A multimode interference device and a method of configuring the same comprises a multimode interference region having a major axis; and a plurality of ports connected to a side portion of the multimode interference region, wherein the side portion is positioned in a direction other than perpendicular to the major axis.

1. Field of the Invention
The embodiments of the invention generally relate to integrated-optic communications, and more particularly to a multimode interference device for use in telecommunications, sensing, and related applications.
2. Description of the Related Art
Multimode interference (MMI) devices are useful for power splitting and for the separation/combination of wavelengths or polarizations (SCWP), usually in integrated-optic (IO) systems. A typical MMI device consists of a MMI region separated by an input port and an output port. The ports are where input/output guides connect to the MMI region. Typically, in conventional MMI devices, the input and output guides only connect to the ends of the MMI region; i.e., they are end-ported.
Power splitting devices are required for many signal distribution and sensing applications. As another example, wavelength separation/combination devices for 1.31 μm and 1.55 μm are required in the field of fiber optic communications to take advantage of embedded fiber optic systems at 1.31 μm and proceed with the deployment of the lower loss 1.55 μm systems. Wavelength separation/combination devices are also required for optical pumping of a 1.55 μm signal with a 0.98 μm pump. Commercially available devices typically rely on bulk optical filters. In another example, polarization separation/combination devices are required for various IO and fiber optic sensing systems, such as optical gyroscopes and structural stress sensors. Basically, the self-imaging effect is a general property of light. Thus, MMI devices do not have to be implemented in IO systems.
FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic top-down view of a conventional MMI-based separation/combination of wavelength/polarization (SCWP) device 1 consisting of a straight input guide 2 (which may be the output of a previous device) connected to an end-ported MMI region 3, which is connected to (1) a first straight end-ported output guide 4 for a first polarization or wavelength and (2) a second straight end-ported output guide 5 for a second polarization or wavelength.
The guides 2, 4, 5 and MMI region 3 may be defined using a variety of methods that are well-established in the prior art. The entire device 1 is nearly always single mode in the transverse (out of the paper) direction. The input/output guides 2, 4, 5 are commonly, but not always, single mode in the lateral (horizontal) direction also. Often the input/output guides 2, 4, 5 are expanded as they near the MMI region 3 because it has been shown that wider ports improve device performance. However, the expansion is typically performed adiabatically (i.e., in a gradual way) so that only the lowest order mode is being propagated. The MMI region 3, in contrast, supports many lateral modes. An input signal excites these modes, which propagate with different phase velocities down the length of the MMI region 3, and become de-phased. A self-image of the input to the MMI region 3 forms when the superposition of the modes in the image plane again matches the original modal distribution at the input plane. This condition occurs at planes where the accumulated phase differences among the excited modes are integral multiples of 2π, which allows the excited modes to constructively interfere and reproduce the input's modal distribution. The propagation distance at which this occurs is known as the self-image length.
The self-image length depends upon the polarization and the wavelength. A useful property of the self-imaging effect is that a lateral displacement of the input to the MMI region 3 along the object plane results in a corresponding displacement of the self-image along the image plane. This self-image displacement is antisymmetrical for the first self-image length (crossed). The second self-image is antisymmetrical to the first self-image, and thus symmetrically displaced relative to the input (barred). This continues, with odd-numbered self-images being antisymmetrically displaced (crossed), and even-numbered self-images being symmetrically displaced (barred). It has been previously shown that the dimensions of the MMI region 3 can be set such that the modes constructively interfere at the end of the region, forming a self-image of the transverse electric (TE) (or λ1) input signal at one output port and transverse magnetic (TM) (or λ2) at the other output port. Thus, the device 1 can separate two polarizations (or wavelengths) from one input guide 2 into two output guides 4, 5, each containing a different polarization (or wavelength). The device 1 can also work in reverse as a combiner.
FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic top-down view of a conventional MMI-based 1×2 power splitting device 11 consisting of a straight input guide 12 (which may be the output of a previous device) connected to an end-ported MMI region 13, which is connected to a first pair of straight output guides 14, 15, which connects to two first curving guides 16 respectively connecting to two second curving guides 17. A second pair of straight output guides 18, 19 (which may serve as inputs for subsequent devices) is also included connected to the second curving guides 17.
This device 11 uses the property of the self-imaging effect that multiple self-images of the input are formed at proper integer fractions of the self-imaging length. For an MMI region 13 with its length set to half of the self-image length, the output plane contains two self-images of the input. Each of the two output guides 14, 15 contains half of the power of the input guide 12 (ignoring the slight losses that occur). Typically, power splitters are combined with S-bends (i.e., first curving guides 16 and second curving guides 17) on the output guides 14, 15 as shown in FIG. 2, in order to laterally separate the outputs. The device 11 can also work in reverse as a power combiner, provided that the two input signals are coherent. For maximum recombination, the two input signals should be in phase.
Power splitters/combiners are used in a variety of applications. Many sensing and signal control architectures use a Mach-Zehnder Interferometer (MZI), or variations thereof. FIG. 3 schematically shows a conventional MZI 21, which consists of a straight input guide 22 operatively connected to an end-ported MMI 1×2 power splitter 23, which connects to four S-bend guides 27 (with individual parts not shown). A first straight guide 24 serving as a reference leg and a second straight guide 25 serving as a sensing leg are operatively connected to the MMI 1×2 power splitter 23. Connected to the second straight guide (sensing leg) 25 is a phase-changing mechanism 26 that changes the phase of the signal in the second straight guide (sensing leg) 25. An end-ported MMI 1×2 power combiner 28 is also included located at an opposite end from the MMI 1×2 power splitter 23 in the MZI 21. Two of the S-bend guides 27 serve as input guides 20, 30 into the MMI 1×2 power combiner 28, which then terminates with a straight output guide 29 extending out of the end of the MMI 1×2 power combiner 28. The output power from the power combiner varies as the phase of the signal of one port changes relative to the signal of the other port.
For signal distribution applications, 1×2 power splitters are often used in series to create 1×2 splitting, then 1×4 splitting, then 1×8 splitting, then 1×16 splitting, and so on. This is sometimes referred to as cascading 1×2 splitters. Such a structure is referred to as a 1×N power splitter. The schematic for such a structure is shown in FIG. 4, which is depicted as an end-ported MMI-based 1×16 power splitter 31 consisting of a straight input guide 32 connecting to one of fifteen end-ported MMI 1×2 power splitters 33. The MMI 1×2 power splitters 33 are configured in four rows of 1, 2, 4, and 8 power splitters in the respective rows. A row of two intermediate S-bend guides 34 (with the individual parts not shown) connects the first row of MMI 1×2 power splitters 33 to the second row of 1×2 power splitters 33. A row of four intermediate S-bend guides 35 (with the individual parts not shown) connects the second row of MMI 1×2 power splitters 33 to the third row of 1×2 power splitters 33. A row of eight intermediate S-bend guides 36 (with the individual parts not shown) connects the third row of MMI 1×2 power splitters 33 to the fourth row of 1×2 power splitters 33. Additionally, a row of sixteen output S-bend guides 37 (with the individual parts not shown) also connects to the fourth row of MMI 1×2 power splitters 33.
The conventional MMI-based power splitting and SCWP devices that have been previously described generally outperform competing conventional techniques. Like competing conventional techniques, however, their input/output ports are initially close enough in the lateral direction to allow the unwanted transfer of an input signal laterally from one guide to the other, as the signal is guided toward or away from the MMI region. Also, laterally separating the guides requires bends, which cause unwanted signal loss, both from mode mismatch at guide boundaries and from radiative effects of curvature. For 1×N power splitters, the bends in the guides that are necessary to separate the intermediate outputs often cause unwanted nonuniformity in the powers at the final outputs.
FIG. 5 shows a schematic top view of a conventional end-ported slotted MMI-based switch 41 consisting of a straight input guide 42 connecting to an end-ported MMI region 43, which then connects to (1) a first straight output guide 44 for the "slot off" condition and (2) a second straight output guide 45 for the "slot on" condition. Furthermore, a slot 46 is configured in the MMI region 43, wherein the slot 46 can be turned on and off in the following manner. In the "slot off" condition, light exits the MMI region 43 on the opposite lateral side 44 from the input guide 42. In the "slot on" condition, light exits the MMI region 43 on the same lateral side (i.e., through the output 45) as the input guide 42.
Unfortunately, there tends to be three weaknesses to this conventional design. First, the outputs 44, 45 must be subsequently separated by S-bends, which are not shown. Second, the slot width is constrained by the presence of the input/output guides 42, 44, 45 along the ends of the MMI region 43. Making the slot too wide, so that it overlaps with the input/output ports, lessens the throughput and increases the crosstalk, both of which are undesirable. Third, the ideal device length is slightly different for the "slot on" and "slot off" conditions. The length must be set to a compromise length, which compromises the overall performance of the switch 41.
Additionally, angling the input/output guides of conventional MMI devices has been previously suggested, but only in the context of end-porting. For end-porting, angled input/output guides degrade the performance unless the MMI region is non-rectangular (e.g., bow-tie shaped), which introduces additional difficulties in design and fabrication. Thus, there remains a need to improve the performance of the conventional MMI devices by increasing the lateral separation of the ports and by separating the guides without using bends.

