A communication equipment has a dictionary file for areas and destination names corresponding to destination numbers entered by a destination entry unit such as a dialer. The dictionary file is looked up by a retrieval unit during the entry of the number and the retrieved area name and destination name are informed by an informing unit so that an entry error of the area name and the destination name can be detected during the entry of the destination and the error is corrected.

The present invention relates to a communication equipment and a communication system for business or home use, and more particularly to a facsimile device or a telephone set.
In the facsimile device and the telephone set, a number of communication, a destination is entered by a dial, such buttons or a touch key. In the present age of information communication, the number of communication lines has increased and the number of connectable areas also has increased. More than ten digits are needed to be entered and wrong facsimile communication due to wrong dialing and wrong telephone calls are increasing more and more. In case of telephone, the wrong call may be noticed when a people at the destination station responses and the impact is small. However, it is big disturbance when a wrong call is made during sleeping at midnight. In case of the facsimile device, the impact is serious. The wrong dialing may not be noticed unless the receiving people informs it, and then is a risk of leakage of confidential information. In the past, in order to avoid the entry of multi-digit number, it is registered into a shortened number (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,021), or a number associated with a destination name is stored and the destination name or a portion of the number is entered (see JP-A-2-285840), or a personal correspondence function or an encryption function is used in the facsimile device. However, such method is not applicable to a destination having no communication before, and an encryption device is complex and expensive.

Communication equipment with a destination area on-line display function


A programming recorder receives information after receiving at least two programming event recording requests, detects a conflict between the programming event recording requests based on the received information, creates a ranked list of alternative sources for the programming event recording requests, and resolves the conflict by fulfilling at least one of the at least two programming event recording requests utilizing an alternative source. The alternative source may be automatically selected or selected by a user. The ranked list of alternative sources may be ordered utilizing a set of one or more priority criteria. The programming event recording requests and/or the received programming information may include metadata and determining alternative sources may comprise comparing the metadata. The programming recorder may display an indication that the conflict between the at least two programming event recording requests was detected and resolved.

Programming recorders, such as digital video recorders (DVR) or personal video recorders (PVR), may be devices that receive programming events via one or more communication paths and record the programming events to a storage medium. Programming recorders may include, but are not limited to set-top boxes, portable media players, and/or software for personal computers. Programming recorders may be incorporated into other devices including, but not limited to, communications receivers (such as satellite and/or cable receivers) and/or display devices (such as televisions). Programming recorders may be operable to receive programming requests from a user and fulfill those programming requests by receiving the programming event and recording the received programming event to the storage medium.

Handling of recording clashes which are not known when user creates recording request


A portable hardware device such as a USB memory stick is used to provide parental locking functionality to a computer. When the device is coupled to the computer, the computer is unlocked and allowed to operate normally. When the device is not coupled to the computer, the computer is locked, and some or all of the computing functionality is blocked. This enables parents to lock and unlock a child's computer with a “key.” A detecting module detects the coupling and uncoupling of devices to the computer. When a device is coupled to the computer, an identifying module identifies the device by reading its unique identifier, and determining whether the coupled device is the one being used as the key. If so, the computer is unlocked, and allowed to operate. If not, a blocking module blocks at least some capabilities of the computer.

Although Internet use is very widespread and of great economic and sociological value, the Internet contains a great deal of content that is not appropriate for children. As with the physical world, it is desirable that children using the Internet be supervised by involved parents. Parental control software exists that allows the filtering and blocking of content, but this software can be cumbersome and difficult for parents to use. Without configuration and use by the parents, the parental control software is ineffective. On the Internet as in the physical world, parental involvement and oversight are required to provide a responsible and healthy experience for children.
Even the most rudimentary of software/web based parental control solutions require configuration by a parent. This configuration introduces a hurdle which is "too high" for many parents. Parents say they are interested in protecting their kids online. Yet in practice, many parents do not take the actions required to effectively use the parental control systems they purchase. Perhaps even the simplest of configuration requirements such as opening a web browser, creating an account and downloading software to the child's computer is too difficult for many parents who are not familiar with computer use. Based on observed behavior, it can be posited that it is probably even "too much" to ask some parents to configure a child's computer with software which comes pre-installed with the operating system. It would be desirable to address these hurdles to usage of parental control systems.
The SecuriKey company markets a product called ControlKey®. ControlKey® uses a proprietary USB hardware encryption dongle that must be physically coupled to a computer for the computer to run. To install ControlKey®, the user needs both the hardware dongle and media (e.g., a CD-ROM) containing software drivers that must be installed on the computer. Once installed, these drivers can then recognize and communicate with the proprietary hardware dongle. The user carries the dongle, and connects it to the computer for operation. The drivers recognize the dongle, and allow the computer to run. If the dongle is not present the drivers prevent the computer from being operational. The user cannot store data on the dongle, nor are the software components of ControlKey® stored thereon. Instead, the dongle is a hardware encryption device, with which the software components of ControlKey® communicate to obtain use tokens. Although ControlKey® allows a user to "lock" his/her computer such that it can only be operated with a "key" (the dongle), ControlKey® requires an installation of software drivers which would likely be beyond many parents who are not currently using their parental control software. Additionally, the hardware dongle required by ControlKey® is expensive and proprietary.

Commodity hardware based parental control device


Apparatus and process are disclosed for calibrating measurements of the phase of the polarization of a polarized beam and the angle of the polarized optical beam's major axis of polarization at a diagnostic point with measurements of the same parameters at a point of interest along the polarized beam path prior to the diagnostic point. The process is carried out by measuring the phase angle of the polarization of the beam and angle of the major axis at the point of interest, using a rotatable polarizer and a detector, and then measuring these parameters again at a diagnostic point where a compensation apparatus, including a partial polarizer, which may comprise a stack of glass plates, is disposed normal to the beam path between a rotatable polarizer and a detector. The partial polarizer is then rotated both normal to the beam path and around the axis of the beam path until the detected phase of the beam polarization equals the phase measured at the point of interest. The rotatable polarizer at the diagnostic point may then be rotated manually to determine the angle of the major axis of the beam and this is compared with the measured angle of the major axis of the beam at the point of interest during calibration. Thereafter, changes in the polarization phase, and in the angle of the major axis, at the point of interest can be monitored by measuring the changes in these same parameters at the diagnostic point.

The invention described herein arose in the course of, or under, Contract No. W-7405-ENG-48 between the United States Department of Energy and the University of California.
This invention relates to a process and apparatus for measuring the degree of polarization of a beam of polarized light and the angle of the major axis of the polarized beam. More particularly, this invention relates to a process and an apparatus for measuring such optical polarization properties of an optical point at a first point along an optical path and then adjusting compensating optics at a second point on the optical path to obtain identical optical measurements at this point.
When a beam of polarized light, such as a laser beam, is passed through various optics, such as lenses and mirrors, it is often desirable to analyze the light beam at a particular point in the optics system. Such an analysis would include the phase or degree of polarization of the light beam as well as the angle of the major axis of the elliptically polarized optical beam, when the polarization is not circular. This angle is measured with respect to a fixed frame of reference, such as a polar axis in the cross-section of the beam itself.
However, it is not always possible to do a complete analysis of the beam at a particular point in the optics system, i.e., the point of-interest, due, for example, to space constraints or because of the beam power at the point of interest. But if the beam is, instead, analyzed at a later point along the beam path, the phase or degree of polarization and the angle of the major axis of the beam may have become corrupted by the optics disposed along the beam path between the point of interest and the actual measurement point. That is, the actual measurements made on the beam at a different point may not be accurately reflective of the status of the beam at the point of interest.
It would, therefore, be desirable to provide a process and an apparatus for carrying out such measurements which would include provision for correcting or calibrating for such changes in the polarization of the beam which occur between the point of interest and the actual measurement point.

