A sheet processing apparatus has a stapler for stapling a center of plural stacked sheets; a sheet folding mechanism for folding a set of the stapled sheets in half; a sheet recognizing portion for recognizing the number of sheets forming the set of sheets; a sheet transport mechanism for transporting the set of stapled sheets to a position where the center of the set of sheets is folded by the sheet folding mechanism; a transport distance determination table for associating the number of sheets with a distance by which the set of sheets is to be transported by the sheet transport mechanism; and a sheet transport control portion for transporting the set of sheets by a distance determined by the transport distance determination table according to the number of sheets through use of the sheet transport mechanism.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet processing apparatus which stacks pieces of paper sequentially fed one by one, binds the center of the pieces of stacked paper, and folds the thus-bound set of paper in half.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some conventional copying machines or printers have a processing function for stapling plural pieces of stacked paper to form a set, binding the set of stapled sheets, and folding the center of the set of stapled sheets paper in half.
In such a copying machine or printer capable of effecting such a folding operation, pieces of paper are temporarily stored in a tray called a compiler tray for aligning paper which is an object of stapling. Subsequently, the sheets are transported to a stapling position for stapling the center of the paper. After having been stapled, the set of pieces of paper is transported to a folding position where the set is folded in half by means of the folding mechanism.
In such a copying machine or printer, the stapled position of the set of pieces of paper sometimes becomes deviated from the position of the folding line of the set of pieces of paper to be used for folding operation.
There is proposed inhibition of occurrence of a deviation by accurately transporting the pieces of paper to the stapling position from the compiler tray (refer to JP-A-2002-068518).
In the above-described proposal, it is known that, even when the center of paper is stapled, a deviation between the stapled position and a folded line becomes larger as the number of pieces of paper bound by the stapler is increased. This results in a problem of poor appearance.
The above-described problem arises not only when the recording paper whose center is bound is folded in two half, but also when center-bound sheet-like substances other than the recording paper are folded in half.


An assist apparatus for electric-powered power steering apparatus is provided to have a torque sensor, steering shaft, preload pad 70, a torsion coil spring 30, and an electric motor 31. With the preload pad 70 and torsion coil spring 30, an elastic force is applied to the worm shaft 29 in the direction toward the worm wheel 28, whereby noises due to colliding teeth are prevented from occurring in the meshing portion between the worm wheel 28 and worm shaft 29.

A power steering apparatus is widely used as an apparatus for making it possible to reduce the power required for an operator to control the steering wheel when applying an angle to the steered wheels (normally the front wheel except in the case of special vehicles such as a fork lift). Also, in recent years, electric-powered power steering apparatuses that use an auxiliary power source are beginning to become popular as this kind of power steering apparatus. Compared to a hydraulic power steering apparatus, an electric-powered power steering apparatus has advantages in that it can be made more compact and lighter, that the size (torque) of the auxiliary power is easy to control and that there is less power loss of the engine. FIG. 40 shows the basic construction of a conventional electric-powered power steering apparatus.
In the middle of the steering shaft 2, which is turned by operating the steering wheel 1, there are a torque sensor 3 that detects the direction and size of the torque applied to the steering shaft 2 from the steering wheel 1, and a speed reducer 4. The output side of this speed reducer 4 connects to the middle of the steering shaft 2, and similarly, the input side connects to the rotating shaft of an electric motor 5. Also, the detection signal from the torque sensor 3 is, together with a signal indicating vehicle speed, input to a controller 6 for controlling the electric power to the electric motor 5. Moreover, in the past, a worm-gear reducer having a large lead angle and reversibility in the power transmission direction has been generally used as the speed reducer 4. In other words, the worm wheel that receives the torque is fastened to the middle of the steering shaft 2, and the worm on the worm shaft, which is connected to and fastened to the rotating shaft of the electric motor 5 that applies the torque, meshes with the worm wheel.
When the steering wheel 1 is operated and the steering shaft 2 is turned in order to apply an angle to the steered wheels 14, the torque sensor 3 detects the turning direction and torque of the steering shaft 2, and sends a signal indicating the detected values to the controller 6. The controller 6 then sends electric power to the electric motor 5 and by way of the speed reducer 4 turns the steering shaft 2 in the same direction as the direction of rotation of the steering wheel 1. As a result, the tip end of the steering shaft 2 (bottom end in FIG. 40) turns by a torque larger than the torque based on the force applied from the steering wheel 1.
The rotation of the tip end of the steering shaft 2 is transmitted to the input shaft 10 of the steering gear 9 by way of the universal joints 7 and intermediate shaft 8. This input shaft 10 turns the pinion 11 of the steering gear 9, and pushes or pulls the tie rod 13 by way of the rack 12 to apply the desired angle to the steered wheels 14. As can be clearly seen from the explanation above, the torque that is transmitted to the intermediate shaft 8 from the tip end of the steering shaft 2 by way of the universal joints 7 is larger than the torque applied to the base end of the steering shaft 2 (top end in FIG. 40) from the steering wheel 1 by the amount of the auxiliary power supplied from the electric motor by way of the speed reducer 4. Therefore, the force required by the operator in order to operate the steering wheel 1 and to apply an angle to the steered wheels 14 becomes smaller by the amount of auxiliary power. Also, disclosures of prior technology related to the invention are given below.
(1) International Disclosure Pamphlet 99/65758, (2) International Disclosure Pamphlet 99/11502, (3) JP Patent Publication Tokukai Hei 3-112784, (4) JP Utility Model Publication Jitsukai Sho 63-46281, (5) JP Patent Publication Tokukai Hei 11-43062, (6) International Disclosure Pamphlet 02/32741, (7) JP Patent Publication Tokukai 2002-98198, (8) JP Patent Publication Tokukai Hei 10-281235, (9) JP Patent Publication Tokukai 2000-43739, (10) JP Patent Publication Tokukai 2002-21943, (11) JP Patent Publication Tokukai 2002-29434, (12) JP Patent Publication Tokukai Hei 9-30432, (13) JP Patent Publication Tokukai 2001-233224, (14) JP Patent Publication Tokukai 2001-233225
In the case of the conventionally used electric-powered power steering apparatus described above, a worm-gear reducer is used as the speed reducer 4 in between the electric motor 5 and the steering shaft 2. However, there is unavoidable backlash in this worm-gear reducer. This backlash becomes larger as the errors in dimensions and assembly errors in the components of the worm-gear reducer such as the worm shaft, worm wheel and bearing for supporting these members becomes larger. When there is large backlash like this, there is large collision between some of the teeth surfaces and the worm wheel and worm gear, which can cause loud, disturbing noise.
It is considered possible to reduce this backlash by suitably fitting the components of the worm-gear reducer together and by taking the precision of dimensions into consideration. However, when reducing this backlash, the work of controlling the precision of the dimensions and assembling the components becomes troublesome, and causes the cost to increase.

