An electronic circuit with digital output including an auto-stable assembly of latches (1), a control assembly (2), a blowable assembly (3), a logic gate (4) including a first input connected to a common point (14) between the auto-stable assembly (1) and the blowable assembly (3), and a second input connected to the control input (20) of the electronic circuit. A breaker (5) is controlled by the output of the logic gate (4) and arranged between the auto-stable assembly (1) and ground, and an associated process.

This application is based upon and claims priority from prior French Patent Application No. 0008215, filed on Jun. 27, 2000, the entire disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of monostable circuits, and in particular to monostable circuits used for managing redundancies in memories.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Memories are generally constructed as a matrix of rows and columns of memory cells. For a memory of given size, a certain number of additional rows and a certain number of additional columns are provided, intended to replace rows or columns whose post-fabrication operational tests proved to be negative.
This operation of replacing one or more rows and one or more columns requires the reconfiguring of the memory or more generally of the circuit to be repaired. However, this reconfiguring must not degrade the performance of the circuit either in terms of consumption or in terms of speed. Therefore, use is made of fuses that can be placed in open circuit by the firing of a laser beam. A circuit making it possible to recognize the state thereof, open or closed, and to provide digital information relating to this state must be arranged in proximity to the fuse. It goes without saying that this circuit must also be of small size and have low power consumption.
The testing of a memory generally consists in addressing all the cells in write mode according to a predetermined template, then in read mode so as to establish a map (bitmap) of the memory. The map obtained is compared with the template and any anomalies are thus detected. The blowing (the placing in open circuit) of the fuses is then organized so as to modify the interpretation of the addressing of the defective columns.
The means of blowing the fuses depend on the nature of the fuses used. In the case of laser-blowable fuses, all the fuses associated with the replacement of defective columns of all the circuits made on one and the same integrated circuit board are blown in succession by means of a laser.
Accordingly, there exists a need for overcoming the disadvantages of the prior art as discussed above.
The present invention proposes a circuit that achieves a reliable interface between the fuse and a digital output.
The present invention further proposes a circuit that is hardly sensitive to disturbances, in particular those due to alpha rays or to heavy ions.
A blowable circuit with digital output, according to one aspect of the invention, comprises an auto-stable assembly of latches, a control assembly, a blowable assembly, a logic gate comprising a first input coupled to a common point between the auto-stable assembly and the blowable assembly, and a second input coupled to the control input of the circuit, and a breaker controlled by the output of the logic gate and arranged between the auto-stable assembly and ground. The auto-stable assembly allows the information to be preserved despite harsh environmental conditions, due for example to incident alpha rays or heavy ions.
In one embodiment of the invention, the blowable assembly comprises a blowable element and a breaker which are arranged in series between the auto-stable assembly and a ground.
In one embodiment of the invention, the blowable element is coupled to the auto-stable assembly.
In another embodiment of the invention, the breaker of the blowable assembly is coupled to the auto-stable assembly.
Advantageously, the logic gate is of NAND type.
In one embodiment of the invention, the control assembly comprises two control breakers. The control input of the circuit can be coupled to the control terminal of the said two control breakers. Two inverters can be arranged between the input of the circuit and the control terminal of one of the said control breakers.
In one embodiment of the invention, the auto-stable assembly comprises at least four breakers, preferably eight breakers.
The present invention also relates to a process for reading a blowable element, in which:
before blowing, a control input coupled to a first input of a logic gate being at a first logic value, breakers are off, imposing in the second input of the said logic gate a logic value such that the output is at a complementary logic value,
before blowing, the said control input being at the logic value complementary to the first logic value does not modify the output, the logic value of the second input of the logic gate being maintained,
after blowing, the control input coupled to the first input of the said logic gate being at a first logic value, the breakers coupled to the input of the circuit are off, imposing on the second input of the said logic gate a logic value such that the output is maintained in the said complementary logic value and that, after the said control input has received a complementary logic value, the output goes permanently to the said first logic value.
By virtue of the invention, one obtains a circuit that is compact, that is to say occupies a small area of silicon, robust, and of low consumption irrespective of the state, open or closed, of the blowable element.


Certain 4,4'-biphenylene diphosphonites in solutions of polyurethaneurea polymer, in concentrations of 0.05 to 1.5% based on dry polymer weight, protect the solutions from undesired changes in solution viscosity.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a polyurethaneurea solution that is protected against changes in viscosity and to spandex dry spun therefrom. More particularly, the invention concerns such a solution containing a small amount of a specific 4,4'-biphenylene diphosphonite.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Polyurethaneureas are prepared by reacting a hydroxyl-terminated linear polymer, such as a polyether glycol or a polyester glycol, with an organic diisocyanate to form a prepolymer, which is then chain-extended with a diamine. Usually, the reactions are conducted in an inert organic solvent. The solutions are suited for dry spinning into spandex. However, to produce spandex with consistent properties, the solutions should be of constant viscosity. Fluctuations or changes in solution viscosity during storage, processing or dry spinning can result in variations in threadline tension, difficulties in winding and unwinding, and various non-uniformities in elastic properties of the spandex.
Several methods have been suggested to control polyurethaneurea solution viscosity. However, each has shortcomings. For example, Nakahara et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,726,836 discloses use of an N,N-dialkylhydrazine as a polymer chain terminator and subsequent heat-aging to stabilize polyurethane solutions against gelation. However, such chain terminators are potentially carcinogenic and the process is time-consuming. Also, Schollenberger et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,939,111 discloses use of ammonium salts of strong acids to stabilize polyurethane solution viscosity, but such salts are hygroscopic and the presence of water in the polymer solution can render the solution unsatisfactory for dry-spinning. Accordingly, a purpose of this invention is to provide polyurethaneurea solutions of constant viscosity, so that the solutions can be dry spun into spandex, without suffering the aforementioned shortcomings.
Lewis, U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,975 in Example 3, Comparison 9, and Kausch et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,825, Comparison Example 13, each disclose a polyurethaneurea solution containing tetrakis-(2,4-di-t-butylphenyl)-4,4'-biphenylene diphosphonite in an amount that results in a 2% concentration of the phosphonite in dry-spun spandex. The disclosures concern protection of spandex against discoloration due to heat, combustion gases and light. However, in both references the phosphonite is employed in comparison samples that are shown to be inferior to the claimed stabilizers of the references. Furthermore, both references are silent on the problems of changes in polymer solution viscosity.

Polyurethaneurea solutions and spandex therefrom


An erosive jet can propel degradable, abrasive grit conveyed in a carrier fluid to erode a downhole structure, such as a tubular (e.g., cutting through a tubular) or formation (e.g., perforation actions). The abrasive grit can be selected to degrade or dissolve in the wellbore fluid (e.g., in carrier fluid pumped into the wellbore or in fluid originating from the wellbore). The abrasive grit can provide increased cutting or erosion efficiency in the erosive jet during the cutting operation, then may degrade (e.g., dissolve) in the wellbore fluid to avoid certain complications, such as clogging or residue build-up in the wellbore formation or on downhole equipment. A degradation accelerator can be introduced (e.g., in carrier fluid) to accelerate degradation of the abrasive grit in the wellbore fluid. Degradation accelerators can be temperature-activated, pH-activated, or otherwise time-delayed so the abrasive grit remains sufficiently intact to perform the desired erosion operation.

In oilfield operations, erosive jet cutting (e.g., waterjet cutting) apparatuses can be used to cut through materials, such as tubular walls (e.g., downhole tools, casing string, or other tubulars), penetrate formations (e.g., rock and materials surrounding a wellbore), or even remove materials or buildup on equipment (e.g., scaling that builds up on a tubular wall). Erosive jet cutting can employ a fluid (e.g., water) that is pumped through a nozzle at a pressure high enough to erode a targeted material (e.g., tubular wall). In some cases, abrasive grit can be added to the fluid being used in an erosive jet cutting operation.
Abrasive grits can increase the erosive properties of the erosive jet cutting operation. In surface operations, the abrasive grit can be captured and reused or disposed of; however, in downhole operations, abrasive grit can settle into the wellbore, plug screens, interfere with sliding tools, or cause other problems. These difficulties tied to the use of abrasive grit can result in damage to equipment or wellbore, loss of time and loss of equipment, and increased dangers in and around the wellbore (e.g., due to unexpected pressure increases when damaged equipment does not operate as planned).

Degradable abrasive for erosive jet cutting


A reaction vessel for processing liquid petroleum or chemical streams wherein the stream flows countercurrent to the flow of a treat gas, such as a hydrogen-containing gas, in at least one interaction zone. The reaction vessel contains vapor, and optionally liquid, passageways to bypass one or more packed beds, preferably catalyst beds. This permits more stable and efficient vessel operation.

