Clinical patient tissue samples are classified according to the physiological status of cells present in the sample. In some embodiments of the invention, such cells are classified according to their ability to respond to therapeutic agents and treatments. In other embodiments, the cells or tissue samples are classified according to their status with respect to the activity of pathways of interest. The information thus derived is useful in prognosis and diagnosis, and can further be used develop surrogate markers for disease states, and to investigate the effect of genetic polymorphisms in the responsiveness and state of cells involved in disease.

In disease, as in health, there is a complex and changing cast of cells playing different roles. Functional capabilities of these cells can be altered, depending on the course of disease; as a result of underlying genetic differences; or due to drug exposure or other treatments. Even cancers, sometimes characterized as simple overgrowths of a single cell type, frequently show progression from one cell type to another. For example, in cancers of the breast and prostate there is a clear distinction between the steroid dependent and steroid independent cells, where the latter can emerge from the course of drug treatments. Similarly, the use of chemotherapeutics can select for resistant tumor cells, which are then able to persist through treatment. In other diseases, such as degenerative diseases, the loss of specific cell types is observed. For example, a key indicator of the severity of diabetes is the number of functioning islet cells that remain.
Apart from these diseased cells, normal cells in the body may be present, including the mobile cells of the immune system and angiogenic cells of the vascular system. Inflammatory diseases, as well as responses to infections, tumors and the like, are characterized by the presence of a variety of leukocytes, including B cells, T cells, polymorphonuclear cells (eosinophils, basophils and neutrophils), macrophages, natural killer cells, megakaryocytes, and the like. Even within one of these groups, there can be substantial variation in the function of the involved cells, for example a Th1 type T cells and a Th2 type T cells can have opposite effects on the course of a disease; and genetic and environmental effects can determine the onset and course of T cell-mediated diseases.
Angiogenesis is a process critical to both tumor growth and metastasis, and can be characterized by the presence of functionally distinct endothelial cells, which can vary in their responsiveness to cytokines and other growth and regulatory factors. Although angiogenesis is a continuous process, different consecutive steps can be identified, including release of pro-angiogenic factors and proteolytic enzymes, and endothelial cell migration, morphogenesis and proliferation. Under normal circumstances, the microvasculature is maintained in a quiescent state. The acquisition of the angiogenic phenotype depends on the outcome of stimulatory and inhibitory regulation by the tumur and its microenvironment, features which are modified by genetic differences.
In addition to the development and localization of cells, there is also genotypic variation, which can have important ramifications in an individuals response to therapy. Pharmacogenetics seeks to determine the linkage between an individual""s genotype and that individual""s ability to metabolize or react to a therapeutic agent. The use of pharmacogenetics is reviewed in Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol (2001);41:101-121. Differences in metabolism or target sensitivity can lead to severe toxicity or therapeutic failure by altering the relation between bioactive dose and blood concentration of the drug. However, given the complex networks of interacting elements that confer an individuals responses to environmental or therapeutic or pathologic influences, simply predicting responses from genotype may be difficult. Thus, more direct means of assessing relevant patient phenotypes are required.
A need exists for methods that give detailed information about the xe2x80x9cphysiotypexe2x80x9d, embodying cellular events that occur in response to differences in cell""s genetic makeup, changes in a cell, its environment, and other events that influence the biology of the host. The present invention satisfies this need and provides additional advantages.
Related Literature
Cell based assays include a variety of methods to measure metabolic activities of cells including: uptake of tagged molecules or metabolic precursors, receptor binding methods, incorporation of tritiated thymidine as a measure of cellular proliferation, uptake of protein or lipid biosynthesis precursors, the binding of radiolabeled or otherwise labeled ligands; assays to measure calcium flux, and a variety of techniques to measure the expression of specific genes or their gene products.
Compounds have also been screened for their ability to inhibit the expression of specific genes in gene reporter assays. For example, Ashby et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,569,588; Rine and Ashby U.S. Pat. No. 5,777,888 describe a genome reporter matrix approach for comparing the effect of drugs on a panel of reporter genes to reveal effects of a compound on the transcription of a spectrum of genes in the genome.
Methods utilizing genetic sequence microarrays allow the detection of changes in expression patterns in response to stimulus. A few examples include U.S. Pat. No. 6,013,437; Luria et al., xe2x80x9cMethod for identifying translationally regulated genesxe2x80x9d; U.S. Pat. No. 6,004,755, Wang, xe2x80x9cQuantitative microarray hybridization assaysxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,994,076, Chenchik et al., xe2x80x9cMethods of assaying differential expressionxe2x80x9d. U.S. Pat. No. 6,146,830, Friend et al. xe2x80x9cMethod for determining the presence of a number of primary targets of a drugxe2x80x9d.
Proteomics techniques have potential for application to pharmaceutical drug screening.
These methods require technically complex analysis and comparison of high resolution two-dimensional gels or other separation methods, often followed by mass spectrometry (for reviews see Hatzimanikatis et al. (1999) Biotechnol Prog 15(3):312-8; Blackstock et al. (1999) Trends Biotechnol 17(3):121-7. A discussion of the uses of proteomics in drug discovery may be found in Mullner et al. (1998) Arzneimittelforschung 48(1):93-5.
Methods and compositions are provided for the classification of clinical samples, e.g. patient tissue samples, according to the physiological status of cells or constituents present in the sample. The information thus derived is useful in prognosis and diagnosis, and can further be used develop surrogate markers for disease states, and to investigate the effect of genetic polymorphisms in the responsiveness and state of cells involved in disease. In some embodiments of the invention, such cells are classified according to their ability to respond to therapeutic agents and treatments. In other embodiments, the cells are classified according to their status with respect to the activity of pathways of interest. In another embodiment, patient tissue samples are evaluated for the presence of biologically active molecules, e.g. secreted factors and the like, by adding the patient sample to a cell culture responsive to the molecules.
Patient samples are cultured in a panel of environments, where each environment can comprise combinations of factors, cells and therapeutically active agents. Generally at least one environment contains multiple factors that affect pathways of interest. The effect of altering the culture environment is assessed by monitoring multiple output parameters. The cells may also be treated with therapeutic agents in the presence or absence of factors, and the profile of output parameters determined. A sufficient number of markers are selected to provide a high confidence level that the pathways of interest are being monitored. When factors are employed, a sufficient number of factors are used to involve one or a plurality of pathways and a sufficient number of markers are determined to insure the cellular status is accurately being monitored.


A data processing method for a non-volatile memory device is provided. The non-volatile memory device includes a controller and a NAND flash memory. First, a target command and a corresponding target address are serially transmitted from the controller to the NAND flash memory. Then, the NAND flash memory calculates a first value according to the target address. Moreover, a cyclic redundancy check code corresponding to the target address is transmitted from the controller transmits to the NAND flash memory. Next, the NAND flash memory determines whether a transmission error has occurred by performing a cyclic redundancy check according to the first value and the cyclic redundancy check code. When the transmission error has occurred, a status register is set to inform the controller to re-transmit the target command and the corresponding target address.

1. Field of the Invention
The disclosure relates generally to a non-volatile memory device, and, more particularly to a NAND flash memory and a data processing method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Non-volatile memories, such as flash memories, may be electrically erased and reprogrammed, as well as have the benefits of small size, low power consumption, and low cost features. Therefore, they are commonly used in a variety of consumer electronic devices for general storage and transfer of data, including mobile phones, digital cameras, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and so on.
Flash memories may include NAND flash memories and NOR flash memories. Compared to the NOR flash memories, the NAND flash memories may provide lower cost, larger memory capacity, and faster write speed and erase speed. Thus, NAND flash memories commonly serve as storage media of portable storage devices for storing various kinds of multimedia data.
Generally, when the NAND flash memories are accessed, the accessed data is serially transmitted. Moreover, with the advent of high speed data transfer rates, data transmission becomes more susceptible to noises, thereby substantially increasing the occurrence of data transmission errors. In this situation, since conventional NAND flash memories are unable to immediately detect that data transmission errors have occurred, it is unlikely to determine whether the accessed addresses or data are correct. Further, incorrect accessed addresses and data may result in erroneous programming or inaccessibility of data stored therein.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a data processing method for the NAND flash memories, which is capable of immediately detecting occurrence of transmission errors during operation of the NAND flash memories, such that appropriate actions may be taken in advance for improving reliability of the NAND flash memories.

