Disclosed is a method and apparatus for supporting direct write access from many nodes of a multi-mode network to a file managed by a single node file system. The network includes first and second nodes coupled to each other via a first communication link, and a peripheral data storage device coupled to the first and second nodes via a second communication link. In one embodiment, the method includes the first node receiving data. The first node transmits a first message to the second node via the first communication link in response to the first node receiving the data. A software module such as a single node file system, executing on the second node, allocates storage memory of the peripheral data storage device for the data received by the first node in response to the second node receiving the first message. The first node writes the data to the allocated storage memory via the second communication link such that the data is written to the allocated storage memory without the data first transmitting through the first communication link.

FIG. 1 illustrates a data processing system 10 having nodes 12a-12c coupled to a storage area network (SAN). The SAN includes a data storage system 20 and a SAN communication link 24. Data storage system 20 may include one or more distinct memory units, each of which may contain, for example, several magnetic or optical disks for storing data.
Nodes 12a-12c can read or write data to data storage system 20 via SAN communication link 24. Nodes 12a-12c also communicate with each other via local area network (LAN) communication link 26. Node 12a is a server computer system while nodes 12b and 12c are client computer systems to server node 12a.
As shown in FIG. 1, server node 12a executes an operating system that includes a single node file system module (hereinafter referred to as single node file system) 30 and a file system driver filter module (hereinafter referred to as filter) 32a. Client nodes 12b and 12c also execute operating systems. The operating systems of client nodes 12b and 12c, however, do not include single node file systems. The operating systems executing on client nodes 12b and 12c include filters 32b and 32c, respectively. Filters 32a-32c can communicate with each other via LAN communication link 26.
Single node file systems create and manage files. Each file is typically created with an address space extending from zero to the size of the file. Single node file systems also allocate storage memory (e.g., storage memory within data storage system 20) to files. While the present invention should not be so limited, single node file systems typically allocate blocks of storage memory to corresponding blocks of file address space. If a storage memory block is allocated to a file address block, then each address in the storage memory block has a corresponding address in the file address block.
In addition to creating files, single node file systems create and manage meta data for each file. Meta data typically includes a file name assigned to the file, the file size, and a table or other similar structure that maps allocated storage memory to the file. Meta data, including memory-mapping tables, is originally created and stored in meta data memory 34a of server node 12a. Operating systems of client nodes 12b and 12c require meta data to access file data. Thus, valid meta data must be copied to meta data memories 34b and 34c before client nodes 12b and 12c can access data in files.
While it is common to say that computer systems write data to files at an address thereof, in reality data is written to and stored in storage memory allocated to the file address by the single node file system. Accordingly, when client node 12b writes data to a file address or file addresses, client node 12b actually writes data to a storage memory allocated to the file address or file addresses. Once storage memory has been allocated to a file address, the allocated storage memory can be used only for storing data designated for the file address unless the single node file system subsequently deallocates the storage memory. It is noted that even though storage memory is allocated, the allocated storage memory need not contain valid data. Moreover, storage memory blocks allocated to a file need not be contiguous or adjacent to each other in data storage system 20. For example, storage memory blocks allocated to a file may be distributed across several optical or magnetic disks of data storage system 20.
Any of nodes 12a-12c is capable of writing data to an address of a particular file in response to a request. However, data can be written to the address only if storage memory of storage system 20 has been allocated to the file address. Because client nodes 12b and 12c do not have single node file systems which can allocate storage memory, the performance of system 10 may degrade in situations where client nodes 12b or 12c receive a request to write data to file addresses which do not have storage memory allocated thereto. To illustrate, FIG. 2 shows operational aspects of client node 12b responding to a request to write data to an exemplary file E. At step 40, client node 12b receives the write request from an application program 36b executing on a computer system (not shown) in data communication with client node 12b. The request includes the data to be written and an address of file E where the data is to be written. From this address and the quantity of data to be written, client node 12b can calculate the address or addresses within file E where the data is to be written. For purposes of explanation, it will be presumed that the write request is an instruction to write data to consecutive addresses in file E. As will be described below, client node 12b can access the memory mapping table for file E to determine whether sufficient storage memory has been allocated for the write request.
After client node 12b receives the write data request, filter 32b first accesses meta data memory 34b to determine whether it includes a valid copy of meta data for file E as shown in step 44. As noted above, before client node 12b can access data in a file, client node 12b must have a valid copy of meta data for the file. If meta data memory 34b does not include a valid copy of the meta data for file E at the time client node 12b receives the write data request, then filter 32b generates a request for a valid copy. In step 46, this request is transmitted to filter 32a via LAN communication link 26.
Filter 32a accesses meta data memory 34a in response to server node 12a receiving the request from filter 32b. Presuming that meta data memory 34a contains valid file E meta data, filter 32a transmits valid file E meta data, including the valid memory mapping table, in a reply to client node 12b via LAN communication link 26, as shown in step 50. In step 52, client node 12b receives the reply from filter 32a, and in response filter 32b overwrites the invalid file E meta data in meta data memory 34b with the newly received valid copy.
With valid meta data for file E in memory 34b, client node 12b can determine whether sufficient storage memory in data storage system 20 has been allocated to complete the write request. More particularly, in step 54, filter 32b accesses the valid copy of memory-mapping table in memory 34b to determine whether storage memory has been allocated to all addresses where data is to be stored.
It is possible that sufficient storage memory has not been allocated to complete the write request. If not, storage memory must be newly allocated to each file E address where data is to be stored. Client node 12b, however, does not include a single node file system that can allocate storage memory. Thus, if filter 32b determines in step 54 that storage memory must be allocated before the write request can be performed, then client node 12b transmits the write request, including the data thereof, to server node 12a via LAN communication link 26.
Server node 12a processes the write data request received from client node 12b. In the process, single node file system 30 allocates the needed storage memory within data storage system 20 to file E. After the new storage memory has been allocated, single node file system 30 accesses file E meta data stored within memory 34a and updates the memory mapping table thereof with the new storage memory allocation. After the meta data for file E has been updated, server node 12a writes the data of the write request to allocated storage memory as shown in step 66.
As noted above, the performance of system 10 may degrade in situations where client nodes 12b or 12c receive requests to write data to file addresses which do not have storage memory previously allocated thereto. More particularly, a frequent transmission of write requests, including the data thereof, from client nodes 12b and/or 12c to server node 12a via LAN communication link 26 may substantially reduce the available bandwidth for transmitting data between the nodes via LAN communication link 26. Moreover, frequent processing of write requests received from client nodes 12b and 12c may substantially impede server node 12a's ability to process transactions received from, for example, application program 36a.

Method and apparatus to support multi-node direct write access to a file managed by a single node file system


A PLL circuit comprises a frequency comparator for detecting a phase difference based on a difference in frequencies between a reproduced data pulse and a clock generated by a VCO; a phase comparator for detecting a difference in phases between the reproduced data pulse and the VCO clock; a selector for selectively outputting a signal supplied from the frequency comparator; a first charge pump for increasing/decreasing the output voltage on the basis of the output from the selector; a second charge pump for increasing/decreasing the output voltage on the basis of the output from the phase comparator; a loop filter for eliminating unnecessary components included in a signal obtained by adding the output from the first charge pump and the output from the second charge pump; and a VCO for generating a clock of a frequency corresponding to the output voltage of the loop filter. In this PLL circuit, when the phase difference between the reproduced data pulse and the VCO clock is within the pull-in range of the phase comparator, the operation of the frequency comparator is restricted by the output of the phase comparator. Therefore, the PLL circuit can perform stable data reading even when the reproduced data pulse has a large amount of clock jitter.

