A frequency synthesizer has multiple modes of operation including a relatively short-duration frequency seek mode and a relatively long-duration normal mode. The synthesizer responds to a reference frequency signal and produces a periodic signal at a frequency that is a rational number times the frequency of the reference frequency signal. The synthesizer comprises a VCO, a feedforward state machine, a feedback state machine, a phase comparator, controllable gain circuitry between the phase comparator and the VCO, and logic circuitry that coordinates the operation of the feedforward and feedback state machines during the seek mode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to closed-loop timing circuits and more particularly to a frequency synthesizer for providing a clock in a channel chip for an embedded servo hard disk drive and in similar circuits.
2. Description of Prior Art
Timing circuits are used to generate high frequency periodic signals for a variety of different applications. For example, timing circuits are used in computers to generate a clock (a substantially constant pulse repetition frequency signal) for a microprocessor, a bus, and for various integrated circuits in a video adapter, a disk drive, etc.
Each of certain closed-loop timing circuits responds to a periodic input signal to produce a periodic output signal under control of an error signal determined by comparing the periodic input and output signals. Such closed-loop timing circuits are commonly found in read/write circuitry for a hard disk drive. A contemporary embedded servo hard disk drive typically includes a channel chip which includes multiple closed-loop timing circuits. One such closed-loop timing circuit (referred to herein as a timing recovery circuit) responds to a read signal to produce a read clock for recovering data. U.S. Pat. No. 5,278,702 discloses a timing recovery circuit within a data synchronizer for recovering data. Another such closed-loop timing circuit (referred to herein as a frequency synthesizer) produces a clock used by different circuits in different types of operations. In one type, namely write operations, this clock is used by write circuitry to set the channel rate. In another type, the timing recovery circuit uses this clock as a substitute for the read signal (for example, during a seek in an embedded servo disk drive).
A contemporary hard disk drive utilizes zone banding for data to provide high capacity, and substantial research and development work has been, and continues to be, devoted to developing enabling technology for a zone-banded servo. As for zone banding generally, whether for data or for servo, its advantage resides in providing higher linear bit density recording. In older disk drives that did not employ any zone banding, the data was recorded at substantially the same channel rate for every track on the recording surface. Because the circumference of each track is a function of its radius, and because the same channel rate is used in such older drives, the in such older drives, the linear bit density changes as a fiction of track radius. In a contemporary embedded servo disk drive employing zone banding for data, the channel frequency for data changes from one band to another, with the highest channel frequency being used for the outermost zone band.
A patent application filed Mar. 10, 1997, in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, titled "DISK DRIVE EMPLOYING READ ERROR TOLERANT SYNC MARK DETECTION," in the name of Robert Cloke, and assigned to the assignee of this invention Docket No. K35A0195/Ser. No. 08/815,352!, discloses certain technology applicable to a zone-banded servo. The above-identified application includes a drawing FIG. 2B! showing a preferred format of data wedges and servo wedges for a zone-banded servo. The disclosure of the above-identified application is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
Although zone banded technology enables substantially higher storage density, it imposes challenges in requiring that certain circuitry in the channel be capable of rapidly changing its clock frequency as the head moves radially from zone band to zone band. These challenges are particularly difficult as to efforts to provide zone-banded servo.
As for the challenges involved for a frequency synthesizer, there will now be described the construction and operation of a representative prior art synthesizer.
With reference to FIG. 1, a typical prior art frequency synthesizer 1 receives a reference frequency signal (REF CLK) 3 as an input and produces a periodic output signal TCLK 5 as an output. Synthesizer 1 includes a feedforward state machine 7 (hereinafter referred to as "N divider 7"), a register 9 for storing a start value for N divider 7, and a closed-loop arrangement including a phase comparator 11, a charge pump 13, a filter 15, a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) 17, and a feedback state machine 19 hereinafter referred to as "M divider 19." Synthesizer 1 also includes a register 21 for storing a start value for M divider 19.
Registers 9 and 21 are connected to a bus so that each can receive a selected programmed value from an external source such as a programmed microprocessor. These programmed values are repeatedly loaded into N divider 7 and M divider 19 to determine the ratio between the frequency of TCLK 5 and REF CLK 3.
N divider 7 produces an N.sub.0 signal and provides it to phase comparator 11. M divider 19 produces an M.sub.0 signal and provides it to phase comparator 11. Each of the N.sub.0 and M.sub.0 signals is a time-varying, binary-valued signal.
As for the structure that performs the functions indicated by the various blocks in FIG. 1, suitable structure is taught in various patents. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,494,021 shows a phase comparator in detail in its FIG. 7, and shows a charge pump, filter, and VCO in its FIG. 2.
With reference to FIG. 2, the flow of operation of synthesizer 1 will now be described in terms of a concrete example. The flow of operation involves parallel, independent frequency-division cycles. One such frequency-division cycle (for REF CLK 3 to N.sub.0) starts at block 200 with a start value being loaded into a register within N divider 7. The other such frequency-division cycle (for TCLK 5 to M.sub.0) starts at block 202 with a start value being loaded into a register within M divider 19. Assume that the register in N divider 7 is an 8-stage register that can be decremented in response to each pulse in REF CLK 3 from any preset value at or below the binary equivalent of the decimal number 255. Assume also that the register in M divider 19 is an 10-stage register that can be decremented in response to each pulse in TCLK 5 from any preset value at or below the binary equivalent of the decimal number 1023. Assume that the start value 40 is repeatedly loaded into the register in N divider 7, and the start value 128 is repeatedly loaded into the register within M divider 19. Assume also that the frequency of REF CLK 3 is 40 megahertz. Under these assumptions, N divider 7 will start a frequency-division cycle at the start value 40, be decremented 40 times, and then define a pulse in its N.sub.0 output. This repeating sequence is depicted in FIG. 2 in the loop defined by block 204 ("Decrement N") and the branches from test block 206 ("N=0?"). On the next pulse in REF CLK 3, the start value 40 will be loaded into the register again to start another frequency-division cycle at block 200. In parallel with the foregoing, M divider 19 will start a frequency-division cycle at the start value 128, be decremented 128 times, and then define a pulse in its M.sub.0 output. This repeating sequence is depicted in FIG. 2 in the loop defined by block 208 ("Decrement M") and the branches from test block 210 ("M=0?"). On the next pulse in TCLK 5, the start value 128 will be loaded into the register again to start another frequency-division cycle at block 202. Thus, the frequency of the N.sub.0 signal will be 1 megahertz (i.e., 40/40 megahertz) and the frequency of TCLK 5 will stabilize at 1 megahertz (i.e., 128/128 megahertz).
In FIG. 2, the operation of phase comparator 11 is depicted in blocks 212, 214, 216, 218, 220, and 222. For most of the parallel frequency-division cycles, neither the U (for pump Up) nor the D (for pump Down) output signals is asserted.
If the frequency-division cycle ending with N=0 occurs before the frequency-division cycle ending with M=0, phase comparator 11 will assert its U output. This is represented in FIG. 2 by blocks 212 ("Pump Down On?") and 216 ("Start Pump Up"). In other words, if the frequency-division cycle ending with M=0 has not completed immediately before block 212, the D output signal will not have been asserted and will remain negated, so the flow will follow the "No" path to block 216 in which the U signal will be asserted. If, on the other hand, the frequency-division cycle ending with M=0 completes immediately before block 212, the D output signal will have been and remain asserted, so the flow will follow the "YES" path to block 214 in which the D signal will be negated.
If the frequency-division cycle ending with M=0 completes before the frequency-division cycle ending with N=0, phase comparator 11 will assert its D output. This is represented in FIG. 2 by blocks 218 ("Pump Up On?") and 222 ("Start Pump Down"). In other words, if the frequency-division cycle ending with N=0 has not completed immediately before block 218, the U output signal will not have been asserted and will remain negated, so the flow will follow the "No" path to block 222 in which the D signal will be asserted. If, on the other hand, the frequency-division cycle ending with N=0 completes immediately before block 218, the U output signal will have been and remain asserted, so the flow will follow the "YES" path to block 220 in which the U signal will be negated.
A problem associated with a prior art frequency synthesizer involves the undesirable amount of time consumed in seeking from one selected frequency to a newly selected frequency and settling at the newly selected frequency. In an embedded-servo disk drive employing zone-banded recording, the frequency synthesizer in the channel chip needs to provide a selected one of a set of frequencies corresponding to a respective one of the zone bands. Whenever a track seek operation crosses a zone-band boundary, the frequency synthesizer receives a set of new start values from a microprocessor and needs to seek and settle its output frequency accordingly. To accomplish zone-banded servo, such frequency seeking and settling will need to be very rapid. As a general rule, any adjustment to the design of a prior art frequency synthesizer directed to reducing the amount of time it requires for frequency seeking and settling tends to make the frequency synthesizer unstable.
An aspect of the above-described problem involves an accumulation of phase error during the parallel, independent frequency-division cycles. With reference to waveforms A and B of FIG. 3, the N.sub.0 and M.sub.0 inputs to phase comparator 11 are shown for an example of operation immediately after new start values have been transferred into registers 9 and 21. An accumulating phase error, as indicated by 300a, 300b, 300c, 300d, and 300e in waveform B results during the immediately ensuing operation of prior art frequency synthesizer 1. The phase error between the N.sub.0 and M.sub.0 signals grows with each frequency-division cycle for an undesirably large number of frequency-division cycles. This accumulation of phase error inhibits rapid seeking to and settling at a new frequency for TCLK 5. This accumulation has the effect of adding another pole to the transfer function of the closed loop, whereby the loop is at least second order.
Another aspect of this problem relates to the extent of the accumulation of phase error being such that one of the dividers can start and end two frequency-division cycles before the end of a frequency-division cycle for the other divider.
To illustrate the foregoing point with an example, assume that synthesizer 1 has been operating such that N-divider 7 frequency-divides a 40 MHz REF CLK 3 by 40, and that M-divider 19 frequency-divides a 100 MHz TCLK 5 by 100. Assume at an instance in time referred to herein as time 0, a new start value is transferred to register 21 such that thereafter M-divider 19 will frequency-divide TCLK 5 by 128. Assume for simplicity also that the transfer function from the time error in nanoseconds between the end of the N.sub.0 cycle and the end of the M.sub.0 cycle) to the change in VCO frequency is a constant (0.0037 Hz per nanoseconds).
Table 1 set forth below lists the following data for this example. One column lists the cycle number for N-divider 7. Another column lists the cycle number for M-divider 19. Another column lists elapsed time from time 0 for specific events, viz., the times at which N-divider 7 ends its frequency-division cycle and the times at which M-divider 19 ends its frequency-division cycle. Another column lists the frequency of VCO 17. Another column lists the error magnitude (the difference in time between the ends of the frequency-division cycles of N-divider 7 and M-divider 19. Another column lists the percentage error between the current and target frequencies of VCO 17.
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ ELAPSED VCO N M TIME FREQ ERROR % ______________________________________ 1 END OF N 1000 100.00 22% 1 END OF M 1280 280 2 END OF N 2000 101.04 21% 2 END OF M 2547 547 3 END OF N 3000 103.06 19% 3 END OF M 3789 789 4 END OF N 4000 105.98 17% 4 END OF M 4997 997 5 END OF N 5000 109.67 14% 6 END OF N 6000 109.67 14% 5 END OF M 6164 1164 7 END OF N 7000 113.97 11% 6 END OF M 7287 287 8 END OF N 8000 115.03 10% 7 END OF M 8400 400 9 END OF N 9000 116.51 9% 8 END OF M 9498 498 10 END OF N 10000 118.36 8% 9 END OF M 10580 580 11 END OF N 11000 120.50 6% 10 END OF M 11642 642 12 END OF N 12000 122.88 4% 11 END OF M 12684 684 13 END OF N 13000 125.41 2% 12 END OF M 13704 704 14 END OF N 14000 128.01 0% 13 END OF M 14704 704 15 END OF N 15000 130.62 -2% 14 END OF M 15684 684 16 END OF N 16000 133.15 -4% 15 END OF M 16646 646 17 END OF N 17000 135.54 -6% 16 END OF M 17590 590 ______________________________________
As the first row of Table 1 indicates, at the end of the first frequency-division cycle of N-divider 7, VCO 17 continues operating at 100 MHz which constitutes an initial percentage error of 22%, measured against the target frequency of 128 MHz. Whereas the first frequency-division cycle of N-divider 7 ends after a total elapsed time of 1000 nanoseconds, the first frequency-division cycle of M-divider 19 ends after a total elapsed time of 1280 nanoseconds. The first measured error magnitude is 280 nanoseconds. Based on the assumed transfer function VCO 17 then operates at a higher frequency of 101.04 MHz. The error magnitude accumulates cycle to cycle from 280 nanoseconds to 997 nanoseconds by the end to the fourth frequency-division cycle for M-divider 19. At this stage of operation, the error magnitude has accumulated to such an extent that N-divider 7 ends both its fifth and sixth frequency division cycles before the end of the fifth frequency-division cycle of M-divider 21. Throughout this time, the percentage error remains at 14%. As indicated by the rows at the bottom of Table 1, synthesizer 1 can "overshoot" the target frequency and then begin to "hunt" a steady state value.
In view of the foregoing, it is desirable to provide a frequency synthesizer that more rapidly completes a seek and settle operation in shifting its output frequency from one selected value to another.