Non-volatile memory device and data processing method thereof


Implantable devices formed of or coated with a material that includes an amorphous poly(D,L-lactide) formed of a starting material such as meso-D,L-lactide are provided. The implantable device can be used for the treatment, mitigation, prevention, or inhibition of a disorder such as atherosclerosis, thrombosis, restenosis, hemorrhage, vascular dissection or perforation, vascular aneurysm, vulnerable plaque, chronic total occlusion, patent foramen ovale, claudication, anastomotic proliferation for vein and artificial grafts, bile duct obstruction, ureter obstruction, tumor obstruction, or combinations thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to coatings or implantable devices, such as stents or coatings on a stent, formed of a material that contains amorphous poly(D,L-lactide) (PDLLA) with a crystallinity of about or lower than 10%.
2. Description of the Background
Although stents work well mechanically, the chronic issues of restenosis and, to a lesser extent, stent thrombosis remain. Pharmacological therapy in the form of a drug-delivery stent appears a feasible means to tackle these biologically derived issues. Polymeric coatings placed onto the stent serve to act both as the drug reservoir, and to control the release of the drug. One of the commercially available polymer coated products is stents manufactured by Boston Scientific. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,869,127; 6,099,563; 6,179,817; and 6,197,051, assigned to Boston Scientific Corporation, describe various compositions for coating medical devices. These compositions provide to stents described therein an enhanced biocompatibility and may optionally include a bioactive agent. U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,590 to Scimed Life Systems, Inc., describes a coating composition, which includes a bioactive agent, a collagenous material, or a collagenous coating optionally containing or coated with other bioactive agents.
A current paradigm in biomaterials is the control of protein adsorption on the implant surface. Uncontrolled protein adsorption, leading to mixed layer of partially denatured proteins, is a hallmark of current biomaterials when implanted. Such a surface presents different cell binding sites from adsorbed plasma proteins such as fibrogen and immunogloblulin G. Platelets and inflammatory cells such as monocyte/macrophages and neutrophils adhere to these surfaces. Unfavorable events can be controlled by the use of non-fouling surfaces. These are materials, which absorb little or no protein, primarily due to their hydrophilic surface properties.
Another limitation of current drug-delivery stents stems from the fact that the stent is a foreign body. Use of drug-delivery stents has proved successful by use of controlled release of anti-proliferative or anti-inflammatory drugs to control restenosis. However, drug-delivery stents still have a small, but measurable, incidence of sub-acute thrombosis. Moreover, drug-delivery stents have not driven restenosis to zero levels, especially in more challenging patient subsets such as diabetics or patients with small vessels, and/or long, diffuse lesions. A biomaterials-based strategy for further improving the outcome of drug-delivery stents is by the use of biobeneficial materials or surfaces in stent coatings. A biobeneficial material is one which enhances the biocompatibility of a device by being non-fouling, hemocompatible, actively non-thrombogenic, or anti-inflammatory, all without depending on the release of a pharmaceutically active agent.
Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is a bioabsorbable material with a long history of use. One of the negative aspects of using bioabsorbable material is late term inflammatory reactions. One of the reasons causing late term inflammatory reactions is a burst release of acidic degradation products at a late time point. Another cause is the release of polymer crystallites at a late time point once the amorphous polymer phase has degraded. It has been well documented that polymerization of D,L-lactic acid, and during degradation of the resulting polymers, can lead to the formation of stereocomplexes of PLA polymers. These stereocomplexes are the result of co-crystallization of enatiomerically pure poly(D-lactic acid) (PDLA) and poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) polymers or polymeric blocks (see, for example, Ikada, Y., et al., Macromolecules 20:904-06 (1987)). Studies have shown that these stereocomplexes have crystalline structures (see, for example, Okihara, T., et al., J. Macromol. Sci. Phys. B30(1/1):119-140 (1991); Tsuji, H., et al., Macromolecules 24:5651-6 (1991)). Accordingly, PLA formed by polymerization of D,L-lactic acids which allows for the formation of homologous sequences of L-lactic and/or D-lactic acid may cause late term inflammatory reactions.
The present invention addresses such problems by providing a polymeric material for coating implantable devices.


The present invention generally relates to wearable jewelry and storage devices. Specifically, this invention relates to wearable jewelry having the ability to store materials, including cosmetic makeup materials lotions and perfumes.

The use of accessories to enhance or showcase individual style is universal. Some accessories provide utility by coupling to storage containers, permitting a user to wear the storage container as an accessory piece, such as a bracelet or necklace. Conventional storage containers coupled to wearable elements are connected to each other by latches, hooks, or other interlocking assemblies. However, such accessories do not provide a convenient and efficient means of easily replacing the storage containers attached thereto.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a storage device which provides a convenient and efficient means of removing and replacing the storage accessory cartridge, as desired by a user. These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be explained and will become obvious to one skilled in the art through the summary of the invention that follows.


A method for updating a software program, including: determining a context of the user while the user is using the software program; subscribing to an update service associated with the context of the user; obtaining at least one update related to the context of the user, where at least one update is supplied by the update service; and updating the software program based on at least one update.

In a general sense, software may be used to perform a set of tasks desired by a user. Software may also include the data used by an application or a user to perform a task. For example, the content within "help" files or a table of tax rates used by a tax program may also be considered software. Examples of software include word processors, spreadsheets, databases, media players, business applications, and medical applications. Software may be bundled with the operating system installed on a computer, installed separately, and/or accessed remotely (e.g., over a network connection).
Software may also be associated with various features for performing the user's tasks. For example, media players may include features for visualization of music and creation of compact discs (CDs) and/or digital video discs (DVDs) from media files. In addition, the features may be tailored to the user's needs and/or capabilities. A more advanced user of the software may require more advanced and/or complicated features than a basic user. As a result, most users may only use a portion of the features offered by an application.
Software may be updated frequently, particularly if the software includes many features and/or multiple advanced features. Software updates may be used to fix security leaks, fix bugs, update data, install new features, upgrade existing features, and/or provide other changes to the product software. Software users may be prompted to download and install an update whenever the update is released. The update is prompted even when the update only involves a feature of the software the user has never used and has no plan to use the feature in the future.

Method and system for context-based software updates


A request is received via an input device of a computing device for a hypertext link to an item of web content rendered on a display of the computing device. It is determined whether a markup language (ML) document used to render the web content includes an existing page anchor proximate to an item reference within the ML document. The hypertext link is configured based upon the determination of whether the ML document includes the existing page anchor proximate to the item reference within the ML document. The configured hypertext link is returned in response to the request.

The present invention relates to page anchors associated with renderable web content. More particularly, the present invention relates to location-specific page anchors.
Web content includes text, images, and other information that may be rendered on a display of a computing device. One approach to creation of web content is to create a markup language (ML) document that organizes the web content for rendering. The ML document may be transferred between devices via communication protocols, such as hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP). Upon receipt at the computing device, the ML document is processed to render the web content for viewing on the display of the computing device.

Automated configuration of location-specific page anchors

International Business Machines Corporation


A nonvolatile memory element is disclosed comprising a first electrode, a near-stoichiometric metal oxide memory layer having bistable resistance, and a second electrode in contact with the near-stoichiometric metal oxide memory layer. At least one electrode is a resistive electrode comprising a sub-stoichiometric transition metal nitride or oxynitride, and has a resistivity between 0.1 and 10 Ωcm. The resistive electrode provides the functionality of an embedded current-limiting resistor and also serves as a source and sink of oxygen vacancies for setting and resetting the resistance state of the metal oxide layer. Novel fabrication methods for the second electrode are also disclosed.