Multimode interference device with side input/output ports

The United States of Americas as represented by the Secretary of the Army


A method comprises forming one or more fins in a first region on an insulated substrate. The method also comprises forming one or more fins formed in a second region on the insulated substrate. The insulated substrate comprising a silicon substrate, and an insulator layer deposited on the silicon substrate. The one or more fins in the first region comprising a first material layer deposited on the insulator layer. The one or more fins in the second region comprising a second material layer deposited on the insulator layer.

Field effect transistors (FETs), which are considered semiconductor devices, have been used to make application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) devices, microprocessor devices, etc. Semiconductor devices can be made from various materials, for example, group IV semiconductor materials (e.g., silicon (Si)) and group III-V semiconductors materials (e.g., Germanium (Ge)). Combining the different groups of semiconductor materials in semiconductor structures provides a range of performance benefits.

Aspect ratio for semiconductor on insulator

International Business Machines Corporation


Embodiments of the present application relate to a multilingual mixed search method, a system for multilingual mixed searching, and a computer program product for multilingual mixed searching. A multilingual mixed searching method is provided. The method includes receiving a query word entered by a user and identifying source language of the query word, translating the query word from the source language to query words of a plurality of target languages, the plurality of target languages being different than the source language, using the query word in a corresponding target language as a basis for searching an index of web page information corresponding to the corresponding target language and obtaining web page information in the corresponding target language, from the web page information obtained from the index corresponding to the corresponding target language, and translating the obtained web page information from the corresponding target language to the source language.

With the growing reach of networks, network information resources have become increasingly abundant, and user demand for network information resources has steadily increased. However, while network information resources have been increasing, an obstacle to the widespread sharing of these network information resources by users exists relating to a plurality of languages. Research on multilingual information retrieval (MLIR) has begun to address the obstacle.
In a conventional example using Spanish and English, initially, the full texts of English documents are translated into Spanish documents. Indices corresponding to Spanish are established from the translated Spanish documents together with original Spanish documents. At the same time, the full texts of Spanish documents are translated into English documents. Then indices corresponding to English are established from the translated English documents together with original English documents. When there are English language query words, the English query words are searched in the indices corresponding to English, and the search results are obtained and returned. When there are Spanish language query words, the Spanish query words are searched in the indices corresponding to Spanish, and the search results are obtained and returned.
Conventionally, the first step is, for any language A therein, to translate documents from other languages into language A and establish indices together. The result is a bloated system architecture and hardware equipment, which is difficult to maintain or to expand. Secondly, for any language A therein, after the full texts of documents in the other languages have been conventionally translated into documents in language A, these documents are searched for query words in language A. Because a great variation among the rules of the various languages exists, semantic information from the original documents is lost during translation. In addition, the more documents that are translated, the greater the possible loss of semantic information will be. Thus, searches conducted based on full-text translations inevitably lack sufficient precision.

Multilingual mixed search method and system


A method for producing a wired circuit board includes a step (1) of forming a seed layer on one surface in a thickness direction of a peeling layer, a step (2) of forming a conductive pattern on one surface in the thickness direction of the seed layer, a step (3) of covering the seed layer and the conductive pattern with an insulating layer, a step (4) of peeling the peeling layer from the seed layer, and a step (5) of removing the seed layer. The insulating layer has the number of times of folding endurance measured in conformity with JIS P8115 (2001) of 10 times or more.

A wired circuit board such as printed wiring board is produced by various producing methods.
For example, a method for producing a printed wiring board has been proposed in which a metal film is provided on the surface of a metal material and a transfer circuit is provided on the surface of the metal film, so that a transfer substrate is produced; the transfer substrate is attached to a resin layer to embed the transfer circuit into the resin layer; and thereafter, the metal material is peeled and the metal film is removed by etching (ref: for example, Patent Document 1).
In the method for producing the printed wiring board described in Patent Document 1, as the resin layer, a prepreg that is formed by impregnating a thermosetting resin such as epoxy resin in a substrate such as glass fabric to be dried by heating until being brought into a B-stage state and an adhesive sheet such as adhesive film that is formed by molding a thermosetting resin such as epoxy resin into a film shape to be dried by heating until being brought into a B-stage state are used.


The invention provides for a medical apparatus (100, 300, 400) comprising a subject support (102) configured for moving a subject (106) from a first position (124) to a second position (130) along a linear path (134). The subject support comprises a support surface (108) for receiving the subject. The subject support is further configured for positioning the subject support in at least one intermediate position (128). The subject support is configured for measuring a displacement (132) along the linear path between the first position and the at least one intermediate position. Each of the at least one intermediate position is located between the first position and the second position. The medical apparatus further comprises a camera (110) configured for imaging the support surface in the first position. Execution of machine executable instructions 116 cause the a processor (116) controlling the medical apparatus to: acquire (200) an initial image (142) with the camera when the subject support is in the first position; control (202) the subject support to move the subject support from the first position to the second position; acquire (204) at least one intermediate image (144) with the camera and the displacement for each of the at least one intermediate image as the subject support is moved from the first position to the second position; and calculate (206) a height profile (150, 600, 604) of the subject by comparing the initial image and the at least one intermediate image. The height profile is at least partially calculated using the displacement. The height profile is descriptive of the spatially dependent height of the subject above the support surface.

In three dimensional imaging modalities such as magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography, single photon emission tomography, and computed tomography a subject is brought into a position where the medical imaging system is able to acquire medical imaging data that is descriptive of a three dimensional volume of the subject within an imaging volume. To properly image a subject it is therefore important to be able to identify the portion of the subject that is desired to be imaged and bring this portion within the imaging volume.
United States patent application publication US 2013/0342851 A1 discloses a method for gathering information relating to at least one object positioned on a patient positioning device of a medical imaging device is provided. The method includes the following steps: gathering by optical means of 3-D image data relating to the object positioned on the patient positioning device by means of a 3-D image data recording unit; transferring the gathered 3-D image data from the 3-D image data recording unit to an evaluating unit; determining information relating to the object positioned on the patient positioning device based on the 3-D image data by means of the evaluating unit; generating output information based on the determined information relating to the object positioned on the patient positioning device; and outputting the output information relating to the object positioned on the patient positioning device.

Determination of a subject profile with a camera


A system for orchestrating the process of fulfilling service requests for utility services receives a first service request for utility services. The first service request references a first service point. The system evaluates conditions at the first service point. The system issues an electronic command message to fulfill the first service request based on the evaluation of conditions at the first service point. The system receives a second service request for utility services. The second service request references a second service point. The system evaluates conditions at the second service point. The system initiates a field activity to fulfill the second service request based on the evaluation of conditions at the second service point. The receiving the first service request, the evaluating conditions at the first service point, the issuing the electronic command message, the receiving the second service request, the evaluating conditions at the second service point, and the initiating the field activity are performed by a centralized orchestration engine.

"Orchestration" may generally describe the arranging, the directing, and the managing of computer systems and services. Orchestration may be directed to associating different types of user requests with different applications, data, and infrastructure. These user requests may be received from customers or clients, or may be created internally within an organization. The user requests may be maintenance or repair requests.
An example of an organization that may orchestrate services corresponding to user requests is a utility company. Utility companies are organizations that provide services relating to electricity consumption, gas consumption, water consumption, and sewage treatment. In the course of providing these different types of services, utility companies receive a wide variety of different user requests.