There is a continuing need in the petroleum refining and chemical industries for improved catalysts and process technology. One such process technology, hydroprocessing, has been subjected to increasing demands for improved heteroatom removal, aromatic saturation, and boiling point reduction. More active catalysts and improved reaction vessel designs are needed to meet this demand. Countercurrent reaction vessels have the potential of helping to meet these demands because they offer certain advantages over co-current flow reactors. Countercurrent hydroprocessing is well known, but of very limited commercial use. A countercurrent process is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,147,210 which teaches a two-stage process for the hydroprocessing-hydrogenation of high boiling aromatic hydrocarbons. The feedstock is first subjected to catalytic hydroprocessing, preferably in co-current flow with hydrogen. It is then subjected to hydrogenation over a sulfur-sensitive noble metal hydrogenation catalyst countercurrent to the flow of a hydrogen-rich gas. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,767,562 and 3,775,291 disclose a similar process for producing jet fuels, except the jet fuel is first hydrodesulfurized prior to two-stage hydrogenation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,556 also discloses a two-stage concurrent-countercurrent process for hydrofining--hydrogenating aromatics in a diesel fuel stream.
An apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,449,501 that is designed for catalytic distillation. The distillation apparatus, which is a vessel, contains vapor passageways which provide a means for vapor communication between fractionation sections located above and below catalyst beds. Substantially all of the vapor in the vessel rises through the vapor passageways and the desired contacting between vapor and liquid occurs in the fractionation sections.
While the concept of countercurrent hydroprocessing has been known for some time, countercurrent flow reaction vessels are typically not used in the petroleum industry, primarily because conventional countercurrent reaction vessels are susceptible to catalyst bed flooding. That is, the relatively high velocity of the upflowing treat gas prevents the downward flow of the liquid. The liquid thus cannot pass through the catalyst bed. While flooding is undesirable, catalyst contacting by the reactant liquid improves as the bed approaches a flooded condition. However, operating close to the point of incipient flooding leaves the process vulnerable to fluctuations in pressure or temperature or in liquid or gas flow rates. This could result in a disturbance large enough to initiate flooding, and process unit shutdown in order to recover stable operation. Such disruptions are highly undesirable in a continuous commercial operation.
Therefore, there still exists a need for improved countercurrent reaction vessel designs which are not as readily susceptible to flooding, or which can more easily recover without shutdown should flooding occur.


A gas powered gun has a gun barrel, a cylinder containing a primary piston moveable between a loading position and a firing position, a secondary piston moveable within the primary piston between a loading position in which the leading end of the secondary piston is sufficiently withdrawn in the barrel to permit a projectile to be fed into the barrel through an opening in the side thereof and a firing position in which the secondary piston has moved forwardly to cause the leading end of the secondary piston to engage the projectile and move the projectile forwardly in the barrel. A trigger is operable to cause the primary piston and the secondary piston to move simultaneously from the loading position to the firing position. The cylinder has a chamber through which the primary piston and the secondary piston extend. A pressurized gas supply supplies pressurized gas to the chamber when the primary piston and the secondary piston are in the loading position, the primary piston and the secondary piston isolate the chamber from the pressurized gas supply when the primary piston and the secondary piston are in the firing position and cause pressurized gas from the chamber to be ejected from the leading end of the secondary piston to fire a projectile from the barrel. Thus, movement of the secondary piston between the loading and firing positions has two components, one component being movement with the main piston and the other component being movement relative to the main piston.

Gas powered guns are used for example in the sport known as Paintball in which spherical projectiles containing coloured liquid are fired at an opponent and burst upon hitting the opponent so that the coloured liquid is deposited on the opponent. The spherical projectile is propelled from the gun by a pressurized gas, usually carbon dioxide or compressed air, which is supplied from a small cylinder attached to the gun.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,483 (Lukas et al.) issued Mar. 25, 1997 describes a firing gas control mechanism which controls the burst of gas which fires a projectile from the barrel of the gun. The mechanism taught by Lukas et al. includes a cylinder containing a piston rod slideably moveable between a loading position in which the leading end of the piston rod is sufficiently withdrawn in the barrel to permit a projectile to be fed into the barrel through an opening in the side thereof, and a firing position in which the piston rod has moved forwardly to cause the leading end of the piston rod to engage the projectile and move the projectile forwardly in the barrel, whereupon a burst of gas propels the projectile from the barrel. The contents of the Lukas et al. patent are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
It has been found, that with the Lukas et al. mechanism, the piston rod cannot be made to recycle quickly enough to provide the required modern day firing rate without pneumatically unbalancing the piston to cause a faster forward motion and a slower back motion and without the likelihood of the mechanism being jammed by a projectile being fed into the barrel prior to firing.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a gas powered gun with a firing gas control system which can operate in a faster manner than the firing gas control mechanism described in the above-mentioned patent.

