Pro-toothpaste compositions formulated to receive a volume of allergen solution to provide toothpastes that exhibit efficacy for oral mucosal immunotherapy (OMIT) and acceptable consumer and product stability properties, along with kits of pro-toothpaste, allergen/extracts of allergens, and optionally compounding means and/or specialized toothbrushes are provided. Toothpastes suitable and effective for OMIT and methods for managing allergic symptoms and for reducing risk of allergy in people without symptoms employing the pro-toothpastes, toothpastes and kits of the invention are also disclosed.

Antigen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) was developed as a treatment alternative for allergic patients suffering from atopic allergies that are insufficiently controlled by treatments which focus on symptom amelioration, for example anti-histamine and corticosteroid based treatments. The aim of allergen immunotherapy (a.k.a. desensitization) is to re-educate the immune system by regular administration of doses of allergens over a sustained period of at least 3 years to a patient's immune system, thereby inducing specific long-term tolerance to those allergens. Subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT), refers to the introduction of these allergens by injection and has been a treatment of choice for allergic patients for more than half a century. More recently, sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) has received considerable research and clinical attention. In general, SLIT is related to SCIT in that it refers to the delivery of the same allergens as SCIT, but is differentiated in that delivery is via an oral route rather than via subcutaneous injections. Typically SLIT-treated patients are instructed to place an allergen preparation (usually 5 drops of an aqueous solution containing allergens, commonly preserved in 50% v/v glycerin) under the tongue once per day and to hold for approximately 2 minutes before swallowing or spitting. Other emerging variations of SLIT involve dry tablets preparations containing lyophilized allergen proteins. SLIT tablets are placed under the tongue on typically a daily dosing regimen and held there for approximately two minutes. SLIT modalities provide more convenient therapeutic administrations than SCIT and possess strong safety profiles with little chance of triggering a systemic response.
Although several recent large-scale SLIT studies confirm efficacy and validate the underpinning theoretical model, the therapeutic results have not been entirely commensurate with expectations (see, e.g. Casale et al. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2009 October; 124(4):665-70). Generally, predicted efficacy of SLIT is based on the observation that the oral mucosa appears particularly primed in mammals for development of allergenic tolerance and possesses specialized cells that function to achieve this. However, a key to successful AIT is achieving a high level of patient compliance with the conventional administration schedule of the SCIT or SLIT treatment protocols. A typical exemplary protocol includes daily administration for 3-4 years for SLIT, and weekly or bi-weekly doctor-administered injections for 3-4 years for SCIT. Many studies have demonstrated that, in practice, significant numbers of patients fail to comply with AIT regimens for the full treatment course. The reasons for non-compliance vary between the various SCIT and SLIT regimens, but overall patient convenience is most often cited as the common driver for low compliance. The result is an elevated risk of unsatisfactory or poor treatment outcomes for those patients.
Further, recent studies suggest that certain regions of the oral mucosa are more amenable to AIT than others, and the selection of the sub-lingual region as a vaccine target related more to established existence of sub-lingual delivery forms than to differential efficacy with respect to regions of the oral mucosa. In particular, the highest number of T cells was located in the oral vestibular/buccal region (VBR) and significantly higher TGF-β1 mRNA expression was observed in the VBR compared with the sublingual region (SLR). Moreover, expression of toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 and TLR4 was highest in VBR with significant expression on dendritic cells in the vestibular mucosa. (Allam J P et al. Tolerogenic T cells, Th1/Th17 cytokines and TLR2/TLR4 expressing dendritic cells predominate the microenvironment within distinct oral mucosal sites. Allergy 2011, 66:532-539)
Other modes of delivering AIT via the oral mucosa have been contemplated that are more convenient and patient-friendly, and which also have a therapeutic advantage of reaching other tissue regions of the oral mucosa in addition to sub-lingual regions. It has recently been suggested that combining allergens with commonly used oral products such as toothpaste, chewing gum, and mouthwash may provide a means for delivery and sufficiently sustained contact of the active with target tissue that results in higher compliance. This relatively new mode of AIT delivery, also known as "oral mucosal immunotherapy" (OMIT), is receiving increased interest in the allergy community. In contrast to SLIT, OMIT permits the selected allergens to be administered regularly as part of the subject's ordinary habits/routines. For example, if admixed with toothpaste, allergen exposure occurs nearly transparently to the subject during the subject's already established typically twice daily tooth brushing routine. Hence, compliance may be greatly increased.
OMIT via oral personal care products further exploits advances in the allergy acquisition and control clinical sciences suggesting that contacting allergens with areas of the oral mucosa other than the sub-lingual mucosa may be more effective in achieving a de-sensitization benefit. For example, in effectuating OMIT via a toothpaste/toothbrushing regimen, allergens will necessarily contact a much broader surface of the oral mucosal tissue during daily tooth-brushing than via SLIT, wherein exposure is confined specifically to the area under the tongue. Publication WO/2011/137420 describes the concept and benefits of OMIT and in particular OMIT toothpaste, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference. Further, that mechanical result of "brushing" in particular may irritate and prime the outer cells of the oral mucosa for a faster desirable interaction with target mast cells.
For consumer satisfaction, toothpaste products are generally formulated to possess certain sensory and physical properties to which the consumer is accustomed. These properties provide a toothpaste product having an appealing taste, satisfactory cleansing effect, excellent mouth feel, physical stability, and sufficient rinsability. Toothpaste compositions with acceptable physical stability do not readily harden on the shelf and do not exhibit phase separation resulting in water or flavor separation. The appearance of the paste as it comes out of the dispenser is also considered an important feature. Consumer studies suggest that the toothpaste should appear smooth and have a pleasant sheen or glossy appearance.
Although the concept of an OMIT toothpaste formulation has been posited and at least suggests therapeutic advantage over traditional SLIT, a formulation providing the desirable cosmetic product and efficacy profile has proven difficult to achieve. A desirable OMIT toothpaste formulation should be as similar to the non-OMIT toothpastes familiar to consumers as possible. Generally, an OMIT toothpaste should have the following properties: (1) homogeneous dispersion of allergen throughout the toothpaste (2) immunologic properties of the allergens conserved over a time frame reasonably commensurate with expectations of toothpaste product life, and (3) a consumer phenomenological experience profile of appearance, flavor, consistency, texture, and mouth feel that is similar to known products and encourages daily use. However, initial attempts at formulating a suitable toothpaste with allergens or allergen extract suffered from severe degradation of consistency, appearance, and texture immediately or within 2-3 days. Hence, there remains a need for consumer-acceptable OMIT toothpaste formulations suitable for providing a variety of allergens efficaciously via OMIT treatment modalities.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Toothpaste for delivery of allergens to oral mucosa


A system and method for turning pages of a three-dimensional electronic book. A closed three-dimensional electronic book is modeled as at least one three-dimensional object having length, width and thickness dimensions. An opened three-dimensional book electronic is modeled as at least two three-dimensional objects having length, width and thickness dimensions, representing the left side of the opened book and the right side of the opened book. The page(s) to be turned is modeled as at least a three-dimensional object having length, width and thickness dimensions. The cross-section parallelogram having a width dimension and a thickness dimension based on the width and thickness dimensions of the closed three-dimensional electronic book, and a user-selected number of page(s) to be turned. Page turning of a three-dimensional electronic book is modeled as a dynamic animation showing the concurrent movement of three three-dimensional objects representing the left side pages block, the right side pages block, and the pages(s) to be turned.

