A multi-chamber cardiac pacing systems for providing synchronous pacing to at least the two upper heart chambers or the two lower heart chambers or to three heart chambers or to all four heart chambers employing one or more field density clamp (FDC) sense amplifiers for accurately sensing and timing cardiac depolarizations of the right and left heart chambers is disclosed. The synchronous pacing of one of the right and left heart chambers is provided on demand following expiration of programmable pace CDW and sense CDW that are started by both a paced event and a sensed event first occurring in the other of the right and left heart chambers. The delivery of the pacing pulse is inhibited by a sensed event detected in the other of the right and left heart chambers before the expiration of the corresponding CDW. In a four channel atrial and ventricular pacing system, the right and left atrial chambers are sensed and paced as necessary upon at the end of a V-A escape interval and right and left, pace and sense, AV delays are commenced for sensing ventricular depolarizations in the right and left ventricles. The four channel system is programmable to pace and sense in three selected heart chambers. Each FDC sense amplifier allows the timing of a short CDW from a paced event or a sensed event. Preferably, a pacing output stage is coupled with the FDC sense amplifiers to deliver pacing pulses to each heart chamber.

The cardiovascular system provides oxygenated blood to various structures of the body. In a normally functioning heart, the body's demand for oxygenated blood varies, and the heart responds by increasing or decreasing its rate and force of contraction to meet the demand. An electrical signal generated by the sinus node in the upper right atrial wall near the base of the heart is conducted through the upper heart chambers, i.e., the right and left atria, and causes them to contract in a synchronous manner. The contraction of the upper heart chambers forces blood pooled therein through open heart valves and into the right and left ventricles or lower heart chambers. The atrial electrical depolarization wave arrives at the AV node superior to the ventricles and triggers the conduction of a ventricular depolarization wave down the bundle of His in the septum between the right and left ventricles to the apex of the heart. The ventricles contract after a brief atrio-ventricular (AV) delay time following the sinus node depolarization as the depolarization wave then advances superiorly, posteriorly, and anteriorly throughout the outer ventricular wall of the heart. The lower heart chambers contract and force the blood through the vascular system of the body. The contraction of the right and left ventricles proceeds in an organized fashion which optimizes emptying of the ventricular chambers. The synchronous electrical depolarization of the atrial and ventricular chambers can be electrically sensed and displayed, and the electrical waveform is characterized by accepted convention as the "PQRST" complex. The PQRST complex includes the P-wave, corresponding to the atrial depolarization wave, the R-wave, corresponding to the ventricular depolarization wave, and the T-wave which represents the re-polarization of the cardiac cells.
Various disease mechanisms cause conduction disturbances which interfere with the natural conduction system of the heart and affect the heart's ability to provide adequate cardiac output to the body. In certain disease mechanisms, the sinus node fails to depolarize and commence the P-wave as rapidly as required to satisfy the demand for oxygenated blood, or the atria may spontaneously depolarize at rates that are well in excess of the ability of the ventricles to respond. In these situations, the ventricles may compensate by depolarizing spontaneously from ectopic depolarization sites. In other cases where the SA node operates correctly, 1:1 atrial and ventricular depolarization synchrony is lost because the AV node fails to respond to all P-waves or a defect in the bundle of His interferes with the conduction of the ventricular depolarization. In all of these cases, the ventricles may contract at an inadequate rate to provide adequate cardiac output.
When the atria or ventricles contract too slowly, the patient may be a candidate for implantation with a cardiac pacemaker for restoring the heart rate by applying pacing pulses to the heart chamber that is malfunctioning at a pacing rate that restores adequate cardiac output. Modern implantable cardiac pacemakers comprise an implantable pulse generator (IPG) and a lead or leads extending from the IPG to ace/sense electrode or electrodes located with respect to the heart chamber to deliver the pacing pulses and sense the P-wave or R-wave. Typically, the leads are transvenously introduced into the particular heart chamber via the superior vena cava and right atrium, and the pace/sense electrodes are maintained in contact with the heart tissue by a fixation mechanism at the distal end of the lead. However, leads may be placed subcutaneously between the IPG and the exterior of the heart, and the pace/sense electrodes attached to the epicardium at the desired sites. Moreover, endocardial coronary sinus leads are introduced through the right atrium into the coronary sinus and the great vein to locate pace/sense electrodes in proximity to the left atrium or the left ventricle.
A single chamber, demand pacemaker is implanted to supply pacing pulses to a single upper or lower heart chamber, typically the right atrium or right ventricle, in response to bradycardia of the same chamber. In an atrial, demand pacemaker operating in the AAI pacing mode, an atrial pacing pulse is delivered to the atrial pace/sense electrodes by the IPG if a P-wave is not sensed by an atrial sense amplifier coupled to the atrial pace/sense electrodes within an atrial escape interval (A--A interval) timed by an atrial escape interval timer. In a ventricular, demand pacemaker operating in the VVI pacing mode, a ventricular pacing pulse to the ventricular pace/sense electrodes if an R-wave is not sensed by a ventricular sense amplifier coupled to the ventricular pace/sense electrodes within a ventricular escape interval (V--V interval) timed by a ventricular escape interval timer.
A dual chamber, demand pacemaker is implanted to supply pacing pulses when required to one upper heart chamber and to one lower heart chamber, typically the right atrium and right ventricle. In a dual chamber, demand pacemaker operating in the DDD pacing mode, both the AAI and VVI pacing modes are followed under the above defined conditions. A ventricular pacing pulse is delivered to the ventricular pace/sense electrodes if an R-wave is not sensed by the ventricular sense amplifier coupled thereto within an AV time interval timed from the sensing of a P-wave by the atrial sense amplifier.
Over the years, it has been proposed that various conduction disturbances involving both bradycardia and tachycardia of a heart chamber could benefit from stimulation applied at multiple electrode sites positioned in or about it in synchrony with a depolarization which has been sensed at least one of the electrode sites. In addition, it has been proposed to employ pacing to compensate for conduction defects and in congestive heart failure where depolarizations that naturally occur in one upper or lower chamber are not conducted quickly enough to the other upper or lower heart chamber. In such cases, the right and left heart chambers do not contract in optimum synchrony with each other, and cardiac output suffers due to the timing imbalance. In other cases, spontaneous depolarizations of the left atrium or left ventricle occur at ectopic foci in these left heart chambers, and the natural activation sequence is grossly disturbed. In such cases, cardiac output deteriorates because the contractions of the right and left heart chambers are not synchronized sufficiently to eject blood therefrom.
In patients suffering from congestive heart failure, the hearts become dilated, and the conduction and depolarization sequences of the heart chambers may exhibit Intra-Atrial Conduction Defects (IACD), Left Bundle Branch Block (LBBB), Right Bundle Branch Block (RBBB), and Intra Ventricular Conduction Defects (IVCD). Single and dual chamber pacing of the right atrium and/or right ventricle can be counterproductive in such cases, depending on the defective conduction pathway and the locations of the pace/sense electrodes.
A number of proposals have been advanced for providing pacing therapies to alleviate these conditions and restore synchronous depolarization of right and left, upper and lower, heart chambers . The proposals appearing in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,937,266, 4,088,140, 4,548,203, 4,458,677, 4,332,259 are summarized in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,928,688 and 5,674,259, all incorporated herein by reference. The advantages of providing sensing at pace/sense electrodes located in both the right and left heart chambers is addressed in the '688 and '259 patents, as well as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,354,497, 5,174,289, 5,267,560, 5,514,161, and 5,584,867, also incorporated herein by reference. Typically, the right atrium is paced at expiration of an A--A escape interval, and the left atrium is simultaneously paced or synchronously paced after a short delay time. Similarly, the right ventricle is paced at expiration of a V--V escape interval, and the left ventricle is simultaneously paced or synchronously paced after a short delay time. Some of these patents propose limited forms of DDD pacing having "bi-ventricular" or "bi-atrial" demand or triggered pacing functions. In all cases, a pacing pulse delivered at the end of an escape interval or at the end of an AV delay (a "paced event") triggers the simultaneous or slightly delayed delivery of the pacing pulse to the other heart chamber. They do not propose pacing a right or left heart chamber at the end of the escape interval or AV delay and then inhibiting pacing in the other of the right or left heart chamber if a conducted depolarization is detected in that other heart chamber within a physiologic time related to the location of the pace/sense electrodes.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,674,259, a combined epicardial IPG and electrode array are proposed for fitting about the apical region of the heart and providing a VVI pacing function providing for substantially simultaneous depolarization of both ventricles through selected ones of the pace/sense electrodes on time out of a V--V escape interval. It is not clear what occurs if an R-wave is sensed at one of the left or right ventricular pace/sense electrodes within the V--V escape interval.
In the '688 patent, two or three chamber pacing systems are disclosed wherein a programmable synchronization time window of about 5-10 msec duration is started on sensing an R-wave or a P-wave at pace/sense electrodes in one of the ventricles or atria before the expiration of a V--V or an A--A escape interval, respectively. The delivery of the pacing pulse in the other atrium or ventricle is inhibited if a P-wave or an R-wave is sensed at the pace/sense electrode site in that chamber within the synchronization time window. Atrial or ventricular pacing pulses are delivered simultaneously to both left and right atrial or ventricular pace/sense electrodes, if the V--V escape interval times out without sensing a P-wave or an R-wave at either pace/sense electrode site. In a DDD pacemaker context, an atrial pace/sense electrode, sense amplifier and pace output circuit and a pair of ventricular pace/sense electrodes, sense amplifiers and pace output circuits are provided. The AV delay timer is started when a P-wave is sensed, and ventricular pacing pulses are preferably supplied simultaneously to the two ventricular pace/sense electrodes if an R-wave is not sensed by either ventricular sense amplifier before the AV delay times out.
