In an electronic component mounting method and apparatus, an electronic component is taken out from an electronic component feed position, a posture of the component is detected, and the component is mounted on a board based on a detected result. The method includes acquiring image data with a camera of the component from the feed position, processing acquired image data with a plurality of algorithms for detecting postures of components, and detecting a posture of the component.

The present invention relates to an electronic component mounting apparatus and a method for mounting electronic components onto boards such as printed boards, boards of liquid crystal displays or plasma display panels with the electronic component mounting apparatus.
An electronic component mounting apparatus is generally constituted so as to mount electronic components on printed boards after taking the components from a feed position by using nozzles. According to the prior art method for mounting the components, a posture of the taken component is detected by a recognition device, thereby recognizing the component. A recognition process will be depicted below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 2 shows an electronic component mounting apparatus provided with a monitoring system for monitoring an operating state of the apparatus. As shown in FIG. 2, the electronic component mounting apparatus has a main body 1, an operation panel 2 and a host computer 3. Unattended operation has been common to improve the efficiency of the apparatus when mounting the electronic components. Component recognition data is required for the mounting apparatus to recognize the electronic components during mounting. The component recognition data was produced and selected by an operator of the mounting apparatus using the operation panel 2 or host computer 3 when a mounting position program was formed.
FIG. 3 is a flow chart of procedures for forming and selecting the aforementioned component recognition data in the mounting apparatus utilizing the conventional mounting method. In mounting the electronic components by the mounting apparatus, the operator manipulates the mounting apparatus as follows.
Referring to FIG. 3, based on an input of the operator, an outside dimension of the electronic component, a count of leads thereof, a pitch of leads thereof, etc., as geometric features of an electronic component to be mounted, are extracted from catalog data in step #41, and stored in the electronic component mounting apparatus.
In step #42, based on input of the operator, a recognition means (algorithm) supposed to be suitable for the electronic component is selected from the various recognition means assigned to the electronic component mounting apparatus. The number of the selected algorithm and the geometric features inputted in the step #41 are registered and stored in the mounting apparatus as component recognition data.
In step #43, the electronic component is recognized with the use of the component recognition data registered in steps #41 and #42.
In step #44, it is decided whether or not the component recognition is acceptable (OK or NO).
When it is decided in step #44 that the component recognition is acceptable, a difference between a normal mounting posture at a mounting position of the component on the board and a detected suction posture of the component is calculated and corrected in step #45.
Next, in step #46, the component is mounted on the board at the corrected mounting position by the mounting apparatus.
Thereafter, in step #47, it is decided whether or not any components to be mounted are left, that is, whether or not a mounting block is a last one. When the mounting block is the last one, the mounting operation is completed. When the mounting block is not the last one, the program returns to step #43 in order to perform the next mounting operation of the component in a next mounting block.
On the other hand, when the component recognition is not acceptable in step #44, the mounting block to which the component belongs is registered as an error block in step #48.
Next, in step #49, the mounting operation of the component in the mounting block is skipped and the program goes to step #47.
In such a manner, based on the data from the teaching process of steps #41 and #42 through the input of the operator, the mounting process in steps #43 to #47 is performed. In the mounting process, the recognition data of the components in the teaching process are used to confirm the component recognition result and when the confirmed result is acceptable, the selected recognition data is used. When the confirmed result is not acceptable, the mounting operation of the component is skipped and the next component mounting operation is performed carrying out a continuous mounting operation.
The prior art mounting method based on the above-described formation/registration method of the component recognition data in the electronic component mounting apparatus has the following drawbacks.
1) In the teaching process of forming/registering the component recognition data in the electronic component mounting apparatus, since the operator identifies and judges the electronic component to be mounted, the component recognition data varies for every operator. As a result, even the same electronic component cannot be mounted with high recognition accuracy.
2) Since only one recognition algorithm is selected and executed for each electronic component recognition by the operator in the mounting process, if a surface color is minutely different among lots of electronic components or the electronic components shine differently due to a gloss difference of the leads, a recognition efficiency is extremely decreased, leading to an increase of wrong recognitions.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an electronic component mounting method and apparatus whereby electronic components with the same geometric features can be recognized/mounted with high accuracy and high recognition efficiency without setting an algorithm for every electronic component, thereby greatly decreasing wrong recognitions, while eliminating the need for an operator to set/control component recognition data.
In accomplishing these and other aspects, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic component mounting method in which an electronic component is taken from an electronic component feed position, a posture of the component is detected, and the component is mounted on a board based on a detected result. The method includes acquiring image data of the component taken from the feed position by a camera, processing acquired image data with a plurality of algorithms for detecting postures of components, and detecting a posture of the component.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic component mounting method as defined in the first aspect, further including comparing each detected result related to the posture of the component obtained in the plurality of algorithms with geometric features of the component stored in the electronic component mounting apparatus. The second aspect also includes selecting one result from the detected results and correcting data of a mounting position of the component on the board based on the selected result and mounting the component at the mounting position of the board.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic component mounting method as defined in the second aspect, wherein in selecting the one result from the detected results, an area value of the component obtained from an outside dimension of the component is compared with an area value of the component obtained from the detected result of the algorithm, thereby selecting the result of the one algorithm correctly recognizing the geometric shape of the component.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic component mounting method as defined in the second aspect, wherein in selecting the one result from the detected results, a length of an outline of the component obtained from an outside dimension of the component is compared with a length of an outline of the component obtained from the detected result of the algorithm, thereby selecting the detected result of the one algorithm correctly recognizing the geometric shape of the component.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic component mounting apparatus in which an electronic component is taken from an electronic component feed position, a posture of the component is detected, and the component is mounted on a board based on a detected result. The apparatus includes a camera for acquiring image data of the component from the feed position and a control unit for processing acquired image data with a plurality of algorithms for detecting postures of components, and detecting a posture of the component.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic component mounting apparatus as defined in the fifth aspect, wherein the control unit compares each detected result related to the posture of the component obtained in the plurality of algorithms with geometric features of the component stored in the electronic component mounting apparatus, thereby selecting one result from the detected results and correcting data of a mounting position of the component on the board based on the selected result and controls to mount the component at the mounting position of the board.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic component mounting apparatus as defined in the sixth aspect, wherein in selecting the one result from the detected results, the control unit compares an area value of the component obtained from an outside dimension of the component to an area value of the component obtained from the detected result of the algorithm, thereby, selecting the result of the one algorithm correctly recognizing the geometric shape of the component.
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic component mounting apparatus as defined in the sixth aspect, wherein in selecting the one result from the detected results, the control unit compares a length of an outline of the component obtained from an outside dimension of the component to a length of an outline of the component obtained from the detected result of the algorithm, thereby selecting the detected result of the one algorithm correctly recognizing the geometric shape of the component.
According to the aspects of the present invention, positional data for mounting of an electronic component is calculated and stored based on the posture of the electronic component detected by the recognition process and geometric features of the electronic component held, such as by being stored, in the electronic component mounting apparatus. The algorithm for detecting postures of components is not set for each one of the electronic components of the same geometric features.
As a result, the electronic components can be recognized/mounted with high accuracy and high recognition efficiency, a count of wrong recognitions of components is greatly reduced and the need for the operator to set/control the component recognition data is eliminated.
In the above-described method, when the posture of the electronic component from the feed position, taken by the nozzle or a chuck to be mounted onto the printed board or display panel boards is detected by the recognition process, the image of the electronic component is processed with the use of a plurality of algorithms for detecting postures of components. Each result is then compared with the held, i.e. such as stored, geometric features of the electronic component, and one result is selected from a plurality of results. The data of the mounting position of the electronic component is then corrected based on the selected result.

Mounting electronic component method and apparatus

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


In a method for determining motion vectors for each of the plurality of image blocks (X, O) together constituting a television image, motion vectors are computed only for selected ones (X) of the image blocks, and motion vectors for the remaining ones (O) of the image blocks are interpolated at least in part from the computed motion vectors of the selected blocks.

The present invention relates to video image signal processing for storage or transmission systems in which motion vectors are calculated to allow subsequent interpolation either of additional lines in each field or of additional fields.
Many algorithms for motion estimation have been developed. One of these is disclosed in an article "New algorithm for motion estimation" by Gerard de Haan and Henk Huijgen, Proceedings of the Third International Workshop on HDTV, Torino, 1989.