Nonvolatile memory elements are used in systems in which persistent storage is required. For example, digital cameras use nonvolatile memory cards to store images and digital music players use nonvolatile memory to store audio data. Nonvolatile memory is also used to persistently store data in computer environments.
Nonvolatile memory is often formed using electrically-erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) technology. This type of nonvolatile memory contains floating gate transistors that can be selectively programmed or erased by application of suitable voltages to their terminals.
As fabrication techniques improve, it is becoming possible to fabricate nonvolatile memory elements with increasingly smaller dimensions. However, as device dimensions shrink, scaling issues are posing challenges for traditional nonvolatile memory technology. This has led to the investigation of alternative nonvolatile memory technologies, including resistive switching nonvolatile memory known in array form as resistive random access memory or ReRAM.
Resistive switching nonvolatile memory is formed using memory elements that have two or more stable states with different resistances. Bistable memory has two stable states. A bistable memory element can be placed in a high resistance state or a low resistance state by application of suitable voltages or currents. Voltage pulses are typically used to switch the memory element from one resistance state to the other. Nondestructive read operations can be performed to ascertain the value of a data bit that is stored in a memory cell.
Resistive switching based on transition metal oxide switching elements formed of metal oxide layers has been demonstrated. Although metal oxide layers such as these exhibit bistability, the resistance of these layers and/or the ratio of the high-to-low resistance states is (are) often insufficient to be of use within a practical nonvolatile memory device. For instance, the resistance states of the metal oxide layer should preferably be significant as compared to that of the system (e.g., the memory device and associated circuitry) so that any change in the resistance state change is perceptible. Since the variation in the difference in the resistive states is related to the resistance of the resistive switching layer, it is often hard to use a low resistance metal oxide layer to form a reliable nonvolatile memory device. For example, in a nonvolatile memory that has conductive lines formed of a relatively high resistance metal such as tungsten, the resistance of the conductive lines may overwhelm the resistance of the metal oxide resistive switching element if its resistance was not sufficiently high. It may be difficult or impossible to sense the state of the bistable metal oxide resistive switching element.
Similar issues can arise from integration of the resistive switching memory element with current steering elements, such as diodes or transistors. The resistance of the resistive switching memory element (at least in its high resistance state) is preferably significant compared to the resistance of the current steering elements, so that the unvarying resistance of the current steering element does not dominate the resistance of the switching memory element, and thus reduce the measurable difference between the "on" and "off" states of the formed memory device (i.e., logic states of the device). However, since the power that can be delivered to a circuit containing a series of resistive switching memory elements and current steering elements is typically limited in most conventional nonvolatile memory devices (e.g., CMOS driven devices), it is desirable to form each of the resistive switching memory elements and current steering elements in the circuit so that the voltage drop across each of these elements is small, and thus resistance of the series connected elements does not cause the current to decrease to an undesirable level due to the fixed applied voltage (e.g., ˜2-5 V).
As nonvolatile memory device sizes shrink, it is important to reduce the required currents and voltages that are necessary to reliably set, reset and/or determine the desired "on" and "off" states of the device to minimize overall power consumption of the memory chip as well as resistive heating of the device and cross-talk between adjacent devices. Moreover, as nonvolatile memory device sizes shrink it becomes increasing necessary to assure that the "set" and "reset" currents used to change the state of the memory element are not too large so as to require higher voltage transistors for chip control circuitry, as well to minimize damage to or alter the electrical or physical properties of the one or more layers found in the formed memory device. A large current flowing through the current carrying lines in a memory array can also undesirably alter or disturb the memory state of other interconnected devices or possibly damage portions of the adjacently connected devices, due to an appreciable amount of "cross-talk" created between them due to resistive heat transfer. Therefore, there is a need to limit and/or minimize the required current used to sense and program the logic states of each of the interconnected devices in an effort to reduce chip overall power consumption as well as improve device longevity and reduce the chance that cross-talk between adjacently connected devices, which can alter a nonvolatile memory's device state. Therefore, it is desirable to form a nonvolatile memory device that has low programming currents when switching the device between the "on" and "off" states.
The addition of individual current limiting resistors for each memory element can reduce the required programming currents. These current-limiting resistors are typically formed by adding a second layer of a fixed resistive material adjacent to the bistable resistive material forming the memory elements, as is disclosed in co-owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/353,000, entitled "Nonvolatile Memory Device Having A Current Limiting Element" filed on Jan. 18, 2012, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/513,355 entitled "Nonvolatile Memory Device Having A Current Limiting Element," filed on Jul. 29, 2011, both of which are incorporated herein by reference. This extra layer requires an additional process step.


Environmental measurement display systems that can be used in home and commercial environments are disclosed. The environmental measurement display system can include an environmental sensor array, signal-processing circuitry, a power supply, a display device, a communications system, a data storage system, and a remote data visualization system.

Humans are capable of detecting both toxic and non-toxic chemicals with their sense of smell and without specialized training it can be difficult for humans to differentiate between safe chemicals and harmful chemicals. Some chemicals can be harmful in concentration, but harmless in small amounts, and it can be difficult for humans to differentiate between safe and harmful levels by smell alone. Finally, the definition of safe and harmful levels can vary depend on the environment and on individual sensitivity of a person (or a product stored in an environment). Thus, there is a need in the environmental sensor field to create a new environmental measurement display system and method.
Real estate derives a great deal of value from environmental quality of both air and water. A verifiable environmental report for a property showing excellent, neutral or poor environmental quality can have a direct effect on the price of both residential and commercial real estate, as well as rental, leasing and hospitality rates. It would be to the advantage of a real estate owner or seller to demonstrate the quality of their environment, and a financial premium estimate for a good environmental score, and a financial penalty estimate for a low environmental score can be assigned, allowing buyers and sellers to properly value property in many different transactions and environments.
Perishable goods can go bad if not stored properly, and things like grains, eggs, meat, fish, seafood, dairy products, and produce can be sensitive and cause food poisoning if not stored properly. Perishable products verifiably stored in proper environments may be sold at a premium to other products not necessarily verifiably stored in proper environmental conditions. For example, Kobe Beef stored in optimal conditions can be certified as premium stored, and can be sold for a higher premium, depending on the quality of the environment. Similar to how diamonds are graded, even though the naked eye cannot tell the difference, a finer measurement can differentiate between quality, and this measurement for perishable goods can be the storage environment.
Valuable documents or antiques require specific environments to ensure they maintain their condition and value. An antique that has been stored in an optimal environment can be expected to sell for a premium, and an environmental sensor measurement of the storage environment can verify the quality of the storage environment.
Accordingly, a system and method for tracking and reporting the environmental quality and the respective impact on the value for specific real estate, perishable goods, and valuable documents or antiques is desired.

Environmental measurement display system and method


Imaging apparatus and methods for bindery systems are disclosed. An example method includes engaging a signature assembly with an end of a separator to cause 1) a first page of the signature assembly to be disposed on a platform and 2) a second page of the signature assembly to be disposed on the side of the platform; drawing the first page toward the platform; and imaging the first page when the first page is on the platform.

Postal services apply postal rate discounts to individuals and/or companies that presort mail to a particular presort level. The presort levels may be associated with mail being bundled together having the same carrier route number, the same five digit postal code mailing address, the same first three digits of the postal code mailing address or the same state or provincial mailing address. Each presort level may have a different postage rate. For example, the cost of postage may decrease depending on the number of pieces of mail presorted and/or the presort level achieved. Additionally, a plurality of different publications can be bundled together to increase the number of publications that qualify for a lower cost postage presort rate. To determine the number of mail presorted qualifies for the lower postage presort rate, the postal service employs equipment (e.g., automation equipment) configured to read indicia or other information (e.g., a bar code) provided on the mail.
However, when the postal service equipment cannot read the information or indicia provided on the mail, that particular piece of mail is rejected and is not counted toward the qualifying number of presort mail. Typically, the information or indicia is not readable by the presort equipment due to a low quality print and/or a distorted orientation of the printed information or indicia. As a result, the rejected bundled mail may not qualify for the bundled discount postage.
The figures are not to scale. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawing(s) and accompanying written description to refer to the same or like parts.


A data encryption and decryption system securely geoencrypts data using location-dependent navigation signals. To increase the entropy of the cryptographic key to guard against a brute-force attack, geoencryption is made to depend on largely time-independent characteristics of the navigation signals that are not easily spoofed, including the time difference of arrival, the envelope-to-cycle difference, the differential signal-to-noise, the signal envelope shape, and the directions of arrival of the navigation signal set.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to controlling access to digital data, and to a system for providing secure communication of information to recipient devices in a manner such that the information can only be communicated or accessed at specified locations. In particular, the present invention is directed at providing enhanced cryptographic strength to encryption methods incorporating geographic and temporal restrictions.
2. Description of Related Art
Traditional methods of securing electronic data rely on encryption to assure that only authorized users can access and use the secure data. Encryption is the use of codes and ciphers to protect data from unintended disclosure or modification. It is primarily used to control access to communications transmitted over open networks, but may also be used to control access to stored data. In a transmission utilizing encryption to protect digital data, the sender converts the original data, or "plaintext," into a coded equivalent called "ciphertext" using an encryption algorithm. The ciphertext is then decoded (or decrypted) by the receiver and thereby turned back into plaintext. The encryption algorithm uses a key, which in digital systems is a string of bits. In general, the larger the number of bits in the key, the longer it takes to break the code using so-called "brute force" methods. A drawback of conventional cryptographic systems is the difficulty of distributing the keys to recipients of encrypted information. If the keys are intercepted by an unauthorized user, then that unauthorized user could gain access to the encrypted information.
As an added layer of security, it has been proposed to further incorporate time and location data into encryption methods such that the secure data can be accessed only at an authorized location and time. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,143,289, in which Denning et al. introduce the concept of geoencryption, or location-based encryption. Using geoencryption, data can be encrypted with a particular range of geographic and temporal coordinates that prevent decryption of the data unless it takes place within the specified geographic and temporal range. For example, an employer might geoencrypt sensitive employee information making it available only within the employer's facility and during normal business hours. If the data were stolen or the facility broken into, the additional geographic and temporal restrictions would greatly reduce the likelihood that the security of the data could be compromised, even by authorized users. As another example, geoencryption might be used in the distribution of digital cinema to authorized theatres to ensure that the content could be decoded and displayed only at the authorized locations during the authorized times. The concept of geoencryption thus promises tremendous potential benefits in the management and distribution of sensitive or secured data where controlling access is the predominate concern.
However, although the location data used in the encryption process does enhance security, the addition of this one piece of information does not provide enough entropy, or unique information content, to create a sufficiently strong and robust cryptographic system to protect the most valuable data. Furthermore, simply providing additional location signals will not significantly increase the cryptographic strength of the system. Additional unique information is needed to increase the entropy sufficiently to enable a more robust security system. In addition, conventional geoencryption systems can be defeated by unauthorized users who generate false location or time data in order to spoof the decryption system. Additional unique, location-dependent information is needed to provide a cross check on position data to authenticate the source of location data used in the decryption process.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a system that makes use of all location-based parameters of a navigation signal to significantly increase the entropy of the cryptographic key and to perform cross correlations of navigation parameters to authenticate the source of location data in order to generate a strong and robust cryptographic system.

