The present invention relates to novel compounds of formula (A) and (B) as modulators of GPR-119, methods of preparing them, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and methods of treatment, prevention and/or amelioration of GPR-119 mediated diseases or disorders with them.

Metabolic disorders in general and in particular, obesity and diabetes are the most common human health problems in the developed world. Its estimated that in developed countries around a third of the population is at least 20% overweight. In the United States, the percentage of obese people has increased from 25% at the end of the 1970's, to 33% at the beginning the 1990's. Obesity is one of the most important risk factors for NIDDM (noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus) which is the result of an imbalance between caloric intake and energy expenditure, and is highly correlated with insulin resistance and diabetes in experimental animals and humans.
Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems. Body mass index (BMI), a measurement which compares weight and height, defines people as overweight (pre-obese) if their BMI is between 25 and 30 kg/m2, and obese when it is greater than 30 kg/m2. (see Haslam D W, James W P (2005), "Obesity", Lancet 366 (9492): 1197-209; World Health Organization—Obesity pg 6 & 9, 2000). Obesity increases the likelihood of various diseases, particularly heart disease, type 2 diabetes, breathing difficulties during sleep, certain types of cancer, and osteoarthritis. Obesity is most commonly caused by a combination of excessive food energy intake, lack of physical activity, and genetic susceptibility, although a few cases are caused primarily by genes, endocrine disorders, medications or psychiatric illness. Evidence to support the view that some obese people eat little yet gain weight due to a slow metabolism is limited; on average obese people have a greater energy expenditure than their thin counterparts due to the energy required to maintain an increased body mass. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obesity)
Dieting and physical exercise are the mainstays of treatment for obesity. Moreover, it is important to improve diet quality by reducing the consumption of energy-dense foods such as those high in fat and sugars, and by increasing the intake of dietary fiber. To supplement this, or in case of failure, anti-obesity drugs may be taken to reduce appetite or inhibit fat absorption. In severe cases, surgery is performed or an intragastric balloon is placed to reduce stomach volume and/or bowel length, leading to earlier satiation and reduced ability to absorb nutrients from food.
Obesity is a leading preventable cause of death worldwide, with increasing prevalence in adults and children, and authorities view it as one of the most serious public health problems of the 21st century (see Barness L A et. al., "Obesity: genetic, molecular, and environmental aspects". Am. J. Med. Genet. A 143A (24): 3016-34, 2007). Obesity is stigmatized in much of the modern world (particularly in the Western world), though it was widely perceived as a symbol of wealth and fertility at other times in history, the low- and middle income people suffer from obesity.
Obesity considerably increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases as well. Coronary insufficiency, atheromatous disease, and cardiac insufficiency are at the forefront of the cardiovascular complication induced by obesity. It is estimated that if the entire population had an ideal weight, the risk of coronary insufficiency would decrease by 25% and the risk of cardiac insufficiency and of cerebral vascular accidents by 35%. The incidence of coronary diseases is doubled in subjects less than 50 years of age who are 30% overweight.
Diabetes is one of the major causes of premature illness and death worldwide. Developing countries are on the radar with huge population especially the low- and middle income people being suffering from the said disease. The reason being, lack of sufficient diagnosis and treatment, being made available to the patients. This is reflected from the number of deaths attributable to diabetes in 2010 which shows a 5.5% increase over the estimates for the year 2007. Although 80% of type 2 diabetes is preventable by changing diet, increasing physical activity and improving the living environment. Yet, without effective prevention and control programmes, the incidence of diabetes is likely to continue rising globally.
Currently it's estimated that 285 million people, corresponding to 6.4% of the worlds adult population, is living with diabetes. The number is expected to grow to 438 million by 2030, corresponding to 7.8% of the adult population. The largest age group currently affected by diabetes is between 40-59 years. By 2030 this "record" is expected to move to the 60-79 age groups with some 196 million cases. With an estimated 50.8 million people living with diabetes, India has the world's largest diabetes population, followed by China with 43.2 million. Unless addressed, the mortality and disease burden from diabetes and other NCDs will continue to increase. WHO projects that globally, deaths caused by these health problems will increase by 17% over the next decade, with the greatest increase in low- and middle-income countries, mainly in the African (27%) and Eastern Mediterranean (25%) regions. (see: IDF, Diabetes Atlas, 4th edition)
Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. Hyperglycemia, or raised blood sugar, is a common effect of uncontrolled diabetes and over time leads to serious damage to many of the body's systems. It implicated in the development of kidney disease, eye diseases and nervous system problems. Diabetes causes about 5% of all deaths globally each year and is likely to increase by >50% in the next 10 years. Thus the pharmaceutical industry has been on a quest to characterize more promising molecular targets to satisfy stringent new criteria for anti-hyperglycaemic agents.
Type 1 diabetes, also known as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), is caused by the autoimmune destruction of the insulin producing pancreatic beta-cells, and requires regular administration of exogenous insulin. Type 1 diabetes usually starts in childhood or young adulthood manifesting sudden symptoms of high blood sugar (hyperglycemia).
Type 2 diabetes, also known as non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), manifests with an inability to adequately regulate blood-glucose levels. NIDDM may be characterized by a defect in insulin secretion or by insulin resistance. NIDDM is a genetically heterogeneous disease caused by various reasons such as genetic susceptibility to other environmental factors contributing to NIDDM, such as obesity, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, and certain drugs. NIDDM is a chronic disease resulting from defects in both insulin secretion and sensitivity. In NIDDM patients, the gradual loss of pancreatic β-cell function is a characteristic feature of disease progression that is associated with sustained hyperglycemia and poor outcome. Strategies for promoting normoglycemia have focused on enhancing glucose stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) through the targeting of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), such as the glucagon-like peptide1 (GLP-1) receptor, which have been shown to mediate this effect. In clinical therapy for NIDDM, metformin, α-glucosidase inhibitors, thiazolidines (TZDs), and sulfonylurea (SU) derivatives (SUs) are widely used as hypoglycaemic agents; however, the side effects of these compounds include hypoglycaemic episodes, weight-gain, gastrointestinal problems, and loss of therapy responsiveness.
Along with GLP-1 receptor as a major targets for the treatment of diabetes, GPR119 agonists have also been recognised as a major targets for the treatment of diabetes was discussed recently at the American Chemical Society 239th National Meeting (2010, San Francisco).
Further glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists have shown promising therapeutic benefit over the existing therapy by way of body weight loss in type 2 diabetics, however these being injectables (Exenatide, marketed as Byetta) lack patient compliance there by limiting their usage. Other glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists such as Liraglutide (Victoza), Albiglutide and Taspoglutide are also injectables.
GPR119 agonists have potential to achieve blood glucose control together with body weight loss in type 2 diabetics, similar to that of glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists by way of oral route. Accordingly, oral GPR119 agonist would prove to a preferred choice of drug therapy for diabetics.
GPR119, a class-A (rhodopsin-like) G protein-coupled receptor, expressed primarily in the human pancreas and gastrointestinal tract, has attracted considerable interest as a drug target for NIDDM. The activation of GPR119 increases the intracellular accumulation of cAMP, leading to enhanced glucose-dependent insulin secretion and increased levels of the incretion hormones GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide 1) and GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide). (Overton H A et al. Cell Metab, 2006, 3, 167-175). In rodent models, orally available GPR119-specific agonists have been shown to attenuate blood glucose levels with a simultaneous body weight loss. (Shah U. see Curr Opin Drug Discov Devel. 2009 July; 12(4):519-32.).
In various animal models of type 2 diabetes and obesity, orally available, potent, selective, synthetic GPR119 agonists: i) lowers blood glucose without hypoglycaemia; ii) slow diabetes progression; and iii) reduce food intake and body weight.
GPR119 was first described by Fredriksson et al. (see Fredriksson R, et. al. FEBS Lett. 2003; 554:381-388) as a class 1 (rhodopsin-type) orphan G-protein-coupled receptor having no close primary sequence relative in the human genome. Independently, GPR119 has been studied and described in the literature under various synonyms including SNORF25 (see: Bonini et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,221,660, U.S. Pat. No. 6,468,756), RUP3 (Jones et al., WO 2004/065380.), GPCR2 (Takeda et al., FEBS Lett. 2002; 520:97-101 2002), 19AJ (see Davey et. al., Expert Opin Ther Targets. 2004; 8:165-170.2004), OSGPR116 (see. U.S. Pat. No. 7,083,933) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic receptor (Chu et al., Keystone Symposium. Diabetes: Molecular Genetics, Signalling Pathways and Integrated Physiology, Keystone, Colo., USA, 14-19 Jan. 2007, abstract 117 and abstract 230).
Early signs of GPR119 as an attractive target were established by the teachings of Hilary Overton and colleagues from (OSI) Prosidion, who found that the naturally occurring lipid-signalling agent oleoylethanolamide, was capable of reducing the food intake and weight gain in rats, and can exert its effects through the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) GPR119. Found predominantly in the pancreas and digestive tract in humans and mice, as well as in the rodent brain, the mysterious/unknown function of GPR119 was solved.
The demonstration that GPR119 agonists stimulate the release of GLP-1 lends further credence to these agents having an effect on body weight, since GLP-1 is known to cause gastric deceleration and increase satiety, phenomena that lead to reduced caloric intake and weight loss in both animal models and human subjects (Meier et al., Eur J Pharmacol.; 440:269-279, 2002; Zander et al., 2002; Lancet.; 359:824-830. 2002 and Nielsen L L Drug Discov Today. 10, 703-710, 2005). Possibly as a result of their effects on GLP-1 secretion, selective small-molecule GPR119 agonists inhibit gastric emptying and suppress food intake upon acute dosing to rats, with no indication of drug-induced malaise or conditioned taste aversion (Fyfe et al., Diabetes. 55 Suppl 1:346-P, 2006; Diabetes; 56 Suppl 1:532-P, 2007; Overton et. al., Cell Metab. 3, 167-175, 2006). The hypophagic actions of GPR119 agonists lead to reduced weight gain, fat pad masses and plasma leptin/triglyceride levels when administered sub-chronically in rodent models of obesity (Fyfe et al., Diabetes. 55 Suppl 1:346-P, 2006; Diabetes; 56 Suppl 1:532-P, 2007; Overton et. al., Cell Metab. 3, 167-175, 2006). The testing of potent, selective agonists for food intake and body weight effects in GPR119-deficient mouse models has not been reported so far.
There are suggesting evidence about the isoforms of GPR119 been identified in a number of mammalian species, including rats, mice, hamsters, chimpanzees, rhesus monkeys, cattle and dogs. For example see. Fredriksson et al. FEBS Lett.; 554:381-388, 2003; U.S. Pat. No. 6,221,660; U.S. Pat. No. 6,468,756 and EP 1338651-A1.
GPR 119 is thus an attractive target from a clinical perspective mainly because of GPR119 agonists are capable of lowering blood glucose without hypoglycaemia; slowing of diabetes progression; and most importantly helping in reduction of food intake and body weight.
More recently Unmesh shah et. al., in Chapter-16 Vitamins & Harmones, Volume 84, pg 415-448 (2010), and Chapter-7. Annual reports in Med Chem 44 pg 149-170 (2009) have provided additional insight about GRP119
Patent literature belonging to some of these applicants include the following patents and/or patent applications: WO2011005929A1, WO2009126245A1, WO2008005576A1, WO2008005569A2, WO2007120702A2, WO2007120689A2, WO2007035355A2, WO06127595A1, WO06083491A2, WO06076455A2, WO2006 076243A1, WO05121121A2, WO05007658A2, WO05007647A1, WO04076413A2, WO2004065380; WO2010009183A1, WO2009012277A1, WO2008137436A1, WO2008 137435A1; WO2011041154A1, WO2010008739A2, WO2009014910A2, WO2009 123992A1, WO2008083238A2; WO2010103335A1, WO2010103334A1, WO2010 103333A1, WO2010004348A1, WO2010004347A1, WO2010001166A1, WO2009 050523A1, WO2009050522A1, WO2009034388A1, WO2008081208A1, WO2008081207 A1, WO2008081206A1, WO2008081205A1, WO2008081204A1, WO2007116230A1, WO2007116229A1, WO2007003964A1, WO2007003962A2, WO2007003961A2, WO2007 003960A1, WO05061489A1; WO2011061679A1, WO2011036576A1, WO2010 140092A1, WO2010128425A1, WO2010128414A1, WO2010106457A2; WO2011 062889A1, WO2011 062885A1, WO2011053688A1, WO2010114958A1, WO2010 114957A1, WO2010 075273A1, WO2010075271A1, WO2010075269A1, WO2010 009208A1, WO2010 009207A1, WO2010009195A1, WO2009143049A1, WO2009 055331A2, WO2008 130615A1, WO2008130584A1, WO2008130581A1, WO2008033465A1, WO2008 033464A2, WO2008033460A2, WO2008033456A1, WO2008033431A1, WO2011030139A1, WO2011019538A1, WO2011014520A2, WO2011008663A1, WO2011044001A1, WO2011055770A1, WO2011066137A1, WO2011078306A1, WO2011093501A1, WO2011127051A1, WO2011127106A1, WO2011128394A1, WO2011128395A1, WO2011138427A2, WO2011140160A1, WO2011140161A1, WO2011147951A1, WO2011159657A1, WO2011146335A1, WO2011145718A1, WO2011148922A1, WO2012006955A1, WO2012011707A2, WO2012025811A1, WO2012037393A1, WO2012040279A1, WO2012046249A1, WO2012045363A1, WO2012066077A1, WO2012069948A1, WO2012069917A1.
Further review and literature disclosure on GPR119 molecules have been given by Sempl, G et al., (See; Bio org. Med. Chem. Lett. (2011), doi: 10.1016/j. bmcl. 2011.03.007), Szewczyk, J. W. Et al., (See; Bio org. Med. Chem. Lett. (2011), doi:10.1016/j.bmcl. 2010.12.086), Vincent Mascitti et al., (See; Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters 21 (2011) 1306-1309), Shigeru Yoshida et al., (See; Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 400 (2010) 745-751), Yulin Wu et. al., (See; Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters 20 (2010) 2577-2581), Chu et al., (See; Endocrinology 2008 149:2038-2047), Y Ning et al., (see; British Journal of Pharmacology (2008) 155, 1056-1065), H A Overton et al., (See; British Journal of Pharmacology (2008)153, S76-S81), Carolyn Root et al., (See; Journal of Lipid Research, Volume 43, 2002, Pg 1320-1330). All of these patents and/or patent applications and literature disclosures are incorporated herein as reference in their entirety for all purposes.
Despite the advances made in the treatment of metabolic disorders and in particular in the treatment of diabetes and obesity, challenges remain in terms of the complexities of the diseases involved, and most importantly the safety concerns expected from any treatment. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for additional GPR 119 modulators with improved efficacy and safety profiles. The compounds, compositions, and pharmaceutical methods provided herein are aimed at meeting these needs.

