A method, security system control module and policy server for providing security for Mobile Stations (MSs) in a Packet-Switched Telecommunications System. When an MS accesses the system, its identity is sent to a security system control module that retrieves a security profile associated with the MS. A policy server of the security system control module stores individual security profiles, default security profiles and group security profiles for registered subscribers. Security settings associated with the MS security profile are returned from the policy server to a mobile security manager of the control module, which then determines if they should be propagated in the system. When no previous network access was made in a given time period by an MS having similar security settings, i.e. belongs to the same group security profile, the settings are propagated in the system in order to be enforced, for providing security protection for the MS.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of communications security in data packet telecommunications networks.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the last two decades, cellular systems emerged as the new preferred way of communications among human beings. Such systems include Base Stations (BSs) that provide radio coverage for subscriber's Mobile Stations (MSs) within the boundaries of so-called radio cells, so that MSs can communicate among each other and with subscribers of Public Switched Telephone Networks (PSTNs), or further access various networks such as the Internet and/or intranets. Such communications are rendered possible using one or more packet switched nodes of the cellular system, which may in turn also be connected with a switching node of the PSTN and/or with a gateway to the Internet.
Cellular system evolved from their first generation (1G) when radio coverage was based on analog-type transmissions, to the second generation (2G) of cellular systems where the radio signals were transformed into a digital format before being relayed to the other participant to the call. This helped to improve both the quality of the transmitted voice signal and the radio spectrum efficiency of the cellular networks.
Nowadays, cellular systems have further evolved to the so-called 3rd Generation (3G) systems, where communications are performed in digital format from end-to-end of the communication path, in the form of data packets, over en entirely packet-switched telecommunications network. In 3G systems, data packet addressing is based on IP (Internet-Protocol) addresses. Typically, each data packet contains both the IP address of the packet sender and the IP address of the intended packet recipient, so that the packet can be properly routed along the data packet network and the Internet to its intended destination.
Data packets communications are more deficient in terms of security than the 1G and 2G communications. In 1G and 2G cellular systems, the communication paths were based on circuit-switched signaling and were dedicated, i.e. the communications channels were exclusively used by the participants to the particular voice or data communication. This is no longer the case in 3G systems, where the communications data packets are IP-based and thus inherit the IP traffic characteristics. For example, in 3G systems, IP data packets may take various paths from the sender to the receiver. Some communications may also involve the Internet and intermediate IP networks, which therefore adds all the known security risks associated with the Internet and the IP networks to the cellular telecommunications. This situation makes the 3G communications prone to security attacks of various types, such as for example but not limited to denial of service attacks, spam attacks, virus' worms, Trojan-type viruses, spyware, session hijacking and man-in-the-middle attacks.
Other security drawbacks are further associated with the present 3G cellular systems. For example, 3G subscribers make use of email and MMS (Multimedia Messaging System) communications, which may carry viruses alike the ones known in PC-based Internet email communications. Such viruses may infect the subscriber MSs, create hardware and/or software problems in the terminal by preventing normal operation and even generate traffic interruption, thus preventing the subscriber from using his MS, and reduce the telecom operator's revenues and reputation. Another weakness of existing 3G systems is that 3G subscribers are prone to receiving email or MMS spam, which create undue data traffic in the network.
To summarize, the impacts of such attacks on a given MS may lead to:                Downtime of mobile user;        Prevent the MS from normal use;        Tarnish telecom operators reputation;        Prevent user from making calls on 3G handsets, including 911 calls;        Loss of service, i.e. loss of revenue for the operators;        Deter users from using service as Internet access, resulting in a decrease of revenues for the operators;        Snooping of ongoing communications; and        Impersonation of users resulting from session hijacking.
Conclusively, the telecom operators' current security solutions leave them open to a plethora of attacks all of which have different effects on both the mobile user and the network itself and fail to offer a security solution flexible enough to meet each of the mobile subscribers requirements.
Determinedly, today's Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) provide no adequate security for MS users. At best, a minimal protection is offered using Access Control Lists (ACL), which is applicable to Layers 3-4 only or State-full Packet Inspection, but does not inspect the content of the packets of prevent session hijacking, man-in-the-middle attacks, virus', spam, port scanning, and the like.
Today's MSs have no integrated security features such as firewall, anti-virus detection and spam filters or spyware detection mechanisms. Because 3G handsets are typically limited in terms of internal memory and processing capacity, at most a small and basic firewall protection can be implemented therein, though it can be cumbersome to configure, manage and update with the latest security features.
On the network side, telecom operators have at best installed a minimal security solution for insuring a perimeter defense security fence, such as a firewall on the network towards the Internet/Application Service Provider and on the borders of the site of their backbone network. However, this solution is not specifically tailored for meeting individual security needs of the different mobile users.
There are no current security solutions that offer a complete security suite for managing security for MSs and none that offer a tailorable security solution based on the MSs' requirements and/or subscription type.
Some limited security solutions are offered by some companies, which provide, for example, firewall solutions for some terminals. One such company is Bluefire Security Inc., which product called Mobile Firewall Plus™ offers a terminal-based firewall solution. However, this solution is only compatible with a few handset models, and therefore cannot offer a comprehensive security solution for an entire 3G cellular system. Furthermore, this limited solution is not customizable based on subscription type, profile of the MS subscriber and cannot be managed on a subscriber basis, nor can it be remotely managed by the MN and/or mobile network operator.
F-secure Inc. is a company that provides anti virus software for some mobile terminals as well as a network-based solution. Called F Secure Mobile Filter, this network-based solution is a content security filter for operator's value added services layer. It offers operator and service providers means for filtering content in order to block harmful software in the network before entering the mobile phones. Being a gateway solution, F-Secure Mobile Filter allows transparent protection for every device in the network with no software installed or needed in the mobile device protected.
None of these solutions respond to all of today's security needs of 3G subscribers. While today's subscribers do need security for their handsets, their level of required security may be different. In reality, mobile users have different security needs, which can depend for example of the user's age, social class, pre-paid vs post-paid account type, service categories, gender, personal interests and business/corporate needs. For example, it is easily contemplated that a male young-man of 25 years old may have a different security need on his handset than an 11 years old child, or that of a corporate user.
Mobile operators need to protect their revenue, which implies ensuring that subscribers' MSs are adequately protected. On the other hand, while insuring proper protection of subscribers' terminals, mobile operators also have to take into account subscribers preferences and particularities. However, at the present stage, mobile operators cannot provide granular security that takes into account mobile users preferences in order to provide a tailored level of security that meets the needs of the both the operators and subscribers.
Accordingly, it should be readily appreciated that in order to overcome the deficiencies and shortcomings of the existing solutions, it would be advantageous to have a method and system for effectively insuring granular security for mobile users of existing 3G cellular networks that can be tailored to suit MS users on a group or individual basis based on the subscribers needs. The present invention provides such a solution.

Method, security system control module and policy server for providing security in a packet-switched telecommunications system


A fluid treatment apparatus (A) has an outer casing (12) with a central longitudinal bore (10) with a first and second ends (20,22) to ionize the fluid to be treated. First and second adapter sections (24, 26) have central bores (28, 30) for joining the outer casing (12) with pipes. A plurality of elongated magnets (32) have their longitudinal axis (34) parallel to the longitudinal sides (14) of the casing (12). At least one first support (36) extends between the longitudinal sides (14) of the casing (12) in the longitudinal bore (10) and is supported in proximity to the central bore's first end (20). At least one second support (38) extends between the longitudinal sides (14) in the longitudinal bore (10) and is supported in proximity to the central bore's second end (22). At least two magnets (32) are held between the first and second supports (36, 38) to form a row section (40) of magnets.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to the field of conditioning liquids and more particularly to devices having the property of treating liquids with a magnetic field.
2. Background Art
When water is used in boilers, cooling towers or other heating or cooling systems, as the temperature of the water or other liquid is raised or lowered, a hard scale frequently forms on the walls of the tubes and boiler. This scale is difficult to remove and decreases both the efficiency of the heat transfer to the water and the life of the equipment. The system must be shut down and periodically treated with harsh acids in other to remove the built-up scale, which method is very corrosive to the system itself.
It has been discovered that if the water or liquid is passed through a magnetic field prior to its entry into the heating system that the water becomes ionized such that the scale is not formed on the boiler or tubes carrying the water.
Typical of prior magnetic fluid treatment apparatus is U.S. Pat. No. 4,532,040 that discloses a device having a casing for placement in the path or circuit for the liquid and includes inner and outer coaxial rings of magnets. Other hydro-magnetic devices are taught by U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,825,464; 3,680,705; 4,167,480; 4,216,092; 4,299,700; and, 4,299,701; and Soviet Union 649-441.
While the above cited references introduce and disclose a number of noteworthy advances and technological improvements within the art, none completely fulfills the specific objectives achieved by this invention.


In order to make business software operate remotely as a web service, the web service may have to be extendible. This extendibility may require several additions to the base software that is now operating as a web service program.