A "double atrial, triple chamber" pacing system is described in the '161 and '867 patents for treating dysfunctional atrial conduction using a programmable DDD pacemaker for pacing both atria simultaneously when an atrial sensed event is detected from either chamber or at the expiration of a V-A escape interval. The IPG includes atrial sense amplifiers coupled to atrial pace/sense electrodes positioned with respect to electrode sites in or adjacent the right and left atria and a ventricular sense amplifier coupled to ventricular pace/sense electrodes located in or on the right ventricle. In the '161 patent, ventricular pacing pulses are applied to the ventricular pace/sense electrodes at the end of an AV delay timed from the atrial paced events unless the sensed atrial rate exceeds a rate limit. In the '867 patent, a fall back mode is commenced to limit the ventricular pacing rate if the sensed P-waves are deemed "premature". Clinical experience in use of double atrial, three chamber, pacing systems appears in abstracts by Daubert et al., including "Permanent Dual Atrium Pacing in Major Intratrial Conduction Blocks: A Four Years Experience" appearing in PACE (Vol. 16, Part II, NASPE Abstract 141, p.885, April 1993). In these systems, atrial pacing pulses are delivered simultaneously in a triggered mode to both atria that is wasteful of electrical energy and fails to maintain a physiologic delay between the evoked depolarizations of the atria.
Further clinical experience with two, three and four heart chamber pacing is also reported by Daubert et al. in "Permanent Left Ventricular Pacing With Transvenous Leads Inserted Into The Coronary Veins" appearing in PACE (Vol. 21, Part II, pp. 239-245, January 1998). In the two heart chamber context, Daubert et al. report implanting conventional DDDR IPGs with the atrial pace/sense terminals coupled to a left ventricular lead having pace/sense electrodes located in relation to the left ventricle. The ventricular pace/sense terminals were coupled to right ventricular leads having pace/sense electrodes located in relation to the right ventricle. The IPG was programmed to operate in the VVIR mode with short AV delays, e.g. 30 ms, for timing delivery of a pacing pulse to the right ventricle when an R-wave was first sensed in or a pacing pulse was delivered to the left ventricle at the end of the programmed V-A escape interval. In this bi-ventricular pacing system, ventricular pacing pulses were not delivered in a triggered mode to both ventricles, but only the conduction delay from the left ventricle to the right ventricle could be programmed.
Daubert et al. also report use of a "double ventricular, triple chamber" pacing system in this article using DDDR IPGs having the atrial terminals coupled with the atrial pacing lead and the ventricular terminals coupled through an adaptor to two ventricular pacing leads. The pace/sense electrodes of the atrial pacing lead were implanted apparently in relation to the right atrium and the pace/sense electrodes of the ventricular pacing leads were implanted in relation to the right and left ventricles. The DDDR IPG was programmed in the DDDR mode to provide simultaneous pacing of the right and left ventricles at the end of an A-V delay timed from an atrial paced event at the expiration of the V-A pacing escape interval or an atrial sensed event occurring during the V-A escape interval. In this system, the simultaneous delivery of ventricular pacing pulses to both ventricles is wasteful of electrical energy and fails to maintain a physiologic delay between the evoked depolarizations of the ventricles.
A four chamber DDD pacing system providing right and left chamber pacing and sensing is described in this Daubert et al, article and in an article by Cazeau et al. entitled "Four Chamber Pacing in Dilated Cardiomyopathy" appearing in PACE (Vol. 17, Part II, pp. 1974-1979, November 1994). In these four chamber systems, right and left atrial leads are coupled "in series" through a bifurcated bipolar adaptor with atrial pace/sense connector block terminals, and right and left ventricular leads are coupled "in series" through a bifurcated bipolar adaptor with ventricular pace/sense connector block terminals. Right atrial and right ventricular leads are connected to the cathode ports, while left atrial and left ventricular leads are connected to the anode ports of each bipolar bifurcated adaptor. The IPG is programmed in the DDD mode and in a bipolar pacing mode with a common AV delay that is commenced by the delivery of atrial pacing pulses. The earliest right or left atrial sensed event (i.e., P-wave) within a V-A escape interval or the expiration of the V-A escape interval triggers delivery of atrial pacing pulses to both of the pace/sense electrodes in both atrial chambers through the series connected, right and left atrial leads. It appears that the sensing "in series" of either a right or left ventricular R-wave across the right and left pace/sense electrode pair during the AV delay terminates the AV delay and triggers delivery of ventricular pace pulses across the right and left pace/sense electrode pair. In this pacing system, both atrial and ventricular pacing pulses are delivered to both atria and both ventricles on sensing a P-wave and on sensing an R-wave, respectively, which is wasteful of electrical energy. And, the resulting simultaneous depolarization of the right and left atria or the right and left ventricles is not physiologically beneficial in many instances
In these approaches, the atrial and/or ventricular pace/sense electrodes are located in a variety of locations and manner with respect to the right and left atria and/or right and left ventricles. In the '688 patent, one ventricular pace/sense electrode is located at the distal end of an endocardial lead introduced deeply into the great vein extending from the coronary sinus to place it adjacent to the left ventricle. It is also known that the pace/sense electrode of an endocardial lead can be placed closer to the entrance to the coronary sinus and adjacent the left atrium. Such an approach is shown in the above-referenced Cazeau et al. article and in an abstract by Daubert et al., "Renewal of Permanent Left Atrial Pacing via the Coronary Sinus", appearing in PACE (Vol. 15, Part II, NASPE Abstract 255, p. 572, April 1992), incorporated herein by reference. Epicardial screw-in, pace/sense electrodes can also be placed epicardially on the right and left ventricles because the myocardial walls are thick enough to not be perforated in the process as also shown in the above-referenced Cazeau et al. article. In addition, a bi-ventricular pacemaker is proposed in the above-incorporated '259 patent having an array of ventricular pace/sense electrodes fitting about the apex of the heart to provide a plurality of usable epicardial pacing and/or sensing electrode sites about the apical region of the heart.
These approaches show promise in restoring the synchronous contractions of the right and left heart chambers in diseased hearts having significant conduction disturbances of the right and left heart depolarization waves but fail to preserve right and left heart synchrony in a physiologic manner. Significant conduction disturbances between the right and left atria can result in left atrial flutter or fibrillation that can be suppressed by pacing the left atrium synchronously with right atrial pacing of sensing of P-waves. And, left atrial and left ventricular cardiac output can be significantly improved when left and right chamber synchrony is restored, particularly in patients suffering from dilated cardiomyopathy.
In the prior art, it has been common to use very high impedance P-wave and R-wave sense amplifiers which do not substantially load the signal source to amplify the voltage difference which is generated across the pace/sense electrode pair by the passage of a cardiac depolarization. This prior approach suffers from a variety of problems which relate to the use of high gain factors necessitated by the low level signal generated by the heart. The prior art techniques rely on pass band filters, time domain filtering and amplitude threshold comparison to discriminate a P-wave or R-wave from background electrical noise and after-potentials persisting from a prior pacing pulse applied to the same pace/sense electrodes.
The prior art, high input impedance, sense amplifier circuits are easily saturated by the pacing pulse delivered between the pace/sense electrodes coupled to the input terminals or delivered between the other chamber pace/sense electrodes. For this reason, typically, the sense amplifier input terminals are un-coupled from the pace/sense electrodes for a predetermined "blanking" period started on delivery of a pacing pulse across the to same or the opposite chamber pace/sense electrodes to help prevent saturation due to the pacing pulse energy. The typical blanking period is about 100 msec long in contemporary pacemaker IPGs. To reduce this blanking period, "fast recharge" circuits and longer duration "refractory" periods have been proposed to minimize the saturation effects of the interaction between the delivery of a pacing pulse and the sense amplifier.
It is also possible to minimize interaction between the sensing and pacing functions by dedicating separate lead conductors and electrodes to the pacing pulse output circuit and the sense amplifier input terminals. However, lead size and limited pacer can feedthrough space considerations usually dictate use of connector and lead systems having pace/sense electrodes as described above.
In the context of bi-atrial or bi-ventricular sensing and pacing systems described above, it would be desirable to program the conduction delay time period or window for sensing a conducted depolarization in one heart chamber responding to a pace pulse or sensed event in the other chamber between 5-10 ms and 100 msec, for example. The conduction delay window (CDW) time depends on the physical locations of the right and left chamber pace/sense electrodes and normal conduction time delays therebetween. In this range, the after-potentials from a pace pulse delivered in the other chamber and reflected to the pace/sense electrodes in the chamber being timed will obscure any underlying evidence of a conducted cardiac depolarization occurring within the CDW time. Use of the typical 100 msec blanking period to overcome the after-potentials problem would prevent the sense amplifier from sensing the conducted depolarization wave.
Moreover, even if it is possible to reduce the blanking period or to use separate sense electrodes from pace electrodes as proposed in the above-incorporated '259 patent, conventional sense amplifiers that rely on signal peak detection are still incapable of exactly timing the conduction delay. Assuming that a depolarization occurs first in one of the right or left heart chambers it is sensed first at the pace/sense electrodes located in or on that heart chamber through a thresholding or peak detection technique. The conducted depolarization signal sensed at the second pace/sense electrodes is typically a wide complex signal that can reflect near field and far field signal contributions. The threshold or peak detection of the second chamber sense event signal can fail to reflect the actual depolarization conduction time because the overlapping signals significantly widen the signal waveshape.
For these reasons, the prior art bi-atrial and bi-ventricular pacing systems described above do not contemplate pacing in the right or left heart chamber and then inhibiting pacing in the other of the right or left heart chamber if a conducted depolarization is detected in that chamber within a particular CDW time.