Multimode frequency synthesizer having high loop gain in frequency seek mode


A semiconductor device and fabricating method are provided, by which device drivability can be increased by forming second LDD regions after isolating first LDD regions from source/drain regions to prevent heavily doped impurities therein from diffusing into the first LDD regions and to provide stepped densities within the LDD regions. The method includes the steps of stacking oxide and conductive layers on a semiconductor substrate, forming a gate electrode by patterning the conductive layer, etching the exposed substrate to a first depth, forming a first LDD region in the etched substrate, forming a spacer on a sidewall of the gate electrode, forming a source/drain region in the substrate having the spacer, etching the substrate having the source/drain region to a second depth, and forming a second LDD region between the first LDD region and the source/drain region of the etched substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and fabricating method thereof that can reduce a drain leakage current generated from a horizontal electric field of a gate electrode.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, semiconductor devices are being highly integrated, whereby transistors are decreasing in size. Specifically, until relatively recently, drain leakage current has been primarily generated from a vertical electric field. Yet, transistor channel lengths in semiconductor devices have been reduced in accordance with an increased integration degree, whereby the main concern about the leakage current is that caused by a horizontal electric field.
A low-voltage N-channel metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor device generally employs an LDD (lightly doped drain) junction structure to enhance the hot-carrier effect. The hot-carrier effect is sometimes also called high-temperature electron effect or hot electron effect. If a channel length of a transistor is shortened without changing a voltage applied between a drain and source, an electric field within a depletion layer provided to a drain end of the channel increases. Hence, electrons are accelerated at high speed to collide with atoms, thereby bringing about an avalanche phenomenon. The highly accelerated electrons may also enter a gate oxide layer to be trapped therein, thereby varying a threshold voltage of the transistor, as well as causing leakage current, making the operation of the transistor unstable. In order to weaken the electric field within the depletion layer of the drain, a drain layer doped lighter than the drain is further provided to the drain, which is called LDD.
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device having a conventional LDD is explained with reference to the attached FIGS. 1A to 1E.
Referring to FIG. 1A, an oxide layer 2 and a conductive layer 3 are sequentially stacked on a semiconductor substrate. Namely, the oxide layer 2 for forming a gate insulating layer and the conductive layer 3 for forming a gate electrode are stacked on the semiconductor substrate 1 provided with a device isolation area (not shown), in turn. The device isolation area can be formed by LOCOS (local oxidation of silicon) or STI (shallow trench isolation).
Referring to FIG. 1B, a gate electrode 4 is formed by patterning. Namely, the conductive layer 3 and the oxide layer 2 shown in FIG. 1A are photolithographically patterned and etched using a mask to form the gate electrode 4 and the gate insulating layer 3 to provide the structure shown.
Referring to FIG. 1C, LDD regions 5 are formed. Namely, impurity ions are implanted into an exposed surface of the semiconductor substrate 1 at a light dopant density to form the LDD regions 5 in the vicinity of the gate electrode 4. In doing so, N-type impurities are lightly implanted for the LDD regions of an N-type transistor, whereas P-type impurities are lightly implanted for the LDD regions of a P-type transistor.
Referring to FIG. 1D, sidewall spacers 6 are formed on sidewalls of the gate electrode 4. Namely, an oxide layer and a nitride layer are blanket deposited onto the structure of FIG. 1C and anisotropically etched to form the spacer oxide 6a and spacer nitride 6b on the sidewalls of the gate electrode. Alternatively, the spacer 6 can be formed from a single layer of either nitride or oxide. Yet, a dual layer, as shown in the drawing, is frequently used to enhance a leakage current characteristic (e.g., reduce the leakage current) of a highly integrated device.
Referring to FIG. 1E, a source and drain configuring the transistor are formed. Namely, impurity ion implantation is carried out on the resultant structure shown in FIG. 1D to form the source/drain terminals 7 of the transistor. In doing so, the source/drain 7 are doped with either N- or P-type impurity ions as well. Specifically, photoresist is coated on the result structure shown in FIG. 1D, a PMOS area is exposed only, and p+ ion implantation is then heavily carried out thereon to form p+ source and drain. Thereafter, a photoresist pattern exposing an NMOS area only is formed and n+ ion implantation is then heavily carried out thereon to form n+ source and drain.
Yet, the semiconductor device fabricated by the above-explained method is disadvantageous in that the drain leakage current caused by the electric field of the gate electrode in a horizontal direction may be increased. Namely, in case of applying high and low voltages to gate and drain electrodes, respectively, a leakage current may be generated between the drain and the semiconductor substrate by band-to-band tunneling in a region of overlap between the gate electrode and the lightly doped drain (LDD) region (the "overlap region").
To reduce the leakage current, the heavily doped impurities are prevented from diffusing into the LDD region, or a width of the sidewall spacer is increased to extend the LDD. However, limitations are put on the current equipment in lowering the density of the LDD region. And, in the case of extending the spacer width, the operational speed and/or integration degree of the device may be lowered (e.g., the transistor consumes a greater area and may take a longer time to become conducting or non-conducting, as the case may be).
Meanwhile, Korean Patent Public Laid-Open No. 2000-43209 discloses a semiconductor device fabricating method. First, in fabricating CMOS provided with buried PMOS and NMOS, light impurity ion implantation is carried out twice to form LDD regions in junctions between a semiconductor substrate and source/drain regions in a part in the vicinity of a surface of the semiconductor substrate and another part lower than the surface of the semiconductor substrate. The source/drain regions are then formed. Hence, it is able to prevent a punch-thru path from occurring in the buried PMOS, whereby characteristics and reliability of the semiconductor device can be enhanced. Yet, such a method needs a process of forming a separate spacer for providing the second LDD regions, thereby complicating the manufacturing process.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,586,306 (Lee, et al.) discloses a CMOS semiconductor device fabricating method. First of all, in photolithography for forming LDD regions of an input/output device having a gate insulating layer thicker than that of a core device, portions of source/drain regions in the vicinity of an edge of a device isolation insulating layer in the core device area are partially exposed. The partially exposed portions are simultaneously ion-implanted on performing ion implantation for forming the LDD regions of the input/output device, whereby a deep junction is formed in the vicinity of the device isolation insulating layer without affecting a channel region of the core device to prevent junction leakage current from increasing. Hence, the process yield and reliability of device operation can be enhanced. Yet, such a method needs a separate mask for forming the second LDD regions, thereby complicating the manufacturing process and increasing its cost.