A web service contract is a long term agreement that allows consumers to interact with a web service. These contracts are intended to be backwards compatible, allowing the service and the consumers to evolve on different schedules. Today's service designers typically add new elements to their schema by changing the source code, adding the required business logic and rebuilding the service. This approach works for simple services.


This holder set is provided with: an optical bioinstrumentation holder which has at least two probe mounting units into which are inserted light-transmitting probes which irradiate light from the tip, or light-receiving probes which receive light from the tip, and which is mounted on the subject's head; and a electroencephalograph holder which has at least one electrode mounting unit into which an EEG electrode is inserted which detects the potential difference with a reference electrode. This optical bioinstrumentation holder is provided with a linear trunk unit extending in a first direction, and at least two linear branches extending in a second direction different from the first direction, and the electroencephalograph holder is provided with a linear trunk unit extending in a first direction, and at least one linear branch extending in the direction opposite to said second direction.

In recent years, optical brain-function imaging devices (light measuring devices) configured to perform measurements simply and noninvasively using light have been developed in order to observe brain activities. In such optical brain-function imaging devices, near-infrared light of three different wavelengths λ1, λ2 and λ3 (e.g. 780 nm, 805 nm and 830 nm) is irradiated by a light-transmitting probe arranged on a surface of a subject's head to the brain, and intensity (information on an amount of received light) A(λ1), A(λ2) and A(λ3) of the near-infrared light of the respective wavelengths λ1, λ2 and λ3 released from the brain are respectively detected by a light-receiving probe arranged on the surface of the head.
Then, from the information on the amount of light received A(λ1), A(λ2) and A(λ3) obtained in above manner, in order to obtain the product [oxyHb] of oxyhemoglobin concentration in cerebral blood flow and optical path length as well as the product [deoxyHb] of deoxyhemoglobin concentration and optical path length, simultaneous equations as shown in relational expressions (1), (2) and (3) are prepared using the Modified Beer Lambert Law, for example, and the simultaneous equations are solved (see Non-Patent Literature 1, for example). Furthermore, the total product ([oxyHb]+[deoxyHb]) of hemoglobin concentration and optical path length is calculated from the product [oxyHb] of the oxyhemoglobin concentration and the optical path length as well as the product [deoxyHb] of the deoxyhemoglobin concentration and the optical path length.A(λ1)=EO(λ1)×[oxyHb]+Ed(λ1)×[deoxyHb]  (1)A(λ2)=EO(λ2)×[oxyHb]+Ed(λ2)×[deoxyHb]  (2)A(λ3)=EO(λ3)×[oxyHb]+Ed(λ3)×[deoxyHb]  (3)
Furthermore, EO(λm) is a light absorbance coefficient of oxyhemoglobin for light of a wavelength λm, and Ed(λm) is a light absorbance coefficient of deoxyhemoglobin for light of the wavelength λm.
Here, a relationship between a portion to be measured and a distance (channel) between the light-transmitting probe and the light-receiving probe is described. FIG. 7(a) is a cross-sectional diagram showing the relationship between the portion to be measured and one pair of light-transmitting probe and light-receiving probe, and FIG. 7(b) is a plan diagram of FIG. 7(a).
A light-transmitting probe 12 is pressed against a light-transmitting point T on the surface of the subject's head, and a light-receiving probe 13 is pressed against a light-receiving point R on the surface of the subject's head. Then, light is irradiated from the light-transmitting probe 12, and light released from the surface of the head enters the light-receiving probe 13. Currently, of the light that has been irradiated from the light-transmitting point T on the surface of the head, the light that has passed through a banana-shaped area (area to be measured) reaches the light-receiving point R on the surface of the head. Accordingly, the information on the amount of light received A(λ1), A(λ2) and A(λ3) related to a portion to be measured S of the subject at a depth L/2, which is half of the distance along the line connecting the light-transmitting point T and the light receiving-point R along the surface of the subject's head from the middle point M of the line L connecting the light-transmitting point T and the light-receiving point R along the surface of the subject's head, is particularly obtained from among the area to be measured.
In addition, in the optical brain-function imaging devices, a near-infrared spectrometer, for example, is used in order to measure respectively the product [oxyHb] of the oxyhemoglobin concentration and optical path length, the product [deoxyHb] of the deoxyhemoglobin concentration and optical path length, and the product ([oxyHb]+[deoxyHb]) of the total hemoglobin concentration and optical path length related to a plurality of portions to be measured in the brain (see Patent Document 1, for example).
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing one example of a schematic structure of a conventional near-infrared spectrometer. Furthermore, for convenience of viewing, multiple light-transmitting optical fibers and multiple light-receiving optical fibers are omitted.
A near-infrared spectrometer 201 has a housing 11 in rectangular parallelepiped form.
Inside the housing 11, a light source 2 configured to emit light, a light source driving mechanism 4 configured to drive the light source 2, a light detector 3 configured to detect light, an A/D (A/D converter) 5, a light transmission and reception control unit 21, an analysis control unit 22, and a memory 23 are included. In addition, on the outside of the housing 11, sixty-four light-transmitting probes 12, sixty-four light-receiving probes 13, sixty-four light-transmitting optical fibers 14, sixty-four light-receiving optical fibers 15, a display device 26 having a monitor screen 26a or the like, and a keyboard (input device) 27 are included.
The light source driving mechanism 4 drives the light source 2 by a driving signal inputted from the light transmission and reception control unit 21. The light source 2 is, for example, semiconductor lasers LD1, LD2 and LD3 capable of emitting the near-infrared light with three different wavelengths λ1, λ2 and λ3.
The light detector 3 is a detector configured to detect the near-infrared light respectively and thus outputs light reception signals (information on the amount of light received) A(λ1), A(λ2) and A(λ3) to the light transmission and reception control unit 21 via the A/D 5, and is, for example, a photomultiplier or the like.
The light-transmitting optical fiber 14 and the light-receiving optical fiber 15 are in tubular form having a diameter of 2 mm and a length of 2 m˜10 m, and are capable of transmitting the near-infrared light along an axial direction so that the near-infrared light entering from one end passes through the inside and exits from another end and that the near-infrared light entering from the another end passes through the inside and exits from the one end.
One light-transmitting optical fiber 14 is connected to one light-transmitting probe 12 and one semiconductor laser LD1, LD2 and LD3 of the light source 2 at two ends so that the two are away from each other at a set length (2 m˜10 m).
One light-receiving optical fiber 15 is connected to one light-receiving probe 13 and one photomultiplier of the light detector 3 at two ends so that the two are away from each other at a set length (2 m˜10 m).
In such near-infrared spectrometer 201, in order to cause the sixty-four light-transmitting probes 12 and the sixty-four light-receiving probes 13 to contact the surface of the subject's head in a predetermined arrangement, a holder 30 is used. FIG. 9 is a plan diagram showing one example of the holder 30 into which sixty-four light-transmitting probes and sixty-four light-receiving probes are inserted.
The light-transmitting probes 12T1˜12T64 and the light-receiving probes 13R1˜13R64 are alternately arranged with sixteen in the vertical direction and sixteen in the horizontal direction. Accordingly, probe intervals between the light-transmitting probes 12 and the light-receiving probes 13 become constant, and the information on the amount of light received A(λ1), A(λ2) and A(λ3) at a specific depth from the surface of the head is obtained. Furthermore, a channel of 30 mm is generally used, and in the case where the channel is 30 mm, it is considered that the information on the amount of light received A(λ1), A(λ2) and A(λ3) at depths of 15 mm˜20 mm from the middle point of the channel may be obtained. That is, a position at depths of 15 mm˜20 mm from the surface of the head approximately corresponds to portions on the surface of the brain, and thus, the information on the amount of light received A(λ1), A(λ2) and A(λ3) concerning the brain's activities is obtained.
By the way, in such positional relationship between the sixty-four light-transmitting probes 12T1˜12T64 and the sixty-four light-receiving probes 13R1˜13R64) is necessary to adjust the timing of irradiating light from the light-transmitting probes 12 and the timing of receiving light by the light-receiving probes 13, so that one light-receiving probe 13 only receives the light irradiated from one light-receiving probe 13, but does not receive the light irradiated from a plurality of light-transmitting probes 12. For this reason, in the memory 23, a control table showing the timing of emitting light by the light source 2 and the timing of detecting light by the light detector 3 is stored.
The light transmission and reception control unit 21, in which such control table is stored in the memory 23, outputs a driving signal configured to transmit light to one light-transmitting probe 12 to the light source driving mechanism 4 at a predetermined time and detects the light reception signals (information on the amount of light received) received by the light-receiving probes 13 using the light detector 3.
As a result, when viewed in a plan view as shown in FIG. 9, collection of a total of 232 pieces (S1˜S232) of information on the amount of light received A(λ1), A(λ2) and A(λ3) is carried out.
Then, based on the total of 232 pieces of information on the amount of light received A(λ1), A(λ2) and A(λ3), the analysis control unit 22 calculates the product [oxyHb] of oxyhemoglobin concentration and optical path length, the product [deoxyHb] of deoxyhemoglobin concentration and the optical path length, and the product ([oxyHb]+[deoxyHb]) of the total hemoglobin concentration and optical path length from intensity of passing light of respective wavelengths (absorption wavelength of oxyhemoglobin and absorption wavelength of deoxyhemoglobin) using the relational expressions (1), (2) and (3).
However, to mount the holder 30 as described above on the surface of the subject's head was very time-consuming for a doctor or the like, and was very stressful for the subject to be physically restrained for a long time. In addition, it was very hard for the subject to exercise such as rehabilitation every day.
Accordingly, the present applicants had previously conceived of a comb-shaped holder to push hair aside by the holder itself so as to enable the subject to exercise such as rehabilitation while mounting the holder on the subject's head in a short time, and had filed patent applications therefor (see Patent Document 2 and Patent Document 3, for example). FIG. 3 is a plan diagram showing one example of the comb-shaped holder. A holder 60 is provided with one linear trunk unit 62 and five linear branches 61 and 63. According to such holder 60, it is possible to mount the holder 60 on the head in a short time.
Meanwhile, a brain wave measurement method has also been known to perform measurements simply and noninvasively inside a living body by using a fact that an electric potential of the surface of the subject's head corresponds to accumulation and summation of electrical activities of nerve cells and synapses. Accordingly, an electroencephalograph (EEG) provided with a holder having a plurality of EEG electrodes and one reference electrode has been developed. In the EEG, potential difference (potential information) is detected by the EEG electrodes arranged on the surface of the subject's head and by the reference electrode arranged in the subject's ears or the like.
Accordingly, the present applicants had previously conceived of a netlike holder capable of executing measurements by an optical bioinstrumentation device and by an EEG at the same time, and filed patent applications therefor (see Patent Document 4, for example).