Electric-powered power steering apparatus


A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel; a first polarizer on a first surface of the liquid crystal display panel; a second polarizer on a second surface of the liquid crystal display panel; and a first light path control film on a first surface of the second polarizer to refract the light polarized by the second polarizer to a direction minimizing a gray inversion on a display surface of the liquid crystal display panel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device, and more particularly to a liquid crystal display device and a method of fabricating the same that reduces a gray inversion phenomenon.
2. Description of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display LCD device displays a picture by controlling an electric field applied to a liquid crystal cell to modulate the light incident to the liquid crystal cell. Depending on the direction of the applied electric field driving the liquid crystal, a liquid crystal display device is broadly classified as a vertically applied electric field type or a horizontally applied electric field type.
In the vertically applied electric field type of LCD device, a pixel electrode and a common electrode are formed in an upper substrate and a lower substrate facing each other in a vertical direction. A vertical electric field is generated by applying a voltage to the pixel and common electrodes. Twisted nematic (hereinafter, referred to as "TN") mode LCD is an example of the vertical electric field type LCD. Most of the current liquid crystal display devices use the TN mode.
FIG. 1A is a schematic view of a liquid crystal display panel of a related art twisted nematic mode LCD in an off-state. FIG. 1B is a schematic view of a liquid crystal display panel of the related art twisted nematic mode LCD in an on-state. Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, a TN mode LCD panel 10 includes an upper substrate 7 and a lower substrate 3. A liquid crystal layer 5 is provided between the upper substrate 7 and the lower substrate 3. A pixel electrode (not shown) and a common electrode (not shown) are formed in the upper substrate 7 and the lower substrate 3, respectively. For the sake of explanation, FIGS. 1A and 1B show the shapes of the liquid crystal molecules when seen from a three o'clock direction.
An upper polarizer 9 is adhered to a light exit surface of the upper substrate 7. A lower polarizer 11 is adhered to a light incidence surface of the lower substrate 3. The upper polarizer 9 has a light transmission axis of a first direction. The lower polarizer 11 has a light transmission axis perpendicularly to the light transmission axis of the upper polarizer 9.
The TN mode LCD can be operated in a normally white mode. As shown in FIG. 1A, when a voltage is not applied between the pixel electrode in the upper substrate 7 and the common electrode in the lower substrate 3, the TN mode LCD is in an off-state. The local optical axes (director) of the liquid crystal molecules are continuously twisted by 90° between the upper substrate 7 and the lower substrate 3 in the off-state. In the off-state, the polarization state of a linearly polarized light which is incident through the lower polarizer 11 changes while passing through the liquid crystal layer 5 to allow transmission of the polarized light through the upper polarizer 9.
In contrast, when a voltage is applied between the pixel electrode in the upper substrate 7 and the common electrode in the lower substrate 3, the TN mode LCD is in an on-state and an electric field is generated in the liquid crystal. As shown in FIG. B, the optical axis of the middle part of the liquid crystal layer 5 becomes parallel to the generated electric field. The variation in applied voltage between the pixel electrode (not shown) and the common electrode (not shown) from the off-state to the on-state releases the twisted structure in the TN mode LCD. In the on-state, the linearly polarized light incident through the lower polarizer 11 maintains its polarization state while passing through the liquid crystal layer 5 to block transmission of the polarized light through the upper polarizer 9.
The vertical electric field type LCD can provide a relatively broad aperture ratio. The TN mode also has a high transmissivity, and is relatively easy to produce. However, the vertical electric field type LCD typically provides a narrow viewing angle. Moreover, the vertical electric field type LCD can suffer from a gray inversion phenomenon appearing at a lower viewing angle, for example, at lower part of the liquid crystal display panel.
FIG. 2 is a graphical view of experimental data representing changes in gray level in accordance with a viewing angle. As shown in FIG. 2, the gray inversion phenomenon causes a dark gray level to appear brighter than a bright gray level at a lower viewing angle. FIG. 3 is a photograph which compares a gray inversion screen and a normal screen. As shown in FIG. 3, the quality of the picture based on the gray inversion is quite distorted from the normal picture. A main cause for the generation of the gray inversion is a variation of refractive index in accordance with the viewing angle.
FIG. 4A is a schematic view of a variation in birefringence depending on viewing angles when the related art twisted nematic mode LCD panel is in the off-state. The birefringence of a liquid crystal layer having a thickness "d" and a refractive index "Δn" is defined as "dΔn." As shown in FIG. 4A, a TN mode LCD panel 10 has a birefringence dΔn1 in a first viewing direction corresponding to a lower viewing angle in which a user faces the screen from the lower part of the panel 10. The TN mode LCD panel 10 has a birefringence dΔn2 in a second viewing direction corresponding to an upper viewing angle in which the user faces the screen from the upper part of the panel. The TN mode LCD panel 10 has a birefringence dΔn3 corresponding to a third viewing direction in which the user faces the screen from the front part of the panel. When the TN mode liquid crystal display panel 10 is in the off-state, there is almost no change in the birefringence dΔn1 in the first viewing direction, the birefringence dΔn2 in the second viewing direction, and the birefringence dΔn3 in the third viewing direction.
FIG. 4B is a schematic view of a variation in birefringence depending on viewing angles when the related art twisted nematic mode LCD panel is in the on-state. As shown in FIG. 4B, when the TN mode LCD panel is in the on-state, an average director (A) of the liquid crystal is tilted around an axis at a crossing of the first and third viewing directions. Thus, the birefringence dΔn of the light passing through the liquid crystal changes in accordance with the viewing angle. Specifically, the birefringence in the first, second and third viewing directions follows the relation of dΔn1<dΔn2<dΔn3. As shown in FIG. 4B, the short axis of the liquid crystal is observed in the first viewing direction, and longer axes are observed in the second and third viewing directions. Thus, the desired gray level is achieved in the first viewing direction, but brighter or dimmer gray levels appear in the second and third viewing directions as the dΔn value become higher, in accordance with the P1 area in FIG. 2.
As shown in FIG. 4B, when the user sees the screen from a fourth direction at a lower viewing angle than the first viewing direction, the birefringence dΔn4 in the fourth direction becomes higher than the birefringence dΔn1 in the first viewing direction. Thus, the gray level in the fourth direction appears to be brighter than the gray level in the first viewing direction, in accordance with the P2 area in FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a gray inversion generation on the related art twisted nematic mode LCD panel. As shown in FIG. 5, a zero point where the refractive index Δn of the average director of the liquid crystal becomes theoretically "0" is a peak. The birefringence dΔn of a dark gray level is higher than the birefringence dΔn of a bright gray level at a viewing angle lower than the zero point and corresponding to a lower part of the panel. Such a phenomenon appears on the screen as a gray inversion.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A method for generating Sendai virus particles by transfecting the Sendai virus genome to a host expressing all genes for the initial viral replication has been developed, enabling the genetic manipulation of Sendai virus and effective utilization of said virus as the vector.

Sendai virus is also named hemagglutinating virus of Japan (HVJ), and classified in parainfluenza virus type I, belonging to the genus Paramyxovirus of the family Paramyxoviridae.
Sendai virus particle is pleomorphic, having the genome RNA without a function as template for translation (hereafter designated "negative strand RNA") enclosed in an envelope of 150-200 nm in diameter. Historically, Sendai virus has also been regarded as an industrially useful virus, being widely utilized, especially for the production of heterokaryons and hybrid cells, by taking advantage of viral cell-fusion capacity. Also, cell-fusing liposomes have been developed as a vehicle for gene therapy. Furthermore, Sendai virus is also used as the inducer for various interferons.
According to the classification based on the karyotype of genome nucleic acid, Sendai virus belongs to a group of negative single-strand RNA viruses of negative strand RNA viruses among RNA viruses. RNA viruses are classified into three groups, the dsRNA viruses (double stranded RNA viruses), positive strand RNA viruses, and negative strand RNA viruses. The ds RNA virus group includes reovirus, rotavirus, phytoreovirus, etc., and have segmented, plural filamentous dsRNA genome. Positive strand RNA viruses include poliovirus, Sindbis virus, Semliki forest virus, and Japanese B encephalitis virus, which possess a single positive sense RNA as genome. The genome RNA can function as an mRNA and is capable of producing proteins required for RNA replication and particle formation depending on the translational functions of host cells. In other words, the genome RNA itself of positive strand RNA viruses is capable of disseminating. In the present specification, by "disseminative capability" is meant "the capability to form infectious particles or their equivalent complexes and successively disseminate them to other cells following the transfer of nucleic acid into host cells by infection or artificial techniques and the intracellular replication of said nucleic acid. Sindbis virus classified to positive strand RNA viruses and Sendai virus classified to negative strand RNA viruses have both infectivity and disseminative capability. On the other hand, adeno-associated virus classified to the parvovirus family has the infectivity but no disseminative capability (the mixed infection of adenovirus is necessary for the formation of viral particles). Furthermore, the positive strand RNA derived from Sindbis virus which is artificially transcribed in vitro is disseminative (to form infectious viral particles when transfected into cells). In contrast, not only negative strand but also positive strand of Sendai viral RNA artificially transcribed in vitro is not disseminative (form no infectious viral particles when transfected into cells).
Recently, viral vectors have been used as vehicles for gene therapy. In order to use them as gene therapy vectors, it is necessary to establish techniques for reconstituting viral particles. (By "reconstitution of viral particles" is meant the artificial formation of viral genome nucleic acid and the production of original or recombinant viruses in vitro or intracellularly.) This is because, in order to transfer foreign genes into viral vectors, viral particles should be reconstituted from the viral genome with foreign genes integrated by the gene manipulation. Once techniques of viral reconstitution are established, it becomes possible to produce viruses with a desired foreign gene introduced, or with desired genes deleted or inactivated.
Also, once the viral reconstitution system is constructed and the viral gene manipulation becomes possible, said system appears to become a potential tool for genetically analyzing the viral function. Genetic analysis of viral functions is very important from the medical viewpoint of prevention and therapy of diseases etc. For example, if the replication mechanism of viral nucleic acid is elucidated by utilizing the differences between viral metabolism and host-cellular metabolism, it may be possible to develop viricide acting on the viral nucleic replication process and less damaging to host cells. Also, by elucidating functions of viral gene-encoded proteins, it may become possible to develop antiviral drugs targeting proteins related with the viral infectivity and particle formation. Furthermore, by modifying genes concerned with the membrane fusion and preparing liposomes with superior membrane-fusing capability, it will be able to use them as gene therapy vectors. In addition, as represented by the interferon, the viral infection may induce the activation of host genes for viral resistance, resulting in the enhanced viral resistance of hosts. Genetic analysis of virus functions may provide more important information on the activation of host genes.
Reconstitution of DNA viruses possessing DNA as the genomic nucleic acid has been performed for some time, and can be carried out by the introduction of the purified genome itself, such as SV40, into monkey cells [J. Exp. Cell Res., 43, 415-425 (1983)].
Reconstitution of RNA viruses containing an RNA genome has been preceded by positive strand RNA viruses since genomic RNAs also function as mRNA. For example, in the case of poliovirus, the disseminative capability of the purified genomic RNA itself was already demonstrated in 1959 [Journal of Experimental Medicine, 110, 65-89 (1959)]. Then, it was achieved to reconstitute Semliki forest virus (SFV) by the introduction of cloned cDNAs into host cells utilizing DNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity of host cells [Journal of Virology, 65, 4107-4113 (1991)].
Furthermore, using these viral reconstitution techniques, gene therapy vectors have been developed [Bio/Technology, 11, 916-920 (1993); Nucleic Acids Research, 23, 1495-1501 (1995); Human Gene Therapy, 6, 1161-1167 (1995); Methods in Cell Biology, 43, 43-53 (1994); Methods in Cell Biology, 43, 55-78 (1994)].
However, as described above, in spite of many advantages of Sendai virus to be industrially useful virus, its reconstitution system has not been established, because it is a negative-strand RNA. This is due to tremendous difficulty in reconstituting viral particles via viral cloned cDNAs.
As described above, it has been clearly demonstrated that a mere introduction of RNA from negative-strand RNA virus (vRNA) or its complementary strand RNA (cRNA) into host cells does not support the generation of negative-strand RNA virus. This is absolutely different from the case of positive strand RNA viruses. Although, in Tokkai H4-211377, "methods for preparing cDNAs corresponding to negative strand RNA viral genome and infectious negative strand RNA virus" are disclosed, the entire experiments of said documents described in "EMBO. J., 9, 379-384 (1990) were later found to be not reproducible, so that the authors themselves had to withdraw all the article contents [see EMBO J., 10, 3558 (1991)]. Therefore, it is obvious that techniques described in Tokkai H4-211377 do not correspond to the related art of the present invention.
Reconstitution systems of negative strand RNA viruses were reported for influenza virus [Annu. Rev. Microbiol., 47, 765-790 (1993); Curr. Opin. Genet . Dev., 2, 77-81 (1992)]. Influenza virus is a negative strand RNA virus having an eight-segmented genome. According to these literatures, a foreign gene was first inserted into the cDNA of one of said genome segments, and then RNA transcribed from the cDNA of all eight segments containing the foreign gene was assembled with the virus-derived NP protein to form RNP. Then, the virus reconstitution was achieved by providing host cells with these RNPs and an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. Thereafter, the reconstitution of negative single-stranded RNA virus from cDNA was reported for rabies virus belonging to the rhabdovirus family [J. Virol., 68, 713-719 (1994)].
Therefore, although techniques for reconstituting negative strand viruses have become fundamentally known to the public, in the case of Sendai virus, the direct application of these techniques did not support the viral reconstitution. Also, the reconstitution of viral particles reported on the rhabdovirus was confirmed only by the expression of marker genes, RT-PCR, etc. Furthermore, the yield was not satisfactory for practical applications. Besides, in order to provide factors required for the viral reconstitution within host cells, helper viruses such as wild type viruses, recombinant vaccinia virus, etc. were conventionally introduced to host cells together with nucleic acids of the virus to be reconstituted. Accordingly, difficulties in separating the reconstituted desired virus from these harmful viruses were posing a difficult problem.


