A differential latch-based one time programmable memory cell is provided. The differential latch-based one time programmable memory cell includes a differential latching amplifier having a first set of fuse devices coupled to the first input and a second set of fuse devices coupled to the second input. Only one set of fuse devices can be programmed in a memory cell. If one or more fuse devices in a set of fuse devices are programmed, the side having the programmed fuse will present a lower voltage at its input to the differential latching amplifier. Differential latching amplifier outputs a “0” or a “1” depending on the side having the programmed fuse.

Two types of memory devices are commonly used in the field of data storage. The first type is volatile memory in which stored information is lost when power is removed. The second type is non-volatile memory in which the information is preserved after the power is removed. Non-volatile memory may be designed for multiple programming or for one-time programming. Examples of multiple programmable non-volatile memory include electrically erasable programmable read only memories (EEPROMs) and flash memory. Unlike a multiple programmable memory, a one-time programmable non-volatile memory can be programmed only once. The programming typically involves the "blowing" of a fuse element of the cell. The programming of a one-time programmable memory is irreversible.
One type of existing one-time programmable memory is a single-ended latch-based memory. In the existing single-ended latch-based memory, a latching amplifier compares a reference voltage, typically set to a percentage of the supply voltage, against a fuse with a current source. If the fuse is not programmed, the current source drives the voltage on the fuse to the supply voltage and the latching amplifier outputs a "0." If the fuse is programmed, the fuse sinks the current and the voltage level goes to ground, causing the latching amplifier to output a "1." Because the reference is a percentage of the supply voltage, the read margin of the single-ended latch-based memory cells is reduced resulting in reduced yield and manufacturability for these memory cells.
Furthermore, many modern applications require the secure storage of large amounts of data in non-volatile memories. Because of the nature of the information required in these secure applications, the ability to output a random value on power-up is critical. Because the unprogrammed output of the single-ended latch based memory cells is set to a default value, the use of these memory cells in certain secure applications may not be appropriate.
What is therefore needed is a latch-based one time programmable memory cell with increased read margin, yield, and manufacturability.
What is further needed is a secure latch-based one time programmable memory cell providing random output during power up.

Differential latch-based one time programmable memory


A method for selectively applying CVD copper to metallic surfaces, that are co-located with non-metallic surfaces, is provided. The method prepares both the metal and non-metallic surfaces with a low energy ion etch of an inert gas. The etching promotes the growth of copper on the metallic surface, and inhibits the growth on the non-metallic surface. Following an application of CVD copper, the surfaces are etched again to clean any residual copper from the non-metallic surface, and to again prepare the surfaces for another deposition of copper. Through repeated cycles of etching and copper deposition, the copper overlying the metallic surface is accumulated to achieve the desired thickness, while the non-metallic surface remains free of copper. A method is also provided for the selective deposition of copper on metallic surfaces to fill interconnects in damascene IC structures. An IC with a copper layer overlying a metallic surface, co-located with a non-metallic surface, where the copper layer is grown through repeated cycles of ion etching and copper deposition, is also provided.

This invention relates generally to integrated circuit processes and fabrication, and more particularly, to an integrated circuit and method of differentially depositing copper on selected integrated circuit surfaces.
The demand for progressively smaller, less expensive, and more powerful electronic products, in turn, fuels the need for smaller geometry integrated circuits (ICs), and large substrates. It also creates a demand for a denser packaging of circuits onto IC substrates. The desire for smaller geometry IC circuits requires that the interconnections between components and dielectric layers be as small as possible. Therefore, research continues into reducing the width of via interconnects and connecting lines. The conductivity of the interconnects is reduced as the surface area of the interconnect is reduced, and the resulting increase in interconnect resistivity has become an obstacle in IC design. Conductors having high resistivity create conduction paths with high impedance and large propagation delays. These problems result in unreliable signal timing, unreliable voltage levels, and lengthy signal delays between components in the IC. Propagation discontinuities also result from intersecting conduction surfaces that are poorly connected, or from the joining of conductors having highly different impedance characteristics.
There is a need for interconnects and vias to have both low resistivity, and the ability to withstand volatile process environments. Aluminum and tungsten metals are often used in the production of integrated circuits for making interconnections or vias between electrically active areas. These metals are popular because they are easy to use in a production environment, unlike copper which requires special handling.
Copper (Cu) is a natural choice to replace aluminum in the effort to reduce the size of lines and vias in an electrical circuit. The conductivity of copper is approximately twice that of aluminum and over three times that of tungsten. As a result, the same current can be carried through a copper line having half the width of an aluminum line.
The electromigration characteristics of copper are also much superior to those of aluminum. Aluminum is approximately ten times more susceptible than copper to degradation and breakage due to electromigration. As a result, a copper line, even one having a much smaller cross-section than an aluminum line, is better able to maintain electrical integrity.
There have been problems associated with the use of copper, however, in IC processing. Copper pollutes many of the materials used in IC processes and, therefore, care must be taken to keep copper from migrating. The migration of copper into silicon semiconductor regions is especially harmful. The conduction characteristics of the semiconductor regions are a consideration in the design of a transistors. Typically, the fabrication process is carefully controlled to produce semiconductor regions in accordance with the design. Elements of copper migrating into these semiconductor regions can dramatically alter the conduction characteristics of associated transistors.
Various means have been suggested to deal with the problem of copper diffusion into integrated circuit material. Several materials, especially metallic ones, have been suggested for use as barriers, at least partially encapsulating copper structures, to prevent copper diffusion into susceptible circuits. Tungsten, molybdenum, and titanium nitride (TiN) have also been suggested for use as copper diffusion barriers. By using a metallic barrier material copper can electrically communicate with semiconductor regions, and yet be physically isolated. However, the adhesion of copper to these diffusion barrier materials has been an IC process problem, and the electrical conductivity of such materials is an issue in building IC interconnects.
The deposition of copper on IC surfaces, as mentioned above, is a process problem. It is inconvenient to cover an IC surface with a layer of copper, and then etch portions of the copper layer to form interconnect structures as is done with other metals. Copper is removed at high temperatures, which potentially harms associated silicon, oxide, semiconductor, and metal structures. Since copper is typically deposited at high temperatures, it is difficult to use photoresist as a mask to cover areas of an IC surface where an application of CVD copper is not desired. Photoresist becomes degraded at high temperatures. Therefore, copper interconnect features are often formed with a currently developing damascene method.
The damascene method for forming a via between a substrate surface and an overlying dielectric surface is described below. The underlying substrate surface is first completely covered with a dielectric, such as oxide. A patterned photoresist profile is then formed over the oxide. The resist profile has an opening, or hole, in the photoresist corresponding to the area in the oxide where the via is to be formed. Other areas of the oxide to be left in place are covered with photoresist. The photoresist covered dielectric is then etched to remove oxide underlying the hole in the photoresist. The photoresist is then stripped away. CVD copper is then used to fill the via. A layer consisting of oxide with a copper via through it now overlies the substrate surface. The excess copper remaining is removed with a chemical mechanical polish (CMP) process, as is well known in the art.
Besides adhesion and etching difficulties, it is also a problem to deposit copper onto a substrate, or in a via, using the conventional processes for the deposition of aluminum when the geometries of the selected IC features are small. That is, new deposition processes have been developed for use with copper, instead of aluminum, in the lines and interconnects of an IC interlevel dielectric. It is impractical to sputter metal, either aluminum or copper, to fill small diameter vias, since the gap filling capability is poor. To deposit copper, first, a physical vapor deposition (PVD), and then, a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique have been developed by the industry.
With the PVD technique, an IC surface is exposed to a copper vapor and copper condenses on the surfaces. The technique is not selective with regard to surfaces. When copper is to be deposited on a metallic surface, adjoining non-conductive surfaces must either be masked or etched clean in a subsequent process step. As mentioned earlier, photoresist masks and other adjoining IC structures are typically damaged at the high temperatures at which copper is vaporized. The CVD technique is an improvement over PVD because it is more selective as to which surfaces copper is deposited on. The CVD technique is selective because it relies on a chemical reaction between the metallic surface and the copper vapor to cause the deposition of copper on the metallic surface.
In a typical CVD process, copper is combined with a ligand, or organic compound, to make the copper volatile. That is, copper becomes an element in a compound that is vaporized into a gas. Selected surfaces of an integrated circuit, such as diffusion barrier material, are exposed to the copper gas, or precursor, in an elevated temperature environment. When the copper gas compound decomposes, copper is left behind on the selected surface. Several copper gas compounds are available for use with the CVD process. It is generally accepted that the configuration of the copper gas compound, at least partially, affects the ability the copper residue to adhere itself to the selected surface.
Norman et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,731, discloses precursors to deposit copper on conductive surfaces. These precursors react chemically to selectively deposit copper on metallic conductive surfaces, but not non-metallic surfaces. However, the application of CVD copper typically becomes less selective the longer the process continues. After a period of time, copper eventually begins to accumulate on the non-conductive surface. Once a layer of copper is established on the non-conductive surface, the growth rates of deposited copper on conductive and non-conductive surfaces are substantially the same.
It would be advantageous if copper could be deposited on IC surfaces without the necessity of masking non-conductive surfaces, or performing a substantial etching process to remove copper from non-conductive surfaces.
It would be advantageous if copper interconnects, studs, and lines could be formed without the necessity of using a damascene process to protect adjoining non-conductive surfaces.
It would be advantageous to employ a method of selectively depositing copper on conductive and non-conductive IC surfaces. Further, it would be advantageous to selectively deposit copper to adjoining conductive and non-conductive surfaces.
It would be advantageous if a method were employed for preparing both conductive and non-conductive surfaces, in advance of an application of CVD copper, to improve the selectivity of the copper deposited on the surfaces.
Accordingly, a method of differentially depositing copper on selected IC surfaces is provided. The selected surfaces include conductive and non-conductive surfaces applied to selected regions of the IC. The method comprising the steps of: exposing each selected surface to a source of ions; etching each selected surface to remove contaminants and undesired IC materials that have collected on the non-conductive surface; and applying CVD Cu to each selected surface, forming a relatively thick layer of Cu overlying conductive surfaces, and a relatively thin layer of Cu overlying the non-conductive surfaces, whereby the exposure of the selected surfaces promotes variations in the rates at which Cu is deposited.
Preferably, the three process steps, mentioned above, are repeated a plurality of times to differentially deposit copper on each selected surface a plurality of times. The undesired IC material removed from the non-conductive surface is copper, whereby the layer of copper overlying the conductive surface is made progressively thicker while maintaining a copper-free non-conductive surface. Cu is deposited on each selected surface until less than approximately a monolayer of Cu is accumulated on the non-conductive surface. Then, each selected surface is etched until the Cu accumulated on the non-conductive surface is removed.
The source ions, to which each selected surface is exposed, are generated from an inert gas, whereby chemical reactions between the ions and the selected surfaces are minimized. The inert gas is selected from the group consisting of Ar, He, Ne, Kr, H.sub.2, N.sub.2, and Xe. The source ions have an energy level of generally less than 150 eV to control the smoothness of the non-conductive surfaces, and to minimize the etching of non-conductive surface material. The selected surfaces are exposed to a source of ions in a low pressure environment of less than approximately 10 mT, whereby the ion bombardment is anisotropic.
Also provided is an adherent copper conductor interface on an integrated circuit (IC) formed from the differential deposition of Cu on the IC. The Cu conductor interface comprises a conductive surface of IC material, and a non-conductive surface of IC material. The Cu interface also comprises a layer of Cu overlying said conductive surface. The Cu layer is formed through repeated deposition cycles with each deposition cycle including an exposure of both conductive and non-conductive surfaces to a low energy ion source of an inert gas to etch the IC surfaces, followed by an application of CVD Cu to deposit a relatively thin layer of Cu on the non-conductive surface and a relatively thick layer of Cu on the conductive surface. In this manner, Cu is selectively deposited on conductive and non-conductive IC surfaces to form an interconnect between the conductive surface and other regions of the IC.