The present invention relates to a phase locked loop circuit (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cPLL circuitxe2x80x9d) for generating an output signal having no lags in frequency and phase from those of an input signal, which is used in a magnetic disk unit such as an optical disk unit.
A recent CD (Compact Disk) player is capable of normal-speed playback when reading audio data from a CD, and 32X-speed playback when reading computer data from a CD. In such CD player capable of playing both of a CD containing audio data and a CD containing computer data, when playing the disk at 32X speed, the maximum frequency of the reproduced data pulse read from the disk becomes 32 times as high as that at the normal-speed playback and, therefore, the frequency of a clock generated in phase-synchronization with the reproduced data also becomes 32 times as high as that at the normal-speed playback. That is, the frequency bands of clocks handled by one CD player extend widely.
Further, in the CD player capable of the high-speed playback mentioned above, there is a difference in the maximum frequency components of the reproduced data pulses between playback of data recorded on the inner radius of the disk and playback of data recorded on the outer radius of the disk.
For this reason, the range of frequencies oscillated by a VCO (Voltage Controlled Oscillator), which is provided in a PLL circuit for generating a clock to read disk data, is also wide.
Accordingly, a PLL circuit included in the CD player having the above-mentioned high-speed playback function is required to quickly respond to a wide range of frequency bands handled in the CD player, and conventionally, a PLL circuit provided with a frequency comparator is employed to meet this requirement. FIG. 3 shows a PLL circuit provided with a frequency comparator (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cPLL circuit Xxe2x80x9d).
The conventional PLL circuit X comprises a frequency comparator 1, a phase comparator 2, a first charge pump 4, and second charge pump 5, a loop filter 6, and a VCO 7.
The frequency comparator 1 included in the conventional PLL circuit X brings a clock generated by the VCO 7 up to a range where the phase comparator 2 can synchronize the phase of the reproduced data pulse and the phase of the clock generated by the VCO 7, i.e., a range where the phase comparator 2 can lock the phases. Once the phases are locked, the clock generated by the VCO 7 is prevented from being adversely affected by the output of the frequency comparator 1, using a signal to halt the operation of the frequency comparator 1.
In the aforementioned PLL circuit X, however, since the range of adaptable frequency bands is broad, fluctuations in the output from the first charge pump 4 for controlling the VCO 7 according to the output of the frequency comparator 1 are increased, whereby the range of fluctuations in the output from the loop filter 6 for smoothing the output of the first charge pump 4 becomes wide, resulting in an unstable PLL circuit.
To be specific, the frequency of the clock generated by the VCO 7 changes in proportion with the output voltage of the loop filter 6. So, in order to bring the clock generated by the VCO 7 into phase-synchronization with the reproduced data pulse quickly, the frequency of the clock generated by the VCO 7 must be increased or decreased quickly in a stroke.
Furthermore, when the reproduced data pulse has a large amount of jitter, the frequency comparator 1 generates jitters in the clock generated by the VCO 7 in response to the clock jitters of the reproduced data pulse. As the result, the phase comparator 2 cannot lock the phases.
The present invention is made to solve the above-described problems and has for its object to provide a PLL circuit which can limit the operation of a frequency comparator with its output when a difference in phases between reproduced data pulse and VCO clock is in the pull-in range of the phase comparator, and lock the phases even when the reproduced data pulse has a large amount of jitter, thereby performing stable data reading.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description that follows. The detailed description and specific embodiment described are provided only for illustration since various additions and modifications within the scope of the invention will be apparent to those of skill in the art from the detailed description.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a PLL circuit used in a magnetic disk unit, which generates a clock in phase-synchronization with a reproduced data pulse read from the magnetic disk. The phase locked loop circuit comprises a frequency comparator for detecting a phase difference based on a difference in frequencies between the reproduced data pulse and the clock, and outputting a frequency error level which is the result of detection, as a frequency comparison error signal; a phase comparator for detecting a difference in phases between the reproduced data pulse and the clock; a selector for outputting the frequency comparison error signal as it is when the frequency error level is relatively large, and thinning the frequency comparison error signal to be output when the frequency error level is relatively small; a first charge pump for increasing/decreasing the output voltage on the basis of the output from the selector; a second charge pump for increasing/decreasing the output voltage on the basis of the output from the phase comparator; a loop filter for eliminating unnecessary components included in a signal obtained by adding the output from the first charge pump and the output from the second charge pump; and a voltage controlled oscillator for generating a clock of a frequency corresponding to the output voltage of the loop filter. Therefore, even when the reproduced data pulse has a large amount of clock jitter, a PLL circuit capable of speedy and stable data reading operation is obtained.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the above-described PLL circuit, the frequency comparator detects phase sections of the clock corresponding to a leading edge and a trailing edge of the reproduced data pulse to perform frequency comparison, and outputs the result of comparison as a frequency comparison error signal; and the selector thins the frequency comparison error signal to be output when there is a change between specific phase sections of the clock, which correspond to the leading edge and trailing edge of the reproduced data pulse, respectively, and are detected by the frequency comparator. Therefore, assuming that the phase sections of the clock are xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9c2xe2x80x9d, and xe2x80x9c3xe2x80x9d, when the phase section of the clock corresponding to the data edge changes from xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d to xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d, or from xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d to xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d, the edge of the reproduced data pulse is regarded as being fluctuated by signal jitter. In this case, the output from the frequency comparator is controlled so as not to fluctuate the frequency of the VCO, whereby unnecessary frequency fluctuation does not occur in the output of the VCO, resulting in stable data reproduction.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


An image processing apparatus and method. The image processing apparatus includes: a data acquisition device for acquiring image data of a subject including a target bone; and a data processor for acquiring binary image data by performing thresholding based on the image data, segmenting the binary image data into a plurality of segments by labeling, determining one of the plurality of segments as a target image based on image characteristics of the target bone, and measuring a length of the target bone based on the target image.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and method.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image processing apparatus may be used for a medical imaging device, such as an ultrasound imaging device, a computed tomography (CT) device, and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device. For example, an image processing apparatus may be included in the medical imaging device.
An image processing apparatus may be used for fetal biometric measurements. The fetal biometric measurements may be performed to estimate fetal gestational age, evaluate fetal size, and monitor fetal growth. An example of fetal biometric measuring is measuring a length of a target bone, such as a thighbone. The measured length of the target bone is an essential element to predict fetal abnormalities.
Thus, an image processing apparatus for efficiently measuring a length of a target bone and an operating method thereof are required.


Embodiments relate to weighing a bale formed by a round baler. One or more load cells, but not including load cells at each support of the baler, are used to obtain a measurement of the baler containing the bale and a measurement of the baler empty. Factors related to the slope of the surface on which the baler is located, the size of the bale, and the shape of the bale are used to adjust the measured weight of the bale.

For many years agricultural balers have been used to consolidate and package crop material to facilitate the storage and handling of the crop material for later use. Usually, a mower-conditioner cuts and conditions the crop material for windrow drying in the sun. When the cut crop material is properly dried, a baler, for example a round baler, travels along the windrows to pick up the crop material and form it into cylindrically-shaped round bales.
More specifically, pickups of the baler gather the cut and windrowed crop material from the ground, then convey the cut crop material into a bale-forming chamber within the baler. A drive mechanism operates to activate the pickups, augers, and a rotor of the feed mechanism. A conventional baling chamber may include a pair of opposing sidewalls with a series of belts that rotate and compress the crop material into a cylindrical shape.
When the bale has reached a desired size and density, a wrapping system may wrap the bale to ensure that the bale maintains its shape and density. For example, a net may be used to wrap the bale of crop material. A cutting or severing mechanism may be used to cut the net once the bale has been wrapped. The wrapped bale may be ejected from the baler and onto the ground by, for example, raising a tailgate of the baler. The tailgate is then closed and the cycle repeated as necessary and desired to manage the field of cut crop material.
A weighing system incorporated in the baler that provides weight measurements of the formed bale is desired. Such a system is desirable to eliminate use of a separate scale, while also providing weight measurements to the operator of the baler and customers soon after completion of forming the bale.
This document describes an apparatus and processes for weighing round bales.


An all plastic cap for an automotive power steering reservoir includes a cap portion and a central integrally molded stem portion, the latter having oppositely extending integrally molded stiffly resilient locking ears with an elastomeric gasket disposed within the cap such that the ears may engage a cam lip within the reservoir neck as the cap is turned with the ears drawing the cap into the neck and squeezing the gasket to effect the seal of the neck opening.

Reservoir caps for automotive steering reservoirs currently are made of several components which must be manually assembled. In a typical cap such as used in certain type General Motors vehicles, the cap includes a cap portion, a stem portion, both made of plastic, a metal locking tab slidably mounted on the stem, a metal coil spring slidably mounted on the stem, a flexible disk-like gasket mounted on the stem, and a spring and gasket retaining means mounted on the stem. Thus several separable parts are involved in a typical reservoir cap.
To reduce cost of reservoir cap construction, it is desirable to manufacture the reservoir cap in a single molding operation. This will not only reduce the labor involved in assembling the components but will speed up the manufacture of the cap itself.


A method includes, in a bi-plane interventional imaging system, moving a first C-arm supporting a first X-ray source and a first X-ray detector about first and second axes while obtaining a plurality of first X-ray attenuation data sets relating to a subject of interest; moving a second C-arm, positioned crosswise with respect to the first C-arm and supporting a second X-ray source and a second X-ray detector, about the first axis while obtaining a plurality of second X-ray attenuation data sets relating to the subject of interest; and synchronizing the movement of the first and second C-arms to avoid collision therebetween.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to tomographic imaging and, more particularly, to performing tomographic imaging using data generated from two imaging planes.
Imaging technologies allow images of the internal structures of a patient or object to be obtained, thereby minimizing the invasive procedure on the patient or object. In particular, technologies such as X-ray fluoroscopy, X-ray computed tomography (CT), and tomosynthesis use various physical principles, such as the varying transmission of X-rays through a target volume, to acquire projection data and to construct images (e.g., three-dimensional, volumetric representations of the interior of the human body or of other imaged structures). However, various physical limitations or constraints on acquisition may result in artifacts or other imperfections in the reconstructed image. Furthermore, the bulk of certain systems, such as X-ray computed tomography systems, can preclude their use in conjunction with medical procedures, such as interventional procedures.
With respect to the resultant images obtained by certain X-ray systems, imaging methods that utilize X-ray projection images may suffer from artifacts due to incompleteness of the scan data. Truncation of data in certain directions (e.g., in the direction corresponding to the one or more axes about which the X-ray source rotates about the patient), mishandled data, and/or missing projection angles can often lead to such artifacts and imperfections. In addition, obtaining complete data sets can be time-consuming. Furthermore, it may be desirable to reduce the patient's exposure to X-rays.