A method and apparatus to form a high-concentration, indium-fluorine retrograde well within a substrate. The indium-fluorine retrograde well includes an indium concentration greater than about 3E18/cm3.

Improvement in MOS device technology is directly proportional to the rate at which MOS transistors can be scaled to increasingly smaller dimensions. Smaller CMOS architecture dimensions allows for more transistors to be included into integrated circuits, which in turn, leads to improved microprocessor performance. Conventional scaling of gate oxide thickness, source/drain extension (SDE), junction depths, and gate lengths have enabled MOS gate dimensions to be reduced from 10 μm in the 1970's to a present day size of 0.1 μm.
Practical scaling limits, however, are being reached for known technology. Consequently additional techniques, such as channel engineering, have been proposed for improving electrical properties of the transistor channel. One such technique is known as retrograde well engineering. Retrograde well engineering includes creating a particular doping profile ("well") in the channel region of a transistor that affects the distribution of the electric field inside the transistor channel. Retrograde wells have been used to increase transistor drive without causing an increase in the off-state leakage current of the transistor. FIG. 1 illustrates a NMOS transistor 100 with a retrograde well 102 according to the prior art. The retrograde well 102 is typically formed by inserting a slow diffusing p-type dopant species such as indium (In) into a surface of a substrate 103 in an area corresponding to the channel region of the transistor 100. The device is then formed including typical structures such as source/drain regions 104, gate dielectric 106, gate electrode 108, and spacers 110.
Indium has the advantage of maintaining a concentration profile that is retrograde to the surface of the substrate even after substantial annealing. This retrograde profile results in improved electrical characteristics, such as a lower threshold voltage for the transistor compared to fast-diffusing p-type dopants, such as boron, that typically form non-retrograde wells after significant annealing. FIG. 2 illustrates a retrograde indium profile 202 for a conventional NMOS retrograde well. The indium profile 202 illustrates that the indium dopant concentration increases in the downward direction to a peak 204 of 1E18/cm3 at around 200 angstroms (Å) below the substrate surface, then decreases as the profile extends deeper into the substrate surface. The retrograde contour is essential to provide for an optimally minimal threshold voltage and an optimally minimal off-state leakage current.
In the current art, indium solubility in a silicon substrate is limited to, at best, about 3e18/cm3, which is approximately the concentration required to support off-state leakage currents for about a 90 nm gate. However, to support higher dopant levels for next generation gate lengths, 60 nm or below, higher dopant levels are required, or in other words, indium needs to have a higher concentration than 3e18/cm3, which is conventionally impossible to create. Simply using more indium does not work. During activation, the substrate can only hold a certain amount of indium before becoming saturated with excess indium molecules, causing the excess indium to diffuse, thus forming a concentration profile similar to the indium profile 206 illustrated in FIG. 2. The concentration profile 206 is not retrograde, thus resulting in an undesirably high threshold voltage for the transistor and, at best, the indium concentration is still only about 3E18/cm3 at the desired depth below the substrate surface.

High concentration indium fluorine retrograde wells


There is provided a polyketone comprising repeating units, 95-100 mole % of which are 1-oxotrimethylene and having an intrinsic viscosity of 2.5-20 dl/g, wherein the content of Pd element is 0-20 ppm, terminal structures include an alkyl ester group (terminal group A) and an alkyl ketone group (terminal group B), and the equivalent ratio of terminal group A/terminal group B is 0.1-8.0. The polyketone of the present invention can be used in any forms, such as fibers and films, and can be applied to a wide variety of the uses such as clothing, reinforcing materials for rubbers, resins, cements, and optical fibers, electronic materials, battery materials, civil engineering materials, medical materials, daily commodities, fishery materials, and packaging materials.

Polyketones having a structure in which repeating units derived from carbon monoxide and repeating units derived from ethylenically unsaturated compounds are substantially alternately connected with each other are excellent in mechanical properties and thermal properties and high in wear resistance, chemical resistance and gas barrier properties, and thus are expected to be used in various fields. For example, polyketones are useful material as resins, fibers and films having high strength and high heat resistance. Particularly, when a high molecular weight polyketone having an intrinsic viscosity of 2.5 dl/gd or higher is used as a raw material, fibers or films having very high strength and elastic modulus can be obtained. These fibers or films are expected to be used in the wide variety of applications of constructional materials and industrial materials, e.g., belts, hoses, rubber reinforcing materials such as tire cords, concrete reinforcing materials, etc.
Polyketones mainly composed of repeating units comprising ethylene and carbon monoxide have a high melting point of 200° C. or higher, nevertheless, they suffer from the problems that thermal modifications such as three-dimensional crosslinking occur under heating for a long period of time to cause deterioration of molding processability due to loss of flowability, and furthermore mechanical performance and heat resistance performance of the molded products are lowered owing to decrease of the melting point.
As a method for molding a polyketone into fibers or films with high strength, a wet molding method which comprises molding a polyketone dissolved in an aqueous solution of an inorganic salt, such as zinc chloride (e.g. WO99/18143 pamphlet and WO00/09611 pamphlet). However, in this method, there are problems that long-term heating of a dope in which polyketone is dissolved causes thermal modification of the polyketone which results in the deterioration of flowability and spinnability of the dope and that mechanical properties of the resulting fibers or films are thus deteriorated.
If a polyketone is heated, it undergoes chemical reactions, such as Paal-Knorr reaction to produce a furan ring and the formation of intramolecular or intermolecular crosslinking due to aldol condensation, resulting in the progress of heat deterioration of the polyketones. These chemical reactions are considerably accelerated by the polymerization catalyst (palladium (Pd)) remaining in polyketones. As measures against the heat deterioration, techniques of reducing the amount of Pd remaining in polyketones have been proposed (e.g., European Patent No. 285218, U.S. Pat. No. 4,855,400 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,855,401). The reduction of the amount of Pd remaining in polyketones brings about an effect of improving the heat resistance of polyketones. However, the techniques disclosed in the above publications are methods comprising: subjecting a polyketone obtained by a conventional polymerization method to a lengthy Pd extraction treatment using a compound, such as triphenylphosphine, triethylamine or 1,3-bis{di(2-methoxyphenyl)phosphino}propane. Therefore, these methods cannot be put to industrially practical use, taking into consideration the costs for washing facilities, and washing and extracting solvents. Furthermore, since heat deterioration of polyketones also occurs due to the lengthy heat treatment, the heat resistance of the resulting polyketones is not sufficient, although the Pd content is small.
"Polymer", 42 (2001) 6283-6287 discloses that a polyketone obtained by polymerization in acetone solvent is subjected to the extraction treatment with 2,4-pentanedione to reduce the Pd content to 20 ppm or less, whereby the heat resistance of the polyketone can be improved. Regarding this polyketone, the polymerization activity obtained under the above conditions is very low because no alcohol is used as a polymerization solvent. Moreover, since the complicated Pd extraction treatment must be carried out after the polymerization, the method cannot be industrially employed from the viewpoints of productivity and cost.
WO00/09611 pamphlet shows a polyketone having a Pd content of 5 ppm. However, this polyketone is obtained by effecting the polymerization at 80° C. under 5 MPa and then removing Pd in the polymer by solvent extraction. The method thus has problems that the polymerization rate is very low and that lengthy heat treatment is required during the solvent extraction.
In order to reduce the Pd content in polyketone without carrying out the lengthy extraction treatment, it is necessary to produce a large amount of polyketone with a small amount of Pd, namely, to carry out a polymerization for a long time with high polymerization activity. Some techniques are known as polymerization method with high polymerization activity. For example, JP-A-1-201333, JP-A-2-115223, and WO00/68296 pamphlet and WO01/02463 pamphlet disclose polymerization techniques with the very high polymerization activity which exceeds 20 kg/g-Pd/hr. Here, the polymerization activity is an index (unit: kg/g-Pd/hr) which shows an amount of polymer produced per unit of time with the use of a unit amount of a catalyst (Pd in the present invention). The greater its value is, the larger the amount of polyketone obtained from a unit amount of Pd is.
However, all the polyketones obtained by the polymerization methods with high polymerization activity (20 kg/g-Pd·hr or higher) disclosed in the above publications have low polymerization degree and the intrinsic viscosity lower than 2.5 dl/g. The techniques are thus insufficient to be used for fibers or films with high strength.
With reference to the terminal structure of polyketones, studies have been carried out on the relation between the kind of polymerization solvent and the structure and ratio of the terminals produced. It is known that the terminal structure of polyketones varies depending on the kind of solvents used for the polymerization. Chem. Rev., 96 (1996), 663-681 proposes the following mechanisms (reaction formula I to reaction formula VI) in the polymerization reaction of polyketone in methanol, which show that an alkyl ester terminal (reaction formulas I, V) and an alkyl ketone terminal (reaction formulas II, VI) are produced in the initiation reactions and termination reactions. In the following reaction formulae, L2 denotes a phosphorus bidentate ligand and Pol denotes a molecular chain of polyketone polymer.
(Initiation Reaction)
Reaction Formula II:
(Growth Reaction)

