Methods, a network node and a wireless device for implementing pre-configured grants with a hopping pattern in a wireless communication system are disclosed. According to one aspect, a method in a network node for scheduling uplink transmissions for at least one wireless device is provided. The method includes defining a set of time-frequency uplink distribution patterns utilizing preconfigured grants of time-frequency resources for the at least one wireless device. The method also includes assigning to a first wireless device of the at least one wireless device a first time-frequency uplink distribution pattern from the set.

Fifth generation (5G) wireless communication systems are envisaged to expand usage scenarios and applications with respect to current mobile network generations. Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communications (URLLC) with strict latency and reliability requirement was agreed as one key scenario for 5G communication systems. URLCC demands an ultra-high delivery reliability of 99.999% (five nines) or even higher within a delivery latency bound as low as half a millisecond. URLLC is relevant for establishing a range of application including:                Intelligent transportation systems of connected cars;        Monitoring of smart grids with distributed renewable energy sources;        Factory automation with communication among actuators, sensors and controllers;        Drone control and aircraft communication; and        Remote surgery, remote machine operation, etc.Each scenario might require a different set of latency and reliability requirements, e.g., 3-5 ms latency with 1-10−5 reliability for smart grids, and 1 ms latency with 1-10−9 reliability for factory automation, etc.
With respect to Long Term Evolution (LTE) uplink (UL) transmissions, a wireless device (WD), such as, for example, a user equipment (UE) waits for the next transmission opportunity to send a scheduling request. Afterwards, a network node, such as, for example, an evolved Node B (eNodeB or eNB) allocates a set of resources to the wireless device. As one part of the URLLC requirements, some standardization work has been done in LTE rel-14 and are on-going for LTE rel-15 to reduce latency down to the sub-millisecond range.
In order to remove the latency due to the waiting time of the scheduling request, UL semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) has been has been standardized since LTE rel-18. IUA pre-allocates the transmission resources to the wireless device in anticipation of possible packet transmissions. In rel-14, SPS was enhanced such that wireless devices do not use the allocated resource to transmit data if the wireless device does not have any packet to transmit. IUA also enhances the WD battery life by avoiding uplink transmissions in case there is nothing to transmit in the WD transmit buffer while avoiding uplink interference.
Another approach to address latency reductions is to reduce the transport time of data and control signaling, by reducing the length of a transmission time interval (TTI), i.e., the smallest scheduling unit. This is called a short transmission time interval (sTTI). In addition, the delivery delay can be reduced, due to a smaller waiting time for sending a scheduling request. Also, SPS enhancements together with sTTI would also enable reducing the latency even further.
Preconfigured grants, including SPS are considered as one component to achieve low latency by pre-assigning uplink resources to the WD. The latency is reduced by skipping the requirement of scheduling requests from the WD to send uplink data. The problem with configured grants is that they consume dedicated uplink resources that are not shared. In most cases even for latency critical scenarios, the WD traffic pattern is sporadic so most dedicated resources are wasted.

Preconfigured grants with a distribution pattern


A holder apparatus and Method for suspending a pair of skis in a bottom to bottom orientation, each ski having a body portion, a tail portion and an outward arching ski tip portion. The holder apparatus comprises a mounting plate, a pair of pivot members mounted on the mounting plate, and a pair of mounting members pivotally mounted on the pivot members adapted to receive the pair of skis therebetween. The mounting members each comprise an upper portion to support a respective one of the ski tip portions and a lower portion to support a respective one of the body portions. The pivot members are spaced apart horizontally by an amount which is sufficient to suspend the pair of skis and hold the pair of ski tail portions together.

In recent years, several possibilities have become known for supporting skis by an apparatus mounted on a wall or a frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,797 to Egan discloses a ski rack utilizing pairs of pivotally mounted blocks on a rail to capture a ski. The design takes advantage of the widening of the ski towards its tip to wedge the ski downward against the blocks. Each unit, however, holds only one ski and the blocks must be individually adjusted for each different ski. Once an adjustment is made, only one size ski may be used in the slot.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,298 to Ursetta discloses a holder for skis wherein a support plate holds two rotatable rollers arranged next to each other. The axis of rotation of each roller is eccentric to the center axis of the roller. A circular arc-shaped recess is cut into each roller. Compression springs are placed in each recess. The compression springs have the purpose to rotate the two rollers relative to each other. The rollers, which are covered with rubber linings, cooperate to clamp the skis therebetween. Unfortunately, however, the Ursetta device suffers from a number of drawbacks. The device is of very complicated construction and is not very practical. Further, the rollers are pressed on as a result of the force applied by the above-described springs. If the skis are to be placed in the holder, the two rollers must be rotated to such an extent that a sufficiently wide gap is created between the rollers so that the skis can be placed between the rollers. Moreover, since each of the two rollers is supported and spring-loaded individually, two hands are necessarily required for rotating the rollers themselves. Therefore, another person is needed in order to place the skis in the open gap between the rollers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,164 to Heinzle describes a somewhat similar device which has two clamping jaws arranged next to each other. These jaws are eccentrically pivoted to close tighter as the skis are lowered between the jaws. The two jaws are interconnected by a linkage which keeps them rotating symmetrically so as to assure that the pinching forces directly oppose each other. The Heinzle mechanism depends on a high-friction material covering the jaws to keep the smooth skis from slipping between them. This requires laminating two dissimilar materials together, which, as Heinzle discloses, can be a significant problem.
In general, known apparatus and methods suffer from a number of structural and functional disadvantages. It is accordingly a general object of the present invention to provide apparatus and methods for statically suspending a pair of skis or the like which overcome the disadvantages of heretofore known devices and methods. More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device mounted on a wall or rack or similar support surface for statically suspending a pair of skis oriented in a bottom-to-bottom relationship which is very effective, yet simple to produce and manipulate, and a method for supporting or suspending a pair of skis which is simple to accomplish.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus and methods for suspending a pair of skis or the like when the skis are positioned in a bottom-to-bottom relationship which eliminates the need for providing means proximate the tails of the skis to prevent the tails from spreading.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus and methods for statically suspending a pair of skis or the like by the outward arching tips of the skis when the skis are positioned in a bottom-to-bottom relationship.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus and methods for suspending a pair of skis or the like which is able to accommodate a wide variety of ski shapes and sizes, is adaptable to a wide variety of mounting locations, and is safe to both the user and the equipment being suspended.

Apparatus and methods for suspending a pair of skis or the like


Methods, devices, and computer program products for improving training field design in packets with increased symbol durations are disclosed. In one aspect, a method of transmitting a packet on a wireless communication network is disclosed. The method includes transmitting a preamble of the packet over one or more space-time-streams, the preamble including one or more training fields configured to be used for channel estimation, the one or more training fields each comprising one or more symbols of a first symbol duration. The method further includes transmitting a payload of the packet over the one or more space-time-streams, the payload comprising one or more symbols of a second symbol duration, the second symbol duration greater than the first symbol duration.

Field
The present application relates generally to wireless communications, and more specifically to systems, methods, and devices for improvements to long training field design for longer symbol durations. Certain aspects herein relate to reducing the overhead which can otherwise be associated with long training fields when longer symbol durations are used.
Background
In many telecommunication systems, communications networks are used to exchange messages among several interacting spatially-separated devices. Networks can be classified according to geographic scope, which could be, for example, a metropolitan area, a local area, or a personal area. Such networks would be designated respectively as a wide area network (WAN), metropolitan area network (MAN), local area network (LAN), or personal area network (PAN). Networks also differ according to the switching/routing technique used to interconnect the various network nodes and devices (e.g. circuit switching vs. packet switching), the type of physical media employed for transmission (e.g. wired vs. wireless), and the set of communication protocols used (e.g. Internet protocol suite, SONET (Synchronous Optical Networking), Ethernet, etc.).
Wireless networks are often preferred when the network elements are mobile and thus have dynamic connectivity needs, or if the network architecture is formed in an ad hoc, rather than fixed, topology. Wireless networks employ intangible physical media in an unguided propagation mode using electromagnetic waves in the radio, microwave, infra-red, optical, etc. frequency bands. Wireless networks advantageously facilitate user mobility and rapid field deployment when compared to fixed wired networks.
The devices in a wireless network can transmit/receive information between each other. The information can comprise packets, which in some aspects can be referred to as data units. Each data unit can be made up of a number of symbols, each of which can be of a particular duration. Longer symbol durations can be desirable in certain environments, such as when transmitting over longer distances, or such as when transmitting in outdoor environments. However, transmitting longer symbols can increase network overhead for certain aspects of transmissions. Accordingly, it may be desirable to minimize this overhead.

Systems and methods for improvements to training field design for increased symbol durations


In order to improve the number rewrites by improving the dielectric breakdown resistance of an ion conducting layer in a variable resistance element, this variable resistance element is provided with: a first electrode that contains at least copper; a second electrode that contains at least Ru, nitrogen and a first metal; and an ion conducting layer that is positioned between the first electrode and the second electrode.