Bicyclic compounds as modulators of GPR-119


The invention provides methods, devices and systems for delivering, positioning and/or repositioning an expandable prosthetic heart valve in a patient's heart chamber. At least one non-looped wire and looped wire pair is operatively connected with an expanded prosthetic heart valve that is collapsed within a delivery catheter lumen having its distal end positioned in the subject heart chamber. The collapsed prosthetic heart valve is translated through the delivery catheter lumen to and out of its distal end where the prosthetic heart valve expands to a working configuration. The wire(s) of the non-looped and looped wire pair may be manipulated by pulling proximately or pushing distally to position or reposition the expanded prosthetic stent into position, then released from connection with the positioned stent and withdrawn from the patient.

The human heart comprises four chambers and four heart valves that assist in the forward (antegrade) flow of blood through the heart. The chambers include the left atrium, left ventricle, right atrium and right ventricle. The four heart valves include the mitral valve, the tricuspid valve, the aortic valve and the pulmonary valve.
The mitral valve is located between the left atrium and left ventricle and helps control the flow of blood from the left atrium to the left ventricle by acting as a one-way valve to prevent backflow into the left atrium. Similarly, the tricuspid valve is located between the right atrium and the right ventricle, while the aortic valve and the pulmonary valve are semilunar valves located in arteries flowing blood away from the heart. The valves are all one-way valves, with leaflets that open to allow forward (antegrade) blood flow. The normally functioning valve leaflets close under the pressure exerted by reverse blood to prevent backflow (retrograde) of the blood into the chamber it just flowed out of.
Native heart valves may be, or become, dysfunctional for a variety of reasons and/or conditions including but not limited to disease, trauma, congenital malformations, and aging. These types of conditions may cause the valve structure to either fail to properly open (stenotic failure) and/or fail to close properly (regurgitant).
Mitral valve regurgitation is a specific problem resulting from a dysfunctional mitral valve. Mitral regurgitation results from the mitral valve allowing at least some retrograde blood flow back into the left atrium from the right atrium. This backflow of blood places a burden on the left ventricle with a volume load that may lead to a series of left ventricular compensatory adaptations and adjustments, including remodeling of the ventricular chamber size and shape, that vary considerably during the prolonged clinical course of mitral regurgitation.
Native heart valves generally, e.g., mitral valves, therefore, may require functional repair and/or assistance, including a partial or complete replacement. Such intervention may take several forms including open heart surgery and open heart implantation of a replacement heart valve. See e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,106,129 (Carpentier), for a procedure that is highly invasive, fraught with patient risks, and requiring not only an extended hospitalization but also a highly painful recovery period.
Less invasive methods and devices for replacing a dysfunctional heart valve are also known and involve percutaneous access and catheter-facilitated delivery of the replacement valve. Most of these solutions involve a replacement heart valve attached to a structural support such as a stent, commonly known in the art, or other form of wire network designed to expand upon release from a delivery catheter. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,657,744 (Ersek); U.S. Pat. No. 5,411,552 (Andersen). The self-expansion variants of the supporting stent assist in positioning the valve, and holding the expanded device in position, within the subject heart chamber or vessel. This self-expanded form also presents problems when, as is often the case, the device is not properly positioned in the first positioning attempt and, therefore, must be recaptured and positionally adjusted. This recapturing process in the case of a fully, or even partially, expanded device requires re-collapsing the device to a point that allows the operator to retract the collapsed device back into a delivery sheath or catheter, adjust the inbound position for the device and then re-expand to the proper position by redeploying the positionally adjusted device distally out of the delivery sheath or catheter. Collapsing the already expanded device is difficult because the expanded stent or wire network is generally designed to achieve the expanded state which also resists contractive or collapsing forces.
Besides the open heart surgical approach discussed above, gaining access to the valve of interest is achieved percutaneously via one of at least the following known access routes: transapical; transfemoral; transatrial; and transseptal delivery techniques.
Generally, the art is focused on systems and methods that, using one of the above-described known access routes, allow a partial delivery of the collapsed valve device, wherein one end of the device is released from a delivery sheath or catheter and expanded for an initial positioning followed by full release and expansion when proper positioning is achieved. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 8,852,271 (Murray, III); U.S. Pat. No. 8,747,459 (Nguyen); U.S. Pat. No. 8,814,931 (Wang); U.S. Pat. No. 9,402,720 (Richter); U.S. Pat. No. 8,986,372 (Murray, III); and U.S. Pat. No. 9,277,991 (Salahieh); and U.S. Pat. Pub. Nos. 2015/0272731 (Racchini); and 2016/0235531 (Ciobanu).
However, known delivery systems, devices and methods still suffer from significant flaws in delivery methodology including, inter alia, positioning, repositioning and/or recapture capability and efficiency.
Various embodiments of the several inventions disclosed herein address these, inter alia, issues.