(Termination Reaction)

Furthermore, JP-A-59-197427 discloses the terminal structures and ratio thereof in the case of using various polymerization solvents with 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane as a phosphorus ligand. For example, it is disclosed that when an alcohol, such as methanol or ethanol, is used, an alkyl ester terminal and an alkyl ketone terminal are produced, when a glycol, such as ethylene glycol, is used, a hydroxyalkyl terminal and an alkyl ketone terminal are produced, and when a non-protonic polar solvent, such as tetrahydrofuran or acetone, is used, only an alkyl ketone terminal is produced. The above publication discloses that when an alkyl ester terminal is produced, the equivalent ratio of alkyl ester terminal (terminal group A)/alkyl ketone terminal (terminal group B) is not 1/1, but 0.09/1-1.04/1. However, polyketones illustrated in the above publication are all polymers with low molecular weights and the publication makes no mention of polyketones with high molecular weights having an intrinsic viscosity of 2.5 dl/g or higher. Specifically, the polyketones having terminal group A and terminal group B that are shown in Examples of the publication have a number-average molecular weight of 250-7500. When the intrinsic viscosity is calculated using the formula (Intrinsic viscosity=1.0×10−4×Mw0.85) described in a publication (e.g., JP-A-4-228613) with proviso that the molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn) is 3.3 which is a value of general polymers, the intrinsic viscosity of the polyketones described in the Examples is 0.03-0.54 dl/g, and hence the polyketones cannot be expected to exhibit high mechanical characteristics of high strength and high elastic modulus.
Moreover, regarding the polyketones disclosed in the publication, the polymerization activity is very low, and the theoretical Pd content in the polyketones, which is calculated from the product of polymerization activity and polymerization time (catalyst efficiency) is 100 ppm or more. Thus, the polyketones contain a considerably large amount of Pd.
Regarding the terminal groups of polyketones, studies are conducted on the polymerization conditions and the structure and ratio of the produced terminals, nevertheless, regarding the relation between the terminal structure and the characteristics of polyketones, it is merely disclosed, for example, in JP-A-2-16155 that the characteristics of polyketones do not depend on the structure of the terminal groups. Particularly, no disclosure is made as to the control of structure of terminal group as a means to improve the heat stability of polyketones in an aqueous solution of a metal salt.
The object to be solved in the present invention is to provide a polyketone that has a high molecular weight, exhibits high mechanical characteristics and excellent heat resistance and chemical resistance when molded into the products, such as fibers and films, and can be used as inexpensive industrial starting materials. Such a polyketone has not been obtained by known techniques. The further object to be solved in the present invention is to provide a method for producing the polyketone in a highly productive manner with high polymerization activity without carrying out complicated steps, such as catalyst extraction treatment.

Polyketone and method for producing the same


This invention relates to a catalyst compound comprising a combination of a cyclic alkyl amino carbene ligand and a benzylidene both attached to a Group 8 metal, preferably ruthenium atom.

The cross-metathesis of ethylene and internal olefin to produce alpha-olefins is generally referred to as ethenolysis. Olefins Conversion Technology™, based upon the Phillips Triolefin Process, is an example of an ethenolysis reaction converting ethylene and 2-butene into propylene. These processes uses heterogeneous catalysts, such as tungsten and rhenium oxides, which have not proven effective for internal olefins containing functional groups such as cis-methyl oleate, a fatty acid methyl ester.
Methods for the production of polyalpha-olefins are typically multi-step processes that often create unwanted by-products and waste of reactants and energy. Full range linear alpha-olefins plants are petroleum-based, are inefficient and result in mixtures of oligomerization products that typically yield Schulz-Flory distributions producing large quantities of undesirable materials. In recent years there have been new technologies implemented to produce "on purpose" linear alpha-olefins such 1-hexene and 1-octene through chromium-based selective ethylene trimerization or tetramerization catalysts. Alternatively, 1-octene has been produced via the telomerization of butadiene and methanol. Similar strategies are not currently available for the production of 1-decene.
1-Decene is a co-product in the cross-metathesis of ethylene and methyl oleate. Alkyl oleates are fatty acid esters that can be major components in biodiesel produced by the transesterification of alcohol and vegetable oils. Vegetable oils containing at least one site of unsaturation include canola, soybean, palm, peanut, mustard, sunflower, tung, tall, perilla, grapeseed, rapeseed, linseed, safflower, pumpkin corn and many other oils extracted from plant seeds. Alkyl erucates similarly are fatty acid esters that can be major components in biodiesel. Useful biodiesel compositions are those which typically have high concentrations of oleate and erucate esters. These fatty acid esters preferably have one site of unsaturation such that cross-metathesis with ethylene yields 1-decene as a co-product.
Biodiesel is a fuel prepared from renewable sources, such as plant oils or animal fats. To produce biodiesel, triacylglycerides ("TAG"), the major compound in plant oils and animal fats, are converted to fatty acid alkyl esters ("FAAE," i.e., biodiesel) and glycerol via reaction with an alcohol in the presence of a base, acid, or enzyme catalyst. Biodiesel fuel can be used in diesel engines, either alone or in a blend with petroleum-based diesel, or can be further modified to produce other chemical products.
Cross-metathesis catalysts reported thus far for the ethenolysis of methyl oleate are typically ruthenium-based catalysts bearing phosphine or carbene ligands. Dow researchers in 2004 achieved catalysts turnovers of approximately 15,000 using the 1st generation Grubb's catalyst, bis(tricyclohexylphosphine)benzylidene ruthenium(IV) dichloride, (Organometallics 2004, 23, 2027). Researchers at Materia, Inc. have reported turnover numbers up to 35,000 using a ruthenium catalyst containing a cyclic alkyl amino carbene ligand, (WO 2008/010961). These turnovers were obtained with a catalyst reportedly too expensive for industrial consideration due to high costs associated with the catalysts being derived from a low yielding synthesis (See Final Technical Report entitled "Platform Chemicals from an Oilseed Biorefinery" grant number DE-FG36-04G014016 awarded by the Department of Energy). In order to obtain an economically viable process for 1-decene production via the cross-metathesis of ethylene and biodiesel or vegetable oils, higher activity catalysts must be discovered. Thus there is a need for higher activity processes that produce desired products and co-products in commercially desirable ratios.
Likewise, there is a need to develop a means to provide linear alpha-olefins (particularly high yields of linear alpha-olefins) by metathesis reactions, particularly reactions with good conversion, preferably under mild reaction conditions is a minimal number of steps. The instant invention's metathesis catalyst provides both a commercially economical and an "atom-economical" route to linear alpha-olefins.
Specifically, the instant inventors have found that the combination of a cyclic alkyl amino carbene ligand attached to ruthenium with a chelating benzylidene ligand containing an electron withdrawing group yielded a catalyst that is both highly active and very selective towards the ethenolysis of methyl oleate yielding 1-decene and methyl-9-decenoate.

Metathesis catalyst and process for use thereof

Abstract: This invention also relates to a process to make linear alpha-olefins comprising contacting a feed material and an optional alkene (such as ethylene) with the catalyst described above, wherein the feed material is a triacylglyceride, fatty acid, fatty acid alkyl ester, and/or fatty acid ester, typically derived from seed oil (e.g., biodiesel).


In one embodiment, a system comprises a processor, a first interrupt controller coupled to the processor, and a second interrupt controller coupled to the processor. The first interrupt controller is configured to signal the processor for an interrupt in response to receiving a first interrupt message communicating a first interrupt that is targeted at a host in the system. The second interrupt controller is configured to signal the processor for an interrupt in response to receiving a second interrupt message communicating a second interrupt that is targeted at a guest that is controlled by the host and that is executable on the processor.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to processors and virtualization, and more particularly to delivering interrupts to virtual machine guests.
2. Description of the Related Art
Virtualization has been used in computer systems for a variety of different purposes. For example, virtualization can be used to execute privileged software in a "container" to prevent the privileged software from directly accessing and/or making changes to at least some of the physical machine state without first being permitted to do so by a virtual machine manager (VMM) that controls the virtual machine. Such a container can prevent "buggy" or malicious software from causing problems on the physical machine. Additionally, virtualization can be used to permit two or more privileged programs to execute on the same physical machine concurrently. The privileged programs can be prevented from interfering with each other since access to the physical machine is controlled. Privileged programs may include operating systems, and may also include other software which expects to have full control of the hardware on which the software is executing. In another example, virtualization can be used to execute a privileged program on hardware that differs from the hardware expected by the privileged program.
Generally, virtualization of a processor or computer system may include providing one or more privileged programs with access to a virtual machine (the container mentioned above) over which the privileged program has full control, but the control of the physical machine is retained by the VMM. The virtual machine may include a processor (or processors), memory, and various peripheral devices that the privileged program expects to find in the machine on which it is executing. The virtual machine elements may be implemented by hardware that the VMM allocates to the virtual machine, at least temporarily, and/or may be emulated in software. Each privileged program (and related software in some cases, such as the applications that execute on an operating system) may be referred to herein as a guest. Virtualization may be implemented in software (e.g. the VMM mentioned above) without any specific hardware virtualization support in the physical machine on which the VMM and its virtual machines execute. However, virtualization may be simplified and/or achieve higher performance if some hardware support is provided.
One issue that can arise with virtualization is the latency of interrupt delivery. As mentioned above, peripheral devices can be allocated for use by a virtual machine (to act as the virtual peripheral device in the virtual machine). Such peripheral devices can generate interrupts that are to be processed by the software in the virtual machine. In non-virtualized environments, the interrupt processing latency can be relatively short. In virtualized environments, the interrupts can generally be intercepted by the VMM, processed by the VMM, and delivered to the targeted virtual machine by the VMM using a software mechanism of some sort. However, the interrupt processing latency can be significantly greater (about 100 times longer, for example).

