Using medical three-dimensional image data, at least one of a volume-rendering image, a flat reformatted image on an arbitrary section, a curved reformatted image, and an MIP (maximum value projection) image is prepared as a reference image. Vessel center lines are extracted from this reference image, and at least one of a vessel stretched image based on the center line and a perpendicular sectional image substantially perpendicular to the center line is prepared. The shape of vessels is analyzed on the basis of the prepared image, and the prepared stretched image and/or the perpendicular sectional image is compared with the reference image, and the result is displayed together with the images. Display of the reference image with the stretched image or the perpendicular sectional image is made conjunctive. Correction of the center line by the operator and automatic correction of the image resulting from the correction are also possible.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a processor for analyzing a tubular structure. More particularly, the present invention relates to a processor for analyzing a tubular structure which permits three-dimensional observation, in a diagnostically useful manner, of a tubular structure (system) such as blood vessels, the intestine, the windpipe, and the esophagus on the basis of three-dimensional imaging data of a patient captured by a diagnostic medical imaging apparatus (medical modality), and quantitative analysis of indices useful for diagnosis, including the thickness (including local changes such as stenoses and lumps) or the length of a tubular structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
It has been conventional practice in the diagnosis of blood vessels, to take X-ray images while administering an angiographic agent to a patient, in order to detect the presence of abnormalities on the basis of the image values.
Under such circumstances, the recent progress in imaging technology, such as X-ray CT (computer tomography) scanners and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), has made it possible to easily obtain three-dimensional images of areas of blood vessels to be diagnosed in a patient. As a result, it has become possible to perform tomographic diagnosis of blood vessels using such three-dimensional images.
While X-ray angiographic tests require arterial injection of an angiographic agent, three-dimensional imaging of blood vessels using X-ray CT or MRI permits angiography of blood vessels by venous injection. Venous injection is less invasive and can alleviate the burden on patients.
Blood vessel imaging methods that do not substantially require angiographic agents have been studied. In particular, tests that do not require angiographic agents based on MRI, which is a non-invasive procedure permit minimization of the burden imposed on the patient even when the test is repeated over a short period of time.
There are merits and demerits depending on the dimension of the imaging used for diagnosis. Since X-ray imaging is two-dimensional, assessment of a topological abnormality based on this imaging is limited. For example, when using X-ray images taken in one direction, the diagnosis tends to underestimate the degree of blood vessel stenosis. Use of three-dimensional imaging permits observation of a three-dimensional form, thus improving the accuracy of diagnosis of the stenosis. Three-dimensional imaging is also effective for identifying the three-dimensional structure of the blood vessel or an aneurysm. X-ray angiographic imaging at present is inadequate at rendering capillaries. However, as the image quality of three-dimensional imaging improves in future, the scope of application of diagnosis using three-dimensional images will be expanded.
Under such circumstances, the following methods have been proposed for three-dimensional topography of blood vessels.
For example, Japanese Examined Patent Application Publication No. 3-10985 discloses a method for calculating the longitudinal vector of a tubular structure taken from three-dimensional imaging data derived from X-ray CT, MRI, and ultrasonic diagnostic apparatuses by means of a "vector detector", calculating sections perpendicular to the tubular structure from the resultant longitudinal vector, and preparing and displaying images cut along these sections.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,891,030 discloses a method comprising the steps of extracting a center line of a tubular structure from an image of the tubular structure in a captured three-dimensional image; unbending the tubular structure along this center line in the longitudinal direction thereof into a stretched shape; displaying the stretched image; and displaying a volume-rendering image and a planar reformatted image corresponding to the former image.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-175847 discloses a method of producing MPR (Multiplanar Reconstruction) image data of a sectional surface perpendicular to the center line (center line, for example) of an extracted blood vessel, in sequence at positions along the center line of the blood vessel, and displaying the sequential images as an animation. This display method is intended to facilitate observation of the complex three-dimensional structure of blood vessels.
On the other hand, various techniques for extracting the center line of a blood vessel have already been proposed. For example, reference Onno Wink et al., "Fast delineation and visualization of vessels in 3-D angiographic images," IEEE Trans. Med. Imag., vol. 19, no. 4, 337-346, 2000 presents a method comprising the steps of determining the center line of a blood vessel as a sequence of points represented by three-dimensional coordinates, and extracting contours of a blood vessel on sectional surfaces perpendicular to the center line at the individual points on this center line. This makes it possible to achieve three-dimensional extraction of the blood vessel center line and the contours of the blood vessel (blood vessel surface). The area or diameter of the blood vessel can be determined for the individual positions along the blood vessel center line by extracting the center line and the contours of the blood vessel. This paper also presents a graph with the blood vessel diameter as the ordinate and the distance along the blood vessel center line as the abscissa.
The stenosis ratio of a blood vessel is calculated using a reference blood vessel diameter A on the assumption of the absence of stenosis, and the actual diameter B of the stenosis site in accordance with the formula: [100×(1−(B/A))] (%). In this calculation, a method of determining the reference diameter should be needed. An example of this calculation method is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 5-264232, which comprises the steps of estimating the reference diameter of a blood vessel from an angiographic image taken by a conventional two-dimensional X-ray imaging system, and calculating the stenosis ratio therefrom.
However, since a tubular structure such as a blood vessel has a complex shape because of the generally complex three-dimensional complex path, it is difficult to identify the position or the state of a disease such as stenoses and lumps even when observing a pseudo-three-dimensional displayed image (such as a volume-rendering image). When observing a two-dimensional image on an arbitrary sectional surface, on the other hand, it is very difficult to accurately set a sectional position, and this has imposed a burden on the operator, such as a physician.
These circumstances will be described in detail. The conventional three-dimensional observation method of a tubular structure such as a blood vessel or the large intestine involved various unsolved problems, as described below.
Firstly, when using a curved surface reformatted image, there is a problem in that it is difficult to readily grasp the position of a point in the curved surface reformatted image three-dimensionally and toward what direction it is directed.
Secondly, in the case of the method of displaying a sectional plane passing through the viewpoint position in a so-called "flythrough" display, information about the position in the blood vessel of a sectional plane at a position capable of being observed on the flythrough screen is unavailable.
Since the center line and the contour of the blood vessel are represented by many control points, manual editing takes additional time and labor.
Vascular diseases include aneurysm in which the blood vessel suffers from lumps. When the maximum diameter exceeds, for example, 5 mm, or the secular change in the maximum diameter exceeds, for example, 3 mm/year, the aneurysm may burst. It is generally believed that the patient should receive surgery. In the present circumstances, however, the maximum diameter of the aneurysm is observed and measured by use of an axial image. It is therefore difficult to grasp the three-dimensional shape or the secular change in diameter of the aneurysm, and the results are thus largely dependent upon the diagnostic ability and experience of the physician.

Processor for analyzing tubular structure such as blood vessels


A process for polymer deformulation by solvent solution filtration begins by including formulated polymers and/or polymer products in a recycle stream. The formulated polymer products include a quantity of soluble polymers and/or insoluble polymers, soluble and/or insoluble colorants, formulations and additives. The recycle stream is placed in a solvent, taking the polymer and formulations into a solvent/polymer solution. Next, the solution is processed through a filtration stage. A quantity of mineral filter aid particles are then added to the solution to adsorb formulations contained in the solution. One of the mineral filter aids must be some form of carbon, preferably activated carbon. Other mineral filter aids may include diatomaceous earth. The solvent/polymer solution is then subjected to an additional polish filtration stage to remove substantially all of the mineral filter agents and associated formulations. Following filtration, a quality check is performed on the solvent/polymer solution to determine whether additional filtering of the solution is required. If additional filtering of the solution is required, the filtering process is repeated. If no additional filtering is required, the deformulated polymer is separated from the solution, and the deformulated polymer is allowed to dry.

