Succinoylamino hydroxyethylamino sulfonamide compounds are effective as retroviral protease inhibitors, and in particular as inhibitors of HIV protease.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to retroviral protease inhibitors and, more particularly, relates to novel compounds and a composition and method for inhibiting retroviral proteases. This invention, in particular, relates to sulfonamide-containing hydroxyethylamine protease inhibitor compounds, a composition and method for inhibiting retroviral proteases such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease and for treating a retroviral infection, e.g., an HIV infection. The subject invention also relates to processes for making such compounds as well as to intermediates useful in such processes.
2. Related Art
During the replication cycle of retroviruses, gag and gag-pol gene products are translated as proteins. These proteins are subsequently processed by a virally encoded protease (or proteinase) to yield viral enzymes and structural proteins of the virus core. Most commonly, the gag precursor proteins are processed into the core proteins and the pol precursor proteins are processed into the viral enzymes, e.g., reverse transcriptase and retroviral protease. It has been shown that correct processing of the precursor proteins by the retroviral protease is necessary for assembly of infectious virons. For example, it has been shown that frameshift mutations in the protease region of the pol gene of HIV prevents processing of the gag precursor protein. It has also been shown through site-directed mutagenesis of an aspartic acid residue in the HIV protease that processing of the gag precursor protein is prevented. Thus, attempts have been made to inhibit viral replication by inhibiting the action of retroviral proteases.
Retroviral protease inhibition may involve a transition-state mimetic whereby the retroviral protease is exposed to a mimetic compound which binds to the enzyme in competition with the gag and gag-pol proteins to thereby inhibit replication of structural proteins and, more importantly, the retroviral protease itself. In this manner, retroviral replication proteases can be effectively inhibited.
Several classes of compounds have been proposed, particularly for inhibition of proteases, such as for inhibition of HIV protease. Such compounds include hydroxyethylamine isosteres and reduced amide isosteres. See, for example, EP 0 346 847; EP 0 342,541; Roberts et al, xe2x80x9cRational Design of Peptide-Based Proteinase Inhibitors,xe2x80x9d Science, 248, 358 (1990); and Erickson et al, xe2x80x9cDesign Activity, and 2.8 xc3x85 Crystal Structure of a C2 Symmetric Inhibitor Complexed to HIV-1 Protease,xe2x80x9d Science, 249, 527 (1990).
Several classes of compounds are known to be useful as inhibitors of the proteolytic enzyme renin. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,198; U.K. 2,184,730; G.B. 2,209,752; EP 0 264 795; G.B. 2,200,115 and U.S. SIR H725. Of these, G.B. 2,200;115, GB 2,209,752, EP 0 264,795, U.S. SIR H725 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,198 disclose urea-containing hydroxyethylamine renin inhibitors. G.B. 2,200,115 also disclose certain sulfamoyl-containing hydroxyethylamine renin inhibitors. EP 0 264 795 also discloses certain sulfonamide-containing renin inhibitor compounds. However, it is known chat, although renin and HIV proteases are both classified as aspartyl proteases, compounds which are effective renin inhibitors generally cannot be predicted to be effective HIV protease inhibitors.
The present invention is directed to virus inhibiting compounds and compositions. More particularly, the present invention is directed to retroviral protease inhibiting compounds and compositions, to a method of inhibiting retroviral proteases, to processes for preparing the compounds and to intermediates useful in such processes. The subject compounds are characterized as succinoylamino hydroxyethylamino sulfonamide inhibitor compounds.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a retroviral protease inhibiting compound of the formula:
or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, prodrug or ester thereof wherein:
x represents 0, 1 or 2;
t represents either 0 or 1;
R1 represents hydrogen, xe2x80x94CH2SO2NH2, xe2x80x94CO2CH3, xe2x80x94CONHCH3, xe2x80x94CON(CH3)2, xe2x80x94CH2C(O)NHCH3, xe2x80x94CH2C(O)N(CH3)2, xe2x80x94CONH2, xe2x80x94C(CH3)2(SH)xe2x80x94C(CH3)2(SCH3), xe2x80x94C(CH3)2(S[O]CH3), xe2x80x94C(CH3)2(S[O]2CH3), alkyl, haloalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl and cycloalkyl radicals and amino acid side chains selected from asparagine, S-methyl cysteine and the corresponding sulfoxide and sulfone derivatives thereof, glycine, leucine, isoleucine, allo-isoleucine, tert-leucine, phenylalanine, ornithine, alanine, histidine, norleucine, glutamine, valine, threonine, serine, o-alkyl serine, aspartic acid, beta-cyano alanine, and allothreonine side chains;
R2 represents alkyl, aryl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl and aralkyl radicals, which radicals are optionally substituted with a group selected from alkyl and halogen radicals, and xe2x80x94NO2, xe2x80x94Cxe2x89xa1N, CF3, xe2x80x94OR9, xe2x80x94SR9 wherein R9 represents hydrogen and alkyl radicals;
R3 represents hydrogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, hydroxyalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, heteroaryl, heterocycloalkylalkyl, aryl, aralkyl, heteroaralkyl, aminoalkyl and mono- and disubstituted aminoalkyl radicals, wherein said substituents are selected from alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroaralkyl, heterocycloalkyl, and heterocycloalkylalkyl radicals, or in the case of a disubstituted aminoalkyl radical, said substituents along with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached, form a heterocycloalkyl or a heteroaryl radical;
Xxe2x80x2 represents N, O and C(R17) where R17 represents hydrogen and alkyl radicals;
Y and Yxe2x80x2 independently represent O, S and NR15 wherein R15 represents hydrogen and radicals as defined for R3;
R4 represents radicals as defined by R3 except for hydrogen;
R6 represents hydrogen and alkyl radicals as defined for R3;
R30, R31 and R32 represent radicals as defined for R1, or one of R1 and R30 together with one of R31 and R32 and the carbon atoms to which they are attached form a cycloalkyl radical; and
R33 and R34 independently represent hydrogen, radicals as defined for R3 or R33 and R34 together with Xxe2x80x2 represent cycloalkyl, aryl, heterocyclyl and heteroaryl radicals, provided that when Xxe2x80x2 is O; R34 is absent.
A preferred class of retroviral inhibitor compounds of the present invention are those represented by the formula:
or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, prodrug or ester thereof, preferably wherein the absolute stereochemistry about the hydroxy group is designated as (R);
R1 represents hydrogen, xe2x80x94CH2SO2NH2, xe2x80x94CO2CH3, xe2x80x94CONHCH3, xe2x80x94CON(CH3)2, xe2x80x94CH2C(O)NHCH3, xe2x80x94CH2C(O)N(CH3)2, xe2x80x94CONH2, xe2x80x94C(CH3)2(SCH3), xe2x80x94C(CH3)2(S[O]CH3), xe2x80x94C(CH3)2(S[O]2CH3), alkyl, haloalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl and cycloalkyl radicals and amino acid side chains selected from asparagine, S-methyl cysteine and the corresponding sulfoxide and sulfone derivatives thereof, glycine, leucine, isoleucine, allo-isoleucine, tert-leucine, phenylalanine, ornithine, alanine, histidine, norleucine, glutamine, valine, threonine, serine, aspartic acid, beta-cyano alanine, and allothreonine side chains;
R2 represents alkyl, aryl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, and aralkyl radicals, which radicals are optionally substituted with a group selected from alkyl and halogen radicals, NO2, xe2x80x94Cxe2x89xa1N, CF3, OR9 and SR9 wherein R9 represents hydrogen and alkyl radicals;
R3 represents hydrogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, hydroxyalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, heteroaryl, heterocycloalkylalkyl,
aryl, aralkyl, heteroaralkyl, aminoalkyl and mono- and disubstituted aminoalkyl radicals, wherein said substituents are selected from alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroaralkyl, heterocycloalkyl, and heterocycloalkylalkyl radicals, or in the case of a disubstituted aminoalkyl radical, said substituents along with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached, form a heterocycloalkyl or a heteroaryl radical;
R4 represents radicals as defined by R3 except for hydrogen;
R30, R31 and R32 represent radicals as defined for R1, or one of R1 and R30 together with one of R31 and R32 and the carbon atoms to which they are attached form a cycloalkyl radical; and
R33 and R34 independently represent hydrogen, radicals as defined for R3 or R33 and R34 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached represent heterocycloalkyl and heteroaryl radicals;
Y and Yxe2x80x2 independently represent O, S, and NR15 wherein R15 represents hydrogen and radicals as defined for R3, Preferably, Y and Yxe2x80x2 represent O.
Yet another preferred class of compounds are those represented by the formula:
or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, prodrug or ester thereof, preferably wherein the stereochemistry about the hydroxy group is designated as R, wherein Y, Yxe2x80x2, R1, R2, R3, R4, R30, R31 and R32 are as defined above with respect to Formula (II). Preferably, Y and Yxe2x80x2 represent 0.
