In an aspect, a universal conduit body assembly comprises a universal conduit body having a first port attached thereto. The first port is sized and shaped to connect the conduit body with one or more conduits or plugs. A cavity is at least partially defined by the conduit body, and the cavity comprises at least two open sides and sufficient space for containment of one or more spliced wires within the conduit body. Two or more removable panels each sized and shaped to cover a portion of the universal conduit body and selectively attach to each of the at least two open sides of the cavity are provided. At least one of the two or more panels includes a second port sized and shaped to connect the panel with the one or more conduits or plugs.

1. Technical Field
Aspects of the present document relate generally to conduit bodies and more specifically to conduit bodies having adapters capable of connecting multiple conduits.
2. Background Art
Conduit bodies are commonly used to connect two or more conduits together. Conduit bodies are useful in that, among other things, they may form a convenient place where wires from different conduits may be spliced together.


A process for depositing a compound of a metal and a reactive gas includes heating a metal target (32), in an evacuated chamber (22) to a predetermined reaction temperature. The reaction temperature is above a critical temperature which is higher than about half the melting point of the metal but below the vaporization temperature of the metal target. At this reaction temperature, the metal target reacts with the reactive gas to produce, in gaseous form, the compound or a sub-compound of the metal and the reactive gas. The gaseous compound or sub-compound is reacted with the reactive gas on a substrate (36) to form a solid layer of the compound on the substrate.

For many years it was believed that thermal evaporation methods were the only methods suitable for economically depositing optical interference layer systems for mirror coatings, anti-reflection coatings and the like. While for many applications sputtering methods were believed to be capable of producing layers of better quality than evaporated layers, they were generally regarded as slow, even after the development of the magnetron sputtering-cathode promised a potential ten-fold increase in then-existing sputter deposition rates.
In recent years, however, sufficient progress has been made in sputtering technology that it has become possible to economically deposit relatively complex, multilayer, optical-interference layer systems, by DC reactive sputtering methods, in large area in-line coating apparatus. In applications where there is sufficient demand for a particular coating type to justify producing the coating in large volumes, for example, volumes totaling about one-million square feet per year or more, it is now possible to produce that coating, by DC reactive sputtering, more economically than is possible using traditional thermal evaporation technology.
The linear magnetron sputtering-cathode has been responsible for providing a basis for the developments that have been made in large scale sputtering technology. In a linear magnetron cathode a magnetic array forms a closed-loop tunnel-field over a sputtering-cathode target. A gas discharge provided by the sputtering process provides electrons, some of which are trapped in the tunnel-field significantly increasing their chances of collision with sputtering gas molecules. This creates a highly-ionized plasma in the tunnel-field area. As a result of this highly-ionized plasma, sputtering rates in the region of the plasma are increased, and, even though the plasma does not cover the entire target area, the deposition rate for a magnetron sputtering-cathode may be about ten times the deposition rate for a non-magnetron cathode having the same area.
During the development of sputtering processes many sophisticated developments directed at improving sputtering uniformity were made. These developments were made by concentrating on areas such as sputtering-gas distribution and anode design, for controlling plasma potential uniformity and stability. As far as increased deposition rates are concerned, however, developments have concentrated simply on finding ways to apply more power to a given target area and to increase the area of the target affected by the race-track-shaped plasma, i.e, increase target utilization.
One solution to the power and utilization problem has been presented by the development of the rotating cylindrical magnetron, wherein the target is of tubular form and rotates about magnetic means forming the tunnel-field. This provides for target utilization of about eighty percent or more, and permits more power to be applied to the target, due to more efficient cooling.
It is emphasized here, however, that, despite the development of sputtering devices such as the rotating cylindrical magnetron, the usual approach to increasing sputter deposition rates is to simply apply as much power as is physically possible to a sputtering device. The limit is usually dictated by how effectively the device can be cooled, generally by flowing water through the device.
A large in-line sputtering device for sputtering architectural glass coatings may consume up to fifty-thousand Kilowatt Hours (50,000 KWH) of electricity in a twenty-four hour period, while depositing only about four-hundred cubic centimeters of coating material. Clearly, this is an inefficient use of power. Only a fraction of the power applied is used to create ions which participate in the sputtering process. The remaining power generates heat which must be removed by the water cooling. The process thus places great demand on precious energy resources and water resources alike.
A further problem, inherent in the DC reactive sputtering process, which has not been solved by any of the recent developments, is that of sputtering-rate control. The problem is as follows.
Typically, in a DC reactive sputtering process, a sputtering gas is supplied which is a mixture of an inert gas and a reactive gas. The reactive gas is usually present in proportions of between about five and twenty-five percent of the gas mixture. If a reactive gas were not present in the mixture, a metal sputtering-target would deposit only metal on a substrate being coated. At a given driving power, and at a given total gas flow-rate, as the percentage of reactive gas is increased, a point is reached where metal deposited on the substrate reacts with the reactive gas to form a compound of the metal and the reactive gas. As the percentage of reactive gas is increased beyond this point, the reactive gas reacts with the metal target to form a layer of the compound on the target. If the reactive gas is oxygen, an oxide is formed on the target. If the oxide is an insulator, positive charge will build up on the target inhibiting further sputtering.
For most metals, the permissible range of oxygen percentage in the sputtering gas, from the onset of oxide deposition on the substrate to the point where target sputtering drops to a near zero rate, is relatively small. For aluminum, for example, this may be only about five percent. If power is increased or decreased, either the gas flow-rate, gas mixture, or both must be changed to establish an optimum deposition condition.
In an in-line sputtering apparatus, substrates to be coated are typically transported at a constant rate past cathodes which are depositing materials of a layer system. Thickness of a given layer in the system is determined by the number of cathodes used to deposit the material of that layer, and the conditions of power, gas flow-rate, and gas mixture composition under which the cathodes are operated. If a layer thickness adjustment is required, it is not unusual to have to adjust all parameters until a new stable deposition point is established. This may take, at a minimum, several minutes, during which time the in-line machine may produce more defective product than a small commercial batch coater would produce good product in a whole day.
Clearly, if in-line coating technology is to be further advanced and more widely applied, a deposition source must be developed which is significantly less wasteful of energy and other natural resources, and in which deposition rate is more readily and responsively adjusted.

Ion assisted deposition process including reactive source gassification


The present application provides a signal generator, comprising a control circuit configured to receive input information, and generate variable control word information based on the received input information; a base time unit generation circuit configured to generate a base time unit; and a signal generation circuit configured to receive the variable control word information from the control circuit and receive the base time unit from the base time unit generation circuit, and generate a target signal having a variable frequency based on the received variable control word information and the received base time unit.

Chirp signal is a signal whose frequency changes over time. Such signal has been widely used in sonar, radar, spread spectrum communications, resonant converter, electronic ballast, and the like. However, at present, chirp signal is usually generated by using a phase-locked loop or an analog frequency synthesis method. When chirp signal is generated by using the phase-locked loop, an output frequency modulation mode cannot be precisely controlled, which results in deterioration of performance of the chirp signal. When chirp signal is generated by using the analog frequency synthesis method, it is required to use mixer and filter, which results in very high cost and impossibility to be implemented on a chip.
To cope with this, it is desirable to provide a signal generator and a signal generation method capable of generating a chirp signal with high accuracy and at a low cost.

Signal generator and signal generation method


Improved apparatus and methods for monitoring, diagnosing and treating at least one medical respiratory condition of a patient are provided, including a medical data input interface adapted to provide at least one medical parameter relating at least to the respiration of the patient, and a medical parameter interpretation functionality (104, 110) adapted to receive the at least one medical parameter relating at least to the respiration (102) of the patient and to provide at least one output indication (112) relating to a degree of severity of at least one medical condition indicated by the at least one medical parameter.

The following U.S. patent and publication are believed to represent the current state of the art: U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,177 to Anderson et al, describes a respiratory analyzer system. Reference is also made to NIH publication on. 97-4051 entitled "Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma" pp 108-                109, 1991.
The disclosures of all references mentioned above and throughout the present specification are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

Automated interpretive medical care system and methodology


Described herein are devices and techniques for providing adaptable Local Area Processing (LAP) contrast enhancement of imagery by redistributing pixel intensity values in a dynamic range of an imaging device according to a packed statistical distribution function, wherein the redistribution is achieved according to a recursive packing factor.