Process and apparatus for measuring degree of polarization and angle of major axis of polarized beam of light

The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy


A backlight unit capable of reducing or effectively preventing a luminance deviation includes a plurality of light emitting diodes, a light source substrate on which the plurality of light emitting diodes is mounted, a light guide plate converting line-shaped light generated from the light emitting diodes into a surface-shaped light, an incident surface of the light guide plate contacting an emitting surface of each of the light emitting diodes, a first fixing part formed on the light source substrate in a region overlapping the light guide plate and a second fixing part formed on the light guide plate and coupled to the first fixing part.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to backlight units, and more particularly, to a backlight unit capable of preventing luminance deviation, and a liquid crystal display device including the backlight unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display ("LCD") device has gradually extended its application range due to light weight, thin thickness and low consumption power driving. The LCD device applies an electric field to a liquid crystal material having dielectric anisotropy injected between two substrates and controls the amount of light transmitted into the substrates by adjusting the intensity of the electric field, thereby displaying desired images.
Since an LCD panel of the LCD device is a non-luminous element that cannot emit light by itself, the LCD device includes a backlight unit for providing light to the LCD panel.
A light emitting diode ("LED") used for the backlight unit has long life span, fast lighting speed, low power consumption and high impact resistance, compared to a cold cathode fluorescent lamp ("CCFL"), etc. Moreover, the LED is suitable to make the backlight unit relatively small and thin.
FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating a light source substrate of a conventional LCD device of the prior art. Referring to FIG. 1, LEDs 16 are mounted on a light source substrate 18 supplying control signals or driving voltages to the LEDs 16. The light source substrate 18 may be bonded or adhered, such as by a double coated tape, etc., to a light guide plate (not shown) for guiding incident light from the LEDs 16 toward an LCD panel (not shown).
Since the adhesion of the light source substrate 18 to the light guide plate may be weakened by heat of the LEDs 16 generating the light, the adhesive force between the light guide plate and the light source substrate 18 deteriorates and there occurs a separation region between the light guide plate and the LEDs 16. Furthermore, if vibrations or shocks are applied from the exterior, the separation region may also occur between the light guide plate and the LEDs 16. Since light emitted through the separation region is directly incident on the LCD panel, a luminance deviation occurs in that the light emitted through the separation region seems to be relatively brighter than the light emitted through the other regions.
Moreover, since a separation distance between the light guide plate and the light source substrate 18 may vary due to an assembly deviation between workers during an attachment process of the light guide plate and the light source substrate 18, it is difficult to ensure the uniform luminance characteristic.
Referring again to FIG. 1, a light amount "H" incident on the light guide plate overlapping emitting surfaces of the LEDs 16 is greater than a light amount "L" incident on the light guide plate not overlapping the emitting surfaces of the LEDs 16. Therefore, the incident surface of the light guide plate overlapping the emitting surfaces of the LEDs 16 seems to be relatively brighter than the surface not overlapping the emitting surfaces of the LEDs 16.

Backlight unit and liquid crystal display device including the same


A nucleic acid formulation for use in gene delivery comprising a nucleic acid and an anionic polymer is disclosed. Examples of the anionic polymer includes anionic amino acid polymer or poly-amino acid (such as poly-L-glutamic acid, poly-D-glutamic acid, poly-L-aspartic acid, poly-D-aspartic acid), poly-acrylic acid, polynucleotides, poly galacturonic acid, and poly vinyl sulfate.

The following information is presented solely to assist the understanding of the reader. None of the information is admitted to describe prior art to the claims of the present invention.
Gene therapy is a major area of research in drug development. Gene therapy has been considered a desirable mechanism to correct genetically determined diseases resulting from the failure to produce certain proteins and acquired diseases such as autoimmunity and cancer. One example of a class of genetically determined diseases that are considered amenable to gene therapy is hemophilia. Hemophilia B, for example, is a bleeding disorder that results from the absence of functional blood clotting Factor IX ("F.IX"). The disease state is classified as severe, moderate or mild, depending on the level of functional F.IX. (Lusher, J. M. (1999) Thromb Haemost 82:572-5751). Approximately 5,200 males are afflicted with the disease in the U.S. with approximately 45% of these cases being of the severe type. In severe cases of hemophilia B (<1% of normal F.IX levels) there are frequent bleeding events that can be life threatening and often produce debilitating destruction of the patient's joints. The current therapy for hemophilia B is the administration of F.IX protein in response to bleeding events only. The use of either blood derived or recombinant F.IX has shown that tremendous clinical and quality of life benefits can be achieved by converting the most severe hemophilia B cases into the moderate or mild range. In some countries F.IX protein is given prophylactically in the most severe cases, despite the fact that these treatments are extremely expensive (Ljung, R. C. (1999) Thromb Haemost 82:525-530). The prophylactic use of F.IX is not frequent in the U.S.
Gene therapy could provide a new prophylactic approach for the treatment of diseases such as hemophilia B. A technological barrier to commercialization of gene therapy, however, is the need for practical, effective and safe gene delivery methods. In animal models of hemophilia, viral-based vectors have been used successfully to administer the human F.IX gene either to liver or muscle. (Kay, M. A., et al. (1993) Science 262:117-119; Herzog, R. W., et al. (1999) Nat Med: 56-63; Snyder, R. O., et al. (1999) Nat Med 5:64-70; Chao, H., et al. (1999) Gene Ther 6:1695-1704; Lozier, J. N., et al. (1999) Blood 94:3968-3975; Kaufman, R. J. (1999) Hum Gene Ther 10:2091-2107). In some cases, these approaches have led to long-term (>2 years) expression of therapeutic levels of F.IX in a canine model of hemophilia B (Herzog, R. W., et al. (1999) Nat Med 5:56-63). However, the limitations of viral-based approaches have been extensively reported. For instance, re-administration is not possible with these vectors because of the humoral immune response generated against the viral proteins. In addition to manufacturing challenges to obtain adequate reproducible vector supply, there are also significant safety concerns associated with viral vectors, particularly for those targeting the liver for gene expression. Not withstanding the problems associated with viral gene therapy, viruses have been considered by many to be more efficient than non-viral delivery vehicles.
A problem of non-viral gene therapy is to achieve the delivery and expression of sufficient nucleic acid to result in a tangible, physiologically relevant expression. Although DNA plasmids in isotonic saline (so-called 'naked' DNA) were shown several years ago to transfect a variety of cells in vivo, the lack of stability of such unprotected plasmids to enzymatic degradation is associated with irreproducibility in uptake leading to highly variable expression and biological responses in animal models. The very low bioavailability of 'naked' plasmid in most tissues also requires high doses of plasmids to be administered to generate a pharmacological response.
The field of non-viral gene delivery has therefore been directed to the development of more efficient synthetic delivery systems able to increase the efficiency of plasmid delivery, confer prolonged expression and provide for storage stable formulations as is expected of other pharmaceutical formulations.
To overcome the problem of degradation of nucleic acids, typically plasmid DNA ("pDNA"), and enhance the efficiency of gene transfection, cationic condensing agents (such as polybrene, dendrimers, chitosan, lipids, and peptides) have been developed to protect pDNA by condensing it through electrostatic interaction. (A. P. Rolland, From genes to gene medicines: recent advances in nonviral gene delivery, review in Therapeutic drug carrier systems, 15(2):143-198 (1998).) However, the use of condensed plasmid particles for transfection of a large number of muscle cells in vivo has not been successful as compared directly to "naked" DNA. Wolff, J. A., et al., J. Cell Sci., 103, 1249, 1992. In particular, due to the physiology of the muscle, the use of rigid condensed particles containing plasmid for efficient transfection of a larger number of muscle cells has not been successful to date because cationic lipid and polylysine plasmid complexes do not cross the external lamina to gain access to the caveolae and T tubules. Id.
Additional strategies that include the modulation of the plasmid surface charge and hydrophobicity by interaction with protective, interactive non-condensing systems (e.g., PINC™ polymers) have shown advantages over the use of 'naked' DNA for direct administration to solid tissues. [WO9621470, U.S. Pat. No. 6,040,295, incorporated herein by reference.]
Biodegradable microspheres have also been used in gene delivery that encapsulate the nucleic acid. For example, WO0078357, Chen, W. et al, disclosed matrices, films, gels and hydrogels which include hyaluronic acid (HA) derivatized with a dihydrazide and crosslinked to a nucleic acid forming slow release microspheres. WO9524929, Boekelheide, K. et al., disclosed encapsulation of genes in a matrix preferably in the form of a microparticle such as a microsphere, microcapsule, a film, an implant, or a coating on a device such as a stent. U.S. Pat. No. 6,048,551, Beer, S. et al. disclosed a controlled release gene delivery system utilizing poly (lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose phthalate, cellulose acetate phthalate, and the Ludragit R, L, and E series of polymers and copolymer microspheres to encapsulate the gene vector. Luo D et al. Pharm Res 1999 Aug. 16(8):1300-8, reported the characterization of systems for controlled delivery of DNA from implantable polymer matrices (EVAc: poly (ethylene-co-vinyl acetate)) and injectable microspheres (PLGA and PLA: poly (D, L-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer and poly (L-lactide), respectively). Despite their promise, microspheres can pose manufacturing difficulties and can adversely constrain the release of DNA in vivo, particularly in muscle tissue.
Thus, despite these recent advances, there remains a need for additional and improved formulated nucleic acid compositions and methods of administering the same for gene therapy.