Service request orchestrator with smart meters


A roller is provided with at least one thermocouple for measuring the temperature of a product or sheet. The roller comprises a hollow cylindrical body whose outer surface cooperates by contact with the sheet. The thermocouple removably extends through a guide tube which extends inside the roller and is carried by supports. The end of the guide tube through which the hot junction of the thermocouple extends is fixed in a position perpendicular to the wall of cylindrical body. This end of the guide tube opens onto a blind hole provided in the wall of the cylindrical body where the hot junction of the thermocouple is received. Application in the measurement of the temperature of the sheet of an annealing furnace of a continuous treatment process.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a roller for supporting or driving flat products or sheets, in particular for a continuous treating installation.
In the course of the manufacture of the sheet, the latter is heat treated in a continuous annealing furnace after the rolling operations. The furnace, which has a length which may be as much as or even exceed 130 m, suitably heats the sheet passing through the furnace. This sheet is driven inside the furnace by hollow rollers. At the end of or during the heating, a little before the exit of the furnace, there is provided in the latter a device for measuring the temperature of the sheet for controlling the heating of the furnace.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
It is known to take the temperature of the sheet by means of a thermocouple disposed in a hollow driving roller placed inside the furnace. For this purpose, it is known to place the hot junction of the thermocouple in a blind hole in a block of material identical to that of the roller and to fix this block, by force or by soldering or welding in an opening provided through the wall of the roller in a region where its outer surface cooperates with the sheet by contact. In this way, the hot junction of the thermocouple is fixed in a block embedded in a wall of the roller in the vicinity of the outer surface of the roller. The remaining part of the thermocouple comprising the wires of the latter extends inside the roller The small thickness of material separating the hot junction of the thermocouple from the sheet permits assimilating the temperature taken by the thermocouple to that of the sheet.
However, when the roller has been assembled and placed in position in the furnace, it is impossible for an operator to have access to the interior of the roller. Consequently, in the event of failure of the thermocouple, as the latter is fixed inside the roller, it cannot be replaced without dismantling the roller.
Further, the opening cut in the wall of the roller and the fixing of the block of material containing the hot junction of the thermocouple in the opening create in this wall stresses which may form cracks and defects on the outer surface of the roller.

Roller for supporting or driving flat products, in particular for a continuous treating installation


The method of regulation includes:. starting to measure the rectified voltage at the output of the alternator during each period T of this voltage, PA1 performing this measurement by sampling over a predetermined period T.sub.e, PA1 comparing this measured value of the rectified voltage with a calculated reference value, and PA1 deducing from this comparison the duration of the first phase T.sub.1 for the next following period T, this first phase being the one in which the battery voltage of the vehicle is applied to the alternator rotor winding. The sampling measurement of period T.sub.e ends, in each period T, at an instant T-.epsilon., where .epsilon. is a period of time which is very short by comparison with the length of the period T.

As is well known, an alternator is an electrical machine in which an alternating current is generated in its stator windings under the effect of inductor or rotor winding, through which an excitation current flows when the rotor winding is put into rotation. At the output of the stator windings, a diode bridge rectifies the alternating current so as to deliver a uni-directional, or direct current, voltage to the battery of the vehicle.
The rectified voltage has to be regulated in such a way as to remain constant regardless of the speed of rotation of the alternator, and regardless of the load on the battery. The output voltage of the alternator thus has a regulation waveform which reflects the excitation current, this waveform having a period T. The period T comprises a first phase T.sub.1 and a second phase T.sub.2 alternating with each other, i.e. having opposite signs whereby the amplitude increases in one phase and decreases in the other. In the first phase, the battery voltage is applied to the rotor winding, which enables the current flowing in the rotor winding to increase; while in the second phase, the battery voltage is not applied to the rotor winding, and this reduces the current in the rotor winding. The ratio T.sub.1 /(T.sub.1 +T.sub.2) is called the cyclic ratio.
It has previously been proposed to carry out the regulation of the rectified voltage output from the alternator using digital techniques. For example, European patent specification No. EP 0 481 862 describes a procedure for regulation by digital processing, in which the output voltage of the alternator is measured at each period T by sampling. This sampling comprises the step of detecting, in each period T, whichever is the longer one of the phases T.sub.1 or T.sub.2. The sampling step is performed over a time period T.sub.e which occurs in the middle of the longer one of the two phases. The numerical value of the measured voltage is then compared with a reference value of the voltage, and from this comparison the value of the phases T.sub.1 and T.sub.2 in the next following period is deduced.
That method of regulation, although satisfactory because it enables variations due to the waveform to be minimised, by centring the measurement of the voltage to be regulated on the longer of the two phases, is relatively complicated to perform in practice. In this connection, it is necessary, firstly to find out which one of the two phases is longer than the other, and secondly to centre the sampling period in the middle of that phase. It has also been found that regulation errors tend to appear when a cyclic ratio diminishes from a value greater than 50% (where the first phase T.sub.1 is the longer one) to a value less than 50%, in which it is the second phase T.sub.2 that is the longer one.

Method for regulating the excitation current in a motor vehicle alternator by digital processing, and a regulating device for carrying out the method


The present invention is to provide a process for producing an oxymethylene copolymer, in which deteriorate due to oxidation hardly occurs, an amount of formaldehyde generated from the product when stored for a long time under environment of high temperature and high humidity is reduced, and occurrence of mold deposit during molding is small. A process for producing an oxymethylene copolymer includes

An oxymethylene copolymer has widely been used in various industrial fields since it is excellent in mechanical, chemical, physical and electrical characteristics. In general, the oxymethylene copolymer is produced by polymerizing trioxane and a comonomer such as an alkylene oxide or a cyclic formal in the presence of an acidic polymerization catalyst (acid catalyst). In the crude oxymethylene copolymer obtained by the polymerization reaction, a deactivator is generally added thereto to deactivate an acid catalyst to suppress the depolymerization reaction.
Various methods have conventionally been proposed as a method for deactivating the acid catalyst. For example, it has been proposed a method in which an acid catalyst is deactivated by contacting with an aqueous solution or an organic solvent solution each containing a basic neutralizing agent such as triethylamine, tributylamine, calcium hydroxide, and the like (for example, see Patent document 1). However, this method uses a large amount of a deactivator solution equal to or more than the same weight of that of a crude oxymethylene copolymer, so that separation of the deactivator solution and the crude oxymethylene copolymer and a solvent recovery step are required, whereby the catalyst deactivating step becomes very complicated and thus it cannot be said that it is an industrially advantageous method.
In addition, as a method of adding a small amount of a deactivator to the crude oxymethylene copolymer, there have been proposed, for example, a method of using an organic solvent solution of a tertiary phosphine compound as a deactivator, and a method of using an organic solvent solution of a specific hindered amine compound (for example, see Patent documents 2 and 3). Even in the oxymethylene copolymer in which the acid catalyst is deactivated by adding the deactivator, however, it has been known that it is poor in thermal stability when it is alone, and it is easily decomposed by the depolymerization reaction from the end of the copolymer or cutting of the main chain by the thermal decomposition reaction. In addition, it has also been known that formaldehyde formed by the depolymerization reaction or the thermal decomposition reaction is further oxidized to form formic acid, and the decomposition reaction of the oxymethylene copolymer is promoted. Therefore, for the purpose of suppressing the above-mentioned depolymerization reaction or the thermal decomposition reaction, in general, an antioxidant such as a sterically hindered phenol, hydroxylamine, etc., a heat resistant stabilizer such as an amine-substituted triazine compound, a hindered amine, etc., is/are added to the oxymethylene copolymer, and melted and kneaded to be commercially sold as an oxymethylene copolymer composition (polyacetal resin composition) (for example, see Patent documents 4 and 5).

Process for producing oxymethylene copolymer

Abstract: Step 1 of polymerizing polymer raw materials containing trioxane and a comonomer in the presence of a specific amount of an acid catalyst,

Abstract: Step 2 of adding a hydroxylamine compound represented by the following general formula (1):

Abstract: to a product obtained in the Step 1 in an amount of 1 to 20-fold mol based on an amount of the acid catalyst and mixing these, andStep 3 of further melting and kneading a mixture of the product and the hydroxylamine compound obtained in the Step 2.


A pluggable module includes a pluggable body extending lengthwise between a mating end and a cable end. The pluggable body has a first end and an opposite second end with sides extending therebetween along a length of the pluggable body. The first end, second end and sides define a cavity. An internal circuit board is held in the cavity. The internal circuit board is provided at an end of a cable communicatively coupled to the internal circuit board. The pluggable body is configured to be plugged into a receptacle assembly such that the internal circuit board is communicatively coupled to a communication connector of the receptacle assembly. The pluggable body is defined by a first shell including the first end and the sides and may be formed by extrusion and may have increased thermal conductivity and a second shell including the second end.

The subject matter described herein relates to a pluggable module for a communication system.
At least some known communication systems include receptacle assemblies, such as input/output (I/O) connector assemblies, that are configured to receive a pluggable module and establish a communicative connection between the pluggable module and an electrical connector of the receptacle assembly. As one example, a known receptacle assembly includes a receptacle housing that is mounted to a circuit board and configured to receive a small form-factor (SFP) pluggable transceiver. The receptacle assembly includes an elongated cavity that extends between an opening of the cavity and an electrical connector that is disposed within the cavity and mounted to the circuit board. The pluggable module is inserted through the opening and advanced toward the electrical connector in the cavity. The pluggable module and the electrical connector have respective electrical contacts that engage one another to establish a communicative connection.
One challenge often encountered in the design of the pluggable module and receptacle assembly is the heat generated during operation of the communication system, which negatively affects module/system reliability and electrical performance. Typically, heat is generated by components on the internal circuit board within the pluggable module and drawn away from the internal circuit board by the metal body of the pluggable module. In some cases, a heat sink that is held by the receptacle assembly housing in direct contact with the metal body of the pluggable module is used to transfer the heat from the pluggable module. Air flowing through and around the receptacle assembly transfers the heat that emanates from the pluggable module. As data throughput speeds of the pluggable modules increase, more heat is generated. Conventional designs are proving to be inadequate for the required heat transfer.
Accordingly, there is a need for a pluggable module for use in a communication system that allows significant heat transfer.