Polycarbonates and other soluble polymers, copolymers and polymer combinations (hereinafter collectively referred to as "polymers") are used extensively for a variety of industrial and consumer product applications including automobile parts, compact discs, and roadway signs to name a few. In a pure, clean unformulated state, soluble polymers may be used for any number of applications. Once a polymer is designated for a product application, the polymer encounters incorporation of colorants, formulations and other additives to yield a desired property package, processing consistency, and coloration. Polymers that have been subject to such incorporations are sometimes referred to as formulated polymers. These formulated polymers are generally in the form of small pellets until they are actually used to make products.
A certain quantity of unused formulated polymers may be discarded to a recycle stream during a molding process, or other process used to make the polymer products. Inclusion of a formulated polymer into a recycle stream often occurs when the polymer is in excess of that needed for the product or if the polymer is remaining trim from the product after molding. Additionally, commercial, industrial, and other consumers discard products containing formulated polymers following the useful life of the products. Once discarded, formulated polymers may be recycled and reused in other products. Because a large volume of polymers used in commercial, industrial, and consumer products are eventually discarded, polymer recycling and recovery is desirable for conservation of natural resources and other environmental considerations. However, current polymer recycling processes do not completely restore formulated polymers to their pure, clean unformulated state, because formulated polymers are not easily separated from their additives. Thus, even after current recycling techniques, many formulated polymers continue to contain many of the same additives as contained in previous formulation packages. Accordingly, subsequent uses of formulated polymers require increased additives for use in association with a new formulation package to hide the original formulation package. These further formulated polymers exhibit increasingly unpredictable characteristics caused by the increased use of additives, and polymer reprocessing becomes increasingly difficult and limited. Continued reformulation of previous formulations causes degradation of the products for which the polymers may be used. As this degradation of use is repeated, the polymer's properties also erode as the additives increase. Eventually, the polymer will have little or no value in the marketplace.
Therefore, while an unformulated polymer has almost unlimited applications, initial formulation of that polymer limits subsequent applications, and reformulation of the initial formulation limits applications even further. By way of example, consider a clear polymer substantially free of formulations such that the polymer is used to make window glazing. Following the useful life of the window glazing, the polymer is recycled and designated for re-use in a tan colored article. Before the polymer is used in the tan colored article, the polymer must be formulated to give the polymer the appropriate article characteristics, e.g., tan coloration. Following recycling of the tan colored article, attempted re-use of the now formulated polymer might be limited to applications for brown articles. Additional reprocessing of the polymer may further limit potential polymer applications such that the polymer might only be used to make black articles, or articles of some other color that will hide the brown.
Accordingly, it would be of advantage if the polymer recycling process could completely separate all additives from a polymer (i.e., deformulate the polymer) with little, if any, loss in the original chemical and physical properties of the polymer. Such deformulated polymers could then be re-used in any products and in any manner appropriate for use of the original polymer. For example, the black articles in the above illustration could be deformulated and used again as a window glazing. With an increased number of applications available for the recycled polymer, demand for the polymer would increase along with the value of the polymer.
Some prior art processes disclose techniques for separating or recycling plastics such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,278,282 to Nauman et al. Nauman et al. involves mixing commingled plastics with a solvent at various temperatures, and extracting certain polymers from the solution at particular temperatures. Nauman filters any contaminates from the solution which are not dissolved by the solvent. However, this process fails to remove all additives from the polymers. Therefore, although the polymers are separate at the conclusion of the Nauman process, the polymers are still formulated, i.e., still contain some additives.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,948 to Krutchen discloses a process for purifying waste contaminated polystyrene by dissolving the polystyrene in a solvent to form a solution, and recovering the contaminate free solution. However, the Krutchen process only discloses removal of accumulated waste products such as dirt and food particles, it does not disclose removal of any additives included in the original polystyrene product.
Accordingly, there is a need in the industry for a process which will remove additives such as pigments and dyes from polymers and result in an unformulated polymer that may be used in the same manner as the original unformulated polymer.

Polymer deformulation by solvent solution filtration


A massage device of the invention includes a base cover, a guiding device formed in the base cover and a moving base movably engaged with the guiding device. The moving base includes a bottom and a shield covered thereon to form a compartment therebetween. The moving base includes a massage system rotatably placed on the shield of the moving base; a first transmission system adapted for moving the moving base along the guiding device and a second transmission system adapted for driving the massage system, both the first and second transmission systems being contained in the compartment and driven individually.

Conventional massage devices, as disclosed in Taiwan Patent No. 238543 and 435223, generally utilize worm to drive two correspondingly configured worm wheels to rotate relative to each other so as to make kneading components eccentrically coupled on the worm wheels to move circularly to perform massage function. At present, the massage devices are usually assembled on neck-massage parts of massage chairs or presented in an individual massage chair. However, the main drawback of the above-mentioned massage devices is that they only provide a single massage effect.
Hence, it is desired to provide a massage device to solve the above-mentioned problems.


Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for decoupled selection of content for semi-connected electronic devices. In one embodiment, an example method may include determining a set of candidate content for presentation at a semi-connected device, the set of candidate content comprising first content and second content of at least one content campaign, determining that an impression of the first content was served while the semi-connected device was disconnected from a network, determining that the first content and the second content were eligible for presentation at a first timestamp of a first impression interaction for the impression of the first content, determining a first bid amount for the first content and a second bid amount for the second content at a second timestamp of delivery of the first content to the semi-connected device, and determining a winning bid amount for the first impression interaction using the first bid amount and the second bid amount.

Content may be presented on electronic devices to users such that users can consume the content. Users may consume or interact with certain content while other content may not be consumed or interacted with. Similarly, certain users may interact with certain content, while other users may not interact with the same content. Content may be presented on electronic devices that are not permanently or regularly connected to a network or other devices. Accordingly, serving content at such devices may be different than serving content at devices that are regularly connected to a network, and presenting relevant content at semi-connected devices may be difficult. Reflecting changes in value for user interaction with content presented at a particular semi-connected device may result in improved accuracy of data relating to impression interactions.
The detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings are provided for purposes of illustration only and merely depict example embodiments of the disclosure. The drawings are provided to facilitate understanding of the disclosure and shall not be deemed to limit the breadth, scope, or applicability of the disclosure. The use of the same reference numerals indicates similar, but not necessarily the same or identical components. Different reference numerals may be used to identify similar components. Various embodiments may utilize elements or components other than those illustrated in the drawings, and some elements and/or components may not be present in various embodiments. The use of singular terminology to describe a component or element may, depending on the context, encompass a plural number of such components or elements and vice versa.

Decoupled selection of content for semi-connected electronic devices


A packet transmission control device relating to the present invention includes: a storage unit configured to store a transmission resource available for use in the packet transmission, radio quality information on the downlink, and a transmission method to be used in the packet transmission while associating them with one another; a determination unit configured to determine a transmission method to be used in the packet transmission on the basis of the radio quality information, on the downlink reported from the mobile stations and the transmission resource available for use in the packet transmission, by referring to the storage unit; and a packet transmission unit configured to transmit the packet by using the determined transmission method.

Heretofore, a mobile communications system, which controls a downlink packet transmission, by adaptively changing a downlink packet transmission method (for example, such as a transmission format of a modulation scheme, a coding rate, or the like) in accordance with a downlink radio condition when a radio base station performs communications with mobile stations belonging to the radio base station. Such a control system is called an "AMC (Adaptive Modulation and Coding)" system.
In a mobile communications system to which such an AMC system is applied, a mobile station is configured to monitor downlink radio conditions, and to notify the radio base station of the monitored downlink radio conditions by using an uplink. Here, the downlink radio conditions include an SIR, a CIR, a received power, and the like.
Furthermore, the radio base station is configured to determine a downlink transmission method (for example, such as a transmission format of a modulation scheme, a coding rate, or the like) on the basis of the downlink radio conditions notified by the mobile station, and a transmission resource (a radio resource) available for the downlink packet transmission, and then to perform the downlink packet transmission with the determined transmission method.
At this time, in a case where the communications between the radio base station and the mobile station can be performed according to the downlink radio conditions, that is, in a case where the downlink radio conditions are good as in such a case where the mobile station is located near the radio base station, and a case where the moving speed of the mobile station is low, the mobile communications system to which the AMC system is applied is configured to perform the downlink packet transmission by use of a transmission method capable of performing communications at a higher transmission rate.
On the other hand, in a case where the downlink radio condition is poor as in such a case where the mobile station is located at the edge of the cell, and a case where the moving speed of the mobile station is high, the mobile communications system to which the AMC system is applied is configured to perform the downlink packet transmission by use of a transmission method capable of performing communications at a lower transmission rate.
Thus, the mobile communications system to which the AMC system is applied becomes capable of performing efficient communications in accordance with a change in a propagation environment.
Incidentally, as to the standardization of the Third Generation Mobile communications system, so called "IMT-2000" in the 3GPP/3GPP2 (Third-Generation Partnership Project/Third-Generation Partnership Project 2) organized by a regional standardization organization, or the like, the groundwork is laid for the standard specification for "W-CDMA system" in the former, and the groundwork is laid for the standard specification for "cdma2000 system" in the later.
In the 3GPP, on the basis of a prediction that high speed and large capacity traffic by downloading from a data base or a Web site specifically in downlink increases accompanying by the rapid widespread of the internet in recent years, the standardization of the "HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) system", which is a downlink high speed packet transmission system, has been in process.
Furthermore, also in the 3GPP2, from a viewpoint similar to the aforementioned one, the standardization of a downlink high-speed packet transmission system, "1x-EV DO" has been in process. Note that "DO" means "Data Only"" in the "1x-EV DO" of the cdma2000 system.
For example, in the HSDPA system, in accordance with the radio conditions between a mobile station and the radio base station, the AMC system which controls the modulation scheme or the coding rate of a radio channel is used. Here, the mobile station is configured to notify the radio base station of the downlink radio condition, by transmitting control information (radio condition information) called, CQI (Channel Quality Indicator) through the uplink. Note that the CQI is subjected to mapping with an uplink HS-DPCCH (High Speed-Dedicated Physical Control Channel) for the HSDPA.
Moreover, the mobile station is configured to calculate the aforementioned CQI on the basis of an SIR found from a downlink common pilot channel (CPICH: Common Pilot Channel). For example, the mobile station is configured to calculate the CQI so that the error rate of the received packet becomes 10%.
On the other hand, the radio base station determines, by use of the CQI and a downlink radio resource (that is, a power resource and a code resource), a transmission method (specifically, a transmission format or a transmission resource such as a modulation scheme, an amount of a code resource, a transport block size (TBS), or an offset value for an amount of a power resource), the method being used in the downlink packet transmission, and then, performs the downlink packet transmission by use of such a transmission method.
Furthermore, in the HSDPA system, the radio base station and a mobile station performs retransmission control, which is called H-ARQ control, at the same time. The mobile station receives a downlink packet, causes the decoding result (OK or NG) of the received packet to be subjected to mapping with an HS-DPCCH, and transmits it through the uplink as acknowledgement information regarding the downlink. On the other hand, the radio base station performs retransmission control by the H-ARQ control on the basis of the acknowledgement information.
Here, as the acknowledgement information regarding the downlink, there is Ack/Nack/DTX. The "Ack" is an affirmative response (OK) indicating that the receiving of a packet has been successful. The "Neck" is a negative response (NG) indicating that the receiving of a packet has failed. The "DTX" indicates that the mobile station has failed to receive downlink shared control information HS-SCCH in the downward direction for some reason, and has not received the downlink packet.
However, in the conventional mobile communications system, there has been a problem that it is difficult to control the trade-off relationship between reduction in a transmission resource used in a packet transmission and deterioration of an error rate.
Moreover, in the conventional mobile communications system, there has been a problem that a transmission resource (a radio resource such as a code resource or a power resource) is unnecessarily consumed since the transmission method used in a downlink packet transmission is not determined on the basis of the difference between a radio channel quality at the time of a retransmission by the H-ARQ control and a radio channel quality at the time of a initial transmission, or of the amount of data of the packet to be transmitted.