Differential copper deposition on integrated circuit surfaces


A fill valve assembly for controlling liquid flow into a reservoir includes a mounting adapter defining a liquid inlet passage for connection to a riser for supplying water to the valve and which renders the fill valve readily mountable and demountable for installation and maintenance. A valve body has liquid inlet and outlet openings and a pressure-responsive member is disposed within the valve body and defines a control chamber with which the liquid inlet passage communicates opposite a second side of the pressure responsive member also in communication with the liquid inlet for selectively opening and closing the inlet opening to liquid flow in response to liquid pressure in the control chamber. A biasing means acts on the pressure-responsive member together with pressure in the control chamber, against the inlet pressure acting on the opposite side of the pressure-responsive member, to hold a valve surface fixed to the pressure-responsive member against a valve seating face ion the adaptor so as to close the inlet opening to liquid flow. The valve body, pressure-responsive member and biasing means are arranged to be demountable from the adaptor as a unit in a manner so as to provide ready access to the mating valve surface and valve seating face e.g. for cleaning.

1. Field
The present invention relates to fill valves for controlling liquid level in a reservoir. More particularly the invention relates to fill valves having adaptors by which they may be simply and quickly mounted and demounted to allow for simplified installation and maintenance.
2. Description of Related Art
Fill valves function to maintain a predetermined liquid level in a reservoir, and are used widely in livestock watering troughs and toilet tanks. A typical fill valve includes an inlet adapted to be connected to a liquid supply, an outlet communicating with the reservoir, a valve for controlling flow from the inlet to the outlet, a device for detecting the level of liquid in the reservoir (such as a float or diaphragm responsive to water pressure), and means actuated by the detecting device for opening the valve when the liquid level is below a predetermined level.
In fill valves, the region including the valve seal and mating valve seating face can become fouled by dirt or debris in the water supply and it may be necessary to remove and disassemble the fill valve to clean this region. It is therefore desirable that the valve can be readily mounted and demounted and allows for good access for cleaning and maintenance.
The applicant's own prior art float-controlled fill valve has a main valve disc fixed to a diaphragm, the valve disc engaging an inlet valve seat to stop water passing from the inlet to the outlet. Opposing the inlet side of the diaphragm, a control chamber is connected by a port to the inlet side, such that when in this closed position, static water pressure acting on both sides of the diaphragm is the same. A spring biases the valve disc against the inlet valve seat to hold the valve closed. When the float falls, a pivoting arm connected thereto opens a pilot valve which vents the control chamber, such that the pressure on the inlet side overcomes the spring bias and opens the valve. The fill valve is formed from main two components, a cover (housing the pivoting arm and pilot valve) and a base (in which the inlet and outlet are provided). The diaphragm and spring are held between the base and the cover and the inlet is a protruding connector formed integrally with of the base.
Before this valve can be removed for cleaning it is necessary to turn off the water supply and disconnect and remove the hardware which mounts the valve to the reservoir. Even if the fill valve can be cleaned or repaired while mounted on the reservoir and still attached to the hardware connecting it, access to the valve and valve seat is difficult and requires the necessary tools to remove the base. When the fill valve is mounted below the water level of the reservoir, the protruding adaptor is passed through the reservoir wall and held in place with a sealing gasket and screw fitting and in such a case it is also necessary to drain the reservoir.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,842,498 describes a fill valve (with a diaphragm responsive to water pressure) mounted by the push-twist action of a bayonet joint. Water is supplied to the valve through a central passage in an adaptor which includes the female part of the bayonet joint, the male part with radially projecting tabs being formed on the valve body. The end of the passage in the adaptor is surrounded by O-rings which seal against an annular face provided on the male part.
Although the bayonet joint between the valve and the adaptor renders the valve readily mountable and dismountable, it does not avoid the difficulties of accessibility, particularly to the diaphragm of the valve and the mating sealing surfaces controlling operation of the valve itself. The need remains for the repairer to have the necessary skill and tools to disassemble the valve once it has been removed in order to access these mating sealing surfaces.
NZ Patent No. 328 862 discloses a float-controlled fill valve where the diaphragm and spring are held between a base and cover connected with a screw thread. The cover houses the pivoting arm and pilot valve and the base includes the inlet and outlet so unscrewing these two parts provides access for cleaning the mating sealing surfaces. A disadvantage of this design, however is that the screw connection is difficult to release without disconnecting the water supply to the valve. Additionally, when the base is removed, the spring, diaphragm and other components are not retained, thereby requiring skill and care to avoid loss of these parts and making reassembly of the valve after maintenance troublesome.
All references, including any patents or patent applications cited in this specification are hereby incorporated by reference. No admission is made that any reference constitutes prior art. The discussion of the references states what their authors assert, and the applicants reserve the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinency of the cited documents. It will be clearly understood that, although a number of prior art publications are referred to herein, this reference does not constitute an admission that any of these documents form part of the common general knowledge in the art, in New Zealand or in any other country.
It is acknowledged that the term 'comprise' may, under varying jurisdictions, be attributed with either an exclusive or an inclusive meaning. For the purpose of this specification, and unless otherwise noted, the term 'comprise' shall have an inclusive meaning—i.e. that it will be taken to mean an inclusion of not only the listed components it directly references, but also other non-specified components or elements. This rationale will also be used when the term 'comprised' or 'comprising' is used in relation to one or more steps in a method or process.
It is an object of the present invention to address the foregoing problems or at least to provide the public with a useful choice.
Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only.


An insulated container is disclosed. The container has an outer plastic member, an inner plastic member and an insulating, e.g., vacuum space, located therebetween. A vent assembly is located in the outer member in communication with the vacuum space. The vent assembly may be arranged to prevent liquid from entering into the insulating space and may be arranged to equalize the internal pressure within the insulating space and the ambient atmospheric pressures surrounding the outer member, while allowing higher internal pressure within the insulating space to vent to the ambient atmosphere when the container is heated, and to close off to seal the insulating space to maintain the vacuum therein when the container is cooled.