Bi-atrial and/or bi-ventricular sequential cardiac pacing systems


A self-power down circuit for a controller coupled to a battery to obtain power from the battery. The controller has a port, the state of which changes during powering up of the controller. The circuit includes a first switching device including a main current conducting path and a control terminal. The control terminal of the first switching device is coupled to the port for monitoring the state of the port. The circuit further includes a second switching device including a main current conducting path and a control terminal, and a switch. The port is coupled to the battery through the main current conducting path of the second switching device. The control terminal of the second switching device is coupled to the switch for actuation by actuation of the switch. The control terminal of the second switching device is also coupled to the main current conducting paths of the first and second switching devices through first and second voltage dropping elements, respectively.

This invention relates to circuits for controlling the powering down of microcontroller-, microprocessor-, and microcomputer-controlled instruments.
Several systems for regulating or controlling the supply of power to microcontrollers, microprocessors and microcomputers, sometimes collectively referred to hereinafter as xcexcCs, and other types of circuits in instruments for monitoring or testing the concentrations of medically significant components of body fluids and the like. Such systems are illustrated in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,698,530; 4,713,555; 4,868,832; 4,951,171; 4,963,814; 5,010,469; 5,117,324; 5,341,034; 5,594,906; and, 5,792,944. There are also the systems described in Sherman, Len and Doug Vargha, xe2x80x9cOptimize Microprocessor Supervisory Circuits,xe2x80x9d Electronic Design, vol. 42, no. 18, 1994, pp. 67-76. No representation is intended that a complete search has been made of the prior art or that no better art references than those listed here exist, nor should any such representation be inferred. This listing shall not be construed to be an admission that the listed references are, or are considered to be, material to patentability, nor should any such admission be inferred.
xcexcCs that have power down modes typically draw a small amount of current when they are powered down. The lifetimes of batteries in battery operated devices of this type are compromised by this current drain during times of inactivity. Three commonly employed techniques for reducing the current drain on a battery during times of inactivity in this type of application are: the use of a toggle switch only, which requires the operator to turn the circuit off in order to be effective; the use of the xcexcC power down mode, which consumes power, thus reducing the life of a battery used to power the instrument; and, the use of a power supervisor circuit which also consumes power, thus reducing battery life.
According to the invention, a self-power down circuit is provided for a circuit including a battery and a controller coupled to the battery to obtain power from the battery. The controller has a port, the state of which changes during powering up of the controller. The circuit includes a first switching device including a main current conducting path and a control terminal. The control terminal of the first switching device is coupled to the port for monitoring the state of the port. The circuit further includes a second switching device including a main current conducting path and a control terminal, and a switch. The port is coupled to the battery through the main current conducting path of the second switching device. The control terminal of the second switching device is coupled to the switch for actuation by actuation of the switch. The control terminal of the second switching device is also coupled to the main current conducting paths of the first and second switching devices through first and second voltage dropping elements, respectively.
Illustratively according to the invention, the first switching device includes a first field effect transistor (FET). The main current conducting path of first FET includes its drain and source terminals. The control terminal of the first FET is its gate terminal.
Further illustratively according to the invention, the main current conducting path of the first FET is coupled to a first terminal of the switch. A second terminal of the switch is coupled to the control terminal of the second switching device.
Additionally illustratively according to the invention, the main current conducting path of the first FET is coupled through the first voltage dropping element to the first terminal of the switch.
Illustratively according to the invention, the first voltage dropping element includes a first voltage dropping element resistor.
Illustratively according to the invention, the second switching device includes a second FET. The main current conducting path of the second FET includes its drain and source terminals. The control terminal of the second FET is its gate terminal.
Further illustratively according to the invention, the second voltage dropping element includes a second voltage dropping element resistor. The gate of the second FET is coupled through the second voltage dropping element resistor to one of the source and drain of the first FET.
Additionally illustratively according to the invention, the main current conducting path of the first FET is coupled to a first terminal of the switch. A second terminal of the switch is coupled to the gate of the second FET.
Illustratively according to the invention, the main current conducting path of the first FET is coupled through the first voltage dropping element to the first terminal of the switch.
Illustratively according to the invention, the port is coupled through a software switch, a voltage regulator and the main current conducting path of the second switching device to the battery.
Further illustratively according to the invention, the port includes a port of one of a microcontroller, microprocessor or microcomputer.


In a continuously variable transmission metal belt, a lateral-most projecting portion of a side edge of a metal ring assembly wherein each metal ring is located between a radially central plane and a radially inner peripheral surface of the metal ring. A contact point in which the projecting portion abuts against a V-face of a pulley is closer to the radially central plane than to the radially inner peripheral surface. Moreover, as the metal rings are laminated on one another, recesses are formed between the side edges of the adjacent metal rings to retain oil therein, which lubricates the sliding faces of adjacent metal rings and enhances durability of the assembly.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a continuously variable transmission metal belt comprising a metal ring assembly including a plurality of endless metal rings laminated on one another and a plurality of metal elements supported on the metal ring assembly; a process for producing the metal ring; and a process for measuring the shape of the metal ring.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-6970 discloses a metal ring of a continuously variable transmission metal belt, wherein a portion near a side edge of the metal ring is plastically deformed so that a thickness of the portion gradually decreases in a laterally outward direction of the metal ring. Accordingly, due to bending of the metal belt, a compression stress and a tensile stress on the side edge of the metal ring decrease, which extends the fatigue life of the side edge of the metal ring.
In the conventional metal ring, the fatigue life of the side edge of the metal ring is determined based on a bending stress. However, no consideration of a Hertz stress is taken when determining the fatigue life of the side edge of the metal ring. The Hertz stress, being due to contact between a V-face of a pulley and a neck portion of a metal element, causes the side edge of the metal ring to be a starting point of a fatigue fracture. Therefore, it is difficult to effectively extend the fatigue life of the side edge of the metal ring.

Continuously variable transmission metal belt, process for producing metal ring, and process for measuring shape of metal ring


A method of formatting a computer-readable document including a plurality of objects having directly-assigned attributes includes detecting the objects having directly-assigned attributes, creating a conversion style element for every detected combination of directly-assigned attributes, and replacing the directly-assigned attributes by a reference to the corresponding conversion style element. A change of a particular attribute throughout the entire document can thus be carried out simply by changing the conversion style elements in which this attribute appears.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to processing computer-readable documents, and in particular to a method of formatting a computer-readable document that has a plurality of objects having directly-assigned attributes.
2. Description of Related Art
Computer-readable documents like text documents, graphics documents, presentations etc. contain a plurality of formatted objects like characters, formulae, paragraphs, etc. In general, there are two ways of creating such formatted objects.
In a first way, a style or template is used that describes one or more attributes, e.g., bold, font color, font size, underline etc., of objects in a portion of the computer-readable document to which the respective style or template is applied. The formatting style or template defines the formatting properties of the whole document portion, such as a text portion. Typically, a style or template is applied to an entire computer-readable document, or to one or more objects with a document.
The other way of creating a formatted object in a computer-readable document is direct formatting in which the user assigns the attributes of a selected document portion directly using function keys or other input devices like a mouse. The format is directly defined for the selected document portion like a character, a text paragraph, a table, mathematical formula etc. by the user choosing the desired attribute for the selected document portion. Frequently, direct formatting is used within or for an object that uses a style or template to provide formatting other than that provided by the style or template.
In many cases, it is necessary to change certain attributes or style properties of a document like a text document during editing of the document. For example, a particular attribute like a color is not available on a specific output device like a printer, or is found to be less appealing than expected. If the user has generated the text only using a style or template, such an amendment is made rather easily by changing the attributes of the respective style.
In many cases, however, the user prefers to frequently use direct formatting when producing the text document. This may be faster or more convenient for the user. If, however, directly-assigned attributes in a large text document have to be changed, these changes must all be carried out "manually", selecting every object having the directly-assigned attribute and changing the same. This process is awkward and time-consuming since the user wishing to change the directly-assigned attributes has to go through the complete document and change all appearances of these directly-assigned attributes.
In prior art consumer application software, styles or templates are stored, for example, in a separate subentry of the document. This subentry contains the name of the style, parent and child (or follow) styles and separate sections for defining paragraph attributes and character attributes. Other prior art applications save the styles in another block of the file.
Directly-assigned attributes are for example stored in a particular subentry in blocks of 512 bytes. In the document, text references to the subentry containing the directly-assigned attributes definitions and positional information about attribute changes are then included. Alternatively, all the information about directly-assigned attributes is included in a data block appended to a document portion like a text paragraph, in which the object with the directly-assigned format appears.

