Particular blocks are a boot block and parameter block having a storage capacity smaller than that of a general block. In the case where a boot block is not required, a signal BOOTE is set at an L level. In the case where a signal BLKSEL is at an H level in an erasure mode, a control unit selects four blocks aligned in a horizontal direction at the same time. The control unit also selects two blocks simultaneously in the vertical direction. As a result, the particular eight blocks are selected. The boot block and parameter block can be erased collectively as one block having a capacity similar to that of a general block. Therefore, a flash memory corresponding to the case of including a boot block and not including a boot block can be implemented simultaneously with one chip. Thus, the designing and fabrication process can be simplified.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a non-volatile semiconductor memory device, more particularly to a flash memory that can have the erasure unit block configuration modified.
2. Description of the Background Art
From the functional perspective, a flash memory is a collective erasure type non-volatile semiconductor memory device capable of electrical programming and erasure. The demand for flash memories in portable equipment and the like is great by virtue of its low cost and electrical erasure function, leading to active research and development. A flash memory employs as a memory cell a transistor including, for example, a floating gate to alter the threshold voltage (referred to as memory transistor, hereinafter).
FIG. 26 shows an array configuration of a conventional flash memory.
For the sake of simplification, a memory array of 8 M bits as a whole will be described with reference to FIG. 26. A memory array 500 includes blocks B000-B007, each block formed of memory cells corresponding to 4 k words (64 k bits), blocks B008-B022, each block formed of memory cells corresponding to 32 k words (512 k bits), and a block B100. Each of blocks B000-B022 corresponds to a basic unit of erasure operation in a flash memory.
Flash memories often require a region of 4 k words. Therefore, memory array 500 includes blocks B000-B007 having a storage capacity smaller than that of a general data storage region. Such regions of 4 k words are called, for example, xe2x80x9cboot blocksxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cparameter blocksxe2x80x9d.
A boot block is a region read by the CPU of a system mounted with a flash memory at the start of the system immediately after power is turned on. A parameter block is a region where data expected to be rewritten frequently is temporarily written. The block having the storage capacity of 32 k words is used as the region to store general data and programs. A flash memory must incorporate blocks differing in size depending upon the application.
Block B100 is a region equivalent to blocks B000-B007 from the address allocation perspective, and is a non-used region. Memory block B100, even though not used, has a configuration similar to that of each of blocks B008-B022 since continuity of signals on the memory array must be maintained.
The selection of a memory block is effected by block select signals BAVS0, BAVS1, and BAVM0-BAVM3 to select a block vertical position, and block select signals BAH0-BAH3 to select a block horizontal position. When a vertical block position and a horizontal block position are both rendered active, the block corresponding to a crossing thereof is selected. For example, when block B008 is to be selected, select signals BAVM0 and BAH1 are rendered conductive whereas the remaining select signals are rendered inactive.
FIG. 27 is a block diagram of a configuration of a conventional block select decoder generating a memory block select signal.
Referring to FIGS. 26 and 27, a block select decoder 502 generates block select signals BAV0, BAVS1, BAVM0-BAVM3, and BAH0-BAH3 using address bits A12-A18 of an externally applied address signal. Block select decoder 502 includes a 4-input NOR circuit 562 receiving address bits A15, A16, A17 and A18 to output a select signal BOP, a vertical block select circuit 564 providing select signals BAVS0, BAVS1, and BAVM0-BAVM3 of the vertical position in accordance with address bits A14, A17, A18 and select signal BOP, and a horizontal block select signal 566 providing select signals BAH0-BAH3 of the horizontal position in accordance with address bits A12, A13, A15 and A16 and select signal BOP.
Vertical block select circuit 564 includes an address decode unit 582 rendered active in accordance with select signal BOP to decode address bit A14 and output signals BAVS0, BAVS1, and an address decode unit 584 operating when select signal BOP is inactive and ceasing operation when select signal BOP is rendered active. Address decode unit 584 decodes address bits A17 and A18 when active to output signals BAVM0-BAVM3.
Horizontal block select circuit 566 includes an address select unit 610 providing address bits A12 and A13 as select address bits SA0, SA1 when select signal BOP is rendered active, and providing address bits A15 and A16 as select address bits SA0, SA1 when select signal BOP is inactive and an address decode unit 612 decoding select address bits SA0, SA1 to output signals BAH0-BAH3.
In the case of a memory array of 8 M bits shown in FIG. 26, the address bits selecting a 32 k-word block are A15, A16, A17 and A18 in a 1-word 16-bit structure. The address bits selecting a 4 k-word block are A12, A13 and A14. The conventional example described here is based on a configuration in which four memory blocks are disposed in the horizontal direction as shown in FIG. 26.
First, activation/inactivation of signal BOP selecting a 4 k-word region is determined by NOR circuit 562.
When an address corresponding to memory blocks B008-B022 is input, signal BOP is rendered inactive, whereby address decode unit 582 renders signals BAVS0 and BAVS1 inactive, whereas address decode unit 584 renders active one of select signals BAVM0-BAVM3 of the vertical memory blocks active in accordance with address bits A17 and A18.
In this case, address select unit 610 outputs address bits A15 and A16 as select address bits SA0 and SA1. Therefore, address decode unit 612 decodes address bits A15 and A16 to render active one of select signals BAH0-BAH3.
When all address bits A15-A18 are at an L level (logical low), select signal BOP is rendered active. This indicates that an address is input corresponding to non-used memory block B100 of FIG. 26. In this case, a corresponding region of memory blocks B000-B007 is selected instead of selecting memory block B100. Specifically, when signal BOP is rendered active, address decode unit 584 is rendered inactive, and signals BAVM0-BAVM3 are rendered inactive. Then, address decode unit 582 decodes address bit A14 to render active one of signals BAVS0 and BAVS1.
When signal BOP is active, address select unit 610 outputs address bits A12 and A13 as select address bits SA0 and SA1. Therefore, address decode unit 512 decodes address bits A12 and A13 to render active one of signals BAH0-BAH3.
Conventionally, the block division and address allocation determined by block select decoder 502 are always fixed. In other words, the region of 8 M bits was handled as eight blocks of a 4 k-word block and fifteen blocks of a 32 k-word block B008-B022, i.e., a total of 23 blocks.
Thus, memory array 500 of FIG. 26 includes 23 blocks of memory blocks B000-B022 to be used. This means that an erasure operation must be designated from outside the chip 23 times in order to erase the entire memory array of 8 M bits.
In FIG. 26 the eight blocks of 4 k word blocks, i.e. blocks B000-B007, are allocated the least significant side of the address. This is termed a xe2x80x9cbottom boot typexe2x80x9d. However, there is a case where a top boot type flash memory having the blocks of 4 k words allocated the most significant side of the address is required, depending upon the system employed. In order to modify a bottom boot type memory into a top boot type memory for usage, the conventional approach was to invert a particular address bit in an address input buffer.
FIG. 28 is a circuit diagram showing a configuration of such a conventional address input buffer 516.
Referring to FIG. 28, address input buffer 516 includes address inversion circuits 520, 522 and 524 switching the non-inversion/inversion of address bits A15, A16 and A17 in accordance with a signal TOP rendered active when the memory is switched to a top boot type memory for usage.
Address inversion circuit 520 includes an inverter receiving and inverting an externally applied address bit ext.A15, an inverter 528 receiving and inverting signal TOP, a NAND circuit 530 receiving an output of inverter 526 and signal TOP, a NAND circuit 532 receiving address bit ext.A15 and an output of inverter 528, and a NAND circuit 534 receiving outputs of NAND circuits 530 and 532 to output address bit A15.
Address inversion circuit 522 has an internal configuration similar to that of address inversion circuit 520, provided that an address bit ext.A16 is input and an address bit Al6 is output. Therefore, the internal configuration of address inversion circuit 522 will not be described. Address inversion circuit 524 has an internal configuration similar to that of address inversion circuit 520, provided that an address bit ext.A17 and is input and an address bit A17 is output. Therefore, the internal configuration of address inversion circuit 524 will not be described.
FIG. 29 shows an array configuration of another conventional flash memory.
Referring to FIG. 29, each of blocks B000-B015 is formed of memory cells corresponding to 32 k words (512 k bits). Memory array 700 is absent of a memory block formed of memory cells corresponding to 4 k words. Memory block 700 is an 8 Mbit region entirely configured with 16 blocks formed of memory cells corresponding to 32 k words. In contrast to memory array 500 of FIG. 26 requiring an erasure operation of 23 times to erase the 8 Mbit region, memory array 700 requires an erasure operation of 16 times for the erasure of the 8 Mbit region.
A prior art document related to block erasure is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2002-133877.
Conventionally, the block division and address allocation to each block were always fixed. Therefore, in a flash memory product of 8 M bits described with reference to FIG. 26, for example, there are a total of 23 blocks in accordance with a specification including blocks of 4 k words, i.e., 8 of 4 k word blocks and 15 of 32 k word blocks.
In a flash memory product absent of a 4 k-word block described with reference to FIG. 29, 16 of 32 k word blocks constitute 8 M bits. In other words, designing and fabrication of a memory device must be carried out as completely different products depending upon the absence/presence of a block of 4 k words.
Reflecting the increase of the storage capacity of a flash memory, a chip having a boot block of 4 k word blocks both at the least significant bit side and most significant bit side of the address has been developed in addition to those of the least significant bit side or the most significant bit side address allocation. Such a chip is referred to as a xe2x80x9cdual boot type chipxe2x80x9d. In the case where two of the dual boot type chips are to be combined for usage as a large memory region, there is a disadvantage that the usability is degraded since blocks of 4 k words are present intermittently at the center of the address region.
In view of the foregoing, an object of the present invention is to implement simultaneously by one chip a flash memory with a 4 k-word block and a flash memory without a 4 k-word block, in a flash memory divided into a plurality of erasure blocks including a block of a small storage capacity such as a boot block, and simplify the design and fabrication thereof.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a non-volatile semiconductor memory device includes a first basic memory block, a plurality of second basic memory blocks, and an erasure control circuit. The first basic memory block has a plurality of memory cells arranged in a matrix. The first basic memory block has a first storage capacity corresponding to a unit of collective erasure. The collective erasure is not allowed in a partial region of the first basic memory block. The partial region of the first basic memory block has a second storage capacity smaller than the first storage capacity. The plurality of second basic memory blocks are provided independent of the first basic memory block. Each of the plurality of second basic memory blocks has a plurality of memory cells arranged in a matrix. Each of the plurality of second basic memory blocks has the second storage capacity. The total storage capacity of the plurality of second basic memory blocks is equal to the first storage capacity. The erasure control circuit switches, in accordance with a select signal, between a first operation of erasing one of the plurality of second basic memory blocks in accordance with an erasure command and a second operation of erasing the plurality of second basic memory blocks collectively in accordance with the erasure command.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a non-volatile semiconductor memory device includes a first basic memory block, a plurality of second basic memory blocks, and an erasure control circuit. The first basic memory block has a plurality of memory cells arranged in a matrix. The first basic memory block has a first storage capacity corresponding to a unit of collective erasure. The collective erasure is not allowed in a partial region of the first basic memory block. The partial regionof the first basic memory block has a second storage capacity smaller than the first storage capacity. The plurality of second basic memory blocks are provided independent of the first basic memory block. Each of the plurality of second basic memory blocks has a plurality of memory cells arranged in a matrix. Each of the plurality of second basic memory blocks has the second storage capacity. The total storage capacity of the plurality of second basic memory blocks is equal to the first storage capacity. The erasure control circuit switches, in accordance with a switch signal, between a first operation of erasing one of the plurality of second basic memory blocks in accordance with an erasure command and a second operation of erasing the first basic memory block in accordance with the erasure command.
According to the present invention, a plurality of types of non-volatile semiconductor devices can be implemented, one type of non-volatile semiconductor memory device having each small block corresponding to the erasure unit and one type of non-volatile semiconductor memory device having all the small blocks collectively corresponding to an erasure unit by modifying the manner of applying a switch signal. The non-volatile semiconductor device of the present invention is advantageous in that the cost for developing a plurality of types and the cost of controlling fabrication can be reduced.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Non-volatile semiconductor memory device that can be fabricated with erasure unit modified