System and method for performing bi-plane tomographic acquisitions


The invention is directed to a method of increasing ionizing radiation's cytotoxic effects on a neoplasm in a subject by increasing the neoplasm's sensitivity to ionizing radiation, comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of prostaglandin to the subject, and subjecting the neoplasm to a therapeutically effective amount of ionizing radiation, thereby increasing the cytotoxic effects of the ionizing radiation on the neoplasm. The invention is further directed to a method of reducing the therapeutically effective amount of ionizing radiation required to treat a neoplasm in a subject, compared to treating with ionizing radiation alone, comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of prostaglandin to the subject, thereby reducing the therapeutically effective amount of ionizing radiation required to treat the neoplasm in the subject, compared to treating with ionizing radiation alone, and subjecting the neoplasm in the subject to the reduced therapeutically effective amount of ionizing radiation. The invention is also directed to a method of treating a neoplasm in a subject, comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of prostaglandin and administering a therapeutically effective amount of cisplatin to the subject, wherein the therapeutically effective amount of the platinum-based anti-tumor agent is less than 60 mg/meter.sup.2.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a method of treating neoplastic cells with prostaglandin. More particularly, a therapeutically effective amount of ionizing radiation required to treat a neoplasm in a subject can be reduced by administering prostaglandin to the subject. In another embodiment, the present invention relates to treating a neoplasm in a subject by administering to the neoplasm a therapeutically effective amount of prostaglandin and a therapeutically effective amount of cisplatin.
2. Background Art
Treatment of neoplasms often requires the use of ionizing radiation to kill or halt the growth of neoplastic cells. In that respect, ionizing radiation has proven valuable as a tool for clinical diagnosis and radiotherapy. Exposing a subject to ionizing radiation, however, has the inherent risk of injuring or killing surrounding normal cells, inducing mutations, or even producing latent cancers. Any technique for treating a neoplasm in a subject which can decrease the therapeutically effective dose of ionizing radiation necessary to treat the neoplastic cells will be important in order to reduce the chances of causing damage to the subject. The present invention provides such a method of reducing the effective dose of ionizing radiation necessary to treat a neoplasm by administering to the neoplastic cells a prostaglandin. In addition, in another embodiment of the invention, the use of prostaglandin provides for a reduction in the amount of a platinum-based anti-tumor agent to treat a neoplasm.

Method of treating neoplastic cells with prostaglandin and radiation treatment or prostaglandin and platinum-based anti-tumor agents


Thermally curable undercoat composition comprising for producing a bilayer relief image comprising:                a) a polymer of Structure I comprising repeating units of Structure II, III, and IV

Integrated circuit production relies on the use of photolithographic processes to define the active elements and interconnecting structures on microelectronic devices. Until recently, g-line (436 nm) and I-line (365 nm) wavelengths of light have been used for the bulk of microlithographic applications. However, in order to achieve smaller dimensions of resolution, the wavelength of light used for microlithography in semiconductor manufacturing has been reduced into the deep UV regions of 254 nm and 193 nm. As the patterns and wavelengths become finer, the materials properties of the photoresists used for pattern delineation have become more and more demanding. In particular, requirements of sensitivity, transparency, aesthetics of the image produced, and the selectivity of the resists to etch conditions for pattern transfer become more and more strenuous. The problem with using deep UV wavelengths is that resists used at the higher wavelengths were too absorbent and insensitive. Because of this, the traditional lithographic materials, such as novolaks, diazonaphthoquinones, etc., are unsuitable platforms for ultra large-scale integration (ULSI) manufacture and beyond. Thus, in order to utilize deep UV light wavelengths, new resist materials with low optical absorption and enhanced sensitivities were needed along with additional lithographic techniques.
Advanced photoresists usually employ a technique called chemical amplification in which an acid generated by photolysis catalyzes a solubility switch from alkali insoluble to alkali soluble by removal of an acid sensitive group protecting an alkali-solubilizing moiety. The principle of chemical amplification as a basis for photoresist operation has been known for some years (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,491,628). Most chemically amplified resists have been designed around the use of acid sensitive carboxylic esters or acid sensitive hydroxystyrene derivatives.
However, chemically amplified resist systems have many shortcomings. One problem is standing wave effects, which occur when monochromatic is reflected off the surface of a reflective substrate during exposure. The formation of standing waves in the resist reduces resolution and causes linewidth variations. For example, standing waves in a positive resist have a tendency to result in a foot at the resist/substrate interface reducing the resolution of the resist.
In addition, chemically amplified resist profiles and resolution may change due to substrate poisoning. Particularly, this effect occurs when the substrate has a nitride layer. It is believed that residual N—H bonds in the nitride film deactivates the acid at the nitride/resist interface. For a positive resist, this results in an insoluble area, and either resist scumming, or a foot at the resist/substrate interface.
Furthermore, lithographic aspect ratios require the chemically amplified resist layer be thin, e.g., about 0.5 μm or lower, to print sub 0.18 μm features. This in turn requires the resist to have excellent plasma etch resistance such that resist image features can be transferred down into the underlying substrate. However, in order to decrease absorbance of the chemically amplified resist, aromatic groups, such as those in novolaks had to be removed, which in turn decreased the etch resistance.
The most common type of photoresists are called "single layer" photoresists in which the photoresist has both the function of imaging and plasma etch resistance. Single layer resists use anti-reflective coatings to minimize standing wave problems, which also assists in decreasing problems with substrate poisoning. However, there are distinct performance tradeoffs between resist absorbance, image profiles, resolution and substrate plasma etch resistance which are not optimum for all semiconductor processes.
Utilizing an underlayer or undercoat film that is placed on the substrate before the chemical amplified resist film is applied can reduce the above-mentioned problems and break the performance tradeoffs described above. The undercoat absorbs most of the deep UV light attenuating standing wave effects. In addition, the undercoat prevents deactivation of the acid catalyst at the resist/substrate interface. Furthermore, the undercoat layer can contain some aromatic groups to provide substrate etch resistance.
In the typical bilayer resist process, the undercoat layer is applied on the substrate. The chemically amplified resist is then applied on the undercoat layer, exposed to deep UV light and developed to form images in the chemically amplified resist topcoat. The bilayer resist system is then placed in an oxygen plasma etch environment to etch the undercoat in the areas where the chemically amplified resist has been removed by the development. The chemically amplified resist in a bilayer system typically contains silicon and is thus able to withstand oxygen plasma etching by converting the silicon to silicon dioxide, that then withstands the etch process. After the bottom layer is etched, the resist system can be used for subsequent processing such as non-oxygen plasma etch chemistry that removes the underlying substrate.
Even though the undercoat attenuates standing waves and substrate poisoning, it poses other problems. First, some undercoat layers are soluble to the chemical amplified resist solvent component. If there is intermixing between the top and undercoat layers, the resolution and sensitivity of the top resist layer will be detrimentally affected.
In addition, if there is a large difference in the index of refraction between the chemical amplified resist and the undercoat layer, light will reflect off the undercoat layer causing standing wave effects in the resist. Thus, the real portion "n" of the index of refraction of the two layers must be made to essentially match or to have their differences minimized, and the imaginary portion "k" of the index of refraction of the two layers must be optimized to minimize reflectivity effects.
Another problem with undercoating layers is that they are sometimes too absorbent because of incorporation of aromatic groups. Some semiconductor manufacturing deep UV exposure tools utilize the same wavelength of light to both expose the resist and to align the exposure mask to the layer below the resist. If the undercoat layer is too absorbent, the reflected light needed for alignment is too attenuated to be useful. However, if the undercoat layer is not absorbent enough, standing waves may occur. A formulator must balance these competing objectives.
In addition, some undercoats have very poor plasma etch resistance to plasma chemistry. The etch resistance of the undercoat should be comparable to the etch rate of novolak resins in order to be commercially viable.
Furthermore, some undercoat layers require UV exposure in order to form cross-links before the radiation sensitive resist topcoat layer can be applied. The problem with UV cross-linking undercoat layers is that they require long exposure times to form sufficient cross-links. The long exposure times severely constrain throughput and add to the cost of producing integrated circuits. The UV tools also do not provide uniform exposure so that some areas of the undercoat layer may be cross-linked more than other areas of the undercoat layer. In addition, UV cross-linking exposure tools are very expensive and are not included in most resist coating tools because of expense and space limitations.
Some undercoat layers are cross-linked by heating. However, the problem with some of these undercoat layers is that they require high curing temperatures and long curing times before the top layer can be applied. In order to be commercially useful, undercoat layers should be curable at temperatures below 250° C. and for a time less than 180 seconds. After curing, the undercoat should have a high glass transition temperature to withstand subsequent high temperature processing and not intermix with the resist layer.
Even at temperatures below 250° C. sublimation of small a mounts of the undercoated formulation (e.g. TAGs, oligomers from the polymer, etc.) or products (e.g. acids, alcohols, water) from the thermal curing frequently occur. This can result in contamination of the equipment, which requires more frequent cleaning or replacement of equipment to avoid loss of product yield and other measures. This results in increased costs and is undesirable.
In certain applications, it is desirable for the undercoat to planarize the surface of the substrate. However, this may be difficult to accomplish with undercoats undergoing thermal crosslinking. As the temperature rises and the number of crosslinks increase, the glass transition temperature of the film increases. This makes it more difficult for the film to flow and planarize the substrate. Thus it is desirable to use as low a molecular weight material as possible to improve the planarization. However, use of lower molecular weight polymers in the undercoat can adversely impact the lithographic performance of the photoresist imaging process.
In addition to the requirements for no intermixing, no sublimation, good substrate plasma etch resistance, good planarization properties, and optical properties appropriately complementing the photoresist coated over the undercoat, the undercoat must be compatible with at least one edge bead remover acceptable to the semiconductor industry as well as give excellent compatibility with the photoresist coated over the undercoat so that lithographic performance (e.g. photospeed, wall profiles, depth of focus, adhesion, etc.) are not adversely impacted. Solutions for these issues individually frequently adversely impact the performance in other areas. The present invention is directed to thermally curable polymer compositions with decreased sublimation tendencies in which lower molecular weight polymers may be employed without major adverse impacts in other performance areas.

