to rotate in opposite directions about an axis extending longitudinally of the user's body, and free weights are used to impose and to vary resistance to such movement. By moving both the upper and lower torso in opposite directions, the user will stretch and work out the abdominal muscles and at the same time, the user will feel less of a strain on his lower spine than if he were only to move his upper torso. This would be especially beneficial to patients during rehabilitative therapy as well as users who want to prevent any risk of back injury while exercising. Additionally it would be advantageous to provide a provide a belt mechanism, which provides added resistance and allows a more intense rotary torso workout for the user

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Dual rotation rotary torso exercise bench


The present invention relates to a novel and improved process for preparation of methyl [2-({[1-(4-chlorophenyl)-1H-pyrazol-3-yl]oxy}methyl)phenyl]methoxycarbamate (Pyraclostrobin) of formula (I) in free form or in agrochemically acceptable salt form useful as a pest control agent starting from methyl [2-({[1-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-H-pyrazol-3-yl]oxy}methyl)phenyl]hydroxycarbamatein simple manner and in high purity and good yield.

Pyraclostrobin, compound of formula (I) is a strobilurin fungicide developed by BASF. Because of its low toxicity and low efficiency, chemically stable, broad spectrum bactericidal and pesticide properties it can be used in a variety of crops such as rice, wheat, peanuts, fruit trees, powdery mildew, downy mildew sheath blight, gray mold, leaf spot and other wide range of diseases have a strong preventive effect.
It controls major plant pathogens, such as Septoriatritici, Puccinia spp., Drechslera tritici-repentis and Pyrenophora teres in cereals, Mycosphaerella spp. in peanuts, Septoria glycines, Cercospora kikuchii and Phakopsora pachyrhizi in soya beans, Plasmopara viticola and Uncinula necator in grapes, Phytophthora infestans and Alternaria solani in potatoes and tomatoes, Mycosphaerella fijiensisin bananas, Elsinoë fawcettii and Guignardia citricarpa in citrus, and Rhizoctonia solani and Pythiumaphani dermatum in turf. Application rates c. 50-250 g/ha for food crops and 280-560 g/ha for turf.
Pyraclostrobin is synthesized by mainly two routes. Patents/Publications such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,869,517, WO1996/001256, IN242743 (1679/MAS/1995), EP0624155B1, WO1996/001256 discloses the route, which uses o-nitrotoluene as starting material. In this process o-nitrotoluene is hydrogenated to give 2-hydroxylamine toluene, followed by acetylation, methylation and bromination to give N-[2-(bromomethyl) phenyl]-N-methoxy-methyl. It is then treated with 1-(4-chlorophenyl)-pyrazol-3-ol to give the desired product Pyraclostrobin having formula (I).
This patent route was developed for the preparation of Pyraclostrobin. Due to some criticality of the process still it is a manufacturing process. In this patent the process hydrogenation of o-nitro toluene gives N-hydroxy-2-methylaniline. But in this step there is a problem to control the reaction at the desired stage and it is very difficult. In Methylation step, Methyl Iodide is used as the methylating agent. It is too costly. So commercially it is not a viable process. In methylation step if dimethyl sulfate is used as a methylating agent, it will increase the effluent load. In brominating step dibromide impurity formation occurs, so there is required purification to obtain Pyraclostrobin and it is very difficult.