Pluggable module for a communication system


A configuration for a programmable device is determined to implement an incomplete function using at least two logic cells. Function inputs are partitioned into portions associated with first and second logic cells. The partitioning is screened to determine if it is potentially acceptable by determining if a portion of the function can be implemented using a complete look-up table. If the partitioning of the function inputs is potentially acceptable, the function inputs are assigned to the input ports of the logic cells. Variables are assigned to look-up table locations and a correspondence is determined between function input and output values, the variables, and the look-up table locations. Boolean tautology rules are applied to the correspondence to simplify the variables. If the simplified variables are consistent, a configuration is output that includes assignments of function inputs to input ports and look-up table data based on the simplified variables.

The present invention relates to the field of programmable devices, and the systems and methods for programming the same. Programmable devices, such as FPGAs, typically includes thousands of programmable logic cells that use combinations of logic gates and/or look-up tables to perform a logic operation. Programmable devices also include a number of functional blocks having specialized logic devices adapted to specific logic operations, such as adders, multiply and accumulate circuits, phase-locked loops, and memory. The logic cells and functional blocks are interconnected with a configurable switching circuit. The configurable switching circuit selectively routes connections between the logic cells and functional blocks. By configuring the combination of logic cells, functional blocks, and the switching circuit, a programmable device can be adapted to perform virtually any type of information processing function.
A typical compilation process for determining the configuration of a programmable device, referred to compilation, starts with an extraction phase, followed by a logic synthesis phase, a fitting phase, and an assembly phase. The extraction phase takes a user design, typically expressed as a netlist in a hardware description language such as Verilog or VHDL, and produces a set of logic gates implementing the user design. In the logic synthesis phase, the set of logic gates is permuted over the hardware architecture of the programmable device in order to match elements of the user design with corresponding portions of the programmable device. The fitting phase assigns the various portions of the user design to specific logic cells and functional blocks (sometimes referred to as placement) and determines the configuration of the configurable switching circuit used to route signals between these logic cells and functional blocks (sometimes referred to as routing), taking care to satisfy the user timing constraints as much as possible. In the assembly phase, a configuration file defining the programmable device configuration implementing the user design is created. The programmable device configuration can then be loaded into a programmable device to implement the user design. Programmable devices can be configured with the configuration during or after manufacturing.
One of the substantial challenges of the logic synthesis phase is efficiently implementing portions of the user design with programmable device resources. Often, the logic synthesis phase strives to implement portions of the user design with as few logic cells as possible. The hardware description of user designs often includes a number of registers or flip-flops connected by numerous logic gates. Functional logic synthesis techniques evaluate the logic gates specified by the user design and determine corresponding abstract Boolean functions. These Boolean functions can then be mathematically manipulated into forms suitable for efficient implementation by the logic cells of the programmable device.
Boolean functions can be classified as completely specified or incompletely specified. A completely specified function is fully defined for all input values. A completely specified function with N inputs typically requires of look-up table (LUT) of 2N bits to implement. An incompletely specified function is undefined for some input values. The input values corresponding with undefined function values are referred to as don't-care inputs. It is often possible to implement incompletely specified functions with N inputs with a LUT having less than 2N bits. A LUT or logic cell having N inputs but less than 2N bits is referred to as an incomplete LUT. A function that can be implemented using an incomplete LUT is referred to as an incomplete function.
Many user designs specify incomplete functions. For relatively simple functions, these incomplete functions can often be implemented in a single logic cell. For example, if a logic cell includes a pair of five input LUTs connected with a multiplexer controlled by another input, the logic cell only includes enough memory to implement a complete six input function. However, it is often possible to implement a seven input incomplete function with the same logic cell.
For a function having a large number of inputs, it is often necessary to implement the function using a two or more logic cells. To implement functions using multiple logic cells, it is necessary to determine an assignment of function inputs to each logic cell; for each logic cell, an assignment of function inputs and other logic cell outputs to specific logic cell input ports; and to determine the data values to be stored in the one or more LUTs in each logic cell. It is relatively easy to implement complete functions using multiple logic cells. Implementing incomplete functions as complete functions in multiple logic cells is also relatively easy; however, this often uses more programmable device resources than necessary.
There are several prior functional logic synthesis techniques adapted to implement incomplete functions using a minimal amount of programmable device resources. However, these prior techniques perform poorly with incomplete functions having a large number of inputs or being implemented by two or more logic cells. For example, binary decision diagrams (BDD) solver builds a decision tree data structure that enumerate the function outputs for all combinations of input values for different potential sets of logic cell input port assignments. The BDD solver then extracts patterns from this decision tree data structure to determine if a given set of potential logic cell input port assignments can implement the function correctly. Typically, the BDD solver must evaluate decision tree structures for a large number of different potential logic cell input port assignments before finding an acceptable logic cell input port assignment. Additionally, the size of each decision tree structure increases exponentially with the number of inputs. As a result, the BDD solver is very slow and consumes a large amount of memory. Similarly, SAT solvers adapted to find acceptable logic cell input port assignments for incomplete functions are very slow because they must evaluate a large number of potential logic cell input port assignments to find a valid solution.
It is therefore desirable to have a fast and efficient system and method to determine an implementation of incomplete functions using multiple logic cells. It is further desirable for the system and method to quickly screen out potential function implementations that are not likely to provide acceptable results. It is desirable for the system and method to determine look-up table data for one or more look-up tables from a given set of input assignments and to produce logic cells having desired qualities.