1. Field of Invention
This invention generally relates to systems and methods for representing three-dimensional documents.
2. Description of Related Art
Techniques for creating virtual books, magazines, journals, textbooks, photograph albums, or the like, that attempt to simulate the appearance and functions of actual physical books, magazines, journals, textbooks, photograph albums, or the like, are highly desirable to the readers and viewers of these documents. These virtual books can be displayed by electronic books, i.e. e-book systems, personal computers (PCs), personal digital assistants (PDAs), or the like.
Many e-book systems, PCs, PDAs, or the like display virtual books in a two-dimensional ("2D") manner or a three-dimensional ("3D") manner. For example, B. Harrison describes several 2D-based e-book devices in "E-Books and the Future of Reading", IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications, Vol. 10, No. 3, pages 32-39. However, displaying virtual books in a 3D manner provides a more realistic appearance of an actual physical book.
Modern graphics systems make it possible to represent virtual books on a computer screen creating a 3D appearance of physical books. Such 3D virtual books have many potential uses, such as, for example, the representation of historical manuscripts, the representation in electronic bookstores of books for sale, electronic book publishing, the basis of new forms of medical textbooks and other enhanced book formats, new forms of laboratory journals, or photograph albums. Although displaying virtual books in a 3D manner provides a better representation of an actual physical book compared to a virtual book displayed in 2D, there are several important issues that need to be addressed.
These issues include: 1) how to represent a closed book with either the front cover or the back cover visible; 2) how to represent an opened book with two adjacent pages visible; and 3) how to represent turning the pages of the book forwards or backwards. Page turning is particularly important to give the readers and viewers the impression of reading or viewing an actual physical book. Since page turning is a dynamic animation that not only starts, but also finishes with the book in a static opened or closed position, how the static positions of the book are represented affects, to a large degree, how the book should be represented during the page turning animation, and vice versa.
There are various e-book systems displaying electronic documents in a 3D manner. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,340,980 describes a special user interface device mimicking an actual physical book. When connected to a computer, this device works like any other user interface device such as a mouse. A software product, known as the Flip Browser®, has been developed by eBook Systems Inc., and can be found at http://www.flipbrowser.com.
Additionally, U.S. patent application 20020035697 describes systems and methods for distributing and viewing electronic documents. A software product, known as the Zinio Reader®, has been developed by Zinio Systems Inc., and can be found at http://www.zinio.com. Another system, the Turning the Pages® system is based on a multimedia authoring product called Macromedia. The Turning the Pages® system is jointly developed by the British Library and Armadillo Systems, and can be found at http://www.bl.uk/whatson/exhibitions/lindisfarne/ttp.html. Although the above describe and/or display electronic documents in a 3D manner, the disclosures regarding the page turning feature for virtual books displayed in a three-dimensional manner are limited to little or no detail of how the page turning features are designed or implemented.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,847,709 and 5,838,326 describe yet another system, commercially known as the WebBooks® developed by Xerox Corporation, for displaying electronic documents in a three-dimensional manner. Although the page turning animation of the WebBook® appears very similar to the page turning of an actual physical book, there are several drawbacks.
For example, an opened virtual book only models the top faces of the book, not the back side. Therefore, in a virtual environment where the back side or bottom faces, such as, for example, the front and back covers, of an opened virtual book is visible to the virtual camera, the virtual book no longer resembles an actual physical book. Thus, transitioning between a closed book and an opened book requires changing between the closed book representation and the opened book representation.
Additionally, WebBooks® include a page ruffling technique that simulates the multiple concurrent turning of a set of pages of the WebBook®. The pages to be turned are represented by multiple turning pages blocks. However, although the page ruffling technique provides the capability to rapidly scan through a set of pages for information of interest, the ruffling technique requires that the textures of all of the pages being turned to be displayed. Therefore, in WebBook®, all of the page textures are pre-loaded and stored in the main memory. Pre-loading and storing all of the page textures in the main memory severely limits the scalability of the system restricting the number of pages allowed in a virtual book. Furthermore, it is difficult to determine, even approximately, the amount of pages being turned during the page ruffling. Thus, other three-dimensional books have provided other solutions to resolve some of these drawbacks.

Systems and method for turning pages in a three-dimensional electronic document


On a side face of a floor tunnel, a side reinforcement is disposed between an upper edge of the side face and a connected region at which a dash cross member is connected to the floor tunnel. An upper reinforcement extends in a longitudinal direction at an upper portion of the floor tunnel. The side reinforcement extends rearward with its rear edge inclining upward. A collision load input from a side member enters the side face of the floor tunnel via the dash cross member. The collision load is, then, transmitted to the upper reinforcement through the floor tunnel along the rear edge of the side reinforcement.

JP2016-78561 A discloses a structure to reinforce a floor tunnel which extends in a longitudinal direction through the center of the floor of a vehicle. A collision load input to a front portion (35A) of the floor tunnel is transmitted to a tunnel lower reinforcement (32) via a tunnel upper reinforcement (40). A collision load input from a front side member (68) enters the tunnel lower reinforcement (32) via an inner torque box (88). The numbers put in parentheses above are reference numbers used in JP2016-78561 A and are not related to those used in an embodiment described herein.


Solid storage media stores a reductant in a reductant source that is released from the solid storage media in a gaseous form into an exhaust system. A leak detection and/or leak mitigation system, method and apparatus is disclosed for the gaseous reductant.

Solid storage media systems have been developed for ammonia storage in reductant delivery systems for selective catalytic reduction (SCR). The solid storage media systems typically provide a source of ammonia that is released as needed and delivered to an exhaust gas to treat emissions in an SCR aftertreatment system.
Ammonia provide certain advantages over a urea based system for SCR aftertreatment systems. Ammonia can be delivered successfully at much lower exhaust temperatures, without requiring temperature sufficient to rapidly evaporate and break down the urea. Additionally, the time delay between ammonia injection and available reductant at the SCR catalyst is minimal, making the dynamics and control of the system simpler and more stable. An example ammonia delivery system includes a solid medium storing the ammonia, and a release mechanism for the ammonia, for example through desorption from a medium and/or through a chemical reaction releasing ammonia as a product.
Ammonia delivery systems require the handling and management of gas phase fluids in the ammonia delivery system. Leakage of ammonia gas or other reductants into the environment is desired to be avoided. Therefore, technological developments in the detection and mitigation of gaseous reductant leaks are desirable in this area.