Holder set and brain function measuring device using same


A basket for an appliance such as a dish washing appliance. A rack may be positionable between a stowed position and a deployed position. The rack may include a secondary rack positionable between a stowed position and a deployed position relative to the rack. The secondary rack may include the basket. The basket may be positionable to one or more walls of the dishwasher tub between a stowed position and a deployed position. The basket may be removable from one or more racks and/or the one or more walls of the dishwasher tub.

The present embodiments relate to a basket for a dish washing appliance, particularly a silverware basket.
Typical silverware baskets may be placed within the appliance rack, drawer, or shelf. However, this practice may often include cumbersome repositioning of the appliance rack that may be weighted from other items to be cleaned to access the silverware basket. Thus, there is a need for a basket and/or portions of the dishwasher rack to be easily accessible to unload and/or load items (e.g. silverware, etc.) within a dishwasher tub.


A deck board straightener is taught which is comprised of a main rod part connected to a handle at one end and a flat steel plate at the opposing end. The flat plate is comprised of two shoulders that consist of the bent edges of the flat plate but could also be shoulder elements separately attached to the flat plate. The shoulders can spaced at a fixed distance apart or be made adjustable to allow for use on a varying material thickness. A securing screw can be placed through one shoulder to provide additional material securing means. A pressure jaw is attached to the flat steel plate and a quick-grip mini bar clamp in a manner that also allows for rotating movement. When in use, the pressure jaw secures material such as a deck board against the flat plate and shoulders.

Traditionally the installation and repair of wooden flooring has required two carpenters. To assure a tight fit between the individual pieces of flooring the first carpenter forces the flooring being installed or repaired into proper position, while the second carpenter securely fastens the flooring being held to the sub floor. To insure that the floor is held tightly together it has generally been the situation that nails are driven into the flooring in an abutment arrangement with the piece of flooring previously put in place. In this manner the floor is constructed, one piece at a time, gradually being laid from the base of a starting wall towards the base of an ending wall where the last piece is placed.
In another common installation and repair of flooring, one carpenter works alone to replace and secure the flooring. One carpenter, working alone, faces even more difficulty in placing the floor and must commonly use a nail or wedge to maintain the flooring in its desired location while nailing it into place. This situation also requires the carpenter to continually stand and kneel, kneeling to place the board, standing to obtain leverage to place the board in its location, and kneeling again to hammer the board into place.
It is therefore an object of the invention to enable a single carpenter to stand and pry boards into place with little to no effort with a hands free holding device.
It is another object of the invention to develop a tool that eliminates the need for a carpenter to remain on their knees for prolonged periods of time prying boards together. This present invention enables a carpenter to remain standing during the installation of flooring boards eliminating the painful knee and back problems associated with the trade.


The present invention discloses a piezoelectric device comprising an amino acid crystal.

Piezoelectric materials are able to produce electricity in proportional to an applied mechanical strain, and conversely, deform linearly in the presence of an applied electric field. A variety of inorganic materials are known to exhibit relatively high piezoelectricity (for example between 20 and 800 pC/N). These include barium titanate (BaTiO3), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and lead zirconate titanate (PZT). The high piezoelectricity of these inorganic materials is well understood, successfully engineered, and exploited technically in nanogenerators, biosensors, resonators, acoustics, and in scanning probe microscopy (SPM).
On the other hand, fibrous proteins such as collagen and elastin, bone, and some viruses have, to date, exhibited relatively modest piezoelectricity (for example between 0.1 pC/N and 10 pC/N). It is also known that deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is piezoelectric, but the origin of piezoelectricity in DNA remains unclear and its quantitative value uncertain.
The publication in the name of Tylczynski Zbigniew et al entitled "Low-temperature phase transition in [gamma] glycine single crystal. Pyroelectric, piezoelectric, dielectric and elastic properties", Materials chemistry and physics, Elsevier SA, Switzerland, Taiwan, Republic of China, vol. 183, 16 Aug. 2016 pages 254 to 262 simply describes the use of impedance spectroscopy to measure the piezoelectricity in gamma glycine crystals, with gamma glycine being described as a weak piezoelectric.
The publication in the name of Ashok Kumar et al entitled "Structural, dielectric and piezoelectric properties of nonlinear optical-glycine single crystals", Physica B: Condensed Matter, Elsevier, Amsterdam, NL, vol. 406, no. 13, 1 Apr. 2011, pages 2594-2600, also describes measuring the piezoelectricity in gamma glycine crystals.
The publication in the name of Lemanov V V et al entitled "Piezoelectric properties of crystals of some protein amino acids and their related compounds", Physics of the solid state, Nauka/Interperiodica, Mo, vol. 44, no. 10, 1 Oct. 2002, pages 1929-1935 describes the use of radio-frequency pulses to qualitatively measure piezoelectricity in a number of amino acids.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a piezoelectric device comprising an organic material.

Piezoelectric device comprising an amino acid crystal


An AC powered electro-magnet lift is provided with AC rectification and control requiring low maintenance. The control system is light and relatively small, and quiet with, very little noise, minimal sparking between contacts, no extremely high voltage and contactors operational for hundreds of thousands if not millions of times. A mercury switch control of system relays has low and predictable contact resistance. This control of an electro-magnet handles a variety of loads with assured consistent switching with the system moisture resistant and having high dielectric coefficients where required.

Electro-magnet lift magnets like those installed on cranes have through the years used a DC generator, rheostat, electric controller and a lift-drop switch. Direct current generators many times are a mechanical and electrical with commutators and specific rotation requirements having contributed to all kinds of maintenance problems. The controllers for such systems are big, heavy and strong requiring very large contacts and high voltage insulation all contributing to high component costs. In a sense the controller is the heart of such systems with the magnet controlled to lift magnetic material and then drop the material lifted in accord with a controller switch position. These controllers are electrical and mechanical devices designed to go "ON" and later "OFF". For example, when the controller switch is activated to the "ON" state heavy lift contacts through approximately one second press together with spring action to pass 240 volts at 50 amps through to the coils of the magnet for the magnet to be in the lift state. Then when the crane magnet has been moved to a drop position the operator puts the controller switch in the "DROP" position. This opens up the "LIFT" switch contacts and then-approximately one second later the lower rated "DROP" contacts close reversing the current through the pre-set time. At this most important critical moment of control when "DROP" starts after the "LIFT" contact is open there is a 30,000-50,000 volt arc fire. This is a critical amount of current to absorb with it important that the design of the control be such as to absorb the high voltage current in the order of 75% or more depending on the brand of control and magnet. The other approximate 25% goes to the magnet coils and magnetic field wise to magnet material. If the control does not reduce the voltage arc voltage current percentages 25-40% may go to the magnet. So in addition to heavy duty relay switch contact burn out you see magnet coils at ground., or in short, or open. With magnet costs of $10,000.00 plus repair costs of approximately $6,000.00 in such condition you have some $15,000.00-$16,000.00 invested. Further, high cost controllers designed to synchronize time with the induction factors of the magnet to reduce high voltage sparking require maintenance and repair by very special technicians. There ave not too many electricians working with generators, controllers and magnets who understand exactly what happens interplay wise when DC, inductivity and time factors all interplay in the same short time span.
Use of an alternator as a power source for an electro-magnet along with a new control system result in great advantages over the presently existing and pre-existing DC powered systems, and control with DC generator, for electro-magnets. First, an alternator has low maintenance, no commutator, no brushes, no high voltage excitation, no specific direction of rotation and no special personal attention in operation. Additionally, the control in such a lift magnet system, advantageously, over a conventional control, is lighter, quieter, low in noise, sparking reduced to a minimum if any, no high voltage and with switch contactors useable for millions of times. With a mercury displacement relay switch there is a low predictable contact resistance in a switch capable of handling a variety of loads with assured consistent switching. The switch is moisture resistant and employs high dieelectic value materials. There is a great reduction in maintenance costs along with increased equipment utilization by reduced downtime and high productivity. Personal attention is greatly reduced and both operational and maintenance costs are reduced.