Nucleic acid formulations for gene delivery and methods of use


A valve housing encloses an upward valve seat connected to the water inlet. A valve chamber above the seat receives a valve element and has a lateral bypass chamber connected to a fitting which leads to the filter. A tubular valve stem/outlet spout above the valve element is spring-pressed downward, normally holding the valve element down on the seat and may be raised by a handle allowing the valve element to raise to permit water to flow through the bypass to the filter. Filter discharge water is connected to a bypass return fitting on the valve housing which conducts water to a chamber surrounding lower part of the stem and into the stem through a radial opening and up and out the spout.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to accessory faucets, or so-called "third faucets", which are installed on the sink top adjacent to the conventional hot and cold water faucets. A third faucet is used to provide purified water for drinking when the usual household water is not suitable or desirable for drinking purposes. More specifically, the invention relates to a third faucet which is "vented"; that is, the outlet from the faucet valve is conducted back away from the faucet to the purifier or filter and from the purifier back to the faucet and out the faucet spout. Thus the invention relates to a "vented" faucet system.
2. Description of Related Art including Information Disclosed under .sctn..sctn.1.97 to 1.99
In the usual type of purified water system used with third faucets the filter is usually installed in the line between the water source and the third faucet. This means that the structure of the filter is subjected to household water pressure which may reach up into the neighborhood of 100 psi or more. Because of this the filter chamber and the fittings thereto must be designed to withstand such pressure without rupture or leakage. This requires heavy duty design with substantial fittings and wall thicknesses and has added to the cost of the filter. At the same time, because the filter is subjected to household pressure at all times, the cleaning or replacement of the filter has required shutting down the water supply to the filter, an inconvenience, unnecessary and undesirable.
In the prior art there are showings somewhat comparable to the present system. See, for instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,210,533 to Astl issued Jul. 1, 1980. Also, my assignee's own U.S. Pat. No. 4,345,719 issued Aug. 24, 1982 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,360 issued Aug. 27, 1985 to Bock and my pending application Ser. No. 07/525,069 filed May 18, 1990 (my file WPM-2-D).


Provided herein are supramolecular assemblies, the supramolecular assemblies comprising a racemic mixture of rigid macrocycles capable of interacting through [C—H . . . O] hydrogen bonds. Also provided herein are methods for preparing supramolecular assemblies, the method comprising providing a mixture of rigid macrocycles capable of interacting through [C—H . . . O] hydrogen bonds, the mixture of rigid macrocycles comprising a first rigid macrocycle enantiomer and a second rigid macrocycle enantiomer, and providing a solvent.

Low-molecular-weight gelators (LMWGs) are capable of assembling into interwoven fibrillar networks that entrap solvents between strands to form thermoreversible supramolecular gels.[1-10] Chirality has a profound influence on the macroscopic gelation of solvents by facilitating the growth and stabilization of noncovalent helical fibers as well as their interwoven networks, often driven by stereogenic centers present in the molecular structures of chiral LMWGs.[11-13] As a consequence, most of the highly efficient LMWGs, exhibiting strong gelling ability, are composed of enantiomerically pure chiral molecules.[1, 14-16] Generally speaking, the corresponding racemates of these enantiopure chiral gelators, either do not form gels or occasionally form only weak ones that transform readily into precipitates or discrete crystals.[12, 17, 18] The opposite situation, in which a racemate generates a gel, while both its enantiomers are less efficient gelators, or even lack any gelling ability at all, is rare. Although there are a few examples of gels resulting from the assembly of racemic gelators incorporating flexible structures, driven by means of various noncovalent bonding interactions, gels assembled from highly rigid racemic gelators at the behest of multiple weak [C—H . . . O] interactions as the major driving force remain unexplored to the best of our knowledge.[18-26, 27] Kim et al. have reported that rigid achiral cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]) can act as a hydrogelator, but only in the presence of mineral acids.[28] The relationship between stereochemistry and gelation, however, has yet to be fully elucidated.
Hydrogen-bonding arrays are well-established modules for the formation of biotic and abiotic supramolecular polymers, as well as for the assembly of cylindrical and spherical capsules.[29, 30, 31-36] While a number of planar quadruple hydrogen-bonding motifs give rise to supramolecular arrays, cyclic peptides are amongst the few well-known examples of multiple hydrogen-bonding ring motifs that lead to the formation of supramolecular nanotubes.[37-43] Also, despite the remarkable progress that has been made in recent years, interactions involving hydrogen-bonding motifs have been restricted for the most part to the use of [O—H . . . O] and [N—H . . . O] noncovalent bonds because of their greater strengths and propensities to act cooperatively. [29, 30, 41, 44-49] These strong noncovalent bonds facilitate the construction of well-defined supramolecular assemblies by over-riding the influence of other competing interactions from mismatched molecular structures, counter ions and solvents. Permutations of hydrogen bonds composed of multiple intermolecular cooperative [C—H . . . O] interactions, leading to the formation of supramolecular assemblies, have remained largely out of reach on account of the relative weakness of single [C—H . . . O] interactions.[49]
There are a number of applications for the supramolecular assemblies. For example, supramolecular assemblies may be used to prepare batteries, organic semiconductors, including but not limited to organic field effect transistors, organic light emitting diodes, and photovoltaic devices, membranes, fibrous networks, or gas sensors. As a result, there is a need for new supramolecular assemblies.

Supramolecular assembly of rigid macrocycles through cooperative hydrogen bond interactions


A method and apparatus for thrombectomy with partial dissolving by streptokinase or the like, wherein a catheter set with a sheath having two open lumens extending in parallel over most of the length of the sheath. The lumen are distal-parallel to one another and issue proximally under a finite angular alignment. The first lumen takes up virtually the entire cross-sectional area of sheath, while the second lumen is much narrower and is constructed in a widened area of the wall of the first lumen. A safety change wire is adapted to be accommodated in the second lumen.

The present invention relates to a thrombectomy apparatus and method for partially dissolving of thrombus by a thrombus dissolving liquid such as, for example, streptokinase or the like.
Thrombectomy apparatuses of this type are known and have a guide wire and a catheter guidable via the same having a distal and a proximal open lumen having a proximal-connectable infusion and/or suction syringe. The procedure adopted in this known apparatus is that initially the guide wire is passed through the tissue of the patient into a vein and along the latter to a thrombus to be removed. Subsequently the catheter is passed via the guide wire to the thrombus, the guide wire is removed, optionally through the catheter is injected an agent, such as streptokinase which wholly or partly dissolves the thrombus and finally the thrombus parts are removed by suction. It can arise that the thrombus parts stick and all the parts introduced into the vein must be removed with a thrombus part from the body. The hole procedure must then be repeated with puncture and controlled, X-ray-observed introduction of the guide wire, which is prejudicial to the patient.
A catheter not of the present type for destroying blood vessel blockages by laser energy is known, which is introduced by its lumen via a guide wire and through lumen cooling and washing liquid can be injected. An optical fibre is embedded in the wall through which the laser energy can be passed to the distal end of the catheter. In addition, double lumen balloon catheters are known, in which a second lumen in the side wall of the catheter issues radially under an elastic film inflatable as a balloon and fixed around the catheter.


A ground-based system and method of supplying temperature-controlled air to an aircraft environmental control system during ground support operations that uses a throttle valve to control the flow of compressed air flowing through a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger, which may be mounted in a wheeled cart, removes heat from the compressed air supplied to the air conditioning unit and supplies cooled compressed air at a desired temperature. The temperature of the cooled compressed air is controlled by selectively positioning the throttle valve, which regulates compressed air flow from the compressed air source.