Leak detection and mitigation in reductant delivery systems


An embodiment of a III-nitride semiconductor device and method for making the same may include a low resistive passivation layer that permits the formation of device contacts without damage to the III-nitride material during high temperature processing. The passivation layer may be used to passivate the entire device. The passivation layer may also be provided in between contacts and active layers of the device to provide a low resistive path for current conduction. The passivation process may be used with any type of device, including FETs, rectifiers, schottky diodes and so forth, to improve breakdown voltage and prevent field crowding effects near contact junctions. The passivation layer may be activated with a low temperature anneal that does not impact the III-nitride device regarding outdiffusion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to formation of a III-nitride material system device, and relates more particularly to a III-nitride material system device formed with an ohmic contact and a method for forming the contact with a residual passivation layer.
2. Description of Related Art
III-nitride semiconductors are presently known that exhibit a large dielectric breakdown field of greater than 2.2 MV/cm. III-nitride heterojunction structures are also capable of carrying extremely high currents, which makes devices fabricated in the III-nitride material system excellent for power applications.
Development of devices based on III-nitride materials has generally been aimed at high power-high frequency applications such as emitters for cell phone base stations. The devices fabricated for these types of applications are based on general device structures that exhibit high electron mobility and are referred to variously as heterojunction field effect transistors (HFETs), high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) or modulation doped field effect transistors (MODFETs). These types of devices are typically able to withstand high voltages such as in the range of 100 Volts, while operating at high frequencies, typically in the range of 2-100 GHz. These types of devices may be modified for a number of types of applications, but typically operate through the use of piezoelectric polarization fields to generate a two dimensional electron gas (2DEG) that allows transport of very high current densities with very low resistive losses. The 2DEG is formed at an interface of AlGaN and GaN materials in these conventional III-nitride HEMT devices. Due to the nature of the AlGaN/GaN interface, and the formation of the 2DEG at the interface, devices that are formed in the III-nitride materials system tend to be nominally on, or depletion mode devices. The high electron mobility of the 2DEG at the interface of the AlGaN/GaN layers permits the III-nitride device, such as a HEMT device, to conduct without the application of a gate potential. The nominally on nature of the HEMT devices previously fabricated have limited their applicability to power management. The limitations of nominally on power devices is observed in the need to have a control circuit be powered and operational, before power can be safely controlled by a nominally on device. Accordingly, it would be desirable to create a III-nitride heterojunction device that is nominally off to avoid current conduction problems during start-up and other modes.
A drawback of III-nitride devices that permit high current densities with low resistive losses is the limited thickness that can be achieved in the strained AlGaN/GaN system. The difference in the lattice structures of these types of materials produces a strain that can result in dislocation of films grown to produce the different layers. This results in high levels of leakage through a barrier layer, for example. Some previous designs have focused on reducing the in-plane lattice constant of the AlGaN layer to near where the point of relaxation occurs to reduce the dislocation generation and leakage. However, the problem of limited thickness is not addressed by these designs.
Another solution is to add insulation layers to prevent leakage problems. The addition of an insulator layer can reduce the leakage through the barrier, and typical layers used for this purpose are silicon oxide, silicon nitride, saphire, or other insulators, disposed between the AlGaN and metal gate layers. This type of device is often referred to as a MISHFET and has some advantages over the traditional devices that do not have an insulator layer.
While additional insulator layers can permit thicker strained AlGaN/GaN systems to be constructed, the confinement layer produced by the additional insulator results in lower current carrying capacity due to the scattering effect produced on electrons at the GaN/insulator interface. Also, the additional interface between the AlGaN layer and the insulator results in the production of interface trap states that slow the response of the device. The additional thickness of the oxide, plus the additional interfaces between the two layers, also results in the use of larger gate drive voltages to switch the device.
Conventional device designs using nitride material to obtain nominally off devices rely on this additional insulator to act as a confinement layer, and may reduce or eliminate the top AlGaN layer. These devices, however, typically have lower current carrying capacity due to scattering at the GaN/insulator interface.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to produce a heterojunction device or FET that has a low leakage characteristic with fewer interfaces and layers that can still withstand high voltage and produce high current densities with low resistive losses. Presently, planar devices have been fabricated with GaN and AlGaN alloys through a number of techniques, including MOCVD (metal organic chemical vapor deposition) as well as molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE).
Materials in the gallium nitride material system may include gallium nitride (GaN) and its alloys such as aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN), indium gallium nitride (InGaN) and indium aluminum gallium nitride (InAlGaN). These materials are semiconductor compounds that have a relatively wide direct bandgap that permits highly energetic electronic transitions to occur. Gallium nitride materials have been formed on a number of different substrates including silicon carbide (SiC), saphire and silicon. Silicon substrates are readily available and relatively inexpensive, and silicon processing technology has been well developed.
However, forming gallium nitride materials on silicon substrates to produce semiconductor devices presents challenges that arise from differences in the lattice constant, thermal expansion and bandgap between silicon and gallium nitride. The problems attendant with the lattice mismatch between GaN and traditional substrate materials are also prevalent in material layer structures involving GaN and GaN alloys. For example, GaN and AlGaN materials have lattice structures that differ significantly enough to produce interface strain between the layers, contributing to piezoelectric polarization. In many previous devices, the fields generated by the piezoelectric polarization are controlled to improve the characteristics of the devices. Variations in the content of aluminum in the AlGaN/GaN layer structures tends to vary the lattice mismatch between the materials to achieve different device characteristics, such as improved conductivity or isolation barriers.
A number of types of power devices can potentially benefit from a nominally off device with low on resistance. For example, it would desirable to obtain a power switch, power rectifier, synchronous rectifier, current control device or other power devices that are nominally off when no power is applied. Current control devices can include diodes, pinch resistors, Schottky diodes and the like.
Another feature of a power device that is desirable to improve or optimize is the breakdown voltage. Typically, high voltage switching devices produced from semiconductors are exposed to very high electric fields that can be the source of dielectric breakdown in the power devices. III-nitride material devices can be particularly vulnerable to dielectric breakdown failures due to the nature of formation of the devices in the III-nitride material system. During processing of III-nitride material devices, high temperature annealing steps or chemical treatments are frequently used to produce low resistance ohmic contacts that are connected to low or moderately doped semiconductor material. During the high temperature annealing steps, the surface of the semiconductor material being annealed loses nitrogen due to the volatile nature of near-surface nitrogen in a high temperature annealing environment. The loss of nitrogen from the semiconductor material results in vacancies in the material that produces an N-type dopant effect in this material system. The effect of the additional doping beyond the normal or expected doping of the semiconductor material surface layer produces increased electric fields near the surface region of the device during voltage blocking operations. For example, if the device is a field effect transistor in an off state, the device is expected to standoff potentially large voltages without breaking down. However, due to the greater than expected doping effect of the surface layer of the semiconductor material, and the attendant increased electrical fields in the surface region, lower breakdown voltages are observed, in conjunction with device failures.
One way to avoid the effective doping that occurs with the removal of nitrogen from the surface of the semiconductor material is to form a highly doped III-nitride material on a top surface of the semiconductor material prior to forming an ohmic contact. Once the ohmic contact metal is deposited and annealed, the highly doped material layer is etched away to expose the areas for formation of a gate and a drift region, for example. However, during the etching process the exposed material surface can suffer a number of detrimental effects that result in defects in the material. The defects produced by the etching process also produce a doping effect, in addition to detrimental effects on the interface density of states under the gate, for example.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to reduce or eliminate the nitrogen outdiffusion of the semiconductor material surface layer during high temperature annealing steps, to reduce or eliminate the high residual doping effect in semiconductor surface layers during formation of ohmic contacts.
It would also be desirable to obtain a device passivation that protects the surface of the semiconductor device to prevent surface breakdown. It would also be desirable to prevent field crowding effects that can typically result from the conventional processing techniques discussed above.

III-nitride device passivation and method


A display device includes a display panel in which display pixels including colored pixels of a plurality of colors are arranged, an illumination device including a light source and configured to illuminate the display panel with light, and a control substrate configured to control drive of the display pixels, wherein the control substrate includes a display data generation circuit configured to generate display data for driving the display pixels, based on image data supplied from an external image signal supply source, a detection circuit configured to detect a change in luminance light modulation data for modulating luminance of the light source, supplied from an external image signal supply source, and a display data correction circuit configured to correct the display data, based on an output value of the detection circuit.

In the prior art, a white LED, which is a light source of a liquid crystal display device, has a blue LED element, and a red phosphor and a green phosphor emitting light by excitation light (blue light) of the blue LED element. As a result, light emission of the white LED includes blue light, red light emitted from the red phosphor, and green light emitted from the green phosphor, and generally exhibits white color. For this reason, for example, if the response speed of the red phosphor with respect to the excitation light of the blue LED element is slow, the red color remains emitting after the blue LED element is turned off, and the display screen remains a red residue or becomes reddish. Indeed, it is known that KSF phosphors (one example of bifluoride red phosphors) known as one of red phosphors are likely to cause such a change in color level because the response speed with respect to emission light of a blue LED element is slow while achieving excellent color reproducibility and luminance of red light.
A liquid crystal display device described in PTL1 is disclosed as a means for correcting a change in color level caused by a response speed of a phosphor. The liquid crystal display device described in PTL1 can correct color level when transmitting through a liquid crystal panel even in a case where light from a light source changes in color level, by controlling signals (gain control signals) for driving each pixel of three colors (R, G, B) of the liquid crystal panel in consideration of the response speed of the phosphor in accordance with a change in the amount of light emitted by the light source (luminance of a backlight device).

Display device comprising a control substrate configured to control drive of display pixels


A trading system and method for trading forwards among a plurality of parties is presented. Among the features that the system implements are the following: counterparty enablement by forward term and/or region; a user selectable area on the monitor for executing again a trade that was just executed; a sweep trading feature for permitting a trader to sequentially aggress on a series of orders in the same forward; a spread-trading feature for allowing traders to directly trade on the difference between bid prices and offer prices for corresponding orders on a primary and secondary leg/link; providing a feature for joining orders wherein a trader may add a new bid or offer that has the same terms (e.g., price and quantity) of a perceived market best bid or offer; and enabling a party to make multiple bids and offers for the same forward within the same term at varying pricing.

The invention disclosed herein relates to an electronic trading system for trading forwards, particularly electricity forwards, and to certain features implemented by the electronic system which also have application in trading systems for other interests.
Electricity forwards, i.e., future commitments with regards to prices and quantities of electrical energy to be provided for which terms are established in the present, are traded directly between a buyer and a seller without an exchange. The use of electronic systems was recently introduced into the trading of electricity forwards. Two such electronic systems are Streamline and HoustonStreet.com. HoustonStreet.com is an e-commerce, Internet-based system which allows anonymous matching between traders until a binding trade is reached. More information about HoustonStreet.com may be found on its Web site, www.houstonstreet.com
There have been tremendous advances in electronic trading of commodities. However, the commodities industry is seeking still further advances in speed, reliability and ease of use. These demands for technical advances apply to forwards trading as well, and there is a need in forwards trading for advances in electronic trading beyond those offered by Streamline and HoustonStreet.com.

