A method for protecting and/or repairing a shoreline incorporates a liner material laid upon and following a contour of a scoured shoreline, a plurality of filled bags placed upon the liner material in a linear arrangement at or below an extreme low water shoreline and a volume of rock fill placed upon the liner material between a shore wall and the linear arrangement of the filled bags. An upper surface of the rock fill is preferably arranged forming a grading sloping downward from the shore toward the filled bags. A liner return segment is arranged covering the rock fill and secured to the shore. Vegetation is disposed upon and covering an exposed portion of the liner material to complete the restoration construction. The liner material can be a geotextile filter fabric paper. The filled bags can be concrete bags. The rock fill can include an aggregate of fifty-seven rock.

Shoreline along coastal regions or surrounding lakes and other bodies of water erode over time. The erosion reshapes the bank around the body of water. The changes in the bank can have an adverse affect on the landscape, adjacent structures, and the like. For the purpose of this disclosure, the term "shoreline" is intended to encompass the boundary line between of any body of water and land.
Shoreline erosion may due to one or more of a variety of factors including, for example, water motion, wave action, irrigation of landscaping, rainfall runoff, settling, gravity, loss of vegetation, earthquakes, loosening of ground structure caused by burrowing and other motion of animals, fish, wildlife, and the like.
Motion of the water can also be caused by any of a number of conditions including, for example, wind across a fetch, tidal flows, man-driven flow (such as drainage pumping), action of animals, motion of boats, water flow, drainage structures, pool drainage, irrigation runoff, rainfall collection, and the like.
Settling occurs as fine sediment filling in areas between larger constituents, such as rocks, is drawn away from a shoreline, bank, and/or coastline. The removal of the sediment reduces support and stability of the larger constituents. The less stable larger constituents are then subjected to effects of gravity, causing them to move downward towards a basin of the body of water.
Vegetation can spreads roots throughout the upper portion of a shoreline, bank, and/or coastline regions. The roots tend to collect and retain sediment. The less plants growing in the soil, the more likely that erosion will occur. If the vegetation is removed or dies off, the effect of the beneficial effects of roots in reducing erosion is diminished. Vegetation can be impacted by changes in the shoreline. As the water rises, the water can kill the vegetation. The loss of vegetation reduces the support of the shoreline composition (e.g., sediment, sand, rocks, shells, and dirt), causing degradation of the shoreline.
Any other introduction of movement to the coastal or shoreline area could further aid in erosion. Movement of animals, fish, and wildlife along the shoreline, earthquakes, wind, and the like can all contribute to the degradation of the shoreline.
Various methods are known for aiding in the restoration of degraded shoreline and minimizing/preventing subsequent erosion of shoreline regions along bodies of water. However, each of the known solutions has disadvantages, drawbacks and/or limitations.
A common method of restoration is simply re-grading and re-sodding along an eroded stretch of shoreline. This fails to provide a long-term, preventative solution to the erosion problem.
It is known to use certain structures such as sheet pilings and bulkheads along a shore to provide a vertical barrier between the shoreline region and the water. Sheet pilings are a retaining wall providing a barrier between the land and the body of water. The sheet pilings are commonly fabricated of reinforced concrete or steel sheets. These present an unnatural and, to some extent, an unsightly appearance that are often discouraged by water control districts.
An alternative to sheet pilings is referred to as a riprap, which comprises layers of filled bags creating a barrier between the shoreline area and the body of water. The bags are commonly arranged on an incline. Alternatively, the riprap can be fabricated of dispensed rubble, such as varying sized rocks. The riprap can be considered unsightly.
Another restoration method involves the deployment of gabions. Gabions are cages or baskets deployed to retain soil and stabilize the shoreline, with the goal of controlling the rate of erosion. The gabions are typically stacked in layers to form a wall or barrier in a similar manner as the filled bags creating the aforementioned riprap. The gabions can be considered unsightly. In order to deter corrosion of the artificial structure, gabions are commonly fabricated of stainless steel, which significantly raises the cost of the restoration process.
Another restoration method is the application of a covering material to the affected area, wherein the covering is intended to secure the underlying soil. This solution relies upon the longevity of the material, adequate cover, and remains void of deterring any underlying erosion.
Accordingly, there is a long felt and unmet need for a shoreline erosion restoration and prevention method that can be efficiently implemented to effectively restore an eroded shoreline and/or prevent future shoreline erosion, and which retains a shoreline region in a natural looking, aesthetically-pleasing along a body of water in a desirable arrangement over an extended period of time. The system would include features to protect the areas against erosion resulting from any number of common and normal occurrences, such as water flow, rainfall, storms, wind, animals, and the like.

Shoreline erosion control arrangement and method


An EDM electrode curved in both the the Z and the Y planes permits the formation of film cooling holes in a highly contoured article.

The present invention relates to forming holes in articles, such as gas turbine engine components, and more particularly to an electrode for use in an electrical discharge machining (EDM) device.
Gas turbine engines operate at extremely high temperatures for increased efficiency. Stationary vanes, disposed between rings of moving blades within the turbine section of the engine direct and stabilize high temperature gas flow from one stage of moving blades to the next. Direct exposure to this high temperature gas, however, detrimentally affects the vanes and blades by causing component distortion and even melting in extreme cases.
Internal cooling techniques have been developed to maintain the temperature of the blades and vanes within design limits while operating at high temperatures. The outer surface of engine components is typically cooled with high pressure cooling air from the compressor section of the engine to provide film cooling. In this method, a layer of cool air is flowed between the high temperature gases and the external surfaces of the engine components. The layer of cooling air is formed by passing the cooling air through a series of small holes in the component which are formed in a predetermined pattern. The resulting film of air reduces component surface temperature thereby deterring component distortion. Engine efficiency is also increased because higher turbine inlet temperature ranges are possible.
Many processes exist to form cost effective, high quality cooling holes in gas turbine engine components. One such process is electrical discharge machining (EDM). EDM is a well-known process for producing holes or other openings in metals in which current discharges are utilized to erode metal. For example, by pulsing a direct current between a positively charged work piece (anode) and a negatively charged electrode (cathode), a spark discharge is produced. The current occurs when the potential difference between the electrode and the work piece, both in contact with a dielectric fluid, is great enough to breakdown the dielectric fluid and produce an electrically conductive channel. Upon application of a voltage, a current flow results with enough heat energy to melt and erode the work piece. This process has application in the machining of small, deep, odd-shaped holes which are cumbersome, if not impossible, to produce by other means.
A conventional EDM method for producing diffusion holes in engine components uses a planar copper electrode or "EDM comb" which is typically manufactured by stamping and coining. The teeth of the electrode are small diameter elongated ends that form a hole shape defined by electrode, with allowance for electrode overburn and EDM electrode erosion.
Although the above EDM method is successful, limitations exist. One such limitation is that conventional planar EDM combs are constrained to a straight line of holes, which are only applicable to a relatively straight airfoil sections.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an EDM electrode which can produce high quality holes which can be applied to highly contoured airfoil sections of an airfoil in an efficient and effective manner.

Method of producing cooling holes in highly contoured airfoils


A propulsion assembly for a rotorcraft includes a mast including a distal ridge and a proximal ridge forming a retaining pocket therebetween, a raceway receivable by the retaining pocket to form a press fit between the mast and the raceway and a mast bearing assembly including a plurality of bearings facing the mast to engage the raceway. The distal and proximal ridges are operable to reduce axial motion of the raceway along the mast, thereby securing the raceway in the retaining pocket.

Rotorcraft propulsion assemblies include a drive system that transfers rotational energy from a power source, such as an engine, to a rotor. Rotorcraft drive systems include a mast, which typically extends from a transmission and terminates at a rotor hub from which a number of rotor blades radially extend. Because masts carry shear, thrust and other loads during operation, propulsion assemblies often utilize a mast bearing assembly including bearings that engage with the mast to facilitate mast rotation while providing structural support for the mast against these loads. Raceways on the outer surface of the mast provide a surface against which the bearings of the mast bearing assembly engage. Because raceways are required to bear shear, thrust and other loads transmitted via the bearings, raceways are often harder than the remainder of the mast.
Propulsion assemblies that include integral raceways require that the mast be made from a steel allow that can be case hardened, such as by induction hardened or carburized, to form a hard surface to act as the raceway for the bearings. Such steel alloys, however, have a tendency to corrode in areas such as the hub spline and as a result, may require more frequent replacement. Integral raceways also require the entire mast to be replaced if the raceway is damaged. Nonintegral raceways may be used to overcome some of these drawbacks. Propulsion assemblies utilizing a nonintegral raceway may include a mast formed from a corrosion resistant material, such as a stainless steel, and a raceway formed from a conventional bearing steel alloy capable of high hardness. Current propulsion assemblies with nonintegral raceways have, however, encountered numerous other challenges. For example, in fastening the raceway to the mast, current nonintegral raceways require mast threads, nuts and other fasteners that cause structurally compromising stress concentrations, especially when experiencing induced cyclic loading during flight. Current nonintegral raceways also require more parts, thereby increasing the weight of the propulsion assembly and introducing additional stress points during operation. Accordingly, a need has arisen for nonintegral raceways capable of bearing high loads and preserving the structural integrity of masts while minimizing the weight, number of parts and stress points in the propulsion assembly.

Rotorcraft masts having a nonintegral raceway


A method is disclosed to preserve data integrity during loss of power to an information storage and retrieval system. Applicants' method converts a plurality of sectors having a first sector format to a plurality of sectors having a second sector format. If a power failure warning is received during the sector format conversion process, the method prefetches the next second sector, overlays the next first sector onto part of all of that prefetched second sector, and saves the newly-written second sector before loss of utility power. After restoration of utility power to the information storage and retrieval system, Applicants' method writes that newly-written second sector to an information storage medium.