Patents No. U.S. Pat. No. 8,816,096B2, WO2012038392, WO2012120029, CN102399190, CN104211641, CN105218450, CN104592117, CN106117143, CN105949125 disclose another route, in which 2-nitrobenzyl bromide is reacted with 1-(4-chlorophenyl)-1H-Pyrazol-3-ol to give 1-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-[(2-nitrobenzyl)oxy]-1H-pyrazole, and then the nitro group is reduced to hydroxylamine, after acetylation and methylation to give the desired product. While this patented process successfully prepared Pyraclostrobin, hydrogenation of nitro group to hydroxylamine is difficult to control. The reaction does not stop at this stage and there is a generation of hydroxylamine impurity. In Methylation, Dimethyl sulfate is used as a methylating agent so ultimately it increases the effluent load.
In another route 2-nitro-benzyl bromide was reacted with pyrrolidine N-(2-nitrobenzyl) pyrrolidine, and then the nitro group is reduced to hydroxylamine, followed by acetylation, and methylation to obtain protected pyrrole N-[2-(chloromethyl) phenyl]-N-methoxy-methyl, it then treated with 1-(4-chlorophenyl) pyrazol-3-ol to give Pyraclostrobin having Formula (I).
In this patented process Pyraclostrobin can be prepared successfully, but in the preparation process hydrogenation of nitro group to hydroxylamine is difficult to control and there is the generation of hydroxylamine impurity. In methylation step, Methyl iodide is used as methylation agent. It is too costly. So commercially it is not a viable process. In this patented process due to protection and deprotection of groups, the process becomes longer as well as results in low productivity in existing plant setup.
CN104592117A discloses methylation of methyl [2-({[1-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-H-pyrazol-3-yl]oxy}methyl)phenyl]hydroxycarbamate by using methylating agent Dimethyl Sulfate in presence of a base. Reaction carried out in presence of a solvent Dichloroethane and N,N-dimethyl formamide alone or a mixture of both to get Pyraclostrobin. This process used Dimethyl Sulfate as a methylating agent which will ultimately increase the effluent load.
CN104211641A discloses methylation of methyl [2-({[1-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-H-pyrazol-3-yl]oxy}methyl)phenyl]hydroxycarbamate by using methylating agent Dimethyl Sulfate or Dimethyl Carbonate in presence of a base such as sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate to give Pyraclostrobin having the formula (I). Reaction carried out in presence of solvents such as Toluene, O-Xylene, and Dichloroethane. This process used Dimethyl Sulfate or Dimethyl Carbonate as a methylating agent which will ultimately increase the effluent load.
CN102399190A discloses methylation of methyl [2-({[1-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-H-pyrazol-3-yl]oxy}methyl)phenyl]hydroxycarbamate by using Dimethyl sulfate as a methylating agent in the presence of acid-binding agent and solvents used like polar solvent or a non-polar solvent to give Pyraclostrobin. The use of Dimethyl Sulfate as methylating agent increases the effluent load.
In this process polar solvent used is ketone viz acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, isobutyl ketone, amyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone or arbitrarily mixing the two non-polar solvent or chlorinated alkanes any two of dichloromethane, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, dichloroethane 1,2_, 1,1_ a dichloroethane mix.
The present inventors have found that by the process of the present invention Pyraclostrobin is obtained in high purity and good yield. The present inventors have found that the process of the present invention involves minimum time and maximum conversion of methyl [2-({[1-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-H-pyrazol-3-yl]oxy}methyl)phenyl]hydroxycarbamate, compound of formula II into Pyraclostrobin, compound of formula (I) and therefore productivity is more. The product can be crystallized in suitable solvents to get Pyraclostrobin in uniform crystalline form.