A semiconductor device including a silicon device has been advancing in integration and decreasing in power consumption due to miniaturization according to the scaling law known as Moore's law and have been developed at such a rate that "integration will be quadrupled in three years". A gate length of Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET) has been reduced to 20 nm or less in recent years. Because of increase in lithography process costs and physical limits of device dimensions caused by this, device performance improvement by an approach different from the existing scaling law is demanded.
The increase in lithography process costs includes increase in the price of manufacturing a tool and the price of mask sets. The physical limits of device dimensions include operating limits and dimension variation limits.
A rewritable programmable logic device called Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) has been developed in recent years as a device that stands midway between a gate array and a standard cell. An FPGA allows a customer himself to configure a circuit at will after manufacturing of a chip. An FPGA has a variable resistance element inside a multi-layered wiring layer and allows a customer himself to make electrical connections of wiring at will. The use of a semiconductor device on which such an FPGA is mounted has enabled improvement of the flexibility in circuit design.
A variable resistance element includes a resistance Random Access Memory (Resistance RAM (ReRAM)), which uses a transition metal oxide, NanoBridge (a Registered Trademark of NEC Corporation), which uses an ion conductor, and the like. An ion conductor is a solid in which ions can freely move in response to application of an electric field or the like.
As a variable resistance element that is likely to improve flexibility in circuit design, Non-Patent Literature 1 (NPL1) discloses a precipitated metal-bridge switching element that makes use of metallic ion migration and electrochemical reaction in an ion conductor. The switching element disclosed in NPL1 is made up of three layers: an ion conducting layer, and first and second electrodes each provided in contact with each of two surfaces of the ion conducting layer. Among them, the first electrode serves to supply metallic ions to the ion conducting layer and is called an active electrode. On the other hand, the second electrode is called an inactive electrode because no metallic ion is supplied from the second electrode.
A switching operation of the variable resistance element will be briefly described. When positive voltage is applied to the first electrode and the second electrode is grounded, metal of the first electrode becomes metallic ions, which dissolve into the ion conducting layer. The metallic ions in the ion conducting layer are precipitated as metal in the ion conducting layer and the precipitated metal forms a metal bridge that connects the first electrode and the second electrode. Since the first electrode and the second electrode are electrically connected by the metal bridge, the switch turns on.
On the other hand, when the first electrode is grounded and positive voltage is applied to the second electrode in the ON state, a portion of the metal bridge is disconnected. Thereby, the electrical connection between the first electrode and the second electrode is disconnected, and the switch turns off. Note that from a stage before the electrical connection completely is disconnected, electrical characteristics change, for example, the resistance between the first electrode and the second electrode increases or the inter-electrode capacitance changes, and the electrical connection eventually is disconnected. In order to turn the switch from the OFF state to the ON state, positive voltage may be applied to the first electrode again and the second electrode may be grounded.
Further, NPL1 discloses a configuration and an operation of a two-terminal switching element in which two electrodes are positioned with an ion conductor between them and a conduction state between the two electrodes are controlled.
Such a switching element is characterized by smaller size and smaller on-resistance than a semiconductor switch such as a MOSFET. Therefore, such a switching element is considered to have promising applications in programmable logic devices. Further, since a conduction state (the ON or OFF state of the element) in the switching element is maintained as it is without having to apply voltage thereto, the switching element can be used as a non-volatile memory element as well.
For example, a plurality of memory cells each of which is a basic unit composed of one selector element such as a transistor and one switching element are arranged in both the vertical direction and the horizontal direction. By arranging memory cells in this way, any memory cell of the plurality of memory cells can be selected by using a word line and bit line. A nonvolatile memory can be implemented, where which information is stored, information "1" or "0" can be read from the on or OFF state of a switching element of the selected memory cell by sensing a conduction state of the switching element.