Many of today's image capture devices are digital (digital photo cameras, digital video cameras, digital infrared cameras, digital x-ray machines, digital MRI devices, etc.). Such devices are useful for various purposes including, for example, surveillance, television, movies, photography, weapons targeting, and/or threat detection. Digital image capture devices capture image data (e.g., color, intensity, and/or luminance) at a plurality of pixel locations. However, various conditions such as, for example, lighting conditions, color uniformity, excessive distance, and/or lens limitations can affect the quality of such raw image data. Accordingly, raw imagery can often be blurry, washed out, and/or generally lack clarity.

Local area processing using packed distribution functions


Fuel amounts injected by a fuel injection valve are summed from when an engine is started to when startup is complete. The temperature of a fuel-deposited part during engine startup is estimated, and an intake rate of a fuel injection amount to a combustion chamber is found from this temperature. A fuel deposition amount at completion of startup is estimated from the sum of fuel injection amounts and this intake rate. By increasing or decreasing the fuel injection amount after startup based on this fuel deposition amount, a post startup air-fuel ratio is rapidly stabilized unaffected by scatter of startup time.

In a fuel injection engine, a basic fuel injection amount is determined according to an intake air amount each time a cylinder performs an intake cycle, and a fuel injection amount is determined by multiplying this basic fuel injection amount by various correction coefficients. Fuel corresponding to this amount is intermittently injected from a fuel injection valve into the intake air in synchronism with the engine rotation.
The aforesaid coefficients comprise a post startup increase coefficient KAS which is determined by the engine cooling water temperature and the time elapsed since completion of startup. When the engine is cold, some of the injected fuel deposits on the wall surfaces of intake passages and intake valves (referred to hereinafter as deposited fuel). Part of the deposited fuel evaporates, but part flows down the walls and through the intake valves into the combustion chamber so as to set up what is referred to as wall flow. For this reason, when the engine is cold, the fuel entering the combustion chamber tends to be delayed, and this delay is compensated by increasing the amount of injected fuel using the post startup increase coefficient KAS.
Immediately after startup is completed, an initial value of KAS is used, and a gradually decreasing value of KAS is applied as the elapsed time increases. This characteristic is experimentally determined so that emission of noxious components of exhaust gas, i.e. HC and CO, do not increase, and good drivability is maintained.
However, the initial value of the post startup increase coefficient KAS is determined according to engine cooling water temperature during startup, and no account is taken of how much deposited fuel remains in the intake passage and intake valve when startup is completed. Consequently, the initial value of KAS may be too large or too small depending on the time taken for the engine to start, increasing emission of HC or CO and adversely affecting drivability.
For example, when engine startup is completed in a short time, the fuel amount injected during startup is less, and the amount of fuel deposit when startup is completed is less than the equilibrium fuel deposit amount. The equilibrium fuel deposit amount is the amount of fuel deposited when the vehicle is running under steady state conditions, and this amount depends on the temperature of the part where fuel is deposited. When engine startup 1s completed in a short time, therefore, a considerable part of the fuel injected immediately after startup is completed, deposits on the wall surfaces of the intake passage or intake valve. It is thus necessary to set the initial value of KAS large.
On the other hand, when a long time is required for startup, more deposited fuel remains when startup is complete than the set value, and if the initial value of KAS is set large as in the aforesaid case, the fuel injection amount is excessive so that emission of HC and CO increases.


A class of macrocyclic compounds of formula (I), wherein R7, A, Ar, B, D, F, M, Q1, Q2, W, X, Y and Z are defined herein, that are useful as inhibitors of viral proteases, particularly the hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3 protease, are provided. Also provided are processes for the synthesis and use of such macrocyclic compounds for treating or preventing HCV infection.

The present invention relates to macrocyclic indole compounds, to pharmaceutical compositions containing them, to their use in the prevention and treatment of hepatitis C infections and to methods of preparation of such compounds and compositions.
Hepatitis C (HCV) is a cause of viral infections. There is as yet no adequate treatment for HCV infection but it is believed that inhibition of its RNA polymerase in mammals, particularly humans, would be of benefit.
Published International applications WO2006/046030 and WO2006/046039 (both Istituto Di Ricerche Di Biologia Molecolare P. Angeletti SpA) disclose certain tetracyclic indole derivatives:
wherein R1, R2, A, Ar, W, X, Y, and Z are defined therein, useful for the treatment or prevention of infection by hepatitis C virus. Published International applications WO2007/029029 and WO2007/054741 (both Istituto Di Ricerche Di Biologia Molecolare P. Angeletti SpA) disclose structurally related tetracyclic indole derivatives, useful for the treatment or prevention of infection by hepatitis C virus.

Istituto di Ricerche di Biologia Molecolare P. Angeletti SpA


A travel drive system for a hybrid vehicle includes a thermal engine with an engine output shaft carrying a clutch, a driven shaft connected to said clutch and linked to a speed variation means, at least one electric machine with a rotor, and a motion transmission chain between speed variation means and wheels of the vehicle, said chain comprising an output shaft for the speed variation means and a motive axle connected to said output shaft. The system includes a disengageable coupling between one of the elements of the transmission chain and rotor of electric machine, and another disengageable coupling between output shaft of thermal engine and said rotor.

In the example described in document FR-2,670,440, the thermal engine comprises an output shaft that drives the motive part of a variable transmission, such as a variable speed drive, and whose transmission receiving part is connected to the motive axle of the vehicle. The output shaft carries, between the thermal engine and the variable speed drive, an electric machine connected to an electric battery and two clutches, a first clutch between the thermal engine and the electric machine, and a second clutch between the electric machine and the variable speed drive.
When the vehicle is to be driven with a high torque over a wide speed range while limiting exhaust gas and noise generation, as in an urban site, the electric machine is preferably used for driving the motive axle of the vehicle.
On the other hand, for uses where a high engine driving power and a wide operating range are required, the thermal engine is used for driving the motive axle and thus providing displacement of the vehicle.
Although satisfactory, this drive system however involves some significant drawbacks.
In fact, when only the electric machine is used to drive the vehicle, it must have a sufficient torque and/or power for driving the vehicle as well as overcoming all the resistances (inertia, friction, . . . ) of the variable transmission. Furthermore, during vehicle braking operations, part of the energy released thereby is consumed by the variable speed drive and only another part of this energy is recovered, then converted by the electric machine.
If a mechanical gearbox is used instead of the variable speed drive, it is essential to change the gear ratio in order to recover the braking energy. It is therefore necessary to disengage the motive axle, which causes a break in the motion transmission and an interruption of the braking energy recovery.
The present invention aims to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks by means of a simple drive system that requires no complicated control devices for the various uses of the system.

Travel drive system for hybrid vehicle and method using same


It is intended to provide a resin composition that serves as a raw material for a printed circuit board excellent in heat resistance after moisture absorption and is excellent in moldability. The resin composition of the present invention contains a maleimide compound, a silane compound having a carbon-carbon unsaturated bond and a hydrolyzable group or a hydroxy group, a silane compound having an epoxy skeleton and a hydrolyzable group or a hydroxy group, and an inorganic filler.

The high integration or high-density packaging of each component for semiconductor packages has been increasingly accelerated in recent years as semiconductor packages widely used in electronics, communication devices, personal computers, etc. have been more highly functionalized or miniaturized. Along with this, the difference in the coefficient of thermal expansion between a semiconductor device and a printed circuit board for semiconductor plastic packages causes the undesired warpage of semiconductor plastic packages. Various approaches against this problem have been attempted.
One example of the approaches includes reduction in thermal expansion of insulating layers for use in printed circuit boards. This approach is to suppress the warpage by bringing the coefficient of thermal expansion of a printed circuit board closer to the coefficient of thermal expansion of a semiconductor device and is currently being actively addressed (see e.g., Patent Documents 1 to 3).
In addition to the reduction in thermal expansion of printed circuit boards, increase in the rigidity of laminates (high rigidity) or increase in the glass transition temperatures of laminates (high Tg) has been studied as an approach for suppressing the warpage of semiconductor plastic packages (see e.g., Patent Documents 4 and 5).