Repositioning wires and methods for repositioning prosthetic heart valve devices within a heart chamber and related systems, devices and methods


A flat section with density not less than 25% from theoretical value is sintered from the powder of low ductile reactive alloy, welded by diffusion welding with cover foils made from ductile reactive metal that seal hermetically inner and surface pores, and assembled with two heat resistant sheets in the laminated package. Cover foils are made from metal that belongs to the same metal system as said sintered powder. The package is encapsulated in a capsule made from reactive alloy that belongs also to the same metal system as said sintered powder. An anti-adhesive release agent such as Y.sub.2 O.sub.3, A1.sub.2 O.sub.3, or CaF.sub.2 is deposited on both sides of the laminated package and between cover foils and heat resistant sheets. A portion of metal powder such as Mn, Ti, Nb, Cr, or other metals, having a high affinity to oxygen, inserts into said capsule for absorbtion of oxygen during the heating and forming. After outgassing vacuum heating at 1100-1500.degree. F. and sealing, the capsule with the laminate metal package inside undergoes hot rolling at the temperature range 1800-2450.degree. F. with the reduction for 4-20% of the package thickness. This forming cycle is repeated until the desired thickness and density of said sintered section will be achieved. Thereafter, the formed sintered section is separated from said capsule and heat resistant sheets. The hot isostatic pressing can be used at any step of sintering and forming process for additional compaction and structure improvement of the thin foil or strip produced from low ductile reactive alloy.

Reactive alloys might be determined as alloys which exhibit an increase in chemical interaction with oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, etc. at elevated temperatures. Titanium aluminide, high strength titanium alloys, nickel aluminide, beryllium alloys, refractory metals, zirconium alloys, niobium, and many other pure metals represent the group of such reactive alloys. Thin sheets or foils of reactive metals such as titanium aluminides are used for manufacturing important structural elements designed for aircraft and space applications and the like, where high service temperature and high strength-to-weight components are required. However, this type of titanium alloy is difficult to process into foil or thin sheet elements using hot forming because their oxidation drastically increases at elevated temperatures. Also, the undesired diffusion of a gas into a metal surface produces a decrease in ductility.
The need for elevated temperatures during reactive metal processing has produced a number of prior techniques which eliminate oxidation atmospheres from the environment of the metal during high-temperature processing. For example, hot working in large vacuum chambers or in inert gas environments is a common technique. However, the costly manufacturing facilities, which are required in these processes, add additional costly expenses to the final product. In many applications, an oxide layer is removed from a metal section by machining or the like.
Most technologies known for manufacturing thin sections or foils of reactive metals incorporate special coatings, claddings or capsules that protect the reactive metal workpieces from oxidation and degradation during the hot forming process. For instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,164,884 to Noble et al., a method for the multiple hot rolling of sheets is disclosed in which cover plates and sidebars are assembled around inner reactive metal plates separated by a release agent. The sidebars are welded along their outer edges to the cover plates and to each other. The release (separating) agents are water mixtures of aluminum, chromium, or magnesium oxides. Additionally built-in vent holes permit gases that are formed in the package to escape during the hot rolling process.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,535 to Wittenauer et al., a method of forming a reactive metal workpiece was created, which is protected from high-temperature oxidation during hot working by placing the workpiece in a malleable metal enclosure with a film of release agents interposed between major mating surfaces of the reactive metal section and the metal jacket. In a preferred embodiment, a metal section of a reactive metal is placed in a non-reactive metal frame. The reactive metal section and frame are then interposed between non-reactive metals of the top and bottom plates, with a release agent which exhibits viscous glass-like properties at high temperatures being disposed at the interfaces of the reactive metal sections. The release agent is provided preferably in shallow depressions or pockets in the non-reactive sections where the metal interfaces. The assembly, is then welded together near the perimeter so that the release agent is sealed in place between the sections.
The welded assembly may then be hot rolled under pressure to the desired gauge using conventional hot rolling machinery and procedures to form thin metal sections or foils. Other hot working techniques may be employed where suitable. As the assembly is hot rolled, the release agent flows to form a uniform interfacial film. Thus, accelerated oxidation during the high-temperature hot working of the reactive metal section is prevented using the present invention, by encapsulating the reactive metal section in a non-reactive metal jacket during hot working, with the major surfaces of the reactive metal core being separated from the encapsulant layers by a release agent.
Thereafter, the formed assembly or laminate is cooled, and the rolled assembly is sheared to remove the welded edges. The non-reactive metal sections are simply peeled from the reactive metal core by virtue of the presence of the brittle, non-cohesive release agent. Residual release agents can be removed from the finished reactive metal foil by a rinse or the like. In this manner, U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,535 provides a method by which bulk quantities of reactive metals such as refractory metals can be formed into thin metal sections such as foils or strips without the use of vacuum processing equipment and with the utilization of conventional hot working equipment such as hot rolling machinery.
All prior technologies of fabricating thin sheets or foils from reactive alloys have considerable drawbacks which make them undesirable in terms of sufficient protection from oxidation, cost, and production capacity, especially if the thin sections were produced initially from reactive alloy powders, which require additional hot working cycles for compacting. Developed porosity causes very rapid oxidation of the reactive alloy to a substantial depth, and capsules designed in known inventions do not protect the sintered section from rapid oxidation. A significant difference in structures and mechanical properties between sintered sections, produced from reactive powder metal, and the frame (capsule), produced from non-reactive wrought metal, result in nonuniform deformation and stress concentration of the laminate package during the hot rolling process. Cracks occurred in various places of the sintered section during the first cycles of hot rolling and do not allow it to maintain a stable manufacturing process. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a costeffective method of producing thin metal sections from powder reactive alloys which reduces or eliminates destructive oxidation during high-temperature processing. The present invention achieves this goal by providing a method by which the powder of reactive metals can be formed into fully dense thin sections in a hot working process which can be carried out in an unmodified atmosphere at ambient pressure.

Method of forming thin dense metal sections from reactive alloy powders


A measuring device includes a light-sending part sending light in a first direction which is a depth direction of a hollow shape, a conversion part converting a direction of the light into a circumference direction approximately orthogonal to the first direction, a detection part detecting light reflected inside a measuring object, the direction of which is converted by the conversion part, and a shape measurement part measuring an inside shape of the measuring object by obtaining a shift from a reference position according to a detection result of the detection part. Thereby, it is possible to obtain the hollow shape of an object at one time without a need of rotating the object or a light source, and to carry out a highly accurate measurement using a simple device.

1. Field
The present application relates to a measuring device and a measuring method measuring a hollow shape of an object.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a distance sensing method or a grazing incidence optics system method has been known as a method for measuring a hollow shape of an object contactlessly. For example, the distance sensing method projects a laser light to the inside of a hollow shape, measures a shift of a reflected light while rotating an object, and measures the hollow shape of the object (e.g., refer to Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-38820).
Further, measurement of a hollow shape provided in a metal or the like is performed by a method of rotating and moving up-and-down a sensing pin station while putting a sensing pin to the inside surface of the hollow shape using a sensing pin method three-dimensional shape measuring device (e.g., refer to Patent Document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H6-337215).
Alternatively, a method, which detects edges corresponding to both ends of a diameter by a slit optical projection method, is known as a device for measuring a hollow shape without contact (e.g., refer to Patent Document 3: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H8-233545).
The conventional distance sensing method cannot obtain circumference shape information of a hollow shape of an object at one time and requires rotation of the object or a light source, which makes the device complicated and also causes a problem in accuracy.
Further, the method of moving the sensing pin station has a problem of requiring a long measurement time because of the required rotation and up-and-down movement of the sensing pin for measuring the whole hollow shape, and also a problem of possibly causing an error by an effect of eccentricity or deflection in the rotation of the sensing pin station.
Still further, the slit optical projection method requires a slit to be disposed so as to be orthogonal against a measurement direction, and has a problem that the method is not suitable for obtaining a shape by measuring in many directions, since only one direction is measured at one-time. Further, there is also a restriction that the hollow shape of the measuring object should be a through-hole.
The embodiments of the present invention aim at providing a measuring device and a measuring method measuring a hollow shape in a high accuracy with little error with a simple configuration and without a complicated computation.


