An apparatus for 3D representation of image data, comprising: a structure identifier for identifying structures in motion within image data, and a skeleton insertion unit, which associates three-dimensional skeleton elements with the identified structures. The skeleton elements are able to move with the structures to provide a three-dimensional motion and structural understanding of said image data which can be projected back onto the input data. As well as individual elements, complex bodies can be modeled by complex skeletons having multiple elements. The skeleton elements themselves can be used to identify the complex objects.

The present invention relates to photography, image processing and animation, and more particularly, but not exclusively to three dimensional (3D) photography, three dimensional image processing and three dimensional animation.
The present art in three-dimensional photography is based on the time dimension.
The present invention relates to several different fields that belong to the world of 3D imagery and image processing, for example: Stereoscopic images, spherical photographing systems, 3D computer animation, 3D photography, and 3D image processing algorithms.
Conventional 3D-stereoscopic photographing employs twin cameras having parallel optical axes and a fixed distance between their aligned lenses. These twin cameras produce a pair of images which can be displayed by any of the known in the art techniques for stereoscopic displaying and viewing. These techniques are based, in general, on the principle that the image taken by a right lens is displayed to the right eye of a viewer and the image taken by the left lens is displayed to the left eye of the viewer.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,906,687, assigned to Texas Instruments Incorporated, entitled "Digital formatter for 3-dimensional display applications" discloses a 3D digital projection display that uses a quadruple memory buffer to store and read processed video data for both right-eye and left-eye display. With this formatter video data is processed at a 48-frame/sec rate and readout twice (repeated) to provide a flash rate of 96 (up to 120) frames/sec, which is above the display flicker threshold. The data is then synchronized with a headset or goggles with the right-eye and left-eye frames being precisely out-of-phase to produce a perceived 3-D image.
Spherical or panoramic photographing is traditionally done either by a very wide-angle lens, such as a "fish-eye" lens, or by "stitching" together overlapping adjacent images to cover a wide field of vision, up to fully spherical fields of vision. The panoramic or spherical images obtained by using such techniques can be two dimensional images or stereoscopic images, giving to the viewer a perception of depth. These images can also be computed three dimensional (3D) images in terms of computing the distance of every pixel in the image from the camera using known in art methods such as triangulation methods.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,833,843, assigned to Tempest Microsystems Incorporated, teaches an image acquisition and viewing system that employs a fish-eye lens and an imager such as, a charge coupled device (CCD), to obtain a wide angle image, e.g., an image of a hemispherical field of view.
Reference is also made to applicant's co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/416,533 filed Nov. 28, 2001, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. The application teaches an imaging system for obtaining full stereoscopic spherical images of the visual environment surrounding a viewer, 360 degrees both horizontally and vertically. Displaying the images by means suitable for stereoscopic displaying, gives the viewers the ability to look everywhere around them, as well as up and down, while having stereoscopic depth perception of the displayed images. The disclosure teaches an array of cameras, wherein the lenses of the cameras are situated on a curved surface, pointing out from C common centers of said curved surface. The captured images are arranged and processed to create sets of stereoscopic image pairs, wherein one image of each pair is designated for the observer's right eye and the second image for his left eye, thus creating a three dimensional perception.
3D computer animation relates to the field of "Virtual Reality", that has gained popularity in recent years. 3D Virtual reality is constructed from real images, with which synthetically made images can be interlaced in. There also exists fully computer generated Virtual reality. 3D virtual reality demands 3D computation of the photographed image to create the 3D information of the elements being shot.
This can be done in real time using active methods.
For example, 3DV systems Incorporated (http://www.3dvsystems.com/) provides the ZCam™ camera which captures, in real time, the depth value of each pixel in the scene in addition to the color value, thus creating a depth map for every frame of the scene by grey level scaling of the distances. The Zcam™ camera is a uniquely designed camera which employs a light wall having a proper width. The light wall may be generated, for example, as a square laser pulse. As the light wall hits objects in a photographed scene it is reflected towards the ZCam™ camera carrying an imprint of the objects. The imprint carries all the information required for the reconstruction of the depth map.
3D computation of photographed images may also be provided using passive methods.
Passive methods for depth construction may use triangulation techniques that make use of at least two known scene viewpoints. Corresponding features are identified, and rays are intersected to find the 3D position of each feature. Space-time stereo adds a temporal dimension to the neighborhoods used in the spatial matching function. Adding temporal stereo, using multiple frames across time, we match a single pixel from the first image against the second image. This can also be done by matching space-time trajectories of moving objects, in contrast to matching interest points (corners), as done in regular feature-based image-to-image matching techniques. The sequences are matched in space and time by enforcing consistent matching of all points along corresponding space-time trajectories, also obtaining sub-frame temporal correspondence (synchronization) between two video sequences.
3D computer generated images (CGI) is a virtual world, a designated area, created using 3D computer generated images software. The virtual world is created in a designated area where every point in the virtual world is a computer generated point. 2D or 3D real images may also be interlaced in this virtual world.
Reference is now made to FIG. 1 which illustrates a virtual world, according to techniques known in the art.
The 3D position of every point in this virtual world is known. Adding to certain points in the space details such as color, brightness and so on, creates shapes in space (FIG. 1). Introducing a virtual camera into this world enables to create time based sequences in the virtual world, to create stereo images, and so on.
We can synchronize between photographed images and the computer generated world using space synchronization, and then time synchronization, fitting real world images in the virtual world in spatial and temporal terms.
Reference is now made to FIG. 2 which shows a prior art virtual studio.
In this example we use a virtual studio where the camera enables to create separation between a human figure and its background, in a technique which is known in art as blue/green screen. Isolating the human figure from its surrounding we can interlace the figure in the virtual world created in a computer, as shown in FIG. 3.
The very opposite thing can also be done by monitoring a set of cameras in a pre-determined space such as a basketball field, where known fixed points are pre determined, and synchronized fix points are created in a computer generated 3D world. With such a technique, we can isolate a CGI figure and interlace it in the basketball field. For example, ORAD Incorporated CyberSport™ product provides for live insertion of tied-to-the-field 3D graphics for sport events taking place in a basketball field, a football field, and the like, creating the illusion that the inserted graphic objects are integral parts of the event.
As described above, traditional methods and systems for 3D imaging and stereoscopic photography are based on special cameras, special lenses, predetermined positioning of two or more cameras and dedicated algorithms.
There is thus a widely recognized need for, and it would be highly advantageous to have a system and method for photography and imaging

System and method for 3D space-dimension based image processing


A coupled multi-segment helical antenna is provided having a length that is shorter than otherwise obtainable for a conventional half-wavelength antenna. The coupled multi-segment helical antenna includes radiator portion having a plurality of helically wound radiators extending from one end of the radiator portion to the other end of the radiator portion. Each radiator is made up of a set of two or more segments. A first segment extends in a helical fashion from the first end of the radiator portion toward the second end of the radiator portion. The second segment extends in a helical fashion from the second end of the radiator portion toward the first end of the radiator portion, wherein a portion of the first radiator segment is in proximity with a portion of the second radiator segment such that the first and second radiator segments are electromagnetically coupled to one another.

I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to helical antennas and more specifically to a helical antenna having coupled radiator segments.
II. Field of the Invention
Contemporary personal communication devices are enjoying widespread use in numerous mobile and portable applications. With traditional mobile applications, the desire to minimize the size of the communication device, such as a mobile telephone for example, led to a moderate level of downsizing. However, as the portable, hand-held applications increase in popularity, the demand for smaller and smaller devices increases dramatically. Recent developments in processor technology, battery technology and communications technology have enabled the size and weight of the portable device to be reduced drastically over the past several years.
One area in which reductions in size are desired is the devices antenna. The size and weight of the antenna play an important role in downsizing the communication device. The overall size of the antenna can impact the size of the device's body. Smaller diameter and shorter length antennas can allow smaller overall device sizes as well as smaller body sizes.
Size of the device is not the only factor that needs to be considered in designing antennas for portable applications. Another factor to be considered in designing antennas is attenuation and/or blockage effects resulting from the proximity of the user's head to the antenna during normal operations. Yet another factor is the characteristics of the communication link, such as, for example, desired radiation patterns and operating frequencies.
An antenna that finds widespread usage in satellite communication systems is the helical antenna. One reason for the helical antenna's popularity in satellite communication systems is its ability to produce and receive circularly-polarized radiation employed in such systems. Additionally, because the helical antenna is capable of producing a radiation pattern that is nearly hemispherical, the helical antenna is particularly well suited to applications in mobile satellite communication systems and in satellite navigational systems.
Conventional helical antennas are made by twisting the radiators of the antenna into a helical structure. A common helical antenna is the quadrifilar helical antenna which utilizes four radiators spaced equally around a core and excited in phase quadrature (i.e., the radiators are excited by signals that differ in phase by one-quarter of a period or 90.degree.). The length of the radiators is typically an integer multiple of a quarter-wavelength of the operating frequency of the communication device. The radiation patterns are typically adjusted by varying the pitch of the radiator, the length of the radiator (in integer multiples of a quarter-wavelength), and the diameter of the core.
Conventional helical antennas can be made using wire or strip technology. With strip technology, the radiators of the antenna are etched or deposited onto a thin, flexible substrate. The radiators are positioned such that they are parallel to each other, but at an obtuse angle to one or more edges of the substrate. The substrate is then formed, or rolled, into a cylindrical, conical, or other appropriate shape causing the strip radiators to form a helix.
This conventional helical antenna, however, also has the characteristic that the radiator lengths are an integer multiple of one-quarter wavelength of the desired resonant frequency, resulting in an overall antenna length that is longer than desired for some portable or mobile applications.