Variable resistance element and method for producing variable resistance element


Compounds of formula I

The present invention relates to novel herbicidally active benzoyl derivatives, to processes for their preparation, to compositions comprising said compounds, and to the use thereof for controlling weeds, in particular in crops of cultivated plants or for inhibiting plant growth.
Benzoyl derivatives with herbicidal activity are described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,685. Now, novel benzoyl derivatives with herbicidal and growth-inhibiting properties have been found.
The objects of the present invention are thus compounds of formula I
wherein
X is L1-Y1-R4, L2-Y2-L3-Y3-R5 or L4-Y4-L5-Y5-L6-Y6-R6;
L1,L2, L3, L4, L5, L6, independently of one another, signify C1-C6-alkylene, which may be substituted by C1-C4-alkyl, halogen, C1-C4-alkoxy, C2-C6-alkenyl or C2-C6-alkynyl; or C3-C6-alkenylene, which may be substituted by C1-C4-alkyl, halogen, C1-C4-alkoxy, C2-C6-alkenyl or C2-C6-alkynyl; or C3-C6-alkynylene, which may be substituted by C1-C4-alkyl, halogen, C1-C4-alkoxy, C2-C6-alkenyl or C2-C6-alkynyl;
Y1, Y3, Y6, independently of one another, signify oxygen, sulphur, SO, SO2, NR7, OC(O), NR8SO2 or OSO2;
Y2, Y4, Y5, independently of one another, signify oxygen, sulphur, SO, SO2, NR9, OC(O) or NR10SO2;
R7, R8, R9 and R10, independently of one another, signify hydrogen or C1-C6-alkyl;
R1 and R2, independently of one another, signify halogen, cyano, nitro, amino, C1-C6-alkyl, C1-C6-alkoxy, C1-C4-alkoxy-C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C6-halogenalkyl, C2-C6-alkenyl, C2-C6-alkynyl, C1-C6-alkoxycarbonyl, C1-C6-alkylcarbonyl, C1-C6-alkylthio, C1-C6-alkylsulphinyl, C1-C6-alkylsulphonyl, C1-C6-dialkylaminosulphonyl, C1-C6-alkylaminosulphonyl, C1-C4-alkylsulphonylamino, C1-C6-halogenalkoxy, OSO2xe2x80x94C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C6-halogenalkylthio, C1-C6-halogenalkylsulphinyl, C1-C6-halogenalkylsulphonyl, phenylthio, phenylsulphinyl or phenylsulphonyl;
R3 signifies hydrogen, C1-C4-alkyl or halogen;
R4, R5 and R6, independently of one another, signify hydrogen, C1-C6-alkyl, which may be substituted by the group A1; C3-C7-cycloalkyl, which may be substituted by the group A2;
C3-C7-cycloalkyl, which may be interrupted by 1 to 2 oxygen atoms, sulphur or NR11; C2-C6-alkenyl, which may be substituted by the group A3; C3-C6-alkynyl, which may be substituted by the group A4; C3-C7-cycloalkyl-C1-C4-alkyl, whereby the cycloalkyl group may be interrupted by 1 to 2 oxygen atoms, sulphur or NR12; benzyl or phenyl which may in turn be substituted by halogen, C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-alkoxy, C1-C4-halogenalkyl, cyano, nitro, C1-C4-halogenalkoxy, C1-C4-alkylthio, C1-C4-alkylsulphinyl, C1-C4-alkylsulphonyl, C1-C4-dialkylamino, C1-C4-alkylcarbonyl, C1-C4-dialkylaminosulphonyl or NR13xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94R14;
R11 and R12, independently of one another, signify hydrogen or C1-C4-alkyl;
R13 and R14, independently of one another, signify hydrogen or C1-C4-Alkyl;
A1, A2, A3, A4, independently of one another, are hydroxy, formyl, COOH, C1-C6-alkoxy, C1-C4-alkylthio, C1-C4-alkylsulphinyl, C1-C4-alkylsulphonyl, OSO2xe2x80x94C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C6-alkylamino, C1-C6-dialkylamino, C1-C6-alkylaminocarbonyl, C1-C6-dialkylaminocarbonyl, nitro, halogen, cyano, C1-C4-alkoxyhalogen, C1-C4-alkylcarbonyl, C1-C4-alkoxycarbonyl or phenyl, whereby the phenyl group may in turn be substituted by halogen, C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-alkoxy, C1-C4-halogenalkyl, cyano, nitro, C1-C4-halogenalkoxy, C1-C4-alkylthio, C1-C4-alkylsulphinyl, C1-C4-alkylsulphonyl, C1-C4-alkylcarbonyl, C1-C4-dialkylaminosulphonyl or NR15xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94R16;
R15 and R16, independently of one another, signify hydrogen or C1-C4-alkyl;
Q is the group Q1
wherein R39 signifies hydroxy, halogen, C1-C6-alkoxy, C1-C6-alkylcarbonyloxy, C1-C6-alkoxycarbonyloxy, C1-C6-dialkylamino, COOH, C1-C6-alkenylthio, C1-C6-alkenylsulphinyl, C1-C6-alkenylsulphonyl, OSO2xe2x80x94C1-C6-alkyl, benzoyloxy or OSO2-phenyl, whereby the phenyl and benzoyl groups may in turn be substituted by C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-halogenalkyl, C1-C4-alkoxy, C1-C4-halogenalkoxy, C1-C4-alkylcarbonyl, C1-C4-alkoxycarbonyl, halogen, nitro, COOH or cyano; V is C1-C4-alkylene, oxygen, sulphur, SO or SO2;
R17, R18, R19, R20, R21 and R22, independently of one another, signify hydrogen, C1-C6-alkyl, C1-C6-alkoxycarbonyl, C2-C6-alkenyl, C2-C6-alkynyl, C1-C6-alkylthio, C1-C6-alkylsulphinyl, C1-C6-alkylsulphonyl, C1-C4-alkylaminosulphonyl, C1-C4-halogenalkyl, C1-C4-alkylamino, C1-C4-dialkylamino, C1-C6-alkoxy, cyano, nitro, halogen or phenyl, q is 1 or 2;
or Q is the group Q2
wherein
R23 signifies hydroxy, halogen, C1-C6-alkoxy, C1-C6-alkylcarbonyloxy, C1-C6-alkoxycarbonyloxy, C1-C6-dialkylamino, COOH, C1-C6-alkylthio, C1-C6-alkylsulphinyl, C1-C6-alkylsulphonyl, C1-C4-alkoxycarbonyl-C1-C4-alkylthio, C1-C4-alkoxycarbonyl-C1-C4-alkylsulphinyl, C1-C4-alkoxycarbonyl-C1-C4-alkylsulphonyl, C1-C6-alkenylthio, C1-C6-alkenylsulphinyl, C1-C6-alkenylsulphonyl, OSO2xe2x80x94C1-C6-alkyl, benzoyloxy, phenylthio, phenylsulphinyl, phenylsulphonyl or OSO2-phenyl, whereby the phenyl and benzoyl groups may in turn be substituted by C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-halogenalkyl, C1-C4-alkoxy, C1-C4-halogenalkoxy, C1-C4-alkylcarbonyl, C1-C4-alkoxycarbonyl, halogen, nitro, COOH or cyano; R24 and R25, independently of one another, signify hydrogen, hydroxy, C1-C6-alkyl, C1-C4-alkoxy-C1-C4-alkyl, C2-C6-alkenyl, C2-C6-alkynyl, C1-C6-alkoxycarbonyl, C1-C6-alkylthio, C1-C6-alkylsulphinyl, C1-C6-alkylsulphonyl, C1-C4-alkylaminosulphonyl, C1-C4-halogenalkyl, C1-C6-alkylamino, C1-C6-dialkylamino, C1-C6-alkoxy, cyano, nitro, halogen or phenyl, which may in turn be substituted by C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-halogenalkyl, C1-C4-alkoxy, C1-C4-halogenalkoxy, C1-C4-alkylcarbonyl, C1-C4-alkoxycarbonyl, amino, C1-C4-alkylamino, C1-C4-dialkylamino, C1-C6-alkylthio, C1-C6-alkylsulphinyl, C1-C6-alkylsulphonyl, C1-C4-alkyl-S(O)2O, C1-C4-halogenalkylthio, C1-C4-halogenalkylsulphinyl, C1-C4-halogenalkylsulphonyl, C1-C4-halogenalkyl-S(O)2O, C1-C4-alkyl-S(O)2NH, C1-C4-alkyl-S(O)2N(C1-C4-alkyl), halogen, nitro, COOH or cyano; or R24 and R25 together form a C2-C6-alkylene bridge, R26 signifies hydrogen, C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-alkoxycarbonyl or phenyl, which may in turn be substituted by C1-C6-alkyl, C1-C6-halogenalkyl, C1-C6-alkoxy, C1-C6-halogenalkoxy, C1-C6-alkylcarbonyl, C1-C6-alkoxycarbonyl, amino, C1-C4-alkylamino, C1-C4-dialkylamino, C1-C6-alkylthio, C1-C6-alkylsulphinyl, C1-C6-alkylsulphonyl, C1-C4-alkyl-S(O)2O, C1-C4-halogenalkylthio, C1-C4-halogenalkylsulphinyl, C1-C4-halogenalkylsulphonyl, C1-C4-halogenalkyl-S(O)2O, C1-C4-alkyl-S(O)2NH, C1-C4-alkyl-S(O)2N(C1-C4-alkyl), halogen, nitro, COOH or cyano;
or Q is the group Q3
wherein
R27 signifies hydroxy, halogen, C1-C6-alkoxy, C1-C6-alkylcarbonyloxy, C1-C6-alkoxycarbonyloxy, C1-C6-dialkylamino, COOH, C1-C6-alkylthio, C1-C6-alkylsulphinyl, C1-C6-alkylsulphonyl, C1-C4-alkoxycarbonyl-C1-C4-alkylthio, C1-C4-alkoxycarbonyl-C1-C4-alkylsulphinyl, C1-C4-alkoxycarbonyl-C1-C4-alkylsulphonyl, C1-C6-alkenylthio, C1-C6-alkenylsulphinyl, C1-C6-alkenylsulphonyl, OSO2xe2x80x94C1-C6-alkyl, benzoyloxy, phenylthio, phenylsulphinyl, phenylsulphonyl or OSO2-phenyl, whereby the phenyl and benzoyl groups may in turn be substituted by C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-halogenalkyl, C1-C4-alkoxy, C1-C4-halogenalkoxy, C1-C4-alkylcarbonyl, C1-C4-alkoxycarbonyl, halogen, nitro, COOH or cyano;
R28, R29 and R40, independently of one another, signify hydrogen, hydroxy, C1-C6-alkyl, C1-C4-alkoxy-C1-C4-alkyl, C2-C6-alkenyl, C2-C6-alkynyl, C1-C6-alkoxycarbonyl, C1-C6-alkylthio, C1-C6-alkylsulphinyl, C1-C6-alkylsulphonyl, C1-C4-alkylaminosulphonyl, C1-C4-halogenalknyl, C1-C6-alkylamino, C1-C6-dialkylamino, C1-C6-alkoxy, cyano, nitro, halogen or phenyl, which may in turn be substituted by C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-halogenalkyl, C1-C4-alkoxy, C1-C4-halogenalkoxy, C1-C4-alkylcarbonyl, C1-C4-alkoxycarbonyl, amino, C1-C4-alkylamino, C1-C4-dialkylamino, C1-C6-alkylthio, C1-C6-alkylsulphinyl, C1-C6-alkylsulphonyl, C1-C4-alkyl-S(O)2O, C1-C4-halogenalkylthio, C1-C4-halogenalkylsulphinyl, C1-C4-halogenalkylsulphonyl, C1-C4-halogenalkyl-S(O)2O, C1-C4-alkyl-S(O)2NH, C1-C4-alkyl-S(O)2N(C1-C4-alkyl), halogen, nitro, COOH or cyano; or R28 and R29 together form a C2-C6-alkylene bridge, R30 signifies C1-C6-alkyl, which may be substituted by a group A5; C2-C6-alkenyl, which may be substituted by a group A6; C2-C6-alkynyl, which may be substituted by a group A7;
A5, A6 and A7, independently of one another, are hydroxy, formyl, COOH, C1-C6-alkoxy, C1-C4-alkylthio, C1-C4-alkylsulphinyl, C1-C4-alkylsulphonyl, OSO2xe2x80x94C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C6-alkylamino, C1-C6-dialkylamino, C1-C6-alkylaminocarbonyl, C1-C6-dialkylaminocarbonyl, nitro, halogen, cyano, C1-C4-alkoxyhalogen, C1-C4-alkylcarbonyl, C1-C4-alkoxycarbonyl or phenyl, whereby the phenyl is in turn substituted by halogen, C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-alkoxy, C1-C4-halogenalkyl, cyano, nitro, C1-C4-halogenalkoxy, C1-C4-alkylthio, C1-C4-alkylsulphinyl, C1-C4-alkylsulphonyl, C1-C4-alkylcarbonyl, C1-C4-dialkylaminosulphonyl or NR31xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94R32;
R31, R32, independently of one another, signify hydrogen or C1-C4-alkyl;
or Q is the group Q4
wherein
R33 signifies hydroxy, halogen, C1-C6-alkoxy, C1-C6-alkylcarbonyloxy, C1-C6-alkoxycarbonyloxy C1-C6-dialkylamino, C1-C6-alkylthio, C1-C6-alkylsulphinyl, C1-C6-alkylsulphonyl, C1-C4-alkoxycarbonyl-C1-C4-alkylthio, C1-C4-alkoxycarbonyl-C1-C4-alkylsulphinyl, C1-C4-alkoxycarbonyl-C1-C4-alkylsulphonyl, C1-C6-alkenylthio, C1-C6-alkenylsulphinyl, C1-C6-alkenylsulphonyl, OSO2xe2x80x94C1-C6-alkyl, benzoyloxy, phenylthio, phenylsulphinyl, phenylsulphonyl or OSO2-phenyl, whereby the phenyl and benzoyl groups may in turn be substituted by C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-halogenalkyl, C1-C4-alkoxy, C1-C4-halogenalkoxy, C1-C4-alkylcarbonyl, C1-C4-alkoxycarbonyl, halogen, nitro, COOH or cyano;
W is oxygen, sulphur, SO, SO2, NR38 or Cxe2x95x90O;
R38 signifies hydrogen or C1-C6-alkyl;
R34, R35, R36 and R37, independently of one another, signify hydrogen, hydroxy, C1-C6-alkyl, C1-C4-alkoxy-C1-C4-alkyl, C2-C6-alkenyl, C2-C6-alkynyl, C1-C6-alkoxycarbonyl, C1-C6-alkylthio, C1-C6-alkylsulphinyl, C1-C6-alkylsulphonyl, C1-C4-alkylaminosulphonyl, C1-C4-halogenalkyl, C1-C6-alkylamino, C1-C6-dialkylamino, C1-C6-alkoxy, cyano, nitro, halogen or phenyl, which may in turn be substituted by C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-halogenalkyl, C1-C4-alkoxy, C1-C4-halogenalkoxy, C1-C4-alkylcarbonyl, C1-C4-alkoxycarbonyl, amino, C1-C4-alkylamino, C1-C4-dialkylamino, C1-C6-alkylthio, C1-C6-alkylsulphinyl, C1-C6-alkylsulphonyl, C1-C4-alkyl-S(O)2O, C1-C4-halogenalkylthio, C1-C4-halogenalkylsulphinyl, C1-C4-halogenalkylsulphonyl, C1-C4-halogenalkyl-S(O)2O, C1-C4-alkyl-S(O)2NH, C1-C4-alkyl-S(O)2N(C1-C4-alkyl), halogen, nitro, COOH or cyano; or R34 and R35 together form a C2-C6-alkylene bridge, as well as agronomically acceptable salts, isomers and enantiomers of these compounds.
The invention similarly relates to the salts that may be formed by the compounds of formula I, especially those compounds of formula I in which R23, R27, R33 and R39 are hydroxy, with amines, alkali metal bases and alkaline earth metal bases, or quaternary ammonium bases.
Of the alkali metal hydroxides and alkaline earth metal hydroxides as salt-forming components, the hydroxides of lithium, sodium, potassium, magnesium or calcium are notable, especially those of sodium or potassium.
Examples of amines that are suitable for ammonium salt formation may be both ammonia and primary, secondary and tertiary C1-C18-alkylamines, C1-C4-hydroxyalkylamines and C2-C4-alkoxyalkylamines, for example methylamine, ethylamine, n-propylamine, isopropylamine, the four isomeric butylamines, n-amylamine, iso-amylamine, hexylamine, heptylamine, octylamine, nonylamine, decylamine, pentadecylamine, hexadecylamine, heptadecylamine, octadecylamine, methylethylamine, methyl-iso-propylamine, methylhexylamine, methylnonylamine, methylpentadecylamine, methyloctadecylamine, ethylbutylamine, ethylheptylamine, ethyloctylamine, hexylheptylamine, hexyloctylamine, dimethylamine, diethylamine, di-n-propylamine, di-iso-propylamine, di-n-butylamine, di-n-amylamine, di-iso-amylamine, dihexylamine, diheptylamine, dioctylamine, ethanolamine, n-propanolamine, iso-propanolamine, N,N-diethanolamine, N-ethylpropanolamine, N-butylethanolamine, allylamine, n-butenyl-2-amine, n-pentenyl-2-amine, 2,3-dimethylbutenyl-2-amine, di-butenyl-2-amine, n-hexenyl-2-amine, propylenediamine, trimethylamine, triethylamine, tri-n-propylamine, tri-iso-propylamine, tri-n-butylamine, tri-iso-butylamine, tri-sec.-butylamine, tri-n-amylamine, methoxyethylamine and ethoxyethylamine; heterocyclic amines such as pyridine, quinoline, iso-quinoline, morpholine, piperidine, pyrrolidine, indoline, quinuclidine and azepine; primary arylamines such as anilines, methoxyanilines, ethoxyanilines, o,m,p-toluidines, phenylenediamines, benzidines, naphthylamines and o,m,p-chloroanilines; but especially triethylamine, iso-propylamine and di-iso-propylamine.
The alkyl and alkylene groups present in the definitions of the substituents may be straight-chained or branched and are, for example, methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, iso-propyl, n-butyl, sec.-butyl, iso-butyl, tert.-butyl, pentyl and hexyl, as well as the branched isomers thereof. Alkoxy, alkenyl, alkenylene, alkynyl and alkynylene groups are derived from the said alkyl groups. The alkenyl, alkenylene, alkynyl and alkynylene groups may be mono- or multi-unsaturated.
