Proteins which modulate body weight of animals and humans for the treatment, prevention and control of obesity and associated diseases or conditions, and the recombinant expression of these biologically active proteins in purified and homogeneous forms.

Obesity is reported to be the commonest nutritional disorder in Western societies (Zhang, Y. et al. (1994)) More than three in 10 adult Americans weigh at least 20% in excess of their ideal weight (Zhang, Y. et al (1994)). Increased body weight is a public health problem because it is associated with important medical morbidities such as type II diabetes mellitus (i.e., non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus), hypertension and hyperlipidaemia (Grundy, S. M. & Barnett (1990)). There is evidence that body weight is physiologically regulated and the obesity (and its related conditions or diseases) are due in part to derangements in this regulation (Zhang, Y. et al. (1994)).
In rodents, there are described seven single gene mutations that result in an obese phenotype; five of which are present in mice. Of these seven rodent models, one of the most intensively studied is the obese (ob) gene mutation in mice, identified in 1950 (Ingalls, A. M. et al. (1950)). Mice homozygous for this ob gene mutation are profoundly obese, develop type II diabetes mellitus, and are hyperphagic and hypometabolic, as part of a syndrome resembling morbid obesity in man (Friedman J. M. et al. (1991)). This ob gene is mapped to the mouse proximal chromosome 6 and encodes a protein (i.e., ob protein) expressed in adipose tissue (Zhang, et al. (1994)). Mice homozygous for the ob gene mutation have little to no production of this ob protein, and accordingly have defective regulation of body weight leading to obesity.
The murine or human ob proteins may be administered to patients suffering from defects or mutations in their corresponding obese (ob) gene, which defects of mutations prevent or interfere with the production and/or function of the ob proteins in modulating body weight. These proteins may therefore be used as a hormone-like substance to control, prevent or treat obesity and its related diseases and conditions in man and animals.
To use the murine or human ob proteins in this manner, these proteins can be administered through injection by a variety of routes, such as intraperitoneal, intravenously, intramuscularly or subcutaneously, in frequent dosages. Since it is administered frequently through injection, it is important that the murine or human ob proteins be purified, preferably to homogeneity, be free of contaminating protein materials, and be recombinantly expressed in a soluble and biologically active form. It is generally known to practitioners in the field that contaminants present in injectable medication can often lead to toxic side-effects or adverse immunological responses.
While the murine ob gene sequence is disclosed in Zhang, et al (1994), no methods of expressing the murine ob protein or its human counterpart have been reported, much less producing these proteins in a biologically active and soluble state from which the proteins can be purified to homogeneity. Therefore it is important, and is an object of this invention, to express and produce the murine or human ob proteins in a homogeneous, soluble, and biologically-active state.


Chromatic adjustments to the overall color balance of the image are presented on one screen and tonal adjustments (such as brightness or contrast) that do not affect the overall color balance are presented on another screen. The chromatic adjustments include at least three independent variables each of which can be separately increased or decreased, while the tonal adjustments include brightness and contrast that can be separately increased or decreased. Such a grouping concentrates the user's attention on only two or three adjustments related to a single readily identifiable deficiency in the original image, and thus not only facilitates image improvement but also makes it easier to selectively undo the effects of some adjustments but not others. Each adjustment is displayed as a pair of preview images which respectively show the effect of a one step increment or decrement of the associated variable. Each pair of preview images are clearly separated from all other images on the same screen and are displayed as two adjacent "buttons" either of which can be actuated by the user to effect the displayed result. The step size is adjustable by means of a single slider control that is effective for all the adjustments on that screen Each image adjustment screen includes thumbnail images corresponding to the original image and to the revised image. The thumbnail revised image is the largest image on the screen and is the focal point of attention for the user.

PC (personal computer) based graphics software systems are commercially available for professional photographers and other experts in digital imaging. They typically permit the user to increment (or decrement) individual variables such as brightness, contrast, or hue, and to see previews (thumbnails) of a single increment of change in two or more related variables before the selected change is applied to the underlying data. However, many variables can be manipulated on the same screen, the interrelationships between the various variables are not readily apparent, and many combinations of interrelated variables are not previewed. As a result, the novice user is overwhelmed with information and choices that have no apparent relationship to a desired change to the displayed image,
Particularly when attempting to edit a color image, a novice user without a basic understanding of color science does not know how to translate a desired improvement in an image into the specific values for the Red, Blue and Green (RBG), or Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black (CMYK) parameters corresponding to the input and output signal channels associated with color scanners, color monitors, color printers and other color-oriented electronic devices. Indeed, many users do not realize that Magenta is the opposite of Green, that Cyan is the opposite of Red, and that Yellow is the opposite of Blue.
A general purpose graphical user interface such as Microsoft Windows.TM. permits the programmer to designate certain portions of the screen as "buttons" which may be selected and operated by positioning and actuating a pointer device such as a "mouse". When the button is so actuated, the user receives an acknowledgment in the form of a visible change to the button's appearance, and the user interface invokes a software process designated by an "icon", text, or other graphics on or adjacent to the button.
However, the known user interface designs for graphics software applications do not provide an intuitive and unambiguous way for the novice user to make a reversible sequence of simple image adjustments such as more blue followed by less blue. As a result, many users of graphics software do not even try to change the color or other tonal characteristic of an image because they fear that they will make the image look worse instead of better.

Graphical user interface for digital image editing


The present invention relates to a clamp-type holder (1) and a clamp-type holder element (2) for it, wherein the clamp-type holder element (2) comprises a mouth-shaped clamping region (5) and a holding region (6) for the attachment of a component, wherein the clamp-type holder system (1) comprises two clamp-type holder elements (2) that are interconnected by way of a connecting device (9) in order to be able to be clamped to profile beams (3) of different thicknesses.

Generally speaking, in aircraft construction, holders are used in order to attach various devices to the primary structure of an aircraft. These holders are structural elements that provide mechanical interfaces to the primary structure and to system holders.
However, in order to meet various system installation requirements, it is often necessary to use various types of holders. For example there are holders that are firmly attached to an aircraft structure by means of rivets, screw connections or bonding. Such holders are inflexible in relation to various installation conditions, which might be disadvantageous especially during the development phase of aircraft prototypes.
Another type of holder that may be used in aircraft construction is an clamp-type holder which by means of clamping force and friction makes it possible to attach components to an aircraft structure.
However, this type of holder needs to be specially matched to the profile beam to which the holder is to be clamped. Profile beams of different diameters (thicknesses) therefore require different clamping holders that match the profile thickness.


To improve computer performance, problems of emulation such as WAR hazard, uneven utilization of machine resources, unnecessary dependencies, wasted hardware resources and data buffer pollution, are alleviated by responding to dynamic execution information, such as branch prediction, register usage, overflow, a history of branch predictions of groups of branches combined, and a history of register usage for: dynamically modifying instruction parameters of an emulation sequence of instructions; reordering emulated instructions; and adding or changing the dynamic execution information.

The present invention relates to emulation of instructions for execution by an instruction processor, in a computer environment.
An instruction, in digital computer operations, is a set of bits defining an operation. The instruction may comprise an operation code specifying the operation to be performed, one or more operands or their addresses, and one or more modifiers or their addresses (to modify the operand or its address). An instruction set, also called an instruction code, comprises symbols and characters that compose the syntax of a computer programming language, and in a computer's basic machine code, the part that specifies how characters or digits are used to represent the codes within the machine's instruction set.
Processors often emulate instructions, so that a first computer system may behave in the same manner as a second computer system, for instructions that are not directly implemented in the first system. Examples of such emulation include 1) running Java byte codes on a general purpose computer, e.g. so that a general purpose computer can run Java software written for another machine, to provide a Java virtual machine, 2) supporting instructions of a different instruction set architecture for compatibility reasons, and 3) operating a microprocessor as a terminal of a network in order to communicate with mainframes. Emulation includes a computer, device, program or combination thereof imitating the function of another computer, device, program or combination thereof. The emulation may be done in hardware or firmware or software or some combination thereof, such hardware or software or firmware or combination thereof being an emulator.
Known microprocessors emulate instructions outside of their architectures through emulation. Emulation through hardware is considerably faster than emulation through software. When hardware emulation is used, the instruction that is being emulated is often "translated" into an instruction emulation sequence of one or more instructions in the native instruction set of the CPU being used (such native instruction set comprising the instructions that have been implemented) and this translated sequence of native instructions is then executed. The translation sequence, that is the instruction emulation sequence, is fixed (as opposed to dynamic), as the details of emulation for each instruction that needs to be emulated is known at design time.
Translation of an instruction from one language to another is performed by compilers, assemblers and interpreters, for example.