As utilized herein, the term xe2x80x9calkylxe2x80x9d, alone or in combination, means a straight-chain or branched-chain alkyl radical containing from 1 to about 10, preferably from 1 to about 8, carbon atoms. Examples of such radicals include methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, isobutyl, sec-butyl, tert-butyl, pentyl, isoamyl, hexyl, octyl and the like. The term xe2x80x9calkenylxe2x80x9d, alone or in combination, means a straight-chain or branched-chain hydrocarbon radial having one or more double bonds and containing from 2 to about 18 carbon atoms preferably from 2 to about 8 carbon atoms. Examples of suitable alkenyl radicals include ethenyl, propenyl, 1,4-butadienyl and the like. The term alkynyl, alone or in combination, means a straight-chain hydrocarbon radical having one or more triple bonds and containing from 2 to about 10 carbon atoms. Examples of alkynyl radicals include ethynyl, propynyl, propargyl and the like. The term xe2x80x9calkoxyxe2x80x9d, alone or in combination, means an alkyl ether radical wherein the term alkyl is as defined above. Examples of suitable alkyl ether radicals include methoxy, ethoxy, n-propoxy, isopropoxy, n-butoxy, iso-butoxy, sec-butoxy, tert-butoxy and the like. The term xe2x80x9ccycloalkylxe2x80x9d, alone or in combination, means a saturated or partially saturated monocyclic, bicyclic or tricyclic alkyl radical wherein each cyclic moiety contains from about 3 to about 8 carbon atoms. The term xe2x80x9ccycloalkylalkylxe2x80x9d means an alkyl radical as defined above which is substituted by a cycloalkyl radical containing from about 3 to about 8, preferably from about 3 to about 6, carbon atoms. Examples of such cycloalkyl radicals include cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl and the like. The term xe2x80x9carylxe2x80x9d, alone or in combination, means a phenyl or naphthyl radical which optionally carries one or more substituents selected from alkyl, alkoxy, halogen, hydroxy, amino, nitro, cyano, haloalkyl and the like, such as phenyl, p-tolyl, 4-methoxyphenyl, 4-(tert-butoxy)phenyl, 4-fluorophenyl, 4-chlorophenyl, 4-hydroxyphenyl, 1-naphthyl, 2-naphthyl, and the like. The term xe2x80x9caralkylxe2x80x9d, alone or in combination, means an alkyl radical as defined above in which one hydrogen atom is replaced by an aryl radical as defined above, such as benzyl, 2-phenylethyl and the like. The term xe2x80x9caralkoxy carbonylxe2x80x9d, alone or in combination, means a radical of the formula xe2x80x94C(O)xe2x80x94O-aralkyl in which the term xe2x80x9caralkylxe2x80x9d has the significance given above. An example of an aralkoxycarbonyl radical is benzyloxycarbonyl. The term xe2x80x9caryloxyxe2x80x9d means a radical of the formula aryl-Oxe2x80x94 in which the term aryl has the significance given above. The term xe2x80x9calkanoylxe2x80x9d, alone or in combination, means an acyl radical derived from an alkanecarboxylic acid, examples of which include acetyl, propionyl, butyryl, valeryl, 4-methylvaleryl, and the like. The term xe2x80x9ccycloalkylcarbonylxe2x80x9d means an acyl group derived from a monocyclic or bridged cycloalkanecarboxylic acid such as cyclopropanecarbonyl; cyclohexanecarbonyl, adamantanecarbonyl, and the like, or from a benz-fused monocyclic cycloalkanecarboxylic acid which is optionally substituted by, for example, alkanoylamino, such as 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-2-naphthoyl,2-acetamido-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-2-naphthoyl. The term xe2x80x9caralkanoylxe2x80x9d means an acyl radical derived from an aryl-substituted alkanecarboxylic acid such as phenylacetyl, 3-phenylpropionyl (hydrocinnamoyl), 4-phenylbutyryl, (2-naphthyl)acetyl, 4-chlorohydrocinnamoyl, 4-aminohydrocinnamoyl, 4-methoxyhydrocinnamoyl, and the like. The term xe2x80x9caroylxe2x80x9d means an acyl radical derived from an aromatic carboxylic acid. Examples of such radicals include aromatic carboxylic acids, an optionally substituted benzoic or naphthoic acid such as benzoyl, 4-chlorobenzoyl, 4-carboxybenzoyl, 4-(benzyloxycarbonyl)benzoyl, 1-naphthoyl, 2-naphthoyl, 6-carboxy-2 naphthoyl, 6-(benzyloxycarbonyl)-2-naphthoyl, 3-benzyloxy-2-naphthoyl, 3-hydroxy-2-naphthoyl, 3-(benzyloxyformamido)-2-naphthoyl, and the like. The heterocyclyl or heterocycloalkyl portion of a heterocyclylcarbonyl, heterocyclyloxycarbonyl, heterocyclylalkoxycarbonyl, or heterocyclyalkyl group or the like is a saturated or partially unsaturated monocyclic, bicyclic or tricyclic heterocycle which contains one or more hetero atoms selected from nitrogen, oxygen and sulphur, which is optionally substituted on one or more carbon atoms by halogen, alkyl, alkoxy, oxo, and the like, and/or on a secondary nitrogen atom (i.e., xe2x80x94NHxe2x80x94) by alkyl, aralkoxycarbonyl, alkanoyl, phenyl or phenylalkyl or on a tertiary nitrogen atom (i.e. xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94) by oxido and which is attached via a carbon atom. The heteroaryl portion of a heteroaroyl, heteroaryloxycarbonyl, or a heteroaralkoxy carbonyl group or the like is an aromatic monocyclic, bicyclic, or tricyclic heterocycle which contains the hetero atoms and is optionally substituted as defined above with respect to the definition of heterocyclyl. Examples of such heterocyclyl and heteroaryl groups are pyrrolidinyl, piperidinyl, piperazinyl, morpholinyl, thiamorpholinyl, pyrrolyl, imidazolyl (e.g., imidazol 4-yl, 1-benzyloxycarbonylimidazol-4-yl, etc.), pyrazolyl, pyridyl, pyrazinyl, pyrimidinyl, furyl, thienyl, triazolyl, oxazolyl, thiazolyl, indolyl (e.g., 2-indolyl, etc.), quinolinyl, (e.g., 2-quinolinyl, 3-quinolinyl, 1-oxido-2-quinolinyl, etc.), isoquinolinyl (e.g., 1-isoquinolinyl, 3-isoquinolinyl, etc.), tetrahydroquinolinyl (e.g., 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-2-quinolyl, etc.), 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolinyl (e.g., 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1-oxo-isoquinolinyl, etc.), quinoxalinyl, xcex2-carbolinyl, 2-benzofurancarbonyl, 1-,2-,4- or 5-benzimidazolyl, and the like. The term xe2x80x9ccycloalkylalkoxycarbonylxe2x80x9d means an acyl group derived from a cycloalkylalkoxycarboxylic acid of the formula cycloalkylalkyl-Oxe2x80x94COOH wherein cycloalkylalkyl has the significance given above. The term xe2x80x9caryloxyalkanoylxe2x80x9d means an acyl radical of the formula aryl-O-alkanoyl wherein aryl and alkanoyl have the significance given above. The term xe2x80x9cheterocyclyloxycarbonylxe2x80x9d means an acyl group derived from heterocyclyl-Oxe2x80x94COOH wherein heterocyclyl is as defined above. The term xe2x80x9cheterocyclylalkanoylxe2x80x9d is an acyl radical derived from a heterocyclyl-substituted alkane carboxylic acid wherein heterocyclyl has the significance given above. The term xe2x80x9cheterocyclylalkoxycarbonylxe2x80x9d means an acyl radical derived from a heterocyclyl-substituted alkane-Oxe2x80x94COOH wherein heterocyclyl has the significance given above. The term xe2x80x9cheteroaryloxycarbonylxe2x80x9d means an acyl radical derived from a carboxylic acid represented by heteroaryl-Oxe2x80x94COOH wherein heteroaryl has the significance given above. The term xe2x80x9caminocarbonylxe2x80x9d alone or in combination, means an amino-substituted carbonyl (carbamoyl) group derived from an amino-substituted carboxylic acid wherein the amino group can be a primary, secondary or tertiary amino group containing substituents selected from hydrogen, and alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl radicals and the like. The term xe2x80x9caminoalkanoylxe2x80x9d means an acyl group derived from an amino-substituted alkanecarboxylic acid wherein the amino group can be a primary, secondary or tertiary amino group containing substituents selected from hydrogen, and alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl radicals and the like. The term xe2x80x9chalogenxe2x80x9d means fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine. The term xe2x80x9cleaving groupxe2x80x9d generally refers to groups readily displaceable by a nucleophile, such as an amine, a thiol or an alcohol nucleophile. Such leaving groups are well known in the art. Examples of such leaving groups include N-hydroxysuccinimide, N-hydroxybenzotriazole, halides, triflates, tosylates and the like. Preferred leaving groups are indicated herein where appropriate.
Procedures for preparing the compounds of Formula I are set forth below. It should be noted that the general procedure is shown as it relates to preparation of compounds having the specified stereochemistry, for example, wherein the absolute stereochemistry about the hydroxyl group is designated as (R). However, such procedures are generally applicable, to those compounds of opposite configuration, e.g., where the stereochemistry about the hydroxyl group is (S). In addition, the compounds having the (R) stereochemistry can be utilized to produce those having the (S) stereochemistry. For example, a compound having the (R) stereochemistry can be inverted to the (S) stereochemistry using well-known methods.
The compounds of the present invention represented by Formula I above can be prepared utilizing the following general procedure. An N-protected chloroketone derivative of an amino acid having the formula:
wherein P represents an amino protecting group, and R2 is as defined above, is reduced to the corresponding alcohol utilizing an appropriate reducing agent. Suitable amino protecting groups are well known in the art and include carbobenzoxy, butyryl, t-butoxycarbonyl, acetyl, benzoyl and the like. A preferred amino protecting group is carbobenzoxy. A preferred N-protected chloroketone is N-benzyloxycarbonyl-L-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone. A preferred reducing agent is sodium borohydride. The reduction reaction is conducted at a temperature of from xe2x88x9210xc2x0 C. to about 25xc2x0 C., preferably at about 0xc2x0 C., in a suitable solvent system such as, for example, tetrahydrofuran, and the like. The N-protected chloroketones are commercially available e.g. such as from Bachem, Inc., Torrance, Calif. Alternatively, the chloroketones can be prepared by the procedure set forth in S. J. Fittkau, J. Prakt. Chem., 315, 1037 (1973), and subsequently N-protected utilizing procedures which are well known in the art.
The halo alcohol can be used directly, as described below, or, preferably, is then reacted, preferably at room temperature, with a suitable base in a suitable solvent system to produce an N-protected amino epoxide of the formula:
wherein P and R2 are as defined above. Suitable solvent systems for preparing the amino epoxide include ethanol, methanol, isopropanol, tetrahydrofuran, dioxane, and the like including mixtures thereof. Suitable bases for producing the epoxide from the reduced chloroketone include potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, potassium t-butoxide, DBU and the like. A preferred base is potassium hydroxide.
Alternatively, a protected amino epoxide can be prepared starting with an L-amino acid which is reacted with a suitable amino-protecting group in a suitable solvent to produce an amino-protected L-amino acid ester of the formula:
wherein P1 and P2 independently represent hydrogen, benzyl and amino-protecting groups as defined above with respect to P, provided that P1 and P2 are not both hydrogen; P3 represents a carboxyl protecting group such as methyl, ethyl, tertiary-butyl, benzyl, and the like, and R2 is as defined above.
The amino-protected L-amino acid ester is then reduced, to the corresponding alcohol. For example, the amino-protected L-amino acid ester can be reduced with diisobutylaluminum hydride at xe2x88x9278xc2x0 C. in a suitable solvent such as toluene. The resulting alcohol is then converted, for example, by way of a Swern oxidation, to the corresponding aldehyde of the formula:
wherein P1, P2 and R2 are as defined above. Thus, a dichloromethane solution of the alcohol is added to a cooled (xe2x88x9275 to xe2x88x9268xc2x0 C.) solution of oxalyl chloride in dichloromethane and DMSO in dichloromethane and stirred for 35 minutes.
The aldehyde resulting from the Swern oxidation is then reacted with a halomethyllithium reagent, which reagent is generated in situ by reacting an alkyllithium or arylithium compound with a dihalomethane represented by the formula X1CH2X2 wherein X1 and X2 independently represent I, Br or Cl. For example, a solution of the aldehyde and chloroiodomethane in THF is cooled to xe2x88x9278xc2x0 C. and a solution of n-butyllithium in hexane is added. The resulting product is a mixture of diastereomers of the corresponding amino-protected epoxides of the formulas:
The diastereomers can be separated, e.g., by chromatography or, alternatively, once reacted in subsequent steps the diastereomeric products can be separated. For compounds having the (S) stereochemistry, a D-amino acid can be utilized in place of the L-amino acid.
The amino epoxide is then reacted, in a suitable solvent system, with an equal amount, or preferably an excess of, a desired amine of the formula:
R3NH2
wherein R3 is hydrogen or is as defined above. The reaction can be conducted over a wide range of temperatures, e.g., from about 10xc2x0 C. to about 100xc2x0 C., but is preferably, but not necessarily, conducted at a temperature at which the solvent begins to reflux. Suitable solvent systems include protic, non-protic and dipolar aprotic solvents, such as, for example, those wherein the solvent is an alcohol, such as methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, and the like, ethers such as tetrahydrofuran, dioxane and the like, and toluene, N,N-dimethylformamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, and mixtures thereof. A preferred solvent is isopropanol. Exemplary amines corresponding to the formula R3NH2 include benzyl amine, isobutylamine, n-butyl amine, isopentyl amine, isoamylamine, cyclohexanemethyl amine, naphthylene methyl amine and the like. The resulting product is a 3-(N-protected amino)-3-(R2)-1-(NHR3)-propan-2-ol derivative (hereinafter referred to as an amino alcohol) can be represented by the formulas:
wherein P, P1, P2, R2 and R3 are as described above. Alternatively, a haloalcohol can be utilized in place of the amino epoxide,
The amino alcohol defined above is then reacted in a suitable solvent with a sulfonyl chloride (R4SO2Cl) or sulfonyl anhydride in the presence of an acid scavenger. Suitable solvents in which the reaction can be conducted include methylene chloride, tetrahydrofaran and the like. Suitable acid scavangers include triethylamine, pyridine and the like. Preferred sulfonyl chlorides are methanesulfonyl chloride and benzenesulfonyl chloride. The resulting sulfonamide derivative can be represented, depending on the epoxide utilized by the formulas:
wherein P, P1, P2, R2, R3 and R4 are as defined above.
The sulfonyl halides of the formula R4SO2X can be prepared by the reaction of a suitable Grignard or alkyl lithium reagent with sulfuryl chloride, or sulfur dioxide followed by oxidation with a halogen, preferably chlorine. Also, thiols may be oxidized to sulfonyl chlorides using chlorine in the presence of water under carefully controlled conditions. Additionally, sulfonic acids may be converted to sulfonyl halides using reagents such as PCl5, and also to anhydrides using suitable dehydrating reagents. The sulfonic acids may in turn be prepared using procedures well known in the art. Such sulfonic acids are also commercially available.
In place of the sulfonyl halides, sulfinyl halides (R4SOX) or sulfenyl halides (R4SX) can be utilized to prepare compounds wherein the xe2x80x94SO2xe2x80x94 moiety is replaced by an xe2x80x94SOxe2x80x94 or xe2x80x94Sxe2x80x94 moiety, respectively.
Following preparation of the sulfonamide derivative, the amino protecting group P or P1 and P2 is removed under conditions which will not affect the remaining portion of the molecule. These methods are well known in the art and include acid hydrolysis, hydrogenolysis and the like. A preferred method involves removal of the protecting group, e.g., removal of a carbobenzoxy group, by hydrogenolysis utilizing palladium on carbon in a suitable solvent system such as an alcohol, acetic acid, and the like or mixtures thereof. Where the protecting group is a t-butoxycarbonyl group, it can be removed utilizing an inorganic or organic acid, e.g., HCl or trifluoroacetic acid, in a suitable solvent system, e.g., dioxane or methylene chloride. The resulting product is the amine salt derivative. Where the protecting group is a benzyl radical, it can be removed by hydrogenolysis. Following neutralization of the salt, the amine is then reacted with a succinic acid as described below
To produce the succinic acid portion of the compounds of Formula I, the starting material is a lactate of the formula:
wherein Pxe2x80x3 represents alkyl and aralkyl radicals, such as, for example, ethyl, methyl, benzyl and the like. The hydroxyl group of the lactate is protected as its ketal by reaction in a suitable solvent system with methyl isopropenyl ether (1,2-methoxypropene) in the presence of a suitable acid. Suitable solvent systems include methylene chloride, tetrahydrofuran and the like as well as mixtures thereof. Suitable acids include POCl3 and the like. It should be noted that well-known groups other than methyl isopropenyl ether can be utilized to form the ketal. The ketal is then reduced with diisobutylaluminum hydride (DIBAL) at xe2x88x9278xc2x0 C. to produce the corresponding aldehyde which is then treated with ethylidene triphenylphosphorane (Wittig reaction) to produce a compound represented by the formula:
The ketal protecting group is then removed utilizing procedures well-known in the art such as by mild acid hydrolysis. The resulting compound is then esterified with isobutyryl chloride to produce a compound of the formula:
This compound is then treated with lithium diisopropyl amide at xe2x88x9278xc2x0 C. followed by warming of the reaction mixture to room temperature to effect a Claisen rearrangement ([3,3]) to produce the corresponding acid represented by the formula:
Those skilled in the art will recognize that variations on this scheme are possible, using either different protecting groups or reagents to carry out the same transformations. One can also utilize other acid chlorides in place of isobutyryl chloride to prepare similar analogs.
Treatment of the acid with benzyl bromide in the presence of a tertiary amine base, e.g., DBU, produces the corresponding ester which is then cleaved oxidatively to give a trisubstituted succinic acid:
The trisubstituted succinic acid is then coupled to the sulfonamide isostere utilizing procedures well known in the art. To produce the free acid, the benzyl ester is removed by hydrogenolysis to produce the corresponding acid. The acid can then be converted to the primary amide by methods well-known in the art. The resulting product is a compound represented by Formula I.
An alternative method for preparing trisubstituted succinic acids involves reacting an ester of acetoacetic acid represented by the formula:
where R is a suitable protecting group, such as methyl, ethyl, benzyl or t-butyl with sodium hydride and a hydrocarbyl halide (R31X or R32X) in a suitable solvent, e.g., THF, to produce the corresponding disubstituted derivative represented by the formula:
This disubstituted acetoacetic acid derivative is then treated with lithium diisopropyl amide at about xe2x88x9210xc2x0 C. and in the presence of PhN(triflate)2 to produce a vinyl triflate of the formula:
The vinyl triflate is then carbonylated utilizing a palladium catalyst, e.g., Pd(OAc)2 and Ph3P, in the presence of an alcohol (Rxe2x80x3OH) or water (Rxe2x80x3=H) and a base, e.g., triethylamine, in a suitable solvent such as DMF, to produce the olefinic ester or acid of the formula:
The olefin can then be subsequently asymmetrically hydrogenated, as described below, to produce a trisubstituted succinic acid derivative of the formula:
If Rxe2x80x3 is not H, Rxe2x80x3 can be removed by either hydrolysis, acidolysis, or hydrogenolysis, to afford the corresponding acid, which is then coupled to the sulfonamide isostere as described above and then, optionally, the R group removed to produce the corresponding acid, and optionally, converted to the amide.
Alternatively, one can react the sulfonamide isostere with either a suitably monoprotected succinic acid or glutaric acid of the following structure;
followed by removal of the protecting group and conversion of the resulting acid to an amide. One can also react an anhydride of the following structure;
with the sulfonamide isostere and then separate any isomers or convert the resulting acid to an amide and then separate any isomers.
It is contemplated that for preparing compounds of the Formulas having R6, the compounds can be prepared following the procedure set forth above and, prior to coupling the sufonamide derivative to the succinic acid portion of the molecule carried through a procedure referred to in the art as reductive amination. Thus, a sodium cyanoborohydride and an appropriate aldehyde or ketone can be reacted with the sulfonamide derivative compound or appropriate analog at room temperature in order to reductively aminate any of the compounds of Formulas I-III. It is also contemplated that where R3 of the amino alcohol intermediate is hydrogen, the inhibitor compounds can be prepared through reductive amination of the final product of the reaction between the amino alcohol and the amine or at any other stage of the synthesis for preparing the inhibitor compounds.
Contemplated equivalents of the general formulas set forth above for the antiviral compounds and derivatives as well as the intermediates are compounds otherwise corresponding thereto and having the same general properties wherein one or more of the various R groups are simple variations of the substituents as defined therein, e.g., wherein R is a higher alkyl group than that indicated. In addition, where a substituent is designated as, or can be, a hydrogen, the exact chemical nature of a substituent which is other than hydrogen at that position, e.g., a hydrocarbyl radical or a halogen, hydroxy, amino and the like functional group, is not critical so long as it does not adversely affect the overall activity and/or synthesis procedure.
The chemical reactions described above are generally disclosed in terms of their broadest application to the preparation of the compounds of this invention. Occasionally, the reactions may not be applicable as described to each compound included within the disclosed scope. The compounds for which this occurs will be readily recognized by those skilled in the art. In all such cases, either the reactions can be successfully performed by conventional modifications known to those skilled in the art, e.g., by appropriate protection of interfering groups, by changing to alternative conventional reagents, by routine modification of reaction conditions, and the like, or other reactions disclosed herein or otherwise conventional, will be applicable to the preparation of the corresponding compounds of this invention. In all preparative methods, all starting materials are known or readily preparable from known starting materials.
Without further elaboration, it is believed that one skilled in the art can, using the preceding description, utilize the present invention to its fullest extent. The following preferred specific embodiments are, therefore, to be construed as merely illustrative, and not limitative of the remainder of the disclosure in any way whatsoever.
All reagents were used as received without purification. All proton and carbon NMR spectra were obtained on either a Varian VXR-300 or VXR-400 nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer.