Semiconductor device and fabricating method thereof


The present invention provides an approach for developing an algorithm for determining the effectiveness of anti-viral drugs based on a comprehensive analysis of paired phenotypic and genotypic data guided by phenotypic clinical cut-offs. In one aspect, the algorithm allows one to provide a patient with effective treatment. It helps predict whether an infected individual will respond to treatment with an anti-viral compound, thereby allowing an effective treatment regimen to be designed without subjecting the patient to unnecessary side effects. Also, by avoiding the administration of ineffective drugs, considerable time and money is saved.

More than 60 million people have been infected with the human immunodeficiency virus ("HIV"), the causative agent of acquired immune deficiency syndrome ("AIDS"), since the early 1980s. See Lucas, 2002, Lepr Rev. 73(1):64-71. HIV/AIDS is now the leading cause of death in sub-Saharan Africa, and is the fourth biggest killer worldwide. At the end of 2001, an estimated 40 million people were living with HIV globally. See Norris, 2002, Radiol Technol. 73(4):339-363.
Modern anti-HIV drugs target different stages of the HIV life cycle and a variety of enzymes essential for HIV's replication and/or survival. Amongst the drugs that have so far been approved for AIDS therapy are nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors such as AZT, ddI, ddC, d4T, 3TC, abacavir, nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors such as tenofovir, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors such as nevirapine, efavirenz, delavirdine and protease inhibitors such as saquinavir, ritonavir, indinavir, nelfinavir, amprenavir and lopinavir.
One consequence of the action of an anti-viral drug is that it can exert sufficient selective pressure on virus replication to select for drug-resistant mutants (Herrmann et al., 1977, Ann NY Acad Sci 284:632-637). With increasing drug exposure, the selective pressure on the replicating virus population increases to promote the more rapid emergence of drug resistant mutants.
With the inevitable emergence of drug resistance, strategies must be designed to optimize treatment in the face of resistant virus populations. Ascertaining the contribution of drug resistance to drug failure is difficult because patients that are likely to develop drug resistance are also likely to have other factors that predispose them to a poor prognosis (Richman, 1994, AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 10:901-905). In addition, each patient typically harbors a diverse mixture of mutant strains of the virus with different mutant strains having different susceptibilities to anti-viral drugs.
The traditional tools available to assess anti-viral drug resistance are inadequate; the classical tests for determining the resistance of HIV to an anti-viral agent are complex, time-consuming, expensive, potentially hazardous and not custom tailored to the treatment of a given patient. See Barre-Sinoussi et al., 1983, Science 220:868-871; Popovic et al., 1984, Science 224:497-500), and variations of it (see, e.g., Goedert et al., 1987, JAMA 257:331-334; Allain et al., 1987, N. Engl. J. Med. 317:1114-1121; Piatak et al., 1993, Science 259:1749-1754; Urdea, 1993, Clin. Chem. 39:725-726; Kellam and Larder, 1994, Antimicrobial Agents and Chemo. 38:23-30.
Two general approaches are now used for measuring resistance to anti-viral drugs. The first, called phenotypic testing, directly measures the susceptibility of virus taken from an infected person's virus to particular anti-viral drugs. Petropoulos et al., 2000, Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 44:920-928 and Hertogs et al., 1998, Antimicrob Agents Chemother 42(2):269-76 provide a description of phenotypic assays in widespread use today. Gunthard et al., 1998, AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 14:869-76 and Schuurman et al., 1999, J Clin Microbiol. 37:2291-96 discuss currently prevalent genotypic assays. Hirsch et al., 2000, JAMA 283:2417-26 provide a general analysis of the currently available assays for testing drug susceptibility.
The second method, called genotypic testing, detects mutations in the virus that affect drug susceptibility and can associate specific genetic mutations with drug resistance and drug failure. Genotypic testing examines virus taken from a patient, looking for the presence of specific genetic mutations that are associated with resistance to certain drugs. Genotypic testing has a few advantages over phenotypic testing, most notably the relative simplicity and speed with which the test can be performed. The testing can take as little as a few days to complete, and because it is less complex, it is somewhat cheaper to perform. However, interpretation of genotypic data is dependent on previous knowledge of the relationships between specific mutations and changes in drug susceptibility.
Carrillo et al., 1998, J. Virol. 72:7532-41 describe the in vitro selection and characterization of HIV-1 variants having reduced susceptibility to lopinavir. Nine different mutations at 8 amino acid positions were associated with reduced susceptibility to lopinavir. A subsequent study found 23 different mutations at 11 positions in the HIV protease that correlated with reduced in vitro susceptibility to lopinavir in plasma samples of HIV-infected patients who had been treated previously with at least one protease inhibitor (Kempf et al., 2001, J. Virol. 75:7462-69). A crude algorithm that attempted to correlate the phenotypic resistance to lopinavir with the number of mutations observed at the 11 identified positions, and therefore to predict the effectiveness of lopinavir treatment, was postulated (Kempf et al., 2000, Antiviral Therapy 5 (suppl. 3):70, abstract 89). According to the algorithm, a virus was susceptible to treatment with lopinavir if it had five or fewer mutations at the 11 identified positions in its protease. If the number of mutations at these 11 positions was six or more, then the virus was predicted to be resistant to lopinavir treatment. Id.
Efforts to date to use genotypic correlates of reduced susceptibility to predict the effectiveness of anti-viral drugs, especially drugs targeted against the ever-evolving HIV are, at best, imperfect. An algorithm that can more accurately predict whether a given anti-viral drug or combination of drugs would be effective in treating a given patient would save time and money by identifying drugs that are not likely to succeed before they are administered to the patient. More importantly, it would improve the quality of life of the patient by sparing him or her the trauma of treatment with potent toxins that result in no improvement with respect to his or her HIV infection. Therefore, an urgent need exists for a more accurate algorithm for predicting whether a particular drug would be effective for treating a particular patient. Moreover, a genotype based assay can be faster and more cost effective than phenotypic assays.

Compositions and methods for determining the susceptibility of a pathogenic virus to protease inhibitors


This invention relates to compounds which are generally muscarinic M2/M3 receptor antagonists and which are represented by Formula I:

Acetylcholine (Ach) is the principal transmitter of the parasympathetic nervous system. The physiological actions of Ach are mediated by activation of either nicotinic or muscarinic receptors. Both of these receptor classes are heterogeneous: e.g., the muscarinic receptor family comprises five subtypes (M1, M2, M3, M4, and M5) each encoded by distinct genes and possessing unique pharmacology and distribution.
Almost all smooth muscle tissues express both muscarinic M2 and M3 receptors, both of which have a functional role. M2 receptors outnumber M3 receptors by a proportion of approximately 4 to 1. Generally, M3 receptors mediate the direct contractile effects of acetylcholine in the vast majority of smooth muscle tissues. M2 receptors, on the other hand, cause smooth muscle contraction indirectly by inhibiting sympathetically (β-adrenoreceptor)-mediated relaxation.
Compounds that act as antagonists of muscarinic receptors have been used to treat several disease states associated with improper smooth muscle function. Until recently, most of these compounds have been non-selective for the various muscarinic receptor subtypes, leading to unpleasant anti-cholinergic side-effects such as dry mouth, constipation, blurred vision, or tachycardia. The most common of these side-effects is dry-mouth resulting from muscarinic receptor blockade in the salivary gland. Recently developed M2 or M3 specific antagonists have been shown to have reduced side effects. Evidence suggests that concurrent blockade of M2 and M3 receptors could be therapeutically effective in the treatment of disease states associated with smooth muscle disorders.
Few M2/M3 selective antagonists have been developed. The present invention fills this need by providing these types of antagonists useful in the treatment of disease states associated with improper smooth muscle function.

Heterocyclylalkylamines as muscarinic receptor antagonists

Abstract: wherein X, Y, and Z are O, S or NR5, and the other substituents are as defined in the specification; and prodrugs, individual isomers, racemic or non-racemic mixtures of isomers, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts or solvates thereof. The invention further relates to pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds and methods for their use as therapeutic agents.