Process for the preparation of Pyraclostrobin


A wireless communication terminal may include a recognition unit that recognizes terminals that are located in its own vicinity and that are capable of performing wireless communication, an authentication unit that performs authentication at a data link level for the recognized terminals that are capable of performing wireless communication, a communication unit that receives authentication requests from the recognized terminals that are capable of performing wireless communication, and performs data communication with the recognized terminals, a selection unit that selects any one of the recognized terminals that are capable of performing wireless communication, and an authentication control unit that, if the authentication request is received from a terminal that has not been recognized, causes the authentication unit to perform the authentication for the selected terminal, and at the same time prohibits the authentication unit from performing the authentication for terminals other than the selected terminal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wireless communication terminal that, after performing authentication at a data link level with a terminal capable of performing wireless communication with its surrounding area, performs data communication with that wireless communication-capable terminal.
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-243884, filed Oct. 29, 2010, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference:
2. Description of the Related Art
All patents, patent applications, patent publications, scientific articles, and the like, which will hereinafter be cited or identified in the present application, will hereby be incorporated by reference in their entirety in order to describe more fully the state of the art to which the present invention pertains.
In a wireless LAN, when a wireless communication terminal is performing data communication within a network, it firstly participates in that network, and then performs authentication processing at the data link level with the wireless communication terminal which is going to be its direct communication partner, resulting in an encryption key being distributed. As a result, data communication between that wireless communication terminal and the communication partner wireless communication terminal is enabled.
In the case of infrastructure mode, the direct communication partner is an access point (abbreviated below to AP). When a wireless communication terminal receives a Beacon which is transmitted at regular intervals by an AP and announces the presence of the AP, Or when it receives a Probe Response, which is a response from an AP to a Probe Request, namely, to a request to acquire network information which was transmitted to the AP by that wireless communication terminal itself, then the wireless communication terminal detects the network created by the AP.
A Beacon or Probe Response includes SSID, which is network identification information, and information relating to the encryption and authentication types. A wireless communication terminal decides to participate in a network in accordance with the SSID and information relating to the encryption and authentication types. For example, if a plurality of networks are detected, then by selecting a specific SSID from among the SSID of this plurality of networks, a user can decide to participate in that network. In addition, a user can also decide not to participate in an open network that has not been authenticated.
When the Wireless communication terminal has been decided to participate in a network, the wireless communication terminal is placed in a state of participation as a result of its own TSF (timing synchronization function) timer being synchronized with the value of the TSF timer of the AP contained in the received Beacon or Probe Response. The wireless communication terminal which is in a state of participation attempts to perform authentication processing at a data link level with the AP, and if this authentication processing is successful, the wireless communication terminal is able to communicate via the AP with other wireless communication terminals that have already completed authentication processing with that AP.
In contrast, in the case of ad hoc mode, an AP is not required and other wireless communication terminals become direct communication partners. In this case, when a wireless communication terminal detects a network created by another wireless communication terminal, then in the same process as when it detects a network created by an AP, the wireless communication terminal enters a state of participation in that network. Generally, authentication processing operation of this type is performed.
In order for a particular wireless communication terminal to participate in a network and complete authentication processing, it is necessary to set up a variety of information (i.e., network setting information) in the wireless communication terminal such as the network ID (SSID), the authentication type, the encryption type, and the encryption key. This has generally required operating input from a user on the wireless communication terminal. Because this operating input is complex, performing the setup operation has proved difficult, particularly for users who are unfamiliar with wireless LAN technology. In contrast, Wi-Fi Protected Setup (TM) Specification 1.0 (referred to below as WPS) has been disclosed as a wireless LAN industry-wide standard technology that allows this setup to be performed simply and enables a wireless communication terminal to participate in an infrastructure network.
In WPS, for example, as a result of a user pressing buttons in both an AP and a wireless communication terminal, or alternatively, as a result of a user entering a PIN code displayed on one of the AP and the wireless communication terminal into the other one thereof, the network setting information held by the AP can be safely transferred to the wireless communication terminal. After the delivery of the various information by WPS has ended, the wireless communication terminal completes the authentication processing between itself and the AP based on the delivered information, and is able to perform data communication with the AP.
In the case of the ad hoc mode, a wireless communication terminal that is starting a new participation in a network (abbreviated below to 'new wireless communication terminal') performs authentication processing with all of the existing wireless communication terminals within the network. As a consequence, even if a new wireless communication terminal intends to communicate solely with a specific wireless communication terminal within the network, and does not wish to communicate with wireless communication terminals other than that specific terminal, authentication is established at the data link level between the new wireless communication terminal and all of the existing wireless communication terminals within the network, and data communication between these is enabled. For example, a case might be considered in which a printer and PC are present, in an existing ad hoc network, and a user who owns a digital still camera (abbreviated below to DSC) participates in this ad hoc network with the aim of printing on the printer an image stored on the DSC. In this case, the fact that data communication between the DSC and the PC is now possible means that there is a possibility of unnecessary data communication occurring, and this may cause problems from the standpoint of network resources. Furthermore, if the user of the DSC is not an acquaintance of the user of the PC, then problems may also occur from the standpoints of security and privacy.
Moreover, if a case in which a WPS is expanded to ad hoc mode is considered, then when a user is implementing WPS by pressing buttons on both a wireless communication terminal that is participating in an ad hoc network and a new wireless communication terminal, the intention of the user to perform data communication between the devices whose buttons have been pressed is obvious. However, for the user of a new wireless communication terminal, the fact that they may now also perform data communication with other wireless communication terminals may give rise to the problems described above. Because of this, it is desirable for a new wireless communication terminal to perform authentication processing at the data link level with only a limited number of the wireless communication terminals existing within a network, and to then perform data communication.