The present invention relates to environmental control systems for aircraft and, more particularly, to a ground-based modular air conditioning unit for supplying temperature-controlled air to an aircraft while it is on the ground.
Aircraft main engines not only provide propulsion for the aircraft, but in many instances may also be used to drive various other rotating components such as, for example, generators and pumps. The main engines may also be used to supply compressed air to the aircraft""s environmental control system, which may be used to supply temperature-controlled air to both the aircraft cabin and to electronic equipment within the aircraft.
When an aircraft is on the ground and its main engines are not being used, an alternative power source may be used to supply power for ground support operations. In addition, during some ground support operations, an external supply of cooling or heating air may be used to supply temperature-controlled air to the cabin and onboard aircraft equipment. For some type of aircraft ground support applications, most notably military aircraft ground support applications, a ground power cart may be used to supply electrical power to the aircraft and compressed air to an air conditioning system module. The air conditioning module in turn may supply temperature-controlled air to the aircraft cabin and the aircraft""s onboard electronic equipment.
One particular air conditioning system module that may be used during aircraft ground support operations receives high temperature (e.g., xe2x89xa7300xc2x0 F.) compressed air supplied by the ground cart, and conditions the compressed air to a predetermined temperature. The air conditioning system module may be used in at least two modes, a cooling mode, to supply cool air, or a heating mode, to supply warm air. To do so, the air conditioning system module may include a primary heat exchanger, a condenser, a moisture separator, and one or more cooling turbines. Typically, this air conditioning system module is designed so that when it is operating in the cooling mode it will supply cool air at a specified flow rate and at a predetermined desired temperature for a given, predetermined design ambient temperature. For example, the system may be designed to supply cooling air at 100 lb/min, and at a temperature no higher than 55xc2x0 F. when the ambient temperature is 125xc2x0 F. Thus, when actual ambient temperature is below the design ambient temperature, the air conditioning system may supply cooling air at the 100 lb/min flow rate and at a temperature that is less than 55xc2x0 F.
In some instances, supplying air to an aircraft at a flow rate of 100 lb/min and at a temperature less than 55 F. may not be desirable. Hence, the air conditioning system module may include a bypass flowpath that allows a portion of the high temperature compressed air to flow around the primary heat exchanger, and back into the cooler compressed air stream that is exhausted from the primary heat exchanger. For example, a valve may be installed in a bypass duct, and the valve may be positioned to control hot compressed air bypass flow rate, to thereby control the temperature exiting the primary heat exchanger, and in turn controlling the temperature of the air being supplied by the air conditioning system module.
Although the above-described system and method for controlling cooling air temperature to an aircraft during ground support operations is effective, it suffers certain drawbacks. For example, it can be difficult to consistently control the temperature of the cooling air by feeding a portion of the hot compressed air back into the compressed air that has been cooled. In addition, consistently supplying cooling air at relatively high flow rates such as, for example, 100 lb/min, can reduce the lifetime of the system or component providing the hot compressed air. This can also result in increase fuel consumption by the system or component providing the hot compressed air.
Hence, there is a need for a system and method of providing temperature-controlled air to an aircraft environmental control system during ground support operations that does rely on the reintroduction of hot compressed air to control cooling air supply temperature when ambient temperature is below the maximum design temperature and/or is less costly than presently known systems and methods, and/or can increase system component lifetimes, and/or can result in reduced fuel consumption. The present invention addresses one or more of these needs.
The present invention provides a system and method of supplying temperature-controlled air to an aircraft environmental control system during ground support operations that is simple, efficient, and does not adversely affect system costs, and/or lifetime, and/or fuel consumption.
In one embodiment, and by way of example only, a temperature-controlled air supply system for use with a compressed air source and for connection to an aircraft on the ground includes a primary air flow passage, a compressed air flow passage, a first heat exchanger, a temperature sensor, a controller, and a throttle valve. The primary air flow passage is coupled to receive a flow of primary air, and the compressed air flow passage is coupled to receive a flow of compressed air from a compressed air source. The first heat exchanger has at least a first fluid flow path and a second fluid flow path. The first fluid flow path is fluidly coupled in series in the primary air flow passage, the second fluid flow path is fluidly coupled in series in the compressed air flow passage, and the first heat exchanger is adapted to transfer heat between the primary air and the compressed air and supply at least conditioned compressed air. The temperature sensor is mounted downstream of the first heat exchanger second fluid flow path and is operable to supply a temperature signal representative of the conditioned compressed air. The controller is coupled to receive the temperature signal from the temperature sensor and is operable, in response thereto, to supply at least a throttle valve control signal. The throttle valve is mounted on the compressed air flow passage. The throttle valve is coupled to receive the throttle valve control signal and is operable, in response thereto, to selectively move to a position to control compressed air flow rate from the compressed air source to thereby control conditioned compressed air temperature.
In another exemplary embodiment, a method of conditioning compressed air supplied from an aircraft ground support equipment includes supplying a flow of compressed air through a first heat flow path in a heat exchanger. A flow of primary air is supplied through a second flow path in the heat exchanger to thereby condition the compressed air to a temperature. The temperature of the of the conditioned compressed air is sensed. The flow of compressed air through the first heat exchanger flow path is throttled, based at least in part on the sensed temperature, to thereby control the temperature of the conditioned compressed air exiting the heat exchanger.

Aircraft ground support air conditioning unit with temperature-biased flow control


A system, method, and computer program product are disclosed for prohibiting unauthorized access to a protected region of memory. A protected region of memory and a trusted region of memory are both specified. A call to access a location within the protected region of memory is received. An origination location of the call is then determined. In response to a determination that the origination location is within the trusted region, the call is permitted to access the protected region of memory. In response to a determination that the origination location is outside of the trusted region, the call is prohibited from accessing the protected region of memory.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to the field of computer systems and, more specifically to a system, method, and computer program product for prohibiting unauthorized access to a protected region of memory.
2. Description of Related Art
A logical partitioning option (LPAR) within a data processing system (platform) allows multiple copies of a single operating system (OS) or multiple heterogeneous operating systems to be simultaneously run on a single data processing system hardware platform. A partition, within which an operating system image runs, may be assigned a non-overlapping subset of the platform's hardware resources. In some implementations, a percentage of system resources is assigned such that system resources are essentially time-sliced across partitions. These platform allocable resources include one or more architecturally distinct processors with their interrupt management area, regions of system memory, and input/output (I/O) adapter bus slots. The partition's resources are represented by its own resources list typically created and maintained by the systems underlying firmware and available to the OS image.
Each distinct OS or image of an OS running within the platform is protected from each other such that software errors on one logical partition can not affect the correct operation of any of the other partitions. At a given time, this is provided by allocating a disjoint set of platform resources to be directly managed by each OS image and by providing mechanisms for ensuring that the various images can not control any resources that have not been allocated to it. Furthermore, software errors in the control of an operating system's allocated resources are prevented from affecting the resources of any other image. Thus at a given time, each image of the OS, or each different OS, directly controls a distinct set of allocable resources within the platform.
Many logically partitioned systems make use of a hypervisor. A hypervisor is a layer of privileged software between the hardware and logical partitions that manages and enforces partition protection boundaries. The hypervisor is also referred to as partition management firmware. The hypervisor is responsible for configuring, servicing, and running multiple logical systems on the same physical hardware. The hypervisor is typically responsible for allocating resources to a partition, installing an operating system in a partition, starting and stopping the operating system in a partition, dumping main storage of a partition, communicating between partitions, and providing other functions. In order to implement these functions, a hypervisor also has to implement its own low level operations like main storage management, synchronization primitives, I/O facilities, heap management, and other functions.
Accessing hypervisor functions included in the hypervisor code can change the functionality of the hypervisor code. Therefore, because the hypervisor supports all partitions, changing the functionality of the hypervisor will affect the entire system's stability.
Therefore, a need exists for a method, system, and product for prohibiting unauthorized access to a protected region of memory, such as the region where the hypervisor is stored, in order to protect a software routine stored in the protected region.

System, method, and computer program product for prohibiting unauthorized access to protected memory regions

International Business Machines Corporation


The preferred embodiment of an animal restraining device has a plurality of flexible elongated members attached at one end to a snap hook, with the opposing ends attached to suction cups. This allows an animal, such as a dog or cat, to be restrained at any suitable surface capable of supporting a partial vacuum suction cup attachment. The animal is restrained by connecting a snap hook to the animal's collar, and the suction cups at the surface. By making the elongated members from elastomeric material, a non-jerking increasing restraining force is generated as the animal tries to move away, and the animal is soon taught to remain at a desired location. The invention eliminates required adjustment means and rigid framework of the prior art, thus providing a simpler device to manufacture while also allowing an animal to be restrained in a more natural and comfortable position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an animal restraining device that is useful for temporarily restraining animals to a suitable surface.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When bathing or grooming small animals such as pet dogs and cats, the animal often has a tendency to resist and will try to flee if given the opportunity. This necessitates the person performing this task to be vigilant, sometimes requiring one hand just to hold the animal in place.
Many restraining devices have been put forth that offer assistance for this problem. Notable is as described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,438,979 which offers a rigid frame and multiple harness device of a size that would fit a typical bath tub, and having friction pads that are wedged in place by screw adjustments. This device is limited to use in a bath tub of certain sizes only. The complexity and expense of manufacture of this device likely prevented it from obtaining widespread commercial acceptance.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,491,951 also offers a device that attaches to an animal's trunk. with a slidable wing nut adjustment for differing animal heights, and is held in place with a plurality of suction cups attached to a rigid frame. This device may also be used to lift the rear legs of an animal thus preventing movement while providing services such as medical attention.
The present invention offers improvements in that it can be easily put in place without the adjustments required by the prior art, and effectively provides a solution for temporarily restraining animals to a variety of surfaces. By eliminating the rigid frame noted in the prior art, the present invention also offers a solution that allows a more natural and comfortable restraint that is amiable to animals such as household pets.


A system for automatically maintaining a desired water level in a swimming pool, includes a float chamber coupled in fluid communication with a suction tube that is coupled between the pool and a pool filter pump. A float carrying a magnetic element is disposed in the float chamber. A magnetic switch is located in a fixed position outside of the float chamber at a level corresponding to the desired water level. The magnetic switch assumes a first state if the pool water level is equal to or higher than the desired water level and assumes a second state if the pool water level is lower than the desired water level. A solenoid valve is connected between a pressurized water source and an intermediate portion of a return tube returning pumped water to the pool. A circuit is coupled to the valve and the magnetic switch to close the valve when the pump is operating, and open the valve when the pump is not running and the magnetic switch is in the second state.