Succinoylamino hydroxyethylamino sulfonamides useful as retroviral protease inhibitors


An opening-closing mechanism for a hinged panel or sectional overhead garage door which is located laterally along the top door panel and has an integrally associated electric motor and speed reduction drive component located mediate of and for a direct reaction with opposed vertical and horizontal gear and roller guide tracks having a specific curvature in the area of transition movement of door panels from vertical to horizontal.

The present invention relates to the easy installation and safe operation of a residential garage or hinged panel "overhead" door of the general style and type as earlier disclosed by two (2) patents issued to K. E. Johanson: U.S. Pat. No. 2,015,402, 9/1935 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,568,808, 9/1951.
Conventional installation of hinged panel overhead door requires a garage opening with plumb vertical jambs and a level header, work normally done by a competent construction carpenter. The installer checks the opening, which must be the same size as the door, and mounts various components of bottom section hardware on the vertical jambs and the garage ceiling behind the header. The hardware includes mounting brackets, rollers, hinges, two vertical and horizontal metal roller guide tracks, left hand and right hand, and the laterally hinged panels, four or five, of the door.
In conventional installations, the multiple hinged panels closing the garage opening are counter-balanced during opening and closing movement relative to the roller guide tracks by strong springs. The most recent counter-balance systems known to the inventor use either dual extension springs mounted above the left and right hand horizontal tracks or torsion springs mounted on the level header above the door opening.
It is known to the inventor and others familiar with the garage door industry that a counter balance system with torsion springs mounted on the level header above the door opening require that the original or professional door installer use special lever bars for adjusting door balance during opening and closing movement. Typically, accidents occur where homeowners decide to adjust or replace torsion springs as a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) home improvement project. Few homeowners have access to the special lever bars used by the professional. Such a bar is a 24" to 36" length of tempered steel that inserts through round openings in journal sleeves attached to the ends of the springs. A homeowner will often use a screwdriver. In most cases, accident victims grossly underestimate the resultant torque of the springs being wound by turning of a journal sleeve and could lose control of the screwdriver.
The inventor has determined that installation, operation and homeowner routine maintenance of a hinged panel overhead garage door will be improved by having an opening-closing or door raising and lowering mechanism which is mounted laterally along the upper most or top door panel. The opening-closing mechanism will have an integrally associated electric motor and gear reduction drive component located mediate of and for a direct reaction with opposed vertical and horizontal gear and roller guide tracks. It has been further determined that a specific curvature for opposed guide tracks in the area of transition movement of door panels from vertical to horizontal is to be preferred.


Optical component for illumination purposes, wherein the optical component comprises a monolithic body of transparent material, the monolithic body including a first light entry face, a first optically operative light exit face, a second optically operative light entry, and a second optically operative light exit face.

DE 203 20 546 U1 discloses a lens blank-molded on both sides and having a curved surface, a planar surface and a retention edge integrally molded onto the lens' edge, wherein a supporting edge of a thickness of at least 0.2 mm and projecting with respect to the planar surface is integrally formed onto the retention edge. Herein, the supporting edge is integrally formed onto the outer circumference of the headlight lens. A further headlight lens having a supporting edge is disclosed e.g. by DE 10 2004 048 500 A1.
DE 20 2004 005 936 U1 discloses a lens for illuminating purposes, in particular a lens for a headlight for mapping or imaging light emitted from a light source and reflected by a reflector for generating a predetermined illumination pattern, said lens having two surfaces opposing each other, wherein areas of different optical dispersion effects are provided on at least a first surface.
DE 103 15 131 A1 discloses a headlight for vehicles having at least one extensive luminous field including a plurality of illuminating element (diode)-chips and an optical element arranged in the light path of the light beam emitted by the luminous field, wherein the illuminating element-chips of the luminous field are arranged in a common recess, and that the recess, on a side facing the direction of light emission, has an outer edge which, in relation to the elimination element-chips, is spatially arranged such that a predetermined gradient of light density is formed in a light dispersion of the headlight in the area of the outer edges.
DE 10 2004 043 706 A1 discloses an optical system for a motor vehicle headlight for dispersing a beam of light rays from an illuminant, with an optical primary element having an optical face including a break or discontinuity extending along a line, being provided, wherein the optical face is formed to be smooth at least on one side adjacent the discontinuity so that the beam of light rays is separated into two partial beams of light rays. Herein, it is provided that at least one of the partial beams of light rays has a sharp edge of limitation. Moreover, the optical system comprises an optical secondary element for mapping the sharp edge of limitation on to a predetermined light-dark-boundary.
EP 1 357 333 A2 discloses a light source device for a vehicle light which has an element emitting semiconductor light, which element is arranged on an optical axis of the light source device and emits its light essentially in an orthogonal direction with regard to the optical axis.
DE 10 2008 026 626 A1 discloses an illumination system including a surface-emitting diode and a central optical element which, together with the surface-emitting diode is aligned in relation to an optical axis, and by which light beams emitted essentially in parallel to the axis from the surface-emitting diode pass unfractured.
DE 1 165 514 discloses an axially symmetrical collective lens, in particular for signals, headlights and condenser systems which lens images/maps a light spot virtually or at infinity, exempt from spherical aberration.
Further illumination facilities in context with vehicles are disclosed by DE 42 09 957 A1, DE 41 21 673 A1, DE 43 20 554 A1, DE 195 26 512 A1, DE 10 2009 008 631 A1, U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,168 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,690.
It is, in particular, an object of the invention to suggest an improved optical element for illumination purposes. It is a further object of the invention to reduce the costs for manufacturing optical elements for illumination purposes.


A method for constructing a magnetoresistive sensor that avoids shadowing effects of a mask structure during sensor definition. The method includes the use of an antireflective coating (ARC) and a photosensitive mask deposited there over. The photosensitive mask is formed to cover a desired sensor area, leaving non-sensor areas exposed. A reactive ion etch is performed to transfer the pattern of the photosensitive mask onto the underlying ARC layer. The reactive ion etch (RIE) is performed with a relatively high amount of platen power. The higher platen power increases ion bombardment of the wafer, thereby increasing the physical (ie mechanical) component of material removal relative to the chemical component. This increase in the physical component of material removal result in an increased rate of removal of the photosensitive mask material relative to the ion mill resistant mask. This avoids the formation of a bulbous or mushroom shaped photoresist mask and therefore, avoids shadowing effects during subsequent manufacturing processes.