An alarm information reporting method and apparatus are provided. The method is applied to an NFVI. A monitor is arranged at an NFVI hardware layer, a software layer includes a VNF virtual machine, and a monitor, an alarm classifier, and a virtual machine manager are arranged at the software layer. The method includes: detecting, by the monitor, physical resource alarm information and sending the physical resource alarm information to the alarm classifier; obtaining, by the alarm classifier, virtual machine information from the virtual machine manager based on the physical resource alarm information and sending the physical resource alarm information to an analog processor corresponding to the virtual machine information; and obtaining, by the analog processor, virtual resource alarm information based on the physical resource alarm information and reporting the physical resource alarm information and the virtual resource alarm information to a VNF in a virtual machine.

A virtualization technology is a resource management technology that enables various hardware resources of a computer, such as a server, a network, and a memory, to present after abstraction and conversion. This breaks down a barrier that hardware structures cannot be segmented, so that a user can apply these resources in a better manner than an original configuration. Virtualization functions of these resources are not limited by a setting manner, a location, or a physical configuration of an existing resource.
Currently, when an alarm event such as a fault occurs on a hardware resource, hardware resource monitors send alarm information to a virtualized infrastructure manager (VIM) that manages the hardware resource, and then the VIM forwards the alarm information to a virtual network function manager (VNFM) that manages a virtualization function. After receiving the alarm information, the VNFM performs corresponding processing based on a capability of the VNFM, and reports processed alarm information to an element manager (EM). The EM performs final fault processing in combination with other alarm information.
In the foregoing alarm information reporting process, the alarm information needs to pass through the managers VIM and VNFM on management planes of the hardware resource, the virtualization function, and the like, and then is reported to the EM. In this way, a reporting path is relatively long, and specified processing needs to be performed in the reporting process. As a result, an alarm information reporting latency is increased, the EM cannot obtain alarm information at a bottom layer in a timely manner to perform corresponding processing, and fast fault processing and recovery are affected.