Data storage and retrieval systems are used to store information provided by one or more host computer systems. Such data storage and retrieval systems receive requests to write information to one or more secondary storage devices, and requests to retrieve information from those one or more secondary storage devices. Upon receipt of a write request, the system stores information received from a host computer in a data cache. In certain implementations, a copy of that information is also stored in a nonvolatile storage device. Upon receipt of a read request, the system recalls information from the one or more secondary storage devices and moves that information to the data cache. Thus, the system is continuously moving information to and from storage devices, and to and from the data cache.
Applicants' invention includes a sector format conversion device which in the event data disposed in the data cache is written in a first sector format and the data disposed in the one or more storage devices is written in a second sector format, converts data comprising the first sector format into data comprising the second sector format. Applicants' apparatus and method preserve data integrity throughout the sector conversion process even during a power failure. In certain embodiments, Applicants' apparatus and method are compliant with the Power Failure Warning protocols under the SFF-8045 Specification.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Apparatus and method to preserve data integrity during a power loss

International Business Machines Corporation


A process for obtaining accurate DC convergence in a DC phase of a circuit simulation program for models of field effect transistors (FETs) on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate. The process comprises running iterations of the DC phase of the circuit simulation program such that error criteria are satisfied, wherein the pseudo-time step changes at each iteration until it reaches a value such that a desired current value is achieved. DC convergence is also achieved by reducing the magnitude of the capacitive and/or charge elements connected to the floating body regions of the field effect transistors on the silicon-on-insulator substrate model during the DC phase to achieve a desired current value.

The present invention relates generally to a circuit simulation program and, more specifically, to a method for obtaining DC convergence for silicon-on-insulator (SOI) field effect transistors (FETs) models in the steady state DC phase of a circuit simulation program.
Circuit simulation programs make use of device models to simulate single devices or large circuits consisting of many devices. These circuit simulation programs use standard numerical methods to solve an underlying system of equations (e.g. algebraic).
A typical circuit simulation consists of several phases. Usually in the first phase a steady state DC analysis is performed to compute the initial operating point (e.g. currents, voltages, charges) for each of the circuit elements. When the circuit simulation program successfully completes the DC analysis, it is said to have achieved xe2x80x9cDC convergence.xe2x80x9d A second phase, known as the transient analysis phase, is often conducted to compute the changes in the circuit currents and voltages as a function of time. Alternatively, the second phase might be a frequency analysis phase which computes the frequency dependence of the circuit. In some cases, the desired information is obtained from the DC analysis, in which case a second phase is not needed.
Circuit simulation programs use iterative methods for solving the circuit equations. For example, in the steady state DC phase (hereinafter xe2x80x9cDC phasexe2x80x9d) of the analysis, the program starts by assuming an initial operating point for all the circuit elements. That is, an initial set of voltages, currents, and charges is chosen. The program then allows a small amount of time to pass and calculates the changes in the operating point for all the circuit elements. The amount of time is called the xe2x80x9cpseudo-time step.xe2x80x9d The qualifier xe2x80x9cpseudoxe2x80x9d is used since during a DC analysis the xe2x80x9crealxe2x80x9d time has not changed. In this discussion, we will use the phrase xe2x80x9ctime stepxe2x80x9d with the understanding that it refers to a xe2x80x9cpseudo-time stepxe2x80x9d during a DC analysis. The program then uses the previous result to choose a new operating point and time step, and repeats the calculations. Each repeat of the calculations is called an xe2x80x9citeration.xe2x80x9d
After each iteration, the changes in the voltages, currents, and charges are compared to an error criteria. If any of these changes are greater than the error criteria, the program continues with another iteration. If all of these changes are less than the error criteria then the program stops. At this point, when all of the error criteria are met, xe2x80x9cDC convergencexe2x80x9d is achieved. All of the voltages, currents, and charges have reached their steady state, DC values. If the program continues without ever meeting the error criteria, or stops for any other reason, then there is a failure to achieve DC convergence.
During a second transient analysis phase, the program proceeds in a similar manner except that xe2x80x9creal-timexe2x80x9d steps are used instead of xe2x80x9cpseudo-timexe2x80x9d steps. Circuit analysis programs are controlled by an input dataset, also known as a source or a netlist, and typically consist of at least three main components or sections. In the AS/X and PowerSPICE circuit simulation programs, the three components are the model description, execution controls, and outputs.
The description of the circuit and the details of the circuit models are given in the model description section. The execution controls section contains instructions that specify the analysis phases to be run, and the run controls which specify how the analysis is to be carried out. The outputs section specifies the information to be returned from the program.
A device model consists of a set of circuit elements which stimulate the operation of a device, such as a field effect transistor (FET). The basic components of an FET, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, include a source 10, drain 12, gate 14, and body region 16. The substrate 1 is made of those materials conventionally used, such as silicon, and often contains a doped well region containing the source, drain and body regions of the FET. An optional oxide region 30 provides lateral electrical isolation of the device.
The voltages of the source, drain, gate, and body regions determine the currents which flow through the FET. As a result, it is important to accurately model and simulate these voltages.
The FET in FIG. 1 is illustrative of a xe2x80x9cbulkxe2x80x9d device in which the substrate or well region 1 is either electrically grounded or connected to a fixed power supply voltage. For this FET, the body region 16 is contiguous with substrate or well region 1. Thus, the electrical ground or power supply connection provides a stable, known voltage for the body region 16. As a result, circuit simulation programs do not have a problem solving for the operating point associated with the body region of these bulk FETs.
Recently, it has become desirable to use FETs formed on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate, an example of which is illustrated in FIG. 2. SOI substrates have an oxide layer 18, which is an electrical insulator, separating body region 16 from substrate 1. As a result, the body region of the SOI FET is not electrically connected to a stable ground or power supply voltage. In this case, the body region is often referred to as a xe2x80x9cfloating bodyxe2x80x9d region. The voltage of this floating body region is sensitive to small DC leakage currents which enter or leave from the source and the drain to the floating body region, and is also sensitive to small capacitive currents between the floating body region and the source, drain, gate, and substrate. The sensitivity of the floating body region creates difficulty in achieving DC convergence in circuit simulation programs, or if convergence is achieved, the resulting solution is often incorrect. This problem is exacerbated with circuits containing many SOI FETs, the design of which is becoming increasingly common.
The deficiencies of the use of conventional circuit simulation programs show that a need exists for obtaining accurate DC convergence in the DC phase for SOI FET models. To overcome the shortcomings of conventional methods, a new process is provided. An object of the present invention is to provide a method of obtaining accurate DC convergence in the DC phase for SOI FET models in a circuit simulation program.
To achieve these and other objects, and in view of its purposes, the present invention provides a method for obtaining an accurate DC convergence in the DC phase of a circuit simulation program for field effect transistors (FETs) of a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate.
The method of the invention comprises setting a desired current value and running the steady state phase of a circuit simulation program, simulating circuits containing models of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) field effect transistors (FETs), and requiring that iterations continue until the error criteria are met, and also requiring that iterations continue until the size of the pseudo-time step has increased to a value such that the desired current value is achieved. Both of these conditions are required to achieve DC convergence. The large final value of the pseudo-time step helps the simulator achieve DC convergence, and in addition, assures that a correct solution is found.
Preferably, the size of the pseudo-time step in the DC phase of the simulation is controlled by modifying an algorithm in the circuit analysis program so that the size of the pseudo-time step changes with each iteration until it reaches a sufficiently large value such that the desired current value is achieved. The size of the large value is preferably specified by a run control in the circuit simulation program.
In a second embodiment of the invention, a desired current value is selected and the values for the capacitive and/or charge elements in the field effect transistors (FET) on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate model are reduced during the steady state DC analysis to achieve the desired current value. At the end of the DC analysis the capacitive and charge elements are restored to their original correct values. Reducing the capacitive and charge values assists the circuit simulation program in achieving an accurate DC convergence by reducing the small capacitive or charge element currents into or out of the floating body regions, so that the small DC currents from the source and drain to the floating body regions determine the floating body voltages.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, but are not restrictive, of the invention.

Method for obtaining DC convergence for SOI FET models in a circuit simulation program

International Business Machines Corporation


A system and method for monitoring an analog data signal is provided that includes an analog data compression subsystem. The analog data compression subsystem includes a frequency bandpass filter, a rectifier, and an integrator such as a leaky integrator or one that is reset after being sampled. An analog data signal is bandpass filtered by the frequency bandpass filter, rectified, and integrated in the analog domain. The output of the integrator is converted into a digital data value by an analog-to-digital converter circuit that samples the integrator at a desired sample rate or duty cycle. The output of the integrator can trigger an event based upon established criteria. Multiple analog data compression subsystems can be used in parallel to monitor multiple frequency bands-of-interest.

