A system for detecting and analyzing patient sample quality and/or analytes, while the sample is in the metering tip used to aspirate the sample liquid from an original patient sample container, and also to dispense the liquid onto a slide test element. Spectrophotometric analysis may be done on the sample liquid while it is still in the tip which has been converted into a cuvette. One technique for such analysis is by scanning the cuvette for transmittance in a light-tight enclosure. Near-infrared and adjacent visible radiation may be used, and the absorption spectra of the liquid detected and analyzed. A possible aspect of the present invention relates to enhancing throughput of an analyzer by conducting a sample quality measurement in a process that is parallel to the main analyzer timing cycle. Another possible aspect of the present invention relates to improving performance of the analyzer by sealing the end of the metering tip to spontaneously form a cuvette for holding the sample during the sample quality measurement. Some advantages of the present system and method include improved throughput, the capability to use smaller sample liquid volumes, eliminating any need for a separate supply of cuvettes independent of the metering tips, and providing for detection through a cone of the metering tip rather than through any label, compared to doing the scanning of the sample liquid in a primary patient collection container.

1. Technical Background
The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for analyzing patient samples.
2. Discussion
Spectrophotometric analysis is often applied to liquid samples to determine their contents. In general, the term "spectrophotometric" refers to capturing spectral response over a range of wavelengths and correlating a response for each of the wavelengths. A device that performs this analysis is referred to as a "spectrophotorheter." Such spectrophotometric analysis has been performed with near-infrared and adjacent visible radiation, which is capable of ascertaining hemoglobin, glucose, albumin, lipoproteins, and many other sera components.
One challenge in performing spectrophotometric analysis has been that the samples are initially obtained in a variety of primary patient collection containers. These containers are usually tubes of varying diameters and lengths. In the case of a patient blood sample, the liquid is often centrifuged to separate the liquid serum or plasma from the cellular phases. Such tubes may have a patient identification label, varying and unpredictable amounts of the sera to be analyzed in the total sample, and contain a relatively large amount of sample liquid.
Prior spectrophotometric analysis systems are adequate to meet their design criteria, and they generally aliquot a portion of the sample into a secondary container or tube of a consistent size. This technique may add complexity and increase the time required for processing in a single sample. This measure may introduce additional equipment expenses and processing delays, and may involve spectrophotometric scanning through the patient label.
Examples of successful analyzers having a spectrophotometric measurement through the metering tip are shown in (i) U.S. Pat. No. 5,846,492, entitled "Sample Quality Measurement And/Or Analyte Measurement In Dispensing Tip Of An Analyzer," issued to Jacobs et al. on Dec. 8, 1998; and also (ii) U.S. Pat. No. 6,013,528, entitled "Analyzer Throughput Featuring Through-The-Tip Analysis," issued to Jacobs et al. on Jan. 11, 2000, which are both incorporated by reference.
Many clinical analyzers provide a generally serial or linear path of dependent events for processing each sample. This serial procedure is generally required to be performed in a specific order, and each step must be finished before the next can begin. For example, an analyzer process might include the steps of sample handling, aspirating a portion of the sample into a metering tip, dispensing a portion of the sample onto a test element or slide, and then disposing of the tip. The time required to completely process a single sample may be referred to as the processing time, and each step of the total time can be referred to as a timing cycle or the "heartbeat."
Such an analyzer might include various components, including a sample handling bin or repository for holding primary collection containers, a metering probe or proboscis which can move around the stations of the analyzer, one or more preferably disposable tips attached to the proboscis, and a metering pump connected to the proboscis for creating partial vacuum or partial pressure to selectively suck up into the tip or dispense a specific amount of sample liquid. In addition, analyzers often include the components required for a thin film or wet chemistry system, such as a test element supply, an incubator, reagent and assay supply, etc.
It is desirable in general to minimize the amount of the sample required for use in an analyzer, because any portion of the sample that is used for a particular operation cannot be later used for another process or operation. When the analyzer is in use, the component that actually touches the liquid of the sample is the tip.
Many of the metering tips used in analyzers are disposable, though the tip may also be permanent. Disposable tips generally have a relatively narrow cylindrical end, connected to a small cone, which is in turn connected to a larger generally cylindrical body. For optimum accuracy of the reading, and to minimize the amount of sample necessary, it is desirable to do the spectrophotometric measurement through the intermediate cone of the metering tip.
As an example, the present invention will be described in relation to clinical analyzers and sample quality measurement. However, it should be understood that the present invention relates to any apparatus or method having the features of the present invention, and is not limited to a particular type of design.
One method of incorporating a sample quality capability into an analyzer might be to insert a sample quality measurement step in between the step of aspirating the sample into the tip, and the step of dispensing the sample onto the test element. However, the sample quality measurement might take as long as the amount of time to meter the sample onto the test element. This particular method would therefore undesirably increase the length of the timing cycle of the analyzer. In addition, this particular method would undesirably require initially aspirating a larger portion of the sample, to raise the liquid level into the intermediate cone of the metering tip. Moreover, this technique may require substantial enabling software to move the metering tip to a new location for the sample integrity reading.
Accordingly, the present invention preferably provides systems and methods for analyzing and/or detecting the sample and/or analytes, while the sample is in the metering tip used to aspirate the sample liquid and also dispense it onto a slide test element. In other words, the spectrophotometric analysis may be done on the sample liquid while it is still in the tip which may be converted into cuvette, without requiring an additional container or cuvette, and may include a measurement of sample quality.
A possible aspect of the present invention relates to enhancing throughput of an analyzer by conducting a sample quality measurement in a process that is parallel to the main analyzer timing cycle. The sample quality measurement may thus be arranged after a portion of the sample has already been dispensed onto the test element, and after the metering tip has been removed from a proboscis. This novel method would eliminate a need for the analyzer to extend or skip a timing cycle, and may also eliminate a need for additional sample volume.
One possible way to conduct the spectrophotometric measurement after the metering tip is removed from the proboscis is to first seal or crimp the end of the metering tip, spontaneously forming a cuvette for holding the remaining portion of the sample during the measurement.
An improved analyzer process according to the principles of the present invention may include the steps of sample handling, aspirating a portion of the sample into a metering tip, and dispensing a portion of the sample onto a test element or slide. Next, a proboscis holding the metering tip may move to a tip ejection position. Then, a position sensor may be used to detect that the proboscis and metering tip have moved to the tip ejection position, and the sensor may trigger a clamp to hold the tip in position while the proboscis lifts away. Preferably after a short delay to let the sample fluid settle, a spectrophotometer reading is taken through the cone of the tip. The clamp may then be released, allowing the tip to fall into a disposal container.
In optional steps, a metering pump may pull sample fluid a short distance up into the tip to form a small bubble of air at the tip's end, and the end of the metering tip may be sealed to form a virtual cuvette.
Another optional step of the present invention may involve aspirating a selected auxiliary volume of sample liquid from the tip or cuvette after the sample quality measurement, and passing this auxiliary sample to a wet chemistry analyzer system. Or, rather than a wet chemistry system, the auxiliary sample may be passed to a diluter system, where it is diluted and passed on to the sample processing apparatus for repeating at least one clinical chemistry test and analysis on the diluted liquid.
Accordingly, some advantages of the present system and method include improved throughput, the capability to use much smaller sample liquid volumes, eliminating any need for a separate supply of cuvettes in addition to the metering tips. An additional advantage lies in providing for detection through a cone of the metering tip, rather than through any label that may be on a primary patient collection container.
Additional advantages of the present invention include conducting spectrophotometric analysis in a simpler and less expensive manner. Another advantage lies in obtaining results of spectrophotometric analysis in less time, without extending or omitting a timing cycle.
These and various other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, when considered in conjunction with the appended drawings.