Alarm information reporting method and apparatus


A telecommunications system, apparatus and method is disclosed for optimizing the use of paging channels within the network by dividing location areas (LAs) into sub-location areas (sub-LAs) and providing a more efficient and flexible method of paging mobile subscribers. The amount of usage of the paging channels and the number of location updates performed by a mobile subscriber can be monitored by the network to determine either statistical data or a subscriber category, e.g., heavy-user or light-user, which can be stored within the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card within the mobile station (MS). The sub-LA information along with the LA information for the cell that the mobile terminal is in is broadcast and monitored by the SIM card within the MS, which can then perform location updates based upon the category or data. The Mobile Switching Center/Visitor Location Register can also use the data or category for paging purposes, e.g., either page within the entire LA or within only the sub-LA, for more focused paging.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a telecommunications system, apparatus and method for paging mobile terminals within a cellular network, and specifically to optimizing use of paging channels by dividing location areas into sub-location areas and providing a more flexible and efficient method of paging mobile subscribers.
2. Background and Objects of the Present Invention
Cellular telecommunications is one of the fastest growing and most demanding telecommunications applications ever. Today it represents a large and continuously increasing percentage of all new telephone subscriptions around the world. A standardization group, European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), was established in 1982 to formulate the specifications for the Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) digital mobile cellular radio system.
With reference now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is illustrated a GSM Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), such as cellular network 10, which in turn is composed of a plurality of areas 12, each with a Mobile Services Center (MSC) 14 and an integrated Visitor Location Register (VLR) 16 therein. The MSC/VLR areas 12, in turn, include a plurality of Location Areas (LA) 18, which are defined as that part of a given MSC/VLR area 12 in which a mobile station (MS) 20 may move freely without having to send update location information to the MSC/VLR area 12 that controls the LA 18. Each Location Area 12 is divided into a number of cells 22.
Mobile Station (MS) 20 is the physical equipment, e.g., a car phone or other portable phone, used by mobile subscribers to communicate with the cellular network 10, each other, and users outside the subscribed network, both wireline and wireless. The MS 20 may also include a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card 13, or other memory, which provides storage of subscriber related information, such as a subscriber authentication key, temporary network data, and service related data (e.g. language preference).
The MSC 14 is in communication with at least one Base Station Controller (BSC) 23, which, in turn, is in contact with at least one Base Transceiver Station (BTS) 24. The BTS 24 is the physical equipment, illustrated for simplicity as a radio tower, that provides radio coverage to the geographical part of the cell 22 for which it is responsible. It should be understood that the BSC 23 may be connected to several base transceiver stations 24, and may be implemented as a stand-alone node or integrated with the MSC 14. In either event, the BSC 23 and BTS 24 components, as a whole, are generally referred to as a Base Station System (BSS) 25.
With further reference to FIG. 1, the PLNN Service Area or cellular network 10 includes a Home Location Register (HLR) 26, which is a database maintaining all subscriber information, e.g., user profiles, current location information, International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) numbers, and other administrative information. The HLR 26 may be co-located with a given MSC 14, integrated with the MSC 14, or alternatively can service multiple MSCs 14, the latter of which is illustrated in FIG. 1.
The VLR 16 is a database containing information about all of the Mobile Stations 20 currently located within the MSC/VLR area 12. If an MS 20 roams into a new MSC/VLR area 12, the MSC 14 will request data about that Mobile Station 20 from the HLR database 26 (simultaneously informing the HLR 26 about the current location of the MS 20) and store the data in the VLR 16 connected to that MSC 14. Accordingly, if the user of the MS 20 then wants to make a call, the local VLR 16 will have the requisite identification information without having to reinterrogate the HLR 26. In the aforedescribed manner, the VLR and HLR databases 16 and 26, respectively, contain various subscriber information associated with a given MS 20.
The radio interface is the general name of the connection between the MS 20 and the BTS 24, which utilizes timeslots (TS) within each allocated frequency to transmit speech, data and control signaling, with each TS being referred to as a physical channel. Different types of information, e.g., speech, user data and control signaling, must be transmitted on these physical channels through the use of logical channels, which are mapped onto the physical channels. The logical channels can be divided into two groups: control channels and traffic channels. Speech is sent on the traffic channels, while user data and control signaling are transmitted on control channels.
One type of control channel is a paging channel (PCH) to which the MS 20 listens to see if the network 10 wants to get in contact with the MS 20. For example, the network 10 may wish to get in contact with the MS 20 because the network 10 is receiving an incoming call or a Short Message Service (SMS) message for the MS 20. The information on a PCH is a paging message, which includes the MS's identity number. The paging message is transmitted to the MS 20 on the downlink (from the BTS 24 to the MS 20), as a broadcast message.
The paging channels are a valuable network resource, and thus, optimization of their use will lead to better network frequency utilization and traffic throughput. With the increase in traffic, such as point-to-point SMS messages, the paging capacity is likely to become a bottleneck in the system.
When a subscriber moves from one LA 18 to another, a procedure called Location Update is performed to inform the network 10 where to page the MS 20 in case of an incoming call or message. In general, the smaller the LA 18, the more Location Updates are generated by MS's 20 moving between LA's 18. However, if the LA 18 is large, which corresponds to a large number of cells 22, when a mobile terminating call comes into the network 10, the called subscriber (MS 20) is paged within the entire LA 18, which includes every cell 22 in the LA 18. Therefore, each BTS 24 within each cell 22 sends a paging message on a separate PCH.
Thus, the larger the LA 18, the more network resources (paging channels) are used to page a MS 20 within the LA 18. In sum, there is a trade-off between paging efficiency (most efficient when the LA 18 is small) and the Location Update load (most efficient when the LA 18 is large). However, the size of the LA 18 is typically configured for an average subscriber, while in reality, there are some subscribers, such as business subscribers, who use the MS 20 heavily. For these heavy-use subscribers, a smaller LA 18 is preferred, because these subscribers are paged frequently. In addition, there are also some subscribers who only use the MS 20 for emergencies. For these light-use subscribers, a large LA 18 is preferred, because the paging activity is minimal. Existing technology has not provided a way to maximize network resources (paging channels) based upon the subscriber usage.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to optimize the use of paging channels based upon the usage characteristics for subscribers within the network.

System, apparatus and method for paging optimization using sub-location areas


A personal watercraft including a body including a hull and a deck covering the hull from above; a water jet pump configured to pressurize and accelerate water sucked from a water intake provided on a bottom surface of the hull and eject the water rearward; an engine room that is formed at a front portion of the body and is configured to accommodate an engine; a seat that is mounted over the deck and is located behind the engine room; a steering handle mounted forward of the seat; and a battery accommodating portion that is provided in an interior of the body and is located below the seat and above the water jet pump.

In recent years, jet-propulsion personal watercraft have been widely used in leisure, sport, rescue activities, and the like. Personal watercraft are equipped with a water jet pump that pressurizes and accelerates water sucked from a water intake generally provided on a hull bottom surface and ejects it rearward from an outlet port. As the resulting reaction, the personal watercraft is propelled forward.
There are stand-up type personal watercraft and straddle-type personal watercraft. The stand-up type personal watercraft includes a concave portion having a flat bottom portion called a standing deck at a rear portion of a deck. Standing on the standing deck, a rider grips a steering handle located forward on the watercraft, to steer the watercraft. An engine room is formed in an interior of a body of the watercraft and is located forward of the standing deck. The straddle-type personal watercraft is equipped with a seat that extends from a substantially middle portion to a rear portion over the deck and is configured to be straddle by the rider. Straddling the seat, the rider grips and steers the steering handle located forward on the watercraft. Typically, the engine room is formed in an interior of the body to be located below the seat. In general, several persons can ride on a straddle-type personal watercraft. As used herein, "forward" is the traveling direction of the watercraft, and "rearward" is the opposite direction.
The above constructed personal watercraft has a battery to start an engine and to supply electric power to indicators such as meters or gauges. In the stand-up type personal watercraft, the battery is accommodated in the interior of the engine room, whereas in straddle-type personal watercraft of a relatively large size, the battery is accommodated in the interior of the engine room, a region rearward of the seat, or the interior of a convex wall portion provided on right and left sides of the deck.
However, the engine room of the personal watercraft has a narrow space. The battery must be positioned not to interfere with the engine, an exhaust pipe, a propeller shaft, etc., and cannot thus be placed flexibly. To charge or maintain the battery, an operator must open an engine hood to take out the battery through an opening above the engine room or must bend the operator's upper body down into the engine room through the opening.
The assignee of the subject application filed a patent application for a personal watercraft that has an engine room formed at a front portion of a body including a hull and a deck and is provided with a battery accommodating space outside the engine room (see e.g., Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2003-200882).
In recent years, there has been a need for a personal watercraft having features of both the stand-up type personal watercraft and the straddle-type personal watercraft. Such a personal watercraft is intended for one rider's use and is configured to be equipped with a seat behind an engine room and to be steered by a rider in a standing position.
However, it is difficult to design such a personal watercraft so that the battery is accommodated into the engine room where the operator can easily maintain the battery. Therefore, it becomes necessary to equip the battery at a suitable location outside the engine room.
However, in the straddle-type personal watercraft intended for one rider's use, because of its small size, it is difficult to place the battery into a battery accommodating space outside the engine room as described in the above Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication 2003-200882.


A mirror (1) for EUV lithography includes a substrate (2) and a reflective coating (3, 4). The reflective coating has a first group (3) of layers (3a, 3b) and a second group (4) of layers (4a, 4b), wherein the first group and second group of layers (3a, 3b; 4a, 4b) reflect radiation having a used wavelength between 5 nm and 30 nm. The first group of layers is arranged between the substrate and the second group of layers, and a decoupling coating (6) is arranged between the first group and second group of layers, said decoupling coating optically decoupling the second group of layers from the first group of layers by preventing the radiation having the used wavelength from reaching the first group of layers. The reflective coating preferably has a correction layer (5) having a layer thickness variation for correcting the surface form of the mirror.