Thermally cured undercoat for lithographic application

Abstract: b) a phenolic crosslinker;        c) a thermal acid generator (TAG); and        d) a solvent.

Fujifilm Electronic Materials, U.S.A., Inc.


An electronic device and a method for simultaneously receiving a multimedia service over multiple radio access networks are provided. The electronic device includes a plurality of network interfaces for accessing a multimedia service provider, and a multi-interface handler for controlling to receive a multimedia service content divided, from the service provider via the network interfaces respectively, if part of the content is completely received via one of the network interfaces, to receive the remaining content re-divided via the network interfaces.

Recent electronic devices provide various multimedia services to users. For example, the users can access an Internet Protocol (IP)-based network through the electronic device and then receive from a service provider not only a text and an image but also various multimedia services such as a video call service, a multimedia messaging service, a content service, a broadcasting service, a game service, and a chatting service.
The electronic devices implement mobility to allow the users to use the multimedia service at any place. The mobile electronic device is a so-called mobile device. For example, the electronic devices such as a smart phone, a Personal Data Assistant (PDA), a notebook, and a digital camera is capable of wirelessly accessing the IP-based network.
The user can receive the multimedia service over any one network connected. For example, the electronic devices can receive the multimedia service by accessing a 3rd Generation (3G) network or a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network. For example, the electronic devices can receive the multimedia service by accessing a wireless Local Area Network (LAN) such as Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi). For example, the electronic devices can receive the multimedia service by accessing a wireless network such as Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX). As such, the electronic devices can receive the multimedia service over only one radio access network.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present disclosure.

Electronic device for multiple radio access and method thereof


In hexaboride particles having particles of a hexaboride of at least one element (X) selected from Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Sr and Ca, or a dispersion of such particles, the surfaces of the hexaboride particles have physically been coated with a surface treatment agent containing silicon, selected from a silazane type treatment agent, a chlorosilane type treatment agent, an inorganic treatment agent having at least one alkoxyl group in the molecular structure, and an organic treatment agent having at least one alkoxyl group at a molecular terminal or in the side chain, or have been coated with the surface treatment agent, having chemically combined with hexaboride particles on the surfaces of the hexaboride particles.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to compound particles of boron (B) and at least one element (X) selected from Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Sr and Ca (hereinafter often "hexaboride particles"), and a hexaboride particle dispersion in which the hexaboride particles stand dispersed in a liquid medium or a solid medium (thus, the "dispersion" termed in the present invention refers to a disperse system such as a fluid dispersion or a solid dispersion). More particularly, this invention relates to hexaboride particles improved in water resistance and a dispersion of such hexaboride particles, and also to an article making use of the hexaboride particles or this dispersion.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hexaboride particles typified by LaB6 and so forth have properties such that they have a high light transmittance and a low reflectance in the visible-light region and have a low light transmittance in the near infrared region. Accordingly, in recent years, they are used as solar radiation shielding materials (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-169765).
Now, the hexaboride particles are known to be surface-decomposed by moisture or water in the air. In particular, where they are present in the state of fine particles, they have increased in their surface area in respect to volume, and hence the surfaces of hexaboride particles are decomposed by the moisture or water to change into compounds of oxides or hydroxides in a large proportion, so that a phenomenon may appear in which the properties inherent in the hexaboride become gradually low.
Then, where coating films or the like making use of hexaboride particles are used for such a purpose of shielding the light in the near infrared region, utilizing their optical properties, the light transmittance in the region of 200 nm to 2,600 nm may rise under the influence of the moisture or water to cause gradual deterioration of solar radiation shielding performance. There has been such a problem, but any methods for preventing it have not been developed.

Hexaboride particles, hexaboride particle dispersion, and article making use of hexaboride particles or hexaboride particle dispersion


Solar light redirecting glazing units include light redirecting and light diffusing constructions. The solar light redirecting glazing units may include a glazing substrate, a visible light diffusing layer, and a light redirecting layer oriented such that incoming solar light contacts the visible light diffusing layer before contacting the light redirecting layer. The solar light redirecting glazing units may include a glazing substrate, a patterned visible light diffusing layer, and a light redirecting layer. The solar light redirecting glazing units may include two glazing substrates separated by an intervening space with a solar light redirecting layer disposed on one glazing substrate, and a visible light diffusing layer disposed on the other glazing substrate.

A variety of approaches are used to reduce energy consumption in buildings. Among the approaches being considered and applied is the more efficient use of sunlight to provide lighting inside buildings. One technique for supplying light inside of buildings, such as in offices, etc. is the redirection of incoming sunlight. Because sunlight enters windows at a downward angle, much of this light is not useful in illuminating a room. However, if the incoming downward light rays can be redirected upward such that they strike the ceiling, the light can be more usefully employed in lighting the room.
A variety of articles have been developed to redirect sunlight to provide illumination within rooms. A light deflecting panel is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,952 (Edmonds). These panels are prepared by making a series of parallel cuts in a sheet of transparent solid material with a laser cutting tool. Examples of daylighting films include European Patent No. EP 0753121 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,616,285 (both to Milner) which describe optical components that include an optically transparent body with a plurality of cavities. Another daylighting film is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,557,565 (Ruck et al.), which describes a light deflecting panel or plate which is formed of a plurality of parallel identically spaced apart triangular ribs on one face. Examples of films that have a plurality of prism structures are described in US Patent Publication No. 2008/0291541 (Padiyath et al.) and pending U.S. Patent Applications: Ser. No. 61/287,360, titled "Light Redirecting Constructions" filed Dec. 17, 2009 (Padiyath et al.), and Ser. No. 61/287,354, titled "Light Redirecting Film Laminate" filed Dec. 17, 2009 (Padiyath et al.).
A number of articles have been developed to scatter or diffuse light. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,608,722 (Cowan et al.), a diffuser is disclosed that transmits or reflects incident light into a specific range of angles. The diffuser consists of two parts, the first part diffracts or reflects light into a specific offset angle, the second part uniformly scatters the light through a range of angles. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,534,386 (Petersen et al.), a homogenizer for incident light includes a sheet of embossable material including one micro-sculpted surface relief structure that controls the direction in which light propogates and homogenizes light with directionality. U.S. Pat. No. 6,613,402 (Chou et al.) disclosed a rear projection screen assembly that includes a diffuser and a polarizer. The PCT Publication No. WO 00/10929 (Savant) discloses a surface light shaping diffuser by embossing or molding light shaping structures onto a high quality optical glass. Particles have been used to scatter or diffuse light. US Patent Publication No. 2008/0182958 (Lafleur et al.) describes light scattering polymer particles that have a different refractive index at the center of the particle than at the shell of the particle, and also discloses dispersing the particles in a polymeric matrix. A number of references describe light diffusing or light scattering films that comprise particles dispersed within a matrix. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,237,004 (Wu et al.) the matrix is a thermoplastic or thermoset polymer composition, in PCT Publication Nos. WO 97/01610 (Goetz et al.) and WO 2010/033571 (Sherman et al.) the matrix is a pressure sensitive adhesive, and in PCT Publication No. WO 2008/144217 (Padiyath et al.) a light diffusing solar control film includes a multi-layer film that transmits visible light and reflects infrared light, and a light diffusing layer or surface. PCT Publication No. WO 2010/0297406 (Schaffer et al.) describes a light diffusing adhesive that includes an adhesive matrix and a block copolymer that forms light diffusing microdomains within the adhesive matrix. PCT Publication No. WO 2005/005162 (Hayashi et al.) describes a shading decorative sheet that includes a thermoplastic resin film with a decorative layer provided on its front face, where the decorative pattern has a gradation pattern in at least one direction.