A method, apparatus and computer program product for setting alternate style assignments to menu elements of an application are presented. At least one menu element of an application is selected. An alternate style is assigned to the at least one menu element. The at least one menu elements of the application is displayed, wherein the at least one menu element is presented in the alternate style assigned to the element.

A Graphical User Interface (GUI) is a program interface that takes advantage of a computer's graphics capabilities to make an application easier to use. GUIs can free a user from learning complex command languages. A typical GUI includes a pointer controlled by a pointing device, icons, a desktop area, windows and menus.
A pointer is a symbol that appears on the display screen and that a user moves to select objects and commands. Usually, the pointer appears as a small angled arrow, although different applications may incorporate different pointers. For example, many text-processing applications use a pointer that is shaped like a capital I. The pointer is controlled by way of a pointing device such as a mouse or trackball, which enables the user to select and manipulate objects on the display screen.
Icons are small pictures that represent commands, files, or windows. By moving the pointer to the icon and pressing a mouse button, the user can execute a command or convert the icon into a window. The user can also move the icons around the display screen. The area on the display screen where icons are grouped is often referred to as the desktop. The icons are intended to represent real objects on a real desktop.
A user can divide the display screen into different areas called windows. In each window, a user can run a different program or display a different file. Typically a user can move windows around the display screen, and change their shape and size at will.
Most applications now have a menu-driven component. A menu comprises a graphical list of operations (menu elements) a user can perform. Most graphical user interfaces let a user execute commands by selecting a choice from a menu. A user can choose an item from the menu by highlighting it and then pressing the Enter or Return key, or by simply pointing to the item with a mouse and clicking one of the mouse buttons.
In addition to their visual components, GUIs also make it easier to move data from one application to another. A GUI includes standard formats for representing text and graphics. Because the formats are well-defined, different programs that run under a common GUI can share data. This makes it possible, for example, to copy a graph created by a spreadsheet program into a document created by a word processor.
There are several different types of menus. One type is known as a pop-up menu. A pop-up menu appears temporarily when a mouse button is clicked on a selection. Once you make a selection from a pop-up menu, the menu usually disappears. A pull-down menu is a special type of pop-up menu that appears directly beneath the command selected by the user. A cascading menu is a submenu that opens when a user selects a choice from another menu.
Another type of menu is known as a moving-bar menu. In a moving bar menu, options are highlighted by a bar that a user can move from one item to another. Most menus are moving-bar menus. A menu bar is a menu arranged horizontally. Each menu option is generally associated with another pull-down menu that appears when a user makes a selection. A tear-off menu is a pop-up menu that a user can move around the screen like a window.

Method of setting alternate style assignments to menu elements of an application


A data error detection and mitigation system has been provided with a tiered approach. A set of received (104) data frames, which are ordered, are divided (106) into multiple groups, wherein at least one of the groups includes at least two nonconsecutive data frames. With these multiple groups, a data error check is inserted (108) for at least one of these groups. The data frames can relate to various types of information, such as audio, speech, video, images, files, or any data format with substantial similarity between successive frames.

Data transfer errors are a major concern within any communication system. For example, efficient detection of these errors is quite challenging, because error checks cost the system resources, such as bandwidth. As a result, a fewest number of error detection mechanisms are preferred in any given system.
The problem is, however, that when too many bit errors corrupt a data packet, the corrupted data is preferably mitigated instead of using the corrupted packet. At the same time, proper mitigation of the corrupted data packet becomes more difficult when fewer error detection mechanisms are implemented. In particular, when an error is found during a data error check, the entire data block is typically found to be corrupted, even though the error is generated by a small portion of the entire data block. Thus, the more data error checks that are implemented, which divide the data packets into smaller data blocks, the more likely that mitigation of corrupted data can be performed more smoothly, because uncorrupted data are less likely to be tossed out in the system. This benefit, however, is gained at the cost of system resources. As a result, there is a tradeoff between accuracy and system resources.
This is especially problematic in cellular communication systems where multiple speech frames are delivered within a single data packet, and voice quality is a key concern in such a system. For example, mitigation in existing systems, such as iDEN, employs a single Cyclic Redundancy Check ("CRC") for each data packet to detect data errors during transmission. The detected errors are then mitigated to reduce their effect. Mitigation in the iDEN® system generally takes one of two forms of either repetition or muting. Repetition uses the last known good packet, while muting generates so-called "comfort noise" instead of the corrupted packet. In cases where repetition is preferred over muting, repetition, unfortunately, is usually only good for one or two corrupted packets, after which the repeated audio packet becomes stale and its use constitutes an unacceptable audio artifact. In other words, when the repeated audio is too remote from its original location in the sequence, the quality of the overall audio-stream is more degraded when outputted to the user.
Since each audio data packet contains multiple speech frames, an error detection mechanism is ideally implemented for each of the speech frames to guarantee that all the corrupted speech frames can be accounted for. This method, however, requires too much bandwidth, which is generally limited in a cellular system. Because the current iDEN system uses only one CRC for each data packet to detect errors due to bandwidth constraints, some of the data may be valid, despite the error detection from the CRC. Uncorrupted data, as a result, are being unnecessarily replaced. Moreover, with the use of a single CRC for each data packet, the system is limited to a single-tiered mitigation approach.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are typically not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention.

Data error detection and mitigation systems and supporting method and apparatus


A semiconductor integrated circuit package having a common source current sensing circuit includes a main die having an integrated circuit, the main die including a source bonding pad and a gate bonding pad disposed on an upper surface, a leadframe having a leadframe pad disposed under the main die, and a monitoring die including a source bonding pad and a gate bonding pad disposed on an upper surface, the monitoring die being coupled to the main die in such manner that the main die source bonding pad is coupled to the monitoring die source bonding pad and the main die gate bonding pad is coupled to the monitoring die gate bonding pad and such that the main die and monitoring die upper surfaces are adjacent to one another.

The present invention generally relates to current sensing circuits, and more particularly to a common source current sensing circuit integrated with a trench power MOSFET.
In many power MOSFET applications, monitoring a large current flowing in a load is accomplished by a current sensing element. The current sensing element may include a transistor having a much smaller number of cells than the number of cells in the power MOSFET whose load current is being sensed. The ratio of the number of cells in the current sensing element to the number of cells in the power MOSFET may be on the order of 1:1 million cells.
A conventional current sensing circuit is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,084 entitled "Current Sensing Circuit" to Wrathall. With reference to FIG. 1, the disclosed circuit includes an MOS transistor 11 having its source coupled to supply voltage 12, which for example, may be ground. MOS transistor 13 has its source coupled to supply voltage terminal 12 by sense resistor 14. The drains of both transistors 11, 13 are coupled to supply voltage terminal 15 by load 16. Input node 10 receives a load current from load 16. Gate drive 17 provides a voltage Vg to the gates of transistors 11, 13.
Amplifier 18 has a first input terminal 19 connected to the source of transistor 13 and a second input terminal 21 connected to a reference voltage terminal 22. The output of amplifier 18 is connected to output terminal 23. The output signal from output terminal 23 provides an indication of the load current through load 16 exceeding a predetermined limit. The output signal from output terminal 23 may be provided as feedback to gate drive 17 for performing a current limiting or constant current function. Current flow through transistors 11, 13 is in proportion to the number of cells in each of transistors 11, 13.
The Wrathall scheme is a common drain scheme and is inherently inaccurate. In order for the amplifier 18 to sense reliably, the voltage developed across the sense resistor 14 is typically on the order 0.5V. This voltage across the sense resistor 14 reduces the Vgs of sensing transistor 13 by about the same amount. Hence transistors 11, 13 are operating under different Vgs conditions. With reference to FIG. 2, a difference in current flow through each single cell of two identical transistors having different applied Vgs is shown. As shown, the difference in current flow increases with increasing Vds. When using a transistor with a smaller number of cells as the sensing transistor 13 to sense the current through a transistor 11 having a larger number of cells, the sensed current will deviate from the actual current as shown in FIG. 3.
A more accurate approach employs a common-source configuration as shown in FIG. 4. A common source sensing circuit includes a MOS transistor 40 having its source coupled to supply voltage 42, which for example, may be ground. MOS transistor 43 also has its source coupled to supply voltage terminal 42. The drain of transistor 43 is coupled to supply voltage terminal 45 by sensing resistor 46. Gate drive 30 provides a voltage Vg to the gates of transistors 40, 43. In this configuration, the voltage developed across the sense resistor 46 will not affect the Vgs of the sense transistor 43.
Amplifier 48 has a first input terminal 47 connected to the drain of transistor 43 and a second input terminal 41 connected to a reference voltage terminal 44. The output of amplifier 48 is connected to output terminal 49. The output signal from output terminal 49 provides an indication of the sensed current through resistor 46 exceeding a predetermined limit. The output signal from output terminal 49 may be provided as feedback to gate drive 30 for performing a current limiting or constant current function. Current flow through transistors 40, 43 is in proportion to the number of cells in each of transistors 40, 43.
In the common source configuration transistors 40, 43 operate on the same Vgs curve. Thus the problem shown in FIG. 2 with reference to the common drain scheme disclosed by Wrathall is eliminated.
In standard CMOS design, the common source sensing circuit can be integrated easily into the same power IC chip. For higher performance trench power MOSFET designs, the drains of every cell are connected together making it more difficult to achieve such integration.
The present invention provides for a unique device and packaging design which integrates the common source sensing circuit into a trench power MOSFET device.

Low cost power MOSFET with current monitoring


A vehicle is disclosed having a composite cargo body. A floor of the cargo body is constructed of a first composite material. A roof, a right sidewall, a left sidewall, and a nose of the cargo body are constructed of a second composite material different from the first composite material. Various components of the composite cargo body are bonded together with an adhesive. Mechanical fasteners also may be used to join other components of composite cargo body.