Optical systems in the form of microlithographic projection exposure apparatuses serve for producing microstructured components by means of a photolithographic method. In this case, a structure-bearing mask, the so-called reticle, is imaged onto a photosensitive layer with the aid of a projection optical unit or a projection lens. The minimum feature size that can be imaged with the aid of such a projection optical unit is determined by the wavelength of the imaging light used. The shorter the wavelength of the imaging light used, the smaller the structures that can be imaged with the aid of the projection optical unit. Imaging light having the wavelength of 193 nm or imaging light having a wavelength in the range of the extreme ultraviolet (EUV), i.e. 5 nm-30 nm, is primarily used nowadays. When imaging light having a wavelength of 193 nm is used, both refractive optical elements and reflective optical elements are used within the microlithographic projection exposure apparatus. When imaging light having a wavelength in the range of 5 nm-30 nm is used, by contrast, exclusively reflective optical elements (mirrors for EUV lithography) are used.
The performance of an optical system, e.g. of a projection lens, comprising mirrors (in particular, but not exclusively, in EUV systems) is largely determined by the deviations between the system wavefront defined in the design and the system wavefront achieved in production. These deviations arise (alongside the contributions of mounting and alignment) primarily during the production of the individual components (mirrors) as a result of the accuracy of the optical production, of the coating and of the corresponding measurement techniques. If the stipulations regarding the accuracy of an individual mirror component or, as a result of the interaction of a plurality of defective mirror components, the specified wavefront sizes are not achieved in production, one or more mirrors must be exchanged or reworked until the overall system fulfills its specifications.
Various approaches are known for correcting wavefront contributions of individual (mirror) components or of an overall optical system:
WO 97/33203 describes an imaging optical system for UV radiation, wherein a reflective surface is provided with a correction layer which is transparent to radiation at the used wavelength and which is intended to compensate for unevennesses in the surface form of the reflective surface by means of a layer thickness variation in order to produce a correction of the wavefront in this way.
EP 1947682 describes a correction process for a mirror with a multilayer coating, wherein, by means of ion beam figuring (IBF) for example, a removal is effected in the topmost layers of the multilayer coating in order to produce a thickness distribution and to alter the wavefront. An intermediate layer composed of Si or an Si-containing material is applied to the part of the multilayer coating subjected to removal, and a protective layer having a substantially constant thickness is applied to the planar top side of the intermediate layer.
Although aberrations are corrected in both of the correction processes described above the reflectivity of the mirrors will vary greatly as a result of the processing near the surface, as a result of which the apodization is impaired. Moreover, the figuring of different layer materials (Mo and Si) e.g. by means of an ion beam as described in EP 1947682 constitutes a problem in terms of processing engineering: during the figuring, different removals and roughnesses of the layer materials result therefrom. In particular, the figuring in a molybdenum layer is typically disadvantageous since extensive roughening and oxidation generally occur in said layer.
US 2008/0259439 A1 describes the correction of the wavefront of a mirror by subjecting the layers of the reflective coating to radiation, in particular to laser radiation, for heating the layers. This makes use of the fact that the heating results in compaction of the layers, which leads to a reduction of the period length. The compaction of the layers results in a shift in the reflectivity spectra in the irradiated regions, as a result of which the apodization is likewise impaired.
US 2007/0091420 A1 and US 2007/0091421 A1 describe mirrors comprising a multilayer coating, wherein an intermediate layer composed of Si is arranged between a first group of layers and a second group of layers. A sputtering process is proposed for applying the layers, in which process the sputtered particles impinge on the substrate perpendicularly or at an angle.
DE 10 2009 029471 A1 describes a mirror comprising a substrate and a reflective coating. The reflective coating comprises a first group and a second group of layers, wherein the second group of layers is arranged between the first group of layers and the substrate. The layers of the first and second groups serve in each case for reflecting EUV radiation. The first group of layers comprises a number of layers that is greater than 20 such that, upon irradiation with radiation having a wavelength in the range of 5-30 nm, less than 20% of the radiation reaches the second group of layers. The second group of layers has a layer thickness variation for correcting the surface form of the mirror. In one exemplary embodiment, the second group of layers has a correction layer having a layer thickness variation which makes up more than 50% of the layer thickness variation of the second group of layers. The layer thickness variation in the correction layer can be produced by ion beam figuring for example. Since only approximately 20% of the incident radiation reaches the second group of layers, the combination of both groups of layers is intended not to have a significant effect on the reflectivity properties of the mirror.

Surface correction of mirrors with decoupling coating


The present invention is an apparatus and method for controlling pressure, pumping a vacuum and providing abatement for a plurality of vacuum processing chambers. The system may be used in semiconductor manufacture. Multiple vacuum processing chambers are exhausted by turbo pumps into a common abatement chamber, which is maintained at sub-atmospheric pressure by a backing pump. Pressure in the processing chambers is independently controlled. The internal volume of the abatement device provides a buffer that reduces the effect of pressure changes in one processing chamber affecting pressure in the other chambers.

Certain research and manufacturing processes require the use of a process chamber with high vacuum. The vacuum may be required for several reasons. In some instances, atmospheric components that could cause a chemical reaction or physical damage during the process must be removed (e.g., in vacuum melting of reactive metals such as titanium). In other instances, vacuum is used to disturb an equilibrium condition existing at normal room conditions, such as in removing volatile liquid or occluded or dissolved gas from the bulk of material (e.g., degassing oils, freeze-drying) or in desorbing gas from surfaces (e.g., the cleanup of microwave tubes during manufacture). Vacuum is also used in processes where the distance must be extended that a particle must travel before it collides with another, thereby permitting the particles to follow a collision-free course between source and target (e.g., in vacuum coating, particle accelerators, television picture tubes). Finally, vacuum is used in preparing clean surfaces, by reducing the number of molecular impacts per second. That decreases the chances of contamination (e.g., in clean-surface studies and preparation of pure, thin films).
In semiconductor wafer processing, vacuum is used during the thin-film deposition and etching operations, primarily to reduce contamination. The vacuum system of the invention, while described herein primarily in connection with a semiconductor wafer manufacturing operation, may be used in processes and research activities requiring any of the above uses of vacuum.
The realities of vacuum pump design are such that no one vacuum pump has been built that will operate in a pressure range from one atmosphere down to a "high vacuum" of 10−6 torr or lower, with a sufficient pumping speed to meet the requirements of some applications. Instead, to achieve a vacuum high enough for thin-film coating and other high vacuum applications, a pumping system that includes both a primary oil-sealed or dry pump and a secondary, high-vacuum molecular pump is used. The rotary oil-sealed or dry primary pump (or forepump or backing pump) "roughs" the process chamber down to a "low vacuum" pressure of about 0.1 torr, after which the secondary high-vacuum molecular pump and rotary pump are used in series to evacuate the process chamber down to high-vacuum levels needed for processing.
One reason for the use of two pump mechanisms in a high vacuum pumping system is that there are two physical regimes to consider in pumping a vacuum. In the low vacuum range, down to about 10−1 or 10−2 torr, air molecules interact. Under those conditions, air has viscous qualities and flows like a fluid, and can therefore be pumped using an oil sealed or dry rotary pump.
At high vacuum pressures the molecules are independent of each other, resulting in "molecular flow." A pump must work on each molecule. Under those conditions, "pumping" is really providing a point of no return (or low probability of return) in a system characterized by random molecular movement. A molecular pump provides such a point of no return.
Oil sealed pumps and dry rotary pumps are both used in vacuum pumping systems as backing pumps. In general, both types of pump rely on confining a volume of gas in a pumping chamber that is reduced in volume before exhausting on the high pressure side of the pump. Various geometric configurations are used in rotary vacuum pumps, including rotary vane pumps and interdigitated shapes rotating on parallel shafts.
Oil sealed rotary vane pumps comprise a single shaft driving a rotor with sliding vanes; the rotor and vanes rotate within an eccentric stator. The pump may have a single stage or may have two stages in series, with the larger first stage exhausting into a smaller secondary stage. The entire mechanism is immersed in oil for lubrication, sealing and cooling.
Known configurations of dry pumps include hook and claw, tongue and groove and screw geometries, and Roots pumps, among others. There is no oil in the dry pump mechanism; sealing is instead effected by close running clearances. While dry pumps are generally more difficult to manufacture and therefore more costly, they are preferred in the semiconductor manufacturing industry because they introduce fewer contaminants into the system, and because the oil in an oil sealed pump tends to absorb corrosive process gasses and thereby degrade the pump.
Several techniques have evolved for pumping gas on a molecular level. Those include the diffusion pump that imparts momentum using a jet of vapor to move molecules in the vacuum chamber toward the exhaust. Gas capture pumps remove molecules by ion entrapment, freezing (cryo pumps) or by burying the gas under a constantly deposited film of metal.
Turbo pumps (or turbo molecular pumps) utilize a turbine-like rotor that accelerates molecules in the exhaust direction, increasing the probability that a molecule will move out of the chamber toward the backing pump. That technique has come to be used in applications where cleanliness is critical, because there is no problem with the back streaming of any materials used in the pumping mechanism; i.e., the pumping mechanism is dry.
None of the molecular pumps (diffusion, gas capture or turbo) is capable of efficient operation at atmospheric pressure. For that reason, as described above, a vacuum chamber is first evacuated to a roughing pressure of about 1 torr to 10−2 torr using a roughing pump, followed by further evacuation by a high-vacuum molecular pump. The molecular pump therefore typically has an exhaust pressure of about 1 torr to 10−2 torr throughout its duty cycle, although pumps capable of exhausting to a greater pressure are known in the art.
Abatement equipment must be used in many applications to condition exhaust in order to control the release of dangerous gasses into the atmosphere and to recapture materials used in the manufacturing process. One example of an abatement device is a scrubber, which removes material from an effluent by injecting a liquid or gas into the effluent. Available scrubbers include wet scrubbers and dry scrubbers.
In a wet scrubber, the process exhaust is forced into a spray chamber, where fine water particles dissolve gasses and entrain dust and particles, removing them from the gas stream. The dust- and solute-laden water is then treated to remove the captured material. The water may be recycled.
In a dry scrubber, a gas may be injected into the exhaust to chemically change hazardous gasses in the exhaust stream. Dry scrubbers may use a variety of techniques to remove the unwanted gasses, including thermal oxidation with or without additional fuel or oxidant, adsorption (hot or cold), and catalytic and plasma processes. Scrubbers are also known that comprise a dry stage feeding a wet stage.
Traps are also available that simply collect dust. Those traps may be atmospheric or low pressure. They may use a filter or a cyclone.
In a typical vacuum system for the manufacture of semiconductor wafers or for other reactive gas processes, a single turbo molecular pump and a single backing pump are provided in series to service a single process vacuum chamber, the turbo molecular pump being nearest the vacuum chamber. Four vacuum process chambers are typically provided on a single manufacturing tool. One or more abatement devices may be used for removing excess process gasses from the exhaust. If the abatement device is between the turbo and backing pump, currently one abatement unit is required per chamber. If the abatement device is atmospheric, i.e., downstream of the backing pumps, one abatement device may be shared among several chambers, provided that the unabated gasses are compatible. One backing pump is currently required per chamber irrespective of chamber configuration to avoid pressure fluctuations in one chamber disturbing the pressures in the other chambers.
Various systems have been implemented for regulating pressure inside the vacuum chamber. In one such system, described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,419,455 to Rousseau et al., issued Jul. 16, 2002, the speeds of rotation of a turbo molecular pump and a backing pump are controlled simultaneously to achieve a predetermined pressure profile in the chamber.
Another system, described in European Patent Application EP 1014427 A2, published Jun. 28, 2000, uses a multiple-inlet secondary (low vacuum) pump in evacuating a plurality of process chambers. The secondary pump inlets may be connected to high vacuum pumps.
A system described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,944,049 to Beyer et al., issued Aug. 31, 1999, utilizes a control valve placed on the exhaust side of a high vacuum pump. The control valve is used for regulating vacuum inside the process chamber.
Typical semiconductor wafer processing systems have several vacuum chambers with an independent vacuum pumping system for creating and maintaining a vacuum in the chamber. Process cycles within the chambers are run independently, with reactive gasses being admitted as required at various pressures.
The initial cost of installing such a system is high, due in part to the many duplicate components such as abatement devices and backing pumps. For similar reasons, maintenance costs for such a system are high and the system occupies a large amount of space.
There is therefore presently a need to provide a vacuum exhaust apparatus and method that may be used, for example, in the manufacture of semiconductor wafers. Particularly, the technique should be implemented with a lower cost and lower maintenance and space requirements than those of the current art. There is currently no known technique available.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Apparatus and method for control, pumping and abatement for vacuum process chambers