A health monitoring system (HMS) in general monitors one or more parameters corresponding to the health of a system. Such parameters may pertain to the system environment, which are typically represented as analog data signals that may also be referred to as raw data, raw analog data signals, analog information signals, analog data streams, or analog information streams. Exemplary parameters that are represented by such analog data signals include temperature, humidity, radioactivity, PH, etc. Such parameters may also be represented by analog data signals relating to physical properties of a system, for example, loading, stress, strain, acceleration, etc. Certain properties may be measured relative to one or more directions or axes.
FIG. 1a illustrates an exemplary prior art HMS 100 for processing a raw analog data signal. Referring to FIG. 1a, a sensor 102 outputs an analog data signal 104 that is conditioned by a signal conditioning circuit (or conditioner) 106 to produce a conditioned analog data signal 108 that is inputted into an analog-to-digital converter circuit (or A/D converter) 110. Optionally, analog data signal 104 can be inputted directly into the analog-to-digital converter circuit 110. The analog-to-digital converter circuit 110 includes a sample-and-hold circuitry and provides a digital data signal 120 to a processor 112. The processor 112 stores and retrieves digital data signal 120 values using a memory 116 and interfaces with a clock 118. The conditioned analog data signal 108 may also be input into a raw analog data trigger device (or trigger) 114 that compares the conditioned analog data signal 108 to a determined, or established, threshold value, or any other comparison criteria, and triggers a raw analog data event signal 122 to processor 112 when the conditioned analog data signal 108 is greater than or equal to the threshold value or when the comparison criteria is met in any manner.
The conditioning circuitry 106 may comprise an operational amplifier used to amplify analog data signal 104 to an appropriate voltage required for proper operation of the analog-to-digital converter circuit 110. Generally, the conditioning circuitry 106 may comprise circuitry intended for amplification, filtering, converting, and any other processes required to make sensor output suitable for conversion to a digital format. A raw analog data trigger device 114 would typically comprise a comparator. As such, the prior art health monitoring system can be described as a system that produces analog data signals corresponding to sensor measurements, conditions the analog data signals to enable conversion to a digital format, and converts the analog sensor measurements to digital sensor measurements, which are stored in memory for post processing. The prior art health monitoring system may also trigger an event if an analog sensor measurement meets or exceeds an established threshold. It should be noted that in FIG. 1a, the raw analog data trigger device 114, raw analog data event signal 122, the input of analog data signal 104 into analog-to-digital converter circuit 110, and the input of conditioned analog data signal 108 into raw analog data trigger device 114 are depicted using dashed lines to indicate that they are optional. Dashed lines are also used in several subsequent figures to indicate options.
FIG. 1b illustrates an exemplary prior art health monitoring method 130 for processing a raw analog data signal. Referring to FIG. 1b, health monitoring method 130 comprises several steps intended to store individual samples of a raw analog data signal. In a first step 132, an analog data signal is obtained, for example, from a sensor. In a second step 134, which may or may not be required, the analog data signal is conditioned, for example amplified, thereby producing a conditioned analog data signal. The conditioned analog data signal is then converted in a third step 136 to a digital data value, the digital data value corresponding to a discrete sample of the analog data signal. In a fourth step 138, the digital data value is stored in a memory, for example, a hard drive. A time stamp may be stored along with each digital data value or a reference time may be associated with multiple sample values, for example, multiple samples sampled at a defined sampling rate relative to a determined reference time. An optional step 140 of method 130 is to compare the conditioned analog data signal to a threshold and, if it meets (or exceeds) the threshold, another optional step 142 is performed, which is to trigger a raw analog data event (or event). Triggering an event could be setting off an alarm, shutting down a system, varying a parameter of the system, changing the rate at which the analog data signal is being sampled, for example, increasing the sampling rate for some period of time in order to more precisely capture the aftermath of the triggered event in greater detail, or any other defined action or process.
An exemplary HMS scenario involves the monitoring of vibrations in the tail rotor of a helicopter; where it is desirable to detect operational anomalies prior to rotor failure. A typical vibration monitor used to monitor vibration in the tail rotor may sample vibrations represented by an analog data signal at the rate of 20,000 samples per second, which for a 3 hour flight corresponds to 72,000,000 samples. Clearly, the data storage and processing requirement for 3 hours of such sampled raw data is significant. Thus, long term monitoring of the health of a system using sampled raw data can require power and memory resources that are often cost prohibitive. Moreover, the huge amounts of raw data produced by an existing HMS when used for long term monitoring of the health of a system often requires significant data storage resources, and the computational resources and significant time required to process such amounts of raw data make real time assessment of the health of a system impractical to achieve under many health monitoring scenarios.
Generally, as the amount of raw analog data pertaining to the monitoring of a system increases, power storage and processing requirements also increase so it becomes more and more difficult to make a real time assessment of the health of the monitored system. Therefore, there exists a need for an improved system and method for monitoring of an analog data signal.

System and method for monitoring an analog data signal


A memory device for data storage has a memory module with at least one memory bank in which data are stored and from which the stored data are read out, and a logic unit for controlling a writing and a reading of data to and from the at least one memory bank. Furthermore, a test module for testing the functionality of the memory module is provided. The test module is arranged in a manner separated from the memory module in a separate circuit unit, and is connected to the memory module via a communication device for the exchange of communication signals

FIG. 4 shows a conventional memory device 100, which in this example has arranged four memory banks 101a, 101b, 101c and 101d. The individual memory banks 101a–101d are connected to a comparison and compression circuit V arranged in an evaluation circuit region A. The comparison and data compression circuit V serves for testing the functionality of the individual memory banks 101a–101d of the memory module 100. It should be pointed out that the circuit arrangement illustrated in FIG. 4 is a detail from an arbitrary semiconductor memory chip with memory array and data path. It is disadvantageous that in the conventional memory module 100 only ever one memory bank 101a, 101b, 101c, or 101d at a time can transmit results onto a data bus D.
As shown below with reference to FIG. 5, the data bus comprises four data lines 103a–103d in this example of a conventional memory module. In a conventional manner, the memory banks 101a–101d in each case comprise secondary sense amplifiers 102a–102d. All data lines are connected to the comparison and data compression circuit in order to be able to perform a data comparison and a data compression.
FIG. 5 shows the memory module 100 illustrated schematically in FIG. 4 in greater detail. FIG. 5 shows only two memory banks 101a, 101b with the corresponding secondary sense amplifiers 102a–102d. It should be pointed out that only four sense amplifiers 102a–102d are shown by way of example here, whereas in principle a large number of secondary sense amplifiers 102a–102n is provided in a memory bank 101a–101n, where the number n may be greater than 100.
The requirement for increasingly higher storage densities gives rise to the problem that a chip area, i.e. a space requirement for the memory module, has to be reduced. In the case of the conventional memory modules illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, it is thus inexpedient that the comparison and data compression circuit identified by a reference symbol V is arranged in the evaluation circuit region A (dashed region in FIG. 4). The comparison and data compression circuit V serves for testing the individual memory banks 101a–101n of the memory module, it being disadvantageous that only one memory bank 101a–101d in each case can be tested at a specific time. It is disadvantageous that a simultaneous testing of the memory banks 101a–101n contained in the memory module 100 is not made possible, in such a way that the test time is increased (four-fold in the example shown in FIG. 4 in order to test all four memory banks).
This inexpediently leads to the disadvantage that the test costs are increased as a result of a lengthening of the test time when testing the conventional memory module 100 for functionality. An increase in parallelism when testing the memory module 100 could be provided by increasing the number of internal data lines 103a–103d. However, increasing data lines in this way inexpediently leads to the disadvantage that they cause a considerable space requirement, as a result of which the chip area is disadvantageously enlarged.

Method for testing a memory device and memory device for carrying out the method


A process for obtaining a frozen fish product comprises: treating frozen or non-frozen fish, which comprises molecules of myosin and molecules of actin, each molecule of myosin having a head region (6) and a tail region (8), such that the conformation of the head region of the molecule of myosin changes irreversibly and the conformation of the molecule of actin does not change completely and irreversibly; and storing the fish under freezing conditions. Suitable treatments for affecting the conformational change include application of pressure. The treated fish product has an increased resistance to frozen deterioration of texture.