Vehicles with cargo bodies are used in the transportation industry for transporting many different types of cargo. Certain cargo bodies may be refrigerated and insulated to transport temperature-sensitive cargo. Additionally, other cargo bodies may be used for the storage and transport of dry cargo. Various components of cargo bodies may be formed of composite materials and joined to other composite or non-composite components of the cargo bodies.


The invention provides a mammalian cDNA which encodes a mammalian Ras association domain containing protein. It also provides for the use of the cDNA, fragments, complements, and variants thereof and of the encoded protein, portions thereof and antibodies thereto for diagnosis and treatment of cell proliferative and inflammatory disorders, particularly thymus hyperplasia, allergies, asthma, and hypereosinophilia. The invention additionally provides expression vectors and host cells for the production of the protein and a transgenic model system.

This invention relates to a mammalian cDNA which encodes a mammalian Ras association domain containing protein and to the use of the cDNA and the encoded protein in the diagnosis and treatment of cell proliferative and inflammatory disorders.
Phylogenetic relationships among organisms have been demonstrated many times, and studies from a diversity of prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms suggest a more or less gradual evolution of molecules, biochemical and physiological mechanisms, and metabolic pathways. Despite different evolutionary pressures, the proteins of nematode, fly, rat, and man have common chemical and structural is features and generally perform the same cellular function. Comparisons of the nucleic acid and protein sequences from organisms where structure and/or function are known accelerate the investigation of human sequences and allow the development of model systems for testing diagnostic and therapeutic agents for human conditions, diseases, and disorders.
Signal transduction is the general process by which cells respond to extracellular signals. In typical signal transduction pathways, binding of a signaling molecule such as a hormone, neurotransmitter, or growth factor to a cell membrane receptor is coupled to the action of an intracellular second messenger. G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) control intracellular processes through the activation of guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (G proteins). G proteins are heterotrimeric and consist of xcex1, xcex2, and xcex3 subunits. The xcex1 subunit contains a guanine nucleotide binding domain and has GTPase activity. When GTP binds to the xcex1 subunit, it dissociates from the xcex2 and xcex3 subunits and interacts with cellular target molecules. Hydrolysis of GTP to GDP serves as a molecular switch controlling the interactions of the xcex1 subunit with other proteins. The GDP bound form of the xcex1 subunit dissociates from its cellular target and reassociates with the xcex2 and xcex3 subunits. A number of accessory proteins modulate G protein function by controlling their nucleotide state or membrane association. These regulatory molecules include exchange factors (GEFs) which stimulate GDP-GTP exchange, GTPase activating proteins (GAPs) which promote GTP hydrolysis, and guanine nucleotide dissociation inhibitors (GDIs) which inhibit guanine nucleotide dissociation and stabilize the GDP-bound form. G proteins can be classified into at least five subfamilies: Ras, Rho, Ran, Rab, and ADP-ribosylation factor, and they regulate various cell functions including cell growth and differentiation, cytoskeletal organization, and intracellular vesicle transport and secretion.
The Ras subfamily transduces signals from tyrosine kinase receptors, non-tyrosine kinase receptors, and heterotrimeric GPCRs (Fantl et al. (1993) Annu Rev Biochem 62:453-481; Woodrow et al. (1993) J Immunol 150:3853-3861; and Van Corven et al. (1993) Proc Natl Acad Sci 90:1257-1261). Stimulation of cell surface receptors activates Ras which, in turn, activates cytoplasmic kinases that control cell growth and differentiation. The first Ras targets identified were the Raf kinases (Avruch et al. (1994) Trends Biochem Sci 19:279-283). Interaction of Ras and Raf leads to activation of the MAP kinase cascade of serine/threonine kinases, which activate key transcription factors that control gene expression and protein synthesis (Barbacid (1987) Ann Rev Biochem 56:779-827; Treisman (1994) Curr Opin Genet Dev 4:96-101). Mutant Ras proteins, which bind but do not hydrolyze GTP, are constitutively activated, and cause continuous cell proliferation and cancer (Bos (1989) Cancer Res 49:4682-4689; Grunicke and Maly (1993) 4:389-402).
Ras regulates other signaling pathways by direct interaction with different cellular targets (Katz and McCormick (1997) Curr Opin Genet Dev 7:75-79). One such target is Ral GDS, a guanine nucleotide dissociation stimulator for the Ras-like GTPase, Ral (Albright et al. (1993) EMBO J 12:339-347). Ral GDS couples the Ras and Ral signaling pathways. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) stimulates the association of Ral GDS with Ras in mammalian cells, which activates the GEF activity of Ral GDS (Kikuchi and Williams (1996) J Biol Chem 271:588-594; Urano et al. (1996) EMBO J 15:810-816). Ra1 activation by Ral GDS leads to activation of Src, a tyrosine kinase that phosphorylates other molecules including transcription factors and components of the actin cytoskeleton (Goi et al. (2000) EMBO J 19:623-630). Ral interacts with a number of signaling molecules including Ra1-binding protein, a GAP for the Rho-like GTPases; Cdc42 and Rac, which regulate cytoskeletal rearrangement; and phospholipase D1, which is involved in vesicular trafficking (Feig et al. (1996) Trends Biochem Sci 21:438-441; Voss et al. (1999) J Biol Chem 274:34691-34698).
Norel was identified from a yeast two-hybrid screen as a protein that interacts with Ras and Ras-related protein, Rap1b (Vavvas et al. (1998) J Biol Chem 273:5439-5442). It is a highly basic protein (pI=9.4) of 413 amino acids that contains a cysteine-histidine-rich region predicted to be a diacylglycerol/phorbol ester binding site, a proline-rich region at its N-terminus that may be an SH3 binding domain, and a Ras/Rap binding domain located at its C-terminus. Nore1 binds Ras in vitro in a GTP dependent manner. Experiments in vivo show that the association of Nore1 with Ras is dependent on EGF and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate activation in COS-7 cells and on EGF in KB cells.
Ras and other G proteins play roles in regulating the immune inflammatory response. Granulocytes, which include basophils, eosinophils, and neutrophils, play critical roles in inflammation. Eosinophils release toxic granule proteins, which kill microorganisms, and secrete prostaglandins, leukotrienes and cytokines, which amplify the inflammatory response. They sustain inflammation in allergic reactions and their malfunction can cause asthma and other allergic diseases. Interleukin-5 is a cytokine that regulates the growth, activation, and survival of eosinophils. The signal transduction mechanism of IL-5 in eosinophils involves the Ras-MAP kinase and Jak-Stat pathways (Pazdrak et al. (1995) J Exp Med 181:1827-1834; Adachi and Alam (1998) Am J Physiol 275:C623-633). Raf-1 kinase activation by Ras is implicated in eosinophil degranulation.
Neutrophils migrate to inflammatory sites where they eliminate pathogens by phagocytosis and release toxic products from their granules that kill microorganisms. G proteins, including Ras, Ral, Rac 1 and Rap1 regulate neutrophil function (M""Rabet et al. (1999) J Biol Chem 274:21847-21852). Rac1 may be involved in the respiratory burst of neutrophils. Ras and Rap1 are activated in response to the chemotactic agent, formyl methionine leucine phenylalanine (fMLP); the lipid mediator, platelet activating factor (PAF); and the cytokine, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Both Ras and Rap1 appear to play roles in neutrophil activation. Ral is activated by fMLP and PAF but not by GM-CSF and may be involved in chemotaxis, phagocytosis, or degranulation. Impairment of neutrophil function is associated with various inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
The discovery of a mammalian cDNA encoding a new Ras target or effector satisfies a need in the art by providing compositions which are useful in the diagnosis and treatment of cell proliferative and inflammatory disorders.
The invention is based on the discovery of a mammalian cDNA which encodes a Ras association domain containing protein (RADCP) which is useful in the diagnosis and treatment of cell proliferative and inflammatory disorders, particularly thymus hyperplasia, allergies, asthma, and hypereosoinophilia.
The invention provides an isolated mammalian cDNA or a fragment thereof encoding a mammalian protein or a portion thereof selected from the group consisting of an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, a variant having 80% identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, an antigenic epitope of SEQ ID NO:1, an oligopeptide of SEQ ID NO:1, and a biologically active portion of SEQ ID NO:1. The invention also provides an isolated mammalian cDNA or the complement thereof selected from the group consisting of a nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, a variant having at least 87% identity to the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, a fragment of SEQ ID NOs:3-9, an oligonucleotide of SEQ ID NO:2. The invention additionally provides a composition, a substrate, and a probe comprising the cDNA, or the complement of the cDNA, encoding RADCP. The invention further provides a vector containing the cDNA, a host cell containing the vector and a method for using the cDNA to make RADCP. The invention still further provides a transgenic cell line or organism comprising the vector containing the cDNA encoding RADCP. The invention additionally provides a mammalian fragment or the complement thereof selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:10-12. In one aspect, the invention provides a substrate containing at least one of these fragments. In a second aspect, the invention provides a probe comprising the fragment which can be used in methods of detection, screening, and purification. In a further aspect, the probe is a single stranded complementary RNA or DNA molecule.
The invention provides a method for using a cDNA to detect the differential expression of a nucleic acid in a sample comprising hybridizing a probe to the nucleic acids, thereby forming hybridization complexes and comparing hybridization complex formation with a standard, wherein the comparison indicates the differential expression of the cDNA in the sample. In one aspect, the method of detection further comprises amplifying the nucleic acids of the sample prior to hybridization. In another aspect, the method showing differential expression of the cDNA is used to diagnose cell proliferative and inflammatory disorders, particularly thymus hyperplasia, allergies, asthma, and hypereosinophilia. In another aspect, the cDNA or a fragment or a complement thereof may comprise an element on an array.
The invention additionally provides a method for using a cDNA or a fragment or a complement thereof to screen a library or plurality of molecules or compounds to identify at least one ligand which specifically binds the cDNA, the method comprising combining the cDNA with the molecules or compounds under conditions allowing specific binding, and detecting specific binding to the cDNA, thereby identifying a ligand which specifically binds the cDNA. In one aspect, the molecules or compounds are selected from aptamers, DNA molecules, RNA molecules, peptide nucleic acids, artificial chromosome constructions, peptides, transcription factors, enhancers, repressors, and regulatory molecules.
The invention provides a purified mammalian protein or a portion thereof selected from the group consisting of an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, a variant having 80% identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, an antigenic epitope of SEQ ID NO:1, an oligopeptide of SEQ ID NO:1, and a biologically active portion of SEQ ID NO:1. The invention also provides a composition comprising the purified protein or a portion thereof in conjunction with a pharmaceutical carrier. The invention further provides a method of using the RADCP to treat a subject with a cell proliferative or inflammatory disorder comprising administering to a patient in need of such treatment the composition containing the purified protein. The invention still further provides a method for using a protein to screen a library or a plurality of molecules or compounds to identify at least one ligand , the method comprising combining the protein with the molecules or compounds under conditions to allow specific binding and detecting specific binding, thereby identifying a ligand which specifically binds the protein. In one aspect, the molecules or compounds are selected from DNA molecules, RNA molecules, peptide nucleic acids, peptides, proteins, mimetics, agonists, antagonists, antibodies, immunoglobulins, inhibitors, and drugs. In another aspect, the ligand is used to treat a subject with a cell proliferative or inflammatory disorder.
The invention provides a method of using a mammalian protein to screen a subject sample for antibodies which specifically bind the protein comprising isolating antibodies from the subject sample, contacting the isolated antibodies with the protein under conditions that allow specific binding, dissociating the antibody from the bound-protein, and comparing the quantity of antibody with known standards, wherein the presence or quantity of antibody is diagnostic of cell proliferative and inflammatory disorders, particularly thymus hyperplasia, allergies, asthma, and hypereosoinophilia.
The invention also provides a method of using a mammalian protein to prepare and purify antibodies comprising immunizing a animal with the protein under conditions to elicit an antibody response, isolating animal antibodies, attaching the protein to a substrate, contacting the substrate with isolated antibodies under conditions to allow specific binding to the protein, dissociating the antibodies from the protein, thereby obtaining purified antibodies.
The invention provides a purified antibody which bind specifically to a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NO:1 and fragments thereof. The invention also provides a method of using an antibody to diagnose cell proliferative and inflammatory disorders, particularly thymus hyperplasia, allergies, asthma, and hypereosoinophilia comprising combining the antibody comparing the quantity of bound antibody to known standards, thereby establishing the presence of cell proliferative and inflammatory disorders. The invention further provides a method of using an antibody to treat cell proliferative and inflammatory disorders comprising administering to a patient in need of such treatment a pharmaceutical composition comprising the purified antibody.
The invention provides a method for inserting a marker gene into the genomic DNA of a mammal to disrupt the expression of the endogenous polynucleotide. The invention also provides a method for using a cDNA to produce a mammalian model system, the method comprising constructing a vector containing the cDNA selected from SEQ ID NOs:2-12, transforming the vector into an embryonic stem cell, selecting a transformed embryonic stem, microinjecting the transformed embryonic stem cell into a mammalian blastocyst, thereby forming a chimeric blastocyst, transferring the chimeric blastocyst into a pseudopregnant dam, wherein the dam gives birth to a chimeric offspring containing the cDNA in its germ line, and breeding the chimeric mammal to produce a homozygous, mammalian model system.