Packet transmission control device and packet transmission control method


Provided is an audio encoding and decoding apparatus and method for improving a compression ratio while maintaining sound quality when sinusoidal waves of an audio signal are connected and encoded. The audio encoding method includes connecting sinusoidal waves of an input audio signal, converting a frequency of each of the connected sinusoidal waves to a psychoacoustic frequency, performing a first encoding operation for encoding the psychoacoustic frequency, performing a second encoding operation for encoding an amplitude of each of the connected sinusoidal waves, and outputting an encoded audio signal comprising the encoding result of the first encoding operation and the encoding result of the second encoding operation.

1. Field of the Invention
Apparatuses and methods consistent with the present invention relate to audio encoding and decoding, and more particularly, to connecting and encoding sinusoidal waves of an audio signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Parametric coding is a method of segmenting an input audio signal by a specific length in a time domain and extracting sinusoidal waves with respect to the segmented audio signals. As a result of the extraction of the sinusoidal waves, if sinusoidal waves having similar frequencies are continued over several segments in the time domain, the sinusoidal waves having similar frequencies are connected and encoded using the parametric coding.
When connecting and encoding the sinusoidal waves having similar frequencies in the parametric coding, a frequency, a phase, and an amplitude of each of the sinusoidal waves are encoded first, and then a phase value and an amplitude difference of the connected sinusoidal wave are encoded.
When a phase value is encoded, in conventional parametric coding, a phase of a current segment is predicted from a frequency and phase of a previous segment (or a previous frame), and Adaptive Differential Pulse Code Modulation (ADPCM) of an error between the predicted phase and an actual phase of the current segment is performed. However, the ADPCM is a method of encoding a subsequent segment more finely using the same number of bits by decreasing an error signal measurement scale when the error is small.
Thus, when a frequency of an input audio signal is suddenly changed and an error signal measurement scale immediately before the frequency is changed is very small, a detected error may exceed a range that can be represented using bits of the ADPCM, and thus, a wrong encoding result may be obtained, resulting in a decrease in sound quality.

Audio encoding and decoding apparatus and method using psychoacoustic frequency


A technique for combining transmission bandwidths of several communication devices, such as mobile stations (MS1, MS2) is disclosed. A master mobile station (MS1) establishes (7-0) a WLAN access point communicating with WLAN client terminals (CT). One or more slave mo-bile stations (MS2) may detect a predefined network identifier and join the WLAN network. The master (MS1) as-signs IP addresses for the client terminals (CT) and slave mobile stations (MS2). The master also resolves DNS queries in cooperation with external DNS servers. Traffic, including internet packets (IP1-IP4), between the client terminals and various internet hosts (HO) is tunneled over multiple simultaneous transmission paths (7-6, 7-8; 7-18, 7-22) between the master (MS1) and a multiplexing/demultiplexing computer (SM). The inventive band-width combination technique is transparent to the client terminals (CT) and the internet hosts (HO).

Wireless broadband modems can be used to couple personal computers or client terminals to the internet in places where wired internet connections or local-area networks are not available. Prior art wireless broadband modems exhibit certain problems. For instance, sharing a single wireless broadband connection among several users (client terminals) is awkward at best. Normally this requires setting up one of several client terminals as a master terminal that provides the internet connection to the remaining client terminals. This process consumes resources of the master terminal and the client terminals cannot operate without the master. The difficulty of sharing a single wireless broadband connection among several users is understandable in view of the fact that most wireless broadband modems are given or sold at a nominal cost by mobile network operators in connection with a network subscription. The network operators' obvious desire is to sell a subscription to each user instead of sharing a single connection among several users. Another problem of prior art wireless broadband modems is the fact that most of them are "wireless" only towards the mobile network and the connection to the client terminal takes place via a USB cable. The wired connection is actually a benefit in connection with fixed client terminals, such as home computers, because the wired connection can also supply power to the wireless broadband modem, but in connection with mobile client terminals, the wired nature of the USB connection is a definite handicap. Yet another problem is that the bandwidth provided by the mobile station and access network may be insufficient, particularly when several client terminals share a single wireless broadband connection.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


In a method for forming a high aspect ratio structure using copper in an ultra high-speed device, the degree of copper burying is heightened. A high aspect ratio structure, such as a fine connecting hole, is formed in a layer insulating film on a silicon substrate. Then, after a CVD-TiN film is formed to have a thickness of 10 nm on the insulating film, a copper film having a thickness of 1 .mu.m is formed. In this case, the highly pure copper film is formed by controlling film-forming conditions so as to set oxygen and sulfur concentrations in the film equal to a fixed level or lower. Thus, during its burying in the connecting hole, the surface diffusibility and fluidity of the copper film heated by means of laser irradiation are facilitated.

The present invention relates to semiconductor devices and methods of manufacturing the semiconductor devices. More particularly, the invention relates to semiconductor devices and methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices having a formation of pure copper wiring in an ultra high-speed semiconductor device. The semiconductor device may also be used in certain discrete devices such as Intelligent Power Devices (IPD), which may be used in automobiles or other products.
Forming finer wiring for semiconductors results in a corresponding decrease in operating speed as a result of an increase in wiring resistance. Some attempts have been made to set wiring in an ultra high-speed device by means of Cu, which has an electric resistance smaller than that of Al alloys which are typically used.
Conventionally, reactive ion etching (RIE) using a resist as a masking material has been employed for forming wiring. According to this method, Al is etched in the form of a halide by exciting a gas containing fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and the like, in plasma.
Since Cu has a lower vapor pressure as a halide than Al, however, a temperature of 200.degree. C. to 300.degree. C. or higher is necessary to obtain a practical etching rate if the RIE method is used. Consequently, there have been various difficulties to overcome, such as manufacturing a chamber resistant to high temperature, increasing compatibility between etching and anisotropy, and selection of a masking material. In an attempt to overcome at least some of these difficulties, studies have been conducted on buried wiring using Cu without using the RIE method.
FIGS. 1A to 1D illustrate a typical method of forming Cu buried wiring. First, a groove 3 is formed in a layer insulating film 2 on a silicon substrate 1 according to a desired wiring pattern (FIG. 1A). A Cu film 5 is then formed on the insulating film 2, thus interposing an adhesive layer 4 for preventing the diffusion of Cu into the silicon, and the inside of the groove 3 is filled (FIGS. 1B and 1C). Thereafter, by eliminating the superfluous Cu film 5 remaining in other than groove 3 by means of a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) method, the Cu buried wiring 6 is formed (FIG. 1D). Such a method of forming buried wiring is not only a CMP technology, it is also a technology for filling up the groove 3 with Cu, which is highly difficult.
Technology for burying Cu can be roughly divided into two categories: a burying method carried out by depositing Cu similarly in the side face and the bottom surface of the groove by means of a CVD method, and a method of burying Cu in the groove after applying a heat treatment to Cu deposited by means of a sputtering method.
Much still remains unknown, however, about the Cu burying method to which the CVD method is applied. For example, little is known about mass production of the CVD method. It is possible that the Cu burying method, which may utilize Cu sputtering, may be the first mass production technology.
For heat treatments, there are two ways the Cu burying method may use the sputtering method. One is to heat the silicon substrate during Cu sputtering, and the other is to heat Cu deposited by means of sputtering.
The latter way of heating Cu after sputtering is further divided into a heating furnace method, by which the entire silicon substrate is heated within a fixed period by using a heating furnace, and a laser irradiation method, by which Cu is heated to a temperature higher than in the case of the heating furnace method by irradiating the same with a short wavelength laser only for an extremely short period of 1 millisecond or less.
The foregoing methods, however, have not yet provided the degree of Cu burying necessary for its application to a next-generation ultra high-speed device having a fine contact hole and the like.
FIGS. 2A to 2D illustrate a method of forming a fine contact hole using Cu. First, a connecting hole 7 with a depth reaching the surface of the silicon substrate 1 is formed in the insulating film 2 on the silicon substrate (FIG. 2A). The opening dimension of connecting hole 7 is set to, for instance, 0.35 mm in diameter and 1.0 mm in depth.
Then, a Cu film 5 with a thickness of 1 mm is formed on the insulating film 2 by means of the sputtering method, following an adhesive layer 4 with a thickness of 10 nanometers (nm) (FIG. 2B). The Cu film 5 is then heated, for example, by irradiation of a laser, and connecting hole 7 is filled up (FIG. 2C). A Cu fine contact hole 8 is then formed by eliminating the superfluous Cu film 5 remaining in other than the connecting hole 7 using the CMP method (FIG. 2D).
In the Cu fine contact hole 8 formed in the above-described manner there is a problem that a void 9 is easily created. This problem occurs because of the low degree of Cu burying. More particularly, this problem occurs because it is difficult to completely fill up connecting hole 7 with Cu in which an aspect ratio (the ratio of the depth against the diameter of the connecting hole) is high. For instance, a void is created when an aspect ratio is 1.25 or higher. For example, where the diameter is 0.8 mm or lower against a depth is 1.0 mm.
Creation of void 9 results in a partial increase in the density of current flowing in the upper and lower directions of fine contact hole 8 during the operation of the device. This causes a reduction in reliability.
As is apparent from the foregoing, the application of Cu buried wiring to the next-generation ultra high-speed device has not yet been realized because of the insufficient degree of Cu burying.