Guest interrupt controllers for each processor to aid interrupt virtualization


A programmable logic device includes field programmable logic circuits and an internal programming circuit. The internal programming circuit includes a memory to store characterization data characterizing programmed voltage values of the field programmable logic circuits as a function of program voltage pulse widths. A characterization data processor programs the field programmable logic circuits using the characterization data.

This invention relates generally to the programming of field programmable logic devices. More particularly, this invention relates to a field programmable logic device that obtains and uses device-specific characterization data during the programming process.
Field programmable logic devices are digital logic circuits that can be programmed to perform a variety of logical functions. A specified logical function is programmed into a field programmable logic device by a customer. The customer may subsequently overwrite the initial logical function with a new logical function. These operations are more fully appreciated with reference to FIG. 1.
FIG. 1 illustrates a field programmable logic device 20 which includes a set of field programmable logic circuits 22. A programming pattern 24 specifies a logical function. The programming pattern 24 is programmed into the field programmable logic circuits 22 through an external programming circuit 26. The external programming circuit 26 may be automatic test equipment or some other external device which generates an appropriate set of programming voltages with designated pulse widths and voltage values. An industry-standard 4-pin Joint Test Action Group (JTAG) interface (IEEE Std 1149.1-1990) may be used to install the programming pattern 24.
The advantage of using an external programming circuit 26 is that it typically provides a user with accurate information regarding the parameters associated with the programming of the device. That is, to program field programmable logic circuits 22, selected field programmable logic circuits receive a designated voltage for a predetermined period of time (pulse length). An external programming circuit 26 provides accurate information regarding the precise amount of voltage that is applied to field programmable logic circuits during the programming process. This precise information is used to optimize the programming process.
In the absence of this accurate information; the programming process is typically implemented by using longer voltage pulses. There is a two-fold problem with this approach. First, it is time consuming to apply the longer voltage pulses. Second, the unknown programming voltage and the longer pulses can result in an excess voltage that can place stress on the field programmable logic circuits, thereby diminishing their operative life cycle.
Recently, in-system programmability has been provided in field programmable logic devices. In-system programmability allows field programmable logic circuits 22 to be programmed without an external programming circuit 26. In-system programmability is used when the device is positioned on a circuit board and therefore cannot be programmed with an external programming circuit.
As shown in FIG. 1, the programming pattern 28 is applied to an internal programming circuit 28. The internal programming circuit 28 internally generates voltage signals that are used to program the field programmable logic circuits 22 in accordance with the programming pattern 24.
The problem with an internal programming circuit 4 is that the voltage it generates varies from device to device. That is, different processing tolerances result in devices that generate different voltages. Given this variability from device to device, vendors of field programmable logic devices advise their customers to operate the internal programming circuit with a relatively long voltage pulse to insure that the device is programmed as desired. In other words, the variability from device to device prevents an optimal voltage from being used for the programming of each device. Since an optimal voltage is not used for each device, programming is more time consuming. In addition, the device may generate excessive voltages, which potentially damage the field programmable logic circuits.
In view of the foregoing, it would be highly desirable to provide an improved internal programming circuit for in-system programming of field programmable logic devices.
A programmable logic device includes field programmable logic circuits and an internal programming circuit. The internal programming circuit includes a memory to store characterization data characterizing programmed voltage values of the field programmable logic circuits as a function of program voltage pulse widths. A characterization data processor programs the field programmable logic circuits using the characterization data.
The characterization data characterizes the physical attributes of the programmable logic device being programmed. This information can be used to select optimal voltage levels and voltage pulse widths for use during the programming process. As a result, the characterization data allows the field programmable logic device to be programmed as quickly as possible. Further, the technique allows the device to be programmed with minimal exposure to excessive voltages.

Apparatus and method for in-system programming of a field programmable logic device using device-specific characterization data


A method and system for processing data records having multiple formats is provided, in which each format to be parsed has a plug-in module associated with it. Each plug-in module has a uniform interface that can be accessed by, for example, a parsing engine or other client. The parsing engine may, in turn, provide services for manipulating data to the plug-in modules in order to assist them in performing their respective tasks. A standard format is provided to allow data from the records to be stored in a database.

Computer-readable records can be stored in a variety of different ways. For example, they may be stored using unformatted ASCII characters, mark-up language documents, or in one of many proprietary formats. Furthermore, the information within computer-readable records is, itself, subject to many different formats and interpretations. In comparing the patient records of different hospitals, for example, one may find that hospital A puts the patient's blood type in the tenth line of the record, while hospital B puts it in the fifth line. One may also find that, in addition to listing the patient's exact weight, hospital A has a special code to indicate whether the patient is mildly, moderately or morbidly obese, while patient records in hospital B only indicate whether a patient is obese or not. It may be that the data format for hospital A works fine for hospital A, and likewise for hospital B, but if the two hospitals were ever to merge, it would be difficult to consolidate the records of the two hospitals into a single database. It is very likely that all of the old records would have to be converted into a single, standard format.
Another example in which multiple record formats can be troublesome is in the area of software testing. A program with a large code base may require dozens of teams to test the various sections of the code. Software tests are typically performed using one or more software test programs. These programs are designed to run portions of the tested code, simulate a variety of types of input and conditions, and record the results of the test in one or more test logs. If multiple teams are involved, each team may choose to use a different test program than the other teams. This means that each team's test log will be in a different format and possibly contain different information that all of the other teams, making it very difficult to create a single, unified database for holding all of the test results. Although it is possible to force each test team to use a single test program, it is undesirable for at least two reasons: (1) It stifles creativity. Each team should be free to choose the test program that works best for it. (2) The company producing the program may choose to contract out some of the testing. The contractor chosen to perform the testing may have a considerable investment in a particular test program and may not wish to have its choice of program dictated to it, or may charge more for the trouble.
Thus it can be seen that there is a need for a method and system for processing data records having multiple formats that avoids the above-mentioned disadvantages.

Method and system for processing data records having multiple formats


A lithium ion battery having a plurality of cells connected in series, in parallel, or both internally within a sealed case. Each of the plurality of cells has a cathode in contact with a positive current collector and an anode in contact with a negative current collector. The battery also includes a single positive terminal in electrical contact with at least one positive current collector and a single negative terminal in electrical contact with at least one negative current collector. One or more cross-over connectors electrically connect adjacent positive and negative current collectors. Also provided is a lithium ion battery having externally connected cells, the battery also having a single negative terminal in electrical contact with at least one negative current collector and one or more cross-over connectors that electrically connect adjacent positive and negative current collectors of the cells.

Lithium ion cells have become widespread and popular since the introduction of the first commercial rechargeable lithium battery in 1991. The high energy density of lithium ion cells makes them ideal for use in portable devices, including cell phones, portable computers, and electric/hybrid electric vehicles.
A lithium ion cell is composed of four key components: a cathode, an anode, a separator, and an electrolyte. As the cell charges, the cathode is oxidized to provide lithium ions and electrons to the anode. During discharge, the cathode is reduced back to its original state, while at the same time the anode is oxidized to provide lithium ions and electrons. The separator prevents the cathode from directly contacting the anode thereby creating a short circuit. At the same time, the separator allows current-carrying ions to pass from the cathode to the anode and vice-versa. The electrolyte provides a path for the lithium ions to travel between the cathode and the anode.
Typically, the above components are held within a sealed case. The case includes a safety vent to prevent abnormal pressure from building up inside the lithium ion cell during discharge, charging, and during a short circuit. There are three main types of lithium ion cell case structures, namely, cylindrical, prismatic, and pouch-style.
A lithium ion cell typically generates a voltage of 3 to 4 volts. To construct a battery of higher voltage, it is necessary to connect individual cells in series externally to form a battery pack of the desired voltage. Lithium ion cells can also be connected in parallel to increase the amount of current that the battery pack can provide.
A typical lithium ion battery pack includes a battery management system. The purpose of the battery management system is to avoid overcharging and over-discharging individual cells within the battery pack.
The need exists for a lithium ion battery that is easier and less costly to construct than existing batteries.


A lighting apparatus includes a lens assembly with mating first and second lens members forming a hollow interior, and an internal assembly including an inner housing. The inner housing is generally triangular-shaped and includes an upper corner, a pair of lower corners and hollow leg portions between the corners. An LED lamp is mounted in the hollow interior of the inner housing, at an upper corner thereof. A circuit board carrying at least one switch is disposed in the hollow leg portion extending between the lower corners of the inner housing, and electrical wiring is disposed in a leg portion, connecting the LED lamp to the circuit board. The base includes a base housing defining a hollow interior and a battery holder received within the hollow interior.