Method and apparatus for using navigation signal information for geoencryption to enhance security


Semiconductor devices and fabrication methods are provided. In an exemplary method, a semiconductor layer including a first opening can be provided. The first opening can be filled with a stress material. The stress material can then be etched to form a second opening having a width less than a width of the first opening to leave a stress material layer in the semiconductor layer and on each sidewall of the second opening. The semiconductor layer can be etched to form a fin structure on a sidewall surface of the stress material layer. A main gate structure can be formed on the sidewall surface of the fin structure. A back gate structure can be formed on the sidewall surface of the stress material layer.

With advances of semiconductor process technology and the decreasing of process node, metal gate process is widely applied to achieve ideal threshold voltage and to improve device performance. However, as the critical dimension of device further shrinks, the structure of conventional MOS field effect transistor (FET) cannot meet requirements for device performance even if the metal gate process is utilized. Thus multiple gate devices as a substitute for conventional devices are drawing wide attention.
Fin FET is a common multiple gate device. FIG. 1 illustrates a three-dimensional schematic for a conventional fin FET. As shown in FIG. 1, a fin FET includes a semiconductor substrate 10, a fin 14 formed on the substrate 10 by etching the substrate 10, a dielectric layer 11 formed on the surface of semiconductor 10 and a portion of sidewall of the fin 14, and a gate structure 12 formed across the fin 14 over the top and sidewall of the fin 14. The gate structure 12 includes a gate dielectric layer (not shown) and a gate electrode (not shown) formed on the gate dielectric layer. In such a fin FET, the top area of the fin 14 and contact area between the sidewalls of fin 14 and the gate structure 12 form channel regions (e.g., provide multiple gates) to increase the driving current to improve the device performance.
A conventional method for improving device performance of the fin FET include enhancing carrier mobility in the channel regions by adjusting stress in the channel regions using strained silicon technique. A fin FET having enhanced carrier mobility in the channel regions is formed by forming a high-k dielectric layer followed by forming a stress metal layer on the surface of the high-k dielectric layer and forming metal gate electrodes on the surface of stress metal layer. As a result, stretching or compressing of the crystal lattice in the channel regions of fin FET by the stress metal layer can enhance the carrier mobility in the channel regions.
However, the stress metal layer needs to use the high-k gate dielectric layer to stretch or compress the crystal lattice in the channel regions of the fin FET, electrical properties of the high-k gate dielectric layer can be affected. This can result in more defects formed in the high-k gate dielectric layer with increased gate leakage current and decreased gate breakdown voltage.

Semiconductor device and fabrication method

SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING INTERNATIONAL (SHANGHAI) CORPORATION


A steering control apparatus acquires vibration torque, which is generated by vibration of a gear mechanism when a steering wheel is operated at a steering angle. By setting the acquired vibration torque as a torque difference, an EPS motor current command value is corrected based on the torque difference thereby to calculate a corrected EPS motor current command value. Rattling and vibration caused in the gear mechanism are suppressed from being transferred to the steering wheel through an input shaft so that a driver is released from uncomfortable feeling.

It is conventionally known that a variable gear ratio steering (VGRS) device is capable of varying a ratio of a steered angle relative to a steering angle of a steering device. According to the following patent document 1, for example, a differential wheel mechanism and a variable gear ratio device are directly coupled to a shaft of a steering wheel provided as a steering device. The variable gear device has a gear ratio control motor, which drives the differential gear mechanism. It is recently also known that an electric power steering (EPS) device is used together with the VGRS apparatus as a mechanism for assisting steering operation of a vehicle. The electric power steering apparatus is operated electrically to generate torque.    (Patent document 1) JP 2008-273327A
In the gear mechanism of the VGRS apparatus, vibration sometimes occurs due to manufacturing error of gears. In case the VGRS apparatus is provided to the shaft of the steering wheel, vibration caused by meshing of gears is directly transferred to the steering wheel. As a result, a driver is likely to feel uncomfortable.


An electromagnetic relay, comprising: a electromagnet consisting of an iron core and a solenoid wound thereon; a yoke extending in parallel with the electromagnet and attached to one end of the iron core; an armature pivotally attached to a part of the yoke adjacent to another end of the iron core at its base end; a fixed contact unit provided adjacent to the electromagnet; an pivotally supported moveable contact carrier; an extension arm extending from the armature and having a free end adapted to abut an actuation point of the moveable contact carrier located between its pivoted point and a moveable contact piece carried thereby; the moveable contact piece being adapted to cooperate with a fixed contact member provided in the fixed contact unit. The lever ratio achieve by the moveable contact carrier permits the magnetic gap between the armature and the iron core to be reduced, and the actuation stroke of the contact mechanism to be increase, in a relative sense, so that the magnetic efficiency can be increased and the reliability of the contact mechanism can be ensured.

An electromagnetic relay generally comprises an iron core having solenoid wound thereon, a yoke connected to the iron core at its one end so as to define a magnetic gap therebetween, an armature hinged to the yoke so as to be driven in the direction to close the magnetic gap when the solenoid is energized, a spring member urging the armature away from closing the magnetic gap, a contact mechanism, and transmission means for converting the displacement of the armature to that for actuating the contact mechanism.
In such an electromagnetic relay, since the magnetic gap is desired to be minimized so as to produce a maximum attractive force between the iron core and the armature and a certain actuation stroke is required for reliable actuation of the contact mechanism, it is desirable to attain a fairly large lever ratio or transmission ratio with the transmission means. However, to attain a large lever ratio, the size of the transmission means, for instance, consisting of a lever mechanism tends to be increased beyond an acceptable limit.
The lever ratio may be increased by using a longer lever, but this will increase the size of the electromagnetic relay. Therefore, it is desired to increase the lever ratio substantially without increasing the size of the electromagnetic relay. It is conceivable to achieve this goal by providing a notch in the yoke for receiving a lever arm extending from the armature so as to curb the increase in size by thus receiving the lever arm within the general contour of the yoke while ensuring a sufficient length to the arm, but the resulting diminution of the width of the yoke may reduce the mechanical strength of the yoke to an unacceptable level. In particular, susceptibility of the yoke to deformation makes its handling extremely troublesome particularly in the case of small electromagnetic relays. Further, reduction in the cross sectional area of the yoke increases the magnetic resistance of the yoke which forms a part of a magnetic circuit and the magnetic efficiency of the magnetic circuit tends to be impaired. It means an increased power consumption and a reduced sensitivity.
Electromagnetic relays for high frequency current requires a shield structure for its contact pieces. Therefore, assembly work tends to be highly troublesome and it has been desired to design a highly compact structure for high frequency electromagnetic relays which is easy to assemble. In particular, the shield case must be a highly enclosed structure in order to achieve a high isolation capability, but this in turn causes an increase in the manufacturing cost and the possibility of thermal deformation during the process of soldering lead wires to the ground terminals integrally provided in the shield case. Also, the shield case is desired to be manufactured by a simple stamping process for reducing manufacturing cost.
As contact structures for an electromagnetic relay of the aforementioned type, there are known the cross bar contact structure in which a moveable contact member and a fixed contact member both consisting of planar pieces contact each other by a line, and the rivet contact structure in which a planar piece and a hemishperical projection contact each other by a point. The cross bar structure has the disadvantage that the contact tends to be unstable and a sufficient contact pressure may not be attained. On the other hand, the rivet contact structure can ensure a sufficient contact pressure, but since the contact is made by a point, in case of any slight defect in the contact area, the state of contact becomes poor and, therefore, durability and reliability may not be sufficient.


Measurement of signal power for variable or time varying signals. A log-linear VGA coupled in a feedback configuration to a difference detector and an integrator, includes a set of amplifier cells selectable by a sliding current generator, producing a sum of outputs. Outputs of the sliding current generator include a first control current provided using a sum of amplified currents, a sequence of intermediate control currents, and a final control current provided using a sum of amplified currents. Control currents to be summed can be differentially amplified or attenuated; attenuators include capacitors to compensate for capacitive loading. Selectable amplifier cells are differentially amplified or attenuated. Isolating switches and canceling stages reduce the effects of leakage between adjacent amplifier cells. The sliding current generator can have boosted current to first and last amplifier cells, providing a more linear-in-dB gain near a relative maximum or minimum.

This background is provided as a convenience to the reader and does not admit to any prior art or restrict the scope of the disclosure or the invention. This background is intended as an introduction to the general nature of technology to which the disclosure or the invention can be applied.