Method and apparatus for reducing motion estimator hardware and data transmission capacity requirements in video systems


A method of creating a pattern for a mask adapted for use in lithographic production of features on a substrate. The method comprises initially providing a mask pattern of a feature to be created on the substrate using the mask. The method then includes establishing target dimensional bounds of the pattern, determining simulated achievable dimensional bounds of the pattern, comparing the target dimensional bounds of the pattern to the simulated achievable dimensional bounds of the pattern, and determining locations where the simulated achievable dimensional bounds of the pattern differ from the target dimensional bounds of the pattern. In its preferred embodiment, the feature is an integrated circuit to be lithographically produced on a semiconductor substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to semiconductor fabrication and, in particular, to an improved method for creating a mask pattern of an integrated circuit (IC) for use in lithographic processing.
2. Description of Related Art
Integrated circuits are fabricated by lithographic techniques, where energy beams transmit integrated circuit images or patterns on photomasks to photosensitive resists on semiconductor wafer substrates. The circuit image on the photomask may not be reproduced precisely on the substrate, in part because of optical effects among transmitted and blocked energy passing through the photomask.
Optical Proximity Correction (OPC) has been employed as a key enabling resolution enhancement technique required to meet image size control requirements imposed by state-of-the-art integrated circuit product programs. OPC is essentially the deliberate and proactive distortion of photomask patterns to compensate for systematic and stable errors. OPC is generally categorized as either rules-based or model-based. Rules-based OPC is done by determining the correctable imaging errors, calculating appropriate photomask compensations, and finally applying the calculated corrections directly to the photomask layout. While proven to be very efficient at correcting some important one- and two-dimensional imaging problems, non-iterative rules-based OPC is generally believed limited in its usefulness due to the finite number of rules that are available to describe all layout situations, the difficulty of calculating exact correction values based on measured errors, and the lack of feedback loop during the correction process.
Existing model-based OPC tools overcome some of these shortcomings by employing an essentially trial-and-error iterative optimization approach. Model-based OPC is based on the concept of capturing the imaging characteristics in a mathematical model, or a combination of mathematics and heuristics, and calculating only the expected on-wafer circuit image which would be projected by the mask pattern under investigation. The correction to be applied is never directly calculated. Rather, the correction is derived by comparing the simulated image contour placement to the edge placement of the original mask pattern and iteratively adjusting until a match is found or until all iterations are exhausted.
For example, as shown in FIG. 1a, the actual circuit pattern to be reproduced on a substrate layer is created on a mask. An existing OPC tool then runs a simulation on these patterns and predicts the actual wafer pattern image after transmission onto the wafer substrate, taking into account optical proximity effects, as shown in FIG. 1b. The OPC tool then compares the wafer image FIG. 1b with the original circuit pattern FIG. 1a, determines the required adjustment of the mask pattern so that the mask and wafer images are in better agreement. After a first pass correction and movement of edges that do not agree, a new mask image is then created, FIG. 1c. The OPC tool again runs a simulation of the mask pattern image which will be created on the wafer substrate, and generates a new predicted wafer image, FIG. 1d. The process continues if necessary with a subsequent correction to create a new mask image, FIG. 1e, and another simulation of the pattern image created on the wafer, FIG. 1f. Typically the OPC process takes up to eight to ten, or more, iterations until a suitable mask image is created. By basing the correction on a layout independent model of the patterning process and iterating toward an optimized correction, model-based OPC overcomes many of the shortcomings of rules-based OPC outlined above.
The goal of any resolution enhancement technique (RET) ultimately should be to improve circuit performance or yield. In order to do so, RET has to ensure the layout patterns are replicated within the specifications assumed by the circuit designer over the largest possible process window (i.e., range of exposure dose and defocus). Although they have improved pattern replication on wafers, present rules-based and model-based OPC methods still present deficiencies in producing circuit pattern in that their goal is to improve accuracy of pattern replication at one point of the process window (i.e., one dose and focus) rather than optimizing dimensional control over the entire process window (i.e., a large range of dose and focus).
Bearing in mind the problems and deficiencies of the prior art, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved method to implement model-based optical proximity correction to circuit patterns on photolithography masks.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a proximity correction technique that improves circuit performance or yield by increasing the process window over which acceptable line width tolerances can be maintained.
A further object of the invention is to provide a proximity correction technique that optimizes overlap between achievable dimensional bounds and acceptable target dimensional bounds.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a proximity correction technique that recognizes the fact that conditions in an IC manufacturing process fluctuate and that chip designs function over a finite range of dimensional variations.
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.
The above and other objects and advantages, which will be apparent to one of skill in the art, are achieved in the present invention which is directed to, in a first aspect, a method of creating a pattern for a mask adapted for use in lithographic production of features on a substrate. The method comprises initially providing a mask pattern of a feature to be created on the substrate using the mask. The method then includes establishing target dimensional bounds of the pattern, determining simulated achievable dimensional bounds of the pattern, comparing the target dimensional bounds of the pattern to the simulated achievable dimensional bounds of the pattern, and determining locations where the simulated achievable dimensional bounds of the pattern differ from the target dimensional bounds of the pattern. In its preferred embodiment, the feature is an integrated circuit to be lithographically produced on a semiconductor substrate.
The target dimensional bounds of the pattern may be established by determining maximum variations in pattern edge placement which still provide adequate pattern feature performance, and the simulated achievable dimensional bounds of the pattern may be established by determining optical proximity effects of the feature pattern on the mask during lithographic production. In general, the simulated achievable dimensional bounds of the pattern may be established by determining lithographic process variations during lithographic production, for example, by determining variations in lithographic dosage through the mask during lithographic production, by determining variations in lithographic focus through the mask during lithographic production, or by determining variations in etching during lithographic production.
The method preferably further includes modifying lithographic process conditions to reduce the locations where the simulated achievable dimensional bounds of the pattern exceed the target dimensional bounds of the pattern. Lithographic process conditions may be reviewed to ensure that widths of the simulated achievable dimensional bounds are narrower than widths of target dimensional bounds for corresponding portions of the feature pattern. The mask feature pattern may be modified to reduce the locations where the simulated achievable dimensional bounds of the pattern exceed the target dimensional bounds of the pattern. More preferably, the mask feature pattern is modified to ensure that the simulated achievable dimensional bounds are within the target dimensional bounds for the feature pattern.
The target dimensional bounds may be determined from theoretical design rules, or from empirical experimental data. The simulated achievable dimensional bounds may be determined from first principle modeling, or from empirical measurements. The target dimensional bounds and simulated achievable dimensional bounds may be represented by a band showing ranges of feature edges, or by lines showing maximum and minimum feature edges. Determining the locations where the simulated achievable dimensional bounds of the pattern differ from the target dimensional bounds of the pattern may include calculating total area of the simulated achievable dimensional bounds outside of the acceptable target dimensional bounds. Where the target dimensional bounds and simulated achievable dimensional bounds are represented by pixels, calculating total area of the simulated achievable dimensional bounds outside of the acceptable target dimensional bounds may be accomplished by determining the sum of all pixels outside of the acceptable target dimensional bounds.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a method of creating a pattern for a mask adapted for use in lithographic production of integrated circuits on a semiconductor substrate, wherein the method comprises providing a mask pattern of a feature to be created on the semiconductor substrate using the mask, and modifying lithography process exposure dose and focus conditions and/or the mask pattern to maximize the usable range of exposure dose and focus conditions in the lithographic production.
In a further aspect, the present invention provides a method of creating a pattern for a mask adapted for use in lithographic production of integrated circuits on a semiconductor substrate, wherein the method comprises providing a mask pattern of a feature to be created on the semiconductor substrate using the mask, establishing target dimensional bounds of the pattern, and modifying the mask pattern such that the resulting image of the mask pattern created on the semiconductor substrate falls within the target dimensional bounds of the pattern.
Yet another aspect of the present invention provides a method of creating a pattern for a mask adapted for use in lithographic production of integrated circuits on a semiconductor substrate, wherein the method comprises providing a mask pattern of a feature to be created on the semiconductor substrate using the mask, determining simulated achievable dimensional bounds of the pattern, and modifying the mask pattern such that the resulting image of the mask pattern created on the semiconductor substrate falls within the simulated achievable dimensional bounds of the pattern.
A related aspect of the present invention provides a computer program product for creating a pattern for a mask adapted for use in lithographic production of integrated circuits on a semiconductor substrate, the mask pattern being of a feature to be created on the substrate using the mask. The computer program product has computer readable program code means for establishing target dimensional bounds of the pattern, computer readable program code means for; determining simulated achievable dimensional bounds of the pattern, comparing the target dimensional bounds of the pattern to the simulated achievable dimensional bounds of the pattern, and computer readable program code means for determining locations where the simulated achievable dimensional bounds of the pattern differ from the target dimensional bounds of the pattern.
Another related aspect of the present invention provides a program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for creating a pattern for a mask adapted for use in lithographic production of integrated circuits on a semiconductor substrate, the mask pattern being of a feature to be created on the substrate using the mask. The method steps comprise establishing target dimensional bounds of the pattern, determining simulated achievable dimensional bounds of the pattern, comparing the target dimensional bounds of the pattern to the simulated achievable dimensional bounds of the pattern, and determining locations where the simulated achievable dimensional bounds of the pattern differ from the target dimensional bounds of the pattern.

Process window based optical proximity correction of lithographic images

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention relates to the NIPA-1 proteins and nucleic acids encoding the NIPA-1 proteins. The present invention further provides assays for the detection of NIPA-1 polymorphisms and mutations associated with disease states, as well as methods of screening for ligands and modulators of NIPA-1 proteins.

Hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) (also known as Familial Spastic Paraparesis and Strumpell-Lorrain syndrome) is not a single disease entity but rather a group of clinically and genetically diverse disorders that share the primary feature of progressive, generally severe, lower extremity spasticity. HSP is classified as "uncomplicated" (symptoms confined to lower extremity weakness, bladder disturbance, and to a lesser extent impaired position sense in the legs); and "complicated" when additional neurologic deficits are present.
Following normal gestation, delivery, and early childhood development, subjects with uncomplicated autosomal dominant HSP develop leg stiffness and gait disturbance (e.g., stumbling and tripping) due to difficulty dorsiflexing the foot and weakness of hip flexion. Although the majority of patients experience symptom onset in the second through fourth decades, there is a wide range of age of symptom onset (from infancy through age 85) (Cooley et al, Clin Gen 38:57-68 (1990); Dun et al, Neurology 44:1274-7 (1994); Hazan et al, Nat Genet 5:163-7 (1993)). Gait disturbance progresses insidiously without exacerbations, remissions, or step-wise worsening. Paresthesiae below the knees are not uncommon. Urinary urgency progressing to urinary incontinence is a frequent, although variable, late manifestation.
Neurologic examination of subjects with uncomplicated HSP reveals normal facial and extraocular movements and normal fundi. Although jaw jerk may be brisk in older subjects, there is no speech disturbance, difficulty swallowing or evidence of frank corticobulbar tract dysfunction. Upper extremity muscle tone and strength are normal. In the lower extremities, muscle tone is increased at the hamstrings, quadriceps and ankles. Weakness is most notable at the iliopsoas, tibialis anterior, and to a lesser extent, hamstring muscles. Muscle wasting may occur in uncomplicated HSP (Harding A E, J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 44:871-83 (1981); Silver J R, J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 29:135-44 (1996); Cross et al, Arch Neurol 16:473-85 (1967); Refsum and Skillicorn, Neurology 4:40-7 (1954)). Peripheral nerves are normal in uncomplicated HSP although decreased perception of sharp stimuli below the knees is noted occasionally. Vibratory sense is often diminished mildly in the distal lower extremities. When present, this is a useful diagnostic sign that helps distinguish HSP from other disorders. Slight terminal dysmetria is observed occasionally on finger-to-nose testing in older affected subjects. Deep tendon reflexes may be brisk in the upper extremities but are pathologically increased in the lower extremities. Gait demonstrates circumduction owing to difficulty with hip flexion and ankle dorsiflexion. Crossed adductor reflexes, ankle clonus, and extensor plantar responses are present uniformly. Hoffman's and Tromner's signs may be observed. High arched feet (pes cavus) are generally present and usually prominent in older affected subjects.
The age of symptom onset, rate of symptom progression, and extent of disability are variable both within and between HSP kindreds (Durr et al, Neurology 44:1274-7 (1994); Schady and Scheard, Brain 113:709-20 (1990); Polo et al, J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 56:175-81 (1993); Holmes and Shaywitz, J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 40:1003-8 (1977)). In contrast to variable age of symptom onset and extent of disability, the distribution of neurologic deficits in uncomplicated HSP is invariant and consist of spastic weakness in the legs; variable impairment of vibratory sense in the feet; and variable urinary bladder disturbance. Additional deficits such as visual disturbance, marked muscle wasting, fasciculations, dementia, seizures, or peripheral neuropathy in subjects from uncomplicated HSP kindreds should not be attributed to variant presentations of uncomplicated HSP. Rather, such subjects should be evaluated thoroughly for concurrent or alternative neurologic disorders. Some autosomal dominant uncomplicated HSP kindreds that exhibit onset of progressive spastic paraplegia in childhood (before age 6 years) and relatively little progression of symptoms beyond adolescence. These patients often do not experience urinary bladder disturbances and generally remain ambulatory (with assistance).
Electrophysiologic studies are useful for assessing peripheral nerve, muscle, dorsal column, and corticospinal tract involvement in HSP (Harding A E, Semin Neurol 13:333-6 (1993)). These studies are particularly useful for characterizing the extent of involvement since autopsies are obtained infrequently. Although results of these studies are variable, a number of generalizations can be made. Most studies found nerve conduction studies to be normal (in contrast to Friedrich's ataxia and some other spinocerebellar ataxias) (Rosenberg R N, Arch Neurol 50:1123-8 (1993)). One study however, showed that subclinical sensory impairment was common in HSP, with involvement of peripheral nerves, spinal pathways, or both (Schady and Scheard, Brain 113:709-20 (1990)). Lower extremity somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP) show conduction delay in dorsal column fibers (Pelosi et al, J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 54:1099-102 (1991)). Cortical evoked potentials used to measure neurotransmission in corticospinal tracts show greatly reduced corticospinal tract conduction velocity and amplitude of evoked potential (Claus et al, Ann Neurol 28:43-9 (1990); Polo et al, J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 56:175-81 (1993); Schady et al, J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 54:775-9 (1991); Pelosi et al, J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 54:1099-102 (1991)). Often, there is no cortical evoked potential elicited in muscles innervated by lumbar spinal segments, but cortical evoked potentials of the arms are normal or show only mildly reduced conduction velocity. These findings indicate that there are decreased numbers of corticospinal tract axons reaching the lumbar spinal cord and that the remaining axons have reduced conduction velocity. Central motor conduction velocity in the upper extremities was normal except for all 5 (affected) members of one HSP kindred for whom responses were considerably delayed. Measurement of central motor conduction velocity may be a useful way of identifying clinical subgroups of HSP.
Currently, there is no specific treatment to prevent, retard, or reverse HSP's progressive disability. Treatments aimed at reducing and preventing HSP symptoms are needed. In addition, the molecular pathogenesis of HSP is poorly understood. As such, an understanding of the molecular pathogenesis surrounding HSP and similar disorders is also needed

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Compositions and methods for detecting and treating neurological conditions

The Regents of the University of Michigan

The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania


Various embodiments are directed to systems and methods for combining a plurality of codes. The plurality of codes may be binary codes having possible logical values of −1 and +1 and may comprise an even number of codes. An output of the combining v0,k may be given by:v0=sgn(vi),where vi is the sum of the first plurality of codes at the first time. Embodiments for allocating different power levels among various codes are presented.

Code division multiple access (CDMA) modulation techniques are used in various communications fields to allow multiple access (i.e., multiple data signals to be transmitted on a single channel). According to CDMA, each data signal is modulated with a pseudo-random code having a wider bandwidth than the data signal. The result is a spread-spectrum user signal or code. Different data signals to be transmitted on the same channel may utilize different pseudo-random codes. A receiver of a particular data signal may either have or may derive the pseudo-random code with which its respective data signal was modulated. The receiver may utilize the appropriate pseudo-random code to demodulate the user signal or code and derive the original data signal. User signals or codes modulated by pseudo-random codes not known to the receiver will appear as noise.
It is often desirable to amplify a CDMA signal composed of many individual user signals or codes (e.g., to transmit the signal). For example, a global positioning system (GPS) satellite may transmit a combination of multiple GPS signals. Also, for example, a mobile telephone base station may transmit a combination of multiple CDMA signals corresponding to different conversations or other data transactions. In many applications, highly linearized power amplifiers (LPA's) may be used to amplify signals comprising a combination of codes. LPA's generate an output signal with minimal distortion, however, suffer from poor power efficiency. When a higher power efficiency is required, high-power nonlinear power amplifiers (HPA's) may be used. HPA's, however, generate a large number of distortion terms that are present, along with the input signal, at the amplifier output. In addition, there is some loss in the signal power as a component of the amplifier output power is used up by the distortion terms. It is possible to minimize the distortion terms and associated output power loss by configuring the HPA with a larger output power back-off. This, however, also reduces DC-RF power conversion efficiency.
It is known to reduce HPA distortion by pre-combining CDMA codes prior to amplification according to a majority logic scheme. A majority logic combiner counts the number of codes at its input that have a value of +1 and −1 during any chip period. The output is set to which ever value (e.g., +1 or −1) occurs in a majority of the signals. Where M is the number of codes to be combined, the output of a majority logic combiner at any time k may be equal to +1 if the number of codes that take the value +1 is greater than or equal to (M+1)/2 and is equal to −1 otherwise. For example, Table 1 below shows a chart illustrating the output (v0) of a majority logic combiner operating on three input codes (c1, c2, c3):
TABLE 1Majority Logic Combiner Outputc1−1−1−1−1+1+1+1+1c2−1−1+1+1−1−1+1+1c3−1+1−1+1−1+1−1+1v0−1−1−1+1−1+1+1+1The output (v0) may be provided to an HPA amplifier. Note that in a majority logic combiner, M must be odd to avoid the occurrence of a tie.
Majority logic combining may allow HPA amplifiers to operate more effectively, however, the majority logic combining process itself may introduce distortion terms, which can be amplified by the HPA, leading to signal degradation.

Architectures and methods for code combiners


A knife changing method is disclosed which is applicable to a veneer lathe equipped with a knife carriage to which a veneer peeling knife is clamped with its cutting edge set at a predetermined elevation relative to the knife carriage. The knife carriage is shiftable to at least one knife changing position and the lathe has formed in at least one of its side frames a knife passage adjacent the knife changing position of the carriage. In the knife changing operation, the knife carriage is firstly shifted to its knife changing position, where an old knife is released from the knife carriage by undoing knife clamps. The freed knife is laterally moved away from the veneer lathe through the knife passage in the side frame. Then, a new, or reground knife is moved laterally into the veneer lathe through the knife passage to a predetermined knife installing position on the knife carriage, where the new knife is fixed to the carriage by activating the knife clamps. In moving the old knife away from the veneer lathe, it is firstly removed laterally from the knife carriage and then withdrawn laterally out of the veneer lathe. In moving the new knife into the veneer lathe, it is firstly inserted laterally into the veneer lathe and then moved laterally to the knife installing position on the knife carriage.