Hybrid light redirecting and light diffusing constructions


A system and method for controlling access to digital content based on proximity and location of a user device. A user device connects to a local network and an audio transmission including a perpetually rolling key is transmitted within a geo-fence in the local area. The user device hears the audio transmission and uses the key to authenticate to a content server over the network. Once authenticated, the user device may then stream content from the content server. In order to terminate access to the content when the user device leaves the geo-fence, the content server may require the key to be retransmitted from the user device at regular intervals to re-authenticate the user device. Other factors such as radio fingerprints from the user device may also be used instead of or in addition to the audio to verify the user device's presence within the geo-fence.

Various devices may be configured to receive and play or display content including audio, video, and written content. With the increasing availability of content over the Internet and the use of mobile devices, content owners, for example, attempt to control access to and copying of their content using digital right management (DRM) and other techniques. Some approaches involve providing restricted access to content using encryption techniques, restrictive licenses, and/or private networks.

Dynamic location based content rights management


A loudspeaker arrangement includes a loudspeaker and a trigger circuit for electrically triggering the loudspeaker. The loudspeaker has a loudspeaker diaphragm for generating an acoustic signal. A digital pulse test signal is applied to the loudspeaker via the trigger circuit during a respective test sequence, the digital pulse test signal having a duty cycle that is predetermined to change such that the duty cycle increases over a plurality of periods of the test sequence at the beginning of the test sequence, and the duty cycle decreases over a plurality of periods of the test sequence at the end of the test sequence. During the respective test sequence, a measurement variable, representative of a voltage drop on a reference circuit connected in series to the loudspeaker, is detected, and the loudspeaker arrangement is classified as functional on the basis of a comparison of the measurement variable and a predetermined reference value.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and corresponding device for testing a loudspeaker arrangement including a loudspeaker, which includes a loudspeaker membrane.
2. Related Art
Modern motor vehicles are increasingly equipped with warning systems. By way of example, such warning systems include parking-aid systems, distance and speed warning systems, black-ice warning systems and/or microsleep warning systems. These warning systems usually employ acoustic signals for warning purposes. The acoustic warning signals are emitted by loudspeakers provided for the specific emission of the warning signals. Statutory safety requirements for motor vehicles require these loudspeakers to be tested in respect of the functionality thereof at regular intervals.

Method and device for testing a loudspeaker arrangement


An apparatus for use within an electrical devices is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a casing having an upper body and a lower body, the casing including a tab disposed on a surface thereof and an adjustable base having a plurality of tab cavities adjacent to the tab. The tab engagingly couples to one of the plurality of tab cavities to secure the adjustable base. The apparatus also includes a connector system coupled to the adjustable base.

Many efforts have been made to improve the design of electronic devices, such as USB devices. However, many of these designs cause additional problems in the device. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,808,400 discloses an USB device that utilizes a latch/clip on one side of a drive and uses spring tension to control the slide movement. Typically, due to metal fatigue, a spring's force diminishes, as the USB device is retracted for an extended length of time, which eventually shortens the productive life span of the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,780 discloses a new design for an USB device, but requires an user to apply a force to a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) to release a set of slide locks to enable the sliding motion. It has been observed that applying force to a PCBA results in damage to trace connections.
Accordingly, what is desired is a device that overcomes the aforementioned issues and provides improved performance.

Portable computer universal serial bus device with an extendable connector secured by multiple locking mechanisms


An ignition timing controlling apparatus for an engine includes an ignition timing map in which high-torque timings are stored, an ECU for changing a high-torque timing obtained from the ignition timing map into a fuel-conserving ignition timing, and an advance angle target amount map in which advance angle target amounts with which the high-torque timing is to be changed into the fuel-conserving ignition timing are stored. The ECU is operable to calculate an advance angle target amount for each of cylinders of the engine based on the advance angle target amount map when a running state of a vehicle is in a cruize state in which little acceleration or deceleration is included, and also to execute advance angle control of changing the ignition timing of each of the cylinders stepwise with respect to the advance angle target amount for each of the cylinders.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ignition timing controlling apparatus for an engine and to a vehicle incorporating the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to an ignition timing controlling apparatus which changes over an ignition timing of the engine between a torque-valuing ignition timing and a fuel-conserving ignition timing, and to a vehicle incorporating the same.
2. Description of the Background Art
The Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-226131 discloses a controlling technique for suppressing, in a power outputting apparatus which changes over an operation line for setting an operation point of an engine between an optimum fuel consumption line and a torque priority line for higher torque with respect to a rotary speed than the optimum fuel consumption line to set an operation point of the engine, a sense of incongruity provided to a driver by an increase of the engine speed when the operation line is changed over from the torque priority line to the optimum fuel consumption line.
However, in the Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-226131, the operation line is changed over between the torque priority line and the optimum fuel consumption line so as not to provide a sense of incongruity to the driver. However, it is not disclosed to carry out such control that a good running state is obtained in a transitional state during changeover of the operation line.
Therefore, it is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an ignition timing controlling apparatus for an engine which controls the ignition timing of an engine so as to prevent degradation of drivability in a transitional state upon changeover between a torque-valuing ignition timing and a fuel-conserving ignition timing to achieve a good running state.

Ignition timing controlling apparatus for engine, and vehicle incorporating the same


A chromatographic device in which a chromatographic column pivots on a compression cylinder. Prior to pivoting, one end of the column is sealed with an end cap, the column is at least partially filled with a chromatographic medium and a piston is frictionally engaged within the column. The chromatographic column is then pivoted onto the compression cylinder, and the compression device is operated to push the piston into the column with a telescoping rod. The telescoping rod is then retracted, leaving the piston in place. The chromatographic column is then removed from the compression cylinder. A spring assembly is then inserted into column above the piston, and held in place with a torque mechanism mounted on the chromatographic column. The torque mechanism includes a bolt that can be tightened to provide a variable spring pressure against the piston. A rotating coupling is provided so that the chromatographic column and compression column can be operated in at least two different directions to facilitate the removal of the medium from the chromatographic column after use.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of liquid chromatography. More particularly, the present invention is directed to an improved apparatus for sealing liquid chromatographic columns.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Chromatography is a method for separating individual compounds in a mixture by distributing the compounds between heterogenous phases. A column packing material (or media), forming a stationary phase, generally has a large surface area through which a liquid mobile phase is allowed to flow. Chemical compounds in the mobile phase are maintained in the system for a time that is dependent upon the affinity of the particular compounds for the stationary phase. Multiple component mixtures can, with chromatography, be separated into single components in a single step procedure.
Chromatographic separations can be carried out efficiently in columns slurry packed with microparticulate media. The slurry is uniformly and rapidly compacted into a column under pressure. The slurry is maintained at very high pressure and density to achieve the most efficient end results.
A chromatographic column includes a cylindric column body, a fixed end plate covering one end of the column body, a piston slidable within the column body, an intake opening through the piston, a discharge opening through the end plate, a first porous frit secured to the piston and covering the intake opening, and a second porous frit secured to the end plate and covering the discharge opening. A slurry containing the packing material, such as a granular silica or polymeric media, is placed within the column body and the piston is moved toward the fixed end plate to compress the slurry. The pores of the frits are sized to permit the liquid of the slurry to flow out the discharge opening while preventing discharge of the packing material. An example of a prior art chromatographic column 202 and a compression device 220 which together comprise a chromatographic apparatus 200 is shown in FIG. 1. Column 200 is placed on the compression device 220 on a plate 212 at the end of a hydraulic compression cylinder 214. Column 200 has a flange 206 with a number of mounting holes 207 that fit over a group of threaded rods or bolts 210 extending upward from plate 212. Once mounted, nuts 208 secure the flange onto plate 212. A piston 222 is secured to the end of a telescoping rod (not shown) that can be controlled by one or more controls 218 on pressing apparatus 220. The piston 222 and telescoping rod are typically powered by a pneumatic pump though line 216, which moves the telescopic rod. The piston 222 includes an intake opening and a feeding tube (neither of which are visible in FIG. 1), the latter of which can be mounted in a recess on either plate 212 or flange 206 or both to prevent the tube from being crushed when the column 202 is secured to plate 212. A chromatographic slurry is then loaded into the upper end of column 202, and end plate 204 is secured in place. End plate 204 includes a discharge opening for attaching an outlet tube. (Of course, the terminology "intake" and "outlet" are arbitrary, because the direction of flow may be reversed, i.e., changed from the piston to the end cap or from the end cap towards the piston.)
Conventionally, when the chromatographic media within chromatographic column 202 is packed, a telescoping rod pushes piston 222 into the column. This compression packs the packing material to a predetermined pressure (which may typically be around 1,000 to 5,000 p.s.i., but these value are merely exemplary rather than limiting). It would be advantageous if the column were constructed so that the rod were not connected to the piston or the column (other than by pressing against the piston) so that the piston could remain in a compressed position within the column body, at least for a period of time, after the rod is retracted. Previous chromatographic columns have not been designed to allow a packed column to be removed from the pressing apparatus and set aside for future use in this manner, but it would be advantageous if it were possible to do so in this manner. In addition, pressing apparatuses have, until now, been constructed so that the apparatus can only be operated with the telescoping rod extending from its cylinder in only one orientation. It would be advantageous if, instead, the apparatus could be operated to extend the rod in either an upward or a downward orientation. Moreover, it would be advantageous if the column could be pivoted on the pressing apparatus to facilitate mixing of the chromatographic medium inside the column.

