Temperature regulating system for use in fluid ejection devices, such as inkjet printing devices, are provided. Such temperature regulating systems can include an ink reservoir, a printhead and optionally an intermediate ink container. Exchange of ink between the ink reservoir, or optionally the intermediate ink container, and the printhead regulates the temperature of the printhead and makes the temperature substantially uniform from drop ejector to drop ejector. Optionally, the ink is transported in a fluid communication path that is in contact with a thermally conductive substrate to further dissipate heat. Printing devices comprising such inkjet cartridges are also provided.

1. Field of Invention
This invention is directed to systems and methods for regulating temperature in fluid ejection devices.
2. Description of Related Art
Inkjet printing devices have gained prominence in printing as result of their capabilities in performing quality, economical color and monochromatic printing. Inkjet printing devices include, but are not limited to, piezoelectric inkjet printing devices and thermal inkjet printing devices. Piezoelectric inkjet devices eject ink from a nozzle by mechanically generating pressure to deform an ink chamber. Thermal inkjet devices eject ink by energizing a heater element to vaporize ink.
In such inkjet printing devices, a printhead, which acts to eject ink onto a recording medium, is comprised of at least one fluid ejecting die module, a substrate to which the die module is bonded, an ink manifold which brings ink to the die module, and electrical interconnection means for enabling the transfer of electrical signals to and from the printhead. The die module typically contains many individual drop ejecting elements, such as piezoelectric actuators or thermal ink jet heaters. In many types of inkjet printheads there is only one die module in the printhead. In other types of inkjet printheads, where it is desired to enable faster printing throughput than can be achieved using a single die module, several die modules are contained within the printhead. Because the fluid ejection process is dependent on the local temperature near the drop ejecting elements, it is important that the temperature be somewhat uniform in the various regions containing drop ejecting elements, whether within a single die module, or among several die modules. In addition, because fluid ejection can become unstable if the temperature gets too high or too low, it is important to keep the temperature within a certain range.
The die module in a thermal inkjet printhead generates significant amounts of residual heat as ink is ejected by heating the ink to the point of vaporization. This residual heat will change the performance, and ultimately the ejection quality, if the excess heat remains within the printhead. Changes in printhead performance are usually manifested by a change in the drop size, firing sequence, or other related ejection metrics. Such ejection metrics desirably stay within a controllable range for acceptable ejection quality. During lengthy operation or heavy coverage ejection, the temperature of the printhead can exceed an allowable temperature limit. Once the temperature limit is exceeded, a slow down or cool down period is normally used to maintain the ejection quality. In addition to self-heating of the printhead, various ambient conditions may make it advantageous to regulate the temperature of an inkjet printhead or other fluid ejection device.
A variety of devices and methods are conventionally used to dissipate heat in an inkjet printhead. Many inkjet printing devices improve throughput by improving thermal performance. One technique to improve printhead performance is to divert excess heat into the ink being ejected. As the hot ink is ejected from the printhead during printing, some amount of printhead cooling occurs as a result. During lengthy operation or heavy coverage ejection, this technique is also susceptible to temperatures in the printhead exceeding an allowable temperature.
Another technique is to attach the die module to a substrate having heat sinking properties. Such substrates store heat and/or conduct heat away from the printhead. Typically, such substrates are made from copper, aluminum or other materials having high thermal conductivity to remove heat from the printhead. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/600,507, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses various exemplary embodiments of such substrates molded from a polymer mixed with at least one thermally-conductive filler material.
Thermally conductive substrates, however, add additional weight, size, cost and/or energy usage to the printhead. Each of these becomes disadvantageous when in thermally conductive substrates attached to die modules that are translated past a receiving medium. Moreover, thermally conductive substrates typically dissipate heat via convection, and are inherently ineffective due to their small size.
FIG. 1 is a schematic of a known inkjet printing system 100 showing one method by which ink is conventionally provided to a printhead 130. The system 100 includes a remote ink reservoir 110 and a printhead 130. The printhead is comprised of at least one die module 132, which is bonded to substrate 133, and an ink manifold 131 which brings ink via first fluid communication path 134 to the die module 132. Other components of the printhead 130, such as electrical interconnection means, are not shown. Typically, the remote ink reservoir 110 contains a much larger volume of ink than the ink manifold 131. The remote ink reservoir 110 can be 10 to 1000 times as large as the ink manifold 131. In the case of a scanning type of printhead, this type of ink supply configuration allows the mass of the moving printhead to remain small so that accelerations and decelerations of the scanning printhead do not exert unacceptably large forces on the printer. For either a scanning type of printhead or a stationary type of printhead, there is also typically not enough space near the printhead to store the entire supply of ink. The ink reservoir 110 and the ink manifold 131 are connected by a second fluid communication path 150. The second fluid communication path 150 allows ink stored in the ink reservoir 110 to be provided to the ink manifold 131. The ink is then supplied to the die module 132 as necessary to effect ejection of the ink from the printhead 130 onto a recording medium.
Inkjet printing systems, such as shown in FIG. 1, are limited in their ability to dissipate heat. Such systems are limited because heat can only be dissipated via contact between the printhead and the thermally conductive substrate, and through ejection of ink during printing operations.

Systems for regulating temperature in fluid ejection devices


A polymer compound, is provided in which at least a part of repeating units has a group containing a carbon cluster structure. The polymer compound preferably one or more, more preferably two or more, units selected from an arylene unit, a heteroarylene unit and an aromatic amine unit, as repeating units.

An organic EL device is an self-luminescence device using a material emitting light by itself, and thus has e.g., an excellent contrast ratio, view angle and response rate compared to a liquid crystal display device. In addition, the organic EL device is easily reduced in film thickness, and thus, has recently drawn attention as a display device of a second-generation to be used in place of a liquid crystal display device.
The materials to be used in organic EL devices are roughly divided into two types, i.e., a low-molecular material and a high-molecular material. In the case of using a high-molecular material, an organic EL device can be formed by a coating method. Thus, the high-molecular material has an advantage over a low-molecular material in that an organic EL device is relatively easily formed. Accordingly, in recent years, various types of polymer compounds, for example, polymer compounds having a phenylene group and a fluorenediyl group as a constitutional unit have been proposed as the polymer material (for example, Non Patent Literature 1).
Furthermore, it has been recently demanded that the amount of carbon dioxide being emitted to the atmosphere is reduced to prevent global warming. For example, providing a solar system using e.g., pn-junction silicon solar cells on the house roofs has been proposed; however, a single crystal silicon, polycrystal silicon and amorphous silicon used in the silicone solar cells, require high-temperature and high-vacuum conditions in a manufacturing process. In contrast, in an embodiment of a photoelectric conversion device, i.e., an organic film solar cell, a high-temperature and high-vacuum process used in manufacturing silicon solar cells can be omitted. There is a possibility of manufacturing solar cells by a coating process alone at low cost. For the reason, an organic film solar cell has been drawn attention in recent years.
As an organic film solar cell, an organic film solar cell containing a polymer material, which contains a polymer compound composed of a repeating unit (A) and a repeating unit (B) and a fullerene derivative serving as an electron transport material, in an organic layer, is known (Patent Literature 1).

Polymer compound having carbon cluster structure and organic device using same


The invention relates to a turbine flowmeter for measuring the consumption of fluids, particularly water. The turbine flowmeter comprises a housing (1) with an inflow (2), and outflow (3) and a flow channel (4). The turbine flowmeter also comprises a measuring unit (5) for measuring and indicating the consumption. A turbine (10) with a hub (11) and a number of radial vanes (12.1, 12.2) is located inside the channel (4). A holding insert (20) is also located inside the channel (4) and is comprised of a water guide cross (20.1) and of an insert base body (20.2). The water guide cross (20.1) comprises a hub (21), radial struts (22) extending from the hub (21) to the wall of the channel (4), a nozzle body (23), which surrounds the front (14) of the turbine (10), however, a gap (17) remains through which the fluid flows, and comprises a central opening (24) in the nozzle body (23). The vanes (12.1. 12.2) of the turbine (10) are positioned near the nozzle body (23). A nozzle ring (16) connects the vanes (12.1, 12.2) and extends over the outer contour of the nozzle body (23) so that a nozzle gap (18) remains between the nozzle ring (16) and the nozzle body (23). This nozzle gap (18) communicates with the gap (17) between the nozzle body (23) and the front (14) of the turbine (10). The gap (17) and the nozzle gap (18) guide the fluid so that the turbine starts running even with the smallest flow of fluid and, even during a maximum rate of flow, keeps its position behind the water guide cross (20.1) without requiring any bearing.

1. Technical Field
The invention concerns a turbine flowmeter for measuring the consumption of fluids, especially water, which comprises a housing with an intake, a discharge, and a flow tube; a counter for measuring and indicating the consumption; a turbine in the flow tube with a hub, a number of radial vanes mounted on the hub, and a more or less hemispherical front that faces the fluid flow; a holding insert, which consists of a water guide cross, which comprises a hub, radial struts that extend from the hub to the wall of the flow tube, a nozzle head that surrounds the front of the turbine, leaving a gap through which the fluid flows, and a central opening in the nozzle head, and which (holding insert) further consists of an insert base body, which comprises a hub and radial struts that extend from the hub to the wall of the flow tube; and a device that detects the revolutions of the turbine and transmits them to the counter.
2. Prior Art
RU 2082102 C1 describes the principle of a turbine flowmeter, whose turbine rotates freely suspended, i.e., without mechanical support, behind a nozzle head inserted in the fluid flow that is to be measured. The revolutions of the turbine are read out by electromagnetic means. The great advantage of this design is the complete elimination of mechanical support of the turbine, since the turbine rotates completely without contact, which is achieved by the clever use of the fluid flow acceleration that takes place in the nozzle head and the associated reduction of the pressure in the fluid.
Unfortunately, this design also has significant practical disadvantages. For one thing, trouble-free electromagnetic transmission of the rotational speed is often not possible, especially when the flowmeter housing, as is generally the case and as is necessary when high line pressures are involved, is made of steel or cast steel. For another, the suspension principle works only when the fluid has attained a certain minimum flow velocity. If the flow velocity is zero or close to zero, the position of the turbine is completely undefined. At a flow velocity that is slowly increasing from zero, the turbine is carried along by the flow and thus loses the optimum position behind the nozzle head that is necessary for the suspension principle. As a result, measurement at low volume flow rates is not guaranteed.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,709,366 discloses a similar turbine flowmeter. It has a shaft that is rigidly mounted in the center of the flow tube. The elongated turbine is furnished with two bearings and rotates on this shaft. The downstream end of the turbine is expanded. Before this expansion, there is a complementary constriction of the flow tube. This results in the formation of a gap, in which the entire fluid flow is accelerated. The resulting pressure reduction provides for the axial positioning of the turbine. Of course, the gap is very short, so that the positioning occurs only at large volume flow rates but does not occur at normal volume flow rates.
One disadvantage, however, is that the turbine has a central bore for the shaft. Due to the difference in the pressures upstream and downstream of the turbine, a portion of the fluid is drawn through this central bore. This can result in the deposition of suspended substances and minerals dissolved in the fluid, e.g., lime and magnesium. These deposits will brake the turbine, especially at low volume flow rates.
A common feature of turbine flowmeters is the mechanical transmission of the turbine revolutions to a counter. For WP turbine models, the gears used for this purpose must deflect the direction of rotation by 90°. Therefore, worm gears are generally used for this purpose, since they not only produce the desired deflection but at the same time reduce the high revolutions of the turbine to a level that can be tolerated by the counter. However, worm gears have high friction, because the gear wheels slide on each other. This also reduces the measuring sensitivity at low volume flow rates.


A display device includes a first polyimide layer, a first silicon oxide layer located above and in direct contact with the first polyimide layer, an amorphous silicon layer located above and in direct contact with the first silicon oxide layer, a second polyimide layer located above and in direct contact with the amorphous silicon layer, a plurality of light-emitting elements located above the second polyimide layer, a transistor array located above the second polyimide layer, the transistor array being configured to control light emission of the plurality of light-emitting elements, a transparent conductive layer located between the transistor array and the second polyimide layer, and a second silicon oxide layer located between and in direct contact with the transparent conductive layer and the second polyimide layer.

This disclosure relates to a display device. An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) element is a current-driven self-light-emitting element and therefore, eliminates the necessity of backlight. In addition to this, the OLED element has advantages for achievement of low power consumption, wide viewing angle, and high contrast ratio. Because of no backlight, a flexible OLED display device including organic EL devices attains ultra-slimness and flexibility.
The substrate of a traditional flexible OLED display device has a structure in which a silicon oxide layer, a silicon nitride layer, and another silicon oxide layer are stacked one above another on a polyimide film having a thickness of 10 um to 15 um. A thin-film transistor (TFT) array is fabricated on the substrate.

Wuhan Tianma Micro-Electronics Co., Ltd.


A center beam car has a main deck structure extending laterally from a main center sill, a laterally extending top truss structure, and a central vertically oriented central beam structure. The center beam so formed defines bunks upon which to carry cargo. The upper region of the web-work structure includes a top chord mounted to run between two end bulkheads. The deck has a central portion and end portions. The end portions of the deck are carried at a greater height than the center portion, the difference in height corresponding to the height of a bundle of lumber. The car has a center sill having a depth corresponding to the depth of the step in the deck. The end portion of the center sill has an internal plate defining a draft gear pocket upper wall. The medial portion of the center sill is narrower than the end portion, and of deep section, such that it has a high aspect ratio. Web separators are mounted in the medial portion of the center sill by a method that includes making part of the weld from outside the center sill through welding apertures. As the end deck is carried at a high level, the bolster is abnormally deep.

Center beam rail road cars, in cross-section, generally have a body having a flat car deck and a center beam web structure running along the longitudinal center-line of, and standing upright from, the deck. The center beam structure is carried on a pair of rail car trucks. The rack, or center beam structure, has a pair of bulkheads at either longitudinal end that extend transversely to the rolling direction of the car. The lading supporting structure of the beam includes laterally extending deck sheets or bunks mounted above, and spanning the space between, the trucks. The center beam web structure is typically in the nature of an open frame truss for carrying vertical shear and bending loads. It stands upright from the deck and runs along the longitudinal centerline of the car between the end bulkheads. This kind of webwork structure can be constructed from an array of parallel uprights and appropriate diagonal bracing. Most often, a top truss assembly is mounted on top of the vertical web and extends laterally to either side of the centerline of the car. The top truss is part of an upper beam assembly, (that is, the upper or top flange end of the center beam) and is usually manufactured as a wide flange, or wide flange-simulating truss, both to co-operate with the center sill to resist vertical bending, and also to resist bending due to horizontal loading of the car while travelling on a curve. Typically, a center sill extends the length of the car. The center beam thus formed is conceptually a deep girder beam whose bottom flange is the center sill, and whose top flange is the top truss (or analogous structure) of the car.
Center beam cars are commonly used to transport packaged bundles of lumber, although other loads such as pipe, steel, engineered wood products, or other goods can also be carried. The space above the decking and below the lateral wings of the top truss on each side of the vertical web of the center beam forms left and right bunks upon which bundles of wood can be loaded. The base of the bunk often includes risers that are mounted to slant inward, and the vertical web of the center beam is generally tapered from bottom to top, such that when the bundles are stacked, the overall stack leans inward toward the longitudinal centerline of the car.
Lading is most typically secured in place using straps or cables. Generally, the straps extend from a winch device mounted at deck level, upward outside the bundles, to a top fitting. The top fitting can be located at one of several intermediate heights for partially loaded cars. Most typically, the cars are fully loaded and the strap terminates at a fitting mounted to the outboard wing of the upper beam assembly. Inasmuch as the upper beam assembly is narrower than the bundles, when the strap is drawn taut by tightening the winch, it binds on the upper outer corner of the topmost bundle and exerts a force inwardly and downwardly, tending thereby to hold the stack in place tight against the center beam web.
Each bundle typically contains a number of pieces of lumber, commonly the nominal 2″×4″, 2″×6″, 2″×8″ or other standard size. The lengths of the bundles vary, typically ranging from 8′ to 24′, and 2′ increments. The most common bundle size is nominally 32 inches deep by 49 inches wide, although 24 inch deep bundles are also used, and 16 inch deep bundles can be used, although these latter are generally less common. A 32 inch nominal bundle may contain stacks of 21 boards, each 1½ inch thick, making 31½ inches, and may include a further 1½ inches of dunnage for a total of 33 inches. The bundles are loaded such that the longitudinal axes of the boards are parallel to the longitudinal, or rolling, axis of the car generally. The bundles are often wrapped in a plastic sheeting to provide some protection from rain and snow, and also to discourage embedment of abrasive materials such as sand, in the boards. The bundles are stacked on the car bunks with the dunnage located between the bundles such that a fork-lift can be used for loading and unloading. For bundles of kiln dried softwood lumber the loading density is typically taken as being in the range of 1600 to 2000 Lbs. per 1000 board-feet.
It has been observed that when the straps are tightened, the innermost, uppermost boards of the topmost bundle bear the greatest portion of the lateral reaction force against the center beam due to the tension in the straps or cables. It has also been observed that when these bundles bear against the vertical posts of the center beam, the force is borne over only a small area. As the car travels, it is subject to vibration and longitudinal inertia loads. Consequently the plastic sheeting may tend to be torn or damaged in the vicinity of the vertical posts, and the innermost, uppermost boards can be damaged. The physical damage to these boards may tend to make them less readily sealable. Further, whether or not the boards are damaged, if the plastic is ripped, moisture can collect inside the sheeting. This may lead to the growth of molds, and may cause discolouration of the boards. In some markets the aesthetic appearance of the wood is critical to its saleability, and it would be advantageous to avoid this discolouration.
In part, the difficulty arises because the bearing area against the posts may tend to be too small. Further, the join between the upstanding web portion of the center beam and the upper beam assembly can coincide with the height of the topmost boards. This join is not always smooth. Further still, when the posts are fabricated the flanges may not stand perfectly perpendicular to the web, such that one edge of the flange may bear harder against the bundles than another. It would be advantageous to present a larger, smoother, and more homogenous surface to the bundles, or to reduce the force acting at the interface between the bundles and the beam. Use of a roll-formed section, as opposed to a fabricated (i.e., welded) flange assembly may tend to increase the probability that the facing part will be oriented correctly, will tend to have appropriately planar surfaces with smoothly radiused corners, and will tend to present fewer asperities (such as may otherwise arise with distortion and errors in welding) to the lading. Use of smoothly radiused posts, such as can be obtained with roll-formed sections, whether channel or structural tubes for the vertical posts may tend to be advantageous in this regard. Use of a smooth longitudinal beam, whether channel, rectangular tube, or square tube, of somewhat greater outside dimension than the vertical posts may also tend to be advantageous as the quality of the primary bearing surface, namely the longitudinal chord surface rather than the vertical post surface, will be determined by the quality and consistency of the roll-forming process, typically quite high, as opposed to the quality and repeatability of a manual welding process, typically much lower by comparison.
Existing center beam cars tend to have been made to fall within the car design envelope, or outline, of the American Association of Railroads standard AAR Plate C, and tend to have a flat main deck that runs at the level of the top of the main bolsters at either end of the car. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,575, of Dominguez et al., issued Aug. 28, 1990, a center beam car is shown that falls within the design envelope of plate C, and also has a depressed center deck between the car trucks. It would be advantageous to be able to operate center beam cars that exceed Plate C and fall within AAR Plate F, with a full load of lumber in bundles stacked 5 bundles high. A five bundle high load of 33 inch bundles requires a vertical clearance in the left and right hand bunks of at least 165 inches. This significantly exceeds the vertical loading envelope of a plate C car.
Increased vertical loading to exceed Plate C, as in a Plate F car, may tend also to increase the height of the center of gravity of a loaded car above the allowable vertical center of gravity height limit of 98 inches measured from top-of-rail (TOR). Consequently it may be desired to drop the center portion of the deck further to once again lower the center of gravity. However, as the deck is dropped further, the deck must also become narrower to remain within the AAR design envelope, whether of Plate C or Plate F. Further still, when the truck centers of the car exceed 46 ft. 3 in., the mid-span car width must be reduced due to swing out as the car travels through corners. That is, the car must lie within the design envelope of a 10′-8″ wide car with 46′-3″ truck centers, on a 13° curve (equivalent to a track center radius of 441.7 ft.). A car having a nominal length of 73 ft, and a 40′-6″ well, will tend to have a distance between truck centers of the order of 56 to 60 ft. The allowance for swing out, (that is, the reduction in width to match a car having 46′-3″ truck centers), for such a car is significant.
As the allowable car width becomes narrower, either due to increasing the truck centers beyond 46 ft. 3 in., or due to lowering the height of the decking, it is highly desirable to retain as much of the remaining lateral width as possible to support the bundles. Moreover, it has become desirable to provide a bunk width sufficient to carry 51 inch wide bundles, as well as 49 inch wide bundles. In the past, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,575 winches have been installed outboard of the side sills at longitudinal stations corresponding to the longitudinal stations of the outboard ends of the cross bearers. These winches are used to cinch the strapping that is used to secure the load to the center beam top compression member wings, or, in the case of a partially loaded car, to the center beam main vertical web assembly. The winches tend to extend further laterally outboard, relative to the longitudinal centerline, than any other part of the car. Given the inwardly angled profile of the lower portions of the Plate C and Plate F envelopes, each incremental decrease in overall car width measured from the centerline to the outboard extremity of the winch permits an incremental lowering of the loaded center of gravity of the car. Consequently, it is advantageous to make the winch mounting as laterally compact as possible.
Further, given that the allowable width of the car decreases as truck center distance increases, and given that the allowable width envelope is fixed for a given truck center distance, for cars in which the center sill extends above the lading interface of at least a portion of the decking structure, as is the case in a dropped deck center beam car, another way of widening the effective bunk width on which to carry lading is to employ a relatively narrow center sill. However, the width of the center sill outboard of the truck center generally defines the width of the draft pocket. Since coupler sizes are standard for interchangeable service, the minimum inside width of the draft-pocket is generally considered to be a fixed predetermined dimension, typically 12⅞″. Therefore it would be advantageous to employ a draft sill of varied width, having a first, relatively wide longitudinally outboard portion in which to mount draft gear and a coupler, and a second, relatively narrower mid-span, or waist, portion between the trucks. Similarly, given that the allowable car width envelope is narrowest at mid-span, and widest at the truck centers, it may be advantageous for a portion of the deck at mid-span to be narrower than another portion of the deck either (a) closer to, or at, the truck centers; or (b) at a higher elevation at which the underframe envelope may be wider; or both.
In known center beam cars, such as those shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,575 and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,420 of Butcher et al., issued Feb. 7, 1989, the deck structure of the cars has included inwardly tapering risers mounted above the cross bearers, with longitudinally extending side sills running along the ends of the cross-bearers. The side sills have been angle or channel sections. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,575 the side sills are Z-sections with the upper leg of the Z extending outward, the lower leg extending inward, and the web between the two legs running vertically. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,420 of Butcher et al., the side sill is a channel section, with the legs extending laterally outward and the web, being the back of the channel, extending vertically between the two legs. In both cases the winch is mounted outward of the vertical web.
It is advantageous to be able to carry loads other than, for example, bundles of lumber, on at least a part of the return journey. While this can be done with center beam cars presently in use, the overhanging wings of the top truss may tend to complicate loading of the car from above. For example, it may be more convenient to load pipe, or other objects, using an overhead crane rather than to employ side loading using a fork-lift of perhaps more limited lifting capacity. Such loading would be facilitated by removal of the top truss. Further still, in addition to removal of the top truss, truncation of the central web at a level below the bottom of the uppermost row of bundles permits the top row of bundles to be loaded side by side. Strapping for securing the load, rather than being attached to the wings of the top truss, can be carried fully over the load to the winches at deck level on opposite sides of the car. In addition, the top chord can be made wider than the posts, such that the bundles bear against the smooth outside face of the top chord at a stand-off distance clear of the flanges of the posts.
When a reduced height top chord is used, the junction of the top chord with the end bulkheads occurs at a mid-height level. This juncture may tend to act as a discontinuity, or weakness in the end bulkhead structure. Particularly when dealing with an end impact in which the load may tend to want to drive into the bulkhead, it is desirable that there be web continuity (a) between the webs of the top chord member and the vertical posts of the bulkhead member; and (b) between the web formed by the shear panel of the end-most bay and the webs of the vertical posts of the end bulkhead. In past center beam cars, the web of the end-most bay has been mounted to the leg of a vertically extending T-shaped beam, with the flange of the T-shaped member lying in the plane of the skin of the end bulkhead. When the end post of the car is a channel, or rectangular tube, the webs of the channel stand in planes lying to either side of the plane of the shear panel of the endmost bay. As described herein below, the cross-members of the bulkhead have flange continuity through the end post, such that a continuation of the web or the shear panel on the inside of the skin of the bulkhead can extend between the legs of the laterally extending cross-members. Shear can then be transferred from the shear panel into the cross-members and thence into the webs of the end post.
In center beam cars it is desirable that the main center sill be aligned with the couplers to reduce or avoid eccentric draft or buff loads from being transmitted. In dealing with lateral loads, the side sills act as opposed Ranges of a beam and the floor sheets act as the web. The loads in the side sills, whether in tension, compression, vertical shear or lateral bending, tend to be transferred to the main sill through a main bolster assembly at each end of the car. In general the main bolster is located at a level corresponding to the height of the main sill, and the shear plate, if one is used, is typically at a level corresponding to the level of the upper flange of the main sill.
It is desirable to have a well deck, also called a depressed center deck or dropped deck, between the trucks, to increase the load that can be carried, and so to increase the overall ratio of loaded weight to empty weight of the car, and also to reduce the height of the center of gravity of the car when loaded, as compared to a car having a flat, straight through deck from end to end carrying the same load. In the case of a well deck, longitudinal compression and tension loads in the side sills must be carried from the level of the side sills in the well, to a second, higher level of the side sills to clear the trucks, and then through the bolster structure and into the main sill. The transmission of forces through the vertical distance of the eccentricity of the rise from the side sills height in the well to the side sill height of the end deck adjoining the bolster results in the generation of a moment. When the side sill has a knee at the transition from the well to the end structure of the car, the height of the knee defines the arm of the moment.
The coupler height of rail road cars is 34½″ above top of rail (TOR). This is a standard height to permit interchangeable use of various types of rail cars. The main sill, or stub sill if used, tends to have a hollow box or channel section, the hollow acting as a socket into which the draft gear and coupler are mounted. The minimum height of the top flange of the main sill at the trucks (or stub sill, if one is used) and the top flange of the end structure bolsters tends to be determined by the coupler height. The depth of the main bolster is limited by the need to lie high enough to clear the wheels plus a height to accommodate that portion of the coupler and draft gear about the coupler center line. At the same time, the height of the well deck is limited by the design envelope, be it Plate C, Plate F, or some other. In general, however, the rise to the height of the shear plate, or top flange of the bolster, from the well decking is less than the desired 33 inch bundle height. It is desirable for the top of the first layer of bundles stacked in the well to be at a height that permits the next layer of bundles to match the height of bundles stacked over the trucks. Consequently, it would be advantageous to have an end deck, or staging, mounted above the shear plate, or if there is no end structure shear plate, then above the bolster, at a level to match the level of the top of the bundles carried in the well between the trucks. However, increasing the height of the end deck implies an increase in the height of the knee.
One way to reduce the maximum stress at the knee is to make the side sill section of the end portion of the sill deeper. Another way to reduce the maximum stress at the knee is to make the knee member wider. On the longitudinally inwardly facing side of the knee (that is, the side oriented toward the lading in the well) the flange of the vertical leg of the knee may tend to extend perpendicularly. On the longitudinally outboard side, that is, the side facing the truck, the longitudinally outboard flange can be angled, or swept, resulting in a tapering leg, rather than one with parallel flanges. An increase in the section width, due to tapering the longitudinally outboard flange is desirable, as it may tend to permit a reduction in the maximum local stress levels in the side sill assembly at the knee, and tends to provide greater truck clearance.
When a relatively deep, relatively narrow, center sill is employed, such as in a dropped-deck center beam car having a fall bundle step height, it is desirable both to discourage the center-sill from collapsing in a parallelogram manner, and to provide web continuity at the base of the center beam posts such that in terms of structural analysis, their footing may tend more closely to approximate a built-in connection, as opposed to a pin-joined connection. Similarly, where there would otherwise be no web continuity of the cross-bearers through the center sill, such as when the cross-bearers are underslung beneath the center sill, and the cross-bearers may transmit laterally unequal loads tending to twist the center sill, it is advantageous that the center sill be discouraged from deformation in the parallelogram mode. For these reasons, is advantageous to provide internal filler braces or webs within the center sill, and preferable to provide that bracing, or webbing, at the longitudinal stations corresponding to the locations of the webs of the vertical posts.
When the center sill is relatively deep, and narrow, installation of internal webs may challenge the skill of the fitters. It may be preferable to be able to attach at least a portion of the web from outside the center sill. That is, where either the upper, or lower flange of the center sill and the two webs have been welded together and the center sill has a high aspect ratio of depth to width, and only one flange remains to be attached, making internal welds to a gusset plate may be rather difficult. The welder may only be able to weld the portion of the gusset near to the open end of the center sill. Hence it is advantageous to provide pre-attached welding backing means, such as angles, and making welding slots in the web of the side sills at the desired gusset locations. This tends to permit the relatively inaccessible end of the gussets to be joined to the webs through a welded connection made from outside the center sill.
Torsional loads applied to the center beam assembly are transmitted through the trucks and reacted at the rails. A significant portion of this load is transferred into the deck and main sill structure at the longitudinal location of the truck center by the main posts that extend upwardly from the deck above the truck center. It may be that the main post is narrower than the center sill top cap (i.e., upper flange), and narrower than the underlying center sill webs. It such circumstances it may be advantageous to provide web and flange continuity in the center sill beneath the main post.

Dropped deck center beam rail road car structure


An applicator for applying a cosmetic to eyelashes, comprising a shaft section or at least a coupling section and an applicator section, the applicator section being configured as an internally hollow cage for accommodating the cosmetic, which is substantially or completely closed in the circumferential direction, characterized in that the cage, in the direction perpendicular to its longitudinal axis, has a triangular cross section and comprises on at least one of its circumferential tips a number of passages that communicate with the interior of the cage and into which the eyelashes insert themselves during application.

In addition to bristle-covered applicators, in particular so-called disk applicators are known in the prior art. The actual applicator section in such disk applicators comprises a core with a not inconsiderable thickness, from which a number of disks or disk portions protrudes outwards in the radial direction. A free space is respectively provided between adjacent disks or disk members. The predominant part of the cosmetics mass to be applied remains, in particular, in this free space even after the applicator has been pulled out from the cosmetics storage container and after wiping the applicator. If, for example, such an applicator is brought up close to the eyelashes of the human eye, the eyelashes insert themselves into the free spaces between the individual disks and their surface is wetted with the cosmetic as soon as the applicator is rotated or pulled back again from the eye. The European patent application EP 2 071 977 describes an example for such a disk applicator.
Application results that are quite satisfactory can be achieved with such disk applicators, but further improvement is still needed for certain cases of use:
Due to their core, such disk applicators have a relatively large diameter, which is why it is difficult in some cases to ensure that the eyelashes are treated with the cosmetic up to the ends thereof on the side of the eyelid.
In other cases, the mass storage capacity of the known disk applicators needs to be improved.
A solution for the above mentioned problems is achieved with the features of the mascara brush described herein.


In a method and apparatus for predicting process results of objects being processed in a processing chamber of a processing apparatus, operation data and process result data obtained at the time of processing each of the objects are collected and a multivariate analysis is performed on the basis of the collected operation data and process result data to obtain a first correlation therebetween. Process results are predicted on the basis of the first correlation. Weighting coefficients for the respective operation data are set on the basis of the predicted process results. A second correlation between the weighted operation data and the process result data is obtained by a multivariate analysis. Process results are predicted by using operation data, obtained when objects other than the objects used to obtain the second correlation are processed, on the basis of the second correlation.

In a semiconductor manufacturing process, a plurality of processing apparatuses have been used. For example, a processing apparatus, such as a plasma processing apparatus, has been widely used in a film forming process or an etching process of objects to be processed, such as semiconductor wafers or glass plates. For example, in the plasma processing apparatus, process gas introduced into an airtight processing chamber is converted into plasma, and then the surface of an object to be processed, for example, a semiconductor wafer, is plasma-processed. Therefore, during the repetition of the plasma-processing, a reaction product is generated and attached to an inner wall of the processing chamber, thus delicately varying the status of the plasma. Since such a variation of the plasma status influences the results of processing the wafer, e.g., etching the wafer, the process results should be closely monitored so as to consistently execute a stable process.
Due to the above reason, for example, test wafers are manufactured in advance and an etching process is periodically executed with respect to each of the test wafers, so that the status of a processing apparatus after etching each of the wafers may be examined on the basis of the process results (for example, the quantity of abrasion of the test wafers) obtained through the etching process.
However, in order to examine the status of the processing apparatus on the basis of the test wafers, it is necessary to manufacture a great number of test wafers. Moreover, since a large number of test wafers should be processed using the processing apparatus and respective process results thereof should be measured, there is a problem in that many processes and a lot of time are required for the manufacturing of test wafers and the measurement of process results.
Meanwhile, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. H10-125660, a process monitoring method for a plasma processing apparatus has been proposed. In this method, after a modeling equation used to correlate an electrical signal, in which plasma status is reflected, with plasma process characteristics is set up using a test wafer, a detected value of an electrical signal obtained when an actual wafer is processed is applied to the modeling equation, thus accurately predicting the plasma process characteristics.
However, the above process monitoring method is advantageous in that the plasma processing characteristics can be predicted, but problematic in that the data, such as the detected value of an electrical signal used when setting up the modeling equation, may not occasionally be sufficient to perform a high accuracy prediction, so that further improvements are required.
For example, among the data used at the time of setting up the modeling equation, data contributing toward deteriorating a prediction value with respect to an actual measurement value may exist. In this case, if all data are used without the selection of data proper for setting up the modeling equation, prediction results may occasionally be worse.

Prediction method and apparatus of a processing result


A dual polarization current loop radiator realized with a via, probe, or exposed coaxial feed using part of a vertical metal structure of the radiator to guide current to a feed point of a horizontal metal plate capacitively coupled to the vertical metal structure is described. The vertical metal structure may be either stamped and attached to the ground plane or it can be formed along with metal backplane structure of the radiator. The top of the vertical metal piece is separated from the horizontal metal plate by a predetermined distance dielectric spacing. The spacing may be realized either a thin dielectric core or a non-conductive adhesive material.

As is known in the art, in array antennas, performance is often limited by the size and bandwidth limitations of the antenna elements which make up the array. Improving the bandwidth while maintaining a low profile enables array system performance to meet bandwidth and scan requirements of next generation of communication applications, such as software defined or cognitive radio. These applications also frequently require antenna elements that can support either dual linear or circular polarizations.
As is also known, attempts have been made to fabricate low profile antenna elements and array antennas. Such array antennas include an array of tightly coupled dipole elements which approximates the performance of an ideal current sheet, as well as so-called "bunny ear" antennas, and tightly coupled patch arrays. While these antenna element designs are all low profile, they either fail to operate over a desired bandwidth or present significantly increased complexities to provide feed structures necessary to support either dual linear or circular polarizations (e.g. requiring external components difficult to fit within the unit cell of an array antenna). Other antenna elements, such as Vivaldi notch antenna elements, can provide a relatively wide bandwidth, but are not low profile.
It would, therefore, be desirable to provide an antenna element and an array antenna having a relatively low profile and which is responsive to either dual linear or circular polarization over a wide frequency bandwidth and scan volume.

Dual polarization current loop radiator with integrated balun


In order to manufacture a semiconductor device of high performance a small-sized transfer arm mechanism, capable of retaining a predetermined transfer stroke, is put to practical use without any increase in the height of the arm mechanism. The transfer arm includes arcuate portions having center axes different from each other, and restraint generating means for generating restraints in directions where the individual center axes are attracted. This way, a plurality of arms are joined by joints having a structure for transmitting rolling motions to the arcuate portions contacting each other to thereby control the drive shaft of the arcuate portions rotationally and thereby move the arms. This transfer arm mechanism is used in various environments including semiconductor manufacturing, such as DRAMs (dynamic random access memory).

In semiconductor device manufacturing apparatuses which form patterns on the order of sub-microns, it is necessary to reduce the amount of dust, the amount of contamination and the size (or capacity) of the apparatuses. This is because the major cause of device defects results from the dust discharged from the apparatus and its periphery. Thus, the manufacturing apparatus is placed in a clean room, thereby resulting in higher cost of construction and maintenance.
It is known in the prior art that mechanisms are needed to transfer a substrate between a plurality of process chambers of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, which are connected under different kinds of ambient conditions. One such example is disclosed in Japanese Published Application No. 19252 (1991). This semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is constructed of first and second vacuum chambers having transfer arms therein, process chambers communicating individually with the vacuum chambers, and a plurality of vacuum process chambers. This transfer mechanism technique has multiple built-up arms and is mounted in an vacuum isolation type apparatus which is designed to have evacuating means for establishing a vacuum pressure gradient in those chambers.
On the other hand, Japanese Published Application No. 252439 (1988) discloses a multi-stage transfer mechanism disposed in a multi-process chamber system, which includes a central transfer chamber having an R-.theta. transfer arm, and in which different wafers are subjected simultaneously to the processes of chemical gas etching, chemical gas deposition, physical sputtering and rapid thermal treatment. Alternatively, similar wafers are subjected to various treatments in order in a plurality of process chambers adjacent to the central transfer chamber and having a uniaxial receiving transfer arm.
Japanese Published Application No. 87785 (1992) discloses a transfer mechanism technique having a multi-stage built-up structure using geared belts and pulleys as a central transfer arm of a multi-chamber treatment apparatus.
Japanese Published Application No. 28047 (1988) discloses a technique for transferring substrates by using movable portable chambers and extending/contracting the arms of a multi-stage structure. The arms of the multi-stage structure are built-up with their joints coaxially intersecting. Transfer ports of common specifications are connected to each other.
Japanese Published Application Nos. 161608 (1987) and 87351 (1986) disclose a transfer mechanism technique of using "frogger" arms which are driven by a pair of coaxial joints and timing belts.
Japanese Published Application Nos. 278149 (1986) disclose another technique of using "frogger" arms which have a pair of coaxial joints.
Japanese Published Application No. 183736 (1985) discloses a transfer mechanism technique which uses a handler having a pair of coaxial joints and a gear-driven arm.
Japanese Published Application No. 294984 (1992) discloses a transfer mechanism technique which uses elastic arms made of band-shaped spring members but does not have any slide portion.
Japanese Published Application No. 206547 (1992) discloses a transfer mechanism technique which transfers substrates without breaking a sealed state of the ambient in a sealed enclosure by connecting the sealed enclosure with a common port and then by opening/closing the gate valves of the common port.
Japanese Published Application No. 15592 (1994) discloses a transfer mechanism technique using "frogger" arms having coaxial rotary joints at the leading ends of a set of arms. The arms are capable of extending/contracting in opposite directions and are capable of being mounted with two substrates.
Japanese Published Application No. 184678 (1985) discloses a transfer mechanism technique for a vacuum process apparatus composed of process dedicated stationary vacuum enclosures and transfer dedicated movable vacuum enclosures so as to transfer substrates by connecting the process dedicated vacuum enclosures to each other through a common control gate and by moving the transfer dedicated vacuum enclosures linearly or rotationally.

Semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for transferring articles with a bearing-less joint and method for manufacturing semiconductor device


An electrochemical cell is provided having a first electrode, such as a cathode, and a plurality of second electrodes, such as anodes, provided in a cell container. A plurality of cavities are formed within the cathode. A separator and anode are disposed within each of said cavities, and a current collector electrically connects the anodes together. According to one embodiment, a plurality of cylindrical anodes are provided. According to a second embodiment, a plurality of semi-cylindrical anodes are disclosed.

The present invention generally relates to an electrochemical cell and, more particularly, relates to an electrochemical cell having increased anode-to-cathode interface area.
Electrochemical cells are commonly employed to supply voltage for electrically operated devices, particularly for portable electrically operated devices. Currently, the popular alkaline cells of the generally cylindrical type are commercially available in industry standard sizes including D-, C-, AA-, AAA-, and AAAA-size cells, as well as other sizes and configurations. Electrochemical cells, such as the aforementioned type, commonly provide a predetermined open circuit voltage supply.
Conventional cylindrical alkaline cells generally have a cylindrical-shaped steel can provided with a positive cover at one end and a negative cover at the opposite end. The cylindrical cell has a positive electrode, commonly referred to as the cathode, which is often formed of a mixture of manganese dioxide, graphite, potassium hydroxide solution, deionized water, and a TEFLON.RTM. solution formed about the interior side surface of the cylindrical steel can. A cup-shaped separator is generally centrally disposed in an inner cylindrical volume of the can about the interior surface of the cathode. A negative electrode, commonly referred to as the anode, is typically formed of zinc powder, a gelling agent, and other additives, and is disposed along with an electrolyte solution within the separator. One example of a conventional cylindrical cell is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,501,924, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Conventional cells of the aforementioned cylindrical type commonly have a single anode and a single cathode contained within the steel can with the separator interfaced therebetween. Usually, the cathode is disposed adjacent the inner wall of the steel can, while the anode is disposed within a cylindrical volume defined by the cathode. Accordingly, the separator has an anode-to-cathode interface area generally defined by the shape and size of the anode and cathode. With the conventional cell, the anode-to-cathode interface area is approximately equal to the surface area of the periphery of the cylindrical anode. In addition, the anode is generally provided in the shape of a cylinder with a uniformly curved outer surface parallel to the container wall such that the cathode is not easily susceptible to breakage which can lead to ionic and electric discontinuity within the cell.
A primary goal in designing alkaline cells is to increase the service performance which is the length of time for the cell to discharge under a given load to a specific voltage at which the cell is no longer useful for its intended purpose. Commercially available alkaline cells commonly have an external size that is defined by industry standards, thereby limiting the ability to increase the amount of active cell materials that can be utilized. Yet, the need to find new ways to increase service performance remains the goal of the cell designers.

Electrochemical cell having multiple anode compartments


A computer gateway for an intranet of computers, including a scanner for scanning incoming files from the Internet and deriving security profiles therefor, the security profiles being lists of computer commands that the files are programmed to perform, a file cache for storing files, a security profile cache for storing security profiles for files, and a security policy cache for storing security policies for client computers within an intranet, the security policies including a list of restrictions for files that are transmitted to intranet computers. A method and a computer-readable storage medium are also described and claimed.

A network gateway computer conventionally serves as a proxy between a group of inter-connected computers, referred to as an intranet, such as a corporate intranet or customers of an Internet service provider, and the myriads of server computers on the Internet. The gateway computer is networked with the intranet computers in such a way that outgoing requests and responses from the intranet computers to the Internet, and incoming requests and responses from the Internet to the intranet computers are routed through the gateway computer.
Typically, a request is issued as an HTTP protocol request that includes a URI for a file, such as an HTML page, a JPEG image or a PDF document, residing on one or more server computers on the Internet. Similarly, a response is typically an HTTP response including a requested file, sent back to a client in response to a request.
Network gateways are generally connected to an intranet with high-speed lines, so that the bandwidth between the intranet computers and the gateway computer is much higher than the bandwidth between the gateway computer and rest of the Internet.
Two important functions of computer gateways are (i) to restrict outsiders from unauthorized access to a computer intranet, and (ii) to protect the intranet computers from software containing computer viruses and from spam. Computer gateways may contain conventional firewall software that restricts outside communication with the intranet, anti-virus software that identifies computer viruses residing within files retrieved from the Internet, and anti-spam software that filters out unwanted content.
Current gateway systems cause latency because clients do not access websites directly, and because current gateway systems apply security protocols to protect intranet members. Accordingly, systems and methods for reducing network access latency without compromising network safety are needed.

Method and system for caching at secure gateways


According to various aspects and techniques to enable methods and systems for a first communication device to determine an approximate number of other communication devices that have lost contact with a host communication device. This includes determining a common future time window using a last known global time stamp and determining a transmit time within the common future time window. This also includes receiving samples that are captured during the common future time window on a predefined communication channel, as well as analyzing the received samples to estimate the total number of other communication devices.

Wireless communication systems are widely used to enable and provide data communication and support for various applications and types of communication content, such as voice, video, data and so on. These wireless communication systems can also be used to implement an ESL based system for an enterprise. ESLs are used to display product information (e.g. price), as well as means for providing an effective way to update the ESLs via the communication network, such as a wireless communication network.
An ESL system typically uses lower power processors and CPUs to lower overall power consumption. Also, since ESLs are typically powered by batteries, lower power consumption and maximizing battery life are very important design considerations. An ESL also uses various user interfaces and display units to convey pertinent information to an end user.
In one scenario, one or more Access Points. (APs) may connect to hundreds of thousands of ESLs representing the complete inventory of a business, warehouse or enterprise. A Management Entity (ME) is used to control the APs and enable them to connect and maintain communication to the ESLs. There are times during operation, where the ESLs may lose connectivity momentarily or for more extended periods of time. It would be a technical advantage to facilitate the reconnection process and reduce or eliminate any unwanted consequences or system performance degradations.

Electronic shelf label (ESL) efficient reconnect


The invention relates to an exhaust gas probe (120) for measuring properties of the exhaust gas of internal combustion engines, wherein at least one data storage unit (135) is arranged in a circuit associated with the probe, in particular arranged in a probe plug (130) or a connecting element associated therewith. The following properties and/or adaption functions characterizing the probe (120) are stored or storable in said data storage unit: —fluctuations of heating resistances that are due to the production process and/or—parameters that characterize the aging of the probe (120), and/or—the shut-off state, in particular data that characterize the execution of an interval measurement for regenerating the exhaust gas probe or of a delayed shut-off and/or—data for adapting the probe (120) to different control devices (140) of internal combustion engines and/or—the number of operating hours of the probe and/or—the operating parameters of the probe in a previous specifiable time period.

The invention relates to an exhaust gas probe for measuring properties of the exhaust gas of internal combustion engines and to a method of operating such an exhaust gas probe.
Such exhaust gas probes are for example concentration probes, for example oxygen concentration sensors, also known as lambda probes, as described for example in the publication Bosch Automotive Handbook, 25th edition 2003, pages 133 ff. Such probes may additionally be temperature sensors suitable for exhaust gas, gas-selective exhaust gas probes, which measure ammonia or nitrogen oxide contents for example, hydrocarbon sensors and particle mass or particle count sensors, for example soot sensors.
These probes have to be calibrated, i.e. design-related tolerances have to be compensated. This may be achieved by trimming the sensor element, for example by adjusting heating resistance, i.e. a desired function value, to a target value.
Once such probes have been adjusted accordingly, they are connected by means of a plug to an engine control unit, which reads out and processes the data detected by the probe.
Exhaust gas probes additionally exist in which changes to functions, for example characteristic drift, heating resistance drift or the like, over the probe's life have to be accepted, since there is no possibility of compensation. Finally, broadband probes are known (see abovementioned Handbook, pages 133, 134), in which pre-evaluation of the probe signal takes place in an adapter element.
It is also known to provide adjusting elements actually in the probe plug, for example a trimming resistor which is adjusted by means of a laser beam and which is connected in such a way that it forms part of a current divider in an evaluation circuit in the control unit. It is moreover also possible to carry out laser adjustment in the sensor element itself if the diffusion barrier is exposed or to grind off the diffusion barrier appropriately at its outer edges and the like.
None of the above-described measures straightforwardly enables optimum adaptation of the sensor properties or indeed of the ageing-related change to the sensor properties. All that is possible is to detect manufacturing-related tolerances on production of the sensor elements, for example heater cold resistance and function values. In some cases, adjustment is only possible using complex laser apparatuses and trimming processes. Adaptation of the sensor properties during operation of the sensor elements is not possible, however.
In particular, it is not possible to take account of any ageing or poisoning effects, which may for example arise with lambda probes. The same is true of ageing-related changes to the probe properties.


The present invention relates to a method for acoustic emission analysis of a granular composition comprising a biologically active compound, said method comprising colliding the granular composition with at least one surface transmitting low frequency vibrations, recording low frequency vibration data in range of 10 Hz to less than 50 kHz, arising from the collision, with at least one vibration detector and subjecting the recorded low frequency vibration data to computerized data processing.

Acoustic emission methods are, inter alia, known from Whitaker et al. Application of acoustic emission to the monitoring and end point determination of a high shear granulation process, Int. J. Pharm., 205, pp 79-91, 2000. Methods of using acoustic emission analysis e.g. on sand powders are known from Esbensen K. et al, Acoustic chemometrics—from noise to information, Chemometrics and intelligent laboratory systems, 44 (1998) 61-76. Methods of using high frequency acoustic emission analysis in fluid beds are known from Tsujimoto H. et al, Monitoring particle fluidization in a fluidized bed granulator with an acoustic emission sensor, Powder technology, 113 (2000) 88-96.

Method of analyzing granular composition by acoustic emission


Disclosed is a method of using synthetic analogs of natriuretic peptides and more particularly to synthetic linear peptide analogs as pro-lipolytic, as anti-obesity agents, and as intermediates for or modulators of such useful compounds. Inhibitors to nprC are disclosed to treat or prevent adipose accumulation in mammals.

Obesity, or an excess of body fat relative to lean body mass, is a serious health problem in the United States and abroad. A person is clinically obese if he or she has excess adipose tissue. More particularly, for purposes of the present invention, a person is obese if the person's body mass index equals or exceeds 27 kg/m2 and the person has excess adipose tissue.
Statistics suggest that more than 25% of the United States population and 27% of the Canadian population are overweight. Complications of obesity include, among others, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipoproteinemia, cardiac diseases (atherosclerotic disease, congestive heart failure, etc.), pulmonary diseases (e.g., sleep apnea, restrictive lung disease), cerebrovascular injury, cancers (including breast, uterine, colon, and prostate), gall bladder disease (stones, infection), toxemia during pregnancy, risks during surgery (e.g., pneumonia, wound infection, thrombo-phlebitis), gout, decreased fertility, degenerative arthritis, and early mortality. Psychological complications of obesity include poor self-image and poor body-image. Social complications of obesity include discrimination in jobs, education and marriage. Despite the known associated risks, a significant portion of the population is unable to lose weight or maintain weight loss. Obesity is now considered the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States, second only to smoking, with an estimated 300,000 deaths annually. Accordingly, reduction of the prevalence of obesity in the adult population to less than 20% is included by the US Department of Health and Human Services among the national health objectives.
The human tragedy notwithstanding, the monetary costs of obesity are staggering. The total cost attributable to obesity in 1995 has been estimated to be in excess of $99 billion, with approximately $51.64 billion paid in direct medical costs. Overall, the direct costs associated with obesity represent 5.7% of the annual United States national health expenditure. Thus, it is clear that the magnitude of this problem produces a significant demand for safe and effective treatments for obesity. Obesity has a number of known and suspected etiologies. See A. Sclafani, "Animal Models of Obesity: Classification and Characterization," Int. J. Obesity 8, 491-508 (1984); G. A. Bray, "Classification and Evaluation of the Obesities," Med. Clin. N. Am. 73, 161-184 (1989). While it is generally known that overeating and inactivity are factors that lead to obesity, there is substantial evidence of genetic contribution to obesity. Although the molecular characterization of genetic pathways associated with obesity is incomplete, several recent advances into the elucidation of these pathways have been made. Research indicates that there are several genes that act independently or in combination to modulate metabolic pathways associated with excess adipose tissue accumulation. The presence of these various pathways suggests a complex system of obesity regulation, a system that has not yet been fully defined.
Some mouse models for obesity include obese (ob/ob), agouti (Ay/a), tubby (tub), fat (fa/fa) and diabetes (db/db). These models have proven to be effective in the molecular characterization of these genetic loci because of their ability to simplify the heritability of complex traits.
One gene responsible for the autosomal recessive mouse obesity mutation tub has been identified by positional cloning and shown to be associated with maturity-onset obesity (U.S. Pat. No. 5,776,762). Identification of the tub gene and the protein it encodes may lead to the development of agents that will function to modulate either the protein or gene expression. However, a disadvantage of this system is the ubiquitous nature of the gene, in that the gene is expressed in high levels in the brain, eye and testis, and at lower levels in various adult and fetal tissues, including small and large intestine, ovary and adipose tissue. Although the gene may be used as a probe for identification of other tubby polypeptides, development of agents to modulate the expression of these polypeptides would not be specific to a particular tissue.
Similarly, the ob gene has recently been cloned. The ob gene encodes a protein known as leptin, which has been implicated in an energy feedback loop responsible for controlling vertebrate energy balance. Serum levels of leptin are increased proportionately to excess adipose accumulation as a result of increased expression in hypertrophic fat cells in obese patients. In vitro studies have indicated that insulin and glucocorticoids upregulate leptin mRNA expression in a synergistic manner. The subsequent expression of the protein product thereby functions to stimulate metabolic activity. The promoter of the ob gene has been cloned and is a candidate for pharmacological control (U.S. Pat. No. 6,124,448).
In addition to cloning the promoter of the ob gene, attempts at obesity regulation have also been made through modulation of the ob gene. The ob/ob mouse is a model of obesity and diabetes that carries an autosomal recessive trait linked to a mutation in the sixth chromosome (Yiying Zhang et al. Nature 372: 425-32 (1994). Pharmacological agents have therefore been developed to mimic the action of the ob gene encoded protein and assist in regulation of appetite and metabolism. However, the majority of obese humans actually have normal or somewhat elevated levels of leptin as compared to lean humans leading some to hypothesize that human obesity may be more related to leptin resistance rather than leptin deficiency. Recent clinical trials have shown that leptin may be useful for a certain subset of patients, but not for the treatment of obesity generally (Gura, T., Science 1999, 286 (5441): 881-2).
Using molecular and classical genetic markers, the ob and db genes have been mapped to proximal chromosome 6 and midchromosome 4, respectively (Bahary et al., Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA, 87:8642-8646 (1990); Friedman et al., Genomics, 11:1054-1062 (1991)). In both cases, the mutations map to regions of the mouse genome that are syntenic with human, which suggested that if there were human homologs of ob and db, they would likely map, respectively, to human chromosomes 7q and 1p. In fact, the human homologs have been positionally cloned—OB (the human homolog for ob) has been cloned to human chromosome 7q31.3 (Isse, et al. J Biol Chem 1995 Nov. 17; 270 (46): 27728-33). LEPR (the human homolog for db) has been mapped to human chromosome 1p31 (Thompson, et al. Genomics 1997; 39(2):227-30). Defects in the leptin receptor gene results in obesity in other mammalian species: the fa gene in the rat encodes the leptin receptor.
Further, a method for detecting differential expression of specific gene loci has been suggested as a method for identifying a compound that modulates gene expression, but specific proteins and pathways have not yet been identified.
Traditionally, pharmacological approaches to weight loss or prevention of weight gain have relied either on reduction of food intake or on reduction of nutrient absorption. Drugs of the first group, which include Redux (American Home Products) and Meridia (Knoll Pharmaceuticals), affect neurotransmitter activity in the brain, resulting in appetite suppression and decreased food intake. While effective in producing a moderate weight loss in some proportion of patients these medications are associated with a number of adverse side effects.
Drugs of the second group, including Xenical (Hoffmann-La Roche), reduce total absorption of fat from the gastrointestinal tract. However, inhibition of fat absorption by this drug can lead to avitaminosis since successful uptake of fat soluble vitamins from the intestines is impaired in the absence of fat. Additionally, these drugs produce unpleasant side-effects, such as steatorrhea, which reduce patient compliance. Other health problems have been shown to stem directly or indirectly from use of the drug as well such as an increased incidence of breast cancer.
Consequently, focus has since shifted away from these group one and two pharmaceuticals and instead towards targeting suppression of gene expression or protein inhibition. Some pharmaceutical examples are leptin (Amgen), leptin receptor (Progenitor) and tubby (Millennium Pharmaceuticals). However, expression of these genes is not limited to adipose tissue and many specifically act on the brain to stimulate or decrease adipose accumulation. Therefore, it is possible that development of drugs to specifically target the central nervous system (CNS) to interfere with the CNS-active pathways in obese patients may produce similar side effects to those appetite suppressors that are currently available. Thus, it is extremely beneficial to target adipose specific genes or the proteins encoded by such genes. Moreover, treating obese or overweight subjects with compounds that target genes or the proteins they encode that regulate the ability of the adipocyte to store fat will result in a decrease in adipose mass and a positive impact on the subject's health. The natriuretic peptide clearance receptor represents one such gene/protein.
The natriuretic peptide (NP) system is an important component in the regulation of sodium and water balance, blood volume and blood pressure. This system works through several mechanisms, for example decreasing renin release and consequently aldosterone release by the adrenal cortex, thereby decreasing sodium and fluid retention in the kidneys. The NP system has also been shown to inhibit vasopressin, again causing a decrease in fluid retention in the kidney. These actions contribute to reductions in blood volume, and therefore central venous pressure, cardiac output, and arterial blood pressure. A third mechanism appears to be arterial vasodilation in response to hypervolemia.
The family of natriuretic peptides includes atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP). The primary signaling molecules for these peptides are natriuretic peptide receptor A (nprA, npr1) which binds ANP and BNP, and natriuretic peptide receptor B (nprB, npr2) which binds CNP. The A and B receptors share approximately 62% identity at the amino acid level and have been classified as guanylyl cyclase receptors. That is, their intracellular domains possess a kinase-like domain and a guanylyl cyclase catalytic domain. Upon ligand binding to the extracellular ligand binding domain, the guanylyl cyclase catalytic domain is activated causing and increase in intracellular cyclic GMP (cGMP) which potentiates the physiological activity of the receptors. The A receptor has been implicated in vasodilation, increased diuresis and natriuresis, and decreased renin and aldosterone. The B receptor has been implicated in vasodilation and increased long bone growth. (for review see Levin, et al., New England Journal of Medicine 339(5): 321-328 (1998) and Potter, et al., J. Biol. Chem. 276(9): 6057-6060 (2001)).
There is a third receptor, natriuretic peptide receptor C, (nprC, npr3) which shares only approximately 32% identity with nprA and nprB over the length of the protein. The C receptor retains a similar extracellular ligand binding domain and trans-membrane domain, but has only a short intracellular domain (37 amino acid residues) which lacks both the kinase-like domain and guanylyl cyclase activation domain. ANP, BNP, and CNP all bind this receptor with approximately equal affinity. The receptor is called the natriuretic peptide clearance receptor in that it has been shown to participate in the local clearance of the natriuretic peptides. The receptor binds the ligand and is internalized. The ligand is degraded and the receptor is retroendocytozed back to the cell surface (Nussenzveig, et al., J. Biol. Chem. 265(34) 20952-20958 (1990). The C receptor accounts for approximately 50% of natriuretic peptide clearance, the other half being carried out by cell surface neutral endopeptidases. However, while nprA and nprB are often called biologically active receptors to the exclusion of nprC, it has been suggested that nprC has other biological activity other than simply natriuretic peptide clearance. Several groups have shown that the c-terminal domain of nprC can interact with inhibitory G-proteins (Gi) that act to downregulate adenylyl cyclase and thus reduce the level of intracellular cyclic A MP (cAMP) (Palaparti, et al., Biochem. J., 346:313-320 (2000) and Pagano, et al., J. Biol. Chem. 276(25):22064-22070 (2001)). Recently, it has been postulated that the vasodilatory effects of endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF) may be attributed to such nprC mediated adenylyl cyclase inhibition (Chauhan, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 100(3):1426-1431 (2003).
ANP and BNP have been linked to lipolysis in a cGMP dependent manner which does not depend on cAMP production or phosphodiesterase inhibition (Sengenes, et al., FASEB J., 14(10):1345-51 (2000)). Thus, ANP and BNP, but not nprC, have been implicated in the biology of the adipocyte. In this case, for example, the authors have attributed the lipolytic effects as being linked to cGMP production in which nprC does not participate.
Specific npr3 knockout mice were made to determine the effect of an absence of nprC on water balance, salt balance, and blood pressure (Matsukawa, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 96:7403-7408 (1999)). The animals have a moderately but statistically significantly lowered blood pressure and with age show an increase in daily water uptake with a significant increase in urinary output. The knockout mice also have a defect in the ability to concentrate their urine. The observed alterations in renal function were interpreted as being the result of a failure of local clearance of natriuretic peptides in the glomerular and post-glomerular structures resulting in an increase in filtered volume and a decrease in water reabsorption. The decrease in blood pressure was attributed to simple hypovolemia. These animals exhibit skeletal abnormalities including an overgrowth of the long bones as well as other defects. The authors note that the animals exhibit "elongated femurs, tibias, metatarsal, and digital bones, longer vertebral bodies, increased body length, and decreased weight [emphasis added]." However, the authors did not account for the decrease in weight nor did they make any examination of the adipose tissue.
Several spontaneously occurring mutants in the npr3 have been identified, the first of which was called longjohn (lgj) due to the skeletal defects described above. A French group studied them to examine and compare the skeletal defects among the three strains (Jaubert, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 96:10278-10283 (1999). The authors note offhandedly that " . . . older mutant mice are exceptionally thin and at necropsy normal body fat deposits are absent." Again, the authors did not make any more mention of the animals' weight or adipose tissue.

Method of reducing adipocyte growth in a subject in need thereof by administration of natriuretic peptide receptor C inhibitors


A circuit arrangement for converting logic signal levels has a level converter and a mixing arrangement for influencing a pulse width. The level converter includes a first signal path and a second signal path each having a series circuit comprising two transistors of different conductivity types and two outputs which are each connected to a tap between the transistors which are coupled in series. In this case, the transistors of one conductivity type can be controlled by means of a push-pull signal and the transistors of the other conductivity type in a respective one of the two signal paths can be controlled by means of a signal at the output of the respective other signal path. The mixing arrangement includes two inputs and two outputs, the first input being coupled to the first output and the second input being coupled to the second output. In addition, the first input is coupled to the second output via at least one inverter and the second input is coupled to the first output via at least one further inverter.

Level converters are frequently used in an electronic circuit to convert the level of logic signals from a region of the circuit which is supplied by a first supply voltage and to forward them to a circuit region which is supplied by another supply voltage. One use of such circuits is in dynamic semiconductor memories (Dynamic Random Access Memories (DRAMs)). In this case, the circuit regions inside the semiconductor memory are operated, for example, with a supply voltage of 1.5 V, while the circuit regions which are arranged on the output side are operated with a supply voltage of 2.1 V.
A fundamental demand imposed on such a level converter is that a logic signal is not delayed as far as possible and a high operating frequency can be complied with. In addition, signal characteristics, in particular the duty ratio of the logic signal to be converted, such as the ratio between the high and low phases of the signal, should not be changed as far as possible.
FIG. 11 shows a conventional level converter. The level converter, which is designed using CMOS technology that is nowadays customary, has two signal paths which are connected between a supply potential connection VDDQ and a reference potential connection VSS. The signal paths each comprise an n-channel field effect transistor N1, N2, whose control connections simultaneously constitute the signal input 101 and 102 of the level converter, and a p-channel field effect transistor P1 and P2 whose control inputs are each cross-coupled to the other signal path. The signal inputs 101 and 102 are used to supply a push-pull signal having a first voltage swing to the level converter, said push-pull signal being composed of a first signal component I1 and a second signal component I2, and the second signal component I2 having a signal level that is complementary to the first signal component I1. The signal paths are thus driven in a complementary manner to one another. Logic signals having a second voltage swing can be tapped off at the outputs 111 and 112 of the level converter.
On account of the customary dimensions of the n-channel and p-channel field effect transistors, the logic levels of the output signals Z1 and Z2 of the level converter are no longer completely complementary to one another. This is illustrated, for example, in FIG. 12 using a signal/time diagram of the input and output signals of the level converter. The pulsed signals I1 and I2, for instance corresponding to a clock signal in this case, are applied to the inputs 101 and 102 of the level converter. The voltage swing corresponds to the first voltage range in the form of a difference between a first supply voltage VDD and a first reference voltage VSS. The output signals Z1 and Z2 have a second voltage swing which, in accordance with the second voltage range, results as the difference between a second supply voltage VDDQ and a second reference voltage VSSQ.
If the input signal I1 has a rising edge, the level of the output signal Z1 begins to fall after the high level has been reached by the input signal I1, that is to say with a certain delay by the transistor N1. Upon switching in the opposite direction, the p-channel field effect transistor P1 is first of all influenced by the cross-coupling to the other signal path and the output voltage Z1 begins to rise to the high level only after the transistor P1 has been completely switched. This corresponds approximately to a delay by two transistors. A similar situation applies to the derivation of the output signal Z2. In the case of the two output signals Z1 and Z2, the duration of the low level is now clearly longer than the duration of the high level, which corresponds to a change in the duty ratio (duty cycle).
This distortion of the duty ratio may result in the functionality of an integrated circuit being adversely affected, in particular at high switching frequencies. In addition, such a temporal discrepancy can be caused by a prescribed clock signal, so-called jitter.

Circuit arrangement and method for converting logic signal levels and use of the circuit arrangement


A gate-valve and/or hot-tap drilling system uses a secondary pack-off or sealing element which can be engaged when the primary sealing element develops a leak. Generally, the secondary sealing element is configured to have an engaged position in which a fluid tight seal is formed such that the secondary sealing element engages the bore wall in a pressure-containing housing and drill rod extending through the bore defined by the bore wall. The fluid tight seal prevents fluid flow in the annulus, if the primary seal develops a leak. When the primary seal is working normally—no fluid leak—the secondary sealing element is in a disengaged position where a fluid tight seal is not formed with the bore wall and drill rod.

In the oil and gas industry—as well as other industries—there is a need to make new connections to pressurized conduits without having to depressurize the conduit. Further, there is a need to drill through the closing elements of valves seized up in the closed or partially closed position, to thus gain access to the fluid volume in the conduit. Gate-valve and/or hot-tap drilling is a procedure that makes a new connection to the fluid volume in the conduit while the conduit remains in service.
For example, in natural gas transmission and distribution, new connections to pipelines are needed to expand or modify the existing systems, and sometimes seized-up gate valves must be drilled out to reestablish flow. Without gate-valve and/or hot-tap drilling, such new connections necessitate shutting down a portion of the system and purging the gas to ensure a safe connection. This procedure results in methane emissions, loss of product and sales, and inconvenience and costs associated with evacuating existing piping systems. With gate-valve or hot-tap drilling, the connection can be made while the pipeline remains in service. The hot-tap drilling procedure involves attaching a branch connection and valve on the outside of the operating pipeline, and then cutting out the pipeline wall within the branch and removing the wall section through the valve. Similarly, gate-valve drilling procedure provides access to the fluid volume in the pipeline through a closed valve where the closing element has seized in the closed position. After drilling through the valve closing element, any pressure can be bled off or fluid can be bumped in, as desired, in order to remedy the situation. Thus, gate-valve and hot-tap drilling avoids product loss, methane emissions and disruption of service to customers.
Dealing with high-pressure conditions, which can be up to 15,000 psi or more, can be problematic with current machines. Traditional hot-tap drilling machines mount their motors externally and extend their drive shafts through a sealing element in a pressure containing housing. In the event that the sealing element develops leaks, hazards occur due to leakages of high-pressure fluids which contain high energy, and can be flammable and thus have the potential of causing personnel damage, equipment damage and polluting the environment.
Accordingly, there is a need for a safe configuration that prevents hazardous leaks in high-pressure hot tapping procedures but allows efficient operation of the drilling system.

Pressure control for gate-valve and hot-tap drilling systems


An embodiment provides search results from a speech initiated search query. The system receives voiced utterances from a user, converts the voiced utterances through use of a speech recognition application, system or method into data strings, identifies from the data strings a search engine identifier representing a search engine chosen by the user to perform a search, identifies from the data strings a query term to be searched for, modifies the query term to be searched for by replacing any spaces in the query term to be searched for with a query term separator compatible with the search engine represented by the search engine identifier thereby creating a modified query term to be searched for, constructs a uniform resource locator that includes the modified query term to be searched for such that the constructed uniform resource locator represents a valid request to the search engine represented by the search engine identifier, opens the constructed uniform resource locator which causes the chosen search engine to make a search for the modified query term, and provides the results of the search system to the user.

As networks and the internet have become pervasive and used by businesses and individuals around the world, more data is stored in storage mediums attached to networks and the internet. Data is defined as any information whether it be text, images, video, audio or other representational or nonrepresentational information. Search engines and directories were created by many individuals and companies with the explicit purpose of fielding queries from users, making searches of stored data, then, returning the results of the query to the user. Currently, search engines and directories such as Cha Cha, Google, Yahoo, Wikipedia, About, AltaVista, Ask, MSN Search, AOL Search, Open Directory (DMOZ), Looksmart, Lycos and other search engines provide their search service via servers connected to networks and the internet. Users generally connect to search engines via client devices connected to networks or the internet.
The primary mechanism of making a search of a search engine is to navigate to a web page of the search engine where a form is presented. The user manually types characters, words, or phrases known as a query term into this form and clicks a button on the form or the "Enter" key on the keyboard to transmit the query term to the search engine for processing. No search engine currently offers an implemented solution allowing users to make queries by speaking the query term into a voice or speech recognition system, converting the spoken words to data and then processing the data to perform a search engine query.
Speech recognition technology has developed over the past 25 years to the point that speech recognition systems are available from multiple sources for use in automated speech recognition telephone directories, as word processing systems, as dictation systems and in embedded systems. They function at variable levels of effectiveness due to limitations of the software understanding the complexities and variabilities of human speech. Attempts to utilize speech recognition in making search engine queries have been very limited. One example is the use of speech recognition in cell phones where a limited set of keywords are programmed into the system, to be recognized when a user speaks into a cell phone. The keywords act as an index of a cell phone's directory, but the system does not allow query term searches of search engines to be made by speaking conversational words into a cell phone. In addition, off the shelf speech recognition software does not allow for direct speech recognition instigated query term searches of search engines on the internet.
In addition to the foregoing systems the "Voice Interface for a Search Engine", U.S. Pat. No. 7,027,987 discloses a system that receives a voice search query from a user, derives one or more recognition hypotheses, each being associated with a weight, from the voice search query, and constructs a weighted boolean query using the recognition hypotheses. The system then provides the weighted boolean query to a search system and provides the results of the search system to a user, the uniqueness of the system being it's recognition hypotheses, weighting methods and construction of weighed boolean query. The patent clearly describes a specific method of speech recognition, and is not functional with other speech recognition methods.
In another example shown by "Language Independent Search System", U.S. Pat. No. 6,999,932 the patent discloses a language independent, voice based user interface method that includes receiving voice input data spoken by a user, identifying a language spoken by the user from the voice input data, converting the voice input data into a first text in the identified language by recognizing the user's speech in the voice input data based at least in part on the language identifier, parsing the first text to extract a keyword, and using the keyword as a command to an application. Further actions include receiving results of the command, converting the results into a second text in a natural language format according to the identified language, and rendering the second text for perception by the user. This patent clearly describes a method requiring identifying a users spoken language, and then requiring parsing of speech input data for keywords, the keywords then being used as commands for an application.
In another example shown by "Voice Activated Web Browser", U.S. Pat. No. 6,618,726 discloses a method where words are analyzed and searched against a database of topics or micro-domain areas looking for keywords. If a match occurs the words are analyzed by a subprogram associated with the specific topic area and key words are identified and other words discarded. The key words are input to a search engine or the equivalent. If no keywords are found this method parses words, inputing recognized words into an identification module where particular word groups are recognized. The keywords are identified and other words are dropped. The string of search words is then delivered to a search engine or other search facility. This patent clearly describes a method requiring making a search by analyzing and searching words against a database of topics or micro-domain areas looking for keywords and use of a subprogram to prepare keywords for input into search engine or equivalent making it difficult for non-keywords to be searched.
In another example shown by "Methods and Systems for Enabling Speech-based Internet Searches", U.S. Pat. No. 6,934,675 discloses a system that envisions the generation of a merged word or phoneme grammar based on statistical measures, such as cohort probabilities and N-gram probabilities. Phonemes associated with spoken words contained in speech-based Internet searches are compared against either grammar to identify documents, web sites, or web pages (collectively "web sites") which contain words which match, or are correlated to, the spoken words. The patent clearly describes a specific speech recognition method requiring generating a merged word or phoneme grammar based on statistical measures.
In another example shown by "Speech recognition method for activating a hyperlink of an internet page", U.S. Pat. No. 6,604,076 clearly requires determining hypertexts of the hyperlinks in text information, determining corresponding first phoneme sequences of hypertexts, receiving a spoken command from a user, determining a second phoneme sequence corresponding to the spoken command, determining the hyperlink selected by the user using the first and second phoneme sequences, activating the selected hyperlink.
In another example patent application 20030115289 "Navigation in a voice recognition system" shows a method of navigating a data structure comprising a plurality of nodes, each node associated with content from a content source and at least a keyword defining the content. This embodiment requires keywords and nodes in order to operate.
In another example patent application 20060143007 "User interaction with voice information services" shows a method for speech recognition that improves recognition accuracy and the overall user experience by involving the user in a collaborative process for disambiguating possible recognition results. This is a server side speech recognition system requiring initial grammars, constrained grammars, initial entity spaces, constrained entity spaces, iterative recognition sets, iterative presentation sets and speech engine configuration and control modules.
Therefore, what is needed is a speech interface for creating a query term which is then searched for in a user chosen search engine, that can function with a variety of speech recognition systems or methods, that can perform query term searches in a variety of different search engines.