System and method for conversion of directly-assigned format attributes to styles in a document


At least a race (1c) of a blank (B) for forming a bearing raceway member is hardened by heating and is finished to predetermined precisions. Subsequently, the race (1c) is roller burnished for additional hardening. The blank (B) is formed from a steel for bearing manufacture and is subjected to the roller burnishing, thereby achieving a hardness of HRC65 or more at a surface of the race (1c), and a center-line average roughness Ra of 0.1 μm or less at the surface of the race (1c) and achieving a hardness of HRC60 or more at the depth of at least 0.2 mm from the surface of (1c).

As to a roller bearing for use in a clean oil or an oil contaminated with foreign substances (extraneous matter), or in grease lubrication, it is a common practice to subject a raceway member (race) thereof to a surface heat-treatment/hardening process, such as carburizing, nitriding or induction hardening, in order to extend the service life of a race thereof (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 5-195070). For the purpose of increasing the longevity of the bearing used in the clean oil, in particular, various attempts have been made to increase the strength of the race by decreasing a content of a non-metal inclusion in the material, adding an alloy component or the like (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-220638). However, all of the aforementioned measures have a drawback of increasing the manufacture costs of the roller bearing.
Steels for bearing manufacture, such as bearing steels and carburized steels, have been used as a common material for the raceway member of the roller bearing. However, the steel for bearing manufacture is so expensive that the manufacture cost of the roller bearing is high. On this account, some bearing manufacturers adopt a method wherein the raceway member is formed from a relatively less expensive carbon steel for machine structural use, such as JIS-S45C and JIS-S55C. In this case, however, the race is inferior in the quenched hardness as compared with that of the steel for bearing manufacture, failing to achieve a sufficient fatigue strength. Hence, the raceway member suffers a short service life.
In some medium- or large-sized roller bearings having an outside diameter of 240 mm or more, on the other hand, a blank for raceway member is heat-treated and then, the race is finished to predetermined precisions by turning rather than by grinding. In this case, however, the resultant race has such a great surface roughness (e.g., a center-line average roughness Ra of 0.35 μm or more) that the race inevitably encounters boundary lubrication at its contact portion with a rolling element. Furthermore, the race is subjected to the heavy cutting process, which involves a potential risk of producing tensile residual stress at the race. Therefore, if the race is used in contact with the rolling element at high surface contact pressure, the race is more susceptible to premature flaking. In an attempt at further improving the finished surface (e.g., Ra≧0.2 μm) of the race formed by the aforesaid cutting process, the cutting conditions may be loosened (the race cut relatively lightly) or otherwise, the finished surface may be subjected to rough grinding. Such approaches also encounter the aforementioned problems.
In view of the foregoing, the invention has been accomplished and has an object to provide a method for manufacturing a bearing raceway member, which can extend the service life of the bearing raceway member at low costs.

Method for manufacturing a bearing raceway member


A chronostratigraphic database comprising a plurality of discrete data points, wherein each data point comprises an x, y, z and T value, wherein x, y, and z are Cartesian coordinates describing a position and T is a geologic time event relative to said position; a method to produce a chronostratigraphic database and to utilize the database; and a modeling system wherein the database includes data formatted and arranged for use with a computer-implemented method or web-based method for controlling serving of an advertisement or public service message using its relevancy to a request.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
The instant disclosure generally relates to geological modeling and mapping.
Typically, geological information collected from Earth's subsurface is identified by its spatial location, specifically geographic (x, y) coordinates, i.e., longitude and latitude, and elevation or depth (z), usually relative to mean sea level. This allows subsurface data types to be categorized, utilized and marketed based on these identifiers.
A geologic basin may be comprised of hundreds of rock layers or strata (formations) deposited over geologic time. Thus, a characteristic attribute of a stratum is the age of deposition (T), which in a sense could be considered as a fourth dimension. A geologic time scale has been created to subdivide Earth's history into eras and periods based on the absolute age of rocks, fossils and sediments using radiometric dating, paleontology and other methods. Chronostratigraphy is then used to identify the age of rock strata in relation to time and relying on absolute age. Lithostratigraphy involves the correlating of key rock sequences to map continuous geologic formations within a particular area, such as a portion of a particular basin.
A method to obtain digital spatial data and a stratigraphic correlation or framework from well logs in a particular area or basin is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,054,753, which is fully incorporated by reference herein.
When attempting to understand a single formation or a short geographic distance, e.g., within a common basin, lithostratigraphy may match chronostratigraphy fairly well. However, changes in the strata from other geologic forces, or the arrangement of the various strata layers over relatively large geographic distances cannot readily be accounted for using lithostratigraphic correlation. Chronostratigraphic correlation becomes very difficult, if not impossible in view of the limited lithostratigraphic data that are available, which are, at best, limited, disjointed and mainly comprised of numerous forms of analog data presented as well logs recorded over the past century. What is needed therefore is an overall chronostratigraphic framework within which geologic data can be inserted and categorized along with a time event such that the data may be queried and organized based on the age as well as spatial coordinates.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Chronostratigraphic modeling and mapping system and method


An iron casting, such as a cylinder block for an internal combustion engine, includes a number of component zones, with each of the zones having selected surface to volume ratio and selected section thickness sufficient to cause in-mold cooling during the casting process at controllable, but varying rates sufficient to result in predetermined, different percentages of nodular and compacted graphite iron in at least two of the zones of the cylinder block or other iron casting.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to iron casting in a manner which produces a unitary workpiece having different material properties in different zones of the casting, with such differing properties being produced during the molding process.
2. Description of Related Art
Grey iron has been used in castings since the dawn of the automotive age. Iron is inexpensive and is relatively easy to cast. It does, however, suffer from comparison of its strength and stiffness with the characteristic of other materials such as steel. Although it has been known to increase the cross sectional thickness of say, a cylinder block, in order to improve engine durability and noise, vibration, and harshness characteristics, this is a costly remedy for the deficiencies of grey iron and causes a weight penalty which, those skilled in the art will appreciate, is an almost intolerable situation in the automotive business today. Those skilled in the art appreciate that grey iron, when properly doped with manganese to compensate for sulfur contained in the iron, may be cooled in such a fashion so as to produce compacted graphite iron or nodular iron. It is known conventionally to produce nodular iron gear cases for the center section of high performance rear drive vehicles, and for engine crankshafts and other highly stressed automotive components. This works quite well when the machining process is limited almost entirely to grinding. Nodular iron is, however, difficult to machine and it is more desirable to use compacted graphite iron for machinability reasons, while attaining a reasonable level of strength and stiffness. However, in the absence of the present invention, it has not been known to use preferential cooling rates to achieve both nodular and compacted graphite iron in a single casting.

Engine cylinder block cast with component zones having different material properties


The invention relates to a photographic element comprising a paper base, at least one photosensitive silver halide layer, a layer of biaxially oriented polymer sheet between said paper base and said silver halide layer, and a biaxially oriented polymer sheet on the opposite side of said base paper from said photosensitive silver halide layer wherein said biaxially oriented sheets and said base paper together have balanced forces such that the photographic element remains flat over a broad range of relative humidity changes.

Printing media are improved if they resist curl and remain flat. This is particularly important with media utilized with the formation with color images. Such media include those utilized for ink jet, thermal dye sublimation imaging, thermal wax dye transfer, and electrophotography. The formation of a flat base is particularly important for color photographic paper.
In the formation of color paper it is known that the base paper has applied thereto a layer of polymer, typically polyethylene. This layer serves to provide waterproofing to the paper, as well as providing a smooth surface on which the photosensitive layers are formed. The formation of a suitably smooth surface is difficult requiring great care and expense to ensure proper laydown and cooling of the polyethylene layers. One defect in prior formation techniques is caused when an air bubble is trapped between the forming roller and the polyethylene which will form the surface for casting of photosensitive materials. This air bubble will form a pit that will cause a defect in the photographic performance of photographic materials formed on the polyethylene. It would be desirable if a more reliable and improved surface could be formed at less expense.
In color papers there is a need for providing color papers with improved resistance to curl. Present color papers will curl during development and storage. Such curl is thought to be caused by the different properties of the layers of the color paper as it is subjected to the developing and drying processes. Humidity changes during storage of color photographs lead to curling. There are particular problems with color papers when they are subjected to extended high humidity storage such as at greater than 50% relative humidity. Extremely low humidity of less than 20% relative humidity also will cause photographic papers to curl.
In photographic papers the polyethylene layer also serves as a carrier layer for titanium dioxide and other whitener materials as well as tint materials. It would be desirable if the colorant materials rather than being dispersed throughout the polyethylene layer could be concentrated nearer the surface of the layer where they would be more effective photographically.
It has been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,861 to utilize biaxially oriented polypropylene in receiver sheets for thermal dye transfer.
There remains a need for photographic substrates that will resist bending forces. These bending forces result in curled photographs which are undesirable as they may not be stacked well, displayed on flat surfaces, or displayed in a pleasing manner in albums or when viewed individually.

