A touch sensing apparatus is disclosed comprising a panel that defines a touch surface, a plurality of emitters and detectors arranged along a perimeter of the light transmissive panel, and a light directing arrangement arranged adjacent the perimeter. The emitters are arranged to emit a respective beam of emitted light and the light directing arrangement is arranged to direct the light along a light path from the emitters to the touch surface. A diffusive light scattering element is arranged in the light path.

In one category of touch-sensitive panels known as 'above surface optical touch systems', a set of optical emitters are arranged around the periphery of a touch surface to emit light that is reflected to travel and propagate above the touch surface. A set of light detectors are also arranged around the periphery of the touch surface to receive light from the set of emitters from above the touch surface. I.e. a grid of intersecting light paths are created above the touch surface, also referred to as scanlines. An object that touches the touch surface will attenuate the light on one or more scanlines of the light and cause a change in the light received by one or more of the detectors. The location (coordinates), shape or area of the object may be determined by analyzing the received light at the detectors.
Previous above surface touch technology has problems with detectability, accuracy, jitter and object size classification, related to suboptimal scanline width, component count and touch decoding. The width of the scanlines affects touch performance factors such as detectability, accuracy, resolution, the presence of reconstruction artefacts. Problems with previous prior art touch detection systems relate to sub-optimal performance with respect to the aforementioned factors. Some prior art systems aim to improve the accuracy in detecting small objects. This in turn may require incorporating more complex and expensive opto-mechanical modifications to the touch system, such as increasing the number of emitters and detectors, to try to compensate for such losses. This results in a more expensive and less compact system. Furthermore, to reduce system cost, it may be desirable to minimize the number of electro-optical components.


A method for enabling database access to an OLE DB compatible database by a client using a JAVA JDBC Application Program Interface. A JDBC Driver program provides a bridging functionality between the using JDBC client and the OLE DB database.

The specification for the JDBC API is a document which is the JAVA platform standard call-level application program interface (API) for database access. This API assumes that the database being connected to is a relational database. It is understood that relational databases have flat table structures where tables consist solely of columns and rows.
An on-line linking and embedding database is the preferred application program interface (API) for Microsoft and is used by applications running on a Window-based PC to access data from a variety of data sources, including databases both relational and non-relational, flat files, directory services and so on. JDBC (JAVA Database Connectivity) is the JAVA Application Program Interface (API) used to access data in relational databases. While typical Windows programs written in C++ or Visual Basic had, in the OLE DB (Online Linking and Embedding Database), a standardized mechanism for accessing data in a variety of data sources, however, the JAVA applications were limited to accessing only relational data sources. It is desirable to provide JAVA applications which have access to the same data as other Windows applications.
The present system and method provides a mechanism which enables a JAVA application to use JAVA database connectivity (JDBC) to access data which is made available by an OLE DB data provider.
The OLE DB API provides four basic objects that are used to access data. Each object implements a series of required and optional interfaces. The JDBC API defines over a dozen objects that can be used to access data. The JDBC driver for the OLE DB data access (designated as a Driver in this document) maps the dozen objects defined by the JDBC API to the objects in the OLE DB API. This includes mapping the methods on the JDBC object to the various interfaces on the OLE DB objects. Additionally, the OLE DB API requires that only three of the four basic objects actually be implemented. Thus, part of the solution concerns here, concerns how the Driver handles situations where an OLE DB data provider does not support an optional object or interface that is required to complete a JDBC call.
In the related prior art, there have been seen a number of systems which may be related somewhat partially to the present disclosure. These systems involve U.S. Patents which are briefly described hereinunder.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,016,499 entitled "System And Method For Accessing A Directory Service Repository" describes a method for using a relational API to data stored in another format, in this particular case for directory data, using an Application Program Interface (API) native to data. However, the present disclosure is considerably different in that it uses the JDBC API (while the cited patent uses ODBC) and the present system provides access to any data that uses OLE DB as an application program interface.
Another U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,118 is entitled "Method For Managing Globally Distributed Software Components" and describes a mechanism for locating a JAVA class using a directory service. The present invention is quite considerably different in that it is a bridge from JDBC over to the OLE DB.
Another U.S. Pat. No. 5,848,273 entitled "Method For Generating OLE Automation And IDL Interfaces From MetaData Information" describes a mechanism for generating an OLE-based API from repository MetaData. The present system and method is quite different in that no API is generated, but rather instead the system uses an existing API, namely the JDBC. Additionally, the present disclosure actually does make use of the OLE DB API.
Another possible relevant patent is U.S. Pat. No. 5,689,664 entitled "Interface Sharing Between Objects" which concerns a mechanism for reducing memory usage when an object is shared by two different processes, typically using a drag-and-drop operation. However, quite contrarily, the present system concerns database access, rather than reducing memory usage.
A further U.S. Pat. No. 5,910,804 entitled "OLE For Design And Modeling" is used to describe several tools used to do 3-D modeling and has an interface, in OLE, used by those tools to communicate the data concerning the object being modeled. This particular system is quite different from the present invention, since the present invention translates JDBC API calls into the appropriate OLE DB API calls, thus to enable JAVA applications to access data available via the OLE DB.
The presently described system can map a dozen objects as defined in the JDBC API and map them to objects in the OLE DB API.

Method for accessing object linking-embedding database data via JAVA database connectivity


A marker pen storage system comprising a housing having a plurality of receptacles for receiving marker pens, each receptacle formed to include an upper and lower cavity, the upper cavity located at the opening of the receptacle and formed to include a first upper inclined section and a first lower inclined section, wherein the first upper inclined section has a greater incline than the first lower inclined section, said lower cavity sized to receive a writing end of a marker pen, receptacle openings are formed immediately adjacent so as to create guidance walls between each receptacle, and prevent a flat upper surface from being formed between adjacent receptacles, and a snap ring formed between the upper and lower cavities, wherein a relatively airtight seal is formed around the writing end of a marking pen when it is completely inserted into the lower cavity so as to prevent circulation of air to the writing end of an inserted marking pen, and the snap ring produces a snap feel and sound when a marker pen is completely inserted into the lower cavity. Guidance walls between the receptacles enables a user to properly insert a marker pen without having a direct line of site to the proper receptacle, thereby making the marker pen holder very easy for young children to use and put away the marker when it is time to clean up. Also, the snap ring prevents markers from spilling out of the holder, which is very useful when marker pens are carried in children's backpacks to and from school or the like.

Conventional storage containers for drawing markers are generally cardboard or plastic boxes with no organizational or other guidance structures inside, similar to crayon boxes. Marker pen boxes offer a user no assistance with placing the markers back into the storage box properly or neatly. Common household issues, especially with young children, include markers being left out open without a top or cap placed back onto the marker to prevent drying out.
Additionally, even with the conventional cap and storage systems for drawing markers, the caps themselves are considered a choking hazard for small children whom represent a predominant user group of markers. The choking hazard created by conventional marker cap systems create a dilemma for parents, guardians, daycare centers, schools, where children of various ages are mixed together, including children too young to appreciate the choking dangers of marker caps. A teacher or daycare worker who puts out ink makers for use by toddlers or young children must constantly and diligently observe the toddlers to prevent them from placing marker caps into their mouths, causing them to potentially choke and suffocate. A typical, insufficient, technique for handling the choking risk associated with marker pens is for parents, teachers, or caretakers to place markers pens in a box or bulk container without their caps attached. Of course, this technique is extremely inefficient and waste makers because the markers quickly dry out and must be discarded. Furthermore, because the markers are not properly organized, many color markers are lost and must be replaced, resulting in unnecessary costs and frustration.
Clearly, an improved system and device is needed to better organize colored marker pens and also eliminate the cap choking hazard associated with use of marker pens by small children.


Methods and apparatus are provided for transmitting data in a broadcasting system. Input data is encoded by an encoder. A first demultiplexer generates first transmission symbols using the encoded data. The first transmission symbols are modulated, and the modulated first transmission symbols are transmitted. A second demultiplexer generates second transmission symbols using at least a portion of the encoded data. The second transmission symbols are modulated and the modulated second transmission symbols are transmitted.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method for transmitting and receiving channel codes to improve performance of broadcasting and communication systems, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for mapping generated coded data to modulation symbols, and transmitting and receiving the mapped data.
2. Description of the Related Art
A powerful error-correction coding technique that supports broadband data and high-speed packet transmission is a key element in next-generation mobile communication systems and broadcasting systems. Since the turbo decoding method of 1993, interest in high-performance error-correcting codes showing error probability approaching the Shannon limit has increased, and IMT-2000 systems have employed turbo codes. The core technology of turbo codes is iterative decoding. Iterative decoding has evolved into a new realm of a high-performance decoding method, from which graph-based decoding methods have attracted attention. However, since turbo codes reach their performance limits at a very low error rate, which is required in 4th generation mobile communication systems, the interest in new types of graph-based coding methods has increased. Error-correcting codes that have attracted attention due to this increased interest include a Low Density Parity Check Code (LDPC). The LDPC is a high-performance code that approaches the Shannon limit when a belief-propagation-based iterative decoding algorithm is used.
In situations where a Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) is low or an error occurs frequently, a receiver may not restore input data from received coded data. Instead, a transmitter may transmit additional parity associated with the input data so that the receiver may utilize the parity in restoring the data.
When the additionally transmitted parity is not identical to the first transmitted coded data or any part thereof, the receiver performs decoding taking into account both the first transmitted coded data and the additionally transmitted parity, causing an increase in decoding complexity. In addition, when the additionally transmitted parity is the same as the first transmitted coded data or any part thereof, and data is transmitted in a simple iterative manner using the same modulation symbols, the decoding complexity may be low, but performance improvement may not meet the high standards that are desired.