There is provided a display control method capable of reducing unnecessary processing and unnecessary power consumption caused by is. The display control method uses an update judgment unit (33) for judging whether a display content has been updated, a characteristic amount extraction unit (36) for obtaining the characteristic amount of the display content, a control unit (20) for the characteristic amount extraction unit (36) to reference the obtained characteristic amount and decide a correction parameter, and a display content correction unit (35) for correcting the display content according to the correction parameter and outputting the corrected display content to a display device (40). When the update judgment unit (33) has judged that the display content is not updated, the control unit (20) cuts off power supply to the characteristic amount extraction unit (36).

Conventionally, in order to reduce power consumption of a light source and to prolong a life of the device, technology is known for controlling luminance-adjusting values of the light source and correction parameter of display content correlating with each other according to inputted display signals or values measured by a photo sensor, a temperature sensor, or the like, thereby realizing power saving, and a long life.
Document 1 (Published Japanese patent application no. H11-65531) can be cited as one of conventional documents relating to such art.
The invention recited in Document 1 relates to a control method for mainly handling moving pictures. No matter whether or not a display content is updated, always, the characteristic amount of the display content is extracted, and the correction parameter of the display content and the luminance-adjusting value of a light source are all the time renewed based on the extracted characteristic amount.
Especially, in a case where a still picture is displayed, the display content has not been changed for a number of frames. Even in such a case, characteristic amounts are extracted, the correction parameter of display contents and luminance-adjusting values of the light source are kept being renewed. Considerable electric power is consumed by such unnecessary processing.
Electronic devices mainly used for displaying still pictures, have often display resolution higher than that of electronic devices for mainly displaying moving pictures. Therefore, the higher display resolution the electronic devices have, the heavier the burden according to the above-mentioned unnecessary processing is.
Especially, in an electronic device for mainly displaying still pictures, for example an electronic book, a display content is kept not be updated, while a user thereof reads the display content of the displayed pages. Therefore, unnecessary processing regarding some hundreds or thousands of frames is carried out, and considerable electric power is wastefully consumed.    [Document 1] Published Japanese patent application no. H11-65531

Display control method and device thereof


A wedge for a tendon retaining anchor includes at least two circumferential wedge segments adapted to be placed on an exterior of a tendon. The wedge segments have an exterior surface adapted to cooperate with a receiving bore of a load transfer device and an interior surface having gripping elements thereon. A circumferential dimension of the wedge segments is selected so that a total uncompressed gap between circumferential ends of the wedge segments when the segments are applied to an exterior surface of the tendon is at most about 2.4 times a height of the gripping elements. In another aspect, a tendon retaining system includes an anchor having a wedge receiving bore and wedge segments adapted to cooperate with the wedge receiving bore. The wedge segments include gripping elements on an interior surface thereof. The system includes a device adapted to limit lateral compression of the wedge segments.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to the field of tendon anchoring systems. More particularly, in one aspect the invention relates to post tension systems for reinforcing concrete structures.
2. Background Art
The present invention is described herein primarily with reference to post-tension anchoring devices and systems. However, the invention can be used in any application requiring retention of a tendon within an anchorage or other device which transfers tension from the tendon to another structure. Such applications include, without limitation, prestress chucks and couplers, post tensioning applications for bridges, post tension jacks, cable stay wedges, post tensioning applications for roads, bridge tie-backs, mine shaft wall and roof retainers, wall retainers and wall forming systems, multi head stressing jacks, heavy cable lifting systems, post tensioning slabs, barrier cable systems and single post tensioning rams.
As is relates to post-tension anchoring systems, the background of the invention can be described as follows. For quite some time, the design of concrete structures imitated typical steel structure designs of columns, girders and beams. With technological advances in structural concrete, however, designs specific to concrete structures began to evolve. Concrete has several advantages with respect to steel, including lower cost, not requiring fireproofing, and having plasticity, a quality that lends itself to free flowing or boldly massive architectural concepts. On the other hand, structural concrete, though quite capable of carrying almost any compressive (vertical) load, is essentially unable to carry significant tensile loads. In order to enable concrete structures to carry tensile loads, it is necessary, therefore, to add steel bars, called reinforcements, to the concrete. The reinforcements enable the concrete to carry the compressive loads and the steel to carry the tensile (horizontal) loads.
Structures made from reinforced concrete may be built with load-bearing walls, but this configuration does not use the full potential of the concrete. The skeleton frame, in which the floors and roofs rest directly on exterior and interior reinforced-concrete columns, has proven to be most economical and popular method of building concrete structures. Reinforced-concrete framing appears to be a quite simple form of construction. First, wood or steel forms are constructed in the sizes, positions, and shapes called for by engineering and design requirements. Steel reinforcing is then placed and held in position by wires at its intersections. Devices known as chairs and spacers are used to keep the reinforcing bars apart and raised off the form work. The size and number of the steel bars depends upon the imposed loads and the need to transfer these loads evenly throughout the building and down to the foundation. After the reinforcing is set in place, the concrete, a mixture of water, cement, sand, and stone or aggregate, of proportions calculated to produce the required compressive strength, is placed, care being taken to prevent voids or honeycombs.
One of the simplest designs for concrete frames is the beam-and-slab. The beam and slab system follows ordinary steel design that uses concrete beams that are cast integrally with the floor slabs. The beam-and-slab system is often used in apartment buildings and other structures where the beams are not visually objectionable and can be hidden. The reinforcement is simple and the forms for casting can be used over and over for the same shape. The beam and slab system, therefore, produces an economically advantageous structure.
With the development of flat-slab construction, exposed beams can be eliminated. In the flat slab system, reinforcing bars are projected at right angles and in two directions from every column supporting flat slabs spanning twelve or fifteen feet in both directions. Reinforced concrete reaches its highest potentialities when it is used in pre-stressed or post-tensioned members. Spans as great as 100 feet can be attained in members as deep as three feet for roof loads. The basic principle is simple. In pre-stressing, reinforcing rods of high tensile strength steel are stretched to a certain determined limit and then high-strength concrete is placed around them. When the concrete has set, it holds the steel in a tight grip, preventing slippage or sagging. Post-tensioning follows the same principle, but the reinforcing is held loosely in place while the concrete is placed around it. The reinforcing is then stretched by hydraulic jacks and securely anchored into place. Prestressing is performed with individual members in the shop and post-tensioning is performed as part of the structure on the construction site. In a typical tendon tensioning anchor assembly in such post-tensioning operations, there is provided a pair of anchors for anchoring the ends of the tendons suspended therebetween. In the course of installing the tendon tensioning anchor assembly in a concrete structure, a hydraulic jack or the like is releasably attached to one of the exposed ends of the tendon for applying a predetermined amount of tension to the tendon. When the desired amount of tension is applied to the tendon, wedges, threaded nuts, or the like, are used to capture the tendon and, as the jack is removed from the tendon, to prevent its relaxation and hold it in its stressed condition.
One such post tensioning system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,937,607 issued to Rodormer. The general principle is explained with respect to FIG. 3 in the '607 patent and states, in relevant part, "[i]n accordance with conventional techniques, a center hole electro-hydraulic jack is placed on each tendon to tension the tendon. When the jack is released the live end anchor chuck 40 will set and grip the tendon holding the latter at the desired tension." The retaining wedge known in the art is typically a conical-exterior shaped insert which fits in a mating, tapered opening in an anchor plate. The wedge may be divided into two or more circumferential segments to enable application to the exterior of the tendon or cable prior to insertion into the opening in the anchor plate. The interior opening of the wedge typically includes conventional buttress threads in order to deform and thus grip the exterior surface of the tendon or cable, such that when the jack or tensioning device is released, the tension in the tendon will be transferred to the wedge, and thus to the anchor plate (or other load transfer device).
Recently, certification procedures for the tensile strength of post tensioning devices promulgated by the Post Tension Institute (PTI) were amended to provide a new minimum standard for the absolute ultimate tensile strength (AUTS) of post tensioning anchoring devices. As a result of the new certification procedures, it has been determined that post tensioning anchoring devices known in the art fail certification testing in a substantial number of cases. The steel alloys used in post tensioning anchoring devices are already developed to such an extent that improving the tensile strength of the anchoring devices themselves would be difficult and expensive. Accordingly, there is a need for a configuration of a post tensioning anchor system, or tendon retaining system for use in other tension applications, which has improved anchoring strength using materials known in the art, and while substantially maintaining the dimensions of post tensioning and other tendon anchor systems known in the art.

Anchor wedge configuration for tendon anchors


A holding member and system including a first holding member and a second holding member, wherein each of the first holding member and the second holding member are coupled to opposite sides of a load plate of a socket. A holding member includes a body including a pair of arms extending from a first side of the body and spaced to accommodate a portion of an integrated circuit chip package therebetween and at least one clip extending from a second side opposite the first side. Also, a method including coupling an integrated circuit chip package to a first holding member and a second holding member, wherein the first holding member is coupled to a first side of a load plate of a socket and the second holding member is coupled to a second side of the load plate; and inserting the package into a socket of a printed circuit board.