Photographic element that resists curl using oriented sheets


A catheter for implantation into a patient having a catheter tube having a distal end, a means for trimming the distal end of the catheter tube after subcutaneous insertion of the tip of the catheter lumen into a desired position within the patient to form a trimmed end portion, and a means for selectively positioning each respective lumen of the trimmed end portion of the catheter tube into fluid communication with the respective first end of one attachment tube. The attachment tube is select fluid communication with a desired medical device.

The use of implantable catheters in the art of drug delivery and blood sampling is well known, in which at least one of several known types of catheters is implanted in a patient's system. These catheters are designed to provide repeated access to the vascular system of the patient for the purpose of performing drug delivery, blood sampling, and extracorporeal treatment of blood, such as hemodialysis and apheresis. The use of these devices reduces the trauma otherwise associated with multiple punctures of the venous system using needles for the same treatment purposes.
Implantable catheters are used to facilitate extracorporeal treatment of blood, frequent blood sampling, or provide for the delivery of medications, nutrition, blood products, and imaging solutions into the blood stream. Access to the catheter is typically accomplished by means of a luer lock extension attached to the distal end of the catheter assembly.
Implantable catheters are supplied as sterile devices, provided for single patient use only, and are available in a variety of materials, including polyurethane and silicone. A polyester cuff is sometimes formed on the catheter cannula to facilitate the anchorage of the catheter to the patient's underlying fascia, for example muscle. Implantable catheters are typically available in single and dual lumen models.
A major problem with implanted catheters is accurate placement of the tip of the catheter lumen. The tip must be placed very accurately in the patient's system in order to optimize the catheter's use and survivability. This is normally done by use of fluoroscopic guidance during implant and the addition of a radiopaque tip on the tip portion of the catheter tube aids greatly in accurate placement. Though there are many methods known in the art whereby a radiopaque tip may be placed on a catheter tube for better visualization during implantation, the use of these devices is limited by the fact that the hub to tip length of the catheter tube is conventionally fixed. This forces the surgeon to either use one length catheter for every sized patient, or to trim the tip portion of the catheter tube to customize the length of the catheter tube to the particular anatomical size of the patient. The use of one standard length for every patient is unattractive due to the fact that this typically results in excessive catheter tube being exposed outside the body after implant of the catheter on smaller patients. The conventional solution of cutting the catheter to the desired length removes the radiopaque tip portion of the catheter tube, which results in a loss of implant accuracy.
Further, the conventional process of determining the proper length for the tunnel (i.e., length from outside the body to the venotomy site) and the proper length catheter for placement in the vein to ensure that the tip is at the desired location is quite crude and imprecise. Typically, a physician places the catheter on the exterior of the patient's body and estimates the location of the desired site. This crude process is used by the physician to obtain the "proper" length for the catheter. A problem with this approach, however, is that it does not always provide the physician with the exact catheter tip placement that is desired.
What is needed, therefore, is an implantable catheter with the ability to have the catheter tip of the catheter tube positioned accurately via a radiopaque portion. The implantable catheter of the present invention also allows the length of the catheter tube to be customized to a desired length and attached to a hub member of the catheter to place the catheter tube into fluid communication with desired medical devices and/or solutions.

Implantable catheter and method of using same


The present invention greatly reduces the likelihood that fiber fusion will occur. A laser apparatus comprises an excitation light source and an optical amplifier unit, which optically amplifies by receiving excitation light that is output from the excitation light source and that transits an optical fiber. A monitor unit monitors the power level of the excitation light transmitted from the excitation light source to the optical amplifier unit side via the optical fiber. At the initial start of the output of the excitation light from the excitation light source, once the excitation light is being output at the prescribed power level by the excitation light source, the control unit performs control such that the excitation light at a power level higher than the prescribed power level is output if the power level monitored by the monitor unit is greater than or equal to a prescribed value when the excitation light at the prescribed power level is being output from the excitation light source and such that the output of the excitation light is stopped if the power level monitored by the monitor unit is less than the prescribed value when the excitation light at the prescribed power level is being output from the excitation light source.

As an example of a laser apparatus, Patent Document 1 below discloses an ultraviolet light source that comprises: a laser light source, which generates a signal light that falls within a range extending from the infrared region to the visible region; an optical amplifier, which amplifies the signal light generated by the laser light source; a wavelength conversion optical system, which converts the wavelength of the signal light amplified by the optical amplifier to ultraviolet light and outputs such; and an excitation light source, which supplies excitation light to the optical amplifier.
In addition, Patent Document 1 below also discloses a light therapy apparatus, an exposure apparatus, and an object inspection apparatus wherein such an ultraviolet light source is used.

Laser apparatus, light therapy apparatus, exposure apparatus, device manufacturing method, and object inspection apparatus


A vehicular shift lock device including (a) a shift lock member movable between a locking position which is located on a predetermined path of movement of a shift lever from one operating position to another operating position and in which the shift lock member inhibits the movement of the shift lever, and an unlocking position which is spaced from the locking position and in which the shift lock member permits the movement of the shift lever, and (b) a guide member which guides the shift lever so as to move along the predetermined path of movement, wherein the guide member defines the locking position of the shift lock member when the shift lock member is moved in a direction intersecting the predetermined path of movement of said shift lever.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a vehicular shift lock device, and more particularly to a vehicular shift lock device which is compact in construction and economical to manufacture and which assures a high degree of stability of its locking function.
2. Discussion of Related Art
There is known a vehicular shift lock device comprising a shift lock member movable between a locking position which is located on a predetermined path of movement of a shift lever from one operating position to another operating position and in which the shift lock member inhibits the above-indicated movement of the shift lever, and an unlocking position which is spaced from the locking position and in which the shift lock member permits the above-indicated movement of the shift lever. JP-7-41134 U discloses an example of such a shift lock device, which is arranged to selectively inhibit or permit a movement of the shift lever from a parking position to a reverse-drive position or from a neutral position to the reverse-drive position, depending upon a running condition of the vehicle, for example, whether a vehicular braking system is in operation or not, or depending upon a selected position of a key provided on the vehicle, or a running speed of the vehicle.
In the known shift lock device as described above, a stopper member is disposed on a base member by which the shift lever is supported. The stopper member holds the shift lock member in its locking position located on the path of movement of the shift lever and in which the shift lock member is held in abutting contact with the shift lever, to inhibit the movement of the shift lever. In the locking position defined by the stopper member disposed on the base member, the position at which the shift lock member comes into abutting contact with the shift lever tends to vary. Described in detail, the path of movement of the shift lever is generally defined by a guide slot formed through a guide member fixed to the base member, so that a position of abutting contact between the shift lever guided by the guide slot and the shift lock member placed in the locking position defined by the stopper member disposed on the base member may vary due to a positioning error of the guide member relative to the base member. This problem may be solved by enlarging an abutting portion of the shift lock member so that the shift lever is locked with high stability by the abutting contact of the shift lever with the abutting portion of a relatively large size. Alternatively, the problem may be solved by positioning the guide member with high accuracy relative to the base member. These solutions lead to an increased size and/or an increase cost of manufacture of the shift lock device.


Polymer compositions, while providing suitable wrinkle control, also tend to dispense poorly when sprayed. The present invention shows that when viscosity of polymer compositions is minimized spray dispensing improves. Several approaches to minimizing the viscosity of polymer compositions are disclosed. Methods of controlling wrinkles in fabrics comprise treating fabrics with a variety of polymer compositions following a variety of methods. Articles of manufacture comprise (1) a container or substrate, (2) a wrinkle controlling composition, and (3) a set of instructions.