Gas powered gun with primary and secondary pistons


An electrophoresis chip is provided, which facilitates injection of a very small quantity of samples. A hydrophobic region 62, a thin and long hydrophilic region, electrodes 67a and 67b are formed on a surface of a substrate 61. The hydrophilic region, and the electrodes are surrounded with the hydrophobic region 62. A gel 64 is formed in the hydrophilic region by dropping and superposing gel precursor solution. A slit 65 for sample addition is provided in the midway of the gel. A droplet 72 of sample solution is adhered to a tip of a needle 71 and, when the droplet is passed through the slit 65 in contact with the hydrophobic region 62, the droplet of the needle connects the gel 64 in such a way as to bury the slit 65 of the gel 64. Then, electrophoresis is carried out by applying electric fields to the electrodes 67a and 67b.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for separating and analyzing a biological sample. More particularly, the invention relates to an electrophoresis chip suitably used for separation and analysis of a DNA fragment originated from a genome, polynucleotide fragment originated from RNA, protein, peptide, and the like, and to an electrophoresis apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
For analysis and division of a biological material, a separation technology using electrophoresis has been used most widely. For example, in a field of DNA analysis, DNA sequencing has frequently been carried out by using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. All genomic sequences of microbes such as Escherichia coli or yeast already have been unraveled. In the case of multicellular organisms, all genomes of Caenorhabditis elegance and Drosophila melanogaster have nearly been unraveled. Analysis of all human genomes will be completed in early 2000s. For an electrophoresis medium of electrophoresis having such high resolution, other than polyacrylamide gel, or high polymer consisting of derivatives of methyl cellulose or acrylamide polymer can be used.
In electrophoresis, generally, polymer is used as an electrophoresis medium, often by being filled a capillary made of silica-base material or plastic (Anal. Chem. (1992) 64,967-972). For DNA sample preparation and PCR product checking, an electrophoresis apparatus using agarose gel as an electrophoresis medium has frequently been used. Recently, a technology has been developed for forming a capillary structure by using glass or plastic for substrate, forming a very small groove in this substrate, and adhering another substrate as a surface cover to the substrate, and an electrophoresis chip using this technology has reached a stage of being put to practical use (Anal. Chem, (1992) 64,1926-1932, Anal. Chem. (1995) 67,3676-3680). In all of those methods, a structure is employed, in which an electrophoresis medium is formed in a plotted region substantially having a capillary form that is formed inside a capillary or a substrate (glass).
Conventionally, in electrophoresis for performing electrophoretic separation of a DNA fragment by high resolution as in the case of base sequence determination, an electrophoresis medium has formed in an area plotted in a groove form in the capillary or the substrate (glass). Generally, it is because when a gel is formed, a method of pouring gel precursor or polymer into a mold of a capillary or the like is an easy preparation method. In the conventional gel preparation method, a gel precursor or polymer must be poured for each capillary having an inner diameter of about 50 xcexcm, and generally the following processes are necessary: (1) pouring of a gel precursor or polymer by connecting a pump to each capillary, and (2) disconnecting of a joined portion between the pump and the capillary through a valve. Particularly, there remains a problem in filling of a self-organization gel such as agarose. That is, since agarose has a property of being dissolved at a high temperature of 70 to 90xc2x0 C., and gelled at a low temperature of 40 to 60xc2x0 C., a problem of the agarose being formed into a gel in the pump occurs, and its processing is difficult. Also in the case of the polyacrylamide gel, since gelling occurs in the pump, there is a problem that maintaining a gel precursor flow passage including the pump, the valve and the like becomes extremely difficult. Consequently, the polyacrylamide gel has not been put to practical use yet. As another problem, there has been a serious one caused by inevitable presence of a pipe wall, while a gel shape can be easily reproduced according to accuracy of an inner diameter of the capillary as the mold. Specifically, since a sectional area is narrow when the gel precursor is gelled, and a surface area of a wall surface is wide with respect to a gel volume, gel shrinkage occurs following gelling to cause application of hysteresis. Thus, depending on an electrophoretic state, problems including a reduction in separation and, as a worst case, cutting-off of the gel have occurred.
In the case of the capillary system, although a sample capacity used for real electrophoretic separation is in a range of several tens to several hundreds of nL (nano-liter), because a technology of pouring a sample into the capillary is still poor, a sample capacity of several tens xcexcL (micro-liter) is necessary at present. In other words, samples of several tens to several hundreds times as large as a sample capacity necessary for electrophoresis are now wasted. Thus establishment of a technology of handling a very small quantity of samples is an important technical task.
On the other hand, in the case of conventional agarose electrophoresis of a horizontal flat plate type, a gel may only be formed by pouring dissolved agarose into a mold having an open structure on an upper surface. Accordingly, gel preparation is easy. In the conventional agarose electrophoresis, gel is used by being dipped in buffer solution for electrophoresis. Since at least an upper surface of the gel is not in contact with a solid interface such as glass or plastic, an effect of the interface can be reduced. For sample injection, a method of adding a sample of increased specific gravity to a position having a concave surface formed during gel preparation is employed. Normally, a sample of several xcexcL is used.
In the conventional agarose electrophoresis, a sample volume is in order of micro-liter, which is not in line with a tendency of technology that intends to perform analysis with high sensitivity by using a very small quantity of samples in the future. Actually, electrophoresis having separation performance similar to that of the agarose electrophoresis and using electrophoresis chips considered to be capable of being supplied in great quantity at low costs may become a mainstream. However, as in the case of the capillary system, a method of filling a groove (capillary) formed in a substrate with an electrophoresis medium (gel) and a technology for pouring a very small quantity of samples into the electrophoresis medium have not been established yet. Sample injection thus has taken a lot of effort, and there has been a problem of inevitably supplying a great quantity of samples more than necessary.
Objects of the present invention are to provide an electrophoresis chip capable of easily performing injection of a very small quantity of samples, an electrophoresis apparatus using the same, and a method of manufacturing the electrophoresis chip.
According to the invention, an electrophoresis chip is provided, which is constructed in a manner that a thin and long hydrophilic region, and a hydrophobic region are formed on a surface of an electrical insulating substrate, the hydrophobic region surrounding the hydrophilic region, a gel (electrophoresis medium) is formed in the hydrophilic region, and thus a shape of the gel can be formed with good reproducibility. As it is hydrophilic, gel precursor solution is adhered only to the hydrophilic region on the surface of the substrate. In the hydrophobic region, as it is repelled, the gel precursor solution can be easily removed. A quantity of the gel precursor solution left in the hydrophilic region is decided by hydrophobicity of the hydrophobic region, hydrophilicity of the hydrophilic region, and hydrophilicity of the gel precursor solution on the surface of the substrate. Thus, a fixed quantity of electrophoresis gel (electrophoresis medium) is formed in the hydrophilic region.
The produced electrophoresis chip can be used in a submarine form as in the case of agarose electrophoresis. The electrophoresis chip is placed in a humidifying box, and electrophoresis can be carried out in a manner that one surface of the gel is in contact with air or inert gas. Thus, compared with the conventional method of using a capillary, it is possible to suppress a reduction in resolution, which affects presence of a charged interface such as an electroosmotic flow.
A problem of injecting a very small quantity of sample solution can be solved by contriving pattern shapes of the hydrophobic region and the hydrophilic region formed on the surface of the substrate. The hydrophobic region and the hydrophilic region are provided on the surface of the substrate, the hydrophilic region with a thin and long shape being divided in a longitudinal direction. That is, first and second hydrophilic regions, which are thin and long in the longitudinal direction, are formed, and one tail end of the first hydrophilic regions is placed adjacently to that of the second hydrophilic region with a gap. The hydrophobic region is formed to surround the first and second hydrophilic regions. Gels (electrophoresis media) are formed in the first and second hydrophilic regions to construct first and second electrophoresis lanes.
Sample solution containing a sample is supplied to a region of the gap, a solution lane is formed by the sample solution between the gels (electrophoresis media) of the first and second hydrophilic regions, and thus the first and second electrophoresis lanes are connected with each other. The supplying of the sample solution to the region of the gap can be carried out by directly dropping the solution to a gap portion with a micro-dispenser. In another method of supplying sample solution, a thin pin (needle) hydrophilic only in a small part of its tip, and hydrophobic in other parts is dipped in the sample solution, lifted to form a droplet in the tip of the pin, and this droplet is brought into contact with the hydrophobic region on the substrate. Then, the droplet is held in a gap between the pin and the hydrophobic region formed on the substrate. By moving the pin, the droplet can be moved in an arbitrary direction. When the pin is passed through the gap portion provided in the gel (electrophoresis medium), the droplet is moved to the gels (electrophoresis media) of the first and second hydrophilic regions, the droplet is substantially held in the gap portion, and thus the supplying of the sample solution is completed.
Immediately after the formation of the solution lane by the droplet, electrophoresis can be carried out. By increasing/reducing a size of the gap, i.e., a width of the gap (widths of the first and second hydrophilic regions) and a length of a gap (gap length), and by holding the sample solution in the form of the droplet in the tip of the pin to supply the droplet to the gap, a sample of sub 1L can be injected.
Another electrophoresis chip of the invention is constructed in a manner that a plurality of thin and long hydrophilic regions are formed at predetermined intervals on surfaces of two electrical insulating substrates, and a hydrophobic region is formed on a surface other than the plurality of hydrophilic regions. The two substrates are fixed in parallel with a gap of several tens of xcexcm to about 1 mm so as to place the hydrophilic regions oppositely to each other. Then, gel precursor solution may be poured into the gap to form a gel (electrophoresis medium) between the opposing hydrophilic regions of the two substrates. In this case, an effect of an interface is increased, but drying and shrinkage of the gel (electrophoresis medium) during electrophoresis can be effectively prevented.
In the foregoing, the hydrophobic region and the hydrophilic region were formed on the electrical insulating substrate. However, by reforming the surface of the electrical insulating hydrophobic substrate, it is possible to form a hydrophilic region of a desired shape on the hydrophobic substrate. Conversely, by reforming the surface of the electrical insulating hydrophilic substrate, it is possible to form a hydrophobic region so as to leave a hydrophilic region of a desired shape.
Embodiments of the invention are summarized as follows. An electrophoresis chip is provided, which includes an electrical insulating substrate and a electrophoresis medium formed to be linear on a surface of the substrate. In this case, a region adjacent to the electrophoresis medium on the surface of the substrate is hydrophobic.
(2) An electrophoresis chip is provided, which includes: an electrical insulating substrate having a linear hydrophilic region and a hydrophobic region adjacent to the hydrophilic region on a surface of the substrate; an electrophoresis medium formed on the hydrophilic region of the substrate by providing a gap of a predetermined length in one place in a longitudinal direction; and a pair of electrodes connected to both ends of the electrophoresis medium in the longitudinal direction.
(3) In the electrophoresis chip of (1) or (2), the substrate is glass.
(4) In the electrophoresis chip of (1) or (2), the electrophoresis medium is a gel.
(5) In the electrophoresis chip of (2), a sample is held in the gap.
(6) In the electrophoresis chip of (2), the gap is provided in a position close to one end from a center of the electrophoresis medium in the longitudinal direction.
(7) In the electrophoresis chip of (6), a length of a longer element medium of two element media of the electrophoresis medium divided into two parts is set in a range of 10 mm to 100 mm.
In the electrophoresis chip of the invention, to perform real electrophoresis separation, a necessary length of the electrophoresis medium is 10 mm at a minimum. In this case, it is possible to detect a difference between base lengths, one being twice as long as the other. In addition, to perform separation with accuracy of 10% of a length of a DNA, a length of 100 mm is enough.
(8) In the electrophoresis chip of (1) or (2), a width of the electrophoresis medium is set in a range of 0.1 mm to 5 mm.
To form a gel to be linear by a method of the invention, a width of 0.1 mm or more, preferably 0.2 mm or more, is necessary. If a width of an electrophoresis medium exceeds 5 mm, there is not much difference from a case where a planar gel is formed, losing an advantage of the method of the invention.
(9) In the electrophoresis chip of (1), a length of the gap in the longitudinal direction is set in a range of 0.2 mm to 1 mm.
To form a gap, a ratio between a width of the gel and the length of the gap is important. With a minimum width of 0.1 mm of the gel, a gap may be set in a range of about 0.1 mm to 0.2 mm. However, as the width is larger, an upper limit of the gap length becomes about 1 mm. If the gap length exceeds 1 mm, it is difficult to hold aqueous solution.
(10) An electrophoresis chip is provided, which includes an electrical insulating substrate having a plurality of linear hydrophilic regions formed almost in parallel on a surface and a hydrophobic region adjacent to the hydrophilic regions; a plurality of electrophoresis media, each formed on one of the plurality of hydrophilic regions of the substrate by providing a gap of a predetermined length in one place in a longitudinal direction; and a pair of electrodes, one being connected to one ends of the plurality of electrophoresis media and the other being connected to the other ends thereof.
(11) An electrophoresis chip is provided, which includes: an electrical insulating substrate having a plurality of linear hydrophilic regions formed almost in parallel on a surface of the substrate and a hydrophobic region adjacent to the hydrophilic regions; a plurality of electrophoresis media, each formed on one of the hydrophilic regions of the substrate by providing a gap of a predetermined length in one place in a longitudinal direction; and plural pairs of electrodes individually connected to both ends of the plurality of electrophoresis media.
(12) An electrophoresis chip is provided, which includes: an electrical insulating substrate having a thin and long hydrophilic region formed on a surface of the substrate and a hydrophobic region formed surrounding the hydrophilic region; and an electrophoresis medium formed on the hydrophilic region of the substrate by providing a gap of a predetermined length in one place in a longitudinal direction. In this case, an electrophoresis lane is formed by the electrophoresis medium and sample solution supplied to the gap.


According to one embodiment, a sealed secondary battery is provided with a container body having an opening and accommodating an electrode assembly and an electrolyte, a sealing plate which seals the opening of the container body, the sealing plate having an injection hole which is formed penetrating the sealing plate and through which the electrolyte is injected into the container body, and a sealing body positioned with an annular vacant space above a surface region of the sealing plate around the injection hole therein and welded at a peripheral edge portion thereof to the sealing plate, thereby sealing the injection hole.