An apparatus for preventing discharge of fuel from vent line when fueling a boat or other marine craft. A collection tank is mounted in the vent line from the main fuel tank, upstream of the overboard vent of the vessel. The collection tank includes a small, secondary reservoir within the main volume of the tank. Fuel escaping the main tank through the vent line enters the collection tank through two fitting, one being located in the bottom of the collection tank within the secondary reservoir and the other being located outside the reservoir; air displaced from the tank escapes to the overboard vent through an outlet fitting in the top of the collection tank. A float switch or other liquid level sensor is located within the secondary reservoir and is operatively connected to a warning light or other alarm device. Because the secondary reservoir is smaller than the main volume of the collection tank the fuel fills the reservoir first, and thus actuates the warning device well in advance of the main volume of the collection tank filling up with fuel that might escape through the overboard vent.

a. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to apparatus for preventing marine fuel spills, and, more particularly, to an apparatus for preventing the spilling of fuel from a vent line when filling the fuel tank of a boat or other marine craft.
b. Related Art
Fuel systems for boats and other marine craft must be provided with a vent, both to allow the fuel tank to be filled and to permit fuel to flow from the tank to the engine during operation. During refueling, the vent allows air to escape from the tank as it is displaced by the fuel (i.e., gasoline or diesel) entering through the main filler tube. As the tank reaches its capacity, the fuel tends to rush up the vent line and "spit" out the vent opening at the exterior of the hull, which is in fact commonly relied on as an indication that the tank is full.
Unfortunately, any fuel ejected from the vent opening will be discharged into the water, in violation of various governmental regulations. Boat owners have therefore resorted to a variety of stratagems for capturing the fuel ejected from the vent opening, none being entirely satisfactory. For example, many fueling docks provide their customers with a small paper cup in which to catch the gasoline or diesel as it spits from the vent opening; not only is the cup cumbersome and annoying to use, but the imperfect nature of this technique almost invariably results in some of the fuel being spilled into the water.
A number of attempts have been made at providing an installed system for preventing fuel from being discharged from the vent opening, several of which having employed an overflow or collection tank that is mounted in the vent line. This approach has the potential for obviating the difficulties of trying to catch the fuel as it is discharged from the vent opening, but again none have been entirely successful.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,929,039 shows a simple overflow tank that is mounted in parallel with the vent line to capture excess fuel, with restrictive orifices that control the rate at which fuel is able to enter the tank. However, there is still the risk that fuel will be discharged from the vent opening, if the overflow tank becomes full or the rate of flow is excessive so that it bypasses the tank.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,469 shows a collection tank that utilizes an arrangement of openings and baffles to prevent the fuel from flowing directly to the vent opening, but that otherwise exhibits the same problems as the device described in the preceding paragraph. The tank shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,469 has the advantage of a window that enables the operator to see the level of fuel that has been collected and therefore stop filling before fuel overflows through the vent opening; however, mounting the collection tank so it can be seen from the exterior of the boat when refueling (for example, by cutting a hole in the deck or cockpit wall), is simply impractical for most craft.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,229,766 shows a more sophisticated device, that uses a two-stage, tapered guide tube for the fuel, a sliding float within the tube, reed switches that are actuated by a bar magnet mounted on top of the float, a switch circuit that activates an audible alarm in response to actuation of the reed switches, a plunger-operated reset mechanism, and so on. Although the use of an audible alarm avoids the problem of having to view the tank directly, the complexity of this device and its use of numerous dedicated components render it uneconomical to produce, particularly in the marine products market where high retail markups are the norm.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an apparatus for preventing the discharge of gasoline, diesel, or other liquid fuel from the vent opening of a boat or other marine craft while filling the main tank thereof. Furthermore, there exists a need for such an apparatus that is effective when the main tank is being filled at fast rates as well as slow rates. Still further, there exists a need for such an apparatus that provides the operator with an effective warning before the capture tank is filled. Still further, there exists a need for such an apparatus that can be conveniently mounted on boats and other marine craft having conventional construction. Still further, there exists a need for such an apparatus that is durable and reliable in operation. Still further, there exists a need for such an apparatus that is economical to produce and that can be competitively priced in the marine products market.


The present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a sound attenuation panel having a first cellular core structure and a second cellular core structure joined in a junction area (J). The method includes: a) a joining edge of the first cellular core structure is joined to a corresponding joining edge of the second cellular core structure, thereby forming the junction area; b) the first cellular core structure and the second cellular core structure are placed between an inner skin and an outer skin of the panel.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Turbojet engines generate significant noise pollution. There is a strong demand to reduce the noise emitted by turbojet engines, particularly as the latter become increasingly powerful.
It is known that a significant portion of this noise is created in the air intake zone of the nacelle inside which the engine is housed. In that zone, there is an engine fan, which creates very strong suction and shearing noise from the air.
It is known in particular to form the walls of the nacelle with sound attenuation panels, so as to reduce the noise created in that zone.
These panels are typically made up of one or more cellular core layers (called "honeycomb" structure) whereof the outer face, i.e., the face radially furthest from the axis of the engine, is covered with a skin that is impermeable to the air, and the inner face of which, i.e., the face thereof radially closest to the axis of the engine, is covered with an air-permeable skin.
These sound attenuation panels may further comprise a multi-perforated skin, called a septum, between the different cellular core layers.
Each panel is assembled by positioning the different skins and cellular core layers glued on a mold having the required shape.
The assembly undergoes curing in a furnace so as to tighten the layers and polymerize the pieces.
Such panels form acoustic resonators capable of "trapping" the noise, and therefore attenuating the sound emissions toward the outside of the nacelle.
For reasons for example related to the geometry of the nacelle or structural constraints, it is often necessary to place several cellular core blocks end to end to form the sound attenuation panels.
More particularly, in reference to FIG. 1, the sound attenuation panels 1 are often formed by several cellular core structures 2, 3 placed end to end, with different thicknesses.
Examples for instance include an assembly of a first bilayer cellular core structure 2 and a second bilayer cellular core structure forming two blocks with different thicknesses intended to be joined in a junction area J, the assembly of the two blocks being covered by shared inner 4 and outer 5 skins.
These are then called distributed sound attenuation panels.
In this type of distributed sound attenuation panel, the different thickness of the two cellular core structures to be joined may be due to the size of the cells of the honeycomb layers and/or the number of cellular core layers of each structure to be joined.
In this type of panel, further, the acoustic properties, i.e., the noise absorption level as a function of the frequency and sound level of the noise, depend in particular on the joining of the cellular core structure(s).
In this case, the junction areas between the structures must be treated with very special care if one wishes to preserve good sound absorption and effectiveness of the distributed sound panels.
One common technique used to connect the cellular core structures to each other consists of coating the adjacent edges of the structures with a glue that turns into foam upon curing, and thereby forms a sort of connecting strip of expanded material between those edges.
The advantage of this technique is that it makes it possible to obtain a panel which, from a mechanical perspective, behaves as if it were made in a single block.
More particularly known is a method for manufacturing distributed sound panels in which, in reference to FIG. 2, a junction between two cellular core structures 20, 21 is provided by the presence of an intumescent adhesive 23.
However, the presence of such an intumescent element 23 generates a rupture in the acoustic treatment inasmuch as the cells of the honeycomb structures may be plugged by that adhesive 23, and the holes of the acoustic skins and septa, if applicable, may also be plugged by that adhesive 23.
Further known are methods without adhesive wherein, preferably at the edge-to-edge junction of the cellular core structures, the cells situated on the adjacent edges of the structures intended to be joined are opened, and those structures are joined edge-to-edge by fitting the open cells into one another.
Such a method does not guarantee good junctions in the context of sound attenuation panels formed on parts with a strong curvature, such as cylindrical nacelles.
It is then necessary to use outside indexing means to ensure the proper positioning of the different acoustic structures relative to one another, of the pencil on part type.
It also does not make it possible to prevent two septa of two respective adjacent cellular structures to be joined from overlapping in the junction area of the two structures.
This has the drawback of affecting the acoustic quality of the panel.

Method for manufacturing a sound attenuation panel

Abstract: In particular, the method further has a step prior to step a), in which one junction reinforcement is inserted between the joining edge of the first cellular core structure and the corresponding joining edge of the second cellular core structure in the junction area.


A lithographic apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting a radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam. A projection system is configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate. A first vacuum environment contains the projection system, a second vacuum environment contains the patterning device support, and a separator separates the first and second vacuum environments. The separator includes an aperture for passing the projection beam from the first vacuum environment towards the patterning device and/or vice-versa. The patterning device forms at least part of a seal for substantially sealing the aperture of the separator.

A lithographic apparatus is a machine that applies a desired pattern onto a substrate, usually onto a target portion of the substrate. A lithographic apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs). In that instance, a patterning device, which is alternatively referred to as a mask or a reticle, may be used to generate a circuit pattern to be formed on an individual layer of the IC. This pattern can be transferred onto a target portion (e.g. comprising part of, one, or several dies) on a substrate (e.g. a silicon wafer). Transfer of the pattern is typically via imaging onto a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist) provided on the substrate. In general, a single substrate will contain a network of adjacent target portions that are successively patterned. Known lithographic apparatus include so-called steppers, in which each target portion is irradiated by exposing an entire pattern onto the target portion at one time, and so-called scanners, in which each target portion is irradiated by scanning the pattern through a radiation beam in a given direction (the "scanning"-direction) while synchronously scanning the substrate parallel or anti-parallel to this direction. It is also possible to transfer the pattern from the patterning device to the substrate by imprinting the pattern onto the substrate.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,333,775, which is incorporated herein by reference, describes a lithographic apparatus, including multiple pressure zones for controlling particle contamination on the reticle and carbon contamination of optical surfaces of optical surfaces. The known system includes a vacuum apparatus that includes various compartments that are maintained at different pressures. One of the compartments is a reticle zone which encases a reticle stage. Below the reticle zone, an optics zone is provided which encases projection optics devices. A reticle metrology tray separates the reticle zone from the optics zone. The reticle zone is maintained at a vacuum pressure of less than about 100 mTorr and preferably at about 30 mTorr. The optics zone is maintained at a vacuum pressure of less than about 5 mTorr. A seal assembly provides a gas limiting seal at the outer perimeter of the reticle metrology tray. The center of the reticle metrology tray includes an aperture through which light beams enter and exit. During use, about 200 L/s (litres per second) gas flows through this aperture from the reticle zone into the optics zone.
In the known apparatus, the reticle stage is kept in a reticle zone, partially separated from the projection optics. Therefore, the volume of the optics zone can be relatively small, including a relatively small number of components, compared to an apparatus wherein the reticle stage and the projection optics are located in the same vacuum environment. Consequently, the optics zone can be pumped down to a desired vacuum level relatively fast.
A disadvantage of the known lithography apparatus is that a relatively large amount of contamination can still reach the optics zone from the reticle zone via the aperture. Such contamination, for example, small particles, hydrocarbon and/or water, may hamper the operation of the optics, as well as spoil the optics as such. This hinders a respective device manufacturing method, leading to relatively expensive and/or low-quality devices manufactured thereby.