Insulated containers or vessels commonly include an outer member or vessel in which an inner member or vessel is located, with the space between those vessels forming an insulating region surrounding the inner vessel. As is known heat can be transferred between the inner and outer vessel by three methods. They are conduction, radiation and convection. Air and most gases which can be disposed within the insulating space are good insulators against conduction. However, they easily convect. Thus, in an attempt to provide effective insulation, containers frequently make use of a narrow insulating space to decrease the amount of convection. Another manner for providing effective insulation is to reduce the amount of gas in the insulating space, i.e., create some vacuum therein. This action further decreases convection. In addition, with less media present it also reduces conduction heat transfer. To reduce the radiation transfer the inner walls of the insulating space can be covered with a highly reflective surface to reflect back the radiated energy. One such double wall, low pressure insulated container having with a highly reflective surface is the traditional vacuum bottle. However, traditional vacuum bottles are expensive due to having to be truly hermetically sealed. If they leak, even slowly, they lose a large part of their insulation ability. They are also typically constructed from glass or metals, because plastics are gas permeable.
Double wall insulated containers, like those described above, also exhibit a problem when subjected to the high temperatures encountered when they are washed in a dishwasher. In particular, the high heat increases the pressure of the gas volume trapped in the insulation space between the container's double walls. This is especially a problem in the case of low cost plastic containers. The increased pressure can either burst the containment or distort the container. While placing a hole in the container to vent the pressure in the insulating space to prevent such potentially damaging action is a potential solution, it necessarily allows the insulating space to fill with water or other contaminants. This decreases the vessel's insulating ability and may be a sanitary hazard.
Accordingly, a need exists for a double walled insulated container, which is formed of low cost plastic materials, to be able to withstand the rigors of repeated washings in a dishwasher, while maintaining its insulating properties and without presenting a sanitation hazard. The subject invention addresses that need.

Double walled insulated container with rechargeable vacuum


Systems and methods for rendering a document in a native format at an imaging device using a host service for rendering into printer ready data. Documents/images are despooled to an imaging device in their native format for printing, wherein the imaging device includes the capability of discovering application/print server processes that render the document in its native format into a format compatible with the imaging device. The imaging device broadcasts job rendering requirements to one or more application/imaging servers, which in turn provide a response to the broadcast. One or more of the application/imaging servers are selectively chosen for use in rendering the document/print job, providing the device specific rendered job to the imaging device for rendering. In addition, when multiple compatible services are available, an optimal host service is determined and used for rendering into printer ready data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to document rendering. In particular, the present invention relates to systems and methods for rendering a document in a native format at a printer device using a host service for rendering into printer ready data. In addition, when multiple compatible services are available, an optimal host service is determined and used for rendering into printer ready data.
2. Background and Related Art
When a document is to be printed, the corresponding print job is typically in either a printer ready format or converted into a printer ready format that is compatible with the corresponding printer. Once in the printer ready format, the print job can be pushed to or pulled by the printer.
While techniques are currently available that convert a print job into printer ready data, situations exist where converting the print job into printer ready data is either not convenient or not possible. For example, such situations occur when (i) the host device does not have access to the corresponding printer driver for the printer; (ii) the host device does not have access to the application to convert the document data in graphical primitives for the device; (iii) the print job is initiated at the device and the pull print facility cannot initiate a background print on the device; and/or (iv) the printer receives the print job in the document's native format instead of in printer ready data.
Attempts have been made to solve such problems. For example, one such technique is illustrated as FIG. 1, wherein a document/print job is sent in a native format to a print server, which converts the print job to a printer format and sends it to a printer. Specifically, a user submits a file to the print server in one of several supported native file formats (e.g., MS-Office, PDF, HTML, JPEG), without specifying a target device. To print the file, the user uses a small device that includes a keypad and a liquid crystal display ("LCD"), and is connected between a printer and a local area network ("LAN"). The small device serves two functions. First, a user can access the server via the keypad and pull down a file for printing on the attached printer. Second, the device transmits device identification information to the server, which the server uses to select the appropriate printer driver to convert the print data into printer ready data for the device. This enables remote users to route a job to the output device through the server.
While this method is currently available, several limitations exist. For example, the method cannot perform peer-to-peer printing, it cannot use the pre-existing print subsystem, only a limited number of options on the host can be converted to print options by the server, it cannot initiate printing from the device (e.g., pull printing), and the print server must have the application for the document format and the driver for the printer.
Thus, while techniques currently exist that are used to convert a print job into printer ready data, challenges still exist. Accordingly, it would be an improvement in the art to augment or even replace current techniques with other techniques.

Systems and methods for providing load balance rendering for direct printing


Stateful failover redundancy support is provided for network address translation (NAT). A master NAT device is backed-up with at least one back-up NAT device. Existing sessions are synchronized between the two NAT devices, such as via a dedicated link between them. In the event of a failover where the master NAT device is unable to perform its NAT functions, ownership of Internet protocol (IP) addresses is transferred from the master NAT device to the back-up NAT device. The back-up NAT device, which is now owner of the IP addresses, assumes the NAT functionality associated with these IP addresses and continues the existing sessions, as well as processing new sessions.

1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates generally to providing redundancy support for network devices. More particularly but not exclusively, the present disclosure relates to providing redundancy support for network address translation (NAT) devices (such as routers or switches) in the event of a failover.
2. Description of the Related Art
Network address translation (NAT) is the translation of an Internet Protocol (IP) address used within one network to a different IP address known within another network. One network is designated as the inside network and the other network is designated as the outside network.
Generally, a company maps its local inside network addresses to one or more global outside IP addresses, and unmaps the global IP addresses on incoming packets back into local IP addresses. This provides a form of security since each outgoing or incoming request must go through a translation process that also offers the opportunity to qualify or authenticate the request or to match it to previous request. Furthermore, the translation processes provides added security in that the internal local IP addresses are kept hidden from outsiders. NAT also conserves on the number of global IP addresses that a company needs, and lets the company use a single (or a few) global IP address in its communication with outsiders.
NAT is typically included as part of a router or other network device, which in turn may form part of a firewall. System administrators create NAT tables that perform the global-to-local and local-to-global IP address mapping. NAT can be statically defined or can be configured to dynamically translate to and from a pool of IP addresses.
Despite the advantages provided by NAT, it nevertheless is prone to problems that typically plague networks. For example, failure (which may be caused by power outages, device malfunction, viruses, etc.) will always occur despite system administrators' best efforts to guard against them. When a failure occurs, NAT is unable to perform address translation and to forward traffic. This down time will continue until the current NAT device (or some other network device that caused the failover) is repaired to bring it back online. In situations where the network may have a backup NAT device, the backup NAT device can be brought online to allow new network traffic to resume—unfortunately, there will still be some downtime and lost traffic (from current connections that were broken at the time of the failover) between the time that the failover occurs and the time that the backup NAT device is brought online.
Failure can also affect transparent cache switching (TCS) functionality. With TCS, commonly accessed web pages are cached so that the requesting client need not access the Internet each time a commonly accessed web page is desired. Instead, the client can access the cached version, thereby reducing latency and bandwidth usage associated with connecting to the Internet. In the event of a failover, the TCS device(s) are unable to provide the client with access to the cache, thus forcing the client to connect to the Internet, if such a connection is even available during the failover. Thus, with TCS systems, a failover can cause latency, downtime, and lost traffic as well.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Redundancy support for network address translation (NAT)


Tripeptide and tetrapeptide thioethers, pharmaceutical compositions containing them, their pharmaceutical use, and their preparation. The compounds are useful in potentiating the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapeutic agents in tumor cells, selectively exerting toxicity in tumor cells, elevating the production of GM progenitors in bone marrow, stimulating the differentiation of bone marrow, mitigating the myelosuppressive effects of chemotherapeutic agents, and modulating hematopoiesis in bone marrow.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to tripeptide and tetrapeptide thioethers, pharmaceutical compositions containing them, their pharmaceutical use, and their preparation.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,599,903; 5,763,570; 5767086; 5786336; and 5955432; European Patent Publication No. 0 645 397; and PCT International Publications Nos. WO 95/08563 and WO 96/40205 disclose various tripeptide and tetrapeptide compounds that are analogs of reduced glutathione (L-γ-glutamyl-L-cysteinylglycine), including compounds of the formula [WO 95/08563]:
and their C1-10 alkyl or alkenyl or C7-12 aralkyl esters, amides, and mixed ester/amides, where:Z is S, O, or C;n is 1 to 3;when Z is S or O and n is 1, X is a C1-20 hydrocarbyl optionally containing 1 or 2 non-adjacent O, S, or N heteroatoms, unsubstituted or mono- or disubstituted with halo, —NO, —NO2, —NR2, —OR, or —SR, where R is H or C1-4 alkyl;when Z is S and n is 2, one X is as above defined and the other X is C1-4 alkyl; andwhen Z is C and n is 3, one X is as above defined and the other two X are independently H or C1-4 alkyl;YCO is γ-glu, β-asp, glu, asp, γ-glu-gly, β-asp-gly, glu-gly, asp-gly; andAAc is an amino acid coupled through a peptide bond to the remainder of the compound.
The compounds are described as having various uses, including as reagents useful in characterizing glutathione S-transferase (GST) isoenzymes, in determining the GST complements of cells and tissues, as chromatographic affinity ligands, binding agents, and enzyme inhibitors; and therapeutically to: potentiate the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapeutic agents in tumor cells, selectively exert cytotoxicity in tumor cells, elevate the production of granulocyte-mactophage (GM) progenitors in bone marrow, stimulate the differentiation of bone marrow cells, mitigate the bone marrow-destructive effects of chemotherapeutic agents, and modulate hematopoiesis in bone marrow.
TLK117, identified in those patents and publications as TER 117 and named variously as γ-Glu-Cys(Bz)-phenylGly, γE-C(Bz)-φG, γE-C(Bz)-PG, γE-C(benzyl)-φG, and benzyl PG, is one of these compounds. TLK117 is the compound of the formula
and may be named L-γ-glutamyl-S-(phenylmethyl)-L-cysteinyl-D-phenylglycine. TLK117 inhibits GST P1-1 with an IC50 of approximately 400 nM. TLK199, identified in those patents and publications as TER 199, is the diethyl ester of TLK117.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,627,732 and PCT International Publication No. WO 99/54346 disclose glutathione derivatives of the formula
whereA is H or C1-20 acyl;R1 is C1-26 alkyl or C3-26 alkenyl; andR2 is H, C1-26 alkyl, or C3-26 alkenyl;excluding the case where R1 is C1-10 alkyl or C3-10 alkenyl and R2 is H, C1-10 alkyl or C3-10 alkenyl.
US Published Application No. 2003/0100511 and PCT International Publication No. WO 00/44366 disclose lipid formulations, including liposomal formulations, of diesters of compounds of the formula:
where:each ester is 1–25C;YCO is γ-glu or β-asp;G* is phenylglycine;Z is CH2, O, or S; andX is 6–8C alkyl, benzyl, or naphthyl,or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof; ora compound of the formula:
where:R1 and R2 are independently chosen from linear or branched alkyl groups (1–25C), cycloalkyl groups (6–25C), substituted alkyl groups (2–25C), heterocycles (6–20C), ethers or polyethers (3–25C), or where R1–R2 (2–20C) together form a macrocycle with the formula; andR3 is 6–8C alkyl, benzyl, or naphthyl,or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
Many conditions are characterized by depleted bone marrow, including myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a form of pre-leukemia in which the bone marrow produces insufficient levels of one or more of the three major blood elements (white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets). A reduction in blood cell levels and the generation of new blood cells in the bone marrow, myelosuppression, is also a common, toxic effect of many standard chemotherapeutic drugs.
TLK199 has been shown to induce the differentiation of HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia cells in vitro, to potentiate the activity of cytotoxic agents both in vitro and in vivo, and to stimulate colony formation of all three lineages of hematopoietic progenitor cells in normal human peripheral blood. In preclinical testing, TLK199 has been shown to increase white blood cell production in normal animals as well as in animals in which white blood cells were depleted by treatment with cisplatin or fluorouracil. Similar effects may provide a new approach to treating MDS. TLK199 is currently being evaluated in a Phase II clinical trial for the treatment of MDS. Interim results from this trial, reported at the 2004 and 2005 American Society of Hematology meetings, demonstrated that TLK199 was well tolerated and resulted in multilineage hematologic improvement. These results also suggest a potential role for TLK199 in treating chemotherapy-induced cytopenias.
It would be desirable to develop potent inhibitors of GST P1-1 for use in humans to: potentiate the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapeutic agents in tumor cells, selectively exert cytotoxicity in tumor cells, elevate the production of GM progenitors in bone marrow, stimulate the differentiation of bone marrow, mitigate the myelosuppressive effects of chemotherapeutic agents, and modulate hematopoiesis in bone marrow.