Disclosed are a ray converter and a ray detection panel device. The ray converter (100, 100′) includes a substrate (110) and a conversion body (120). The substrate (110) includes a medium carrier. The medium carrier has a mesoporous structure distributed in an array. A pore of the mesoporous structure extends from an entrance end of the substrate (110) to an exit end of the substrate (110). The conversion body (120) is filled in the pore. The ray detection panel device includes a ray converter (100, 100′) and a light sensor.

The statements here only provide background information related to the present disclosure, and do not necessarily constitute related art.
The ray detection panel device is a device that converts ray energy into electrical signals that are convenient for recording and analysis, and has a wide range of applications in medical and other fields. For example, the intensity of the X-ray signal detected by the X-ray detection panel device depends on the density of the tissue in the irradiated part of the human body. In high-density tissue, the detected X-ray intensity is weaker. In the low-density tissue, the detected X-ray intensity is stronger. Thus, according to the intensity of the detected X-rays, the lesions and the like can be analyzed. The ray detection panel device can be divided into two types: direct and indirect. In the direct ray detection panel device, the distribution of the intensity of rays is obtained by directly receiving rays and converting them into the electrical signal. However, in the indirect ray detection panel device, the ray signal cannot be directly received to obtain the electrical signal, it is necessary to convert the directly received rays into visible light or other emergent light that can be detected through a ray converter, and further the emergent light of the ray converter is detected to reflect the strength of the rays. However, due to the divergence of the ray and the scattering of the ray by the converter material in the process of passing through the ray converter, the intensity of the converted light is low and the collimation is poor. On one hand, it increases the difficulty of detecting the intensity of the emergent light in the subsequent steps. On the other hand, it also increases the required radiation dose, which is likely to cause safety hazards. In summary, the detection effect of the current ray detection panel device is poor.

Ray converter and ray detection panel device


A phthalocyanine compound of a structural formula of phthalocyanine represented by the general formula (1): ##STR1## wherein 1 to 8 of a total 16 positions are substituted with a phenoxy group, the phenoxy group at either of the ortho positions is substituted with an aryl group which may be substituted, all the atoms in the aryl group and the substituents at the residual ortho positions excluding the hydrogen atoms assume a total atomic radius of not less than 6.0 .ANG., and a central atom group M contains a metal atom of not less than trivalence, a bromine-substituent of the compound, a phthalocyanine composition comprising the phthalocyanine compound and the bromine atom-containing phthalocyanine compound, and an optical recording medium containing it in a recording layer.