According to a conventional practice of changing a worn veneer peeling knife of a veneer lathe with a new reground one, firstly the knife carriage of the lathe is moved to any position suitable for the knife changing operation and the old knife is released from its clamps. Then, the knife is lifted off the carriage obliquely upward by using any power equipment such as crane and brought to any position outside the lathe. Alternatively, if the released knife is light enough in weight to handle manually, it may be removed by hand from the knife carriage and placed in front thereof temporarily until it is transferred out of the lathe by means of any power equipment. Then, a new knife is transported to the knife carriage and set in place in the knife carriage by using the steps of procedure reverse to the above knife removing.
According to this conventional knife changing method, it is necessary for workmen or maintenance personnel to enter into the veneer lathe regardless of whether the knife is to be changed manually or by using any lifting equipment. However, the top surface of the lathe bed where the workmen do their necessary job is usually messed with wood chips and pieces and other foreign matter which hinder the knife changing operation by the workmen. Furthermore, because there is peripheral equipment such as a log charger, log centering device, etc. adjacent the knife carriage, the freedom of working in the veneer lathe is restricted, so that working efficiency is affected.


A leakage protector for preventing gases, vapors and liquids emanating as leakage through the seals or packings around the reciprocating rod of reciprocating rod-type fluid displacement arrangements, such as those of pumps, compressors, and the like from reaching the surrounding environment. The leakage protector has an adaptor for mounting a leakage recovery unit of the protector on the casing of the reciprocating rod arrangement in proximity to its packing or seal. The reciprocating rod passes through the leakage recovery unit with clearance, and a bellows component is sealingly attached to the reciprocating rod at one end and to the leakage recovery unit at an opposite end. The interior of the bellows component is able to communicate with the interior of the recovery unit, and the leakage recovery unit is connected to a vacuum recovery line via a vacuum recovery fitting having a valve which causes the vacuum recovery line to be sealed relative to the interior of the leakage recovery unit except when pressure increases occur within the interior of the leakage recovery unit due to the entry of leakage. A fluid sensor can also be provided to shut down operation of the reciprocating rod arrangement, should excessive leakage occur.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to protecting the environment from waste gases and fluids produced by leakage in reciprocating rod-type fluid displacement arrangements such as those of pumps, compressors, and other devices where the potential exists for leakage of a gas or liquid about a rod which reciprocates through a casing, pipe, housing, or the like.
2. Description of Related Art
Reciprocating rod arrangements are commonly utilized in connection with such devices as pumps and compressors acting on toxic gases and liquids; for example, oil well pumping units, where a packing gland system or other form of seal or packing is utilized to prevent leakage from passing out of the arrangement from around the reciprocating rod. However, no matter how effective a seal or packing arrangement may be when new, ultimately wear on the packing or seal occurs due to the reciprocating action of the rod through the packing or seal, and with wear, leakage of vapors and/or liquids through the packing or seal occurs. Furthermore, while the extent of leakage may not be sufficient to cause shutting down of the equipment to replace the seal or packing due to the associated reduction in production or the potential for damage to the associated equipment, even small amounts of vapor and liquid leakage into the surrounding environment creates a measurable amount of pollution and a potential hazard, especially where the device is utilized within a building.
In the case of wells that are located in metropolitan areas or offshore, environment concerns are particularly acute, so that frequent servicing of the packing or seal around the reciprocating rod becomes necessary to prevent leakage that would, otherwise, be considered inconsequential from an operational or economic standpoint. Thus, while it is known to provide stuffing boxes with leakage detectors (see Truman, et al. U.S. Patent No. 3,276,246), such arrangements merely serve to terminate operation once excessive leakage occurs, and do not deal with the problem of leakage occurring under circumstances where, but for environmental/safety concerns, there is no need to terminate operation.
In U.S. Patent No. 4,530,397 to Calhoun, an oil saving apparatus for use with a well pump polish rod is disclosed for conserving oil which may leak from the stuffing box of an oil well pump polish rod by passing along the polish rod when the stuffing box packing wears or dries out. In accordance with this patent, a housing is welded onto the top of a conventional stuffing box of a well head fitting. The housing contains an auxiliary packing, a fluid leakage collection chamber and discharge ducts. Fluid leakage collected by the collection chamber and leakage fluid which may pass through the collection chamber into the auxiliary packing are drained by the discharge ducts into a collection receptacle. While such an apparatus may conserve an amount of oil that would otherwise be lost due to leakage, since the auxiliary packing will be as prone to wear as the conventional packing of the stuffing box of the well head, this apparatus will not effectively deal with the problem of protecting the environment from waste and other toxic gases passing out along the shaft into the environment, nor will it totally eliminate the leakage of fluid into the environment.
Johnston U.S. Patent No. 3,270,810 reflects the need to prevent damage to vegetation and property adjacent a well due to the discharge of oil, salt water, and gas into the environment, but only to the extent that such may be sprayed into the atmosphere and carried by the winds over a large area due to a "blowout," i.e., an essentially total failure of the seal. The polish rod protector and blow deflector of Johnston is comprised of a bonnet into which any blowby oil or water which may occur due to failure of the stuffing box will be collected and conveyed, via a discharge conduit, to the earth immediately adjacent the well, rather than sprayed over surrounding vegetation and into the atmosphere. Furthermore, a bellows is affixed to the top of the bonnet and is clamped to the polish rod so as to cause the bellows to communicate with the interior of the bonnet and to expand and contract with reciprocation of the polish rod. The bellows serves the purpose of protecting the polish rod from blowing dust and dirt, and results in air breathing in and out of the bonnet, via the discharge conduit, as the bellows is reciprocated up and down with the polish rod.
Thus, on the one hand, the presence of a discharge conduit makes the Johnston device incapable of achieving the current demand for increased environmental protection; and, on the other hand, if the discharge conduit were merely to be eliminated, air would no longer be able to breathe in and out of the bonnet, so that extension of the bellows would produce a suction effect that would increase the tendency for gas and oil to leak past the packings, and there would be no means to vent the bonnet of accumulated gases and liquids which are collected in it.
A safety hood apparatus for drilling heads is disclosed in McHenry U.S. Patent No. 3,322,198 which is designed for enclosing rotating assemblies, such as blowout preventers and strippers of oil well drilling rigs to exhaust or remove leakage materials emanating from them. The lower portion of the hood is securely fastened to the lower section of a rotating head directly above the flow line, while the upper portion of the hood extends above the exposed portion of the rotating assembly drive bushings or rings and has a hole diameter at that point sufficient to permit withdrawal of the preventer and stripper from the hood without removing the hood. Furthermore, a suction pump is coupled to the hood and flow line, via a suitable conduit, to withdraw any dispersals or suspensions of gas, air, dust cuttings, and so forth, from the atmosphere confined by the hood, as a result of leakage about the stripper, bonnet, or other parts of the rotating assembly, and so as to exhaust such materials to the flow line or overflow outlet. To ensure proper operation of the pump, the hole in the upper portion of the hood does not form a tight seal and operates to allow sufficient air to flow into the hood, which results in a slight positive pressure being maintained inwardly of the hood at its upper portion.
However, the safety hood apparatus of McHenry is not suitable for use in reciprocating rod fluid displacement arrangements. Furthermore, on the one hand, if an inadequate level of vacuum is not maintained within the hood, the portions at which air is able to flow into the hood can serve as sites at which leakage gases and liquids can escape, while, on the other hand, if a relatively high vacuum is maintained within the hood, the vacuum drawn by the pump will undesirably foster leakage.
Thus, there is still a need for an environmental leakage protector for reciprocating rod fluid displacement arrangements, such as pumps, pumping units, and compressors, which will effectively protect the environment from gases and liquids produced by leakage and reciprocating rod action devices without affecting operation or increasing the propensity toward leakage.

Environmental leakage protector for recirocating rod fluid displacement arrangements


A refrigerant recovery system that includes an accumulator, a storage tank and an integrated two-phase distillation and filtration path interposing the accumulator and the storage tank. The accumulator may be couplable to a system under repair to receive contaminated refrigerant therefrom. The storage tank may be adapted to receive and store processed refrigerant. The integrated two-phase distillation and filtration path may have a vapor filter, a compressor, a radiator and a liquid filter.