1. Field
Land grid array sockets.
2. Description of Related Art
A land grid array (LGA) is a type of surface-mount packaging for integrated circuits. An LGA socket can be electrically connected to a printed circuit board and finds use as a physical interface for a microprocessor. Representatively, an LGA socket includes protruding pins or lands which touch contact points on a device side of a microprocessor. The microprocessor is pressed into place by an independent loading mechanism that includes a load plate and a frame. An installing technician lifts the hinged load plate, inserts the microprocessor, closes the load plate over the top of the processor into the frame and pushes down a locking load lever. The pressure of the locking lever on the load plate clamps the contact points of the microprocessor firmly down onto socket of the printed circuit board (e.g., a motherboard) pins or lands. A typical load plate only covers the edges of a top surface of the microprocessor which leaves the center of the microprocessor free to make contact with or be adjacent to a cooling device placed on top of the microprocessor.
As noted above, insertion of a processor in the socket is typically done by hand which can result in bent contacts which renders the socket useless before being repaired and/or replaced. Bent contacts in LGA sockets is a defect introduced during board and system assembly that has caused millions of dollars for the computer industry since the introduction of the sockets. Mitigation methods, including customized independent loading mechanisms, have been tried with varied success.

Integrated package insertion and loading mechanism (iPILM)


A transfer device can make more stable contact with a belt, thus yielding preferable transfer performance. In an image-forming apparatus in which the transfer device has a sheet member, the sheet member includes a conductive sheet, and an electrical connection path section (power source connecting section) for supplying voltage to the conductive sheet from the primary transfer power source, and the power source connecting section is arranged outside an image formation enabling region where a toner image can be formed on a photosensitive drum, in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the intermediate transfer belt.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image-forming apparatus, such as a copying machine or printer, which is provided with a function for forming an image on a recording material.
Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, for example, in an image-forming apparatus using an electrophotographic system, a toner image is formed as a developer image on a photosensitive member which serves as an image bearing member. A transfer step is then performed in which an electric field of opposite polarity to the normal charging polarity of the toner is applied to a transfer device, and the toner image borne on the photosensitive member is transferred electrostatically onto a recording material conveyed on a conveyance belt or the surface of an intermediate transfer belt.
Therefore, in an image-forming apparatus provided with a movable transfer belt, intermediate transfer belt, or the like, a voltage application device which applies a voltage required in the transfer step is provided in the transfer device. In this example, there is a configuration in which a contact transfer member, such as a transfer roller, connected to a high-voltage power source forming a voltage application device, is arranged as a transfer device, at a position opposing the photosensitive member across from the belt (on the rear surface side of the belt).
However, in an image-forming apparatus which uses a transfer roller, there is a problem in that the shape of the contact region (transfer nip section) between the belt and the transfer roller is difficult to control.
In order to resolve a problem of this kind, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-48051 discloses a configuration in which the transfer member described above is formed by a sheet member, an elastic member for pressing the sheet member against the image bearing member, and a supporting member which supports the sheet member, wherein the sheet member approaches the transfer nip section at a certain angle of inclination by the supporting member. According to this composition, the transfer member makes stable contact with the belt and the transfer electric field can be stabilized.
In general, the device for applying a transfer voltage to the transfer member applies a voltage by making contact with the transfer member by means of a metal contact member, or the like.
However, there is a concern in that since the metal has a much lower electrical resistance value than that of the material generally used as the transfer member, then there are local variations in the transfer electric field peripheral to the electric contact point, and the image in this portion is disturbed. In particular, in a configuration in which a sheet member approaches a transfer nip section with a certain angle of inclination, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-48051, then the transfer electric field is liable to be affected in the peripheral area where the sheet member approaches the transfer nip section. Furthermore, metal has a high coefficient of elasticity with respect to the elastic materials and the sheet members which are generally used as transfer members. Consequently, there is a concern in that the coefficient of elasticity of the transfer member varies in the peripheral area where the contact member is connected, the transfer nip section displays local instabilities, and hence the transfer characteristics are impaired.


The invention is directed to an electrochemical measuring cell to detect different gas components. The measuring cell includes several measuring electrodes (12, 15, 18) and a counter electrode 30 in an aqueous electrolyte 3. The measuring cell is improved with respect to the selectivity of the detection of the different gaseous components. A step-like offset 34 is provided between one of the measuring electrodes 12 and another measuring electrode 15.

A device for simultaneously detecting different gas components is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,298,146. This device includes a multiplicity of working electrodes, a common counter electrode and a common reference electrode within an aqueous electrolyte. The working electrodes are mounted segment-like behind a planar diffusion membrane and are subjected to the gas components to be detected via individual orifices which limit the entry of the gas. The orifices are mounted forward of the diffusion membrane. The formation of the measurement value takes place with the aid of a potentiostatic evaluation circuit which selects and controls the potentials at the working electrodes.
It is a disadvantage of this known device that all gas components diffuse through the diffusion membrane and, in this way, can reach all measuring electrodes. This leads especially to incorrect measurements when the entry to the measuring electrode for a gas component must be delimited by a diffusion barrier and/or by a selective filter. The diffusion barrier can, for example, be used when measuring oxygen. A further disadvantage is that the projection surface at the gas side can be utilized only incompletely because insulating intermediate spaces must remain between the electrodes. This is especially the case when trace gases are to be detected. A further disadvantage is that the fixing and insulation of contact leads is complex for a coplanar measuring electrode arrangement.


The invention involves a flat fin heat exchanger configuration 10 with a plurality of louvers 26 that are raised above the plane of the fin 16 between adjacent tube holes 19, 20 that receive tubes 14. Various alternative patterns of louvers enhance the heat transfer characteristics of the fin, and allow for the use of thinner materials to lower cost without diminishing performance. The exterior fin surface redirects air flow from the leading edge to the trailing edge of the fin. This effect directs the air flow over and in between the interrupted surfaces, thus breaking up air boundary layer around the fin. The louvers of the fin are oriented relative to the air flow in such a manner that each louver in effect creates another leading edge, thus contributing to a higher heat transfer coefficient.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to heat exchangers that have fins which are provided with louvers.
2. Background Art
Heat exchangers are used in air conditioners and heat pumps to transfer energy between two fluid media, e.g., a refrigerant fluid and air. The refrigerant fluid is circulated through relatively small diameter tubes and air is passed over the surface of the tubes so that heat may be transferred to the refrigerant fluid through the material of the heat exchanger tube from the ambient air. Thin metal sheets, or fins, can be attached to the heat exchanger tubes, thus presenting a larger surface area in contact with the air and thereby enhance heat transfer. The fins may include apertures that receive the tubes. The fins are securely held in thermal contact with the tubes. By the forced convection caused by a fan system, heat is transferred between the fin material and the circulating air. By thermal contact with the tubes, the fins conduct heat between the externally circulating air and the refrigerant fluid in the heat exchanger tubes.
Finned tube heat exchangers are widely used in a variety of applications, including refrigeration, air-conditioning and the like. Such heat exchangers have spaced parallel tubes in which a first heat transfer fluid such as water, oil, air or a refrigerant flows while a second heat transfer fluid such as air is directed across the outside of the tubes. Usually multiple fins are arranged in a parallel relationship between the tubes to form multiple paths for the second heat transfer fluid to flow across the fins and around the tubes.
Fin design is one factor in determining the heat transfer efficiency of a heat exchanger. Numerous fin designs have been proposed in the prior art to enhance heat transfer efficiency, compactness and manufacturability of finned tube heat exchangers. Many of these designs involve enhancements to the fins such as interrupting the fins with louvers that cause disruption of hydrodynamic boundary layers which form with increasing thickness along the fins and decrease heat transfer efficiency. Typically, such louvers are formed by first cutting the fin sheet at selected locations and then in a separate operation punching the fin material to form the louvers. Examples of prior art louvered fin heat exchangers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,723,599 and 5,042,576.
Although louvered fins are advantageous from a heat transfer efficiency standpoint, the formation of the louvers adds complexity to the manufacturing process because two additional steps are typically involved—cutting the fin material and then pushing the material up or down to form the louvers. Further, formation of the louvers increases mechanical stresses on the fin sheets, which can cause deformation of the fins and other problems during the manufacturing process.
In general, prior art fin louvered geometries tend to become air side pressure limited as the fin density increases due to inadequate airflow passages. Other things being equal, the number of fins in contact with refrigerant tubes is a primary determinant of the thermal hydraulic efficiency of heat exchangers. It would be desirable to address problems of ineffective and suboptimal louver alignments between fins that are evident in some prior art approaches.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,469 discloses a flat fin heat exchanger with louvers and a rib that is raised above the plane of the fin that connects adjacent tube collars. The raised rib is said to enhance the heat transfer characteristics of the fin while allowing thinner materials to be used, thereby lowering costs without diminishing performance.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,752,567 discloses reinforcing ribs (22), longitudinally spaced flat portions (24,24a) and a central corrugated portion (26).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,214 discloses a heat exchanger with a corrugated cooling fin (FIG. 6) that has a louver pattern in which the louvers in a first lead set successively rise in tilt angle in the direction of airflow. Matching air louvers in a trailing set successively decrease in tilt angle.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,805,193 discloses a fin louver arrangement that uses breaking and reversal louvers, the lengths of which are substantially longer than the half length of the main louver but at slightly lower angles to the fin face.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,434,844 discloses a cross-fin coil type heat exchanger with raised fins and louvers that are formed on the surface of a convoluted fin base plate.
Conventional wisdom concerning louvered fin performance is derived from the channeling of airflow over the fin surfaces. At high air velocities, a measure of air turbulence is obtained thru the Reynolds number, the magnitude of which determines whether the airflow will be laminar or turbulent. Under turbulent conditions, heat transfer is maximized due to disturbance of boundary layers. This stems from the fact that heat transferred from the fin surface to the air is dependent on the thickness of the viscous region adjacent to the fin and the boundary layer, which in turn is dependent on the magnitude of the Reynolds number.
Today, HVAC/R systems are challenged to consume less energy and be more efficient in their operation. One means to accomplish this is the use of lower air speeds across the heat exchanger surfaces. Smaller motors consume less energy and produce a cost savings. Low airflow results in low Reynolds numbers, and laminar flow dominates. One method to overcome this performance deficiency is to increase fin density. Under such conditions, prior art louver designs are ineffective due to the suboptimal louver alignment between fins.
Acceptable fin structures must be both cost effective and efficient. However, often a more efficient design proves to be more expensive in terms of materials and/or manufacturing. Conversely, relatively simple designs tend to be less desirable because of inferior heat transfer characteristics. Therefore, a more efficient and economically viable heat exchanger fin design is sought. Also, it is desirable to minimize material costs by using thinner sheet metal, as conventional designs are already made with sheet metal which is as thin as practical.
Against this background, there is a need for an improved finned tube heat exchanger that achieves a lower air side pressure drop at a high fin density without sacrificing thermal performance.