There are a number of prior devices for automatically maintaining water in a swimming pool at a desired level. Most of the prior devices include a float valve located in a water chamber adjacent to the pool. The interior of the chamber is in open fluid communication with the pool, so that the surface of water in the chamber is at the same level as the water surface of the pool. A mechanical, magnetic, or electronic sensor adjacent to the pool detects the level of a float and in response thereto water from a water supply line is metered into the pool until the desired water level has been reached.
There are several major problems with the prior devices. The most difficult problem is that none of the prior devices can be easily retrofit to a pre-existing swimming pool, because the prior devices generally require cutting suitable holes in the pre-existing pool deck and/or pool walls and providing the plumbing necessary to provide free fluid flow between the water level sensors of the prior devices and the swimming pool water.
There is an unmet need for an inexpensive, reliable device for maintaining the level of water in a swimming pool. It would be desirable for such a device to be easily retrofit to existing swimming pools without the need to cut holes in pre-existing pool deck and/or pool wall material.

Retrofit swimming pool water leveler and method


An example composite fan case assembly includes a composite fan case body disposed on an axis. The fan case body has a radially inner surface and a radially outer surface. There is at least one mounting attachment to receive a threaded member. The at least one mounting attachment includes a base component and a spool component. The base component extends through an opening in the fan case body from the radially outer surface and toward the radially inner surface of the fan case body. The base component including a base portion, a boss having a non-cylindrical profile, and a cylindrical portion. The mounting attachment also includes a spool component disposed on the radially outer surface and attached to the base component. The spool component receives at least a portion of the base component. An outer surface of the cylindrical portion and an inner surface of the spool component are threaded and correspondingly mate to lock the spool component relative to the base component.

This disclosure relates to creating mount attachments for external components in a composite fan case for a gas turbine engine.
Gas turbine engines are known, and typically include a fan which delivers air to a compressor. Recent developments in turbine engines include fabricating a fan case surrounding the fan formed of a composite material, such as carbon fiber reinforced plastic.
Fan cases made of composite materials have many desirable characteristics, however attaching components to the composite material through traditional threaded fasteners is not practical and may compromise structural capability. The material utilized to form the fan case has also not been conducive to fastener maintainability.

External threaded mount attachment for fan case


A window covering is disclosed that includes a first rail, window covering material adjacent the first rail, at least one lift cord extending through the window covering material to the headrail, a plurality of pulleys positioned adjacent the first rail, at least one spring motor adjacent the first rail, at least one spring motor cord extending from the one or more spring motors and a deformable connector attached to one or more spring motor cords and one or more lift cords. The connector is deformable to a size and shape sufficient for the connector and one or more spring motor cords to pass along at least one of the pulleys during movement along a cord path defined by one or more of the pulleys.

Window coverings, such as venetian blinds, roman shades, cellular shades or pleated shades, often have a headrail, a bottom rail and window covering material between the headrail and the bottom rail. U.S. Pat. Nos. 13,251, 2,687,769, 5,193,601, 5,482,750, 6,234,236, 6,325,131, 6,644,372, and 7,159,634 and U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2007/0163727, 2004/0129390 disclose examples of such window coverings. Window coverings are typically mounted adjacent a window and are used to cover the window and provide a desired aesthetic effect to the interior and exterior of a home, office or other building. The window covering material is often moveable from a retracted position adjacent the headrail to various extended positions that lower the bottom rail and permit the window covering material to cover a window.
Various different lift systems can be used to permit a user to adjust the position of the window covering material. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,991,020 to Cheng et al. discloses a window covering that utilizes a cord lock and an operator cord that extends through the cord lock and is attached to lift cords. The operator cord extends out of the cord lock and may be manipulated by a user to adjust the position of the window covering.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,837,294 to Cheng et al. provides a similar disclosure to U.S. Pat. No. 6,991,020 and also discloses a cordless shade that utilizes a spring motor that includes two spring motor cord spools attached to respective spring motor cord spools. A spring motor cold is entrained about the spring motor cord spools and is attached to lift cords. A user adjusts the position of the window covering material by providing a downward force to the bottom rail of the window covering to extend the window covering material or an upward force to the bottom rail to permit the spring motor to retract the lift cords and the window covering material.
In both U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,991,020 and 6,837,294, Cheng et al. teach that the attachment of the spring motor cord or operator cord to the lift cords should not pass over any pulley to avoid entanglement of the cords that may cause "hang up" problems that may make moving the window covering material problematic for a user. (See e.g. U.S. Pat. No 6,991,020, Col. 3, lines 46-55). Such binding may result in a user having to exert a substantial force to extend the window coveting material. Sometimes, such forces can cause the attachment between the cords to break or cause other damage to the window covering. These "hang up" problems can also result in a non-level window covering due to the entanglement of the colds, which often produces an undesirable aesthetic effect.
Further, the need for the attachment of the cords in the lift systems disclosed by Cheng et al. to not pass over a pulley limits the extent to which the window covering material may be extended below the headrail to, at most, the length of the headrail. If the full length of the headrail is filled with colds, spools and spring motor to provide a maximum length of the window covering, the window covering cannot be used in stock window covering programs or cut down programs. In these programs, window coverings are made in a limited number of stock sizes, which may then be cut down by a retailer to fit a specific window opening dimension provided by a customer.
Cut down programs typically offer blinds or shades for lower prices relative to custom made window coverings because a retailer is able to take advantage of economies of scale involved in the production of the limited number of available stock sized window coverings. Window coverings that can only provide a length of extended window covering material that is relatively equivalent to the length of a headrail typically cannot provide the window covering material length necessary for use in one or more stock blinds of window covering cut down programs.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2004/0129390 discloses a window covering that includes lift cords connected to a spring motor by various interlocking gears or other transmission systems. Such interlocking gears or transmission systems can be expensive to manufacture. Moreover, such lift systems often require precise fabrication due to the need for the various interlocking components to reliably interact with each other. Often, only very large window coverings, which are typically much heavier and costlier than other window coverings, may economically include such systems and still be produced efficiently enough to meet the price expectations of a customer.
A window covering is needed that includes a connection between one or more lift cords and one or more operator cords or spring motor cords that reduces, if not completely eliminates, cord entanglement problems or "hang up" problems so that the connection of the cords may reliably pass over, or pass along, one or more pulleys in a window covering lift system. Preferably, such a connection does not require interlocking gears or other expensive or complicated mechanisms to provide a cost effective solution to such cord entanglement or "hang up" problems.

Window covering having at least one deformable connector


A landing gear system for an aircraft comprises a truck beam (22); at least one steerable axle (42) mounted to the truck beam for pivotal steering movement; a steering actuator (46) connected to the steerable axle; and a locking mechanism (60) including a locking groove member (62) provided on the steerable axle for pivotal movement therewith, and a locking wedge member (64) engageable with the locking groove member to prevent pivotal movement of the steerable axle. The locking groove member includes a slot (63) having opposed sides converging towards one another, and the locking wedge member has correspondingly converging sides for mating engagement in the slot. The locking wedge member is resiliently biased (66, 69) into engagement with the locking groove member and the locking wedge member is mounted to the truck beam for pivotal movement (70).

Large aircraft, for example of the wide-body type, typically employ multi-wheel landing gear or landing gear trucks. To prevent tire scrubbing, and hence tire wear, during taxiing, such multi-wheel landing gear typically are provided with some form of steering. For example, the multi-wheel landing gear may include multiple pairs of wheels mounted on respective axles carried by a beam (commonly referred to as a bogie beam), and either the rear axle, or both forward and rear axles, on the truck is steerable. Each steerable axle may be operated by one or two hydraulic actuators typically controlled by the nose gear steering system. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,595,359 and 5,613,651 disclose steerable landing gear wherein each steerable axle is driven by a single center-locked actuator.
During landing and take-off, each steerable axle preferably is locked against turning. For this purpose, the actuator may be internally locked in its center stroke position as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,359. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,131, such function was provided by a separate external hydraulic plunger-lock mechanism.
The external locking mechanism described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,131 has several drawbacks. Such mechanism included a plunger pin movable by hydraulic pressure into an aperture in a tongue provided on the steerable axle. Consequently, hydraulic pressure is required to engage the locking mechanism. Thus, if hydraulic pressure is lost, the locking mechanism cannot be engaged. In the event of a loss of hydraulic pressure after the locking mechanism has been engaged, the plunger pin could possibly become dislodged from the aperture and no longer hold the steerable axle against swivelling.

Landing gear with locking steering system


Provided herein are methods and compositions for the delivery of bioactive compounds to a cell, tissue, or physiological site. The compositions comprise delivery system complexes comprising liposomes encapsulating a biodegradable ionic precipitate having incorporated therein a bioactive compound and delivery system complexes comprising a biodegradable ionic precipitate ionically bound to a surrounding lipid bilayer, wherein the biodegradable ionic precipitate comprises a bioactive compound. Also provided herein are methods for the treatment of a disease or an unwanted condition in a subject, wherein the methods comprise administering the delivery system complexes comprising bioactive compounds that have therapeutic activity against the disease or unwanted condition to the subject.