The heart of a computer is an assembly that is referred to as a magnetic disk drive. The magnetic disk drive includes a rotating magnetic disk, write and read heads that are suspended by a suspension arm adjacent to a surface of the rotating magnetic disk and an actuator that swings the suspension arm to place the read and write heads over selected circular tracks on the rotating disk. The read and write heads are directly located on a slider that has an air bearing surface (ABS). The suspension arm biases the slider into contact with the surface of the disk when the disk is not rotating but, when the disk rotates, a thin layer of air develops between the slider and the rotating disk. When the slider rides on this air bearing, the write and read heads are employed for writing magnetic impressions to and reading magnetic impressions from the rotating disk. The read and write heads are connected to processing circuitry that operates according to a computer program to implement the writing and reading functions.
The write head includes a coil layer embedded in insulation layers (insulation stack), the insulation stack being sandwiched between first and second pole piece layers. A gap is formed between the first and second pole piece layers by a gap layer at an air bearing surface (ABS) of the write head and the pole piece layers are connected at a back gap. Current conducted to the coil layer induces a magnetic flux in the pole pieces which causes a magnetic field to fringe out at a write gap at the ABS for the purpose of writing the aforementioned magnetic impressions in tracks on the moving media, such as in circular tracks on the aforementioned rotating disk.
In recent read head designs a spin valve sensor, also referred to as a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) sensor, has been employed for sensing magnetic fields from the rotating magnetic disk. The sensor includes a nonmagnetic conductive layer, hereinafter referred to as a spacer layer, sandwiched between first and second ferromagnetic layers, hereinafter referred to as a pinned layer and a free layer. First and second leads are connected to the spin valve sensor for conducting a sense current therethrough. The magnetization of the pinned layer is pinned perpendicular to the air bearing surface (ABS) and the magnetic moment of the free layer is located parallel to the ABS, but free to rotate in response to external magnetic fields. The magnetization of the pinned layer is typically pinned by exchange coupling with an antiferromagnetic layer.
The thickness of the spacer layer is chosen to be less than the mean free path of conduction electrons through the sensor. With this arrangement, a portion of the conduction electrons is scattered by the interfaces of the spacer layer with each of the pinned and free layers. When the magnetizations of the pinned and free layers are parallel with respect to one another, scattering is minimal and when the magnetizations of the pinned and free layer are antiparallel, scattering is maximized. Changes in scattering alter the resistance of the spin valve sensor in proportion to cos ⊖, where ⊖ is the angle between the magnetizations of the pinned and free layers. In a read mode the resistance of the spin valve sensor changes proportionally to the magnitudes of the magnetic fields from the rotating disk. When a sense current is conducted through the spin valve sensor, resistance changes cause potential changes that are detected and processed as playback signals.
When a spin valve sensor employs a single pinned layer it is referred to as a simple spin valve. When a spin valve employs an antiparallel (AP) pinned layer it is referred to as an AP pinned spin valve. An AP spin valve includes first and second magnetic layers separated by a thin non-magnetic coupling layer such as Ru. The thickness of the spacer layer is chosen so as to antiparallel couple the magnetizations of the ferromagnetic layers of the pinned layer. A spin valve is also known as a top or bottom spin valve depending upon whether the pinning layer is at the top (formed after the free layer) or at the bottom (before the free layer).
The spin valve sensor is located between first and second nonmagnetic electrically insulating read gap layers and the first and second read gap layers are located between ferromagnetic first and second shield layers. In a merged magnetic head a single ferromagnetic layer functions as the second shield layer of the read head and as the first pole piece layer of the write head. In a piggyback head the second shield layer and the first pole piece layer are separate layers.
Magnetization of the pinned layer is usually fixed by exchange coupling one of the ferromagnetic layers (AP1) with a layer of antiferromagnetic material such as PtMn. While an antiferromagnetic (AFM) material such as PtMn does not in and of itself have a magnetization, when exchange coupled with a magnetic material, it can strongly pin the magnetization of the ferromagnetic layer.
Traditionally, GMR sensors have been constructed as current in plane (CIP) GMR sensors, wherein current flows through the sensor from one side to the other in a direction parallel with the planes of the layers making up the sensor. More recently, increased attention has been focused on current perpendicular to plane (CPP) GMR sensors. As its name suggests, in a CPP sensor, current flows through the sensor from top to bottom in a direction perpendicular to the planes of the layers making up the sensor.
Another type of magenetoresistive sensor is a tunnel junction sensor (TMR) or tunnel valve. A tunnel valve includes a pinned layer and a free layer, similar to a GMR sensor. However, instead of having a non-magnetic electrically conductive spacer layer between the free and pinned layers, a tunnel valve has a thin dielectric, non-magnetic barrier layer, which can be constructed of for example alumina Al2O3. A tunnel valve operates based on the spin dependent scattering of electrons through the thin barrier layer. When the magnetic moments of the free and the pinned layer are aligned parallel with one another, electrons much more readily pass through the barrier layer than when they are the moments are antiparallel. Therefore, current travels through a tunnel valve in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the layers making up the sensor, similar to a current perpendicular to plane (CPP) GMR.
With reference to FIG. 1A, magnetoresitive sensors have traditionally been constructed by a method that includes first depositing the sensor layers 102 as full film layers, on a substrate 104, which can be for example an alumina gap layer, or in the case of a CPP GMR or tunnel valve could be an electrically conductive magnetic material such as NiFe. Then, a full film layer of material that is resistant to chemical mechanical polishing (CMP stop) 106 is deposited. A layer 108 of antireflective coating (ARC) material, such as Duramide, that is resistant to removal by ion milling is then deposited over the CMP resistant material 106. A mask 110 that includes one or more layers of a photoreactive material such as photoresist is then formed to cover the area where the sensor is desired and exposing other portions. A reactive etching process is then used to remove the ARC and CMP resistant materials.
With reference now to FIG. 1B, a reactive ion etch 112 is then performed to remove portions of the ion mill resistant layer 108 and CMP stop 106 that are not covered by the photoresist mask 110. This process is known in the industry as transferring the image of the photoresist mask 110 onto the underlying mask layers 106, 108. The RIE process used to transfer the image of the photoresist mask onto the underlying layers 106, 108 is chosen to be a RIE process that can readily remove the materials making up the underlying layers 106, 108.
With reference to FIG. 1B, it can be seen that, since the RIE process used to perform the image transfer preferentially removes the layer 108 at a faster rate than it removes the photoresist layer 110, a bulbous or mushroom shape forms on the mask layers 106, 108, 110. Sensor performance depends, to large extent on the clean and precise definition of the sensor by the ion mill process. For example, the trackwidth of the sensor is determined by this ion milling procedure, so accurate location of the side walls is critical. In addition, accurate definition of the trackwidth depends upon having a sharp sensor edge that is as close to vertical as possible. A sloping sensor side wall results in a poorly defined trackwidth. Furthermore, a clean vertical side wall is necessary for efficient free layer biasing, since the hard bias layers will abut this side wall.
Unfortunately, the bulbous mask structure prevents clean, accurate sensor definition. For example, the bulbous mask structure results in shadowing during the image transfer process and during the sensor defining ion mill process. In addition, the bulbous mask shape result in non-uniform deposition of layers such as hard bias layers and lead layers.
Therefore, there is a strong felt need for a method for defining the track width and stripe height of a magnetoresistive sensor that overcomes the shadowing problems resulting from the bulbous mask structure described above. Such a method would preferably not result in significant added expense or process time and would preferably incorporate already implemented manufacturing processes.

Method to control mask profile for read sensor definition


A sealing cap of metallic material, particularly for antibiotic, infusion and transfusion bottles, provided with a hole (7) on its upper wall (5), tightly closed by a metallic foil (8) substantially covering the whole wall (5) and provided with a knurled grip tongue (10) that does not project beyond the outline of the cap (2).

The invention relates to an aluminium sealing cap, especially for antibiotic, infusion and transfusion bottles. Sealing caps of said kind are already known and proposed in various forms.
Said caps are provided on their upper wall with a blanked disk or a hole closed by an auxiliary element, removable during bottle utilization in order to allow access to an underlying rubber seal which is pricked by a syringe needle.
Said known caps give no sufficient security against dust or bacteria infiltrations which may reach the rubber seal outer surface, endangering the sterilization of the syringe needle which has to perforate the rubber seal.
The removal of the blanked disk or the auxiliary element appears moreover a rather laborious operation, and is often necessary to accomplish it with the aid of a tool.
The Italian model application no. 22314 B/82 of July 2, 1982, in the name of the same applicant, CAPSULIT S.p.A., shows a sealing cap for bottles of the above mentioned kind provided with a central hole covered with a metallic foil which preferably occupies a portion of the cap upper wall and shows a projecting grip tongue in order to facilitate its removal.
A cap so shaped offers a good sealing against dust and bacteria infiltrations and appears to be easily useable.
Anyway some inconveniences were found during the bottle filling and closing in the cap fitting machines, such as jammings of the said machines, due to the presence of the tongue projecting from the metallic foil covering the caps.

Sealing cap especially for antibiotic, infusion and transfusion bottles


A method of forming a diamond film on a substrate comprises the steps of depositing carbon on said substrate in vacuum by vapor deposition, and irradiating accelerated ions onto said substrate, said ions being obtained by ionizing a gas composed of at least one of a hydrogen gas, inert gases, hydrocarbon gases, organic compound gases and silicon base gases.

The present invention relates to a method of forming a thin diamond film.
Conventionally, a thin diamond film has been formed (synthesized) on a substrate by means of the chemical gaseous phase growth method such as plasma CVD and photo CVD methods using hydrocarbon or organic compound gases.
Under the aforesaid conventional methods, however, the following problems have been present:
(1) Use of the hydrocarbon or organic compound gas causes graphite to separate as diamond crystals grow.
(2) The quality of the material usable for a substrate is limited to a great extent because the substrate and the gaseous atmosphere must be heated to high temperatures (e.g., about 800.degree. C. -1000.degree. C.).
(3) The kinetic energy of the ions produced in the gas phase roughly ranges from several 10 to several 100 eV to the atmost so that the energy of the ions arriving at the substrate is extremely small. Thus a diamond film is not fixedly adhered to the substrate and is apt to peel off.


The integrated circuit includes a power driving device, and a pilot device for sensing current through the power driving device. The pilot device includes a composite pilot having a plurality of series connected transistors and which is at least active while the power driving device is in a linear mode, and a secondary pilot which is active while the power driving device is in a saturation mode. Also, a control circuit activates the secondary pilot.