Embodiments of the invention provide for utilizing an intelligent automated script to test software applications. According to one embodiment, testing a software application can comprise executing a test script for testing a plurality of versions of the software application. For example, executing the test script can comprise instantiating a first instance of the test script for testing the first version of the software application. The first version of the software application can be initiated and a temporary map of the first version of the software application can be built by the test script. The first version of the software application can be tested based on the temporary map. In some cases, a second instance of the test script can be instantiated for testing a second version of the software application. In such cases, the first and second versions of the application may be tested in parallel.

Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to methods and systems for testing software and more particularly to utilizing an intelligent automated script to test software applications.
During and following development, a software application is subjected to a variety of different tests. For example, prior to any application or version of the application being released to its users, for further development, for quality assurance testing, etc., a test should first be done to validate that no major errors are present that would prevent basic usability. That is, a test should be run to determine whether the application starts, the major functions are accessible, the user interface can be navigated, etc. Thus, for each product, a "sanity test" is normally performed. A typical sanity test includes the opening, querying, and closing of an application's pages, i.e., windows, specified in a data source.
One way to perform such a sanity test is for a tester to manually check various elements of the application. For example, a tester can manually navigate through a user interface for the application to confirm that the various elements basically function as they should such that more detailed testing can be done. However, for large applications or application suites, such testing can be very costly in terms of time and labor expenses. For example, if a tester performs a manual sanity test on an enterprise application suite, testing would require a significant amount of time. Manual testing by a multitude of manual testers would also be very expensive and still time consuming considering the dozens of pages and hundreds or thousands of objects that may be present in a product application. However, limiting sanity testing scope to reduce the time and expense needed to complete such a test could adversely affect the quality of the product. Moreover, the patching of any test environments to have an issue resolved after they have been created would require a significant amount of rework.
To reduce the time and expense of manual sanity testing, automated techniques for performing such testing have been developed. These automated techniques involve using a script, application, or suite of applications written to perform the basic procedures that the manual tester would follow. However, these scripts, applications, or suite of applications are specific to an application, suite, or version thereof that is to be tested. That is, the scripts or applications are hard-coded to function with a specific application, suite and version of that application. If a new version of the application or a different application is to be tested, the script must be modified or even completely re-written. Currently, there are no techniques using a common script that is adaptable to multiple applications and/or versions. Hence, there is a need in the art for improved methods and systems for testing software.

Utilizing intelligent automated scripts to test software applications


A suture anchor device and method for attaching soft tissue to bone includes an anchor body and a suture locking wedge movably disposed within the anchor body. Tension applied to one side of a suture causes the suture locking wedge to move in a translational and angular dimension to a position which compresses the suture, thereby locking the suture in the anchor. The anchor body includes tracks or slots which guide the suture locking wedge from the unlocked open configuration to the locked configuration.

It is an increasingly common problem for tendons and other soft connective tissues to tear or to detach from associated bone. One type of tear or detachment is a "rotator cuff" tear, wherein the supraspinatus tendon separates from the humerus, causing pain and loss of ability to elevate and rotate the arm. Complete separation of tissue from the bone can occur if the shoulder is subjected to gross trauma, but typically, the tear begins as a small lesion, especially in older patients.
There are various surgical approaches for repair of the rotator cuff, one known as the "classic open" and another as the "mini-open". The classic open approach requires a large incision and complete detachment of the deltoid muscle from the acromion to facilitate exposure. The cuff is debrided to ensure suture attachment to viable tissue and to create a reasonable edge approximation. In addition, the humeral head is abraded or notched at the proposed soft tissue to bone reattachment point, as healing is enhanced on a raw bone surface. A series of small diameter holes, referred to as "transosseous tunnels", are "punched" through the bone laterally from the abraded or notched surface to a point on the outside surface of the greater tuberosity, commonly a distance of 2 to 3 cm. Finally, the cuff is sutured and secured to the bone by pulling the suture ends through the transosseous tunnels and tying them together using the bone between two successive tunnels as a bridge, after which the deltoid muscle must be surgically reattached to the acromion.
The mini-open technique differs from the classic approach by working through a smaller incision and splitting rather than detaching the deltoid. Additionally, this procedure is typically performed in conjunction with arthroscopic acromial decompression. Once the deltoid is split, it is refracted to expose the rotator cuff tear. As before, the cuff is debrided, the humeral head is abraded, and the so-called "transosseous tunnels" are "punched" through the bone or suture anchors are inserted. Following the suturing of the rotator cuff to the humeral head, the split deltoid is surgically repaired.
Less invasive arthroscopic techniques continue to be developed in an effort to address the shortcomings of open surgical repair. Working through small trocar portals that minimize disruption of the deltoid muscle, surgeons have been able to reattach the rotator cuff using various suture anchor and suture configurations. The rotator cuff is sutured intracorporeally and an anchor is driven into bone at a location appropriate for repair. Rather than thread the suture through transosseous tunnels which are difficult or impossible to create arthroscopically using current techniques, the repair is completed by tying the cuff down against bone using the anchor and suture.
The skill level required to facilitate an entirely arthroscopic repair of the rotator cuff is fairly high. Intracorporeal suturing is clumsy and time consuming, and only the simplest stitch patterns can be utilized. Extracorporeal knot tying is somewhat less difficult, but the tightness of the knots is difficult to judge, and the tension cannot later be adjusted. Also, because of the use of suture anchors to provide a suture fixation point in the bone, the knots that secure the soft tissues to the anchor by necessity leave the knot bundle on top of the soft tissues. In the case of rotator cuff repair, this means that the knot bundle is left in the shoulder capsule where it can be felt by the patient postoperatively when the patient exercises the shoulder joint. So, knots tied arthroscopically are difficult to achieve, impossible to adjust, and are located in less than optimal areas of the shoulder. Suture tension is also impossible to measure and adjust once the knot has been fixed.
There are various suture anchor designs available for use by an orthopedic surgeon for attachment of soft tissues to bone. A number these designs include use of a locking plug which is forced into a cavity of the anchor body to secure the suture therein. Although there is some merit to this approach for eliminating the need for knots in the attachment of sutures to bone, a problem with being able to properly set the tension in the sutures exists. The user is required to pull on the sutures until appropriate tension is achieved, and then to set the plug portion into the suture anchor portion. This action increases the tension in the sutures, and may garrote the soft tissues or increase the tension in the sutures beyond the tensile strength of the material, breaking the sutures. In addition, the minimal surface area provided by this anchor design for pinching or locking the sutures in place will abrade or damage the suture such that the suture's ability to resist load will be greatly compromised. And, perhaps worse, once the suture is fixed the suture cannot be adjusted or retensioned. This is a shortcoming of such designs because it is not uncommon for a physician to desire to reposition or adjust the tissue location and suture after the anchor has been set.
A suture anchor that addresses some of the shortcomings mentioned above is shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. Anchor 1 may include a rotatable or pivoting cam 5 to lock suture 28 within suture anchor 1. Suture leg 28a may be bound or connected to tissue (tissue not shown), and suture leg 28b may be free to be adjusted by the practitioner. In FIG. 1A, the bound suture tension (T1) is minimal as the tissue may not be adjacent the anchor 1, and the practitioner is applying open suture tension (T2) to draw the suture 28 around the cam 5 and draw the tissue attached to bound suture leg 28a closer to the suture anchor 1 and into engagement with the bone. As the bound suture tension (T1) increases, due to the tissue being closer to its target location, T1 may begin to approximate or exceed the open suture tension (T2), and the resulting frictional force F(T1+T2) between the cam 5 and the suture 28 may cause the cam 5 to rotate clockwise, and clamp down and lock or wedge the suture 28 as shown in FIG. 1B. Problematically, as the coefficient of friction between the cam 5 and suture 28 decreases (such as, for example, in low friction environments when certain low friction sutures are used, and/or liquids present), the suture 28 may slip and cam 5 may not rotate or the lock force may not be sufficient, i.e. the lock mechanism may have a tendency to fail. This is undesirable.
Thus, a suture anchor device and method for repairing the rotator cuff or fixing other soft tissues to bone, wherein suture tension can be adjusted, released and conveniently retensioned after it is deployed and locked, and that maintains a strong locking force and functions reliably in a low friction environment is desirable. It is also desirable that there is no requirement for the surgeon to tie a knot to attach the suture to the suture anchor, and wherein the procedure associated with the new approach is better for the patient, saves time, is uncomplicated to use, and easily taught to practitioners having skill in the art.