Execution time modification of instruction emulation parameters


An ultrasonic transducer arrangement for inspecting a pipe to fitting weld with restricted scanning access. A TOFD ultrasonic send transducer is mounted adjacent one end of a frame. A TOFD ultrasonic receive transducer is mounted on the frame and spaced linearly apart from and aligned with the TOFD send transducer. The TOFD send and receive transducers are each positioned at an angle that matches the external radius of curvature of the pipe. A phased array curved, wedge, send/receive transducer is mounted on the frame and spaced radially apart from the TOFD transducers.

The invention is generally related to the inspection of welds and, more particularly, to the ultrasonic inspection of pipe-to-fitting welds where there is limited clearance.
In the offshore drilling industry for producing oil and natural gas, production, delivery, and various processes on the offshore rigs and platforms require the use of a variety of pipes and fittings that must be welded together. Safety requirements require that the welds be inspected for the detection and repair of weld defects.
Previously, radiography was the primary method of inspection for process piping welds with limited clearance for inspection. The non-destructive inspection of carbon steel pipe-to-fitting joints using the alternative method of ultrasonic inspection is preferred.
A limitation of ultrasonic inspection is that ultrasonic transducers must be able to be positioned on the parent material adjacent to the weld so as to satisfactorily inspect the full volume of the weld. As seen in FIG. 1, using phased array ultrasonic transducers 40 to inspect the weld 42 between straight sections of pipe 44 or curved sections of pipe presents no issues as long as the radius of the curvature at a pipe bend is not so small as to prevent proper positioning of the transducers. Typically, about 110 mm of scanning access is required on both sides of the weld for an adequate inspection of the full weld volume.
As seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, production and process piping requires that fittings 43 for valves, controls, gauges, manifolds, or curved pipes, etc. be included in the pipes 44. Ultrasonic inspection of pipe-to-fitting welds 42 can present a challenge due to the smaller radius of curvature at the fitting and restricted scanning access on the fitting side of the weld. An example is indicated as area 46 in FIG. 2, which can make it difficult or impossible to inspect the full volume of the weld with previous transducer arrangements. A result is that a blind area 48 such as that indicated in FIG. 3 may exist where the ultrasonic transducers are not capable of being properly positioned for inspecting the full area of the weld 42.
Phased array ultrasonic inspection of pipe-to-fitting welds from the pipe side of the weld typically does not detect defects on the fitting side of the weld. It can be seen from the above that there is a need for an improved ultrasonic transducer arrangement for inspecting the fitting side of pipe-to-fitting welds.


The disclosure is directed to a reminder label, specifically to a thermoplastic adjustable reminder label that is configured to indicate removal of content from a bottle to which the thermoplastic reminder label is coupled. The label has a flanged thermoplastic knob extending above a rectangular flange with a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. A pair of resilient units is coupled to the flange along transverse sides and extends beyond the transverse sides. Each resilient member terminates in protrusions to engage parallel grooves etched internally in each of longitudinal parallel walls (101, 102) of a housing (130). A flap (110) is hingedly coupled to a housing base frame (140) to frictionally engage the housing and form a floor.

Most adults are currently required or advised to take nutritional supplements, vitamins, OTC, or prescription medications on a daily basis. In the busy lives of modern adults, a problem associated with daily medications is forgetfulness in taking medications at the proper time of day. For example, it is not unusual for an individual to be prescribed an antibiotic medication to be taken three times a day. Frequently, during mid-afternoon the individual may not have a clear memory of whether-or-not the mid-day medication was taken. Additionally, it is common that some individuals have to take important medications for mental health on a similar schedule, wherein forgetting to take a pill may have extremely negative consequences. The same holds true for heart medications and a whole line of significant pharmaceutical treatments.
Many efforts have been undertaken to include physical reminders on pill bottles to assist the individual taking the pill to take the correct pill at the correct time. For example, a reminder device for pill containers has been suggested, which includes complex rotatable dials manufactured within a cap for a pill bottle. One dial may include the time of day and the other dial may include the day in order to guide the consumer in correct administering of the pills. Additionally, a prescription timer or pill taking reminder has been disclosed, which includes a clock face upon a cap for the pill bottle that also includes a rotatable transparent overlying cap that can be rotated to a predetermined time upon the taking of a pill.
Many efforts have been undertaken to include physical reminders on pill bottles to assist the individual taking the pill to take the correct pill at the correct time. For example, a reminder device for pill containers has been disclosed, that includes complex rotatable dials manufactured within a cap for a pill bottle. One dial may include the time of day and the other dial may include the day in order to guide the consumer in correct administering of the pills. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,392 that issued on Feb. 24, 1998 to Price, also shows a prescription timer or pill taking reminder that includes a clock face upon a cap for the pill bottle that also includes a rotatable transparent overlying cap that can be rotated to a predetermined time upon the taking of a pill.
More recently, an automatic pill reminder bottle was disclosed, that utilizes an electronic timer to generate alert signals including a vibrator, a speaker, etc., all of which are installed within a conventional pill bottle between the bottle cap and the bottle container. Also, a complex device was disclosed for recording periodic medicinal dosages. The device includes front and back plates that secure between them a plurality of slide assemblies with slide locks and related apparatus for indicating three positions for each of several slides. An alternative "medication management system" is sold under the trademark "SUREPILL" and includes a sleeve that surrounds the pill bottle wherein the sleeve includes ridges and valleys between the ridges. A tinted elastic "memory ring" can be positioned in any of the valleys between the many ridges. As a user takes pill from the bottle the user repositions the memory ring down the sleeve to indicate a pill has been taken. A more recent effort marketed by a company entitled Vitality, Inc. under the trademark "GLOWCAPS" utilizes a wireless reminder light that is plugged into a 120 volt standard house alternating current outlet while a special cap is secured to the pill bottle. The reminder light both flashes visually at a predetermined time to take a pill, and simultaneously transmits signal to the "GLOWCAP" in the individual's pocket, or on a bureau to activate an increasingly intense alarm, starting with a light and progressing to a phone call. This system also coordinates communications with the pharmacy to order refills. Upon opening and closing the "GLOWCAP" on the bottle, the "GLOWCAP" signals the reminder ring to stop transmitting alerts until the next time a pill should be taken.
While such a diverse array of solutions to the problem of remembering to timely administer medications has arisen, none of these solutions has gained wide-spread usage. That is no doubt because the above-described solutions involve apparatus that are too complex and costly to be applied to the enormous numbers of pill bottles being distributed and utilized throughout the world. While some of the more modern and more expensive apparatus and systems may be effective for home-bound individuals, for those adults who have ordinary, busy schedules involving travel to and from work, to youth activities, to social and family commitments, known pill administration reminders simply have not achieved any meaningful usage.
Consequently, there is a need for an effective, efficient, low-cost pill bottle that includes an apparatus for reminding users to properly administer their medications and that overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art.


A heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet, having, on a support, at least one layer containing an organic hollow polymer, wherein the layer containing the organic hollow polymer includes at least one surfactant selected from the group consisting of an anionic surfactant and a nonionic surfactant.

Various heat transfer recording methods have been known so far. Among these methods, dye diffusion transfer recording systems attract attention as a process that can produce a color hard copy having image qualities closest to that of silver salt photography (see, for example, "Joho Kiroku (Hard Copy) to Sono Zairyo no Shintenkai (Information Recording (Hard Copy) and New Development of Recording Materials)" published by Toray Research Center Inc., 1993, pp. 241-285; and "Printer Zairyo no Kaihatsu (Development of Printer Materials)" published by CMC Publishing Co., Ltd., 1995, p. 180). Moreover, this system has advantages over silver salt photography: it is a dry system, it enables direct visualization from digital data, it makes reproduction simple, and the like.
In this dye diffusion transfer recording system, a heat-sensitive transfer sheet (hereinafter also referred to as an ink sheet) containing dyes is superposed on a heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet (hereinafter also referred to as an image-receiving sheet), and then the ink sheet is heated by a thermal head whose exothermic action is controlled by electric signals, in order to transfer the dyes contained in the ink sheet to the image-receiving sheet, thereby recording an image information. Three colors: cyan, magenta, and yellow, are used for recording a color image by overlapping one color to other, thereby enabling transferring and recording a color image having continuous gradation for color densities.
General paper may be used as a support of an image-receiving sheet in this dye diffusion transfer recording system, and it enables the image-receiving sheet to be produced at low costs. In an image-receiving sheet using such paper as the support, a layer having high cushion properties, for example, a foam layer made of a resin and a foaming agent, is formed between the support and a receptor layer, to provide cushion properties, thereby improving the adhesion between an image-receiving sheet and an ink sheet. Also, an intermediate layer is further formed between this foam layer and the receptor layer, to prevent the foam layer from being broken (flatten) by heating during printing. However, there are caused certain problems in current image-receiving sheets because of the fact that this intermediate layer is formed using an organic-solvent-type resin coating solution. The problems are that this coating solution breaks down air cells and voids in the foam layer, and thus, desired cushion properties are not attained, resulting in voids and density unevenness in the formation of an image, and further reduction in the heat insulation property of the foam layer is caused, resulting in diffusion of the calories required to transfer dyes in the direction of the backside of the image-receiving sheet, bringing about reduction in sensitivity that is required for printing.
To solve the above problems, for example, JP-A-5-147364 ("JP-A" means unexamined published Japanese patent application) discloses that a resin layer including a dye receptor layer is made to contain a hollow capsule; and also JP-A-11-321128 discloses that an intermediate layer containing, as its major components, hollow particles and a polymer resistant to an organic solvent, is formed between a support and a receptor layer. In these methods, however, the receptor layer is applied after the resin layer and the intermediate layer are applied and dried under heating. Therefore, not only do many image defects arise from formation of unevenness on the surface of the receptor layer, but also there are problems of insufficient sensitivity and rise in costs. Further, for instance, JP-A-2004-9572 discloses providing, on a paper base that exhibits a specific air permeability, with a layer containing hollow particles and a dye-receiving layer in order of mention. However, even this method cannot satisfactorily reduce the number of occurrences of image defects ascribable to bubbles released from the hollow particles at the time of image formation. Therefore, not only do many image defects arise from formation of unevenness on the surface of the receptor layer, but also there are problems of an insufficient sensitivity and rise in costs.

Heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet


Mobile communication system supporting service centralization and continuity and method thereof. A mobile communication system may include a home subscriber server and a service centralization and continuity application server. The mobile subscriber server may be configured to register a location of a user equipment and to transmit location registration information of the user equipment. The service centralization and continuity application server may be configured to receive the location registration information of the user equipment from the home subscriber server.

In a third generation (3G) mobile communication system, a service centralization and continuity (SCC) application server may provide various services including IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) centralized services and IMS service continuity. Particularly, the SCC application server may provide a domain selection function and a domain transfer function to a user equipment connected to a typical circuit switched (CS) domain through a mobile access network, such as a universal terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN), a GSM/EDGE radio access network (GERAN), or an IMS network.
The domain selection function may enable a user equipment to select a domain in order to be connected with a call through an IMS domain. The domain transfer function may enable a user equipment to transfer a connected call from a CS domain to a packet switched (PS) or vice versa according to given conditions. Such functions of the SCC application server may extend a wireless service coverage area. In particular, the functions of the SCC application server may transfer a certain call to a wireless network such as an IM core network subsystem. Accordingly, the SCC application server may reduce the load of mobile communication networks.
In order to provide such services of the SCC application server, the SCC application server needs to have information on all networks that a subscriber is registered to. However, related SCC technical standards do not define location registration in existing networks such as a wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) network. For example, a user equipment in a WCDMA network does not register its location at an SCC application server, so backward compatibility to the WCDMA network is not supported. Accordingly, a fixed mobile convergence (FMC) seamless service cannot be provided to a user equipment using a WCDMA network.


Some embodiments relate to techniques for encoding an audio signal represented by a plurality of frames including a first frame. The techniques include using at least one computer hardware processor to perform: obtaining an initial discrete spectral representation of the first frame; obtaining a primary discrete spectral representation of the initial discrete spectral representation at least in part by estimating a phase envelope of the initial discrete spectral representation and evaluating the estimated phase envelope at a discrete set of frequencies; calculating a residual discrete spectral representation of the initial discrete spectral representation based on the initial discrete spectral representation and the primary discrete spectral representation; and encoding the residual discrete spectral representation using a plurality of codewords.

Many speech and audio processing applications (e.g., speech analysis, speech synthesis, speech compression, speech transformation, speech coding, speech recognition, audio analysis, audio synthesis, audio compression, audio transformation, audio coding, etc.) involve approximating portions of speech and audio signals using parametric models and encoding at least some of the parameters of these models. For example, many speech and audio processing applications involve approximating portions of a signal using a sinusoidal model, whereby a windowed portion of the signal may be approximated using a finite sum of sinusoids, and encoding at least some of the parameters of the sinusoidal model. The parameters of a sinusoidal model may include an amplitude, frequency, and phase for each sinusoid in the sum of sinusoids.

Systems and methods for encoding audio signals


The invention relates to an apparatus comprising: a measuring head (10) having a slot (18) for receiving a measurement cell (26) and means (28) for emitting electromagnetic radiation, and means (32, 36) for detecting radiation from said emission means (28) after it has passed through the measurement cell (26); means (16) for translatably driving and means (12, 14) for translatably guiding, allowing the substantially vertical longitudinal movement of the measurement head (10); at least two recesses (44) each intended for receiving a measurement cell (26) and arranged one above the other in a longitudinal direction, the recesses (44) as well as the driving means (16) and the guiding means (12, 14) being configured such that during the translational movement of the measurement head (10) along the nominal travel thereof each recess is placed inside the slot (18) of the measurement head (10).

Such an analysis apparatus is intended in particular for detecting and measuring incipient phenomena of phase separation, sedimentation in particular into various mixtures. The mixtures concerned are mixtures in which singularities or discontinuities (liquid, solid or gaseous, or a combination) are dispersed in a continuous medium of a different composition and/or state. For example, this concerns emulsions if two or more liquid phases are mixed or suspensions if solid particles are dispersed in a liquid. There are numerous fields of application for such an apparatus. The chemical and para-chemical industries are the main fields, but such devices can be used in any field where it is necessary to analyze the structure and/or stability of a multiphase mixture.
Document EP-0,760,092 discloses an apparatus for performing an analysis of a sample of a multiphase mixture. The method described therein and the corresponding device allow conducting an optical analysis of a mixture and are ideal for characterizing the stability of a mixture, for example a concentrated liquid dispersion.
The method described in that document of the prior art consists of emitting a light beam through a sample of the multiphase mixture and measuring the light that is backscattered and potentially transmitted all along the height of the sample. In this manner, it is possible to detect variations in size (coalescence, flocculation) and phase separations (sedimentation, creaming) of the mixture analyzed.
Systems that use this method currently only permit analysis of a single sample. There are "loaders" of course, which manipulate samples stored in a storage unit, preferably temperature regulated, to bring them one after another to the associated analysis device. The main drawback of this combination of analysis device and loader is related to sample transport. The transport act has some impact, even if carried out carefully, and may for example lead to dispersions in areas where the destabilization phenomenon is more visible and thus mask the phenomenon of interest. Another drawback is the cost of the loader, because it must be precise and carry the samples with very little shaking. In addition, its price increases rapidly with the number of samples to be handled.
Also known from documents U.S. Pat. No. 6,388,751 and FR-2 453 405 are devices for analyzing a plurality of samples placed in tubes. Several tubes are arranged in a vertical position next to one another and an analysis head moves horizontally in front of each of the tubes in order to obtain a measurement at a given height. These devices are not suitable for phase analysis of a multiphase mixture.
Document EP-2 144 051 provides a storage rack adapted for an analysis device. The rack is designed to hold tubes each containing a sample and arranged vertically. A reading head is moved on an arm in two horizontal directions, and in one vertical direction. The reading head here has three degrees of freedom. Aside from the complexity of this device, it is difficult to ensure precise positioning of the sample relative to the reading head, and in the case of phase analysis of a multiphase mixture, to obtain repeatability in the measurement results.

Apparatus for analyzing phases of multiphase mixtures


Two or three pulsed laser (3, 4, 20) devices are provided with a system for the automated optimization of the parameters of radiation produced by these lasers as well the types and regimes of processing of each kind of tissue. The outputs of at least one detector (15) of information about the status of tissue (16) that is under processing are connected to the inputs of control unit 1 which output signals are applied to electronic switchers (5, 6, 26) placed in the circuits connecting the power supply (2) with each of lasers (3, 4, 20). The devices also include the controlled system of treatment zone irrigation (17) and a system for laser radiations mixing consisting of reflective (7, 21) and selective (8, 25) mirrors that makes it possible to provide the independent radiation outputs.

The invention concerns to medical engineering and can be used in surgery, orthopedy and dentistry for processing of soft and hard tissues.
It is known the device for dental tissue laser processing, (patent WO 90/01907, A61C 5/00, date of the publication 08.03.90), comprising the consequently placed along an optical axis the pulsed laser and means of delivery of radiation to a tooth, including a piece of an optical fiber which input is optically conjugated with laser output, and tip which input is optically conjugated with optical fiber's output and its output is the output of device. In this device neodymium, holmium and erbium lasers may be used.
The main disadvantage of above device is that it is impossible to make quick replacement of one laser on other depending on a kind of a tissue under processing, and also high danger of a laser trauma.
It is known also the laser device for the treatment of teeth which is the closest one from the technical point of view and can be accepted as a prototype (patent WO 90/12548, And 61-5/00, date of the publication 01.11.90)
This device comprises the control unit, two pulsed lasers, which optical axes are parallel, focusing system and piece of an optical fiber with a tip placed on an optical axis of the second laser. On the optical axes of both lasers there are mirrors which are optically conjugated with each other, focusing system and optical fiber and placed under 45.degree. angle to laser optical axes. The mirror placed on the axis of the first laser is reflective one, and the mirror placed on the axis of the second laser is dichroic one i.e. it selectively reflects the radiation on first laser wavelength and is transparent on the wavelength of the second laser radiation.
The main disadvantage of this device is the insufficient efficiency of its application while the transition from one type of processing to other and the danger of a laser trauma because of absence of a system providing the detection of tissue that is under processing.