Electronic trading system for forwards spread trades


A method and apparatus is provided for controlling the function of document processing machines such as copying machines and facsimile machines. Control data is submitted to a controller in a two-dimensional symbology having error correcting capability. The control data is decoded and used to process a plurality of documents without the need of a manual keying of instructions by an operator controlling the document processing machine.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the processing of printed machine instructions and, more particularly, systems and apparatus for creating, reproducing, disseminating and storing machine instructions in the form of an encoded symbol.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Currently, more and more emphasis is being placed on the dissemination of information and the accuracy of such information. While a vast amount of data and information is disseminated by electronic networks, such as computer networks, a great deal of information is still distributed in printed form. Only printed information in hard copy form that can be readily saved and reproduced for future reference, is truly capable of providing lasting comfort to a large percent of the population. Unfortunately, the dissemination of printed material is cumbersome, slow and unreliable as compared to the electronic transfer of information and data, and further, once information is in printed form it is difficult to return the information and data to electronic form. Thus, in circumstances where the information being communicated includes instructions on the reproduction, distribution and handling of printed matter it is incumbent on the originator of the instructions to provide job instructions which are not subject to "interpretation" or undesired revision. A facsimile copy of a document destined for a customer should not be erroneously faxed to a competitor, nor should a copy operator make one thousand copies of a manual on the wrong size paper.
One commonly used approach for representing information in a highly convenient machine readable form is to encode the information into a pattern of indicia having elements of different reflectivity, such as the ubiquitous UPC bar code symbol. The bar code symbol is optically scanned and the resulting signals are decoded into data representing the symbol encoding. This data can then be readily entered into and processed by a data processing system. Typical bar code symbols, such as the UPC symbol, are one-dimensional in character and thus are extremely limited in amount of data that can be encoded therein.
Prior art patents, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,757,348 to Rourke et al., 4,716,438 to Farrel, and 4,248,528 to Sahay, have described photocopiers having integrated bar code readers for scanning control sheets fed through a document feeder. The control sheets include copying instructions which were are presented to the copying machine as either an encoded one-dimensional bar code job number on the margin of the document, or a hand-filled job sheet processed by a scanner below the platen of the copier. The job sheets are placed between jobs which are stacked together to avoid stopping and reprogramming each job after the end of a prior job. These systems provided "batch" job capabilities. The prior art bar coded sheets employed one-dimensional bar codes which referenced a job number. The job number referred the controller of the printer to a pre-stored job program stored in the copier's memory. The operator was first required to program the job or job exception into the copying machine through the machine controller such as a standard control panel on the copier where the job program was stored. To enable the particular job that the operator programmed to be matched to a specific document batch, a specific job identifier (e.g., job number) is input to the machine by the operator of the job. A job sheet including the job identifier is then placed, i.e., interleaved, at the beginning of the documents to be processed. Thus, as provided in the '438 patent (col. 6, lines 4-34), and the '348 patent (col. 6, lines 23-53), the job sheet functions as a job identifier for a job which was previously programmed and stored on the copying machine.
The '528 patent describes a job sheet having job instructions to be submitted into a copier feeder. The job sheet included a number of fill-in areas which an operator filled in and placed at the beginning of a set of documents to be processed.
In the above-cited issued patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,304,786, a two-dimensional bar code symbol is disclosed, which has high information density and capacity capabilities, as well as error detection and correction features. This symbol, known as the PDF417 symbol, is capable of representing as many as 500 characters per square inch of ASCII data. Thus, a relatively small number of PDF417 symbols, and in some cases a single PDF 417 symbol, has the capacity to encode alphanumeric text and control data filling a letter-size document.

Apparatus and method for processing a machine readable document with embedded machine instructions


A takeout jaw for handling glass bottles includes a holder for both fixed and floating inserts. This design allows an insert to be in a fixed position when the insert is provided with a nominal thickness. When a floating insert of a lesser thickness is installed, the spring clip does not engage the floating insert, which allows the floating insert to move vertically or float. The takeout holder contains either type of insert within the pocket with retaining clips that engage chamfers formed on the inserts.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to a fixture for glassmaking and, in particular, to an improved system, method, and apparatus for lifting hot glass bottles from molds in which they are formed with a nonmetallic material that is capable of being both fixed and floating relative to a fixture.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hot glass, especially when formed into various shapes in the manufacture of glass containers (e.g., bottles), is susceptible to being damaged by contact with glass processing equipment. Most of the equipment that contacts the hot glass in the hot end process area during the manufacture of glass bottles is fabricated from metallic materials (e.g., stainless steel and other alloys). However, in certain areas of the hot end processing of glass bottles, it has been found desirable to utilize non-metallic materials such as graphite, asbestos, plastics or carbon fibers.
One such application is in fixtures used to lift hot, newly formed bottles from the mold in which they are formed and set them down on an air pad for cooling before being conveyed to an annealing furnace. These fixtures are called takeout jaws or tongs. Since metallic takeout jaws may cause scratching or checking by contact with the hot formed bottles, takeout jaws are frequently fabricated with a non-metallic insert for contacting the hot glass. Checking is the formation of imperceptible cracks due to sudden localized heat transfer or thermal shock. Non-metallic inserts can significantly reduce checking and scratching. This is particularly important in the current production of light weight, fragile bottles that require gentler handling.
Of the materials which have been used as inserts for takeout jaws, the most satisfactory to date has proven to be graphite. Although other non-metallic materials have been used, most of such non-metallic materials are not completely suitable for use in lifting the hot containers from the molds. Asbestos, which was used at one time, has proven to be undesirable for safety and environmental reasons. Plastics suitable for use at the high temperatures encountered in the hot end process area must be specially formulated and also have a relatively short service life. In contrast, graphite possesses properties that are particularly well suited for contacting hot glass containers. Graphite properties include high strength, resistance to oxidation, non-abrasive surface integrity, heat resistance, low porosity, and long service life.
One of the disadvantages of conventional takeout jaws was the frequent need to replace parts that were worn out from routine use in the bottle-forming machine. This wear was caused largely by the movement of takeout jaw inserts within the jaw. Inserts were commonly held in position by steel detent balls positioned in holes in the takeout jaws. Detent balls were subject to wear and fouling due to the accumulation of grease, oil, and other foreign matter. The detent balls tended to hang up in their holes and permit the insert to fall out, causing loss of the insert and loss of production. Detent balls seldom provided sufficient fit for the insert to render the insert immovable within the jaw. Therefore, a limited amount of vertical movement or "float" between the insert and jaw was almost always present.
Coupled with the fact that jaws having close tolerances could not be readily fabricated from cast bronze, the form of takeout jaws conventionally manufactured, the play between the jaw and insert resulted in wear of the insert and necessitates frequent replacement. Because of the lack of close tolerances in the takeout jaws, replacement of both inserts from a pair of takeout jaws was typically necessary. p In U.S. Pat. No. Re. 34,953, the inserts for the takeout jaws are "fixed" and do not permit float. That patent discloses takeout jaws that reduce the wear on inserts and in which the inserts can be readily replaced in the event of wear or damage without having to replace parts of the jaws themselves. Thus, bottle makers have had two choices in takeout holders: floating and fixed. The criteria for selecting the type of holder includes, for example, the condition of the bottle making machine, the type of finish required, and the skill level of the workers.
Fixed holders hold the insert tightly in the holder's pocket via a spring clip, while floating holders allow the insert to move vertically. The float is accomplished by reducing the thickness of the insert by 0.020 to 0.050 inches less than the pocket of the holder. The insert is contained in the pocket with ball bearings that protrude into the pocket from both sides and corresponding grooves in the insert. Although these two separate designs are workable, it would be advantageous and desirable to provide a single design that accommodates both fixed and floating takeout insert holders.

System, method, and apparatus for interchangeably accommodating both fixed and floating takeout inserts


The present invention relates to an ultra-low emission stored exhaust gas-assisted internal combustion powerplant. The powerplant comprises a variable torque drive turbine connected to a piston compressor through a gearbox. The gearbox comprises a planetary or epicyclic gear to selectively direct power from the drive turbine to the compressor and at least one output shaft. The compressed air is mixed with fuel in a staged combustor, the hot exhaust gasses are used to drive the variable torque drive turbine or cooled and stored in a exhaust gasses storage system.