In recent years, sealed secondary batteries each in the form of a flat rectangular box have become widely used in portable electronic apparatuses and the like. An external container of one such secondary battery normally comprises an open-topped metallic container body and metallic sealing plate. The container body is in the form of a flat rectangular box. The sealing plate is welded to the container body, thereby closing its opening. In a manufacturing method for a sealed secondary battery, battery elements are first arranged in the container body before the sealing plate is welded to the container body. Then, the sealing plate is welded to the container body to form the sealed secondary battery. Subsequently, an electrolyte is injected into the container body through an injection hole formed in the sealing plate. When the injection of the electrolyte is finished, the injection hole is sealed with a sealing body in a reduced-pressure ambience.

Sealed secondary battery and manufacturing method therefor


Disclosed herein is a battery case configured to receive an electrode assembly and an electrolytic solution therein, the electrode assembly including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, the battery case including a layer structure and a gas adsorption layer formed on the inner surface of the layer structure, the gas adsorption layer including a gas adsorption material layer configured to adsorb a reaction gas that may be generated within the battery case during abnormal functioning of the electrode assembly, and a blocking layer formed on an exposed surface of the gas adsorption material layer, the blocking layer configured to prevent the gas adsorption material layer from being exposed to an ambient gas during assembly of the battery case.

Secondary batteries, which can be repeatedly charged and discharged, have attracted considerable attention as power sources for transportation means requiring high output and large capacity, including an electric vehicle (EV), a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), and a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (Plug-In HEV), which have been proposed as alternatives to existing gasoline and diesel vehicles.
Secondary batteries may be classified into a cylindrical battery, a prismatic battery, and a pouch-shaped battery based on the shape thereof. Among these batteries, the pouch-shaped battery, which can be stacked with high integration, has high energy density per unit weight, is inexpensive, and can be easily modified, has attracted considerable attention. Particularly, in recent years, there has been a lot of interest in a pouch-shaped battery that uses an aluminum laminate sheet as a sheathing member because of the light weight, low manufacturing costs, easy modification of the shape thereof, etc.
However, when the pouch-shaped battery is in an abnormal state, such as a short circuit in the battery, overcharge of the battery with higher than an allowed current or voltage, or exposure of the battery to high temperatures, after the battery is finally sealed, an electrolytic solution is dissolved in the battery, whereby high-pressure gas may be generated in the battery. The generated high-pressure gas may deform a pouch-shaped battery case of the battery, may reduce the lifespan of the battery, and may even cause the battery to catch fire or explode.
For example, the overheated battery may generate gas, and the pressurized gas in the pouch-shaped battery case may further accelerate decomposition of the components constituting the battery, which may causes continuous overheating of the battery and the generation of gas in the battery. If the temperature of the battery reaches the critical temperature thereof, the battery may catch fire or explode. Furthermore, in the case in which a plurality of unit batteries is aggregated densely in a limited space, as in a battery module, a major accident may occur.
Conventionally, a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) element, a fuse, or a decompression protection circuit is used in order to improve the safety of the battery, or an additive for improving the safety of the battery is added to an electrolytic solution or an electrode. Even in the case in which such means are provided, however, gas is generated in the battery due to an abnormal reaction in the battery when the battery is in an abnormal state, or the performance of the battery is reduced due to the addition of such a material.
In recent years, the demand for higher energy density has increased, whereby portions that function as conventional gas pockets have been gradually removed from the battery. For this reason, there is a necessity for a new method that is capable of efficiently removing gas that is generated in the limited space defined in the battery in order to prevent the battery from catching fire or exploding without reducing the overall performance of the battery.
Patent Document 1 discloses a laminate sheet including a gas adsorptive polymer layer having a gas adsorptive polymer contained therein. However, no construction for protecting the gas adsorptive polymer layer is provided. As a result, gas in the air may be adsorbed to the gas adsorptive polymer layer during assembly of a battery, whereby the effect of trying to adsorb gas that is generated only in the battery is rapidly reduced.
Patent Document 2 discloses a secondary battery configured to have a structure in which a gas adsorption layer is interposed between a metal layer and a sealant layer of a laminate sheet, wherein, when the sealant layer is removed due to external impacts that are applied to the battery or due to heat or pressure that is generated in the battery, the gas adsorption layer is exposed in order to adsorb gas that is generated in the battery. However, the adsorption of gas in the secondary battery is performed only when the battery is in a very abnormal state, and therefore it is not possible to effectively control the battery that is already overheated.
Patent Document 3 discloses a laminate sheet including a gas adsorptive polymer layer for adsorbing gas that is generated in a battery. However, no construction for protecting the gas adsorptive polymer layer is provided. As a result, gas in the air is adsorbed to the gas adsorptive polymer layer while the battery is assembled, whereby the effect of adsorbing gas that is generated in the battery may be reduced.

Battery case having gas adsorption layer


An array of static random access memory (SRAM) cells is configured for presetting to a particular value without the need to write to each cell in the array. Address line controllers are provided which are responsive to preset, read, and write signals. If a write control signal is asserted, the address line controllers maintain an asserted state on their address lines, so that a subsequent read cycle will output the written memory cell contents. However, if the memory cells in the array have not been written to, the address line controllers deassert their address lines, and simultaneously enable preset setting cells, so that a subsequent read cycle will output the logic state of the setting cells, rather than the contents of the array memory cells.

Static RAM (SRAM) arrays are commonly used in digital data processing applications, e.g., as FIFO's in video displays and digital communication devices. This type of application frequently requires the SRAM array to be preset to a particular value. That is, each cell in the SRAM would be set to a logic 0 or a logic 1 by a write command. If the cells are preset sequentially by a series of write commands, the process can be very time consuming, especially for high density SRAM arrays. On the other hand, if all the cells in a high density SRAM are simultaneously preset, the resultant current surge can generate a significant amount of noise on the power supply rail. This power noise may cause significant malfunctions in both digital and analog circuit components, as well as causing inadvertent data alterations in various memory components of the system. Since industry trends require continuing increases in the number of memory bits per chip, thus increasing the density requirements of SRAM arrays, it is incumbent upon the chip designer to develop presetting techniques for high density SRAM arrays which are not excessively time consuming, and which do not cause the undesirable current surge problem noted above.
FIG. 1 shows a typical prior art SRAM structure, configured with p words and q bits. Each p word represents an access unit. In this example, q parallel bits are simultaneously accessed in response to a read or a write operation. The SRAM comprises an address decoder 1, an array 2, and an IO gateway 3. The array 2 has p by q entries. A single bit, e.g., BITO 20, comprises p cells of different addresses and companion devices on internal data lines for facilitating data access. Address decoder 1, in response to an address bus, decodes address lines for the p words. IO gateway 3 has q cells, each associated with a single bit, and provides a data path for writing data from a data bus to array 2, and also for reading data from array 2 to the data bus.
FIG. 2 shows address decoder 1 and single bit 20 of FIG. 1 in greater detail. The array cells of single bit 20 are organized in mn rows and n columns, where m.times.n=p. Address decoder 1 is divided into a row address decoder 11 and a column address decoder 12. Row address decoder 11 decodes m row address lines X0, X1, . . . , Xm-1 for the m rows. Column address decoder 12 decodes n column address lines Y0, Y1, . . . , Yn-1 for the n columns. Array cells of a same row share, and are cascaded by, a row address line, e.g., X0 . Array cells of a same column are shunted along a pair of data lines, e.g., C0 and CN0. The data lines of the n columns are combined into a pair of bit lines, B and BN, by n switches, each switch corresponding to one of the n columns. Each column address line outputted from column address decoder 12 (Y0, Y1, etc.) controls the turning on/off of the corresponding switch. Each pair of data lines (C0, CN0, etc.) is charged by a precharge cell, e.g., 201, which equalizes both data lines to a certain voltage level when no access event occurs. There is also a precharge cell 202, which performs the same voltage equalizing function on the pair of bit lines B and BN. An IO circuit 203, in response to a write control signal, passes data on the data bus to bit lines B, BN. In response to a read control signal, IO circuit 203 senses the voltage difference between the bit lines B, BN, and outputs a definite logic state to the data bus.
Each array cell is typically a six-transistor or a four-transistor memory cell within a CMOS circuit. Each switch is typically an NMOS pass transistor. The pairs of data lines Cj, CNj (j lies between 0 and n-1) and pairs of bit lines, B, BN are complementary. IO circuit 203 typically contains an input buffer and a sense amplifier operating exclusively in respective write and read access cycles.
In the special case where n=1, the array cells are constructed as p rows by one column, and the switches, the column address decoder 12, and the precharge cell 202 can be omitted. The row address lines Xi (i lies between 0 and m-1) represent exactly the word lines of the array cells, and the data lines Cj, CNj represent exactly the bit lines B, BN of the array cells.
As stated above, presetting each array cell sequentially can be very time consuming, whereas simultaneous presetting, or simultaneous resetting/clearing, may generate current surge noise problems.
One prior art technique to overcome the current surge problem when simultaneously resetting/clearing multibyte data is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,212,663, by Leong. In this invention, an array of flag bits is added to the memory cell array of a SRAM, such that each word line of the memory cell array is associated with a corresponding flag bit. The flag bits are set to a "1" logic state for those word lines whose data was not previously altered. A reset control circuit is used to create a logical relationship between the flag bits and the sensed data bits, so that the resettable SRAM chip presents a "0" output logic state for all bits of the selected data when the selected data flag bit is set to a "1" logic state, irrespective of the actual content of the data in the memory cells. Thus, the need to reset all the memory cells in the array is eliminated through the use of flag bits.
This prior art technique, however, does not allow for the presetting of a SRAM array to a particular value without initially writing to each cell. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome this limitation of the prior art; i.e., to preset a SRAM array to a particular value without initially writing to each cell. It is a further object of the present invention to avoid the problems of excessive time consumption (sequential preset) and noise generation from current surges (simultaneous preset), as described above.