The present invention relates to integrated circuits, and more particularly, to a pilot-sensor style power output of an integrated circuit.
Often, a high-power output from an integrated circuit (IC) must have a fail-safe current limiting function built-in to the device to prevent damage either to the IC or the load which it must drive. There are two conventional methods to sense the current through the IC driver output. The simpler method uses an explicit or parasitic resistance in the current path. This resistance, which must be predictable, causes a voltage drop which can be compared to a reference voltage. This voltage drop across the sense resistance is usually undesirable because it reduces the output voltage swing and generates on-chip power waste.
The second method introduces no series voltage drop in the output path, but instead builds a parallel, sense field effect transistor (FET), also known as a pilot device, which runs at a known reference current level. This pilot device is matched exactly to the driver (i.e. the power FET), except the pilot device is scaled down significantly in size and in current from the driver. In this way, the pilot and the driver will be running the same current densities at the trip-point for the limiter (the maximum driver current).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,084 to Wrathall describes a current sensing circuit with a pilot sense transistor having a sensing resistor in its source leg. The pilot sense transistor is a portion of a large switching transistor and so variations in the large switching transistor can be accurately tracked by the pilot sense transistor. An operational amplifier monitors the signal provided by the sensing resistor for providing feedback information to a driver circuit. Wrathall describes another apparatus for sensing load current in U.S. Pat. No. 4,820,968 which uses a sense resistor in the leg of a current mirroring transistor to convert a mirrored current into a voltage. This voltage is then compared to a reference voltage generated by a reference current which is a equal to a portion of the load current.
The drawbacks to the pilot sensor method are that the pilot reference current is waste-current, and that the scaled-match from pilot to driver becomes more difficult and improbable if the ratio is very large (e.g. 50,000:1). There is, in fact, a trade-off between the waste-current used and increasingly large size ratio. If the IC is to have low power dissipation and accepts the very large ratio of sizes between the pilot and driver FETS, either the current limiter tolerances must be made very loose in the specification, or the part will have to be trimmed to compensate for the inaccuracies of fabrication. Trimming the part adds cost to the part due to increased test time and chip area consumed by the trim circuit.
In view of the foregoing background, it is therefore an object of the invention to provide a circuit and associated method for sensing current in a power output of an integrated circuit with low power dissipation, reduced need to trim the circuit, and reduced sensitivity to variations in fabrication.
This and other objects, features and advantages in accordance with the present invention are provided by an integrated circuit including a power driving device, and a pilot device for sensing current through the power driving device. The pilot device includes a composite pilot having a plurality of series connected transistors operative at least while the power driving device is in a linear mode, and a secondary pilot operative while the power driving device is operating in a saturation mode. Also, a control circuit activates the secondary pilot.
Preferably, the power driving device comprises a power field effect transistor (FET), and the composite pilot and the secondary pilot comprise sense FETs scaled and matched to the power FET. The pilot device generates a reference voltage and an amplifier may compare the reference voltage with a source voltage of the power FET. Such an amplifier controls gate voltages of the power FET and the sense FETs.
The pilot device also includes a first current source connected to the composite pilot, and a second current source connected to the secondary pilot. The control circuit controls the second current source to activate the secondary pilot. The control circuit may comprise an over-current detector for detecting whether the power driving device is operating in the saturation mode. Furthermore, the composite pilot may comprise at least twenty series connected sense FETs.
Objects, features and advantages in accordance with the present invention are also provided by a method of regulating current in an integrated circuit including a power driving device. The method includes sensing current through the power driving device and generating a reference voltage with a first pilot at least while the power driving device is in a linear mode, detecting whether the power driving device is in a saturation mode, and sensing current through the power driving device and generating the reference voltage with a second pilot while the power driving device is in the saturation mode. The method may also include comparing the reference voltage with a source voltage of the power FET and controlling gate voltages of the power FET and the sense FETs based upon the comparison of the reference voltage with the source voltage of the power FET.

Integrated circuit with current sense circuit and associated methods


A cleaning attachment configured for mounting a conventional household sponge to the chuck of a cordless electric screwdriver. The cleaning attachment relieves a person of the manual labor involved in scrubbing a surface with a sponge by hand. The cleaning attachment also eliminates the need to purchase a specialized sponge that is designed and sold specifically to operate in conjunction with a rotary tool. The sponge can be easily dismounted, flipped over, and reattached for continued use.

The present invention relates to attachments for power tools and more particularly to attachments for power tools for use in cleaning.
Manual and powered cleaning tools are known in the art, including, for example, handheld battery-powered rotary scrubbing tools made to receive brushes and scrub pads among other attachments, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,268 to Murphy et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,102 to Madison. Handheld power scrubbers are also available from Black & Decker. However, the tools cited above are all specialized devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,231 to Nacar discloses a brush attachment for a power tool such as an electric drill. U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,887 to Synowski discloses a polishing and buffing attachment for mounting to a rotating tool, the attachment including an elongate head member with an outer padded layer. Design Pat. No. 292,834 to Slachta discloses a design for an electric drill attachment for mounting cleaning pads or the like.
The above-referenced patents and products are representative examples of the prior art. However, a need remains for improved cleaning devices and methods employing handheld rotary tools. More particularly, there remains a need for more effective, easy-to-use cleaning attachments for rotary tools, and a need for cleaning methods which save labor without expensive equipment in the household and especially in commercial applications such as bars and restaurants where it is essential to control operating costs.

Cleaning attachment for handheld rotary tool


A vapor deposition mask including a metallic substrate provided with a plurality of openings for passing vapor deposition particles, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of openings are structured by one or more opening groups in which the plurality of openings are repeatedly arranged in accordance with a constant rule, and a plurality of protrusions of identical height are arranged to support the entire substrate from one side, and are provided only outside the opening group formation region.

In recent years, a variety of flat panel displays have been developed. In particular, from the viewpoints of achieving low power consumption, thinning, high image quality, and the like, organic (Electroluminescent) EL display devices have attracted significant attention as excellent flat panel displays.
In the manufacturing process of such organic EL display devices, in many cases a separately patterning vapor deposition method is used to form a vapor deposition film that includes a high-definition light emitting layer on a substrate.
When such a separately patterning vapor deposition method is used to carry out a vapor deposition, there can be problems where, when the separately patterning vapor deposition mask and the substrate on which the vapor deposition film is formed are completely adhered to one another when the vapor deposition is performed, then defects may occur in the vapor deposition film after the vapor deposition when separating the separately patterning vapor deposition mask from the substrate. Explaining specifically by way of example, first, after forming a red light-emitting layer on a substrate using a separately patterning vapor deposition mask for forming a red light-emitting layer, in the case where a green light-emitting layer is formed on the substrate by using a separately patterning vapor deposition mask for forming a green light-emitting layer in which an opening is formed at a position different from the separately patterning vapor deposition mask for forming the red light-emitting layer, when the vapor deposition and the substrate on which the red light-emitting layer are completed adhered to one another and vapor deposition is performed, the non-opening portion of the separately patterning vapor deposition mask for forming the green light-emitting layer is in direct contact with the red light-emitting layer on the substrate, such that defects may occur in the red light-emitting layer when separating the separately patterning vapor deposition mask for forming the green light-emitting layer from the substrate.
In order to solve such problems, the following attempts have been made thus far.
FIGS. 18A and 18B are diagrams for explaining a case in which edge covers 108a and 108b having different heights are formed in the same active matrix substrate 100, and the active matrix substrate 100 and the separately patterning vapor deposition mask 101 do not completely adhere to one another as a result of the tall height of the edge cover 108b.
As illustrated in FIG. 18A, an edge cover 108b with a tall height is provided on the surface of the active matrix substrate 100 opposing the separately patterning vapor deposition mask 101, a constant distance can be maintained due to the edge cover 108 such that the active matrix substrate 100 and the separately patterning vapor deposition mask 101 do not completely adhere to one another.
In a state where the active matrix substrate 100 and the separately patterning vapor deposition mask 101 are maintained at a constant distance, the vapor deposition particles emitted from a vapor deposition source (not shown) may be formed in a predetermined shape on the active matrix substrate 100 via the opening 103 of the separately patterning vapor deposition mask 101.
FIG. 18B is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the active matrix substrate 100.
As illustrated in the figures, the active matrix substrate 100 may have a configuration in which a TFT element 105, an interlayer insulating film 106 which is a flattening film, an electrode 107, and edge covers 108a and 108b are provided on a substrate 104.
The primary role of the edge covers (also referred to as banks) is to be formed so as to cover the end portion of the electrode 107 in order to prevent vapor deposition films such as the light emitting layers from being thinly formed at the end portion of the electrode 107 and prevent short circuits from occurring between the electrode 107 and the opposing electrode (not shown). Then, considering that a shared layer (for example, an electrode layer opposing the electrode 107) is formed in a level shape in a subsequent process, it is difficult to form the height of the edge cover to be greater than or equal to a predetermined height.
Accordingly, in the active matrix substrate 100, the edge cover formed at the boundary of the active area in which the plurality of electrodes 107 are regularly formed may be an edge cover 108b with a tall height (a height of 2 μm), and the edge cover formed within the active area may be an edge cover 108a with a low height (a height of 1 μm).
By using the active matrix substrate 100 when performing vapor deposition with the separately patterning vapor deposition method, as the active matrix substrate 100 and the separately patterning vapor deposition mask 101 can be maintained at a constant distance by the edge cover 108b so as not to completely adhere to one another, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of defects in the vapor deposition film such as the light-emitting layer or the like when separating the separately patterning vapor deposition mask 101 from the active matrix substrate 100.
In addition, PTL1 describes a configuration in which a protrusion is provided on the side of a separately patterning vapor deposition mask.
FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the separately patterning vapor deposition mask 201 disclosed in PTL1.
As illustrated in the figure, the separately patterning vapor deposition mask 201 includes a mask body 202 and a frame body 203, and on a surface of the mask body 202 opposite to the substrate on which the vapor deposition film is to be formed, protrusions 205 are formed between openings 204 adjacent in the vertical direction of the figure.
By using the separately patterning vapor deposition mask 201 when vapor deposition is carried out using the separately patterning vapor deposition method, as the separately patterning vapor deposition mask 201 and the substrate on which the vapor deposition film is to be formed can be prevented from completely adhering to one another, it is disclosed that it is possible to suppress the occurrence of defects in the vapor deposition film such as the light-emitting layer or the like when separating the separately patterning vapor deposition mask 201 from the substrate on which the vapor deposition film is formed.

Vapor deposition mask and manufacturing method for organic EL display device


A modular robotic system is provided with one or more robotic arm sets constructed from modular components and controlled by a central processor to displace an end effector or tool through a desired movement or movements as a function of time. Each arm set comprises a custom assembled combination of passive and active members of selected sizes and shapes, wherein each active member includes a drive motor for rotating a driven member with one degree of mechanical freedom. The active members of each arm set are connected to the central processor via a common communications cable for receiving position commands in the form of end effector position signals. The active members include individual on-board microprocessors for translating each end effector position signal to obtain individualized displacements of the active members which, in combination, result in the desired end effector displacement.