The present invention is directed, in general, to refrigeration processing systems and, more specifically, to a refrigerant recovery system having an integrated two-phase distillation and filtration path.
Refrigerant recovery systems are used to prevent the loss of refrigerants in refrigerant systems when the refrigerant has to be removed in order to effect repairs or purify the refrigerant upon contamination. Due to the increase in the cost of refrigerants, as well as the growing concern on the adverse effects that refrigerants discharged into the atmosphere have on the environment, refrigerant recovery systems have been used to remove and store the refrigerants of refrigerant systems under repair. Most refrigerant recovery systems also include some scheme for removing contaminates from the recovered refrigerant before transferring the processed refrigerant into storage or back to the repaired refrigerant system.
Conventional refrigerant recovery systems are often incapable of processing multi-phase refrigerant. Specifically, typical refrigerant recovery systems may be capable of either processing predominantly liquid refrigerant or predominantly vaporous refrigerant, but not multi-phase refrigerant having significant proportions of both liquid and vaporous refrigerant. Accordingly, conventional refrigerant recovery systems typically employ individual processing paths for each refrigerant phase. Most often, refrigerant recovery systems employ a phase separation path, which then splits into two paths: a processing path for purifying predominantly liquid refrigerant, and a another processing path for purifying predominantly vaporous liquid refrigerant. Many refrigerant recovery systems further include an additional processing path for removing solid contaminants from the contaminated refrigerant. However, such refrigerant processing in multiple, single-phase processing paths is time-consuming and complex. It requires additional process control observation and operation, because multiple paths may be processing refrigerant concurrently. Such observation and operation is exceedingly complex, increases the total recovery and recycling time, and can decrease the purity of the recycled refrigerant if numerous process controls are not managed with the utmost scrutiny.
In addition, conventional refrigerant recovery systems typically employ two storage tanks having at least one processing path coupled therebetween. The contaminated or processed refrigerant is cycle back and forth between the two storage tanks, each time undergoing processing to further remove contaminants, such as water, grease, oil and rust. However, while contaminants may be removed from the refrigerant as it flows through the processing path between the storage tanks in one direction, the refrigerant is susceptible to re-contamination as it travels back through the processing path in the opposite direction. Obviously, this also decreases the resulting purity of the recycled refrigerant, and can also decrease the operational life of the refrigerant processing components, such as compressors and purifiers, because the contaminants contribute to the corrosion of the component mechanisms and filters. Additionally, this bi-directional processing path further increases the time required to reach a desired refrigerant purity level, if such a level is even obtainable, because the processed refrigerant is susceptible to re-contamination as it flows back through the processing path.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a refrigerant recovery system that avoids the disadvantages associated with multiple-path refrigerant processing, including excessive time consumption, operational complexity and compromised refrigerant purity levels.
To address the above-discussed deficiencies of the prior art, the present invention provides a refrigerant recovery system having an accumulator couplable to a system under repair to receive contaminated refrigerant therefrom, a storage tank adapted to receive and store processed refrigerant, and an integrated two-phase distillation and filtration path interposing the accumulator and the storage tank. In one embodiment, the integrated two-phase distillation and filtration path includes a vapor filter, a compressor, a radiator and a liquid filter.
The present invention therefore introduces the concept of performing distillation and filtration of refrigerant in the same fluid path. As discussed above, refrigerant recovery systems conventionally require separate paths for distillation of liquid refrigerant and filtration of vaporous or gaseous refrigerant. Accordingly, refrigerant processing conventionally required phase separation followed by processing of single phase refrigerant in multiple fluid paths. The present invention, however, allows two-phase refrigerant to be processed in an integrated distillation and filtration path, thereby eliminating the conventional steps of phase separation and single phase processing.
In one embodiment of the invention, the refrigerant recovery system includes a return path adapted to selectively deliver processed refrigerant from the storage tank to the accumulator. The processed refrigerant may, thus, undergo multiple iterations of integrated distillation and filtration, which may repeat until a desired level of refrigerant purity is obtained. For instance, in one embodiment, the return path may deliver processed refrigerant from the storage tank to the accumulator while an electronic moisture sensor detects moisture in the processed refrigerant above a predetermined amount. Once the moisture in the refrigerant drops below the predetermined amount, the return path may be deselected or closed and the processed refrigerant may be stored for subsequent return to the system under repair or other purposes.
In one embodiment, the integrated two-phase distillation and filtration path may include valves actuated by a programmable logic control system and interposing ones of the vapor filter, compressor, radiator and liquid filter. In one embodiment, the integrated two-phase distillation and filtration path may have an oil separator interposing the compressor and the storage tank.
In one embodiment, the refrigerant recovery system may further include a purge path that transfers refrigerant from the radiator to the compressor. The purge path may have a purge tank, a heater and a vent. The purge path may contribute to the removal of noncondensable contaminants from the refrigerant.
In one embodiment, the integrated two-phase distillation and filtration path may have a header coupled between the radiator, the liquid filter, an electronic moisture sensor and a purge path. The header may increase the flow efficiency between these processing components, thereby decreasing the required processing time required to reach an acceptable level of refrigerant purity.
In one embodiment, the refrigerant recovery system may include a hand-carryable chassis coupled to and supporting the accumulator, storage tank and integrated two-phase distillation and filtration path. For instance, the chassis may fit into a carrying case movable by one or two workers without the assistance of heavy machinery, or the chassis may be adapted to be worn as a backpack by an individual worker.
In one embodiment, the accumulator may receive the contaminated refrigerant at pressures between about 5 psi and about 300 psi. However, one of ordinary skill in the pertinent art understands that receipt or processing of refrigerant at other pressures is within the scope of the present invention.
In one embodiment, the contaminated refrigerant may be three-phase refrigerant (solid, liquid and gas). However, one of ordinary skill in the pertinent art understands that the present invention may be employed to recover myriad refrigerant types under various conditions.
The foregoing has outlined preferred and alternative features of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may better understand the detailed description of the invention that follows. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they can readily use the disclosed conception and specific embodiment as a basis for designing or modifying other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Refrigerant recovery system having integrated two-phase distillation and filtration path


An adaptor comprises a housing, a body, a pawl, and a switch member. The housing includes an end for engaging with a socket. The body includes a first end to be engaged in a box end of a wrench and a second end received in a compartment defined in the other end of the housing. A pawl is pivotally mounted in a transverse groove in the body and includes two toothed sides. A switch member includes a first end for manual operation and a second end engaged with the pawl. The switch member is pivotable between two positions corresponding to two opposite ratcheting directions to selectively urge an associated one of the toothed sides of the pawl to engage with the toothed inner periphery of the housing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wrench adaptor allowing reversible operation. In particular, the present invention relates to a wrench adaptor that can be mounted to a box end of a wrench so as to engage with a socket while allowing reversible operation of the wrench.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 7 of the drawings illustrates a conventional socket wrench 1a including a handle 11a and a head 12a having a compartment 121a. An annular groove 1211a is defined in an inner periphery defining the compartment 121a for receiving a C-clip 3a. The C-clip 3a includes plural protrusions 31a on an inner periphery thereof for engaging with an outer periphery 21a of a socket 2a received in the compartment 121a of the head 12a. The socket 2a is thus directly held in the head 12a. However, the wrench 1a can only be used with sockets 2a having a hexagonal outer periphery 21a. Namely, the wrench 1a cannot be used with sockets having a circular outer periphery. In addition, when using the sockets 2a with a conventional ring spanner, the latter can be used for driving a fastener in a single direction; namely, reversible operation cannot be obtained.
FIG. 8 illustrates a conventional combination wrench 3b having a box end. An adaptor 1b is coupled with the box end so as to engage with a socket 2b. The adaptor 1b includes a pawl section 17b that is configured complimentary to corners 32b of an inner periphery defining a hole 31b of the box end. The adaptor 1b further includes a flange 12b and a positioning member 18b respectively abutting against an upper edge and a bottom edge of the box end, thereby retaining the box end in place. A switch member 141b is provided on top of the adaptor 1b to allow switching in the ratcheting direction. However, the adaptor 1b can only be used with combination wrenches of special types having specific corners 32b. In a case that the comers 32b of the box end of the wrench are not configured complimentary to the pawl section 17b, the latter would slide easily relative to the former. In addition, switching by means of turning the switch member 141b cannot be easily achieved with a single hand. Further, the positioning member 18b could not provide a sufficient retaining force for retaining the adaptor in place.
An object of the present invention is to provide a wrench adaptor that can be mounted to a box end of a wrench so as to engage with a socket while allowing reversible operation of the wrench.
In accordance with the present invention, an adaptor is provided for engaging with a box end of a wrench for use with a socket. The adaptor comprises a housing, a body, a pawl, a biasing means, and a switch member. The housing includes a first end and a second end for engaging with a socket. The first end of the housing includes a compartment defined by a toothed inner periphery. The body includes a first end to be engaged in a box end of a wrench and a second end rotatably received in the compartment of the housing. The body includes a transverse groove, a bottom wall defining the transverse groove including a cavity. A pawl is pivotally mounted in the transverse groove and includes a first toothed side and a second toothed side selectively engaged with the toothed inner periphery of the housing. The biasing means is mounted in the cavity of the body for biasing the pawl toward the toothed inner periphery of the housing, thereby allowing one of the first toothed side and the second toothed side of the pawl to engage with the toothed inner periphery of the housing. A switch member includes a first end for manual operation and a second end engaged with the pawl. The switch member is pivotable between two positions corresponding to two opposite ratcheting directions to selectively urge an associated one of the first toothed side and the second toothed side of the pawl to engage with the toothed inner periphery of the housing.

Wrench adaptor allowing reversible operation


The present invention is directed to nucleoside monomers wherein the 3′-O atom is replaced with a methylene group. The present invention also provides oligomers comprising a plurality of such monomers which are linked by methylene phosphonate linkages. Further, methods of preparing monomers and oligomers according to the present invention are provided.