Presettable static ram with read/write controller


A rhythm pattern is provided to be subjected to forward syncopation processing. The time position of an un-syncopated note in the rhythm pattern is shifted forward to render advanced beating of the note to make a forward-syncopated rhythm pattern. The notes in the modified rhythm pattern are given respective note pitches to establish a melody, wherein the skeleton notes in the rhythm pattern are given skeleton pitches, and the non-skeleton notes in the rhythm pattern are given non-skeleton pitches. The advanced beating of a note makes a skeleton note which plays an important role in syncopation.

This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-015139, filed Jan. 25, 2000, the contents of which are incorporated hereinto by this reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for creating melody data having a forward-syncopated rhythm pattern, and a machine readable medium containing program instructions for realizing such an apparatus and a method using a computer system, and more particularly to an apparatus and a method capable of creating a melody having a forward-syncopated rhythm pattern from rhythm pattern samples without syncopation by forward-shifting a note position or positions in terms of time to realize advanced beating of a note or notes. The notes in the modified rhythm pattern are given respective note pitches to establish a melody. The skeleton notes in the rhythm pattern, i.e. notes of primary importance from a rhythmic point of view are given skeleton pitches, while the non-skeleton notes in the rhythm pattern, i.e. notes of secondary importance from a rhythmic point of view are given non-skeleton pitches. The advanced beating of a note makes a skeleton note which plays an important role in syncopation. The invention is applicable in various kinds of electronic musical apparatuses such as an electronic musical instrument, an automatic music composing apparatus, and a computer-system-configured music composing apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In music, a melody consists of notes respectively having note pitches and note durations and being aligned in a rhythmic pattern with respect to time progression. A rhythm is typically noticed or perceived as the repetition of regular occurrences of strong beats (including semi-strong beats) or down beats and weak beats or up beats, defining a meter. An alignment of the note beating time positions with various note durations (spans between the adjacent note beating positions) makes a rhythm pattern. The notes locating at the strong beats (including semi-strong beats) takes an important role from a rhythmic point of view, and may be termed as skeleton notes or primary notes, while the notes locating at the weak beats takes a less important role from a rhythmic point of view, and may be termed as non-skeleton notes (may be called xe2x80x9cflesh notesxe2x80x9d in contrast to xe2x80x9cskeleton notesxe2x80x9d) or secondary notes.
In the conventional apparatuses and methods for creating a melody, the skeleton notes in a rhythm pattern are detected by a particular detection process. For example, the detection logic is that if there is a note at the position of a strong beat (e.g. the first and the third beat in the case of the quadruple meter), the note is detected as being a skeleton note, while if there is no note at the very position of a strong beat, a note which is close (ahead or behind) to the strong beat position is detected as being a skeleton note. The detection logic, therefore, is not simple. Further, according to the conventional logic, skeleton notes cannot be located freely according to the user""s intention.
Among the melodies of the recent musical pieces, there are considerably many melodies having a forward-syncopated rhythm in which some notes are played a little bit earlier than the normal beat positions by forward-shifting the beating time of the note, i.e. by advance beating of the note. With the conventional technology of creating melodies, however, rhythm patterns are prepared and processed by the unit of measure (measure by measure), that is, rhythm patterns of the length of a measure or two (or more) are stored in the rhythm pattern data-base and pattern pieces are selected for the processing. Thus, the forward syncopation can be realized within a measure by employing a forward-shifted note or notes. But the forward syncopation cannot be realized over the adjacent measures (i.e. bridging the measures), and therefore the top note of a measure cannot be made a forward shifted note or forward syncopated note, as there is no note available for the forward syncopation processing before the top note within a measure.
It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel type of melody creating apparatus and method, and a machine readable medium containing a program therefor capable of creating a melody in which skeleton notes can be arbitrarily nominated according to the user""s intention without the need of a complicated algebraic logic for the detection of skeleton notes from among the notes constituting a given rhythm pattern. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a novel type of melody creating apparatus and method, and a machine readable medium containing a program therefor capable of creating a melody in which the top note in a measure can be forward-shifted to invade the end portion of the preceding measure. It is collectively an object of the present invention to create a melody having an abundance of rhythmic variety.
According to the present invention, the object is accomplished by providing a musical apparatus for creating melody data comprising: a rhythm pattern providing device which provides rhythm pattern data containing skeleton notes and non-skeleton notes; a note pick-out device which selectively picks out skeleton notes and non-skeleton notes; a skeleton note pitch providing device which provides note pitches for the skeleton notes; a skeleton note pitch imparting device which imparts the skeleton note pitches selectively to the picked-out skeleton notes, respectively; and a non-skeleton note pitch imparting device which imparts note pitches selectively to the non-skeleton notes, respectively. The rhythm pattern providing device may be a storage device which stores the rhythm pattern data containing skeleton notes and non-skeleton notes. The storage device may store skeleton indexes indicating which notes in the rhythm pattern are skeleton notes individually. Thus, the skeleton notes can be arbitrarily nominated according to the user""s intention without the need of a complicated algebraic logic for the detection of skeleton notes from among the notes constituting a given rhythm pattern.
According to the present invention, the object is further accomplished by providing a musical apparatus for creating melody data comprising: a rhythm pattern providing device which provides rhythm pattern data representing a plurality of rhythm pattern pieces, each containing notes aligned on a time axis; a melody condition providing device which provides conditions for defining a melody to be created; a rhythm pattern selecting device which selects rhythm pattern pieces according to the conditions; a rhythm pattern string creating device which connects the selected rhythm pattern pieces, ties the notes at the connected portion of the rhythm patterns to realize a forward-shifted beating of note, thereby creating a length of rhythm pattern string having a forward syncopation feeling, and a pitch imparting device which imparts note pitches to individual notes in the length of rhythm pattern string. Thus, the top note in a measure can be forward-shifted to invade the end portion of the preceding measure.
According to the present invention, the object is further accomplished by providing a musical apparatus for creating melody data comprising: a rhythm pattern providing device which provides rhythm pattern data representing a plurality of rhythm pattern pieces, each containing notes aligned on a time axis, the notes being skeleton notes and non skeleton notes from a musical point of view; a melody condition providing device which provides conditions for defining a melody to be created; a chord progression providing device which provides a chord progression for a melody to be created; a rhythm pattern selecting device which selects rhythm pattern pieces according to the conditions; a rhythm pattern string creating device which connects the selected rhythm pattern pieces, ties the notes at the connected portion of the rhythm patterns to realize a forward-shifted beating of note, thereby creating a length of rhythm pattern string having a forward syncopation feeling; a note pick-out device which selectively picks out skeleton notes and non skeleton notes; a skeleton note pitch providing device which provides note pitches for the skeleton notes based on the conditions and the chord progression, a skeleton note pitch imparting device which imparts the skeleton note pitches selectively to the picked-out skeleton notes, respectively; and a non-skeleton note pitch providing device which provides note pitches for the non-skeleton notes based on the conditions and the chord progression, a non-skeleton note pitch imparting device which imparts note pitches selectively to the non-skeleton notes, respectively. The rhythm pattern pieces may contain information about note lengths, so that the rhythm pattern selecting device may select rhythm pattern pieces containing the information about note lengths. Alternatively, the rhythm pattern pieces may not contain information about note lengths, so that the rhythm pattern selecting device may select rhythm pattern pieces not containing information about note lengths, and the rhythm pattern string creating device may provide information of a note length covering the tied notes in creating the length of rhythm pattern string. The note pick-out device may pick out the note of the forward-shifted beating at the connected portion of the rhythm patterns as a skeleton note of the latter of the connected rhythm patterns. As the skeleton pitches are created based on the chord progression, the created melody has a clear and distinct melodic feeling with a stable backbone.
According to the present invention, the object is further accomplished by providing a musical apparatus for creating melody data comprising: a rhythm pattern providing device which provides rhythm pattern data representing a plurality of rhythm pattern pieces, each containing notes aligned on a time axis, the rhythm pattern pieces including rhythm patterns subjectable to forward syncopation processing and rhythm patterns not subjectable to forward syncopation processing; a forward syncopation designating device which selectively designates whether the forward syncopation processing is to take place, a rhythm pattern selecting device which selects the rhythm patterns subjectable to forward syncopation processing when the forward syncopation designating device designates the forward syncopation processing; a rhythm pattern string creating device which connects the selected rhythm patterns subjectable to forward syncopation processing when the forward syncopation processing is designated; a forward syncopation processing device which executes the forward syncopation processing to the connected rhythm patterns, thereby creating a length of rhythm pattern string involving forward syncopation; and a pitch imparting device which imparts note pitches to individual notes in the length of rhythm pattern string. Thus, a user can arbitrarily select a desired rhythm pattern pieces and realize advanced beating of a note or notes at any intended measures very easily, there by widening the musical feeling of the created melody.
As will be understood from the above description about the musical apparatus for creating melody data, a sequence of steps each performing the operational function of each of the structural element modules of the melody data creating apparatus will constitute an inventive method for creating melody data according to the spirit of the present invention.
Further as will be understood from the above description about the apparatus and the method for creating melody data, a storage medium containing a program executable by a computer system, which program comprising program modules for executing a sequence of the processes each performing the operational function of each of the structural element modules of the above melody creating apparatus or performing each of the steps constituting the above melody creating method will reside within the spirit of the present invention.
As will be apparent from the description herein later, some of the structural element modules of the present invention are configured by a computer system performing the assigned functions according to the associated programs. They may of course be hardware structured discrete devices performing the same functions.
The present invention may take form in various components and arrangement of components including hardware and software, and in various steps and arrangement of steps. The drawings are only for purposes of illustrating a preferred embodiment and processes, and are not to be construed as liming the invention.