In recent years, the development of such optical recording media as compact discs, laser discs, optical memory discs, and optical cards which utilize a semiconductor laser as the light source has been advancing actively. Particularly, CD, PHOTO-CD, and CD-ROM have been used in large quantities as a large-volume and high-speed access digital recording medium for the storage and reproduction of voices, images, and code data. These systems invariably so-called a near-infrared absorption dye which is sensible of the semiconductor laser. The demand for such a material as excels in characteristics in terms of a dye has been finding growing recognition.
Numerous phthalocyanine-based compounds which are stable against light, heat, temperature, and the like and excel in fastness have been the subjects of current researches among other dyes.
The characteristics to be demanded by such a phthalocyanine compound when used as a postscript type optical recording medium adapted for a compact disc are as follows:
(1) The maximum absorption wavelength of the thin film should be controlled within the range of 700 to 730 nm (which constitute themselves the principal constructional factors relative to such optical properties as reflectance by decreasing peaks due to association thereby improving absorbancy and sharpening the peaks); PA1 (2) The compound should be capable of being applied on a substrate by a method which can be carried out conveniently and at a high yield like by spin-coating, and excels in solubility in a solvent which does not erode a substrate. PA1 (3) The compound should excel in heat-resistance and lightfastness. PA1 (4) The compound should manifest excellent heat-decomposition properties (which constitutes a principal constructional factor relative to sensitivity). PA1 (5) The compound should warrant excellent economy as for the method to be adopted for the manufacture thereof. PA1 (1) A phthalocyanine compound of a structural formula of phthalocyanine represented by the general formula (1): ##STR2## wherein 1 to 8 of a total 16 positions are substituted with a phenoxy group, one of the ortho positions of the phenoxy group being substituted with an aryl group which may be substituted, all the atoms in the aryl group and the substituent at the residual ortho position excluding the hydrogen atoms assume a total atomic radius of not less than 6.0 .ANG., and a central atom group M contains a metal atom of not less than trivalence. PA1 (2) A phthalocyanine compound according to the (1) above, wherein the one of the ortho positions of the phenoxy group is substituted with the aryl group and at least other ortho position of the residual positions is substituted with at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of the substituents of the following (1) to (7) groups: PA1 (3) A phthalocyanine compound according to the (2) above, which is represented by the general formula (2): ##STR4## [wherein X, Y, and Z each represent a hydrogen atom or a halogen atom, W represents an aryl group which may be substituted, V represents at least one substituent selected from the class of the substituents of (1) to (7) groups as defined in the (2) above, n represents an integer in the range of 0 to 3, and M represents a metal group containing a metal of not less than trivalence]. PA1 (4) A phthalocyanine compound according to the (3) above, wherein at least one of X, Y, and Z in the general formula (2) is a fluorine atom. PA1 (5) A phthalocyanine compound according to the (3) or (4) above, wherein in the general formula (2), V is CO.sub.2 R.sup.2 (wherein R.sup.2 represents a branched alkyl group of 3 to 20 carbon atoms which may be substituted). PA1 (6) A phthalocyanine compound according to any one of the (3) to (5) above, wherein in the general formula (2), V is CO.sub.2 R.sup.2 (wherein R.sup.2 represents a substituted or unsubstituted secondary or tertiary alkyl group of 5 to 20 carbon atoms and containing 2 to 4 secondary or higher carbon atoms). PA1 (7) A phthalocyanine compound according to any one of the (3) to (6) above, wherein in the general formula (2), V is CO.sub.2 R.sup.2 (wherein R.sup.2 represents a substituted or unsubstituted secondary or tertiary alkyl group of 6 to 10 carbon atoms and containing 2 to 4 secondary or higher carbon atoms), W is a phenyl group which may be substituted, M is a vanadyl, and X, Y, and Z are invariably a fluorine atom. PA1 (8) A phthalocyanine compound of a structural formula of phthalocyanine represented by the general formula (1): ##STR5## wherein 1 to 8 of a total 16 positions are substituted with a phenoxy group, one of the ortho positions of the phenoxy group being substituted with an aryl group which may be substituted while the other ortho position being substituted with a bromine atom-containing substituent, and all the atoms in the aryl group and the substituent at the residual ortho position excluding the hydrogen atoms assume a total atomic radius of not less than 6.0 .ANG.. PA1 (9) A phthalocyanine compound according to the (8) above, which is represented by the general formula (3): ##STR6## [wherein X, Y, and Z each represent a hydrogen atom or a halogen atom, a, b, c, and d each represent an integer in the range of 0 to 3, the total number of bromine atoms involved in the substitution is an integer in the range of 2 to 12, n represents an integer in the range of 0 to 3, W represents an aryl group which may be substituted, V represents at least one substituent selected among bromine-substituted residues of the substituents of the following (1) to (3) groups: PA1 group (1) R.sup.7 PA1 group (2) CO.sub.2 R.sup.8 PA1 group (3) O[(CH.sub.2).sub.c O].sub.d R.sup.9 PA1 (10) A phthalocyanine compound according to the (9) above, wherein in the general formula (3), at least one of X, Y, and Z is a fluorine atom. PA1 (11) A phthalocyanine compound according to the (9) or (10) above, wherein in the general formula (3), V is CO.sub.2 R.sup.8 (wherein R.sup.8 represents a bromine-substituted residue of a branched alkyl group), W is a phenyl group which may be substituted, X, Y, and Z each represent a fluorine atom, and M is a vanadyl. PA1 (12) A method for the production of a phthalocyanine compound set forth in any one of the (1) to (7) above, which comprises causing either a phthalonitrile compound alone substituted with a phenoxy group to be substituted with an aryl group which may be substituted, or a mixture of the phthalonitrile compound with a phthalonitrile to be unsubstituted with the phenoxy group to react with a metal compound. PA1 (13) A method for the production of a phthalocyanine compound set forth in any one of the (8) to (11) above, which comprises causing either a phthalonitrile compound alone to be substituted with a phenoxy group to be substituted both with an aryl group which may be substituted and a bromine atom-containing substituent, or a mixture of the phthalonitrile compound with a phthalonitrile to be unsubstituted with the phenoxy group to react with a metal compound. PA1 (14) A phthalocyanine composition containing at least one each of the phthalocyanine compounds of the group (I) and those of group (II) shown below: PA1 (15) A phthalocyanine composition according to the (14) above, wherein the bromine atom-containing phthalocyanine compound of the group (II) is substituted with at least one alkoxy group or aryloxy group. PA1 (16) A phthalocyanine composition according to the (14) or (15) above, wherein at least one of X, Y and Z in the general formula (2) is a fluorine atom, and the bromine atom-containing phthalocyanine compound is a compound represented by the general formula (3). PA1 (17) A phthalocyanine composition according to any one of the (14) to (16) above, wherein V in the general formula (2) is CO.sub.2 R.sup.2 (wherein R.sup.2 represents a branched alkyl group of 3 to 20 carbon atoms which may be substituted), and the bromine atom-containing phthalocyanine compound is a compound represented by the general formula (3). PA1 (18) A phthalocyanine composition according to any one of the (14) to (17) above, wherein V in the general formula (2) is CO.sub.2 R.sup.2 (wherein R.sup.2 represents a secondary or tertiary alkyl group of 5 to 20 carbon atoms and containing 2 to 4 secondary or higher carbon atoms which may be substituted), and the bromine atom-containing phthalocyanine compound is a compound represented by the general formula (3). PA1 (19) A phthalocyanine composition according to the (14) or (15) above, wherein at least one of X, Y and Z in the general formula (2) is a fluorine atom, and the bromine atom-containing phthalocyanine compound is a compound represented by the general formula (3) (wherein at least one of X, Y and Z is a fluorine atom). PA1 (20) A phthalocyanine composition according to any one of the (14), (15) and (19) above, wherein V in the general formula (2) is CO.sub.2 R.sup.2 (wherein R.sup.2 represents a branched alkyl group of 3 to 20 carbon atoms which may be substituted) and the bromine atom-containing phthalocyanine compound is a compound represented by the general formula (3) (wherein at least one of X, Y and Z is a fluorine atom). PA1 (21) A phthalocyanine composition according to any one of the (14), (15), (19) and (20) above, wherein V in the general formula (2) is CO.sub.2 R.sup.2 (wherein R.sup.2 represents a secondary or tertiary alkyl group of 5 to 20 carbon atoms and containing 2 to 4 secondary or higher carbon atoms which may be substituted), and the bromine atom-containing phthalocyanine compound is a compound represented by the general formula (3) (wherein at least one of X, Y and Z is a fluorine atom). PA1 (22) An optical recording medium containing a phthalocyanine compound or composition set forth in any one of the (1) to (11) and the (14) to (21) above in a recording layer provided on a substrate. PA1 (23) A postscript type optical recording medium adapted for a compact disc comprising a recording layer and a metallic reflecting layer provided on a transparent substrate of resin, wherein the recording layer is the recording layer set forth in the (22) above. PA1 group (1) R.sup.1 PA1 group (2) CO.sub.2 R.sup.2 PA1 group (3) CO.sub.2 (CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.a R.sup.3 PA1 group (4) CO.sub.2 (CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.b R.sup.4 PA1 group (5) O[(CH.sub.2).sub.c O].sub.d R.sup.5 PA1 group (6) CO.sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.e R.sup.6 ##STR9## (wherein R.sup.1 represents a linear, branched, or cyclic alkyl group of 1 to 20 carbon atoms which may be substituted or an aryl group which may be substituted, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, and R.sup.5 independently represent a linear, branched, or cyclic alkyl group of 1 to 20 carbon atoms which may be substituted or an aryl group which may be substituted, R.sup.6 represents an aryl group which may be substituted, A represents a CH group or a nitrogen atom, B represents an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, a CH.sub.2 group, an NH group, or an alkylamino group of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, a, b, c and e each represent an integer in the range of 1 to 5, d and f each represent an integer in the range of 0 to 6, and g and h independently represent an integer in the range of 1 to 4). Among other novel phthalocyanine compounds, those represented by the general formula (2) are preferably used. Now, these compounds will be described in detail. PA1 group (1) R.sup.1 PA1 group (2) CO.sub.2 R.sup.2 PA1 group (3) CO.sub.2 (CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.a R.sup.3 PA1 group (4) CO.sub.2 (CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.b R.sup.4 PA1 group (5) O[(CH.sub.2).sub.c O].sub.d R.sup.5 PA1 group (6) CO.sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.e R.sup.6 ##STR10## (wherein R.sup.1 represents a linear, branched, or cyclic alkyl group of 1 to 20 carbon atoms which may be substituted or an aryl group which may be substituted, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, and R.sup.5 independently represent a linear, branched, or cyclic alkyl group of 1 to 20 carbon atoms which may be substituted or an aryl group which may be substituted, R.sup.6 represents an aryl group which may be substituted, A represents a CH group or a nitrogen atom, B represents an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, a CH.sub.2 group, an NH group, or an alkylamino group of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, a, b, c and e each represent an integer in the range of 1 to 5, d and f each represent an integer in the range of 0 to 6, and g and h independently represent an integer in the range of 1 to 4). As typical examples of these substituents, the following groups of substituents may be cited. PA1 Compound 1: Tetrakis(2-phenyl-6-isopropylphenoxy) dodecafluoro chloroaluminum phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 2: Tetrakis(2,6-diphenylphenoxy)dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 3: Tetrakis(2,4-diphenylphenoxy)dodecafluoro titanyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 4: Tetrakis(2,4,6-triphenylphenoxy)dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 5: Tetrakis(2-isopropoxycarbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy) dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 6: Tetrakis(2-(3-pentoxy)carbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy) dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 7: Tetrakis(2-(3-pentoxy)carbonyl-4-phenylphenoxy) dodecafluoro chloroindium phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 8: Tetrakis (2-tert-butoxycarbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy) dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 9: Tetrakis (2,4-diisopropoxycarbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy) dodecafluoro titanyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 10: Tetrakis(2-(2-butoxy)carbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy) dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 11: Tetrakis(2-(2-pentoxy)carbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy) dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 12: Tetrakis(2-(3-methoxypropoxy)carbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy)dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 13: Tetrakis(2,4-di(2-methoxyethoxy)carbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy)dodecafluoro titanyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 14: Tetrakis(2-ethoxy-6-phenylphenoxy)dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 15: Tetrakis (2,4-diethoxy-6-phenylphenoxy) dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 16: Tetrakis(2-benzyloxycarbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy) dodecafluoro titanyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 17: Tetrakis(2-phenetyloxycarbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy) dodecafluoro chloroaluminum phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 18: Tetrakis(2-(2-tetrahydrofurfuryloxy)carbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy)dodecafluoro (dichloro tin) phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 19: Tetrakis(4-(2-tetrahydrofurfuryloxy)carbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy)dodecafluoro (dichloro tin) phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 20: Tetrakis(2,4-di(2-tetrahydrofurfuryloxy) carbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy)dodecafluoro chloroindium phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 21: Tetrakis(6-(bromophenyl)-2-isopropoxycarbonyl phenoxy)dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 22: Tetrakis(bromo-2-isopropoxycarbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy)dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 23: Tetrakis(6-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-isopropoxy-carbonylphenoxy)dodecafluoro titanyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 24: Tetrakis(4-fluoro-2-(2-methoxyethoxy)carbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy)dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 25: Tetrakis(6-(4-bromomethylphenyl)-2-(2-tetra-hydrofurfuryloxy)carbonylpheno xy)dodecafluoro titanyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 26: Tetrakis(6-(4-bromomethoxyphenyl)-2-isopropoxy carbonylphenoxy)dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 27: Bis(2-isopropoxycarbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy) tetradecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 28: Bis(2-(2-methoxyethoxy)carbonyl-6- phenylphenoxy) tetradecafluoro titanyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 29: Octakis(2-isopropoxycarbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy) octafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 30: Octakis(2-tert-butoxycarbonyl-6-phenyl-phenoxy) octafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine. PA1 Compound 31: Tetrakis(2-(2,3-dimethyl-2-butoxy)carbonyl-6-(4-bromo)phenylphenoxy)dodeca fluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 32: Tetrakis(2-(3,3-dimethyl-2-butoxy)carbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy)dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 33: Tetrakis(2-(2,2-dimethyl-3-pentyloxy)carbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy)dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 34: Tetrakis(2-(2,3-dimethyl-3-pentyloxy)carbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy)dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 35: Tetrakis(2-(2,4-dimethyl-3-pentyloxy)carbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy)dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 36: Tetrakis(2-(2,2-dimethyl-3-hexyloxy)carbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy)dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 37: Tetrakis(2-(2,3-dimethyl-2-hexyloxy)carbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy)dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 38: Tetrakis(2-(2,5-dimethyl-3-hexyloxy)carbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy)dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 39: Tetrakis(2-(3,4-dimethyl-3-hexyloxy)carbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy)dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 40: Tetrakis(2-(3-ethyl-2-methyl-3-pentyloxy) carbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy)dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 41: Tetrakis(2-(4-methyl-3-heptyloxy)carbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy)dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 42: Tetrakis(2-(3-ethyl-2,2-dimethyl-3-pentyloxy) carboxyl-6-phenylphenoxy)dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 43: Tetrakis(2-(3,7-dimethyl-3-octyloxy)carbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy)dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 44: Tetrakis(2-(7-ethyl-2-methyl-4-undecyloxy)-carbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy)dodeca fluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 45: Tetrakis(2-(borneoxycarbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy) dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 46: Tetrakis(2-(l-adamantanoxycarbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy)dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine. PA1 group (1) R.sup.7 PA1 group (2) CO.sub.2 R.sup.8 PA1 group (3) O[(CH.sub.2).sub.c O].sub.d R.sup.9 PA1 group (1) R.sup.7 PA1 group (2) CO.sub.2 R.sup.8 PA1 group (3) O[(CH.sub.2).sub.c O].sub.d R.sup.9 PA1 Compound 47: Tetrakis(4-(2-bromoethoxycarbonyl)-2-phenylphenoxy)dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 48: Bis(2-(2-bromoethoxycarbonyl)-6-phenylphenoxy) bis(2-ethoxycarbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy)dodecafluoro titanyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 49: Tetrakis(2-(1,3-dibromo-2-propoxycarbonyl)-6-phenylphenoxy)dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 50: Tetrakis(2,4-di(6-bromohexyloxycarbonyl)-6-phenylphenoxy)dodecafluoro copper phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 51: Tetrakis(2-(2-bromoethyl)-6-phenylphenoxy) dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 52: Tetrakis(4-(2-bromoethoxy)-2-isopropoxycarbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy)dodecafluo ro iron phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 53: Tetrakis(2-(2-bromoethoxy)-6-phenylphenoxy) dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 54: Tetrakis(2-(2-bromoethoxy)carbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy)dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 55: Tetrakis(2-(1-bromo-2-propoxycarbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy)dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 56: Bis(2-(2-bromoethyl)-6-phenylphenoxy) tetradecafluoro (dichloro tin) phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 57: Octakis(4-(6-bromohexyl)-2-phenylphenoxy) octafluoro palladium phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 58: Tetrakis(2-(2-bromoethoxycarbonyl)-6-phenylphenoxy)tetrakis(2-ethoxycarbon yl-6-phenylphenoxy) octafluoro (dichloro tin) phthalocyanine; PA1 Compound 59: Tetrakis(2-(2,3-dibromo-1-propoxy)carbonyl-6-phenylphenoxy)dodecafluoro vanadyl phthalocyanine. PA1 (1) R.sup.1 PA1 (2) CO.sub.2 R.sup.2 PA1 CO.sub.2 (CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.a R.sup.3 PA1 (4) CO.sub.2 (CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.b R.sup.4 PA1 (5) O[(CH.sub.2).sub.c O].sub.d R.sup.5 PA1 (6) CO.sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.e R.sup.6 ##STR14## (wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, R.sup.6, A, B, a, b, c, d, e, f, g, and h have the same meanings as defined above) to react with a metal compound. PA1 group (1) R.sup.7 PA1 group (2) CO.sub.2 R.sup.8 PA1 group (3) O[(CH.sub.2).sub.c O].sub.d R.sup.9
JP-A-58-56,892, for example, has proposed a method which uses a perfluorophthalocyanine compound. These compounds, however, manifests poor solubility in an organic solvent and fails to permit satisfactory control of the absorption wavelength.
JP-A-61-246,091, JP-A-63-37,991, JP-A-64-42,283, JP-A-02-276,677, JP-A-02-265,788, JP-A-03-215,466, and JP-A-04-226,390 have proposed compounds in which a substituent is introduced via oxygen into the benzene ring of a phthalocyanine skeleton. These compounds, however, are at a disadvantage in manifesting poor lightfastness or insufficient reflectance, depending on the kind, number, and position of substituents for dye, failing to be dissolved in a solvent which has been popularly adopted and can be directly applied to a substrate such as of polycarbonate, or incurring difficulty in the control of the absorption wavelength, for example.
As an invention which affords a comparative solution to the disadvantage, JP-A-05-1,272 has proposed a phthalocyanine having four alkoxy groups introduced at the a position thereof and having a halogen compound or its like introduced partially at the residual positions thereof. Any phthalocyanine which has introduced substituents at the a position thereof, however, is at such an economical disadvantage as being deficient in productivity from phthalonitrile as the raw material. The phthalocyanine compounds of this class do not satisfy all the characteristics and, therefore, are expected to possess further exalted characteristics.
We have heretofore proposed such phthalocyanine compounds as be substituted at the .beta. position thereof with a phenoxy group possessed of a large substituent (JP-A-05-345,861, JP-A-06-107,663, JP-A-06-328,856, and JP-A-08-225,751). These compounds, however, still betray deficiency in reflectance, sensitivity, etc. when used in optical recording media. None of the phthalocyanine compounds proposed to date fully satisfy the characteristics as mentioned above.
The present invention has been produced in view of the problems which the prior art has had as mentioned above. To be specific, an object of this invention is to provide a novel phthalocyanine compound which allows the absorption to be appropriately controlled within the absorption wavelength region of 600 to 1000 nm, excels in solubility in a solvent suitable for a given application, such as, for example, an alcoholic solvent, and exhibits prominent heat-resistance and lightfastness.
Another object of this invention is to provide a method for producing the phthalocyanine compound efficiently and with high purity.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a phthalocyanine compound which, when applied to an optical recording medium, particularly an optical recording medium adapted to a compact disc, can exhibit outstanding effects in such characteristics as solubility, absorption wavelength, sensitivity, reflectance, lightfastness, and heat-decomposition properties which are indispensable for these applications.
Still further object of this invention to provide a phthalocyanine compound which can manifest outstanding effects in high-speed recording.