Logarithmic RMS-detector with servo loop


A sand sculpture mold includes a hollow receptacle that tapers from a first end to a second end. The first end has a rim defining a first opening in the receptacle. The second end has an edge defining a second opening in the receptacle. The mold includes a removable cover structured and arranged to selectively expose and form a substantially water-tight seal in the second end.

The present invention relates generally to a sand sculpture mold.
Building a sand sculpture, such as a sand castle, is a popular activity that can be enjoyed by children and adults at a beach or in a backyard sandbox. A sand sculpture can be made from sand and water and shaped with conventional tools such as a pail and shovel.
There exits a need for an improved sand sculpture mold.


A chemical vapor deposition (CVD) apparatus is provided. The CVD apparatus includes a CVD chamber including multiple wall portions. A pedestal is disposed inside the CVD chamber, configured to support a substrate. A gas inlet port is disposed on one of the wall portions and below a substrate support portion of the pedestal. In addition, a gas flow guiding member is disposed inside the CVD chamber, coupled to the gas inlet port, and configured to dispense cleaning gases from the gas inlet port into the CVD chamber.

Semiconductor devices are used in a variety of electronic applications, such as personal computers, cell phones, digital cameras, and other electronic equipment. Semiconductor devices are typically fabricated by sequentially depositing insulating or dielectric layers, conductive layers, and semiconductive layers of material over a semiconductor substrate, and patterning the various material layers using lithography to form circuit components and elements thereon.
In the formation of multi-level integrated circuit (IC) devices, a major portion of the manufacturing cycle involves using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processes to deposit material layers. In particular, the deposition of oxide insulating layers, such as inter-metal dielectric (IMD) layers, is performed several times in the formation of a multi-level integrated circuit device. A film is formed not only on a substrate but also on inner walls of a CVD chamber. In addition, the chemical byproducts and unreacted reagents of such deposition processes are mostly evacuated from the chamber by an exhaust pump, but some residue is unavoidably deposited on the inner walls of the CVD chamber. Thus, the CVD chamber is cleaned periodically to remove unwanted films or residues on the inner walls of the CVD chamber.
Although existing apparatus and methods for cleaning the CVD chamber have been generally adequate for their intended purposes, they have not been entirely satisfactory in all respects.

Chemical vapor deposition apparatus with cleaning gas flow guiding member

TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.


The invention comprises providing electric stimuli, which are generated by forming the following ringing circuit: active electrode—inductive storage unit—passive electrode—interelectrode tissues—active electrode, the electric stimuli creating oscillations which are used as a test signal. In one variant of the method, the electrodes are successively applied (in another variant—moved uniformly) across the skin area. Every time the electrodes-to-skin contact is detected, the oscillation parameters are recorded after a delay. Moreover, the values of parameters can be averaged. The invention allows for both combined and disjointed (i.e. separated) electrode placement. An optimal zone for electropulse therapy is identified by a minimal or maximal value of one or more parameters of the aforementioned oscillations and the use of the principle of small asymmetry. The invention further provides for an increase in the accuracy with which zones optimal for electropulse therapy are identified and localized.

Currently, the stimulators using this principle are manufactured in Russia (SCENAR, DENAS, TINER, etc.) as well as in other countries (Interx, Avazzia, Physiokey, etc.).
An important aspect of the use of such stimulators is the search for the zones optimal for electric stimulation.
The use of inductive energy storage unit for stimuli generation allows to assess the reaction of the inter-electrode tissues (primarily skin) along with the stimulation, to evaluate the body's reaction to the stimulation in general, and thus, to evaluate the electrophysiological condition of a body.
From the summary and the description of the device in RU Patent No. 2068277, IPC 6 A61N1/36, published on 27 Oct. 1996, results a method, according to which the active and passive electrodes, connected to a switch amplifier with an output transformer, are placed on the patient's skin, the parameters of free oscillations that arise during that are measured, and body reaction to the stimulation is identified by the speed of changing of duration of the first half wave of the aforementioned oscillations, whereas the nature of pathology is identified by duration of the first half wave of these oscillations. (Free oscillations are mistakenly called forced oscillations in the description).
This method allows the evaluation of the body's reaction to the stimulation with the selected criteria, but does not provide for the search of zones optimal for electropulse therapy, which can be carried out using the same criteria by identifying the skin areas that are most different from those of the surrounding skin.
The drawback of this method is the considerable dependence of the parameters of free oscillations on the speed and force of the electrode pressing to the patient's skin, especially when the electrodes are being applied to the skin.
Their minor deviations may result in significant differences in the measured values of free oscillations parameters and, therefore, an incorrect identification of the body's reaction to the stimulation or the nature of pathology.
Another drawback of this method is the lack of averaging of measured values, which can also lead to a significant error in the evaluation of the body's reaction to the stimulation or the nature of pathology due to the high variability (dynamic properties) of the signal.
In addition, this method does not provide an evaluation of the body's reactions to the stimulation when the electrodes are moved along the skin.
The closest to the proposed one method of evaluating the electrophysiological condition of the human body is to apply electrodes to the skin, transmit an electric signal from high-quality inductor coil saturated with electromagnetic power through the interelectrode tissue, and use as a test signal the electric oscillations arising in the ringing circuit, formed by the following parts: active electrode—a high-quality inductor coil—passive electrode—interelectrode tissue—active electrode, an evaluation of the electrophysiological condition of the body by measuring the frequency, or amplitude, or damping of these oscillations (RU Patent No. 2161904 C2, A61V5/05, A61N 39/00, published on 20 Jan. 2001).
This method allows to perform the evaluation of the electrophysiological condition of the human body or, according to the description of the invention, of its particular organs and systems, using the results of measuring the parameters of free oscillations arising during the said stimulation.
Although this method does not support the searching of the optimal zones for electropulse therapy, it can also be used for these purposes by identifying the skin areas that are most different from the surrounding ones by the measurements of frequency, or amplitude, or damping of oscillations occurring in the aforementioned ringing circuit.
However, due to the lack of delay between the application of electrodes to the skin and the measurement of oscillations parameters, and also because there is no averaging of oscillation parameter values, this method cannot ensure the gage reproducibility in case of deviations in the speed of electrode application or the force of electrode pressing to the patient's skin.
Another drawback of this method is that it allows an evaluation of the electrophysiological state only in static condition, and does not allow it to be carried out when the electrodes are moved along the skin.

Method of searching optimal zones for electropulse therapy (variants)


A protection circuit for protecting components from an electrostatic discharge at a node in an integrated circuit having a first set of electronic components of a first voltage sensitivity, the protection circuit comprising: detection circuitry arranged to detect an electrostatic discharge at the node; a first switching device connected between the first set of components and the node; and a second switching device connected between the node and ground; wherein, when an electrostatic discharge is detected at the node, the first switching device is configured to isolate the first set of components from the node and the second switching device is configured to provide a current path from said node to ground.

This invention relates to a circuit for protecting voltage-sensitive components in an integrated circuit from an electrostatic discharge or other source of potentially damaging overvoltage. In particular, this invention relates to a circuit for protecting voltage-sensitive components or circuits in an integrated circuit (IC) which are insufficiently protected by conventional electrostatic discharge (ESD) clamps.
In order to protect an integrated circuit from a potentially damaging electrostatic discharge, it is commonplace to provide an ESD clamp between the power supply rail and ground to which the integrated circuit is coupled. During an ESD event, an ESD clamp placed across the power supply of a circuit provides a safe current path through the chip and around the circuit being protected. When an ESD events occurs, the ESD clamp acts to conduct the electrostatic charge to ground, thus dissipating the overvoltage at the power supply rail. The ESD clamp is configured to trigger when an ESD event is detected at the supply rail and then subsequently limit the voltage to below the lowest failure voltage of all the components in the circuit. In this way the designer of the circuit can guarantee that none of the components in the circuit will be damaged during an ESD event.
Typically, ESD clamps that clamp to higher voltages during an ESD event are also tolerant to higher voltages during normal operation. Conversely high performance clamps that can clamp to a lower voltage, and therefore protect more sensitive components, are generally tolerant only up to lower power supply voltages. It is for some circuits possible to design power supply clamps with high power supply voltage tolerance and low clamping voltage but these clamps are significantly larger and have a higher leakage current during normal operation.
In some instances it can be useful to design circuits which are powered from relatively high voltage power supplies yet contain high performance components (such as thin oxide transistors, low voltage diodes, n-well resistors, thin gate oxide capacitors or other low voltage components) that cannot be protected by a high voltage clamp. During normal operation the circuit is configured such that these high performance components operate at voltages within their safe operating range, but during an ESD event it is not possible to ensure that the maximum clamped voltage is not applied across any given component.
This can occur in practice when power supply clamps suitable for thick oxide (double oxide or DO) MOSFETs are used to protect circuits that comprise thin oxide (single oxide or SO) MOSFETs, or circuits comprising a mix of SO and DO transistors.
Conventionally, low voltage components are often protected simply by adding resistors between the components and the power supply, thus limiting the current through and the voltage across those components during the ESD event. However, in many circuits such a resistor configuration cannot be used as they limit the current through the components during normal operation and can prevent the circuit from operating correctly.
There is therefore a need for a circuit arrangement that can protect voltage-sensitive components during an ESD event in a circuit having a relatively high voltage power supply.