Several arrangements have been proposed for portable, battery powered warning lamps. Typically, these arrangements include a lens assembly mounted to a battery compartment. Over the years, controls and other circuit components have been added to these arrangements, as the need for additional features has arisen. However, improvements in the construction cost and performance are still being sought. Thus, a need exists for more cost efficient, better performing warning light assemblies.


A pressure reducing backrest cushion with selective pressure point relief features at least two air bladders, and a foam outer layer covering the air bladders. Each air bladder consists of an impervious to air sheet material which surrounds an open celled compressible foam material. Attached to the air bladder is an air flow tube and attached to the air flow tube is a flow control element. When the flow control element is open air from the atmosphere is able to communicate with the interior of the open celled compressible foam material through the air flow tube in combination with the flow control element. The open celled compressible foam material is of such a characteristic that once it is deformed it tends to regain its original shape, thus filling the air bladder with air, if the flow control element is open. Such a structure allows the cushion to be adjusted for maximum firmness, by not allowing air to leave the air bladders; minimum firmness is achieved by leaving the flow control element open, thus allowing air to be expelled from the air bladder; and selective pressure point relief is achieved by expelling air from an air bladder, closing its flow control element to prevent re-inflation, and allowing adjacent air bladders to be either filled with air and closing their flow control elements for maximum surrounding support, or left open for a more flotation-like support.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns cushioning pads used in the field of health care to provide pressure reduction for the patient. The invention more particularly concerns cushion pads for patient care in wheelchairs, recliners, and other chairs used by patients in a health care environment.
2. Discussion of the Background
Previously existing cushioning pads have a number of shortcomings which can result in patient discomfort, and in a prolonged recovery period for the patient. Ideally, cushioning pads provide the lowest possible pressure on the supported surface of the patient and are able to substantially eliminate the pressure on the supported surface at selected locations on the patient.
One prior art device (Jacobson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,283) is constructed of a plurality of airtight air bladders each filled with foam material. Each air bladder is in contact with adjacent air bladders. The characteristic of the foam material is such that if it is compressed it will expand on its own, thus filling the bladder with air. Each air bladder has a valve connected to it, to individually regulate the amount of air that can flow into the air bladder. However, it produces an abrupt transition zone between an air bladder that is fully pressurized and an adjacent one that is completely evacuated, which creates patient discomfort.
Another prior art construction (Williams, U.S. Pat. No. 3,600,727) is similar to the prior art construction discussed above, but instead being filled with air, the air bladder is filled with a liquid. The bladders filled with a liquid tend to conduct body heat away from the patient which reduces blood flow and hence reduces the ability of the body to heal itself. Furthermore, this prior art construction contains all the disadvantages of the device described above, namely that the patient experiences discomfort due to the abrupt transition zone between pressurized and unpressurized fluid bladders.
Another prior art construction (Navach et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,163,737) consists of a seat cushion and a backrest cushion. The seat cushion portion consists of a plurality of airtight, air bladders filled with a foam material. Adjacent air bladders are not in contact with each other. The air bladders are covered with a flexible polymer upholstery layer. Additionally this prior art construction contains an air valve for each air bladder to restrict the flow of air into and out of its respective air bladder. However, this prior art construction requires the use of an external pump or compressor to fill air bladders with air.
Thus, there is a need for a simple to use cushioning device that applies a substantially uniform pressure to the patient and which can selectively reduce the pressure at a point on the patient's body.

Pressure reducing backrest cushion with selective pressure point relief


A directional shockproof tilting display tag, comprising a container provided with a detector therein; the detector comprises a first placement chamber, a second placement chamber, and a baffle; the first placement chamber comprises a first side plate and a first mass block; the first side plate is externally provided with a first extension portion; the second placement chamber comprises a second side plate and a second mass block; the second side plate is externally provided with a second extension portion; the placement chambers are also provided with bar codes; part of the patterns of the bar codes are covered by the mass blocks; a rotary shaft is disposed directly above the placement chambers; the container is also provided with a shockproof structure therein. The display tag has a simple structure and strong shockproof capability. The arrangement of the bar codes ensures the detector can quickly detect an object tilting.

In current global economy, goods, materials, manufactured articles and so on are usually to be transported a long distance before they reach their final destination. The shipment process may include a variety of modes of transport: For example, the products usually need to be loaded onto a truck and transported to a train station, need to be loaded onto a rail car and transported to a port by train, need to be loaded onto a cargo ship and transported to an overseas port, or need to be loaded onto a truck and transported to a warehouse; once in the warehouse, the products will be transported via air or ground again before reaching the final customers. With the increase in commodity circulation, especially the increase in the foreign trade, damage to products due to tilt or inversion increases in the loading and unloading process, and sometimes damage is caused by incorrectly handling, e.g., some of the products are easily damaged if they are not transported in a particular position. After the cargoes reach the destination, each cargo is to be unpacked and inspected, which will cost heavy workload. There are various measures known in the art that are used to prevent incorrectly handling of the products during transporting, loading and unloading, including printing the specification on the box so as to keep the preset position. However, this precaution, essentially passive, can neither tell the recipient whether the products have been incorrectly handled or whether the damage is caused by shipment, nor indicate in which direction the products tilt; besides, sometimes the products are artificially reset for evading responsibility, disenabling the recipient of the product to accurately and correctly determine whether the products in the box have been damaged. Therefore, the problem to be solved by the present utility model is to provide a method that is simple and can display and indicate which tilt position of the products is not influenced by a slight shock during transport and cannot be reset artificially.

Directional shockproof tilting display tag


A packaging system (100) protects integrated circuit devices (106) from corrosion and mechanical damage. The devices are enclosed in a reel (102) having a hub (114) in which a cavity (116) is formed for retaining a molded desiccant (118). Apertures (120) between the cavity and the devices provide a vapor path for drawing moisture from the devices. A banding strip (108) for enclosing the devices within the reel has recessed areas (142) for housing pellets of desiccant (140). The reel is placed in an inflatable envelope (50) that includes view ports (56) for reading identifying information on the reel. A vacuum is drawn and the envelope is sealed. Air cells (52) in the inflatable envelope are inflated to cushion the devices from mechanical damage during shipment.

The present invention relates in general to semiconductor devices and, more particularly, to semiconductor device packaging systems.
The complexity of modern integrated circuits and other environmentally sensitive devices has increased their susceptibility to damage from environmental factors. As a result, most devices are transported from the factory to a customer in packages that minimize handling damage and damage from electrostatic discharge (ESD) and humidity. In a typical packaging system, devices are mounted on a carrier tape which is wound on a reel and held in place with a strip of masking tape attached to the leader of the carrier tape. The reel assembly is shipped in a conductive aluminized bag to prevent high electrostatic potentials from building up across pins of the integrated circuits and damaging internal components. Humidity is controlled by drawing a vacuum in the aluminized bag and sealing the bag to prevent moisture from entering.
Residual moisture within the aluminized bag is controlled by a granular or powdered desiccant such as silica gel, which is placed in a nylon bag and inserted in the aluminized bag with the reel assembly prior to vacuum sealing. The desiccant bags are placed in strategic locations within the aluminized bag to limit damage. Placement is often performed manually, which is time consuming and expensive. For example, in some packaging systems, the desiccant bag is placed over the reel assembly and held in place by the vacuum seal. A problem with such systems is that the desiccant bag creates a bulge in the aluminized bag which creates uneven pressure on the reel assembly. During shipment, the uneven pressure can deform the reel and damage the integrated circuit leads.
In other packaging systems, desiccant bags are placed in corners of the aluminized package, which allows the reels to be stacked without becoming deformed. However, when a vacuum is created and the sides of the aluminized bag collapse, the desiccant bags can become sealed off from the reel assembly, effectively creating a vapor barrier that prevents moisture from being drawn away from the devices.
Aluminized bags are opaque, so that identifying the devices within the bag requires opening the bag and releasing the vacuum. Providing view windows in the aluminized bags increases cost and increases the potential for leakage at the seam of the view window.
Hence, there is a need for a packaging system for semiconductor devices which more reliably provides both ESD and humidity protection while protecting the leads of the semiconductor device from being deformed or damaged.


An electronic device, such as an integrated circuit, is provided with elements, all of which are never used in a single application. These elements are not absolutely decoys or dummys, although this is a possibility. For a particular application, the elements are so chosen that, in conjunction with a supplementary logic package, they provide the desired functions. The logic elements used as well as the functions of the main logic package of the device are determined by the supplementary logic. The combined logic is in no way determined by coding or decoding; this logic is specific and both parts together form an electronic component or device. The complete logic is therefore similar to a hybrid circuit but without the wired connections. If this device is compromised to an enemy or a business competitor, the main logic package or packages of the the device need not be newly developed; only the supplementary logic package or packages must be replaced. The function of the device and therefore the function of the equipment using it can thus be changed when the need arises. These additional functions as well as the dummy functions would of course be planned and developed from the beginning.

Due to the nature of the lengthy design, fabrication and test processes, the method of developing integrated circuits (IC) for devices has in the past precluded the implementation of variable IC functions within a device. Any variation of device function due to variations in the chip has been due to the internal logic on the chip or due to a stored program on or outside of the chip. These logical functions are either deterministic, and thus reproducible by an unauthorized person or unit, or variable to such an extent that the performance of the chip is reduced, due to functional encoding, enciphering, path decoding, etc. The newer programmable gate arrays, programmable from a non-volatile memory on startup, can be reprogrammed as a defence against unauthorized possession of the device. These devices, being volatile, cannot be used in all applications, and suffer from the above mentioned performance losses. More important, however, is the fact that these variable devices represent merely the logical control inputs to the other secret devices. Heretofore there has been no adequate protection against gaining knowledge of the performance, structure and function of these main devices within the equipment.