A charged particle beam including charged particles (e.g., electrons) is generated from a charged particle source (e.g., a cathode or scanning electron beam). As the beam is projected, it passes between plural alternating electric fields. The attraction of the charged particles to their oppositely charged fields accelerates the charged particles, thereby increasing their velocities in the corresponding (positive or negative) direction. The charged particles therefore follow an oscillating trajectory. When the electric fields are selected to produce oscillating trajectories having the same (or nearly the same) as a multiple of the frequency of the emitted x-rays, the resulting photons can be made to constructively interfere with each other to produce a coherent x-ray source.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to structures and methods of (positively or negatively) accelerating charged particles, and in one embodiment to structures and methods of accelerating electrons in an electron beam using a resonant structure which resonates at a frequency higher than a microwave frequency such that the structures and methods emit x-rays in interference patterns that enable the x-rays to be used as a coherent source of x-rays.
2. Discussion of the Background
It is possible to emit a beam of charged particles according to a number of known techniques. Electron beams are currently being used in semiconductor lithography operations, such as in U.S. Pat. No. 6,936,981. The abstract of that patent also discloses the use of a "beam retarding system [that] generates a retarding electric potential about the electron beams to decrease the kinetic energy of the electron beams substantially near a substrate."
An alternate charged particle source includes an ion beam. One such ion beam is a focused ion beam (FIB) as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,900,447 which discloses a method and system for milling. That patent discloses that "The positively biased final lens focuses both the high energy ion beam and the relatively low energy electron beam by functioning as an acceleration lens for the electrons and as a deceleration lens for the ions." Col. 7, lines 23-27.
X-rays are used in a number of medical procedures. Most commonly x-rays are used to examine internal bones or organs to look for abnormalities (e.g., broken bones). Current x-ray sources do not, however, produce coherent x-rays. Coherent x-rays are advantageous in that they have small beam spread, and are more easily manipulated by diffraction, allowing more information to be obtained, or more concentrated doses to be delivered.


A method of producing a negative electrode, including comminuting Li-Group IVA alloy particles in a solvent to a desired particle size distribution range, exposing surfaces of the Li-Group IVA alloy particles to at least one surface modifier present during the comminution process, the at least one surface modifier forming at least one continuous coating on at least one of the exposed surfaces of the Li-Group IVA alloy particles, removing the solvent, and adding the surface-modified Li-Group IVA alloy particles to a negative electrode material by a coating process.

Solid Electrolyte Interphase (SEI) formation on an anode during the first charge-discharge cycle can cause high, irreversible capacity loss (ICL) and result in low Coulombic efficiency. This is the primary fate of depleted lithium, which is in limited supply in a full cell where essentially all of the active lithium is supplied initially from the cathode material, and it accounts for a large part of the ICL.
Typically, nearly all of the lithium used in lithium ion batteries (LIBs) is supplied in its oxidized state as part of the positive electrode (cathode) composite. Supplying lithium in the negative electrode (anode) would require it to be in a reduced state, which is very unstable toward ambient air and, in particular, moisture. Because commercial electrode laminates are typically made from aqueous slurries, pre-lithiation of the active materials in the anode, unless rigorously passivated to avoid reactions with water, has not been successful prior to making the electrode laminate.
Anode pre-lithiation processes have been developed for after the formation of the electrode laminate. For example, R. W. Grant (US 2014/0310951) discloses an electrochemical reduction process, and another approach is compressing stabilized Li powder (SLMP) manufactured by FMC (U.S. Pat. No. 7,588,623) into a cured anode laminate. However, both of these processes are not very adaptable to established industry practices and thus, have not been commercialized.
Other approaches for prelithiation have been published, but none have yet resulted in a viable commercial product or process that could be adapted by LIB manufacturers. There are several stable phases of LixSi (where x is about 1 to about 4.25) that could be synthesized thermochemically to make alloys or crystalline phases (herein generally referred to as LixSiy alloy). Some of these alloys (preferably those with crystalline character) have been prepared as powders by mechanical milling. For example, Iwamura, S. et al. (Sci Rep. 5, 8085; DOI:10.1038/srep08085 (2015)) have reported negative electrodes prepared with Li21Si5 alloys by mechanical milling. They assert that Li21Si5 is so reactive that it could not be combined directly with polymer binders without degrading the mixture, unless the alloy was first passivated with carbon. The passivation of Li21Si5 particles by carbon black only prevented severe detrimental reactions with polymer binders; it did not passivate the particles toward reactions with water and air.
Additionally, volume expansion upon lithiation of silicon through the formation of multiple LixSiy phases can reach as high as 400%. This physical property has been the root cause of several detrimental effects that leads to rapid capacity fade upon undergoing multiple charge-discharge cycles. Mechanical stress from volume expansion and contraction during charge/discharge cycles can lead to particle pulverization, loss of electrical contacts, and excessive SEI buildup in the negative electrode composites, with at least 35% of the lithium being consumed in the process. These conditions have impeded commercialization of LIBs with silicon in the anode. For LixSiy to be adaptable to current LIB industry manufacturing processes, a robust passivation barrier must be applied that is capable of preventing hydrolysis when it is immersed in aqueous-based electrode slurries. Ideally, this passivation layer should also function as the SEI layer.
Several approaches have been pursued to manage the effects of volume expansion. It is now generally recognized that limiting at least one dimension of Si structures to about 150 nm or less prevents the occurrence of stress fracturing. However, volume expansion and contraction of nanoparticles still occurs with lithiation/delithiation cycles. Even if Si nanoparticles can be spaced apart from each other to prevent compressive stress fracturing, natural SEI that forms around the lithium-active surfaces is brittle and will continue to fracture, reforming upon electrochemical cycling when active sites are exposed to electrolyte solvents.
The concept of creating an egg-yolk structure, in which the active Si particle resides inside a rigid shell large enough to accommodate the fully expanded LixSi particle, while also keeping solvent from coming inside the shell, is exemplified by Cui (U.S. Pat. No. 9,231,243). Flexible hydrocarbon shells and various methods of fabricating pyrolyzed carbon shells have been proposed by others. None of these examples has proven commercially viable due to the complexity of the process scale-up, costs of reagents, or lackluster electrochemical performance.
A prelithiation process asserted by Zhamu et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 8,158,282) to be economically viable involves galvanic charging of the electrode prior to assembling the cells. However, this process has so far not been adapted by the industry. In summary, no commercially viable processes have yet emerged. Thus, there is a need for a prelithation method that can be applied in commercial production lines for negative electrodes.