Low voltage electrostatic discharge protection


A battery pack includes a base plate forming a bottom surface; a main frame combined to the base plate and extending in a height direction to form a wall structure for supporting both side portions of the plurality of battery modules; and a top plate combined to an upper portion of the main frame to form a ceiling, wherein at least one of the top plate and the base plate is provided in a plate body shape including a bead.

Secondary batteries are attracting attention as new energy sources for enhancing environmental-friendliness and energy efficiency, not only due to a primary advantage of significantly reducing the use of fossil fuel, but also in that no by-products are generated by the use of energy.
Such secondary batteries are generally applied not only to portable devices, but also to electric vehicles (EVs), power storage apparatuses (energy storage systems (ESSs), and the like.
In particular, the power storage apparatus the power storage apparatus is a system that usually stores power and supplies the power when required, such as during power failure or power shortage, and has a structure in which a plurality of secondary batteries are stacked such that suitable operation voltage and charging capacity are secured.
In general, the power storage apparatus is provided in a form in which a plurality of batteries are stacked in predetermined rows on a power type battery rack placed on a floor provided in a power room or the like. Examples of conventional battery racks are disclosed in KR 10-1278506 B1 and KR 10-2015-0113688 A.
Meanwhile, with the recent widespread of the power storage apparatus, it is required for the power storage apparatus to essentially have ignition prevention performance and seismic performance of a certain level or above.
In this regard, as a result of active studies and development in the related art regarding ignition prevention performance of a conventional power storage apparatus, various ignition prevention methods and solutions have been disclosed, but solutions and methods regarding securing of seismic performance are relatively insufficient.
For example, regarding an existing method of enhancing seismic performance of a power storage apparatus, in many cases, a frame forming a battery rack is manufactured with a metal alloy material having high strength or is increased in thickness. However, in this case, the weight of the battery rack is increased and production costs are not economical. As an alternative, a strength reinforcing material may be added to the battery rack, but the strength reinforcing material serves as a negative factor in terms of space efficiency and is still uneconomical in terms of costs.
Accordingly, a new method for enhancing seismic performance of a power storage apparatus while reducing or maintaining the use and weights of individual materials is requested.

Battery rack and power storage apparatus including the same


A hydraulic control apparatus of a vehicular automatic transmission has a plurality of hydraulic friction engagement devices that are selectively engaged and released to establish a plurality of forward speed change stages of different speed change ratios. The forward speed change stages are achieved through engagement of predetermined friction engagement devices, of the plurality of friction engagement devices. If it is determined that a predetermined speed change stage corresponding to a predetermined shift output is not established, the hydraulic control apparatus identifies a hydraulic friction engagement device having a bad engagement that is a cause of the non-establishment of the predetermined speed change stage, on the basis of the state of engagement oil pressure of the predetermined friction engagement device.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a hydraulic control apparatus and a hydraulic control method of a vehicular automatic transmission which selectively achieve a plurality of speed change stages by combinations of engagement of a plurality of hydraulic friction engagement devices. More particularly, the invention relates to a technology that identifies a hydraulic friction engagement device having a bad engagement that has caused a failure in obtaining a speed change stage corresponding to a shift output, if such a failure occurs.
2. Description of Related Art
The hydraulic control apparatus of an automatic transmission has hydraulic friction clutches and brakes used for speed shifts, and an electronic control device that includes a microprocessor. The hydraulic actuators of the friction clutches and brakes are respectively provided with control valves. The hydraulic control apparatus of an automatic transmission further has electromagnetic changeover valves and pressure control valves for controlling the hydraulic actuators. The electromagnetic changeover valves and the pressure control valves are electrically controlled by the electronic control device, in accordance with a vehicle operation parameter, that is, one of the speed change stage of the automatic transmission, the load of the engine, and the vehicle speed. For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-2002-533630 describes a hydraulic control apparatus of a vehicular automatic transmission in which when the electronic control device or the like has a failure, the electromagnetic valves and the pressure control valves are switched to a non-electric current state, and the gear is automatically changed to a low speed gear (particularly, the 3rd speed gear) if a low-speed gear has been set at the time of the failure, and the gear is automatically changed to a high-speed gear (particularly, the 5th speed gear) if a high speed gear has been set at the time of the failure.
According to the hydraulic control apparatus as described above, if a failure occurs while the vehicle is running in a low speed gear, for example, one of the 1st to 3rd speed gears, the automatic transmission is changed to the 3rd speed gear stage. If a failure occurs while the vehicle is running in a high speed gear, for example, one of the 4th to 6th speed gears, the automatic transmission is changed to the 5th speed gear stage. Therefore, the sharp deceleration at the time of occurrence of a failure can be resolved, and the vehicle can be taken off again.
However, in the aforementioned hydraulic control apparatus of a vehicular automatic transmission, when a failure occurs, the site of occurrence of the failure is not identified. Therefore, there are problems of degraded controllability during the running of the vehicle with a failure, and increased repair man-hours at service plants.

Hydraulic control apparatus and hydraulic control method of vehicular automatic transmission


An electric machine includes a wire conductor having at least one end, a terminal configured to be operatively connected to the at least one end of the wire conductor, and a terminal member having a first end section configured and disposed to establish a mechanical bond and an electrical connection with the at least one end of the wire conductor, and a second end section configured and disposed to establish a mechanical link and an electrical connection with the terminal.

Exemplary embodiments pertain to the art of electric machines and, more particularly, to an electric machine including a switch terminal.
Many electric machines include field coils formed from wire through which passes an electrical current. The wire generally includes end portions that are connected to terminals configured to connect with an external current source or deliver electrical current to an external load. In many cases, the wire passes through a center portion of the terminal secured with an amount of solder. The amount of solder establishes an electrical connection between the wire and the terminal. In other cases, the wire is simply soldered to an end portion of the terminal.

Electric machine including a switch terminal and method of connecting an end portion of a wire to a terminal of an electric machine