Device for use in the laser treatment of biological tissue


A flow-through cell for extra-corporeal measurement of blood parameters has a pressure sensor arranged in a measurement chamber. The pressure sensor has an active pressure sensor part and an inactive pressure sensor part. The inactive pressure sensor part is constructed identically to the active pressure sensor part, and is insulated from the pressure prevailing in the measurement chamber by a rigid covering. The active and inactive sensor parts produce respective electrical signals which are subject to the same disturbing influences, so that by subtracting the signal of the inactive sensor part from the signal of the active sensor part, a measured value free of disturbing influences is obtained.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a flow-through measurement cell for the extracorporeal measurement of blood parameters, of the type having a pressure sensor arranged in a measurement chamber.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A flow-through measurement cell of the general type described above is known from PCT publication WO 92/05449. This flow-through measurement cell has a first measurement chamber with several electrochemical sensors arranged therein. An inlet opening of the first measurement chamber is connected with a switching unit via a liquid connection line. A liquid conveyor apparatus is connected to an outlet opening of the first measurement chamber. Dependent on the switch position of the switching unit, liquid being measured, rinse solution or calibration solution can be suctioned through the measurement chamber by means of the liquid conveyor apparatus and then conveyed into a waste receptacle. Separately from the first measurement chamber, a pressure sensor is arranged in a second measurement chamber of the flow-through measurement cell. The second measurement chamber is connected with the switching unit via an additional liquid connection line. In the switching unit, in the switching states "ready" and "measure" a connection is created to a measurement line, so that in these switch positions a continuous pressure measurement can ensue.
An additional flow-through measurement cell for extra-corporeal measurement of several electrochemically measured blood parameters, such as e.g. pH concentration, pO.sup.2 concentration, pCO.sub.2 value and electrolyte concentration, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,841,974. It is connected to an arterial permanent catheter. The sensors are arranged in the flow-through measurement cell in a wall of a measurement duct. The sensors themselves are fashioned as ion-sensitive field-effect transistors that are jointly integrated on a silicon chip. A membrane, which forms a boundary surface to the measurement medium, i.e. to the removed blood, thereby serves as a control electrode. An allocated evaluation electronics is likewise integrated on the chip, and forms a structural unit with the sensors. The construction of the chip is also specified in the article by W. Gumbrecht, D. Peters, W. Schelter, W. Erhardt, J. Henkel, J. Steil and U. Sykora: "Integrated pO.sup.2, pCO.sub.2, pH Sensor System for Online Blood Monitoring," Sensors and Actuators B, 18-19 (1994), pp. 704-708.
In European Application 0 714 017, silicon thin film pressure sensors are specified that can be manufactured in a manner compatible with processes that are standard in CMOS technology. As used herein, "compatible with CMOS manufacturing processes" means that the additional process steps required in the manufacture of the sensor can be incorporated into standard CMOS process steps, and do not disturb them. This technology is also known as surface micromechanics technology. In addition to the pressure sensor, further electronic circuits are monolithically integrated on the same chip.
In a different type of technology also used for surface micromechanics, known as bulk micromechanics technology, the sensors are etched considerably deeper into the silicon substrate material than in the surface micromechanics technology.

Flow-through measurement cell for extracorporeal measurement of blood parameters

356
FSC 73
FSC 7
FSC 204
FSC 205
FSC 600


A golf club includes a golf club shaft and a golf club head connected to the golf club shaft. The golf club head includes a body having a forward surface and a striking member connected to the forward surface of the body. The striking member includes predetermined properties to deflect inwardly during initial contact with a golf ball and recover outwardly as the golf ball moves away substantially synchronized with compression and expansion of the golf ball. In some embodiments, the golf club head may include a spacer or neck connecting opposing medial portions of the body and the striking member. In other embodiments, the striking member may include a first layer and a second underlying layer disposed over the body.

Golf is a sport in which mastery of several skills are necessary in order to play successfully. For example, a more successful player is able to strike a golf ball with accuracy and with a sufficient amount of force so that the golf ball travels to the intended target. This is especially important during the initial drive of the golf ball. It is preferable to strike the golf ball using a center portion of a golf club head, which is generally referred to as the "sweet spot".
A golf ball will generally travel further when contact is made with the golf club head along the sweet spot. Making contact with the sweet spot, however, has been a source of frustration for many golfers. More particularly, an off center hit may cause the golf ball to travel a shorter distance, and in some cases, may cause the golf ball to veer off course, i.e., hook or slice.
An example of one type of golf club that attempts to compensate for off center hits is illustrated in U.S. Reissue Pat. No. 35,955 to Lu. The Lu golf club includes a golf club head having an insert with a deflectable striking member for striking the golf ball, and a corresponding element for supporting the deflectable striking member. This configuration, however, may be disadvantageous due to its complicated construction. Further, the configuration may add weight to the golf club head, causing the golfer to exert more force when swinging the golf club.
Other such golf clubs are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,390,932 and 5,672,120 to Kosmatka et al. and Ramirez et al., respectively. The Kosmatka et al. golf club includes a thin polymer coating over the striking face. Although the thick polymer coating is likely to be beneficial in protecting the striking face of the golf club, it may not be sufficient to compensate for off center hits. The Ramirez et al. golf club head includes a continuous fiber reinforced outer shell covering a core. This configuration, however, may make the golf club head quite cumbersome and somewhat heavy.

Golf club including striking member and associated methods


A sun visor including a sun visor body having a front side, back side, top side, bottom side, right side and left side. A first cavity and a second cavity disposed within the sun visor body separated by a dividing wall. A sun vision visor and a night vision visor contained within the respective first cavity and second cavity. Each of the sun vision visor and the night vision visor are contained within each of the respective first cavity and second cavity when in a retracted position. Each of the sun vision visor and the night vision visor are extendable to an extended position for use when needed. A friction hinge is disposed on each of the sun vision visor and the night vision visor allowing multi-directionally pivotablility of each visor toward each of the front side and the back side for desired positioning when in an extended position.

Various types of sun visors are known in the prior art. However, what is needed is a sun visor body including an extendable and pivotable sun vision visor and an extendable and pivotable night vision visor. Current sun visors do not provide multiple extendable options. The present device allows a user to extend a sun vision visor from a retracted position contained within the sun visor body to an extended position. The sun vision visor has a transparent material providing visibility with a tint to block the glare of the sun. The night vision visor has a transparent material providing visibility with a lesser tint than that of the sun vision visor to block the glare of lights from other vehicles. The present device provides the normal protection and positioning of a standard sun visor along with the added protection of the sun vision visor and the night vision visor.


An object of the invention is to provide a rubber modified asphalt type of waterproofing composition which can be used in a normal temperature type of spray waterproofing method and can find its application in waterproofing, moisture-proofing, rustproofing, and filling buildings and structure for engineering works, said waterproofing composition coagulates instantaneously to form a stable yet firm waterproofing layer. This rubber modified asphalt type of waterproofing composition comprises a cationic rubber modified asphalt emulsion and an organic coagulating agent.