Semiconductor device with pure copper wirings and method of manufacturing a semiconductor device with pure copper wirings


Hinge devices couple light source units to a base such that the light source units are rotatable around first axes. Each light source unit is rotatable between a first position and a second position around a corresponding first axis of the first axes. Rotation mechanisms couple the light source units to the hinge devices such that the light source units are rotatable around second axes transverse to the first axes. The hinge devices are configured such that when each light source unit rotates from the first position to the second position, rotation directions of the light source units are different. The rotation mechanisms define rotation ranges of the light source units around the second axes to achieve a reference state where the light source units are collected together and light-outgoing surfaces of the light source units face outward when each light source unit is in the first position.

As a lighting apparatus, a lighting device including a body, an illumination section, and a battery pack has been proposed (Patent Literature 1). The body has a bar shape so as to be grippable by a user. The illumination section is provided to one end in a longitudinal direction of the body. The battery pack is attachably/detachably attached to the other end in the longitudinal direction of the body.
The illumination section is swingable to the body and foldable to the body via a coupler formed at the one end in the longitudinal direction of the body.
In the field of the lighting apparatus, it may be desirable to realize various light distributions.

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


An elastomeric sealing sleeve 6 is enclosed by an annular housing 1 which is split longitudinally and can be drawn together in the peripheral direction by means of a clamping screw 22. The clamping screw 22 passes with clearance through two U-shaped clamping members 16, 17 which are accommodated in clamping brackets 12, 13 fastened to the housing 1. The clamping members 16, 17 are supported with the ends of their legs on flat wall sections 12a, 13a of the clamping brackets 12, 13. The head 24 as well as a nut 25 of the clamping screw 22 bear against arched supporting surfaces 20a of the clamping members 16, 17. While the housing 1 is being drawn together, the clamping members 16, 17 can move relative to the shank 23 of the clamping screw 22, in the course of which the screw head 24 and the nut 25 can roll on the arched outer surface 20a. The screw shank 23 is therefore subjected to little or no bending stress.

The present invention relates to a pipe coupling of the type comprising an elastomeric sealing sleeve which before assembly is oversized relative to an outside diameter of a set of pipes to be coupled; an annular housing which encloses the sealing sleeve, which defines a longitudinal axis, and which is split in the direction of the longitudinal axis to define a housing gap; and a clamping device coupled to the housing and operative to draw the housing together in a peripheral direction to narrow the housing gap.
DE-A-2,428,101 (or corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 3,877,733) as well as EP-A-0,447,955 (or corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,305) disclose pipe couplings of the type described above. In the disclosed couplings, the clamping device for the housing has two threaded bolts which are parallel to one another and which extend through two cylindrical clamping bolts. The latter are positioned in clamping brackets which are attached to the housing on either side of the housing gap, which is bridged by an insert. The clamping bolts are provided with through holes, in the internal threads of which the threaded bolts are screwed. The cylindrical head of each of the threaded bolts bears on a clamping bolt, and defines a hexagonal socket.
To draw the housing together, which of course presses the sealing sleeve against the pipe ends, large clamping forces are necessary. In addition, upon assembly of the pipe coupling, the clamping bolts and thus also the clamping brackets have to cover a relatively long distance toward one another. The result of this is that quite considerable bending forces can be transmitted via the clamping bolts to the threaded bolts screwed into the latter, which bending forces can lead to bending of the threaded bolts. Not only are clamping forces generated which act in the peripheral direction of the housing, but forces are also generated which act in the radial direction and have a troublesome effect on the satisfactory drawing-together of the housing and thus on uniform bearing of the sealing sleeve against the pipe ends.
DE-U-8,512,007 describes a pipe-fracture clamp with which a seal enclosing a leaking point of a pipeline is put against the pipe line in a sealing manner. In this known pipe-fracture clamp, brackets are attached to a housing on either side of a housing gap which extends in the longitudinal direction, and cylindrical clamping bolts run through the brackets. Clamping screws pass through the clamping bolts with clearance, and the clamping screws carry a nut which is supported on the other clamping bolt. The relatively large housing gap is covered by an insert.


A ladder assembly for a pick-up truck is pivotally connected with the truck tailgate for movement between a stowed position where the ladder assembly is held against the tailgate and an operable position when the tailgate is lowered and the ladder assembly extends between the tailgate and the ground. A linkage assembly connects the ladder assembly with a mounting plate connected with the tailgate. The linkage assembly spaces the ladder assembly from the tailgate when the ladder assembly is in the operable condition, allows the angle of the ladder assembly relative to the tailgate to vary in accordance with the height of the tailgate relative to the ground, and prevents the ladder assembly from pivoting past a normal position relative to the ground. A handle is also pivotally connected with a side wall of the truck adjacent to the tailgate to assist a user with climbing the ladder assembly into the bed of the truck.

Most pick-up trucks have tailgates which close the truck bed. The tailgates are normally pivotally connected with the truck body and operate between an upright closed position and a lower open position. A cable is connected between the truck body and the side edges of the tailgate to prevent the tailgate from being lowered past a horizontal position. It is often necessary for a person to enter the truck bed. In order to do so, the person normally climbs over the tailgate when the tailgate is in the open position. This can become difficult for less agile people or where the tailgate is at a significant height above the ground. The present invention relates to a ladder assembly which is connected with the tailgate to afford easy access to the truck bed.


Disclosed are a tartrate of 3-(5-fluoro-4-(4-methyl-2-(methylamino)thiazol-5-yl) pyrimidin-2-ylamino)-benzenesulfonamide and a polymorph thereof, which are inhibitors of protein kinases, in particular cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9), and can be used to treat proliferative disorders, such as cancer, and other diseases related to protein kinase/CDK activity.

The characteristic of proliferative disorders, such as cancer, is uncontrolled and irregular cell proliferation. The family of protein kinases has become a type of important enzymes as the subject of extensive research in this aspect. The family of protein kinases is one of the largest families in the human genome. Most of the kinases contain a catalytic domain of 250-300 amino acid residues with a conserved core structure. This domain comprises an ATP-binding pocket, and the terminal phosphate group of the ATP is transferred covalently to a macromolecular substrate thereof. The protein kinases may be categorized according to substrates of phosphorylation thereof, such as protein-serine/threonine and protein-tyrosine.
The protein kinases mediate intracellular signaling by causing a phosphoryl group to be transferred from nucleoside triphosphate to a protein receptor involved in a signaling pathway. These phosphorylation events are triggered in response to a variety of extracellular stimuli and other stimuli, and act as molecular switches that can modulate or regulate biological functions of a target protein. An extracellular stimulus may affect one or more cellular responses related to cell growth, migration, differentiation, hormone secretion, activation of transcription factors, muscle contraction, glucose metabolism, protein synthesis control, and cell cycle regulation.
A variety of diseases are associated with abnormal cellular responses triggered by protein kinase-mediated events. These diseases include, but are not limited to, allergy and asthma, Alzheimer's disease, autoimmune diseases, bone diseases, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, inflammatory diseases, hormone-related diseases, metabolic diseases, neurological diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, tremendous effort has been made in the field of pharmaceutical chemistry to find protein kinase inhibitors that act effectively as therapeutic agents.
Numerous molecules capable of inhibiting protein kinase functions through antagonizing ATP binding are known in the prior art. CDKs are serine/threonine protein kinases associated with a variety of cyclin subunits and play a key role in the regulation of cell cycle process and transcription cycle. Ten different CDKs (CDK1-9 and 11) are involved in a variety of important regulatory pathways in eukaryotic cells, including cell cycle control, apoptosis, neuronal physiology, differentiation, and transcription.
CDKs may be classified into two major groups reflecting functions thereof. Cell cycle regulator CDKs primarily consisting of CDK1, CDK2, CDK3, CDK4, and CDK6 act together with their cyclin partners (including cyclins A, B, D1, D2, D3, E, and F) to regulate promotion of the cell cycle. Transcription regulator CDKs comprising CDK7, CDK8, CDK9, and CDK11 work together with cyclins C, H, K, L1, L2, T1, and T2 and tend to play a role in transcription regulation. CDKs have been involved in cell proliferative disorders, in particular in cancer. Cell proliferation is a result of a cell division cycle that is directly or indirectly out of control, and CDKs play a key role in the regulation of multiple phases of the cycle. Therefore, inhibitors of CDKs and their associated cyclins are useful targets for cancer treatment. CDKs also play a role in apoptosis and T-cell development, which is mainly because of functions of CDK in transcription regulation. For example, specific clinical activity has been obtained in recent application of CDK inhibitor flavopiridol in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL). The characteristic of CLL is cellular resistance to apoptosis through up-regulation of anti-apoptotic proteins. Inhibition of transcription at the CDK9 level (which is required by mRNA elongation) selectively reinstates apoptosis in CLL cells. However, there is still a need for pharmacologically and pharmaceutically better CDK inhibitors with well-defined kinase selectivity and cellular specificity, anti-CLL efficacy, and efficacy of antagonizing other CDK mediated disorders.
In addition, replication processes of numerous viruses require CDKs, in particular CDK2, CDK7, and CDK9. CDK inhibitors that restrain viral replication including human immunodeficiency virus, human cytomegalovirus, herpes virus, and varicella-zoster virus have been reported. Inhibition of CDKs, in particular CDK9, is a novel strategy for potential treatment of cardiovascular diseases, including cardiac hypertrophy. The characteristic of cardiac hypertrophy is the overall increase of mRNA and protein synthesis. CDK7 and CDK9 are closely related to cardiac hypertrophy, as they are major drivers for transcription. Therefore, inhibition of CDK9 and its associated cyclins is a relevant drug target for cardiovascular diseases.
Inhibition of CDKs may also be used for treatment of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. The presence of Paired Helical Filaments associated with Alzheimer's disease is caused by hyperphosphorylation of Tau proteins by CDK5/p25.
Chinese invention patent with Publication No. CN103373994A (which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) discloses a type of compounds with CDK-9 inhibition capability and a preparation method therefor, wherein pharmaceutically acceptable salts of the compounds are mentioned, but no salts of specific compound are prepared, nor are types and properties of the salts further evaluated.
Therefore, there is still a need for identifying new therapeutic agents that can be used to treat such conditions. In particular, there is a need for identifying other compounds that function as inhibitors of activity of protein kinases (and in particular CDKs) and further comprise one or more advantageous pharmaceutical properties. The one or more advantageous pharmaceutical properties may be selected from increased potency/target activity (e.g., increased anti-proliferative activity), increased therapeutic efficacy (e.g., increased activity against certain cancer cell lines and/or improved selectivity against cancer cells), and/or improved bioavailability (e.g., oral bioavailability) and the like.