A sandwich structure does not permit the permeation of water and a sandwich structure repairing method is capable of easily repairing the sandwich structure. A sandwich structure (1) includes a core (4) formed of a closed-cell foam plastic material, and surface plates (2, 3) formed of a fiber-reinforced composite material containing hydrophobic inorganic fibers as reinforcing fibers and bonded to the opposite surfaces of the core (4). Water is unable to permeate the sandwich structure. When the outer surface plate (2) of the sandwich structure (1) is damaged, a damaged portion of the outer surface plate (2) is removed to form a circular opening (10) in the outer surface plate (2), a portion of the core (4) in the vicinity of the circular opening (10) is removed by shot blasting work, a support plate (16) provided with radial arms (18) is fastened to the inner surface of the outer surface plate (2) with rivets (25) at a position corresponding to the circular opening (10), a circular cover plate (40) is fitted in the opening (10) so as to be seated on the support plate (16) and is fastened to the support plate (16) with rivets (25). A cavity formed by removing the portion of the core (4) is filled up with a filling material (43).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sandwich structure to be used as a structural member of aircraft, rolling stock, automobiles and ships, and a method of repairing such a sandwich structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Lightweight, reinforced metal plates of aluminum alloys have been used for forming structural members of aircraft and the like. Recently, reinforced, plate structures of a composite material and sandwich structures formed by laminating a honeycomb core between surface plates of a composite material have been prevalently used. The surface plates of a composite material are bonded to the honeycomb core with adhesive films. Usually, cell elements of a honeycomb core are bonded together with a foaming adhesive that foams in a hot pressure molding process.
When a surface plate of a composite material is damaged and needs repairing, it is general to repair the damaged surface plate by scraping off a damaged part of the surface plat, laminating adhesive layers and prepreg sheets formed by impregnating a fiber structure with a resin in a recess formed by scraping off the damaged part so as to fill up the recess, and applying heat and pressure to the layers of the prepreg sheets and the adhesive to set the layers of the prepreg sheets.
When a sandwich structure having a honeycomb core sandwiched between surface plates is damaged, it sometimes occurs that water leaks into the sandwich structure through the periphery of the sandwich structure or cracks formed in the surface plate and water collects in the sandwich structure. The water collected in the honeycomb structure diffuses throughout the sandwich structure through the foam adhesive layers bonding together the cell elements of the honeycomb core. The adhesive film used for bonding together the surface plates and the honeycomb core includes a glass fabric, a cotton fabric or a meshed carrier of synthetic fibers. Therefore, small gaps are formed between the surface plates and the honeycomb core and it is possible that the water spreads through the gaps. If water collects in the honeycomb core and the honeycomb core is made of a metal, such as an aluminum alloy, the honeycomb core will be corroded and the surface plates will separate from the honeycomb core.
Even if the honeycomb core is made of a nonmetallic material, water collected in the honeycomb core repeats freezing and evaporation according to the variation of the ambient condition of the sandwich structure to deteriorate the adhesive bonding together the surface plates and the honeycomb core and to reduce the bonding strength of the adhesive and, consequently, the surface plates separates from the honeycomb core.
The water collected in the honeycomb core increases the weight of the sandwich structure, changes the position of the center of gravity of the sandwich structure adversely affecting the dynamic characteristic of the sandwich structure. In some cases, the sandwich structure is heated at a temperature not lower than 100xc2x0 C. when repairing the damaged sandwich structure. If the honeycomb core contains water, the water evaporates to increase the pressure in the sandwich structure when the sandwich structure is heated and, in the worst case, the sandwich structure will burst.
If it is known that the honeycomb core contains water, small holes are formed in the surface plate and the water is drained through the small holes or the sandwich structure is unfastened and the water is removed by suction, which, however, needs time and costs.
When fabricating a sandwich structure having portions of different thicknesses, a honeycomb core must be machined, which requires troublesome work.
When repairing a damaged portion of a sandwich structure by laminating prepreg sheets, heat and pressure must be applied to the laminated prepreg sheets to set the prepreg sheets, which needs special devices. When setting prepreg sheets by applying heat and pressure thereto, pressure and temperature must be strictly controlled, which requires very troublesome work. After completing the repair of the damaged part of the sandwich structure by setting the prepreg sheets, the adhesive bonding the laminated prepreg sheets covering the damaged part to the mother structure of the repaired part must be inspected. Thus, the repair of the damaged sandwich structure needs special devices and much time and work.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a sandwich structure capable of inhibiting the penetration of water therein and having a core that can be easily processed and to provide a method of repairing a sandwich structure by simple work.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a sandwich structure includes a core having foam plastic core members formed of a closed-cell foam plastic material, and surface plates formed of a fiber-reinforced composite material containing hydrophobic inorganic fibers as reinforcing fibers and covering the opposite surfaces of the core, wherein the foam plastic core members are bonded together with adhesive films that do not foam, and the surface plates are bonded to the core with adhesive films not containing any carrier or a component resin of the fiber-reinforced composite material forming the surface plates.
Since the sandwich structure is provided with the foam plastic core members of a closed-cell foam plastic material, water is unable to collect in the sandwich structure. Since the foam plastic core members are bonded together with an adhesive film that does not foam and the composite surface plates are bonded to the core with an adhesive film not having any carrier or a component resin of the fiber-reinforced composite material forming the composite surface plates, any passages through which water penetrates and diffuses into the sandwich structure are not formed at all. Consequently, the sandwich structure is free from troubles due to the penetration of water into the sandwich structure.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a sandwich structure includes a core having foam plastic core members of a closed-cell foam plastic material and honeycomb core members, and surface plates formed of a fiber-reinforced composite material containing hydrophobic inorganic fibers as reinforcing fibers and covering the opposite surfaces of the core, wherein a peripheral part of the core is formed of the foam plastic core members arranged so as to surround the honeycomb core members, the foam plastic core members are bonded together with adhesive films that do not foam, and the surface plates are bonded to the core with adhesive films not containing any carrier or a component resin of the fiber-reinforced composite material forming the surface plates.
Since the peripheral part of the sandwich structure through which water is most liable to leak into the sandwich structure is formed of the foam plastic core members, the foam plastic core members are bonded together with an adhesive film that does not foam, and the surface plates are bonded to the core with adhesive films not containing any carrier or a component resin of the fiber-reinforced composite material forming the surface plates, the sandwich structure is free from troubles due to the penetration of water into the sandwich structure. Since the core has the honeycomb core members having strength and rigidity which are generally higher than those of the foam plastic core members, the sandwich structure has a high strength and a high rigidity.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, a sandwich structure includes a core having foam plastic core members formed of a closed-cell foam plastic material and honeycomb core members, and surface plates formed of a fiber-reinforced composite material containing hydrophobic inorganic fibers as reinforcing fibers and covering the opposite surfaces of the core, wherein the core is formed by sandwiching the honeycomb core members between the foam plastic core members and bonding the foam plastic core members to the honeycomb core members with adhesive films not containing any carrier.
Since the core is formed by sandwiching the honeycomb cores between the foam plastic core members and bonding the foam plastic core members to the honeycomb core members with an adhesive film not containing any carrier, water is unable to penetrate into the honeycomb core members and the sandwich structure even if the surface plate is fissured or broken. Since the core has the honeycomb core members having strength and rigidity which are generally higher than those of the foam plastic core members, the sandwich structure has a high strength and a high rigidity. Since the foam plastic core members capable of readily absorbing shocks are contiguous with the surface plates, the sandwich structure is resistant to damaging actions.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a sandwich structure includes a core having foam plastic core members formed of a closed-cell foam plastic material and honeycomb core members, and surface plates formed of a fiber-reinforced composite material containing hydrophobic inorganic fibers as reinforcing fibers and covering the opposite surfaces of the core, wherein portions of the core corresponding to portions of the sandwich structure where thickness varies sharply are formed of the foam plastic core members, portions of the core corresponding to portions of the sandwich structure where thickness varies gradually are formed of the honeycomb core members, and the composite surface plates are bonded to the core with adhesive films not containing any carrier or a component resin of the fiber-reinforced composite material forming the surface plates.
Since the portions of the core corresponding to portions of the sandwich structure where thickness varies sharply are formed of the foam plastic core members capable of being easily processed and of being smoothly processed according to the variation of the thickness, the core can be easily processed and the composite surface plates can be easily bonded to the core.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, a sandwich structure repairing method of repairing a sandwich structure including a core having foam plastic core members formed of a closed-cell foam plastic material, and outer and inner surface plates of a fiber-reinforced composite material and bonded to the opposite surfaces of the core with an adhesive film not containing any carrier or a component resin of the composite surface plates includes the step of attaching a support plate to the inner surface of a damaged portion of the outer surface plate with rivets.
Since the support plate is attached to the inner surface of the outer surface plate, the repaired portion of the outer composite surface plate has a smooth surface. Since the support plate is attached to the outer composite surface plate by riveting work using rivets for repair instead of bonding work using an adhesive that requires time and labor, time and labor necessary for repairing the sandwich structure can be greatly reduced.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, a sandwich structure repairing method of repairing a sandwich structure comprising a core having foam plastic core members formed of a closed-cell foam plastic material, and an outer surface plate and an inner surface plate formed of a fiber-reinforced plastic material and bonded to the opposite surfaces of the core with adhesive films not containing any carrier or a component resin of the fiber-reinforced composite material forming the surface plates, said sandwich structure repairing method comprising the steps of: putting an outer support plate to an inner surface of a damaged portion of the outer surface plate; and fastening the outer support plate to the outer surface plate with rivets.
When an operator is able to perform repairing work on the side of the inner surface of the sandwich structure and the damage in the outer surface plate is slight, the outer support plate can be attached to the inner surface of the outer surface plate from the inner side of the sandwich structure with the rivets, and the cavity can be filled up with the filling material, and the inner support plate can be easily attached to the inner surface plate.
Preferably, a portion of the inner surface plate and a portion of the core corresponding to the damaged portion of the outer surface plate are removed; the outer support plate is fastened to the inner surface of the damaged portion of the outer surface plate with rivets; a cavity formed by removing the portion of the core is filled up with a filling material; and an inner support plate of a size greater than that of an opening in the inner surface plate formed by removing the portion of the inner surface plate is fastened to the inner surface plate with rivets so as to cover the opening in the inner surface plate.
When an operator is able to perform repairing work on the side of the inner surface of the sandwich structure, the portion of the outer surface plate including the damaged portion is removed to form the opening, the outer support plate is attached to the inner surface of the outer surface plate, the space formed by removing the portion of the core is filled up with the filling material, and the cover plate of the size equal to that of the opening in the outer surface plate is fitted in the opening in the outer surface plate and the cover plate is fastened to the support plate with rivets. Thus, the outer surface of the outer surface plate can be finished in a smooth surface. Since the method employs riveting work using rivets, time and labor for the repair work can be reduced.
Preferably, an opening is formed in the damaged portion of the outer surface plate; a portion of the core and a portion of the inner surface plate corresponding to the opening and a region around an edge of the opening are removed; the outer support plate is fastened to the inner surface of a portion of the outer surface plate around an edge of the opening in the outer surface plate with rivets; a cover plate formed of the same material as that forming the outer surface plate and having a thickness equal to that of the outer surface plate is fitted in the opening and is fastened to the outer support plate with rivets; a cavity formed in the core by removing the portion of the core is filled up with a filling material; and an inner support plate of a size greater than that of an opening in the inner surface plate formed by removing the portion of the inner surface plate is fastened to the inner surface plate with rivets so as to cover the opening in the inner surface plate.
Preferably, a portion of the outer surface plate including the damaged portion is removed to form an opening in the outer surface plate; a portion of the core corresponding to the opening in the outer surface plate and a portion of the core around an edge of the opening in the outer surface plate are removed; the outer support plate is expandable over a region greater than the opening in the outer surface plate; the outer support plate is inserted through the opening in the outer surface plate; the outer support plate is fastened to the inner surface of the outer surface plate with rivets; a cover plate of a size equal to that of the opening formed in the outer surface plate and of a thickness equal to that of the outer surface plate is fitted in the opening in the outer surface plate; the outer support plate is fastened to the support plate with rivets; and a cavity formed by removing the portions of the core is filled up with a filling material.
Since the expandable outer support plate is used, the outer surface of the outer surface plate can be finished in a smooth surface even if repairing work can be carried out only on the side of the outer surface of the sandwich structure.
Preferably, a plurality of the outer support plates ar used; a portion of the outer surface plate including the damaged portion is removed to form an opening in the outer surface plate; a portion of the core corresponding to the opening in the outer surface plate and a portion of the core around an edge of the opening in the outer surface plate are removed; the plurality of the outer support plates are inserted through the opening in the outer surface plate so as to be arranged on the inner surface of a portion of the outer surface plate around an edge of the opening in the outer surface plate; the plurality of the outer support plates are fastened to the inner surface of the outer surface plate with rivets; a cover plate of a size equal to that of the opening formed in the outer surface plate and of a thickness equal to that of the outer surface plate is fitted in the opening in the outer surface plate; the cover plate is fastened to the plurality of the outer support plates with rivets; and a cavity formed by removing the portions of the core is filled up with a filling material.
Since the plurality of the outer upport plates are used instead of the expandable outer support plate, complicated processing work for forming the expandable outer support plate is unnecessary and hence processing work can be reduced.
Preferably, the portions of the core of a foam plastic material corresponding to the opening in the outer surface plate and a region around the edge of the opening in the outer surface plate are removed by shot blasting work.
Since the sandwich structure has the core of a foam plastic material, the portions of the core can be easily removed by shot blasting work, which reduces time and labor necessary for repairing