Fish muscle comprises fibres having a typical diameter of 30 to 200 microns. These fibres comprise myofibrils having a typical diameter of 1 to 2 microns.
The myofibril is built up of many sarcomeres aligned end to end. One sarcomere may be defined as the structure lying between adjacent lines AA and BB of FIG. 1.
Within each sarcomere are thin filaments 2, comprising mainly the protein actin, together with thick filaments 4, comprising mainly the protein myosin. These filaments are organised into a lattice structure, as illustrated by the cross sectional views of FIG. 1.
The myosin molecule consists of a head region 6 and a tail region 8.
It has been shown by Yamamoto et al, Biosci Biotech Biochem, 57, 383 (1993) that the application of ultra high pressure will denature the head region of the myosin molecule and that this denaturation is likely to occur at lower pressures than those required to denature the myosin tail region. It has also been shown that pressures below 500 MPa do not fully denature the myosin molecule (McArthur & Wilding, Gums and Stabilisers in the Food Industry Vol 8, Phillips, Williams & Wedlock, IRL Press, 309-317 (1995)).
Fish, either as fillets or mince or as part of a more complex product such as fish fingers, has the problem that it deteriorates on prolonged frozen storage (for example, storage for 6 months at -10.degree. C.). On thawing, the texture of the fish is quite different to the texture of fresh fish. Typically, the thawed fish appears wet, will lose water even on gentle squeezing, and has an opaque appearance. The differences between fresh fish and thawed fish persist after cooking; the thawed fish has a grey rather than white appearance, is more chewy, dry and fibrous, and exhibits increased water loss during cooking.
The rate of textural decline of frozen fish is predominantly governed by the temperature at which it is stored and the fish species: fish of the Gadoid species (eg Cod, Alaska Pollack, Saithe, Whiting and Haddock) are particularly prone to frozen deterioration.
The textural changes resulting from the freezing and frozen storage of fish have been attributed to changes in the myofibrils.
Jarenback et al, in the Journal of Food Technology, vol 10, p 229 (1975), observed a decrease in the dimensions of the lattice structure described above in frozen cod samples which had undergone textural deterioration. Also, they observed disturbances to the lattice.
It is understood that during freezing and frozen storage, water is displaced from myofibrils and forms ice crystals. Upon thawing, the water is not able to return to its original location because the myofibrils' lattice structure is not able to return to its original dimensions. Hence, textural deterioration results.
It is therefore desirable to be able to slow or prevent frozen deterioration, so enabling displaced water to return to myofibrils upon thawing.
We have now shown that it is possible to provide fish with at least some resistance to frozen deterioration, by subjecting the fish to a treatment which irreversibly changes the conformation of the head region of the myosin molecule, such that it is unable to revert back to the conformation observed in untreated samples, but does not completely and irreversibly change the conformation of the actin molecule. This means that the myosin head region is at least partially denatured as a result of this treatment, whilst the actin molecule may be partially denatured but is not completely denatured.
An article by D Farr in Trends in Food Science & Technology, vol 1, 1990, p 14-16 discusses the effects of high hydrostatic pressure on protein denaturation and states that such denaturation has been attributed to the pressure-induced unfolding of the protein chains. It also mentions that the use of moderate hydrostatic pressures, in combination with sub-zero temperatures, has been proposed as a means of storing food products without the formation of ice, thereby avoiding damage due to freezing.
This avoidance of damage is achieved by applying pressure to lower the freezing point of water and storing the food product at a sub-zero temperature which is greater than the lowered freezing point of water, such that the water in the food product does not freeze and thus can not form damaging ice crystals.
An article by D E Johnston in Chemistry & Industry, no 13, 1994, p 499-501 mentions that pressure treatment can result in reversible or irreversible enzyme denaturation, and that high pressure offers a means of controlled protein unfolding. It also states that rapid uniform freezing can be made to take place by cooling a food below its freezing point under high pressure and then releasing the pressure, thus giving rise to less textural damage when the food is thawed.
As a result of the almost immediate freezing provided by this technique, ice crystals have little time to grow so they are very small and distributed evenly throughout the food. Hence, textural damage is reduced in comparison to a traditionally frozen food, which contains bigger ice crystals, which cause greater textural damage as a consequence of their size.
However, a problem with this technique is that heat is generated as the ice is formed. If this heat is not removed, the food rises in temperature and thaws. Another problem is that the technique does not prevent the small ice crystals from growing during frozen storage, so textural damage may still occur.
An article by I N A Ashie and B K Simpson in Food Research International, Vol 29 No5-6, pp569-575, 1996, discusses the effect of high hydrostatic pressure on seafood enzymes and relates this to seafood texture deterioration. However, there is no discussion of the effect of pressure on myosin and actin molecules in fish. There is no mention of subsequent freezing or of controlling water loss on frozen storage of the seafood.

Process for providing a frozen fish product


A DC-DC converter includes a high side transistor and a low side transistor connected in series between an input potential and a grounding potential, and an LC filter connected between a connection point of the both transistors and an output terminal. A control unit controls the gate potential of the high side transistor in an ON state and the gate potential of the low side transistor in an ON state according to a magnitude of a current output from the output terminal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a DC-DC converter.
2. Background Art
Recently, many electronic devices include DC-DC converters that convert a direct current voltage supplied by a power supply into a direct current voltage of a prescribed magnitude. Improvements to the conversion efficiency of DC-DC converters are required to realize a long battery life in battery-driven devices such as portable devices and the like (refer to JP-A 2006-25567 (Kokai)).

DC-DC converter with gate voltage control based on output current


An absorbent article has a longitudinal length dimension, a lateral cross dimension, a front waistband portion, a back waistband portion and an intermediate portion which interconnects the front and back waistband portions. The article includes a backsheet layer having a pair of laterally opposed side margins, with each side margin having an outwardly concave, terminal side edge contour located at appointed leg opening regions in an intermediate portion of each of the side margins. Each concave side edge contour has a selected longitudinal extent along the length dimension of the article. A liquid permeable topsheet layer is connected in superposed relation to the backsheet layer, and an absorbent body is sandwiched between the topsheet layer and the backsheet layer. A separate, elasticized and gathered leg gusset is connected to the article along each of the appointed leg opening regions, and each leg gusset is configured to extend beyond and to bridge between opposed, spaced-apart portions of an associated one of the concave side edge contours of the backsheet layer.

Conventional absorbent articles, such as disposable diapers, have been constructed with various types of elasticized waistbands and elasticized leg bands or leg cuffs. Such article have also included additional, elasticized containment or barrier flaps at the leg and/or waist sections of the article. Particular article designs have incorporated a stretchable outer cover composed of an elastomeric web material, such as a stretch-bonded laminate which includes a layer of nonwoven fabric. Other conventional designs have included separate elastomeric or nonelastomeric side panel members connected to the lateral side edges of a backsheet or outercover member, and have included fastening systems and fastening tabs connected to the side panels for securing the article on a wearer.
Articles which incorporate conventional barrier flap configurations at their legband and waist sections, however, have exhibited various shortcomings. For example, it has been difficult to maintain the desired operation of the barrier flaps when the articles are being worn. Even when the barrier flaps are constructed of an elastomeric material or otherwise elasticized, it has been difficult to maintain contact between the movable edge of the barrier flap and the wearer's body and has been difficult to reliably hold the flap open for an effective receipt and containment of urine and feces. As a result, there has been a continued need for improved containment structures at the leg and waist regions of the absorbent articles.

Absorbent article with improved elastic margins and containment system


A disc-shaped information carrier with a substrate and an information layer which includes optically readable elementary marks having a substantially uniform density. The information layer includes a first portion suitable for being read out at a first read-out speed and a second portion suitable for being read out at a second read-out speed higher than the first read-out speed. According to the invention, the second portion of the information layer is at a greater distance to a center of the disc-shaped information carrier than is the first portion of the information layer. A range of rotational speeds which an optical read-out unit must have for a full and correct read-out of the information carrier is reduced in this manner. In a special embodiment, the first portion of the information layer includes a first version of an audio recording provided on the information layer by the DSD transformation method, whereas the second portion of the information layer includes a second version of this same audio recording provided on the information layer by the PCM transformation method.

A known optically readable disc-shaped information carrier is the CD. The elementary marks of the information layer of the CD comprise tiny pits which are provided along tracks in the information layer. The density of the marks is defined by an interspacing present between the tracks and an interspacing present between the marks on a track. Besides the standard CD, which can contain an audio program of well over an hour, a high-density CD (HDCD) is known having an information layer where the interspacings present between the tracks, the interspacings present between the marks on a track, and the pits themselves are substantially smaller than on a standard CD. The amount of information which the high-density CD can accommodate is thus substantially greater than the amount of information on the standard CD.
Since the available space on a high-density CD is comparatively large, the information layer of a high-density CD can be provided with more than one portion, such as, for example, a first portion and a second portion, the information of the first portion being suitable, for example, for being read out at a first read-out speed and the information of the second portion being suitable, for example, for being read out at a second read-out speed which is substantially higher than the first read-out speed. The term "read-out speed" is understood to mean the number of elementary marks to be read out per unit time, also called bit rate in the case of a CD. The read-out speed of each of the two portions is determined inter alia by the nature of the information present on each portion of the information layer.
A disadvantage of a disc-shaped information carrier of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph is that the information carrier can only be fully read out by means of an optical read-out unit which has a comparatively wide range of rotational speeds.

Disc-shaped information carrier provided with two portions having different read-out speeds


A washing apparatus for mop heads and washing pads which has the introduction of cleaning solution into a compartment for the mop as well as an overflow and drain function. The washer provides affordability, eliminates the need for electricity as a power source or lifting the cleaning water so as to drain the unit, and eliminates the possibility of back injuries associated with lifting. The washing apparatus also affords versatility that it can be combined with a mop bucket with a wringer function. Further, it can include accessories such as a spray nozzle or a foam gun.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to washing apparatus and more particularly to an apparatus for washing mop heads and pads.
2. Background Art
Mops are used extensively in cleaning floors. While much attention is given to products for use in the cleaning the floors, not much attention has been given to cleaning the mops.
A typical sequence of usage of a mop involves placing it in a wash tub or bucket with cleaning solution, wringing out excess solution, mopping a floor, wringing out the dirty solution and placing the mop back in the solution. The sequence is then repeated. In many situations when the mopping operation is completed, no attempt is made to further wash the mop head such as by running clean water over it. Consequently when the mop is used subsequently, much of the dirt or foreign material is introduced into the wash water for the next mopping operation. The problem of the dirty mop becomes more serious when it is used to mop up breakage in a grocery store which involves all types of food items, such as pickle juice, ketchup, milk, etc. It becomes even more serious in institutions such as schools, wherein a janitor is required to mop up all types of materials including urine and vomit. Dirty mop water is not changed frequently enough due to the physical effort needed to lift and drain the bucket and the repugnance of physical contact with the contaminated cleaning solution and dirty mop head.
There is no standard in North America for cleaning mops and pads. In general, on site wash machines have not been accepted in North America due to initial cost, space constraints, electrical hook ups and maintenance costs.
The use of a dirty mop can result in the following:
Degradation of floor appearance due to the use of dirty mops and pads.
Floor finish discoloration leading to premature strip out and re-installation.
Wasted labor dollars on ineffective daily maintenance.
The spread of bacteria causing malodor and an unhealthy environment.
The transfer of contaminants which may alter the floor surface and change the acceptable standard for the coefficient of friction possibly contributing to slip/falls.
Shortened mop and pad life contributing to increased supply expenditures.
Visual and sensory impact on a customer when dirty mop heads emitting malodor are used.
Could be a primary cause in failed store inspections generating additional wasted dollars for compliance and possible fines.
Possible increase in pest control budget due to spread of bacteria and contamination.
Accordingly, there is a need for an apparatus which can clean a mop head in an efficient manner so as to reduce the possibility of carryover of dirt, contamination, and foreign material into the cleaning solution for subsequent mopping operations.
The objects of the invention therefore are:
Providing a mop head and pad washing apparatus which can efficiently clean and sanitize a dirty mop head automatically as needed.
Providing a mop head and pad washing apparatus of the foregoing type which is easy to operate without an increase in labor costs.
Providing a mop head and pad washing apparatus which provides an efficient drain for both contaminated cleaning solution as well as sediment from a bucket bottom.
Providing a mop head and pad washing apparatus of the foregoing type which includes a wringer function.
Providing a mop head and pad washing apparatus of the foregoing type which does not require an electrical power source.
Providing a mop head and pad washing apparatus which is compact and portable.
Providing a mop head and pad washing machine of the foregoing type which can provide a fully automatic detergency and water cycle control.