Current efforts in the field of vehicle propulsion have largely centered on incrementally improving the efficiency of internal combustion engines—to limited success—and developing new energy storage sources for use in electric vehicles—with equally marginal gains.
Fundamentally, traditional internal combustion engines or powerplants ("ICEs" or "ICPs," respectively) present significant areas of inefficiency. For example, to avoid repeated wasteful restarts, an ICP is usually idled when no work is being done. However, prolonged idle times (more than a few seconds) also lead to fuel consumption with no return on the expenditure. ICPs are equally inefficient in the ramp up (i.e., at low revolutions per minute or "RPM") to operating speeds. Some components of ICPs store a portion of the unused energy (i.e., flywheels that store energy and help sustain smooth idling) but add additional dead weight.
In a conventional directly driven peak power system, the engine must convert the portable energy (i.e., fuel) into large peak shaft power every time, rather than using a peak size prime mover. The engine and the transmission must be large enough to meet the peak transient requirements and the losses while under way. Since the operational range of speed and torque of an engine differ from those of the vehicle, an interface is required which modifies and transmits the power as needed. Although modern automatic transmissions with torque converters eliminated the manual clutching and shifting of manual transmissions, the rapid transients of the engine during acceleration and deceleration were not eliminated. Conversions of the rotational power into viscous fluid power in addition to losses to viscous flow in torque converters waste energy.
The evolution of ICPs over the last century can best be described as displacement centric—increasing the displacement of the engine to boost peak power and gain better acceleration performance. Increased displacement has further exacerbated intrinsic ICP design issues as more severe transients are introduced to the combustion reaction, harmful emissions are increased, additional frictional losses are introduced, and more parts are required adding dead weight the ICP. Improvements with marginal efficiency gains have been developed to improve the performance and decrease fuel consumption.
Other improvements have focused on forced induction and valve control. For example, turbochargers, superchargers, multiple valves, and complex valve timings have been added with little effect. Each of these approaches have required increasingly more complex systems to enable reliable operation and obtain the desired performance metrics in addition to more involved materials, higher tolerances, and increased overall weight. As a result, the initial cost and maintenance costs of ICPs has significantly increased to only marginal efficiency and power gains. Progressively stringent regulatory requirements have also added hardware and operational complexity to ICPs.
Electric vehicles in general present equally significant levels of inefficiency. Electric propulsion systems, in particular, present at least four major drawbacks when compared to hydrocarbon-based propulsion systems. First, the electro-chemical reaction within electric batteries occurs in the two-dimensional electrodes/electrolyte interphases and the rates of ion and mass transports to and from the surfaces are finite. Second, electron flow needs metal conductor and magnetic flux needs metal core to push or pull. Third, electric batteries must carry all reactants, reaction products, electrodes, and electrolyte in a safe container at all times. These components represent dead or added weight not found in embodiments described herein. And, finally, electric batteries have comparatively larger charge times and must be charged from truly sustainable reliable sources (e.g., Batch Thermo-Nuclear Reaction).
Some solutions to these problems were discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,672,160. However, the systems disclosed therein were mechanically complex and required fuels with very high octanes to be implemented in a practical manner. A primordial need remains for a vehicle propulsion system that leverages the large energy capacity of hydrocarbons while significantly mitigating harmful emissions and limiting the operational complexity of the system. The present invention is directed toward solutions that address this need, in addition to having other desirable characteristics.

Apparatus and system for vehicle propulsion


Photoluminescent polydisilacyclobutanes are made by reacting a dialkenyldihalocarbosilane with an organolithium reagent in the presence of a solvent at 0-25 .degree. C.

This invention is directed to polycarbosilanes, and to polymers in which silicon atoms are linked through substituted alkylene bridges. The substituted polysilalkylenes are polydisilacyclobutanes with two different silacyclobutane units.
The literature makes reference to processes using halosilanes containing a single unsaturated linkage. See for example, Z. Anorg. Allg. Chem., Volume 558, pages 55-86, (1988); Chem. Ber., Volume 126, pages 575-580, (1993); and J. Prakt. Chem., Volume 337, pages 79-92, (1995).
By using halosilanes containing two unsaturated linkages, as exemplified in Journal of Organometallic Chemistry, Volume 377, pages 175-195, (1989), we are enabled to produce higher molecular weight materials, i.e., polymers.
While one co-inventor herein has co-authored a recent article relative to certain silacyclobutanes, the article does not describe polymers which replicate the polymer described herein. In particular, reference may be had to Chem. Eur. J., Volume 3, Issue 6, "Towards 2-Silaallenes: Synthesis of Spirocyclic Precursors", pages 948-957, (Jun. 4, 1997).


A termination circuit having a large margin which prevents the occurrence of a reflected wave due to a noise at the far end of a transmission line, thereby reducing the power consumption in the termination impedance. The termination circuit is constructed such that a first transistor is connected to a first potential and a second transistor is connected to a second potential which constitute the output stage of the termination circuit. The transistors are driven by first and second inverters having different input/output characteristics, respectively, thereby increasing the operation margin of the termination circuit. Particularly, if the second potential is assumed to be lower than the first potential, the second inverter driving the second transistor has such input/output characteristics that it outputs an output voltage which turns off the second transistor before the first inverter turns on the first transistor as the input voltage increases.

1. Technical Field
This invention is related to a termination circuit of a transmission line, and particularly to a termination circuit which is provided at the far end opposite to the input end of a transmission line, and which allows transmission of a signal wave with less distortion, reduces the noise of the transmission line, reduces the power consumption of the termination impedance terminating at the far end, and has a large operational margin.


A towel (10) includes a base layer (12) and a plurality of raised projections (14) that project away from the base layer (12). The base layer (12) has a first side (16) and a second side (18). In one embodiment, the projections (14) are discontinuously positioned and are each separately secured to one or both of the sides (16, 18) of the base layer (12). In one embodiment, the projections (14) have a higher coefficient of static friction than the base layer (12) relative to a surface (20). The base layer (12) can be formed from an absorbent material and the projections (14) can be formed from a relatively non-absorbent material. In one embodiment, the projections (14) cover less than approximately 50 percent of one of the sides (16, 18) of the base layer (12). Moreover, in one embodiment, the projections (14) can be substantially hemispherical in shape.

Strength and coordination exercises are becoming increasingly more popular these days. Within health-conscious cultures, sports such as jogging, swimming and bicycling have long been common forms of exercise. More recently, however, those desiring to stay in shape are seeking different, more innovative ways to achieve or maintain a desired level of physical conditioning and mental health, while at the same time trying to decrease the incidence of injuries due to high impact exercising.
For example, various forms of yoga have gained greater acceptance within today's society. Yoga is known to increase strength and flexibility, while relaxing the mind through focusing on holding certain body positions. Consequently, yoga and other similar disciplines can provide participants with an increased fitness level and improved state of mind. Typically, cushioned rubber mats are used by those who practice yoga for providing a soft surface for kneeling, standing, and lying down. However, due to the physical demand of balancing while holding various poses for extended periods of time, the participants can perspire onto the mats, causing the mats to become slick, thereby increasing the likelihood of a slipping injury. Thus, the participant can become distracted from proper focus during the practice of yoga. Further, the mats are generally relatively non-absorbent, and offer few benefits other than creating a padded area for use by the yoga participants.


A peering relationship among two or more network appliances is established through an exchange of control messages among the network appliances. The peering relationship defines a cluster of peered network appliances, and at each network appliance of the cluster traffic flow state information for all the network appliances of the cluster is maintained. Network traffic associated with traffic flows of the network appliances of the cluster is managed according to the state information for the traffic flows. This managing of the network traffic may include forwarding among the network appliances of the cluster (i.e., to those of the appliances handling the respective flows) at least some of the network traffic associated with one or more of the traffic flows according to the state information for the one or more traffic flows. The traffic flows may be TCP connections or UDP flows.

A common problem facing organizations with large enterprise networks is the problem of asymmetric routing. Such a situation can occur in a variety of contexts, but often occurs where an enterprise obtains Internet connectivity from multiple Internet Service Providers (ISPs); in other words, when the enterprise has multiple address prefixes.
Refer, for example, to FIG. 1. This illustration depicts a multi-ISP environment 10 in which an enterprise network includes two proxy devices P1 and P2, which provide connectivity for a client 12 to a server 14 via two ISPs 16 and 18, respectively. Of course, this illustration depicts a rather straightforward routing path (from P1 through router R1, and from R3 through P2 and R2) for each ISP connection, whereas in other deployment scenarios the routing paths may be more complex. In any such deployment, however, the different proxy devices are likely to reside on different network segments 20, 22. This poses a problem when the proxies employ client IP spoofing.
With client IP spoofing, once a connection from the client 12 to proxy P1 is intercepted and terminated, the outbound connection from P1 to server 14 will carry the client's IP address. As such, the return traffic could traverse a completely different path (e.g., through ISP 18, router R2, proxy P2 and router R3) than was traversed by the forward direction traffic. Indeed, the return traffic path will depend entirely on the configuration at the node to which the outbound connection is destined (i.e., server 14). Consequently the return traffic may not reach the proxy that intercepted the original request.
When proxy P2 receives the return traffic from server 14, it will have no connection reference with which to associate that traffic. That is, P2 will not have any state information concerning the connection for which the traffic from the server is intended. Consequently, P2 will not forward the traffic to the requesting client 12 and, instead, is likely to reject it because a proxy that is acting as a security device must be conservative regarding the types of traffic to be allowed through. Moreover, when proxy P1 (as well as client 12) fails to receive anything from the server 14, these outbound connections may eventually timeout because no return traffic will have been received.
Depending on the enterprise network configuration, asymmetric routing may occur on the inbound connections (from the server to the client) as well as on the outbound connections (from the client to the server). In such a case, traffic originated by a particular client may not reach a proxy device that was intercepting traffic from a server. This would, again, trigger incorrect connection resets. What is needed is a solution for such asymmetric routing situations.