Phthalocyanine compounds, process for preparing the same, and optical recording medium made using the same


A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel having pixels, a light source which illuminates the display panel, and a control unit which controls the display panel and the light source. The control unit includes an insertion unit which causes the pixel to store a first voltage corresponding to a video signal in a first period within one frame period and to store a second voltage corresponding to a non-video signal in a second period that follows the first period, and a driving unit which enables the light source at least in a period corresponding to the first period in which the first voltage is held in the pixel, and disables the light source in a period corresponding to the second period in which the second voltage is held in the pixel, and is configured to set the first and second voltages at different independent values.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a liquid crystal display device and a method of driving the liquid crystal display device, and more particularly to a liquid crystal display device including an OCB liquid crystal and a method of driving this liquid crystal display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel which includes a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal layer held between the pair of substrates; a surface light source device which illuminates the liquid crystal display panel; and a control unit which controls the liquid crystal display panel and the surface light source device. The liquid crystal display panel has a display section composed of a plurality of display pixels which are arrayed in a matrix. Further, a plurality of source lines are disposed along the columns of the display pixels, and a plurality of gate lines are disposed along the rows of the display pixels. In each display pixel, a pixel switch is disposed near an intersection of the associated source line and gate line.
In the case of driving the above-described liquid crystal display device, a state in which an image is displayed is retained during a 1-frame period by the pixel switch of each display pixel. Thus, compared to a display device such as a cathode-ray tube (CRT), it is difficult to improve the visibility of a moving image.
In order to improve the moving image visibility, for example, in an OCB mode liquid crystal display device, the feature that the responsivity of the OCB mode is very high is made use of, and it has been proposed to perform a black insertion driving scheme in which a period for video display and a period for non-video display are cyclically provided in every 1-frame period (see, e.g., Japanese Patent Applications No. 2000-214827 and No. 2002-107695).
In the above-described OCB mode liquid crystal display device, when the black insertion driving scheme is executed, in order to obtain high contrast, the non-video signal needs to be adjusted to have a minimum-transmittance voltage that is optimal for black display. Thus, in a color-display-type liquid crystal display device, non-video signals need to be independently adjusted so that the non-video signals may have optimal pixel voltages for black display in association with the respective display pixels.
In addition, the non-video signal needs to be set at a voltage or more, at which reverse transition of the OCB liquid crystal (phase transition from a bend alignment state to a splay alignment state) does not occur. This voltage influences the black insertion ratio and the white display voltage.
In general, the optimal pixel voltage for black display is set at a single value for reasons of optical device design of the OCB mode liquid crystal display device. Thus, in a case where the non-video signal set at the optimal value for black display is not at a threshold or more for preventing reverse transition of the OCB liquid crystal, the black insertion ratio or the white display voltage is adjusted so as to make the voltage, at which reverse transition occurs, lower than the optimal voltage for black display.
However, such problems may arise, in some cases, that the contrast and luminance of a display image deteriorate, due to the setting of the non-video signal at the optimal value for black display and at the voltage which can prevent the reverse transition of the OCB liquid crystal, as described above.