A method includes accessing data representing a layout of a layer of an integrated circuit (IC) having a plurality of polygons defining circuit patterns to be divided among a number (N) of photomasks over a single layer of a semiconductor substrate, where N is greater than two. The method further includes inputting a conflict graph having a plurality of vertices, identifying a first and second vertex, each of which is connected to a third and fourth vertex where the third and fourth vertices are connected to a same edge of a conflict graph, and merging the first and second vertices to form a reduced graph. The method further includes detecting at least one or more vertex in the reduced having a conflict. In one aspect, the method resolves the detected conflict by performing one of pattern shifting, stitch inserting, or re-routing.

In semiconductor fabrication processes, the resolution of a photoresist pattern begins to blur at about 45 nanometer (nm) half pitch due to diffraction. To continue to use fabrication equipment purchased for larger technology nodes, multi-exposure methods have been developed.
Multiple exposure or multi-patterning technology (MPT) involves forming patterns on a single layer of a substrate using two or more different masks in succession. If only two masks are used for patterning a layer, the technique is referred to as double exposure. One form of double exposure is referred to as double patterning technology (DPT). In DPT, first and second masks are used sequentially to pattern the same layer. As long as the patterns within each mask comply with the relevant minimum separation distances for the technology node, the combination of patterns formed using both masks may include smaller separations than the minimum separation distance. MPT allows line segments, and in some cases, more complex shapes to be formed of a vertical segment and a horizontal segment on the same mask. Thus, MPT provides flexibility and generally allows for significant reduction in overall IC layout.
MPT is a layout splitting method analogous to an M-coloring problem for layout splitting in graph theory, where M is the number of masks used to expose a single layer (and M also equals the number of exposures of photoresist over the single layer of the substrate, where each exposure is performed using a respectively different mask). For example, if two masks are to be used (double patterning, DPT), it is customary to refer to the patterns as being assigned one of two "color types", where the color corresponds to a photomask assignment.
An MPT native conflict exists for a given number of photomasks, when there is no way to assign all the circuit patterns to the given number of photomasks, without violating minimum separation design rules. There will be at least two circuit patterns assigned to the same one of the photomasks, such that those two circuit patterns remain closer to each other than the minimum separation distance determined by design rules for a given technology node. For example, in the case of MPT with three photomasks for exposing a single layer (triple patterning technology, TPT), there is a triple patterning native conflict if there is no way to divide the circuit patterns of that layer among three masks without violating the minimum separation distance design rule in at least one of the three masks. The designer can resolve the MPT conflict without increasing the number of masks by making a change to the layout.

EDA tool and method for conflict detection during multi-patterning lithography

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


Provided are an ionized PVD device capable of performing film formation having excellent vertical growth, and more particularly an ionized PVD device having a comparatively simple structure in which a rate of a metal film formed by neutral metal atoms can be reduced in a contact hole of a semiconductor substrate to perform film formation having excellent bottom coverage, and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device using the ionized PVD device. Air-core coils are provided on an outside of a vacuum chamber concentrically with a central axis of the vacuum chamber and an extension axis of the central axis. The air-core coils are electromagnets for forming an S-shaped magnetic field in the vacuum chamber almost along a contour shape thereof. The air-core coils are provided so as to form the magnetic field in a straight portion in the vicinity of both ends of the vacuum chamber, and the air-core coils are provided so as to form the magnetic field in a bent portion of the vacuum chamber.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ionized PVD device and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, and more particularly to an ionized PVD device capable of performing film formation having excellent vertical growth, and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device using the ionized PVD device.
2. Description of the Background Art
With reference to FIG. 9, a structure of a conventional ionized PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) device 90 will be described below. FIG. 9 is a schematically sectional view for explaining the structure of the ionized PVD device 90.
As shown in FIG. 9, the ionized PVD device 90 comprises a cylindrical vacuum chamber 20 having a bottom and a cover in which a high-frequency coil (RF coil) 21, a sputtering target 22 and a wafer susceptor 23 are incorporated.
The high-frequency coil 21 is provided in a central portion of the vacuum chamber 20 such that a direction of a central axis thereof is coincident with that of a central axis of the vacuum chamber 20. Both ends of the high-frequency coil 21 are electrically connected to a high-frequency power supply R1 and a ground potential GND through current introducing terminals (feedthrough terminals) 24A and 24B provided on a side wall section 201 of the vacuum chamber 20.
The sputtering target 22 is attached to a cover section 202 which is electrically insulated from the side wall section 201 of the vacuum chamber 20 through an electric insulator 25, and is electrically connected to a negative output terminal of a DC power supply D1 through the cover section 202. The side wall section 201 and a bottom section 203 of the vacuum chamber 20 are electrically connected to a ground potential GND.
A peripheral portion of the sputtering target 22 is covered with a dark space shield 27.
A wafer 30 is mounted on the wafer susceptor 23. The wafer susceptor 23 serves to apply a high-frequency bias to the wafer 30, and includes a table 231 for mounting the wafer 30 thereon, and a strut 232 for supporting the table 231. The strut 232 is connected to a high-frequency power supply R2 through the bottom section 203 of the vacuum chamber 20, and is electrically insulated from the bottom section 203 by an electric insulator 26.
Operation of the ionized PVD device 90 will be described below with reference to FIG. 9.
First of all, the vacuum chamber 20 is sealed to exhaust air in the vacuum chamber 20 from an exhaust port which is not shown and to reduce a pressure of the vacuum chamber 20 to a predetermined value. Then, a rare gas such as an argon gas is introduced into the vacuum chamber 20 through a gas inlet which is not shown to raise the pressure of the vacuum chamber 20 to a predetermined value.
The sputtering target 22 is electrically connected to the negative output terminal of the DC power supply D1 through the cover section 202. For this reason, when a voltage is applied from the DC power supply D1, the sputtering gate 22 functions as a cathode. Since the side wall section 201 of the vacuum chamber 20 is connected to the ground potential GND, it functions as an anode. When an output voltage of the DC power supply D1 reaches a predetermined value, a plasma AP is produced in the vacuum chamber 20.
Argon ions in the plasma AP collide with the sputtering target 22 which acts as a negative potential, and sputter a component of the sputtering target 22, for example, titanium (Ti) as neutral atoms or titanium ions. A material of the sputtering target 22 is determined according to a composition of a desired film to be formed on the wafer 30 which will be described below.
The high-frequency coil 21 is provided so as to surround a region where the plasma AP is formed. A high-frequency current is caused to flow from the high-frequency power supply R1 to the high-frequency coil 21 so that an induction field is formed in the plasma AP. Electrons in the plasma AP are accelerated by the induction field. Consequently, a density (an ionization degree) of the plasma can be increased by ionization function of the accelerated electrons.
The neutral atoms or ions of titanium sputtered from the sputtering target 22 enter the plasma AP, and the neutral atoms are ionized by the accelerated electrons.
The titanium ions move in the plasma AP to approach the wafer 30. A wafer-plasma DC electric field which is induced by a high-frequency voltage applied from the high-frequency power supply R2 to the wafer 30 through the wafer susceptor 23 is present between a surface of the wafer 30 and the plasma AP. Consequently, the titanium ions are accelerated by the DC electric field and are caused to be incident on the wafer 30 almost perpendicularly.
If the titanium ions are incident on the wafer 30 almost perpendicularly, film formation having excellent bottom coverage can be performed in which a titanium film is formed on only a bottom of a vertical contact hole formed on the wafer 30, and is not formed on a wall of the contact hole.
If a rate of a metal film formed by neutral metal atoms incident on the wafer 30 with a great angular spread is higher than that of a metal film formed by metal ions incident on the wafer 30 perpendicularly, vertical growth is poor so that the bottom coverage is deteriorated.
More specifically, the metal film is formed on the wall of the contact hole as well as the bottom portion thereof. Consequently, the contact hole is blocked.
The neutral metal atoms which cause the above-mentioned state exist in the plasma AP. As described above, the neutral metal atoms are supplied from the sputtering target 22. However, about several percent of the neutral metal atoms are ionized. Accordingly, the neutral metal atoms exist more than the metal ions in the plasma AP.
While all the neutral metal atoms are not incident on the wafer 30, at least the neutral metal atoms having a speed component in a wafer direction are incident on the wafer 30. The ionized PVD device 90 described above does not have a structure in which the neutral metal atoms are prevented from being incident on the wafer 30.
If an ionization ratio of the neutral metal atoms can be increased rapidly, an influence of the neutral metal atoms can be reduced. However, the high-frequency coil 21 incorporated in the ionized PVD device 90 is not perfect. A mechanism for producing a plasma by arc discharge and a structure for supplying the neutral metal atoms by a method other than sputtering should be required so that a structure of a device becomes complicated.