The present invention provides for peptides that bind to Receptor for Hyaluronic Acid Mediated Motility (RHAMM) molecules. More specifically, provided are peptides capable of specifically binding RHAMM molecules and capable of binding RHAMM with substantially high affinity. These novel RHAMM-binding peptides provide the basis for new imaging probes that can be used to identify cells expressing RHAMM, and for methods of imaging, prognosis, diagnosis and treatment of conditions associated with RHAMM expression.

Throughout this application, various references are cited in square brackets to describe more fully the state of the art to which this invention pertains.
Hyaluronan (HA, an anionic polymer of repeating units of glucuronic acid and N-acetylglucosamine) is one extracellular matrix (ECM) component of stroma, that is associated with cancer progression: increased accumulation of tumor HA is prognostic of poor outcome in cancer patients [1, 2, 3]. HA stimulates cancer cell motility in vitro, suggesting its importance in cancer cell invasion in vivo. Two HA cellular receptors that have been implicated in cancer progression are CD44 and RHAMM (receptor for HA-mediated motility).
Progenitor or "tumour initiating cells" are now generally accepted to disproportionately contribute to the tumour forming potential of leukemias. A similar phenomenon has more recently been described in breast cancer (BC) and other solid tumours and the phenotype of these tumour cell subsets has been partially characterized as CD44+/CD24−/ESA+. Although the precise relationship of these cell subsets to clinical outcome is controversial, CD44+ cells sorted by FACS from primary BC express a gene signature that predicts poor clinical outcome. RHAMM mRNA and protein hyper-expression also occur in primary human breast tumour cell subsets and the presence of these RHAMM positive subsets is predictive of poor clinical outcome and increased risk of peripheral metastasis in BC. Although CD44 is expressed in many normal tissues, RHAMM expression is not detected in these tissues but appears following wound repair and during pathological processes such as cancer progression. Imaging of CD44-positive and RHAMM-positive tumour cell subsets would therefore be relevant in identifying patients at risk for poor outcome. However, as to the date of this document these and/or other tumour progenitor cells have not yet been directly imaged. It would, therefore, be advantageous to find a molecular imaging probe capable of targeting RHAMM to provide a means of imaging progenitor cell status non-invasively. This targeting method could also provide a method of selectively targeting progenitor cells with a therapeutic drug agent, either directly through the ligand-receptor interaction, or indirectly by delivering a therapeutic payload to the targeted cells. For example, one could deliver particle emitting isotopes to the progenitor cells, or could deliver a chemotherapeutic to the cells (eg. Cisplatin). The present invention provides for novel peptide ligands for targeting RHAMM, which has not been previously reported.

London Health Sciences Centre Research Inc.