Resin composition, prepreg, resin sheet, metal foil-clad laminate, and printed circuit board


In a backlight assembly of a display device, a supporting frame receives a light-guide plate while exposing a light-exiting surface of the light-guide plate. A first receiving member covers an opposite surface of the light-guide plate facing the light-exiting surface, and a side first portion of the light-guide plate adjacent to a first side surface is inserted into a first sidewall portion of the first receiving member. A first light source is disposed between the first side surface and the first sidewall portion. A first reflective sheet is extended along an inner surface of the first receiving member and surrounds the first light source. The backlight assembly may further comprise a second receiving member, a second light source, and a second reflective sheet. A lamp reflector may be omitted, assemblability of the backlight assembly and the display device, and protection against heat, may be improved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure is directed to a backlight assembly and a display device having the backlight assembly. More particularly, the present disclosure is directed to a backlight assembly used for a flat display device and a display device having the backlight assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
Due to rapid advances in semiconductor technology, electronic equipment is now smaller, thinner, lighter in weight, and has lower driving voltages, lower power consumption, etc. Flat panel display devices having the above characteristics are becoming more in demand.
Liquid crystal display (LCD) devices, which are a type of flat panel display, are also thinner, lighter, and have lower power consumption and lower driving voltages than other types of display devices, and have high color reproducibility that is close to that of cathode ray tube (CRT) display devices. Thus, LCD devices have been widely used in various fields.
A backlight assembly of a conventional LCD device is classified as either a direct illumination type backlight assembly or an edge illumination type backlight assembly according to the location of light sources.
In the direct illumination type backlight assembly, the light sources are disposed under a display panel of the LCD device. In the edge illumination type backlight assembly, the light sources are disposed at a side portion of a light-guide plate and supply the display panel with light.
In the edge illumination type backlight assembly, a receiving container and mold frame that receives optical members such as the light-guide plate and supports the display panel have various structures. For example, the edge illumination type backlight assembly used for a notebook computer includes the light-guide plate, a mold frame receiving a lamp, optical sheets and a back cover covering a rear surface of the mold frame. The lamp surrounded by a lamp reflector is disposed at a sidewall of the mold frame.
The edge illumination type backlight assembly used for a monitor of a desktop computer includes a bottom chassis receiving the light-guide plate and a supporting frame receiving the light-guide plate and facing the bottom chassis. The lamp is inserted into the lamp reflector, and the side surface portion of the light-guide plate is inserted into the lamp reflector.
The edge illumination type backlight assembly may include many elements surrounding the lamp that interfere with the dissipation of heat generated from the lamp, having an adverse effect on the display panel.
Also, as the number of the elements increases, the weight and thickness of the backlight assembly also increases, increasing the weight and thickness of the LCD device.
To decrease the weight, thickness and volume of the backlight assembly, it is desirable to decrease the number of the elements of the backlight assembly.

Backlight assembly and display device having the same


The present inventors have discovered three classes of novel .alpha.-methylene-.gamma.-butyrolactones with excellent antiplatelet activity. As a result of intensive studies, it has been found that compounds represented by the formula I-III are potent inhibitors of platelet aggregation. ##STR1## For the formula I, R.sub.1 is a methyl, a phenyl group optionally substituted with one or two group selected from halide, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4) alkyl, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4) alkoxy, phenyl, nitro, amino.. For the formula II, R.sub.1 is a methyl, a phenyl group optionally substituted with one or two group selected from halide, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4) alkyl, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4) alkoxy, phenyl, nitro, amino; R.sub.2 represents hydrogen, halide, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4) alkyl, phenyl, nitro, amino; R.sub.3 represents hydrogen, halide, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4) alkyl, phenyl, nitro, amino.. For the formula III, R.sub.1 is a methyl, a phenyl group optionally substituted with one or two group selected from halide, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4) alkyl, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4) alkoxy, phenyl, nitro, amino; R.sub.4 represents hydrogen, hydroxy, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4) alkyl.. The present invention also provides a cost-efficient method for the preparation of formula I-III.. Formula I-III may be administered orally or parenterly with an inert diluent or with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier in the treatment or the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Cardiovascular diseases, especially various forms of thrombosis, such as coronary, embolic, venous and traumatic thrombosis, account for a large number of death per year. In fact it is estimated by the American Heart Association that 54% of all deaths in the United States can be attributed to cardiovascular disease. It is therefore important for us to be familiar with physical, chemical and clinical aspects of drugs used to treat these form of thrombosis. Since it is believed that initiation of thrombus formation is dependent on platelet aggregation, the inhibitors of platelet aggregation could be prototypes for drugs that are more effectively combat thrombosis that leads to heart attacks and strokes. It was therefore prompted us to search for novel compounds possessing more potent inhibiting activity on platelet aggregation.
Coumarin derivatives such as bishydroxycoumarin and warfarin are the principal anticoagulants. Other clinically useful antiplatelet drugs are aspirin, eicosapentanoic acid (EPA), dipyridamole, dazoxiben, and ticlopidine. Their utilization is, however, limited by the potency and the side effects. This invention describes the preparation of .alpha.-methylene-.gamma.-butyrolactone-containing coumarins, quinolines, and quinolinones from commercially available starting materials in an efficient route. The products describes herein are suitable for large-scale production and exhibit very strong and extensive antiplatelet activity.

.alpha.-methylene-.gamma.-butyrolactones: new inhibitors of platelet aggregation


An analog predistorter (APD) core module including a radio frequency delay module, an envelope module, and a contact matrix module. The radio frequency delay module is configured to receive a feed-forward radio frequency signal, generate multiple radio frequency delay signals with different delays according to the feed-forward radio frequency signal, and output each radio frequency delay signal to the contact matrix module. The envelope module is configured to receive the feed-forward radio frequency signal, perform envelope detection on the feed-forward radio frequency signal to obtain multiple envelope signals with different delays, and output each envelope signal to the contact matrix module. The contact matrix module is configured to receive each radio frequency delay signal, each envelope signal, and a predistortion coefficient from an exterior source, and generate a predistortion signal according to the predistortion coefficient, each radio frequency delay signal, and each envelope signal.

A power amplifier (PA) is an amplifier that amplifies signal power and is generally applied in the communications field. For example, in a base station in the communications field, a PA is generally used to amplify power of a to-be-transmitted signal. However, in the base station, transmit distortion of the PA causes distortion of a transmit signal that is obtained after the PA performs amplification. This affects communications quality.
To ensure communications quality, an analog predistorter system is currently used to correct distortion generated by the PA, to eliminate distortion of the signal that is obtained after the PA performs amplification. The analog predistorter system includes a master delay module, an analog predistorter (APD) core module, and an APD training module. An input end of the master delay module, a first input end of the APD core module, and a first input end of the APD training module are all connected to an input end of the analog predistorter system. An output end of the master delay module and an output end of the APD core module are separately connected to an input end of the PA. An output end of the PA is connected to a second input end of the APD training module. An output end of the APD training module is connected to a second input end of the APD core module.
The input end of the analog predistorter system receives a radio frequency signal from exterior, and separately transmits the radio frequency signal to the master delay module, the APD core module, and the APD training module. The master delay module delays the radio frequency signal to obtain a master delay signal, and outputs the master delay signal to the PA. The PA performs coupling on transmit signals generated by the PA to obtain some transmit signals, and sends the some transmit signals to the APD training module. The APD training module calculates a predistortion coefficient according to the radio frequency signal and the transmit signals generated by the PA, and sends the predistortion coefficient to the APD core module. The APD core module generates a predistortion signal according to the radio frequency signal and the predistortion coefficient, and transmits the predistortion signal to the PA. The PA amplifies a mixed signal obtained by mixing the predistortion signal and the master delay signal, to obtain a transmit signal.
The APD training module calculates and adjusts the predistortion coefficient according to the radio frequency signal and the transmit signals output by the PA. When the predistortion coefficient generated by the APD training module is accurate enough, the predistortion signal generated by the APD core module can precisely offset distortion generated by the PA, so that the transmit signal output by the PA is nearly the same as the radio frequency signal.
In a process of implementing the present invention, the inventor finds that the prior art has at least the following problem:
In the foregoing analog predistorter system, when the PA has a distortion characteristic that is not corresponding to the APD core module, distortion generated by the PA cannot be effectively offset.