Ionized PVD device and method of manufacturing semiconductor device


Light-shielding layers are adhered to the lower surface of a glass plate, spaced apart from each other and defining a slit having a width of L. An array of rod lenses is located below the glass plate, such that the optical axes of the lenses pass through the slit. The lower surface of the glass plate is generally covered, and exposed via the slit only. Hence, the leakage of lights reflected from points near a reading position into each photoelectric conversion element is minimized, whereby the element outputs a pixel signal faithfully representing that part of the image which is located at the reading position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a contact-type image sensor which has photoelectric conversion elements for converting light reflected from a document to electric signals corresponding to an image formed on the document, and more particularly, to a structure which reduces the leakage of unnecessary light into the photoelectric conversion elements.
2. Description of the Related Art
A contact-type image sensor comprises a light source, an erect-image focusing optical system, and a line sensor. The light source applies light to a document. The optical system, such as a rod-lens array, receives the light reflected from the document and focuses an erect image on the light-receiving surface of the line sensor, with a magnification of one. The line sensor has a linear array of photoelectric conversion elements, which have a length substantially equal to the width of the document. The photoelectric conversion elements convert the image focused by the optical system, to electric signals. In other words, the line sensor generates electric signals (image signals) which correspond to the image formed on the document.
The rod lens array comprises a number of rod lenses juxtaposed in the same direction as the photoelectric conversion elements, with their optical axes aligned parallel to each other. Each of the rod lenses has two focal points located at the same distance from the midpoint on the axis of the lens. The document is placed in the plane containing the first focal point of every rod lens, whereas each photoelectric conversion element is located at the second focal point of the corresponding rod lens. Hence, the document opposes the photoelectric conversion elements, with the rod lens array interposed between the document, on the one hand, and the conversion elements, on the other hand.
FIG. 7A illustrates the positional relationship among each rod lens 71, the document 72, and each photoelectric conversion element 73. As is evident from FIG. 7A, the light reflected from a given point P1 on the document 72 (i.e., the point corresponding to one pixel) is focused by the rod lens 71 on the light-receiving surface of the conversion element 73, which is located at point P2 opposing the point P1.
If rod lens 71 has ideal characteristics, the light focused at point P2 should be exclusively the light reflected from the point P1 on the document 72. Referring to FIG. 7B, the light A reflected from a point P3 spaced part from the point P1 should be focused at a point P4 which is symmetrical to the point P3 as is indicated by the arrow B, after passing through the rod lens 71.
However, the rod lens can hardly have such ideal characteristics, due to the limited manufacturing precision. A stray light is inevitably generated in the lens 71 as any light passes through the lens 71. Consequently, there is the possibility that the light reflected from any point (including the point P3) near the point P1, as well as the light reflected from the point P3, may be applied to the light-receiving surface of the photoelectric conversion element 73. Thus, the conversion element 73 generates a pixel signal which is superposed with the components corresponding to the stray lights resulting from the lights reflected from points other than the point P1.
This problems will be described in greater detail, with reference to FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 9.
FIG. 8A illustrates the case where a white line on a black background is to be read. As shown in the figure, the point P1 is on the white line so that the white line may be read. However, the light reflected from any point within a circle S, the center of which is the point P1, are focused on the photoelectric conversion element 73 because of the characteristics of the rod lens 71. Hence, the lights reflected from those parts S1 and S2 of the black background, which are within the circle S, are also applied through the lens 71 to the photoelectric conversion element 73. The element 73 therefore receives less light than in the case where no dark parts of an image are located within the circle S, as is illustrated in FIG. 8B. As a result, as is shown in FIG. 9, the voltage OA output by the element 73 is lower than the voltage OB the element 73 should generate if no dark parts of an image were located within the circle S.
Thus, although the point P1 is placed on the white line to read the line, the voltage output by the transducer element 73 changes in accordance with the condition of those parts of the image which are located near the point P1. As a consequence, the pixel signal output by the element 73 is one influenced by the parts of the image which are near the reading position.

Contact-type image sensor for generating electric signals corresponding to an image formed on a document


The invention concerns a machine for collecting and sorting waste comprising a frame (2) with a base (3) resting on the floor and a front face (5) in which an opening (7) is made, allowing access to a waste insertion zone (8), the machine further comprising, inside the frame (2), means (50) of recognizing waste, a waste sorter (40) and means (20, 23) of storing sorted waste comprising at least two containers (20), the machine comprising:                an elevator (15) for transporting a waste item inserted into the insertion zone (8), towards the sorter (40) disposed vertically above the insertion zone (8), and        the waste sorter (40) being arranged so as to move the transported waste vertically above a container (20), selected according to information furnished by waste recognition means (50), and in which the waste is received.

The present invention concerns a machine for collecting and sorting waste, and more particularly a machine with a small footprint, making it possible to collect a large volume of waste.
In an ecological and societal contribution, the recycling of household waste has become common practice. However, it is more difficult to recycle waste outside the home, because the collection of this waste requires a large infrastructure.
Thus, it is particularly difficult to collect and sort waste from machines dispensing hot or cold drinks. Indeed, these machines deliver different types of drinks, the contents of which must be selectively sorted, stored and recycled. This requires waste containers that are specific to each type of waste, collection means that are close to the dispensers, and regular collection. The collection of waste produced by automatic dispensers is therefore more difficult than the collection of household waste.
Metal cans, plastic bottles and plastic cups are the most commonly used containers in automatic dispensers. There are known devices for sorting and storing waste of this type. In particular, the document FR2829950 describes an automatic waste-compacting and sorting machine. This machine comprises a compression shaft for compacting and moving the waste and sensors for detecting the type of waste (steel, aluminum or plastic) as well as means for directing the waste towards the respective containers.
However, such a machine occupies a large surface area on the floor. It is therefore difficult to place it in confined spaces such as an employees' lounge.

Machine for collecting and sorting waste

Abstract: The machine can also comprise means for compacting waste.


This invention provides an image-forming system having automatic finish output chaining, where an imaging job can switch to an alternate destination when a default destination is no longer usable.

An image-forming machine transfers images from original documents onto paper or other medium to create a finished product such as a booklet, a folded brochure, or a tabbed notebook. The original documents may be in hard copy (paper or other medium) or in electronic form (floppy disk, compact disc, and the like) or may be transmitted over a network such as the Internet. Many print jobs have a long run length due to many factors such as large numbers of original documents and large numbers of finished product or sets. An image-forming machine usually operates unattended for print jobs with long run lengths. With this type of operation, there can be a loss of productivity and other losses when a finishing destination is no longer usable during the image-forming process. A finishing destination may no longer be usable if the destination becomes full or is unlocked (accessed by a user) during the image-forming process. The image-forming machine usually shuts down when the finishing destination is full or unlocked, thus requiring the operator to restart the image-forming machine after emptying or locking the finishing destination. The time between shutdown and restart of the image-forming machine is considered lost time.

Image-forming system with automatic finish output chaining


An RF module for multimode-multiband communication includes an RF switch, a GPS communication module, a CDMA communication module, a GSM communication module, a WLAN communication module. The GPS communication module, the CDMA communication module, the GSM communication module and the WLAN communication module are connected the RF switch. The RF switch can switch among the GPS communication module, the CDMA communication module, the GSM communication module and the WLAN communication module to transmit/receive signals correspondingly.

1. Technical Field
The disclosure generally relates to radio frequency (RF) modules and wireless communication devices using the same, particularly to an RF module and a wireless communication device using the same for multimode-multiband communication.
2. Description of Related Art
Since 1992, second generation communication systems, such as Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) system including frequency bands of GSM900, GSM1800 and GSM1900 have developed rapidly. However, second generation communication systems cannot satisfy the requirement of people for data transmission quality because of their low data transmission speed. Therefore, third generation communication systems, such as Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) communication system including frequency band of Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) 2000, Personal Communications Service (PCS) 1900, and CDMA850 offering high speed data transmission and multimedia service were developed and put into service, and are anticipated to exist alongside second generation communication systems for a long time into the future.
What is needed, therefore, is an RF module and a wireless communication device which can support multimode-multiband communication, and switch among different frequency bands of different communication systems freely to realize the function of global roaming.

Radio frequency module and wireless communication device using the same


The invention provides a human ankyrin family protein (ANFP) and polynucleotides which identify and encode ANFP. The invention also provides expression vectors, host cells, antibodies, agonists, and antagonists. The invention also provides methods for diagnosing, treating, or preventing disorders associated with expression of ANFP.