Method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving data in broadcasting system


An economic, scalable machine learning system and process perform document (concept) classification with high accuracy using large topic schemes, including large hierarchical topic schemes. One or more highly relevant classification topics is suggested for a-given document (concept) to be classified. The invention includes training and concept classification processes. The invention also provides methods that may be used as part of the training and/or concept classification processes, including: a method of scoring the relevance of features in training concepts, a method of ranking concepts based on relevance score, and a method of voting on topics associated with an input concept. In a preferred embodiment, the invention is applied to the legal (case law) domain, classifying legal concepts (rules of law) according to a proprietary legal topic classification scheme (a hierarchical scheme of areas of law).

A portion of this disclosure, including Appendices, is subject to copyright protection. Limited permission is granted to facsimile reproduction of the patent document or patent disclosure as it appears in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) patent file or records, but the copyright owner reserves all other copyright rights whatsoever.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems and methods for automated classification. More specifically, the invention relates to automated systems and methods for classifying concepts (such as legal concepts, including points of law from court opinions) according to a topic scheme (such as a hierarchical legal topic classification scheme).
2. Related Art
Document classification has long been recognized as one of the most important tasks in text processing. Classification of documents provides for quality document retrieval, and enables browsing and linking among documents across a collection. The benefits of such easy access are especially apparent in slowly-evolving subject domains such as law. The generally stable vocabularies and topics of the legal domain insure long-term return on any classification work.
There are two broad document classification approaches: unsupervised learning and supervised learning. The approaches are differentiated by whether a pre-defined classification scheme is used.
Unsupervised learning is a data-driven classification approach, based on the assumption that documents can be well organized by a natural structure inherent to the data. Those familiar with the data should be able to follow this natural structure to locate their information. A large body of information retrieval literature has focused on this approach, mostly related to document clustering [Borko 1963, Sparck Jones 1970, van Rijsbergen 1979, Griffiths 1984, Willett 1988, Salton 1990]. More recently some machine learning techniques have been applied to this classification task [Farkas 1993]xe2x80x94the term xe2x80x9cunsupervised learningxe2x80x9d was coined to describe this approach. The following patents are associated with this approach: U.S. Pat. No. 5,182,708 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,832,470.
Opposite to the unsupervised learning approach to document classification is supervised learning. With this approach, a pre-defined xe2x80x9ctopic schemexe2x80x9d is given, along with the classified documents for each topic in the scheme. The topic scheme may be a simple list of discrete topics, or a complex hierarchical topic scheme. Supervised learning technology focuses on the task of feeding a computer meaningful topical descriptions so that it can learn to classify a document of unknown type.
When a topic scheme includes a simple list of discrete topics (one without a complex hierarchical relationships among the topics), the document classification becomes mere document categorization. Many machine learning techniques, including the retrieval technique of relevance feedback, have been tried for this task [Buckley 1994, Lewis 1994, and Mitchell 1997]. In addition to the effectiveness of learning methods themselves, the success of automatic categorization depends on the number of topics in the scheme, on the amount of quality training documents, and on the degree that the topics are mutually exclusive to one another. An example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,675,710.
The more difficult document classification centers on classifying documents using a hierarchical topic scheme. In this task, one has to consider horizontal relationships among the sister topics, which tend to be close to each other and are thus confusing to a computer. Moreover, one must also be concerned with vertical inheritance relationships.
Many machine learning techniques have trouble accommodating these two semantic relationships simultaneously in their learning or training, and thereafter have difficulty in classifying documents effectively. The task becomes more challenging if the topic scheme is very large, if the training documents are not topically exclusive, if the size of documents is small, or if the documents lack descriptive information.
To face these challenges, some techniques (U.S. Pat. No. 5,204,812) have relied on human intervention. Others (U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,236) use simple but insightful pattern matching. Still others (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,371,807 and 5,768,580) turn to linguistic knowledge to combat the ambiguity introduced in the hierarchical scheme.
However, these techniques can only handle small, domain-specific classification work. They have difficulty in scaled processing, either because of their simplicity in pattern recognition or because of the daunting demand of building expensive lexicons to support the linguistic parsing.
Thus, there is a need in the art to develop an economic, scalable machine learning process that can perform document classification with high accuracy using a large, hierarchical topic scheme. It is to meet this need that the present invention is directed.
Non-Patent References mentioned above:
Borko, H. and Bernick M. 1963. xe2x80x9cAutomatic document classification.xe2x80x9d Journal of the Association for Computing Machinery, pp. 151-161.
Sparck Jones, K. 1970. xe2x80x9cSome thoughts on classification for retrieval.xe2x80x9d Journal of Documentation, pp.89-102.
Van Riusbergen, C. J. 1979. Information Retrieval, 2nd edition, Butterworths, London.
Griffiths, A and others. 1984. xe2x80x9cHierarchic agglomerative clustering methods for automatic document classification.xe2x80x9d Journal of Documentation, pp. 175-205.
Willett, P. 1988. xe2x80x9cRecent trends in hierarchic document clustering: A critical review.xe2x80x9d Information Processing and Management, pp. 577-598.
Salton, G. and Buckley C. 1990. xe2x80x9cFlexible text matching for information retrieval.xe2x80x9d Technical Report 90-1158, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y.
Farkas, J. 1993. xe2x80x9cNeural networks and document classification.xe2x80x9d Canadian Conference on Electrical and Computer Engineering, pp. 1-4.
Buckley, C and others. 1994. xe2x80x9cAutomatic routing and ad-hoc retrieval using SMART: TREC-2.xe2x80x9d The 2nd Text Retrieval Conference, edited by Donna Harman, NIST Special Publication 500-215, pp.45-55.
Lewis, D. D. and Gale, W. A. 1994. xe2x80x9cA sequential algorithm for training text classifiers.xe2x80x9d Proceedings of the 7th Annual International ACM-SIGIR Conference on Research and Development in Information Retrieval, pp.3-12, London.
Mitchell, T. 1997. Machine Learning, McGraw Hill, New York.
The inventive system and method provide an economic, scalable machine learning process that performs document classification with high accuracy using large topic schemes, including large hierarchical topic schemes. More specifically, the inventive system and method suggest one or more highly relevant classification topics for a given document to be classified.
The invention provides several features, including novel training and concept classification processes. The invention also provides novel methods that may be used as part of the training and/or concept classification processes, including: a method of scoring the relevance of features in training concepts, a method of ranking concepts based on relevance score, and a method of voting on topics associated with an input concept.
In a preferred embodiment, the invention is applied to the legal (case law) domain, classifying legal concepts (such as rules of law) according to a proprietary legal topic classification scheme (a hierarchy of areas of law).

System and method for classifying legal concepts using legal topic scheme


A pharmaceutical composition comprises nanoparticles comprising a poorly water soluble drug, a poorly aqueous soluble non-ionizable polymer, and an amine-functionalized methacrylate copolymer.

The present invention relates to nanoparticles comprising a poorly water-soluble drug, a poorly aqueous soluble non-ionizable polymer and an amine-functionalized methacrylate copolymer.
A variety of approaches have been taken to formulate drugs as nanoparticles. One approach is to decrease the size of crystalline drug by grinding or milling the drug in the presence of a surface modifier. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,684. Another approach to forming nanoparticles is to precipitate the drug in the presence of a film forming material such as a polymer. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,118,528.
Amine-functionalized methacrylate copolymers, such as Eudragit RL100® and Eudragit RS100® have been used in nanoparticle compositions. See, for example, Bucolo et al., J. Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 2004, 56, 841-846; Pignatello et al., J. Pharm. Sci., 2002, Vol. 91, No. 12, 2636-2641; and Rabinovich-Guilatt, et al., J. Drug Targeting, 2004, Vol. 12 (9-10), 623-633. Nanoparticles of a polymer and a positively charged polysaccharide have also been made, with a therapeutic substance associated with the nanoparticle. See, for example, US Published Patent Application 2006/0134220.
Alonso Fernandez et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,649,192 B2 disclose nanoparticles for the administration of macromolecules comprising a combination of hydrophilic polymers. The polymers are chitosan (an aminopolysaccharide) or its derivatives and optionally polyoxyethylene or its derivatives.
Shefer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,565,873 B1 disclose nanoparticles having an average particle diameter of from about 20 nm to about 10 microns, which comprise a biodegradable solid hydrophobic core and a bioadhesive/mucoadhesive positively charged surfactant that is entrapped and fixed to the particle surface. The nanoparticles are for delivery to an oral cavity or mucous membranes.
Maincent et al., US Pub. Patent Application 2005/0013866 A1 disclose particulate vectors for increasing the absorption of actives comprising at least one biodegradable polymer combined with at least one polycationic polymer. The particulate vectors may be nanoparticles.
Aboubakar, et al. US Published Patent Application 2006/0134220 disclose nanoparticles of a polymer and a positively charged polysaccharide. The drug is adsorbed to the nanoparticle.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Nanoparticles comprising a non-ionizable polymer and an Amine-functionalized methacrylate copolymer