Analog predistorter core module and analog predistorter system


An end effector for a pod loader interface includes a gripper plate that attaches to the articulated arm. A pair of gripper blades are separated from each other along and are coupled to the gripper plate. During gripping of a wafer carrier, the gripper blades initially close toward each other and then draw nearer to the gripper plate. Nested outer and inner U-shaped yokes, which may attach the gripper plate to the articulated arm, are joined by rotational joints to permit their relative rotation for reorienting the wafer carrier. Yet other aspect of the present invention are a mechanical forearm drive that provides substantially linear motion of an articulated arm""s wrist joint, and an end effector rotary-drive included in a forearm of the articulated arm.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to silicon wafer handling machines, and more particularly is a pod loader interface that is adapted to unload and reload SMIF (Standard Mechanical InterFace) pods.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Handling of silicon wafers is critical to the integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing process. Any physical damage to the wafers will, of course, decrease the chip yield, which is a prime consideration in the profitability of semiconductor manufacturing. Contamination of the wafer by particulate or other contaminants also decrease chip yield. For several decades the semiconductor manufacturing industry has addressed its need to reduce contamination during manufacturing by replacing human operators, as much as practicable, with robot wafer handling equipment.
The desire to shield wafers from contaminants has led the semiconductor industry to the development and use of SMIF pods. SMIF pods allow wafers to be transported in a clean, sealed environment, so they are not exposed to ambient air.
Once the SMIF pods reach their destination, they must be opened, and the wafer carrier inside must be placed in position for the desired process operation. If the unloading and positioning operation is performed manually, the wafers are subjected to the usual risk of damage from mishandling as well as increased exposure to contamination.
Pod loader interfaces are used extensively in the semiconductor industry to automatically unload a SMIF pod and position the wafers held in a wafer carrier for the next process operation, and then reload the wafers and the wafer carrier when the process step is completed. In general, these pod loader interfaces include an arm for transporting the wafer carrier and wafers between a clean mini-environment established within the pod loader interface and the processing tool which performs the process step. The arm of the pod loader interface includes an end effector that grasps and secures the wafer carrier.
One difficulty experienced in integrating a pod loader interface with a semiconductor processing tool is mechanically aligning the interface and the tool so the end effector may reliably grasp and secure a wafer carrier present within the processing tool and/or pod loader interface. It is also advantageous if a pod loader interface can be readily adapted to deliver wafer carriers to semiconductor processing tools in any arbitrarily chosen orientation.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a means to more reliably automatically open and unload, and subsequently reload and close, a SMIF pod.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an end effector for an arm of a pod loader interface that relaxes alignment tolerances between the pod loader interface and the semiconductor processing tool.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an end effector for an arm included in a pod loader interface that readily accommodates varying positions for wafer carriers in semiconductor processing tools.
Briefly, the present invention in one aspect is an end effector for a pod loader interface that automatically opens a SMIF pod and unloads the contents thereof. The pod loader interface includes an elevator that raises a SMIF pod cover away from a SMIF pod base to reveal the wafer carrier contained within the sealed SMIF pod. An articulated arm of the pod loader interface thereafter reaches through an opening in a bulkhead thereof, secures the wafer carrier and withdraws it through the bulkhead opening. The wafer carrier is then placed at a location within the processing tool where it can be operated upon by the processing tool to perform a step in the manufacturing process. The pod loader interface includes an integrated clean air system to maintain the wafers in a clean environment.
A specific aspect if the present invention is an end effector, attached to the articulated arm of the pod loader interface, that grips the wafer carrier. This end effector includes a gripper plate that attaches to the articulated arm. Aligning means secured to the gripper plate properly align the end effector with the wafer carrier. A pair of gripper blades are separated from each other along and are coupled to the gripper plate. During gripping of the wafer carrier by this end effector, the gripper blades initially close toward each other and then draw nearer to the gripper plate. The end effector also includes drive means, that is secured to the gripper plate, which energize movement of the gripper blades for gripping the wafer carrier. By drawing the gripper blades nearer to the gripper plate, this end effector accommodates greater variations among wafer carrier positions both within the pod loader interface and within the processing tool.
Another aspect of the present invention is an end effector which also includes an outer and an inner nested pair of U-shaped yokes which attach the gripper plate to the articulated arm. Each of the U-shaped yokes has a base from opposite ends of which extend two parallel sides. The base of the outer U-shaped yoke attaches directly to the articulated arm. To permit relative rotation of the U-shaped yokes with respect to each other, the outer and inner U-shaped yokes are joined by rotational joints located at ends of each of the sides furthest from their bases. The gripper plate, preferably that described in the preceding paragraph, is fastened to the base of the inner U-shaped yoke between the sides thereof. This end effector also includes a carrier rotary-drive that is coupled between the U-shaped yokes to energizes rotation of the outer and inner U-shaped yokes with respect to each other. In this way, the end effector may rotate a wafer carrier that is gripped by the gripper blades about an axis that:
1. passes through the rotational joints between ends of the sides of the U-shaped yokes; and
2. is oriented parallel to semiconductor wafers held in the wafer carrier.
Yet another aspect of the present invention is an improved mechanical rotary drive for a forearm of the articulated arm. In this improved rotary drive, a notched belt, formed into a continuous loop and tensed by a differential screw that joins ends of the belt, couples together pulleys that are located at the shoulder and elbow joints of the articulated arm. Respective diameters of the pulleys and lengths of the upper arm and forearm are arranged so rotation of the upper arm about the shoulder joint effects substantially straight line motion of the wrist joint during transportation of the wafer carrier.
Yet another aspect of the present invention is an end effector rotary-drive included in a forearm of the articulated arm. The end effector rotary-drive is coupled through a wrist joint of the forearm to the gripper plate of the end effector. In this way, the end effector rotary-drive can independently rotate the gripper plate with respect to the forearm about an axis that is oriented perpendicular to a plane in which the wrist joint moves when the articulated arm transports semiconductor wafers held in the wafer carrier to or from the processing tool.
These and other features, objects and advantages will be understood or apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment as illustrated in the various drawing figures.


The cleaning compound for a water dispenser includes four ingredients: a) N'alkyl dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Chloride, within the range of 0.08 to 0.1% by weight; b) citric acid, of about 20% by weight of the total solution; c) propylene glycol (food grade), about 4% by weight; and d) sodium hydroxide (food grade), in sufficient quantity to neutralize the solution to a pH range preferably between 2.6 and 4.5. During the initial clean-up steps, and contrarily to prior art cleaning methods, the cleaning method does not require complete purge of the inner water reservoir from drinking water, due to the tacky nature of the cleaning compound which can still be effective in diluted state and in a submerged environment.