Apparatus that maintains compression in a tube


Disclosed is a frozen confection comprising freezing point depressants in an amount of from 25 to 35% by weight of the frozen confection, wherein the number average molecular weight <M>n of the freezing point depressants is from 200 to 250 g mol−1, and wherein the freezing point depressants comprise erythritol in an amount of from 0.25 to 5 7% by weight of the frozen confection.

In recent years, systems for dispensing frozen confections such as soft ice cream have been developed in which pre-packaged ice cream is delivered from a container by a dispensing device. In particular systems which employ bag-in-bottle type containers or piston-type cartridges have been developed.
WO 2013/124193 A discloses a method for dispensing a frozen confection comprising: providing a refrigerated, insulated chamber, which houses at least one container, containing a frozen confection at a temperature of −12° C. or below; wherein the at least one container has an outlet which is closed by a self-closing valve; wherein the container comprises a flexible bag containing the frozen confection located inside a bottle; pressurising gas in the region inside the bottle and outside the flexible bag thereby applying pressure to the frozen confection so that the valve opens and the frozen confection is forced out of the container through the outlet; releasing the pressure so that the valve closes.
Such systems typically employ frozen confections that are specifically formulated to be dispensed at the desired low temperatures.
US 2004/0161503 A discloses a frozen product comprising a cartridge containing a frozen aerated confection having an overrun of above 20 percent and below 100 percent, and containing less than 1.5 percent w/w glycerol, freezing point depressants in an amount of between 25 percent and 37 percent w/w, and between 2 and 12 percent fat, wherein the freezing point depressants have a number average molecular weight <M>n of less than 300. The frozen aerated confection has a soft structure and can be extruded from the cartridge at −18 degrees centigrade.
WO 03/096821 A discloses a frozen aerated product in a container, the container having at least two compartments (A) and (B), said compartments being gastighlty separated from each other by an at least partially movable wall, compartment (A) containing a propellant and compartment (B) containing the frozen aerated product, compartment (B) being provided with a valve, wherein the frozen aerated product contains freezing point depressants in an amount of between 20 percent and 40 percent w/w and between 0 percent and 15 percent fat, the freezing point depressants having a number average molecular weight <M>n following a certain condition.
The present inventors have now recognized that there is a need for improvements in formulations for use in systems for dispensing frozen confections like soft ice. In particular the present inventors have found that there is a need for confections which have a rheology that is less temperature dependent and so can be extruded at low temperatures but which has the desired structure when extruded at higher temperatures. This is important as commercial and domestic storage freezers have variable storage temperatures. The inventors have found that improved confections can be provided when they are formulated with a specific amount and type of freezing point depressants and wherein the freezing point depressants comprise a specific amount of erythritol.
Erythritol (butane-1,2,3,4-tetraol) is a sugar alcohol that has been used as a sweetener and sugar-replacer in dietetic foods.
WO 98/16120 A discloses a sherbet which contains erythritol and has a soft texture; and a process for the production thereof. This is said to provide a low-calorie sherbet which exhibits a low hardness in a frozen state even though it contains erythritol, and therefore has a soft texture permitting easy penetration of a spoon even just after it has been taken out of a freezer.
EP 0 965 277 A discloses an iced dessert comprising erythritol as sweetening and texture agent, and an agent for controlling the melt of the ice dessert selected from dextrins and/or non-digestible dextrins. The iced desserts are particularly formulated without added sugar.
Neither of the foregoing documents concern frozen confections formulated to be dispensed from containers at a range of temperatures.


A prosthetic femoral component (40) for the knee joint has a body (41,42) defined between elongate articulation and securement surfaces (43; 44,45), the articulation surface (43) being convexly spherically shaped and the securement surface having major and minor areas at opposite end portions, the major area (44) being essentially concavely spherically concentric with the articulation surface to form a shell body part (41), and the minor area (45) being essentially planar extending chordally of the articulation surface. A bone-penetrating pin (46) preferably extends radially from the major securement surface area in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the neighbouring minor area. A related surgical tool (50) for shaping the femoral condyle has a rotary cutter (52) to provide a cut bone surface complementing the component major area, and a guide spigot (53) projecting adjustably coaxially within the cutter.

This invention concerns orthopaedic joint components, tools and methods more particularly for use in relation to the femur at the knee joint. The invention has in fact been conceived initially with a view to application as or for a femoral component of so-called unicompartmental form in a prosthesis according to U.S. Pat. No. 4,085,466. It is accordingly appropriate to describe the invention in more detail in terms of such application, but it is to be understood that the invention is more widely applicable to other forms of prosthesis.
In the present context "unicompartmental" qualifies a component discretely applicable to a femoral condyle to provide a replacement articular surface. While two such components can be used on the associated condyles of a joint, this distinguishes from a bicompartmental component in which a single one-piece femoral component has an associated pair of condylar parts connected by a bridging portion, and also from a tricompartmental component in which the bridging portion defines a patellar articular surface.
In the same context "surface replacement", used hereinafter, involves the provision of a component having a body largely of shell form and defining two principal surfaces in back-to-back disposition, one such surface being intended as the replacement articular surface and the other such major surface to interface with the relevant bone. In this case the bone is of course the femur at the knee and the respective principal surfaces are commonly grossly convex and concave.
Unicompartmental components presently in routine use include two principal types. In each type the articular surface is normally of polyradial shape, that i s to say the surface is deliberately non-spherical. This shaping appears to reflect confused thinking which assumes a need for a varying center of curvature for the articular surface in direct relationship with the fact that there is in the natural situation, a varying center of rotation between the femur and tibia during flexion-extension movement. Generation of the latter variation is of course appropriate following surgery if the natural joint function, including the action of retained ligaments, is itself to be closely simulated but study in development of the present invention finds no necessity for a related polyradial curvature.
The routinely used types differ, however, in the form of interface surface configuration used in relation to securement of the component to the bone. In one type the interface surface consists of a plurality of plane facets intended for securement, with or without bone cement, against a closely matched surface cut on the condyle. The other type is of surface replacement form and the corresponding interface surface closely follows the polyradial shape of the articular surface. This type is intended for securement with cement, the condyle being at best relatively coarsely prepared in terms of matching and the cement being deployed to fill gaps resulting from mismatching.
There are difficulties and disadvantages with both types. For the one type the related bone preparation is complex by virtue of the need to cut plural facets in a predetermined relationship to match the component. Moreover this difficulty is compounded by the repetition which is necessary if the bone shaping requires relocation to attain a better final position for the component. Also the interface between the component and bone will necessarily be irregular relative to the trabecular structure of the latter and this will result in the transmission of non-compressive forces through the interface during subsequent patient use of the joint, which forces can lead to component loosening. For the other type the final position for the component is determined in an effectively arbitrary manner and this cannot be reliably compatible with maintenance of normal ligament action or, therefore, joint function.


Compositions and methods are provided for altering the activation of quiescent stem cells by modulating activity of the microRNA miR-489.

Among the key properties that distinguish adult mammalian stem cells from their more differentiated progeny is the ability of stem cells to remain in a quiescent state for prolonged periods of time (Li & Clevers, Science 327, 542-545 (2010)), (Fuchs, Cell 137, 811-819 (2009)). Quiescence is a common feature of stem cells characterized by reversible mitotic arrest and reduced metabolic activity that protects stem cells against endogenous stress caused by DNA replication and cellular respiration. Quiescence of stem cells is critical to ensure lifelong tissue maintenance and to protect the stem cell pool from premature exhaustion under conditions of various stresses. However, the molecular pathways for the maintenance of stem-cell quiescence remain elusive.
Stem cells have a capacity both for self-renewal and the generation of differentiated cell types, which provides the possibility for therapeutic regeneration of cells and tissues in the body. In addition to studying the important normal function of stem cells in the regeneration of tissues, researchers have further sought to exploit the potential of in situ and/or exogenous stem cells for the treatment of a variety of disorders. While early, embryonic stem cells have generated considerable interest, the stem cells resident in adult tissues also provide an important source of regenerative capacity.
These somatic, or adult, stem cells are undifferentiated cells that reside in differentiated tissues, and have the properties of both self-renewal and generation of differentiated cell types. The differentiated cell types may include all or some of the specialized cells in the tissue. For example, hematopoietic stem cells give rise to all hematopoietic lineages, but do not seem to give rise to stromal and other cells found in the bone marrow. Sources of somatic stem cells include bone marrow, blood, the cornea and the retina of the eye, brain, skeletal muscle, cartilage, bones, dental pulp, liver, skin, the lining of the gastrointestinal tract, and pancreas, and the like. Adult stem cells are usually quite sparse. Often they are difficult to identify, isolate, and purify. Often, somatic stem cells are quiescent until stimulated by the appropriate growth signals.
Muscle tissue in adult vertebrates regenerates from stem cells known as satellite cells. Satellite cells are distributed throughout muscle tissue and are mitotically quiescent in the absence of injury or disease, residing in an instructive, anatomically defined niche. The satellite cell niche constitutes a distinct membrane-enclosed compartment within the muscle fiber, containing a diversity of biochemical and biophysical signals that influence satellite cell function. In addition to satellite cells, cell types that contribute to muscle regeneration include mesangioblasts, bone marrow derived cells, muscle interstitial cells, mesenchymal stem cells, etc. See D. D. Cornelison et al. (2001) Dev Biol 239, 79; S. Fukada et al. (2004) Exp Cell Res 296, 245; D. Montarras et al. (2005) Science 309, 2064; S. Kuang et al. (2007) Cell 129, 999; M. Cerletti et al. (2008) Cell 134, 37; C. A. Collins et al. (2005) Cell 122, 289; A. Sacco et al. (2008) Nature 456, 502; R. I. Sherwood et al. (2004) Cell 119, 543; Sampaolesi et al. (2003) Science 301(5632):487-92; and Galvez et al. (2006) J Cell Biol. 174(2):231-43.
Satellite cells are the primary cells in muscle tissue required for the regeneration that occurs in response to injury or disease. In response to injury, SCs are activated and they proliferate and differentiate into myoblasts that undergo further differentiation and fusion to form muscle fibers. Methods of manipulating activation are of great interest for therapeutic applications.