A copolyester blend resistant to ultraviolet radiation includes a polyethylene terephthalate based copolyester having 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol residues; an effective amount of an ultraviolet radiation absorber selected from the group consisting of benzoxazinones, dimeric benzotriazoles, triazines and mixtures thereof; from about 5 mol % to about 40 mol % isophthalic acid residues in the copolyester, and from 5 mol % to 20 mol % 4,4'-biphenyldicarboxylic acid residues present in the copolyester, wherein the mole percent of the diacid is based on 100 mole percent of dicarboxylic acid or equivalents. The copolyester blend is useful in making UV radiation resistant thermoformed articles.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to blends of certain copolyesters and a ultraviolet light (UV) absorbing compounds which can be used in connection with sheets, films and other articles as an overlying layer in order to improve the weatherability of an underlying substrate.
2. Background of the Invention
Polymer compositions and particularly polymer compositions suitable for thermoforming have found wide spread acceptance and utility in home, commercial and industrial applications. Many polymeric materials have desirable mechanical and/or optical properties to allow their use for applications such as sheeting and formed parts in particular. Such applications range from outdoor signs, vending machine faces, carport covers, skylights, recreational vehicle covers, such as golf cart tops, off-road vehicle windshields such as for so-called ATV's and snowmobiles and the like, etc. It is well known in the art that polyesters are generally not very stable to the effects of UV radiation. This instability is manifest in a number of ways. The color of the polyester turns yellow, the impact resistance of the material is dramatically decreased and the surface glossiness of the article is diminished or becomes hazed. These problems have long limited the use of polyesters and must be solved in order for polyesters to be fit for articles used in an outdoor environment.
It is also well known in the art that an UV absorbing compound can be incorporated into the polyester article to retard the loss of impact resistance, yellowness development and haze. Generally, the UV absorbing compound has an extinction coefficient much higher than that of the polymer so that almost all of the incident UV radiation is absorbed by the UV absorbing compound rather than the polymer compound itself. The photostabilizers are generally divided into three groups: light screens, ultraviolet absorbers, and quenching compounds. The effects of the latter group, i.e., the quenching compounds, can be explained by the mechanism of energy transfer between the excited polymer molecules and the photostabilizer via dipole-dipole interactions.
Two strategies have evolved for protecting the polyester from the effects of UV radiation: 1) using an acrylic-based polymer layer containing an UV absorber to protect the underlying polyester material, and 2) using a high loading of an UV absorber incorporated directly into a polyester material, which would then be incorporated as a thin layer on the surface of the polyester sheeting material. However, both of these methods are not without their problems.
A serious problem with incorporating a strong UV absorber added to the acrylic layer in order to screen harmful UV radiation from the underlying polymeric material is the differences in rheological characteristics of the polyester substrates and the acrylic material. Another problem is the difference in melt temperatures of the two materials. This usually limits how such constructions are made to the lamination of a film of the acrylic material onto the polymeric substrate during its extrusion which tends to be more costly than a coextrusion process. A serious problem with this methodology is one of eventual delamination, especially in the conditions of high humidity and heat. Delamination, of course, renders the construction useless.
Another problem with using an acrylic protective layer coating is that often the acrylic material is itself very brittle when impacted or bent. Polyesters and copolyesters, while very tough in general, also are known to be generally notch sensitive. That is, when a small notch or scratch is introduced into the surface, the energy required for impact failure is reduced by more than an order of magnitude and the sheeting effectively becomes brittle. As a result of this notch sensitivity, when a brittle acrylic layer is intimately bonded with the underlying polyester or copolyester, a crack initiated in the acrylic layer is quickly and efficiently propagated through the polyester or copolyester substrate. Thus, the entire structure is as brittle as the protective acrylic film even before exposure to weathering.
In the second category, using a polyester layer having an effective level of a ultraviolet light absorbing compound, overcomes many of the problems associated with using an acrylic protective layer. The melt rheologies of the polyester protective layer is very closely matched to that of the underlying material. Additionally the constructions are quite durable and are not brittle. However, this approach too has a deficiency. UV light is able to damage the polymer matrix in which the UV absorber is present, as the UV absorber cannot preferentially absorb 100% of the incident light. That portion of the UV light not absorbed by the UV absorber is absorbed by the polymeric matrix and over long exposure times contributes to damage of the polymeric matrix material as described above, i.e., discoloration, surface damage such as a haze or loss of surface gloss, and property loss, such as resistance to impacts.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,446,262 discloses a photo-stabilized polymer composition having a cyclic imino ester as an ultraviolet absorber.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,835 discloses a coextruded thermoplastic sheet having a 5 to 100 micron thick surface layer. The surface layer includes from 0.1 weight % to 20 weight % of an UV absorber. The thermoplastic material includes thermoplastic aromatic polycarbonates, thermoplastic aromatic polyester carbonates, thermoplastic aromatic polyester, thermoplastic aliphatic-aromatic polyesters of iso- and/or terephthalic acid, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, thermoplastic copolymers of styrene and/or methyl styrene with maleic anhydride and/or with acrylonitrile, thermoplastic graft polymers of styrene and acrylonitrile on polybutadiene rubbers, thermoplastic poly-.alpha.-olefins, such as polyethylene and polypropylene, thermoplastic polyacrylates and polymethacrylates.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,558,912 and 5,480,926 disclose a polyethylene terephthalate based copolyester containing 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol and an ultraviolet absorber selected from cyclic imino esters.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,929 discloses a multi-layered plastic sheet having a core section that includes a copolymer prepared by the reaction of dimethyl terephthalate or terephthalic acid with a mixture comprising about 99-55 mole % ethylene glycol and about 1-45 mole % 1,4-cyclohexane dimethanol. The second layer, which has a thickness of between about 2 microns and about 100 microns, overlies one surface of the core section and includes the copolyester of the core section and a UV light-absorbing additive, which preferably includes a benzotriazole or a benzophenone as the light absorbing additive.
DE 2,853,631 A1 discloses that copolyesters of polyethylene terephthalate modified with 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol are desirable for outdoor use but with a low CHDM content they cannot be adequately stabilized by a benzotriazole compound.
Many UV absorbing compounds have been developed over the years of research in this area. It is also well known that many of these compounds are very specific to the polymer systems they are used in. Certain benzoxazinone compounds are disclosed as ultraviolet absorbers in U.S. Pat. No. 4,446,262. The disclosed benzoxazinones are said to be capable of melt mixing with various polymers. Specifically mentioned thermoplastic polymer classes are polyesters, polyamides, polycarbonates, polyolefins, polyesters and polysulfones. Specifically mentioned polyesters are polyethylene terephthalate, polytetramethylene terephthalate and polyethylene 2,6-naphthalate. These are stated to be optionally copolymerized with trifunctional or higher functional comonomers but no mention of coglycols is made for these materials.
The benzoxazinone compounds disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,446,262 are also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,064 as being useful in a reflecting structure consisting of a metalized polyester layer of the same polyesters as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,446,262. The preferred polyester in U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,064 is stated to be polyethylene terephthalate.
Other UV absorbers that would result from the substitution of various functional groups onto the aromatic ring(s) of the benzoxazinone system are broadly mentioned in U.S. Pat. No. 4,446,262, and more specifically, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,264,539. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,264,539, for example, an oligomer containing benzoxazinone units is blended with a polyester.
Accordingly, there is still a need for polyester and copolyester blends that are UV light-stabilized suitable for use in outdoor applications.

Copolyester containing isophthalic acid, 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol, 4,4'-biphenyldicarboxylic acid and an ultraviolet light absorbing compound and articles made therefrom


Described herein is a cast elastomer including graphene nano platelets and a process for preparing the same.

The use of fillers to improve the physical and rheological properties of polymeric materials is known in the art. For example, the addition of conductive filler to a polymer can impart conductivity on the resulting polymeric material, which would otherwise act as an insulator. As another example, the addition of reinforcing filler to a polymer can impart improved load, creep, fatigue, strength, durability, and other properties on the resulting polymeric material.
However, the use of fillers in polymeric materials sometimes comes with disadvantages. For example, large quantities of fillers are often required to achieve the desired properties, but can make processing difficult, e.g. compounding can be difficult. As another example, the use of filler in polymeric materials can decrease the elongation of the polymeric materials. As a final example, the use of filler in polymeric materials can cause embrittlement of the polymeric materials.
Further, fillers, especially nano sized fillers, can be hard to disperse within a polymer matrix, and thus result in a polymeric material having inconsistent physical and rheological properties. As such, the use of filler in a polymeric material positively impacts certain properties of the polymeric material while negatively impacting other properties of the polymeric material. Moreover, the existing techniques are also labour intensive. Therefore, to overcome such dispersion issues, nano sized fillers such as graphene have been pre-processed via sonication, exfoliation, and intercalation, and dispersed within polymeric materials via complicated, solvent based processes with limited success.
It is desired that for applications involving increased modulus, the elasticity and durability of the elastomeric material is not compromised. Moreover, the physical and mechanical properties for these applications must be maintained over a wide range of temperature in the range of −30° C. to 150° C., which is difficult to achieve and maintain thereafter. Accordingly, there remains an opportunity for improvement.
Thus, it was an objective of the presently claimed invention to provide a cast elastomer which has improved mechanical properties such as modulus, compression set, Bayshore resilience, stress and break at elongation with a broad shore hardness range over a wide range of temperature in the range of −30° C. to 150° C., which renders it suitable for obtaining articles therefrom.

Polyurethane comprising graphene nano structure


This invention relates to a safety screw assembly and operating key. The head of the screw is movable between a position where it is rotationally integral with the body and a position where it is freely rotatable. The head of the screw has on one face, an opening or a relief, that matches a relief or an imprint formed on part of the operating key. One end of the body of the screw has a stator and a rotor. The head of the screw forms a housing for receiving the rotor, and the assembly forms a translationally movable securing component which is movable between a loose position, where the head is freely rotatable and the rotor and the stator are rotationally integral, and a locked position, where the head and the stator are rotationally integral, where the key has at least one component for setting the rotor into rotation.

This invention relates to a safety screw assembly and operating key thereof.
The term screw here refers to a component mechanically linking at least two elements. This screw, made of metal or another rigid material, is generally elongated and, over at least a part of its length, has a thread and, at one end, a part called the head that enables the screw to be operated. This screw is adapted to operate in conjunction with an internal thread that matches its thread when a screw is inserted by screwing, thus by a combined rotational and translational movement, into the threaded housing that matches its shape.
The operation of this screw is performed by a screwdriver or key tool, one end of which matches the shape of an imprint formed on the screw head.
Although the use of screws makes it possible to establish links between at least two elements, the fact remains that this link is reversible. This is because the tool for screwing the screw into its threaded housing also enables the screw to be removed from the threaded housing by a rotational movement in the opposite direction.
This characteristic is, in many cases, desirable in order to facilitate the maintenance or dismantling of elements. However, in some cases, it is desirable that the ability to screw and/or unscrew is limited to certain users. The reasons for this restriction are generally protection and/or safety requirements, either for the user or for the equipment on which the screw is located, or both.
By way of non-exhaustive examples, mention may be made of locking screws for a vehicle wheel, screws holding a connection cover between two machine-tool elements in a closed or open position, screws closing a cover or an access door to a given area, whether this area is a volume accessible to living beings, humans or animals, or is an interior volume of an object in the broad sense. In these cases, it should generally only be possible to remove and/or insert the screw if this action is performed by an authorized person.
To meet this constraint, safety or antitheft nuts or bolts are known. These are bolts or nuts whose head has an imprint, in positive or negative relief, with a special geometrical shape, requiring a special tool with a matching shaped imprint to operate this nut or bolt. FR-A-2 728 318 presents this type of bolt. Also known from WO-A-2012 040 800 are safety bolts, where any attempt to unscrew causes part of the head to break, this part then becoming freely rotatable and preventing any transmission of rotational movement, whether for screwing or unscrewing, to the entire bolt. Also known from WO-A-2012 148 050 or WO-A-2005 012 737 are cap-type protection devices, positioned on the screw head, which prevent the nut from being loosened and/or stolen.
Although these various solutions are generally satisfactory as a means of limiting the theft of an object or to avoid unauthorized unscrewing, they nevertheless have certain disadvantages. This is because the number of technically possible geometric shapes for the screw head imprint is relatively limited and it is easy to obtain a tool that fits these imprints.
As a result, anyone with a suitable tool can operate the screw or bolt concerned, especially when these screws or bolts are used to secure the mounting of vehicle wheels. This is because it is easy to obtain a specific tool from the usual suppliers in the automotive or car repair sector.
Moreover, for some of the solutions presented by the documents cited, this implies a final implementation and single use of the securing means. In other words, once the safety configuration has been set, the screw is no longer removable, or at least not easily.
Also known from US-A-20021029596 is a safety screw with a dedicated key enabling the screw to be locked or the screw head to be set into free rotation. For this, the key enables a magnetic component to be moved that can only be translationally moved. Here, the key itself is not secured.
Under these conditions, the invention aims to provide a safety screw assembly and operating key thereof, which is easy to use and suitable for the quick insertion and removal of the screw, without this operation being possible by an unauthorized person.