Tartrate of selective CDK9 inhibitor and crystal form thereof


Monoclonal neutralizing antibodies are disclosed that specifically bind to a Norovirus. In some embodiments, the Norovirus is a genogroup II Norovirus or a Genogroup II Norovirus. In some embodiments, the Norovirus is Norwalk virus. In some embodiments, the monoclonal antibodies specifically bind VP1. Also disclosed are compositions including the disclosed antibodies, nucleic acids encoding these antibodies, expression vectors including the nucleic acids, and isolated host cells that express the nucleic acids. The antibodies and compositions disclosed herein can be used for detecting the presence of a Norovirus in a biological sample, or detecting a Norovirus infection. In addition, the neutralization ability of the disclosed antibodies makes them ideal for treating a subject with a Norovirus infection. Thus, disclosed are methods of treating and/or preventing these infections.

Noroviruses (NoVs) are a leading cause of epidemic gastroenteritis in both children and adults worldwide (Glass et al., 2009, J Clin Microbiol 31:2185-91). Outbreaks commonly occur in settings such as hospitals, nursing homes, cruise ships, university dormitories, and military barracks. Although NoV illnesses are generally self-limiting, increased morbidity and mortality have been reported among vulnerable populations such as infants, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals (Norovirus activity—United States, 2006-2007, MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 56:842-6; Byce et al., 2005, Lancet 365:1147-52; Green et al., 1993; J Clin Microbiol 31:2185-9; Sakai et al., 2001, Japan. Pediatr Infect Dis J 20:849-53; Zintz et al., 2005, Japan. Pediatr Infect Dis J 20:849-53). It is estimated that NoV infection may account for up to 200,000 deaths per year in infants and young children of developing countries (Patel et al., 2008, Emerg Infect Dis 14:1224-31).
Currently, there are no vaccines or specific antiviral therapies available for the treatment of NoV infections, largely due to the unavailability of permissive cell-culture systems and animal disease models. Most information regarding host immunity to NoV infection has originated from human challenge studies and epidemiological investigations (Atmar et al., 2008, Emerg Infect Dis 14:1553-7; Dolin et al., 1972, Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 140:578-83; Dolin et al., 1971, J Infect Dis 123:307-12; Graham et al., 1994, J Infect Dis 170:34-43; Parrino et al., 1977, N Engl J Med 297:86-9; Wyatt et al., 1974, J Infect Dis 129:709-14). As a result, the immune correlates of protection are poorly understood. Success in expression of recombinant virus-like particles (rVLPs) that mimic the antigenic structure of authentic virions (Prasad et al., 1999, Science 286:287-90; Prasad et al., 1994, J Virol 68:5117-25) and identification of histo-blood group antigens (HBGA) as cellular binding ligands for NoV infection (Harrington, 2002, J Virol 76:12335-43; Hutson et al., 2002, J Infect Dis 185:1335-7; Lindesmith et al., 2003, Nat Med 9:548-53; Marionneau et al., 2002, Gastroenterology 122:1967-77) have facilitated efforts toward the development of prevention and treatment strategies (Atmar et al., 2011, N Engl J Med 365:2178-87; Chang et al., 2007, J Virol 81:12111-8; Feng and Jiang, 2007, Antimicrob Agents Chemother 51:324-31; Herbst-Kralovetz et al., 2010, Expert Rev Vaccines 9:299-307).
A need remains for agents that can be used to treat and/or diagnose a NoV infection, such as a Norwalk virus infection.

Monoclonal antibodies that neutralize a norovirus

The United States of America, as Represented by the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services


A nucleant system for polyhydroxyalkanoates and other thermoplastic polyesters comprises a class of organophosphorous compounds having at least two phosphonic acid moieties. The compounds can be used to effectively increase polymer crystallization rates and result in desirable properties in polymer-derived articles of manufacture, particularly when used in combination with effective nucleating agent solvents, organic metal salts, inorganic metal oxides, metal hydroxides or metal carbonates, and/or weak organic bases.

PHAs and other thermoplastic polyesters represent potential raw materials for a myriad of useful products which include melt-spun fibers from which non-woven products can be produced for medical gowns, masks etc., blown and cast films for compostable grocery and garbage bags, injection-molded bottles for health and personal care products, extrusion coatings on paper/paperboard for biodegradable/compostable fast-food containers and lawn and grocery sacks/bags etc. In the processes to produce such products, it is crucial to achieve line speeds, cycle times, and other processing parameters that are economically desirable. These parameters can be influenced to some extent by the use of nucleants, also referred to as nucleating agents, which promote crystallization of the molten or glassy resin resulting in a more rapid loss of tackiness and concurrent increase in mechanical strength. Thus, there is economic incentive to discover and develop efficient nucleating agents for PHAs and other thermoplastic polyesters.
PHAs are biopolymers synthesized inside the cell of many microorganisms as storage substances for energy and carbon and have the great advantage that they are compostable and biologically degradable (For review, see Anderson and Dawes, Micro. Rev. 54 (4): 450-472, 1990). PHAs are thermoplastic polyesters which can be processed into films, coatings, and shaped articles among other applications. Nevertheless, their processing frequently presents difficulties because of low rates of crystallization and poor clarity, limiting their use in many applications. In addition, PHA end-products are typically characterized by poor mechanical properties including a tendency to embrittlement with age after melt processing.
PHAs are being developed as a sustainable solution to address the issue of solid waste generated by the use of materials produced from fossil fuel. Some of the markets and applications most amenable to the use of PHAs include one-time-use disposables, packaging and biomedical applications.
The rate of crystallization of many PHAs is slow due to low nucleation density leading to long cycle times for thermal processing of PHAs into articles of manufacture. Production of shaped articles, films, coatings and other PHA-derived products therefore often requires the use of PHAs containing nucleating agents to increase the nucleation density and rate of crystallization, thereby allowing the polymers to be processed more economically. In addition, such agents can sometimes improve the physical and mechanical properties of the processed articles. Conventional nucleating agents include, for example, talc, micronized mica, calcium carbonate, boron nitride (EP-A-0291024), ammonium chloride (WO-A-9119759), and others.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,296,521 describes polyester compositions having increased crystallization rates comprising thermoplastic polyester resins (e.g. PET) and 0.5 to about 5 wt % of nucleating agent of the formula RO[P(O)(Ph)(CH2)mO]nH where R is an alkali or alkaline earth metal; m is 1, 2, or 3; n takes an average value within the range of 1 to 5. The nucleating agent can be optionally mixed with the acid or ester form (R=H or alkyl) providing at least 50 mole % of the nucleating agent is in the salt form. The nucleating agent is preferably in the form of the sodium salt (e.g. sodium salt of hydroxymethylphenyl phosphinic acid or sodium salt of oligomethylene phenyl phosphinic acid).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,531 describes use of carboxylic salts of metals of Group I and II in the Periodic Table as nucleating agents for polyesters exemplified by metal salts of aliphatic monocarboxylic acids such as acetic acid, propionic acid, caproic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, behenic acid, montanic acid etc. Suitable metals are sodium, potassium, lithium, magnesium, calcium, barium, and zinc. In these carboxylic acid salts, it is unnecessary that all the carboxyl groups be converted into salt form, but a part of the carboxyl groups may be in a salt form and the remaining groups may be in a free acid or ester form.
JP 48074550 describes use of metal salts of aryl phosphonates as nucleating agents for polyesters (e.g. PBT). Use of 0.5 wt % zinc phenylphosphonate in PBT gave a faster molding time and improved properties compared with PBT alone. Calcium benzylphosphonate and aluminum phenylphosphonate gave similar results.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,061,743 discloses a preferred PHA nucleant made by dry blending cyclohexylphosphonic acid (DZB) and zinc stearate with polyhydroxy-butyrate-co-valerate (PHBV). The nucleant is disclosed as particularly advantageous for the nucleation of PHBV having high HV content.
RU 2048484 describes the use of 1-hydroxyethylidene-1,1-diphosphonic acid (HEDP) in a solution of technical grade methyl phosphate to reduce the concentration of carboxyl groups and increase the thermal stability of polyethylene terepthalate (PET).
Although many of these compounds have shown effectiveness in increasing the nucleation density of PHA, and therefore crystallization rates, certain disadvantages have been associated with their use. Dispersion of particulate nucleants, for example, has been problematic because agglomeration frequently occurs during processing which can generate regions of stress concentration and inhomogeneity in molding. In addition, nucleants such as boron nitride have been found to act as pigments in some situations, particularly in films and injection moldings, giving rise to opaque products where transparent products are generally desired. Furthermore, some nucleant systems include constituents which may be undesirable from an environmental and toxicological standpoint. Thus, there is a need for benign and cost-effective nucleant systems which allow for the production of PHA resins having high crystallinity and excellent moldability, mechanical strength, and dimensional stability.