So far, Hotmelt Asphalt waterproofing methods have often been used for the purpose of making structures for engineering works and buildings waterproof. However, these methods have involved many problems such as foul odors and fuming, a possibility of catching fire, and a risk of causing workers to have burns, because asphalt is melted by heat for use on site.
In recent years, these methods have been superseded by normal temperature waterproofing methods using a rubber modified asphalt emulsion. One typical method involves spraying a mixture of a rubber modified asphalt emulsion and a gelatinizing agent onto an application surface to form thereon a rubber modified asphalt layer, and another method comprises injecting a rubber modified asphalt emulsion and a coagulating agent through separate nozzles onto an application surface while they are brought into contact mixing with each other in the air, thereby forming a rubber modified asphalt layer on the application surf ace.
For instance, reference is made to JP-B 56-48652 and 58-41107. According to the former, a flow of an asphalt latex mixture consisting of asphalt or its mixture with oil and latex, and a flow of mixed emulsion consisting of an aqueous emulsion made up of at least one of asphalt, oil and latex and a gelatinizing agent are sprayed onto an application surface while they are continuously mixed together, thereby forming thereon a rubber modified asphalt layer according to the latter, an anionic rubber modified asphalt emulsion having a total solid content exceeding 70% by weight (usually 80 to 85% by weight) and a polyvalent metal salt (in the form of a 1-15% by weight aqueous solution) that is a gelatinizing agent are injected through separate airless type spraying machines onto an application surface while they are brought into contact mixing with each other in the air, thereby forming a rubber modified asphalt layer on the application surface.
Another normal temperature waterproofing method, now available, is of the self-hardening type wherein a hydraulic inorganic material such as cement is used to coagulate a rubber modified asphalt emulsion. This method makes use of the hydration reaction of the hydraulic inorganic material with water present in the rubber modified asphalt emulsion to remove that water as crystal water, thereby forming a rubber modified asphalt layer. The hydraulic inorganic material known to coagulate the rubber modified asphalt emulsion, for instance, is portland cement that may be used alone or in combination with alumina cement, etc.
However, the normal temperature waterproofing method disclosed in JP-B 56-48652 is now found to be quite unpractical, because it, when applied to an upright or slope surface, is likely to cause sagging due to relatively long time for coagulate. The normal temperature waterproofing method set forth in JP-B 58-41107, i.e., that of the airless spray type wherein the emulsion is instantaneously coagulated by the co-spraying of a coagulating agent is advantageous in that the exuding amount of water separated by the coagulation of the spraying material is so limited that some considetrable improvement is made in the blistering of the formed rubber modified asphalt layer. A problem with this method, however, is that the rubber modified asphalt layer tends to peel off the application surface, if it remains wet, due to the water exuding from the rubber modified asphalt emulsion. Another problem arises due to the fact that the polyvalent metal salt used as the coagulating agent is mainly calcium chloride; that is, the surface of reinforced concrete to which the method has been applied is apt to suffer an attack by salt and rust.
The normal temperature waterproofing method making use of a hydraulic inorganic material such as cement to coagulate a rubber modified asphalt emulsion, when applied to ceilings or walls, has some practical difficulty, because the resulting rubber modified asphalt layer coagulate so slowly that it does not become hard enough within a short time.
Thus, there is a strong demand for the development of a rubber modified asphalt type of waterproofing composition which are free from all the problems of the normal temperature waterproofing methods above mentioned.

Rubber modified asphalt type of water-proofing compositions


Disclosed herein is a method of distributing a washcoat along channels of a particulate filter substrate, the method including: forcing a washcoat slurry a predetermined distance into the channels, the predetermined distance being less than or equal to the full length of the channels; clearing an excess amount of washcoat slurry from the channels; and arranging a remainder of the washcoat slurry within the channels, the arranging including applying a first vacuum to a first end of the particulate filter substrate after the clearing. In one embodiment the clearing includes applying a second vacuum to a second end of the particulate filter substrate. In another embodiment, the clearing includes pulling the excess washcoat slurry from the channels. The predetermined distance may be less than or equal to the full length of the channels. The arranging may provide a layer of a washcoat composition comprising a catalytically active material arranged anisotropically along a length of the channels of the particulate filter substrate.

Federal and state requirements have mandated substantial reductions in carbon particulate matter (PM, so called soot), hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide emission for gasoline and diesel engines. Attempts at reducing such emissions, in particular attempts to reduce particulate emissions from diesel engines, include catalytic diesel particulate filters (DPF) in which a catalytically active material is dispersed within a substrate in the particulate filter. The catalyst promotes removal (e.g., oxidation) of particulates and other pollutants of diesel fuel combustion in the exhaust gas stream.
Applying a catalytic material (also referred to herein as a washcoat) to the DPF substrate is one of the most promising technologies for effective removal (combustion) of trapped PM. In general, better catalytic performance is achieved by increasing washcoat loading so as to increase the concentration of catalytically active material present. However, an increase in washcoat loading can result in an increase in flow restriction when exhaust gas flows by the catalytic particulate filter. This increase of exhaust gas flow restriction results in an increase in exhaust line backpressure, which could be detrimental to engine performance and fuel economy. In general, the lower the backpressure, the better the engine performance and fuel economy will be. Accordingly, a need exists for a particulate filter that provides for reduction of particulates in the exhaust gas while minimizing backpressure caused by the particulate filter.

Method for control of washcoat distribution along channels of a particulate filter substrate


At least one method disclosed herein involves creating an overall pattern layout for an integrated circuit that is to be manufactured using a self-aligned double patterning (SADP) process, forming a first metal feature having a first width on a first track of a metal layer using the SADP process, forming a second metal feature having a second width on a second track of the metal layer. The second track is adjacent to the first track. The method also includes forming an electrical connection between the first metal feature and the second metal feature to provide an effectively single metal pattern having a third width that is the sum of the first and second widths, rendering the first and second features decomposable using the SADP process; and decomposing the overall pattern layout with the first and second metal features into a mandrel mask pattern and a block mask pattern.