Fast method for functional mapping to incomplete LUT pairs


A phase-frequency detector (PFD) having substantially linear phase error gain within a predetermined phase error range centered about zero phase error when used in a delta sigma phase-locked loop (PLL). The output signals (e.g., charge pump control signals), which are also used to reset the input circuitry, are fed back with asymmetrical signal delays, thereby causing one of the output signals to remain in an asserted state for a substantially constant time duration at least during when a difference between the reference and feedback signal phases is within a predetermined phase difference range centered about zero phase difference.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to digital phase-locked loops (PLLs), and in particular, to phase-frequency detectors (PFD) used in delta sigma PLLs.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional PFD 10 that has been used in many digital PLL designs (including delta sigma PLLs) includes two D-type flip-flops 12u, 12d, an AND gate 14 and a delay circuit 16, all interconnected substantially as shown. The flip-flops 12u, 12d are separately clocked by the reference signal R and feedback divisor signal N. With each rising edge of these input signals R, N, a logic one (VDD applied at the D-inputs) is clocked through to the output Q of each flip-flop 12U, 12D. The data output signals Q of the flip-flops 12U, 12D form the "pump up" UP and "pump down" DN signals used for controlling a charge pump circuit 20 in accordance with well known principles.
Whenever the reference signal R is asserted, the pump up signal UP is also asserted. Similarly, whenever the feedback signal N is asserted, the pump down signal DN is also asserted. When the pump up signal UP is asserted (and inverted by the inverter 18 within the charge pump 20), the output pull-up transistor P1 is turned on, thereby causing electrical charge to be sourced to, or "pumped" into, the output terminal 21. Conversely, when the pump down signal DN is asserted, the output pull down transistor N1 is turned on, thereby causing an electrical charge to be sunk from, or "pumped" out of, the output terminal 21. The logic AND gate 14 ensures that the data output signals Q of the flip-flops 12u, 12d are cleared following assertion of both signals UP, DN simultaneously. The delay circuit 16 (various types of which are well known in the art) delays the logical AND signal 15 so as to assert the clear, or reset, signal 17 at a predetermined point in time following simultaneous assertion of both signals UP, DN and thereby allow for proper signal set-up times and avoidance of signal race conditions, as well as ensure an adequate output pulse width to minimize crossover distortion (discussed in more detail below).
This type of PFD 10 is widely used due to the advantages afforded by its transfer function. As is well known, this type of PFD 10 has a transfer function such that the output signal 23 of the charge pump 20, due to the control signals UP, DN provided by the PFD 10, depends upon the phase difference between the two input signals R, N when the host PLL is in its phase-locked state, and depends upon the frequency difference between the input signals R, N when the host PLL is in its unlocked state. Accordingly, a digital PLL in which this PFD 10 is used will lock under any condition, in terms of the input signals R, N, regardless of the type of loop filter in use.
Referring to FIG. 2, most loop filters 22 have low pass frequency characteristics and typically consist of a serially-connected resistor R and capacitor C1 connected in shunt with another capacitor C2, as shown. In this type of second order loop filter, the series capacitor C1 generally has a larger capacitance value then the shunt capacitor C2.
Referring to FIG. 3, the transfer function, in terms of the filtered charge pump output signal/PFD_out/23a versus the input phase error θerr (i.e., the difference in phase between the two input signals R, N), can be represented as shown. Ideally, the gain of the PFD 10 is linear over the full range of −2π to +2π radians of phase error θerr including the region centered about zero phase error during which the host PLL is phase-locked. When the phase error θerr becomes greater then 2π radians, the output signal/PFD_out/23a begins to wrap and becomes proportional to the phase error θerr in a pattern that repeats every 2π radians. (This characteristic is that demonstrated by the average of the actual pump up UP and pump down DN control signals generated by the PFD circuit 10.)
Referring to FIG. 4, there are three basic conditions under which a PFD circuit, such as that 10 shown in FIG. 1 operates: during phase-lock, i.e., when the reference and feedback signal frequencies are equal; when the feedback signal frequency is greater then the reference signal frequency; and when the feedback signal frequency is less then the reference signal frequency. When the feedback and reference signal frequencies are equal (time interval T1), the reference R and feedback N signal pulses are in alignment, as are the pump up UP and pump down DN signals. As a result, the net output 23 from the charge pump 20 is zero. When the feedback signal frequency is greater than the reference signal frequency (time interval T2), the feedback signal N pulses lead those of the reference signal R, as do the signal pulses of the pump down signal DN as compared to the pump up signal UP. As a result, the net output 23 from the charge pump 20 is negative, i.e., a sinking of current, or charge, from the output terminal 21 (FIG. 1). Conversely, when the feedback signal frequency is less then the reference signal frequency (time interval T3), the reference signal R pulses lead those of the feedback signal N, as do the signal pulses of the pump up signal UP as compared to the pump down signal DN. As a result, the net output 23 of the charge pump 20 is positive, i.e., a sourcing of current, or charge, to the output terminal 21. (As should be understood, the foregoing discussion applies to a PLL in which the voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) 24 (FIG. 2) has a positive gain characteristic Kvco; for a VCO with a negative gain characteristic Kvco, the charge pump current pulses would be inverted.)
Referring to FIG. 5, as noted above, the transfer function of the PFD 10 is ideally linear through and about the region R centered at zero phase error, i.e., near and during phase-lock. As is well known in the art, phase detectors and PFDs are susceptible to crossover distortion (often referred to as a "dead zone") within the region D of near-zero phase difference between the two input signals R, N. In this region D, the small signal gain is near zero and can have dramatic changes for very small input phase errors, thereby introducing frequency jitter in the output of the host PLL. When this small signal gain is so low, often approaching zero, the feedback loop is essentially broken and electrical charge will leak off the high impendence output node 21 of the charge pump 20 (FIG. 1) until the phase difference between the input signals R, N becomes sufficiently large for the phase detector to exit this dead zone D and turn the charge pump 20 back on to correct such phase error. (This happens as a result of the signal pulses of the reference R and feedback N signals becoming so close together near and at phase-lock that the PFD is unable to distinguish them.) As is also well known in the art, and as noted above, delay in the feedback circuit, e.g., via delay circuit 16 (FIG. 1), is introduced to ensure an adequate output pulse width to minimize the dead zone D. As shown in FIG. 5, once the dead zone D has been minimized, the linearity of the transfer function of the PFD 10 is limited by the mismatch between the pump up current (sourced by transistor P1 to the output terminal 21) and pump down current (sunk by transistor N1 from the output terminal 21) of the charge pump 20. The effect of such current mismatch is represented by the difference in the slopes of the transfer function of the PFD 10 in the regions above and below the horizontal axis. Mismatch between the charge pump currents (pump up and pump down) is a particularly significant problem for delta sigma PLLs due to problems associated with maintaining matched pump up and pump down currents provided by the charge pump 20 to the output terminal 21 (FIG. 1). Particularly with such currents typically being quite small, and with ever decreasing transistor dimensions, matching such small currents is virtually impossible, particularly over variations in operating conditions (e.g., power supply voltages and circuit operating temperature) and fabrication processes. As is well known, charge pump current mismatch is a significant problem for delta sigma PLLs because they intentionally introduce large phase errors (positive or negative) to the phase detectors (i.e., multiple VCO pulse periods of error), and it is important that the loop gain remain linear to avoid mixing the high energy, high frequency spurious offset signals down to lower frequencies where the loop filter can no longer adequately suppress them. Hence, the performance of a delta sigma PLL is often a function of how well the linearity of the combined PFD and charge pump circuitry can be maintained.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a PFD with substantially linear phase error gain within the phase error range centered about zero phase error, i.e., near and during phase-lock, without requiring precision matching of charge pump output currents.

Phase-frequency detector with linear phase error gain near and during phase-lock in delta sigma phase-locked loop


A nuclear fuel bundle fuel transfer system includes a transfer pool containing water at a level above a reactor core. A fuel transfer machine therein includes a carriage disposed in the transfer pool and under the water for transporting fuel bundles. The carriage is selectively movable through the water in the transfer pool and individual fuel bundles are carried vertically in the carriage. In a preferred embodiment, a first movable bridge is disposed over an upper pool containing the reactor core, and a second movable bridge is disposed over a fuel storage pool, with the transfer pool being disposed therebetween. A fuel bundle may be moved by the first bridge from the reactor core and loaded into the carriage which transports the fuel bundle to the second bridge which picks up the fuel bundle and carries it to the fuel storage pool.

In a conventional nuclear reactor such as a pressurized water reactor (PWR) or a boiling water reactor (BWR) a reactor core is contained in a pressure vessel. The core includes a plurality of transversely spaced apart elongate nuclear fuel bundles. Each of the fuel bundles typically includes an outer fuel or flow channel typically having a square transverse section. Disposed within the flow channel are a plurality of elongate fuel tubes spaced apart in a conventional square matrix. The bottom of the fuel bundle typically includes a hollow, conical nosepiece through which water is channeled upwardly through the fuel bundle wherein it is heated by conventional nuclear reactions within the fuel tubes. The top of the fuel bundle is open to allow the water to escape therefrom, and a handle is typically provided for lifting the fuel bundle into or from its position within the reactor core for fuel bundle loading or unloading.
More specifically, during a conventional refueling operation of the reactor core, about 25% or more of spent or burned fuel bundles within the reactor core are replaced with fresh fuel bundles. An upper pool of water is typically located above the reactor core for providing, for example, shielding of radiation from the fuel bundles, and a conventional bridge or gantry is movable over the pool for refueling the reactor core. The bridge includes a trolley mounted grapple which is telescopically extended downwardly through the pool and into the reactor core to grab one of the fuel bundles by its handle at the top thereof, and is then retracted upwardly to remove the fuel bundle. The fuel bundle is continuously maintained under the water to provide shielding thereof as well as for allowing water to flow upwardly through the fuel bundle to cool it. This prevents overheating due to the continuation of nuclear reactions therein which occur at a substantially reduced level than that occurring in an operating reactor core.
In a one bridge refueling system, each fuel bundle, or spent fuel bundle, is removed from the core and is translated one at a time horizontally through the upper pool to an adjacent fuel storage pool and placed vertically in a horizontal array of storage racks to be temporarily stored for up to several years until such spent fuel is then relocated to a long term storage site. A fresh fuel bundle is then transported by the bridge from the fuel storage pool back to the reactor core and positioned therein. Since a typical reactor includes several hundred fuel bundles, a substantial amount of time is required to remove the spent fuel bundles and replace them with fresh fuel bundles.
Furthermore, in a single bridge system, conventional fuel shipping casks which may weigh up to about 100 tons must be individually lifted into the fuel storage pool so that the spent fuel may be inserted therein. The lifting of such a heavy cask involves a risk that the cask may drop and damage the pool and/or the fuel bundles.
Another type of refueling system used in most PWRs and some BWRs uses two bridges with a transfer machine therebetween. One bridge carries fresh and spent fuel bundles individually between the reactor core and the transfer machine, and the other bridge transports spent and fresh fuel bundles between the transfer machine, and the fuel storage pool. The transfer machine then conveys the spent and fresh fuel bundles between the two bridges. In this way, an entire refueling operation may be carried out in less time than using a single bridge since the two bridges and transfer machine may be synchronized with all operating contemporaneously, with each separately carrying a respective fuel bundle therebetween. This system also eliminates the risk of dropping a shipping cask in the storage pool since one of the bridges may be used for transporting fuel between separate pools containing the stored fuel and the shipping casks.
In this two bridge system, the two bridges are typically located in separate buildings, one containing the reactor core, and another containing the fuel storage pool. The common wall between the two buildings must necessarily provide a seal for radiation and pressure between the two buildings and therefore requires a relatively complex transfer tube extending therebetween through which fuel bundles are transferred. The transfer tube is typically oriented either horizontally or inclined so that the passage between the two buildings is relatively small for reducing the complexity of the required seals therebetween. It is desirable to transport the fuel bundles primarily in an upright vertical orientation as they are moved laterally or sideways through the respective pools so that water may continually flow vertically upwardly therethrough for cooling the fuel bundles. The fuel bundles must, therefore, necessarily be temporarily upended or moved from their vertical orientation to the inclined or horizontal orientation for passage through the transfer tube. The conventional transfer machine therefore provides an upending device at each end of the transfer tube to initially rotate a vertical fuel bundle in the required horizontal inclination for passage through the transfer tube, and at the other end thereof another upending device then returns the fuel bundle to the preferred vertical orientation. Suitable seals are provided at both ends of the transfer tube to prevent leakage of the water therethrough.
Since spent fuel bundles have been operating for a considerable amount of time in the reactor core, radioactive corrosion debris is formed within the fuel bundles which is typically broken loose during the transport thereof and falls to the bottom of the respective pools. The radioactive corrosion debris will also fall during the upending operations and during travel through the transfer tube. The radioactive corrosion debris must be cleaned up from time to time which increases the maintenance time and cost in view of the complex transport path required with the two bridge and transfer tube system.
Furthermore, when the fuel bundles are inclined horizontally, natural convection cooling by the water being channeled therethrough is reduced since the vertical path therethrough has been reduced or eliminated. Accordingly, the fuel bundle must be transported relatively quickly through the transfer tube to reduce the likelihood of overheating of the fuel bundles, and additional procedures must be established to provide effective cooling thereof in the event of any failure of the transfer machine while the fuel bundles are upended.