Nucleating agents for polyhydroxyalkanoates and other thermoplastic polyesters and methods for their production and use


A method of making a resilient tampon includes the steps of providing binder fibers having an average fiber length of at least 35 mm; combining the binder fibers to form a loose fleece; activating the binder fibers; and compressing a portion of the loose fleece into a pledget after activating the binder fibers.

Currently, there are two basic types of tampons used for feminine hygiene. The first type is a digitally insertable tampon which is designed to be inserted directly by the user's fingers. The second type is an applicator style tampon which is designed to be inserted with the aid of an applicator. Both types are usually made by folding or rolling a loosely associated rectangular strip of absorbent material into a blank and then compressing the blank into a cylindrically-shaped product known as a pledget. The pledget may or may not have a cover. In both types, a withdrawal string is attached to the pledget before the tampon is wrapped and packaged for sale. In the applicator style tampon, the tampons are assembled into an applicator prior to being wrapped and packaged.
During packaging, storage, and insertion, there is a general desire for tampon pledgets to be relatively compact and compressed. However, in use there is a desire for the tampon pledgets to expand to more completely occupy the vaginal canal and prevent fluid leakage. The formation of typical pledgets can limit the subsequent expansion from the compressed state. To overcome this limitation, various efforts have been undertaken to incorporate a resilient material or resilient layer during formation of the pledget. While these materials and layers provide some resiliency, it tends to be lost over time. Thus, there is a need for a tampon that maintains its resiliency throughout the product life cycle from manufacture to disposal and a method for making.

Abstract: A resilient tampon includes 70 wt % to 95 wt % absorbent fibers and 5 wt % to 30 wt % bicomponent binder fibers. The binder fibers have an average fiber length greater than 35 mm.


There is provided a test administration device having at least three substantially rigid planar members rotatively interconnected. At least two members have a retaining layer on one side containing cut-outs in the general shape of puzzle pieces. The concealed puzzles are successively revealed to the test subject in a random, predetermined arrangement on an integral work surface by selectively rotating the planar members. By vertically rotating the work surface, the pieces of a test puzzle are deposited on the interior surface of the previous planar member for efficient storage. An integral shield for minimizing distractions to the subject is created by positioning a planar member in a generally lower than vertical position. The puzzle pieces of each puzzle are securely stored and concealed between adjacent planar members.

Psychological tests incorporating one or more puzzles representing recognizable objects or geometries are commonly utilized to measure the intelligence or to ascertain the personality traits of a test subject. Examples of these types of psychological tests include the Object Assembly Subtest of the Weschsler Intelligence Scale for Children, the Weschsler Adult Intelligence Scale, and the Weschsler Preschool and Primary School Scale of Intelligence.
To administer a psychological test of this type, the test subject is presented with the puzzles sequentially and given a predetermined amount of time in which to work each puzzle. Typically, the test administrator manually arranges the puzzle pieces in a predetermined random arrangement on a work surface in front of the test subject. A shield is used by the administrator when arranging the puzzle pieces to prevent the test subject from viewing the pieces prior to administration of the test. Once the time period for completing the puzzle has expired, the administrator must remove and store the puzzle pieces before presenting the test subject with the next puzzle. The manual arrangement, removal, and storage of the puzzle pieces is both cumbersome and time consuming. Further, the resulting time delays and excessive movements by the test administrator can be distracting to the test subject and may adversely affect the subject's performance.
Additionally, to assure uniform testing, the test administrator is required to present each test subject with the puzzle pieces in substantially the same arrangement as the pieces are presented to other test subjects. Any variance in arranging the puzzle pieces among test subjects can affect the accuracy of the test results as one arrangement may take longer to complete than another. Under the conventional testing method, however, it is virtually impossible for the test administrator to manually arrange the puzzle pieces in exactly the same arrangement each time.
In seeking better methods to administer psychological tests, testing aids having cut-outs for the individual puzzle pieces have been proposed. One such example is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,438,141 to Kirksey, which discloses a compartmentalized board for storing a single puzzle subtest. In the Kirksey patent, a board is disclosed having a front face that is picture framed by a raised peripheral border. Recessed within the border, there is provided a center layer having a plurality of cut-outs in the shape of puzzle pieces for storing the pieces of a single puzzle subtest. Between the center layer and the raised peripheral border is a slidable cover that restrains the puzzle pieces in the cut-outs.
To administer a test using the compartmentalized board, the examiner positions the board in front of the test subject with the raised peripheral border in contact with the work surface. The examiner releases the puzzle pieces by withdrawing the cover, thus allowing the puzzle pieces contained within the cut-outs to fall to, and eventually come to rest on the underlying table surface. The board is used as a shield to prevent the test subject from viewing the puzzle until the appropriate time. Once the test is completed, the administrator replaces the board over the puzzle pieces so that the pieces are retained within the raised peripheral border and then slides the board and the completed puzzle out of the way. To administer two or more puzzle subtests, the test administrator must utilize a board for each puzzle subtest. Also, since the test puzzles are not stored during the administration of the test, but instead are merely slid out of the way using the board as a retaining device, the administrator must have a work surface large enough to receive multiple boards lying adjacent to one another.
Thus, there remains a need for psychological testing aids that allow for the efficient arrangement, removal, and storage of psychological test puzzles. The testing aid must minimize distraction to the test subject and allow the examiner to arrange the puzzle pieces in the same predetermined random arrangement for each test.

Method and apparatus for administering psychological tests


An electronic visual music conducting device is provided which is adapted to receive electronic timing signals representative of the tempo of a piece of music, and to use these timing signals to control a visual display which indicates tempo and rhythm by simulating the movement of a conductor's baton, including the acceleration normally present as the baton approaches the point of a beat, and the deceleration normally present as the baton moves away from the point of a beat. The electronic timing signals are preferably MIDI System Exclusive Real Time Message Timing Clock signals (F8H). The electronic visual music conducting device may also be provided with a bar display to indicate numerically which bar is currently being played. The electronic visual music conducting device may also be provided with a beat display to indicate numerically the number of beats per minute associated with the bar currently being played. By utilizing the MIDI Timing Clock signals, twenty four clock pulses are provided for each beat, thereby providing greater resolution and information than normally available in a standard one click per beat click track, and enabling the visual display to show changes in tempo and rhythm which occur between beats.