Fresh water dispensers are nowadays common in work offices and public building of America and Europe. They are preferred by some to the municipal tap water because of health safety considerations relating to concerns as to the quality control thereof.
Indeed, an increasing number of persons are worried about pollution of underground bodies of water from uncontrolled release in the biota of dangerous chemical compounds by unscrupulous individuals. It is noted that rainwater will bias ground level dry chemicals to seep as a liquid solution through the soil, to eventually reach and contaminate the underground bodies of water--a process known as lixiviation. Lixiviation is particularly a problem in uncontrolled dumps that do not include an underlying waterproof base sheet, that would otherwise receive, support and contain solid and liquid wastes on the ground, as is currently required by municipal regulations in authorized dumps.
In these known water dispensers, a large transparent semi-flexible wall water bottle is provided in inverted condition atop the dispenser frame, to gravity-feed the water to an intermediate water reservoir inside the dispenser frame, before controlled escape through the underlying dispenser outlet nozzle. The water bottle size ranges between 1 to 20 liters, but is usually about 18 liters. Access to the water by a user is gained by manually actuating the front nozzle closed by a valve. When empty, this water bottle is removed and replace by second filled up water bottle.
Usually, the water filled inside these water bottles is pure spring water, or "filtered" water obtained usually under distillation or reverse osmosis processes.
Also, many of these fresh water dispensers have an internal refrigeration system connected to an electrical plug outlet, for maintaining the water at the temperature cooler than that of the room in which the dispenser is located, for convenience of the user.
Although the bacteria count of the so-called "pure" spring water is usually very low at the beginning, it will progressively increase due to favorable temperature and humidity levels. Moreover, contaminants in particular at the faucet outlet end, or at the spout inlet end of the water bottle, will also progressively increase the microbial count in the water conduits.
It is recognized that operating a water refrigerant system inside the dispenser apparatus will slow this contamination process, but will not prevent it, since at lower temperature settings (e.g., 10.degree. Celsius but obviously above freezing point), the microbial activity is slowed down but not stopped.
For the maintenance of water dispensers, it is recommended by health officials to periodically (i.e. once every two months) clean the internal parts thereof with a cleaning solution that will dissolve scale and eliminate pathogenic micro-organisms, including algae, lime, mould and fungus. The goal is to maintain the bacteria count of the water in the dispenser to a negligible value. Inappropriate cleaning compounds for water cooler dispensers include:
vinegar, being a good descaler but a poor disinfectant and generating a strong after-taste smell; PA0 sodium bicarbonate, not being a good descaler and being still less effective for disinfection; PA0 Javel water, being a good disinfectant but very poor descaler and also undesirably corrosive for the dispenser parts and ground carpets and user's clothes, as well as generating bad after-taste to the drinking water; and PA0 hydrochloric acid or phosphoric acid, since they do damage dispenser parts, and although good descalers, they are not good disinfectants. PA0 a) propylene glycol (or other glycol ether compounds), as a solvent ingredient thereof, and PA0 b) alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride, as quaternary ammonium compound component thereof, for anti-microbial activity. PA0 a) citric acid (as part of an organic carboxylic acid); PA0 b) a thickener compound, i.e. either alkyl alcohol ether sulfates, amphoteric or nonionic surfactants, or amine oxides; PA0 b) a quaternary ammonium salt; and PA0 c) a deodorant perfume. PA0 a) an ammonium quaternary, in particular N'alkyl dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Chloride, and preferably within the range of 0.08 to 0.1% by weight; PA0 b) an organic acid, (food grade), particularly a selection among citric acid, gluconic acid or hydroxy acetic acid, but most preferably citric acid, preferably within the range of 12 to 20% (most preferably about 20%); PA0 c) propylene glycol (food grade), preferably within the range of 2 to 10% (most preferably about 4%) ; and PA0 d) an alkaline base, preferably sodium hydroxide (food grade), in sufficient quantity to neutralize the solution to a pH range preferably between 2.6 and 4.5. PA0 a) removing the empty overhead water bottle; PA0 b) partially emptying the water reservoir, while still leaving a small body of water at the bottom of the water reservoir, wherein the water conduit network remains submerged; PA0 c) pour said cleaning compound onto the interior wall of the water reservoir, above water line of the remaining said body of water; PA0 d) with a sponge, spreading the cleaning compound against the interior wall of the water reservoir and scrubbing same therealong; PA0 e) leaving to stand the water dispenser for a period of time sufficient for the cleaning compound to reach out and penetrate the microbial and scale material; PA0 f) open the faucets to release the body of water and cleaning compound dissolved therein; PA0 g) unscrew the faucets and spray the cleaning compound into the water conduit network; PA0 h) with a tubular brush, brush the water conduit network and faucets; PA0 i) screw the faucets back in place and rinse with potable water; and PA0 j) install a filled up fresh water bottle, preliminary disinfected on his top surface with the cleaning compound.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,984 issued in October 1995 to Reckitt & Colman Inc., Discloses a cleaning composition for cleaning hard surfaces and including the Combinaton of two ingredients:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,891,150 issued in January 1990 to the German Corporation Joh. A Benckiser, discloses a cleaning compound directed at a cleansing and descaling compound, including the combination of four ingredients:
It is noted that the Benckiser patent stresses that the purpose of the thickening agent is for thickening the citric acid for enabling more thorough use thereof in sanitary cleansing applications. However, it will be recognized by those skilled in the art that this thickening of the cleaning solution for improving the descaling efficiency with citric acid, does unfortunately limit the maximum value of citric acid concentration by weight of total solution, to less than or equal to 10%. In the Benckiser patent, it is critical to thicken the descaling cleaning solution having citric acid, to obtain efficient removal of lime, scale, and rust.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,199,469 issued in 1980 to the German business concern Feldmann Chemie, discloses a compound and a method for cleaning water dispensers. The compound also has citric acid and alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride as a quaternary ammonium, as well as an isopropyl alcohol. However, the phosphoric acid renders same non-biodegradable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,629 issued in February 1996 to H E R C Products Inc., discloses a method of cleaning scale in water, including a quaternary ammonium compound having a hydrochloric acid selected in particular from the group comprising hydroxyacetic acid, citric acid, and gluconic acid.
These various above noted sanitary cleaning compound are not satisfactory in particular because they need the use of gloves being strongly corrosive or they need the use of mask because of their vapors.
They are also damageable to the environmental surfaces for example; clothes, carpets and floors. Particularly U.S. Pat. No. 4,199,469 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,629.
Others types of patent particularly like U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,984 will be ineffective in removing scale being simple hard surface disinfectant.
Other known cleaning compound limited to low concentration of acid like U.S. Pat. No. 4,891,150 tend to be active on the external surfaces of the dispenser parts. They are thick gel and dissolve very slowly and drop at the bottom of the inner reservoirs where they clog the entry's of conduits interfering with the cleaning process especially in aqueous systems. Also they tend not to be fully effective in seeping trough and dissolving thick scale deposits in the water conduits and inner reservoir of water dispensers particularly when the effective clean up intervals are much longer than recommended; say e.g. six months instead of the recommended intervals of two months. Moreover, these prior art cleaning solution usually need to be apply on dry surface. This will oblige that the system must first be completely purge of its water before clean-up is started and the cleaning solution can be used. They also produced high volume of foam and oblige to a long period of rinsing to eliminate the foam.; this is tedious and time consuming.
It can be readily understood even by the layman, that such cleaning process is tedious and much time-consuming. This tediousness could at least partially explain why so few water dispenser operators do in fact conform to the recommended two-months clean-up intervals. It is noted that in Canada, studies have shown that, often unbeknownst to the water dispenser operator themselves, up to a third of all water dispensers with coolers were contaminated with algae and scale concealed inside the system, due to poor maintenance. Also, one must remember that if the water dispenser is not thoroughly cleaned at each recommended interval, re-contamination of the water by the unremoved remaining microbes will rapidly occur as if no cleaning had ever happened.

Biodegradable compound for cleaning, disinfecting, and descaling water dispensers and method of use thereof


Authenticating the identity and validating the profile of an individual who presents himself to another party as having a certain identity and corresponding profile data occurs during an Internet transaction. A trusted party gives a definitive answer regarding the authentication of identity and validity of profile data. The trusted party can be a financial institution that has an established relationship with the individual. For example, the financial institution can be a bank that issues a debit or credit card to the individual. The trusted party can also provide the profile data of the individual to the other party, rather than have the individual provide such data. The trusted party can also update the individual's profile data held by the other party when such data is no longer current.