Cells contain a cytoskeleton that links intracellular compartments with each other and the plasma membrane. Associations between the cytoskeleton and the lipid membranes bounding these compartments involve spectrin, ankyrin, and integral membrane proteins. Spectrin is a major component of the cytoskeleton and acts as a scaffolding protein. Similarly, ankyrin acts to tether the actin-spectrin moiety to membranes and to regulate the interaction between the cytoskeleton and membranous compartments. Different ankyrin isoforms are specific to different organelles and provide specificity for this interaction. Ankyrin also contains a regulatory domain that can respond to cellular signals, allowing remodeling of the cytoskeleton during the cell cycle and differentiation (Lambert, S. and Bennett, V. (1993) Eur. J. Biochem. 211:1-6).
Ankyrins have three basic structural components. The N-terminal portion of ankyrin consists of a repeated 33-amino acid motif, the ankyrin repeat, which is involved in specific protein-protein interactions. Variable regions within the motif are responsible for specific protein binding, such that different ankyrin repeats are involved in binding to tubulin, anion exchange protein, voltage-gated sodium channel, Na.sup.+ /K.sup.+ -ATPase, and neurofascin. The ankyrin motif is also found in transcription factors, such as NF-.kappa.-B, and in the yeast cell cycle proteins CDC10, SW14, and SW16. Proteins involved in tissue differentiation, such as Drosophila Notch and C. elegans LIN-12 and GLP-1, also contain ankyrin-like repeats. Lux et al. (1990; Nature 344:36-42) suggest that ankyrin-like repeats function as `built-in` ankyrins and form binding sites for integral membrane proteins, tubulin, and other proteins.
The central domain of ankyrin is required for binding spectrin. This domain consists of an acidic region, primarily responsible for binding spectrin, and a basic region. Phosphorylation within the central domain may regulate spectrin binding. The C-terminal domain regulates ankyrin function. The C-terminally-deleted ankyrin, protein 2.2, behaves as a constitutively active ankyrin, displaying increased membrane and spectrin binding. The C-terminal domain is divergent among ankyrin family members, and tissue-specific alternative splicing generates modified C-termini with acidic or basic characteristics (Lambert, supra).
Three ankyrin proteins, ANK1, ANK2, and ANK3, have been described which differ in their tissue-specific and subcellular localization patterns. ANK1, erythrocyte protein 2.1, is involved in protecting red cells from circulatory shear stresses and helping maintain the erythrocyte's unique biconcave shape. An ANK1 deficiency has been linked to hereditary hemolytic anemias, such as hereditary spherocytosis (HS), and a neurodegenerative disorder involving loss of Perkinje cells (Lambert, supra). ANK2 is the major nervous tissue ankyrin. Two alternative splice variants are generated from the ANK2 gene. Brain ankyrin 1 (brank1), which is expressed in adults, is similar to ANK1 in the N-terminal and central domains, but has an entirely dissimilar regulatory domain. An early neuronal form, brank2, includes an additional motif between the spectrin-binding and regulatory domain. An ankyrin homolog in C. elegans, unc-44, produces alternative splice variants similar to ANK2. Mutations in the unc-44 gene affect the direction of axonal outgrowth (Otsuka, A. J. et al. (1995) J. Cell Biol. 129:1081-1092).
ANK3 consists of fourankyrin isoforms (G100, G119, G120, and G195), which localize to intracellular compartments and are implicated in vesicular transport. Ank.sub.G119 is associated with the Golgi, has a truncated N-terminal domain, and lacks a C-terminal regulatory domain. Ank.sub.G120 and Ank.sub.G100 associate with the late endolysosomes in macrophage, lack N-terminal ankyrin repeats, but contain both spectrin-binding and regulatory domains characteristic of ANK1 and ANK2. Ank.sub.G195 is associated with the trans-Golgi network (TGN). These ankyrin isoforms are part of a spectrin complex which may mediate transport of proteins through the Golgi complex. A spectrin-ankyrin-adapter protein trafficking system (SAATS) has been proposed for the selective sequestration of membrane proteins into vesicles destined for transport from the ER to the Golgi and beyond. In this model, intra-Golgi, TGN, and plasma membrane transport would involve exchange of SAATS protein components, including ankyrin isoforms, to specify and distinguish the final destination for vesicular cargo (DeMatteis, M. A. and Morrow, J. S. (1998) Curr. Opin. Cell Biol. 10:542-549).
The discovery of a new human ankyrin family protein and the polynucleotides encoding it satisfies a need in the art by providing new compositions which are useful in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of autoimmune/inflammatory, cell proliferative, and vesicle trafficking disorders.


A subscriber to a remote call forwarding feature on a wire-line telephone line associated with a PBX (101) or central office (402), hereinafter, a “user”, can enable that feature by entering a feature code from an IP terminal (112, 412). The user enters a feature code from his/her IP terminal (112, 412), which feature code is received by a remote server (for example, server 110) having access to an IP user directory (113, 413), hereinafter, for example, an active user registry (AUR) database, and forwards necessary information for invoking the feature in a determined manner to a Service Control Point (SCP) (106, 406). The SCP recognizes the feature code as a request to invoke the remote call forwarding feature on the user's wire-line telephone so that calls directed to that wire-line telephone are forwarded to, for example, the user's cellular phone. Receipt of that feature code by the SCP, identifies the cellular phone's Electronic Serial Number (ESN) from a provided cellular phone number or Mobile Identification Number (MIN) and identifies the user and the feature to be invoked for that user. By performing an SCP database (108, 408) lookup associated with that ESN and MIN, information is retrieved relating to what PBX (101) or switch (402) should be contacted to invoke the feature, how and where to contact that PBX or switch, and what specifically must be sent to that PBX or switch to invoke the feature on the user's telephone line.

U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/823,944, filed Mar. 25, 1997 and published under EP 0 872 998 A1 on Oct. 21, 1998, defines the terms "user" and "subscriber" as related directly to called party and calling party respectively in a telecommunications context and describes an active user registry (AUR), also referred to in U.S. Pat. No. 6,055,510. Referring to FIG. 2B, taken in part from EP 0 872 998 A1 and supplemented in accordance with the present invention, there is shown an example of an active user registry (AUR) in which a user, typically a called party, inputs and stores for use by subscribers, calling parties trying to reach the called parties, a thorough list of personal telecommunications parameters. The thorough list of personal telecommunications parameters includes but is not limited to the user's name and aliases 215, their home phone, work phone, cellular phone 220, e-mail address 240, URL 270 and reach number 290. The active user registry is one example of a network directory function for providing directory information about a user identifying, for example, all the possible ways a subscriber may reach a user such as by e-mail, by telephone at work or home, by facsimile at work or home, by pager, by cellular phone, by a personal display device (PDA) and the like.
The user may access the AUR and provide a current reach address so a subscriber may locate the user who accesses the AUR. There is no means, however, disclosed by which the user enters (or knows) their cellular mobile identification number-electronic serial number (MIN-ESN) or other cellular telephone service related information or can follow the steps disclosed in commonly assigned, parent U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/010,616 whereby a user may activate remote call forwarding from their home or PBX office phone to their cellular phone from their cellular phone. For convenience, the terms "user" and "subscriber" will be used consistently herein with the manner suggested by the '944 application.
Call forwarding is a feature commonly available through many telephone companies that enables a user as just defined to automatically have his/her telephone calls forwarded to another telephone number from the telephone line to which calls were initially directed. Remote call forwarding simply means that one can access call forwarding remotely, i.e. from another phone not associated with the feature. For example, when remote call forwarding is activated, a subscriber dialing the user at their PBX will reach the user at their cellular telephone according to the commonly assigned, prior '616 application once the user has remotely activated the feature from their cellular telephone not having the feature.
In its basic implementation, a user implements remote call forwarding by dialing a feature code from the telephone associated with the subscribed-to service and inputs the forwarding telephone number to which he wants subsequent calls directed. The central office switch recognizes the feature code and the telephone line from which the user has dialed, and the central office switch thereafter redirects calls from the user's telephone line to the forwarding telephone number. For remote call forwarding, again, the subscriber is not at the phone that is associated with the feature.
Two methods for remote call forwarding are commonly available: a network service or using specialized subscriber equipment connected to the subscriber's telephone line. As a network service, in order to invoke call forwarding to the telephone at the subscriber's current location, the subscriber makes an actual phone call to a designated special telephone number associated with his local switch, provides the number of the telephone associated with his local switch, provides the number of the telephone associate with the subscribed-to feature, inputs a PIN to prevent unauthorized call forwarding, and then inputs a feature code designated for call forwarding. The telephone number from which the subscriber initiates the procedure is recognized by the network and the subscriber's central office switch thereafter directs calls from the subscriber's telephone line to the telephone line from which the remote call forwarding feature has been invoked.
Using specialized subscriber equipment, in order to invoke remote call forwarding, the subscriber places a call to his specialized equipment, inputs a PIN to prevent unauthorized call forwarding, and then inputs the telephone number to which calls should be forwarded. The specialized equipment then connects to the subscriber's telephone number following the same procedure as basic call forwarding. The central office switch recognizes the feature code and the telephone line from which the subscriber's specialized equipment has dialed and the central office switch thereafter redirects telephone calls from the subscriber's telephone line to the forwarding telephone number.
Both basic call forwarding and remote call forwarding are features that can be associated with a subscriber's home telephone in which calls are redirected by the subscriber's switch in the local exchange office. Basic call forwarding and remote call forwarding are also features that can be associated with a telephone connected to a PBX in a corporate environment. As described above, for basic call forwarding the user enters a feature code from his telephone together with the telephone number to which calls are to be directed. For remote call forwarding, the user must dial a specific extension on the PBX, enter his own extension number, and a PIN. Once call forwarding is invoked, the PBX thereafter places an outbound telephone call to the forwarding telephone number in response to an inbound call directed to the forwarder's telephone number and bridges the inbound and outbound telephone calls.
A user of a mobile cellular telephone can invoke remote call forwarding to his cellular telephone from his home or office telephone in a manner described above. Thus, as described above, the user must dial a special telephone number, which number is either associated with his local switch or PBX, and then enter his telephone number and a PIN. Disadvantageously, such a procedure over a wireless cellular network can proved security problems that are not present when remotely invoking a call forwarding feature from a telephone on the secure wire-line telephone system. Specifically, since a user's touch-tone inputs on the cellular phone can possibly be intercepted, an eavesdropper could illegal obtain a user's telephone number and password and then remotely invoke the call forwarding feature to forward calls to some desired telephone number.
In the commonly assigned, parent application U.S. Ser. No. 09/010,616, filed Jan. 22, 1998, we described a method and system for remotely call forwarding calls directed to a subscriber's home or business phone line to the subscriber's cellular phone from their cellular phone.
An object of the present invention is to securely invoke a remote call forwarding feature for a subscriber's wire-line telephone from the subscriber's home or business phone to the subscriber's cellular phone from an IP connection.