Halogen normally signifies fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine. The same applies also to halogen in conjunction with other definitions such as halogenalkyl or halogenphenyl.
Halogenalkyl groups preferably have a chain length of 1 to 6 carbon atoms. Halogenalkyl is for example fluoromethyl, difluoromethyl, trifluoromethyl, chloromethyl, dichloromethyl, trichloromethyl, 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl, 2-fluoroethyl, 2-chloroethyl, pentafluoroethyl, 1,1-difluoro-2,2,2-trichloroethyl, 2,2,3,3-tetrafluoroethyl and 2,2,2-trichloroethyl; preferably trichloromethyl, difluorochloromethyl, difluoromethyl, trifluoromethyl and dichlorofluoromethyl.
Alkoxy groups preferably have a chain length of 1 to 6 carbon atoms. Alkoxy is for example methoxy, ethoxy, propoxy, i-propoxy, n-butoxy, iso-butoxy, sec.-butoxy and tert.-butoxy as well as the isomers pentyloxy and hexyloxy; preferably methoxy and ethoxy. Alkylcarbonyl is preferably acetyl or propionyl. Alkoxycarbonyl signifies for example methoxycarbonyl, ethoxycarbonyl, propoxycarbonyl, iso-propoxycarbonyl, n-butoxycarbonyl, iso-butoxycarbonyl, sec.-butoxycarbonyl or tert.-butoxycarbonyl; preferably methoxycarbonyl or ethoxycarbonyl. Halogenalkoxy groups preferably have a chain length of 1 to 6 carbon atoms. Halogenalkoxy is e.g. fluoromethoxy, difluoromethoxy, trifluoromethoxy, 2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy, 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethoxy, 2-fluoroethoxy, 2-chloroethoxy, 2,2-difluoroethoxy and 2,2,2-trichloroethoxy; preferably difluoromethoxy, 2-chloroethoxy and trifluoromethoxy. Alkylthio groups preferably have a chain length of 1 to 6 carbon atoms. Alkylthio is for example methylthio, ethylthio, propylthio, iso-propylthio, n-butylthio, iso-butylthio, sec.-butylthio or tert.-butylthio, preferably methylthio and ethylthio. Alkylsulphinyl is for example methylsulphinyl, ethylsulphinyl, propylsulphinyl, iso-propylsulphinyl, n-butylsulphinyl, iso-butylsulphinyl, sec.-butylsulphinyl, tert.-butylsulphinyl; preferably methylsulphinyl and ethylsulphinyl.
C3-C7-cycloalkyl, which is interrupted by oxygen, is for example oxiranyl, oxetanyl, tetrahydrofuranyl, dioxolanyl, oxacyclohexyl, dioxacyclohexyl, oxacycloheptyl or dioxacycloheptyl.
C3-C7-cycloalkyl-C1-C3-alkyl, which may be interrupted by oxygen, is for example oxiranylmethyl, oxetanyl-ethyl, tetrahydrofuranyl-n-propyl, dioxolanyl-C1-C3-alkyl, oxacyclohexyl-C1-C3-alkyl, dioxacyclohexyl-C1-C3-alkyl, oxacycloheptyl-C1-C3-alkyl or Dioxacycloheptyl-C1-C3-alkyl.
Alkylsulphonyl is for example methylsulphonyl, ethylsulphonyl, propylsulphonyl, iso-propylsulphonyl, n-butylsulphonyl, iso-butylsulphonyl, sec.-butylsulphonyl or tert.-butylsulphonyl; preferably methylsulphonyl or ethylsulphonyl Alkoxyalkoxy groups preferably have a chain length of 2 to 4 carbon atoms.
Examples of alkoxyalkoxy are: methoxymethoxy, methoxyethoxy, methoxypropoxy, ethoxymethoxy, ethoxyethoxy, propoxymethoxy or butoxybutoxy.
Alkylamino is for example methylamino, ethylamino, n-propylamino, isopropylamino or the isomeric butylamines. Dialkylamino is for example dimethylamino, methylethylamino, diethylamino, n-propylmethylamino, dibutylamino and diisopropylamino. Preference is given to alkylamino groups with a chain length of 1 to 4 carbon atoms. Alkoxyalkyl groups preferably have 2 to 4 carbon atoms. Alkoxyalkyl signifies for example methoxymethyl, methoxyethyl, ethoxymethyl, ethoxyethyl, n-propoxymethyl, n-propoxyethyl, isopropoxymethyl or isopropoxyethyl. Alkylthioalkyl groups preferably have 2 to 4 carbon atoms. Alkylthioalkyl signifies for example methylthiomethyl, methylthioethyl, ethylthiomethyl, ethylthioethyl, n-propylthiomethyl, n-propylthioethyl, isopropylthiomethyl, isopropylthioethyl, butylthiomethyl, butylthioethyl or butylthiobutyl. The cycloalkyl groups preferably have 3 to 6 ring carbon atoms, for example cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl and cyclohexyl. Phenyl, even as part of a substituent, such as phenoxy, benzyl, benzyloxy, benzoyl, phenylthio, phenylalkyl or phenoxyalkyl, may be present in substituted form.
Preference is given to compounds of formula I, in which R1 and R2, independently of one another, signify halogen, cyano, nitro, amino, C1-C6-alkyl, C1-C6-alkoxy, C1-C4-alkoxy-C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C6-halogenalkyl, C2-C6-alkenyl, C2-C6-alkynyl, C1-C6-alkoxycarbonyl, C1-C6-alkylcarbonyl, C1-C6-alkylthio, C1-C6-alkylsulphinyl, C1-C6-alkylsulphonyl, C1-C6-dialkylaminosulphonyl, C1-C6-alkylaminosulphonyl, C1-C6-halogenalkoxy, OSO2xe2x80x94C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C6-halogenalkylthio, C1-C6-halogen-alkylsulphinyl, C1-C6-halogenalkylsulphonyl, phenylthio, phenylsulphinyl or phenylsulphonyl and
R33 signifies hydroxy, halogen, C1-C6-alkoxy, C1-C6-alkylcarbonyloxy, C1-C6-alkoxycarbonyloxy, C1-C6-dialkylamino, COOH, C1-C6-alkylthio, C1-C6-alkylsulphinyl, C1-C6-alkylsulphonyl, C1-C4-alkoxycarbonyl-C1-C4-alkylthio, C1-C4-alkoxycarbonyl-C1-C4-alkylsulphinyl, C1-C4-alkoxycarbonyl-C1-C4-alkylsulphonyl, C1-C6-alkenylthio, C1-C6-alkenylsulphinyl, C1 -C6-alkenylsulphonyl, OSO2xe2x80x94C1-C6-alkyl, benzoyloxy, phenylthio, phenylsulphinyl, phenylsulphonyl or OSO2-phenyl, whereby the phenyl and benzoyl groups may in turn be substituted by C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-halogenalkyl, C1-C4-alkoxy, C1-C4-halogenalkoxy, C1-C4-alkylcarbonyl, C1-C4-alkoxycarbonyl, halogen, nitro, COOH or cyano.
Further preferred compounds of formula I are characterised in that Q is Q1 or Q2, whereby in the group Q2, R24, R25 and R26 are preferably hydrogen or C1-C6-alkyl. R23 and R39 denote hydroxy in particular. Also notable are those compounds of formula I, in which X is L1-Y1-R4. Of this group, the compounds in which L1 signifies methylene are preferred. In a further preferred group of compounds of formula I, R2 signifies C1-C6-alkylsulphonyl. Also of interest are compounds of formula I, in which R1 signifies methyl.
Particularly preferred individual compounds falling within the scope of formula I are: 4-hydroxy-3-(4-methylsulphonyl-3-methoxymethyl-2-methyl-benzoyl)-bicyclo[3.2.1]oct-3-en-2-one and 5-hydroxy-4-(4-methylsulphonyl-3-methoxymethyl-2-methyl-benzoyl)-2,6,6-trimethyl-6.H.-[1,2]oxazin-3-one.
The compounds of formula I may be produced by known processes which are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,565,410, 5,608,101 and EP-A-0 282 944, whereby e.g. a compound of formula II
wherein R1, R2, R3 and X have the significances given under formula I and Z signifies a leaving group, preferably halogen, especially chlorine or cyano, is reacted with a compound of formula III
wherein the substituents are defined as in group Q1, or with a compound of formula IV
wherein the substituents are defined as in group Q2, or with a compound of formula V
wherein the substituents are defined as in group Q3, or with a compound of formula VI
wherein the substituents are defined as in group Q4 and correspondingly R39, R23, R27 and R33 signify hydroxy, optionally in the presence of a base. The compounds of formulae II, III, IV or V are known from U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,565,410, 5,608,101 and EP-A-0 282 944 or may be produced analogously to the processes disclosed therein.
The reactions for obtaining the compounds of formula I are advantageously carried out in aprotic inert organic solvents. Such solvents are hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene, xylene or cyclohexane, chlorinated hydrocarbons such as dichloromethane, trichloromethane, tetrachloromethane or chlorobenzene, ethers such as diethyl ether, ethylene glycol dimethyl ether, diethylene glycol dimethyl ether, tetrahydrofuran or dioxane, nitriles such as acetonitrile or propionitrile, amides such as N,N-dimethyl formamide, diethyl formamide or N-methylpyrrolidinone. The reaction temperatures are preferably in the range from xe2x88x9220xc2x0 to +120xc2x0 C. The reactions are usually slightly exothermic and can as a rule be carried out at room temperature. The reaction mixture can be heated for a brief time to boiling point to shorten the reaction time or also to initiate the reaction. The reaction times can also be shortened by addition of a few drops of a base as reaction catalyst. Particularly suitable bases are tertiary amines such as trimethylamine, triethylamine, quinuclidine, 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane, 1,5-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]non-5-ene or 1,5-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene. Further suitable bases are also inorganic bases, typically hydrides such as sodium or calcium hydride, hydroxides such as sodium or potassium hydroxide, carbonates such as sodium and potassium carbonate, or hydrogen carbonates such as potassium and sodium hydrogen carbonate.
The compounds of formula I can be isolated in conventional manner by concentrating the reaction mixture and/or removing the solvent by evaporation and by recrystallising or triturating the solid residue in solvents in which they are not readily soluble, typically ethers, aromatic hydrocarbons or chlorinated hydrocarbons.
The compounds of formula I or compositions containing them may be used according to this invention by all standard methods of application used in agriculture, including preemergence application, postemergence application and seed dressing, as well as by different methods and techniques such as controlled release. For controlled release, a solution of the herbicide is applied to a mineral granular carrier or to a polymerised granulate (urea/formaldehyde) and then dried. A coating can then be additionally applied (coated granules) that allows the active ingredient to be released at a controlled rate over a specific period of time.
The compounds of formula I may be used as herbicides in unmodified form, i.e. as obtained in the synthesis. Preferably they are processed in conventional manner with the auxiliary agents customarily employed in formulation technology to emulsifiable concentrates, directly sprayable or dilutable solutions, dilute emulsions, wettable powders, soluble powders, dusts, granulates or microcapsules. Such formulations are described, for example, in WO 97/34485 on pages 9 to 13. As with the type of agents, the methods of application such as spraying, atomising, dusting, wetting, scattering or pouring, are selected in accordance with the intended objectives and the prevailing circumstances.
The formulations, i.e. the agents, preparations, or compositions containing the compound of formula I or at least one compound of formula I and usually one or more than one liquid or solid formulation assistant, are prepared in known manner, e.g. by homogeneously mixing and/or grinding the herbicide with said formulation auxiliaries, typically solvents or solid carriers. Surface-active compounds (surfactants) may additionally be used for preparing the formulations. Examples of solvents and solid carriers are described in WO 97/34485 on page 6.
Depending on the herbicide of formula I to be formulated, suitable surface-active compounds are nonionic, cationic and/or anionic surfactants and surfactant mixtures having good emulsifying, dispersing and wetting properties.
Examples of suitable anionic, nonionic, and cationic surfactants are listed for example in WO 97/34485 on pages 7 and 8.
Also the surfactants customary in the art of formulation and described, inter alia, in xe2x80x9cMcCutcheon""s Detergents and Emulsifiers Annualxe2x80x9d MC Publishing Corp., Ridgewood N.J., 1981, Stache, H., xe2x80x9cTensid-Taschenbuchxe2x80x9d (Handbook of Surfactants), Carl Hanser Verlag, Munich/Vienna, 1981, and M. and J. Ash, xe2x80x9cEncyclopedia of Surfactantsxe2x80x9d, Vol I-III, Chemical Publishing Co., New York, 1980-81, are suitable for manufacture of the herbicides according to the invention.
The herbicidal compositions will as a rule contain from 0.1 to 99% by weight, preferably from 0.1 to 95% by weight, of herbicide, from 1 to 99.9% by weight, preferably from 5 to 99.8% by weight, of a solid or liquid adjuvant, and from 0 to 25% by weight, preferably from 0.1 to 25% by weight, of a surfactant. Whereas it is preferred to formulate commercial products as concentrates, the end user will normally use dilute formulations. The compositions may also contain further ingredients, such as: stabilisers, e.g. where appropriate epoxidised vegetable oils (epoxidised coconut oil, rapeseed oil, or soybean oil); anti-foaming agents, typically silicone oil; preservatives; viscosity regulators; binders; and tackifiers; as well as fertilisers or other chemical agents.
The compounds of formula I are usually applied with success to the plants or the locus thereof in concentrations of 0.001 to 4 kg/ha, preferably 0.005 to 2 kg/ha. The concentration required to achieve the desired action can be determined by experimentation. It will depend on the type of action, the development stage of the cultivated plant and of the weed, as well as on the application (locus, time, method), and as a resulty of these variables can vary over a wide range.
The compounds of formula I have excellent herbicidal and growth inhibiting properties, which make them suitable for application in crops of cultivated plants, especially in cereals, cotton, soybeans, sugar beet, sugar cane, plantations, rape, maize, and rice, and for the non-selective control of weeds. Crops will also be understood to mean those crops that have been made tolerant to herbicides or classes of herbicides by conventional breeding or genetic engineering methods. The weeds to be controlled may be monocot as well as dicot weeds, typically Stellaria, Nasturtium, Agrostis, Digitaria, Avena, Setaria, Sinapis, Lolium, Solanum, Echinochloa, Scirpus, Monochoria, Sagittaria, Bromus, Alopecurus, Sorghum halepense, Rottboellia, Cyperus, Abutilon, Sida, Xanthium, Amaranthus, Chenopodium, ipomoea, Chrysanthemum, Galium, Viola, and Veronica.
The invention is illustrated by the following non-limitative Examples.