Natamycin biomass comprising 5-60% natamycin, most preferably 25-60% natamycin, and methods for forming the biomass, are disclosed. The natamycin biomass can be mixed with compatible carrier to form a premix comprising 0.2-5% natamycin. The premlix may be mixed with animal feed to form an animal feed mixture comprising cracked grain and 1.1-110 ppm of natamycin.

Natamycin (also known as pimaricin or tenecetin) is a member of the polyene family of antimycotics (Florey, "Analytical Profiles of Drug Substances", Vol. 10, 1981; Merck Index, 8th ed., "Pimaricin", p. 834). Natamycin has been produced in purified form and, in this form, is known to be an effective antifungal agent. Carter, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,536,494 and 4,600,706, discloses that dry, crystalline natamycin physically mixed with feed grain in effective amounts, prevents fungal mycotoxin contamination of feed. Elliott, Canadian Patent 684,259, discloses feed additives of Candida albicans fermentation product, with or without the inclusion of an antifungal agent such as nystatin or pimaricin.
Natamycin is prepared by fermentation, such as disclosed in U.K. Patent 846,933, using Streptomyces gilvosporeus. In this process, natamycin is recovered by methanol extraction followed by tedious steps of adsorption and elution. Bridge, U.S. Pat No. 3,378,441, discloses recovery of natamycin by salting it out of the fermentation broth, extracting with methanol, removing the solids, and then evaporating the liquid. Struyk, U.S. Pat. No. 3,892,850, discloses recovery of natamycin by extraction with acidified butanol followed by distillation and precipitation. Each of these processes require an expensive recovery step, such as adsorption and elution, distillation, or evaporation. Consequently, natamycin has not been widely used because of its extremely high cost of manufacture, isolation, and purification. A need exists for a method of using natamycin that does not require an expensive recovery step.

Natamycin-containing streptomyces biomass and its use in animal feed


A bitumen-based waterproofing membrane is provided with an improved edge for sealing with a contiguous membrane to provide a membrane system with improved waterproofing characteristics. A bitumen-based reinforced membrane sheet is coated with granular material to protect the membrane sheet from ultraviolet rays. However, a section of the membrane sheet is first covered with a piece of protective tape which prevents any granular material from being deposited on the lateral section of exposed bitumen beneath the tape. The membrane sheets are then cut immediately prior to the tape or at the edge of the granular coating and then rolled up. Accordingly, the lateral section of bitumen which is covered by the protective tape is on the innermost part of the rolled-up membrane sheet. During installation, the tape is removed and the exposed bitumen or selvage section is disposed below an adjacent or contiguous membrane. Heat is then applied for an easy and effective seal between two adjacent membrane sheets.

Bitumen-based membranes are used for waterproofing in construction. Such membranes normally feature a reinforcement made of non-woven polyester cloth or of a layer of reinforced glass such as fiberglass. One of the membrane surfaces is coated with small slate flakes of various colors, similar to granules, for protection against ultraviolet rays.
The users of these types of membranes currently face serious problems when trying to seal together contiguous membranes because of the relatively complex steps that must be carried out to connect the two contiguous or adjacent ends. Of course, if an effective seal is not attained, the membrane system will leak and not achieve its very purpose.
The purpose of this invention is to solve the above mentioned problem by creating a bitumen-based membrane with sealing means that make it possible to connect continuous membranes quickly and effectively with reduced energy consumption and excellent results.
Within the above described scope, one of the goals of the invention is to provide membranes that are impermeably sealed to adjacent or contiguous membranes in an effective and aesthetically pleasing manner.
The bitumen-based membrane that is the subject of this invention provides a reliable seal between membranes because of its unique design features.
The subject bitumen-based membrane is easy to produce because it is made of elements and materials that are available on the market. Further, the membrane of the present invention is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and install.
The task described above, the goals mentioned, as well as additional goals--which will be described hereinafter--have been achieved with a bitumen-based membrane featuring sealing means for contiguous membranes, per this invention, which consists of the following:
A bitumen-based membrane sheet, developed longitudinally, which is reinforced with a polyester non-woven cloth or with a coat of reinforced glass on one side of said membrane sheet.
One side of the membrane sheet will be coated with granular material such as small slate flakes. Said membrane sheet is characterized by the fact that it includes, at least at one of its ends, a transverse selvage which consists of a tract of exposed bitumen, free of granular material, as well as of a thin coat of polyethylene which, when heated, seals the ends of contiguous membranes together.

Apparatus for manufacturing bitumen-based membrane sheets


Object detection method and apparatus, including an image-pickup unit picking up the image of a target region, a first recording device accumulating, as a reference image, an image signal from the image-pickup unit, a second recording device storing a table which defines surveillance information on the image signal, an object detection processing unit detecting a target object from the image signal and the reference image, a memory table storing a processing result from the processing unit, and a display unit. The image signal from the image-pickup unit is saved based on the table of the second recording device, and the processing result in the memory table is displayed on the display unit. The surveillance information in the table of the second recording device is modified based on the display of the processing result obtained by the object detection processing unit.