Lithographic apparatus and a device manufacturing method


A passive server-to-client data delivery system and method is provided. A web service request is received by a server from a client device requesting the performance of a web-based service. The identity of the client device is then ascertained and the server determines that new software is available for the requesting device. The server then performs the requested service and sets a flag indicating the availability of the new software. The response data, including the performed service, is supplemented with the flag data and returned to the client device. The client device, upon receipt of the supplemented response data then initiates a separate update request for the available software, which is then received by the client device and installed.

The subject application is directed to a system and method for passive server-to-client data delivery. In particular, the subject application is directed to a system and method for transmitting new software, updates, data, or other supplemental information to an associated workstation or other network device in response to a service request submitted by the workstation or network device.
In a typical network, a workstation or other network device will transmit a request for a selected service to be performed by the server or another device on the network. For example, a user may submit a document processing request via a workstation to the network server, wherein such document processing request is transmitted to an associated document rendering device for processing. The document rendering device will then generate a response, via the server, to the workstation as to the status of the request. There is also a periodic need for a workstation to receive updated or supplemental data or executable code. In a typical web-based data communication between a client and a server, a server has no information as to presence or availability of a client until such time as the client initiates a request for services to that server. Earlier systems therefore required that a workstation periodically engage of a check made to the server to determine if there is software or data that should be sent to the workstation. Such periodic checking by a multitude of workstations results in overhead in processing and communication since a workstation must initiate periodic checks to a server to determine whether such program or data is available. Additional overhead is expected when a server responds that a transmission is desired. Once such is identified, a workstation will typically request a transmission from the server, receive the information, and then undertake loading or installation once received. This separate response requires additional processing time and may result in delays in dispatching and installing the upgrade. As such, there is a need for transmitting such software upgrades to a workstation in response to a service request, rather than sending a separate transmission of such upgrade.
The subject application overcomes the aforementioned problems and provides a system and method for transmitting software upgrades or other supplemental data to an associated workstation or other network device in response to a service request submitted by such workstation or network device.

System and method for passive server-to-client data delivery


A fluid fitting of an embodiment mainly includes a socket part, a spherical valve inserted in the socket part, and a plug part configured to be inserted at a tip portion thereof into the spherical valve. Moreover, the plug part is fixed in the direction of turn by engaging an expanded-diameter portion of the plug part with a recess of the socket part. Thus, the plug part is prevented from being detached from the socket part while the fluid fitting is in use.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fluid fitting interposed between hoses connecting a fluid supply source such as a compressor and a fluid using device such as a nail gun.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a conventional technique, a fluid fitting is interposed between hoses serving as paths which compressed air to be supplied to a compressed-air using device passes through.
Such a fluid fitting is generally formed of a plug and a socket. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-168387 discloses a pipe fitting which allows attachment and detachment of a plug and a socket by turning the plug about the socket. Specifically, referring FIGS. 6 and 7 and paragraphs explaining them, a pipe fitting is formed of a socket 1 and a plug 2, and a ball valve 6 is rotatably incorporated in the socket 1. While the pipe fitting is in use, a tip portion of the plug 2 is inserted in a plug-insertion-side opening portion 5a of the ball valve 6, and the plug 2 and the ball valve 6 are turned, to thereby set the pipe fitting in a communicating state. In addition, there is also provided ball-valve turn restricting means for restricting the direction of turn of the ball valve 6. By employing the pipe fitting with such a configuration, the plug 2 can be attached to and detached from the socket 1 only by a turning action of the plug 2 about the socket 1. Thus, the pipe fitting can be operated easily.
The pipe fitting described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-168387 includes means for restricting the direction of turn of the ball valve 6, but there is no description about restriction of the turn itself. Thus, there is a possibility that the plug 2 may be turned unnecessarily and detached from the socket 1 upon application of an external force to the fitting in use with the two parts connected to each other.


An average pressure P12 in an exhaust port at an overlap period T12 during which a period T1 during which an exhaust valve of a first cylinder unit is in an EGR opening state overlaps with a period T2 during which an intake valve of the first cylinder unit is in an opening state is set to be lower than an average pressure P12′ in the exhaust port within the EGR opening period T1 and after a lapse of the overlap period T12, or an overlapped opening time area S2 at the overlap period T12 is set to be not more than one-fourth of an opening time area S1 at the EGR opening period T1.

A typical diesel engine injects and supplies fuel around a compression top dead center. On the other hand, a homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engine is of a type that fuel is injected into a combustion chamber at an early stage or fuel is mixed with air in an intake port, so that premixed gas is self-ignited around a compression top dead center by a combustion reaction at a compression temperature.
Such an HCCI combustion system that dilute premixed gas is burned by self-ignition almost simultaneously in an entire combustion chamber has the following features. That is, the HCCI combustion system achieves high combustion efficiency which is comparable to a diesel engine, generates few soot like a gasoline engine, and considerably suppresses generation of NOx.
In order to realize the HCCI combustion, there have been widely studied an engine based on a gasoline engine and an engine based on a diesel engine.
The former engine uses gasoline as fuel. In a high-load operation and a low-load operation, the engine performs spark ignition combustion like a conventional gasoline engine. In a middle-load HCCI operation, on the other hand, the engine utilizes a large amount of high-temperature EGR gas in order to compensate a low compression ratio and to achieve a compression temperature required for self-ignition. When the high-temperature EGR gas is fed into the combustion chamber, fresh air corresponding to a volume of the fed high-temperature EGR gas is reduced, resulting in considerable reduction of a mass of entire mixed gas added with the EGR gas. Thus, a thermal capacity of the mixed gas decreases while a combustion temperature increases, so that a large amount of NOx is generated. Consequently, a supply amount of fuel can not be increased.
The latter engine uses gas oil as fuel. In a high-load operation and an extremely low-load operation, the engine performs diesel combustion like a conventional diesel engine. In a middle-load operation, on the other hand, the engine advances a fuel injection timing and, then, suppresses ignition by feed of a large amount of cooled EGR gas to ensure a sufficient premixing time until the ignition. Thus, the engine realizes HCCI or combustion close to the HCCI. However, since fresh air is reduced in amount due to the feed of the large amount of EGR gas, soot is generated due to lack of oxygen. Consequently, a supply amount of fuel can not be increased. Herein, the ignition can also be suppressed by lowering a compression ratio. However, such a compression ratio can not be lowered so much because startability and low-temperature combustion become deteriorated.
For these reasons, if such an HCCI engine is used for an automobile, an HCCI operation is limited to a low-to-middle load region due to a main factor that the amount of fresh air is reduced by feed of the EGR gas. Consequently, there arises a problem that improvement in fuel economy and performance of exhaust gas in HCCI can not be achieved satisfactorily in actual run.
JP 51-034526 B, JP 2005-061325 A and JSAE20045094 propose a method of opening an exhaust valve again in an intake stroke to increase an amount of EGR gas at a high load in which feed of the EGR gas becomes difficult. On the other hand, Non-patent document 1 proposes a method of feeding high-temperature EGR gas from an exhaust port into a cylinder at a low temperature.


An integrated circuit and an associated packaged integrated circuit are provided which improve testability and reduce the test costs. The integrated circuit contains an integrated functional circuit to be tested, a test interface that connects the functional circuit to a test apparatus which performs a function test on the functional circuit to ascertain a test result, and an integrated self-marking apparatus that produces a marking on the basis of the test result. The marking can be magnetic or optical or electrical, volatile or nonvolatile, and thermally or electrically activated. The test apparatus includes an external test unit or an integrated self-test unit. Nonvolatile memory elements store the test results in a buffer.

For quality assurance when fabricating integrated semiconductor circuits and also packaged or mounted integrated circuits, one test step is the determination of working, as yet unseparated, chips on a semiconductor wafer. Another test is performed on the semiconductor chips packaged in a package as a finished item. The test costs for the integrated semiconductor circuits or chips and also for the finally mounted packaged integrated circuits make up a significant proportion of the total costs in semiconductor fabrication.
In this context, the continually rising integration density of integrated semiconductor circuits causes a series of problems in the implementation of an inexpensive, fast and reliable production test. A problem with observability exists as the number of internal components of an integrated semiconductor circuit rises much more quickly than the number of connection pins which are present on a package. In addition, the typical system frequencies are on the rise, which means that a test under operating conditions requires ever more expensive high performance testers. Additionally, the clock frequency often does not increase to the same degree as, by way of example, a number of memory cells in a memory integrated in the system. This lead, for the same test algorithms, to an increasing test time and hence rising test costs per product. Likewise, the consistent transmission of the test results in currently different standards presents a logistical challenge, particularly when using different subcontractors for separate wafer production and mounting, for example.
A reduction in test time and in test and also logistical costs can thus be achieved most effectively by virtue of a combined approach covering circuit design, test concept, tester and mounting design and logistics. Such an improved test method is known, by way of example, from EP 1 178 323, in which integrated circuits to be tested each have integrated self-test units (built-in self-test units or "BISTs") and a self-test is performed at an earlier time than the reading of the test results for the self-test.
FIG. 1 shows a simplified plan view of a semiconductor wafer W having a multiplicity of integrated semiconductor circuits IC formed thereon, in line with these conventional methods. In this case, all the integrated circuits IC on a semiconductor wafer W are actually supplied with a voltage supply at wafer level, which means that the self-test units produced in the multiplicity of integrated circuits IC can actually perform a contemporaneous self-test. Thus, only the test information obtained or the test result needs to be read by making individual contact, for example, and faulty integrated circuits IC are subsequently marked in the usual manner using these test results in the event of an operating fault.
A normal marking method in this context is "inking", where functionally impaired integrated circuits are provided with an ink dot which subsequently, as a selection criterion for downstream mounting units, results in accordingly marked chips being rejected.
A drawback in this context, however, is that particularly when BISTs are used, the test results need to be stored in a memory. On the one hand, this can be done in volatile electrically readable memories or in nonvolatile electrically readable memories, with the volatile memories requiring a constant power supply. On the other hand, nonvolatile memories result in increased production costs and require additional voltages which are increased as compared with a standard supply voltage.
For this reason, the exclusive use of BIST methods or self-test methods particularly for the wafer test has still not been implemented at a broad level, despite the potentially high cost advantage, since after the self-test every integrated semiconductor circuit or every chip IC needs to be brought into contact with a tester again and the result subsequently needs to be evaluated. Since these handling and contact times take up a large portion of the test time and hence of the test costs, however, the advantages of these self-test methods (BIST methods) are significantly reduced.