Restricted wedge suture anchor and method for soft tissue repair


Systems and methods for visual light communication in an underwater environment are provided. The system can include a master control station that determines an amount of impairment of a water medium and selects one of a wired and wireless communication transceiver for exchanging communications with communication device located in the water. The system can also include a first gateway that exchanges radio frequency signals with the master control station and provides visual light communication signals to devices located in the water. The system can also include a second gateway that can exchange both visual light communication signals and acoustic communication signals with other devices located in the water.

Communications can be performed using both wired and wireless communication media. Each media provides a variety of different mechanisms for carrying communications. For example, wired communications can travel over conventional twisted pair wires, category 5 or 6 wires or fiber optic cables. Wireless communications can be performed using radio frequencies, infrared frequencies, sonar and/or the like.


Disclosed is a biomedical material comprising a shark-derived collagen; a biomedical material comprising a shark-derived collagen and hydroxyapatite; and methods for preparing the same. Since the biomedical materials comprise a shark-derived collagen which is low in antigenicity and high in biocompatibility, they do not cause rejection and they produce effects of good adhesion to organisms and easy remodeling when they are used as artificial skin, artificial tendon, artificial bone, surgical suture or the like. They also have an effect that they do not leave a prominent scar when the wound has been cured. Further, the biomedical materials of the invention are excellent in mechanical strength. Thus, when used as artificial skin, they are hard to tear, good for tightly adhering and capable of following the movement of a joint well.

1.1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to biomedical materials comprising an extract from Chondrichthyes. More specifically, the present invention relates to biomedical materials using Chondrichthyes-derived collagen which are applicable as various implant materials such as a wound cover, artificial skin, artificial bone, artificial cartilage and artificial tendon, as well as methods for preparing such biomedical materials.
1.2. Description of the Prior Art
When a bone defect has complicated due to some lesion such as an injury, osteoncus or inherent disease, the filling of the defect may be therapeutically necessary. Also, when skin has been damaged by some injury such as a burn, especially when a part of the skin has been lost in full-thickness or almost full-thickness, filling may be necessary.
Conventionally, when filling a bone defect, an autologous bone graft taken from other part of the patient body such as the illium or the fibula has been used if the defect is not so big. When filling a big bone defect in the skeletal system, an artificial bone has been prepared using a ceramic of metals such as titanium, alumina and zirconia or oxides thereof, a ceramic such as apatite and a composite material of these substances to thereby supplement the defect.
When filling a skin defect, a non-bioabsorbable or bioabsorbable, sheet-type wound cover or artificial skin has been used. The term "wound cover" used herein means a material which merely covers the site of skin defect physically, and the term "artificial skin" used herein means a substitute skin which has the possibility of taking the place of skin grafting.
As a non-bioabsorbable thin sheet-type wound cover, a thin, elastic, synthetic polymer sheet made from polyurethane, silicone or the like may be given. As an bioabsorbable wound cover, freeze-dried porcine corium, a sheet made of chitin, collagen, alginic acid and the like are known. In addition to these sheet-type wound covers, powder of a cellulose derivative is also known which is applied to the injured site to form a sheet thereon. As artificial skin, one composed of cell-free materials and a cultured skin which is obtained by two-dimensionally culturing human epidermal cells are known. As a material for the former artificial skin, spongy collagen is known.
Those materials used for the above-mentioned purposes are required, from the viewpoint of organisms, to manifest positive functions and yet to fit compatibly with organisms (i.e., to have biocompatibility). Biocompatibility can be roughly divided into histocompatibility and blood compatibility. When a material of low biocompatibility is embedded in or contacted with an organism, components eluted from the material or worn out pieces of the material separated from its surface penetrate into the tissue surrounding the material or spread in the organism through blood circulation to cause a systemic tissue reaction, which results in various problems such as necrosis of a tissue. On the other hand, from the viewpoint of material itself, the above-mentioned materials are required not to deteriorate upon contact with organisms and to maintain for a specific period of time physical and chemical properties that could satisfy a required function.
Further, these materials should not differ greatly in mechanical properties from the tissues of organisms to which they are to be jointed. In other words, these materials need to have mechanical biocompatibility. This is to prevent the occurrence of incompatible distortion or stress concentration on or near the junction which may cause breakage or abnormality at the junction and thus make it impossible for the jointed material to manifest the function of interest.
These materials are further required to be capable of perfect sterilization and disinfection and to be capable of standing these treatments.
However, conventional materials described above have been pointed out to have several problems. For example, since metals are extremely high in strength, they are indispensable as a substitute skeleton which effects biofunctions. However, when a metal is used in filling a bone defect, an organism does not recognize the metal as a part of the self and, thus, a problem will occur in a long-term use. Even if the metal has been coated with a ceramic which is well biocompatible with the organism, there is a drawback that the ceramic will be shed from the metal during the course of use. Thus, this technique has not been put to practical use.
Collagen is mainly used in wound covers and artificial skin and such collagen is derived from bovine. It is known that bovine-derived collagen has antigenicity. Thus, it is necessary to carry out a special treatment or use fetal collagen without antigenicity.
There are blood groups in human blood and major histocompatibility antigens in human tissues. It is well known that a transfusion of blood not matching the blood group of a patient induces rejection that may eventually kill the patient. As such blood groups, the ABO system, the Rh system, the Ii system, the P system, the MN system and other blood groups are known. Accordingly, when a blood transfusion, bone marrow transplantation, organ transplantation from a living donor, or tissue transplantation from a living donor is to be performed, selection of a donor compatible with the patient in blood group is very critical for making the transfusion or transplantation. successful, though it is difficult to find out a completely matching donner for individual patients.
Such a problem is also encountered similarly in implant materials which are used to be implanted in a tissue successfully or for regenerating a tissue or for other purposes. Therefore, even in the case where the use of an organism-derived material is expected to produce desirable results, incompatibility in blood group cannot be avoided and causes the problem of rejection at the time of take or regeneration of the tissue. The term "implant" used herein means an artificial device embedded or transplanted into the body for medical purposes.
Further, the bovine-derived collagen described above has a problem that it is slightly weak in mechanical strength when shaped into a sheet or film and easy to break when used in a narrow width. When this collagen is used in artificial bone or artificial skin, it has a problem of fragility in addition to the above-described problem of biocompatibility.


A vehicle such as an aircraft (400) is provided (101) with a source of power having a power output such as a source of light (401). This power output can then be combined with an identifier (103, 416) that is substantially unique to the aircraft. An optical conduit (405) can then be used (104) to couple this source of light to a light-to-electricity conversion apparatus (406). So configured, the optical conduit delivers light from this source of light to the light-to-electricity conversion apparatus such that the light source then serves as a source of electricity in the vehicle and as a source of a substantially unique identifier as corresponds to the vehicle is available for such use as may be appropriate.

Vehicles of various kinds, including terrestrial, marine, and flying vehicles are well known in the art. Such vehicles are typically, and increasingly, equipped with a wide variety of electrically powered vehicular components. Such components can and do serve a wide range of purposes that range from mission-critical to mere convenience or comfort. Such electrically powered vehicular components, in turn, require a source of electric power.
In many cases, at least some of these components are relatively fungible across platforms. That is, a given component may be installable and operable in a number of different vehicles. In some application settings, this unfettered fungibility may be acceptable or even desired. In other application settings, however, such an approach can lead to problems.
For example, there can be important inventory-control and/or safety reasons that are at odds with such an approach. It can be highly undesirable or even dangerous for uninformed, negligent, or even willful maintenance personnel, for example, to remove a given component from one aircraft and install that component in another aircraft without appropriate consideration of such an action. While established rules and procedures regarding the conduct of such affairs can be of some assistance in this regard, the ready fungibility of such components nevertheless offers, at best, an error prone circumstance with little tolerance for mischief when it occurs.
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 and/or relative positioning 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 often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention. It will further be appreciated that certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. It will also be understood that the terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions with respect to their corresponding respective areas of inquiry and study except where specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.

Apparatus and method pertaining to provision of a substantially unique aircraft identifier via a source of power


An electrical interposer including first and second surfaces is provided. A plurality of compliant pins are connected to the first surface of the substrate, each of the compliant pins having a drawn body with at least one side wall extending along a longitudinal axis thereof substantially perpendicular to the substrate. A plurality of contact elements are connected to the substrate for making electrical contact with a device facing the second surface of the substrate. Electrical paths connect the compliant pins to the contact elements.

Electronic components such as resistors, transistors, diodes, inductors, capacitors, packaged integrated circuits, and unpackaged dies must interface with other electronic components in an endless variety of systems. It would be desirable to provide a device which allows for electronic components to connect in a mechanically convenient manner, yet provides a high level of electrical performance and scalability.


A mixture of at least two shapes of a dissolvable diverter material. The shapes range from a flake having a high surface area to mass ratio to beads having a low surface area to mass ratio. The density of the various shapes may be manipulated by including voids or low-density materials within the shape. The density manipulation allows matching the transport properties of the at least two shapes to the transport fluid so that both shapes may arrive at the desired location at the desired time.