A disposable calibration device is used to calibrate a measurement system which transmits radiation or acoustic waves to a material or tissue in order to effect measurements. The disposable calibration device includes a structure with a window through which the radiation or acoustic waves can be transmitted, as well as a removable calibration target arranged on the window and capable of returning a portion of the radiation or acoustic waves for calibrating the measurement system. The removable calibration target can be peeled from window to allow a measurement to be made on the material or tissue. Once a measurement is complete, the disposable calibration device can be discarded and a new calibration device can be inserted on the measuring system.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for calibrating measurement instruments of various types, and in particular to a disposable calibration device and method which uses that device for calibrating measurement instruments that perform measurements on a material or tissue. The calibration device includes a calibration target that ensures proper calibration of the measurement instrument, prevents scratching of windows through which measurements are taken, and also prevents reuse of the disposable calibration target, thereby helping to control the spread of infection if measurements are on tissues, and helping to prevent contamination if measurements are on materials.
2. Background of the Related Art
Many measurement systems require that calibrations be performed on a routine basis in order to compensate for changes in instrument performance and response. This is true for both radiation based measurement systems, i.e., systems that send electromagnetic radiation to the tissue or material to be measured and then detect the return radiation, and acoustic based measurement systems, i.e., systems that send acoustic waves or energy to the tissue or material to be measured and then detect the return acoustic signal. The calibration techniques in both cases typically involve measuring the response of a test target which has characteristics that remain stable with time and over a range of temperatures. Those techniques can also be used to compensate for instrument to instrument variations and any changes that an individual instrument may experience over its working lifetime. Often such measurement systems must be periodically calibrated and sometimes must be calibrated prior to each and every use. This calibration becomes especially important when measurements are made for medical or other critical applications.
Radiation measuring systems are currently used for a wide variety of purposes including to evaluate tissue or materials. These measuring systems require calibration for a variety of reasons including variations in the radiation source intensity, changes in spectral characteristics of the tissue or material, component aging and cleanliness, changes in temperature, radiation detector sensitivity changes, and electronic drifting.
Examples of radiation type measurement systems that often require some type of calibration include but are not limited to spectrometers, laser radar, radar or any other radiation measuring instrument that outputs radiation to a tissue or material and then measures some aspect of the return signal.
Acoustic type measuring systems are also used for a wide variety of purposes including to evaluate tissue or materials. Often these measurement systems must also be periodically calibrated and sometime must be calibrated prior to each use. Acoustic measurement systems also require calibration for a variety of reasons including variations in the output energy of the acoustic wave source, changes in spectral characteristics of the tissue or material, changes in temperature, detector sensitivity changes, and electronic drifting.
Examples of acoustic type measurement systems that often require some type of calibration include acoustic spectrometers, and interferometers or any other system which uses an acoustic wave measuring instrument that outputs acoustic energy to a material and then measures some portion of the return signal.
Various types of calibration techniques and devices have been attempted. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,365,925 describes a calibration boot which includes a plurality of materials, which is placed over an optical catheter for the purpose of making a multi-point calibration of reflected or backscattered light. U.S. Pat. No. 5,311,273 describes a method of using four black body radiators to provide calibration of an infrared spectrometer. However, neither of these approaches involves an inexpensive calibration target that can be easily discarded after each use, and thus does not prevent a user from taking a measurement without going through a calibration step.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,981,355 describes a calibration device for the in vitro calibration of a light guide, whereby a polyethylene material has a plurality of light scattering particles and a plurality of light absorbing particles which yields a neutral density filtering type of effect, uniformly distributing light in the plastic parts of the calibrator. The calibrator can be positioned into a sterile tray which is protected by a tear off plastic cover. Once the calibration is complete, the surgeon removes the catheter from the calibrator and the tray in which it is held and then presumably disposes of the calibration device and its tray. This approach, however, is neither simple nor inexpensive.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,633 describes a calibration reference apparatus that fits over a light guide. A stop limits the extent to which the light guide can be advanced into the cavity whereby an endface of the light guide is spaced from a region of the surface to define a gap. The end wall and the gap are adapted to return a known ratio of the light directed into the gap from the end face of the light guide. Again, however, this approach does not involve an inexpensive, disposable calibration device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,744,656 discloses a calibration boot that snaps into place over an optical catheter allowing calibration of the catheter before use. Once the calibration is complete, the boot is removed and the optical catheter is ready for use. Each new catheter comes with a new boot. However, the boot is not present during the measurement and there is no provision to prevent reuse of the boot.

Apparatus and method for calibrating measurement systems


A charge pump for increasing the value of an input voltage includes a plurality of serially coupled charge pump stages, wherein each charge pump stage includes a P-channel pass transistor coupled to a first end of a capacitor. The gates of the P-channel pass transistors and the second ends of the capacitors in odd-numbered charge pump stages receive a first phase clock signal, and the gates of the pass transistors and the second ends of the capacitors in even-numbered charge pump stages receive a second phase clock signal, except that the second end of the capacitor in the last charge pump stage is coupled to ground. To increase the value of the capacitors in an integrated circuit embodiment all of the capacitors, except for the capacitor in the last stage, are ideally ferroelectric capacitors. In a preferred embodiment, the charge pump is one component in a regulated charge pump system that also includes a voltage regulator and a controlled oscillator. In operation, the voltage regulator determines whether the boosted output voltage is greater or less than a predetermined target output voltage and accordingly selectively controls the operation of the oscillator. In turn, the charge pump is enabled to selectively charge pump the input voltage to provide a boosted output voltage if the boosted output voltage is less than a predetermined low target output voltage. Charge pumping is disabled if the boosted output voltage is greater than a predetermined high target output voltage.

This invention relates generally to charge pumps. More particularly, the present invention relates to integrated circuit charge pumps having low voltage loss per stage and having a voltage regulated output.
A prior art charge pump 10 is shown in FIG. 1 for "pumping" a low voltage input into a higher voltage output, which can be, and usually is, higher than any external voltage supply available to an integrated circuit containing the charge pump. Charge pump 10 includes a chain of serially-connected diodes 12 in which the cathode of a diode 12 in the chain is coupled to the anode of a next diode 12 in the chain. The anode of a first diode 12 in the chain forms the voltage input, Vin, at node 26, and the cathode of a last diode 12 in the chain forms the voltage output, Vout, at node 29. Output node 29 is terminated with a capacitor 17, which is in turn coupled to ground. The cathodes of odd-numbered diodes 12 are coupled via parallel-connected capacitors 14 to bus 18. Bus 18 provides a first phase clock signal designated PH1. The cathodes of even-numbered diodes 12 are coupled via parallel-connected capacitors 16 to bus 20. Bus 20 provides a second phase clock signal designated PH2, wherein the first and second phase clocks signals are 180 degrees out of phase, or "antiphase". The first and second phase clock signals can be provided directly, or through a single oscillator input designated "oscin" at node 28. The two phase clock signals are then provided by the outputs of serially-connected inverters 22 and 24. The combination of a diode 12 with either a capacitor 14 or 16 forms a single charge pump stage.
The two clocks signals PH1 and PH2 have equal peak voltage amplitudes and are capacitively coupled to alternate cathode nodes along the diode chain. Charge pump 10 operates in a manner similar to a bucket-brigade delay line, by pumping packets of charge along the diode chain as the coupling capacitors 14 and 16 are successively charged and discharged during each half of the clock cycle. Unlike the bucket-brigade delay line, however, the voltages in the diode chain are not reset after each pumping cycle so that the average node potentials increase progressively from the input to the output of the diode chain. The output voltage at node 29 will exhibit some ripple determined by the value of output capacitor 17, the voltage magnitude of the clock signals PH1 and PH2, as well as other factors.
While charge pump 10 can be fabricated on an integrated circuit if desired, the output voltage at node 29 is unregulated and is therefore limited to an integer multiple of the input voltage in the typical circuit configuration. The output voltage at node 29 also varies as a function of the input voltage range. Further, since diodes 12 are used in the charge pump stages, the efficiency of the charge pump for low input voltages is compromised since a portion of the voltage increase attained with each charge pump stage is dissipated by the forward voltage drop ("V.sub.BE ") of each diode 12. If a large increase in voltage is required, a corresponding large number of charge pump stages are required because of the inherent loss of voltage due to the V.sub.BE loss in each stage. Finally, while charge pump 10 can be technically fabricated on an integrated circuit, the die size is likely to be uneconomically large because of the corresponding large size of typically used integrated silicon dioxide capacitors.
What is desired is an improved integrated circuit charge pump having a regulated output that is efficient and has a minimum number of charge pump stages to attain the desired output voltage.

Low loss, regulated charge pump with integrated ferroelectric capacitors


This invention relates to imidazoles, namely, fused-ring heterocycles as inhibitors of acyl-CoA: cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT), pharmaceutical compositions containing them, processes for their preparation, and their use as antihypercholesterolemic and/or antiatherosclerotic agents for the treatment of atherosclerosis.