Safety screw assembly and operating key thereof


Apparatuses and methods for maintaining a duty cycle error counter. An example apparatus may a duty cycle detect circuit configured to receive a clock signal and to detect a duty cycle error of the clock signal. The duty cycle detect error includes a counter configured to store a count value indicating the duty cycle error using Gray code. The counter is adjusted in response to detection of non-zero duty cycle error, and the counter is configured to convert the count value from Gray code to binary code as a binary count value. The duty cycle detect circuit is further configured to provide a duty cycle error signal based on the binary count value. The example apparatus further comprising a duty cycle correction circuit configured to adjust a duty cycle of the clock signal based on the duty cycle error signal.

Current and future generation DRAM and SDRAM applications utilize very high I/O speeds. As a result, the clock speeds are also very high. The high clock speeds may make aligning phases and setting duty cycles of clocks challenging, as timing windows and margin for error are both very narrow, and updates occurring quickly, leading to frequent counter updates and opportunities for introduction of errors in a counter.


Disclosed are fusion polypeptides comprising fragments from a first and a second isoform of an interferon lambda family, nucleic acids encoding the fusion polypeptides, and vectors and host cells containing the same, and methods of making and using such compositions in treatment of interferon lambda-related diseases, disorders, and conditions.

IL28B, together with IL28A and IL29, represents a subset (type—III) of the interferon family. Their expression can be induced by viral infections in a variety of human cell types (Nat Immunol. 2003; 4(1):69-77. Nat Immunol. 2003; 4(1):63-68) and they can in turn bind and signal through a heterodimeric receptor complex composed of IL28R and IL10R2. The repertoire of genes induced by IL28B, IL28A and IL29 are essentially the same as that induced by interferon alpha. Amongst them are OAS1 and MX1, which bind and signal through a heterodimeric receptor complex composed of IFNAR1 and IFNAR2 (Gastroenterology. 2006; 131(6):1887-1898).
The antiviral activity induced by type-III interferon including IL28B, IL28A and IL29 has been demonstrated against encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV), vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), influenza (Eur J Immunol. 2004; 34(3):796-805. J Virol. 2006; 80(9):4501-4509.), hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) (J Virol. 2005; 79(6):3851-3854). However, the magnitude of antiviral response to type-III interferon is often smaller than that to interferon alpha in many cell types. A significant difference between type-III interferon and interferon alpha systems is the pattern of receptor distribution. While the receptors for interferon alpha are ubiquitously expressed, the IL28R component of the type-III interferon receptor is only present in a limited subset of cells, including hepatocytes (Cytokine 2005, 31, 109-118). Functional IL28R is notably absent from most hematopoietic cells (Hepatology. 2006; 44(4):896-906). Preclinical toxicology studies have shown that a PEGylated IL29 peptide, unlike PEGylated interferon alpha, does not induce inhibition of bone marrow stem cell colony formation or induce antiviral and anti-proliferative activities in peripheral blood leukocytes (Ann NY Acad Sci. 2009; 1182:80-87).
About 150 million people worldwide are chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), which is the leading cause of cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and liver transplantation (WHO. Hepatitis C fact sheet No. 164). HCV is considered a curable disease in the majority of patients. Current topline treatment regimens consist of PEGylated interferon alpha in combination with small molecule antivirals such as ribavirin (Health Technology Assessment 2004; Vol. 8: No. 39.), telaprevir and boceprevir (Ther Adv Gastroenterol 2012; 5(2) 139-151). Unfortunately, treatment with PEGylated interferon alpha is not always well tolerated, resulting in poor patient compliance. Major toxicities related to PEGylated interferon alpha include but are not limited to flu-like symptoms such as headache, fatigue and asthenia; neuropsychiatric abnormalities such as depression, anxiety and irritability; and more importantly, hematological disorders such as neutropenia and anemia. About 350 million people worldwide are chronically infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV). Current treatments include PEGylated interferon alpha and small molecule antivirals such as lamivudine, adefovir, tenofovir, telbivudine, and entecavir. Treatment of HBV with PEGylated interferon alpha results in similar toxicity as those of HCV.

Prosit Sole Biotechnology (Beijing) Co, Ltd


The invention relates in one aspect to a post-formulation concentrated nanocomposite dispersion containing an invisible marker dye. The dispersion typically includes a silicate filler and a matrix polymer dispersed in an aqueous medium as well. The dispersions form optically transparent barrier films wherein the dye is effective to indicate film thickness on a substrate. Specific embodiments of this invention include a nanocomposite coating formulation designed to provide transparent high barrier coatings at thicknesses from 1 to 10 microns that include a near infrared (NIR) or infrared (IR) dye that enables rapid measurement of coating thickness and uniformity. The preferred dye imparts no observable color or appearance change, and thus can also function as an identifier for the coating.

Barrier coatings which prevent, reduce, or inhibit the permeation of a selected substrate with a gas, vapor, chemical and/or aroma have been widely described, and such coatings are used in a variety of industries, e.g., the packaging industry, automobile industry, paint industry, and tire industry. For example, butyl rubber in automobile tires has been coated with formulations which includes a polymer and a platelet filler, in order to reduce the air permeability of the tire. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,911,218 and 5,049,609. Tires with integral innerliners are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,702, wherein the tire includes rubber laminate in which at least two layers are barrier layers having 100 parts by weight rubber, 100 parts by weight acrylonitrile/diene polymer and about 25-150 parts by weight of platelet filler of unspecified width and thickness. These compositions are stated to reduce the costs of the innerliners while maintaining flexibility and barrier performance.
The use of exfoliated silicates to produce nanocomposite barrier coatings has been achieved by several methods. The most widely used has been by combining a dissolved polymer with exfoliated filler. Water soluble polymers such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) have been combined with water exfoliated filler such as vermiculite. See, Japanese Patent 11-246729, Sep. 14, 1999, "Gas-Barrier Poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly (acrylic acid) Compositions and their Laminates and Shaped Articles." Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd. Polycarbonate polymers have been dissolved in toluene and combined with organically functionalized filler to form good barrier coatings. W. J. Ward et al., "Gas Barrier Improvement Using Vermiculite and Mica in Polymer Films", Journal of Membrane Science, 55:173-180 (1991). Other polymers have also been made into improved barrier coatings by dissolving them in a solvent, and using an organically functionalized filler to improve the barrier properties. See, e.g., Yano et al., "Synthesis and Properties of Polyimide-Filler Hybrid Composites", Journal of Polymer Science A: Polymer Chemistry, 35, 2289 (1997).
There are several examples of using an aqueous dispersion of exfoliated filler with an aqueous dispersion of polymer to form a nanocomposite. Most of that work used elastomeric polymers in suspension. See, for example, Wu, Y-P et al., "Structure of Carboxylated Acrylonitrile-Butadiene Rubber (CNBR)-Filler Nanocomposites by Co-coagulating Rubber Latex and Filler Aqueous Suspension", Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 82, 2842-2848 (2001); Wu, Y-P et al., "Structure and Properties of Nitrile Rubber (NBR)-Filler Nanocomposites by Co-coagulating NBR Latex and Filler Aqueous Suspension", Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 89, 3855-3858 (2003); Varghese and Karger-Kocsis, "Natural Rubber-Based Nanocomposites by Latex Compounding with Layered Silicates", Polymer (in press) (2003); Feeney et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,087,016, "Barrier Coating of an Elastomer and a Dispersed Layered Filler in a Liquid Carrier", Jul. 11, 2000; Feeney et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,232,389, "Barrier Coating of an Elastomer and a Dispersed Layered Filler in a Liquid Carrier and Coated Articles", May 15, 2001; Goldberg et al., "Nanocomposite Barrier Coatings for Elastomeric Applications", Materials Research Society, Symposium T: Polymer nanocomposites, paper T4.7, (April 2002); and Goldberg et al., "Elastomeric Barrier Coatings for Sporting Goods", ACS Rubber Section, Apr. 29, 2002, paper 17, published in Rubber World, vol. 226, No. 5, p. 15 (August 2002).
There are also examples of pigment containing coating compositions for controlling coating thickness and uniformity. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,228 to Lowrey discloses a pigment composition for high build protective coating, which comprises a combination of low density pigments of smooth nodular shape having a particle size of 325 microns with not less than 40 percent by weight retained on a 325 mesh screen and a second pigment having a median particle diameter ranging from 0.5 to 20 microns. The coating material formed therefrom has a minimum dry film thickness of approximately 100 microns per coat.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,261,631 and 6,488,719 to Lomasney et al. describe a method for controlling wet film thickness of clear coatings by means of color-dissipating dye. However, the dye as used therein dissipates color ranging from a few hours to a few days, thus may not be suitable for coatings wherein there is a need for clear transparent coating having no color.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,410,926 to Munro et al. discloses a coating with optical taggent, which is used for determining the thickness of a dryable or curable film-forming coating by incorporating a fluorescent component into the coating. The fluorescent component is either a resin solid of the coating, a fluorescent dye or a fluorescent dye attached to a resin solid of the coating. The coating is exposed to ultraviolet or visible light which causes the fluorescent component to fluoresce. The intensity of the fluorescence of the coating is measured and the thickness or weight of the coating is determined from a known mathematical relationship between the fluorescence intensity of the coating when exposed to the light and the thickness or weight of the coating. However, such fluorescent components are generally not suitable for applications in water dispersible coating compositions.
Other references of interest include U.S. Pat. No. 4,472,538 to Kamigaito et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,885 to Usuki et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,087,016 to Feeney et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,232,289 to Feeney et al.
Despite advances in the art, there exists a need for an aqueous coating composition containing a dye for improved quality control and so forth in connection with transparent thin barrier films. Such a coating would be particularly useful in packaging applications among others where the coating thickness of the coated packaging can be measured rapidly and the coating thickness is preferably uniform. There further exists a need for a transparent coating material containing an invisible marker dye that imparts no observable color or appearance change, and thus can also function as a marker to determine if a particular product has used a particular aqueous barrier coating composition.