Integrated circuit and associated packaged integrated circuit having an integrated marking apparatus


A method and a device for correcting the DC offset of a converter are specified. The invention is defined in that the output voltage of the converter on the AC voltage side is fed to an essentially passive low-pass filter which reduces the output voltage to a level which can be processed electronically. Connected downstream of the low-pass filter is a controller which controls the DC offset essentially to zero by delaying the switching commands. The low-pass filter and the controller are arranged at a high-voltage potential.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of power electronics. It proceeds from a method and a device for correcting the DC offset of a converter in accordance with the preamble of the first claim.
2. Discussion of Background
In U converters, that is to say converters having a DC intermediate circuit, which feed a power transformer on the AC voltage side, problems arise with a DC voltage component (DC offset) attached to the AC voltage. Although, by comparison with the amplitude of the AC voltage (for example 7.5 kV) this DC offset is very small (for example a few volts or fractions thereof), this DC offset can bring the transformer to saturation. This substantially reduces the power to be transmitted, or can even render operation impossible. The following solutions have been proposed to date to reduce these influences:
On the one hand, structural measures are undertaken on the transformer. In particular, an air gap is provided, or induction measurement probes (for example Hall probes) are inserted into the transformer and the DC offset is corrected as well as possible. However, these measures are comparatively complicated and expensive and are capable of controlling the DC offset only to a certain minimum. The structural interventions on the transformer are attended by relatively large losses and noise emissions. These disadvantages are no longer acceptable, in particular for high-power transformers.
On the other hand, attempts have been made to measure and correct the DC offset by means of high-precision DC current transformers, which are therefore also expensive. However, this measure likewise produced only unsatisfactory correction, and the control was correspondingly complicated and expensive.

Device for compensating the DC offset of a converter using a controller


A stator of a rotating electric machine includes a stator core, and multiphase stator coils incorporated in the stator core. The stator core is formed by connecting a plurality of split core pieces. Each of the stator coils is wound around a coil bobbin installed on the outer periphery of the tooth portion of a respective one of the core pieces, by a concentrated winding method; and around mutually adjacent tooth portions, the respective coils that have the same phase and mutually different in the winding direction are continuously wound. A crossover wire for connecting the first stator coil wound around the first tooth portion and the second stator coil wound around the second tooth portion, is located at a position further toward the central side in the axial direction of the coil bobbin than the end portion of the coil bobbin, inclusive of this end portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a production method for rotating electric machinery such as motors and generators, and stator coils, and to electric power steering motors. More specifically, the present invention pertains to a production method for a rotating electric machine and stator coils, and an electric power steering motor that are suitable for ones having split stator cores.
2. Description of the Related Art
Two types of rotating electric machines have been conventionally known in which a stator core is split into a plurality of parts and in which coils are concentratedly wound on each tooth. One of these types is, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Nos. 3355700 and 3430521, a type in which a core back is split into a plurality of core back portions along its circumferential direction, and in which the split core back portions and tooth portions radially projected from the respective split core back portions are integrated into T-shaped core back pieces. The other is, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent No. 2547131 and JP-A-6-133501, a type in which the stator is split into a teeth portion and an annular core back portion.
By splitting the core into a plurality of parts in these manners, tracks necessary for the movement of a nozzle of a coil winding machine can be secured for winding a coil. This improves the alignment property of coils and enables a high coil space factor to be obtained. The splitting of the core further makes it possible to shorten coil ends, which are magnetically inoperative portions, and reduce the shaft length of a rotating electric machine, as well as decrease copper loss. This allows an achievement of the miniaturization of rotating electric machinery and the enhancement of its efficiency. As a result, such core-splitting methods are coming into widespread adoption in rotating electric machinery for automobiles, which are subjected to restrictions on installation space and weight.
Moreover, in order to miniaturize and cost-cut rotating electric machinery, there are efforts underway to minimize the number of connection points at coil terminals by continuously winding series coils of the same phase. Here, processing of a crossover wire between coils wound in series is required. However, if there is a sufficient space outside each bobbin, a known structure is used in which, as disclosed in, for example, JP-A-10-271718 and JP-A-11-18331, a guide is integrally provided on the outer periphery of each bobbin, and a crossover wire is routed between coils.

Production method for rotating electric machine and stator coils, and electric power steering motor


A pixel including a light-emitting element, a driving transistor, a maintain capacitor, a switch device, and a control device. The driving transistor is serially coupled to the light-emitting element for driving the light-emitting element to emit light and has a threshold voltage and a gate connected to a point. A first terminal of the maintain capacitor is connected to the point. The switch device is controlled by a scan signal and connected between a data line and the point. The control device is connected to a second terminal of the maintain capacitor. When the switch device is turned off, the control device provides a first control voltage, the value of which is determined by the threshold voltage, to the point through the maintain capacitor.

The invention relates to a display device, and in particular to pixels within display devices.
In general, thin film transistors (TFTs) applied in panel display devices can be divided into two categories, amorphous silicon (a-Si) TFT and low temperature poly-silicon (LTPS) TFT. Electron mobility of the LTSP TFT is 100 times higher than that of the a-Si TFT, capable of outputting enough current to light an organic light-emitting diode (OLED). When the a-Si TFT generating insufficient current is applied in an active OLED, a large voltage must be supplied to the a-Si TFT for generating larger current, resulting in undesirable rapid quality degradation thereof. Thus, the LTPS TFT is often applied in active OLED display devices.
A conventional active OLED display device comprises a plurality of pixels, each pixel PIX shown in FIG. 1 is composed of at least two LTPS TFTs. A transistor T1 is serially coupled to a light-emitting device (LED) D between voltage sources Vdd and Vss. A gate of a transistor T2 receives a scan signal Vscan through a signal line while a drain thereof receives a data signal Vdata through a data line. When the transistor T2 is turned on by scan data Vscan, data signal Vdata corresponding to the pixel PIX is transmitted to a gate of the transistor T1. When the pixel PIX is designed to emit light, the transistor T1 is turned on by the potential of the data signal Vdata and generates a driving current I, so that the LED D emits light. At the same time, a capacitor C stores a voltage Vgs related to the driving current I. When the transistor T2 is turned off by the scan data Vscan, the transistor T1 continues generating the driving current I due to the voltage Vgs of the capacitor C, so that the LED D continues to emit light.
In the LTPS TFT fabrication process, a crystal step is performed with a laser. Since the width of the laser beam is limited, the laser is not able to irradiate all TFTs at a time. Thus, by repeating the crystal step, each TFT can be irradiated.
The intensity of each leaser beam, however, differs, and the TFTs irradiated by different leaser beams have different threshold voltages. If the threshold voltages of the transistors T1 within all pixel PIX drifts, the driving currents I generated by the transistors T1 are differ, resulting in non-uniform brightness. Thus, it is difficult to design a display panel capable of uniformly emitting light with pixel circuit in FIG. 1.
Additionally, each pixel is coupled to the voltage source Vdd through a power line. The longer the power line, the larger the parasitical resistance thereof. Thus, pixels near the voltage source Vdd are brighter, while pixels farther from the voltage source Vdd are darker.

Pixels, display devices utilizing same, and pixel driving methods


A cleaning device for cleaning bearings, jewelry, brushes and various parts including a container having a rim, a container seal ledge resting on the container rim forming a fluid seal between the container rim and the container seal lodge, this is a way of supporting a screen a distance from the container bottom including a riser and a cap plug to seal the container while it is being agitated. In one embodiment the riser supports a screen which wedges against the container wall to hold the screen in place. Another embodiment has a frusto conical tube which holds the screen in place.