The present invention relates to polymer compositions having a specified pH to provide improved dispensing for wrinkle removal and/or reduction. The specified pH prevents staining of treated fabrics and methods for treating fabrics are provided in order to improve various properties of fabrics, in particular, reduction, removal, or prevention of unwanted wrinkles.
For preferred polymer compositions containing additional components it is particularly important to maintain the specified pH of the polymer compositions to maintain acceptable dispensing while also preventing precipitate formation during processing.
Wrinkles in textile fabrics are caused by the bending and creasing of the textile material which places an external portion of a filament in a yarn under tension while the internal portion of that filament in the yarn is placed under compression. Particularly with cotton fabrics, the hydrogen bonding that occurs between the cellulose molecules contributes to keeping wrinkles in place. The wrinkling of fabric, in particular clothing and certain household fabrics, is therefore subject to the inherent tensional elastic deformation and recovery properties of the fibers which constitute the yarn and fabrics.
In the modern world, with the increase of hustle and bustle and travel, there is a demand for a quick fix which will help to diminish the labor involved in home laundering and/or the cost and time involved in dry cleaning or commercial laundering. This has brought additional pressure to bear on textile technologists to produce a product that will sufficiently reduce wrinkles in fabrics, especially clothing and household fabrics, and to produce a good appearance through a simple, convenient application of a product.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,695, issued Nov. 12, 1996 to E. F. Targosz discloses an aqueous wrinkle removal composition containing a vegetable oil based cationic quaternary ammonium surfactant, and an anionic fluorosurfactant. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,268, issued Apr. 28, 1987 to Jacobson et al. discloses a wrinkle removal spray comprising an aqueous alcoholic composition containing a dialkyl quaternary ammonium salt and a silicone surfactant and/or a fluoro surfactant. U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,566, issued Mar. 31, 1992 to Agbomeirele et al., discloses a method of reducing wrinkles in fabric by spraying the fabric with an aqueous alcoholic solution of an anionic siliconate alkali metal salt. U.S. Pat. No. 4,806,254, issued Feb. 21, 1989 to J. A. Church discloses fabric wrinkle removal aqueous alcoholic solution containing glycerine and a nonionic surfactant. U.S. Pat. No. 5,532,023, issued Jul. 2, 1996 to Vogel, Wahl, Cappel and Ward discloses aqueous wrinkle control compositions containing silicone and film forming polymer.
In the present invention, wrinkle control in fabrics, including clothing, dry cleanables, linens, bed clothes, draperies, window curtains, shower curtains, table linens, and the like, is acheived without the need for ironing. The present invention can be used on wet, damp, or dry clothing to relax wrinkles and give clothes a ready to wear or use look that is demanded by today""s fast paced world. The present invention also essentially eliminates the need for touch up ironing usually associated with closet, drawer, and suitcase storage of garments.
An additional benefit of using polymer-based compositions in the present invention is that polymers provide improved benefits including any or all of the benefits named in the following list: garment shape, body, rewrinkle prevention, and/or crispness.
When ironing is desired however, preferred compositions of the present invention can also act as an excellent ironing aid. The present invention makes the task of ironing easier and faster by plasticizing fabric fibers and thus making it easier to work wrinkles out of the fabric. When used as an ironing aid, the compositions of the present invention help produce a crisp, smooth appearance, but also retaining a quality of softness.
The present invention relates to aqueous wrinkle reducing, removing and/or controlling compositions comprising polymer containing carboxylic acid moieties, that are preferably stable, well-dispersed opaque, translucent, or clear suspensions, dispersions, or solutions with the dispersed or solubilized polymer particulates being very small in particle size, that distribute evenly from dispensers to prevent staining. Specified pH solutions are acceptable if these have the low viscosity that is necessary to provide acceptable dispensing. The present invention also relates to preferred compositions containing, in addition to the essential carboxylic acid containing polymer and carrier, optional, but preferred ingredients, e.g. polyalkylene oxide polysiloxane, fabric care polysaccharides, odor control components, solvent, and minors such as perfume and preservative, adjusted to a specified pH to provide both good dispensing properties and improved stability to shear forces (e.g. stirring during processing or shaking that occurs during transit). The present invention further relates to methods of formulating such compositions, as well as fabric wrinkle control methods and articles of manufacture that comprise such fabric wrinkle controlling compositions. The fabric wrinkle control compositions typically comprise:
(A) an effective amount to control wrinkles in fabric of a polymer preferably selected from the group of polymers comprising carboxylic acid moieties that can be suspended, dispersed or solubilized at a specified pH range to produce a solution with a viscosity lower than the viscosity of that polymer composition at a pH above the specified pH range and with the viscosity of the solution preferably below about 20 centipoise (xe2x80x9ccPxe2x80x9d), more preferably below about 15 cP, even more preferably below about 12 cP, even more preferably below about 10 cP, still more preferably below about 7 cP and most preferably below about 3 cP, with the polymer incorporated at a level that is at least about 0.001%, preferably at least about 0.01%, and more preferably at least about 0.05%, and still more preferrably at least about 0.1% and even more preferably at least about 0.25% and most preferrably at least about 0.5% and at a level of no greater than about 25%, more preferably no greater than about 10%, even more preferably no greater than about 7%, and still more preferably no greater than about 5% by weight of the usage composition; mixtures of polymers are also acceptable in the present composition; and
(B) carrier, preferably water.
The preferred polymer compositions of the present invention can optionally further comprise:
(A) optionally, but preferably, silicone compounds and/or emulsions. Silicone compounds that impart lubricity and softness are highly preferred. Silicones that reduce surface tension are also highly preferred. A preferred class of silicone materials includes silicones modified with alkylene oxide moieties compounds;
mixtures of silicones that provide desired benefits are also acceptable in the present composition;
(B) optionally, an effective amount of a supplemental wrinkle control agent selected from the group consisting of (1) adjunct polymer (2) fabric care polysaccharides, (3) lithium salts, (4) fiber fabric lubricants, and (5) mixtures thereof;
(C) optionally, an effective amount of a supplemental surface tension control agent;
(D) optionally, an effective amount to soften fibers and/or polymer of hydrophilic plasticizer wrinkle control agent;
(E) optionally, but preferably, at least an effective amount to absorb or reduce malodor, of odor control agent;
(F) optionally, but preferably, an effective amount to provide olfactory effects of perfume;
(G) optionally, an effective amount of solubilized, water-soluble, antimicrobial preservative, preferably from about 0.0001% to about 0.5%, more preferably fromabout 0.0002% to about 0.2%, most preferably from about 0.0003% to about 0.1%, by weight of the composition;
(H) optionally, an effective amount to adjust and control pH of a pH adjustment system;
(I) optionally, other ingredients such as adjunct odor-controlling materials, chelating agents, viscosity control agents, additional antistatic agents if more static control is desired, insect and moth repelling agents, colorants, whiteness preservative; anti-clogging agents; and;
(J) mixtures of optional components (A) through (I).
The present compositions are preferably essentially free of materials that would soil or stain fabric under usage conditions, or preferably free of materials at a level that would soil or stain fabrics unacceptably under usage conditions.
The present invention also relates to concentrated compositions, including liquid, fluid and solid forms of concentrated compositions that may be diluted to form compositions with the usage concentrations for use under usage conditions. It is preferred that the concentrated compositions be delivered in forms that rapidly and smoothly dissolve or disperse to the usage concentration.
The present invention further relates to a method of making the present compositions.
The present invention also relates to articles of manufacture comprising the present compositions incorporated into a container, such as a spray dispenser, that can facilitate treatment of articles and/or surfaces with said compositions containing wrinkle control agent and other optional ingredients at a level that is effective, yet is not discernible when dried on the surfaces. The spray dispenser comprises manually activated and non-manual powered (operated) spray means and a container containing the wrinkle controlling composition.
The present invention also relates to the combining the composition with a substrate and/or device capable of containing said composition for release at a desirable time in a fabric treatment process to create an article of manufacture. Such articles of manufacture can facilitate treatment of fabric articles and/or surfaces with said pH adjusted polymer compositions containing wrinkle control agent and other optional ingredients at a level that is effective, yet not discernible when dried on the surfaces of said fabric. The article of manufacture can operate in mechanical devices designed to alter the physical properties of articles and/or surfaces such as, but not limited to, a clothes dryer or mechanical devices designed to spray fabric care compositions on fabrics or clothes.
The present article of manufacture can further comprise a set of instructions to communicate methods of using the present compositions to the consumer. When articles of manufacture comprise devices or substrates that dispense the said composition, preferred devices or substrates will disperse the said composition in a uniform manner so as to minimize staining.
The present invention also comprises the use of small particle diameter droplets of the present compositions to treat fabrics, in order to provide superior performance, e.g., the method of applying the compositions to fabrics, etc. as very small particles (droplets) preferably having weight average diameter particle sizes (diameters) of from about 5 xcexcm to about 250 xcexcm, more preferably from about 10 xcexcm to about 120 xcexcm, and even more preferably from about 20 xcexcm to about 100 xcexcm.

Polymer compositions having specified PH for improved dispensing and improved stability of wrinkle reducing compositions and methods of use


A mechanism provided to program forwarding tables for switches in a subnet of a switched fabric including at least a host system, a target system and switches each having one or more ports interconnected via links for multipathing. Such a mechanism may be installed in a host system to determine all possible links between all ports on the subnet during topology discovery; create an all port connectivity table which records all port-to-port connectivity information; create an all switch shortest paths table which records all the shortest paths between every switch pair on the subnet based the port-to-port connectivity information; and compute forwarding tables for respective switches on the subnet that allow usage of multiple paths between port pairs based on the port-to-port connectivity information and based on the shortest paths between every switch pair.