AC power and control for electro-magnet lifts


The invention relates to method for preparing a foodstuff in a food processing system (100), the system comprising solid state radio frequency cooking means (51) that transmits an electromagnetic wave to a food substrate and a cavity where the food is cooked, the method monitoring the return power losses, which are the difference between the power emitted by the solid state radio frequency cooking means (51) and the reflected power in the cavity, for optimising the delivery of the radio frequency power to the food substrate by controlling and adjusting at least two parameters: the emitted frequency of the solid state radio frequency cooking means (51) and the distance of the cooking means (51) to the food substrate. In the method of the invention, the dielectric properties, the water content and/or the compaction of the food substrate are monitored throughout the preparation method.

At present, processed food is becoming more and more widely used in the pursuit of saving time and efforts. Present trends of processed foods require that it is made more healthy and adapted to each individual's needs, that it is more convenient and the least number of processing operations is required from the consumer and, even more, that the waste is minimised so only the quantity of food to be consumed is ideally prepared.
A possibility for preparing tailored food adapted to each individual's needs would be to directly configure, departing from raw ingredients, the food that will be further cooked into a ready-to-eat meal. A food processing system based on layer deposition and layer cooking by layers belonging to the applicant was already filed under EP 15166200.4.
Personalized food systems at home require a lot of automation in a highly confined environment. This high degree of integration requires to minimize the size of the commercialized machine, which leads to new challenges when the cooking capability is added. Conventional cooking methodologies like those used in conventional ovens equipped with thermal resistances or infrared lamps or microwave cooking technologies based on magnetron technologies cannot be used due to the number of surrounding features which are sensitive to heat and to electromagnetic waves. In addition, conventional microwave technology is not a preferred option as it requires a dedicated cavity with no metal part located in it.
Therefore, cooking in food processing systems departing from raw food material presents a huge challenge. Thanks to the new developed technologies and their evolution in the last years, opportunities have raised for cooking food within the same environment as the one which is used to prepare it: in such scenario, the system is made much more compact as there are no actuators needed to move the prepared dish or food form one station to the cooking station, as the preparation station and the cooking station are the same. This allows to decrease the final cost of the machine by keeping a high degree of integration.
Preferably, the cooking technology used in the food processing system of the invention is based on the solid state microwave technology allowing the generation of high electromagnetic energy which can be directed towards the food material to cook it. In comparison with the traditional microwave cavity in which only the level of power and the time can be used to control the cooking propensity, the cooking technology based on solid state microwave provides a direct feedback on the cooking process: by monitoring the level of reflected power, the phase differences between the emitted signal and the reflected signal, it is possible to determine the nature of the food, the level of water which has been evaporated and eventually the temperature of the food material. Still, this technology remains complex and the cooking parameters have to be tailor-made for each type of food product.
Moreover, in order to provide a homogeneous and optimized cooking of the deposited food layers, as these layers grow throughout the cooking process, it is also desirable to provide a system which takes these changes into account. Furthermore, as the characteristics of the food material (dielectric properties, compaction, etc.) also change by being subjected to the cooking process, it would be desirable to also adapt the cooking parameters throughout the cooking process, in order to provide a satisfactory end result. The present invention provides a method for preparing a foodstuff in a food processing system which takes this into account.

Method for preparing a foodstuff with a food processing system


A design support apparatus includes: an area identifying unit configured to identify a target area where a via is to be added in a printed circuit board; a determining unit configured to determine a starting point for starting a search for a location of the via in the target area; and a searching unit configured to move a search point along a path in an intersecting direction that intersects a radial direction around the starting point while moving the search point in the radial direction and to determine whether the via is to be added at a moved search point.

Complication of the structure of a printed circuit board (PCB) increases the design time. The printed circuited board is a source of generating electromagnetic interference (EMI) affecting other electronic devices or human bodies. To address this, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) requirements are demanded for designing the printed circuit board, thus resulting in the increased design time.
Related techniques are disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication Nos. 2010-20644, 2012-53726, and 2009-99139.


An optical recording medium has a substrate 12 which has a spiral or concentric circular grooves 32 and lands 34 disposed between the grooves 32. A pit is formed in advance in the land 34 and opens toward only one groove 32 of the grooves 32 adjacent the land 34. Address information of the one groove 32 toward which the pit is open is recorded by the pit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical recording medium, and in particular, to an optical recording medium having a land-and-groove structure, wherein pits, by which address information of the grooves is recorded, are formed in advance in the lands.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, along with the development of short wavelength lasers, digital video discs (DVDs) have come to be used. Information can be recorded on DVDs at a higher density than on compact discs (CDs), and the recorded information can be played back. Currently, DVD-Rs, which are writable optical recording media on which a user can write information, are also in use.
A writable optical recording medium is usually provided with a substrate, a recording layer, a reflecting layer, and a protective layer. Grooves for tracking during recording are provided in the substrate in advance. The regions adjacent the grooves are called lands. Pits called land pre-pits (LPPs) are formed in advance in the lands of a DVD-R. The address information of the groove at the inner peripheral side of the land is thereby recorded at the land.
When the information recorded on a DVD-R is played back by tracking the grooves having pits therein by a push-pull method, the return light from the beam spot collected on the groove is converted into electric signals by four diodes A, B, C, D, so as to obtain signals A, B, C, D corresponding to the respective diodes. The value (A+B+C+D) which is the sum of the signals A, B, C, D is the playback signal for the recorded information. The value (A+Bxe2x88x92Cxe2x88x92D), which is the signals A, B corresponding to the return light at the outer peripheral side minus the signals C, D corresponding to the return light at the inner peripheral side, is the tracking error signal. Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 7, a negative pulse, which corresponds to the LPP of the land at the outer peripheral side of the groove, and a positive pulse, which corresponds to the LPP of the land at the inner peripheral side of the groove, are present in the tracking error signal. Because the address information of the groove at the inner peripheral side of a land is recorded in that land, by detecting the LPP signal expressed as the negative pulse, the address information recorded by the LPP can be read out.
In order to accurately read the address information, the negative pulse must be strong, and the surface area of the portion of the LPP at the inner peripheral side thereof must be made large to a certain extent. Further, the LPP is usually substantially oval, and is formed such that the center of the oval is positioned substantially on the center line of the land disposed between the grooves. Thus, as shown in FIG. 8, the LPP is usually open to (continuous with) both of the grooves adjacent to the LPP.
However, because the positive pulse is not used in reading the address information, there is no need for the positive pulse to be strong. Conversely, the positive pulse being too strong results in noise with respect to the Rf signal. Further, when the LPP opens onto the grooves, at the time the pit is formed in the recording layer on the region adjacent to the LPP, the material of the recording layer swells and spreads as far as the LPP such that the desired pit length cannot be obtained, and information cannot be recorded correctly.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an optical recording medium in which address information can be read correctly, while good recording/playback characteristics of the optical recording medium are still maintained.
In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides an optical recording medium having a substrate which has a spiral or concentric circular grooves and has lands between the grooves, wherein a pit is formed in advance in the land, the pit being open only toward one groove of the grooves adjacent to the land in which the pit is formed, address information of the one groove toward which the pit is open being recorded by the pit.
In the present invention, the pits (LPPs) formed in the land are open toward only one groove of the grooves adjacent the land. The pits are not open toward the other groove. Thus, when pits are formed in the recording layer on the other groove, the land in which the LPPs are formed can prevent the recording layer material from spreading to the LPPs. As a result, the LPP can be prevented from adversely affecting the length of the pit formed in the recording layer of the other groove.
If the surface area of the LPP at the open side thereof is made sufficiently large, the pulse of the LPP signal, which pulse is necessary for reading the address information, is sufficiently strong. Further, when a beam spot is illuminated onto the groove at the side at which the LPP is not open, the pulse disused for reading the address information does not exist (or is small). As a result, the address information can be read accurately, and noise with respect to the RF signal can be reduced.