Hypercholesterolemia is an established risk factor in the development of atherosclerosis. Therapeutic agents which control the level of serum cholesterol have proven to be effective in the treatment of coronary artery disease. While agents exist that can modulate circulating levels of cholesterol carrying lipoproteins, these agents have little or no effect on the intestinal absorption of cholesterol. Dietary cholesterol can increase the level of serum cholesterol to levels which place an individual at increased risk for the development or exacerbation of atherosclerosis. Since much of the free or unesterified cholesterol that is absorbed by intestinal mucosal cells must first be esterified by ACAT prior to its incorporation and secretion into the bloodstream in large lipoprotein particles called chylomicrons, inhibition of ACAT can reduce the absorption of dietary cholesterol. In addition, the accumulation and storage of cholesteryl esters in the arterial wall is associated with increased activity of ACAT. Inhibition of the enzyme is expected to inhibit the formation or progression of atherosclerotic lesions in mammals.
There is an increasing number of patents in the literature disclosing compounds which are useful as ACAT inhibitors in particular and antiatherosclerotic agents in general. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,662, issued to De Vries on Nov. 18, 1986, discloses ureas and thioureas as ACAT inhibitors useful for reducing the cholesterol ester content of an arterial wall, inhibiting atherosclerotic lesion development, and/or treatment of mammalian hyperlipidemia. U.S. Pat. No. 4,722,927, issued to Holmes on Feb. 2, 1988, discloses disubstituted pyrimidineamides of oleic and linoleic acids as ACAT inhibitors useful for inhibiting intestinal absorption of cholesterol.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,868,210, issued to Trivedi on Sep. 19, 1989, as well as U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,896, May 8, 1990, disclose certain N-2,6-dialkyl- or N-2,6-dialkoxyphenyl-N'-arylalkyl ureas as potent inhibitors of ACAT.
European Patent Application 354,994, filed by Meguro and Ikeda which published on Feb. 21,1990, discloses certain N-aryl-N'-quinolin-4-yl ureas as ACAT inhibitors. European Patent Application 370,740, filed by Jackson et al. which published on May 30, 1990, discloses ACAT inhibitors similar in composition to those of deVries (vide supra) but different in constitution.
Billheimer, et al., European Patent Application EP-A-372,445, published on Jun. 13, 1990, discloses compounds of the formula: ##STR1## wherein
R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are selected independently from H, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 branched alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.7 cycloalkyl, C.sub.4 -C.sub.10 cycloalkylalkyl, C.sub.7 -C.sub.14 araalkyl, 2-, 3- or 4-pyridinyl, 2-thienyl, 2-furanyl, phenyl optionally substituted with 1 to 3 groups selected from F, Cl, Br, OH, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 branched alkyl, CH.sub.3 S(O).sub.r, NO.sub.2, CF.sub.3 or NR.sup.7 R.sup.8 ; or
R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 can also be taken together as ##STR2## where L is O, O(CH.sub.2).sub.m+1 O or (CH.sub.2).sub.m where m is 0-4; R.sup.3 is H, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl, allyl, benzyl or phenyl optionally substituted with F, Cl, CH.sub.3, CH.sub.3 O or CF.sub.3 ; PA0 R.sup.4 is straight chain C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkyl optionally substituted with F; C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 branched alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.7 cycloalkyl, C.sub.4 -C.sub.10 cycloalkylalkyl, C.sub.7 -C.sub.14 araalkyl where the aryl group is optionally substituted with 1 to 3 groups selected from C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or alkoxy, F, Br, Cl, NH.sub.2, OH, CN, CO.sub.2 H, CF.sub.3, NO.sub.2, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 carboalkoxy, NR.sup.7 R.sup.8 or NCOR.sup.7 ; C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 alkenyl or alkynyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 perfluoroalkyl, phenyl optionally substituted with 1 to 3 groups selected from C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 branched alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, F, Br, Cl, NH.sub.2, OH, CN, CO.sub.2 H, CF.sub.3, NO.sub.2, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 carboalkoxy, NR.sup.7 R.sup.8 or NCOR.sup.7 ; pentafluorophenyl, benzyl optionally substituted with 1 to 3 groups selected from C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or alkoxy, F, Br, Cl, NH.sub.2, OH, CN, CO.sub.2 H, CF.sub.3, NO.sub.2, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 carboalkoxy, NR.sup.7 R.sup.8 or NCOR.sup.7 ; 2-, 3- or 4-pyridinyl, pyrimidinyl or biphenyl; PA0 R.sup.5 is H, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl or benzyl; R.sup.6 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 branched alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.7 cycloalkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 alkenyl or alkynyl, phenyl optionally substituted with 1 to 3 groups selected from C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or alkoxy, F, Br, Cl, NH.sub.2, OH, CN, CO.sub.2 H, CF.sub.3, NO.sub.2, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 carboalkoxy, NR.sup.7 R.sup.8 or NCOR.sup.7 ; pentafluorophenyl, benzyl optionally substituted with 1 to 3 groups selected from C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or alkoxy, F, Br, Cl, NH.sub.2, OH, CN, CO.sub.2 H, CF.sub.3, NO.sub.2, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 carboalkoxy, NR.sup.7 R.sup.8 or NCOR.sup.7 ; PA0 R.sup.7 and R.sup.8 are selected independently from H or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl; PA0 X is S(O)r, O, NR.sup.5, CH.sub.2 ; PA0 A is C.sub.2 -C.sub.10 alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.10 branched alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.10 alkenyl or C.sub.3 -C.sub.10 alkynyl; PA0 Y is O, S, H.sub.2, NH; PA0 Z is NHR.sup.4, OR.sup.4 or R.sup.4 ; PA0 r is O-2, PA0 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. PA0 A is alkylene of 7-20 carbon atoms of an alkenyl residue thereof with no more than 2 double bonds; PA0 R.sup.3 is H, CH.sub.3, of C.sub.2 H.sub.5 ; and PA0 n is 0, 1 or 2, such as 8-(4,5-diphenyl-1H-imidazol-2-ylthio)octanoic acid ethyl ester. PA0 R.sup.7 is H, alkali metal ion, alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms or benzyl; and PA0 n is 0 to 10. PA0 R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 independently are H, F, Cl, CH.sub.3, CH.sub.30 or CF.sub.3 ; PA0 R.sup.4 is H, Na, K, CH.sub.3, CH.sub.3 CH.sub.2, (CH.sub.3).sub.2 CH, CH.sub.3 (CH.sub.2).sub.2 or butyl; PA0 A is C(CH.sub.3).sub.2, CH(CH.sub.2).sub.m CH.sub.3, (CH.sub.2)n or (CH.sub.2).sub.n-2 CH(CH.sub.3); PA0 m is 0 to 8; and PA0 n is 2 to 10. PA0 R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 independently are H, OH, saturated or unsaturated alkyl, cycloalkyl or hydroxyalkyl of 1 to 10 carbon atoms, ##STR8## R.sup.8, R.sup.9, R.sup.10, R.sup.11, R.sup.12 and R.sup.13 independently are H, F, Cl, Br, NO.sub.2, CH.sub.3 CONH, OH, alkyl of 1 to 3 carbon atoms, CF.sub.3, and alkoxy of 1 to 3 carbon atoms, with the proviso that R.sup.8 and R.sup.9, R.sup.10 and R.sup.11 or R.sup.12 and R.sup.13 taken together represent methylenedioxy; PA0 R.sup.14 is alkyl of 1 to 2 carbon atoms; PA0 m and n taken together represent a whole number from to 9; PA0 p is 0 to 2; PA0 s is 0 to 2; and PA0 t is 0 or 2. PA0 R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 independently are H, C.sub.6 H.sub.5 or alkyl of 1 to 9 carbon atoms; PA0 R.sup.6 is alkyl, cycloalkyl or hydroxyalkyl of 1 to 20 carbon atoms, H, alkali metal if X is --COO--, 1-phenethyl or ##STR11## R.sup.7 is H, OH if X is --CONR.sup.7 or alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms; R.sup.8, R.sup.9, R.sup.10 and R.sup.11 are independently H, Cl, F, Br, NO.sub.2, CH.sub.3 CONH, OH, alkyl of 1 to 3 carbon atoms, CF.sub.3 or alkoxy of 1 to 3 carbons or R.sup.8 and R.sup.9 or R.sup.10 and R.sup.11 taken together represent methylenedioxy; PA0 X is a bond, O, OC(.dbd.O)O, C(.dbd.O)O, CONR.sup.7, OC(.dbd.O) or OC(.dbd.O)NR.sup.7 ; PA0 m and n taken together represent a whole number from to 9; PA0 p is 0 to 2; PA0 s is 0 to 2; and PA0 t is 0 or 2. PA0 X.sub.1 is H, lower alkyl, hydroxyl, trifluoromethyl, benzyl, halogen, amino or ##STR13## X.sub.2 is H or when X.sub.1 is lower alkyl, lower alkyl or halogen; k is 0 to 2; PA0 m is 2 or 3, provided that the sum of k and m is 3 or 4; PA0 Y is O, S or NH; PA0 E is NR.sup.2 ; PA0 R.sup.1 is H, lower alkyl or di-lower alkyl amino-lower alkyl; and PA0 R.sup.2 is H, nitro or cyano. PA0 X.sub.1 and X.sub.2 may be H, lower alkyl, trifluoromethyl, hydroxyl, halogen, amino or X.sub.1 and X.sub.2 and at least two of the atoms comprising A may form a further ring; PA0 k is 0 to 2; PA0 m is 2 or 3, provided that the sum of k and m is 3 or 4; PA0 E is O, S or NR.sup.2 ; PA0 R.sup.1 is H, lower alkyl, acyl or dialkylaminoalkyl; and PA0 R.sup.2 is H, NO.sub.2, CN, alkanesulfonyl or arenesulfonyl. PA0 Q is NH, NCH.sub.3, O or S; PA0 X is S(O)r, O, NR.sup.5 or CH.sub.2 ; PA0 J is C.sub.2 -C.sub.10 alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.10 branched alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.10 alkenyl or C.sub.3 -C.sub.10 alkynyl; PA0 Y is O, S, H.sub.2 or NH; PA0 Z is NHR.sup.4, OR.sup.4 or R.sup.4 ; PA0 R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are selected independently from H, Br, Cl, F, CF.sub.3, CN, NO.sub.2, CH.sub.3 S(O).sub.r, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkyl or alkoxy, C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 branched alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 carboalkoxy, NR.sup.6 R.sup.7 or NR.sup.6 COR.sup.7 ; PA0 R.sup.3 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 branched alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.7 cycloalkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 alkenyl or alkynyl, C.sub.7 -C.sub.14 araalkyl where the aryl group is optionally substituted with 1 to 3 groups selected from C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or alkoxy, F, Br, Cl, OH, CN, CO.sub.2 H, CF.sub.3, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 carboalkoxy, NR.sup.6 R.sup.7 or NR.sup.6 COR.sup.7 ; phenyl optionally substituted with 1 to 3 groups selected from C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or alkoxy, F, Br, Cl, OH, CN, CO.sub.2 H, CF.sub.3, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 carboalkoxy, NR.sup.6 R.sup.7 or NR.sup.6 COR.sup.7 ; benzyl optionally substituted with 1 to 3 groups selected from C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or alkoxy, F, Br, Cl, OH, CN, CO.sub.2 H, CF.sub.3, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 carboalkoxy, NR.sup.6 R.sup.7 or NR.sup.6 COR.sup.7 ; 2-, 3- or 4pyridinyl, pyrimidinyl; or biphenyl; PA0 R.sup.4 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 branched alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.7 cycloalkyl, C.sub.4 -C.sub.10 cycloalkylalkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 alkenyl or alkynyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 perfluoroalkyl, C.sub.7 -C.sub.14 araalkyl where the aryl group is optionally substituted with 1 to 3 groups selected from C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or alkoxy, C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 branched alkyl, F, Br, Cl, OH, CN, CO.sub.2 H, CF.sub.3, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 carboalkoxy, NR.sup.6 R.sup.7 or NR.sup.6 COR.sup.7 ; phenyl optionally substituted with 1 to 3 groups selected from C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or alkoxy, C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 carboalkoxy, NR.sup.6 R.sup.7 or NR.sup.6 COR.sup.7 ; benzyl optionally substituted with 1 to 3 groups selected from C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or alkoxy, C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 branched alkyl, F, Br, Cl, OH, CN, CO.sub.2 H, CF.sub.3, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 carboalkoxy, NR.sup.6 R.sup.7 or NR.sup.6 COR.sup.7 ; 2-, 3- or 4- pyridinyl, pyrimidinyl; or biphenyl; PA0 R.sup.5 is H, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl or benzyl; PA0 R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 are selected independently from H or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl; PA0 R.sup.8 is H, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl or phenyl; PA0 r is 0 to 2; PA0 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. PA0 NH or NCH.sub.3 ; PA0 X is S(O).sub.r ; PA0 J is C.sub.2 -C.sub.10 alkyl or C.sub.4 -C.sub.9 branched alkyl; PA0 Y is O; PA0 Z is NHR.sup.4 ; PA0 R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are selected independently from H, NO.sub.2, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkyl or alkoxy, C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 branched alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 carboalkoxy, NR.sup.6 R.sup.7 or NR.sup.6 COR.sup.7 ; PA0 R.sup.3 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 branched alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.7 cycloalkyl, C.sub.7 -C.sub.14 araalkyl where the aryl group is optionally substituted with 1 to 3 groups selected from CH.sub.3, CH.sub.3 O, F, NH.sub.2, NO.sub.2, Br, Cl, OH, CN, CO.sub.2 H, CF.sub.3 or di(C.sub.1 -C.sub.4)alkylamino; phenyl optionally substituted with 1 to 3 groups selected from CH.sub.3, CH.sub.3 O, F, NH.sub.2, NO.sub.2, Br, Cl, OH, CN, CO.sub.2 H, CF.sub.3 or di(C.sub.1 -C.sub.4)alkylamino; benzyl optionally substituted with 1 to 3 groups selected from CH.sub.3, CH.sub.3 O, F, NH.sub.2, NO.sub.2, Br, Cl, OH, CN, CO.sub.2 H, CF.sub.3 or di(C.sub.1 -C.sub.4)-alkylamino; 2-, 3- or 4- pyridinyl, pyrimidinyl; or biphenyl; PA0 R.sup.5 is H. PA0 X is S(O).sub.r ; PA0 J is C.sub.2 -C.sub.10 alkyl; PA0 R.sup.1 is selected from H, CH.sub.3 or NO.sub.2 ; PA0 R.sup.2 is H; PA0 R.sup.3 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 branched alkyl, C.sub.7 -C.sub.14 araalkyl where the aryl group is optionally substituted with 1 to 3 groups selected from CH.sub.3, CH.sub.3 O, F, NH.sub.2, NO.sub.2 or di(C.sub.1 -C.sub.4) alkylamino; phenyl optionally substituted with 1 to 3 groups selected from CH.sub.3, CH.sub.3 O, F, NH.sub.2, NO.sub.2 or di(C.sub.1 -C.sub.4) alkylamino; benzyl optionally substituted with 1 to 3 groups selected from CH.sub.3, CH.sub.3 O, F, NH.sub.2, NO.sub.2 or di(C.sub.1 -C.sub.4)alkylamino; 2-, 3- or 4-pyridinyl, pyrimidinyl; or biphenyl; PA0 R.sup.4 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 branched alkyl, C.sub.7 -C.sub.14 araalkyl where the aryl group is optionally substituted with 1 to 3 groups selected from C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or alkoxy, F, NH.sub.2, NO.sub.2, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 carboalkoxy or di(C.sub.1 -C.sub.4) alkylamino; phenyl optionally substituted with 1 to 3 groups selected from C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or alkoxy, F, NH.sub.2, NO.sub.2, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 carboalkoxy or di(C.sub.1 -C.sub.4)alkylamino; benzyl optionally substituted with 1 to 3 groups selected from C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or alkoxy, F, NH.sub.2, NO.sub.2, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 carboalkoxy or di(C.sub.1 -C.sub.4)alkylamino; 2-, 3- or 4- pyridinyl, pyrimidinyl; or biphenyl. PA0 N-[5-(1H-Benzimidazol-2-ylthio)pentyl]-N'-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-N-heptylurea PA0 N'-(2,4-Difluorophenyl)-N-heptyl-N[5-(6-nitro-1H-benzimidazol-2-ylthio)pent yl]urea PA0 N'-(2,4-Difluorophenyl)-N-heptyl-N-[5-(3H-imidazo[4,5-b]pyridin-2-ylthio)pe ntyl]urea PA0 N'-(2,4-Difluorophenyl)-N-heptyl-N-[5-(1-methyl-1H-benzimidazol-2-ylthio)pe ntyl]urea PA0 N'-(2,4-Difluorophenyl)-N-heptyl-N-[5-(4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1H-benzimidazol-2 -ylthio)pentyl]urea PA0 N-Heptyl-N'-(1-methylethyl)-N-[5-(2,3,6,9-tetrahydro-1,3-dimethyl-2,6-dioxo -1H-purin-8-ylthio)pentyl]urea
These compounds are potent in vitro inhibitors of ACAT and are therefore potential antihypercholesterolemic agents.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,900,744, issued to Billheimer et al. on Feb. 13, 1990, discloses antihypercholesterolemic thioimidazoles of the formula: ##STR3## or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 independently are H, F, Cl, CF.sub.3, alkyl of to 4 carbon atoms or alkoxy of 1 to 4 carbon atoms;
U.S. Pat. No, 4,460,598, issued to Lautenschlager et al. on Jul. 17, 1984, discloses compounds of the formula: ##STR4## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 independently are H, F, Cl, Br, I, alkyl, alkoxy or CF.sub.3, with the proviso that one or several of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 or R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 taken together represent methylenedioxy;
The synthesis and the use of these compounds in the treatment of thromboembolic, inflammatory and/or atherosclerotic diseases is disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,654,358, issued to Lautenschlager et al on Mar. 31, 1987, discloses compounds of the formula: ##STR5## wherein k is 0, 1 or 2,
The synthesis and the use of these compounds in the treatment of inflammatory diseases, diseases of lipid metabolism, and/or hyperlipidemic diseases is disclosed.
German Laid Open Application No. DE 3504679, Lautenschlager et al., published Aug. 14, 1986, discloses compounds of the formula: ##STR6## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 independently are H, alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms or ##STR7## R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 independently are H, C.sub.6 H.sub.5 or alkyl of 1 to carbon atoms;
The synthesis and the use of these compounds in the treatment of thromboembolic, inflammatory, atherosclerotic, and lipid metabolism diseases in general is disclosed.
German Laid Open Application No. DE 3504680, Lautenschlager et al., published Aug. 14, 1986, discloses compounds of the formula: ##STR9## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 independently are H, alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms or ##STR10## R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 can be taken together with the carbon atoms in the 4 and 5 position of the imidazole ring to represent a carbocyclic five- or six-membered aromatic or partially hydrogenated ring which may be substituted by R.sup.8 or R.sup.9 ;
The synthesis and the use of these compounds in the treatment of thromboembolic, inflammatory, atherosclerotic, and lipid metabolism diseases in general is disclosed.
Durant et al., U.S. Pat. 4,228,291, issued Oct. 14, 1980, teaches compounds of the formula: ##STR12## wherein A together with the carbon atom form an unsaturated heterocyclic nucleus which may be an imidazole, pyrazole, pyrimidine, pyrazine, pyridazine, thiazole, isothiazole, oxazole, isoxazole, triazole, thiadiazole, benzimidazole or 5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-imidazol[1,5-a]pyridine ring;
The compounds are said to be antihistamines of the H.sub.2 receptor blocking type, as well as having anti-inflammatory activity.
White, U.S. Pat. 4,413,130, Nov. 1, 1983, discloses histamine H.sub.2 receptor antagonists of the formula: ##STR14## wherein: A together with the carbon atom form an unsaturated heterocyclic nucleus which may be an imidazole, pyridine, thiazole, isothiazole, oxazole, isoxazole, pyrazole, triazole, thiadiazole, pyrimidine, pyrazine or pyridazine;
There are no known literature references disclosing the compounds of this invention, their use as ACAT inhibitors or their use to lower cholesterol or in the treatment of atherosclerosis.
The compounds of this invention are very potent ACAT inhibitors, and thus are expected to be useful in pharmaceutical formulations for the treatment of atherosclerosis. This invention should not be construed as limited to any particular antihypercholesterolemic mechanism of action.

Benzimidazoles for the treatment of atherosclerosis

The Du Pont Merck Pharmaceutical Company


A torque wrench for controlled tightening of threaded couplings, including a substantially tubular body, a grip positioned at a first end of said tubular body, a tightening head positioned at a second end of said tubular body, a tightening torque setting mechanism positioned inside said tubular body, an indicating device for indicating when the tightening torque set has been reached, a recognition device for recognising an element to be tightened and/or elements that are positioned at the element to be tightened, said recognition device being connected to said tubular body, preferably at said second end, and a control unit connected to said recognition device and designed to associate with the element recognised by said recognition device a tightening torque design value to be set.

There are various types of torque wrenches, one of the most widespread and precise being the click type, in which the tightening value is set by rotating the grip or an extractable control rod and it is read on the body of the wrench or on a small dial gauge indicator. With the socket mounted on the square connection, the wrench is used as a normal tool for sockets. A click indicates when the tightening torque set has been reached.
The control mechanism is contained in the wrench grip and is basically a sturdy spring whose pre-loading by the control handle or rod determines the tightening value. The square connection where the socket engages is prevented from rotating by a tooth held in position by a ball which presses on the head of the spring. When the tightening value set is reached, the opposing spring yields and the ball is lowered, the tooth disengaging the square connection, which is therefore released with an audible click sound.
Another, more recent, type of torque wrench is the electronic type, in which measuring is carried out by means of a strain gauge connected to the torsion rod. The strain gauge transducer generates a signal that is converted to the required unit of torque and shown on a digital display. A number of different tightening toque limit values can be saved in the torque wrench and are shown on the display or by means of LEDs during tightening. The wrench can also store the actual torque values reached during operation, which can then be transferred to a computer or printer. In some electronic wrenches it is also possible to measure the tightening angle by means of a sensor or a gyroscope.
When tightening with a torque wrench, the operator must identify the element (screw, nut, bolt, etc.) to be tightened, find the tightening torque value corresponding to that particular element, for example by consulting manuals or databases, set the value required in the torque wrench and tighten the element until the value set has been reached.
Setting the correct value is fundamental and is currently not easy to do, above all if the tightening operation must be performed rapidly. In fact, it is always necessary to consult a manual or a database containing the tightening value corresponding to the element to be tightened and then act on the wrench to set that value. In electronic wrenches the value is usually set by means of buttons adjacent to the display. In click type wrenches, the operator must act on the grip or the control rod and make sure that the value has been set correctly. Therefore, this operation is not error-free, since it is possible both to associate the wrong torque value with the element to be tightened, and to enter a wrong data item in the torque wrench, by pressing the buttons or adjusting the grip incorrectly.

Torque wrench and method for controlled tightening of threaded couplings using a torque wrench


An acquisition section 100 acquires a mouse operation signal. A dead zone adjustment section 126 adds a signal part corresponding to a dead zone set to an analog stick, to the mouse operation signal. An analog stick operation signal generation section 128 generates an analog stick operation signal from the mouse operation signal having been subjected to dead zone adjustment. An output processing section 150 provides the generated analog stick operation signal to a game. The dead zone adjustment section 126 adds the signal part corresponding to the dead zone in a direction in which an operation angle of a mouse is maintained.

PTL 1 discloses a keyboard having functions of a game controller. This keyboard includes allotment keys to which functions of operation buttons of a game controller are assigned, a pointing stick, and a modifier key. When the pointing stick is operated with the modifier key operated, the keyboard outputs an operation signal of an analog stick of the game controller.

Information processing apparatus and method of converting operation signal


An integrated circuit, such as a SRAM cell (130), including an inverted FinFET transistor (P2) and a FinFET transistor (N3). The inverted FinFET transistor includes a first gate region (108) formed by semiconductor structure (100) on a substrate, a first body region comprised of a semiconductor layer (104), having a first channel region (112) disposed on the first gate region and a source (110) and drain (114) formed on either side of the first channel region. The FinFET transistor (N3) is coupled to the inverted FinFET transistor, and includes a second body region formed by the semiconductor structure (102), having a second channel region (118), and a source (116) and drain (120) formed on either side of the second channel region, and a second gate region (122) comprised of the semiconductor layer, disposed on the second channel region.

One important characteristic of a SRAM cell is the surface area required to form the cell on an integrated circuit chip. By reducing the size of the SRAM cell, a higher density SRAM can be fabricated. Although many techniques have been successfully employed to provide higher density SRAMs, the demand for higher and higher density SRAMs continues unabated. Accordingly, there is a continuous need to produce ever smaller SRAM cells.

FinFET SRAM cell using inverted FinFET thin film transistors

International Business Machines Corporation


A closure device, such as a fuel cap, for controlling evaporative emissions from a fuel tank. In one aspect, the invention comprises: a housing defining an internal chamber containing a hydrocarbon adsorbing media; a fuel vapor diffuser extending from a floor of the internal chamber and into the internal chamber, the fuel vapor diffuser comprising: (1) an inlet passageway extending from a fuel vapor inlet port to a plenum in a top portion of the fuel vapor diffuser; and (2) a downcomer passageway extending from the plenum to at least one aperture located at a bottom portion of the fuel vapor diffuser, the at least one aperture forming a passageway between the downcomer passageway and the internal chamber; and at least one outlet passageway extending from the internal chamber to an atmospheric air outlet port.

Internal combustion engines are typically run by liquid fuel that is contained within a fuel tank. An air space exists above the surface of the liquid fuel within the fuel tank. Over time, this air space becomes filled with evaporative emissions (i.e., fuel vapor) from the liquid fuel and can be under pressure. It is desired that the amount of such evaporative emissions contained within the tank be minimized for multiple reasons, the primary reason of which is to minimize the emission of hydrocarbons into the atmosphere.
A typical fuel tank assembly generally comprises of a reservoir portion, a neck portion, and a fuel cap that seals the neck portion. The neck portion of the fuel tank is typically integrally formed as a single unit with the reservoir portion. When the level of the liquid fuel in the reservoir portion is low, the vapor region contains a large amount of fuel vapor under pressure. Consequently, when the fuel cap is detached from the neck portion, the fuel vapor is forced out of the fuel reservoir and into the outside air, causing air pollution.
One approach used by the industry to reduce these evaporative fuel emissions is to incorporate a filtration system into the fuel cap that vents the vapor region and adsorbs hydrocarbons from the vented fuel vapor prior to being released into the atmosphere. The hydrocarbon filtration is typically accomplished by venting the fuel vapor through a chamber within the fuel cap containing activated charcoal. The activated charcoal has a natural affinity for hydrocarbons when in direct communication with fuel vapor. Once the activated carbon becomes saturated with hydrocarbons it must be purged with fresh air to unload the carbon particles of these hydrocarbons. The purging of hydrocarbons with fresh air can be achieved using two methods: (1) an "active purging" method that uses a pumping source to draw fresh air through the carbon containing chamber; and (2) a "passive purging" method that uses naturally occurring conditions to create air flow through the carbon containing chamber. For example, passive purging can be achieved by the small vacuum that is inherently created within the fuel tank reservoir as the fuel level drops, thereby drawing fresh air from the atmosphere through the carbon containing chamber. Passive purging can also occur due to changes in temperature of the fuel and/or fuel vapor, even when the engine is not running.
Fuel caps utilizing a passive purge are known in the art and have become desirable due to their simplicity of manufacture and case of use. However, existing passive purge fuel caps suffer from a number of drawbacks, including: inadequate purging of the hydrocarbon adsorbing media; inadequate fuel vapor flow through the hydrocarbon adsorbing media; and a tendency to become contaminated by splashed liquid fuel from the reservoir. Thus, a need exists for an improved passive purge fuel cap.

Closure device for controlling evaporative emissions from a fuel tank


In a three-dimensional shape detecting system comprising a three-dimensional shape detecting device and an external calculating device, the three-dimensional shape detecting device includes: projection means which projects pattern light onto a subject; image data obtaining means which captures a pattern light projection image of the subject and thereby obtains image data of the pattern light projection image while capturing a pattern light non-projection image of the subject and thereby obtaining image data of the pattern light non-projection image; pattern light position extraction means which extracts a position of the pattern light projected on the subject based on the obtained image data; and three-dimensional shape calculation means which figures out three-dimensional shape data of the subject based on the position of the pattern light extracted by the pattern light position extraction means.

An image capturing device, having an image correcting function of correcting a captured image (an image of a subject such as a white board, a book, etc. captured by the device) as if the subject were shot from the front even when the subject is shot from a direction oblique to the front of the subject, is well known today. Such an image capturing device is equipped with a correction means which corrects the captured image as if the subject were shot from the front by detecting the three-dimensional shape of the subject based on the captured image of the subject. A portable digital camera provided with such a correction means has been disclosed in, for example, FIG. 1, etc. of Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No.HEI09-289611 (hereinafter referred to as a "document No. 1").

Three-dimensional shape detecting device, three-dimensional shape detecting system, and three-dimensional shape detecting program


A method and apparatus are provided for attaching conductive materials to a substrate and for attaching a semiconductor chip to a substrate. A pallet is provided with pockets to hold the conductive materials, the substrate is placed over the pallet, and the semiconductor chip is placed over the substrate. The assembled semiconductor package is then placed in a heating oven or reflowed and the conductive materials and semiconductor chip are simultaneously attached to the substrate. Also provided is a stencil for varying the pockets into which the conductive materials are placed. In uses involving the stencil, a pallet with a full array of pockets is used and a stencil with holes corresponding to the desired pattern of application of the conductive materials is placed over the pallet. When the conductive materials are applied over the stencil, they fill only those pockets in the pallet that correspond to the desired pattern of application.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the assembly of semiconductor packages and, in particular, to an apparatus and method for efficiently assembling semiconductor packages.
2. Background of Related Art
Semiconductor chips are used in various electrical and electronic products, such as cellular phones and computers. The chips are able to interconnect millions of transistors on a surface with an area as small as 1 centimeter squared, thereby enabling designers to integrate very sophisticated and complex functions in an efficient physical device. In order to create a suitable electrical interface for the tiny chips and the products in which they are used, manufacturers use various techniques to attach the chips to intermediate mediums that are capable of forming electrical connections with both the chips and the products.
These intermediate mediums typically are nonconductive rectangular plates, sometimes called substrates, that have conductive pads on both plate surfaces. A semiconductor chip is attached to one plate surface of a substrate and forms an electrical connection with the conductive pads on that plate surface. A conductive material, such as solder, is attached to the conductive pads on the other plate surface to facilitate the forming of an electrical connection with the product in which the chip is used. The conductive pads on both sides of the plate also form electrical connections with each other, thus completing the electrical connection between the semiconductor chip and the product. The combination of the substrate and the semiconductor chip is typically referred to as a semiconductor package, a ball grid array (xe2x80x9cBGAxe2x80x9d) package, or a chip scale array package (xe2x80x9cCSPxe2x80x9d), and as a unit, is ready to be used in its designated product.
During the production of semiconductor packages, manufacturers typically attach the conductive material and the semiconductor chip to the substrate in several separate steps. For example, a manufacturer might place solder, in the form of individual solder balls, onto a substrate so that the solder balls are aligned with respective conductive pads, place the substrate into a heating oven to melt the solder balls onto the conductive pads on that side of the substrate, remove the substrate with the attached solder, flip the substrate over, place the semiconductor chip with pre-formed solder bumps onto the other side of the substrate so that the pre-formed solder bumps on the semiconductor chip are aligned with the conductive pads on the substrate, and send the package into a heating oven again, to attach the semiconductor chip to the substrate. Alternatively, a manufacturer might practice the same process in reverse, i.e., place the semiconductor chip with solder bumps on the substrate, heat the chip and substrate, flip the substrate over, place solder balls onto the substrate, and send the package into the heating oven again, to attach the solder balls to the substrate.
Either process requires two separate passes through the heating oven, first to melt the solder balls onto the conductive pads on one side of the substrate, and then to attach the semiconductor chip to the other side of the substrate. The use of two separate passes is necessary due to the fact that something is being attached to both sides of the substrate and gravity is affecting the overall assembly. If the solder balls were placed on the top surface of the substrate, for example, and then the substrate was flipped over without first being passed through a heating oven, the solder balls would fall off. Similarly, if the semiconductor chip was placed on the top surface of the substrate and then the substrate was flipped over, the semiconductor chip would fall off.
While necessary, the double pass through the heating oven is more costly and time consuming to the manufacturer than a single pass would be. If, for example, more than one heating oven is used for the two separate heating passes, more capital expenditure, from the manufacturer""s standpoint, is required. A manufacturer would like ideally to use as few machines as possible. The use of multiple passes through heating ovens also causes additional handling of the products, decreases throughput, and increases idle inventory. All of these factors contribute to the costliness of the manufacturing process. The extra pass through a heating oven also increases the likelihood of damaging the substrate, further complicating and retarding the process by lowering package reliability.
In addition, in conventional processes, the step of attaching the individual solder balls to their respective conductive pads on the substrate requires precision. The requisite amount of precision makes this step in the process of manufacturing semiconductor packages also expensive and time consuming. There exists a need, therefore, for an apparatus and method for more efficiently manufacturing semiconductor packages by reducing the number of required passes through a heating oven from two to one and by facilitating the attachment of solder to conductive pads on a substrate.
In order to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention comprises an apparatus for attaching conductive materials to conductive pads on a substrate, comprising: a plate having pockets located to align respectively with the conductive pads on the substrate, so that when the conductive materials are placed into the pockets and the substrate is placed onto the plate, the conductive materials contact the conductive pads on the substrate. Preferably, the pockets extend partially through the substrate.
In another preferred embodiment, there is provided an apparatus for attaching conductive materials to conductive pads on a substrate, comprising: a plate having pockets arranged in a pattern so that one group of the pockets align respectively with the conductive pads of one substrate, and so that at least one other group of the pockets align respectively with the conductive pads of at least one other substrate having conductive pad locations different than conductive pad locations on the one substrate.
In another preferred embodiment, there is provided an apparatus for attaching conductive materials to conductive pads on one side of a semiconductor substrate having other conductive pads on another side thereof, and for attaching a semiconductor chip to the other side of the semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor chip having solder bumps on one side to complement and connect with the other conductive pads on the other side of the semiconductor substrate, the apparatus comprising: a pallet having pockets to receive the conductive materials; a pick-and-place mechanism for aligning and placing the semiconductor substrate onto the pallet so that at least a portion of the pockets on the pallet are aligned respectively with the conductive pads on the one side of the semiconductor substrate, and for aligning and placing the semiconductor chip onto the semiconductor substrate so that the solder bumps on the one side of the semiconductor chip are aligned respectively with the other conductive pads on the other side of the semiconductor substrate; and a heating device for simultaneously heating the pallet, conductive materials, semiconductor substrate, and semiconductor chip so that the conductive materials attach permanently to the conductive pads on the one side of the semiconductor substrate and the semiconductor chip attaches permanently to the other side of the semiconductor substrate.
In another preferred embodiment, there is provided a method of attaching conductive materials to conductive pads presented at a generally flat substrate, comprising the steps of: providing a plate having a plurality of pockets arranged so that one of the pockets corresponds in location to each of the conductive pads; placing the conductive materials into selected pockets; and placing the substrate onto the plate so that the conductive materials contact and attach to the conductive pads on the substrate.
In another preferred embodiment, there is provided a method for attaching conductive materials to conductive pads on one side of a semiconductor substrate having other conductive pads on another side thereof, and for attaching a semiconductor chip to the other side of the semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor chip having solder bumps on one side to complement and connect with the terminals on the other side of the semiconductor substrate, the method comprising the steps of: providing a plate having pockets; placing the conductive materials into selected pockets; placing the substrate onto the plate so that the conductive pads on the one side of the substrate are aligned respectively with the selected pockets on the plate; placing the semiconductor chip onto the substrate so that the other conductive pads on the other side of the substrate are aligned respectively with solder bumps on the semiconductor chip; and simultaneously heating the plate, conductive materials, substrate, and semiconductor chip so that the conductive materials attach permanently to the conductive pads on the one side of the substrate and the semiconductor chip attaches permanently to the other side of the substrate. Preferably, the conductive materials may comprise solder paste, solder balls pre-mixed in flux, solder balls coated with tacky flux, or solder balls coated with liquid flux.
In a further embodiment, there is provided the step of placing onto the plate a stencil having holes that register with the selected pockets on the plate and with conductive pads on the substrate; and spreading the conductive materials across the stencil so that the conductive materials moves through the holes of the stencil into the selected pockets of the plate.
In other embodiments, there are provided the steps of removing the combined conductive materials, substrate, and semiconductor chip from the plate; applying a non-conductive bonding-material substance between the substrate and the semiconductor chip; cleaning the combined conductive materials, substrate, semiconductor chip and non-conductive bonding-material substance; and/or applying a non-conductive bonding abrasive-resistant material over the combined conductive materials, substrate, semiconductor chip and non-conductive bonding-material substance.
In another preferred embodiment, there is provided an apparatus for attaching conductive materials to conductive pads on a substrate, comprising: a plate having pockets, at least some of the pockets being located to align respectively with the conductive pads on the substrate so that when the conductive materials are placed into the at least some of the pockets and the substrate is placed onto the plate, the conductive materials contact and attach to the conductive pads on the substrate.

Method and apparatus for balling and assembling ball grid array and chip scale array packages


An activity-area/time-frame weighting table indicates the likelihood of where a user is most likely to be in a certain time frame, and weighting (the number of points) is set depending on times frames, which are divided into weekdays and weekends. The activity pattern may be obtained through the user's application at the time of registration, or may be obtained by detecting the locations of the user for a predetermined period, such as for one week, using a GPS or PHS. For example, when a user is mostly likely to be on the route to the company from home in the time frame of commuting hours on a weekday, the weighting is set low. Based on an area and time frame in which a corresponding credit card or the like is used, the number of points is determined, and is then used to set an authentication level.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to information processing apparatuses and information processing methods, and more specifically to an information processing apparatus, which is preferably used for performing an authentication process using a plurality of authentication process methods, and an information processing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as a method for user authentication, for example, when a cash card or credit card is used, a signature, password, or the like has often been required.
The signature, however, can be easily counterfeited, and the password can also be easily entered even by another person once the password is compromised, which thereby permits another person who impersonates the authentic user to use the cash card or credit card.
To prevent such impersonation, for example, a technique for performing an authentication process utilizing biometric information such as a fingerprint has been making progress. The biometric information is certainly more secured, i.e., more difficult to counterfeit, than a signature or password.
Even by an authentication process using biometric information, some incidents have been reported that image data was collected from a fingerprint left on glass or the like and a counterfeit finger was created and was authenticated by a commercially-available fingerprint verification device. In this manner, authentication using a single piece of information cannot be said to completely prevent impersonation.
Thus, a plurality of pieces of authentication information is further used to perform user authentication in some cases. However, such a need for an authentication process with a plurality of pieces of information causes considerable inconvenience to both a user and a store that executes an authentication process, especially when the user is making a very inexpensive purchase or when the user is shopping at a store to which he or she frequently goes. Thus, such an authentication could impair the convenience of the use of a cash card or credit card. In particular, an authentication process using biometric information often involves a complicated process such as image processing, so that an authentication process executed with a plurality of pieces of information requires a tremendous amount of processing time.

Information processing apparatus and information processing method


Lobed resilient lumbar pillow adapted to support the lower back of a person either sitting or reclining against a suitable article of furniture. The pillow has two integrally formed side lobes extending laterally apart from one, and another integral lobe extending upward from the midpart of the top of the pillow. Along its vertical bisector the top lobe surface is preferably recessed notchlike from its edge to accommodate a user's spine. The pillow is filled with resilient contents, such as elastomer, fibers, gas, particulates, or mixtures of two or more thereof, or partly filled with liquid, so as to flex to fit a user's spine.

Many structural arrangements are known for supporting the lower (or lumbar) portion of the back of a person sitting upright against a chair back or even resting against an inclined back portion of a less vertically challenging item of furniture. Ribbed or otherwise reinforced articles have been suggested for relieving the stresses that sitting or partial reclining imposes upon the human lower back.
Whatever the comfort or therapeutic value of such structures, they tend to be over-structured in the form of belts, braces, etc. Even if in pillow form they tend to be tailored to specific complex curvatures, which may be fine for some people but not for others.
U.S. utility patents have issued for similarly useful articles, many of them with adjustable structure, such as Curtis 3,765,721; Striano 5,489,260; Gustine 5,544,377; and Leighton 5,551,085.
Similarly, U.S. design patents have issued for generally simpler articles, such as to Sims and Joseph D-282,990; Castronovo D-335,997; Pearl and Lovegrove D-364,065; and Reedus D-368,524.
Notwithstanding the contributions of the mentioned (and other) inventors, there remains a need to enhance overall individualization of lumbar support with uniformity of external design. Our present effort undertakes to provide all persons concerned with such choice.


In one embodiment, at least one information control device manages the content displayed on multiple separate portable, content adjustable personal identification devices. The information control device automatically selects at least one content specification for transmission to any portable, content adjustable personal identification devices moving either into or out of a particular area delimited by a boundary secured by the information control device. The information control device then transmits the selected content specification for detection by portable, content adjustable personal identification devices, wherein the content specification directs display of identification content on each of the portable, content adjustable personal identification devices.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to improved identification security. In particular, the present invention relates to managing content displayed on a portable, content adjustable personal identification device based on a location of the portable, content adjustable personal identification device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In many environments, having proper identification is important. For example, many businesses require that employees wear a badge while in the workplace, where the badge includes a photo identifying the employee and the employee's name and other identifying information. In another example, students and teachers may be required to wear badges when on campus grounds or in other areas where proper identification is required for entry.
In addition, in many environments, having proper identification is important to gain access into particular areas. For example, badges may also include a bar code or radio-frequency identifier (RFID) chip encoded with identification information that is detectable by readers located at different security points. A business may place a badge reader at each employee entrance, where the reader detects each employee identification from the badge, determines whether the employee is authorized to use the entrance, and controls access for that employee to the entrance. In addition, a badge reader may detect each employee exit a building so that the presence of a "badged" employee, within the workplace, can be tracked.
When an employee or other person wearing identification leaves the environment where identification is required, that person or the employer of that person may not want others seeing the identification outside the workplace. Further, many employers do not want employees to call attention to their association to the employer in public. Thus, some employers will require employees to "debadge" when in public, however, many times, employees will forget to debadge or will decide to flip a badge over, in an effort to hide the identification printed on the badge. Further, in other circumstances, an employee leaving a secured environment may not have a place to store the identification so that it is not visible or accessible to others in the public arena.
Therefore, in view of the foregoing, it would be advantageous to provide a method, system, and program for controlling the content output on a portable, content adjustable, personal identification device so that a person's personal information is adjusted based on the area in which the person is located with the identification device.

Managing content at a portable, content adjustable personal identification device


A dispenser for simultaneously dispensing and mixing a pair of fluid products such as chemically reactive resins, from a pair of axial adjacent front and rear chambers. A piston is mounted within each of the chambers and is moveable with respect to the hollow interior of the respective chamber for dispensing the fluid product therefrom. Telescopic movement of the rear chamber within the front chamber moves the pistons synchronously through the chambers to provide for controlled discharge of the products through a front discharge nozzle. A fixed hollow delivery tube extends through the interior of the front chamber and telescopically receives therein a post which is mounted on a rear wall of the rear chamber. The rear chamber has a relatively tight sliding fit within the front chamber so that a partial vacuum is formed within an annular space which forms between the two pistons as they move apart upon discharge of the two products to produce a "suck back" effect on product remaining in the discharge nozzle.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to dispensing a plurality of fluid materials, which when mixed together chemically react to produce a desired end product such as an adhesive, potting compound, sealer, encapsulant or the like. More particularly, the invention relates to a dispenser for dispensing two fluid products in preset amounts, which products are maintained separate until they are mixed prior to being discharged from the dispenser through a nozzle.
2. Background Information
Various types of dispensers have been developed for dispensing a plurality of fluid materials such as chemically reactive resins, or a resin and a hardener, which products must be maintained out of contact with each other within the dispenser so that when mixed, they chemically react to form a final product. It is desirable that the dispenser dispenses the two products in a preset accurately controlled relationship to ensure that the proper chemical reaction takes place when forming the final product, since the final product can be greatly affected by an unbalanced ratio of the two component products.
It is desirable for many applications that the dispenser be a relatively simple and inexpensive device, which preferably can be discarded after discharge of the two components, thereby making it suitable for jobshops, residential users, and the like. Therefore, when intended for use in such applications, the user will normally be unskilled in the dispensing art and will not be concerned with or about, nor experienced in the correct mixing of the two components in forming the final product. Therefore, it is necessary that upon operation of the dispenser, the two products are mixed in the desired relationship without requiring any skill on the part of the dispenser operator.
Examples of the most pertinent prior art dispensers with respect to the dispenser of the present invention are shown in the following patents.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,014,463 discloses a dual component dispenser which uses a hollow delivery tube which extends through a flexible sealing disc at the forward end so that the discharged contents from one of the chambers mixes with the second product discharged from the second chamber at a static mixer nozzle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,050,612 discloses a dispenser containing two different materials such as creams, wherein an upper chamber is telescopically slidably mounted and moved into a lower chamber for simultaneously discharging products from each of the containers at a pair of adjacent openings.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,029,236 discloses another two product dispenser having an upper chamber which is telescopically moved over and downwardly along a second chamber whereupon the contents of the two chambers are dispensed, generally simultaneously through two separate dispensing tubes. A vent tube is provided in the dispenser to prevent the formation of a vacuum within the dispenser upon dispensing of the product to ensure the smooth movement of the two chambers with respect to each other.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,220,261 discloses another dual dispenser in which an air intake is provided in a dispensing tube, as well as an annular air space being provided between the walls of the two cylindrical chambers, to prevent the formation of a vacuum therebetween during operation of the dispenser.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,520 discloses another dual product dispenser whereby a free space is provided so that a second plunger is actuated only after a predetermined movement of another plunger in order to prime the dispenser and prevent premature discharge of the flowable product from within a plunger cup.
Although the above discussed patents are believed to be the most pertinent with respect to the present invention, still other examples of various product dispensers are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,001,819, 3,164,303, 4,366,919, 4,371,094, 4,676,657, 4,691,845, 4,735,509, 4,799,801, 4,826,047, 4,834,714, 4,941,751, 5,058,770, 5,065,906 and 5,139,171.
Although many of these prior art dual product dispensers perform satisfactory for their intended dispensing purpose, many of these dispensers are difficult to easily fill the two separate chambers with the two distinct products, while maintaining complete separation of two products from each other. Likewise, certain of these prior art dispensers are relatively expensive, especially when the dispenser is intended to be mass produced in large quantities. Thus a savings of only a few cents per dispenser over similar prior art dispensers will result in a cost savings and competitive advantage.


A method for inhibiting the deterioration of processed fresh broccoli during shipment, comprising the steps of processing the broccoli for fresh consumption and exposing the processed broccoli to a solution of sodium citrate, ascorbic acid, sodium acid pyrophosphate, and L-cysteine hydrochloride, and water in which the sodium citrate, ascorbic acid, sodium acid pyrophosphate, and L-cysteine hydrochloride have been diluted to a combined weight percentage concentration of from about 1.00 to about 1.21 weight percent of the solution, vacuum cooling the processed broccoli, and shipping the processed broccoli after the vacuum cooling step without packing the processed broccoli in ice, the exposing step including contacting the processed broccoli with a sufficient amount of the solution such that the contacting inhibits the deterioration of the processed broccoli when the processed broccoli is exposed to an atmosphere during the shipping step that would result in the deterioration of the processed broccoli in the absence of the contacting and in the absence of ice packing.

The majority of the broccoli grown in the United States is grown in California and Arizona. Of the estimated 3 billion pounds of broccoli that are marketed in the United States each year, about 1 billion pounds are minimally processed soon after harvest and are shipped fresh, ready for consumption. The fresh broccoli market in the United States consists of two segments: (1) whole broccoli crowns and bunch broccoli (about 700 million pounds yearly) and (2) broccoli florets (about 300 million pounds yearly). A broccoli crown is a single 4 or 5 inch stalk, typically of the Marathon variety, with lateral stems trimmed off. The head of a broccoli crown is typically a very even mushroom shape and tightly packed flower buds, which are ideally deep green in color, tight and consistent. Bunch broccoli is a group of broccoli stalks, typically of the Arcadia variety, with lateral stalks trimmed off, which are held together with a rubber band or twist tie. Florets are broccoli buds that have been trimmed from a stalk. About 280 million pounds of the broccoli crowns and bunch broccoli market are shipped within the United States each year, and about 420 million pounds are exported The floret market is primarily within the United States. About 300 million pounds of florets are shipped to food service providers and retailers each year.
Quality aspects that are among the most prized in fresh broccoli is a deep green color, dense and compact heads, tight flowers, few laterals, and minimal cut end darkening. While whole, unprocessed broccoli may be stored under refrigeration for many weeks without significant deterioration, minimally processed fresh broccoli that has been in refrigerated storage for as little as a week will become pale green, the florets will begin to turn yellow, and the cut ends will begin to brown.
The rate at which deterioration of minimally processed fresh broccoli occurs is also a function of the physiological condition of the broccoli prior to the harvesting and processing, the chemical treatments that are applied to the broccoli during processing, if any, and the humidity levels and the temperatures at which the fresh broccoli is stored. For example, florets are washed and cooled in chlorinated water. This is the only chemical treatment in use today. Variations in the physiology of the whole, unprocessed heads of broccoli caused by different degrees of environmental stress during the growing season, such as heat stress and drought stress, will also result in variations in the onset of deterioration when the broccoli is processed and stored under a given set of storage conditions. Broccoli that is grown in poorly irrigated fields tends to degrade more rapidly after processing than does broccoli that is grown in well-irrigated fields, for example.
In addition, broccoli has a very high respiration rate that results in the generation of heat. This heat of respiration can contribute to the rate of deterioration of the broccoli during shipment, especially in the center portions of the typical box of fresh broccoli crowns, bunch broccoli or florets, or in the center of a pallet.
Color deterioration of broccoli is unsightly and unappetizing. As a result, consumers invariably associate discoloration with distastefully old broccoli, even though the taste and nutritional value of the fresh broccoli are not affected by the appearance of discoloration. Therefore, the appearance of discoloration leads to significant commercial waste if the processed fresh broccoli is discarded before taste and nutrition are affected.
To date the discoloration and other aspects of deterioration of minimally processed fresh broccoli, and the contributing heat of respiration, have been controlled primarily by packing and shipping freshly harvested broccoli in ice. Many broccoli processors and shippers place minimally processed fresh broccoli in water-resistant, shipping boxes containing about twenty to twenty-four pounds of broccoli crowns or about forty pounds of broccoli florets and then cover the broccoli with ice. The costs of water-resistant boxes and ice, as well as the additional shipping weight added by the ice packing, results in significant added costs for shipping fresh, minimally processed broccoli from the field to the market.

Methods for shipping broccoli without ice