During a transaction between two parties, each party typically wants assurance as to the authenticity of the identity and/or the data relating to the other party so to avoid a variety of problems, one of which is fraud. Such transactions can be either payment or non-payment in nature. In non-payment transactions, for example, one party may want to confirm the identity of the other party before disclosing certain information. On the other hand, during a payment transaction using a payment card (e.g., a credit, debit, or stored value card), it is important to verify a user's ownership of an account to avoid unauthorized use of the payment card.
Authentication procedures during transactions when two parties are interacting in each other's physical presence (referred to as "in-person" transactions) can involve verifying that the signature of a user matches the signature on an identification or a payment card. Another authentication procedure involves verifying that a photograph contained in a form of identification matches the physical appearance of the user.
However, online transactions are riskier because the "in-person" authentication procedures cannot be performed. Online transactions can be conducted through mediums such as but not limited to computers, mobile devices, telephones, or interactive television. Given the continued expected growth of electronic transactions, it is important to provide methods to authenticate the identity and profile data of individuals. Authentication techniques during online transactions will reduce the levels of fraud and disputes, which in turn will reduce the costs associated with each of these events. Prior systems used to authenticate users during online transactions have not been widely adopted because these systems were difficult to use, had complex designs, required significant up-front investment by system participants and lacked interoperability. Certain prior systems additionally required the creation, distribution and use of certificates by various entities involved in a transaction. Such use of certificates is known to be quite burdensome.
Current systems for authenticating the identity and/or the profile data of individuals online for non-payment transactions use existing databases of information to determine a likelihood that profile data entered by an individual is authentic. These systems operate by asking specific factual questions of which only a limited number of parties would know the answer. For example, such systems may ask for the exact amount of the presenter's latest payment for a specific bill (e.g., a mortgage payment). Such a question could also inquire about the last two digits of such a payment, rather than the entire amount. Using such questions, these service providers are able to determine the likelihood (e.g., a numerical percentage) that the actual individual provided the correct answers. Correct answers do not lead to a definitive indication that the actual individual entered the correct answer because the possibility exists that an imposter made a lucky guess as to the answer or that an imposter discovered the correct answer through secretive investigation. Unfortunately because of these possibilities, the current systems cannot provide definite indication as to authenticity of profile data. For example, Equifax (see www.econsumer.equifax.com) and Experion Systems (see www.experionsystems.com) provide such services.
In view of the foregoing, a system for authenticating the identity and profile data of an individual during an online transaction would be desirable. Such an authenticating system should be relatively easy to implement and use, require a minimal investment of resources, and provide a high level of interoperability between the system's participants.

Profile and identity authentication service


System, tool and method for cleaning a tank that stores oil products. A jetting tool has a first nozzle (114) and a second nozzle (116). The jetting tool may be movably disposed within the tank, such as vertically and/or horizontally and is configured to receive fluid from a flowline (105) to expel the fluid through at least one of the first nozzle and the second nozzle of the jetting tool.

Embodiments disclosed herein relate generally to fluid storage tanks. In particular, embodiments disclosed herein relate to apparatus and methods for cleaning fluid storage tanks.
Fluid storage tanks are used the world over in refineries, terminals, and tank farms for storing oil products. The storage tanks are subjected to periodical cleaning operations due to sludge accumulation, inspection, and maintenance. Sludge accumulation occurs due to the slow sedimentation of high gravity petroleum products near or at the bottom of the fluid storage tanks, and may lead to various problems, including loss of operational capacity of the storage tanks, loss of working time, and/or acceleration of corrosion occurring within the storage tanks. Further, traditional cleaning systems often involve the manual removal of the accumulated sludge, which may also lead to various problems, including increased health and safety risks to the cleaning personnel, high volumes of sludge waste that may be disposed of, and prolonged shutdown times of the storage tanks.
Accordingly, an apparatus and method that may minimize the undesired effects from the traditional cleaning systems, such as by minimizing the volume of the final waste to be disposed of and/or minimizing the exposure of personnel to the interior of the storage tanks is described.

Dual nozzle jetting tool for tank cleaning and related methods


A method of generating flow data indicative of speeds of travel within a navigable network in an area covered by an electronic map is disclosed. The electronic map comprises a plurality of segments representing navigable elements of the navigable network. Live vehicle probe data is obtained indicative of the average speed of travel for the current time with respect to distance along a link, the link being predetermined by reference to the electronic map. The link is sectioned to provide a plurality of sections along the length thereof. The sectioning is carried out based on the data indicative of the current average speed of time along the link. Where a differential in the current average speed exceeds a threshold, a new section is created. Data is generated indicative of the location of the link together with data indicative of each determined section of the link, the data indicative of each determined section of the link being associated with data indicative of the average speed of travel for the current time for the section. The same process can be repeated using predicted flow data for a future time, but using a more stringent threshold, such that the link is divided into a smaller number of longer sections.

Obtaining information about vehicle flow within a navigable network, e.g. a road network, is important in a navigation system. Flow data is indicative of the speeds of travel of vehicles within the network. Flow data may be used in a variety of ways. For example, flow data may be used to determine traffic data for the network. A comparison of actual vehicle speeds to the expected speed of travel or free flow speed of travel at an applicable time may enable regions of reduced flow, e.g. traffic jams, to be identified. Flow data may also be used in routing. Flow data may be used to determine traversal times for elements of the navigable network, enabling routes, e.g. fastest routes, to be generated based on current traversal times. Flow data for a navigable network may provide a real-time picture of vehicle speeds within the entire network. The flow data may be in terms of absolute speeds, i.e. average speeds, of travel, or relative speeds of travel, e.g. relative to an applicable free flow speed. This is in contrast to traffic data, which typically relates to individual events within the network which affect traffic flow. For example, traffic data may be indicative of traffic jams having a start point, an end point, and a particular speed reduction associated therewith. In addition to current flow speed data, predicted flow speed data for one or more future times may alternatively or additionally be generated and used in a similar manner.
While flow speed data may be of great utility, providing such data in a form appropriate for transmission to devices, e.g. to servers or navigation devices, requiring a flow speed data feed presents some challenges. Flow speed data is typically provided in respect of links. As described below, a link is predefined by reference to an electronic map comprising a plurality of navigable segments representing navigable elements of the navigable network. A link may be defined by at least a portion of one or more navigable segments of the map extending between certain fixed reference points of the navigable network. However, flow speeds, i.e. average vehicle speeds, within the network may exhibit relatively small scale variations. For example, average vehicle speeds may vary along the length of navigable links of the network. In order to try to capture such variation, one possibility would be to divide each navigable link of the network into sections of unit length, and to determine flow speed data in respect of each section. The unit length may be set to be sufficiently small to try to capture variation in flow speed along the length of a link. However, such methods may be highly data intensive, requiring large amounts of flow speed data to be generated. This places significant demands on the processing and storage capabilities of devices receiving the data, and requires a large amount of bandwidth for transmission. The Applicant has realised that there remains a need for improved methods and systems for providing flow data in respect of a navigable network.

Methods and systems for generating flow data


A method for performing, by a User Equipment (UE), Device-to-Device (D2D) communication using a wireless communication network is provided. The method includes performing D2D communication via a direct communication path using an allocated Internet Protocol (IP) address, establishing a first Evolved Packet System (EPS) bearer supporting D2D communication via the wireless communication network, to a Packet Data Network (PDN) Gateway (P-GW), determining to switch from the direct communication path to D2D communication via the wireless communication network, and communicating an IP packet through the first EPS bearer based on the determination. An IP packet transmitted through the first EPS bearer may not be transmitted to a packet data network, or an IP packet received through the first EPS bearer is not received from the packet data network.

Each of User Equipments (UEs) UE1 and UE2, which have been attached to (or have subscribed to) a wireless communication network, may be assigned an IP address by the wireless communication network. The IP address may be assigned by a Packet Data Network (PDN) Gateway (P-GW), an IP server or some other network nodes in the wireless communication network. These IP addresses are local IP addresses in the wireless communication network.
FIG. 1 illustrates communication paths between UEs according to the related art.
Referring to FIG. 1, a UE1 100 and a UE2 102 may communicate with each other via the wireless communication network. In the wireless communication network, as for IP packets between the UE1 100 and the UE2 102, there may be a path 120 in which the IP packets may traverse via various network nodes. Examples of the network nodes may include evolved Node B (eNB) 112, eNB 122, Serving Gateway (S-GW) 114, S-GW 124, P-GW 116, and P-GW 126, a Packet Data Network (PDN) 110, and the like.
In communication between the UE1 100 and the UE2 102 via the wireless communication network, the UE1 100 and the UE2 102 may establish IP connections to some servers of the PDN 110. In the PDN 110, IP packets may be transmitted from the UE1 100 to the server of the PDN 110, and the server may transmit the IP packets to the UE2 102. Similarly, IP packets may be transmitted from the UE2 102 to the server of the PDN 110, and the server may transmit the IP packets to the UE1 100.
Packet bearers may be established between the UE1 100 and UE2 102 and the P-GW 116 and P-GW 126 to deliver IP packets from the UE1 100 and UE2 102 to the PDN 110. Typically, if a UE attaches with the wireless communication network, a default Evolved Packet System (EPS) bearer may be established between the UE and the P-GW. An EPS bearer between the UE1 100 and the P-GW 116 is a logical bearer, and may constitute a radio bearer between the UE1 100 and the eNB 112, an S1 bearer between the eNB 112 and the S-GW 114, and an S5 bearer between the S-GW 114 and the P-GW 116. When needed to provide differential Quality of Service (QoS) treatments to various IP flows of a UE, additional EPS bearers may be established between the UE and the P-GW of the PDN. The EPS bearer may be unidirectional or bidirectional. EPS bearers may also be established between the UE and P-GWs of multiple PDNs (e.g., Internet PDN, IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) PDN, and the like).
In the wireless communication network, if the P-GW 116 receives an Uplink (UL) IP packet on the EPS bearer, the P-GW 116 may convert a source IP address of the UE1 100 into a public IP address of a UE, and transmit the modified IP packet to the PDN 110. The P-GW 116 may have a mapping table (e.g., a packet filter table) between local IP addresses and public IP addresses for conversion of a source IP address in the UL direction.
The P-GW 116 may be designed to transmit UL IP packets received on the EPS bearer to the PDN 110. A destination IP address included in the UL IP packets received on the EPS bearer may not be modified by the P-GW 116. It is expected that because the UE1 100 is a source of the IP packet, the UE1 100 may have a public address of the destination and the public address of the destination may be filled in the IP packet.
In a Downlink (DL) direction, the P-GW 116 may receive IP packets from the PDN 110. The received IP packets may be mapped to appropriate EPS bearers in the DL direction based on DL traffic filters. The DL traffic filters may include a source IP address, a destination IP address, a source port number, destination IP addresses, a protocol type, and the like.
Alternatively, the UE1 100 and the UE2 102 may communicate with each other over a direct communication path 130. The direct communication path 130 between the UE1 100 and the UE2 102 may be established if the UE1 100 and the UE2 102 are in proximity to each other. The direct communication may be performed by a communication technique, for example, Wireless Fidelity (WiFi), Bluetooth, Zigbee, and/or the like. For direct communication, the UE1 100 and the UE2 102 may use the IP addresses, which have been assigned to the UE1 100 and the UE2 102 by the network (e.g., P-GWs 116 and 126, or IP server).
FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate an IP packet structure and a protocol stack for direct communication between UEs according to the related art.
Referring to FIG. 2A, during the direction communication, an application layer 212 of the UE1 100 and an application layer 222 of the UE2 102 may interact with each other. Similarly, transport layer 214 of the UE1 100 and transport layer 224 of the UE2 102, IP layer 216 of the UE1 100, IP layer 226 of the UE2 102, wireless/wireline protocol stack layer 218 of the UE1 100, and wireless/wireline protocol stack layer 228 the UE2 102 may interact with each other. An example of the wireless protocol stack layer may include 3GPP-based wireless protocols, a WiFi protocol, and/or the like.
As illustrated in FIG. 2B, the UE1 100 and the UE2 102 may exchange IP addresses of each other, and transmit IP packet 200 and IP packet 202 carrying the IP addresses of each other. The IP packet 200 heading from the UE1 100 to the UE2 102 may have an IP address IP1 of the UE1 100 as a source IP address, and an IP address IP2 of the UE2 102 as a destination IP address. The IP packet 202 heading from the UE2 102 to the UE1 100 may have an IP address IP2 of the UE2 102 as a source IP address, and an IP address IP1 of the UE1 100 as a destination IP address.
Due to the change in channel conditions and the mobility of UEs, direct communication between the UEs is not feasible. If the direct communication path becomes weak and communication using the direct communication path is no longer feasible, the UE1 100 and the UE2 102 may be switched to a communication path via the wireless communication network. During the direct communication, the UE1 100 and the UE2 102 may transmit, to each other, IP packets carrying local IP addresses assigned by the wireless communication network. After the communication path is switched to the communication path via the wireless communication network, the UE1 100 and the UE2 102 may continue to transmit, to each other, IP packets carrying the local IP addresses assigned by the network. For example, the UE1 100 may continue to transmit an IP packet to the UE2 102. In this case, the IP packet may include a source IP address which is an IP address of the UE1 100, and a destination IP address which is an IP address of the UE2 102. These IP addresses are local IP address assigned by the network.
FIG. 3 illustrates a P-GW operation after communication path switching according to the related art.
Referring to FIG. 3, during the communication of the UE1 100 via the wireless communication network, if the P-GW 116 receives a UL IP packet 300 on an EPS bearer 118, the P-GW 116 may convert the source IP address of the UE1 100 into a public IP address of the UE1 100, in the UL IP packet 300, and transmit the modified IP packet 310 to the PDN 110. The modified IP packet 310 carrying the local IP address of the destination UE may not reach the destination UE as the local IP address of the destination UE is not a valid IP address in the PDN 110. The same problem may happen even for the IP packets transmitted by the destination UE to the UE1 100.
In one of the possible solutions when the path is switched from the direct communication path to the communication path via the wireless communication network, an application of the UE1 100 may establish a new IP connection to some servers of the PDN 110, and the UE1 100 may start communication with other UEs. However, such a solution does not provide seamless IP session continuity.
Alternatively, a new IP connection may be established between the UE1 100 and some servers of the PDN 110, and the new IP connection may tunnel the IP packets from the UE1 100 to another UE. A new IP connection may be established between another UE and the server of the PDN 110, and the new IP connection may tunnel the IP packets from another UE to the UE1 100. However, such a solution may require changes at the IP layer, and the IP layer needs to be aware of communication path switching. In addition, the IP layer may have more tunneling overhead.
Therefore, there is a need for a system and method for providing seamless IP session continuity when a communication path for a UE1 and another UE switches from the direct communication path to the communication path via the wireless communication network, or vice versa.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present disclosure.

System and method for IP session continuity in device-to-device communication system


A mobile station capable of connected to an information providing server via a radio link, comprises a reception history table which stores an identification of information which has been received, and a controller which prevents the same information from being received based on the identification in the reception history table.

In recent years, a short distance radio interface called Bluetooth has been developed in which a 2.45 GHz Industrial Scientific Medical (ISM) band is used as a carrier wave frequency, and various mobile apparatuses such as cellular phones, notebook-size personal computers, digital still cameras, and mobile game machines can be connected by radio.
In a radio communication system including such an interface, the same information is repeatedly transmitted in the same frequency band in some cases. When the cellular phone is used as a mobile radio apparatus, the cellular phone is constantly waiting for reception. Even when information has the same content as that of the already received information, the information is repeatedly received. Therefore, there is a problem that power consumption during reception increases and a battery is remarkably consumed. For example, while a user waits for someone in front of a station ticket gate, a train timetable, a fare table, and the like are repeatedly transmitted, such information is repeatedly received by a mobile terminal, and power is consumed during waiting. To prevent this problem, the user has to temporarily turn off a power supply of radio communication. However, with the cellular phone, when the power supply is turned off, an inherent function of the cellular phone is hindered. Therefore, this is not a realistic solution.
Moreover, since the same information is repeatedly transmitted, the radio terminal has no memory for storing the received information. Therefore, the already received portion of information cannot be confirmed. When a video/music program is transmitted in real time, and if the user starts browsing the information from a midway timing of the program, a first part of the program cannot be seen until the next transmission of the program.
On the other hand, a technique associated with power saving of the radio apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Disclosure (KOKAI) No. 10-32504. This discloses a technique of judging an influence of noise or the like in an early stage, preventing a received current from increasing, and realizing the power saving. That is, if a time for which reception strength indicates a determined value or a smaller value continues for not less than a predetermined time, it can be determined that a received signal includes a noise and therefore a normal signal cannot be received. Thus, the reception is stopped. In this method, however, the same repeatedly transmitted information cannot be prevented from being received many times.
As described above, in the radio communication system using the conventional short distance radio interface, when the radio communication is performed in the same frequency band, a receiving apparatus constantly receives transmitted information. Therefore, even if the same information is received, the power consumption during reception increases, and the battery is remarkably consumed.
Moreover, when video or sound information is received in real time, the memory for storing the information being received is not provided. The information is browsed from halfway depending upon a browsing start timing. Therefore, it cannot be guaranteed that the information is transmitted to the user from the beginning.

Radio communication system, radio communication apparatus, and radio communicating method


A silver halide photographic light-sensitive material is described containing a colorless photographic cyan color-forming coupler having, in a position for coupling with an oxidation product of an aromatic primary amine developing agent, a coupling-off group represented by the formula (I) EQU --O--(R.sub.1 S).sub.x (R.sub.2 S).sub.y R.sub.3 (I). wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 each represents an alkylene group; R.sub.3 represents an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an aryl group, or a heterocyclic group; x represents a positive integer; and y represents 0 or a positive integer.. The photographic cyan color-forming coupler exhibits excellent dispersibility and color-forming properties.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a photographic color couplers and, more particularly, to novel 2-equivalent cyan couplers, color photographic light-sensitive materials containing said couplers, and image-forming processes using said couplers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known that when an imagewise exposed silver halide photographic light-sensitive material is subjected to color development processing, an oxidation product of the aromatic primary amine developing agent reacts with a dye-forming coupler to form a color image.
Usually, a color-reproducing process based on subtractive color photography is relied upon, forming cyan, magenta, and yellow color images, the colors of which are in complementary relation with red, green, and blue, respectively. For example, phenolic derivatives or naphtholic derivatives are used as couplers for forming cyan color images.
In color photography, color-forming couplers are added to a developer or incorporated in a light-sensitive photographic emulsion layer or other color image-forming layer and, when reacted with an oxidation product of a color-developing agent formed upon development, they form non-diffusing dyes. The reaction between the coupler and the color-developing agent proceeds at the active site (also referred to as the "coupling active position") of the coupler. Couplers having a hydrogen atom substituted at this active site or position are 4-equivalent couplers, which theoretically require 4 mols of silver halide with a developing center (i.e., exposed silver halide) as an oxidizing agent for forming 1 mol of a dye. On the other hand, couplers having at the active site a group capable of being eliminated as an anion (i.e., a "coupling-off" group) are 2-equivalent couplers, which require only 2 mols of silver halide with a developing center as an oxidizing agent for forming 1 mol of dye. Therefore, they generally permit a reduction in the amount of silver halide incorporated in a light-sensitive layer and in the thickness of the film, thus enabling shortening of the time for processing light-sensitive materials and improving sharpness of color images formed. As examples of coupling-off groups (also known as eliminatable groups), U.S. Pat. No. 3,737,316 describes a sulfonamido group, U.S. Pat. No. 3,749,735 describes an imido group, U.S. Pat. No. 3,622,328 describes a sulfonyl group, U.S. Pat. No. 3,476,563 describes an aryloxy group, U.S. Pat. No. 3,311,476 describes an acyloxy group, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,214,437 describes a thiocyano group. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,032,345 describes an isothiocyanato group, U.S. Pat. No. 4,046,573 describes a sulfonyloxy group, Japanese Patent Application (OPI) No. 51939/77 (the term "OPI" as used herein refers to a "published unexamined Japanese patent application") describes a thiocarbonyloxy group, Japanese Patent Application (OPI) Nos. 39126/78 and 39745/78 describe an aralkenylcarbonyloxy group, Japanese Patent Application (OPI) No. 45524/78 describes an S-substituted monothiocarbonyloxy group, Japanese Patent Application (OPI) No. 47827/78 describes a propioloyloxy group, U.S. Pat. No. 4,072,525 describes a group of ##STR1## and U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,227,551 and 4,052,212, Japanese Patent Application (OPI) Nos. 120334/75, 18315/77, 90932/77, 52423/78, 99938/78, 105226/78, 14736/79 and 48237/79 describe substituted alkoxy groups.
Proper selection of such coupling-off groups (for example, selection of a group having a diffusible dye moiety) permits the use of the couplers in a diffusion transfer process, wherein images of diffusible dyes are formed in an image-receiving layer. Such couplers are called diffusible dye-releasing (DDR) couplers and are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,227,550, 3,765,886, U.S. Defensive Publication No. T 900,029, British Pat. No. 1,330,524, and so forth. Some colored 2-equivalent couplers have a masking effect for color correction of a dye image, and examples of such colored couplers are described, for example, in Japanese Patent Application (OPI) No. 26034/76.
2-Equivalent couplers from which a development inhibiting product is eliminated are referred to as development inhibitor-releasing (DIR) couplers, and inhibit development in proportion to the amount of silver deposit, thus contributing to a reduction in image-forming particle size, adjustment of gradation, and improvement of color reproduction. In addition, they can be used in a diffusion transfer process, utilizing their inhibiting action on an adjacent layer. Examples of these couplers are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,227,554, Japanese Patent Application (OPI) No. 122335/74, and West German Patent Application (OLS) No. 2,414,006.
2-Equivalent couplers have important advantages over 4-equivalent couplers, as described above, and have a variety of particular applications; thus, they are often used. However, many conventionally known 2-equivalent cyan-forming couplers suffer from the defects of insufficient coupling reactivity, formation of color fog, coating problems due to poor dispersibility, difficulty in storage for long periods of time due to poor stability, and poor storage stability of color images formed by color development. Thus improvements to overcome these defects have been desired.

Silver halide photographic light-sensitive material


The injectivity of an oil-containing reservoir is increased by injecting successive portions of a solution or slightly turbid dispersion of reservoir-tailored amounts of polyalkoxyalcohol sulfate surfactant and lower alkanol in highly saline aqueous liquid and a reservoir acidizing solution.

This invention relates to a process for treating a well by injecting a reservoir-tailored combination of fluids which increases the effective permeability to aqueous fluids within a subterranean reservoir which communicates with the well.
Numerous types of well treatments have been previously proposed for effecting such a well stimulation. For example, the J. Reisberg U.S. Pat. No. 3,500,923, which relates to an oil recovery process, describes injecting a dispersion of about 5% by weight of a polyalkoxyalcohol sulfate surfactant in an aqueous liquid containing from about 4 to 5 moles per liter of sodium chloride and discloses that such a highly saline surfactant system is an efficient oil-displacing fluid--although one in which the salt content is reduced to from about 1 to 11/2 moles per liter is viscous but is inefficient for oil-displacement. The P. J. Raifsnyder U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,527,301 and 3,612,182, which also relate to oil recovery processes, describe injecting undiluted, or very concentrated, solutions of nonionic polyalkoxyalcohol surfactants (respectively, alone and in conjunction with a reservoir acidizing fluid) and disclose that such solutions are effective in causing a temporary selective plugging of the most permeable layers (or thief zones) of an inhomogeneous reservoir. U.S. Pat. No. 3,568,772, which relates to increasing the injectivity index of a well, describes injecting a micellar dispersion which contains less than 4% by weight (or less than 1.0 mole per liter) of an electrolyte such as sodium chloride ahead of an aqueous acid. U.S. Pat. No. 3,637,016, which also relates to increasing the injectivity of a well, describes injecting a soluble oil and water which contains less than about 1% by weight of sodium chloride. U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,812 which relates to an oil production process, discloses that injecting a polyalkoxyalcohol sulfate surfactant dissolved in an aqueous liquid in proportions providing . . . "a thickened, transparent, aqueous solution" . . . (column 3, lines 44 and 45) increases the sweep efficiency of a waterflood . . . "not by surfactant action but through the provision of a more favorable mobility and sweep of the reservoir" (column 3, line 68 to column 4, line 2). The H. J. Hill and D. R. Thigpen U.S. Pat. No. 3,712,377, which relates to an improved process for displacing oil within a subterranean reservoir, discloses that dilute aqueous surfactant systems should be tested regarding their tendency to form viscous emulsions when mixed with the oil within the reservoir and, if needed, an emulsion modifier, such as a lower alkanol, should be added to increase the ratio of the effective viscosity of the surfactant system to that of such emulsions.
Although such prior processes have been efficient in various individual situations, their efficiency is significantly affected by numerous physical and chemical properties of the reservoir and reservoir fluids--and those properties vary from one well to another. Thus, a formulation which is effective at one temperature is apt to be ineffective at another. A formulation which is effective with one reservoir oil is apt to be ineffective with another. And, further, the oil-displacing efficiencies are known to be affected by the rate of fluid injection, the composition of the water used for formulating the surfactant system, the composition of the water present in the reservoir interval to be treated, and the like.

Process for stimulating a well with a saline surfactant sulfate, alkanol and acid system