Optical recording medium with increased addressing accuracy


The present invention provides a semiconductor device integrating passive elements, which applies to analog circuits, wherein capacitors, resistors and inductors are fabricated by a TVS technology. The semiconductor device comprises a substrate; at least one passive element arranged in the substrate; and at least one semiconductor integrated circuit formed in the substrate. The passive element includes a first conductive layer, a first dielectric layer and a second conductive layer, which are stacked sequentially. The first conductive layer and the second conductive layer cooperate with the first dielectric layer to form an equivalent element. The semiconductor circuit is electrically connected with the passive element through the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer to form bidirectional signal transmission paths. The passive elements can be formed on the back side of the substrate to reduce the area occupied by the passive elements in the substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, particularly to a semiconductor device where passive elements are integrated by a TSV technology.
2. Description of the Related Art
With fast evolution of deep submicron technology, a single chip is normally demanded to integrate a great number of different circuits. For a submicron CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) circuit, interaction between active CMOS elements and passive elements is a critical subject in the system design of high-performance VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration) circuits.
At present, there has been an integration technology embedding passive elements in a chip containing CMOS elements to solve the problem of layout volume expansion caused by connecting CMOS circuits with external passive elements. The technology can decrease the layout area, shorten the signal transmission paths and promote the overall performance of the semiconductor device. Refer to FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C respectively a perspective view of a conventional semiconductor device, a circuit diagram and a top view of a conventional passive element. In the conventional technology, a CMOS element 12 and a deep trench 14 are fabricated in a silicon substrate 10 to realize a high-capacitance design. An annular insulation layer 16 is formed on the inner wall of the deep trench 14. A metal layer 18 is formed inside the insulation layer 16. Thus is formed an equivalent capacitor (C). One end of the equivalent capacitor extends from the metal layer 18 and electrically connects with the CMOS element 12 through a conductive wire. The other end of the equivalent capacitor is grounded through the silicon substrate 10. The objective of fabricating the passive elements in the semiconductor device is to increase the capacitance to filter noise or overcome ground bounce. The conventional technology can indeed integrate passive elements and CMOS elements in a single chip. However, the semiconductor device fabricated by the conventional technology can only allow voltage signals to pass unidirectionally. Therefore, the semiconductor device can only apply to digital circuits. While larger resistors, larger capacitors, larger inductors, or a great number of passive elements are intended to integrate with CMOS elements 12 in a single chip, they would occupy a larger area. Further, it becomes more difficult to design CMOS elements 12 or miniaturize the chip in such a scenario. Besides, signal interference is more likely to occur in such a scenario.
Accordingly, the present invention proposes a semiconductor device integrating passive elements to overcome the abovementioned problems.

Semiconductor device integrating passive elements


A repair tool for ball marks on golf greens is mounted on the grip end of a putter. The tool comprises a disc-like base mounting a cylinder on its periphery that is formed with blades which project away from the putter. The blades taper to points at their free ends for easy insertion into the soil about a ball mark. The adjacent sides of adjacent blades slope inwardly away from each other to define cutting edges on their outer periphery and plowing surfaces effective to plow soil which has been loosened by the cutting edges inward upon rotation to fill the ball mark/dent. An expandable fastener having an upper surface is inserted through the grip into the hollow end of a putter shaft for securely mounting the tool in place, the lower end of the cylinder also engaging the grip.

As is generally well-known, golf courses have a number of greens in each of which a hole, usually marked with a flag, is situated. The flag enables a distant, off-the-green, player (golfer) to appreciate the hole's location so that he may aim his golf ball thereat, the object of the game of golf being to get the ball into the hole with the fewest strokes from a starting point (tee). Usually the ball is hit through the air to the green upon which it lands and leaves a dent or ball mark. (Greens are closely-cropped grass surfaces on a somewhat loose soil easily dented by the falling ball, which dent (ball mark) interferes with a rolling ball.) After landing on the green, the ball is rolled towards the hole using a putter (usually a hollow metal shaft having a ball-striking blade or head at its lower end and a rubber grip about it at its upper end for holding and swinging it); if the rolling ball strikes a ball mark, it may be deflected in an unwanted direction. Thus the etiquette of golf requires each golfer to repair his ball mark to allow the true skills of subsequent players of the green not to be impeded, and at least one other ball mark (overlooked by an prior golfer).
Today, the repair of golf marks is a tedious task. Usually a small, pocket-carried, two-pronged hand tool is used. The two-pronged hand tool not only requires the golfer to bend over to reach the green surface, but may also require the exercise of substantial hand force (which may be beyond the capabilities of some golfers) to restore the soil to its former condition.


Tetrahydro-β-carboline compounds represented by the following formulae:

The impact of chemotherapeutic intervention in psychiatric disorders in the last century has been profound. Dramatic scientific progress towards understanding the basic biochemical mechanisms of action of these agents has been made. Despite these advances, vast areas of understanding still remain to be uncovered. Insight into the outcomes from the summation of numerous interactions with various receptors and receptor subtypes promises to lead to the invention of powerful neuroactive medicines.
A variety of simple tetrahydro-β-carboline compounds have been found in natural sources and some of these compounds have been associated with neurological activities. Rommelspacher, H. et. al. Beta-carbolines and tetrahydroisoquinolines: detection and function in mammals. Planta Med. 1991, 57(7), S85-92. Produced naturally via a Pictet-Spengler condensation reaction between indoleamines and aldehydes, these molecules have been observed in mammalian tissues and their association with food sources has led to speculation about their potential biological effects in chocolate and alcohol cravings. Herraiz, T. Tetrahydro-b-carbolines, potential neuroactive alkoloids, in chocolate and cocoa. J. Agric. Food Chem. 2000, 48, 4900-4904; Adell, A; Myers, R. D. Increased alcohol intake in low alcohol drinking rats after chronic infusion of the b-carboline Harman into the hippocampus. Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 1994, 49, 949-953.
The N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors are multi-subunit, ligand-gated ion channels with multiple regulatory sites around the central ion channel. These receptors gate Na+, Ca2+ and K+ ions into and out of cells. They are widely distributed in the central nervous system. NMDA receptors are activated by glutamate resulting in cation flux and cell depolarization. See Ozawa, et al., Glutamate receptors in the mammalian central nervous system. Prog. Neurobiol. 1998, 54, 581-618.
NMDA activation is believed to play an important role in learning and memory. However, over-activation can result in excitotoxic neuronal damage. For this reason antagonists of NMDA activation have been proposed as therapeutics for Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. See Choi, Glutamate neurotoxicity and diseases of the nervous system. Neuron 1988, 8, 623-634.
NMDA antagonists have also shown utility as possible therapeutics in pain, (see Parsons, NMDA receptors as targets for drug action in neuropathic pain. Eur. J. Pharmacol. 2001, 429, 71-78), depression and anxiety (see Rogoz, et al. Synergistic effect of uncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonists and antidepressant drugs in the forced swimming test in rates. Neuropharmacol. 2002, 42, 1024-1030).
Mutiple polyamine binding sites on the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-channel have the ability to modulate NMDA activity. See Williams, et al. Minireview. Modulation of the NMDA receptor by polyamines. Life Sciences 1991, 48(6), 469-498; and Sharma, et al. Characterization of the effects of polyamines on [125]MK-801 binding to recombinant N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors. J. Pharmacol. Exper. Therap. 1999, 289(2), 1041-1047.
Antagonism at the polyamine binding sites may prevent the NMDA receptor from being over-stimulated. See Worthen, et al. Endogenous indoles as novel polyamine site ligands at the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor complex. Brain Res. 2001, 890, 343-346.
A major advantage in using polyamine site-specific NMDA antagonists lies in their ability to modulate without completely blocking NMDA receptor activation. Polyamines and polyamine analogs also have effect on non-NMDA glutamate receptors. See Chao, et al. N1− dansyl-spermine and N1-(n-octanesulfonyl)-spermine, novel glutamate receptor antagonists: Block and permeation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors. Molec. Pharmacol. 1997, 51, 861-871.
NMDA antagonists, other than polyamine analogs, have also been proposed for possible therapeutic application in depression and anxiety. See Trullas, et al. Functional antagonists of the NMDA receptor comples exhibit antidepressant action. Eu. J Pharmacol. 1990, 185, 1-10; Moryl, et al. Potential antidepressive properties of amantadine, memantine and bifemelane. Pharma. and Tox. 1993, 72, 394-397; and Skolnick, Antidepressants for the new millennium. Eur. J Pharmacol. 1999, 375, 31-40.
The NMDA receptor antagonist memantine has been shown to antagonize the 5-HT3 receptor and that may account for its antidepressant effects. See Rammes, et al. The NMDA receptor channel blockers memantine, neramexane and other amino-alkyl-cyclohexanes also antagonize 5-HT3 receptor currents in HEK-293 and N1E-115 cells in a uncompetitive manner. Neuroscience Lett. 2001, 306, 81-84; and Parsons, et al. Memantine is a clinically well tolerated N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist—a review of preclinical data. Neuropharmacology 1999, 38, 735-767.
Other competitive antagonists of NMDA receptors, e.g. CGP 37849 or AP-7, also show anti-depression effects in the forced swimming test in rates. See Maj. NMDA receptor antagonists and antidepressant drugs. Pharmacol Res. 1992, 25, R1.
NMDA antagonists used in conjunction with antidepressants have shown synergistic anti-depressant effects and may be particularly useful for drug-resistant depression. See Rogoz et al., supra.
Improved effects may be seen with other combination therapies such as antagonists at the polyamine and glycine sites for treating therapy-resistant complex partial seizures. See Wlax et al. Anticonvulsant effects of eliprodil alone or combined with the glycineB receptor antagonist L-701, 324 or the competitive NMDA antagonist CGP 40116 in the amygdala kindling model in rats. Neuropharmaco. 1999, 38, 243-251.
Improvements in CNS drugs may involve identifying the active stereochemical isomer, as in the case of eliprodil, a ligand selective for the NR2B subunit of the NMDA receptor. See Pabel, et al. Synthesis and resolution of racemic eliprodil and evaluation of the enantiomers of eliprodil as NMDA receptor antagonists. Bioorganic & Med. Chem. Lett. 2000, 10, 1377-1380.
In addition, antidepressants may work through interactions with various 5-HT receptors. See Kilpatrick, et al. Affinities of 5-HT uptake inhibitors for 5-HT3 receptors in both binding and functional studies. Brit J. Pharmacol. 1989, 98 (Suppl.): 859; Lucchelli, et al. The interaction of antidepressant drugs with central and peripheral (enteric) 5-HT3 and 5-HT4 receptors. Brit J. Pharmacol. 1995, 114, 1017-1025; and Glennon, Higher-end serotonin receptors: 5-HT5, 5-HT6, and 5-HT7. J. Med. Chem. 2003, 46, 2795-2812.
Serotonin (5-HT: 5 hydroxytryptamine) is a small molecule neurotransmitter whose actions and concentrations are regulated through receptors and cellular transporters. See Hoyer, et al. Molecular, pharmacological and functional diversity of 5-HT receptors. Pharmacology, Biochem. and Behavior 2002, 71, 533-554.
Serotonin, acting through its various receptors, is implicated in numerous disease states: depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, migraines, eating disorders, panic, hypertension, vomiting, social phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorders, pulmonary hypertension, and irritable bowel syndrome. See Hoyer, et al. supra. The 5-HT transporter is the target for selective serontonin reuptake inhibitors, an important class of antidepressants. There are seven families of receptors (5-HT1-7) based on their structure, operation and transduction. Furthermore, there are numerous subtypes of each family of 5-HT receptor. One of the families, 5-HT3, is a ligand-gated ion channel while the others are G-protein-systems, the gut cardiovascular system and blood. Receptor subtypes show specific localization patterns.
Furthermore, glutamate neurotransmission has been implicated in anxiety and depression. Antagonists of group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR), group II MGluR22 and group III mGluR23 have potential use against depression and anxiety. See Pilc, et al. Multiple MPEP administrations evoke anxiolytic-and antidepressant-like effects in rats. Neuropharma. 2002, 43(2), 181-187; Chjnacka-Wojcik, et al. Glutamate receptor ligands as anxiolytics. Curr Opin Investig Drugs. 2001, 2(8), 1112-1119; and Cryan, et al. Antidepressant and anxiolytic-like effects in mice lacking the group III metabotropic glutamate receptor MGluR7. Eur J Neurosci. 2003, 17(11), 2409-2417; respectively.
Notwithstanding the above providing new treatments for neurological diseases would be desirable.