It is well known that most of the bodily states in mammals, including most disease states, are effected by proteins. Proteins, either acting directly or through their enzymatic functions, contribute in major proportion to many diseases in animals and man.
Classical therapeutics generally has focused upon interactions with proteins in an effort to moderate their disease-causing or disease-potentiating functions. Recently, however, attempts have been made to moderate the production of proteins by interactions with the molecules (i.e., intracellular RNA) that direct their synthesis. These interactions have involved hybridization of complementary "antisense" oligonucleotides or certain analogs thereof to RNA. Hybridization is the sequence-specific hydrogen bonding of oligonucleotides or oligonucleotide analogs to RNA or to single stranded DNA. By interfering with the production of proteins, it has been hoped to effect therapeutic results with maximum effect and minimal side effects.
Oligonucleotides and their analogs have been developed and used in molecular biology in a variety of procedures as probes, primers, linkers, adapters, and gene fragments. The pharmacological activity of antisense oligonucleotides and oligonucleotide analogs, like other therapeutics, depends on a number of factors that influence the effective concentration of these agents at specific intracellular targets. One important factor for oligonucleotides is the stability of the species in the presence of nucleases. It is unlikely that unmodified oligonucleotides will be useful therapeutic agents because they are rapidly degraded by nucleases. Modification of oligonucleotides to render them resistant to nucleases therefore is greatly desired.
Modification of oligonucleotides to enhance nuclease resistance generally has taken place on the phosphorus atom of the sugar-phosphate backbone. Examples of such modifications include methyl phosphonate, phosphorothioate, phosphorodithioate, phosphoramidate and phosphotriester linkages, and 2′-O-methyl ribose sugar units. Phosphate-modified oligonucleotides, however, generally have suffered from inferior hybridization properties. See, e.g., Cohen, J. S., ed. Oligonucleotides: Antisense Inhibitors of Gene Expression, (CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, Fla., 1989). Other modifications to oligonucleotides include labeling with nonisotopic labels, e.g. fluorescein, biotin, digoxigenin, alkaline phosphatase, or other reporter molecules.
Another key factor is the ability of antisense compounds to traverse the plasma membrane of specific cells involved in the disease process. Cellular membranes consist of lipid-protein bilayers that are freely permeable to small, nonionic, lipophilic compounds and are inherently impermeable to most natural metabolites and therapeutic agents. See, e.g., Wilson, Ann. Rev. Biochem. 1978, 47, 933. The biological and antiviral effects of natural and modified oligonucleotides in cultured mammalian cells have been well documented. It appears that these agents can penetrate membranes to reach their intracellular targets. Uptake of antisense compounds into a variety of mammalian cells, including HL-60, Syrian Hamster fibroblast, U937, L929, CV-1 and ATH8 cells has been studied using natural oligonucleotides and certain nuclease resistant analogs, such as alkyl triesters and methyl phosphonates. See, e.g., Miller et al., Biochemistry 1977, 16, 1988; Marcus-Sekura et al., Nuc. Acids Res. 1987, 15, 5749; and Loke et al., Top. Microbiol. Immunol. 1988, 141, 282.
Often, modified oligonucleotides and oligonucleotide analogs are internalized less readily than their natural counterparts. As a result, the activity of many previously available antisense oligonucleotides has not been sufficient for practical therapeutic, research or diagnostic purposes. Two other serious deficiencies of prior art compounds designed for antisense therapeutics are inferior hybridization to intracellular RNA and the lack of a defined chemical or enzyme-mediated event to terminate essential RNA functions.
Modifications to enhance the effectiveness of the antisense oligonucleotides and overcome these problems have taken many forms. These modifications include base ring modifications, sugar moiety modifications and sugar-phosphate backbone modifications. Prior sugar-phosphate backbone modifications, particularly on the phosphorus atom, have effected various levels of resistance to nucleases. However, while the ability of an antisense oligonucleotide to bind to specific DNA or RNA with fidelity is fundamental to antisense methodology, modified phosphorus oligonucleotides have generally suffered from inferior hybridization properties.
Replacement of the phosphorus atom has been an alternative approach in attempting to avoid the problems associated with modification on the pro-chiral phosphate moiety. For example, Matteucci, Tetrahedron Letters 1990, 31, 2385 discloses the replacement of the phosphorus atom with a methylene group. However, this replacement yielded unstable compounds with nonuniform insertion of formacetal linkages throughout their backbones. Cormier et al., Nucleic Acids Research 1988, 16, 4583, discloses replacement of phosphorus with a diisopropylsilyl moiety to yield homopolymers having poor solubility and hybridization properties. Stirchak et al., Journal of Organic Chemistry 1987, 52, 4202 discloses replacement of phosphorus linkages by short homopolymers containing carbamate or morpholino linkages to yield compounds having poor solubility and hybridization properties. Mazur et al., Tetrahedron 1984, 40, 3949, discloses replacement of a phosphorus linkage with a phosphonic linkage yielding a homotrimer. Goodchild, Bioconjugate Chemistry 1990, 1, 165, discloses ester linkages that are enzymatically degraded by esterases and, therefore, are not suitable for antisense applications.
Phosphonates are known in the literature but very few 3′-hydrogen phosphonates of nucleosides are known. Synthesis and use of 3′-methylene phosphonic acids and their esters as isosteres of nucleoside-3′-phosphates and phosphodiesters have been reported. Albrecht et al., Tetrahedron, 1984, 40, 79; Jones et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1970, 5510; Albrecht et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1970, 5511. All of these phosphonic acids and phosphonates bear 2′-hydroxy groups. Related 2′-hydroxy-3′-phosphonate analogs of nucleoside phosphates have been synthesized through a multistep synthetic procedure. Morr et al., Z. Naturforsch., 1983, 38b, 1665; Morr and Ernst, Liebigs Ann. Chemie, 1993, 1205. 2′-Deoxy-thymidine-3′-methylene-hydrogen phosphonates have also been reported in WO97/32887 (Sep. 12, 1997).
Thus far only thymidine-3′-methylene hydrogen phosphonates have been reported. Furthermore, these phosphonates bear t-butyldiphenylsilyl protecting groups on the 5′-position which makes use of such phosphonates in conventional oligonucleotide synthesis cumbersome. There exists a need to provide isosteric 3′-methylene hydrogen phosphonate nucleosides that can bear a variety of substitutents at the 2′- and 5′-positions.
Phosphonates have been investigated because of their isosteric relationship with the natural phosphodiester linkage of oligonucleotides. Methyl phosphonates, in which one of the non-nucleosidic oxygen atoms of the natural phospodiester linkage is replaced with a methyl group, have been studied widely. Related isosteres, where either the 3′- or the 5′-oxygen atom of the phosphodiester linkage is replaced with a methylene group, have also been investigated. Mazur et al. have reported the synthesis of a 3′-methylenephosphonate isostere of UpUpU (Tetrahedron, 1984, 40, 3949). This oligonucleotide is limited by the presence of 2′-hydroxy groups on all residues and by the tedious synthesis of the sugar-methylenephosphonate prior to attachment of a nucleosidic base. More recently, Heinemann et al. have reported the synthesis of 2′-deoxy-3′-methylenephosponate oligonucleotides and the effects of such a structural change on the conformation of an A-DNA octamer double helix (Nucleic Acids Research, 19, 427). 2′-Deoxy-thymidine-3′-methylene-hydrogen phosphonates have also been reported in WO97/32887 (published Sep. 12, 1997). Isosteric 5′-methylenephosphonate oligonucleotides have also been synthesized and reported to bind to complementary nucleic acids and be resistant to phosphodiesterases (Breaker et al., Biochemistry, 1993, 32, 9125).
Early attempts to synthesize phosphonate isosteres of nucleoside phosphates commenced with conversion of diacetone-D-glucose, through a series of ten reactions, into uridine-3′-methylene phosphonate protected at the 2-′ and 5′-positions with hydroxyl groups (Mazur et al., Tetrahedron, 1984, 40, 3949). The key transformations entailed an Arbuzov reaction using triisopropyl phosphite to generate a ribofuranose-3′-methylenephosphonate, which was subsequently reacted with 1,2-bis(trimethylsiloxy)uracil and stannous chloride to afford the protected uridine-3′-methylene phosphonate.
More recently, Novartis has reported a multi-step procedure for the synthesis of 2′-deoxy-thymidine-3′-methylene hydrogen phosphonates (WO97/32887, published Sep. 12, 1997). Synthesis commences with 5′-protected thymidine (Derry et al., Anti-Cancer Drug Design, 1993, 8, 203; Mihkailov et al., Nucleosides and Nucleotides, 1996, 15, 1323), which is thiocarbonylated to afford the 5′-O-TBDPS-T-3′-thiocarbonate, using 3-t-butylphenoxy chlorothionoformate (Sanghvi et al., Synthesis, 1994, 1163). This thiocarbonate is reacted with tributylstannylstyrene (PhCH═CHSnBu3) in the presence of AIBN, followed by oxidation of the 3′-alkenyl intermediate so generated using osmium tetroxide and sodium periodate, to afford 5′-O-TBDPS-T-3′-aldehyde (Lebreton et al., Tetrahedron Letters, 1994, 35, 5225; Sanghvi et al., Synthesis, 1994, 1163). Reduction of the 3′-aldehyde to the 3′-methanol derivative, followed by iodination using a phosphonium iodide afforded the key 5′-O-TBDPS-T-3′-methyl iodide intermediate (WO97/32887, published Sep. 12, 1997). This iodide was then subjected to a six-step sequence of reactions to convert the 3′-methyl iodide into the 3′-methylene hydrogen phosphonate group. The sequence consisted of sequential reactions with potassium hexamethyldisilazide and a H-phosphinate reagent, trimethylsilyl chloride for three days, titanium tetraisopropoxide, acetic acid and TBAF to deprotect the TBDPS group, tritylation using DMT-chloride, and finally hydrolysis using methanol/sodium methoxide or DBU. However, this monomer synthesis is lengthy and cumbersome, and has been proven effective for the synthesis of only 2′-deoxy-thymidine nucleosides.
Antisense therapy needs modified oligomers and oligonucleotides that bear a variety of nucleoside residues and diversity of modifications. A method for the convenient and efficient synthesis of a variety of nucleoside-3′-methylene hydrogen phosphonates is therefore needed. Further, these monomers need to be readily adaptable in oligonucleotide synthesis protocols.
Despite interest in isosteric oligonucleotides and methylenephosphonate oligomers, there has been no report of the successful synthesis and use of 2′-modified-3′-methylenephosphonate oligonucleotides capable of enhanced binding to complementary nucleic acids and exhibiting increased resistance to phosphodiesterases.
The limitations of available methods for modification of the phosphorus backbone have led to a continuing and long-felt need for other modifications which provide resistance to nucleases and satisfactory hybridization properties for antisense oligonucleotide diagnostics and therapeutics.