The development of new forms of therapeutics which use macromolecules such as proteins or nucleic acids as therapeutic agents has created a need to develop new and effective means of delivering such macromolecules to their appropriate cellular targets. Lipid-comprising vehicles have been developed to aid in the delivery of polynucleotides and other macromolecules. However, many of these vehicles are unable to efficiently release the incorporated bioactive compounds into the cytoplasm of cells or are associated with toxic side effects due to the stimulation of an inflammatory response when administered in vivo. Considering the great potential of novel macromolecular therapeutics in the treatment of various disorders, the need exists for the development of stable vehicles that are able to effectively deliver these therapeutics with minimal immunogenic effect.

Liposomes comprising a calcium phosphate-containing precipitate

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill


Information related to ink mounted to a printer that performs printing is acquired, and information for designating a type of ink that has been set to be used in printing by the printer is acquired. Based on the set type of ink and acquired information, it is determined whether or not the printer can print with a type of ink other than the set type of ink to be used. If it is determined that the printing is possible, displaying is executed to have a user confirm the set type of ink.

Conventionally, a printer capable of printing with plural colors of ink incorporated therein can perform printing with only a particular type of ink among the actually incorporated plural colors of ink in accordance with a setting of the printer or a printer driver. For instance, in a case where one of the plural colors of ink is exhausted, there is a known configuration for substituting the exhausted color ink with other color ink to perform printing (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 03-002040). Furthermore, in a case where black ink mounted to a printer is exhausted and there is no preliminary black ink, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 03-234679 discloses a technique of printing a black image portion with black color realized by mixture of other colors of ink in order to achieve a minimal print result.
In general, a printer and a printer driver are designed to use all types of ink mounted to the printer to achieve the most appropriate print result. Therefore, they are not designed to perform printing with particular ink only. In other words, printing with particular ink only is strictly urgent evasive printing, and a printout obtained by such printing has minimum visible quality. When the exhausted ink is filled, it is necessary to restore the setting of ink to be used in order to perform printing with the refilled ink.
However, after ink has been filled, a user sometimes forgets to restore the setting of ink to be used before printing. In this case, a user cannot achieve a satisfactory printout, wasting the ink and media. In order to avoid such problem, in a case where printing is performed with particular type of ink only, it is proposed to display warning to a user to confirm, at every printing job, the user's intention of such printing. However, even in a case where the user performs printing intentionally with a particular type of ink only, the warning is displayed each time printing is performed, being intrusive to the user.

Print control apparatus, print control method thereof, control program, printer driver, printer, and computer readable storage medium


The use of COMT inhibitors in the treatment of control of pain in mammals, for example in animals and humans.

This application is a national stage filing of PTC international Application No. PCT/FI01/00265, filed on Mar. 16, 2001. This application also claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119(a) to Finnish patent application no. 20000635, filed on Mar. 17, 2000.
The invention relates to the use of catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT) inhibitors in the treatment or control of pain in mammals.
Analgesic drugs can be divided into three groups: the nonopioid analgesics, the opioid analgesics and the adjuvant analgesics. The nonopioid analgesics such as aspirin, paracetamol and the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like indomethacin and ibuprofen, act peripherally and in some cases also centrally through inhibition of various enzymes, mainly cyclooxygenase. The inhibition of cyclooxygenase leads to reduction in the hyperalgesic prostaglandins. The opioid analgesics produce analgesia through binding to the opiate receptors in the central nervous system. Adjuvant analgesics increase the analgesic effects of the opioids or act as analgesics themselves. This group of drugs include miscellaneous drugs e.g. anticonvulsants like carbamazepine, tricyclic antidepressants, steroids etc.
Inhibitors of catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT) as well as methods for the preparation thereof are known in the prior art, e.g. in GB-A-2 200 109, EP-A-237 929 and WO-A-96 37456 as well as i.a. in British Journal of Pharmacology, vol.126, 1999, p.1667-1673 (E. Rivas et al.), in Journal of Medical Chemistry, vol.35(24), 1992, p.4584-4588 (R. A. Pxc3xa9rez et al.) and in Biochemical Pharmacology, vol.45(10), 1993, p.1973-1981 (R. A. Pxc3xa9rez et al.).
COMT is an enzyme which metabolises i.a. endogenous sympathomimetic catecholamines like dopamine and noradrenaline. COMT enzyme metabolises also exogenously adminstered catecholamines, e.g. levodopa. The inhibitors of COMT have been used i.a. in the treatment of Parkinson""s disease for inhibiting the metabolism of levodopa. As specific examples i.a. entacapone ((E)-2-cyano-3-(3,4-dihydroxy-5-nitrophenyl)-N,N-diethyl-2-propenamide) and tolcapone (3,4-dihydroxy-4xe2x80x2-methyl-5-nitrobenzophenone) can be mentioned.
Furthermore, WO-A-98 27973 describes the use of the COMT inhibitors, especially nitecapone (3-(3,4-dihydroxy-5-nitrophenyl)methylene-2,4-pentanedione), in the prevention of diabetic vascular dysfunctions. Nitecapone is also known to have a natriuretic effect (Eklxc3x6f et al. J. Am. Soc. Nephrology 5 (3), 657, 1994, Holtbxc3xa4ck et al., J. Am. Soc. Nephrology, 7(9), 1633, 1996).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,489,614 discloses catechol derivatives useful as antioxidants in the prevention or treatment of tissue damage induced by lipid peroxidation.
The object of the invention is to provide further use of the COMT inhibitors, i.e. the use of COMT inhibitors in the treatment or control of pain in mammals, including animals and human beings.


A condenser assembly for an appliance is provided. The condenser assembly can include a horizontally extending condenser coil assembly that has a plurality of supporting connectors that are arranged at an angle to the flow direction of cooling air. Cooling air is drawn through the refrigerator and across a length of the condenser coil by an air mover. Additionally, a baffle works in conjunction with the air mover to direct cooling air through the condenser coil and connectors.

Many appliances include a refrigeration cycle apparatus. For example, a refrigerator is an electrical appliance in which a refrigeration cycle uses a refrigerant to store food and beverages at a low temperature. Traditionally, the refrigeration cycle apparatus of a refrigerator utilizes a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve and an evaporator connected to an insulated container. The compressor compresses a vaporized refrigerant, which also increases the temperature of the refrigerant. A condenser transfers thermal energy away from the refrigerant and into the ambient environment outside the refrigerator.
In conventional refrigerators, the metal coils of the evaporator or condenser may contain fins to increase the surface area for heat transfer. However, these fins can restrict the cooling airflow and limit the amount of cooling air that can pass through the coils. In addition, poor cooling airflow through the condenser can result in a less than efficient appliance. For example, the cooling air may only partially penetrate the entire length of the condenser coil, thus lowering the heat-transfer efficiency. Also, the rate of heat transfer may be less efficient since the surface area of the condenser coils is limited.