Computer input/output (I/O) performance has become crucial to applications today because of the use of the Internet, intranets, and extranets. Key applications deployed in most Information Technology (IT) enterprises are typically predicated upon I/O subsystem performance in handling key I/O tasks to deliver data to and from computer's main CPU. These applications may include all Internet applications ranging from Web severs to Internet-based e-commerce and TCP/IP network handling, mail and messaging, on-line transaction processing, and key packaged decision-support applications. Other IT infrastructure changes have also increased the burden on computer server I/O.
Emerging solutions to many of the current server I/O shortcomings include InfiniBand™ and its predecessor, Next Generation I/O (NGIO) which have been developed by Intel Corp. and other companies to provide a standard-based I/O platform that uses a channel oriented, switched fabric and separate I/O channels to meet the growing needs of I/O reliability, scalability and performance on commercial high-volume servers, as set forth in the "Next Generation Input/Output (NGIO) Specification," NGIO Forum on Jul. 20, 1999 and the "InfiniBand™ Architecture Specification," the InfiniBand™ Trade Association on Oct. 24, 2000. NGIO/InfiniBand™ introduces the use of an efficient engine that is coupled to host memory which replaces shared buses with a fabric of switchable point-to-point links. This approach decouples the CPU from the I/O subsystem and addresses the problems of reliability, scalability, modular packaging, performance and complexity. Communication between CPU and peripherals occurs asynchronously with the I/O channel engine. The I/O channel engine is utilized to transport data to and from main memory and allow the system bus to act as a switch with point-to-point links capable of near linear scaling with CPU, memory and peripheral performance improvements.
One major challenge to implementing a data network which utilizes an NGIO/InfiniBand™ architecture is to ensure that data messages traverse reliably between given ports of a data transmitter (source node) and a data receiver (destination node), via one or more given transmission (redundant) links.
Since NGIO/InfiniBand™ is an emerging technology not yet in the marketplace, there is no known interface mechanism specifically implemented for NGIO/InfiniBand™ applications. In addition, there is no known procedure to determine the number of possible multiple paths for a given port and program switch forwarding tables for switches that allows usages of multiple paths between port pairs in a channel-based, switched fabric data network.
Accordingly, there is a need for a mechanism for determining the number of possible multiple paths for a given port and programing switch forwarding tables for switches that allows usages of multiple paths between port pairs in a channel-based, switched fabric data network.

Method for determining multiple paths between ports in a switched fabric


A method of detecting an amine-based additive in wellbore servicing fluid (WSF) comprising contacting an aliquot of WSF with an amine detector reagent and aqueous medium to form a detection solution; wherein the amine detector reagent comprises an amine detector compound, and a polar organic solvent (POS) with flash point >105° C.; wherein the WSF comprises the amine-based additive; and wherein the detection solution is characterized by at least one absorption peak wavelength in 380-760 nm; detecting an absorption intensity for detection solution at a wavelength within ±20% of the at least one absorption peak wavelength; comparing the absorption intensity of detection solution at the wavelength within ±20% of the at least one absorption peak wavelength with a target absorption intensity of amine-based additive to determine the amount of amine-based additive in WSF; and comparing the amount of amine-based additive in WSF with a target amount of amine-based additive.

This disclosure relates to methods of servicing a wellbore. More specifically, it relates to methods of detecting amine-based additives in wellbore servicing fluids.
Natural resources such as gas, oil, and water residing in a subterranean formation or zone are usually recovered by drilling a wellbore down to the subterranean formation while circulating a drilling fluid in the wellbore. After terminating the circulation of the drilling fluid, a string of pipe, e.g., casing, is run in the wellbore. The drilling fluid is then usually circulated downward through the interior of the pipe and upward through the annulus, which is located between the exterior of the pipe and the walls of the wellbore. Amine-based compounds are ubiquitous shale inhibitors, as well as corrosion inhibitors in drilling fluids. Amine-based additives have predetermined concentrations in drilling fluids that are meant to prevent problems during the drilling process, such as viscosity build-up, bit balling, wellbore caving and ballooning, corrosion, etc. However, during the drilling process, amine-based additives can be lost to the formation. The inability to accurately identify the active concentration of amine-based additives in drilling fluids in real-time can result in economic losses (e.g., increased incidence of non-productive time, increased corrosion, etc.). Thus, an ongoing need exists for real-time quantitative detection of amines in wellbore servicing fluids, such as drilling fluids.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the specific embodiments disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Polymer-enhanced colorimetric detection of amine-based additives


A method of controlling or treating an angiogenic dependent condition in a mammal, preferably in a human by administering an anti-angiogenic molecule such as an angiogenesis growth factor antagonist, and a chemotherapeutic agent in amounts and frequencies effective, in combination, to produce a regression or arrest of said condition while minimizing or preventing significant toxicity of the chemotherapeutic agent. Also a kit for controlling or treating an angiogenic dependent condition in a mammal, preferably in a human, comprising an anti-angiogenic molecule, such as an angiogenesis growth factor antagonist, and a chemotherapeutic agent in amounts effective, in combination, to produce a regression or arrest of said condition while minimizing or preventing significant toxicity of the chemotherapeutic agent.

Angiogenesis is a highly complex process of developing new blood vessels that involves the proliferation and migration of, and tissue infiltration by capillary endothelial cells from pre-existing blood vessels, cell assembly into tubular structures, joining of newly forming tubular assemblies to closed-circuit vascular systems, and maturation of newly formed capillary vessels. The molecular bases of many of these aspects are still not understood.
Angiogenesis is important in normal physiological processes including embryonic development, follicular growth, and wound healing, as well as in pathological conditions such as tumor growth and in non-neoplastic diseases involving abnormal neovascularization, including neovascular glaucoma (Folkman, J. and Klagsbrun, M. Science 235:442-447 (1987). Other disease states include but are not limited to, neoplastic diseases, including but not limited to solid tumors, autoimmune diseases and collagen vascular diseases such as, for example, rheumatoid arthritis, and ophthalmalogical conditions such as diabetic retinopathy, retrolental fibroplasia and neovascular glaucoma. Conditions or diseases to which persistent or uncontrolled angiogenesis contribute have been termed angiogenic dependent or angiogenic associated diseases.
One means of controlling such diseases and pathological conditions comprises restricting the blood supply to those cells involved in mediating or causing the disease or condition. For example, in the case of neoplastic disease, solid tumors develop to a size of about a few millimeters, and further growth is not possible, absent angiogenesis within the tumor. In the past, strategies to limit the blood supply to tumors have included occluding blood vessels supplying portions of organs in which tumors are present. Such approaches require the site of the tumor to be identified and are generally limited to treatment to a single site, or small number of sites. An additional disadvantage of direct mechanical restriction of a blood supply is that collateral blood vessels develop, often quite rapidly, restoring the blood supply to the tumor.
Other approaches have focused on the modulation of factors that are involved in the regulation of angiogenesis. While usually quiescent, vascular endothelial proliferation is highly regulated, even during angiogenesis. Examples of factors that have been implicated as possible regulators of angiogenesis in vivo include, but are not limited to, transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ), acidic and basic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF and bFGF), platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) (Klagsbrun, M. and D'Amore, P. (1991) Annual Rev. Physiol. 53: 217-239).
One growth factor of particular interest is VEGF. An endothelial-cell specific mitogen, VEGF acts as an angiogenesis inducer by specifically promoting the proliferation of endothelial cells. It is a homodimeric glycoprotein consisting of two 23 kD subunits with structural similarity to PDGF. Four different monomeric isoforms of VEGF resulting from alternative splicing of mRNA have been identified. These include two membrane bound forms (VEGF206 and VEGF189) and two soluble forms (VEGF165, and VEGF121). VEGF165 is the most abundant isoform in all human tissues except placenta.
VEGF is expressed in embryonic tissues (Breier et al., Development (Camb.) 114:521 (1992)), macrophages, and proliferating epidermal keratinocytes during wound healing (Brown et al., J. Exp. Med., 176:1375 (1992)), and may be responsible for tissue edema associated with inflammation (Ferrara et al., Endocr. Rev. 13:18 (1992)). In situ hybridization studies have demonstrated high levels of VEGF expression in a number of human tumor lines including glioblastoma multiforme, hemangioblastoma, other central nervous system neoplasms and AIDS-associated Kaposi's sarcoma (Plate, K. et al. (1992) Nature 359: 845-848; Plate, K. et al. (1993) Cancer Res. 53: 5822-5827; Berkman, R. et al. (1993) J. Clin. Invest. 91: 153-159; Nakamura, S. et al. (1992) AIDS Weekly, 13 (1)). High levels of VEGF also have been reported in hypoxia induced angiogenesis (Shweiki, D. et al. (1992) Nature 359: 843-845).
VEGF mediates its biological effect through high affinity VEGF receptors which are selectively expressed on endothelial cells during, for example, embryogenesis (Millauer, B., et al. (1993) Cell 72: 835-846) and tumor formation. VEGF receptors typically are class III receptor-type tyrosine kinases characterized by having several, typically 5 or 7, immunoglobulin-like loops in their amino-terminal extracellular receptor ligand-binding domains (Kaipainen et al., J. Exp. Med. 178:2077-2088 (1993)). The other two regions include a transmembrane region and a carboxy-terminal intracellular catalytic domain interrupted by an insertion of hydrophilic interkinase sequences of variable lengths, called the kinase insert domain (Terman et al., Oncogene 6:1677-1683 (1991)). VEGF receptors include flt-1, sequenced by Shibuya M. et al., Oncogene 5, 519-524 (1990); flk-1, sequenced by Matthews W. et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 88:9026-9030 (1991) and KDR, the human homologue of flk-1, described in PCT/US92/01300, filed Feb. 20, 1992, and in Terman et al., Oncogene 6:1677-1683 (1991).
High levels of flk-1 are expressed by endothelial cells that infiltrate gliomas (Plate, K. et al., (1992) Nature 359: 845-848), and are specifically upregulated by VEGF produced by human glioblastomas (Plate, K. et al. (1993) Cancer Res. 53: 5822-5827). The finding of high levels of flk-1 expression in glioblastoma associated endothelial cells (GAEC) suggests that receptor activity is induced during tumor formation, since flk-1 transcripts are barely detectable in normal brain endothelial cells. This upregulation is confined to the vascular endothelial cells in close proximity to the tumor. Blocking VEGF activity with neutralizing anti-VEGF monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) results in inhibition of the growth of human tumor xenografts in nude mice (Kim, K. et al. (1993) Nature 362: 841-844), suggesting a direct role for VEGF in tumor-related angiogenesis.
Various chemotherapeutic drugs also have been shown to block functions of activated, dividing endothelial cells critical to angiogenesis, or to kill such cells. Such collateral damaging effects on a genetically stable normal host cell, in addition to the chemotherapeutic agent's effect upon the tumor cells, contribute significantly to the in vivo anti-tumor efficacy of chemotherapy. However, the standard use of chemotherapeutic agents has obvious undesirable side-effects upon the normal cells of patients, limiting its use. Administration of chemotherapeutic agents in their usual doses and at usual dosage frequencies are commonly associated with side-effects, including, but not limited to, myelosuppression, neurotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, alopecia, nausea and vomiting, nephrotoxicity, and gastrointestinal toxicity. Further, patients' tumors often also develop resistance to the chemotherapeutic agents after initial exposure to the drugs.
A desirable method and composition for controlling angiogenesis should be well tolerated, have few or no side-effects, and prevent new vessel formation at sites of disease without interfering with required physiologic angiogenesis in normal sites. It should be effective and, in the case of neoplastic disease, overcome the problem of the development of drug resistance by tumor cells. In so doing, it should permit targeted therapy without the accurate identification of all disease sites. The present invention addresses many of the problems with existing materials and methods.