Method and system for remote call forwarding of telephone calls from an IP connection


The present invention relates to compounds of the formula

Two different subtypes of cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2) have been isolated and both belong to G protein coupled receptor superfamily. Alternative spliced forms of CB1, CB1A and CB1B have also been described, but are expressed only at low levels in the tissues tested. (D. Shire, C. Carrillon, M. Kaghad, B. Calandra, M. Rinaldi-Carmona, G. Le Fur, D. Caput, P. Ferrara, J. Biol. Chem. 270 (8) (1995) 3726–31; E. Ryberg, H. K. Vu, N. Larsson, T. Groblewski, S. Hjorth, T. Elebring, S. Sjögren, P. J. Greasley, FEBS Lett. 579 (2005) 259–264). The CB1 receptor is mainly located in the brain and to a lesser extent in several peripheral organs, whereas the CB2 receptor is predominately distributed in the periphery primarily localized in spleen and cells of the immune system (S. Munro, K. L. Thomas, M. Abu-Shaar, Nature 365 (1993) 61—61).
Therefore in order to avoid side effects a CB1-selective compound is desirable. Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) is the principal psychoactive compound in the Indian hemp (Y. Gaoni, R. Mechoulam, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 86 (1964) 1646), cannabis sativa (marijuanan), and has medicinal uses (R. Mechoulam (Ed.) in "Cannabinoids as therapeutic Agents", 1986, pp. 1–20, CRC Press). Δ9-THC is a non-selective CB1/2 receptor agonist and is available in the USA as dronabinol (Marinol®) for the alleviation of cancer chemotherapy-induced emesis (CIE) and the reversal of body weight loss experienced by AIDS patients through appetite stimulation. In the UK Nabolinone (LY-109514, Cesamet®), a synthetic analogue of Δ9-THC, is used for CIE (R. G. Pertwee, Pharmaceut. Sci. 3 (11) (1997) 539–545, E. M. Williamson, F. J. Evans, Drugs 60 (6) (2000) 1303–1314).
Anandamide (arachidonylethanolamide) was identified as the endogenous ligand (agonist) for CB1 (R. G. Pertwee, Curr. Med. Chem., 6 (8) (1999) 635–664; W. A. Devane, L. Hanus, A. Breuer, R. G. Pertwee, L. A. Stevenson, G. Griffin, D. Gibson, A. Mandelbaum, A. Etinger, R. Mechoulam, Science 258 (1992) 1946–9). Anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) modulate at the presynaptic nerve terminal negatively adenylate cyclase and voltage-sensitive Ca2+ channels and activates the inwardly rectifying K+ channel (V. Di Marzo, D. Melck, T. Bisogno, L. De Petrocellis, Trends in Neuroscience 21 (12) (1998) 521–8), thereby affecting neurotransmitter release and/or action, which decreases the release of neurotransmitter (A. C. Porter, C. C. Felder, Pharmacol. Ther., 90 (1) (2001) 45–60).
Anandamide as Δ9-THC also increases feeding through CB1 receptor-mediated mechanism. CB1 selective antagonists block the increase in feeding associated with administration of anandamide (C. M. Williams, T. C. Kirkham, Psychopharmacology 143 (3) (1999) 315–317; C. C. Felder, E. M. Briley, J. Axelrod, J. T. Simpson, K. Mackie, W. A. Devane, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 90 (16) (1993) 7656–60) and cause appetite suppression and weight loss (G. Colombo, R. Agabio, G. Diaz, C. Lobina, R. Reali, G. L. Gessa, Life Sci. 63 (8) (1998) L113–PL117).
Leptin is the primary signal through which the hypothalamus senses nutritional state and modulates food intake and energy balance. Following temporary food restriction, CB1 receptor knockout mice eat less than their wild-type littermates, and the CB1 antagonist SR141716A reduces food intake in wild-type but not knockout mice. Furthermore, defective leptin signaling is associated with elevated hypothalamic, but not cerebellar, levels of endocannabinoids in obese db/db and ob/ob mice and Zucker rats. Acute leptin treatment of normal rats and ob/ob mice reduces anandamide and 2-arachidonoyl glycerol in the hypothalamus. These findings indicate that endocannabinoids in the hypothalamus may tonically activate CB1 receptors to maintain food intake and form part of the neural circuitry regulated by leptin (V. Di Marzo, S. K. Goparaju, L. Wang, J. Liu, S. Bitkai, Z. Jarai, F. Fezza, G. I. Miura, R. D. Palmiter, T. Sugiura, G. Kunos, Nature 410 (6830) 822–825).
At least two CB1 selective antagonist/inverse agonists (SR-141716 and SLV-319) are currently undergoing clinical trials for the treatment of obesity and/or smoking cessation. In a double blind placebo-controlled study, at the doses of 10 and 20 mg daily, SR 141716 significantly reduced body weight when compared to placebo (F. Barth, M. Rinaldi-Carmona, M. Amone, H. Heshmati, G. Le Fur, "Cannabinoid antagonists: From research tools to potential new drugs." Abstracts of Papers, 222nd ACS National Meeting, Chicago, Ill., United States, Aug. 26–30, 2001). SR-141716 reduced body weight, waist circumference and improved metabolic parameters (plasma HDL, triglycerides and insulin sensitivity) in several phase III studies (RIO-lipids, RIO-Europe and RIO-North America). Additionally SR-141716 has shown efficacy in a phase III trial for smoking cessation (STRATUS-US).
Substituted pyrazoles having activity against the cannabinoid receptors are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,624,941, 6,028,084 and 6,509,367, in PCT patent applications WO 98/031227, WO 98/041519, WO 98/043636, WO 98/043635, WO 04/192667, WO 04/0099157 and in patent application EP 658546.
Substituted pyridines, pyrimidines and pyrazines having activity against the cannabinoid receptors are disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 04/0259887 and in PCT patent applications WO 03/051850, WO 03/051851, WO 03/084930, WO 04/110453, WO 04/111033, WO 04/111034, WO 04/111038, WO 04/111039 and in patent application FR 2856684.
Other compounds which have been proposed as CB1 receptor antagonists respectively inverse agonists are aminoalkylindols (AAI; M. Pacheco, S. R. Childers, R. Arnold, F. Casiano, S. J. Ward, J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 257 (1) (1991) 170–183). Examples thereof are 6-bromo-(WIN54661; F. M. Casiano, R. Arnold, D. Haycock, J. Kuster, S. J. Ward, NIDA Res. Monogr. 105 (1991) 295–6) or 6-iodopravadoline (AM630, K. Hosohata, R. M. Quock, R. M; Hosohata, T. H. Burkey, A. Makriyannis, P. Consroe, W. R. Roeske, H. I. Yamamura, Life Sci. 61 (1997) 115-118; R. Pertwee, G. Griffin, S. Fernando, X. Li, A. Hill, A. Makriyannis, Life Sci. 56 (23–24) (1995) 1949–55). Furthermore, arylbenzo[b]thiophene and benzo[b]furan derivatives (LY320135, C. C. Felder, K. E. Joyce, E. M. Briley, M. Glass, K. P. Mackie, K. J. Fahey, G. J. Cullinan, D. C. Hunden, D. W. Johnson, M. O. Chaney, G. A. Koppel, M. Brownstein, J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 284 (1) (1998) 291–7) as disclosed in WO 96/02248 or U.S. Pat. No. 5,596,106, 3-alkyl-(5,5-diphenyl)imidazolidinediones (M. Kanyonyo, S. J. Govaerts, E. Hermans, J. H. Poupaert, D. M. Lambert, Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 9 (15) (1999) 2233–2236.) as well as 3-alkyl-5-arylimidazolidinediones (F. Ooms, J. Wouters, O. Oscaro. T. Happaerts, G. Bouchard, P.-A. Carrupt, B. Testa, D. M. Lambert, J. Med. Chem. 45 (9) (2002) 1748–1756) are known to antagonize the CB1 receptor respectively act as an inverse agonist on the hCB1 receptor. In WO 00/15609 (FR2783246-A1), WO 01/64634 (FR2805817-A1), WO 02/28346, WO 01/64632 (FR2805818-A1) and WO 01/64633 (FR2805810-A1) are disclosed substituted 1-bis(aryl)methyl-azetidines derivatives as antagonists of CB1. In WO 01/70700 4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazole derivatives are described as CB1 antagonists. In several patent documents bridged and non-bridged 1,5-diphenyl-3-pyrazolecarboxamide derivatives are disclosed as CB1 antagonists/inverse agonists (WO 01/32663, WO 00/46209, WO 97/19063, EP 658546, EP 656354, U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,941, EP 576357 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,940,418). However, there still remains a need for potent low molecular weight CB1 modulators that have improved pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties suitable for use as human pharmaceuticals.

Pyridine-3-carboxamide derivatives as CB1 inverse agonists

Abstract: wherein X and R1 to R8 are as defined in the description and claims, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. The compounds are useful for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of diseases which are associated with the modulation of CB1 receptors, such as obesity.