The present invention relates to an object detection system using an image-pickup device. More particularly, it relates to an intruding-object surveillance method and an intruding-object surveillance apparatus that, by processing the image signals, allow an object to be automatically detected which has intruded within a detection target region.
Conventionally, the remote-monitor-scheme surveillance systems using the image-pickup device such as a TV camera (television camera) have been widely used. Moreover, many of these systems are the systems based on the so-called manned surveillance scheme by which surveillance personnel perform the surveillance while watching the images displayed on a monitor.
In these manned-surveillance-scheme surveillance systems, however, the surveillance personnel are required to watch all the time the images displayed on the monitor. This is needed to identify an intruding object in real time, such as a human or an automobile that is coming into a surveillance target region. Accordingly, so much burden is imposed on the surveillance personnel. In addition thereto, it is impossible to avoid an occurrence of oversight, since there exists a limit to the human's concentration. Consequently, there exists problem in reliability.
In view of this situation, in recent years, it has been getting more and more strongly requested to implement the so-called automatic-detection-scheme surveillance system instead of the manned surveillance scheme as described above. In this automatic-detection-scheme surveillance system, an intruding object is automatically detected by the signal processing of the images picked up by a TV camera, thereby allowing the execution of a predetermined notice-giving or alarm-issuing procedure step.
By the way, the implementation of the automatic-detection-scheme surveillance system like this necessitates a function of using a certain surveillance scheme so as to detect, from the image signals, a surveillance target object that should be assumed to be an intruding object. As one example of the surveillance scheme at this time, there exists a method referred to as "subtraction method". This subtraction method, which is disclosed in, e.g., JP-A-7-79429 and the like, has been widely used conventionally.
Here, this subtraction method is the following one: Of images picked up by a TV camera, an image where there exists none of an intruding object to be detected is selected and stored in advance as a reference background image. Next, a comparison is made between an input image (i.e., image outputted from the TV camera) and this reference background image, thereby determining a subtraction or difference between the luminance values on each pixel basis. Moreover, the subtraction values are subjected to a difference-judging processing under a predetermined threshold value, thereby generating a binarized image. Finally, if, within the binarized image, there appears a region that has exceeded a predetermined size, the region is assumed to be an intruding object, then being detected.
In the case of the subtraction method, enhancing the detection accuracy of an intruding object requires the existence of several conditions to be considered as parameters. As the representative parameters among them, there exist the above-described threshold value and a masking region that will be described later.
At first, explanation will be given below concerning the threshold value. FIG. 4A illustrates an example of the case where the threshold value set in advance is a proper one. In this case, as a result of performing the threshold-value processing to a subtraction between an input image 401 and the reference background image, because of the proper threshold value, a person existing within the input image 401 has been able to be correctly detected as an intruding object 401a.
Meanwhile, FIG. 4B illustrates an example of the case where the set threshold value is smaller than the proper one. In this case, because of the small threshold value, the following detection result has been obtained: Although no subtraction should occur in grass/tree portions between an input image 402 and the reference background image, the grass/tree portions have been also detected as intruding objects. As a result, three types of intruding objects, i.e., 402a, 402b, and 402c, have been assumed to exist within the input image 402.
Conversely, FIG. 4C illustrates an example of the case where the set threshold value is larger than the proper one. In this case, because of the large threshold value, the following detection result has been obtained: In the region where there exists the object to be detected, it is impossible to detect a portion in which a subtraction between an input image 403 and the reference background image is small. As a result, the one person, who, originally, should be detected as the intruding object 401a as is illustrated in FIG. 4A, has been detected as split plural objects, i.e., 403a and 403b,
The explanation given so far makes it possible to easily understand the following facts: In the subtraction method, the setting of the threshold value is one of the significant factors for determining the detection performance and detection accuracy of an object. Simultaneously, the correct setting of this threshold value requires a high-level proficiency.
Next, explanation will be given below regarding the masking region. Here, at first, FIG. 5A illustrates an example of an input image 501 in the case where, similarly to the case in FIG. 4A, an intruding object 501a has been able to be normally detected. On the other hand, FIG. 5B illustrates an example of the following case: Objects that, originally, are supposed to have already become the background within an input image 502, e.g., grasses and trees existing within the input image 502, have moved for some reason or other (namely, e.g., have been swayed by the wind).
Moreover, in this case in FIG. 5B, in the grass/tree portions as well, there occur differences between the input image 502 and the reference back-ground image despite the fact that no intruding object exists except an object (i.e., person) 502a. As a result, three types of objects, i.e., 502a, 502b, and 502c, will be assumed to exist within the input image 502.
In view of this situation, in the case like this, the following mask processing becomes necessary: As illustrated in FIG. 5C, at first, a masking region 503b is set within an input image 503 with respect to a region where there exist objects that will be moved by the wind, e.g., grasses and trees. Next, the inside of this masking region is processed as an insensitive region (i.e., region in which no judgment is made concerning the existence of an object). For example, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/387,433 relates to a mask processing.
Incidentally, this mask processing, which is applicable not only to the subtraction method but also to various object detection methods, is effective in enhancing the object detection performance.
In the case of this mask processing, however, no sufficient performance can be acquired unless the setting of the masking region has been properly implemented. In the case of, e.g., the input image 503 in FIG. 5C, the masking region must be set as follows: Excluding a region where an intruding object 503a should appear, only the objects such as the grasses and trees are correctly masked which, by being moved by the wind or the like, are in a danger of being falsely detected as the intruding objects.
Accordingly, it becomes possible to easily understand the following facts: In the subtraction method, the setting of the masking region is also one of the significant factors for determining the detection performance and detection accuracy of an object. Simultaneously, the correct setting of this masking region also requires a high-level proficiency.
Incidentally, so far, explanation has been given employing the subtraction method as the example. However, not only in the subtraction method but also in the other object detection methods, maintaining the object detection performance necessitates the parameters such as the threshold value and the masking region, and also necessitates the correct setting of these parameters.
In view of the above-described situation, in the automatic-detection-scheme surveillance system according to the prior art, when starting the operation of the surveillance system, it is quite natural that the operator set the parameters to be proper parameters. What is more, during the system operation as well, the operator repeatedly makes an adjustment appropriately, as required, thereby allowing the performance of the surveillance system to be all the time maintained as is specified in the specification thereof under the setting of the proper parameters.
The execution of this repeated adjustment, however, requires that the operator be obliged to always be present at the site of the surveillance system. If this is difficult, maintaining the performance of the surveillance system also becomes difficult. Consequently, there exist problems in the detection accuracy and detection reliability of an intruding object.
Namely, unless the operator had happened to be present just at the very site when there actually occurred a false or erroneous detection of an object, it is difficult to make the judgment as to whether or not the setting of the parameters is proper.
Accordingly, in order to allow the performance of the surveillance system to be properly maintained all the time under the setting of the proper parameters, it is required for the operator to wait for a false detection to occur and then to correct the parameters.
Conventionally, this requirement has forced the operator to standby all the time (i.e., always present) at the installment site of the surveillance system and to wait for the detection of an intruding object by the surveillance system. Here, however, it is completely unpredictable at what point-in-time this detection will occur. Consequently, as described above, maintaining the performance of the surveillance system becomes difficult. As a result, it turns out that there occur the problems in the detection accuracy and detection reliability of the intruding object.

Object detection method and apparatus which perform object detection using set parameters


Non-volatile memory devices can be fabricated by forming a tunnel dielectric layer on a semiconductor substrate, subjecting the semiconductor substrate having the tunnel dielectric layer to an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process to form nanocrystals on the tunnel dielectric layer, removing the semiconductor substrate having the nanocrystals from an atomic layer deposition chamber, forming a control gate dielectric layer on the semiconductor substrate having the nanocrystal, and forming a control gate electrode on the semiconductor substrate having the control gate dielectric layer.

Semiconductor memory devices can be classified as a volatile memory device or a non-volatile memory device according to the data storage method. A volatile memory device can lose stored data when power is no longer supplied to the device. In contrast, a non-volatile memory device has a feature capable of retaining data during a state where power is not supplied. A non-volatile memory device having such a feature, for example, a flash memory device, can be used in mobile communication terminals, memory cards, and the like.
A method using a floating gate as a storage layer constituting a unit cell can be employed as a technique for implementing the non-volatile memory device. However, the memory device with the floating gate can present disadvantages in that charges are stored in polycrystalline silicon such that the memory device can be affected by a small defect of a tunnel dielectric layer, thereby potentially degrading data retention characteristics. More specifically, the floating gate non-volatile memory device can have a structure in which a tunnel dielectric layer, a floating gate, a control gate dielectric layer, and a control gate are sequentially stacked on a channel region of a semiconductor substrate. The floating gate non-volatile memory device having such a structure may be programmed using a hot electron injection method or the Fowler-Nordheim (F-N) tunneling method. When electrons are injected into the floating gate through the programming process, a threshold voltage can be increased. When a voltage smaller than the increased threshold voltage is applied to the control gate, current may not flow in a programmed cell. This process allows the stored data to be read. However, in the floating gate non-volatile memory cell, a problem associated with electron retention may occur. That is, in order for the non-volatile memory cell to retain the programmed data, it is desirable that the floating gate retain the injected electrons. Additionally, when there are defects, such as pinholes in the tunnel dielectric layer, the electrons injected into the floating gate may exit via the defects. Further, since the floating gate is formed of a conductive layer such as polycrystalline silicon, high leakage current may be generated even by defects present in a part of the tunnel dielectric layer.
Recently, semiconductor memory devices including nanocrystals have been studied as a means for potentially solving problems associated with a memory device having a floating gate.
Semiconductor memory devices including nanocrystals are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,090,666 to Ueda et al. entitled "Method for Fabricating Semiconductor Nanocrystal and Semiconductor Memory Device using the Semiconductor Nanocrystal."
Ueda et al. provides that in semiconductor memory devices including nanocrystals, semiconductor nanocrystals are formed on a semiconductor substrate and are used as storage patterns. More specifically, the semiconductor nanocrystals are formed of a semiconductor material such as silicon (Si) or germanium (Ge) and are spaced apart from each other by a dielectric layer. During programming, electrons are injected into the nanocrystals, and since the nanocrystals are spaced apart from each other, the movement of the electrons can be limited between the nanocrystals. Accordingly, even though a defect occurs in a part of a tunnel dielectric layer, leakage current resulting from the defect may affect only nanocrystals near the defect. Therefore, the nanocrystalline structure is capable of improving the charge retention capability of the memory device. Further, the higher the density of the nanocrystals, the more likely the improvement of the charge retention capability. Consequently, nanocrystals of small size as well as a plurality of nanocrystals per unit area are desirable.
Currently, however, semiconductor nanocrystals may be formed by depositing a silicon layer or a germanium layer on a semiconductor substrate using a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method followed by annealing the silicon layer or germanium layer at a high temperature. The size of the semiconductor nanocrystals formed varies with the thickness of the silicon layer or germanium layer. Consequently, in order to form semiconductor nanocrystals having a small size, it is desirable to implement a technique of forming the silicon layer or germanium layer having a decreased thickness. However, a technique using the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method has at least the limitations related to the deposition of the silicon layer or the germanium layer to achieve a decreased thickness as well as the adjustment of the deposition degree. Semiconductor nanocrystals generally have a size of about 8 nm. Therefore, it is desirable to utilize a technique capable of forming the nanocrystals in a smaller size.
In attempts to discover other methods for substituting the semiconductor nanocrystals, methods using metal nanocrystals have been studied. A semiconductor memory device using the metal nanocrystals is described in "Metal nanocrystals memories," Liu et al., IEEE transactions on electron devices, VOL. 49, NO. 9, September 2002.
Liu et al. suggests that metal layers, such as a tungsten layer, a gold (Au) layer, or a silver (Ag) layer, are deposited on a semiconductor substrate by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method and then are annealed at a high temperature to form the metal nanocrystals. However, in the technique of using the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method, it can be problematic to control deposition time and temperature, and thus, the size and density of the formed metal nanocrystals may not be desirable.
Accordingly, there is a need for a technique for forming nanocrystals having a small and uniform size and proper density on a semiconductor substrate.