Sandwich structure and method of repairing the same


The present invention encompasses compounds of formula (I)

The tumor suppressor protein p53 is a sequence specific transcription factor and plays a central role in the regulation of several cellular processes, including cell cycle and growth arrest, apoptosis, DNA repair, senescence, angiogenesis, and innate immunity. The Mouse Double Minute 2 (MDM2) protein (or its human homolog also known as HDM2) acts to down-regulate p53 activity in an auto-regulatory manner, and under normal cellular conditions (absence of stress), the MDM2 protein serves to maintain p53 activity at low levels. MDM2 directly inhibits the transactivation function of p53, exports p53 out of the nucleus, and promotes proteasome-mediated degradation of p53 through its E3 ubiquitin ligase activity.
Deregulation of the MDM2/p53 balance by overexpression of MDM2 or by p53 mutation or loss leads to malignant transformation of normal cells. Presently p53 is known to play a key role in practically all types of human cancers, and the mutation or loss of the p53 gene can be identified in more than 50% of all human cancers worldwide. Analysis of 28 different types of human cancers in nearly 4,000 human tumor samples showed that MDM2 is amplified in 7% of human cancers and that MDM2 overexpression by amplification and p53 mutations are largely mutually exclusive (Momand et al., Nucleic Acid Res (1998) 26:3453-3459).
Because of the powerful tumor suppressor function of p53, reactivation of p53 has been long sought as a potentially novel cancer therapeutic strategy. In tumor harboring wild-type p53, MDM2 is the primary cellular inhibitor of p53 activity, and overexpression of MDM2 was found in many human tumors. Since MDM2 inhibits p53 through a direct protein-protein interaction, blocking this interaction using small molecules was pursued in several academic and industrial pharmaceutical laboratories in the last decade. A variety of non-peptide, drug-like small molecule as e.g. imidazole compounds (e.g. Nutlins or RG7112), benzodiazepinedione compounds, spirooxindole compounds (e.g. MI-219), substituted piperidines, pyrrolidinone compounds (e.g. PXN820-dl) and modifications thereof have been selected and designed in order to block MDM2/p53 interaction as a means to reactivate p53 in cells (Vassilev et al., Science (2004) 303:844-848; Grasberger et al., J Med Chem (2005) 48:909-912; Parks et al., Bioorg Med Chem Lett (2005) 15:765; Ding et al., J Am Soc (2005) 127:10130-10131; WO 2010/028862, U.S. Pat. No. 7,884,107, WO 2008/119741). A number of potent MDM2/p53 inhibitors have been evaluated in animal models of human cancer for their anti-tumor activity (Vassilev et al., Science (2004) 303:844-848; Tovar et al, Cancer Res (2013) 73 (8): 2587-2597; Ding et al, Journal of Medicinal Chemistry (2013) 56 (14): 5979-5983; Rew et al, Journal of Medicinal Chemistry (2012) 55: 4936-4954; Sun et al, Journal of Medicinal Chemistry (2014) 57 (4): 1454-1472).
In the pediatric preclinical testing program (PPTP) of the NCI, early evidence for high level anti-proliferative activity of RG7112, an inhibitor of the MDM2-p53 interaction, could be observed in vitro and in vivo. In particular, RG-7112 showed cytotoxic activity with lower median IC50 values for p53 wild-type vs. p53 mutant cell lines (Carol et al., Pediatric Blood and Cancer (2013) 60(4):633-641). Moreover, RG-7112 induced tumor growth inhibition in solid tumor xenograft models and was particularly efficacious in in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) xenograft models with mixed-lineage leukemia (MLL) rearrangement, (Carol et al., Pediatric Blood and Cancer (2013) 60(4):633-641). Additionally, the antiproliferative and proapoptotic activity of RG7112 has been observed in human acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and human prostate tumor xenograft models harboring p53 wild-type (Tovar et al, Cancer Res (2013) 73 (8): 2587-2597).
Accordingly, small molecule inhibitors of the MDM2 protein interactions offer an important approach towards cancer therapy, either as a single agent, or in combination with a broad variety of anti-tumor therapies and thus, there is the need for further MDM2 inhibitors which can be useful in the treatment of cancer.
The following prior art documents disclose spiro oxindole compounds as inhibitors of MDM2-p53 interaction:
WO 2007/104664; WO 2007/104714; WO 2008/141917; WO 2008/141975; WO 2009/077357; WO 2009/080488; WO 2010/084097; WO 2010/121995; WO 2011/067185; WO 2011/101297; WO 2011/134925; WO 2012/038307; WO 2012/022707; WO 2012/116989; WO 2006/091646; WO 2008/036168; WO 2011/060049; WO 2012/065022; WO 2012/155066; WO 2010/028862; WO 2011/153509, WO 2012/121361, WO 2015/155332, WO 2016/001376 and WO 2016/026937.
The aim of the present invention is to provide new compounds which can be used for the prevention and/or treatment of a disease and/or condition characterised by excessive or abnormal cell proliferation, especially a disease and/or condition wherein the inhibition of the interaction between MDM2 and p53 is of therapeutic benefit.
The compounds according to the invention are characterised by a powerful inhibitory effect on the interaction between MDM2 and p53 and in turn a high in vitro efficacy against tumour cells, e.g. osteosarcoma, ALL etc., which is mediated through the inhibition of the interaction between MDM2 and p53 and is the prerequisite for a corresponding efficacy in in vivo models and future patients. In addition to the inhibitory effect and cellular potency the compounds show good PK properties and selectivity against p53 mutant cell lines. Furthermore, they have good metabolic stability which is a pivotal requirement for an active pharmaceutical ingredient to reach its place of action and allow for a long-lasting efficacy. Finally, and in contrast to many compounds known in the prior art, the compounds have good chemical stability, i.e. they are for example less prone to epimerisation, a problem identified for many known representatives of spiro oxindoles in the prior art (see e.g. Zhao et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc 2013, 135, 7223-7234; Shu et al. Org. Process Res. Dev. 2013, 17, 247-256; WO 2012/065022). It is also emphasized that building up the scaffolds of compounds (I), i.e. the scaffolds of each subgroup (Ia), (Ib) and (Ic), is in itself unprecedented and needs highly sophisticated synthetic approaches to obtain these compounds of high structural complexity.

Spiro[3H-indole-3,2′-pyrrolidin]-2(1H)-one compounds and derivatives as MDM2-P53 inhibitors

Abstract: wherein the groups R1 to R4, R7, A, D, E, F, V, W, X, Y, n, r and q are defined in claim 1, their use as inhibitors of MDM2-p53 interaction, pharmaceutical compositions which contain compounds of this kind, their use as medicaments, especially as agents for treatment and/or prevention of oncological diseases, and synthetic intermediates.