1. Field of the Invention
Generally, the present disclosure relates to the manufacture of sophisticated semiconductor devices, and, more specifically, to various methods of generating circuit layouts using self-aligned double patterning (SADP) techniques.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have been many advancements in the area of manufacturing of semiconductor devices. Various processes are performed on semiconductor substrates in manufacturing integrated circuit products. Photolithography is one of the basic processes used in manufacturing integrated circuit products. Generally, photolithography involves: (1) forming a layer of light or radiation-sensitive material, such as photoresist, above a layer of material or a substrate; (2) selectively exposing the radiation-sensitive material to alight generated by a light source (such as a DUV or EUV source) to transfer a pattern defined by a mask or reticle (interchangeable terms as used herein) to the radiation-sensitive material; and (3) developing the exposed layer of radiation-sensitive material to define a patterned mask layer. Various process operations, such as etching and/or ion implantation processes, may then be performed on the underlying layer of material or substrate through the patterned mask layer.
The ultimate goal in integrated circuit fabrication is to accurately reproduce the original circuit design on the integrated circuit product. Historically, the feature sizes and pitches employed in integrated circuit products were such that a desired pattern could be formed using a single patterned photoresist masking layer. However, in recent years, device dimensions and pitches have been reduced to the point where existing photolithography tools, e.g., 193 nm wavelength immersion photolithography tools, cannot form a single patterned mask layer with all of the features of the overall target pattern. Accordingly, device designers have resorted to techniques that involve performing multiple exposures to define a single target pattern in a layer of material. One such technique is generally referred to as multiple patterning, e.g., double patterning. Generally speaking, double patterning is an exposure method that involves splitting (i.e., dividing or separating) a dense overall target circuit pattern into two separate, less-dense patterns. The simplified, less-dense patterns are then printed separately on a wafer utilizing two separate masks (where one of the masks is utilized to image one of the less-dense patterns, and the other mask is utilized to image the other less-dense pattern). Further, in some cases, the second pattern s printed in between the lines of the first pattern such that the imaged wafer has, for example, a feature pitch which is half that found on either of the two less-dense masks. This technique effectively lowers the complexity of the photolithography process, improving the achievable resolution and enabling the printing of far smaller features than would otherwise be impossible using existing photolithography tools.
The Self-Aligned-Double-Patterning (SADP) process is one such multiple) technique. The SADP process may be an attractive solution for manufacturing next-generation devices, particularly metal routing lines on such next-generation devices, due to better overlay control that is possible when using an SADP process.
FIGS. 1A-1K depict one illustrative example: of a device 10 wherein an illustrative prior art SADP process was performed to form metal features, e.g. metal lines, in a layer of insulating material 12. With reference to FIG. 1A, a hard mask layer 14 is formed above the layer of insulating material 12 and a layer of mandrel material 16, such as poly silicon, was formed above the hard mask layer 14. Also depicted is a patterned layer of photoresist material 17, that was formed above the layer of mandrel material 16 using traditional, single exposure photolithography tools and techniques. The layer of mandrel material 16 may be comprised of a material that may be selectively etched with respect to the hard mask layer 14.
Next, as shown in FIG. 1B, an etching process is performed on the layer of mandrel material 16 while using the patterned layer of photoresist material 17 as an etch mask. This etching process results in the formation of a plurality of mandrels 16A. In the depicted example, the mandrels are formed so as to have a pitch 16P and a minimum width 16W. The pitch 16P and the width 16W may vary depending upon the particular device 10 under construction. FIG. 1C depicts the device 10 after the patterned layer of photoresist 17, i.e. the mandrel mask, has been removed.
Next, as shown in FIG. 1D, a layer of spacer material 18 was deposited on and around the mandrels 16A by performing a conformal deposition process. The layer of spacer material 18 should be a material that may be selectively etched relative to the mandrels 16A and the hard mask layer 14. FIG. 1E depicts the device 10 after an anisotropic etching process was performed on the layer of spacer material 18 to define a plurality of sidewall spacers 18A, having a lateral width 18W, positioned adjacent the mandrels 16A. The width 18W of the spacers 18A may vary depending upon the particular device 10 under construction. As an example, in order to form patterns with 1:1 ratio line and space, the width of the spacers 18A need equal to the width of the mandrel 16A. Next, as shown in FIG. 1F, the mandrels 16A are removed by performing an etching process that is selective relative to the hard mask layer 14 and the sidewall spacers 18A.
FIG. 10 depicts the device 10 after a patterned photoresist mask 20, a so-called block mask, is formed above the layer of spacers 18A and the hard mask layer 14. In one example, the block mask 20 may be formed using traditional, single exposure photolithography tools and techniques. FIG. 1H depicts the device 10 after an etching process has been performed to transfer the pattern defined by the combination (or union) of the sidewall spacers 18A and the block mask 20 to the hard mask layer 14. FIG. 1I depicts the device 10 after one or more process operations were performed to remove the sidewall spacers 18A and the block mask 20 from above the now-patterned hard mask layer 14. Next, as shown in FIG. 1J, an etching process was performed on the layer of insulating material 12 through the patterned hard mask 14 to define illustrative trenches 22 in the layer of insulating material 12. FIG. 1K depicts the device 10 after schematically depicted metal features 24, e.g., metal lines, were formed in the trenches 22 and after the patterned hard mask layer 14 was removed. The manner in which such metal features 24 may be formed in the layer of insulating material 12 are well known to those skilled in the art.
In the SADP process, the metal features 24 that are formed are typically referred to as the "mandrel-metal" features ("MM") or "non-mandrel-metal" features ("NMM"). As depicted in FIG. 1K, the al features 24 that are positioned under the location where the mandrels 16A and the features of the mandrel mask 17 (both shown in dashed lines in FIG. 1K) were located, are so-called "mandrel-metal" features designated as "MM" in FIG. 1K. All of the other metal features 24 formed in the layer of insulating material 12 are "non-mandrel-metal" features designated as "NMM" in FIG. 1K. As it relates to terminology, the MM features and NMM features are referred to as being different "colors" when it comes to decomposing an overall pattern layout that is intended to be manufactured using an SADP process, as will be described more fully below. Thus, two MM features are said to be of the "same color" and two NMM features are said to be of the "same color, while an MM feature and an NMM feature are said to be of "different colors."
To use double patterning techniques, an overall pattern layout for a circuit must be what is referred to as double patterning compliant. Double patterning compliant generally refers to an overall pattern layout being decomposed into two separate patterns, such that each may be formed using existing photolithography tools and other techniques. An overall pattern layout may have many regions or areas that cannot be directly printed because the plurality of closely spaced features in those regions are spaced too close to one another for existing photolithography tools to be able to such closely spaced features as individual feature. To the extent a particular region under investigation has an even number of such features, such a pattern is sometimes referred to as an "even cycle" pattern, while a region that has an odd number of features is sometimes referred to as an "odd cycle" pattern. "Even" cycle patterns can be formed using double patterning techniques, while "odd" cycle patterns cannot be formed using double patterning techniques.
One well-known double patterning technique is referred to as LELE ("litho-etch-litho-etch) double patterning. As the name implies, the LELE process involves forming two photoresist etch masks and performing two etching processes to transfer the desired overall pattern to a hard mask later that is then used as an each mask to etch an underlying layer of crial. With respect to terminology, the different masks employed in the LELE double patterning process are said to be different "colors." Thus, depending upon the spacing between adjacent features, the features may be formed using the same photoresist mask ("same color") or they may have to be formed using different photoresist masks ("different color"). In an LELE process, if two adjacent features are spaced apart by a distance that can be patterned using traditional single exposure photolithography, then those two adjacent features may be formed using the same ("same color") photoresist mask. In contrast, if the spacing between the two adjacent features is less than can be formed using single exposure photolithography, then those features must be either formed using different photoresist masks ("different color") or the spacing between the features must be increased by changing the circuit layout such that hey may be formed using the same photoresist mask.
As noted above, any circuit layout to be formed using double patterning techniques must be checked to confirm that it can be decomposed into two separate photoresist masks. A layout must have zero odd-cycles to be decomposable in an LELE process. To determine if a circuit layout is double-patterning compliant, a mask engineer, using very sophisticated and well-known computer programs, connects adjacent features by "drawing" a "polygon loop" that connects the centroid of the features under investigation. FIG. 1L, contains a simplistic example of such a polygon loop 30 drawn for live (A-E) adjacent features. The polygon loop 30 is comprised of five edges 31. In this example, due to the relative spacing between adjacent features, all of the features are required to be formed using "different color" ("DC") masks. Thus, the polygon loop 30 has five "DC" edges connecting the various features. The polygon loop 30 represents an odd-cycle layout due to the odd number of DC edge (five total) in the polygon loop 30. Due to the odd number of DC edges in the polygon loop 30, the pattern reflected by the polygon loop 30 is not decomposable using double pattering techniques.
The SADP odd cycle check is generally more complicated than the LELE odd cycle check due to the complicate SADP design rules. One example of an SADP design rule is shown in FIG. 1M. The example of FIG. 1M illustrates that when two features are spaced between 72 nm and 120 nm, they must be on same color, i.e., both of the features are either MM or NMM. This "must-on-same-color" spacing rule is SADP specific as, in LELE, two features that are separated by a distance larger than same color spacing rule can be put on either same mask or different masks. Correspondingly, a SADP polygon loop for odd cycle check will compose same color edge (SC). One example of SADP polygon loop 32 is shown in FIG. 1N, which consists of three different color (DC) edge and two same color (SC) edges and is not decomposable due to the odd number of DC edges.
In an LELE router, the odd cycle is generally checked continuously while generating metal connection wires to assure; there is zero odd cycle in the final routing layout. However, in an SADP router, given the complexity of SADP design rules and odd cycle check, it can be time consuming and may cause inaccuracies if the SADP odd cycles were continuously checked while generating metal connection wires. Instead of checking SADP odd cycles, circuit designers often perform circuit layout to assure that the circuit design is decomposable. One common SADP design restriction to assure decomposable SADP layout entails using discrete metal widths that are integer number factors of a default width. In examples of a default metal width of 24 nm, the allowed metal width will be 48 nm, 72 nm, 96 nm, 120 nm, etc.
Another common strategy to comply with SADP rules entails uni-directional application of features on grid design, as illustrated in FIG. 1P. FIG. 1P depicts a simplistic example of a prior art circuit layout, e.g., a plurality of metal lines 52 that are to be formed using an SADP process. The metal lines 52 may be representative of metal lines that are to be formed in the metal-2 (M2) layer of an integrated circuit product. The dotted lines in FIG. 1P may be metal routing tracks may have alternating color assignments. The uni-direction on grid design however imposes further restriction on metal width as will be clarified below.
FIG. 1Q depicts a simplistic example of a prior art circuit layout, e.g., a plurality of metal lines 52, 56, 58 that are to be formed using an SADP process. The metal lines 52, 56, 58 may be representative of metal lines that are to be formed in the metal-2 (M2) layer of an integrated circuit product. The metal lines 52, 56, 58 are arranged on various tracks ("M2 tracks"), as depicted in dashed lines in FIG. 1Q. As it relates to the SADP process, the metal lines 52, 56, 58 may be divided into mandrel-metal lines and non-mandrel-metal lines. In the depicted example, the mandrel-metal lines are arranged on the M2 tracks with the "0" designation, while the non-mandrel-metal lines are arranged on the M2 tracks with the "1" designation.
In the depicted example, the metal line 52 has a critical dimension or width 53 and they have a pitch 51. The metal line 55 has a critical dimension of 56, and the metal line 57 has a critical dimension of 58. In some applications, SADP metal design rules require that a minimum different color (DC) pitch be 48 nm. The minimum DC spacing would then be 48 nm minus 24 nm, thus 24 nm. The minimum same color (SC) pitch in this case is 96 nm, thus the same color spacing would be 72 nm (i.e., 96 nm-24 nm). In SADP applications, metal widths are generally required to be integer times the minimum width, e.g., 24 nm. In the example of FIG. 1Q, the metal line 55 may be 72 nm, and the metal line 57 may be 168 nm.
Generally, an SADP metal wire design that occupies an even number of tracks is prone for decomposition violations. As shown in FIG. 1R, the metal wires that occupy even number of tracks (2, 4, 6, . . . ) will cause violations of decomposition rules. As shown in FIG. 1R, if a default metal wire feature (minimum metal width) is used, such as a 24 nm metal feature (53A) using color 1 (NMM), with a spacing 59 of 72 nm spacing followed by a 72 nm metal feature (53B), followed by a 24 nm spacing and a subsequent 24 nm metal feature (53C) of color 1 (NMM), the problem is metal features 53A and 53B have to be of the same color, and 53B and 53C have to be different color according to SADP design rules as shown in FIG. 1M. Therefore, no matter which color is assigned to the center metal feature (53B), a decomposition violation will occur since there exists consecutive same-color metal features, which would cause color spacing violation(s). Accordingly, the design of FIG. 1R would be forbidden by the SADP decomposition rules.
To prevent the risk of SADP decomposition error in SADP design, such as SADP routing, a metal line must occupy an odd number of M2 tracks in order to comply with SADP decomposition rules which in some examples have to be 24 nm, 120 nm, 216 nm, etc. This width restriction makes circuit design very difficult at least because the flexibility of providing metal width larger than the minimum width is desirable to reduce IR drop and improve clock skew and latency.
The present disclosure is directed to various methods of generating circuit layouts that are to be formed using self-aligned double patterning (SADP) techniques which may solve or at least reduce one or more of the problems identified above.