Methods of fabricating non-volatile memory devices including nanocrystals


Power consumption can be reduced by selective memory chip hibernation. For example, a computing device can allocate first data associated with a first processing operation of a user device to a first chip of a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) of the user device. The computing device can allocate second data associated with a second processing operation of the user device to a second chip of the DRAM of the user device. The computing device can determine the first processing operation has been inactive for a predetermined period of time and migrate the first data from the first chip of the DRAM to a storage device of the user device. The computing device can hibernate the first chip of the DRAM while maintaining power to the second chip of the DRAM for continuing to perform the second processing operation.

User devices, such as mobile phones, laptop computers, and desktop computer, often include a dynamic random access memory (DRAM). A bit of data can be stored in a memory cell of the DRAM, and each memory cell can include a capacitor and a transistor. The charge of the capacitor dissipates over time, which can lead to data being lost. To prevent losing data, DRAMs typically include a memory refresh circuit that periodically rewrites the data in the capacitor to restore the initial charge.
User devices can also support multiple applications or other processes at a single time. One application or process can be considered a foreground, or active, process, while other applications or processes can be considered background, or inactive, processes. Data associated with background processes can be paged out to a storage device after an extended period of inactivity.

Reducing power consumption by selective memory chip hibernation


A voltage reference circuit includes: an amplifier A1 with low open loop output impedance, an output of the amplifier is coupled to a first input of the amplifier A1; and a first resistor R1 coupled between the output of the amplifier A1 and a reference node 30, the first resistor R1 has a resistance substantially equally to the low open loop output impedance, whereby a low frequency impedance at the reference node 30 is substantially equal to the resistance.

For many applications, it is desirable to have an on-chip voltage reference that has low impedance from low to high frequencies. This often requires the use of external capacitors to maintain low impedance at high frequencies. One possible implementation is the prior art voltage reference circuit shown in FIG. 1, where a transconductance amplifier 20, with input transconductance gm, is used as an output buffer. An on-chip capacitor 22 can be used to compensate the amplifier 20 so that it will be stable even without the external capacitor 24. Unfortunately, the output impedance at low frequencies, which is essentially given by 1/gm, is not very low. The output impedance can be lowered by increasing gm, at the expense of increasing die area and power. However, it would be difficult to compensate the amplifier 20 with an on-chip capacitor 22 of reasonable size. An alternative approach in CMOS technology is the prior art voltage reference circuit shown in FIG. 2, where a complementary source-follower 26 is used in open loop. Thus, there is no need to worry about stability. But the low-frequency power supply rejection is not very good. It is also more difficult to control the output voltage accurately because of the open-loop approach.

Low-noise low-impedance voltage reference


A method of making dietary supplement compositions includes generating an aqueous phase, generating an oil phase, performing a first homogenizing step by mixing the aqueous and oil phases, adding reduced glutathione to the aqueous-oil composition and performing a second homogenizing step by mixing the aqueous-oil composition and reduced glutathione, adding a first flavor to the aqueous-oil-glutathione composition, performing a third homogenizing step by mixing the aqueous-oil-glutathione composition and the first flavor, adding xanthan gum dispersed with glycerin to the aqueous-oil-glutathione-first-flavor composition and performing a fourth homogenizing step by mixing the aqueous-oil-glutathione-first-flavor composition and xanthan gum; adding a second flavor to the aqueous-oil-glutathione-first-flavor-xanthan composition and performing a fifth homogenizing step by mixing the aqueous-oil-glutathione-first-flavor-xanthan composition and the second flavor so as to form a dietary supplement composition. Such method provides a dietary supplement as a dispersion including active ingredients incorporated in liposomal vesicles having a barrier coating of polyethylene glycol.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to dietary supplement compositions with enhanced delivery matrix, and to methods of making the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to dietary supplement compositions in which active ingredients are incorporated in liposomal vesicles having a barrier coating of a polyether, such as polyethylene glycol, and which have prolonged circulatory time in bloodstream of humans and animals when ingested, and to methods of making the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
For decades, the absorption of dietary supplements including vitamins has remained controversial and a matter of considerable investigation. It is generally known that when vitamins and mineral pills, or supplements in liquid or powder forms are ingested, only a fraction of the stated dose on the label of these products is actually absorbed. This purport to be mega-doses of certain vitamins may only be conveying conventional doses, since so much of the product is lost when phagocytes begin attacking the digestive system. The phagocytes cells may perceive supplements to be foreign invaders. In other words, a stated dose of a dietary supplement may have very little bioavailability.
Accordingly, there is a need to make dietary supplements, which will have increased bioavailability.
There are some methods of making dietary supplements. Examples of such methods are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,337,931, 8,282,977, 8,026,327, and 7,030,203, and US Patent Application Publication No. 20120149761, which are briefly discussed further below.
Bromley, U.S. Pat. No. 8,337,931, issued in 2012 and entitled "Compositions containing non-polar compounds", discloses compositions and methods for preparing foods and beverages having additives including nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, and supplements, such as essential fatty acids. The method for making the liquid nanoemulsion concentrates includes a water phase and oil phase. In water phase, water phase ingredients are mixed and heated to a low heat temperature, e.g., 60° C. In oil phase, the oil phase ingredients are mixed and heated at a low heat temperature, e.g., 60° C. Subsequently, in an emulsification step, the oil and the water phases are combined by mixing and homogenizing, e.g., using high shear, at low speed between 850 or about 850 rpm and 1200 rpm.
Bromley, U.S. Pat. No. 8,282,977, issued in 2012 and entitled "Compositions containing non-polar compounds", discloses similar compositions and methods as Bromley, U.S. Pat. No. 8,337,931.
Mosbey, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,026,327, issued in 2011 and entitled "Water-in-oil emulsions with ethylene oxide groups, compositions, and methods", discloses a method of preparing drug delivery compositions including water-in-oil emulsions. In oil phase, oil phase ingredients are combined and heated at 100° C. for 2 hours. In a separate vessel, water phase ingredients are combined and heated at 100° C. for 15 minutes. The heated water phase is added to the heated oil phase over about 5 minutes. During the addition the contents were mixed with a high-speed homogenizer on three-quarters speed followed by continuous mixing for another 2 minutes at full speed.
Mosbey, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,030,203, issued in 2006 and entitled "Water-in-oil emulsions with ethylene oxide groups, compositions, and methods", discloses similar method as Mosbey, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,026,327.
Quay, United States Patent Application Publication 20120149761, dated 2012 and entitled "Nucleic Acid Molecules and Uses Thereof", discloses a method of liposomal formulations RNAi molecules. The method includes (a) heating the phospholipid and the organic solvent system to about 60-80° C. in a vessel, dissolving the active ingredient, then adding any additional formulating agents, and stirring the mixture until complete dissolution is obtained; (b) heating the aqueous solution to 90-95° C. in a second vessel and dissolving the preservatives therein, allowing the mixture to cool and then adding the remainder of the auxiliary formulating agents and the remainder of the water, and stirring the mixture until complete dissolution is obtained; thus preparing the aqueous Subcomposition; (c) transferring the organic phase directly into the aqueous Subcomposition, while homogenizing the combination with a high performance mixing apparatus, in particular a high-shear mixer employing 3,000 to about 6,000 rpm; and (d) adding a viscosity enhancing agent to the resulting mixture while further homogenizing.
However, apparently, such known methods of making dietary supplement may not produce dietary supplements compositions with enhanced delivery matrix having increased bioavailability thereof when ingested by or administered to humans and animals.
The present invention has been made to overcome the drawbacks of the existing dietary supplements and methods of making dietary supplements. Accordingly, it is one of the objects of the present invention to provide dietary supplements with enhanced delivery matrix and having increased bioavailability, and methods of making the same. According to the present invention, an example of dietary supplement composition includes ascorbates, reduced Glutathione, and phospholipids, as active ingredients.

Dietary supplement compositions with enhanced delivery matrix, and methods of making the same


The sealed docking system comprises first and second coupling elements each having respective first and second coupling elements with respective first and second flexible receptacles. Each coupling element has a slot. The two coupling elements engage with one another. The coupling elements are flexible so that when force is applied the slots open.