An embodiment provides a method, including: activating, at an information handling device, an optical sensor; initiating, using a processor, an identification sequence; receiving, at the optical sensor, a sequence of user gesture input; determining if the sequence of user gesture input matches a predetermined sequence of user gesture input stored as training data, the determining comprising comparing, using the processor, data points derived from a three dimensional limb movement of the user gesture input with the stored training data; and providing an identification result. Other aspects are described and claimed.

Information handling devices ("devices"), for example laptop computers, tablets, smart phones, e-readers, desktop computers, etc., may be secured in various ways to restrict access to the device and/or components thereof. Traditional pass codes/passwords have been supplemented or replaced using other forms of security mechanisms, e.g., biometric login using a fingerprint reader, facial recognition using a camera, touch gesture or swipe pattern entry using a touch screen, etc. In some cases, these mechanisms are used in combination. Security mechanisms strive to achieve a balance between security, e.g., complexity of a password, and ease of use, e.g., ability of a user to remember a password.


A system and method of offering photofinishing services involves receiving an exposed photographic film from a customer; developing and scanning the film to produce a digital image; displaying examples of a plurality of looks on a color display medium to a customer; receiving a selection of a preferred look from the customer; and applying the selected look to the digital image to produce a processed digital image having the preferred look.

Color photographic systems known in the art capture images of scenes on light-sensitive silver halide media or electronic devices, recording the exposing light in analog or digital form, respectively. Following processing, they provide printed hard copy or soft copy output as a visual reproduction of the recorded scene. For example, scene images can be captured on color negative film and then reproduced after chemical development by optical printing, or scanning and electronic writing on photographic paper. Scene images can also be captured on reversal photographic materials, such as slide transparencies, and then be viewed directly by projection or back-illumination, or even be printed onto silver halide photographic paper. In other cases, color images can be captured by electronic devices, such as video cameras or digital still cameras, and viewed on monitors or printed using dye sublimation thermal printers. The systems mentioned above are just some examples of color image recording systems. In each case, these systems produce different appearance characteristics in the color reproduction.
These differing reproduction appearance characteristics are a result of a number of different factors. The final appearance relates to the properties of the scene-recording element (color recording accuracy and signal-to-noise), the system image processing (rendering of hue, colorfulness, lightness, noise, sharpness, and tone scale), and the display form (print, slide or soft copy) with its individual color reproduction gamut, as well as the viewing conditions and the state of adaptation of the viewer. In a traditional photographic system which includes a color negative film and photofinishing involving film development and tail-end processing—and optical printing onto color paper with its subsequent development and tail-end processing—the film tends to dominate the imaging chain properties. Its color recording accuracy, graininess, sharpness enhancement, contrast or gamma, and particularly its chemical interlayer interimage effects, which provide full system color correction and sharpness enhancement, tend to produce a recognizable, characteristic appearance of the final reflection print across all subject matter. The sustained improvement of these individual properties and their aggregate performance has been the basis for marketplace competition in film for decades. Furthermore, the overall limitations of a pure chemical imaging system, particularly around color and tone reproduction, have forced the specialization of films for different applications and induced the marketplace to segment the product category into different lines. Consumers typically select film giving higher print contrast and colorfulness for general-purpose photography, whereas advanced amateurs often prefer films producing more accurate color reproduction with lower contrast. Professional photographers select films for portraiture producing low print contrast and excellent flesh hues, with lower sharpness for a softer, more pleasing look. Should a photographer have mixed subject matter (e.g., portraits, scenic landscapes, and "candid or grab-shots" of people), the film properties will compromise the print reproduction of at least some of the images relative to the selection of a specialized film. This compromise is so significant that Advanced Photo System™ camera designers have made film mid-roll interrupt a premium camera feature so the photographers can remove a partially used film roll and replace it with another better suited to the photographer's changing artistic preference or scene content requirements. The astute photographer knows to select a particular film to achieve a desired characteristic print appearance, or "look".
Electronic image processing following film scanning or digital still camera capture, new silver halide paper writing devices (e.g., laser writers), and new print methods and media (e.g., inkjet printers and inks) are revolutionizing color reproduction by re-defining print color and tone rendering. The rigid limitations imposed by a pure chemical system of color correction and image structure management with a silver halide print of the prior art have been removed, and many system tone scales, colorfulness levels, hue and lightness renditions, and sharpness levels can be provided using an electronic signal processing chain. Thus it is possible to manipulate the appearance characteristics in an automated photofinishing process by applying mathematical algorithms to the individual image pixel data to provide a scene reproduction having a desired balance of contrast, color saturation and pleasing skin tones as determined by a manufacturer or photofinisher. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,528,339 to Buhr et al.
Digital minilab photofinishing systems are beginning to supplement optical printing minilabs in the commercial trade, in part to provide printing services to digital still camera photographers as well as network services to current camera films designed for optical printing. The NORITSU QSS-2711 DLS System uses KODAK DLS Software in order to provide silver halide prints enhanced by electronic image processing that have adjusted contrast, color balance corrected for indoor lighting, and increased print sharpness. It also provides special effects printing, including black-&-white or sepia-toned renditions of color input (e.g., from color recording films or digital cameras) and exaggerated, high-color printing.
The success of such digital image processing to provide one or more pleasing print appearances still depends heavily on the quality of the image capture medium or device. Current photographic image capture films were designed for direct viewing (color reversal) or optical printing (color negative) and are sub-optimal for digitization compared with films designed for scanning and electronic signal processing. U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,961 to Giorgianni et al. describes a color reversal photographic recording material providing colorimetrically accurate scene capture that is intended for scanning and not for direct viewing or optical printing onto silver halide color paper (i.e., a scan film or scan-only film). A viewable image can be obtained by scanning a color negative film that lacks colored masking couplers, as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,698,379 to Bohan et al. or in U.S. Pat. No. 6,021,277 to Sowinski et al., for example. Having been so designed without inherent system color correction properties like optical print films or slide films, a scan film has no acceptable characteristic image reproduction appearance associated with it, and one must be provided by the selection of digital image processing parameters. Providing more than one desirable print appearance from the image data produced from the scan film is not mentioned in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,587,961, 5,698,379 and 6,021,277.
It would be highly desirable to provide photographers with greater control and selection over the look of their pictures derived from a single taking medium, and to enable the convenience of exercising this control after the exposure stage of photography, contrary to the present situation involving silver halide color films intended for optical printing or direct viewing.

Plurality of picture appearance choices from a color photographic recording material intended for scanning


Methods of fabricating semiconductor structures include implanting atom species into a carrier die or wafer to form a weakened region within the carrier die or wafer, and bonding the carrier die or wafer to a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure may be processed while using the carrier die or wafer to handle the semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure may be bonded to another semiconductor structure, and the carrier die or wafer may be divided along the weakened region therein. Bonded semiconductor structures are fabricated using such methods.