Therapeutic method for reducing angiogenesis


An electronic system in which integrated circuits employing cornered I/O are arranged in a framework including an optional path manager and at least one updateable routing table. Packet routing options are described with solutions being provided to minimize transmission latency and pathway alternatives.

In electronic systems employing devices that must communicate with each other in order to accomplish tasks, it is important to ensure that packets are received at the intended destination device in a timely fashion. In systems employing interconnected integrated circuits, there may be multiple communications pathways that may be coupled together within the system as well as to the external environment. Thus, multiple possible communications pathways exist between the source and destination devices. Choosing one path over another for communications at a given moment may be inconsequential in systems where communication speed and efficiency is not a paramount concern. However, in systems having many such pathways and where communication speed needs to be optimized, communications pathway choice needs to be carefully considered.
In systems having just a few choices of possible communications pathways, it may be relatively simple to choose the communications pathway to use that minimizes the time a packet is in transition between the source and destination devices. However, in larger systems employing many devices and having many possible communications pathways between devices, it is necessary to approach the choice of a pathway more carefully. Further, having a systematic method for choosing an optimum pathway that minimizes transit time between source and destination increases system efficiency.
In a system having multiple intersecting communications pathways, a signal being routed from a source device to a destination device may have several possible choices of pathways at each intersection. For example, in a rectangular layout where a signal is going from the lower right corner to the upper left corner, there are likely to be many possible choices for routing a signal at each intersection. In addition to considering latency when routing a signal, other factors are considered, such as the possibility that a portion of a pathway may fail, thus requiring the system to reroute the signal.

Optimal communication path routing in a system employing interconnected integrated circuit technology


An image forming apparatus which forms an image according to image data made up of pixel data on colors of pixel constituting an original image, characterized by comprising a color region discriminator for determining to which color region each pixel data belongs, an image region discriminator for determining whether the pixel data belongs to a uniform density region or whether it belongs to an edge portion, a corrective condition deciding unit for determining MTF corrective conditions for the image data of each color region depending on the discrimination results of both the color region discriminator and the image region discriminator, and an MTF correction unit for performing MTF corrections on the image data according to the MTF corrective conditions determined by the corrective condition deciding unit.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, such as a digital color copying machine and a printer, which forms a full-color image.
(2) Related Art
In a digital color copying machine which reproduces an image according to image data obtained by reading an original with a scanner, digital image data of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) obtained by performing color-separation on an original image, are transformed into digital image data of cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) used for image reproduction.
During the data processing, however, image noise is caused by low scanning accuracy, poor color reproducibility of the printer, and other factors, and that is why a correction unit is needed to perform corrections on the image data.
In a full-color reproduction image, unevenness is very noticeable in a uniform density region of a chromatic color, where smoothness is very important as well as resolution. However, if resolution is emphasized, roughness stands out even more in the uniform density region and makes the whole image unnatural, and if smoothness is emphasized, the edge portion is blurred and results in very poor resolution.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 4-342370 discloses an image processing method, in which the edge portions and the uniform density regions are discriminated based on changes in lightness image data. Here, the edge portions are subjected to edge-emphasizing to reproduce a clearer image, while the uniform density regions are subjected to smoothing to obtain a smoother image. By doing so, both resolution and smoothness are improved, and image noise is reduced.
According to this conventional image processing method, however, reproduction images tend to be unnatural because smoothing is performed with uniform intensity on the uniform density regions.
Image defects which are particularly noticeable are roughness and noise in the facial skin color. If the smoothing is intensified to eliminate roughness and noise, other uniform density regions which do not need smoothing much are also subjected to the intensified smoothing. As a result, the overall resolution becomes lower, making the reproduction image even more unnatural.

Image forming apparatus having an MTF correction unit


A method for calculating the process capacity at a specific temperature of a lithium secondary battery includes a correction to a process capacity (Q3) at a specific temperature (T2) is performed using a value (Q1−Q2) obtained by subtracting the charge capacity (Q2) at the time of the shipping charge from the discharge capacity (Q1) measured at a discharge temperature (T1). A system for calculating a process capacity of a lithium secondary battery is provided.

In order to produce batteries that meet the capacity standards required by customers, manufacturers of lithium secondary batteries measure and check the capacity of the batteries during the manufacturing process and ship the batteries if the measured capacity meets the capacity standard.
Customers usually require the battery's process capacity at a specific temperature, but under a system for manufacturing secondary batteries in large quantities, there are many practical limitations in actually measuring process capacity at a specific temperature desired by the customers and shipping such batteries. Therefore, the capacity of the battery is measured according to the facilities at the production site of the battery or the conditions of the manufacturing process, and this is corrected to a process capacity at a specific temperature required by the customer.
Further, after performing the degassing process for the secondary battery that has completed the activation process, the secondary battery is discharged before the shipping charge. The discharge capacity measured at this time is regarded as the capacity of the battery.
The process of correcting to the process capacity at a specific temperature desired by the customer using the discharge temperature and discharge capacity is as follows. First of all, the lithium secondary battery that has completed the degassing process is fully charged and fully discharged, and the measured values of discharge capacity according to the temperature at the time of discharge are databased. And the correlation function between discharge temperature and discharge capacity is derived through regression analysis from the database, and by using this, a correction equation for correcting the actual measured discharge capacity to the process capacity at a specific temperature desired by the customer is derived. The correction equation compensates for the amount of change in capacity according to the difference in temperature between the discharge temperature and the specific temperature. It is to correct the amount of change in capacity according to the difference in temperature from the actual discharge capacity measured. Further, a process capacity value at a specific temperature is obtained by measuring the temperature and the discharge capacity at the time of discharge and substituting the measured discharge temperature and the discharge capacity into the correction equation.
Therefore, in order to guarantee consistency that the process capacity calculated by the above correction equation matches the actual process capacity, the discharge temperature and discharge capacity applied to the correction equation should be accurate values.
However, since it is impossible to measure the discharge temperature individually for a large number of secondary batteries under a mass system, a plurality of temperature measurement sensors are installed in a chamber in which secondary batteries are accommodated, and an average value of the temperatures measured by the installed sensors is obtained to thereby uniformly consider the average value as the temperature of the secondary batteries in the chamber. As a result, there may be a case where the actual discharge temperature and the discharge temperature measured by the sensor do not match. That is, the discharge capacity measured during the discharge process may not match the discharge capacity at the measured discharge temperature. Due to this inconsistency, the process capacity value calculated by the conventional method of calculating the process capacity by correcting the change in capacity due to the difference between the discharge temperature and the specific temperature, in the discharge capacity value, can cause inconsistency with actual process capacity. In addition, this inconsistency may be intensified as the increase in the battery capacity due to high loading/high energy tendency, or mass production, in which the number of secondary batteries in the chamber increases, accelerates.
As described above, the discrepancy between the process capacity value calculated using the discharge capacity and the discharge temperature measured during the discharge process and the process capacity value through actual product inspection is generated because the conventional calculation method is to perform correction based on the value of the discharge capacity, and the value of the discharge capacity is dependent on temperature.
Therefore, there is a need for developing a technology about a correction method that attenuates temperature dependence in calculating a process capacity using a discharge capacity.

Method for calculating process capacity of lithium secondary battery