This invention relates generally to robotic systems for displacing an end effector or tool through a prescribed path of motion for automated performance, for example, of manufacturing processes and the like. More specifically, this invention relates to an improved robotic system of modular construction and a related method of operation wherein an end effector position signal is coupled to multiple movable members and individually interpreted to derive individualized component movements.
A variety of robotic mechanisms are known in the art particularly for use in automated performance of various manufacturing processes and the like. Such robotic mechanisms typically comprise an assembly of mechanical components, some of which are configured to accommodate displacement along or about preselected axes. The assembled components commonly comprise a mechanical linkage which supports a so-called end effector or tool for displacement through a desired path of motion. Such robotic mechanisms have been constructed with relatively simple geometries having, for example, one or two degrees of mechanical freedom to permit end effector motion through relatively simple paths. More complex system assemblies have also been proposed with higher degrees of mechanical freedom, for example, five or six degrees of freedom, to permit end effector displacement through more complex paths as may be required in the performance of complex manufacturing operations. In any case, the assembled robotic linkage normally includes drive motors arranged along the length of the mechanical linkage for individual actuation, typically under computer control, to obtain the desired end effector path of motion as a function of time.
In the past, robotic systems have generally comprised customized mechanical assemblies and related customized control systems which have been designed to accommodate a specific operating environment. Computer control systems for the robotic mechanism have been programmed for transmitting individual joint position signals in parallel to the various movable joints of the robotic linkage, resulting in relatively complex and typically custom-tailored control programs in addition to relatively complex wiring arrangements which can interfere with the desired linkage displacements. Efforts to produce a robotic mechanism from modular components adapted for assembly in different configurations to accommodate different paths of motion have still required complicated programming systems and related complex wiring arrangements for coupling individualized actuation signals to each movable joint.
There exists, therefore, a significant need for an improved robotic system particularly of the type which can be assembled from modular components, wherein each movable joint of the assembled linkage is adapted for individualized response to a common command signal, thereby permitting a simplified programming system and corresponding simplifications in coupling the command signals to a plurality of movable joints. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages.


A self-propelled straddle carrier for straddling, lifting, supporting and carrying heavy loads directly under the structure of the vehicle. A main frame including a pair of spaced-apart, longitudinally extending side beams and arch-shaped cross beams is supported on wheels and strut assemblies. The interior sides of the wheels, strut assemblies, side beams and the cross beams form a tunnel-shaped load carrying space defining the inner envelope of the carrier, while their exterior sides define the outer envelope of the carrier. A tong assembly, including a tong actuator and a pair of depending tongs is suspended from the main frame for vertical movement up and down in the tunnel-shaped load carrying space. All components are removable from the tunnel for straddling loads, yet remain within the outer envelope during normal transport. Additionally, a steering system utilizing gear pumps designed for supplying hydraulic fluid to the head and rod ends of the steering cylinders in the same ratio of volumetric flows as the ratio of effective internal areas of the respective head and rod ends of the steering cylinders is provided for the vehicle, and a stabilization system is provided to stabilize the tong assembly when transporting a load.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,488,848 to Kress et al. and assigned to the assignee herein, is directed to a tractor-trailer apparatus having a vertically displaceable hydraulic tong mechanism incorporated in the trailer section for clamping and lifting a straddled load. While this apparatus functions well in certain environments, it is often limited because the bottom of the tractor and a stabilizing link beneath the front of the trailer portion are relatively close to the ground, and because the tractor wheels are narrowly spaced. As a result, to use this apparatus with loads of any substantial height relative to the apparatus, the rear portion of the tractor-trailer must be backed over the load. However, at times it is desirable to be able to drive over a stacked load in either direction; thus such a tractor-trailer apparatus is unsuitable for certain tasks.
Moreover, since the bottom of the lifting vehicle cannot clear loads above a certain height, stacked loads positioned for storage must be arranged to allow these load handling vehicles unencumbered access from either direction. Such a requirement limits flexibility as to the location and pattern of storing loads. However, for a vehicle to provide a substantial amount of flexibility while being designed to vertically clear loads of a relatively large height, the vehicle must be within an envelope having a relatively low and narrow profile and be highly maneuverable. In other words, such a vehicle must be able to minimize its overall height when traveling through narrow and low doorways and other overhead obstructions.


An adaptive template image for registering a PET or a SPECT image includes a template image model including variability of values for each voxel in a template image according to one or more control parameters.

When making automated inter-individual quantitative analysis from PET and SPECT imaging data it is important to have a robust and accurate spatial normalization method, which can be used to transform images from different individuals into a common reference space where comparisons between individuals can be made. This means that different organ images, for example brain images, are transformed into a standard anatomical space in which the organs from different individuals have the same position, size and shape, so as to allow for comparison across different individuals. This is relevant for both volume-of-interest (VOI) analysis as well as voxel-based analysis from imaging data.
For spatial normalization of PET and SPECT images, either the individual PET/SPECT image or a co-registered anatomical image may be used to find the spatial transformation between an individual image and a template image located in the reference space. In most applications, the use of anatomical information will enhance the possibility of making a good spatial normalization. However, there is a trade-off in making a method dependent on an anatomical image. For instance, when there is no anatomical image available, the options would either be to disallow the analysis completely, or to use an alternative PET/SPECT-based method which would produce different results.
There is therefore a need in the art for a spatial normalization method specifically for PET and SPECT images, such as images using amyloid imaging agents, which only depends on the PET or SPECT image itself.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods of spatial normalization of positron emission tomography images


The assembly of hinged flat modules includes a channel-section support on which the superposed modules are hinged by means of individual hinge coupling means. For each module, said hinge coupling means are constituted by a hinge element attached to and retained against a first edge of the module in question, and having a pair of hinge arms received on said channel-section support, and in that the assembly further includes locking elements, each of which is attached to and retained against the opposite edge of the respective module. Application: an assembly of optical cassettes.

Such cassettes are housings for coiling and protecting optical fibers, and often also for protecting connections or "splices" between the coiled optical fibers. Such cassettes are used for connecting various optical cables together, or for connecting an optical cable to optical jumpers. Each cassette is assigned to two fibers to be connected together, or preferably to several fibers to be respectively connected to several other fibers.
In general, a plurality of cassettes are assigned to handling all the fibers of one or more optical cables to be connected to one or more other optical cables or jumpers inside a splice box. The cassettes are stacked together to form an assembly so as to take up less space inside the splice box, and they are hinge mounted so that each of them can be accessed, in particular for maintenance purposes.
Document FR-A- 2,646,928 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,071,220 to Ruello dal.) describes such an assembly of cassettes inside a splice box for optical fibers. In that document, the assembly of cassettes is mounted at the end of a support plate on which the ends of the cables to be interconnected are fixed. The support plate has side flanges to delimit a protected space in which to transfer the fibers to the assembly of cassettes, surplus lengths being left on the fibers at the ends of the cables.
In that assembly, the cassettes are stacked such that they are slightly offset from one another, and are hinged about individual axes that are similarly offset from one another. To that end, each of the cassettes carries a pair of side arms that swing about a pair of hinge axes on the side flanges of the support plate. Each cassette has a limited possible rotary stroke through which to rotate relative to the plane of the support plate, so that the cassette can be put into the open position transversely to the support plate. Temporary snap-fastening means are provided at the coupling between each pair of arms and the corresponding pair of hinge axes to limit said rotary stroke, and to define an open position.
Such dispositions for coupling and opening the cassettes are difficult to mount, and in particular make the cassettes unstable while they are being opened or when they are open.