Abstract: Compounds of formula I

Abstract: wherein the substituents are defined as in claim 1, as well as the agronomically acceptable salts, isomers and enantiomers of these compounds, as well as the agronomically acceptable salts/N-oxides/isomers/enantiomers of these compounds, are eminently suitable for use as herbicides.


A collective investment vehicle that provides cash distributions. The distributions provide a cash flow to holders of the collective investment vehicle securities, and also allow the value of the collective investment vehicle securities to be reset to a target level. The distributions may be scheduled to occur periodically, or may be based on the occurrence of specific events including company events, economic events, political events, etc. In some embodiments, the funds required for cash distributions are obtained without incurring any capital gains, and the distributions may be treated as a return of capital.

Mutual Funds are one type of collective investment vehicle. Mutual Funds typically obtain money from investors, and use it to purchase securities such as company stocks, bonds, or other securities. The mutual fund issues shares to the investors, and the shares are valued as a pro-rata portion of the net asset value (NAV) of the Mutual Fund. The investors may redeem the shares for cash or for the underlying securities held by the Fund. The Mutual Fund manager may trade the asset securities from time to time in an attempt to improve the performance of the Fund's portfolio, or to ensure that the securities held by the Fund accurately reflect the Fund's overall investment strategy.
One problem with Mutual Funds is that the sale of securities by the manager may result in capital gains that must be distributed to the shareholders of the Fund, even though the investors did not sell their Fund shares. Many investors would prefer to defer the receipt of capital gains and the associated tax liability until they sell their shares of the Mutual Fund. Therefore, to reduce the capital gains tax liability for the shareholders, Mutual Fund managers typically sell relatively higher cost basis securities when sales are necessary to obtain cash to pay distributions or honor redemptions, or when positions are changed, such as during a portfolio rebalancing. As a result of many years of trading in a way to reduce the capital gains distributions to shareholders, the U.S. mutual fund industry has amassed embedded capital gains in the hundreds of billions of dollars. The unrealized capital gains in these Funds increase an investor's expected future capital gains distribution, making the Mutual Funds less attractive to investors. In particular, the embedded capital gains become a major liability in the event of large redemption activity. In addition, the embedded capital gains may adversely affect the investment decisions of a fund manager, who might prefer to reduce or eliminate certain stock positions but for the adverse impact of incurring a taxable gain on the sale of the position.
Another fund structure, the exchange traded fund (ETF), is able to hold securities over long periods of time without developing excessive unrealized capital gains. The ETF issues shares in a creation event by exchanging them for baskets of securities. When the ETF shares are ultimately redeemed for a basket of securities, the securities provided by the ETF may be those having a relatively low cost basis without having adverse tax consequences. This is because the exchange of the ETF shares for the basket of securities is deemed to be a like kind exchange that does not create a taxable event for the ETF. Similarly, the entity receiving the basket of securities receives them at a cost basis of the current market value.
One disadvantage of the ETF is that the ETF shares are created in bulk: the baskets of securities are typically valued in millions of dollars. While the resulting shares of the ETF are traded on an exchange, the creation and redemption events involve millions of dollars, making them unavailable to most investors. Furthermore, the ETF structure does nothing to address the problem of capital gains overhanging in existing mutual funds.
Consequently, an improvement is desired.

Exchange traded funds and mutual funds providing cash flow distributions


A syringe actuation device comprises an internally-threaded hollow outer sleeve with an open proximal end, and an externally-threaded hollow cylinder with a tapered internal diameter, that encloses a spring-biased piston, and that threads into the open distal end of the sleeve. The outer sleeve has a longitudinal opening parallel to its axis for receiving the fully-extended plunger of a pre-filled syringe, and a distal wall portion through which the barrel of the syringe extends. The cylinder contains a coil spring extending axially within its hollow interior, the spring having a proximal end seated against a proximal end wall of the cylinder, and a distal end attached to the proximal side of the piston. The piston is attached to the distal end of the spring so as to be pivotable from a canted orientation with respect to the cylinder's axis when the spring is compressed, to a substantially coaxial orientation with respect to the cylinder's axis when the spring is extended to a less compressed state. This pivoting function is facilitated by the tapered internal diameter of the cylinder, which decreases toward the distal end of the cylinder. This pivoting of the piston tends to equalize the axially-directed force component applied by the spring to the plunger as the spring decompresses, thereby substantially reducing the difference in flow rate from the syringe between the beginning and the end of the infusion process.

This invention relates generally to the field of liquid infusion devices for medical applications. More specifically, it relates to mechanically-driven infusion devices used for the administration of a liquid medicament to a patient from a filled syringe into an intravenous (IV) administration system.
Various devices have been developed for the intravenous (IV) infusion of liquid medicaments into a patient at a controlled flow rate over an extended period of time. For example, gravity flow IV administration sets have been employed for many years, and more recently, IV administration sets with electrically powered pumps have been developed.
There are applications in which a more compact and inexpensive type of infusion device is desired or required. For example, in addition to direct infusion from a syringe, it is frequently necessary to infuse a secondary fluid into a primary IV flow from a gravity flow or electrically-pumped IV administration set. Also, infusion into an ambulatory patient frequently requires an infusion device that is less bulky, less complex, and easier to use than gravity flow or pump-powered devices. For such applications, relatively complex self-powered infusion devices are frequently used.
With a typical, manually actuated IV administration syringe, infusion over an extended period of time is usually impractical or inconvenient. Furthermore, even among syringes of the same size from the same manufacturer, the actuation forces required to provide a given fluid flow-versus-time profile vary greatly from syringe to syringe. Consequently, it is necessary to provide a sufficiently high actuation force to achieve a substantial degree of uniformity in fluid delivery from syringe to syringe. It has proven difficult consistently to achieve such sufficiently high syringe actuation forces with manually actuated syringes. To overcome these problems, the prior art has devised a variety of mechanisms for increasing the actuation force on the syringe throughout the infusion process. One type of syringe actuation mechanism is that which utilizes either internal or external springs to displace the plunger of the syringe. Examples of such mechanisms are shown in the following U.S. Patents: U.S. Pat. No. 2,472,116--Maynes; U.S. Pat. No. 2,565,081--Maynes; U.S. Pat. No. 2,591,457--Maynes; U.S. Pat. No. 3,880,163--Ritterskamp; U.S. Pat. No. 3,882,863--Sarnoff et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,381,006--Genese; U.S. Pat. No. 4,530,695 Phillips et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,754--Thill et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,330 Laby et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,755,172--Baldwin; U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,585--Gangemi; U.S. Pat. No. 4,997,420--LeFevre; U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,679--Reese; U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,389 Vaillancourt; U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,609--Ishikawa; U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,539--O'Neil; U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,609--Haber et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,430--Sullivan; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,858--Reilly et al. Another example is shown in European Patent Application Publication No. 584 569 A2.
The known prior art devices suffer from one or more shortcomings, however. For example, several of the above-listed patents show the use of "constant force" springs, which are elongated flat leaf springs coiled on a drum, to address this problem. Such springs, however, add expense, bulk, and mechanical complexity to the device.
Another drawback of some prior art devices is that they cannot be used with conventional syringes, and instead require the use of syringes that are specially-designed for use with the actuation device. Still another limitation of many prior art syringe actuation devices is that a relatively great physical effort is required to compress the plunger actuation spring, because these devices lack a sufficient mechanical advantage to reduce the "loading effort" any appreciable degree. Other syringe actuation devices of the prior art require the syringe to be disconnected from any downstream fluid conduits (such as an IV administration set) before being loaded into the actuation device. This limitation makes such devices disadvantageous for use in those clinical applications, such as IV administration procedures, in which it is advantageous to load a pre-filled syringe into the syringe actuation device while the syringe is connected to the IV conduit.
It would therefore be a significant advancement over the prior art to provide a syringe actuation device that overcomes the aforementioned limitations. Specifically, it would be advantageous to provide such a device that yields improved uniformity in syringe-to-syringe fluid flow rates without a mechanism of undue complexity, and which is usable with conventional syringes of varying sizes. Furthermore, it would be advantageous to provide such a syringe actuation device that also may be loaded without undue physical effort, and that may receive a pre-filled syringe while the syringe is connected to a downstream conduit.