Aqueous nanocomposite dispersions containing invisible marker dye for transparent barrier coatings and preparations and use thereof


A novel toothbrush with a permanent handle. The apparatus provides for a permanent handle with a disposable toothbrush head. This permits use of an ornamental or exotic toothbrush handle, while avoiding the problem of the bristles in the brush head wearing out. The handle of the toothbrush secures the bristle head section with the use of a spring loaded plunger located in the handle. The spring mechanism is fully extended while the disposable brush is absent from the handle. When the disposable brush is introduced to the handle, the end of the brush will push against the plunger forcing the spring to retract. When the indent on the end of the brush is directly over the plunger the spring will extend the plunger into the indent and secure the brush within the handle. When it is time for the bristle head section to be replaced, the bristle head section is pulled from the permanent handle and the force of the non indented portion of the brush handle against the plunger, forces the spring mechanism to retract, thus allowing removal of the brush.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an improved toothbrush with a non-disposable handle.
2. Description of the Related Art
The toothbrushes currently sold on the market are constructed of inexpensive materials designed such that the entire toothbrush is disposable. Toothbrushes are typically not designed for long term use. Rather, they are designed such that once the bristles have worn down or are otherwise no longer useful, the entire toothbrush is thrown away. The necessity of frequent replacement of the toothbrush prevents use of a decorative or extravagantly designed toothbrush that would be appropriate for gift giving, or long term use. The cost of producing such items for short term use would not be cost effective, or reasonable.
Prior art has shown toothbrushes with a detachable bristle portion such that when the bristles are worn out, the worn out portion can be thrown away while retaining the handle portion. However, the mechanics involved in the prior art have been shown to be awkward. Often they involved some method of screwing in the head, or snap attachments which are likely to wear out. U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,604 shows a toothbrush head which snaps onto a protrusion on the end of the handle portion. This toothbrush has flanks which snap onto the protrusion on the handle section. The major problem is that the protrusion in the handle section may wear down and result in the fit between the two sections not being as secure, and therefore reducing the utility of the toothbrush. Another form of replaceable bristles is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,246. In this case, only the bristles are replaced. The bristle holder is snapped through the back of the head section of the handle and then secured by placement of a cover over the back section. The bristles protrude from the front. With this arrangement there is concern that the bristles will not be as secure as pressure is placed directly on the removable portion of the toothbrush. Thus, there is nothing in the prior art which provides for a partially disposable toothbrush which remains secure with pressure on the bristle portion and resists wear of the connecting sections.


A throttle control system includes a pressure comparison module and a throttle plate control module. The pressure comparison module determines an inlet pressure upstream from a throttle body and an outlet pressure downstream from the throttle body. The throttle plate control module controls a position of a throttle plate based on the inlet pressure and the outlet pressure.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Internal combustion engines combust an air and fuel mixture within cylinders to drive pistons. The reciprocating movement of the pistons produces drive torque. Air is drawn into an intake manifold through a throttle body and is regulated by a throttle plate in the throttle body. To provide a desired engine torque, a powertrain control module determines a desired throttle plate position based on a desired engine torque to provide a desired mass air flow.

Throttle control systems and methods for internal combustion engines to reduce throttle oscillations


A method is provided for determining a website user behavioral portrait based on navigation on the website and dynamically reconfiguring web pages based on those portraits. In accordance with the method, data relating to the progress of a user through a website is recorded, and an ongoing behavioral portrait of the user is built based on the data. The portrait is then used to dynamically reconfigure web content.

As e-commerce has evolved into a widespread means of doing business, online competition among merchants has increased dramatically. Much of the attention in online marketing has been directed towards placing advertisements for products or services as close to a spending decision as possible, since this is often a significant factor in an online merchant's likelihood of success.
As a specific example, a car rental company might design their website so that it is likely to turn up as a relevant hit when a consumer uses a search engine to search the term "car rental". The company might even purchase prioritization from one or more businesses that manage popular search engines such as YAHOO!® or GOOGLE® so that their web site will appear near the top of the search results page whenever terms indicating an interest in car rentals are input into the search engine. In some cases, the company may even go the additional step of purchasing banner ads or pop-ups that are triggered by relevant search queries.
While the foregoing approach may be part of a sound online marketing strategy, it suffers from the drawback that it relics upon an overt manifestation of consumer interest to identity potential purchasers of a product or service. Consequently, such an approach may miss a significant number of sales opportunities, simply because it identifies many potential purchasers of a product or service well after a spending decision has been made. In the interim, the consumer may have been exposed to a wide variety of competing products and services.
Some of the more recent refinements in online marketing have focused on placing products or services even closer to a spending decision by looking for more subtle cites to a consumer's interests. Referring back to the previous example, the car rental company may place advertisements on web sites that help consumers to purchase airline tickets, based on the realization that a significant number of people who are purchasing airline tickets will also require a rental car. However, while this type of approach may also form part of a sound online strategy, it is founded on correlations that may be weak. Hence, this type of approach often yields a low success rate.
Other methods of online marketing have evolved which seek to match advertising content to perspective purchasers based on relevance determined from broad demographic information or consumer purchase history. For example, some websites use pop-up ads and banners whose content is selected based on the gender and age of a consumer provided during web site registration, on information gleaned from previous on-line purchases by the consumer, or on the geographic region indicated, for example, by the user's IP address.
However, methods which rely on data obtained from web site registration are of limited utility, since many consumers ire hesitant to spend time on websites completing forms and profiles for what is perceived to be of little benefit. Methods based on broad demographic information frequently have a low success rate, since they are necessarily based on broad generalizations which may not apply to a given consumer. Methods based on purchase history are prone to error, since simple product relationships based on previous purchases can lie misleading. Previous purchases may have no bearing on the consumer's personal interests, as may be the case if those purchases represent gifts purchased for others. Moreover, even if the previous purchases were for the consumer's personal enjoyment, those purchases may not represent the consumer's current interests. For example, the fact that a consumer's browsing history or previous purchases indicate a past interest in travel does not mean that the consumer has a current interest in travel. The consumer may have exhausted all of his vacation time, and is now interested in goods and services commensurate with a regular work schedule.

Dynamic reconfiguration of web pages based on user behavioral portrait