Passivated pre-lithiated micron and sub-micron group IVA particles and methods of preparation thereof


A method apparatus for sensing gases using a semiconductor diode laser spectrometer, the method comprising: introducing a sample gas into a non-resonant optical cell (17); applying a step function electrical pulse (19) to a semiconductor diode laser (20) to cause the laser (20) to output a continuous wavelength chirp for injecting (16a) into the optical cell (17); injecting (16a) the wavelength chirp into the optical cell (17); using the wavelength variation provided by the wavelength chirp as a wavelength scan, and detecting (23) light emitted from the cell (17), wherein a chirp rate is selected to substantially prevent light interference occurring in the optical cell (17).

The present invention relates to a semiconductor diode laser spectrometer arrangement and in particular an infrared semiconductor diode laser spectrometer having time resolved absorption, in which the wavenumber scale calibration is based on a time to wavenumber/cm−1 mapping.
Infrared absorption spectrometers are used for detecting and measuring gases. Infrared semiconductor diode lasers are used extensively to provide the light to be absorbed by the measurement species, as these lasers are relatively small, spectrally well defined, bright and tunable. Further advantages of these lasers over other lasers exist, some of which can be seen in spectroscopic monographs.
In remote locations and harsh environments, one of the most effective and accurate methods of trace gas sensing uses semiconductor diode laser based spectrometers. Although gas sensing has been undertaken for some decades, in many environments it remains difficult to remotely monitor trace gas constituents.
Many previous instruments have slow response times, are frequently bulky, unreliable, expensive, and require constant maintenance.
In order to retrieve information with known technology, remote sensing of gases usually takes place in the near and mid-infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum, where the chemical fingerprints of most chemical compounds lie. By near and mid-infrared, it is meant radiation having a wavelength in the range of 1 μm to 14 μm. This spectral region contains highly transmitting windows, so-called "atmospheric windows", which owe their transparency to the low density of strong absorption lines of CO2 and H2O. These atmospheric windows are of great interest for spectroscopy since the absorption lines of strongly absorbing trace molecules have similar or greater intensity than the weak lines of CO2 and H2O.
Near-infrared diode lasers produce light in the wavelength range of the vibrational overtones, about 1 μm to 3.0 μm. Since the absorption coefficients of the vibrational overtones are much smaller than those of the fundamental bands, the sensitivity of spectrometers that use such lasers remains limited. Thus, the sensitivity of such gas sensing apparatus rarely achieves the sub-part per billion (sub-ppb) range.
Mid-infrared diode lasers produce light in the wavelength range of the fundamental rotation-vibration bands, about 3 μm to 14 μm. These lasers have not been as technologically developed as those in the near infrared region, and hence have low single mode output power, Gas sensing systems based on mid-infra-red diodes are capable of achieving sub-ppb sensitivity. The development of such light sources has, therefore, been wholly dedicated to spectroscopic applications. Several disadvantages are associated with conventional mid-infrared diode lasers, principally lead salt lasers, such as low output power, and their need to be cryogenically cooled to 77 K or to even lower temperature. Thus, they require a bulky and expensive operating system to maintain this temperature.
Recently, room temperature and high light output power operation has been achieved in the mid-infrared using quantum cascade (QC) lasers. Unlike preceding lasers, QC lasers are unipolar semiconductor lasers that can be designed to emit at any desired wavelength in the mid-infrared. Replacement of lead salt lasers by QC lasers provides the potential to improve both the detection sensitivity and spectral resolution of mid-infrared absorption spectrometers.