The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University


A method for deciding a scan clock domain allocation of an integrated circuit includes: utilizing a circuit netlist file and a timing constraints file of the integrated circuit to find out the amount of crossing paths between any two function clock domains of a plurality of function clock domains, and generate a clock domain report file; and grouping the plurality of function clock domains and allocating the plurality of function clock domains after being grouped into a plurality of scan clock domains according to the clock domain report file.

1. Field of the Invention
The disclosed embodiments of the present invention relate to a method of scan clock domain allocation and related machine readable media utilizing the method of scan clock domain allocation, and more particularly, to a method for determining the scan clock domain allocation of an integrated circuit and related machine readable media.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A scan test pattern is widely used in an integrated circuit testing flow, wherein the scan test pattern should be used on a testing machine along with a scan clock, and the number of scan clocks is limited to a limited pin number of a chip or a testing machine. Different function clock domains need to be grouped in order to share the same scan clock in a scan test mode; that is, more than one function clock domain would be replaced by the scan clock to become a new scan clock domain. To avoid instantaneous testing power surges, however, more than one scan clock is used and the phases of the scan clocks are staggered. When two function clock domains are asynchronous or have large false paths, grouping the two function clock domains would introduce a large amount of timing violations in scan test mode, resulting in the need to increase area and power consumption in order to fix the timing violations.
Therefore, in a conventional testing flows, scan clock domain allocation usually has to be repeated after the clock tree synthesis, and a preferred result may be obtained after iterative violation fixing several times, or even necessitating a large extra chip area and the use of man power in exchange for a timing solution. This kind of flow and process is time and resource consuming. Thus, there is a need for an innovative design which can group a plurality of function clock domains and allocate the grouped function clock domains into a limited number of scan clock domains efficiently.

Method of integrated circuit scan clock domain allocation and machine readable media thereof


A hospitality establishment includes guest rooms having media devices installed therein. Each guest room has one or more in-room media devices for providing a pay-per-use media function. A media system controller dynamically associates a credit corresponding to a monetary value with a particular guest room in response to an occurrence of a first event, configures an in-room media device of the particular guest room to indicate the credit associated with the particular guest room and allow a guest of the particular guest room to utilize at least an amount of the credit toward an order of the pay-per-use media function, activates the pay-per-use media function on at least one of the in-room media devices of the particular guest room in response to a received order, and decreases the credit associated with the particular guest room according to the amount of the credit utilized toward the received order.

(1) Field of the Invention
The invention pertains generally to hospitality media and entertainment systems. More particularly, the invention relates to hospitality media systems that provide pay-per-use media functions in guest rooms of a hospitality establishment.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Free-to-guest entertainment media content such as television within guest rooms is generally provided by hospitality establishments such as hotels to meet guests' basic in-room entertainment expectations. For example, a hotel may purchase rights to distribute cable and/or satellite television channels to the guest rooms. Rights to satellite radio content or other multi-media content may also be purchased by the hotel and made available in the guest rooms.
Although free-to-guest entertainment options are well received by guests, the hotel does incur costs to provide these services and therefore there are limits on the amount of in-room content that can be provided for free. If a hotel wishes to provide increased free media content options to guests, the hotel must either incur the additional licensing costs, or raise room rates or other service fees to cover the additional licensing costs.
Pay-per-use systems have also been developed for use in hotels including, for example, pay-per-view (PPV) for live sporting events and video-on-demand (VOD) for feature Hollywood movies. In addition to allowing hotels to provide highly desirable content for guest viewing, pay-per-use often becomes a secondary revenue stream for the hotel. The reason is the hotel may add an additional, hidden fee onto the royalty cost of the content. For example, each time a guest pays $11.99 to watch an in-room VOD movie, the hotel may keep $5.99 as profit and pay a $6.00 royalty to the content provider. Pay-per-use systems are generally more expensive for the hotel to install and support than free-to-guest offerings due to the interactive nature and requirement to bill guests in real time.
Although pay-per-use systems are routinely used by some guests, the same systems are often shunned by other guests who have an aversion to additional in-room usage fees. The result is that a hotel makes a considerable investment to install a pay-per-use system while a significant number of the hotel's guests do not utilize the pay-per-use media functions and therefore see no initial direct benefit. Over time the increased revenue from the pay-per-use system may allow the hotel to expand its free-to-guest offerings; however, in the short term, the opposite may be true—that is, the hotel may need to avoid expanding or even reduce the free-to-guest offerings in order to lessen the installation and reoccurring support costs of the pay-per-use system. This further detracts from the experience of guests who are not interested in trying out the pay-per-use system because of the additional usage fees.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Periodically increasing pay-per-use credit associated with room as long as user remains utilizing room

Guest Tek Interactive Entertainment Ltd.


A receiver uses an adaptive algorithm to tune a low-cost crystal oscillator according to a temperature compensation profile so as to produce a precision master reference frequency despite temperature, initial tolerance, and aging effects. An automatic frequency control system also tunes the crystal oscillator. The adaptive algorithm adjusts the temperature compensation profile for the crystal oscillator according to the adjustments made by the automatic frequency control should a received signal's quality factor exceed that associated with the temperature compensation profile.

Because the usable electromagnetic spectrum is a limited resource, governmental agencies regulate its use and exploitation. For example, in the U.S. the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) divides the usable electromagnetic spectrum into frequency ranges, or bands. Each band may be assigned to a specific function, or may be reserved for future use. Since only a few bands are allocated to a specific function, such as portable communication, it is important that the band be efficiently utilized.
Thus, the frequency bands assigned to wireless communications should accommodate many wireless users. To allow each frequency band to accommodate so many users, a wireless communication device typically uses a reference oscillator to accurately find the carrier frequency used by its particular base station. In a particular use, the wireless device is a mobile handset configured to communicate with one or more base stations.
To find the carrier frequency, reference oscillators operating in a wireless communications device typically generate a highly accurate frequency reference. Because low-cost oscillators are prone to substantial initial error, large individual variations, and degraded performance over time, they have not been used to generate such an accurate frequency reference. Accordingly, known wireless communication devices use more expensive high-precision reference oscillators, and associated precision circuitry, to obtain the necessary accuracy and repeatability.
The precision circuitry in the wireless communication device or mobile handset generally includes a voltage-controlled temperature-compensated crystal oscillator (VC-TCXO). The VC-TCXO provides a reference frequency, which is used by the handset to find, or lock onto the carrier frequency. Depending upon the handset's current temperature, the VC-TCXO adjusts its tuning to maintain a constant reference frequency output. Such VC-TCXO's, however, are relatively expensive, adding significantly to the cost of a handset. Moreover, despite a VC-TCXO's expense, the reference frequency output eventually drifts with age. In addition, VC-TCXOs typically have an indeterminate initial accuracy resulting from manufacturing tolerances that complicates a handset's design.
Further, conventional temperature compensation circuitry for a VC-TCXO has degraded accuracy at temperature extremes. Despite this degraded accuracy, users expect a handset to provide reliable communication that mimics or betters that of a landline phone. To meet expectations, the handset must consistently establish communication in an acceptable time period and do so over a receiver's wide temperature range. For example, a handset is expected to operate in sub-Arctic conditions, and also operate after being subject to the torturous heat of a car dashboard in summer. As a result, it is desirable that a handset VC-TCXO should typically maintain a frequency accuracy of better than about +/−2 parts per million (ppm) over the temperature range −30° C. to +85° C.
As generally described earlier, a VC-TCXO is not stable over time. VC-TCXO modules may drift at approximately 1 ppm per year, yet are often expected to operate for many years. The typical AFC (Automatic Frequency Control) loop used to tune the VC-TCXO modules can cope with offsets of no greater than about +/−4 ppm with respect to its desired reference frequency. Thus, in just a few years, such VC-TCXO modules will have drifted to the point that they may not be able to assist in acquiring or capturing a base station's carrier.
Systems have been developed to account for the aging of a VC-TCXO. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,064,270 discloses a handset having a VC-TCXO that, should the base station's beacon carrier escape capture, will perform a random search for the carrier by adjusting the VC-TCXO's reference frequency +/−4 ppm (or some other suitable amount). If the carrier is acquired, the offset is remembered for future use. Although this system may provide acceptable age compensation when coupled with an expensive VC-TCXO, it is not practically implemented with less expensive oscillators having more substantial drift and corresponding large offsets. A system having such large offsets that searched blindly for the carrier frequency would produce delays intolerable to the user. In addition, the search accounts only for the gross offsets encountered during aging and does not address temperature effects, necessitating the continued use of an expensive VC-TCXO.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved receiver capable of providing a reference frequency that is robust to temperature and aging effects without the use of an expensive VC-TCXO.