Apparatus and method for creating melody data having forward-syncopated rhythm pattern


A method for hybrid noise suppression. The method involves obtaining a noisy audio input signal, generating a noise-suppressed audio output signal by performing a combination of a noise spectrum estimate-based noise suppression and a machine learning-based noise suppression, and outputting the noise-suppressed audio output signal.

An acoustic signal may include a signal of interest, for example speech, but the acoustic signal may also include noise. A noise suppression may be performed to attenuate the noise in the acoustic signal. The noise may include various components, such as stationary and non-stationary components. Different techniques are used individually to perform noise suppression of non-stationary noise with or without active human speech present.


An aseptic filling machine and an aseptic filling method are provided with which a petaloid-shape bottle or an unstable bottle is filled with sterilized content and sealed with a sterilized cap in an aseptic atmosphere is discharged without a delay from an aseptic zone to a non-aseptic zone and even if the petaloid-shape bottle or the unstable bottle falls over on a discharging conveyor when being discharged from the aseptic zone to the non-aseptic zone, a stopping time of the aseptic filling machine is shortened by providing a barrier chamber into which air containing a gas of a sterilizer is supplied and a discharge portion chamber that shields discharge portions that are provided downstream of the sealing portion that fills the content into the bottle and seals the bottle with the cap.

An apparatus for sterilizing containers has already been proposed in which, while a preform is being caused to continuously travel, the preform is introduced into a heating furnace, heated within the heating furnace to a temperature for molding a container, a gaseous matter is then blown into the heated preform to mold the preform into a bottle, and the bottle is then sterilized, filled with sterilized content, and sealed with a sterilized cap (Patent Literature 1). In this kind of apparatus, in an aseptic zone the sealed bottle is released from a state in which the bottle is conveyed by being suspended in midair by a gripper that grips a support ring of the bottle, and is discharged from the aseptic zone to a non-aseptic zone by a conveyor.
An apparatus for sterilizing containers has also been proposed that sterilizes a preform, fills sterilized content into a molded bottle, and seals the bottle with a sterilized cap (Patent Literature 2). In this case also, in an aseptic zone the sealed bottle is released from a state in which the bottle is conveyed by being suspended in midair by a gripper that grips a support ring of the bottle, and is discharged from the aseptic zone to a non-aseptic zone by a conveyor.
In an aseptic filling machine, in an aseptic zone a gripper releases its grip on a support ring of a sealed bottle to thereby place the sealed bottle on a conveyor. The conveyor on which the sealed bottle is placed is a first conveyor which travels in a circulating manner through the aseptic zone, and in addition to the first conveyor, a second conveyor which travels in a circulating manner through the non-aseptic zone, and an intermediate conveyor that travels in a manner in which the intermediate conveyor overlaps with an end portion of the first conveyor and an end portion of the second conveyor are also provided. Discharging a sealed bottle into a non-aseptic zone by causing the sealed bottle to travel on these conveyors has been proposed (Patent Literature 3). In this case, the intermediate conveyor travels in a circulating manner through the aseptic zone and the non-aseptic zone, and is continuously sterilized by being immersed in the liquid of a pool of sterilizer so as not to bring bacteria and the like from the non-aseptic zone into the aseptic zone.
Further, an apparatus has also been proposed that, instead of using an intermediate conveyor, transfers sealed bottles to a conveyor provided in a non-aseptic zone by means of a conveying apparatus that grips a support ring of the bottle, which is provided in an aseptic zone (Patent Literature 4). In this case, a shielding plate that separates the aseptic zone and the non-aseptic zone is provided diagonally at an angle from an upper part to a lower part, and the area of an opening portion is large.

Aseptic filling machine and aseptic filling method


A long range artillery shell (1) comprising rocket propellant material (10), a rocket motor nozzle (14) and base bleed propellant material (12). Ignition of the rocket propellant material (10) is delayed until the base bleed propellant material (12) has substantially finished burning. The base bleed propellant material (12) may be housed in the same chamber and behind the rocket propellant material (10) in order to provide support to the rocket propellant material (10) during launch. The two propellant materials (10, 12) may be separated by a thermal ignition barrier (18) to prevent premature rocket ignition.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a long range artillery shell.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
There is a constant military requirement to extend the range of artillery shells with minimum effect on payload and delivery errors.
In practice this suggests maintaining the general physical shape of current conventional shells. Moreover, it is desirable for the external dimensions and mass of an extended range shell to conform closely to the external dimensions and mass of existing shells, in order that it be launchable from existing ordnance without exceeding the maximum acceptable breech pressure. There are great advantages for a long range shell if these requirements can be achieved.
It is possible to extend the range of shells by incorporating a rocket motor to provide thrust after launch. The trade-off for the incorporation of a rocket motor is the loss of payload corresponding to the volume occupied by the rocket motor. As an example, rocket assistance can extend the range of a 155 mm artillery shell by approximately 23% whilst sacrificing approximately 64% of its payload.
It is possible to extend the range of shells by means of base bleed. Base bleed increases range by reducing the base drag of the shell by increasing its base pressure. This is achieved by the combustion of a propellant which exhausts its gases into the base region of the shell. The advantage of base bleed as a range enhancer is the much smaller volume requirements of the motor for a given range increase. As an example, base bleed can extend the range of a 155 mm artillery shell by approximately 23% whilst sacrificing approximately 18% of its payload.
Neither rocket assistance nor base bleed are capable of achieving the desired ranges with a reasonable payload. The problem is how to increase range further whilst maintaining the overall dimensional constraints of existing shells and providing for a reasonable payload.

The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland


The present invention provides methods and materials that can be used to detect, examine and exploit protease mediated protein expression. An illustrative embodiment of the invention is a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having a plurality of operatively linked elements comprising a polypeptide degradation signal that functions as a proteosome substrate; a polypeptide of interest having an observable activity; and a linker disposed between the polypeptide degradation signal and the polypeptide of interest. The linker comprises a protease recognition motif that is capable of being specifically recognized and cleaved by a protease. The activity of the polypeptide of interest is observed when the motif is specifically recognized and cleaved by the protease; and the activity of the polypeptide of interest is decreased or not observed when the motif is not specifically recognized and cleaved by the protease.

Proteases or enzymes with proteolytic activity catalyze the cleavage of peptide bonds. Proteolytic reactions are fundamental to many key biological processes such as cell growth, cell death, blood clotting, matrix remodeling and immune defense. A large number of pathogens, including viruses, bacteria and multicellular parasites also use proteases to infect host cells, complete their life cycle and degrade the host immune system. Therefore, a large number of specific proteases are becoming attractive drug targets. For example, protease inhibitors are being developed for the effective management of AIDS (e.g. HIV-1 protease inhibitors such as Ritonavir, Nelfinavir or Saquinavir), HCV hepatitis (hepatitis C virus protease inhibitors), malaria, Chagas' disease and schistosomiasis (papain, plasmepsin and falcipain inhibitors). Protease inhibitors are also being tested for the treatment of hypertension (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors), liver cirrhosis (caspase-8 inhibitors), Alzheimer's disease (beta site APP-cleaving enzyme inhibitors), autoimmune diseases (cathepsin S inhibitors), rheumatoid- or osteoarthritis and cancer (matrix metalloproteinase—MMP- and caspase-1 inhibitors) (see, e.g. Vandeputte-Rutten et al., (2002) Curr Opin Struct Biol. 12:704-708; and Docherty et al., (2003) Biochem Soc Symp. 70:147-161).
In the past two decades, almost 250,000 scientific articles reported research on proteases, indicating that research in this field is very dynamic. Recent success with HIV-1 protease inhibitors and other anti-protease drugs used to treat cancer or autoimmune diseases proved that proteolytic activities are attractive drug targets for modern medical therapy. Advances in genomic research provide an increasing number of potential ways to modulate protease activities and progress in bioinformatics now enable drug-discovery researchers to read and analyze large amounts of data in record time. The bottleneck for high-throughput drug screening is now at the level of bioassays. Many compounds initially identified using in vitro assays fail in later phases of drug development because they cannot be used in a biologically relevant environment.
An illustrative cellular process of interest that involves specific proteolytic reactions is apoptosis or programmed cell death. Programmed cell death (PCD) is a fundamental process for normal embryonic development and maintenance of adult tissue homeostasis (see, e.g. Metzstein et al. Trends Genet. 14, 410-416 (1998); Putcha et al. Cell Death Differ. 11, 38-48 (2004); and Danial et al. Cell 116, 205-219 (2004)). Studies in invertebrates such as C. elegans have provided important clues about the molecular mechanisms of PCD1. However vertebrate models allowing genetic screens and in vivo studies would facilitate research in this field because fundamental differences exist between invertebrate and vertebrate PCD pathways (see, e.g. Putcha et al. Cell Death Differ. 11, 38-48 (2004); and Danial et al. Cell 116, 205-219 (2004)).
Zebrafish is one promising vertebrate model to study PCD because it presents several features which made C. elegans a successful model in this field of research, including a rapid development, a transparent embryo and amenability to large-scale genetic screens (see, e.g. Haffter, P., et al. Development. 123, 1-36; and Driever, W. et al. Development 123, 37-46 (1996)). Higher gene conservation between teleosts and human is an advantage of zebrafish over C. elegans but the nematode is a relatively less complex organism exhibiting an invariant pattern of PCD which can be easily observed in vivo (see, e.g. Metzstein et al. Trends Genet. 14, 410-416 (1998)). In zebrafish, only terminal deoxynucleotide transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labelling (TUNEL) on fixed preparations has revealed normal patterns of apoptosis so far (see, e.g. Cole et al. Dev. Biol 240, 123-142 (2001)).
There is a need in the art to understand and characterize the physiology of proteolytic processes such as those involved in programmed cell death. This need has increased markedly in recent years as artisans seek efficient bioassays that can, for example, determine the role of proteases in both normal cellular processes as well as in the context of specific diseases. Also needed are improved methods for targeted delivery of therapeutic agents to cells. The invention disclosed herein satisfies these and other needs.