System and method of traffic inspection and stateful connection forwarding among geographically dispersed network appliances organized as clusters


A system control circuit 5 determines whether or not an external apparatus connected to an interface 14 is one that can store data, by transmitting data to the apparatus through the interface 14. It the system control circuit 5 determines that the external apparatus can store data, the circuit 5 turns off a switch 13, stopping the transmission of audio data to the external apparatus through the interface 14. As a result, illegal copying of the data can be effectively prevented.

Up to this time, electric music distribution (EMD) has been accomplished, thereby distributing music by means of CS satellite broadcasting or through the Internet or the like. Music is distributed as the content provider authenticates each terminal via a network, thus allowing the same to receive music. Fee is charged every time the receiver listens to the music.
Music distribution achieved by using packaged media such as compact disks is, after all, music distribution effected by selling media. Except for special cases, the user can listen to the music as many times he or she wants, once he or she has paid an amount money for the medium and the media has been accordingly distributed to him or her.
A person who has bought a packaged medium can copy the music for his or her private use. Besides such a private copy, there may be distributed so-called pirate copies of the packaged media.
Even in the case of electric music distribution, too, a person who has received the music can copy the music for his or her private use. Besides such a private copy, the receiver may copy the music for illegal use.

Data transmission apparatus, data transmission method, and data recording medium


A dual-input power converter comprises two power stages using a common low-side element, a first input for coupling a first input voltage to the first power stage, a second input for coupling a second input voltage to the second power stage, and a controller for driving the first and second power stages to convert the first or second input voltage to an output voltage.

Generally, a switching-mode power converter converts an input voltage to an output voltage by alternatively switching a pair of high-side and low-side elements coupled with the input voltage. In a synchronous power converter, the high-side and low-side elements both are switches such as MOS transistors, and in an asynchronous power converter, the high-side and low-side elements are a switch and a diode, respectively. Additionally, power converters are classified into two types, boost converter and buck converter, depending on the way of producing the output voltage by boosting or bucking the input voltage.
In most portable electronic products, alkaline and lithium batteries are used for power source. However, the battery voltage gradually decays as it is used. To obtain a stable supply voltage, two-stage power converter is generally used to convert the battery voltage to the supply voltage in such a way that boosts the battery voltage to a higher voltage and then bucks it to the desired level.
Conversion efficiency is an important factor to evaluate the performance of a power converter. FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a conventional two-stage power converter 100, which comprises a boost converter 102 and a buck converter 104 coupled in series. The input voltage Vin of the power converter 100 is provided by one lithium battery or two alkaline batteries, and in the power converter 100, the boost converter 102 steps up the input voltage Vin to produce a higher voltage Vout1, and then the buck converter 104 steps down the voltage Vout1 to produce the output voltage Vout2 at the desired level. However, either one of boost converter and buck converter typically has a conversion efficiency of about 90%, and thus a two-stage power converter will have a lower conversion efficiency not greater than 81%. As a result, the total conversion efficiency is lowed down after the two-stage power conversion.
Therefore, it is desired a high efficiency power converter.

Dual-input power converter and control methods thereof


Methods and articles for fabricating expansive stents having generally cylindrical configurations with a pattern therein include interconnecting portions from a generally planar sheet of material with a central portion. A pattern is formed in the sheet of material around said central portion corresponding to said pattern having interconnecting portions. The pattern has a generally circular outer margin. The pattern is separated from the sheet of material and causes relative movement between the central portion of the pattern and the outer circular margin in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the central portion. The pattern is transformed from one sheet form into one in cylindrical form to provide an expansible stent having a generally cylindrical configuration.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to stents and other prostheses intended for implantation in blood vessels and other body lumens. In particular, the present invention relates to methods and articles for the fabrication of such stents.
The use of stents and other luminal prostheses is often indicated when there is desire to maintain patency of a body lumen. Stents have commonly been used in blood vessels, the ureter, and the biliary duct, for the treatment of conditions which can result in luminal obstruction. Of particular interest to the present invention, vascular stents have demonstrated significant success in inhibiting restenosis following angioplasty and other primary interventional treatments in the vasculature. Lined stents, often referred to as vascular stent grafts or prostheses, hold great promise for the reinforcement of blood vessels for the treatment of aneurysms and lining of blood vessels for the treatment of occlusive disease among other conditions. In the case of aneurysms, the stent acts as a scaffold or framework for supporting the liner within the blood vessel to define an artificial lumen therethrough. In the case of occlusive disease, the stent maintains lumenal patency while the liner inhibits cellular intrusion into the lumen.
Vascular stents are typically delivered in a radially reduced or constrained configuration and expanded in situ at the target site. The stents may be deformable and balloon-expanded at the target site. Alternatively, the stents may be formed from a resilient material and released from constraint to self-expand at the target site. In a third general approach, the stents are formed from a shape-memory alloy and induced to expand at the target site by exposure to a temperature change. In all such cases, the stent will usually comprise a network or lattice of structural elements which permits configuration in both the radially-reduced and the radially-expanded geometries. One common geometry comprises a plurality of lozenge-shaped or diamond-shaped elements which are joined in a ring and may be expanded from a small diameter configuration to a large diameter configuration. Other common geometries include helically wound wires and filaments, zig-zag rings, serpentine rings, and numerous combinations and derivations of these geometries.
Regardless of the particular stent geometry chosen, manufacture of the stent presents a number of technical challenges. The stents have very small dimensions, often with diameters of 1 mm and below, and may be formed from metals and alloys that are difficult to fabricate, such as shape memory alloys and stainless steel alloys having specific properties. It will be appreciated that the stents which are produced must have highly uniform expansion characteristics, and thus the fabrications methods should result in stents having highly uniform mechanical properties. Moreover, the dimensions must meet very close tolerances and the surface finishes of the stents must be non-injurious and non-thrombogenic.
The most common methods for producing vascular and other stents start with a tube which is then cut or otherwise patterned to have the desired geometry. In many cases, particularly with shape memory alloys, it will be further necessary to heat-treat the resulting stent in order to gain desired expansion properties. Cutting of the tube stock starting material can be effected in a variety of ways. Most commonly, laser cutting is employed. Laser cutting, however, results in significant thermal stresses on the material which can be particularly troublesome when producing shape memory alloy stents. Chemical etching of the tube starting materials have also been proposed. Patterning and etching of tubes, however, is very difficult and expensive to perform.
For these reasons, it would be desirable to provide improved methods and articles for manufacturing cylindrical stents. Such improved methods should preferably be compatible with a wide variety of starting materials, including shape memory alloys, stainless steel alloys, and other materials from which stents are commonly performed. Such methods and articles, moreover, should preferably expose the materials to minimum thermal and other stresses, thus enhancing the dimensional and physical stability of the resulting stents. The present invention will address at least some of these objectives.
2. Description of the Background Art
Methods for laser cutting tube stock are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,073,694. Methods for etching tube stock to produce vascular stents are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,955. Methods for fabricating stents by winding a serpentine element over a cylindrical mandrel are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,090.