This invention relates to a cleaning system for jewelry, tools and machine parts, and more particularly, a cleaning system with a suspended strainer tub.
Cleaning systems or kits for cleaning jewelry, tools and machine parts are available at various retail stores. Typically, conventional cleaning baskets are supplied along with a container such as a jar or a larger container such as a quart or gallon capacity can, depending on the expected size of the item to be cleaned.
However, it has been determined that the presently available cleaning baskets are awkward to use due to obvious and unobvious flaws and disadvantages. In general, these baskets have low side walls which tend to cause items to be cleaned to spill or fall out of one of these baskets while swishing and/or shaking to clean the contents. Furthermore, where the basked has legs, they are typically short and do not raise the basket off the bottom of a container. This causes the items to be suspended inadequately high enough above any dirt, grease, etc. accumulated on the bottom of the basket. Often the baskets have a handle which extends over the basket or there is a centrally placed stem. The major disadvantage of these handles it that they often block the space needed to conveniently insert or remove the parts cleaned in or out of the basket. Also, the baskets easily tip over to one side or another, especially when made of lightweight plastic materials. Again, this makes it more difficult to keep parts inside and also makes it more awkward to pull a basket out of a container. When a basket tips over in a container, users invariably have to immerse their hands and fingers into dirty fluids in the container to pull out the basket. Hence, because the basket is not anchored and especially if it has low side walls, it is not effective for swishing, shaking or agitating parts for maximum cleaning effectiveness.
The present invention solves all of these problems as well as achieves potential for manufacturing economically via small volume fabrication or higher volume production.


A composite turbine disc includes a high nickel rim section and a steel bore section. The rim section is formed from a high nickel alloy which provides a higher melting point as compared to the material used for the bore section. A plating or forged welding enhanced agent layer is disposed between the bore section and rim section. Composite disc can be formed by forging the rim and bore material together, or by welding the rim and bore material together.

Gas turbine engines include a compressor section for supplying a flow of compressed combustion air, a combustor section for burning a fuel in the compressed combustion air to produce thermal energy, and a turbine section for converting the thermal energy into mechanical energy in the form of a shaft rotation. Many parts of the combustor section and turbine section are exposed directly to hot combustion gasses. For example, the combustor, the transition duct between the combustor and the turbine section, and the turbine stationary vanes, discs and rotating blades are all exposed to hot combustion gases.
It is also known from basic thermodynamics that increasing the firing temperature of the combustion gas may increase the power and efficiency of a combustion turbine. Modern high efficiency combustion turbines have firing temperatures that may be well in excess of the safe operating temperature of the structural materials used to fabricate the hot gas flow path components. Special super alloy materials have been developed for use in such high temperature environments.
These materials have been used with specific cooling arrangements, including film cooling, backside cooling and insulation. Super alloys are well known in the art of power generation. Super alloys are based on Group VIIIB elements and usually consist of various combinations of Fe, Ni, Co, and Cr, as well as lesser amounts of W, Mo, Ta, Nb, Ti, and Al. The three major classes of super alloys are nickel-based, iron-based, and cobalt-based alloys. Nickel-based super alloys can be either solid solution or precipitation strengthened. Solid solution strengthened alloys are used in applications requiring only modest strength.
A precipitation-strengthened alloy is required in the most demanding applications such as the hot combustion gas flow path sections of gas turbine engines. The primary strengthening phase in nickel-based super alloys is Ni3(Al, Ti), which is referred to as gamma prime. A characteristic of the gamma prime strengthened nickel-based super alloys is that they retain their strength at elevated temperatures and may be used in load-bearing structures to the highest homologous temperature of any common alloy system, being useful up to about Tm=0.9, or 90% of their melting point.
Although nickel-based alloys are commonly used as the material for aircraft engine discs, application of these materials in industrial gas turbines results in significant technical problems as well as increased costs. For example, the manufacture of large industrial gas turbine discs via the conventional cast/wrought processing route is difficult. The starting ingots are already at their size limit for the avoidance of unacceptable segregation related defects, thus limiting the choice of available alloys. The number of presses with sufficient capacity to forge such discs is also extremely small.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,579 to Amos et al. disclose a formed disc for use in a low pressure steam rotor which has a corrosion resistant rim made of a steel composition including between approximately 9% and 17% chromium. The rim can be annular in shape and slide onto the perimeter of an unformed steel disc for the two components to be fused together, thus fabricating a formed disc. Although the composite discs disclosed by Amos et al. are effective at preventing stress corrosion cracking, the disc composition is not high temperature capable, such as required for use in gas turbine engines and jet engines.

Composite gas turbine discs for increased performance and reduced cost


An object of the present invention is to provide zeaxanthin-enriched poultry eggs containing zeaxanthin at high concentrations. The present invention specifically relates to zeaxanthin-enriched poultry eggs obtained by feeding poultry with a poultry feedstuff containing zeaxanthin-producing bacteria.

Carotenoids are natural pigments useful as feed additives, food additives, drugs, and the like. Examples of carotenoids include zeaxanthin, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, astaxanthin, canthaxanthin, lycopene, phoenicoxanthin, adonixanthin, echinenone, asteroidenone, and 3-hydroxyechinenone.
Among carotenoids, zeaxanthin is added to feedstuffs as a natural yellow pigment contained in various plants such as corn. Known applications thereof include the improvement of the color tone of the egg yolk, meat, epidermis of poultry such as chickens, and food colorants. Moreover, zeaxanthin has a strong anti-oxidizing effect, and thus it has been revealed to play an important role in human eye health (Non-Patent Document 1). There is a high level of zeaxanthin in the macular region (central part) of the retina. It is considered to exhibit functions for filtering harmful light such as ultraviolet rays and to exhibit the functions of an antioxidant.
Based on these physiological effects, zeaxanthin is considered to be involved in overall eye health and, in particular, the risk of eye diseases such as Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) (Non-Patent Document 2). Other effects thereof that have been reported are anti-tumor effects (Non-Patent Document 3). Hence, zeaxanthin is considered to be a promising material for health foods and drugs.
Zeaxanthin kinetics in the human body when it is used for such applications are examined as follows. It is said that a human incorporates zeaxanthin into the body via the intestinal tract after intake of zeaxanthin orally from material consumed during a diet. Human in vivo kinetics of zeaxanthin incorporated into the human body are mediated by blood. Actually, human blood already contains zeaxanthin from a normal diet (Non-Patent Document 4). Furthermore, many attempts to increase human blood zeaxanthin concentration have been reported to date. Possible zeaxanthin sources are plant-based zeaxanthin sources including vegetables such as spinach and corn and citrus fruits such as oranges, animal-based zeaxanthin sources including chicken egg yolk, or supplements containing zeaxanthin. Of these sources, the concentrations of plant-based zeaxanthin sources cannot be easily increased in an artificial manner. Hence, methods for increasing such zeaxanthin concentrations are classified roughly into the following two categories: methods for increasing the concentration of zeaxanthin in chicken eggs by incorporating a zeaxanthin source into feedstuffs for chickens and methods for increasing human blood zeaxanthin levels using supplements.
As methods for producing zeaxanthin, a chemical synthesis method that involves using as a raw material optically active hydroxy ketone obtained by asymmetric reduction of oxoisophorone (Non-Patent Document 5) and a method that involves extracting it from corn seeds (Non-Patent Document 6) are known, for example. Furthermore, a method that involves extracting zeaxanthin from marigold is also known (Patent Document 1), however, a major ingredient of marigold-derived carotenoid is lutein and the zeaxanthin content is low.
Moreover, known examples of microorganisms producing zeaxanthin include spirulina algae (Patent Document 2), microalgae of the genus Nannochloris (Patent Document 3), bacteria of the genus Flexibacter (Patent Document 4), bacteria of the genus Alteromonas (Patent Document 5), bacteria of the genus Flavobacterium (Non-Patent Document 7), and Agrobacterium aurantiacum bacteria (Non-Patent Document 8). Furthermore, from among bacteria of the genus Paracoccus known as carotenoid-producing bacteria, Paracoccus zeaxanthinifaciens ATCC 21588 strain (Non-Patent Document 9), a mutant strain of Paracoccus carotinifaciens E-396 bacterial strain (Patent Document 6), a mutant strain of A-581-1 bacterial strain of the genus Paracoccus (Patent Document 6), and a mutant strain of bacteria of the genus Paracoccus (Patent Document 7) are known to produce zeaxanthin, for example.
An example of administration of zeaxanthin as a supplement to a human is the use of such a supplement obtained from industrial culture of Flavobacteria (Non-Patent Document 10). In such a case, when 30 mg of the supplement was taken every day for 120 days, the initial blood zeaxanthin concentration of 0.086 μM increased to 0.48 μM. In this case, the proportion of the increase to the intake was 0.01 μM/(mg/Day) ("μM/(mg/Day)" refers to the increase in the blood zeaxanthin concentration (μM) divided by the zeaxanthin intake per day (mg/Day)). In an example of administration of chemically synthesized zeaxanthin to a human (Non-Patent Document 11), when 12.6 mg of chemically synthesized zeaxanthin was taken every day for 6 months, the initial blood zeaxanthin concentration of 0.04 μM increased to 0.85 μM. In this case, the proportion of the increase to the intake was 0.06 μM/(mg/Day). Subsequently, when zeaxanthin in an amount twice the amount of the initial dose was further taken for 6 months, blood zeaxanthin concentration increased to 1.09 μM. In this case, the proportion of the increase to the intake was 0.01 μM/(mg/Day).
In contrast to these cases of administration of the supplements, several cases of increases in human blood zeaxanthin concentrations upon consumption of chicken eggs have been reported. When 2 chicken eggs/day or 4 chicken eggs/day were consumed for 35 days (Non-Patent Document 12), while the blood zeaxanthin concentration before consumption was 0.03 μM, the concentration increased to 0.05 μM and 0.06 μM, respectively. In this case, the proportion of the increase to the consumption was 0.03 μM/(mg/Day). Moreover, when 1 chicken egg/day was consumed for 35 days (Non-Patent Document 13), while the blood concentration before consumption was 0.04 μM, the blood concentration after consumption was 0.06 μM, and the proportion of the increase to the consumption (intake) was 0.16 μM/(mg/Day). When 6 chicken eggs/week were consumed for 12 weeks (Non-Patent Document 14), while the blood concentration before consumption was 0.1 μM, the blood concentration after consumption was 0.15 μM, and the proportion of the increase to the consumption (intake) was 0.43 μM/(mg/Day).
Taken together, the intake of zeaxanthin can be relatively easily increased in the above examples involving supplements, and thus human blood zeaxanthin concentration can be increased (0.48 μM to 1.09 μM). However, the effect of the intake on blood zeaxanthin concentration is very low, so that high intake thereof is required. In general, the production cost for carotenoids is very high, and thus such low efficiency is problematic.
Meanwhile, the number of chicken eggs that can be consumed per day is no higher than 1 to 2 chicken eggs per day, because of concern about cholesterol and the like. Therefore, the human blood zeaxanthin concentration that can be expected therefrom is very low (0.06 μM to 0.15 μM). However, in view of efficiency, the efficiency in the case of chicken eggs is higher than that in the case of supplements. Therefore, if a large amount of zeaxanthin can be introduced into a chicken egg, human blood zeaxanthin concentration can be increased easily and effectively.
In the recent chicken egg market, apart from general eggs obtained by feeding chickens with general feedstuffs, high-value added special eggs can be obtained by feeding chickens with a feedstuff supplemented with a functional ingredient such as folic acid (Patent Document 8), vitamin E (Patent Document 9), linseed (Patent Document 10), or astaxanthin (Patent Document 11).
As methods for increasing zeaxanthin concentration in egg yolk with the use of a feedstuff containing zeaxanthin, a method that involves adding spirulina alga body to a feedstuff (Patent Document 2), a method that involves adding Chinese wolfberry fruit or an extract thereof to a feedstuff (Patent Document 12), and the like are known.
However, production of high-concentration zeaxanthin-enriched eggs by adding spirulina to a feedstuff is problematic in that a large amount of spirulina must be added, since the zeaxanthin concentration in the spirulina alga body is low (1.0 mg/g). It is desirable that the amount added be as low as possible in order to keep the nutritional balance in the feedstuff. When zeaxanthin concentration has been enriched using spirulina, the zeaxanthin concentration in chicken egg yolk has been no higher than 1.65 mg/100 g.
Meanwhile, the addition of Chinese wolfberry fruit to a feedstuff has drawbacks such that, in addition to low zeaxanthin concentration in Chinese wolfberry fruit (1.1 mg/100 g), stable supplies thereof are difficult to attain, since the growth thereof is affected by weather. Furthermore, the zeaxanthin concentration in chicken egg yolk with a zeaxanthin concentration enriched using Chinese wolfberry fruit has been no higher than 3.35 mg/100 g.
Therefore, the following methods have been required: a method for producing chicken eggs using a raw material having a high zeaxanthin concentration, which allows the amount of the raw material necessary to add to a feedstuff to be low, and enables enrichment of the zeaxanthin concentration in chicken egg yolk to 3.35 mg/100 g or more and a stable supply of chicken eggs; and a method for efficiently increasing the human blood zeaxanthin level using such chicken eggs.