The invention concerns a sealed docking device between two essentially environmentally isolated receptacles, whereby each receptacle is at least in areas substantially flexible, in particular sack-shaped, and can be sealed or is sealed with a coupling element in order that it can be sealed or shut tight and opened when the coupling elements are tightly connected with one another. Furthermore, the invention concerns the coupling elements as well as a method for essentially environmentally-isolated filling and emptying of receptacles.
In many areas of industry (such as, for example, the food processing, chemical or pharmaceutical industries, products (as in the form of bulk material or fluids) are decanted from a mainly stationary first receptacle into a transportable second receptacle, or vice versa, whereby the industry in many cases is anxious to prevent a contamination of the products and/or the environment by the products. Since many products are very toxic to the human organism, even in extremely small quantities, or other products react very sensitively to the effect of air, industry effective coupling elements or docking devices have been developed that enable a filling or emptying of a receptacle in an isolated or at least dust-free state. For this, in the industry receptacles are conventionally filled via a double-flap technique that, although it proves to be very efficient, is also very cost-intensive due to the technical design as well as the materials used.
For example, known from DE 695 04 581 T2 is a sealed docking device according to the type between two environmentally-isolated receptacles that comprise a rigid, annular flange with a door. The flange as well as the door are preferably produced from a hard plastic material. The receptacles, which can be designed in the form of sacks, are preferably comprised of a soft plastic material. Plastic is suggested in order to keep the material costs low, since the sacks are specified for the one-time use. What is disadvantageous with this docking device is the (by design) very elaborate fabrication of the flange with its lifter mechanism serving for lifting, which unreasonably increases the production costs for a disposable object and is additionally user-unfriendly since it is unwieldy.

Sealed docking arrangement in particular for bags and a method for the filling and emptying of containers in an environmentally-sealed manner


A washing machine includes a detergent supply apparatus having a detachable partition member. The detergent supply apparatus includes a casing which defines an outer appearance of the detergent supply apparatus, and a detergent/fabric softener container slidably set in the casing. The detergent/fabric softener container includes a fixed partition member which partitions the detergent/fabric softener container into a detergent chamber and a fabric softener chamber, and the detachable partition member is removably mounted in the detergent chamber, so as to partition the detergent chamber into a secondary detergent storing section and a main detergent storing section. The detergent chamber is entirely used as the main detergent storing section in response to removal of the detachable partition member from the detergent chamber.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a washing machine, and more particularly, to a washing machine having a detergent supply apparatus which includes a detachable partition member removably mounted in a detergent chamber, so as to partition the detergent chamber into a main detergent storing section and a secondary detergent storing section, wherein the detergent chamber is used as the main detergent storing section in response to removal of the detachable partition member from the detergent chamber.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, washing machines are used to wash laundry by rotating a cylindrical rotary tub containing the laundry and wash water therein. Such washing machines have been typically classified into drum type washing machines and vertical shaft type washing machines. The drum type washing machines are designed such that a rotary tub is horizontally set in a housing and is rotated around a horizontal axis of the housing in opposite directions. Such actions repeatedly move the laundry seated on an internal surface of the rotary tub upward and allow the laundry to be dropped from the top to the bottom of the rotary tub to wash the laundry. In the vertical shaft type washing machines, a rotary tub with a pulsator is vertically set in a housing and is rotated around a vertical axis of the housing in opposite directions. Accordingly, laundry inside the rotary tub is washed by forced water currents generated by the pulsator.
FIG. 1 shows the construction of a drum type washing machine having a conventional detergent supply apparatus. The drum type washing machine includes a housing 1 which defines an outer appearance of the drum type washing machine. A water tub 9 having a drum shape is set in the housing 1 to contain wash water therein. A rotary tub 11 having a drum shape is rotatably set in the water tub 9 to wash laundry.
The water tub 9 is suspended in the housing 1 by suspension rods (not shown) and shock absorbers (not shown). An opening is formed on a front wall of the rotary tub 11 so as to place and remove the laundry from the rotary tub 11. The rotary tub 11 is perforated on its sidewall to have spin-drying perforations 11a. Furthermore, lifters 11 b are positioned on an internal surface of the rotary tub 11 at regular intervals. The lifters 11b are used to repeatedly move the laundry seated on the internal surface of the tub 11 upward and drop the laundry from the top to the bottom inside the rotary tub 11 to wash the laundry. The lifters 11b move in response to the rotary tub 11 being rotated by a drive motor 12 installed on a bottom wall of the housing 1.
A front door 13 is mounted to a front wall of the housing 1 to selectively close the opening of the rotary tub 11. A drain pump 14, a drain hose 15 and a filter 16 are installed at a bottom wall of the housing 1, and are used to discharge the wash water to the outside.
A cold water supply valve 7 and a hot water supply valve 8 are provided on an upper portion of the housing 1, and are connected to corresponding external water supply sources. The washing machine also has a conventional detergent supply apparatus 20. This detergent supply apparatus 20 selectively mixes a detergent or a fabric softener with the wash water fed through the cold and hot water supply valves 7 and 8, and then supplies the mixed wash water to the water tub 9.
FIG. 2 shows the construction of the conventional detergent supply apparatus 20. The conventional detergent supply apparatus 20 comprises a casing 21 having a box shape which is open at its front and top portions. A detergent/fabric softener container 22 is set in the casing 21. A water supply cover 23 covers the open top portion of the casing 21, and is connected to the cold and hot water supply valves 7 and 8 (see FIG. 1).
The casing 21 is inclined at its bottom to form a funnel shape. A wash water outlet 21a is formed at a lowermost portion of the funnel-shaped bottom to feed the wash water mixed with the detergent or the fabric softener to the water tub 9.
The detergent/fabric softener container 22 is open at its top and rear portions, and slidably installed in the casing 21. The detergent/fabric softener container 22 can move forward through the open front portion of the casing 21 so as to install the detergent/fabric softener container 22 replenished with the detergent and/or the fabric softener.
The detergent/fabric softener container 22 is partitioned into a secondary detergent storing chamber 26, a main detergent storing chamber 27, and a fabric softener storing chamber 28 by two partition walls 22a and 22b. In this case, the secondary detergent storing chamber 26 contains the detergent used for preliminary washing, while the main detergent storing chamber 27 contains the detergent used for main washing. The fabric softener storing chamber 28 contains the fabric softener used to rinse the laundry after washing the laundry. The open rear portion (not shown) of the detergent/fabric softener container 22 is spaced apart from a rear wall of the casing 21, and allows the wash water to flow to the wash water outlet 21a of the casing 21 from the storing chambers 26, 27, and 28 of the detergent/fabric softener container 22.
A siphon 29 is mounted to a bottom wall of the fabric softener storing chamber 28, so as to rapidly drain the wash water mixed with the fabric softener.
The water supply cover 23 covers the top portion of the casing 21, and is spaced apart from the detergent/fabric softener container 22 by a predetermined distance. The water supply cover 23 is provided with water supply chambers 26a, 27a, and 28a which correspond to the storing chambers 26, 27 and 28, respectively. A plurality of drain holes 24 are formed on a bottom wall of each of the water supply chambers 26a, 27a, and 28a, to supply the wash water contained in the water supply chambers 26a, 27a, and 28a to the storing chambers 26, 27, and 28.
As described above, the conventional detergent supply apparatus 20 is designed with two fixed partition walls 22a and 22b that are integrally formed in the detergent/fabric softener container 22 to provide the storing chambers 26, 27 and 28. The fabric softener storing chamber 28 is positioned between the secondary detergent storing chamber 26 and the main detergent storing chamber 27. Accordingly, the secondary detergent storing chamber 26 and the main detergent storing chamber 27 are invariable in their interior capacity.
However, a large quantity of detergent may be needed to wash laundry in an area where the quality of water is poor. In other times, a user may wish to place a large quantity of detergent in the washing machine to get the laundry clean. Nevertheless, since the conventional detergent supply apparatus 20 is designed such that its secondary detergent storing chamber 26 and the main detergent storing chamber 27 each have a fixed capacity, it is impossible to contain a quantity of detergent exceeding the fixed capacity.
In such a case, the user has to add the additional detergent in the washing machine during its operation, or a washing operation has to be repeated several times. An additional washing operation, in turn, requires use of additional wash water. Therefore, the conventional detergent supply apparatus 20 is not user friendly and may require an additional consumption of the wash water.
The sizes of the secondary and main detergent storing chambers 26 and 27 may be enlarged to accommodate sufficient quantities of detergent therein. However, with the enlargement of the storing chambers 26 and 27, the overall size of the detergent supply apparatus 20 is also increased, resulting in an increase in the scale of the washing machine and an increase in the manufacturing cost of the washing machine. With such a washing machine, a large space is also required to install the washing machine, and installation of a large washing machine is difficult.
On the other hand, the secondary detergent storing chamber 26 may be omitted to increase the size of the main detergent storing chamber 27 without increasing the overall size of the detergent supply apparatus 20. However, in the case of washing excessively dirty or oily laundry, the preliminary washing as well as the main washing cannot be carried out with a single operation of the washing machine. In such a case, the detergent must be added to the washing machine twice, for both the preliminary washing and the main washing, making it inconvenient for a user to wash the laundry.