An associative thickening copolymer, water-soluble in a neutral or alkaline medium, for charged and/or pigmented, white or colored aqueous compositions is disclosed. The copolymer is composed of (a) at least one monomer with ethylenic unsaturation having at least one carboxylic function, (b) at least one other monomer with ethylenic unsaturation without a carboxylic function, (c) at least one surfactant monomer having at least one urethane function resulting from the reaction of an isocyanate with ethylenic unsaturation with a surfactant compound having a hydroxyl function which is reactive with regard to the --NCO group, wherein said copolymer belongs to the group composed of those which, by definition, placed in aqueous solution with 2% by weight of dry material, brought to a pH of 9 by the addition of ammonia and at a temperature of 20.degree. C., have a Brookfield viscosity at 100 revolutions per minute of at most equal to 220 centipoises.. The copolymer may be is used in charged and/or pigmented aqueous compositions such as coating compositions and, more particularly, coating colors, printing pastes, leather finishing products, cosmetic and detergent compositions and drilling fluids.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a thickening agent which modifies the rheological characteristics of charged and/or pigmented, white or colored aqueous compositions.
2. Discussion of the Backgrounds
For one of skill in this art, a charged and/or pigmented aqueous composition is formed from a liquid phase which can be water or a water-miscible organic solvent, or even a mixture of both, from a polymer in emulsion in the liquid phase, which is called a "binder", from charges and/or pigments, from an agent dispersing the charges and/or pigments which can be a water-soluble polymer or copolymer, from additives as varied as coalescence agents, biocidal agents, antifoaming agents or others, and finally from a thickening agent which is a natural or synthetic polymer or copolymer.
For a long time it has been shown that the presence of a thickening agent in a charged and/or pigmented aqueous composition was necessary in order to modify the rheological characteristics thereof.
Several species of thickening agents for charged and/or pigmented aqueous compositions have been proposed to the skilled artisan and have been described abundantly in the specialized literature.
A first species of thickening agents for charged and/or pigmented aqueous compositions consists of cellulose derivatives with the property of viscosifying only the aqueous phase of said compositions.
However, the field of application of this first species of thickening agents is limited, because disadvantages occur, causing problems to the user such as, for example, difficulties in dissolving in aqueous media, frequently slow hydration kinetics, high bacterial sensitivity, and also an inability to cause to develop, and more specifically to adjust afterwards, the viscosity of the charged and/or pigmented aqueous compositions.
Thus, it is apparent that this first species of thickening agents causes, within the charged and/or pigmented aqueous compositions in which it is used, pseudo-plastic rheological characteristics which can be troublesome, such as a high viscosity in the absence of mechanical stress which, however, decreases very considerably under the effect of shearing, resulting in poor covering power.
Another species of thickening agents has been proposed to overcome certain above-identified disadvantages of this first species. This other species is formed from synthetic latexes, which may be acrylic, illustrative descriptions of which are given for example in patents such as FR 2,131,128, FR 2,281,389, U.S. Pat. No. 2,798,053, U.S. Pat. No. 2,985,625 or even U.S. Pat. No. 2,958,679.
Thus, FR 2,281,389 describes a cross-linked polymer of maleic anhydride and ethylene in the presence of trialkyl isocyanurate, which can be used as a thickening agent for aqueous systems such as synthetic latex-based paints, mineral flocculating treatments, industrial or domestic water coagulation treatments.
In general, these thickening agents are carboxylic acid polymers with an ethylene function or copolymers of said same acids and their esters presented in the form of a low viscosity aqueous emulsion, of the oil in water type.
Soluble in aqueous and alkaline media, said thickening agents have the advantage, in relation to the above-identified cellulose derivatives, of being more easily used and of being insensitive to bacterial attacks.
However, as with the first species of thickening agents, the second species has certain disadvantages, such as causing the thickening of only the aqueous phase of said compositions, or even of conferring on said compositions rheological characteristics which are too pseudo-plastic and which are not suitable for all paint formulations.
More recently, a last species of water-soluble thickening agents has appeared in the field of charged and/or pigmented aqueous compositions. These thickening agents are traditionally called associative thickening agents, because they act not only by increasing the viscosity of the aqueous phase (by solubilization), but also by creating various bonds between the copolymer and certain components of the compositions, very probably through the appearance of hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonds. The advantage of these associative thickening agents, in comparison with the above-identified agents, is to provide the charged and/or pigmented compositions in which they are used with a less pseudo-plastic behavior.
In particular, in the case of certain paints, the skilled artisan seeks to obtain a viscosity under low shearing which is fairly low so that the film deposited on the support to be protected has a tendency to level out well the irregularities in thickness due to the application (appropriate film tension), and has a viscosity under high shearing which is sufficiently high to improve the covering power and to decrease projections when said paints are applied using a roller.
This last species of associative thickening agents has been developed into two families, that of polyurethane associative thickening agents and that of acrylic associative thickening agents.
The polyurethane associative thickening agents belonging to the first family contain in their molecule one or several polyether chains terminating with hydrophobic groups, such as, for example, alkyls, aryls or alkylaryls, and are obtained by condensation chemistry.
Such agents are described in numerous patents, for example in GB 1,069,735, U.S. Pat. No. 3,770,684, U.S. Pat. No. 4,079,028 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,155,892.
However, while these agents confer on the charged and/or pigmented compositions in which they are used desirable rheological characteristics, they cause certain troublesome disadvantages for their user.
In effect these agents are in a viscous form which is not easy to handle, possibly in solution in mixtures of water and solvent(s), with the solvent possibly being more or less toxic and, thus, subject to limited use, or even has reactive incompatibility with certain components of the charged and/or pigmented compositions.
The acrylic associative thickening agents obtained by radical polymerization, belonging to the second family, which are watersoluble in a neutral or alkaline medium, are formed from copolymers in general prepared from ethylenic carboxylic acids, possibly esters of said acids and/or other monomers, and finally from at least one particular functional monomer having a lateral chain composed of polyether groups containing hydrophobic, hydrocarbon terminal radicals.
The nature of the particular functional monomer has been shown to be a determining factor in the rheological action of the charged and/or pigmented compositions containing the corresponding thickening agent.
Thus, the particular functional monomer can be a surfactant alcohol acrylate or methacrylate (EP Patent 0,013,836 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,384,096), or can result from esterification with a surfactant alcohol of acrylic acid oligomers (U.S. Pat. No. 4,421,902). This particular functional monomer can also be an oxyethyl ester of crotonic acid (U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,965), or also a maleic anhydride hemiester (EP Patent 0,248,612), or even a surfactant ether of allyl alcohol (EP Patent 0,216,479).
This particular functional monomer can finally result from the condensation of a surfactant alcohol and an unsaturated isocyanate (U.S. Pat. No. 4,514,552 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,600,761), with the presence of O--C(O)--NH--urethane groups on the lateral chains of the copolymer providing a beneficial effect on the rheological behavior of the charged and/or pigmented compositions and in particular aqueous paints.
The object sought by the use of acrylic associative thickening agents was to modify, in the most favorable manner, the rheological characteristics of said compositions through their presence, such that they preferably have a controlled viscosity simultaneously under high and low shearing, so as to have good covering power, acceptable sag resistance and an appropriate film tension.
However, it has been noted that, among the acrylic associative thickening agents of the prior art:
certain ones already had an acceptable rheological profile, but require of large quantities to be used which the formulator desired to see decreased,
the others, such as those indicated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,514,552, did not manage to control simultaneously the viscosities under high and low shearing.

Thickening agent which modifies the rheological characteristics of charged and/or pigmented, white or colored aqueous compositions


A system includes a reactor-adsorber configured to receive a gas, a regenerator configured to receive a saturated CO2 adsorption material from the reactor-adsorber, a first solids pressurizing feeder configured to convey the saturated CO2 adsorption material from the reactor-adsorber to the regenerator, and a second solids pressurizing feeder configured to convey a regenerated CO2 adsorption material from the regenerator to the reactor-adsorber. The reactor-adsorber includes a catalyst material configured to catalyze a water gas shift reaction of the gas to generate a hydrogen-rich gas, and a CO2 adsorption material configured to adsorb CO2 from the hydrogen-rich gas to generate the saturated CO2 adsorption material. The regenerator is configured to regenerate the saturated CO2 adsorption material to provide the regenerated CO2 adsorption material and CO2. The first and second solids pressurizing feeders are configured to at least substantially reduce or prevent fluid flow between the reactor-adsorber and the regenerator.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to catalytic reaction, and, more particularly, to catalytic generation of hydrogen and carbon dioxide.
Various industrial processes may be used for the generation of hydrogen and carbon dioxide. For example, an integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) power plant may produce a synthetic gas, or a syngas, which may include hydrogen, carbon monoxide, water, carbon dioxide, and other byproducts. The composition of the syngas may be altered by using a water gas shift reaction to produce additional hydrogen and carbon dioxide. In a separate process, the carbon dioxide may be separated from the hydrogen. Further, in another separate process, the carbon dioxide may be compressed for transport to a disposal site, to an enhanced oil recovery (EOR) field, or to another industrial process that uses carbon dioxide. Unfortunately, the production of hydrogen and carbon dioxide, and the separation and compression of carbon dioxide using such methods may be costly because of the high operational and equipment costs associated with using separate processes.


Transferring a mobile node from one ASN-GW (anchor access service network gateway) to another ASN-GW is referred to as a hand-over. To facilitate transfer of data for the hand-over, a GRE (generic routing encapsulation) tunnel is established between the two ASN-GWs. Traffic through the GRE tunnel arriving at a line card of an ASN-GW is redirected from the arrival line card to the one line card that contains information for the mobile node. The redirection is based on traversal of one or more tables on the line cards. These tables are indexed according to GRE keys corresponding to the mobile nodes. Therefore, the appropriate line card for the traffic can be identified quickly and efficiently using a distributed forwarding plane with minimal provisioning overhead, resulting in lower latency during the hand-over.

1. Field
Embodiments of the invention relate to the field of Mobile IP (Internet Protocol); and more specifically, to facilitating a handover of a mobile device in a WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) network.
2. Background
A mobile node operating in a WiMAX network acquires IP connectivity through foreign agent and home agent entities. In particular, the mobile node is coupled to the foreign agent by way of a base station or access point. Another mobile node may also be coupled to the foreign agent by way of the same base station. The foreign agent serves as the local point of attachment for its coupled to mobile nodes. The foreign agent is coupled to a home agent that provides IP connectivity. In other words, a home agent supplies IP connectivity to a mobile node through a foreign agent and base station.
A mobile node may move from its current base station's coverage area to another base station's coverage area. The new base station may be coupled to a different foreign agent. The process of coupling the mobile node to the new base station and the new foreign agent involved is done in a seamless manner to ensure that the mobile node's IP connectivity remains uninterrupted during the transition.