Liquid crystal display device and driving method of the same

Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology Co., Ltd.


A golf club head comprises an outer titanium club-head shell, and a titanium sole portion integrally coupled to the outer club-head shell. A weight fitting hole is bored in the sole portion, and a plurality of cutouts are formed in the inner peripheral edge portion of the fitting hole. A weight made of metal having a specific gravity higher than that of titanium is inserted into the fitting hole, and the weight is fixed to the sole portion after press-deformed so that its outer peripheral edges are press-fitted into the respective cutouts. A method for producing a golf club head comprises the steps of molding the outer club-head shell from titanium, molding the sole portion having the weight fitting hole from titanium, forming the plurality of cutouts in the inner peripheral edge portion of the fitting hole of the sole portion, inserting the weight made of metal having a specific gravity higher than that of titanium into the fitting hole, fixing the weight to the sole portion by press-deforming the weight in such a way as to press-fit the outer peripheral edges of the weight into the respective cutouts, and coupling the outer club-head shell and the sole portion integrally by welding.

The present invention relates to a golf club head and a method for producing the same, and more particularly to such a golf club head as a titanium golf club head whose sole portion can be fitted securely with a weight made of metal having a high specific gravity through simple fitting work and to a method for producing the same.
Heretofore, it has been attempted to lower the center of gravity by fitting to a sole portion a weight made of metal whose specific gravity is higher than that of titanium in the case of a typical conventional golf club head made of titanium having a low specific gravity.
Since titanium and metal having a high specific gravity for use in a weight are different kinds of metal, a brittle intermetallic compound tends to be formed when both of them are welded together and this has made it difficult to fit the weight by welding to the sole portion made of titanium. Consequently, the methods employed for fitting the weight to the sole portion have been to use clamping means such as bolts and nuts in general and to use such a metal material as an intermediate material weldable to both the sole portion and the weight.
However, the former method of using the clamping means requires not only using special bolts and nuts which are large and thin but also a great deal of trouble and time for fitting the weight to the sole portion, and makes the weight fitting strength insufficient.
The latter method of using the intermediate material between the sole portion and the weight needs to machine the intermediate material properly beforehand and to mount the weight on the intermediate material after mounting the intermediate material on the sole portion; the problem is that a great deal of trouble and time is also required during the assembling work.

Golf club head and method for producing the same


A wire rack holding up to eight twelve-pound spools of wire and provided with handles on outboard ends of the rack for carrying the loaded rack by hand to and from a work site. The rack is constructed from metal rod stock and is conveniently stored out of the way on a wall or on a bulkhead in a work vehicle.

This invention relates to devices for carrying and transporting articles, and more particularly to improved apparatus for storing and carrying by hand, spools of wire and dispensing wire from the spools.
Most wire, for example, wire used by electricians for wiring electrical circuits, electric-fence wire, etc., is supplied on rotatable reels or spools, which facilitate dispensing the wire from the spool journaled on a spindle Racks for transporting and storing spools of wire are known. Such racks generally comprise various arrangements of spindles, and in many instances, wheels for transporting the rack loaded with heavy spools of wire. Smaller, lighter weight racks, intended to be bearable by hand, for use on smaller projects, and holding and carrying from four to eight spools, are generally provided with a single, centrally disposed handle to facilitate carrying by hand, the ends of the rack being left open for receiving spools on spindles extending from a central support. However, a rack loaded with spools of wire, particularly if it is fully loaded, can be cumbersome and difficult to carry with a centrally disposed handle, each spool weighing about 5 to 7 kilograms (11 to 15 pounds). And if the load is unbalanced, which is frequently the case as wire is unreeled and used from time to time from the various spools, a rack with a central handle is unwieldy. Moreover, such racks, carried from a work site to a vehicle such as a panel truck can be difficult to store securely inside the vehicle.
Accordingly, it is an object of the instant invention to provide an improved rack for storing and carrying spools of wire by hand.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved handbarrow for storing and carrying spools of wire and for dispensing wire therefrom.

Rack and handbarrow for carrying spools of wire


An apparatus includes an elongated tube and an elongated rod having a holding member on one end, the holding member is adapted to hold an end of a lead such that the end of the lead can be pulled through the elongated tube resulting in minimal forces on the lead.

Medical leads, such as cardiac leads, have a distal end having one or more electrodes and a proximal end having a terminal which is coupled to a pulse generator. Sometimes, subcutaneous tunneling is required to implant the lead. For example, subcutaneous tunneling of the lead can be needed during implantation of epicardial leads, nerve or muscle stimulation leads, or cardiac leads with the pulse generator implanted abdominally. Subcutaneous tunneling is done using a tunneling tool which includes an elongated rod that is inserted through the subcutaneous tissue. After the rod is inserted, a lead terminal holder is attached to the tip of the rod and the lead terminal is attached to the terminal holder. Then the rod is pulled back through the subcutaneous tissue to bring the lead terminal through the tissue to the pulse generator. Subcutaneous lead tunneling can result in high forces on the lead as it is being pulled through the subcutaneous tissue.


The subject matter described herein relates to methods, systems, and computer program products for providing Internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS) services in response to advanced intelligent network (AIN) triggers. According to one aspect, a method for providing an IMS service in response to an AIN trigger is provided. The method includes detecting the firing of an AIN trigger concerning an IMS registered non-IMS device. An IMS service to be provided in response to the AIN trigger is identified. The IMS service is provided.

IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) networks allow IMS-compatible devices to establish voice calls and to receive call originating and call terminating services using IMS network elements. In an IMS network, an IMS-compatible subscriber device, such as an IMS-compatible handset, is homed to a serving call session control function (S-CSCF). When an IMS-compatible device connects to a network anywhere, the IMS-compatible device first obtains an IP address. The IP address may be obtained by static assignment or by a dynamic protocol, such as DHCP. The IMS device then registers with the home S-CSCF. Registration involves communicating the IMS device or subscriber identity and the corresponding IP address to the S-CSCF. For example, IMS devices may be identified by SIP URIs. An example of an IMS device identity that may be associated with an IMS subscriber's SIP phone is Dan@ Tekelec.com. The SIP phone may obtain an IP address of 22.214.171.124 when the phone connects to the network. Registration of the SIP phone involves communicating the association between 188.8.131.52 and Dan@ Tekelec.com to the subscriber's S-CSCF. Registration of IMS devices can be accomplished through SIP messaging between the devices and their respective S-CSCFs.
Once an IMS device is registered with its S-CSCF, the device can originate and terminate calls and receive call originating and call terminating services using IMS network elements. For example, when the IMS device originates a call, the S-CSCF is notified of the call origination and queries a database, referred to as a home subscriber server (HSS) database, to determining call originating services to be applied to the call. Examples of call originating services include prepaid calling services and number portability services. The S-CSCF may then obtain routing information and invite the terminating device to the join the call. If the IMS device is at the terminating leg of the call, the S-CSCF receives an invitation for the device to join the call, determines the terminating services to apply to the call, and signals with the originating S-CSCF to establish the call.
It may be desirable to establish calls and to provide services using IMS nodes to non-IMS devices, such as 2G mobile phones and PSTN phones or black phones. 2G mobile phones and black phones are incapable of receiving calls or services using IMS network elements because such devices are not identifiable to the IMS network. For example, black phones and 2G mobile phones are incapable of registering with the IMS network because they do not have registration signaling capabilities. As a result, such devices can receive calls and services only by relying on PSTN network elements. Consequently, such devices may be limited in the types of service that they can receive and may be charged more for such services than the corresponding services available via the IMS network.
An additional problem to providing IMS services to non-IMS devices is the inability to communicate AIN triggers to the IMS networks. Within the PSTN, AIN standards are defined to specify how a call origination triggered service and a call termination triggered service may be implemented. Typically, an end office switch may define and set AIN triggers that are fired upon a call origination attempt by a subscriber or a call termination attempt to a subscriber. A fired call origination attempt further may result in a generation of a TCAP origination attempt message, while a fired call termination attempt trigger may result in the generation of a TCAP termination attempt message. These TCAP messages may be transmitted to another AIN network element, such as a service control point (SCP), which may use the information contained in the messages to provide call control or other call related services. Because these triggers are fired in the PSTN domain, there is no mechanism for using these triggers to invoke IMS services.
Accordingly, in light of these difficulties, there exists a need for improved methods, systems, and computer program products for providing IMS services in response to AIN triggers.

Methods systems, and computer program products for providing internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS) services in response to advanced intelligent network (AIN) triggers


A beam (16) such as a spray bar of an agricultural sprayer (10) is pivotable about an axis (22) into an operating position. In the operating position, the bar is in contact with a stop (28) located on a two-legged lever (30), one leg (42) of which is acted upon by the beam (16) and the other leg (44) of which is acted upon by a energy storing mechanism (34).

Known agricultural spray devices have a central beam or support holding a horizontally pivoting boom or spray bar at each side. The spray bar is normally pivoted by a hydraulic motor between a transport position and a spray position wherein the lateral spray bar comes to rest against the middle spray bar or support in the spray position. As the sprayer moves over ground irregularities in a field, the entire spray bar moves about a central vertical axis or each lateral spray bar moves independently of the other about its particular axis.
The problem on which the present invention is based is that the spray bar movements are relatively large and have a negative effect on spraying precision. The movements are still prevalent, even when the spray bar is supported from the main sprayer frame by an intermediate cushion support or when a resilient pad is provided between the stop and the pivoting member. This problem as well as the problem of increasing shock forces is amplified as spray boom length increases. Shock absorbent pads do not have sufficient cushioning effect, especially for large booms.