Method for producing a zeaxanthin-enriched chicken egg


Bezel gestures for touch displays are described. In at least some embodiments, the bezel of a device is used to extend functionality that is accessible through the use of so-called bezel gestures. In at least some embodiments, off-screen motion can be used, by virtue of the bezel, to create screen input through a bezel gesture. Bezel gestures can include single-finger bezel gestures, multiple-finger/same-hand bezel gestures, and/or multiple-finger, different-hand bezel gestures.

One of the challenges that continues to face designers of devices having user-engageable displays, such as touch displays, pertains to providing enhanced functionality for users, without necessarily permanently manifesting the functionality as part of the "chrome" of a device's user interface. This is so, not only with devices having larger or multiple screens, but also in the context of devices having a smaller footprint, such as tablet PCs, hand-held devices, smaller multi-screen devices and the like.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Off-screen gestures to create on-screen input


Methods and systems for regulating generation of units according to at least one encryption technique associated with a blockchain are disclosed. In some embodiments, a system includes a communication device configured to communicate with a computing device executing an application and a processor configured to execute instructions to perform operations. The operations include receiving transaction information describing a transaction; based on the transaction, determining product awards for at least one product awards program for the transaction; using the blockchain, determining a real-time conversion rate for the transaction, where the real-time conversion rate is regulated by the at least one encryption technique; based on the real-time conversion rate, converting the product awards to units; and entering into the blockchain encrypted data associated with the transaction, wherein the encrypted data is encrypted according to the at least one encryption technique.

Some merchants and financial service providers may provide product awards programs through which users may earn product awards. For example, an airline may provide a frequent flier product awards program through which users may earn "miles."
Product awards programs are typically supported through a product awards system. The product awards system may support product awards programs provided by a number of merchants and financial service providers. Typically, the architecture of a product awards system requires each merchant and financial service provider to access the product awards system through a unique interface. These interfaces may implement technology specific to the merchant and/or financial service provider. Such technology specific interfaces may hinder integration within the product awards system.

Methods and systems for regulating operation of units using encryption techniques associated with a blockchain


An integrated circuit for providing electrostatic discharge protection that includes a contact pad, a CMOS device including a transistor having a substrate, and a CDM clamp for providing electrostatic discharge protection coupled between the contact pad and the CMOS device, the CDM clamp including at least one active device, wherein the CDM clamp conducts electrostatic charges accumulated in the substrate of the transistor to the contact pad and wherein the CMOS device is coupled between a high voltage line and a low voltage line.

A semiconductor integrated circuit ("IC") is generally susceptible to an electrostatic discharge ("ESD") event, which may damage or destroy the IC. An ESD event refers to a phenomenon of electrical discharge of a current (positive or negative) for a short duration during which a large amount of current is provided to the IC. It is known that the susceptibility of a device to an ESD event may be determined by testing for one of three models, Human Body Model (HBM), Machines Model (MM), and Charged-Device Model (CDM).
The ESD Association Standard for the Development of an Electrostatic Discharge Control Program for Protection of Electrical and Electronic Parts, Assemblies and Equipment (Excluding Electrically Initiated Explosive Device), ANSI/ESD-S20.20-1999 (Aug. 4, 1999), provides for ESD sensitivity testings for each of the three models. The HBM model represents the discharge from the fingertip of a standing individual delivered to conductive leads of a device. FIG. 1 shows an HBM model ESD test circuit, modeled by a 100 picofarad (pF) capacitor, representing the effective capacitance of the human body, discharged through a switching component and 1,500 ohm series resistor, representing the effective resistance of the human body, into the device under tests. The discharge is a double exponential waveform with a rise time of 2-10 nanoseconds (nS) and a pulse duration of approximately 150 nS.
The MM model represents a rapid discharge from items such as a charged board assembly, charged cables, or the conduction arm of an automatic tester. The effective capacitance is approximately 200 pF discharged through a 500 nanohenry (nH) inductor directly into the device because the effective resistance of the machine is approximately zero. The discharge is a sinusoidal decaying waveform having a peak current of approximately 3.8 amperes (A) with a resonant frequency of approximately 16 MHz.
The CDM model is a phenomenon when a device acquires charge through frictional or electrostatic induction processes and then abruptly touches a grounded object or surface. Most of the charge is accumulated in a substrate, including a base, a bulk or a well, of the device, and is uniformly distributed in the substrate. Unlike the HBM model and the MM model, the CDM model includes situations where the device itself becomes charged and discharges to ground. The rise time is generally less than 200 picoseconds (pS), and the entire ESD event can take place in less than 2 nS. Current levels can reach several tens of amperes during discharge.
FIG. 2 is a plot showing the characteristics of HBM, MM and CDM discharges. Referring to FIG. 2, the CDM discharge reaches a peak current of approximately 15 A in less than 1 nS, and the discharge is complete within approximately 10 nS.
Many schemes have been implemented to protect an IC from the three types of ESD events. Examples of conventional ESD protection schemes include an HBM/MM ESD clamp and a CDM ESD clamp. FIG. 3 shows a scheme using a PMOS transistor Mp1a and an NMOS transistor Mn1b as a CDM ESD clamp to conduct electrostatic charges, accumulated in the substrate of transistors Mp5 or Mn5, to an input pad as the input pad is grounded. Incorporating transistors Mp1a and Mn1b into the scheme shown in FIG. 3 for CDM ESD protection is necessary because the HBM/MM ESD clamp is unable to respond to a CDM event in time before the accumulated CDM charge destroys a thin gate oxide of transistors Mn5 or Mp5.
FIG. 4 shows a scheme using diodes D1a, D1b, D2a and D2b as a CDM ESD clamp to conduct CDM charges, and having an HBM/MM ESD clamp similar to that shown in FIG. 3. The diodes are connected by different power lines for possible additional ESD discharging paths.
FIG. 5 is a reproduction of FIG. 8 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,901,022 (hereinafter "the '022 patent") to Ker, one of the inventors of the present invention, entitled "Charged Device Mode ESD Protection Circuit." The '022 patent discloses an ESD protection circuit having an HBM/MM ESD clamp that uses an inductor L to couple to an input stage including transistors Mp and Mn. Inductor L functions to protect the internal circuit from a CDM ESD event. Since inductor L may be disposed under an input pad, the layout area of the ESD protection circuit is not increased.
With the advance of semiconductor technology into a deep sub-micron era, the conventional ESD protection schemes, such as those described above, may no longer be effective in protecting gate oxides that are as thin as 4 na iiefes nanometers (tim) or less from a CDM ESD event. It is desirable to provide an CDM ESD protection circuit that is able to quickly conduct CDM charges to ground during a CDM ESD event.

Charge-device model electrostatic discharge protection using active device for CMOS circuits

Industrial Technology Research Institute