System for protease mediated protein expression

The Regents of the University of California


An in-cylinder pressure sensor outputs a signal corresponding to a change rate of an internal cylinder pressure of an engine. The output signal of the in-cylinder pressure sensor is filtered so that frequency components lower than frequencies that substantially compose an internal cylinder pressure required for controlling the engine are cut. The filtered output signal is integrated to determine the internal cylinder pressure. Thus, an internal cylinder pressure having no drift can be determined.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for detecting an in-cylinder pressure of an internal-combustion engine, and in particular to an apparatus and method for detecting a more accurate in-cylinder pressure by removing a drift from the in-cylinder pressure.
Conventionally, an in-pressure sensor is disposed in a cylinder of an engine to detect a pressure within the cylinder (referred to as an "in-cylinder pressure"). The in-cylinder pressure detected by such a sensor is used for controlling the engine.
An in-cylinder pressure sensor using a piezo-electric element is known. The piezo-electric sensor detects a change rate of the in-cylinder pressure. As shown in FIG. 25, the change rate detected by the in-cylinder pressure sensor 200 is typically integrated by an integration circuit 201. An output of the integration circuit 201 is used as an in-cylinder pressure.
In general, when a piezo-electric element is used, there is hysteresis between a change of the in-cylinder pressure and the output of the in-cylinder pressure sensor. The output of the in-cylinder pressure sensor increases with an increase in the temperature of the piezo-electric element. When such an in-cylinder pressure sensor is mounted on an engine, variations occur in the output of the in-cylinder sensor due to the heat from the engine. As a result, "deviation" or a drift as shown in FIG. 26 may appear in the waveform of the in-cylinder pressure obtained from the integration circuit.
If a drift occurs, it is difficult to detect a correct in-cylinder pressure. The output of the in-cylinder pressure sensor is typically converted from analog to digital (A/D conversion) for subsequent computer processes. If a drift component is contained in the output of the in-cylinder pressure sensor, correlation may be lost between an analog value that is an output of the in-cylinder pressure sensor and a digital value that is an output after the A/D conversion.
Japanese Patent Application Publication H07-280686 discloses a technique for correcting a drift by resetting the integration circuit. Referring to FIG. 27, a switching element 212 is closed at a predetermined timing in each combustion cycle of an engine. When the switching element is in a closed state, no voltage potential difference exists across a capacitor 213 and hence the output of an operational amplifier 214 is reset to a reference value. A drift is removed in response to the reset operation.
FIG. 28 shows a waveform of the in-cylinder pressure obtained from the integration circuit when the above reset operation is performed. The reset operation is carried out at time t1, t2, t3, t4 and t5. It is seen that a waveform 115, which is caused by the reset operation, is superimposed on the waveform of the in-cylinder pressure. In response to the reset operation, frequency discontinuities appear in the in-cylinder pressure waveform. Due to such frequency discontinuities, an undesired frequency component is introduced into subsequent computer processes, which reduces the accuracy in controlling the engine. Even if such reset operation is performed, a drift may increase during one combustion cycle (that is, between the reset operation at one time and the reset operation at another time).
Thus, there is a need for a technique for removing a drift to detect an in-cylinder pressure without performing such reset operation.


A vertical storage system for efficiently storing large items in a vertical manner thereby conserving floor space. The vertical storage system includes a frame, a plurality of connecting members slidably connected between the platforms and a winch device connected between the platforms and a winch device connected to the uppermost platform. Lifting the uppermost platform results in the raising of the next platform beneath the uppermost platform and so forth. Lowering the uppermost platform lowers all of the platforms until the lowest platform is at the bottom with the remaining platforms lowered until stacked upon one another.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a vertical storage device and more specifically it relates to a vertical storage system for efficiently storing large items in a vertical manner thereby conserving floor space.
2. Description of the Related Art
Any discussion of the related art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such related art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.
Storage of larger items (e.g. bed mattresses, bed frames) can be difficult particularly when attempting to stack the items. In addition, since larger items can only be stacked safely and physically a certain height, individuals are forced to store the items in a horizontal manner instead of a vertical manner. In addition, even when larger items are vertically stacked, it is difficult to reach and remove the uppermost of the items when needed.
Because of the inherent problems with the related art, there is a need for a new and improved vertical storage system for efficiently storing large items in a vertical manner thereby conserving floor space.


A sensor assemblage, in particular a high-pressure sensor assemblage, includes a substrate element and a connector element, the substrate element comprising a sensor structure having a pressure-sensitive diaphragm and a cavity disposed in the region of the diaphragm, the substrate element being connected to the connector element in such a way that the cavity is connected to a hollow space of the connector element, the substrate element moreover including at least one further sensor structure having a pressure-sensitive further diaphragm and a further cavity disposed in the region of the further diaphragm, the further cavity being connected to a further hollow space of the at least one connector element or of a further connector element.

There are various sensor assemblages. German patent document DE 10 2005 027 365 A1, for example, discusses a high-pressure sensor device, the high-pressure sensor device having a pressure sensor element that has a diaphragm deformable under the influence of pressure and a functional layer, a pressure space being disposed in the region of the diaphragm and the functional layer modifying an electrical property upon deformation. The functional layer encompass for that purpose a piezoresistive material such as, for example, a NiCrSi alloy. The latter produces, upon a deformation consequent to a change in pressure in the pressure space, a change in resistance or a piezovoltage that is picked off and measured. Sensors of this kind are used predominantly in the motor vehicle sector, in direct fuel injection systems and in hydraulics for vehicle dynamics regulation. A disadvantage of this high-pressure sensor device is that a separate sensor assemblage having a respective pressure sensor element is required for each pressure to be measured.