The QC laser based spectrometers developed so far use two main approaches. The first uses a continuous wave (CW) operating QC laser as a "drop-in" replacement for a lead salt laser. The second approach is to use a pulsed QC laser in a way that mimics the use of a continuously operating laser. In some experiments conducted by Webster et al (Applied Optics LP 40, 321 (2001)), the first approach was used with one of the lead salt diode lasers in an ALIAS II spectrometer being replaced by a QC laser. Test measurements made using an ER2 aircraft platform showed that the QC laser could successfully replace a lead salt laser and was less affected by temperature instability. However, for CW operation the laser needed to be operated at 77 K. The second method was described originally by Whittaker et al (Optics Letters 23, 219 (1998)). In this method a very short current pulse is applied to a QC laser operating near room temperature to provide a narrow wavelength pulse. In this mode of operation the spectral resolution is limited by the wavelength up-chirp. Thus, in this type of spectrometer the wavelength up-chirp is regarded as detrimental to the operation of the system.
The wavelength up-chirp ("effective emission linewidth") is induced by the temporal duration of the drive current/voltage pulse. By the term "effective emission linewidth", it is meant the observable/measurable spectral width (FWHM) of the emission of a semiconductor diode laser induced by an applied current/voltage pulse to its electrical contacts.
For example, if the duration of the pulse applied to a QC laser were of the order of 10 ns, the effective emission linewidth would be of the order of 700 MHz (0.024 cm−1) in the spectral domain (Optics Letters 23, 219 (1998)).
In order to scan samples using a pulsed QC laser based spectrometer, the effective emission linewidth is runed across a spectral region using a slow DC current ramp superimposed on the pulse train. This means that the resultant spectral tuning is a quadratic function of the DC current ramp injected to the laser [Optics Letter 23, 219 (1998); Applied Optics 39 6866 (2000); Applied Optics 41, 573 (2002)]. A problem with this approach is, however, that an additional step is needed in the data processing stage, to correct for the quadratic effect. In some cases, to improve the signal to noise ratio, (Optics Letters 23, 219 (1998)), a small AC current modulation signal is added to the DC ramp in order to use phase sensitive detection of the detected optical signal.
Whilst adding this modulation may increase sensitivity, it requires the use of demodulation in the detection system, so rendering the system more complex. A further problem with this is that the use of a modulation inherently reduces the scan rate, since the high speed detected signals are demodulated to low audio frequencies signals. Hence, prior art arrangements of this type allow scan rates only of the order of tens of Hertz. One system proposed by Beyer et al (Third International Conference on Tunable Diode Laser Spectroscopy Jul. 8-12 2001, Zermatt Switzerland) uses the wavelength variation of the intrinsic wavelength chirp. However, the arrangement proposed is of limited use for chemical finger printing.
In both the CW operated laser (first method) described by Webster et al (Applied Optics LP 40, 321 (2001)) and the short pulse (second method), described originally by Whittaker et al (Optics Letters 23, 219 (1998)), for a gas with a small absorption coefficient the simplest way of achieving an observable change in the transmitted signal is to use a long sample length. This can be achieved by use of either resonant or non-resonant optical cells. Resonant cell schemes are complicated and require sophisticated techniques to minimise the effects of back-reflected signals from the input mirror to the cell disrupting the performance of the laser. Non-resonant cells, such as the so-called Herriot cell or astigmatic Herriot cell are attractive as they offer long path lengths, without the penalty of back-reflected signals. In addition, the path length is independent-of the concentration of the gas in the cell. A major drawback associated with non-resonant cells is the occurrence of "fringing" due to the partial overlap of the beams that propagate around the cell. This decreases significantly the system performance.
As can be seen, known spectrometers using semiconductor diode lasers, in particular quantum cascade (QC) lasers, have shortcomings, which limit their use for absorption spectroscopy in pulsed operation. Specifically prior art QC laser based spectrometers, where the light sources have to be driven in pulsed mode operation to achieve room temperature operation, have the resolution of their effective emission linewidth determined by the temporal duration of the drive voltage/current pulse applied to its electrical contacts.
An object of the present invention is to overcome at least one of the aforementioned problems.

Semiconductor diode laser spectrometer arrangement and method