An apparatus for dispensing a fluid, comprising a container for holding the fluid to be dispensed and a housing for holding a solid chemical and a liquid chemical which react to generate carbon dioxide gas upon contact, such that the gas is used to drive the fluid out of the container.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to chemical reactants, compositions, methods to manufacture reactants, and apparatus for the generation of a gas pressure to drive a fluid from an infusion pump.
2. Background of the Art
There are several examples in the art of infusion pumps which operate on the use of gas pressure to drive an infusion liquid into a patient. For example, in Baron, U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,453, an infusion bag is equipped with an internal bag including a set of reactive chemicals that when mixed react to form a gas and inflate the internal bag to drive a liquid from the infusion bag. Similarly, in Baron, U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,453 the inventor disposed the reactive chemicals into a cuff-like apparatus to squeeze the liquid from the infusion bag.
The use of gas pressure, without the need for a chemical reaction, has also been demonstrated. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,106,374.
However, in each of the above-described patents, there is a limited ability for an operator to control the pressure of the gas and ultimately the flow rate of the liquid from the device. Baron in U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,453 attempted to solve this problem by utilizing a plurality of reactions. However, this system merely creates two "peaks" in pressure and consequently flow rate.
Accordingly, a need exists in the art for controlled rate infusion devices which can be retrieved through the use of reactive chemicals to generate gas.


The invention relates to an arrangement with a mounting rack and at least one assembly provided with a housing encapsulation and mounted on the mounting rack, wherein the mounting rack and the assembly have contacting means which are thermally connected to each other. Suitable measures are provided with which the quality of the heat dissipation is identified at the correct time.

Higher performance electronic components are increasingly used in assemblies for automation technology thus necessitating measures for dissipating the heat from the assemblies. For this, it is usual to employ heat sinks in these assemblies, in particular because fans for heat dissipation are not desired in automation technology.
Known from the Siemens Catalog ST 70, Edition 2007, pages 5/2 and 5/112 is an automation device comprising a plurality of assemblies and a mounting rack. The mounting rack is provided to accommodate the assemblies and to supply them with an operating voltage, wherein the assemblies may be plugged into slots in a rear panel bus by means of which the assemblies are connected to each other. Each slot in the mounting rack has on one edge three spring contacts arranged in parallel and provided with a ground potential which are electrically connected to a connector of a plugged-in assembly. Due to the ageing of the spring contacts and the associated deterioration in the elasticity of the spring contacts or due to contamination of the spring contacts, there is an increase in the contact or transfer resistance between the spring contacts and the corresponding connector of the respective plugged-in assembly. This results in an increase in the electrical power loss at the contact point and in addition the thermal power loss from the assembly is only poorly dissipated by the rear panel bus resulting in an increase in the temperature in the assembly. If a critical temperature is reached in the assembly, its operation can be disrupted and this has a detrimental impact on the technical process to be controlled.

Arrangement with an assembly and a mounting rack


A control system is designed to control an optical cross-connect having a switch core defined by first and second independently movable beam deflectors capable of selectively defining an optical path between a pair of ports of the optical cross-connect. An optical element having optical power is arranged in a propagation path of light beams between the first and second beam deflectors. The control system includes a pilot light source, an optical sensor associated with each beam deflector, and a feedback path. The a pilot light source inserts a pilot light into the switch core colinearly with live traffic. The optical sensor detects a predetermined geometric property of the pilot light emerging from the switch core. This predetermined geometric property is unambiguously associated with an angular position of the associated beam deflector. The feedback path actively controls a position of the associated beam deflector based on the detected geometric property.

This application is based on, and claims priority of, Canadian Patent Application No. 2,326,362, filed Nov. 20, 2000, Canadian Patent Application No. 2,327,862, filed Dec. 6, 2000, and Canadian Patent Application No. 2,328,756, filed Dec. 19, 2000.
Not Applicable.
The present invention relates to optical cross-connect switches, and in particular to a control system for an optical cross connect capable of detecting and correcting mirror positioning errors within the optical cross-connect.
Optical matrix cross-connects (or switches) are commonly used in communications systems for transmitting voice, video and data signals. Generally, optical matrix cross-connects include multiple input and/or output ports and have the ability to connect, for purposes of signal transfer, any input port/output port combination, and preferably, for Nxc3x97M switching applications, allow for multiple connections at one time. At each port, optical signals are transmitted and/or received via an end of an optical waveguide. The waveguide ends of the input and output ports are optically connected across a switch core. In this regard, for example, the input and output waveguide ends can be physically located on opposite sides of a switch core for direct or folded optical path communication therebetween, in side-by-side matrices on the same physical side of a switch core facing a mirror, or they may be interspersed in a single matrix arrangement facing a mirror.
Establishing a connection between an input port and a selected output port involves configuring an optical path across the switch core. One known way to configure the optical path involves the use of one or more movable mirrors interposed between the input and output ports. In this case, the waveguide ends remain stationary and the mirrors are used to deflect a light beam propagating through the switch core from the input port to effect the desired switching. Micro-electro-mechanical mirrors known in the art can allow for one- or two-dimensional targeting to optically connect any input port to any output port. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,914,801, entitled MICROELECTROMECHANICAL DEVICES INCLUDING ROTATING PLATES AND RELATED METHODS, which issued to Dhuler et al on Jun. 22, 1999; U.S. Pat. No. 6,087,747, entitled MICROELECTROMECHANICAL BEAM FOR ALLOWING A PLATE TO ROTATE IN RELATION TO A FRAME IN A MICROELECTROMECHANICAL DEVICE, which issued to Dhuler et al on Jul. 11, 2000; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,134,042, entitled REFLECTIVE MEMS ACTUATOR WITH A LASER, which issued to Dhuler et al on Oct. 17, 2000, disclose micro-electro-mechanical mirrors that can be controllably moved in two dimensions to effect optical switching.
One of the major challenges of designing an optical cross-connect (OXC) switch using tiltable Micro-Electro-Mechanical Switch (MEMS) mirrors is the need to accurately control each of the mirrors so that low fiber-to-fiber losses can be maintained over the operation lifetime of the switch. The major obstacle to creating an optical switch is the necessary control for precisely addressing each of the mirrors to achieve accurate switching with low loss. Small errors in angle over the optical path length of the switch can easily result in large coupling errors.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,097,858, entitled SENSING CONFIGURATION FOR FIBER OPTIC SWITCH CONTROL SYSTEM, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,097,860, entitled COMPACT OPTICAL MATRIX SWITCH WITH FIXED LOCATION FIBERS, both of which issued to Laor on Aug. 1, 2000, disclose switch control systems for controlling the position of two-dimensionally movable mirrors in an optical switch. Laor discloses a complex control system for detecting angle deviation. Because the optical path includes first and second reflections (in a Z pattern) between launching a focused beam and coupling a switched beam to a selected output port, a cumulative error will be detected at the output. That is, the coupling error of the switched beam into the output port will be the aggregate of the angular positioning errors of both of the involved mirrors. Determination of the angle error of each mirror is complex and difficult.
Accordingly, a control system for an optical cross connect, in which angle position errors of each involved mirror is unambiguously detected and controlled, remains highly desirable.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a control system for an optical cross connect, in which angle position errors of each involved mirror is unambiguously detected and controlled.
Thus an aspect of the present invention provides a control system for an optical cross-connect having a switch core defined by a pair of opposed MEMS mirror arrays designed to selectively define an optical path between a pair of waveguides of the optical cross-connect. The control mechanism includes an optical element having optical power disposed in the optical path between the MEMS arrays; a respective optical sensor associated with each MEMS mirror; and a feedback control between the optical sensor and its associated MEMS mirror.
Due to the location of the optical element having optical power, a light beam switched through the cross-connect encounters the optical element having optical power three times: a first encounter between the input waveguide and a first MEMS mirror; a second encounter between the first MEMS mirror and a second MEMS mirror in the opposite MEMS array; and a third encounter between the second MEMS mirror and the output waveguide. As a result, positioning errors of each involved mirror cause characteristic perturbations in geometric properties of the light beam arriving at the output waveguide, and these perturbations can be unambiguously related to the specific mirror in question. For example, a positioning error of the first mirror causes a lateral offset of the propagation path of the light beam arriving at the output waveguide, while a positioning error of the second mirror causes an angular offset of the propagation path of the light beam arriving at the output waveguide. It is therefore possible to unambiguously relate geometric properties (angle or lateral position) of the path of light beams arriving at the output waveguide to a specific mirror.
Thus each optical sensor is designed to detect a predetermined geometric property (i.e., either lateral or angular position) of a respective light beam arriving at an associated waveguide from a respective MEMs mirror. The feedback control can then actively control the respective mirror, based on the detected geometric property, to optimize coupling of the light beam into the waveguide.
Advantageously, one wavefront sensor and feedback control is provided for each mirror. Each mirror of each array can therefore be checked and corrected, simultaneously, in real time.