Methods and apparatus for enabling a protection path within a network to be monitored are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for sending traffic on a path within an optical network system that has a plurality of nodes and a plurality of fibers includes identifying a circuit path within the optical network system which is associated with a first node and includes at least one fiber. The method also includes sending a signal that includes embedded path trace information on the circuit path from the first node on the fiber, and determining when the signal is received from the first node by a second node over the fiber. Finally, the method includes broadcasting path trace information to the plurality of nodes when it is determined that the signal is not received by the second node over the fiber.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to optical network systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to enabling a path trace such as a J1 trace to be monitored even when a signal such as a synchronous transport signal is transmitted on a protection path.
2. Description of the Related Art
The demand for data communication services is growing at an explosive rate. Much of the increased demand is due to the fact that more residential and business computer users ate becoming connected to the Internet. Furthermore, the types of traffic being carried by the Internet are shifting from lower bandwidth applications towards high bandwidth applications which include voice traffic and video traffic.
To address the demand for data communication services, the use of optical networks, such as a synchronous optical network (SONET), is becoming more prevalent. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, a SONET network is an example of a time division multiplexed (TDM) network. TDM networks generally allocate single lines to be used amongst multiple data streams or connections. The single lines may each be divided into slots of time during which each user has access to the single lines.
A network such as a TDM network is generally designed to ensure that information may be transferred between nodes within the network. Often, within a network, information is transferred between two specified nodes, i.e., a source node that sends information and a destination node which receives information. When information is to be sent between a source node and a destination node, a circuit path between the two nodes must be computed so that leased line services may be provided.
In general, a network may include at least one bi-directional line switched ring (BLSR). A BLSR typically allows data traffic to be sent in opposite directions. That is, for a bi-directional ring, traffic is often routed such that both directions of a two-way connection travel along the ring using the same ring nodes, but in opposite directions. A BLSR may typically include either two fibers or four fibers. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, a two fiber BLSR is a ring in which traffic is normally routed in both directions, i.e., in a clockwise direction and a counter-clockwise direction. On the other hand, network elements within a four fiber BLSR may be arranged to include two working fibers which may enable traffic to be routed in opposite directions and two protection fibers between two network elements.
FIG. 1a is a diagrammatic representation of a four fiber BLSR which includes four network elements. As shown, a BLSR 100 includes network elements 104 which are connected by working fibers 108 and protection fibers 112. Network elements 104 may generally be line terminating equipment or path terminating equipment, depending upon where circuit paths within BLSR 100 start and end. By way of example, for a circuit 124 which has a start point 116 at network element 104a and an end point 120 at network element 104c, network elements 104a, 104c may include path terminating equipment, while an intermediate network element 104b within circuit path 124 may include line terminating equipment.
Circuit path 124 may be defined on working fibers 108 between network element 104a and network element 104b, as well as between network element 104b and network element 104c. For example, a signal such as a synchronous transport signal (STS) may be sent in a clockwise direction, or an east-to-west direction, between network element 104a and network element 104c using working fiber 108a and working fiber 108b. An STS, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, may include a "name tag" which allows the STS to be differentiated from other STSs. The name tag may be a J1 byte or string, i.e., J1 bytes which are concatenated to form a string, that includes substantially any suitable identifying information, e.g., an address or an interface name, which may enable an STS to be identified. Specifically, a path trace identifier may be transmitted as part of a J1 byte in a path overhead, and may carry information such as a remote hostname, an interface name, and an internet protocol (IP) address. Typically, J1 information included in a J1 string may include up to sixty-four bytes.
After a circuit such as circuit path 124 is provisioned, network element 104a, which includes path terminating equipment, may transmit a path trace identifier as part of a J1 string along circuit path 124. That is, network element 104a may transmit J1 path trace information to other network elements included in circuit path 124 as part of an STS. Transmitting a J1 string as a part of an STS enables network elements 104 to determine the integrity of the STS when J1 monitoring is enabled, and, hence, to raise an alarm such as a TIM-P alarm when the J1 received by network elements 104 on circuit path 124 is not as expected.
In order to enable the J1 string embedded in the STS to be used to check the integrity of the STS, when circuit path 124 is provisioned, J1 information may be transmitted to substantially all network elements 104 included in circuit path 124. The transmitted J1 information may be broadcasted such that the information is received by a control card included in each network element 104 included in circuit path 124. The control card may then store the J1 information in a table of J1 information associated with substantially all circuits which use the network element 104 which houses the control card. The control card in each network element 104 included in circuit path 124 may then provide the J1 information to working linecards in its respective network element 104, as will be discussed below with respect to FIG. 2.
If J1 monitoring is enabled, when an STS which includes J1 information is sent from network element 104a to network element 104b on one of working fibers 108a, 108e, a monitor (not shown) which is associated with network element 104b determines whether the J1 information included in the STS matches the J1 information which was sent when circuit path 124 was provisioned. Irregardless of whether the J1 information matches, it should be appreciated that traffic may be forwarded to network element 104c on one of working fibers 108b, 108f. When the J1 information does not match, then an alarm may be raised which prompts a network administrator to take action with regards to an unexpected STS.
At times, working fibers 108 or network elements 104 may fail such that circuit path 124 between start point 116 and end point 120 may have to be altered. By way of example, when working fiber 108b fails, then if a suitable one of protection fibers 112b, 112f is available, a protection circuit path 124′ between start point 116 and end point 120 may be use to send STS, as shown in FIG. 1b. Specifically, protection circuit path 124′ may effectively include one of working fibers 108a, 108e, and one of protection fibers 112b, 112f. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, this is called a span switch, as traffic is switched to the protection span.
As will be discussed below with respect to FIG. 2, protection fibers 112 are coupled to protection linecards within network elements 104. Typically, protection linecards within network elements 104, as well as working linecards within network elements 104 which are not included in circuit path 124 of FIG. 1a, have no access to J1 information which is stored on control cards within network elements 104 included in circuit path 124. Without access to J1 information, J1 monitoring of the STS signal which passes through protection fibers 112 may not occur. As a result, the integrity of the STS may not be verified. In some cases, if the STS is sent to an incorrect network element 104 and when J1 monitoring does not occur, a customer may not detect that he is not receiving correct data. Neglecting to provide a customer with data he or she has requested, or inadvertently providing data to unscrupulous customers, may cause significant problems.
A network element within a BLSR may generally include working linecards, or input/output (I/O) cards, which are coupled to working fibers, and protection linecards which are coupled to protection fibers. FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of a network element which is a part of a BLSR. A network element or node 204 includes working linecards 208a, 208b and protection linecards 208c, 208d. Linecards 208 are coupled to a control card 212 which may maintain information used by network element 204. By way of example, control card 212 may store a list of all J1 information which is expected to be received on, sent by, or pass through at least one working fiber 216 associated with network element 204.
Typically, when a circuit which includes network element 204 is provisioned, J1 information is broadcast such that control card 212 receives the J1 information. Control card 212 may then provide the J1 information to working linecards 208a, 208b. Hence, when an STS is sent across fiber 216a, for example, the J1 information embedded in the STS may be verified against J1 information stored on control card 212 when J1 monitoring is enabled. Control card 212 generally does not provider the J1 information to protection linecards 208c, 208d. As a result, if an STS is sent across one of protection fibers 220a, J1 monitoring is not possible.
In order to perform J1 monitoring, monitoring circuitry is generally included in each working linecard associated with a network element. FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of a network element which is a part of a BLSR and includes components used to enable J1 monitoring. A network element 304 includes working linecards 308 and a control card 312. For ease of illustration, protection linecards within network element 304 have not been shown.
Substantially any linecard 308, e.g., linecard 308b, which is associated with a circuit in which J1 monitoring, which is typically set on a circuit basis, is allowed may include monitoring circuitry 324 which cooperates with software 328 to compare J1 information embedded within an STS which passes through a fiber 316 associated with linecard 308. Monitoring circuitry 324, which may include a processor (not shown) such as a central processing unit may facilitate the collection of J1 information and may cooperate with software 328 to compare J1 information which is expected by network element 304 against the J1 information obtained from an STS. The results of a comparison may be passed from software 328 to control card 312, e.g., for storage. The J1 information which is expected by network element 304, as previously mentioned, is maintained by control card 312 after the J1 information is effectively broadcast at the time circuits which include network element 304 are provisioned.
Monitoring display 332, which is coupled to control card 312, may retrieve information from control card 312 and display the information. Information retrieved from control card 312 may include J1 information which is expected by network element 304 and actual J1 information which is embedded in an STS. The use of monitoring display 332 enables a network administrator or other user to substantially verify the integrity of an STS signal which uses working fibers 316 when J1 monitoring is enabled.
With reference to FIG. 4, the steps associated with one method of sending an STS on a BLSR when J1 monitoring is enabled or selected, either manually or automatically, will be described. A process 400 begins at step 404 in which circuit provisioning in a BLSR is initiated. Initiating circuit provisioning generally includes identifying network elements which are to be included in a circuit. Once circuit provisioning is initiated, J1 information is sent to network elements included in the circuit in step 408. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the J1 information may often be provided only to the linecards associated with working fibers of the circuit.
In step 412, an STS, which includes embedded J1 information, is sent from a "current" network element to an appropriate network element. By way of example, when the STS is initially being sent from a beginning or starting network element to a first intermediate network element in the circuit, the beginning network element may be the current network element while the first intermediate network element may be the appropriate network element. After the STS is sent, it is determined in step 416 whether the STS is received by the appropriate network element on a working fiber. In other words, it is effectively determined whether the STS has been switched to a protection fiber.
When it is determined in step 416 that the STS was received by the appropriate network element on a working fiber, then the indication is that the J1 trace may be monitored. Accordingly, in step 420, the J1 trace is monitored to verify the continuity of an overall circuit or working path which includes the working fiber. Verifying the continuity of the J1 trace typically includes comparing J1 information stored within the appropriate network element to the J1 information embedded in the STS. Once the continuity of the J1 trace is verified, it is determined in step 424 whether the STS has reached its end point, i.e., whether the STS has reached the network element at its destination within the BLSR ring. If it is determined that the STS has reached its end point, then the process of sending an STS on a BLSR is completed. Alternatively, if it is determined that the STS has not reached its end point, the process flow returns to step 412 in which the STS is sent to the next appropriate network element in the circuit.
Returning to step 416, when it is determined that the STS has not been received by the appropriate network element on a working fiber, then the implication is typically that the STS has been switched to a protection fiber. As such, the J1 trace associated with the STS may not be monitored, as protection linecards generally are not privy to J1 information. When the J1 trace may not be monitored, the integrity of the STS may not be determined. From step 416, if the indication is that the STS has been switched to a protection fiber, process flow proceeds to step 424 in which it is determined if the STS has reached its end point.
The ability to perform J1 monitoring such that a J1 trace may be monitored is crucial in many cases to assure the integrity of an STS. However, when an STS is sent over a protection circuit path, the ability to perform J1 monitoring over the entire circuit path is lost. As a result, the integrity of the STS may not be verified, and misconnections within a protection circuit path may occur such that the wrong data is sent to a customer, or data may be sent to the wrong customer.
Therefore, what is needed is a system which enables J1 monitoring to occur with respect to an STS that is transmitted across a protection path. That is, what is desired is a method and an apparatus which allows for path traces to be monitored regardless of whether the path traces are part of a signal that is transmitted across a working circuit path or a protection circuit path.

Bi-directional line switched ring support for path trace monitoring on a protection path


Various embodiments for managing data in a data storage having data deduplication. A back reference data structure is configured for user data segments as a mechanism to identify an affected storage block to which information in the back reference data structure refers. The back reference data structure is initialized such that a resolution of the back reference data structure diminishes as a number of the user data segments referencing the affected storage block increases.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to computing systems, and more particularly to, various embodiments for configuration of a back reference data structure for identification of affected storage blocks in computing storage environments incorporating deduplication functionality.
Description of the Related Art
Today with modern technology, large volumes of data are storable on disk drives; these drives can exist as a solo entity, or as part of a broader make up within a larger storage environment. Often times when writing to even the smallest environment, single drives, duplicate data is written. These duplicated contents can then be deduplicated using standard deduplication techniques so long as specific metrics are met.
Various deduplication techniques may be used to deduplicate files. For example, the file may be analyzed against an additional file to determine if the file has the same size, name, and contents when analyzed at the block-by-block level. Deduplication technology allows, at a high level, the elimination of duplicate information in storage environments, such that the storage held by the duplicate information is then released, opening up potentially significant amounts of additional storage space in the computing storage environment and otherwise improving performance.

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION