A semiconductor device has a semiconductor die. The semiconductor die has a contact pad. A first conductive layer is formed over the contact pad. A conductive shell having a hollow core is formed over the first conductive layer. A compliant material is deposited in the hollow core. The semiconductor die is mounted over a substrate with the conductive shell electrically connected to a conductive trace on the substrate. A second conductive layer is formed over the conductive shell. The compliant material is an insulating material. A bump material is deposited around the conductive shell. A pre-solder material is deposited over the conductive trace. The conductive shell has a cross-sectional width less than 7 micrometers. The second conductive layer is a conductive lip. Mounting the semiconductor die over the substrate further includes mounting the semiconductor die over the substrate in a bump on lead (BOL) configuration.

Semiconductor devices are commonly found in modern electronic products. Semiconductor devices vary in the number and density of electrical components. Discrete semiconductor devices generally contain one type of electrical component, e.g., light emitting diode (LED), small signal transistor, resistor, capacitor, inductor, and power metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET). Integrated semiconductor devices typically contain hundreds to millions of electrical components. Examples of integrated semiconductor devices include microcontrollers, microprocessors, charged-coupled devices (CCDs), solar cells, and digital micro-mirror devices (DMDs).
Semiconductor devices perform a wide range of functions such as signal processing, high-speed calculations, transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals, controlling electronic devices, transforming sunlight to electricity, and creating visual projections for television displays. Semiconductor devices are found in the fields of entertainment, communications, power conversion, networks, computers, and consumer products. Semiconductor devices are also found in military applications, aviation, automotive, industrial controllers, and office equipment.
Semiconductor devices exploit the electrical properties of semiconductor materials. The atomic structure of semiconductor material allows its electrical conductivity to be manipulated by the application of an electric field or base current or through the process of doping. Doping introduces impurities into the semiconductor material to manipulate and control the conductivity of the semiconductor device.
A semiconductor device contains active and passive electrical structures. Active structures, including bipolar and field effect transistors, control the flow of electrical current. By varying levels of doping and application of an electric field or base current, the transistor either promotes or restricts the flow of electrical current. Passive structures, including resistors, capacitors, and inductors, create a relationship between voltage and current necessary to perform a variety of electrical functions. The passive and active structures are electrically connected to form circuits, which enable the semiconductor device to perform high-speed calculations and other useful functions.
Semiconductor devices are generally manufactured using two complex manufacturing processes, i.e., front-end manufacturing, and back-end manufacturing, each involving potentially hundreds of steps. Front-end manufacturing involves the formation of a plurality of die on the surface of a semiconductor wafer. Each semiconductor die is typically identical and contains circuits formed by electrically connecting active and passive components. Back-end manufacturing involves singulating individual semiconductor die from the finished wafer and packaging the die to provide structural support and environmental isolation. The term "semiconductor die" as used herein refers to both the singular and plural form of the words, and accordingly, can refer to both a single semiconductor device and multiple semiconductor devices.
One goal of semiconductor manufacturing is to produce smaller semiconductor devices. Smaller devices typically consume less power, have higher performance, and can be produced more efficiently. In addition, smaller semiconductor devices have a smaller footprint, which is desirable for smaller end products. A smaller semiconductor die size can be achieved by improvements in the front-end process resulting in semiconductor die with smaller, higher density active and passive components. Back-end processes may result in semiconductor device packages with a smaller footprint by improvements in electrical interconnection and packaging materials.
One common technique of interconnecting a semiconductor die with a printed circuit board (PCB) or other substrate involves the use of bumps. FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional semiconductor device 10 with flipchip type semiconductor die 12 having an active surface 14 and contact pads 16 formed over active surface 14. An insulating or passivation layer 18 is formed over active surface 14 and contact pads 16. A portion of insulating layer 18 is removed to expose contact pads 16. An electrically conductive layer 20 is conformally applied over the exposed contact pads 16 and insulating layer 18. Conductive layer 20 operates as an under bump metallization (UBM) layer electrically connected to contact pads 16. A conductive bump material 22 is deposited over conductive layer 20.
A substrate or PCB 24 has one or more conductive layers 26 operating as conductive traces or contact pads. An insulating or passivation layer 28 is formed over conductive layer 26. A portion of insulating layer 28 is removed to expose conductive layer 26. A conductive pre-solder or bump material 29 is deposited over the exposed conductive layer 26. Semiconductor die 12 is positioned over and mounted to substrate 24 using a pick and place operation with active surface 14 oriented toward substrate 24. Bumps 22 and 29 are reflowed and merge to form a bump interconnect structure mechanically and electrically connecting semiconductor die 12 to conductive layer 26 of substrate 24.
FIG. 2 illustrates another conventional semiconductor device with flipchip type semiconductor die 12 having an active surface 14 and contact pads 16 formed over active surface 14. An insulating or passivation layer 18 is formed over active surface 14 and contact pads 16. A portion of insulating layer 18 is removed to expose contact pads 16. An electrically conductive layer 20 is conformally applied over the exposed contact pads 16 and insulating layer 18. Conductive layer 20 operates as a UBM layer electrically connected to contact pads 16. A conductive pillar 30 is formed over conductive layer 20. A conductive bump material 32 is deposited over conductive pillar 30.
A substrate or PCB 34 has one or more conductive layers 36 operating as conductive traces or contact pads. An insulating layer 38 is formed over conductive layer 36. A portion of insulating layer 38 is removed to expose conductive layer 36. A pre-solder or bump material 40 is deposited over conductive layer 36. Semiconductor die 12 is positioned over and mounted to substrate 34 using a pick and place operation with active surface 14 and conductive pillars 30 oriented toward the substrate. Bumps 32 and 40 are reflowed and merge to form a bump interconnect structure mechanically and electrically connecting conductive pillars 30 and semiconductor die 12 to conductive layer 36 of substrate 34.
In each case of FIGS. 1-2, the bump interconnect structure is susceptible to de-wetting of the UBM layer and exhibits weak joints and reliability problems. For example, semiconductor die 12 has a problem with delamination or damage of the extremely-low dielectric constant (ELK) interlayer dielectric layer (ILD) around the bump area. When the semiconductor wafer is subjected to thermal or mechanical stress, the ELK ILD delamination or damage can occur which causes defects in the semiconductor die. Similarly, semiconductor die 12 is subject to pre-solder cracking at the junction with the substrate. The incidence of pre-solder cracking and ELK delamination reduces reliability and manufacturing yield, and increases cost.

Semiconductor device and method of forming compliant conductive interconnect structure in flipchip package


Novel quinazolinone derivatives with good binding affinity for the CCK-A and CCK-B receptors, pharmaceutical compositions containing them, methods of using them and a novel process for their preparation are taught. The compounds are useful agents to suppress appetite, reduce gastric acid secretion, and the like.

Cholecystokinin is structurally and functionally related to gastrin. The active C-terminal tetrapeptide amide of gastrin is duplicated in cholecystokinin. The major structural difference that dictates whether a peptide of the CCK-gastrin family has a gastrin-like or CCK-like pattern of activity is the position of the tyrosyl residue and whether or not it is sulfated. Gastrointestinal Hormones, edited by George B. Jerzy, Glass Raven Press, New York, 1980, pp. 512-513. CCK is a polypeptide which was originally isolated from the gut. Later investigations, however, discovered CCK is also localized in the mammalian central nervous system; particularly high levels of the octapeptide form (CCK-8) are found in hippocampus. Immunocytochemical staining has revealed that CCK-8 containing neurons appear to be interneurons in the hippocampus. "Inhibition of Synaptic Transmission in the Hippocampus by Cholecystokinin (CCK) and its Antagonism by a CCK Analog (CCK.sub.27-33)" (Elsevier, B. A. MacVicar, J. P. Kerrin, and J. S. Davison, Basic Research 406:130-135, 1987).
Agents acting at central cholecystokinin (CCK) receptors may induce satiety (Schick, Yaksh, and Go, Regulatory Peptides 14:277-291, 1986). They are also expected to act as analgesics (Hill, Hughesm and Pittaway, Neuropharmacology 26:289-300, 1987), and as anticonvulsants (MacVicar, Kerrin, and Davison, Brain Research 406:130-135, 1987).
Reduced levels of CCK-peptides have been found in the brains of schizophrenic patients compared with controls (Roberts, et al., Brain Research 288:199-211, 1983). It has been proposed that changes in the activity of CCK neurones projecting to the nucleus accumbens may play a role in schizophrenic processes by influencing dopaminergic function (Totterdell and Smith, Neuroscience 19:181-192, 1986). This is consistent with numerous reports that CCK peptides modulate dopaminergic function in the basal ganglia and particularly the nucleus accumbens (Weiss, Tanzer, and Ettenberg, Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behaviour 30:309-317, 1988; Schneider, Allpert, and Iversen, Peptides 4:749-753, 1983). It may therefore be expected that agents modifying CCK receptor activity may have therapeutic value in conditions associated with disturbed function of central dopaminergic function such as schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease.
CCK and gastrin peptides share a common carboxy terminal pentapeptide sequence, and CCK peptides can bind to the gastrin receptor of the stomach mucosa and elicit acid secretion in many species including human (Kontruek, Gastrointestinal Hormones, Ch. 23:529-564, 1980, ed. G. B. J. Glass, Raven Press, N.Y.). The receptors for CCK have been classified into two subtypes according to their affinity for CCK fragments and their analogs. CCK-A receptors are found predominantly in peripheral tissues such as pancreas and gall bladder. They have high affinity for the sulfated octapeptide (CCK-8S) and lower affinity for the corresponding desulfated fragment CCK-8d, CCK-4 and gastrin. Conversely, CCK-B receptors are widely distributed throughout the brain and exhibit high affinity for CCK-8s, CCK-4 and gastrin. (Innis, R. B.; Synder, S. H., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 77:6917-6921, 1980 and Moran, T. H., et al., Brain Research, 362:175-179, 1989). Antagonists of the CCK-B receptor would also be expected to be antagonists at the stomach gastrin receptor, and this would also be of value for conditions involving excessive acid secretion.
CCK and gastrin peptides have trophic effects on the pancreas and various tissues of the gastrointestinal tract (Johnson, Gastrointestinal Hormones, edited by George B. Jerzy Glass, "Effect of Gastrointestinal Hormones on Growth of Gastrointestinal Tissue," Chapter 22:507-527), actions which are associated with increased DNA and RNA synthesis. Moreover, gastrin secreting cells are associated with certain gastrointestinal tumors as in the Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (Stadil, Gastrointestinal Hormones, edited by George B. Jerzy Glass, "Gastrinomas," Chapter 30:729-739), and some colorectal tumors may also be gastrin/CCK dependent (Singh, et al., Cancer Research 46:1612, 1986; Smith, J. P., Gastroenterology 95:1541, 1988). Antagonists of CCK/gastrin receptors could therefore be of therapeutic value as antitumor agents.
The CCK peptides are widely distributed in various organs of the body including the gastrointestinal tract, endocrine glands, and the nerves of the peripheral and central nervous systems. Various biologically active forms have been identified including a 33-amino acid hormone and various carboxylterminus fragments of this peptide (e.g., the octapeptide CCK.sub.26-33 and the tetrapeptide CCK.sub.30-33). (G. J. Dockray, Br. Med. Bull. 38(3):253-258, 1982).
The various CCK peptides are thought to be involved in the control of smooth muscle contractility, exocrine and endocrine gland secretion, sensory nerve transmission, and numerous brain functions. Administration of the native peptides cause gall bladder contraction, amylase secretion, excitation of central neurons, inhibition of feeding, anticonvulsive actions and other behavioral effects. (Cholecystokinin: Isolation, Structure and Functions, G. B. J. Glass, ed., Raven Press, New York, 1980, pp. 169-221; J. E. Morley, Life Sciences 27:355-368, 1980; Cholecystokinin in the Nervous System, J. de Belleroche and G. J. Dockray, ed., Ellis Horwood, Chichester, England, 1984, pp. 110-127).
The high concentrations of CCK peptides in many brain areas also indicate major brain functions for these peptides (G. J. Dockray, Br. Med. Bull. 38(3):253-258, 1982). The most abundant form of brain CCK found is CCK.sub.26-33, although small quantities of CCK.sub.30-33 exist (Rehfeld and Gotterman, J. Neurochem. 32:1339-1341, 1979). The role of central nervous system CCK is not known with certainty, but it has been implicated in the control of feeding (Della-fera and Baile, Science 206:471-473, 1979).
Currently available appetite suppressant drugs either act peripherally, by increasing energy expenditure (such as thyroxine), or in some other manner (such as the biguanides), or act by exerting a central effect on appetite or satiety.
Centrally acting appetite suppressants either potentiate central catecholamine pathways and tend to be stimulants (for example, amphetamine), or influence serotonergic pathways (for example, fenfluramine). Other forms of drug therapy include bulking agents which act by filling the stomach, thereby inducing a "feeling" of satiety.
CCK is known to be present in some cortical interneurones which also contain gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) (H. Demeulemeester, et al., J. Neuroscience 8:988-1000, 1988). Agents that modify GABA action may have utility as anxiolytic or hypnotic agents ((S. C. Harvey, The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics (7th ed.) 1985, pp. 339-371, MacMillan)). Thus, agents which modify CCK action may have parallel anxiolytic or hypnotic activities. The role of CCK in anxiety is disclosed in TIPS 11:271-273, 1990, and is fully detailed in Woodruff, G.N. and Hughes, J., 1991, Ann. Rev. Pharmacol. and Toxicol. 31, 469-501.
Since the identification in brain extracts of the carboxyl (C)-terminal octapeptide of CCK-8, much evidence has arisen to suggest that CCK-related peptides have neuroregulatory roles in the central nervous system (CNS) in addition to their well-known hormonal functions in controlling digestion. The Physiology of Cholecystokinin in Brain and Gut, British Medical Bulletin, 38(3):353-358, 1982, by G. J. Dockray.
It is an object of the present invention to described pharmaceutical compositions that are effective to suppress the appetite in a mammal.
It is another object of the present invention to describe compositions that are effective to reduce gastric acid secretion in a mammal.
It is yet another object of the present invention to describe compositions useful to effect a reduction of anxiety in a mammal.
It is still another object of the present invention to describe compositions useful to effectively treat gastrointestinal ulcers in a mammal.
It is another object of the present invention to describe compositions useful to effectively treat psychotic behavior in a mammal.
Still further, it is an object of the present invention to describe compositions useful to effectively block the reaction caused by withdrawal from drug or alcohol use in a mammal.
It is still a further object of the present invention to describe compositions useful to effectively potentiate the affects of morphine and other opioids in treating pain in a mammal.
It is yet another object of the present invention to describe compositions useful to effectively treat and/or prevent panic in a mammal.
It is an object of the present invention to describe compositions which can be radio labeled and are useful for effecting diagnosis of gastrine-dependent tumors in a mammal.
It is a further object of the present invention to produce a key intermediate in the present invention by reacting the 2-hydrazine quinazoline derivative with hydrogen to obtain the 2-amino quinazoline derivative.

Quinazolinone derivatives as cholecystokinin (CCK) ligands


A mouse yoke assembly for interfacing with a computer through the sensing mechanism of a mouse including a housing and a control member movably supported by the housing. The housing is adapted to support a mouse thereon and relative to the control member such that movement of the control member is sensed by the sensing mechanism of the mouse. The assembly includes a clamp member for removably mounting the housing to a support structure to immobilize the housing as the control member is moved relative to the housing.

(1) Technical Field
The subject invention is directed toward a mouse yoke assembly for interfacing with a computer through the sensing means of a mouse to simulate to the operator of the assembly the sensation of flying a plane, driving a car, etc. as dictated by the software running on the computer.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
As the number of people who own or have access to a personal computer increases, so does the demand for sophisticated software. This demand has resulted in a wide range of utilitarian products such as accounting, tax and personal finance software as well as sophisticated software designed to entertain and teach. The programs designed to simulate flying an aircraft or driving a car are examples of this type of software which produces a realistic representation of the flying or driving experience on the computer monitor and which responds to user input to simulate the feeling of actual flight or driving.
While the software which runs on the personal computer is sophisticated, the means by which the operator interfaces with the software is not. Generally, the operator of such simulation software must employ a joystick to maneuver the aircraft or vehicle in conjunction with the computer keyboard which controls the throttle. Additionally, it is not uncommon that an operator must rely solely on the keyboard to interface with the simulation software. Unfortunately, neither the joystick nor the keyboard are adequate substitutes for the flight controls of an aircraft or steering wheel of a vehicle and do not give the operator the feeling that they are actually flying a plane or driving a vehicle and therefore take away from the overall experience and fun of the simulation software.
There are other means known in the art for interfacing with simulation software and which give the operator a more realistic experience. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,659,313 issued to Kuster et al. on Apr. 21, 1987 discloses a control yoke apparatus for computerized air craft simulation having a steering wheel mounted to a shaft which terminates in an L-shaped crank mechanism. The crank mechanism is attached to a standard joystick via a piece of resilient elastic rubber-like material. The crank mechanism transforms rotation of the wheel into rotation of the joystick to thereby maneuver the aircraft simulated on the computer monitor. The control yoke may also be used in connection with another joystick which controls the throttle of the simulated aircraft.
Although the Kuster et al. control yoke better approximates aircraft flight control, it is deficient in that it is relatively mechanically complex and requires the use of at least one X-Y two axis variable transducer in the form of a joystick mounted within the housing of the apparatus. Therefore, while an improvement over the prior art, the Kuster et al control yoke is still relatively expensive and, to my knowledge, not commercially available.
One of the accessories commonly used with personal computers today is a mouse. The mouse is a small, hand held device which can control the movement of a curser or other image on the computer monitor through an X-Y, two axis transducer which, in turn, responds to the movement of a track ball of the mouse. The mouse can be used to interface with simulation software and U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,537 issued to Potiker on Nov. 29, 1988 takes advantage of this capability. The Potiker '537 patent discloses a mouse interface assembly which is adapted to simulate aircraft or vehicle controls and to interface with simulation software through the mouse. The Potiker '537 interface assembly includes a rectangular enclosure which forms a base on which the mouse is mounted and which houses a first member having an enlarged cylindrical member which defines an enlarged peripheral surface. Movement of the cylindrical member and thus its peripheral surface actuates the track ball of the mouse. The first member, its enlarged cylindrical member and therefor the enlarged peripherical surface is manipulated through a second member which extends out of the enclosure and on which is mounted a control wheel. The second member is manually actuable by the operator to bring about simulated aircraft or vehicle maneuvers through the mouse as dictated by the software running on the computer.
However, and as with the Kuster et al. control yoke, the Potiker '537 mouse interface assembly is deficient in that it is relatively complex. The enlarged cylindrical member of the first member must be housed in an enclosure of sufficient magnitude to accommodate the cylindrical member and thus creates cost barriers from a manufacturing standpoint. In addition, the Potiker '537 patent does not disclose a means for mounting the base to a support surface such as a desk top. Accordingly, the Potiker interface assembly is susceptible to sliding or otherwise inadvertent movement on the desk top in response to movement of the control wheel.

Mouse yoke assembly for interfacing with a computer


A set of sealing jaws incorporating an adjustable seal area to seal the vertical portion of a bottom gusseted style of package. An adjustable seal surface allows a packaging machine to run different film web widths without the need to change jaws. The sealing jaws to be converted to run bottom gusset packages to pillow packages without the requirement to change jaws.

The present invention generally relates to an adjustable sealing bar for pre-applied bottom gusset packaging and a method of using the same.
In general, vertical form fill and seal packaging (VFFS) machines are designed to convert a flat film web into a package shape, introduce a product into a package, and seal and cut the filled package from the film web. This shape is commonly referred to in the packaging industry as a "pillow pack". The top and bottom of the web is sealed as well as the overlapping edges of the film web in the back of the package forming a pillow shaped package.
Vertical form fill and seal ("VFFS") baggers are not specifically designed to create stand-up packages, and various methods have been invented to create stand-up packages on a VFFS packaging machine.
Generally, "bottom gusseting" is one such method to create stand up bags on a VFFS packaging machine and is entirely unique to some other methods (horizontal packaging, pouch making, or three-sided pouches) such as block bottom VFFS, Doy style stand up, or one-sided tuck VFFS packages. Bottom gusseted packages require two key components: a film web with a pre-applied gusset and a set of unique sealing jaws set to seal the film web and gusset. The combination of film web and sealing jaws creates a bottom gusseted package as shown, by way of example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,272,481.
Some VFFS packaging machines accept interchangeable tooling, specifically forming collars and sealing jaws. "Forming collars" are devices that created the final shape of the package by converting the flat film web into a tube-shaped package that is, in turn, filled with product to be packaged. Vertical (or back-seal) jaws are devices used to vertically seal the film web along the overlap of the two edges of the film web. Horizontal (or cross seal) jaws simultaneously seal the tops and bottom edges of the film web after the product is introduced into the package. Both the back-seal jaw set, and the cross-seal jaw set create a seal by utilizing heat sealing or ultrasonic sealing of the film web. In general applications, a cut-off knife and knife actuation mechanism is incorporated into the one jaw. The knife serves to cut the now filled package from the film web.
In some embodiments, the present invention addresses the horizontal cross seal jaw portion of bottom gusseted packages, specifically the upper vertical portion of the lower seal.
Many bottom gusseted sealing jaws have a vertical sealing area directly above the lower seal of a package. The vertical seal area creates a seal between the film web and the gusset, thereby welding the gusset to the film web. The welded seal between the film web and the gusset is one feature that makes bottom gusseting function. As known in the industry or art, the upper vertical seal area is termed the "goal post" seal area due to the similarity to a football field's goal post shape.
Due to the wide variety of products packaged on VFFS packaging machines, the final shape, size, and appearance of a bottom gusseted package can vary. Heavier, bulky products appear different than lighter, less dense products within the same package dimensions. In most instances, several trial runs with different film web/gusset combinations are required to achieve an acceptably shaped and functioning package per a user's requirements. Some present bottom gusseted jaw sets are designed for a single fixed film web/gusset size/bag width with no method for adjusting the goal post seal for different bag widths.
Creating many different film web/gusset combinations for trial runs can be costly, time-consuming and is often not effective for a user. A need exists to allow for adjustments of the goal post section of the cross-seal bars in order to fine-tune the shape and appearance of the package without changing film web/gusset combinations.
Additionally. VFFS packaging machine operators often run different bag sizes in regard to the width and length directions. An example can be found with snack food products, or salads, which tend to be packaged in different bag widths and lengths on the same VFFS packaging machines by removing and installing interchangeable tooling.
Sealing jaw changeovers on VFFS packaging machines is time-consuming and costly due to down-time. VFFS operators require a quick method of converting the VFFS machine from bottom gusseted operations to pillow pack operations without the time-consuming process of removing sealing jaws and replacing those jaws with a different jaw style.
The present invention is differentiated from the following prior art:
The present invention is distinguished from U.S. Pat. No. 9,272,481. The '481 patent addresses the package design only and does not address sealing. The present invention addresses the sealing of packages. There is no adjustability or interchangeability disclosed in the '481 patent.
The present invention is distinguished from US 2009/023032. The '032 patent application discloses a seal bar design to prevent seal defects. The '032 patent application does not disclose or claim adjustable seal bars. The '032 patent application does not disclose, or claim uses with bottom gusseted packages. There is no adjustability or interchangeability disclosed in the '032 patent application.
The present invention is distinguished from US 2016/0067937. The '937 application claims a jaw design with a removeable seal face "permitting formation of non-gusseted packages", yet the '937 application does not claim adjustable sealing jaws as is found in the present invention, and does not claim interchangeable seal jaw portions as found in the present invention. There is no adjustability or interchangeability disclosed in the '937 patent application.
The present invention is distinguished from US 2016/0325518. The '518 application is a patent application claiming a method for creating gusseted packages. Application '518 is not a bottom-gusseted application or invention, unlike the present invention. The '518 application makes no claims regarding sealing jaws. There is no adjustability or interchangeability disclosed in the '518 patent application.
The present invention is distinguished from U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,428. '428 is a patent for a vertical form fill seal packaging machine with a method of creating a resealable package by applying a longitudinal zipper. The machine of '428 is convertible to a standard pillow pack. There is no adjustability or interchangeability disclosed in the '428 patent.
The present invention is distinguished from U.S. Pat. No. 6,691,491. '491 is a patent for a vertical form fill seal packaging machine with a method of creating a resealable package by applying a longitudinal zipper. The machine of '491 is convertible to a standard pillow pack. There is no adjustability or interchangeability disclosed in the '491 patent.
The present invention is distinguished from U.S. Pat. No. 6,695,757. '757 discloses a design of a self-standing bag. This is not a form fill seal packaging application of the present invention. There is no adjustability or interchangeability disclosed in the '757 patent.
The present invention is distinguished from U.S. Pat. No. 6,795,932. '932 is a method of creating gusseted bags. This is not a form fill seal packaging application of the present invention. There is no adjustability or interchangeability disclosed in the '932 patent.
The present invention is distinguished from U.S. Pat. No. 5,826,401. '401 describes a method to create a gusseted bag on a form fill seal packaging machine in various positions. There is no adjustability or interchangeability disclosed in the '401 patent.
The present invention is distinguished from U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,326. '326 discloses a different method to achieve results similar to those of the '401 patent. The '326 patent does not apply to pre-applied bottom gusseted packages. The '326 patent does not claim adjustable bottom gusset seal bars, unlike the present invention. There is no adjustability or interchangeability disclosed in the '326 patent.
The present invention is distinguished from U.S. Pat. No. 4,837,849. The '849 patent discloses a standard "pouch" which is fundamentally created in a different manner than a pillow pack. The '849 patent describes a package design, but not the method or tooling to create it. There is no adjustability or interchangeability disclosed in the '849 patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,997,504 describes a method of creating a bottom gusseted pouch, but without a pre-applied bottom gusset. This also describes a method of using an electron beam to cure the film's sealant layer. The patent does not apply to pre-applied bottom gusseted packages. '504 does not claim adjustable bottom gusset seal bars. There is no adjustability or interchangeability disclosed in the '504 patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,547,284 describes a stand-up four-sided pouch design which expands into a side gusseted bag when filled with product. This is not a form, fill and seal application. The design does apply to a pre-applied bottom gusseted package. There is no adjustability or interchangeability disclosed in the '284 patent.
EP0253755A2B relates to sealing the fin seal of a non-gusseted package. This application applies to the fin seal area of a pillow pack, not to bottom-gusseted packages. The application does not claim adjustable gusset sealing jaws. This application does not claim interchangeable sealing jaws. This application does not apply to bottom-gusseted packages. There is no adjustability or interchangeability disclosed in the '755 application.
EP31912955B1 claims a removeable sealing jaw portion, but not an interchangeable jaw portion. This patent application does not appear to claim an adjustable bottom gusset seal jaw. This patent claims at least one removeable jaw portion for permitting formation of non-gusseted packages. There is no adjustability or interchangeability disclosed in the '955 application.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,223,805 applies to a method of sealing sterile bulky products within a package to ensure hermetic seals. This invention applies to gusseted packages. This invention does not apply to bottom-gusseted packages. This invention does not claim adjustable gusset sealing jaws. There is no adjustability or interchangeability disclosed in the '805 patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,245 claims a design for a horizontal form fill seal machine. Bottom-gusset packages are created on vertical form fill seal machines. This patent does not claim a gusseted package. This patent does not claim adjustable gusset sealing jaws. There is no adjustability or interchangeability disclosed in the '245 patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,604,854 applies to side-gusseted bags and methods of filling bags on a vertical form fill seal machine. This invention claims a formed gusset package, not a pre-applied bottom gusset. This invention does not claim adjustable bottom gusset sealing jaws. There is no adjustability or interchangeability disclosed in the '854 patent.
US 2016/0067937 teaches a pre-applied bottom gusset package form and the sealing technology for a removeable sealing face. The '937 patent application claims a removeable gusset seal face to allow the user to create standard non-gusseted packages. There is no adjustability or interchangeability disclosed in the '937 patent application.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,928,791 teaches a U-Shaped sealing technology. The '791 patent applies to sealing technology for forming re-closeable bags and does not address bottom gusseted packages. There is no adjustability or interchangeability disclosed in the '791 patent application.
In some prior art, FFS packaging machines are designed to run with cumbersome interchangeable tooling which typically is a forming collar which creates the final bag size and shape, in addition to sealing jaws which create the final package seals. Jaw change-over is a skill requiring technical knowledge. Typically, jaw changeovers are performed by trained maintenance personnel to ensure proper alignment and to prevent costly damage to the FFS equipment. Jaw changeovers are time consuming procedures requiring downtime of the FFS.
Prior art does not teach adjustable bottom gusset sealing jaws. Prior designs feature a fixed sealing jaw that can create a single bag width. Generally, bottom gusseted sealing jaws have a horizontal sealing function and a vertical side seal function. The horizontal portion of the sealing jaws creates a seal along the top and bottom of the package. The vertical portion of bottom gusseted jaws creates a vertical seal along the left and right sides of a package directly above the lower seal of a package. This vertical feature seals the pre-applied gusset to the film web which, in turn, creates a stand-up flat bottom package. The invention comprises a novel design and method of adjusting the vertical side seal portion of a bottom gusseted seal bar.
Some factors requiring interchangeable seal profiles include: a) product shape and density as well as the ability of a product to "settle" in a package that affects the final appearance of a bottom gusseted package; b) certain products that require hermetic seals to control the freshness of the product and extend the shelf life; c) requirements for printed bag graphics may require alteration of the package seal profile to ensure readability of bar codes, product weight, ingredients or other information, and the requirement to allow the manufacturer to change the volume of the bag for a given bag size.

Adjustable sealing bar for pre-applied bottom gusset package and method of using the same


An integrated circuit leadless package system includes forming a lead, attaching an integrated circuit die to the lead, and applying an encapsulant including a thin encapsulant region with a thinner section over the lead than a section over the integrated circuit die.

Consumer and industry demands for more functions, lower cost, and smaller form factors have increased use of integrated circuits. Integrated circuits today are used in very small systems, such as cell phones, music players, and cameras, to very large systems, such as cars, airplanes, and industrial controls. Across virtually all applications, there continues to be demand for reducing the size and increasing performance of the devices. The intense demand is no more visible than in portable electronics that have become so ubiquitous.
Smaller integrated circuit devices require a smaller package, which both encases the circuit and provides electrical interconnection to external circuitry. A leadframe is one common means of electrical interconnection. The leadframe is formed from electrically conductive material, which is formed into leads. The lead ends close to the integrated circuit device connect to the integrated circuit device by thin bond wires. The lead ends opposite the integrated circuit device are electrically connected to external circuitry such as a printed circuit board.
To protect the integrated circuit device from moisture and mechanical damage, the lead ends close to the integrated circuits and the integrated circuit device are encapsulated. Encapsulation may be accomplished by a molding compound, which surrounds both the lead ends close the integrated circuits and the integrated circuit device. Alternatively, a separate base and cover can be used to form a package. When the base and cover are attached together, the lead ends close to the integrated circuits and integrated circuit device are encapsulated within the package. Manufacturing the package includes many processes that create destructive pressure on ever shrinking dimensions.
As the demand for smaller electronic devices grows, manufacturers are seeking ways to reduce the size of the packaged integrated circuits. To meet these needs, packaging technologies are shifting towards smaller footprints with higher numbers of leads. The leads are continually shrinking in size and spacing or lead gaps. With fine pitch configurations, the lead-to-lead gap will be reduced further. This will cause the lead plating to be susceptible to shorting during the processing particularly when the package is clamped. As lead pitch is reduced, strength of the leads is also reduced. Accordingly there is a possibility that the leads are deformed, having a direct effect on the reliability of the semiconductor device.
Small form factor packages or chip scale packages, such as bump chip carriers, land grid arrays, no-lead or leadless packages are particularly susceptible to narrow lead-to-lead gaps as well as reduced strength leads. Higher numbers of leads and smaller sizes have made lead formation and encapsulation extremely difficult. Many of the processing steps may deform the fragile leads resulting in missing, hard to reach or shorted connections. The missing, hard to reach or shorted connections typically render the integrated circuit device useless.
In many configurations of multi row leadless package, the multi row leads are exposed on a top side of a flange area of the leads, due to the etching method for fabrication. A plating covers the top flange area due to multi row leads that are exposed during a plating process. With a fine pitch configuration, the lead-to-lead gap will be reduced further. This in turn will cause the solder plating to be more susceptible to shorting during a singulation process when the flange area is clamped. The shorting caused by the plating of the top flange and the reduce lead-to-lead gap resulting in useless integrated circuit device, reduces performance, functions and manufacturing yields, thereby increasing costs, complexity and throughput.
Thus, a need still remains for an integrated circuit leadless package system to provide improved reliability and manufacturing yield. In view of the increasing demand for improved density of integrated circuits and particularly portable electronic products, it is increasingly critical that answers be found to these problems.
Solutions to these problems have been long sought but prior developments have not taught or suggested any solutions and, thus, solutions to these problems have long eluded those skilled in the art.

Integrated circuit leadless package system


The present invention provides a push type cosmetic container that includes: an inner container (30) having a vertical tube (32) formed at the center of a storage space (31) for keeping makeup to feed the makeup vertically upward; a shoulder (40) fixed on the top of the inner container; a piston (50) inserted in the storage space (31) to be movable downward; and a valve unit (60) for discharging the makeup by opening a valve body (61) coupled to the top of the vertical tube (32) in the inner container when the piston (50) is pressed by pressing a pressing plate (63) elastically supported over the inner container (30) by a spring (65).

The present invention has been made in an effort to solve these problems and an object of the present invention is to discharge makeup for use by pressing a piston using a simple structure that elastically presses a pressing plate with a spring instead of an airless pump.
Another object to of the present invention is to assemble a cosmetic container at one time after filling an inner container with makeup, with a valve unit, a shoulder, and a piston assembled over the inner container.
Another object of the present invention is to prevent remaining makeup from leaking outside by preventing a pressing plate from moving downward before it is pressed first, and by improving a structure for sealing a path for discharging makeup.
A push type cosmetic container according to an aspect of the present invention includes: an inner container inserted in a bottom body of an outer container and having a vertical tube formed at a center of a storage space for keeping makeup to feed the makeup vertically upward; a shoulder fixed on the inner container; a piston inserted in the storage space of the inner container to be movable downward, and a valve unit for discharging the makeup by opening a valve body coupled to a top of the vertical tube
in the inner container when the piston is pressed by pressing a pressing plate elastically supported over the inner container by a spring, in which the valve unit includes: the valve body fitted on the vertical tube of the inner container and having a valve hole and discharge holes circumferentially arranged at an upper portion; a pressing plate disposed outside the upper portion of the valve body and having pressing bars on a bottom for pressing the piston; and the spring elastically supporting the bottom of the pressing plate, in which an inner side of the pressing plate is elastically in close contact with an inclined surface formed on an outer side of the upper portion of the valve body to open and close the discharge holes of the valve body when the pressing plate is pressed.
A packing being in elastically close contact with the inclined surface on the outer side of the upper portion of the valve body may be disposed inside the pressure plate for hermetic operation.
An upper outer side of the pressing plate may be spaced from a locking step formed on an inner side of an upper portion of the shoulder so that the pressing plate is in close contact with the inclined surface on the outer side of the upper portion of the valve body by elasticity of the spring.
Air vents may be formed at one or more positions on an inner side of the storage space of the inner container from an upper end to an initial insertion position of the piston.
A recession that is lower than a top of the pressing plate may be formed on a top of the valve body.
Coupling projections each having a locking step on an upper outer side may be vertically formed on the piston and, coupling holes in which the coupling projections are inserted may be formed in the shoulder and a locking step locking the locking steps of the coupling projections to prevent separation may be formed on an inner side of the shoulder so that an assembly of the valve unit, the shoulder, and the piston is combined with the bottom body of the outer container, and the locking steps of the piston and the locking step of the shoulder may be rounded projections to release the pressing plate when the pressing plate is initially pressed.
The spring elastically supporting the pressing plate may have any one of a conical shape and an inverse conical shape.
The pressing bars on the bottom of the pressing plate may be spaced at a predetermined distance from a top of the piston.
The shoulder, the piston, and the valve unit may be combined in one assembly and then the assembly may be combined with the bottom body and the inner container filled with makeup.
A remaining pressure remover for removing remaining pressure generated when the piston is combined may be further provided in the storage space of the inner container.
The remaining pressure remover may include: a support vertically supported in the inner container and a cap made of elastic rubber and having a first part integrally coupled to the support and a second part having pressure removable holes for discharging internal pressure of the inner container to the outside when the piston is combined, and a coupling hole fitted on the second end of the cap may be formed through the piston and the pressure removable holes at the second part may be closed by elastic contact with a covering portion formed on the shoulder at a corresponding position when the piston finishes being combined.
According to the present invention, the makeup is simply discharged by pressing the piston through a simple structure elastically supporting the pressing plate with the spring instead of an airless pump, so productivity is improved, the manufacturing cost is reduced, and convenience in use is provided for users.
Further, since the valve unit, the shoulder, and the piston to be coupled to the top of the inner container are combined in one assembly and then the assembly is combined with the inner container filled with makeup at one time, assembly is simple.
Further, the piston is prevented from moving downward before the pressing plate is initially pressed for use and the remaining of the makeup is prevented from being discharged outside by improving a hermetic structure for the path for discharging the makeup, so it is possible to prevent contamination of the makeup and the container.
Further, the remaining pressure that is not discharged through the air vent when the piston is inserted in the inner container filled with makeup is secondarily discharged through the remaining pressure remover, so the piston can be more quickly and stably combined.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS USED ON THE DRAWING10: Top body20: Bottom body30: Inner container31: Storage space32: Vertical tube33: Air vent40: Shoulder41: Step46: Locking step50: Piston55: Coupling projection56: Locking step60: Valve unit61: Valve body61a: Valve hole61b: Discharge hole61c: Inclined surface61d: Recession63: Pressing plate63a: Pressing bar64: Packing65: Spring80: Remaining pressure remover81: Support82: Cap82a: Pressure removable hole83: Coupling hole84: Covering portion


An instrument panel device includes an instrument panel incorporating a speed meter, an odometer, a main switch and a meter cover covering the instrument panel and the main switch. The main switch is provided with a key cylinder projecting inwardly from the side surface of the meter cover. An inclined surface is formed on the side surface of the meter cover so that the projecting direction of the key cylinder is oriented obliquely downwardly. The inclined surface is formed at a position lowered by one step from the outermost circumferential surface of the meter cover. The resulting configuration reduces the size of the instrument panel device by reducing the depth of the instrument panel device incorporating the main switch with the key cylinder.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to vehicle instrument panel devices and in particular to a vehicle instrument panel device having a main switch including an ignition switch.
2. Description of Background Art
Motorcycles, all terrain vehicles (hereinafter referred to as "ATVs") and other vehicles include an instrument panel device generally housing a speed meter and an odometer. There is known an example in which a main switch including an ignition switch as well as instruments such as a speed meter and an odometer is integrally arranged in such an instrument panel device. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-280577 discloses an ATV attached with an instrument panel device including a main switch in which the central axis of a key cylinder, namely, a direction of taking a key in and out, is set to a direction almost-vertically to an instrument panel.
An effort has been made to reduce the thickness of the entire instrument panel device (a size in a direction perpendicular to an instrument panel) by employing a liquid crystal display panel or the like as an instrument panel installed in the instrument panel device.
A key cylinder may be arranged almost vertically to an instrument panel like the instrument panel device described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-280577. In this case, a cover of the instrument panel device needs to cover at least a length of the key cylinder extending from the surface of the instrument panel. However, this opposes the technique of downsizing the instrument panel device by reducing the thickness of the entire instrument panel device. Thus, a technique is desired which can downsize the instrument panel device without the effect of the length of the key cylinder.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an instrument panel device that can be downsized while being equipped with a main switch having a key cylinder.


A method of preventing colors from being mixed in a two-color image forming apparatus. The surface of a photoreceptor is uniformly charged. A first latent electrostatic image formed on the photoreceptor surface is developed with a one-component developer so as to form a first toner image. A second latent electrostatic image formed on the photoreceptor surface is developed with a two-component developer so as to form a second toner image. The first and second toner images are simultaneously transferred onto a recording medium. In a preferred embodiment, the one-component developer is a magnetic toner, while the two-component developer is the combination of a nonmagnetic toner and a magnetic carrier. The magnetic toner and the magnetic carrier are preferably powder made of substantially the same materials.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of preventing colors from being mixed in a two-color image forming apparatus wherein a two-color image is formed in a single step of color image formation.
2. Description of the Related Art
A two-color image forming apparatus of the type in which a two-color image is formed in a single step of color image formation is well known. In this type of image forming apparatus, two separate latent electrostatic image forming, and developing stages are used for forming an image having two colors. During latent image forming/developing, the toner used for forming a first toner image in the first latent image forming/developing stage is inevitably mixed with the toner of the other color for forming a second toner image. As a result, the second toner image contains a mixture of the colors of those toners. This will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 1.
FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the construction of a part of a conventional two-color image forming apparatus. As shown, two latent image forming/developing stages are disposed around a photoreceptor 1 as a drum. The first latent image forming/developing stage A, which forms a first latent electrostatic image and develops it into a first toner image, includes a first charger 2 and a first developing unit 4. A first laser beam 3 containing visual information, such as characters and graphic information, is applied to the charged surface of the photoreceptor 1.
The second latent image forming/developing stage B, which forms a second latent electrostatic image and develops it into a second toner image of a second color different from the first color, is disposed downstream of the first latent image forming/developing stage. This stage includes a second charger 5, and a second developing unit 7. A second laser beam 6 containing a visual information is applied to the charged surface of the photoreceptor 1, after it leaves the second charger 5.
A transfer unit 8 is disposed downstream of the second latent image forming/developing stage. The transfer unit 8 transfers the first and second toner images, which were formed on the surface of the photoreceptor 1 in the first and second latent image forming/developing stages, onto a recording paper 9.
In operation, a first toner image is formed on the surface of the photoreceptor 1 through a process consisting of the following steps:
(1) uniformly charging the surface of the photoreceptor 1 using the first charger 2; PA1 (2) forming a first latent electrostatic image on the surface of the photoreceptor 1 with the first laser beam 3; and PA1 (3) developing the first latent electrostatic image with the first developing unit 4. PA1 (1) uniformly charging the surface of the photoreceptor 1 using the second charger 5; PA1 (2) forming a second latent electrostatic image on the surface of the photoreceptor 1 with the second laser beam 6; and PA1 (3) developing the second latent electrostatic image with the second developing unit 7.
Similarly, a second toner image is formed on the surface of the photoreceptor 1 through a second process consisting of the following steps:
The first and second toner images thus formed are transferred onto the recording paper 9 by the transfer unit 8.
In the above-described known apparatus for forming an image in two different colors, during the process of forming and developing the first and second latent electrostatic images, the toner forming the first toner image on the surface of the photoreceptor 1 is inevitably partially scraped off the surface of the photoreceptor 1, and enters into the second developing unit 7. In the second developing unit 7, the toner of the first toner image is mixed into the toner of the second toner image, so that the second toner image contains a mixture of the first color (of the first toner) and the second color (of the second toner).
This mixture of the toners also varies the charge properties, e.g., the amount of charge and the polarity of charge, of the second toner. Accordingly, the quality of the resultant reproduced picture is deteriorated. Also, the lifetime of the developer is reduced.

Method of preventing colors from being mixed for a two-color image forming apparatus


An electronic parking brake system having selectable modes and varying parking brake actuation dependent on the selected mode and amount of parking brake application being requested. The system provides for varying interfaces with varying programmed outputs to control a vehicle's parking brake. One such mode being a boat launch mode in which an electronic parking brake is initially actuated to 100%, the amount of parking brake application is displayed, and the driver is allowed to modulate the parking brake application through + and − buttons in combination with the visual display to allow the vehicle to back down a boat ramp using gravity.

In vehicles, a parking brake, sometimes also called an emergency brake, is a latching brake usually used to keep the vehicle stationary. It is sometimes also used to prevent a vehicle from rolling when the operator needs both feet to operate a clutch and throttle pedals. Automobile parking brake systems usually consist of a cable directly connected to the parking brake on one end and to a manually moveable mechanism at the driver's position. The mechanism is typically a hand-operated lever on either side of the driver, a pull handle located below and near the steering wheel column, or a foot-operated pedal located adjacent other foot-pedals.
In vehicles with rear drum brakes, a parking brake cable is used to actuate the drums of the drum brakes mechanically with less force than may be available through the regular hydraulic system. In vehicles with rear disc brakes, the parking brake either actuates the disc calipers via a cable or a small drum brake housed within the hub assembly (the inner circumference of the rotor is often used instead of a separate drum; sometimes referred to as a drum-in-hat rotor).
Electronic parking brakes may use an electric switch for activation/deactivation of the parking brake as opposed to the manually moveable mechanism. To its obvious advantage of only having a small switch within drivers reach versus a larger mechanism, it also has the disadvantage of not backfeeding a force, displacement, or activation feel, or for providing a modulation of the brake force being applied. With this disadvantage, having only a switch makes it impossible to use the parking brake to aid in launching a boat, enhance sporty driving whilst using the handbrake during turns, and also does not give the customer the feel of having their vehicle properly secured during parking.


A power mode designating unit of a main system outputs an operation mode designating signal to a sub system. Upon shifting from the normal operation mode to the power-saving mode, a control unit of the sub system outputs a power-saving mode shift enable signal indicating that shifting to the power-saving mode is possible to a power control unit of the sub system. When the operation mode designating signal designates the power-saving mode and the power-saving mode shift enable signal indicates that shifting to the power-saving mode is possible, the power control unit supplies a power-saving mode voltage to the control unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power control system, more specifically, to a power control system that shifts an operation mode of a sub system connected to a main system to a power-saving mode or a normal operation mode.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, power saving control of central processing unit (CPU) employed in an image forming apparatus is more sophisticated compared with the conventional one. For example, in a power-saving mode, by retaining operation information of CPU while reducing the power supply voltage to such a voltage with which the CPU itself is not operable, electric power consumption in the power-saving mode is saved.
In an image forming apparatus having a main system and a sub system, operation mode of the sub system is shifted to a power-saving mode by outputting a command for stopping supply of power to the subsystem, to a power supply control unit that supplies each sub system with power from the main system, thereby reducing supply voltage to the sub system.
However, in shifting to the power-saving mode, when there is a process under processing in the sub system, there arises a problem that the mode shifts to the power-saving mode before completion of the process. There is also a problem that a CPU cannot be activated because of low supply voltage even when an activation signal for activating the CPU is output to the CPU in the condition that the power supply voltage is reduced to such a voltage with which operation of the CPU for sub system control itself is disabled, in the power-saving mode of the sub system.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-131766 discloses a technique that solves the problem by controlling a timing of shifting to the power-saving mode of the system, and a timing of outputting an activation signal for returning from the power-saving mode of the system by means of a timer.
However, in the conventional art, in conducting power supply control, power supply management is generally realized by using a sub microcomputer or a special device, however, use of such a sub microcomputer or a special device exclusively for the purpose of power supply management will result in increases in production cost and circuit scale and hence is undesirable from the view point of substrate implementation area.


The present invention discloses pharmaceutical products useful for the treatment of allergies, autoimmune diseases, vaccination of mammals, as well as for in vitro diagnostics. These products preferably comprise pollen grains having altered protein composition by means of genetic modification in the plant that produces them. The production process of the present invention comprises the cultivation of genetically modified plants capable of producing pollen grains having modified molecular composition.

The processes to obtain economically relevant compounds have been changing significantly in recent years in the area of biotechnology. Until recently, the traditional industrial fermentations, for instance, were the main technological option for the production of polypeptides, enzymes, antibiotics and other substances of economic interest. Meanwhile, as the knowledge about microbiology, biochemistry and genetics of the organisms involved in the fermentative processes increased, the production technologies have also been adapted and modified. The development of molecular biology techniques was remarkable in this context: besides offering tools for the understanding of the biochemical, genetic and evolutionary mechanisms of the many species studied, molecular biology also furthered the development of countless alternatives for the industrial production of substances, as a result of the combination possibilities of the different organism's characteristics.
The present-day market shows a great demand of products and processes in the Human and/or Animal Health segment and the interest in the development of technologies in this area continues. From the industrial technology standpoint, many factors can be considered as limiting or technological "bottlenecks". Especially relevant in the production of economically important substances are the costs involved in the purification, which frequently demands a series of complex and costly steps. The determination of the cost of new therapeutic products is a very complex process, if all phases involved are to be considered—from the product conception until its placement on the market. One major factor of impact on the costs is the adopted technology, especially in the case of biological products whose chemical synthesis has not yet been developed or which presents technical or economical disadvantages. The advance of the recombinant DNA technology allowed the production of proteins and other substances in virtually unlimited quantities. On the other hand, the expression system employed has a remarkable influence on the product's nature and on the production process. A good illustrative example is the production of the Tissue Plasminogen Activator (tPA), an anti-thrombotic agent used in the treatment of myocardium infarct, thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. This substance, when produced by Escherichia coli, or through the cultivation of genetically modified ovary cells from hamsters (CHO), presents significant differences regarding its structure (glycosilation, need of renaturing etc.) and production processes, which reflects on its price. In E. coli, 12% of the tPA's production costs correspond to the fermentative phase of the process and 88% are due to purification. On the other hand, in the production through CHO, 75% of the costs derive from the cellular cultivation and 25% from purification (Datar et al, "Process Economics of Animal Cells and Bacterial Fermentations: A Case Study Analysis of Tissue Plasminogen Activator" Bio/Technology 11:349-357, 1993). These differences are significant and can be decisively influent in the choice of the process to be used. Still other factors have a special importance in the choice of the production system, such as funds (capital) for the factory's installation, costs of raw materials, the need of qualified personnel (and its cost) as well as environmental and safety aspects.
The Vegetal Model
A safer and cheaper system to produce biologically originated substances may be idealized in transgenic plants cultivated in contained areas (greenhouses) or in agricultural areas. Furthermore, the vegetal system to produce substances of pharmaceutical interest offers various advantages, among which one might mention the absence of animal viruses and other animal cell products, as well as the absence of the typical contamination of bacterial fermentative processes, from yeasts or animal cells. In this context, the knowledge of the genetic and biochemical mechanisms of some vegetal models is reasonably wide, standing out, among other plants, Arabidopsis thaliana, Nicotiana tabacum and Oryza sativa. Among the main advantages of the use of the vegetal system for the production of substances with economical interest, one should emphasize the easier scale up, which is fundamental in the case of polypeptides and/or proteins of industrial interest. In the case of using microorganisms (recombinant or not), the phases involved in the scale up are normally the limiting factors of the process economy. This occurs for various reasons, among which the non-linearity of the determining relations of the process' efficiency (oxygen transfer, rheological factors, energy demand of the process etc.), the cost of the necessary production equipment and the need of adequately qualified personnel. In the case of the vegetal system, the mentioned cost components are much lower, since the scale-up tends to be simpler and linear. Besides that, in the evaluation of an industrial process' economy, the strategies seeking to eliminate the largest possible number of purification phases should be considered. Furthermore, plants are metabolically able to perform complex post-translational modifications, such as glycosylations, which widens the scope of possible peptides, antigens or vaccine candidates to be produced by plants. In this sense, the strategy of the present invention comprises the development of expression systems which take into account the most appropriate cellular and sub-cellular localizations for the desired products and, foremost, the elimination of purification steps.
The reproductive systems of A. thaliana and N. tabacum have been intensely studied in the recent years and are suitable to the logic of eliminating purification steps of the present invention. The starting point for the idealization of the present invention was the existing knowledge about the genes involved in the vegetal reproductive development and, more precisely, those related to the development of the tapetum which, for some years now, is the study object of the Laboratory for Plant Molecular Genetics of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Former studies in that laboratory in this area comprise the state of the art of the present invention. On one hand, the knowledge about the expression of the genes involved in the formation of A. thaliana's inflorescence (Franco, MSc. Dissertation, UFRJ, 1992) was helpful to understand the function of the oleosin-type proteins, more recently studied with molecular biology techniques associated to microscopy (Ferreira, PhD Thesis, UFRJ, 1997). On the other hand, there also exists knowledge about the regulation mechanisms of the codifying genes of said oleosin-type proteins, studied with the help of the .beta.-glucuronidase (GUS) gene marker (Scholte, PhD Thesis, UFRJ, 1998). Even more recently, a strategy of modifying the protein composition of the external surface of pollen grains was described by Foster et al "Modifying the pollen coat protein composition in Brassica", Plant Journal 31(4): 477-486, 2002, also described in the document WO 99/49063, by the same authors. However, neither these, nor any other reference known by the author make any allusion or suggestion regarding the use of genetically modified plants for the production of pharmaceutical products in tissues and/or cells of the male vegetal reproductive system, neither do they mention the use of whole, intact, pollen grains derived from genetically modified plants as pharmaceutical products to be used in immunoreactions, as vaccines or as reactive agents for diagnostics, which collectively comprise the objects of the present invention.
For the purposes of the present invention, one should understand as "tissues and cells of the male vegetal reproductive system" the tissues or cells of the male vegetal reproductive system, including the anthers, tapetum, pollen—grains, parts and combinations thereof. For the purposes of the present invention, one should also understand as "immunoreactions" all reactions that involve cells and/or molecules of the immune system of eukaryotes, including vertebrates, invertebrates, mammals and the like, including mononuclear cells such as macrophages and lymphocytes B and T, neutrophils, eosinophils, besides antigens, antibodies, cytokines and other chemical mediators of the immune system, including parts of the same and its combinations. Furthermore, for the purposes of the present invention, one should understand as "heterologous polypeptide" any amino acid sequence which is not naturally produced by the plant, but whose synthesis in it derived from the genetic modification undertaken in the plant through the present invention. Without limiting the scope of the present invention, one should emphasize as being of special importance the use of pollen grains containing at least one heterologous polypeptide.
The present invention offers means to avoid some difficulties in both the production and use of polypeptides with therapeutic and/or diagnostics interest. On one hand, pollen grains are structurally stable, probably as a consequence of the need of reproductive success. Therefore, their "evolution" in order to resist the most diverse environmental stresses is useful to the logic of using them as a product, since their high stability is favorable and desirable. In an additional aspect, whole pollen grains of the present invention may be used in certain applications, bypassing the need of purification. As examples, herein used to illustrate the present invention but not to limit its scope, whole pollen grains containing heterologous polypeptides would permit: the direct use as antigens in the production of diagnostic kits, especially for screening, and its use as a vaccine preferably delivered onto mucous membranes or injected subcutaneously.
Pollen is often associated to allergy because some people develop symptoms such as sneezing, itching, cough, nasal irritation, eye watering and asthma when exposed to the pollen of certain plants. These particles are carried in large amounts by the air, normally during springtime. When they get in contact with the nasal mucous membranes or the throat, they may trigger allergic reactions known as polinosis or seasonal allergic rhinitis (for more details, consult Balda et al, "Tree-pollen Allergy is Efficiently Treated by Short-term Immunotherapy (STI) with Seven Preseasonal Injections of Molecular Standardized Allergens". Allergy 53, 740-748, 1998). As in any allergic process, the polinosis is a high sensibility to certain substances present in the pollen, and considerably varies from person to person, even though there seems to be a familiar correlation. In the majority of allergic reactions, the immune system responds to a "false alarm", mobilizing the attack against the allergen. The organism produces large quantities of specific IgEs, which bind themselves to the mastocytes in the tissues and to the basophils in the blood. When the allergen meets the IgE the liberation of histamine, prostaglandin, leucothriens and other substances occurs, thus causing the allergy symptoms (for more details, see Batanero et al, "IgE-binding and Histamine-release Capabilities of the Main Carbohydrate Component Isolated from the Major Allergen of Olive Tree Pollen, Ole e 1". J Allergy Clin Immunol 103, 147-153, 1999). Some strategies have been developed in order to obtain vaccines against autoimmune diseases and allergies, being generally based on the induction of tolerance. For example, known pollen grain allergens, when prepared in an encapsulated form, have shown to be efficient in the induction of tolerance by means of nasal administration. Nevertheless, the available encapsulating methods of allergens/antigens are laborious and costly, besides generally bringing about the denaturation of said allergens/antigens. The present invention's approach makes it possible to overcome these problems through the production of heterologous allergens/antigens in pollen grains.
Due to its natural ability to stimulate the production of specific IgEs and IgGs, we started from the hypothesis that the pollen could become a good candidate as a carrier and deliverer of vaccine antigens in mucous membranes, such as its direct use via nasal immunizations. Besides the already mentioned elevated structural stability of the pollen, an additional characteristic of the present invention under consideration is to enable the use of whole pollen grains as vaccines. Interestingly, one of the goals clearly expressed by the World Health Organization (WHO) is the development of new systems for the delivery of antigen vaccines to the respiratory tract. Furthermore, recent studies have demonstrated that vaccines derived from transgenic plants, when applied in the form of dry powder, seem to be the preferred solution for the lack of homogeneity in the concentrations of antigens produced in plants (for further references, see Sala et al., "Vaccine antigen production in transgenic plants: strategies, gene constructs and perspectives". Vaccine 21:803-808, 2003; Mielcarek et al. "Nasal vaccination using live bacterial vectors". Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews 51:55-69, 2001). On the other hand, the WHO's recommendation for the vaccine against tetanus (or lockjaw), for instance, is the administration of three consecutive doses of the respective antigen. This repeated administration has financial and logistical disadvantages, since some patients do not return for the second dose and because the vaccination campaigns have as a limiting factor: the need of a cold chain, considering that practically all vaccines are thermo labile. The availability of vaccines in pollen grains presents itself as capable of solving these mentioned problems, besides being easily delivered (without injections), easily standardized and endowed with an elevated thermal stability, being able to help avoid the logistics problems which are so far inherent to vaccination campaigns. These advantages open up good perspectives for the study and development of this way of immunization in combination with the presentation form of the present invention.
Several efforts have been made in the last two decades in the sense of trying to develop subunit vaccines for human and veterinary use. The subunit vaccines are based on individual components derived from the infectious agent and, normally, have a low immunogenicity due to the absence of other cellular constituents from which they are often purified. Therefore, when developing vaccines it is desirable to plan the utilization of other substances which have the potential to increase the immune response to the antigens in question, what is normally done with the use of adjuvants. Entire cells or parts thereof can work as self-adjuvants, which is favorable for the present invention's approach. The identification of an appropriate antigen is only the first step in the development process to obtain a subunit vaccine, since adequate adjuvant systems and delivery systems of the respective antigen are also necessary. An adjuvant can be any material which increases the immune-humoral and/or cellular response to the antigen(s); it is generally accepted in literature that certain adjuvants act through the gradual liberation of the antigens to the cells of the immune system. Recent studies (Wiedermann, et al. "Modulation of an allergic immune response via the mucosal route in a murine model of inhalative type-I allergy" Intl. Arch. Allergy Immunol. 118:129-132, 1999) have shown that antigenic preparations in powdered form can also increase the incorporation of antigens by the antigen processing cells of the immune system. In this sense, the use of whole pollen grains, due to its powdered nature, offers this additional advantage in the case of application in vaccines. Independently of exactly knowing the specific mechanism involved, it is known that not only the cellular, but also the humoral immunity might be stimulated in various degrees, depending on the antigen, the adjuvant, the administration protocol and the species involved.
In order to develop an effective and commercially feasible vaccine, the relation between the production cost and the large-scale production capacity of the antigenic preparation and the adjuvant system should be taken into account. On the other hand, the growing number of vaccines under developed and the number of required injections for a wide-ranging immunization program for children, for instance, generates elevated costs and the preoccupation about the discontinuity potential of current vaccination programs. This makes highly desirable the availability of alternative immunization means, especially those allowing the so-called multivalent vaccination, that is, the one that permits to present multiple antigens or epitopes simultaneously. In this context, transgenic plants have been the object of several attempts to obtain "edible" vaccines, due to their notorious advantages in terms of production costs and administration. However, vaccines produced in transgenic plants destined for oral consumption have the disadvantage of passing by the gastrointestinal barrier, which destroys a significant portion of the vaccine antigens. For that reason, the state of the art shows that the amount of antigens required for an effective immune response derived from an edible transgenic plant vaccine is from 100 to 1,000 times higher than the amount of antigens necessary for an effective parenteral immunization (for further reference, see Carter III, J. E., and Langridge, W. H. R. "Plant-based vaccines for protection against infectious and autoimmune diseases". Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences 21(2), 93-109, 2002; Streatfield and Howard "Plant-based vaccines". International Journal for Parasitology 33, 479-493, 2003). Therefore, the need to develop new alternatives to overcome these difficulties persists.
The entry route of most pathogenic agents is the mucous surfaces and a large part of the infections is located in the mucous and sub mucous tissues. However, conventional injectable vaccines are poorly efficient for the induction of an immune response in mucous membranes. As a consequence, several experiments are being carried out in order to offer alternatives for the immunization in mucous membranes, which includes, for instance, the incorporation of antigens in larger particles (such as liposomes, immune stimulatory complexes, microspheres) for increasing the efficiency of the immune response in mucous tissues. On the other hand, the use of adequate adjuvants is normally very important for the stimulation of the desired type of immune response. Among the known adjuvants, and in the scope of the present invention, one might point out the vegetable oils. A primary advantage of the use of vegetable oil adjuvants over the use of mineral oils is that vegetable oils can be easier metabolized and are, therefore, more tolerable. Patent literature is rich in examples of the use of vegetable oils as adjuvants in vaccines, including, for instance, documents WO 01/95934 "The use of plant oil-bodies in vaccine delivery systems" and WO 02/00169 "Production of vaccines using transgenic plants or modified plant viruses as expression vectors and transencapsidated viral coat proteins as epitope presentation systems". Most of these patents disclose formulations and the use of water-in-oil or oil-in-water emulsions which are prepared through the mixture of pure chemical compounds. However, none of the mentioned documents reveals or suggests the use of tissues or cells from the male vegetal reproductive system, such as whole pollen grains, or even parts thereof, as an useful pharmaceutical product in immune reactions or as an antigen-adjuvant combination for immunization, preferably applicable in mucous membranes. In this context, the present invention offers a technical and commercially feasible production alternative of a pharmaceutical product which is potentially useful in the treatment of dysfunctions of the immune system of eukaryotes and which allows, among other characteristics, the production of multiple substances in one single system.

Pharmaceutical product comprising transgenic pollen expressing heterologous polypeptides


An autonomic computing system may include an autonomic manager and a knowledge source accessible by the autonomic manager and any other entities associated with the autonomic computing system. The knowledge source may include a service interface adapted for the autonomic manager to access the knowledge source. The knowledge source may also include a multiplicity of knowledge elements.

The present invention relates to autonomic computing or the like, and more particularly to a method and system to manage scope and distribution of knowledge in an autonomic computing system.
Autonomic computing technology is based on creating system components referred to as autonomic managers that can perform actions that make systems more self-managing. An autonomic manager may perform a closed autonomic computing loop, such as a monitor-analyze-plan-execute (MAPE) loop or the like. Accordingly, the autonomic computing loop may involve the operations of monitoring a manageable entity, analyzing any data or information received, planning any actions as a result of the analysis and executing the actions. An autonomic manager's ability to govern and modify its behavior and carry out the autonomic computing loop may depend upon the autonomic manager's know-how or knowledge, that is, what the autonomic manager knows how to do and how this know-how or knowledge may be extended during development, initialization and steady-state operation of the autonomic manager.

Scope and distribution of knowledge in an autonomic computing system

International Business Machines Corporation


A signal of a signal line is written in the order from a pixel TFT of a pixel with a long response time of liquid crystal. A signal of a signal line is written in a pixel TFT displaying the same gray-scale among pixel TFTs connected to the same signal line. A signal of a signal line is simultaneously written in pixel TFTs displaying the same or approximate gray-scale among pixel TFTs connected to the same signal line. Then, a pixel electrode of a pixel TFT displaying an approximate gray-scale is supplied with a normal signal voltage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device and a method of driving the same. A liquid crystal display device conducts a light and dark display by utilizing a voltage applied to a liquid crystal layer interposed between substrates to change a polarized state, a scattered state, or wavelength characteristics of light passing through the liquid crystal layer.
In the present specification, a thin film transistor (TFT) refers to a semiconductor device having a semiconductor layer, a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode.
2. Description of the Related Art
Liquid crystal display devices have been used widely for portable equipment, personal computers, and the like in view of their light weight and low power consumption.
In a liquid crystal display device, a field sequential system has been paid attention to, in which light sources of three primary colors (red, green, and blue) are successively lighted to conduct a color display. The field sequential system does not need a color filter, so a high-precision display can be expected.
Regarding the field sequential system, it is proposed that light sources are successively and continuously lighted with varying light emission colors (Monthly FPD Intelligence Press Journal, 1999. 2, pp. 66-69). According to this system, when light emission colors of the light sources are changed, it is required to set the entire screen at a black level so as to prevent mixed color of the light sources in the respective pixels.
It is also proposed that a light source is lighted after response of liquid crystal is completed in a screen (Shunsuke Kobayashi, Color Liquid Crystal Display, Sangyo Tosho, Japan, p. 127). According to this system, light sources are intermittently lighted, so that a complete black display can be achieved when the light sources are not lighted. This allows an impulse system that is a driving system of a cathode ray tube (CRT) to be achieved even in a liquid crystal display device, and this system can be expected to prevent a residual image peculiar to a liquid crystal display device.
The problems to be solved by the invention will be described below.
Note that, in the present specification, a TFT formed in a pixel portion is referred to as a "pixel TFT".
Furthermore, in the present specification, signal lines having addresses S1 to Sm, scanning lines having addresses G1 to Gn, and pixels disposed in the vicinity of crossing points between the signal lines and the scanning lines are formed in pixel portions. Each pixel has a pixel TFT. A gate electrode of the pixel TFT is connected to a scanning line, and a source electrode thereof is connected to a signal line. The address of each pixel is represented by an address of a signal line connected to a source electrode of a pixel TFT, and an address of a scanning line connected to a gate electrode thereof. For example, when a pixel TFT is connected to a signal line in an i-th column and a scanning line in a j-th row, the address of a pixel having this pixel TFT is (i, j).
Furthermore, a pixel electrode is formed so as to be connected to a drain electrode of a pixel TFT, and an opposing electrode is opposed to the pixel electrode. Liquid crystal is interposed between the pixel electrode and the opposing electrode via an alignment film. Liquid crystal is switched in accordance with a potential difference between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode.
In dot-sequential driving, a period from a time when a first scanning line is selected to a time when an n-th scanning line is selected is referred to as a "scanning period of scanning lines". Applying a predetermined potential (e.g., +8 volts to +11 volts) to a scanning line for the purpose of activating a semiconductor layer is referred to as "selecting a scanning line". A period for selecting a scanning line is referred to as a "scanning line selection period".
More specifically, the "scanning period of scanning lines" refers to a period required from the beginning of selection of a first scanning line to the end of selection of an n-th scanning line. "Selecting a scanning line" refers to applying a gate pulse to a pixel TFT connected to a scanning line, thereby bringing a conducting state between a source and a drain of the pixel TFT connected to the scanning line. Furthermore, a selection period of a scanning line refers to a period for selecting one scanning line, and the "scanning period of scanning lines" is obtained by multiplying the selection period of a scanning line by n times.
Furthermore, selecting a signal line refers to applying a signal voltage to a signal line, and applying a potential of the signal line to a pixel TFT connected to the signal line.
Furthermore, a period from a time when a potential required for an image display is applied to a pixel electrode of a pixel TFT having an address (1,1) to a time when one monochromic image is formed is referred to as a "sub-frame period". A period from a time when a potential required for an image display is applied to a pixel electrode of a pixel TFT having an address (1,1) to a time when one color image is formed is referred to as a "frame period".
According to the field sequential system, a frame period in which a color image is displayed includes a sub-frame period for forming a red image, a sub-frame period for forming a blue image, and a sub-frame period for forming a green image.
FIG. 7 shows a timing chart of the field sequential system in which light sources are lighted intermittently. According to the field sequential system, a cycle (T) of one frame period is 16.6 msec., and a cycle (T/3) of a sub-frame period is 5.5 msec.
In dot-sequential driving, one scanning line is selected, and signal lines are successively selected by a shift register of a source driver, to thereby apply a potential of a signal line to a pixel electrode of each pixel TFT connected to a selected scanning line. The sub-frame period is divided into a standby period 301, a scanning line selection period 302, a liquid crystal response period 303, and a lighting period 304 of light sources. The standby period refers to a period from a time when one frame period starts to a time when a scanning line connected a pixel TFT is selected. The liquid crystal response period refers to a period in which liquid crystal responses in accordance with a potential of a pixel electrode. A scanning period 308 of scanning lines is obtained by multiplying a scanning line selection period by the number (n) of scanning lines.
In the scanning line selection period 302, a scanning line is selected, and a pixel electrode of a pixel TFT connected to the scanning line is successively supplied with a potential of a signal line in accordance with a desired gray-scale. In the liquid crystal response period 303, optical response of liquid crystal is completed. In the lighting period 304 of light sources, light sources are lighted intermittently, whereby a first light emission color 305, a second light emission color 306, and a third light emission color 307 are successively entered into a liquid crystal display device. For example, as the first light emission color, a red color is used. As the second light emission color, a green light is used. As the third light emission color, a blue light is used. However, when the light sources are lighted intermittently, the liquid crystal response period 303 of the pixel TFTs connected to a first scanning line is different from that of the pixel TFTs connected to an n-th scanning line. When it takes a long period of time for liquid crystal to respond, or when the scanning period 308 of scanning lines is long, if it is attempted to light a light source after liquid crystal response is completed, the lighting period 304 of light sources becomes short, which decreases lightness.
According to the field sequential system, one important factor is a response time of liquid crystal. As the response time of liquid crystal becomes shorter, a lighting period of a light source can be made longer to conduct a light display.
Another important factor of the field sequential system is a scanning period of scanning lines. Assuming that there are n scanning lines, when a scanning period becomes longer, it takes a shorter period of time for a light source to be lighted after the application of a potential of a signal line to a pixel electrode toward the n-th scanning line. Therefore, before response of liquid crystal is completed, a light source is lighted. A gray-scale level is determined by the integral of lightness shown by liquid crystal when a light source is lighted. If a light source is lighted before response of liquid crystal is completed, a gray-scale level when a screen is displayed is changed. On the contrary, if a light source is lighted after response of liquid crystal is completed, a lighting period of a light source becomes shorter, which results in a dark display.
In liquid crystal display devices with a number of scanning lines, e.g., XGA (1024 pixels (horizontal direction)×768 pixels (vertical direction)), SXGA (1280 pixels (horizontal direction)×1024 pixels (vertical direction), the ratio of a scanning period of scanning lines in a sub-frame period is not negligible. In dot-sequential driving of the SXGA liquid crystal display device, even if a write time of a signal to one pixel is set to be 0.75 to 1.5 nsec, a scanning period of scanning lines is estimated to be 1 to 2 msec. Therefore, when a scanning period of scanning lines is removed from a sub-frame period (5.5 msec), only 3.5 to 4.5 msec remains. If liquid crystal is allowed to respond until desired lightness is obtained and a light source is lighted within this time, a lighting time of a light source becomes considerably short, making it difficult to conduct a light display.
In the present specification, optical response of liquid crystal is allowed to be completed as early as possible in driving of a liquid crystal display device of the field sequential system. Furthermore, a scanning period of scanning lines is shortened to decrease a ratio of a standby period 301 in a sub-frame period.
More specifically, in the present specification, in the field sequential system, a sum of a standby period 301 and a liquid crystal response period 303 is shortened, and a lighting period 304 of a light source is prolonged, whereby a light display is conducted.

Liquid crystal display device and method of driving the same

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A system dynamically maps (and translates) codes and identifier values of any type to corresponding codes and identifiers of other entities. A method for determining a specific identifier code for an object associated with a plurality of identifier codes by a corresponding plurality of entities involves receiving a first message including at least a first identifier code identifying an object. The first identifier code is extracted from the received first message and a second message is generated incorporating the extracted first identifier code. The second message is used for initiating a search of an identifier code database mapping an identifier code associated with a first entity to a corresponding identifier code associated with a second entity. A second identifier code corresponding to the first identifier code is received in response to communicating the second message for initiating a search of the identifier code database. The second message initiates a remote procedure for mapping the first identifier code to a corresponding second identifier code.

It is common in commerce and industry for different entities such as companies or other organizations for example, to represent an object such as a product, service, resource or any other item of commercial significance, by different internal identifier codes. A problem occurs in integrating computer systems and transferring data between companies concerning commercial transactions involving such objects. Specifically, an identifier code of one entity (e.g., a manufacturer) is not recognized by the computer system of another entity (e.g., a wholesaler) involved in a transaction. Consider a case involving the procurement of an automobile oil filter, for example. A retail store ordering the oil filter part has a stock number. A distributor of the oil filter maintains another different stock number for the same filter. A company that brands the filter assigns a different part number and UPC (Universal Product Code) bar code. The manufacturer maintains yet another different part number. The difference in part numbers and codes used to represent the single part by the different entities involved in the distributorship chain causes significant problems in executing a transaction. A computer system of one entity in the chain needs to know the part number used to identify the object by another entity in the chain to generate purchase orders, for billing, and for other transaction records.
Some known systems address the problem by employing cross-reference mapping files embedded within individual networked applications used by the entities involved in a distribution chain. The mapping files translate (map) identifier codes between the different entities. This approach provides a costly, inflexible mapping system vulnerable to error and identifier code mismatch between mapping files. This approach is also dependent on synchronized update of the different mapping files involving use of complicated network interfaces and multiple, different file formats.
Another known system offered by Seebeyond.com and described at its web site employs a mapping system that involves a centralized mapping database and does not support access to additional remote external mapping databases thereby limiting the scope, flexibility and use of the mapping system.
A system according to the invention principles addresses the described problems and deficiencies.