C3′ -methylene hydrogen phosphonate oligomers and related compounds


An electroacoustic converter for hearing aids including an electromechanical converter drive unit and a hermetically sealed metallic converter housing for enclosing the drive unit, the converter housing including one wall which is made as a bendable converter membrane, where the output-side of the converter drive unit which vibrates mechanically is coupled to the converter membrane in a manner that the converter membrane is excited in to bending vibrations to result in sound emission outside of the converter housing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to converters for hearing aids used in the rehabilitation of damaged inner ears. In particular, the present invention relates to such converters for hearing aids which are hermetically sealed.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hearing aids for rehabilitating damaged inner ear typically pick up sound with a microphone and using this microphone, convert the sound into an electrical signal. This signal is processed in analog or digital form by an electronic unit and is amplified. The amplified electrical signal is basically sent to an electroacoustic converter which acts as a loudspeaker and is also called an xe2x80x9cearphonexe2x80x9d. This electroacoustic earphone radiates the amplified electrical signal into the auditory canal of the pertinent ear. The auditory canal, in many cases, is sealed by an individually produced ear fitting piece (so-called xe2x80x9cotoplastyxe2x80x9d) in order to first, function as an acoustic pressure chamber which is formed by the residual volume up to the eardrum, and second, to prevent acoustic feedback between the microphone and the earphone at high degrees of amplification. Basically, there are two different designs of these hearing aids. First, in the xe2x80x9cbehind-the-ear hearing aidsxe2x80x9d (HdO), the important components of the hearing aid such as the microphone, electronic unit, battery and earphone are located in a common housing which is worn behind the ear. The amplified acoustic signal is decoupled from the earphone by a sound conduction tube and routed via the auricular muscle to the ear fitting piece and supplied through it to the auditory canal. The hearing aid can also be mounted on the frames of glasses. Second, in the xe2x80x9cIn-the-ear devicexe2x80x9d (IdO) type of hearing aid, all the aforementioned elements of the hearing aid are located in a common housing which is worn in the auricular muscle in the area of the outer auditory canal. One such in-the-ear device is integrated, for example, into the individual ear fitting piece or represents the ear fitting piece itself by a corresponding outer structure. In the in-the-ear design, the sound feed tube is eliminated since the sound exit opening is located on the side of the hearing aid facing the auditory canal and the earphone radiates the amplified acoustic signal directly into the auditory canal.
Hearing aids of the two aforementioned designs have fundamentally the following disadvantages:
The converters (earphones) of almost all hearing aids operate based on the electromagnetic conversion principle due to reasons of electrical efficiency and the optimization of the battery service life. This results in inevitable occurrence of nonlinear distortions especially at high converter currents and the pertinent output levels which adversely affect sound quality.
In addition, the first mechanical resonant frequency of this converter is generally in the middle of the spectral transmission range. This, and other physical and construction aspects, leads to an uneven frequency response and thus, undulations of the output acoustic pressure level. These resonances within the transmission range also fundamentally cause phase rotations. Both of these aspects contribute to reduced transmission quality.
The converter (earphones) are mechanically xe2x80x9copenxe2x80x9d on the output side as a result of the acoustic signal to be transmitted, thus, the outside air (except for a few cases where additional flow screens are provided) can penetrate relatively unhindered into the interior of the converter. Thus, the converter is exposed and almost unprotected to all weather and environmental effects, especially atmospheric humidity. These environmental effects are to a largely responsible for frequently occurring performance reductions of the converter operating parameters or even the failure of this component.
Especially in the in-the-ear devices, as a result of the local arrangement of the earphone in the outer (for maximally miniaturized devices) or inner auditory canal, fouling of the acoustic access channel by ear wax which is the product of the natural cleaning process of the auditory canal leads to adverse effects or failures of the earphone and thus, the hearing aid.
The primary object of this invention is to minimize or eliminate the aforementioned defects of known prior art hearing aid converters.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, this and other objects and advantages are achieved by providing an electroacoustic converter for hearing aids including an electromechanical converter drive unit, a hermetically sealed metallic converter housing for enclosing the drive unit, the converter housing including one wall which is made as a bendable converter membrane, where the output-side of the converter drive unit which vibrates mechanically is coupled to the converter membrane in a manner that the converter membrane is excited in to bending vibrations thereby resulting in sound emission outside of the converter housing. The converter membrane acts as an earphone membrane which radiates sound outside the converter. The electromechanical converter drive unit within the converter may be based and operate on all known converter principles, especially piezoelectric, dielectric, electromagnetic, electrodynamic and magnetostrictive converter principles.
The converter housing is preferably cylindrical, especially circularly cylindrical, and may have a housing part which is open on one side, the open side being hermetically sealed gas tight by the converter membrane.
The housing part and/or the converter membrane can be made of a corrosion resistant, stainless metal, such as high grade steel or other body-compatible metal such as titanium, platinum, niobium, tantalum or their alloys.
Preferably, the housing part is provided with at least one single-pole, a hermetically sealed electrical housing feed through and the ground potential lying on the housing part. The housing feed through can be advantageously provided using metal-ceramic connections soldered gas tight with aluminum oxide ceramic as the insulator and at least one platinum-iridium wire as the electrical feed through lead.
The electromechanical converter drive unit is preferably a piezoelectric ceramic wafer which can be made circular and applied to the inside of the converter membrane as an electromechanically active element which, together with the converter membrane, represents an electromechanically active heteromorph composite element. Here, as in a bimorph element, the piezoelectric transverse effect is used except that the partner of the composite here does not consist of a second piezoelectrically active element, but instead, consists of the passive converter membrane of geometry similar to the piezoelement. The piezoelectric ceramic wafer can be provided with a very thin, electrically conductive coating on both sides which is used as the electrode surface and can consist especially of lead zirconate titanate. If an electrical field is applied to the piezoelectric ceramic wafer, the wafer changes its geometry, preferably in the radial direction, as a result of the transverse piezoeffect. Since extension or radial shortening is prevented by the mechanically strong connection to the passive converter membrane, sagging of the composite element takes place which is maximum in the middle with the corresponding edge support of the converter membrane.
The thickness of the converter membrane and the thickness of the piezoelectric ceramic wafer may be roughly the same and may be in the range of 0.05 mm to 0.15 mm. Furthermore, the converter membrane and the piezoelectric ceramic wafer may have roughly the same E-modulus. One especially simple and reliable structure is obtained when both the converter membrane and the housing part are electrically conductive, the piezoelectric ceramic wafer being connected electrically conductively to the converter membrane by an electrically conductive cement and the housing part forming one of at least two electric converter terminals. The radius of the converter membrane is preferably larger by a factor of 1.2 to 2.0, preferably a factor of roughly 1.4, than the radius of the piezoelectric ceramic wafer.
According to one modified embodiment of the present invention, the electromechanical converter drive unit is an electromagnet arrangement which has a component which is fixed with reference to the converter housing and a vibratory component which is coupled to the inside of the converter membrane. By using the electromagnetic converter principle, a converter frequency response, which is especially favorable for the low frequencies of the hearing range, can be achieved so that an adequate hearing impression is enabled with a sufficient loudness level using low electrical voltages.
The vibratory component of the electromagnet arrangement is preferably attached substantially in the center of the converter membrane. In particular, a permanent magnet which forms the vibratory component can be attached to the inside of the converter membrane while an electromagnetic coil operable to cause the permanent magnet to vibrate is permanently attached in the converter housing. The permanent magnet may be made as a magnetic pin and the coil can be a ring coil with a middle opening into which the magnetic pin is movably disposed. In this way, a converter arrangement with an especially small moving mass is obtained which can promptly and faithfully follow the changes of the electrical signal applied to the magnetic coil. However, it is also possible to attach the magnetic coil to the vibratory membrane and to fix the magnet with respect to the converter housing instead.
Regardless of the converter principle used in a particular application of the converter, by selecting the mechanical properties of the converter membrane and the converter drive unit, the vibratory system which encompasses these components is tuned such that the first mechanical resonant frequency of the entire converter is spectrally at the top end of the transmission range, advantageously in the range from 4 to 12 kHz and preferably, roughly 10 kHz. The converter drive unit may be electrically triggered such that the deflection of the converter membrane is impressed independently of frequency as far as the first resonant frequency.
In addition, a converter driver can also be accommodated in the converter housing.
The electroacoustic converter in accordance with the present invention may be also used in a hearing aid which has the electroacoustic converter of the above described type as the output-side acoustic converter. Such a hearing aid can be made as a behind-the-ear device, in-the-ear device, or a glasses device.
Regardless of the hearing aid type, the electroacoustic converter together with a microphone, a power supply source, signal-processing and amplifying elements and all other possible components necessary for a hearing aid function can be accommodated in a hearing aid housing.
Likewise, regardless of the hearing aid type, the electroacoustic converter of the present invention can be accommodated in a separate housing and by at least one two-pole electrical line, be connected to the actual hearing aid which contains in the conventional manner a microphone, a power supply source, signal-processing and amplifying elements and all other possible components necessary for a hearing aid to function. Here, the separate housing which contains the electroacoustic converter can be advantageously integrated into an ear fitting piece. The ear fitting piece which contains the electroacoustic converter can be mechanically connected to a behind-the-ear hearing aid via a flexibly deformable coupling element which allows individual matching to the anatomy of the outer ear and contains the electrical feed line to the converter.
When the electroacoustic converter is installed in the ear fitting piece or directly in an in-the-ear device, the converter housing is advantageously arranged such that the converter membrane ends almost flush with the area of the ear fitting piece or the in-the-ear device housing which faces the auditory canal.
Preferably, the hearing aid is equipped with an electronic converter driver which matches the signal processing electronics of the hearing aid to the selected electromechanical principle of the converter drive unit within the converter to the respective objectives of the output level and the frequency range accordingly. The converter driver can be integrated into the signal-processing electronics of the hearing aid or can be an independent electronic module. In the latter case, the converter driver can be accommodated in the hearing aid housing or the converter housing, or placed between the hearing aid and the electroacoustic converter. For a converter driver located outside the hearing aid housing, the electrical supply may be provided using the principle of phantom feed through a two-pole electrical connection between the hearing aid electronics and the converter driver, the DC voltage which supplies the converter driver being superimposed on a signal-containing AC voltage. The converter driver can also be connected via detachable mechanical or electrical plug connections to the hearing aid or the electroacoustic converter.
The converter driver may also have an integrating function for connection with a pulsewidth modulated output stage in a fully digital hearing aid having a pulse-width modulated output stage.