Process to prevent the exploitation of illicit knowledge of the structure or function of an integrated circuit


A method and machine for stitching multipart printing products by means of wire staples (8, 26), in which the products (2, 22) are transported forwards continuously by a conveyer (4, 19, 23) and a wire staple (8, 26) is driven in by a stitching head (5, 25) with a displaceably guided staple-driver, at least one wire staple (8, 26) is driven, during the movement conveying the product (2, 22), into the product (2, 22), transversely to the direction of conveyance, by a stitching head (5, 25) positioned in a stationary manner. The staple-driver of the stitching head (5, 25) drives in the wire staple (8, 26) at such high speed that the wire staple (8, 26) penetrates the product (2, 22) substantially perpendicularly.

The invention relates to a method and device for the mechanical stitching of multipart printing products by means of wire staples, in which the products are transported forwards continuously by a conveyer and a wire staple is driven in by a stitching head with a displaceably guided staple-driver.
For manufacturing laterally wire-stitched multi-quire paper covers in flowlines, use is made of side-stitching units as a component interlinked with a collating machine and an adhesive binding machine. Loose quires collated to form stacks are transferred into an upright position via a setting-up track and arrive, standing on their backs, in a connecting conveyer system with side-stitching units. These are equipped with two or four stitching heads with associated bending-over devices and are located, for the purpose of introducing the wire staples during the continuous transport of the products, on longitudinally displaceable, synchronously following carriages. For the purpose of sticking wire staples into thick products on both sides, additional stitching heads may be provided on the opposite side of the path of movement of the stacks of quires. The quires which are connected to form a block by laterally introduced wire staples are fed, as the process continues, to the adhesive binding machine for gluing the back and/or the side regions and for casing the block into a cover.
Paper covers saddle-stitched with wire, such as magazines, are produced in so-called "saddle-stitching flowlines" on gathering wire-stitching machines with the aid of a roof-shaped stitching-goods carrier with entrainment means on a continuously running gathering chain which engage behind the products, and with two or more stitching heads and associated bending-over devices for introducing wire staples through the back-margin fold and bending over the legs of the wire staples from inside. The stitching heads with the bending-over devices are located, just as in the case of lateral wire-stitching, on carriages which follow at the same speed. An example of a gathering wire-stitching machine of this kind is known from German Patent Specification 34 43 376.
The known block wire-stitching machines and gathering wire-stitching machines with stitching heads mounted in an overhung manner for use in flowlines require an extremely high outlay in terms of construction and are therefore very cost-intensive. Because of the masses which have to be moved, constituted by the carriage with the stitching heads, further limits are imposed on increases in performance. Moreover, stitching machines with carriages which are constantly moved to and fro are subject to major wear and also make not inconsiderable demands in terms of space.

Method and device for the mechanical stitching of multipart printing products by means of wire staples


The present invention relates to substituted thienopyrimidine compounds of general formula (I) as described and defined herein, to methods of preparing said compounds, to intermediate compounds useful for preparing said compounds, to pharmaceutical compositions and combinations comprising said compounds and to the use of said compounds for manufacturing a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment or prophylaxis of a disease, in particular of a hyper-proliferative and/or angiogenesis disorder, as a sole agent or in combination with other active ingredients.

The present invention relates to chemical compounds that inhibit MKNK1 kinase (also known as MAP Kinase interacting Kinase, Mnk1) and/or MKNK2 kinase (also known as MAP Kinase interacting Kinase, Mnk2). Human MKNKs comprise a group of four proteins encoded by two genes (Gene symbols: MKNK1 and MKNK2) by alternative splicing. The b-forms lack a MAP kinase-binding domain situated at the C-terminus. The catalytic domains of the MKNK1 and MKNK2 are very similar and contain a unique DFD (Asp-Phe-Asp) motif in subdomain VII, which usually is DFG (Asp-Phe-Gly) in other protein kinases and suggested to alter ATP binding [Jauch et al., Structure 13, 1559-1568, 2005 and Jauch et al., EMBO J25, 4020-4032, 2006]. MKNK1a binds to and is activated by ERK and p38 MAP Kinases, but not by JNK1. MKNK2a binds to and is activated only by ERK. MKNK1b has low activity under all conditions and MKNK2b has a basal activity independent of ERK or p38 MAP Kinase. [Buxade M et al., Frontiers in Bioscience 5359-5374, May 1, 2008]
MKNKs have been shown to phosphorylate eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF4E), heterogeneous nuclear RNA-binding protein A1 (hnRNP A1), polypyrimidine-tract binding protein-associated splicing factor (PSF), cytoplasmic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) and Sprouty 2 (hSPRY2) [Buxade M et al., Frontiers in Bioscience 5359-5374, May 1, 2008].
eIF4E is an oncogene that is amplified in many cancers and is phosphorylated exclusively by MKNKs proteins as shown by KO-mouse studies [Konicek et al., Cell Cycle 7:16, 2466-2471, 2008; Ueda et al., Mol Cell Biol 24, 6539-6549, 2004]. eIF4E has a pivotal role in enabling the translation of cellular mRNAs. eIF4E binds the 7-methylguanosine cap at the 5′ end of cellular mRNAs and delivers them to the ribosome as part of the eIF4F complex, also containing eIF4G and eIF4A. Though all capped mRNAs require eIF4E for translation, a pool of mRNAs is exceptionally dependent on elevated eIF4E activity for translation. These so-called "weak mRNAs" are usually less efficiently translated due to their long and complex 5′UTR region and they encode proteins that play significant roles in all aspects of malignancy including VEGF, FGF-2, c-Myc, cyclin D1, survivin, BCL-2, MCL-1, MMP-9, heparanase, etc. Expression and function of eIF4E is elevated in multiple human cancers and directly related to disease progression [Konicek et al., Cell Cycle 7:16, 2466-2471, 2008].
MKNK1 and MKNK2 are the only kinases known to phosphorylate eIF4E at Ser209. Overall translation rates are not affected by eIF4E phosphorylation, but it has been suggested that eIF4E phosphorylation contributes to polysome formation (i.e. multiple ribosome on a single mRNA) that ultimately enables more efficient translation of "weak mRNAs" [Buxade M et al., Frontiers in Bioscience 5359-5374, May 1, 2008]. Alternatively, phosphorylation of eIF4E by MKNK proteins might facilitate eIF4E release from the 5′ cap so that the 48S complex can move along the "weak mRNA" in order to locate the start codon [Blagden S P and Willis A E, Nat Rev Clin Oncol. 8(5):280-91, 2011]. Accordingly, increased eIF4E phosphorylation predicts poor prognosis in non-small cell lung cancer patients [Yoshizawa et al., Clin Cancer Res. 16(1):240-8, 2010]. Further data point to a functional role of MKNK1 in carcinogenesis, as overexpression of constitutively active MKNK1, but not of kinase-dead MKNK1, in mouse embryo fibroblasts accelerates tumor formation [Chrestensen C. A. et al., Genes Cells 12, 1133-1140, 2007]. Moreover, increased phosphorylation and activity of MKNK proteins correlate with overexpression of HER2 in breast cancer [Chrestensen, C. A. et al., J. Biol. Chem. 282, 4243-4252, 2007]. Constitutively active, but not kinase-dead, MKNK1 also accelerated tumor growth in a model using Eμ-Myc transgenic hematopoietic stem cells to produce tumors in mice. Comparable results were achieved when an eIF4E carrying a S209D mutation was analyzed. The 5209D mutation mimicks a phosphorylation at the MKNK1 phosphorylation site. In contrast, a non-phosphorylatable form of eIF4E attenuated tumor growth [Wendel H G, et al., Genes Dev. 21(24):3232-7, 2007]. A selective MKNK inhibitor that blocks eIF4E phosphorylation induces apoptosis and suppresses proliferation and soft agar growth of cancer cells in vitro. This inhibitor also suppresses outgrowth of experimental B16 melanoma pulmonary metastases and growth of subcutaneous HCT116 colon carcinoma xenograft tumors without affecting body weight [Konicek et al., Cancer Res. 71(5):1849-57, 2011]. In summary, eIF4E phosphorylation through MKNK protein activity can promote cellular proliferation and survival and is critical for malignant transformation. Inhibition of MKNK activity may provide a tractable cancer therapeutic approach.
Substituted thienopyrimidine compounds have been disclosed in prior art for the treatment or prophylaxis of different diseases:
WO 2010/006032 A1 (Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit) addresses tricyclic compounds as antimitotic agents. According to the general formula of claim 1, the tricycles inter alia comprise 5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobenzo[1]thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidines that may carry substituents at the carbocycle and one aromatic or heteroaromatic moiety at an optional 4-amino group. Furthermore, they may be unsubstituted at position 2 in the pyrimidine ring. However, the examples provided clearly differ from the compounds of the present invention. While the vast majority contains the C6 carbocycle completely unsaturated as aromatic ring, only two examples show a tetrahydrobenzo substructure in combination with a 4-amino group and in both cases the latter is bisubstituted by a phenyl and a methyl group. Furthermore, the specified compounds are with no exception pyrimidin-2-amines or 2-methyl-pyrimidines.
JP2007084494 (Oncorex Inc.) relates to PIM-1 inhibitors. One claim comprises 5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobenzo[1]thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4-amines that can be monosubstituted at the amino group by optionally substituted phenyl. However, the optional substituents of phenyl are restricted to hydroxy, alkoxy or alkenyloxy. The tricyclic core does not show further substitutions. The only example of a direct substitution at the 4-amino group by phenyl is compound VII-2 with meta-methoxyphenyl.
WO 2002/088138 A1 (Bayer Pharmaceuticals Corporation) relates to PDE7b inhibitors and comprises 5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobenzo[1]thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4-amines where the carbocycle and the 4-amino group may be optionally substituted by a wide range of substituents. The respective oxa, thia or aza analoga at position 7 with no further substituents at that ring are also claimed, the sulphur may be oxidized to sulphone and the nitrogen can be substituted. However, pyrid-4-yl in the 5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobenzo series and 3,4-dichlorophenyl and indazol-5-yl in the 6,9-dihydro-7H-pyrano series are the only examples with direct aromatic substitution at the 4-amino group.
WO 2005/010008 A1 (Bayer Pharmaceuticals Corporation) discloses 5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobenzo[1]thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4-amines as proliferation inhibitors of A431 and BT474 cells which are model cell lines used in biomedical research. More specifically, A431 and BT474 cells are used in studies of the cell cycle and cancer-associated cell signalling pathways since they express abnormally high levels of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and HER2, respectively. Substitution at the 4-amino group is limited to monosubstitution by either optionally substituted phenyl or optionally substituted indazolyl. The carbocycle may be substituted one or two times at position 7 by optionally substituted alkyl or alkenyl, by substituted carbonyl, hydroxy, optionally substituted amino or may be linked to the nitrogen of one or two saturated six membered rings optionally bearing a second heteroatom. Regarding the aromatic substituents at the 4-amino group, disclosed examples cover phenyl with a broad range of substituents and some indazol-5-yls but all are substituted at the nitrogen at position 1. Furthermore, all examples show an alkyl group in position 7 that is terminally further substituted by an amino group or hydroxyl group or in case of synthetic intermediates also by an ester function. Furthermore, as shown hereinafter, the compounds disclosed in WO 2005/010008 A1 are potent EGFR inhibitors but less effective MKNK inhibitors whereas the compounds of the present invention are potent MKNK inhibitors and less effective EGFR inhibitors. WO 2009/134658 (National Health Research Institutes) relates to inhibitors of Aurora kinase. The patent application generically covers tricyclic thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4-amines with the third ring fused to the thiophene subunit. However, an optional aryl or heteroaryl substituent at the 4-amino group must carry a side chain involving a carbonyl, thiocarbonyl or iminomethylene group. The vast majority of more than 250 examples is formed by bicyclic 6,7-dihydrofuro[3,2-d]pyrimidin-4-amines that show in 4 cases a direct aromatic substitution at the 4-amino group but additionally substitution by two phenyl groups at the dihydrofuro subunit. None of the very few examples for tricyclic compounds shows direct substitution by an aromatic moiety at the 4-amino group.
WO 2006/136402 A1 and WO 2007/059905 A2 (Develogen AG) disclose thienopyrimidin-4-amines and their use for the prophylaxis and/or treatment of diseases which can be influenced by the inhibition of the kinase activity of Mnk1 and/or Mnk2. The 4-amino-group is substituted by a substituted phenyl group. The WO publications do not disclose any biological data.
WO 2010/023181 A1, WO 2011/104334 A1, WO 2011/104337 A1, WO 2011/104338 A1 and WO 2011/104340 A1 (Boehringer Ingelheim) relate to thienopyrimidin-4-amines for the prophylaxis and/or treatment of diseases which can be influenced by the inhibition of the kinase activity of Mnk1 and/or Mnk2. In case of the disclosed thienopyrimidin-4-amines there is no tetrahydrobenzo ring fused to the thienopyrimidine core. Additionally, the 4-amino group does not carry an indazol-5-yl substituent. In case of the compounds disclosed in WO 2010/023181 A1 the IC50 values vary between 0.035 μM and 0.68 μM with respect Mnk1, and between 0.006 μM and 0.56 μM with respect to Mnk2. In case of the compounds disclosed in WO 2011/104334 A1 the IC50 values vary between 1 nM and 9700 nM with respect to Mnk2. In case of the compounds disclosed in WO 2011/104337 A1 the IC50 values vary between 2 nM and 8417 nM with respect to Mnk2. In case of the compounds disclosed in WO 2011/104338 A1 the IC50 values vary between 8 nM and 58 nM with respect to Mnk2. In case of the compounds disclosed in WO 2011/104340 A1 the IC50 values vary between 3 nM and 5403 nM with respect to Mnk2. ALL WO publications contain the statement that the compounds described therein show improved solubility, are highly selective and show improved metabolic stability when compared to the compounds disclosed in WO 2006/136402 A1 and WO 2007/059905 A2 (Develogen AG, see above). However, besides the IC50 values discussed in this paragraph, there are no more data proving this statement.
The state of the art described above does not describe the specific substituted thienopyrimidine compounds of general formula (I) of the present invention as defined herein or a stereoisomer, a tautomer, an N-oxide, a hydrate, a solvate, or a salt thereof, or a mixture of same, as described and defined herein, and as hereinafter referred to as "compounds of the present invention", or their pharmacological activity.
It has now been found, and this constitutes the basis of the present invention, that said compounds of the present invention have surprising and advantageous properties.
In particular, said compounds of the present invention have surprisingly been found to effectively inhibit MKNK1 kinase and may therefore be used for the treatment or prophylaxis of diseases of uncontrolled cell growth, proliferation and/or survival, inappropriate cellular immune responses, or inappropriate cellular inflammatory responses or diseases which are accompanied with uncontrolled cell growth, proliferation and/or survival, inappropriate cellular immune responses, or inappropriate cellular inflammatory responses, particularly in which the uncontrolled cell growth, proliferation and/or survival, inappropriate cellular immune responses, or inappropriate cellular inflammatory responses is mediated by MKNK1 kinase, such as, for example, haematological tumours, solid tumours, and/or metastases thereof, e.g. Leukaemias and myelodysplastic syndrome, malignant lymphomas, head and neck tumours including brain tumours and brain metastases, tumours of the thorax including non-small cell and small cell lung tumours, gastrointestinal tumours, endocrine tumours, mammary and other gynaecological tumours, urological tumours including renal, bladder and prostate tumours, skin tumours, and sarcomas, and/or metastases thereof.
Additionally, the compounds of the present invention show higher kinase inhibition selectivity and/or better performance in cellular assays than the MKNK inhibitors disclosed in prior art.