Method and apparatus for providing WiMAX (worldwide interoperability for microwave access) anchor mode service on a system with distributed forwarding planes


A method and system is disclosed for providing service level operational status associated with a complex information technology infrastructure. The method in accordance with the present invention allows a user to quickly determine the functionality of assets associated with the service level of a multi-tiered infrastructure, and to review status history of the assets, to assist in trouble shooting failures at the service or business level.

In today's computing environment, a large number of organizations interconnect their local area networks ('LANs') to the Internet using a service provider network. Typically, the LANs are located at a single physical site and include network assets such as routers, bridges, and other networking equipment. Generally, the service provider's network spans the public Internet infrastructure and consists of networking and telecommunication equipment such as routers, switches, and access nodes. Typically, access nodes of the provider's network are used to interconnect the LANs.
Given the interconnectivity between service provider and organizational networks, network events (e.g., faults, outages or other conditions requiring support) can occur that affect services of interconnected networks. For example, a network failure on a particular access node may affect not only LANs attached to that node, but other access nodes configured to provide services to other organizational networks. Similarly, a network equipment failure on a particular organization's network may have a reverberating effect not only on the service provider's network but also on other organization networks.
In addition to network equipment or other resource level failures, network events can result from service level failures of an IT infrastructure. Resource level generally refers to information pertaining to assets that is used by a service provider to support the information technology service. In other words, resource level refers to features or parameters of information technology infrastructure assets that are important from a service provider's perspective and includes information regarding hardware assets that support the information technology service software. Service level generally refers to information pertaining to assets that is used by a service user or customer of the information technology service. In other words, service level refers to features or parameters of information technology infrastructure assets that are important from a service user's perspective and includes the functional aspects of the service that are felt or experienced through the information technology service software.
Failures at the service (or business) level may or may not result in error or alarm conditions at the resource level, e.g., alarms due to network communication hardware failures. However, failures at the service level can result in outage conditions from a business perspective that may involve long delays before the business service is restored, even when the resource level appears to be functioning normally.
Current efforts to trouble shoot network events are typically handled at the resource level by available tooling in which information is directly keyed in by a user into the tool, in response to an alarm or error condition, or by tooling that has an auto-discovery function responsive to such conditions. However, these tools cannot effectively penetrate the service or business impact part of the IT infrastructure.
As a result, there is a need for a tool that allows a user to quickly determine the functionality at the service level and identify failures among assets at the service level of a multi-tiered infrastructure. There is also a need to bridge the gap left by available tooling, which examines the resource level, to assist in trouble shooting failures at the service or business level.

Method and system for monitoring a complex IT infrastructure at the service level


There is disclosed a feeding device (10) for dispensing bales of material from a vehicle. The feeding device (10) includes a body (12) having a surface for receiving a plurality of said bales thereon. The surface has a first end (12a) and a second end (12b) and is configured such that the plurality of bales are arranged in at least one row extending at least partially between the first and second ends (12a, 12b). A pusher (18) is slidably mounted to the surface and moveable between a first position proximal the first end (12a) and a second position proximal the second end (12b). A driving mechanism is provided and is controllable to move the pusher (18) between the first and second positions. Such movement of the pusher (18) from the first position to the second position applies a pushing force to the bales arranged in at least one row such that the bales in that row are progressively dispensed from said second end (12b) of the surface.

Conventionally, feed for livestock such as hay, silage or other stock feed material is generally prepared and stored in the form of round or square/rectangular bales. Such bales are typically stored in fields for later feeding to the livestock to supplement their dietary intake.
Traditional methods of feeding such bales involve dispensing the bales on an individual basis. In this regard, the bales are typically manually loaded onto trucks and manually pushed off the truck at intervals to provide a number of feeding sites for the livestock to access and feed on the bales. Any breakage of the bales into smaller pieces is also typically done manually prior to unloading the bales from the truck. As the bales are often quite large and heavy, and tightly bound together with string, this can be very tiresome and labour intensive task, requiring a number of workers. Due to the manual nature of the task, there is much potential for causing physical damage to a person handling the bales.
A number of mechanically operated feeders have been proposed to assist in transporting and unloading bales from the feeder onto the ground for the livestock to feed on. Many of these devices involve various complicated mechanical structures that feed the bales by way of sliding or tilting movements of a variety of moving parts. The disadvantage with such feeders is that they are typically designed at unloading individual bales, and do not provide a device that is adapted to feed multiple bales to large numbers of livestock without having to make numerous trips to a supply to reload the device. In addition, where bales are bound together with string, there is no way for safely and automatically handling the string other than manually removing the string. The presence of loose pieces of string can result in the string becoming entangled in the machinery of the feeder as the bales are being unloaded. This can cause temporary or permanent failure of the feeding equipment/machinery resulting in an increase in cost and time to the farmer/primary producer.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide a hay and silage feeder that is able to feed large numbers of stock in a safe and reliable manner.
Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which has been included in the present specification is solely for the purpose of providing a context for the present invention. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present invention as it existed before the priority date of each claim of this application.


A method for forming identical isotropic etch patterns in an etch system is disclosed. The method comprises providing a wafer paddle, a wafer, a plurality of identical etch systems, utilizing identical etch recipes within each of the plurality of etch systems, providing a fixed temperature stability time FTST for each system so that the heat transfer from the paddle to the wafer is constant, wherein the FTST is the same on each of the plurality of etch systems; and utilizing the plurality of identical etch systems to produce identical etches on each of the wafers based upon the FTST, wherein a five-second preheat step in the etch process is not utilized.

In semiconductor technology isotropic etching is non-directional removal of material from a substrate via a chemical process using an etchant substance. The etchant may be a corrosive liquid or a chemically active ionized gas, known as a plasma (Wikipedia—http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isotropic_etching). By comparison anisotropic (or non-isotropic) etching is direction-sensitive, as material is removed from the substrate according to the crystal orientation of the silicon substrate.
Isotropic-anisotropic etch processes have been used to improve metal step coverage for both contact and via etch processes. Initially, the isotropic etch process was performed using a "wet" or buffered oxide etch (BOE) followed by a "dry" or plasma oxide etch for the anisotropic role. As geometries decreased, wet etches yielded to "dry" isotropic etches. The ability to control the amount of undercut for the isotropic etches is predicated on the gas chemistry, RF power, etch time, temperature, load size and material being etched. The "dry" isotropic etch immediately indicates that this is a "chemical" etch. The etch rate of a chemical etch is controlled by the temperature of the solution or in this case, the temperature of the wafer.
Isotropic etch repeatability has consistently been a problem with dry etches. Even when the closest manufacturing specifications are implemented, parameters such as chamber pressure (i.e. the speed at which the throttle valve operates) and gas flows, will differ from one etch system to the next. This is a leading cause in the variation of isotropic etch depths.
A common approach to reducing such process variability is to process single wafers in each chamber. However, chamber temperature increases result in greater "over etch" or greater isotropy between the first and last wafers in a lot.
Another approach to reducing isotropic etch process variability is to individually adjust the etch times for each etch recipe while using scanning electron microscope (SEM) photos to confirm both etch depth and critical dimension control. However, process variability due to pumping speed, mass flow controller stability, chamber pressure stabilization, RF tuning and other factors yield different etch results on different systems.
Accordingly, what is needed is a method of forming a semiconductor device that overcomes the above-described operational issues. The method should be cost-effective, easily implemented, efficient, and have good performance characteristics. The present invention addresses such a need.

Method and system for controlled isotropic etching on a plurality of etch systems


A method and apparatus for microcontroller (MCU) memory relocation. The MCU includes a central processing unit (CPU) and memory, but lacks a memory management unit (MMU). In one embodiment of the method, a first program is selected for execution by the CPU. The first program is one of a plurality of programs stored in the memory of the MCU. Each of the programs includes position dependent instructions. The programs are compiled from source code written in position dependent code.

A Microcontroller unit (MCU) is small computer formed on an integrated circuit. MCUs provide embedded control of a wide range of devices, such as electric motors, voltage regulators, office machines, appliances, implantable medical devices, etc.
An MCU includes a central processing unit (CPU), memory, and other components. Program memory stores a main program and a reset program (sometimes referred to as "boot code"). Programs are typically stored in non-volatile flash memory.
A program includes a sequence of instructions that is derived by compiling a program written in human readable source code. On request, the CPU executes a program, instruction by instruction, until termination.
MCU program memory is organized into an array of addressable units. Instructions and data of a program are stored in addressable units of program memory. Each instruction or unit of data can be fetched from program memory at an address thereof.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Microcontroller system and method for selectably executing program instructions by memory address translation