Tetrahydro-β-carboline compounds and use thereof

Abstract: wherein x, y and z are each independently an integer of 0 to 4 and R is selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, aryl and heterocyclic moiety wherein the alkyl, aryl and heterocyclic moiety are optionally substituted with a member selected from the group consisting of halogen, alkoxy and trifluoromethyl; pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof and prodrugs thereof are provided. The compounds are useful for treating neurological diseases.


A tamper indicating, resealable closure for a package includes first and second film layers releasably adhesively joined together such that the first and second film layers are at least partially separable when the second film layer is pulled away from the first film layer. The first film layer includes first and second tear lines formed thereon to define first and second panel sections respectively. The first panel section defines an access opening through the first film layer when it is separated along the first tear line during an initial separation of the first and second film layers. The second panel section also becomes separated from the first film layer when the second film layer is separated from the first film layer to provide an indication of an initial opening of the closure. Subsequently, the second film layer may be re-adhered to the first film layer to reseal the access opening, while the second panel section remains separated from the first film layer.

Many products are supplied in sealed bags, pouches or other packages formed from thin films or other flexible materials. For example, foodstuffs, tobacco products, small parts or loose items such as pharmaceuticals or medical accessories are commonly provided in pouches or bags formed from flexible film material. Many of these types of packages are provided with tear strips that facilitate opening the package. Moreover, it is known to provide resealing capability to such packages through the use of an adhesive disposed on a portion of the flexible package material that has been separated by the tear strip.
In some applications, it is desired to further construct the package or pouch to provide an indication of initial opening so that any tampering with the package or its contents may be discovered. Conventional tampering indicating devices include printed tapes that can be applied to the package and which are configured to reveal a message in the form of textural indicia, patterns or symbols when the tape seal is initially broken. Incorporation of such tamper indicating tapes increases the time and expense of manufacturing such packages.
Previous resealable packages have been constructed from two layers of flexible film material that are joined together. The first layer defines the outer packaging material and the second forms a panel or flap that can be separated from the first layer to expose an opening in the package. The first and second film layers typically are printed with graphics and indicia to indicate the contents of the package. One drawback of this type of packaging arrangement is that the first and second layers must be precisely registered prior to joining the layers, so that the printed indicia and graphics are in proper alignment on the finished package. The need to precisely register the film layers imposes additional requirements for automated packaging lines and may limit the operating speed of the equipment. Moreover, high scrap rates can result when the film layers drift out of register during operation.
A need therefore exists for a tamper-indicating resealable closure that does not increase the cost of packaging and which can easily be incorporated into the flexible materials used to form pouches, bags or other flexible packages.


A terahertz radiation mixer comprises a heterodyned field-effect transistor (FET) having a high electron mobility heterostructure that provides a gatable two-dimensional electron gas in the channel region of the FET. The mixer can operate in either a broadband pinch-off mode or a narrowband resonant plasmon mode by changing a grating gate bias of the FET. The mixer can beat an RF signal frequency against a local oscillator frequency to generate an intermediate frequency difference signal in the microwave region. The mixer can have a low local oscillator power requirement and a large intermediate frequency bandwidth. The terahertz radiation mixer is particularly useful for terahertz applications requiring high resolution.

Terahertz technologies utilize electromagnetic radiation generally in the frequency range between 100 GHz and 10 THz (i.e, wavelengths of 3 mm to 30 μm, energies of 0.4 to 40 meV, or equivalent blackbody radiation temperatures of 5 K to 500 K). Many non-metallic materials that are visually opaque are partially transparent or exhibit molecular resonances in the terahertz region. In particular, water vapor and other small polar molecules have very strong rotational absorptions at terahertz frequencies. Therefore, terahertz technologies have many potential applications in diverse fields, including molecular spectroscopy, space and atmospheric sciences, plasma physics, biology, medical imaging, remote sensing, and communications.
Historically, there has been much interest in terahertz technologies for high-resolution (i.e., high Q) spectroscopy and remote sensing for space, planetary, and Earth science. For example, much of the interstellar medium radiates in the terahertz region, somewhat above the cosmic microwave background, enabling terahertz measurements to probe star formation and the early universe. Planetary atmospheres have background temperatures of tens to several hundred degrees Kelvin, enabling terahertz observation of extraterrestrial atmospheric conditions. Furthermore, thermal emission lines in the terahertz region from gases in the Earth's stratosphere and upper troposphere provide important indicators of ozone destruction, global warming, and pollution.
Terahertz signals can have a high bandwidth and are potentially useful for free-space communications. Therefore, terahertz technologies may be useful for space-based communications, such as satellite-to-satellite. However, limited atmospheric propagation, due to water and oxygen absorption, has discouraged the development of terahertz technologies for radar and terrestrial communications. Nonetheless, the technology may be attractive for relatively secure short-range communications, such as wireless communications in situations in which limited broadcast range is desirable.
A highly desirable application of terahertz technology is to do imaging of objects at useful standoff distances in real time for object or pattern recognition. Because terahertz irradiation does not involve the health and safety issues of ionizing radiation, such as are a concern with X-ray imaging, applications of terahertz technologies may include noninvasive tomographic imaging or spectroscopic characterization of biological materials. Because terahertz radiation is nondestructive and can penetrate non-metallic and non-polarizing external coverings (e.g., clothing, semiconductors, plastics, packaging materials), the technology may be useful in security screening for hidden explosives and concealed weapons. Finally, terahertz imaging may also be useful for industrial processes, such as package inspection and quality control.
However, beyond basic science, applications in the terahertz region are relatively undeveloped. Much progress is still required to provide field-deployable terahertz systems, especially for military, anti-terror, and biomedical imaging applications. Terahertz applications remain relatively undeveloped because the terahertz region lies between the traditional microwave and optical regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, where electronic or photonic technologies have been developed for these purposes. Terahertz applications have been hampered due to the historically poor performance of terahertz components lying in the "technological gap" between these traditional electronic and photonic domains.
In particular, the generation and detection of electromagnetic fields at terahertz frequencies has been difficult. To date, active terahertz generators have only demonstrated relatively low power capability. Traditional electronic solid state sources based on semiconductors roll-off at high frequencies. Tube sources are difficult to scale, due to the extremely high fields and current densities required. Therefore, frequency conversion techniques have typically been used to reach terahertz frequencies, including upconversion of millimeter waves using electronic or multiple harmonic techniques, or downconversion from the visible or near-IR using frequency mixing/switching or nonlinear optical processes. Recently, terahertz sources based on quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) have produced relatively high power in a compact size. Improvements in semiconductor materials systems suggest that a miniature terahertz QCL capable of generating a few milliwatts of output power at room temperature may soon be obtainable. Nonetheless, the weak radiation output from passive and active terahertz sources, the low photon energies of terahertz radiation, and high atmospheric attenuation due to molecular absorption (e.g., water vapor) frequently results in a weak received terahertz signal that may be difficult to distinguish from noise. Therefore, terahertz detection can also be difficult.
Current terahertz detectors include both direct and heterodyne detectors. Direct detectors generally directly convert the received power to a voltage or current that is proportional to the incoming power. They are characterized by responsivity (the ratio of the voltage output signal divided by the input signal power, in VAN) and noise-equivalent-power (NEP, the input signal power to the detector required to achieve a signal-to-noise ratio of unity after detection, in W/Hz1/2). Examples of direct detectors include rectifiers, bolometers, and pyroelectrics. A common direct detector uses antenna coupling to a small area Schottky diode that responds directly to the THz electric field. Another direct detector is the conventional bolometer that consists of a radiation absorbing material that is coupled to a sensitive temperature-dependent resistor.
For shorter wavelengths (i.e., frequencies above 1 THz), direct detectors generally have good responsivity and are sensitive to a broad band of frequencies. However, direct detectors generally provide no frequency discrimination, unless they are coupled with an external resonator or interferometer. Furthermore, they are sensitive to incoherent background noise and interference. Finally, direct directors are typically very slow, with 1 to 10 ms response times required to obtain an adequate signal-to-noise. Therefore, direct detectors have been used mainly for wideband applications, such as thermal imaging.
There has been a need for a selective and tunable narrowband detector for terahertz spectrum analysis and imaging. Most solid state devices have had difficulty in this regard, because the electron energy relaxation times in such devices are typically much longer than the period of terahertz oscillations and terahertz energies are smaller than typical thermal energies. Therefore, the terahertz electromagnetic wave is oscillating too fast for free carriers to respond.
Recently, the direct detection of terahertz radiation by two-dimensional (2D) plasma waves has been demonstrated in a double-quantum-well (DQW) field-effect transistor (FET) with a periodic grating gate. See X. G. Peralta et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 81, 1627 (2002) and X. G. Peralta et al., Int. J. High Speed Elec. and Syst. 12(3), 925 (2002), which are incorporated herein by reference. Plasma waves in a gated 2D electron gas (2DEG) can have relaxation times much shorter than electron relaxation times or transit times, and their excitation is not linked to an electronic transition. Therefore, coherent charge density oscillations (plasmons) in a high-mobility 2DEG can be exploited to circumvent ordinary electronic limits on maximum operating frequency in conventional solid state devices based on electron drift. As a result, the response of the DQW FET can be fast. This speed increase arises from the fact that 2DEG plasmons have energy relaxation times of order 10−10 sec., roughly ten times faster than for uncorrelated electrons. Also, typical 2DEG densities from 1010 to 1012 cm−2 and device features of 1-10 μm yield plasmon frequencies in the 100 GHz-1 THz range, making plasmon devices attractive for terahertz applications. Furthermore, the ability to electrically tune the 2DEG charge density and hence the plasmon resonance via a gate voltage in the DQW FET enables the detection of specific, user-selected millimeter-wave to terahertz frequencies.
In FIG. 1 is shown the prior DQW FET 10 of Peralta et al. The DQW FET 10 was fabricated from a modulation doped GaAs/AlGaAs DQW heterostructure grown on a semi-insulating GaAs substrate 11 by molecular beam epitaxy. The two GaAs quantum wells (QWs) 12 and 13 were 20 nm wide and separated by a 7 nm AlGaAs barrier. The nominal electron densities in the QWs 12 and 13 were about 2×1011 cm−2. The 4.2 K mobility was about 1.7×106 cm2/Vs. The upper QW 12 was buried 404 nm below the surface of the device. A 2 mm×2 mm mesa was defined by chemical etching and ohmic contacts to both QWs 12 and 13 were formed by evaporating and annealing NiAuGe over the edge and side of the mesa forming the source S and the drain D. A 70 nm thick TiAu grating gate 14 (with no metallization between the grating fingers) was evaporated on the surface of the device with the fingers of the grating parallel to the ohmic contacts, perpendicular to the current flow. The grating period was 4 μm.
The grating modulates the electron density in the QWs 12 and 13 under the metallized part of the gate 14 when a voltage Vg is applied, selects wave vectors of the excited plasmon, and produces both normal and transverse THz electric fields. A voltage Vapp is applied to the drain D to establish a drain-source channel current IDS. The current IDS is kept nearly constant using a load resistor R having a resistance much higher than the device resistance. The incident RF radiation 15 having frequency fRF resonates at the standing plasmon resonance and its spatial frequencies under the grating metallization, producing a photocurrent and leading to a decrease in the electrical resistance of the channel between the source S and the drain D. The photoresponse can be measured as change in an output drain-source voltage VDS that depends on the gate voltage Vg and the frequency fRF of the incident terahertz radiation 15.
In FIG. 2 is shown the gate-bias-dependent photoresponse at T=25 K for different incident RF radiation frequencies fRF for a DQW FET 10 having the 4 μm grating period. The positions and strengths of the peaks in the photoresponse are controlled by both the voltage, Vg, applied to the gate 14 and the period of the grating gate. For 570 GHz, there is a resonance in the photoresponse around Vg=−1.6 V. The resonant peak moves to lower negative gate voltage, therefore higher electron density, as the frequency fRF of the incident radiation 15 is increased. At gate voltages more negative than −1.8 V, both QWs 12 and 13 are fully depleted under the metallic portion of the grating gate, and the channel is pinched off. With this grating period, the DQW FET 10 displays a measurement-limited resonant response from 0.57 to 0.66 THz, tunable by the applied grating gate voltage. The strength of the resonant photoresponse was observed to be maximal at temperatures between 25 to 40 K, decreasing at both lower and higher temperature.
While the DQW FET of Peralta et al. can be used as a selective and tunable direct detector for some applications, heterodyned detection is desirable for some terahertz applications. Particularly for weak signals, heterodyning can be used to coherently downconvert the terahertz signal to increase signal-to-noise by reducing bandwidth. The downconverted signal can then be post-amplified and processed using conventional microwave techniques. Heterodyne mixers beat the signal RF frequency against a known local oscillator (LO) frequency to generate an intermediate frequency (IF) difference signal that is tunable through the local oscillator frequency. Mixers are characterized by conversion gain (η, the ratio of the IF output power to the absorbed RF signal power, in dB), IF bandwidth (Hz), noise temperature (K), and LO power required. Mixers display good rejection of incoherent noise and interference. They are typically fast, with IF bandwidths of 0.1 to 10 GHz. Furthermore, narrowband detectors do not require additional frequency selective elements to analyze the spectrum of the incoming THz radiation as long as the received RF signal is within an IF bandwidth of the LO frequency. Therefore, heterodyne detectors have been used in narrow frequency band, high-resolution applications at lower terahertz frequencies, such as for molecular spectroscopy.
Common mixers are field-type devices that have a strong quadratic nonlinearity. For applications where the sensitivity of room-temperature detectors is adequate, Schottky diode mixers are preferred for downconversion. For high-sensitivity detection requiring cryogenic cooling, superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) tunnel junction mixers have been used for sub-THz signals having energies below the superconducting bandgap. An alternative to the SIS mixer is the transition-edge or hot electron bolometer (HEB). HEB mixers are based on the heating of a superconducting microbridge with the THz radiation. The nonlinear I-V curve, necessary for mixing, results from the electron heating of the microbridge, which experiences a superconducting transition. Since the bridge resistance is dependent on the electron temperature, the device voltage is proportional to the THz power received. Furthermore, since the heated electrons have a very short relaxation time (e.g., less than 1 nanosecond), the HEB has a very low noise temperature and is capable of a high-speed operation, enabling heterodyning at signal frequencies up to several terahertz. However, a fast solid-state terahertz radiation mixer is still needed to enable coherent detection for terahertz applications requiring high resolution.


A radio receiver having an FM band tuner, an AM band tuner, a controller coupled to both said tuners, and a radio data (RD) decoder for providing radio data. The RD decoder is coupled for receiving radio data from at least one of the tuners which is tuned to a radio program. The RD decoder is coupled to the controller for switching the radio receiver from FM band to AM band or vice versa based on radio program frequency correspondence data included in the radio data. The radio receiver is advantageous since it allows for automated cross switching between different frequencies whereon a same radio program is broadcast. This is particularly advantageous if the radio receiver, such as placed in a car, leaves the broadcast coverage area. User intervention is thus obviated.