Hermetically sealed hearing aid converter and hearing aids with this converter


In embodiments of a multiple waveguide imaging structure, an imaging structure includes a first waveguide for see-through viewing of an environment at a first field of view, and includes a second waveguide for see-through viewing of the environment at a second field of view. The first and second waveguides each include a polarizing beam splitter to reflect light that enters at a first polarization orientation angle in the respective first and second waveguides, and the polarizing beam splitters pass through the light that enters at a second polarization orientation angle. The imaging structure also includes a polarization switch to rotate the polarization of the light through the first and second polarization orientation angles.

Virtual reality can be viewed as a computer-generated simulated environment in which a user has an apparent physical presence. A virtual reality experience can be generated in 3D and viewed with a head-mounted display (HMD), such as glasses or other wearable display device that has near-eye display panels as lenses to display a virtual reality environment, which replaces the actual environment. Augmented reality, however, provides that a user can still see through the display lenses of the glasses or other wearable display device to view the surrounding environment, yet also see images of virtual objects that are generated for display and appear as a part of the environment. Augmented reality can include any type of input such as audio and haptic inputs, as well as virtual images, graphics, and video that enhances or augments the environment that a user experiences. As an emerging technology, there are many challenges and design constraints with augmented reality, from generation of the virtual objects and images so that they appear realistic in a real environment, to developing the optics small and precise enough for implementation with a wearable display device.
A waveguide display can be implemented in a wearable display device as a near-eye display panel. However, conventional waveguide displays are limited in field of view because of the limited range of angles to propagate light down the waveguide and due to the fixed mechanisms for pushing light into and out of a waveguide. One technique is to stack two waveguides on top of or next to each other with an airspace between the two waveguides. However, disadvantages of this technique include the need for collimation optics for each waveguide, which adds complexity and bulk to a display system. The collimation optics for each waveguide typically add too much bulk for a waveguide display to be implemented as lenses in a wearable display device.


To provide an information terminal device contributing to prevention of an operation not intended by a user. A communication management unit (512) of an SVG processing unit (510) displays an image (confirmation image) for requesting a user to perform a confirmation input to confirm whether to be connected to the network before performing network connection according to the definition of a link definition unit (630) in the SVG content (600). When the user rejects the network connection, the link defined by the link definition unit (630) is not referenced. On the other hand, when the user permits the network connection, the communication management unit (512) requests the data of the address defined by the link definition unit (630) from the HTTP server (10) or the like specified in the address. Upon reception of a response to this, a communication state display unit (513) displays the data reception state according to the report from a communication state report unit (121).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information terminal device contributing to prevention of an operation which is not intended by a user.
2. Description of the Conventional Art
A raster image, which expresses an image by pixels arranged in a grid shape, has a problem that a display becomes coarse by being enlarged. On the contrary, since a vector image expresses an image by line segments, the vector image can express a high-definition image even by being enlarged. An image data used in a cellular phone terminal has frequently employed the raster image conventionally, however, it is in the process of employing the vector image in correspondence to the high definition of a display device.
As a format of the vector image, for example, there has been known a scalable vector graphics (SVG) described by an extensible markup language (XML) (for example, refer to
Ola Andersson and the other 64 persons' "Scalable Vector Graphics 1.1", Jan. 14, 2003, World Wide Web Consortium [online], [searched on Sep. 10, 2004], internet).


A method of motion detection using an adaptive threshold, adaptive for determining whether a plurality of target pixels in a current scan line are moving pixels or not, is provided. First, a first threshold is given for determining whether the target pixels in the current scan line are moving pixels. Then, a number of moving pixels in a previous scan line of the current scan line is calculated and determined whether larger than a second threshold. If the number of moving pixels is larger than the second threshold, the first threshold is adjusted by a decrement, and then whether the target pixels in the current scan line are moving pixels is determined by using the adjusted first threshold.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a method of motion detection, and more particularly, to a method of motion detection using an adaptive threshold.
2. Description of Related Art
With development of multimedia technique, requirement for image quality is substantially increased. The image quality may be influenced by the noises generated during image capturing, signal conversion and signal transmission. Therefore, an image processing technique is required to eliminate the noises that may be sensed by human eyes. The image processing methods for noise reduction commonly include a spatial noise-reduction process and a temporal noise-reduction process.
The spatial noise-reduction process applies a filter to perform spatial filtering process on the pixels of a current field, so as to smooth and soften the field, and reduce a visual perception of the human eyes for the noises. However, such method generally leads to image blurs, which may influence the presentation of image details, such as edges and textures, for example.
The temporal noise-reduction process references information of a previous field, so as to perform temporal filtering process to the pixels of the current field. Since the current field is highly related to the previous field, the temporal noise-reduction process can maintain and reserve details of the field. However, when the temporal filtering process is performed on a moving object within the field, motion blurs may occur on the edges of the moving object. Therefore, a motion detection algorithm is provided to detect the moving pixels in the field, so as to adjust an intensity of the temporal filtering for eliminating the motion blurs.
Generally speaking, motion detection uses differnces between correpsonding pixels in the same parity field to determine whether the designated pixels are moving pixels or not. If the difference is larger than a preset threshold, it means a variation is occurred in the content of the video and the corresponding pixels are determined as the moving pixels. On the other hand, if the difference is smaller than the preset threshold, it means no variation is occurred in the content of the video and the corresponding pixels are determined as the static pixels.
Through the motion detection as described above, motion information of pixels of the moving object is obtained and referenced for determining whether to use a spatial interpolation or a temporal interpolation method to generate the required field data, in which the temperal interpolation is used for calculating values of pixels in an area with no moving object and the spacial interpolation is used for calculating values of pixels in an area with the moving object.
As described in the above, the motion detection algorithm is complicated and requires a large amount of calculation. The value of the threshold used for determining a moving area and a static area is hard to formulate, in which the moving area can be mistakenly determined as the static area by using excessively large threshold while the static area can be mistakenly determined as the moving area by using excessively small threshold. Therefore, there is a need to well define a threshold as a reference for judging the moving area and the static area, so as to increase the accuracy of motion detection.

Method of motion detection using adaptive threshold