This invention relates, generally, to the field of musical instrument electronics, and more particularly to an electronic visual music conducting device which provides a visual simulation of the movement a conductor's baton.
In the field of music and musical instruments, a revolution has taken place in recent years as microprocessors and computers have become fully integrated into all stages of composition, scoring, performance and instrument design. While this merger of computers, electronics and musical instruments continues today in a well defined environment, early efforts were considerably more experimental, lacking in standardization.
Prior to the development of the now well known Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) standard, computers of all types, from microcomputers to large mainframe computers, were used by students of electronics and music in many different ways. Some of the earliest efforts to combine computers and music resulted in the development of new electronic instruments, later known as synthesizers, which were designed to create any sound, natural or man-made, which could be imagined. Other efforts focused on the use of computers to compose music, incorporating basic theories of artificial intelligence and conventional music theory to create new music and musical forms. Still other pioneers set out to use computers to reduce the tedium associated with traditional transcription and scoring by having the results of music played on a piano-like keyboard printed directly as sheet music.
Unfortunately, while this early innovation continued apace, the lack of any electronic musical instrument standards kept communications between different instruments, or between instruments and stand-alone computers, to a minimum. Each manufacturer developed a different architecture and interface for their electronic musical product, with the result that instruments from different manufacturers often couldn't communicate with each other. In addition, the manner in which each of these early electronic musical instruments interfaced directly with computers was quite different, making it almost impossible for the data stored on a computer from one instrument to be transmitted or used, and still make any sense, to another instrument.
Therefore, as electronics became less expensive and more powerful, manufacturers who had begun to develop instruments which had true studio and performance value, as well as others involved in the music industry, came to an understanding that a unified system for establishing communications and information interchange between electronic musical instruments, and other studio equipment, was needed. The result of this need was the adoption and promulgation of the Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) standard by the International MIDI Association. This standard, published in 1983, defines a hardware and data format to enable synthesizers, sequencers, home computers, drum machines, etc., to be interconnected through a standard serial interface.
As a result of the wide spread acceptance of the MIDI standard, musical instruments (keyboard, wind and percussion) as well as accessories (sequencers, editors and librarians) of all types have been developed which are capable of connecting to a MIDI network and sharing data. These new MIDI instruments and devices have enabled composers and performers to work more efficiently and creatively in traditional ways, and have also provided a fertile ground for the development of new techniques for the composition, production and performance of music. Of particular importance has been the greatly expanded use of multi-track digital sequencers.
Generally speaking, a sequencer is a multi-track digital event recorder/player. It may be a stand alone unit, or it may be a specialized software program designed to run on a general purpose computer. In practice a musician uses a sequencer to lay down a series of "virtual tracks", one track at a time. Each track contains a single part, and by using the sequencer a single musician or composer can build and refine musical structures in a manner similar to the way that an author uses a word processor to write lengthy multi-part documents. In addition, after recording, the user can then use the sequencer to play back multiple parts, simultaneously, in real time. This real time simultaneous playback capability is especially important in the studio and performance environment, where the sequenced instruments may be used to accompany live musicians.
When live musicians play along with pre-recorded or sequenced music, it is common for each musician to employ the use of a headphone to listen to a "click track". This is simply a metronomic click, derived from the MIDI data generated by the sequencer, which typically occurs at the rate of one click per musical beat. While such an arrangement is acceptable when the music to be performed has a steady tempo, many problems occur when the beat is more "free style", and not at regularly spaced intervals. Musical ritardando's and accelerando's are used to speed up or slow down the tempo of music during performance, while rubato's, fermata's and the like lengthen or shorten the duration of individual musical notes. These temporal deviations are critical to the expressive element involved in the performance of music, and yet are often missed when performers follow a simple click track, since changes in rhythm may often take place between beats, and thus, between clicks. In addition, watching performers who are listening to click tracks through headphones spoils the visual appeal of seeing musicians perform live. The alternative, unfortunately, is no more attractive since the use of click tracks without headphones, especially during a live performance before an audience, is completely unacceptable since the click track can often be heard by the audience.
In an effort to overcome the above noted problems, the use of a human conductor has been employed, with the conductor being the only person to listen to click tracks through a headphone, while conducting musicians and performers in a more traditional way. Following a conductor is much easier for musicians and singers since the conductor's baton does not disappear between beats. In addition, through the movement of the conductor's baton, the timing of each beat may be anticipated by visually observing the baton's acceleration and deceleration. Finally, a conductor's baton may also be used to indicate not only tempo, but musical dynamics, by varying the distance of movement from one beat to the next.
Unfortunately, the conductor's headphone click track is also typically limited to the above noted one click per beat, with the result being that while musicians are able to follow the fluid movements of a human conductor, the conductor is limited to following discrete clicks, and thereby encounters all of the aforenoted limitations of click tracks.
Accordingly, it has been determined that the need exists for an improved electronic visual music conducting device which permits live musicians to follow complex musical tempo changes by visually observing a display which, under the control of a MIDI data stream, may simulate the complete range of movements of a conductor's baton.


The present invention relates to a zeolite coating preparation assembly (1) and operation method wherein zeolite adsorbents are coated by crystallization process on various surfaces heated by induction. The objective of the present invention is to provide a zeolite coating preparation assembly (1) and operation method; by which time saving is achieved owing to heating by induction, material saving is achieved since large heating resistances and complicated reactors are not used; and which is thus more economical; and wherein thicker and more stable coatings with high diffusion coefficients are prepared by using a more practical reaction system in a shorter period of time in comparison to the known methods, and wherein mass production is enabled.

Zeolites are synthesized from a reaction mixture by means of hydrothermal crystallization. A reaction mixture is prepared by mixing suitable proportions of the required reactants in order to obtain the aimed zeolite type. When this mixture is heated, at the end of certain periods of time, nuclei of the zeolite crystals are formed and then the crystals start to grow. When there is a substrate in the medium immersed in the reaction mixture, the nuclei/crystals often chemically bind with this substrate and form a zeolite coating which is strongly attached thereon. Properties of this coating depend on the composition of the reaction mixture that is used, and the experimental conditions such as reaction temperature and time and mixing. Use of dilute solutions as the reaction mixture instead of highly viscous gels used in conventional zeolite synthesis has a positive impact on the coating quality.
Since zeolites are metastable materials, a zeolite phase synthesized from a reaction composition transforms into other phases after longer reaction times. This situation impedes the coatings from being sufficiently thick when the conventional single step synthesis method is used for many zeolite phases. In cases where metastable phase transformation does not occur, since composition of the solution changes as the time increases, as a result of the crystallization activity in the reaction solution, preparing a thick coating is still not easy. Multi-step methods that may be used for preparation of thick coatings are not practical or economical. Additionally, strength of the thick coatings is also low when these methods are used and the coatings have a very compact structure that will make diffusion difficult.
In the method of direct heating of the substrate by conduction, wherein the substrate is heated by the help of a resistance (one of the state-of-the-art applications), the reaction solution is kept at a temperature that is lower than the reaction temperature by the help of a water bath. In this manner, phase transformation of the zeolite is delayed for long periods of time and thus thicker coatings can be obtained in comparison to the conventional methods. These coatings also have an open structure, high diffusion coefficient and relatively higher stability which are necessary for many applications, especially for adsorption heat pump applications.
There are several articles in the literature related to direct heating of the substrate materials by using the method of heating by conduction: "Erdem-Senatalar, A., Tatlier, M., Urgen, M., "Preparation of Zeolite Coatings by Direct Heating of the Substrates", Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, 32(3), 331-343 (1999)"; "Tatlier, M., Erdem-Senatalar, A., "The Stability of Zeolite Coatings Grown on Metal Supports for Heat Pump Applications", Studies in Surface Science and Catalysis, Vol. 125, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 101-108 (1999)"; "Tatlier, M., Tantekin-Ersolmaz, S. B., Erdem-Senatalar, A., "Diffusivities of Zeolite Coatings", (Proc. 13th International Zeolite Conference, 2001, Montpellier, France), A. Galarneau, F. Di Renzo, F. Fajula, J. Vedrine (ed.), Studies in Surface Science and Catalysis, Vol. 135, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 3249-3256 (2001)"; "Erdem-Senatalar, A., Oner, K., Tatlier, M., "Searching for Clear Solution Compositions by Using the Substrate Heating Method", Studies in Surface Science and Catalysis, Vol. 154 part A-C, 667-670 (2004)"; "Tallier, M., Erdem-Senatalar, A., "Estimation of the Effective Diffusion Coefficients in Open Zeolite Coatings", Chemical Engineering Journal, 102(3), 209-216 (2004)"; "Tatlier, M.,
Demir, M., Tokay, B., Erdem-Senatalar, A., Kiwi-Minsker, L., "Substrate Heating Method for Coating Metal Surfaces with High-Silica Zeolites: ZSM-5 Coatings on Stainless Steel Plates", Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, 101(3), 374-380 (2007)"; Schnabel, L., Tatlier, M., Schmidt, F., Erdem-Senatalar, A., "Adsorption Kinetics of Zeolite Coatings Directly Crystallized on Metal Supports for Heat Pump Applications", Applied Thermal Engineering, 30(11/12), 1409-1416 (2010)".
International patent document no. WO2010120738, an application known in the art, discloses a method of coating a metal surface with a protective metal coating having a lower melting point. After the surface to be coated is heated up to the melting point of the metal coating in a high frequency induction heater, the molten metal coating is immediately applied on the heated surface.
Chinese Patent document no. CN101754508, an application known in the art, discloses an induction heater used for coating steel surfaces. The system includes independent induction heaters and on the upper parts thereof copper coils. Water nozzles are provided at the head ends and the tail ends of the induction coils. The said heater has a simple structure and a high efficiency.
Japanese patent document no. JP2006256066, an application in the state of the art, discloses a method for coating the surface of a substrate with a resin. During coating, the resin acquires the shape of the surface and this shape can be maintained. In the contact process used in the method, the material containing a thermoplastic resin is ensured to contact the surface of the conductive substrate. Then temperature of the substrate surface is increased by means of the induction heater.

Zeolite coating preparation assembly and operation method

INVENTRAM FIKRI MULKIYET HAKLARI YONETIM TICARET VE YATIRIM ANONIM SIRKETI


The invention relates to a method and telecommunications node for controlling an attach state of a user equipment in an attach control node of a telecommunications system further comprising a subscriber database containing subscription data of the user equipment. The method comprises receiving authentication data in the attach control node if an authentication step is required. Following the authentication step, if any, receiving in a first transfer stage a first set of subscription data from the subscriber database and storing the first set of subscription data in the attach control node, wherein the first set of subscription data is insufficient for enabling establishing a communication session between the user equipment and the telecommunications system. If establishing a communication session is required between the user equipment and the telecommunications network, receiving in a second transfer stage following the first transfer stage a second set of subscription data from the subscriber database in the attach control node, and storing the second set of subscription data in the attach control node, wherein the combination of the first set of subscription data and the second set of subscription data is sufficient for enabling establishing a communication session between the user equipment and the telecommunications network.