Over the lifetime of a well there are many instances when it may be desirable to temporarily seal certain pathways in order to open others. One of those instances may be during a frac operation such as in plug and perf.
In a plug and perf operation, the operator begins by assembling a perforating tool on the surface. The perforating tool typically incorporates a plug on the lower end. The plug, once moved into position and set, will lock into the casing walls and form a fluid tight seal preventing fluid from moving past the plug. Just above the plug is a setting tool. The setting tool, once actuated, moves the plug from an unset position where the plug can be run into the well to a set position where, as previously mentioned, the plug locks into the casing and blocks fluid flow. Just above the setting tool is the perforating gun. The perforating gun usually but not always consists of one or more shaped charges that, upon detonation, will form holes in the casing wall. Any type of perforating gun may be used, including other perforating tools such as jetting tools, etc.
Once assembled on the surface the perforating tool and plug are run into the well to the desired depth. At the desired depth the setting tool is actuated to move the plug from its unset position to its set position locking the plug into place. The setting tool then disconnects from the plug. After disconnection the setting tool and the perforating gun are raised to some point above the now set plug, preferably to a location adjacent to a hydrocarbon formation. Once the perforating gun is in place the perforating gun is actuated thereby forming holes or perforations through the casing wall. The perforating gun and setting tool are then usually but not always removed from the wellbore.
With the perforating gun and setting tools removed from the wellbore the well may be fractured through the perforations formed by the perforating gun. Fracturing usually occurs by pumping high-pressure fluid through the casing to the plug. The plug prevents the fluid from further downward flow as the plug forms a fluid tight seal and is locked to the casing. High-pressure fluid then flows laterally outward through the holes in the casing.
It is generally understood that the high-pressure fluid will follow the path of least resistance. Meaning in practice that the high-pressure fluid once it begins a fracture through one or more of the perforations the rest of the fluid tends to follow through that initial fracture and fails to create other fractures in the formation. Therefore it is generally desirable, at some point, to temporarily seal off the initial flow path so that the high-pressure fluid may form additional fractures within the formation thereby rendering a more complete frac job which gives better access to the hydrocarbons within the hydrocarbon bearing formation.
In another instance it may be desirable to at least temporarily block all of the initial perforations and other leak points within the wellbore. Such a situation may arise when after the well has been produced for some period of time the hydrocarbon production begins to taper off to a point where it is no longer economically feasible to produce the well. In such an instance new fractures within the well are needed to access different portions of the hydrocarbons locked within the shale and hydrocarbon bearing formation. In such an instance, before new fractures can be produced within the well any points of fluid loss within the casing or within the formation are sealed off. If the various points of fluid loss are not sealed off the high-pressure fluid will merely proceed through the older fractures i.e. the path of least resistance. Temporarily blocking the fractures is desirable because it is rare for the older fractures to cease producing completely therefore after the well has been re-fraced operators usually prefer that the older fissures within the hydrocarbon bearing formation be reopened to continue producing so that every last drop can be removed from the well. Once the well has been treated to block off fluid leak points within the casing such as previous perforations etc. the well may be again fractured using a plug and perf or other operation.
In still other instances it may be desirable to block off the more permeable sections of the wellbore in order to treat other less permeable sections of the wellbore. For example the flow path through one portion of a wellbore may become obstructed due to paraffin build up, asphalt build up or other issues within the wellbore. In such a case the more permeable sections of the wellbore are temporarily blocked off in order to force a treatment regime into the less permeable sections of the wellbore in order to restore circulation. Once the treatment is complete it is desirable for the more permeable section of the wellbore to be reopened to produce fluids in addition to the previously less permeable section of the wellbore.

Controlling wellbore pathways by manipulating the surface area to mass ratio of the diverting material


A support device for artificial fingernails for selectively securing artificial fingernails on individual support members, which device includes an elongated base having a substantially planar bottom surface and a plurality of individual nail support members connected to the base and extending vertically therefrom. Each support member includes a top portion forming a nail support surface which includes a quantity of reusable tacky material incorporated thereon for securing an individual nail to the support surface. In the preferred embodiment, the base is sized for accommodating five, similarly sized, vertically extending nail support members in spaced relation aligned along the longitudinal axis of the base.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices for use with artificial fingernails, and more particularly, to a device for retaining artificial fingernails during polishing, drying, maintenance and storage.
2. Description of the Background Art
The use of artificial fingernails (hereinafter "artificial nails") among women and young ladies has gained widespread acceptance. Artificial nails comprise curved fingernail-like structures commonly formed from a synthetic or plastic material, and may be obtained from a wide variety of sources. The application of artificial nails includes adhesively securing each nail to a person's natural nail, allowing the adhesive to cure, and subsequently finishing the nails by trimming and polishing to obtain a natural appearance. In addition, extended length nails that extend significantly past the end of the wearer's finger tips are often used to give the appearance of natural long nails.
There are, however, a number of disadvantages associated with the polishing of artificial nails once attached to the human nails. Specifically, freshly polished nails must be allowed to dry and the drying time for each nail disables the user from any manual activity for several minutes while each nail drys. Therefore, if nail polish were applied to each nail and allowed to dry before the nail is physically attached to the wearer's natural nails, the wearer would not have to experience the disadvantages associated with the time required to allow the nail polish to dry.
Some of the disadvantages associated with artificial nails are addressed by disclosures in the background art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,696,316, issued to Stanley, discloses a stand for polishing artificial fingernails, comprising a base having a convex head and a device for releasably attaching the fingernails to the head. U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,057, issued to Bushmaker, discloses a support for polishing artificial fingernails. The Bushmaker device is defined by a cylinder, having a first diameter forming a handle, a second diameter defining a surface having a curvature approximate that of an artificial thumbnail, and a third diameter defining a surface having a curvature approximate that of an artificial nail. U.S. Pat. No. 3,485,344, issued to Aylott, discloses a display device for artificial fingernails wherein artificial nails may be mounted for storage, transport and display purposes.
The background art, however, fails to disclose a device for effectively supporting artificial nails to provide adequate support during the application of polish while allowing the nails to be easily removed once dried.

Support device for artificial fingernails


A work sheet processing system enables the effective utilization, of a redundant work sheet corresponding to a material work sheet from which product work sheets have been cut. The work sheet processing system includes a work sheet processing machine that performs a processing operation of cutting a product word sheet from a material work sheet, a redundant work sheet stocker that stores a redundant work sheet that is a remaining part of the material work sheet from which the product work sheet has been cut by the work sheet processing machine, and carry-in and carry-out means for carrying out the redundant work sheet stored in the redundant work sheet stocker into the original work sheet processing machine or another work sheet processing machine.

Work sheet processing machines such as punch presses perform not only processing operations such as hole making and shape formation but also a processing operation of cutting product work sheets from a material work sheet by punching or the like. With importance attached to the processing efficiency of the work sheet processing machine, material work sheets of the same size are often used in spite of the different sizes or shapes of product work sheets that are to be cut from the material work sheet. Thus, depending on the type of the product work sheets, after the product work sheets are cut from the material work sheet, a redundant work sheet may remain which can still be processed into product work sheets. Such a sheet is conventionally disposed of as a waste material instead of being effectively utilized.
On the other hand, product work sheets are carried out from the work sheet processing machine by a work sheet conveying device (for example, the Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication (Tokkai) No. 2000-117374). The product work sheets are then stored in a work sheet cabinet (for example, the Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication (Tokkai-Hei) No. 5-306003) or loaded on a vehicle and transported to the next step. The redundant work sheet is not conveyed by the work sheet conveying device or stored in the work sheet cabinet.
As described above, in the prior art, the redundant work sheet is disposed of instead of being effectively utilized, resulting in the wasteful use of the material. Although the waste can be eliminated by cutting plural types of product work sheets from one material work sheet, this is difficult for the following reason. That is, in order to avoid increasing an intermediate stock and complicating a sorting operation, a processing schedule for the work sheet processing machine is basically specified such that the product work sheets are processed in the order in which the product work sheets need to be used during the subsequent steps. Thus, product work sheets of the same type or product work sheets to be used during the same step are necessarily processed consecutively, unavoidably generating redundant work sheets.
It is thus possible to temporarily store a redundant work sheet generated by the work sheet processing machine, in a different place and to bring the redundant work sheet back to the work sheet processing machine for use where the redundant work sheet can be utilized for the process. To achieve this, it is necessary to provide a device transporting the redundant work sheet and a facility in which the redundant work sheet is stored. However, the conventional technique does not provide such a device or a facility. It is convenient to utilize the work sheet conveying device and work sheet cabinet for product work sheets to convey and store redundant work sheets. However, this may affect the conveyance and storage of the product work sheets or result in confusion owing to the mixture of the product work sheets and redundant work sheets.
An object of the present invention is to provide a work sheet processing system that enable the effective utilization, without adverse effects on the operation of a work sheet processing machine or other peripheral devices, of a redundant work sheet corresponding to a material work sheet from which product work sheets have been cut, a part of the redundant work sheet being still capable of being processed into other product work sheets. Another object of the present invention is to allow the redundant work sheet to be efficiently carried out from and into the work sheet processing machine. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a means for carrying in and out the redundant work sheet, the means having a simple configuration and allowing redundant work sheet to be reliably carried in and out.