The three-dimensional (3D) integration of two or more semiconductor structures can produce a number of benefits to microelectronic applications. For example, 3D integration of microelectronic components can result in improved electrical performance and power consumption while reducing the area of the device footprint. See, for example, P. Garrou, et al. "The Handbook of 3D Integration," Wiley-VCH (2008).
The 3D integration of semiconductor structures may take place by the attachment of a semiconductor die to one or more additional semiconductor dies (i.e., die-to-die (D2D)), a semiconductor die to one or more semiconductor wafers (i.e., die-to-wafer (D2W)), as well as a semiconductor wafer to one or more additional semiconductor wafers (i.e., wafer-to-wafer (W2W)), or a combination thereof.
Several process sequences have been developed to facilitate the formation of 3D integrated semiconductor structures, including, for example, electrical connection between individual semiconductor structures, thinning of one or more of the semiconductor structures and alignment and bonding of individual semiconductor structures, etc. In particular, thinning of the one or more semiconductor structures comprising the 3D integrated semiconductor structure may be employed for a number of reasons, including, for example, improved heat dissipation and reduction of electrical resistance. However, the benefits that may be produced by thinning of the one or more semiconductor structures comprising the 3D integrated semiconductor structure may also introduce process complications, for example, a semiconductor structure may become relatively brittle due to a thinning process and may, thus, be susceptible to cracking, fracture or other damage during processing using existing equipment and materials.
One proposed solution to this problem is to bind the semiconductor structure, e.g., such as a semiconductor wafer, to a reinforcing substrate, such as another wafer (e.g., a carrier wafer) to provide mechanical strength during processing (e.g., thinning) of the semiconductor wafer. The process of bonding the semiconductor wafer to the reinforcing substrate is often referred to as "wafer bonding." After processing the semiconductor wafer, the reinforcing substrate may be released from the semiconductor.
For example, a semiconductor wafer may be temporarily bonded to a reinforcing substrate using an adhesive material. The adhesive material bears the force associated with holding the semiconductor wafer and the reinforcing substrate together during processing of the semiconductor wafer. Furthermore, the adhesive material and the reinforcing substrate may function as a mechanical support to provide structural stability to the semiconductor wafer during processing of the semiconductor wafer. Many spin-coated amorphous polymers, such as polyimides, benzocyclobutene (BCB), NAFION® and photoresist materials have been used as adhesive materials for wafer bonding.
Adhesive materials may be unstable at increased temperatures, however, which may limit the temperatures at which semiconductor device fabrication may be conducted. Furthermore, solvent or solvent vapors may be released from such adhesive materials at elevated temperatures. This process is often referred to as "outgassing." Outgassing may result in the formation of bubbles or voids in the adhesive material. Such bubbles or voids may result in non-uniform bonding strength between the semiconductor wafer and the reinforcing substrate, and may compromise the integrity of the bond. The adhesive material is completely removed after semiconductor wafer processing using a chemical removal process (e.g., dissolving in a solvent). The chemical removal process may be time-consuming and damaging to semiconductor devices and integrated circuit devices formed on the semiconductor wafer. Thus, adhesive bonding may be problematic when used in temporarily bonding a semiconductor wafer to a reinforcing substrate.
Another method of providing support for a semiconductor wafer during processing involves directly bonding two semiconductor substrates using a so called "direct" wafer bonding process. Direct wafer bonding processes are conventionally used in forming semiconductor-on-insulator (SeOI) structures (e.g., silicon-on-insulator (SOI) structures) that are of interest for fabrication of advanced ICs for three-dimensional (3D) device integration. In a conventional direct wafer bonding process a surface oxide layer may be formed over at least one of the wafers. The surface oxide layer may then be bonded to a silicon material or another oxide material on a surface of the other wafer. For example, a surface of an oxide material on a semiconductor wafer may be contacted with a surface of a reinforcing substrate and the two structures may be bonded together via atomic and/or molecular adhesion. To achieve a bond between two semiconductor wafers, the semiconductor wafers should have low surface roughness compatible surface chemistries (i.e., hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity), and should be at least substantially free of dust and other debris.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Bonded processed semiconductor structures and carriers


The present invention provides a method to prepare 2H-benzo[6]pyrans, such as the anti-HIV natural product daurichromenic acid (1a), by microwave-assisted tandem aldol reaction of a phenolic enolate followed by intramolecular SN2′ type cyclization to form the 2H-benzo[6]pyran core structure.

Daurichromenic acid (1a) was isolated from the leaves and twigs of Rhododendron dauricum, a plant that is distributed in the northern part of China, eastern part of Siberia, and Hokkaido. See, e.g., Kashiwada, Y. et al., Tetrahedron, 57, 1559 (2001); Jpn. Kokai Tokko Koho, JP 82-28, 080, 1982. It belongs to the family of chromene natural products. Two novel chromane derivatives rhododaurichromanic acids A (5a) and B (6b) were also isolated from the same plant:

Synthesis of 2H-benzopyrans (chrom-3-enes) has been the subject of many investigations. Dotz, K. H. Pure & Appl. Chem. 1983, 55, 1689 and references cited therein; (b) Henry, G. E.; Jacobs, H. Tetrahedron 2001, 57, 5335; (c) Chang, S. et al., J Org. Chem. 1998, 63, 864; (d) Saimoto, H. et al., J Org. Chem. 1996, 61, 6768; (e) North, J. T. et al., J Org. Chem. 1995, 60, 3397; (f) Gabbutt, C. D. et al., Tetrahedron 1994, 50, 2507; (g) Cruz-Almanza, R. et al., Heterocycles 1994, 37, 759; (h) Rao, U. et al., Tetrahedron Lett. 1983, 24, 5023; (i) Sartori, G. et al., J. Org. Chem. 1979, 44, 803. The reaction developed by Shigemasa appeared to be quite promising for the synthesis of this class of natural products. Saimoto, H. et al., J Org. Chem., 1996 61, 6768. Unfortunately, the reaction between 16 and 3a is extremely slow under Shigemasa's conditions (see FIG. 1). The mixture gave only 15% yield of the desired product 4a (B=Et) after heating at reflux for four days (see Table 1, hereinbelow, entry 1). The yield was improved to 32% when the mixture was heated at 90° C. in a sealed tube for one day (Table 1, entry 2). However, the reaction stopped, and the yield is not improved even with the addition of excess of aldehyde 3a and with longer heating time.
Therefore, a need exists for effective methods to prepare daurichromenic acid and analogs thereof.


The present invention provides amino acid sequences of peptides that are encoded by genes within the human genome, the kinase peptides of the present invention. The present invention specifically provides isolated peptide and nucleic acid molecules, methods of identifying orthologs and paralogs of the kinase peptides, and methods of identifying modulators of the kinase peptides.