Telecommunications networks that provide wireless access (e.g. GSM, UMTS, WiMax, LTE) have developed tremendously over the past years. In such networks, voice and data services can be provided to user equipment having a high mobility, i.e. the communication devices are not bound to a particular location and are freely movable through the area covered by the network. A gateway node of the telecommunications network enables connection to a further network, for example a network based on IP such as the internet.
The availability of such a telecommunications network connected to the further network has resulted in demands for further services, including services that relate to so-called machine-to-machine (M2M) communications, also referred to as machine-type communications (MTC). The service requirements for MTC are currently being standardized in 3GPP (see e.g. TS 22.368). MTC applications typically involve hundreds, thousands or millions of user equipment (MTC devices) which each act as a user equipment to the telecommunication network. Such MTC devices may be stationary or non-stationary. An example involves the electronic reading of e.g. 'smart' electricity meters at the homes of a large customer base over the telecommunications network from a server connected to a further network. Other examples include sensors, meters, vending or coffee machines, car meters for route pricing applications, navigation equipment etc. that can be equipped with communication modules that allow exchanging information with other equipment, such as a data processing centre over the telecommunications network.
An important dimensioning parameter for control plane nodes in the wireless telecommunications networks is the number of simultaneously attached/registered user equipment.
Since MTC typically involves a very large number of MTC devices that send/receive only a low amount of user plane data, the use of control plane resources needed for these MTC devices is high compared to the user plane data that is normally the basis for pricing. The absorbed capacity and costs associated with large numbers of MTC devices are therefore high compared to the actual use and turnover. Solutions to mitigate the burden of keeping high amounts of MTC devices registered in the network would be beneficial.
The issue of registering large numbers of MTC devices in the telecommunications network has been recognized and discussed in various 3GPP working groups. In a potential solution described in 3GPP TR 23.888, an MTC device would not be registered in the telecommunications network when it does not communicate. The MTC device will attach and connect to the network when triggered from the network. The trigger involves enabling the MTC device to listen to a broadcast channel (e.g. a cell broadcast channel) while not being attached to the network. Triggers to the MTC device to establish communication are broadcasted over the broadcast channel. The MTC device(s) for which the broadcasted message/trigger is intended is (are) configured to recognize the message. In this way, network resources associated with registering a large number of MTC devices in the network are saved.
However, non-registration of the MTC devices in the telecommunications network may be disadvantageous in certain cases. For example, the transmission of a cell broadcast signal may be inefficient if only a limited number of MTC devices are distributed over a large number of cells of the network and broadcast resources are wasted in view of the limited number of MTC devices to be triggered.

Method and telecommunications node for controlling an attach state of a user equipment

Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek TNO


A time keeping system having a first time module operable to keep a first time, a second time module operable to keep a second time, and a control module operatively coupled to the first time module and to the second time module. The control module adjusts the first time in response to information stored in the control module and adjusts the second time to reduce a time difference between the first time and the second time.

Conventional time keeping systems, such as clocks, usually require a variety of maintenance routines. The maintenance routines for power may include re-adjusting a pendulum in a gravity-powered time keeping system, rewinding a spring in a spring-driven time keeping system, or replacing batteries in a battery-powered time keeping system. Similarly, the maintenance steps for accuracy may include adjusting a display time periodically to properly display the current time, including advancing an hour during spring or retracting an hour during fall to compensate for the changes required by daylight savings time adjustment.
Many methods have been developed in an attempt to minimize, reduce, or eliminate these maintenance routines. For example, operating time keeping systems with electricity from a wall outlet or with solar cells may eliminate the power maintenance routine. Radio-controlled time keeping systems have also been developed to minimize or eliminate adjustment routines for accuracy and daylight savings time adjustment. However, these approaches add cost to the time keeping system, and restrict the areas or locations in which the time keeping system may operate. For example, a wall outlet must be available to use an electric time keeping system. Solar time keeping systems require a location with a significant source of light on a regular basis. Radio-controlled time keeping systems require locations in which radio signal reception is adequate. Therefore, a time keeping system whose operation is relatively independent of its placement whether for power or signal reception, and that still provides automatic time adjustment would be welcomed by users of time keeping systems.

Time keeping system with automatic daylight savings time adjustment


The invention relates to a thermal generator comprising a furnace tube (2) wherein a fuel is burnt, recombustion means (14, 15) for reducing the nitrogen oxides content present in said fumes and means (3) for recovering the heat of the fumes resulting from said combustion. The invention is characterized in that recombustion means (14, 15) are arranged in containment means (11).

There are well-known methods for recombustion of the fumes discharged so as to reduce the NOx emissions, such as those described in patents U.S. Pat. No. 5,139,755 and WO97/25,134.
This recombustion is a nitrogen oxides reduction technique based on stepping of the combustion. A furnace usually contained in these boilers, wherein this technique is used, comprises three zones:
the first zone wherein about 85 to 95% by mass of the fuel is burnt under standard conditions, i.e. with about 5 to 15% excess air when gaseous fuels or liquid fuels are used;
in the second zone, downstream from the first zone, the remaining fuel which consumes the excess oxygen of the fumes from the first zone is injected. The atmosphere of this second zone becomes reducing and the nitrogen oxides generated in the first zone are essentially converted to molecular nitrogen under the action of hydrocarbon-containing radicals;
in a third zone (or postcombustion zone), air is added so as to eliminate all the unburnt substances generated in the second zone and to have a standard excess air of 5 to 15% at the outlet.
The recombustion method described above generally allows to decrease the NOx emissions by about 50 to 80%.
Although in its principle recombustion is attractive as regards performances and insofar as it requires no reactant allowing to reduce the nitrogen oxides other than the fuel itself, it however presents considerable drawbacks.
In the case of a thermal generator working with natural gas, the most significant difficulties encountered are:
high corrosion in the recombustion zone and in the postcombustion zone, due to the presence of a reducing atmosphere or to alternating oxidizing and reducing atmospheres,
imperfect oxidation of the recombustion fuel in the postcombustion zone and, as a consequence, formation of gaseous and solid unburnt residues and, in the most severe cases, fouling of the downstream exchange surfaces, which reduces the overall energy efficiency and requires more sophisticated and expensive automatic cleaning equipments,
safety difficult to provide because of the stage of injection of a fuel in the recombustion zone. The main risk is a non-combustion of said fuel owing to an operating trouble or to an ill-controlled transient operation. In this case, there are risks of explosion in the parts situated downstream from the recombustion zone (recovery boiler, filter, etc.).
In the case of a thermal generator working with heavy petroleum products, the implementation difficulties are the same as those encountered with natural gas, but they are often increased for some of them. This is in particular the case for solid unburnt residues produced in larger quantities. Furthermore, the denitrification efficiency can be lower with these heavy products because of the presence of nitrogen-containing compounds in the initial fuel.

Thermal generator and combustion method for limiting nitrogen oxides emissions by re-combustion of fumes


A method and a device for controlling wheel brakes of a vehicle, in which braking force is maintained and/or built up in at least one operating state at at least one wheel of the vehicle irrespective of the extent of pedal actuation. Such an operating state is present when the slope of the road points in the direction of the vehicle's future direction of travel and/or when the parking brake is engaged.

In European Patent No. 0 375 708, corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,496, an implementation of an automatic parking brake by suitable control of a braking system is discussed. To do so, if the brake pedal is depressed and the vehicle speed drops below a very low speed value, the braking pressure is locked in, i.e., maintained at a constant level or optionally increased in at least one wheel brake via the operation of pressure-generating means, by switching at least one valve in at least one wheel brake. The locked-in braking pressure is reduced again when it is recognized that the driver wishes to perform a standing start.
In German Published Patent Application No. 196 21 628, corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 6,009,984, is discussed an automatic parking brake function (hillholder function), which is activated when the vehicle comes to a stop with the service brake engaged. The braking pressure or braking force then prevailing is maintained or increased in at least one wheel brake, irrespective of the extent to which the brake pedal is depressed, and is then reduced again when the brake pedal is released. Such a hillholder function eliminates extensive safety measures. To support standing starts, on slopes, for example, when the brake pedal and clutch pedal are pressed simultaneously, the clutch pedal takes over the activation or deactivation of the hillholder function when the brake pedal is released. Since this device takes into account only one special standing start operation in which the brake pedal and clutch pedal are pressed simultaneously at least at one point in time, not all standing start operations, e.g., a standing start on a slope or with the parking brake engaged, are optimally handled. Therefore, the device cannot be used universally.
In German Published Patent Application No. 196 25 919, corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,373, is discussed a creep suppression in which, with a vehicle standing still and nonetheless a movement of the vehicle being recognized, an increase in the braking effect takes place independently of the driver, in particular by an increase of braking pressure via the activation of a supply pump. This design approach also includes a standing start aid in which when the accelerator pedal is pressed and a specified threshold for the delivered engine torque is exceeded, the braking pressure required to hold the vehicle is reduced. Here also, not all standing start situations may be optimally taken into account.

Method and device for controlling wheel brakes of a motor vehicle