Sensor assemblage and method for manufacturing a sensor assemblage


Disclosed are the deactivation mechanism and chemistry platforms that make high-silicon hardmask films photo-imageable like positive-tone photoresist for microphotolithography. The deactivation mechanism requires a catalyst to promote crosslinking reactions, and a photoacid generator to deactivate the catalyst. The initial hardmask films are soluble in developers. If not radiated, films become insoluble in developers due to crosslinking reactions promoted by catalyst. If radiated, films remain soluble in developers due to deactivation of catalyst by photoacid generator. Compositions of positive-tone photo-imageable hardmask based on the chemistry of polysiloxane and polysilsesquioxanes are disclosed as well. Also disclosed is a method of modifying polysiloxane and polysilsesquioxane films for controlled diffusion of catalysts, photoacid generators, and quenchers. Further disclosed are processes of using photo-imageable hardmasks to create precursor structures on semiconductor substrates with or without an intermediate layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the process of microphotolithography in which a photosensitive layer and an anti-reflective coating are involved for forming structural patterns on semiconductor substrates.
2. Description of Prior Art
Photoresist is the foremost vital thin coating in the microphotolithography process of creating fine precursor structures on semiconductor substrates. When exposed to ultra-violet radiations, constituents of the coating go through a series of photochemical reactions. The photochemical reactions cause significant property changes to the coating. The coating becomes either more or less soluble in alkaline developers. The solubility contrast before and after exposure of a photoresist is the foundation of photolithographic delineating.
In the past, many polymer chemistries have been explored as photoresist platforms to produce solubility contrast to meet requirements of photolithography at different eras of the technology. One of the well known platforms is the combination of diazonaphthoquinone (DNQ) photosensitizer and Novolac resin. In this chemistry, DNQ inhibits solubility of Novolac polymer coating in alkaline developers, but greatly enhances the dissolution rate of the film upon exposure to UV radiations. Although the exact chemical mechanism of DNQ sensitization is quite ambiguous, this photoresist prevailed in the era of h-, g- and i-line photolithography.
One of the shortcomings of the DNQ-Novolac chemistry is low sensitivity to radiations. One photon strike promotes at most one molecular transformation. The low photon efficiency was not a problem to high-power mercury-vapor lamps. However, the low photosensitivity hindered extension of the DNQ-Novalac photoresist to the next generation lithography with laser radiations. Laser was not able to deliver adequate radiation dose to activate the photoresist with reasonable exposure duration. The DNQ-Novolac chemistry was then replaced by a so-called chemically amplified (CA) platform.
The concept of chemically amplified photoresist was first studied and advocated by C. Grant Willson, Jean Frechet and Hiroshi Ito in the early 1980s. The chemistry platform requires coating polymers to have either phenolic or carboxylic groups that are protected by a labile moiety such as tertiary butoxycarbonyl (t-BOC). The photoresist compositions require a photoacid generator, such as onium salts, as well. Initial coatings of such photoresist are not soluble in alkaline developers since the phenolic or carboxylic groups are protected and inactivated. When exposed to UV laser radiations, the photoacid generators yield strong acid in the film. Acid is a very efficient catalyst to hydrolyzation reactions that cleave labile groups off the polymer molecules. Loss of the labile groups reveals phenolic or carboxylic groups that make the coating readily soluble in alkaline developers. This photochemical mechanism was an innovative way to achieve solubility contrast of a coating with a positive tone at the time.
Due to the nature of catalyzation, one photon is capable of promoting several secondary reactions to intensify the chemical difference between exposed and unexposed films. As the inventors put, the radiation energy was "chemically amplified". Exposure dosage required for this type of photoresist is fractional to that for the DNQ-Novolac counterpart. The hydrolyzation reaction was later widely referred to as "de-protection", because the acidic groups on the polymer side-chains was de-protected when the labile groups were cleaved.
Many types of polymers and labile groups have been investigated as options for commercial photoresist. For example, polyhydroxystyrene resin was widely used for KrF (a laser of 248 nanometers) photoresist, while polymethacrylate resins were selected for ArF (a laser of 193 nanometers) photoresist. The labile groups have been primarily t-BOC and acetyl. Nevertheless, the basic chemistry, that is polymers with acidic moieties protected by labile groups, remained the same. Photoresist that is based on the de-protection mechanism has been the only choice for KrF and ArF photolithography for over twenty years. The commercial success is primarily due to lack of competing technologies, other than perfection of the photoresist. There have not been reports on alternative photochemical mechanism that is capable of generating solubility contrast of a coating in a positive tone before the present disclosure.
Many intrinsic shortcomings of the de-protection photoresist are widely recognized. Inadequate resistance to plasma etch is one of the shortcomings. The polymethacrylate-based photoresist is not able to prevent plasma from etching the substrate without manipulating the photolithographic process.
A well-known manipulation is the so-called "trilayer" process. FIG. 1(A) shows film stack for the trilayer process. The gimmick of trilayer process is to imbed a hardmask (14) between photoresist (15) and intermediate layer (13). Intermediate layer (13) is coated on a substrate (12) that needs to be patterned. There is an etch-stop layer (11) beneath the substrate. The carrier of all the films is a silicon wafer (10). Hardmask (14) is a thin layer of spin-coated composition comprising of silicon-containing resins. The silicon-containing film is normally thinner than photoresist (15), while the intermediate layer (13) is much thicker than photoresist (15). The photoresist (15) is exposed to radiations through a photomask (16), as illustrated in FIG. 1(B). Photoresist patterns in FIG. 1(C) are formed after development. Hardmask (14) etches faster than photoresist if appropriate plasma chemistry is selected. As shown in FIG. 1(D), when hardmask (14) in open spaces is quickly etched through, there is still photoresist (15) left on pattern tops blocking the plasma. Intermediate layer (13) is a coating of organic polymers. The widely used polymer is Novalac resin. Intermediate layer (13) etches multiple times faster than hardmask (14) by oxygen-containing plasmas. Therefore, intermediate layer (13) can be multiple times thicker than hardmask (14) or photoresist (15). FIG. 1(E) shows that hardmask ((14) is sufficient as a template for etching intermediate layer (13). Intermediate layer (13) is equivalent to the older DNQ-Novolac photoresist in terms of resistance to plasma etch. Therefore, patterns on the intermediate layer (13) can be easily transferred to substrate (12) by plasma etch (see FIG. 1(F)).
The outcome of the trilayer maneuver is that etch capability of photoresist is amplified multiple times. This manipulated amplification, however, is not only complicated and costly, but also prone to defectivity propagation.
Photoresist compositions with silicon-containing resins have been long desired to improve etch performance. There was no shortage of attempts to intuitively extend the de-protection concept to the silicon chemistry. Some inventions in this regard disclosed polymers with silicon in backbones and hydrocarbon functional groups on side chains (For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,510,816 B2, 6,632,582 B2, 7,439,010 B2, and 7,485,407 B2). Others disclosed methacrylate polymers with silicon moieties on side chains (For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,481,049). In any cases, a large portion of the polymers has to be hydrocarbon functional groups for the de-protection reaction to take place. Therefore, silicon content in those polymers can hardly reach 20%. In fact, silicon photoresist has never prevailed. The failure of those attempts is in two folds: (1) Silicon is not high enough to significantly improve etch resistance; (2) Delineating performance is not good enough to replace the hydrocarbon counterpart.
In contrast, the new mechanism of the present invention does not require organic functional groups. Both backbones and sidechains are consisted of "—O—Si—". Elemental silicon makes up as high as 40% of the polymer films by weight. The disclosed compositions make excellent hardmask films as far as etch resistance is concerned.
In summary, photoresist of prior art is outstanding in delineating, but inadequate for masking. Hardmasks of prior art are superior for masking, but not photo imageable. Therefore, the two often have to be used in conjunction for photolithography. The attempts to enhance etch performance of photoresist have failed in the past. To make hardmasks self imageable with positive tone has been unconceivable without the new deactivation mechanism of the present invention. The present invention discloses methods and compositions that turn hardmask self imageable like photoresist. The self-imageable hardmask has the combined functionalities of photoresist and hardmask. Photolithographic process is simplified from trilayer to bilayer, or to single layer. Cost is significantly reduced.

Photo-imageable hardmask with positive tone for microphotolithography


A method includes, using at least one processing device, obtaining an image of a surface having a texture and identifying a dominant size of the texture using a discrete auto-covariance function of the image. A first positive local maximum of the discrete auto-covariance function could be identified. The discrete auto-covariance function could include points associated with positive numbers of whole pixels, and the first positive local maximum of the discrete auto-covariance function could be identified at one of the points. Sub-pixel estimation could also be performed using the point associated with the first positive local maximum and one or more neighboring points. Performing the sub-pixel estimation could include fitting a polynomial curve to the point associated with the first positive local maximum and the one or more neighboring points and identifying a number of whole and fractional pixels associated with a maximum of the polynomial curve.

Many industries fabricate or process products that have texture. For example, various manufacturers operate systems that produce crepe paper. Crepe paper is tissue paper that has been "creped" or crinkled, and the crinkled surface of the crepe paper forms its texture. The amount and size of the crinkling can vary depending on the specific texture of crepe paper being manufactured. Other textured surfaces could be formed from pellets, crushed rock fragments, grooves, or any other suitable material(s).

Apparatus and method for characterizing texture


In an embodiment of the invention, an apparatus and method provides a backup procedure with transparent load balancing. The apparatus and method perform acts including: performing a preamble phase in order to determine if a file will be backed up from an agent to a portal; and applying a chunking policy on the file, wherein the chunking policy comprises performing chunking of the file on an agent, performing chunking of the file on the portal, or transmitting the file to the portal without chunking.

Data in a node that is connected to a communication network (e.g., WAN or LAN) can be backed up (i.e., mirrored) in another node that is also connected to the communication network. Incremental backup is often used in order to optimize the data backup procedure. Incremental backup involves only backing up files (or directories) that have been modified or added since the last backup, or backing up the modified chunks of a file if the chunk-based compare-by-hash technique is used. The chunks that are part of a file being backed up in a source node will be transmitted to the destination node, depending on the hash comparison results. In the chunking procedure, the file would be divided into chunks and a hash value is calculated for each chunk. For every file that is backed up the destination node maintains a list of hash chunk pairs that compose the file being backed up in a hash chunk database. During a subsequent incremental backup if the compared hash values in the hash chunk database for a file that was previously backed up on to the destination node differs, only the chunks that differ are transmitted to the destination node and the deltas are applied to the existing version of the file on the destination node and a new version of the file is created. For the cases where a file is being backed up to the destination node for the first time a heuristic resemblance detection method is used, where only the first few hashes of chunks in a file are compared with the hashes of chunks of other files that have already been stored on the destination node. If there is a match then the chunks that are being shared by the two files need not be transmitted from the source node to the destination node. Instead only the chunks that differ in the file that is being backed up needs to be transmitted. This procedure is called chunk level single instancing where chunks can be shared between unrelated files.
However, the chunking of files consumes significant resources (e.g., CPU cycles, memory spaces, I/O resources, and network bandwidth) in the source node, particularly if the files are large in sizes (e.g., large megabyte or gigabyte sizes) and/or are numerous in number. For example, the calculation of hash values will consume CPU cycles and require an amount of time to perform. Therefore, the current technology is limited in its capabilities and suffers from at least the above constraints and deficiencies.

Backup procedure with transparent load balancing

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.