Methods of generating circuit layouts using self-alligned double patterning (SADP) techniques


A graphical system and method for creating and editing packets of data is disclosed, which displays on a first pane of a computer window a hierarchical order of all of the protocol layers and protocol fields of a data packets, and displays on a second pane of the same window the entire encoded data packet in standard hexadecimal notation. In the first pane, a user can select a field of data pertaining to any of the protocol layers from the hierarchical order, and change any of the protocol field values, change options within a protocol, or add additional protocol layers to the packet, and the portion of the encoded data pertaining to the changed data will be updated in the second pane.

In certain applications of communications systems, for example, communications testing products, it is necessary to generate simulated network traffic. As part of this simulation, users will need to construct and modify data packets, often called Protocol Data Units (PDUs) which are then transmitted as the simulated traffic. The format and content of each PDU is based on previously-defined communications protocols. A protocol defines the format, length and meaning of the fields or data elements which a PDU contains. Some protocols define optional fields, which may or may not be included in a PDU. Also, in order to build a complete PDU, users will generally need to encapsulate several different protocols in layers, in both standard and non-standard sequences. Each protocol may be industry standard or proprietary to a particular network equipment vendor.
A software tool used to construct and edit PDUs is called a PDU Builder, and is typically accessed by a user through a Graphical User Interface (GUI). One such tool is used in a communications testing product called "Router Tester" and is available from Agilent Technologies, Inc. of Palo Alto, Calif., USA, which tool is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
The GUIs for current PDU Builders have a similar look and feel. Typically, the protocol fields in a PDU are displayed in a window using standard GUI controls, such as Edit Boxes, Check Boxes, etc. In most cases, each protocol is displayed in a separate window, and to edit a multi-layer PDU the user must switch back and forth between several windows. In some cases, more than one protocol is displayed in a single window, but only a small number—usually no more than two. And in these cases, not all the fields in the protocols can be displayed in the window, because of the limitations of screen space.
There are several disadvantages of this approach. One such disadvantage is that users must switch between several different windows to construct and edit a multi-layer PDU, because each protocol layer of the PDU is displayed in its associated window. Thus, it is not possible to see the entire PDU at once. A further problem with existing systems is that the number of protocol layers that can be supported is small, in the order of about 3-4 layers. The design of such systems has intrinsically limited scalability, because adding more protocol layers means adding more and more windows, thereby making the GUI increasingly more complex and less usable.
Further problems with existing systems are that protocol layering can only be done in one of a few fixed and well-known sequences, and that the size of protocols and PDUs that can be displayed is limited by the size of the windows. Also the choice of protocols is limited to a relatively small list of well-known standard protocols. In addition, optional fields are only supported in a very limited and indirect way.

Graphical system and method for editing multi-layer data packets


An after-wet-adhesion building-block system has building blocks (1) with moisture-conveyance means from outside surfaces (4) to adhesive material (3) in a dry state between the building blocks for set-up adhesion after construction. The moisture-conveyance means can be design moisture porosity of the building blocks or such features as moisture-conveyance sections (16), moisture-conveyance contact surfaces of blocks, or moisture-conveyance material (13) intermediate the building blocks. The adhesive in a dry state can be pre-applied, applied with a brush or other applicator, contained in a paper or other moisture-conveyance material that is laid on the blocks successively during construction, sprinkled on with an applicator, or applied otherwise in a dry state. In addition to using building blocks or bricks with standard shapes, a wide selection of tongue-and-groove structure (7, 8) of different types of building blocks can be employed with this invention because integrity and accuracy of tongue-and-groove positioning of building blocks is not sacrificed to bulk of mortar and to liquescent escape of wet-mixed mortar.

1. Field of the Invention.
This invention relates to building with concrete or similar blocks and in particular to positioning adhesive material in a dry state between building blocks during construction and then adding water externally after part or all of a structure is completed to activate the dry adhesive material.
2. Relation to Prior Art
Currently, concrete, cinder, clay or other block building is accomplished by positioning wet mortar or other adhesive in a wet condition on contact surfaces of blocks successively. Keeping the blocks horizontally level requires considerable skill, care and time as a result of thickness of the wet mortar or other adhesive material required. Conventionally, skilled labor is employed to variously manipulate building blocks into position along leveling lines set by bubble levels continuously. The problem is compounded by liquescent travel of the wet mortar or other adhesive laterally at uneven rates without adequate control after being positioned accurately. Then when a building or section of a building settles by drying and by a small but critical level of liquescent side-escape of the wet mortar or other wet adhesive, the structure is not reliably even and horizontal. Further yet, the settled building or section of building often cracks as a result of uneven sinking of the building blocks into the wet and side-escaped mortar or other wet adhesive.
These are problems of conventional block building that increase costs of construction by requirement of skilled labor for their solution. The amount and time of skilled labor is increased by the use of wet mortar or other wet adhesive. Wet mortar applied by skilled labor appears to be a carryover from bricklaying that was not as readily amenable to after-wetting because the brick was not sufficiently porous for post-structure absorbency and conveyance of moisture to adhesive in a dry state between bricks.
Use of adhesive in a dry state with after-wetting for block building can be aided by but is not dependent on mesh fittings of interlocking blocks. Interlocking block enhances structural integrity, strength and evenness with relatively less time and effort after bottom courses or layers of block have been set on a suitable foundation. After-wet adhesion with interlocking block, therefore, further decreases skill dependence. "Do-it-yourselfers" can do it more easily. In addition to costing less, less equipment is required, it is less messy and takes less time to use after-wetting adhesion.
Examples of different but related block building are described in the following patent documents. French Patent Number 528,025, issued to Mousset in 1957, described interlocking blocks for application of wet mortar in recessed interlock sections on tops of blocks into which projecting interlock sections on bottoms of successive blocks were inserted. U.S. Pat. No. 2,294,776, issued to Freeman in 1942, taught interlocking-block structure that concealed mortar but still required wet mortar. British Patent Number 270,011, issued to Hugill in 1927, described tongue-in-groove structure generally. U.S. Pat. No. 979,913, issued to Ault in 1910, taught a basic two-hole building block with a top tongue and a bottom groove for use with wet mortar.

After wet adhesion building block system


A cooling system includes a first cooler, a second cooler, a fan positioned to drive air through the first cooler and the second cooler, and a baffle system. The baffle system includes a baffle and an actuator. The baffle is positioned to facilitate selectively restricting airflow through at least a portion of the first cooler. The actuator is positioned to facilitate reconfiguring the baffle between (i) a first orientation where the baffle does not restrict the airflow through the portion of the first cooler and (ii) a second orientation where the baffle restricts the airflow through the portion of the first cooler, thereby diverting additional airflow through the second cooler.

Machines and vehicles include cooling packages to thermally regulate the temperature of various components and systems thereof (e.g., driveline components, hydraulic systems, air conditioning systems, etc.). The cooling packages are typically designed for the max expected heat rejection capacity for each individual cooler. It is not likely that all coolers will need max heat rejection at the same time and, therefore, there will be excess airflow through some cooler, while others may be at their max capacity. The fan of such cooling packages must spin at the highest requested speed to maintain cooling for the cooler at its max capacity, while excess air may flow through the coolers that do not require the additional airflow. Not only does this create more engine and fan noise, but driving the fan at such high speeds consumes additional engine power and fuel, decreasing the efficiency of the machine or vehicle.


A semiconductor device includes a substrate, an elastic buffer layer disposed on a surface of the substrate, wiring patterns disposed on a first surface of the elastic buffer layer, and a semiconductor chip disposed on a second surface of the elastic buffer layer facing away from the first surface of the elastic buffer layer. The semiconductor chip includes trenches formed on a surface facing the elastic buffer layer. Interconnection members are disposed to electrically connect the elastic buffer layer to the substrate. Each of the interconnection members has one end electrically connected to one of the wiring patterns and the other end electrically connected to the substrate.