Methods for the manufacture of radially expansible stents


A semiconductor device is disclosed, which comprises a gate electrode having a laminated structure of a polycrystalline silicon film or a polycrystalline germanium film containing arsenic and a first nickel silicide layer formed in sequence on an element forming region of a semiconductor substrate through a gate insulating film, a sidewall insulating film formed on a side surface of the gate electrode, source/drain layers containing arsenic formed in the element forming region at both side portions of the gate electrode, and second nickel silicide layers formed on the source/drain layers, wherein a peak concentration of arsenic contained in the gate electrode is at least 1/10 of a peak concentration of arsenic contained in the source/drain layers.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, with the high integration of semiconductor devices, MOSFETs (Metal oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors) constituting a semiconductor device also have been miniaturized. This miniaturization reduces width of the wirings and also reduces depths of source/drain diffusion layers, thereby increasing electric resistances of the wirings and the diffusion layers etc., which increases a delay of signal transmission. In order to prevent such electric resistances from increasing, it is required for an impurity concentration distribution curve in a high concentration diffusion region to represent steep inclines with respect to both a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction. Further, there is employed a method of forming a low resistance silicide on a gate electrode or a diffusion layer in a self-aligning manner.
In an nMOSFET (n-channel Metal oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors), high concentration diffusion region having an impurity concentration distribution curve representing steep inclines is attained by employing arsenic as impurity. However, when forming silicide, there are some problems. That is, it is reported that forming silicide on a silicon substrate highly doped with an impurity, in particular, arsenic, allows an irregular silicide layer to form. Refer to, for example, T. Ohguro, T. Morimoto, Y. Ushiku, and H. Iwai "Analysis of Anomalously Large Junction Leakage Current of Nickel Silicided N-Type Diffused Layer and Its Improvement" Extended Abstract of the 1993 International Conference on Solid State Devices and Materials, 1993, pp. 192-194.
For example, when employing arsenic as an impurity to be doped and forming a nickel silicide layer as a silicide layer to be formed, nickel is deposited on a silicon substrate containing arsenic, followed by siliciding the deposited nickel by the use of heat treatment. In this case, however, the silicide layer formed on the silicon substrate unfavorably becomes an irregular silicide layer composed of not only nickel silicide, but also a compound containing nickel, silicon, oxygen, and arsenic.
In a conventional CMOS process, there is simultaneously carried out an impurity doping into a semiconductor substrate for forming a highly doped diffusion layer and an impurity doping into the gate electrode. For this reason, arsenic is doped into the gate electrode by the same amount as that into the highly doped diffusion layer. Therefore, forming a nickel silicide layer on the gate electrode causes an irregular silicide layer to be unfavorably formed. This silicidation may not only cause the silicide layer on the gate electrode to be formed thicker than the silicide layer on the silicon substrate, but also cause the entire of the gate electrode to be silicided. Carrying out the doping into the gate electrode in synchronization with the doping into the semiconductor substrate for forming the highly doped diffusion layer provides a problem that the gate electrode is not subjected to ion-implantation at the most suitable concentration.
Excessively siliciding the gate electrode causes the sheet resistance of the silicide layer to be varied. Further, this excessive silicidation of the gate electrode may reach the entire of the gate electrode, thereby causing the silicided gate electrode to contact the gate insulating film to thereby change the work function of the gate electrode, which causes the threshold voltage to be unfavorably shifted or varied. This remarkably reduces the reliability of the semiconductor device.

Semiconductor device comprising gate electrode having arsenic and phosphorus


A catheter assembly including at least one introducer defining a passage receiving an elongate tubular member having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending between an elongate shape-imparting element received in the lumen and imparting a predetermined shape to the distal end of the elongate tubular member, when the distal end of the elongate tubular member is extended beyond a distal end of the at least one introducer. A distal end of the one-piece shape-imparting element extends from the lumen of the elongate tubular member and is anchored proximal the distal end of the at least one introducer.

Catheter systems are becoming an increasingly common way of diagnosing and treating abnormal heart conditions, in particular, heart arrhythmias. Such arrhythmias can be treated with drugs or by use of electronic devices such as pacemakers. However, neither of these treatments cures the problem but only alleviates it.
In contrast, the use of ablative techniques has been shown to cure arrhythmias. Thus, catheters having mapping electrodes and/or ablative electrodes are inserted through the vascular system of a patient's body so that a distal end of the catheter can be placed accurately in the relevant chamber of the heart. For the treatment of atrial fibrillation, the distal end is placed at or around the ostium of one or more of the pulmonary veins, in turn, to effect ablation.
In still other applications for ablative catheters, the catheter may need to be placed against a wall of a blood vessel or organ, for example, in heating tumors for treatment of such tumors. It is therefore desirable that a distal end of the catheter be substantially planar so that the distal end of the catheter assembly can be placed in contact with the wall of the vessel or organ.

Catheter assembly with an adjustable loop


A tablet device provides contextual input to a computing device by using a touchscreen to display a context menu related to a location on a display screen of the computing device, accessing a selection from the context menu from the touchscreen, and sending values corresponding to the selection to the computing device. The touchscreen may alternatively enable user input related to the context menu or touchpad functions.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to computing devices and more particularly to tablet devices.
2. Description of Related Art
Computer display screens frequently include numerous items with related contextual information including choices for processing or modifying the relevant items. For example, contextual choices for a text file may include editing, printing, or deleting the file. However, presenting this information on the display screen without an explicit request by the user may be counterproductive, for example, when other screen items are obscured or when the user is not interested in the relevant options. Alternatively, if this information is only displayed after a user request (e.g., through a secondary mouse button), the user must then interrupt other activities to determine the existence of the information. Thus, there is a need for improved methods and related systems for managing and displaying contextual information related to items on a display screen.

Method and system for using a tablet device to provide contextual input to a computing device


An image supply device is capable of transmitting image data to a recording apparatus so as to record an image, receiving status information transmitted as a code from the recording apparatus, determining the degree of interpretation of plural-level information corresponding to a device level included in the received code, determining an interpretation level for the plural-level information included in the code and interpreting the code. Then, the device determines information based on the result of the interpretation and notifies a user of the information.

In recent years, a digital camera (image sensing apparatus) which obtains an image by image sensing with a simple operation and converts the obtained image into digital image data is widely used. Generally, in a case where an image obtained by this camera is printed as a photograph, the digital image data is temporarily read from the digital camera into a PC (computer), then image processing is performed in the PC, and the processed data is outputted from the PC to a color printer and print-outputted.
On the other hand, recently developed are a color print system which directly transmits digital image data from a digital camera to a color printer to print-output the image data, and a so-called photo-direct (PD) printer, to which a memory card, installed in a digital camera for storage of images obtained by image sensing is directly attached, and which prints the images stored in the memory card.
To directly transmit image data to a color printer, there is a need for standardization of an interface specification and an operation method and the like among digital cameras and color printers by respective makers. For such standardization, a guideline for realization of DPS (Direct Print System) has been proposed.
However, in a case where an error occurs in a printer which receives image data from an image supply device other than a digital camera, such as a DVD or a cellular phone with camera, and the printer is to notify the image supply device of the error, it is impossible to communicate detailed error information as defined in the above DPS. To use the specification for error notification in correspondence with such an image supply device other than the digital camera defined in the DPS, a code system only to notify simplified and abstract information is employed. Thus the high level user interface is wasted.

Image supply device transmitting image data to a recording apparatus, communication apparatus, recording system and control method thereof


A photodetector for detecting the polarization or wavelength of incident infrared radiation (IR) is described. The polarization sensitive photodetector operates using two sets of patches and corresponding cavities, the first set resonating with IR having a first polarization, while the second set resonates with IR having an orthogonal, second polarization. The polarization sensitive photodetector thus outputs two signals, proportional to the first and second polarizations, respectively. The wavelength sensitive photodetector operates using two sets of patches and corresponding cavities, the first set resonating at a first IR wavelength, while the second set resonates at a different IR wavelength. The wavelength sensitive photodetector thus outputs two signals, proportional to the first and second wavelengths, respectively. The patches have a length corresponding to odd multiples of the effective wavelength of the IR, while the thickness of the photodetector is typically one fourth of the effective wavelength.

Detectors for infrared (IR) radiation have many applications. Infrared radiation can often be used to detect objects where visible light is either blocked or not present. Thus, it is possible to use IR detection at night or through clouds, dust, or haze. An IR detector can be in the form of either a single detecting element or an array of such elements to produce an image. A detector that produces such an image is termed a focal plane array.
Infrared radiation can be detected through various ways. One such way is by the use of a material that generates electric charge carriers in response to incident IR radiation. Examples of such photosensitive material are mercury cadmium telluride and a multi-layered structure termed a multiple quantum well (MQW) structure that has alternating layers of wells and barriers.
Depending upon the application, it may be necessary to detect a man-made object in a background of natural objects. It has been found that many natural objects emit IR radiation that has approximately equal magnitudes in both orthogonal polarizations. However, it has been found that most man-made objects tend to emit IR radiation that is significantly biased in favor of one polarization or the other. For this reason, polarization sensitive IR radiation detectors provide one method of distinguishing natural objects from man-made objects.
In still further applications, it may be necessary to accurately determine the temperature of an object. An apparatus that detects the temperature of an object based on measurements at a single radiation wavelength are inaccurate if the emissivity of the object is unknown. A more accurate method for determining the temperature is to take measurements of the object at two different radiation wavelengths. This provides a method of determining the temperature of an object that is less sensitive to the emissivity of the object.

Polarization and wavelength-selective patch-coupled infrared photodetector


A method to reduce the likelihood of conjunctivitis in farm animals, especially cattle, includes the step of injecting an implant containing an antibiotic effective against the microbes associated with conjunctivitis subcutaneously into the animal in close proximity to the eye. Preferably the implant includes a matrix to allow time release of the antibiotic and the implant is placed in the animal near the first part of July. Also preferably the antibiotic is tetracycline.