Control system for optical cross-connect switches


A disposable, point-of-care diagnostic cartridge and method of performing an invitro diagnostic test on a specimen are provided. The cartridge includes a base having a mixing chamber is formed thereon. The mixing chamber has a mixing chamber inlet and a mixing chamber outlet. A detection chamber is formed downstream from the mixing chamber in fluid communication therewith. The mixing chamber includes a mixing reservoir bounded at least in part by a flexible upper member. The flexible upper member is expandable to accommodate an increase in volume of fluid and collapsible to dispense fluid outwardly from the mixing reservoir. The mixing chamber inlet has an inlet valve member that provides one way flow of fluid into the mixing reservoir. The mixing chamber outlet has an outlet valve member that provides one way flow of fluid outwardly from the mixing reservoir to the detection chamber.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to invitro diagnostics, and more particularly to disposable invitro diagnostic cartridges and methods of performing invitro diagnostic tests.
2. Related Art
Diagnostic tests are increasingly being used to determine the state or condition of a biological environment, such as in human healthcare, agriculture, live stock management, municipal systems management, and national defense, by way of example and without limitation. A new market is emerging wherein diagnostic tests are being performed at the point-of-care. The diagnostic test can be complex, requiring multiple fluids and multiple steps to execute an assay. An assay is a sequence of steps or procedures used measure the presence or absence of a substance in a sample, the amount of a substance in a sample, or the characteristics of a sample. An example of a common and relative simple point-of-care assay, which can be readily conducted by a layperson, is a blood glucose test. In this test, generally speaking, the blood is mixed with glucose oxidase, which reacts with the glucose in the sample, creating gluconic acid, wherein the gluconic acid reacts with a chemical, typically ferricyanide, producing ferrocyanide. Current is passed through the ferrocyanide and the impedance reflects the amount of glucose present.
Although the aforementioned blood glucose assay is relative common and simple, many assays are far more complex, in that they require specific fluids, often of differing types and quantities, to be stored for future use on the diagnostic device. These fluids may be, but are not limited to, a buffer solution for dilution, fluids containing antibodies and antigens, microspheres coated with binding agents, cell lysing agents, and other fluids required to manipulate the sample being tested. Diagnostic tests that utilize millifluidic and microfluidic volumes of the fluids are intended to provide an incredibly high degree of specificity, sensitivity, and a precise volume and rate of fluid delivery to achieve as accurate a test result as possible. Nearly all microfluidic tests require the introduction of fluids throughout the assay sequence to manipulate the sample being tested and to produce an accurate diagnosis.
Typically, consumable diagnostic devices, meaning the diagnostic device is disposable upon being used, require a companion durable hardware device that interfaces with the consumable diagnostic device to execute the test. The durable hardware performs many functions, one of which is to facilitate dispensing a reagent in a reservoir or reagents from separate reservoirs on the consumable diagnostic into a specimen containing reaction chamber via microfluidic or millifluidic channels formed within the consumable diagnostic device. The introduction of the reagent into the reaction chamber requires precision; including flow rate, volume and timing, so as to best replicate the protocols of a laboratory where precession pipettes are employed. Upon the reagent being introduced into the reaction chamber, the reagent and specimen are generally kept in the reaction chamber for a minimum specified amount of time to allow the sample to mix as best possible with the reagent. Further, it is known to incorporate a mixing apparatus within the reaction chamber to further mix the specimen and the reagent prior to performing the analysis. The incorporation of a mixing member within the reaction chamber adds complexity, which can lead to error in test results, and further adds cost to the construction of the diagnostic device. Further yet, the mixing member can result in the specimen being over diluted, thereby resulting in volumetric loss of the specimen, and thus, resulting in a less than optimal, or failed test result.

Disposable invitro diagnostic cartridge and method of performing an invitro diagnostic test


A system and method for calculating the lateral velocity of a rotating drilling tool within a borehole, the system comprising: a pair of accelerometers placed oppositely across the drilling tool axis of rotation and two magnetometers. The method comprises: reading tool radial acceleration signals ar1, ar2, and tangential acceleration signals, at1 and at3, obtained with a quadrature accelerometer detection system; reading Bx and By, the tool's magnetic phase data, from two orthogonally placed magnetometers; determining the rotational phase angle of the drilling tool relative to the earth's gravity field by first determining the tool's magnetic phase, and the phase shift between the tool's magnetic phase and gravity phase; and processing the foregoing data to yield a lateral tool velocity which optionally compensates for the effect of gravity on the accelerometers, or converts the lateral tool velocity from the tool reference frame to the borehole reference frame, or does both.

Knowledge of the motion parameters of a logging tool relative to a borehole is important for obtaining accurate downhole measurement signals. Thus, for example, a shift in the sensitive volume of the logging tool caused by lateral motion of the tool relative to the borehole can distort the received signal and produce inaccurate measurements. Such distortions can be especially problematic in logging-while-drilling (LWD) and measurement-while-drilling (MWD) environments, where the tool itself is subjected to severe vibration. In some cases, the measurements may have to be completely discarded, as for example when a stick-slip condition occurs (where the drill bit stops rotating momentarily because of high friction and then rapidly accelerates when the moment exerted by the drill pipe exceeds the static friction). Clearly, it would be beneficial if the tool operator had access to information about the motions of the tool, so that measurements made during strong lateral and axial motions are discarded, or not even initiated.
Additionally, in many cases, it is important to select optimal activation times for the logging measurement and, if possible, to enable correction of the received signal based on the motion parameters of the logging tool. In such applications, it is necessary to accurately determine the lateral tool velocity of the tool in real time.
In the simplest system for measuring the lateral tool velocity relative to a borehole, two mutually orthogonal accelerometers can be placed on the tool axis, such that they are sensitive to the lateral acceleration. However, such placement is generally not possible in downhole tools because of design constraints, in particular owing to the need to have an open space within the center of the tool for a mud flow channel.
As such, in prior art systems for determining the lateral velocity of a drilling tool, two pairs of accelerometers are attached to diametrically opposite sides of the tool, usually near the surface of the tool. See, for example, co-pending U.S. Pat. No. 6,268,726, assigned to the assignee of the present application. This application is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. The accelerometers together provide radial acceleration components, ar1 and ar2, and tangential acceleration components, at1 and at2, of the tool. Since the accelerometers rotate with the tool, their measurements are in the reference frame of the rotating tool, i.e., the rotating frame. Given their opposite placement, the accelerometer pairs register equal but opposite accelerations due to lateral tool motion and equal radial (centrifugal) as well as angular accelerations due to tool rotation. The radial and tangential forces due to tool rotation are compensated for the opposite accelerations by subtracting the reading of one accelerometer from the reading of the diametrically opposite one (ar2 is subtracted from ar1 and at2 is subtracted from at1). The remaining signal is twice the actual lateral tool acceleration in the directions of ar1 and at1, respectively, as seen in the rotating frame. The acceleration components compensated for the centrifugal and angular accelerations are therefore given by the expressions:ar=(ar1−ar2)/2, for the radial tool acceleration; andat=(at1−at2)/2, for the tangential tool acceleration.
The lateral velocity is calculated by integrating the above acceleration components. There are two main problems associated with this prior art approach. First, the signal measured by the accelerometers will also contain a gravitational component if the tool orientation is not vertical. The magnitude of the gravitational component is Gsinα, where α is the angle of tool inclination relative to vertical and G is the gravitational acceleration constant. The frequency of the gravitational component is related to the tool rotation. Tool tilt away from vertical is sensed by the accelerometers and, thus, introduces an inaccuracy in the lateral tool acceleration readings.
Commonly, the gravitational acceleration component is removed from the signal by employing a high pass filter. The filter cut-off frequency is set to separate frequencies of the gravitational component modulated by the tool's rotation from the higher frequencies assumed to be caused by the tool's lateral motion. This technique, however, is not effective if the tool's rotational rate is high or not constant, for example, in a stick-slip situation, gravitational acceleration components are generated within the band of those related to the tool's lateral motion.
The second problem occurs because the accelerometers, which are placed on the tool, measure the tool's lateral velocity in the tool frame of reference rather than the desired borehole frame of reference.
With reference to FIG. 1B, while the motion parameters ar and ar are provided in the rotating reference frame, it is desirable to determine the corresponding motion parameters of the tool in the borehole reference frame XYZ. It will be appreciated that if the tool does not rotate, then the tool-reference parameters ar and at are equivalent to the borehole reference parameters ax and ay, and no conversion is necessary. If, however, the tool rotates, then ar and at are different than ax and ay, and conversion to the borehole frame of reference will be required. Similarly, it will be necessary to convert velocity components vr and vt to vx and vy, corresponding to the borehole reference frame.
Obtaining accurate lateral tool velocity is important to ensure that the accuracy of NMR porosity measurements does not degrade by more than about 5%. For example, the lateral displacement of the tool's center of gravity should be limited to about 0.1 mm relative to the borehole within a measuring time frame of 500 μseconds. In practice, it is desirable that the lateral tool velocity should not exceed 0.2 m/sec during a typical NMR reading. Tool displacements greater than about 0.25 mm may introduce a system error associated with phase shift of the NMR echo. In addition to systemic error, the signal-to-noise may also degrade.
Therefore, there is a need to provide a system and method for accurately determining the lateral tool velocity and overcoming the deficiencies associated with the prior art. By knowing the tool's velocity, the NMR signal may be corrected. Additionally, along with velocity information, an uncertainty estimator can be calculated to provide confidence levels of the measurements.

Systems and methods of determining motion tool parameters in borehole logging


A method and apparatus for transecting soft tissue, such as a ligament, and more particularly, the transverse carpal ligament. A pair of hollow introducer needles can be used to rout a thread-like, smooth and non-abrasive cutting element around tissue, such as a soft tissue, to enable a transection of the soft tissue using minimally invasive techniques. The cutting element is routed into position about the target soft tissue such that the cutting element both enters and exits the body from the same side of the soft tissue. The smooth and non-abrasive exterior surface of the cutting element serves to provide a kerf-less cut.