An integrated transceiver circuit has a reception path, which in turn has a mixer unit for demodulation of a received signal. An analog/digital converter unit is connected in the reception path downstream from the mixer unit. A first frequency divider is connected between the mixer unit and a voltage controlled oscillator in order to predetermine the demodulation frequency. A second frequency divider is connected between the oscillator and the analog/digital converter unit in order to predetermine the sampling frequency.

Transceivers such as these are used, for example, in the filtered mobile radio. In this case, multimode transceivers in particular are also used, which have a high integration density and require and extraordinarily flexible transceiver concept in order to satisfy the requirements for low power consumption, a small area requirement and the different mobile radios. In this case, each mobile radio communication system predetermines its own clock frequencies for the integrated analog/digital converters and for the digital signal processing unit. Thus, for example, a mobile radio which is operated on the basis of the GSM Standard (Global System for Mobile Communications) predetermines a clock frequency of 13 MHz or a multiple of this. A mobile radio which operates on the basis of the UMTS Standard (Universal Mobile Telecommunications/Telephony System) in contrast requires a clock frequency of 3.84 MHz. A mobile radio system which operates on the basis of the CDMA 2000 Standard (Code Division Multiple Access) requires a clock frequency of 3.6864 MHz while, in contrast, the GPS (Global Positioning System) requires a clock frequency of 10.033 MHz. Finally, the DAB (Digital Audio Broadcast/Broadcasting) system requires a clock frequency of 8.192 MHz. These examples clearly illustrate that there is no integer relationship between these different clock frequencies. However, a multimode or multisystem transceiver must be designed such that it can be used for all communications standards and, in particular, for the standards mentioned above. This means that the individual functional blocks in the transceiver must be suitable for use in different mobile radio communications systems.
A further problem in the development of an integrated multimode transceiver circuit is that, in addition, the clock frequency must at the same time be sufficiently low but the multiples of the clock frequency, that is to say their harmonic frequencies, do not fall in the desired signal band of the receiver or in the intermediate frequency band. The harmonic frequencies of the clock frequency must also not appear in the signal spectrum of the transmission signal. Furthermore, the integrated transceiver circuit must be designed such that reception interference in the receiver path caused by the harmonic clock frequencies of the parasitic modulation of the voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) is outside the specified frequency bandwidth of the mobile radio system. On the other hand, however, the clock frequency should be high enough in order to allow increased oversampling for the analog/digital converters, which may be in the form of switched capacitor (SC) sigma delta converters or continuous time (CT) sigma delta converters.
Because some local oscillators and the clocks for the analog/digital and digital/analog converters are integrated on the transceiver chip, the frequencies and clock frequencies must be planned particularly carefully. This is necessary in particular in order to avoid undesirable interference in the desired RF or IF band, or in the base frequency band. Furthermore, the required signals must be derived from the main clock in a manner which allows the current that is drawn to be kept as small as possible, the chip area to be minimized, and a flexible solution to be offered.
Until now, the clock for the analog/digital converters has been obtained from the clock signal from a crystal oscillator or from the harmonic frequencies of the clock signal from the crystal oscillator, with the crystal oscillator being arranged outside the integrated circuit. As an alternative to this the problem has until now been solved by providing a separate frequency generator, comprising a voltage controlled oscillator and a phase locked loop, specifically for this purpose outside the integrated circuit.
A method and an appliance for production and processing of quadrature signals are specified in the document DE 696 16 136 T2. This document describes a transceiver with a receiver in which two oscillators are provided in order to produce local frequencies. A/D converters, which operate at a sampling frequency fs, are connected via low-pass filters.
One object of the invention is to specify an integrated transceiver circuit which can be used for different clock frequencies, without interference from the harmonic frequencies produced by the clock frequencies.

Integrated transceiver circuit with low interference production and sensitivity