Device for controlling the movement of an outwardly extending beam on an agricultural machine


A method is disclosed for the operation of a data processing system for motor vehicles including at least two computers and a line connecting the computers for the transmission of messages. This line permits a fast and reliable data transmission between the computers installed in the motor vehicle, taking into account the specific requirements of a controller-coupling in the motor vehicle. An embodiment is provided which describes in detail the interface between the individual computers and the line linking the computers, and with the aid of which a controller-coupling is realized in the vehicle.

In recent years the function of the motor vehicle has been materially improved by electronic control systems. Through the use of digital electronics in the engine, it has been possible, for example, to reduce the consumption of fuel and the emission of toxic substances. Anti-skid control systems help to reduce braking distances while at the same time maintaining the steerability of the vehicle.
In the future, further functional improvements can be achieved for the motor vehicle, particularly by intermeshing the individual control functions instead of having each function operate separately. With an electronically controlled automatic transmission, gears can be shifted, for example, with less attendant wear of the clutch linings and more smoothly if the instant the gear is changed the engine torque is temporarily reduced by a suitable intervention into the electronic engine control system.
To meet these needs, it is necessary for the computer controlling the transmission to transmit relevant data to the computer controlling the engine at precisely the right instant. Until now, this has been accomplished by means of a series of single signal lines.
In more complex systems, however, the number of such signal lines becomes too large. In this case, therefore, a fast data transmission is necessary between the computers installed in the motor vehicle which requires few connections in the controller plug and provides for the transmission of data in coded form.
For this purpose, local area networks for coupling microprocessors, minicomputers and peripheral devices have been devised in the past, particularly for communications applications. Thus, there are a large number of state-of-the-art transmission protocols for the coupling of microcomputers including, for example, DDB (1), IIC (2), MUART (3), CSMA (4), SDLC (4) and HDLC (4). In this connection, reference may be made to the following:
(1) VALVO, DDB Specification; PA1 (2) VALVO, Technische Informationen fur die Industrie 811215; PA1 (3) INTEL, Microprocessor and Peripheral Handbook, 1983; and, PA1 (4) A. Tannenbaum, Computer Networks, Prentice Hall International, 1981.

Method of processing messages to be transmitted for a data processing arrangement


A discovery system (and corresponding method and computer program product) for automatically discovering assets and their roles and functional relationships in a network system is described. In one aspect, the discovery system interrogates known assets through protocol messages, normalizes response messages, and contextually analyzes the normalized response message to identify additional assets and their roles and functional relationships with the interrogated assets. The discovery system can recursively interrogate newly discovered assets to discover additional assets. In another aspect of the present invention, the discovery system is scheduled to periodically interrogate known assets for up-to-date information of the assets and their roles and functional relationships. Such information can be used to provide various services.

1. Field of Art
The present invention generally relates to the field of system management, in particular to information technology (IT) assets and services discovery, IT search, and change management.
2. Description of the Related Art
A network typically includes a variety of interconnected component systems (also referred to as component systems, network/service elements). Each of the component systems provides one or more services and works together with the rest to collectively provide aggregate services to users. For example, in Voice Over IP service (VoIP), session border controllers work in conjunction with gateways, phones, billing systems, Domain Name System (DNS) servers, Remote Authentication Dial In User Service (RADIUS)/Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) authentication servers, and underlying IP infrastructure, to constantly validate and ensure that phones can be registered, that phone calls can be made, that the caller is authenticated, and that the phone calls are billed properly.
Because component systems can be added, removed, and changed (e.g., reconfiguration, patching, upgrading) overtime, the landscape of a network evolves overtime. In addition, because of the interdependent nature of the component systems, changes made in one component system (e.g., configuration changes) can inadvertently affect other component systems dependent upon it. The unintended impact can cause inter-component dependencies to breakdown and thereby break the service. Therefore, it is important to track the component systems and their status and functional relationships.
Traditional best practice techniques of managing hosts on a network and their configurations are summarized in the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL). In the context of asset management, such technologies mostly revolve around node-based views of the network. Tremendous efforts have gone in to enumerate and list out what's on the network and when it was provisioned. Unfortunately, such efforts have mostly resulted in a static spreadsheet view of the network that has to be manually updated. This is not only laborious, but also error prone. In the context of change management, such technologies mostly revolve around Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) based monitoring, log-based management-by-exception, and Change Management DataBase (or Configuration Management DataBase, CMDB). SNMP-based monitoring provides a large amount of details without revealing the configuration and supported services of the underlying component system. Log management records what has happened in the underlying component system without revealing the actual impacts or the causes. CMDB typically involves a spreadsheet for network operators to track configuration changes manually, which is both tedious and error prone. In addition, the traditional way of enumerating applications within known hosts involves installing agents in each of the known hosts which further explore and discover applications, file systems and other aspects internal to the host. This approach is defective because installing agents on hosts are intrusive and can potentially destabilize the hosts.
Therefore, there is a need for a system and method for automatically discovering network components and their statuses and functional relationships in real time.

System and method for discovering assets and functional relationships in a network


A condensate retaining apparatus for use with a refrigeration heat exchanger having at least two plannar slabs mounted in an air duct. Each slab has an upper and lower end and forms an oblique angle with respect to the direction of air flow and further includes a coil for conducting a fluid and a plurality of form defining channels for conducting condensate toward the lower end of the slab. The slabs are mounted so that the lower end of each overlying slab is offset inwardly from the upper end of the nearest underlying slab with each pair of adjacent slab ends defining an apex of the heat exchanger. The apex is covered to prevent condensate from being entrained in that air flow and as well as being shielded from the air flow.

The present invention relates to heat exchangers and fan coils of the type used in refrigeration and air conditioning systems, and is directed more particularly to a heat exchanger slab assembly that has improved condensate retention properties.
All refrigeration and air conditioning systems intake relatively warm air that has an unknown moisture content and discharges air at a reduced temperature. In the process, intake air is passed over fan coils or other heat exchangers which carry refrigerant liquids, such as ammonia or water, which have a temperature lower than that of the intake air. As this occurs, the moisture in the air condenses on the fins of the fan coils or heat exchangers, and forms droplets of water that eventually become large enough to flow under the force of gravity. This condensate water then flows along the surface of the fins until it reaches a pan or tube from or through which it can be drained off.
An important consideration in the handling of condensate is the need to prevent it from being blown off of the fins and entrained in the air flowing out of the heat exchanger or fan coil. This is because such entrained moisture flows through the duct system of the space to be cooled, where it can cause moisture damage, rot and mildew. The problem of preventing condensate from flowing off of the fins of heat exchangers and fan coils is complicated by the fact that, in order to provide the maximum possible surface area for heat exchange, heat exchangers and fan coils are often made up of two or more generally planar heat exchanger subassemblies, commonly referred to as slabs, which have their planes oriented obliquely with respect to the direction of air flow and which, together, occupy the height and width of the duct within which they are located. In one configuration, known as an "A coil", two slabs are formed into an A or V shaped slab assembly the apex of which points either upstream into or downstream from the air flow. In another configuration, known as an "N coil" three slabs are formed into and N or Z shaped slab assembly having a first apex that points upstream and a second apex which points downstream.
The retention of condensate in multi-slab slab assemblies is relatively straightforward in heat exchangers in which the slabs are mounted vertically with one slab behind another, i.e. in fluidic series with one another with respect to the air flow through the duct. This is because, in such slab assemblies, condensate that flows down the fins of such slabs under the force of gravity remains in parallel streams which do not cross from slab to slab and which empty into a common catchment tray and from there directed into a drain for disposal. The problem with this vertical orientation is that the downstream ones of the slabs are in the thermal shadow of the upstream slabs and therefore exchange heat less efficiently.
In the case of multi-slab heat exchangers in which the slabs are mounted horizontally with one slab above or below another, i.e., in parallel relationship with respect to the air flow through the duct, the processing of condensate is more difficult. This is because condensate flowing along the fins of such slab assemblies under the force of gravity flows in streams that must cross from one slab to another before reaching their catchment tray, and because condensate is more easily blown off of the slabs as it crosses from one slab to another, i.e., when it is in proximity to the apexes of such slab assemblies.
Prior to the present invention, the problem of retaining condensate within horizontally oriented slab assemblies was dealt with in one of two ways. One of these was to include splitter plates between adjacent slabs. These splitters served to intercept and collect condensate that was blown off of the overlying slabs at the apexes of the slab assembly and direct it downwardly onto the underlying slab thereof. The problem with this solution is that condensate flowing along the surface of the splitter moves toward the edges of the underlying slab, where it is directed into a relatively small number of the fins thereof. Once there, it causes the condensate carrying capacity of these outer fins to be exceeded, thereby allowing condensate to blow off of the slab assembly and become entrained in the air flow leaving the heat exchanger.
Another solution to the problem preventing condensate blow off included the provision, for each overlying slab, of a separate, direct drainage path to the common catchment tray. This solution had the advantage that it eliminated the need for slab-to-slab flow of condensate, but it made the slab assembly and the heat exchanger of which it was a part considerably more complex and expensive. This complexity and expense is compounded by the fact that, for safety reasons, all drainage paths must be provided with a parallel, redundant drainage path that protects the building in which it is used from being flooded as a result of the blockage of any single drainage path.
Thus, prior to the present invention, there has existed a need for a condensate retaining apparatus which is effective, but which also is both simple and inexpensive.

Heat exchanger slab assembly having improved condensate retaining features