Many people suffer from injury to the soft tissues of the wrist and carpal tunnel, often caused by frequent, sustained repetitive motion involving the hands. Repetitive activities which require the same or similar hand/wrist action can result in injuries which have been collectively referred to as Cumulative Repetitive Stress Syndrome or Repetitive Strain Injury. The most familiar and common of such wrist injuries is known as carpal tunnel syndrome which produces pain, discomfort, nerve conduction disturbances, and impairment of function of the hand and sometimes the arm as well. The most common symptoms of this condition include intermittent pain and numbness of the hand.
Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve which runs from the forearm into the hand, becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist. The median nerve provides feeling in one's thumb and along with index, middle and ring ringers. The median nerve controls sensations to the palmar side of the thumb and these fingers as well as impulses to some muscles in the hand which allow the fingers and thumb to move. The median nerve receives blood, oxygen and nutrients through a microvascular system which is present in the connective tissue surrounding the nerve fiber. Increased pressure on the nerve fiber can constrict these microvessels and will reduce the blood flow to the median nerve. Any prolonged deprivation of oxygen and nutrients can result in severe nerve damage.
The median nerve passes through the carpal tunnel, a canal in the wrist surrounded by the carpal bones on three sides and a fibrous sheath called the transverse carpal ligament on the fourth side. In addition to the median nerve, the nine flexor tendons in the hand pass through this canal. When compressed, the median nerve will cause pain, weakness or numbness in the hand and wrist which may also radiate up along the arm. The median nerve can be compressed by a decrease in the size of the carpal canal itself or an increase in the size of its contents (i.e. such as the swelling of the flexor tendons and of the lubrication tissue surrounding these flexor tendons), or both. For example, conditions that irritate or inflame the tendons can cause them to swell. The thickening of irritated tendons or swelling of other tissue within the canal narrows the carpal canal, causing the median nerve to be compressed. The cross-sectional area of the tunnel also changes when the hand and wrist changes positions. Wrist flexion or extension can decrease the cross-sectional area, thus increasing the pressure exerted on the median nerve. Flexion also causes the flexor tendons to somewhat rearrange which can also compress the median nerve. For example, simple bending of the wrist at a 90 degree angle will decrease the size of the carpal canal. Without treatment, carpal tunnel syndrome can lead to chronic neural muscular disorders of the hand and sometimes the arm.
Treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome includes a variety of non-surgical as well as surgical procedures, wherein carpal tunnel release is one of the most common surgical procedures that is performed. Such surgery involves the severing of the transverse carpal ligament to relieve the pressure on the median nerve and is commonly performed via either open or endoscopic methods. In open methods, the skin lying over the carpal tunnel is incised after which the transverse carpal ligament is transected under direct vision. The skin is then reapproximated with sutures. Endoscopic methods require incision of the skin in one or more locations to allow for the insertion of an endoscope along with various tools that are needed to transect the ligament. Such tools typically include a combination of a specially configured scalpel and guide instrument. The insertion of such tools into proper position below, above or both below and above the target ligament further requires the formation of one or more pathways in the hand with attendant trauma to the surrounding tissue and the potential for nerve damage as well as a more protracted post-surgical healing process. Additionally, the use of a scalpel typically requires multiple passes thereof in order to complete a transection which causes a complex pattern of cuts to be imparted onto the severed ligament surfaces.
Less invasive techniques have been proposed including for example the use of flexible saw elements that are introduced into the hand and positioned adjacent to or wrapped about a portion of the target ligament after which the saw element is reciprocated to cut the tissue. A substantial disadvantage of a cut that is made by a saw-like instrument as opposed to a knife-like instrument is inherent in the fact that a kerf is created. The material that is removed from the kerf is either deposited in and around the surgical site or additional steps must be taken to retrieve such material. Additionally, the cut surfaces that are created by a saw tend to be relatively rough and abraded with microtrauma on the cutting surface that may increase inflammatory response (edema, erythema, heat and pain), could result in local tissue adhesions and scarring which can delay or complicate the healing process.
Alternatively, techniques have been proposed wherein a taut wire, string or filament is used to cut a ligament. The cut is achieved either by the tautening of the cutting element or alternatively, by reciprocating the taut element. Disadvantages associated with such an approach are inherent in the less than optimal geometry by which a taut wire can be brought to bear on the target ligament and by the invasiveness of the tightening apparatus.
A new method and apparatus is needed with which tissue such as a ligament can be percutaneously accessed and transected so as to cause a very minimal amount of disruption to the surrounding tissue and by which a smooth, kerf-less cut is achieved.

Methods for thread transection of a soft tissue


Image recording equipment capable of selectively discharging sheets each carrying an image thereon to either one of the operating side or front of the equipment where the operator is expected to stand or to the opposite side or rear, depending on the number of sheets to be discharged to a tray. When a tray provided on the rear of the equipment is selected, the tray loaded with discharged sheets is moved to the front of the equipment and then automatically returned to the original position after the sheets have been removed by the operator.

The present invention relates to image recording equipment capable of selectively discharging sheets each carrying an image thereon to either one of the operating side of the equipment where the operator is expected to stand and the side opposite thereto, depending on the number of sheets to be discharged to a tray.
In a copier, facsimile transceiver, printer or similar image recording equipment, sheets each carrying an image thereon are sequentially driven out to a tray face down in order of page and then removed from the tray by the operator. Usually, the tray is located on the side of the equipment opposite to the operating side where the operator is expected to stand. Let the operating side and the side opposite thereto be referred to as the front and the rear, respectively. In such a configuration, the operator cannot remove the sheets from the tray unless the operator makes a long arm for the sheets. This is especially true when the recording equipment is large size. In light of this, the sheet discharge path may be switched over to discharge the sheets to the top of the equipment in place of the tray located on the rear of the equipment. This, however, causes the sheets to be discharged face up to the top of the equipment and, therefore, in the reverse order with respect to page. As a result, the operator has to rearrange the pages of the sheets after all the sheets have been discharged.

Image recording equipment having movable tray receiving sheets having images formed thereon


A peeling method at low cost with high mass productivity is provided. A resin layer having a thickness greater than or equal to 0.1 μm and less than or equal to 3 μm is formed over a formation substrate using a photosensitive and thermosetting material, a transistor including an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region is formed over the resin layer, the resin layer is irradiated with light using a linear laser device, and the transistor and the formation substrate are separated from each other. A first region and a second region which is thinner than the first region or an opening can be formed in the resin layer. In the case of forming a conductive layer functioning as an external connection terminal or the like to overlap with the second region or the opening of the resin layer, the conductive layer is exposed.

1. Field of the Invention
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a peeling method and a manufacturing method of a flexible device. One embodiment of the present invention relates to a display device, a display module, and an electronic device. One embodiment of the present invention relates to a display device, a display module, and an electronic device which are flexible.
Note that one embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above technical field. Examples of the technical field of one embodiment of the present invention include a semiconductor device, a display device, a light-emitting device, a power storage device, a memory device, an electronic device, a lighting device, an input device (e.g., a touch sensor), an input/output device (e.g., a touch panel), a driving method thereof, and a manufacturing method thereof.
Note that in this specification and the like, a semiconductor device generally means a device that can function by utilizing semiconductor characteristics. A transistor, a semiconductor circuit, an arithmetic device, a memory device, and the like are each an embodiment of the semiconductor device. In addition, an imaging device, an electro-optical device, a power generation device (e.g., a thin film solar cell and an organic thin film solar cell), and an electronic device each may include a semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Display devices using organic electroluminescent (EL) elements or liquid crystal elements have been known. Examples of the display device also include a light-emitting device provided with a light-emitting element such as a light-emitting diode (LED), and electronic paper performing display with an electrophoretic method or the like.
The organic EL element generally has a structure in which a layer containing a light-emitting organic compound is provided between a pair of electrodes. When voltage is applied to this element, light emission can be obtained from the light-emitting organic compound. With the use of such an organic EL element, thin, lightweight, high-contrast, and low-power-consumption display devices can be achieved.
Patent Document 1 discloses a flexible light-emitting device using an organic EL element.

Peeling method and manufacturing method of flexible device

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


The invention relates to a process for the preparation of cyclopentadienyltrialkoxy derivatives of the general formula EQU LTi(OR).sub.3. by reaction of cyclopentadienyltrialkoxy trihalide with alcohol in an inert solvent, which is characterized in that the reaction is performed in the presence of alkoxide.

Cyclopentadienyltrialkoxytitanium compounds of the general formula LTi(OR).sub.3, in which L can be cyclopentadienyl radical and R can be an alkyl or aryl radical, are described in the literature as starting components for catalyst systems for the stereospecific polymerization of styrene: EP-A-322 663, EP-A-559 108, WO 94/10216.
Some processes for the preparation of titanium compounds of the formula LTi(OR).sub.3, are described in the literature.
According to Chemical Abstracts (CA): 55: 6398g; CA: 22273c; CA: 68: 13138e, di- or trialkoxytitanium chlorides are reacted in an inert solvent with metallated cyclopentadienyl derivatives according to the following general reaction scheme: ##STR1## where L is a cyclopentadienyl derivative; M is Li, Na, or MgCl; R' is an alkyl or aryl radical; and a is 2 or 3.
This process has serious disadvantages, in that the compounds Cl.sub.4-a Ti(OR').sub.3 have to be prepared in a complex manner from TiCl.sub.4 and Ti(OR.sup.1).sub.4 and purified.
According to Wailes, Coutts, Weigold: Organometallic Chemistry of Titanium, Zirconium and Hafnium, Academic Press, New York and London, pages 34-39, cyclopentadienyltitanium trichloride are reacted in inert solvents with alcohols in the presence of tertiary amine according to the general equation ##STR2## in which R" are alkyl radicals and L and R' have the meaning given above.
If the reaction is carried out under suitable conditions, although good yields of the desired reaction product can be achieved, the amine hydrochloride arising as a voluminous precipitate causes considerable problems in carrying out the reaction and in separation and workup.
Furthermore, despite considerable excesses of R'OH and base, complete replacement of the chlorine for the OR' radical can hardly be achieved, so that the reaction products contain undesirable residual chlorine contents.
One object of the present invention is therefore to provide an industrially elegant, cost-effective process by which very largely chloride-free, that is completely substituted, end products can be prepared without the formation of interfering voluminous precipitates.

Process for the preparation of cyclopentadienyltrialkoxytitanium derivatives


A method for tracking the object includes providing a motion detector on a first radio frequency device and detecting the motion of the first radio frequency device, transmitting radio frequency location signals from the first radio frequency device to a second radio frequency device with time intervals between the transmissions, decreasing the time intervals between the transmissions from the first radio frequency device to the second radio frequency device in response to the detection of motion by the motion detector, and periodically determining a separation distance between the first radio frequency device and the second radio frequency device based on the radio frequency location signals transmitted from the first radio frequency device to the second radio frequency device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatuses and methods for monitoring a distance between an item of interest and a base location.
2. Description of the Related Art
Systems have been developed for tracking or monitoring the location of an object or person within a given area. Such systems are useful to provide warnings when valuable objects or equipment are being removed from a designated area. Such systems are also useful to provide warnings when people leave a designated area, such as a baby in a hospital nursery, an inmate in a minimum security prison, or an elderly resident of a nursing facility. These systems typically employ a transmitter that is coupled to the object or person and that transmits a location signal. Multiple receivers are used to receive the location signal and to determine or coordinate a transmitter's position by measuring and comparing the difference in the time that the location signal reaches each receiver. Other systems employ the use of global positioning satellites to track the location of objects. Unfortunately, these systems can require expensive, highly technical equipment that can be difficult to install and challenging to use.
What is neither disclosed by nor obvious in view of the prior art is a system that can monitor the location of an object or person using relatively simple, inexpensive and efficient equipment.

Methods and systems for tracking objects or people within a desired area