The present invention is directed to combination formulations of monoclonal antibodies with anti-inflammatory agents, related methods and uses thereof.

Progresses in gene recombinant technology have enabled the large scale production of physiologically active proteins such as monoclonal antibodies for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. The recent development of humanized monoclonal antibodies has spawned an unprecedented interest in using these molecules as therapeutics since they can specifically target disease implicated molecules, thus essentially side-stepping the secondary effects that are usually associated with conventional drug therapies. Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies have thus become the fastest growing area of biopharmaceutical applications.
While the production and purification scales have reached industrial levels, there are novel concerns about strategies for their stable formulation and delivery. Physical and chemical instability of antibodies is really a complex function of solution conditions and temperature. Antibodies are for example susceptible to deamidation, isomerization, oxidation, proteolysis, aggregation and other covalent modifications. However, unlike other model proteins, antibody stability is not necessarily dependent on protein concentration, buffer concentration, salt concentration, or agitation. Some antibodies can be stabilized by changing different parameters in the formulation, like pH, excipients and buffer, though. However, antibody stabilization is a hard task as their activity is very sensitive to environment conditions which render it very difficult to predict, notably because each antibody has a very specific and characteristic stability profile. The lack of effect for primary factors commonly known to affect physical stability suggests that the mechanism of antibody stability is counter intuitive and unlike other proteins. Further, those aggregation phenomena are suspected to result in potential clinical side-effects or toxicity since aggregates can reduce the efficacy and enhance the immunogenicity of the protein drug (Demeule et al., 2006, Eur. J. Pharm. Biopharm., 62:121-30).
Antibody aggregation is also a source of batch to batch variabilities in the antibody production chain and its control leads to regulatory and quality control burden which have extremely costly consequences.
Further, aggregation propensity of antibodies affects their stability in storage, including shelf-life and their useable administration time, once removed from optimum storage conditions.
Bevacizumab (Avastin®) is a recombinant monoclonal humanized IgG1 antibody with a molecular weight of 149 kDa that binds to and inhibits the biologic activity of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) which has been approved for the treatment of metastatic cancer of the colon or rectum. Currently, bevacizumab is widely used off-label for the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a common form of progressive age-related vision loss (Andreoli et al., 2007, Curr. Opin. Opthalmol., 18:502-8), by intraocular injection. This off-label use was introduced after Ranibizumab (Lucentis®), a humanized monoclonal antibody fragment derived from the same murine antibody precursor as bevacizumab with a molecular weight of 48 kiloDalton (kDa) had been registered in 2006 for the treatment of AMD. For ranibizumab, a monthly injection into the vitreous cavity is recommended to maintain therapeutically effective drug concentrations (Regillo et al., 2008, Am. J. Opthalmol., 145, 239-48) and the same frequency is generally reported for bevacizumab injections. Nevertheless, a reduced frequency of injections would be favourable because of patient discomfort and risk of complications (Brown et al., 2007, Am. J. Opthalmol., 144:627-37).
Several clinical trials have reported the administration of both bevacizumab and some anti-inflammatory drugs such as triamcinolone acetonide or dexamethasone in the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration through separate intravitreal injections of the two drugs in order to address the multifactorial pathogenesis of AMD (Augustin et al., 2007, Retina, 27, 133-40; Ahmadieh et al., 2008, Graefes Arch. Clin. Exp. Opthalmol., 246(4):483-9; Colucciello et al., 2008, J. Ocul. Pharmacol. Ther., February; 24(1):15-24).
Among one of the advantages that promoted the off-label use of bevacizumab is its much lower price as compared to its fragment ranibizumab that lacks an Fc portion. However, bevacizumab, which is an intact antibody, presents, as such, the significant aggregation propensity commonly found for antibodies mentioned above. Surface active agents like polysorbate 20 and 80 which are widely used to reduce the rate of protein aggregation are also used in the formulation of AVASTIN where 0.04% of polysorbate 20 is present. However, surface active agents can only be used in antibodies formulations at percentages of 0.01% to 0.05% because of their participation in protein unfolding at higher concentrations.
Since aggregation is a major issue for the production, formulation and/or stability of therapeutic antibodies since antibody aggregates can lead to loss of biological activity, loss of solubility and even increased immunogenicity the development of a method of preparation and/or formulations of antibodies that would lead to a longer shelf-life and stability of those antibodies would be highly desirable.

Bevacizumab formulations with lower aggregation propensity, comprising corticosteroid anti-inflammatory drugs


Disclosed herein is an artificial intelligence-based laundry treating apparatus. The artificial intelligence-based laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention receives big data about information of an external environment capable of affecting laundry and life log data including activity information of a user wearing the laundry and automatically sets an optimal laundry management course for the laundry based on input factors including the big data and the life log data. Further, the artificial intelligence-based laundry treating apparatus may operate based on the optimal laundry management course to clean the laundry.

A laundry treating apparatus refers to an apparatus that applies dry air, steam, or the like to laundry accommodated in a treatment chamber to perform a cleaning process (removal of dust, wrinkles, and odor, drying, or the like) on the laundry. The laundry treating apparatus may provide steam, drying, a moving hanger, or the like to the laundry to easily and efficiently refresh the laundry.
The laundry treating apparatus may prepare a plurality of management courses related to the cleaning process in advance and perform a laundry treating operation based on a management course selected by a user. However, in selecting the management course, it is difficult for the user to know how much the laundry to be treated affected by an external environment. Therefore, it is impossible for the user to select an optimal management course related to the laundry treating.

Artificial intelligent based clothes handling apparatus and driving method of the same

Abstract: A washing machine of the present invention may be associated with an artificial intelligence module, a drone (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, UAV), a robot, an augmented reality (AR) device, a virtual reality (VR) device, a device related to a 5G service, and the like.


Dithiocarbamyl carboxylic acids, useful as multifunctional additives for lubricating oils, possess the general formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each independently is a hydrocarbyl group of from 1 to about 60 carbon atoms and R.sup.3 is a divalent alkylene group of from 1 to about 20 carbon atoms.

This invention relates to dithiocarbamyl carboxylic acids and their use as multifunctional additives for lubricating oils.
Zinc dialkyldithiophosphates (ZDDPs) have been used as anti-fatigue, anti-wear, extreme pressure and friction modifying additives for lubricating oils for many years. However, they are subject to several drawbacks owing to their zinc and phosphorus contents. During operation of an internal combustion engine, lubricating oil enters the combustion chambers by means such as clinging to cylinder walls as the piston makes its down stroke. When phosphorus-containing lubricating oil compositions enter the combustion reaction, phosphorus enters the exhaust stream where it acts as a catalyst poison thus shortening the useful life of the catalytic converter. In addition, the presence of zinc contributes to the emission of particulates in the exhaust.
In view of the aforementioned shortcomings with the known zinc and phosphorus-containing additives, efforts have been made to provide lubricating oil additives which contain neither zinc nor phosphorus. Illustrative of non-zinc (i.e., ashless), non-phosphorus-containing lubricating oil additives are the reaction products of 2,5-dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole and unsaturated mono-, di- and tri-glycerides of U.S. Pat. No. 5,512,190 and the dialkyl dithiocarbamate-derived organic ethers of U.S. Pat. No. 5,514,189.

Dithiocarbamyl carboxylic acid and their use as multifunctional additives for lubricating oils


Camera arrays for mediated-reality systems and associated methods and systems are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a camera array includes a support structure having a center, and a depth sensor mounted to the support structure proximate to the center. The camera array can further include a plurality of cameras mounted to the support structure radially outward from the depth sensor, and a plurality of trackers mounted to the support structure radially outward from the cameras. The cameras are configured to capture image data of a scene, and the trackers are configured to capture positional data of a tool within the scene. The image data and the positional data can be processed to generate a virtual perspective of the scene including a graphical representation of the tool at the determined position.

In a mediated reality system, an image processing system adds, subtracts, and/or modifies visual information representing an environment. For surgical applications, a mediated reality system may enable a surgeon to view a surgical site from a desired perspective together with contextual information that assists the surgeon in more efficiently and precisely performing surgical tasks. Such contextual information may include the position of objects within the scene, such as surgical tools. However, it can be difficult to precisely track objects while maintaining low system latency. Moreover, such mediated reality systems rely on multiple camera angles to reconstruct an image of the environment. However, even small relative movements and/or misalignments between the multiple cameras can cause unwanted distortions in the reconstructed image.

Methods and systems for imaging a scene, such as a medical scene, and tracking objects within the scene