The present application is directed to a method of controlling a conjunctivitis known as "pinkeye", in cattle and other livestock by placing a subcutaneous antibiotic implant in close proximity to each eye of an animal to be treated in accordance with the method.
Pinkeye is the common name for a conjunctivitis or inflammation of the conjunctiva. This conjunctivitis can result in ulceration of the eyeball, severe pain, blepharospasm, excess tearing and eventually corneal perforation with subsequent prolapse of the intraocular contents, blindness, weight loss and substantial decrease in value to the owner. Because of the colorization of the eyeball, the disease is commonly known as pinkeye. Various microbes may be associated with the inflammation with the most common being one or more of the strains of Moraxella Bovis.
While microbes are associated with the inflammation, there appear to be different opinions as to the exact primary and secondary causes of conjunctivitis in cattle and as to what events must occur to result in such an inflammation. Obviously, there must be some exposure to the infecting microbe.
It may also be necessary to have some exposure to ultraviolet radiation which can be provided by the sun and/or other factors including dust, weed growth, stresses that compromise the animal's defense system, and insect, especially fly, infestation. Flies also may transport and transmit the infectious bacteria between animals. Most cases of conjunctivitis in the northern hemisphere occur during what is referred to as the peak period for conjunctivitis: during the period extending from July to October. This also correlates with the period of greatest sunshine and with the greatest incidence of the other noted factors.
Conjunctivitis can lead to serious problems, as noted above and is especially troublesome to cattle ranchers in some geographical regions. Control of conjunctivitis is important to prevent long term damage to the animals and the value of the herd. Treatment of individual animals when each contracts the infection is expensive and very time consuming. Standard treatment often includes systemic injection of a wide variety of antibiotics, for example 3 milligrams of tetracycline per pound of body weight, and topical application to the eyes. Duration of therapy varies, but treatment normally extends for at least 2 to 3 days.
To reduce cost to the owner and damage to the animals susceptible to conjunctivitis, it is very desirable to provide a method of preventing or at least substantially reducing the likelihood of conjunctivitis in such animals, especially during the peak period for infection, and further to do so in a manner that allows a large group of animals to be treated simultaneously before start of the peak period, at a reasonable cost.

Implant for preventing conjunctivitis in cattle


A process of making a magnetic assembly having at least one magnetic layer and at least one printable substrate layer including the steps of providing a magnetic composition comprising about 70 wt-% to about 95 wt-% of at least one magnetic material and about 5 wt-% to about 30 wt-% of at least one thermoplastic binder, forming the magnetic composition into a magnetic layer, and directly applying the magnetic composition at an elevated temperature in molten form to a printable substrate layer, and to the magnetic composition and any articles made therefrom.

Flexible permanent magnetic materials are often supplied in the form of sheets or rolls and have been commercially available for many years. These materials are typically prepared by mixing a powdered ferrite material with a suitable polymeric or plastic binder into a uniform mixture. The polymeric materials are often elastomers, and the process is therefore typically accomplished through the use of sheet extrusion or calendering. The mixture is converted into strip or sheet form, providing a permanent stable product that is usually somewhat flexible, and that can readily be handled and made into elements of any desired shape by cutting and/or stamping.
The magnetic material is permanently magnetized so that the resulting elements can act individually as permanent magnets, the magnetic field being of sufficient strength that they will adhere to a magnetically attracted surface, such as the surface of an iron or steel sheet, even through a sheet of paper or thin cardboard. Many magnetic materials and the resultant sheet materials are typically inherently dark in color and it is therefore usual to attach these magnets to a printable substrate such as paper or plastic by gluing. It is therefore to the paper or plastic that the decorative pattern and/or other information may be printed. A popular application of such materials is thin, flat magnets having on their outer surface a decorative pattern and/or promotional information, including advertisements in direct mailings, newspaper inserts, and so forth, box toppers, coupons, business cards, calendars, greeting cards, postcards, and so forth.
These magnetic pieces may then be placed on a magnetically attracted surface such as a refrigerator, file cabinet, or other surface where they may be used as reminders and are often used to hold sheets of paper such as notes, recipes, lists, children's artwork, reminders, and so on.
In the usual manufacture of these items, multiple producers are involved in the process. For example, a printer produces the printed matter on wide web presses or individual sheets. If in web form, the web is cut into individual sheets and then shipped to a magnet manufacturer where the magnetic material and the printed matter are joined through the use of an adhesive layer. Alternatively, the printer may purchase or otherwise obtain magnets and then join the printed matter to the magnets through the use of an adhesive layer, or may have both pieces shipped to a third party where the pieces may be joined through the use of an adhesive layer.
There remains a need in the art to simplify the production process of such magnetic pieces.

Magnetic substrates, composition and method for making the same


An ultrasonic generator has an output circuit for delivering ultrasonic power to a load through a transducer, the generator having an amplitude control input coupled to the output of a comparator, the inputs of which are coupled to a user interface circuit. The output circuit produces voltage and current signals which are applied to a multiplier in the interface circuit, which produces a power signal applied to an error input of the comparator, the interface circuit also having a signal processor which receives a user-input reference and applies it to a reference input of the comparator. The output of the comparator regulates the power output of the generator to the reference level, and is also coupled to an indicator circuit for providing an visual indication of whether or not the apparatus is in regulation.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to ultrasonic generators and, in particular, to improve regulation of a generator for driving an ultrasonic transducer used in welding.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Ultrasonic generators for operating transducer/horn assemblies for various ultrasonic applications, such as the welding of plastic parts or the like, are well known. One such generator, which uses pulse-width modulation to control the power output level, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,277,710, and is a high-power generator including a transistor bridge inverter circuit connected to a DC source for producing an alternating output current. The ultrasonic power output from that generator can be varied by varying the conduction pulse width of the power conversion circuit, which varies the output voltage to the transducer, thereby varying the ultrasonic amplitude of the transducer stack. Initially, the power (pulse width) of that generator was controlled with a front panel control knob. However, Dukane Corporation, the assignee of U.S. Pat. No. 4,277,710 has also produced a user interface, in the nature of a remote power control option board, that can control the ultrasonic power output remotely through an isolated 4-20 ma current loop signal, which allows users to adjust the power output (pulse width) to suit their processing needs. Typically, the remote power control option is used to control a continuous ultrasonic process, and usually utilizes an ultrasonic wattmeter or a separate energy module to monitor the power level of the ultrasonic process.
Particularly in applications where a number of ultrasonic generating units are used, under common control of a programmable logic controller (PLC), the PLC has been used to monitor the power output signal and to control the 4-20 ma current loop signal to the remote power control board input to regulate the generator pulse width to the desired power output level, in an arrangement similar to that illustrated in FIG. 1. While this method works well for certain ultrasonic processes, the reaction time to process variations is relatively slow, with response times of hundreds to thousands of milliseconds to correct for errors. Furthermore, the external PLC is an expensive item and, while it is necessary in the control of multiple ultrasonic systems, it adds unnecessarily to the cost and complexity of the power control of any one system. Furthermore, special system programming is needed for such PLCs and, if the programming is flawed, the regulation level may contain uncontrolled spurious oscillations.

Automatic regulation of power delivered by ultrasonic transducer


A method and system for generating an image. The image includes an array of low-resolution pixels each including a plurality of high-resolution pixels. The display system includes a first light modulator having an array of color pixel elements wherein each of the color pixel elements is configured to independently modulate a spectral distribution of one of the low-resolution pixels and a second light modulator having an array of gray scale pixel elements each configured to independently modulate a gray scale of the high-resolution pixels. The first and second light modulators are configured to cooperatively operate such that each of the low-resolution pixels includes a number of groups of high-resolution pixels each having a different hue.

A conventional system or device for displaying an image, such as a display, projector, or other imaging system, is frequently used to display a still or video image. Viewers evaluate display systems based on many criteria such as image size, contrast ratio, color purity, brightness, pixel color accuracy, and resolution. Brightness and resolution are particularly important metrics in many display markets.
One typical display system includes a light source, a color wheel, and a spatial light modulator. Light generated from the light source is directed onto the color wheel, which sequentially filters light from the light source. The color wheel typically generates red light, green light, and blue light. The red, green, and blue light are sequentially sent to the spatial light modulator, which modulates the colored light depending on the desired image.
However, the use of a color wheel and a spatial light modulator may affect the brightness and resolution of the displayed image. For example, the use of a color wheel in combination with a spatial light modulator may result in flickering and/or other undesirable visual artifacts. Moreover, because a color wheel only provides only one color at a time to a spatial light modulator, the brightness of the displayed image may be negatively affected.
Throughout the drawings, identical reference numbers designate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements.

Method and system for generating color using a low-resolution spatial color modulator and a high-resolution modulator

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.