A radio receiver system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,021,320. The conventional receiver may comprise an FM band and an AM band tuner, a controller/processor coupled to both said tuners, and a radio data (RD) decoder for providing radio data, which RD decoder is coupled for receiving radio data from at least one of the tuners, which is tuned to a radio program. In a so called "snapshot" function, both the AM and FM signal bands are searched to determine what program frequencies are receivable thereby, and all such receivable program frequencies are stored under appropriate program types. Examples of program types are: jazz, country, news, rock, nostalgia, sports, big band, 50's, 60's, 70's and the like. Through a user interface the user may select a preferred program type, where after the user may further select pre-set receiving frequencies, whereupon these types of programs are transmitted by different radio program broadcasts.
It is a disadvantage of the conventional radio receiver that user intervention for renewed tuning of the receiver is still required every time the received signal of a wanted particular radio program faints away. That is, in case the distance between the transmitter and the receiver becomes too large, and the receiver leaves the broadcast coverage area.


The antitussive and bronchodilator use for an enaminone ester relates to the use of ethyl 4-[(4-chlorophenyl)amino]-6-methyl-2-oxocyclohex-3-en-1-oate (also referred to as “enaminone E121”) for treatment of respiratory conditions, and particularly to use of the ester as the active ingredient in a cough suppressant for nonproductive cough. The ester may be used to achieve an antitussive effect, a bronchodilator effect, or both in a patient in need thereof. The ester may be formulated in any desired delivery form (such as a tablet, a capsule, a time-release capsule, a syrup, a liquid, an injection, a spray, or an inhalant), and be combined with any suitable pharmaceutical carrier, vehicles, binders, fillers, disintegrators, lubricants, solubilizers, emulsifiers, surfactants, and other excipients.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cough suppressants and to treatments for respiratory conditions, and particularly to antitussive and bronchodilator use for an enaminone ester, viz., ethyl 4-[(4-chlorophenyl)amino]-6-methyl-2-oxocyclohex-3-en-1-oate.
2. Description of the Related Art
Coughs, particularly chronic coughs, are a very common clinical problem with a high prevalence rate. Unfortunately, current over-the-counter drugs provide very little therapeutic benefit and often have serious side effects. Due to a lack of treatment alternatives, these drugs still remain among the most widely used drugs. There is evidence to show that some types of coughs, such as the nonproductive chronic cough associated with smoking, seems to improve following administration of β2 agonists, which suggests that this type of cough is bronchodilator sensitive. Additionally, patients with a nonproductive cough associated with airflow obstruction seem to derive improvement in their cough following β2 agonist treatment.
Treatment with a combination of the antitussive agent dextromethorphan and salbutamol (salbutamol is the International Nonproprietary Name; albuterol is the U.S. Adopted Name) has been reported to be more effective in reducing citric acid-induced cough than dextromethorphan alone. Also, dextromethorphan and salbutamol were more effective in treating acute transient cough than dextromethorphan alone. In order to provide both antitussive and bronchodilator treatment, both drugs must be used. It would be desirable to provide a single cough suppressant providing antitussive and bronchodilator properties for treatment of a nonproductive cough.
Further, dextromethorphan is addictive and has severe side effects, including nausea, drowsiness, dizziness, hallucinations, vomiting, blurred vision, sweating, dilated pupils, hypertension and shallow respiration. Dextromethorphan is commonly abused as a recreational drug. Salbutamol also has severe side effects, including tremor, nervousness, headache, muscle cramps, dry mouth and palpitation. It would be desirable to provide an alternative for both drugs.
Although a comprehensive program of medical treatment would involve efforts to identify the underlying cause for nonproductive coughing and tailoring a treatment program towards the underlying cause, nevertheless, in many cases nonproductive coughing is a symptom that causes the patient discomfort, distress (either physical or social from an inability to suppress coughing when desired), an inability to sleep comfortably with resulting fatigue, and the like, so that often the patient desires at least temporary relief from the symptom, regardless of the underlying cause. Of course, it is generally not desirable to suppress a productive cough, but an antitussive, or an antitussive in combination with a bronchodilator when the cough is accompanied by bronchoconstriction, is useful for temporary symptomatic treatment or relief from a nonproductive cough. Thus, antitussive and bronchodilator use for an enaminone ester solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

Antitussive and bronchodilator uses for enaminone ester


An active inductor capable of tuning a self-resonant frequency, an inductance, a Q factor, and a peak Q frequency by applying a tunable feedback resistor to a cascode-grounded active inductor is disclosed. The tunable active inductor includes a first transistor having a source connected to a power supply voltage and a gate connected to first bias voltage; a second transistor having a drain connected to a drain of the first transistor and a gate connected to a second bias voltage; a third transistor having a drain connected to a source of the second transistor and a source connected to a ground voltage; a fourth transistor having a drain connected to a gate of the third transistor, a source connected to the ground voltage and a gate connected to a third bias voltage; a fifth transistor having a source connected to the drain of the fourth transistor and a drain connected to the power supply voltage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a tunable active inductor, and in particular, to an active inductor with a high quality factor (Q factor) and a wide operating range, available for various radio frequency (RF) devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the recent increasing demand for wireless personal communication systems, low-price and integrated processing technologies are required to reduce production cost and system size.
The most preferable technology for wireless communication systems operating at 5 GHz or below to meet this requirement is the Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) technology. However, when standard COMS technology is used for an RF part, the CMOS suffers a loss of microwave signals from silicon substrates with low resistance. It has proven to be extremely difficult to implement a high-quality spiral inductor with silicon substrates having great microwave signal loss.
Recently, therefore, several research groups have implemented the spiral inductor on silicon substrates with a Q factor corresponding to a range of 3 to 10 using multi-level spirals, or implemented the spiral inductor with high-resistance silicon substrates.
As another solution, bonding wires are used to rearrange the spiral inductor. However, this approach is limited to only certain circuit structures.
There also exists a method of implementing an inductor by a CMOS RFIC active element in which equivalent inductive impedance can be generated. Such an active inductor has major advantages of a high Q factor and reduced chip size, and includes latently tunable characteristics that the active inductor can be matched with on-chip filters and networks, and can be applied to LC tank circuits. However, the active inductor has the disadvantages of limited operation frequency range, high-noise characteristic, DC power consumption, and the like.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a grounded active inductor using a gyrator principle, as an example of a conventional active inductor.
An input impedance of the active inductor of FIG. 1 is defined as:
                                          Z                          i                                                                                n                                                      (            s            )                          =                                            g                              ds                                                                                1                                      +                          s                                            (                                                      C                                          gs                                                                                2                                                        +                                      C                                          gd                                                                                1                                                        +                                      C                                          gd                                                                                2                                                                      )                                                                        (                                                g                                      ds                                                                                1                                                  +                                  g                                      m                                                                                1                                                  +                                  sC                                      gd                                                                                2                                                              )                                                  (                                                g                                      m                                                                                2                                                  +                                  s                                                        (                                                                  C                                                  gs                                                                                2                                                                    +                                              C                                                  gd                                                                                1                                                                                )                                                              )                                                          (        1        )            where Cgd1 denotes a gate-drain capacitance for a transistor M1, Cgs2 and Cgd2 denote a gate-source capacitance and a gate-drain capacitance for a transistor M2, respectively, gm1 denotes a transconductance of a current source I1, gm2 denotes a transconductance of a current source I2, gds1 denotes an equivalent output conductance for the transistor M1, and 's' equals jω.
Equation (1) shows an impedance characteristic having one zero and two poles. The zero exists in a place with a frequency of ωz≈gds1/(Cgs2+Cgd1+Cgd2), and the poles exist in a place with a frequency of ωp=gm2/Cgs2.
The active inductor of FIG. 1 has an advantage in that it provides a high gain and a high Q factor with a small size, but has a disadvantage of a very narrow operating frequency range between a zero frequency ωz and a gain bandwidth fT of the transistor M2.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a cascode-grounded active inductor further including a transistor M3 connected to the drain of the transistor M1 in the active inductor of FIG. 1, as another example of a conventional active inductor. The active inductor of FIG. 2 is an active inductor whose zero frequency ωz is reduced by minimizing the output conductance gds1 to widen the operating frequency rage in the active inductor of FIG. 1.
In the active inductor of FIG. 2, although its output impedance Zout increases from adding the transistor M3, the gds1 decreases, causing a decrease in the zero frequency ωz. As a result, the active inductor of FIG. 2 has a wide operating frequency range. Disadvantageously, however, the active inductor of FIG. 2 has a low gain and a low Q factor.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a cascode-grounded active inductor further including a feedback resistor Rf in the active inductor of FIG. 2, as another example of a conventional active inductor.
The feedback resistor Rf forms an additional inductive reactance of impedance at the source of the transistor M2. Such an inductive reactance can considerably increase an inductance. In addition, the increase in the inductance increases the Q factor.
Basically, however, the active inductor of FIG. 3 has a disadvantage in that it is impossible to tune an inductance value, a self-resonant frequency ω, and a peak Q frequency fQ. Furthermore, an increase in value of the feedback resistor Rf increases the inductance value but decreases the self-resonant frequency ω and the peak Q frequency fQ, making it difficult to use a high inductance value at a high frequency.