1. Technical Field
Various embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a packaging technology, and more particularly to semiconductor devices including an elastic buffer layer and a trench.
2. Related Art
With broadening uses of compact, portable electronic systems, semiconductor devices continue to shrink in size. Moreover, demands for high-performance electronic systems have led to many advances in multi-functional semiconductor devices. Recent developments in wearable electronic systems are leading to demands for bendable and flexible semiconductor packages.
A semiconductor package includes a substrate, semiconductor chips mounted on the substrate, an interconnection member for connecting the semiconductor chips to conductive lines on the substrate. It is possible to reduce the thickness of the substrate or semiconductor chips disposed on the substrate so that the semiconductor package can be bent. However, it is difficult for the interconnection member to be bent without damaging its functionality. Tensile stress or compressive stress, which can be applied when the interconnection member is warped or twisted, may cause the interconnection member to be separated from a connection pad or to be broken, and thereby causes the semiconductor package to malfunction. Accordingly, bendable and flexible semiconductor packages require a package structure capable of maintaining the electrical connections between the interconnection members and the semiconductor chips/substrate even when the semiconductor package is warped or twisted.


The present invention relates generally to methods and compositions for targeting, delivering, and activating platelet-dependent vascular occlusion agents. In particular, antibodies carrying platelet binding agents are targeted to hyperplastic cells or tissues, such as the vasculature of solid tumor masses; the platelet binding agent then binds and activates platelets, which in turn bind and activate other platelets. This process results in the formation of a platelet-mediated thrombus-causing vessel occlusion.

The present invention is directed to compositions and methods for producing a therapeutic benefit by producing vascular occlusion using platelet activation as the initiating event. Compositions and methods of the invention involve targeting platelets to a site, such as a tumor site, using a binding agent, such as a bifunctional molecule, a portion of which binds to the site and another portion of which binds or immobilizes a platelet binding agent, such as circulating von Willebrand Factor (VWF).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Compositions and methods for producing vascular occlusion


A system and a method for notifying users of the installation of applications using social networks. An application broadcaster automatically publishes a user's application installation events on one platform to the user's activity streams on external social platforms. This way, a message regarding the application appears in the user's activity streams within social networks, resulting in the application becoming popular among the user's friends. In one embodiment, the application broadcaster determines whether user activity associated with the installed application meets a criterion before broadcasting information about the application. The application broadcaster also suggests applications that the user might find interesting.

The specification relates to using social networks for spreading notifications about applications. In particular, the specification relates to a system and a method for automatically publishing a user's application installation events on one platform to the user's activity streams on external social platforms.
With the advent of a variety of computing platforms such as smartphones and portable computers, there has been an enormous growth in the number of applications being developed for them. However, the discovery of these applications by users remains a major problem. Although, the applications are categorized by type in online application stores, users are still required to know the exact name of the application to be able to search for them. Due to this reason, developers get discouraged as most applications go unnoticed in the plethora of existing ones.
Currently there are a few applications that increase the visibility of other applications by suggesting applications to a user that have been installed by the user's friends. But this does not solve the problem of locating the applications in the online application store because the user still needs to find and install the applications.

Automatic publication of a user's application installation events


A method for processing daily consumption, demand and time of use meter reads for electric, gas, water and other metered entities. The meter reads are collected by any of the well known Automated Meter Reading (AMR) technologies and loaded into a meter data warehouse. At a minimum daily meter reading, reads that are tagged as Good, Stale, Partial, Incomplete and Missing are required for properly identifying usage patterns, applying rules for error patterns and estimating the reads which will provide quality meter reads to the utilities thereby identifying meter problems before they become billing problems. The overall process involves loading the daily meter reads into a database, comparing each meter read against its previous day's read and applying a set of rules that help in validating, editing and estimating (VEE) of this data. The VEE rules that are applied can be broadly classified into five (5) categories. They are 1) Cumulative (CUM) Read Error Detection 2) Demand (DEM) read Error Detection 3) Rounding, Truncation and Offset rules 4) Allocation and Estimation 5) Others. Once these rules have been applied and the required reading estimated and edited, the data is now ready for billing. Prior to the reads being used for billing, another process is executed that helps to determine the meters that need to be replaced and hence whose reads cannot be used for billing as it would result in the customer being billed for incorrect usage. The output of this process can be customized to suit any of the popular Utility Billing Systems (UBS)'s input format and mimics a meter exchange transaction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to methods for processing daily consumption of demand and time of use meter readings for electronic, gas, water and other metered entities, and, more particularly relates to validating, editing and estimating of such data for billing purposes and customer presentation by utility companies.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Revenue metering and meter operations have a rich tradition of being very accurate and stable processes within utilities. The goals of +99% accuracy and timely delivery of billing reads has been the undisputed standard for decades. With the advent of AMR, a new metering paradigm has been created. Data delivery requirements have been increased by several magnitudes; monthly delivery has been replaced by daily and even hourly delivery. Accuracy has also improved, errors associated with misreads, can't reads and data entry errors are virtually non-existent.
The notion that AMR delivers more data with higher accuracy is universally held within the industry. This notion is true for most meters but not all. The reality of AMR metering is that along with increases in accuracy and data delivery comes a new level of complexity and a variety of new failure mechanisms. The flow of data from the meter to the billing system while untouched by human hands goes through numerous software processes and hardware devices that must be monitored and controlled closely.
To further complicate the AMR paradigm, utilities have added the element of timing to the metering equation for a large population of meters. Not only does the quantity of energy used need to be accurately recorded but also so does the time of usage. It is no longer acceptable to report energy usage over a 30 or 60-day cycle as a single event, it now must be reported daily at the beginning and end of four or more distinct time periods.
Along with this new complexity, AMR ushers in new opportunities and a requirement to reassess the traditional metering paradigm. No longer does the identification of meter problems take months, problems can be identified and corrected in days. The need to estimate energy usage is reduced in both scope and volume. With daily reporting of energy usage; billing reads are generally no older than 24 hours and if a read is unavailable, only a short time period of consumption must be estimated. In most cases, with AMR, only known usage now must be allocated to the appropriate day or bin.

Method for validation, estimation and editing of daily meter read data


An apparatus includes a capture device and a processor. The capture device may be configured to generate a plurality of video frames corresponding to an interior view of a vehicle. The processor may be configured to perform operations to detect objects in the video frames, detect occupants of the vehicle and seats of the vehicle based on the objects detected in the video frames, determine an age of the occupants based on characteristics of the occupants and select a reaction if the age of the occupant is below a threshold for the seat. The threshold may be based on a location of the seat within the vehicle. The characteristics may be determined by performing the operations on each of the occupants.

Air bags save lives. Air bags can also cause significant harm to occupants (i.e., small children in the front seat, babies, passengers with feet on the dashboard, etc.). Without knowledge of occupants within the vehicle, air bag deployment cannot be adjusted to account for various traits and/or conditions of different occupants. Most air bags are designed for an average adult body size (i.e., usually an average adult male). However, people are many different sizes.
Children in particular are known to be at risk when air bags are deployed. Children are the only subgroup of the population that is known to have experienced a net increase in risk of death attributable to the installation of air bags. Even in relatively low-speed crashes that would not have resulted in a fatality, children can be killed or seriously injured by passenger-side air bags. Some vehicles provide switches to enable and disable passenger air bags. However, these switches are often based on weight, or are manual switches. Disabling the passenger air bag for an adult also increases risk of injury.
Generally, children younger than age 12 are not recommended to be seated in the passenger seat. Since air bags are designed for adults, children who are forward-facing may be thrown forward due to rapid deceleration, causing the head/neck to be placed in the deployment zone of the rapidly inflating air bag. Rear-facing child seats are not recommended in the passenger seat.
When infants are seated in rear-facing infant restraints in the front seat, the head and neck are in close proximity to the air bag housing and fatal head/neck injuries can result from the force of the rapidly inflating air bag hitting the child safety seat.
Vehicle owners may also have a concern if a driver that is too young is driving the vehicle. Sometimes teenagers take a car for a joyride. Some jurisdictions require an adult to be in the vehicle with a newly licensed driver.
It would be desirable to implement age detection in vehicles using computer vision.

Age detection in vehicles using computer vision


A method is provided for deriving an objective sharpness metric for objectively determining the level of image sharpness of many and unspecific images having different degrees of sharpness. The method for deriving the objective sharpness metric utilizes sub-band frequency information and false edge information for both an original video sequence and a sharpened sequence to be scored.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed, in general, to video optimization, and more particularly to a method for deriving an objective metric for evaluating sharpness of video sequences.
2. Description of the Related Art
Sharpening is performed in order to improve the picture quality of an image. As such, sharpness is an image attribute that is clearly identified by the human visual system (HVS). The HVS can easily grade an image as being 'unsharp', 'normally sharp', 'very sharp' or 'unnaturally sharp'. Up to a certain level of sharpness, the HVS perceives the picture as more pleasing. However, beyond a certain sharpness level, the picture starts to look unnatural. If the sharpness is increased even further, the picture starts to exhibit artifacts like saturation, aliasing, false edges, etc. At this point, the image becomes subjectively intolerable. Clearly, there exists a relationship between the sharpness level of an image and the HVS.
It would therefore be desirable to objectively characterize the relationship between the sharpness level of an image and the HVS so as to develop an objective quality metric. The metric could find application, for example, in an automated video optimization chain.

Method for deriving an objective sharpness metric