Washing machine having detergent supply apparatus


A method for detecting defects when mixed colors among color channels on a liquid crystal monitor is disclosed. The disclosed method utilizes the interference of four channels of red, green, blue and white colors to check whether a detected liquid crystal monitor can normally show the mixed colors. A rectangular channel drawing is shown on a liquid crystal monitor; wherein the most upper left point, the most upper right point, the most lower left point, and the most lower right point are respectively allocated by red, green, blue, and white pixels. Each color channel then extends separately along the diagonal direction and accompanied with color intensity gradually decreasing to obtain an interference diagram that contains several arc stripes on the rectangular drawing. Accordingly, those defective pixels will be clearly indicated in the rectangular channel drawing because they are usually flashing visually. Additionally, color sensors can be employed to further analyze the channel weights of each pixel of the detected liquid crystal monitor, and the detecting information can be further illustrated by using a menu or a display window according to the display mode of a liquid crystal monitor currently used.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for detecting color mixing defects, and more particularly, to a method for detecting mixing defects of color channels when displayed on liquid crystal monitors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The approach of semiconductor technology brings a liquid crystal monitor (LCM) to be a broadly used display device today. However, a ready-made liquid crystal monitor unavoidably includes some defective pixels due to mass-production. Methods for detecting those defective pixels are thus commonly employed before sale. Conventional methods for detecting defects of the liquid crystal monitor must adopt the direct check that displays three independent color channels such as red, green, and blue as described in FIG. 1A. Those conventional methods verify whether or not the tested color channel is defective, as determined by the three independent channels. For example, referring to FIG. 1B, a defective liquid crystal monitor usually shows a plurality of abnormal points that exist on the red, green, and blue channels, respectively.
Conventional methods are limited in that they can only detect defects of a single color channel, but cannot detect defects derived from mixed channels. Typically, a liquid crystal monitor containing errors caused by color mixing usually shows twinkling regions because the defective pixels derived from color mixing are usually continuously flashing or frequently vary their colors. For example, referring to the upper portion of FIG. 3, a girl dressed up in a blue shirt is abnormally depicted because portions of the blue skirt are shown with other colors such as yellow. Unfortunately, adopting the conventional method cannot confirm the above errors. Additional detecting methods are thus required to prevent breakdown products from being sold. A need has therefore arisen for a method for overcoming the above mentioned disadvantages so that defective pixels due to color mixing can be detected.
According to the above objects, the present invention provides a novel method for detecting defects on a liquid crystal monitor when mixed colors among color channels. The disclosed method utilizes the interference of four color channels such as red, green, blue and white colors to check whether the detected liquid crystal monitor can normally show the mixed colors thereon. The embodiment of the present invention is to draw a rectangular drawing on the liquid crystal monitor, wherein the most upper left point, the most upper right point, the most lower left point, and the most lower right point are respectively allocated by red, green, blue, and white pixels. Each color channel then extends separately along the diagonal direction and accompanied with color intensities gradually decreasing to obtain an interference diagram that contains several arc stripes on the rectangular drawing. Accordingly, the rectangular drawing can faithfully display where the abnormal pixels are if any abnormal situation occurs at color mixing. Additionally, information of the embodiment can be further illustrated by using a menu or a display window according to display the mode of a liquid crystal monitor currently used.

Method for detecting color mixing defects on liquid crystal monitors


Various structures for cantilever beam tunneling rate gyro devices formed on a single substrate are disclosed. A cantilever electrode having a plurality of portions extending from the substrate with one end of the cantilever is suspended above the substrate at a distance from a tunneling electrode so that a tunneling current flows through the cantilever and tunneling electrode in response to an applied bias voltage. The cantilever and tunneling electrodes form a circuit that produces an output signal. A force applied to the sensor urges the cantilever electrode to deflect relative to the tunneling electrode to modulate the output signal. The output signal is a control voltage that is applied between the cantilever electrode and a control electrode to maintain a constant tunneling current. In the preferred embodiment, two cantilever portions extend from the wafer surface forming a Y-shape. In a further embodiment, a strap is fabricated on the cantilever electrode. In an alternate embodiment, a ridge emitter is formed such that it remains under the cantilever electrode during lateral motion of the cantilever. In an alternate embodiment, a cantilever having a varying width is fabricated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of micro- electromechanical (MEM) sensors for measuring an applied force, and more specifically to a tunneling rate based gyro.
2. Description of the Related Art
One method for sensing physical quantities such as linear acceleration or rotation, or acoustic or hydrophonic pressure is to provide a flexible member that flexes in response to an applied force and measures the amount of flex electrically. Conventional micro-mechanical techniques for achieving the transduction include capacitive coupling, piezoresistive and piezoelectric sensing. However, none of these techniques are inherently as sensitive as tunneling tip transduction.
In tunneling tip sensors, a bias voltage is applied across a flexible counter electrode and a tunneling tip with a sufficiently small gap between the two components to induce a tunneling current to flow. The tunneling current I.sub.T is given by: I.sub.T .varies.V.sub.B exp (-.alpha.h.sqroot..phi.), where V.sub.B is the bias voltage, .alpha. is a constant, h is the electrode-to-tip separation and .phi. is the work function. As the applied force changes, the separation between the electrode and the tip changes and modulates the tunneling current, which varies by approximately a factor of two for each angstrom (.ANG.) of electrode deflection. Tunneling currents are typically 1nA and the current noise is typically 10.sup.-13 A per square root hertz. Thus, tunneling tip detectors can provide a much greater sensitivity and a larger bandwidth than previous method of detections and still provide easily measurable signals.
For the specific application of a tunneling tip sensor as an accelerometer, the deflection distance x=ma/k, where m is the electrode's mass, k is the electrode's spring constant and a is the acceleration. The effective bandwidth of the accelerometer is determined by its resonant frequency. ##EQU1##
Since tunneling tip techniques are more sensitive to deflection, the accelerometer's mass can be relatively small, and thus its bandwidth can be larger than the capacitive coupling and piezoresistive devices.
A single cantilever beam and a dual-tine cantilever rotational sensor and fabrication method are disclosed in a co-pending application by similar inventors, and entitled "Single Wafer Tunneling Sensor and Low Cost IC Manufacturing Method." A single cantilever beam rotational sensor includes a z-axis sensor and a control circuit. In addition, a single lateral control electrode is disposed adjacent to the cantilever electrode of the sensor. The lateral control electrode is modulated with a voltage to induce a lateral vibration at a known maximum velocity V.sub.1. The sensor measures the Corichlis force F.sub.c given by: F.sub.c =1/2*m*W.sub.r .times.V.sub.1 where m is the cantilever electrode's mass, W.sub.r is the rotational rate and V.sub.1 is the cantilever electrode's lateral velocity. The rotational rate can be determined by measuring the Coriolis force, which is directly proportional to the rotation. Although this single cantilever beam gyro provides a more sensitive and compact sensor than the other conventional rotational sensors, its structure has deficiencies. For example, linear accelerations can produce additional deflections of the cantilever electrode, causing fluctuations is the tunneling current and therefore incorrect estimates of the rotational rate. In addition, constant tunneling current cannot be guaranteed with a single cantilever beam located over a tunneling tip electrode. For large lateral excursions of the cantilever, the tunneling current between the cantilever electrode and the tunneling tip would be lost.
In addition to the single beam, surface micrcmachined, z-axis rotational sensor, the co-pending application discloses a rotational sensor which is insensitive to linear acceleration forces. A double-ended tuning fork is suspended above and parallel to a substrate by a cross-beam which is supported at its ends by two posts and is orthogonal to the tuning fork. One end of the tuning fork forks into a pair of cantilever beams which are positioned parallel to a rotation axis and have associated lateral control electrodes. The other end of the tuning fork forks into a pair of cantilever electrodes which are suspended above respective control electrodes and tunneling tip electrodes. The tunneling tip electrodes are connected to control circuits to maintain constant tunneling currents. The forked ends are interconnected by a cantilever member which is attaiched to the cross-beam.
The voltages applied to the lateral electrodes are modulated in synchronism such that their cantilever beams move 180.degree. out of phase with one another in the plane of the substrate. As the sensor rotates around its axis, equal but opposite z-axis Coriolis forces are applied to the respective cantilever beams to move them perpendicular to the surface of the wafer, producing a torque on the cantilever member proportional to the Coriolis force. The torque tries to deflect the cantilever electrodes but is opposed by the feedback circuitry. The rotational rate can be determined by taking the difference between the respective outputs. By oscillating the cantilever beams 180.degree. out of phase with one another, the changes in the positions of both cantilevers due to linear accelerations are subtracted out and do not affect the rotation signal. Although this double-ended tuning fork configuration improves performance by separating the sensor fork from the drive fork thereby reducing the noise in the rotation signal, its fabrication method and structure have several deficiencies. A robust design requires that the dual double-ended tuning fork be firmly attached to the cross-beam by adding capping material at the junction, thus requiring additional processing steps. The complex device geometry leads to the generation of many eigenmodes near the drive and sense frequencies. This reduces the effective bandwidth of the gyro device. For the double-ended tuning fork devices, additional control loops are required to electronically damp these oscillations if they are excited. These additional eigenmodes can urge the cantilever electrode beyond the tunneling electrode so that the tunneling signal is lost part of the time.
One advantage of the double cantilever design is that by driving the two tines out of phase 180.degree., linear accelerations can be rejected. However, these linear accelerations must occur at precisely the same frequency and phase as the lateral control electrode drive signals to the gyro in order to interfere with the rotational signals. By designing simple mechanical structures whose fundamental modes have frequencies far beyond that which occurs in the sensor's environment, these linear accelerations will not create error signals.