The present invention is in the field of kinase proteins that are related to the serine/threonine kinase subfamily, recombinant DNA molecules, and protein production. The present invention specifically provides novel peptides and proteins that effect protein phosphorylation and nucleic acid molecules encoding such peptide and protein molecules, all of which are useful in the development of human therapeutics and diagnostic compositions and methods.
Protein Kinases
Kinases regulate many different cell proliferation, differentiation, and signaling processes by adding phosphate groups to proteins. Uncontrolled signaling has been implicated in a variety of disease conditions including inflammation, cancer, arteriosclerosis, and psoriasis. Reversible protein phosphorylation is the main strategy for controlling activities of eukaryotic cells. It is estimated that more than 1000 of the 10,000 proteins active in a typical mammalian cell are phosphorylated. The high energy phosphate, which drives activation, is generally transferred from adenosine triphosphate molecules (ATP) to a particular protein by protein kinases and removed from that protein by protein phosphatases. Phosphorylation occurs in response to extracellular signals (hormones, neurotransmitters, growth and differentiation factors, etc), cell cycle checkpoints, and environmental or nutritional stresses and is roughly analogous to turning on a molecular switch. When the switch goes on, the appropriate protein kinase activates a metabolic enzyme, regulatory protein, receptor, cytoskeletal protein, ion channel or pump, or transcription factor.
The kinases comprise the largest known protein group, a superfamily of enzymes with widely varied functions and specificities. They are usually named after their substrate, their regulatory molecules, or some aspect of a mutant phenotype. With regard to substrates, the protein kinases may be roughly divided into two groups; those that phosphorylate tyrosine residues (protein tyrosine kinases, PTK) and those that phosphorylate serine or threonine residues (serine/threonine kinases, STK). A few protein kinases have dual specificity and phosphorylate threonine and tyrosine residues. Almost all kinases contain a similar 250-300 amino acid catalytic domain. The N-terminal domain, which contains subdomains I-IV, generally folds into a two-lobed structure, which binds and orients the ATP (or GTP) donor molecule. The larger C terminal lobe, which contains subdomains VI A-XI, binds the protein substrate and carries out the transfer of the gamma phosphate from ATP to the hydroxyl group of a serine, threonine, or tyrosine residue. Subdomain V spans the two lobes.
The kinases may be categorized into families by the different amino acid sequences (generally between 5 and 100 residues) located on either side of, or inserted into loops of, the kinase domain. These added amino acid sequences allow the regulation of each kinase as it recognizes and interacts with its target protein. The primary structure of the kinase domains is conserved and can be further subdivided into 11 subdomains. Each of the 11 subdomains contains specific residues and motifs or patterns of amino acids that are characteristic of that subdomain and are highly conserved (Hardie, G. and Hanks, S. (1995) The Protein Kinase Facts Books, Vol 1:7-20 Academic Press, San Diego, Calif.).
The second messenger dependent protein kinases primarily mediate the effects of second messengers such as cyclic AMP (cAMP), cyclic GMP, inositol triphosphate, phosphatidylinositol, 3,4,5-triphosphate, cyclic-ADPribose, arachidonic acid, diacylglycerol and calcium-calmodulin. The cyclic-AMP dependent protein kinases (PKA) are important members of the STK family. Cyclic-AMP is an intracellular mediator of hormone action in all prokaryotic and animal cells that have been studied. Such hormone-induced cellular responses include thyroid hormone secretion, cortisol secretion, progesterone secretion, glycogen breakdown, bone resorption, and regulation of heart rate and force of heart muscle contraction. PKA is found in all animal cells and is thought to account for the effects of cyclic-AMP in most of these cells. Altered PKA expression is implicated in a variety of disorders and diseases including cancer, thyroid disorders, diabetes, atherosclerosis, and cardiovascular disease (Isselbacher, K. J. et al. (1994) Harrison""s Principles of Internal Medicine, McGraw-Hill, New York, N.Y., pp. 416-431, 1887).
Calcium-calmodulin (CaM) dependent protein kinases are also members of STK family. Calmodulin is a calcium receptor that mediates many calcium regulated processes by binding to target proteins in response to the binding of calcium. The principle target protein in these processes is CaM dependent protein kinases. CaM-kinases are involved in regulation of smooth muscle contraction (MLC kinase), glycogen breakdown (phosphorylase kinase), and neurotransmission (CaM kinase I and CaM kinase II). CaM kinase I phosphorylates a variety of substrates including the neurotransmitter related proteins synapsin I and II, the gene transcription regulator, CREB, and the cystic fibrosis conductance regulator protein, CFTR (Haribabu, B. et al. (1995) EMBO Journal 14:3679-86). CaM II kinase also phosphorylates synapsin at different sites, and controls the synthesis of catecholamines in the brain through phosphorylation and activation of tyrosine hydroxylase. Many of the CaM kinases are activated by phosphorylation in addition to binding to CaM. The kinase may autophosphorylate itself, or be phosphorylated by another kinase as part of a xe2x80x9ckinase cascadexe2x80x9d.
Another ligand-activated protein kinase is 5xe2x80x2-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) (Gao, G. et al. (1996) J. Biol Chem. 15:8675-81). Mammalian AMPK is a regulator of fatty acid and sterol synthesis through phosphorylation of the enzymes acetyl-CoA carboxylase and hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase and mediates responses of these pathways to cellular stresses such as heat shock and depletion of glucose and ATP. AMPK is a heterotrimeric complex comprised of a catalytic alpha subunit and two non-catalytic beta and gamma subunits that are believed to regulate the activity of the alpha subunit. Subunits of AMPK have a much wider distribution in non-lipogenic tissues such as brain, heart, spleen, and lung than expected. This distribution suggests that its role may extend beyond regulation of lipid metabolism alone.
The mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAP) are also members of the STK family. MAP kinases also regulate intracellular signaling pathways. They mediate signal transduction from the cell surface to the nucleus via phosphorylation cascades. Several subgroups have been identified, and each manifests different substrate specificities and responds to distinct extracellular stimuli (Egan, S. E. and Weinberg, R. A. (1993) Nature 365:781-783). MAP kinase signaling pathways are present in mammalian cells as well as in yeast. The extracellular stimuli that activate mammalian pathways include epidermal growth factor (EGF), ultraviolet light, hyperosmolar medium, heat shock, endotoxic lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin-1 (IL-1).
PRK proliferation-related kinase) is a serum/cytokine inducible STK that is involved in regulation of the cell cycle and cell proliferation in human megakaroytic cells (Li, B. et al. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271:19402-8). PRK is related to the polo (derived from humans polo gene) family of STKs implicated in cell division. PRK is downregulated in lung tumor tissue and may be a proto-oncogene whose deregulated expression in normal tissue leads to oncogenic transformation. Altered MAP kinase expression is implicated in a variety of disease conditions including cancer, inflammation, immune disorders, and disorders affecting growth and development.
The cyclin-dependent protein kinases (CDKs) are another group of STKs that control the progression of cells through the cell cycle. Cyclins are small regulatory proteins that act by binding to and activating CDKs that then trigger various phases of the cell cycle by phosphorylating and activating selected proteins involved in the mitotic process. CDKs are unique in that they require multiple inputs to become activated. In addition to the binding of cyclin, CDK activation requires the phosphorylation of a specific threonine residue and the dephosphorylation of a specific tyrosine residue.
Protein tyrosine kinases, PTKs, specifically phosphorylate tyrosine residues on their target proteins and may be divided into transmembrane, receptor PTKs and nontransmembrane, non-receptor PTKs. Transmembrane protein-tyrosine kinases are receptors for most growth factors. Binding of growth factor to the receptor activates the transfer of a phosphate group from ATP to selected tyrosine side chains of the receptor and other specific proteins. Growth factors (GF) associated with receptor PTKs include; epidermal GF, platelet-derived GF, fibroblast GF, hepatocyte GF, insulin and insulin-like GFs, nerve GF, vascular endothelial GF, and macrophage colony stimulating factor.
Non-receptor PTKs lack transmembrane regions and, instead, form complexes with the intracellular regions of cell surface receptors. Such receptors that function through non-receptor PTKs include those for cytokines, hormones (growth hormone and prolactin) and antigen-specific receptors on T and B lymphocytes.
Many of these PTKs were first identified as the products of mutant oncogenes in cancer cells where their activation was no longer subject to normal cellular controls. In fact, about one third of the known oncogenes encode PTKs, and it is well known that cellular transformation (oncogenesis) is often accompanied by increased tyrosine phosphorylation activity (Carbonneau H and Tonks N K (1992) Annu. Rev. Cell. Biol. 8:463-93). Regulation of PTK activity may therefore be an important strategy in controlling some types of cancer.
Serine/threonine kinases
The novel human protein, and encoding gene, provided by the present invention is related to the serine/threonine kinase subfamily and shows a particularly high degree of similarity to MAP/microtubule affinity regulating kinases (MARK). MARK plays important roles in controlling cytoskeletal dynamics. Due to their important role of MARK proteins in cytoskeletal dynamics, and the finding that the protein of the present invention is expressed in numerous cancerous tissues (see FIG. 1), the protein/gene of the present invention represents an important therapeutic/diagnostic target for a wide variety of cancers.
Microtubules facilitate molecular transport and are particularly important in the regulation of cellular shape and polarity. Microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) play a critical role in regulating the inter-conversion between stable and dynamic microtubules. MARK phosphorylates the microtubule-associated-proteins MAP4, MAP2c, and tau at their microtubule-binding domain, thereby triggering their detachment from the microtubules and leading to an increased dynamic instability of the microtubules. MARK2 over-expression has been shown to cause microtubule-disruption, detachment of cells from the substratum, and cell death, as well as disruption of the vimentin network. (Ebneth et al., Cell Motil Cytoskeleton November 1999 44(3):209-24). Also see Drewes et al., Cell Apr. 18, 1997; 89(2):297-308).
Kinase proteins, particularly members of the serine/threonine kinase subfamily, are a major target for drug action and development. Accordingly, it is valuable to the field of pharmaceutical development to identify and characterize previously unknown members of this subfamily of kinase proteins. The present invention advances the state of the art by providing previously unidentified human kinase proteins that have homology to members of the serine/threonine kinase subfamily.
The present invention is based in part on the identification of amino acid sequences of human kinase peptides and proteins that are related to the serine/threonine kinase subfamily, as well as allelic variants and other mammalian orthologs thereof. These unique peptide sequences, and nucleic acid sequences that encode these peptides, can be used as models for the development of human therapeutic targets, aid in the identification of therapeutic proteins, and serve as targets for the development of human therapeutic agents that modulate kinase activity in cells and tissues that express the kinase. Experimental data as provided in FIG. 1 indicates expression in brain (neuroblastoma), lung (small cell carcinoma), muscle (rhabdomyosarcoma), lymph (Burkitt lymphoma), ovary tumor, placenta (normal and choriocarcinoma), colon (normal, adenocarcinoma, and colon tumor), kidney (renal cell adenocarcinoma), breast, cervix (carcinoma), uterus tumor, pancreas (pancreatic islet), a pooled colon/kidney/stomach sample, and a pooled pancreas/spleen sample.

Isolated human kinase proteins, nucleic acid molecules encoding human kinase proteins, and uses thereof