Analyzer with sample quality measurement, and method


An automatic utility meter is provided for collecting, calculating, storing and displaying data correlative of consumption of utility commodities such as electric power, gas, water and the like. In addition, the automatic utility meter includes communication means which allows bi-directional communication of data to and from a remote computer. The automatic utility meter is a direct replacement for existing electric utility meters and uses direct read circuitry to sample and calculate power directly from the input voltage and current waveforms received from an electric utility company.

Interest in automatic meter reading has existed for over twenty-five years. Reasons for automatic meter reading, such as lower cost, lost time by a meter reader due to injuries from dog bites, inaccessibility to meters, irate customers, undesirable neighborhoods, the ability to control theft and destruction are all valid reasons for automatic meter reading. The industry, however, has not been able to provide any system that could compete in cost to the existing electromechanical meter. Thus, automatic meters were only considered for hard-to-read situations. Most systems require additional infrastructures which increases the overall cost of the system, and is therefore not at all cost effective for a system-wide implementation.
Systems are presently on the market which retrofit the existing electromechanical meter with pulse generating devices such as contact dosures, reed switches or photo diodes which generate pulses for every revolution of a least significant digital wheel or revolution of a disk. Typically, this pulse data is stored and retrieved via a remote handheld radio transmitter, the customer's phone line, power line carrier generator or fiber optic photo coupler. This pulsed data is then downloaded to a computer and then uploaded to a central billing computer. In addition, these systems require the use of a meter interface unit (MIU) which is an external device to retrieve and store gas and water usage. The MIU is also used to house the mode of communication. The MIU fails to offer any visual display to the consumer.
These systems are relatively accurate for their method by which data is collected, stored and downloaded to a utilities computer for billing purposes. However, there are several downsides to this technology. For example, utilizing these pulse generating devices can lead to error introductions due to mechanical shock, electrostatic charge or the addition of external light sources in the case of photo diodes. This introduction of possible errors means the meter must be read more often to ensure that no error introduction has occurred, thereby defeating the purpose of automatic reading.
Hence, both the utility company and the consumer would benefit from a more accurate and efficient meter that would allow for multi-utility data collection, calculation, storage, a display of consumption in units of real time and a communication medium which allows for data transmission to and from a central billing computer. A meter which provides, inter alia, the above attributes would represent a marked improvement over prior art utility meters. Furthermore, a direct meter replacement would solve the problems associated with retro-fitting existing meters.
The following prior art reflects the state of the art of which applicant is aware and is included herewith to discharge applicant's acknowledged duty to disclose relevant prior art. It is stipulated, however, that none of these references teach singly nor render obvious when considered in any conceivable combination the nexus of the instant invention as disclosed in greater detail hereinafter and as particularly claimed.
______________________________________ PAT. NO. ISSUE DATE INVENTOR ______________________________________ 3,842,206 October 15, 1974 Barsellotti, et al. 3,922,492 November 25, 1975 Lumsden 4,086,434 April 25, 1978 Bocchi 4,254,472 March 3, 1981 Juengel, et al. 4,337,466 June 29, 1982 Spahn 4,495,596 January 22, 1985 Sciulli 4,504,831 March 12, 1985 Jahr, et al. 4,578,536 March 25, 1986 Oliver, et al. 4,639,728 January 27, 1987 Swanson 4,654,868 March 31, 1987 Shelley 4,672,602 June 9, 1987 Hargrave, et al. 4,713,837 December 15, 1987 Gordon 4,720,851 January 19, 1988 Smith 4,782,287 November 1, 1988 Marx 4,803,632 February 7, 1989 Frew, et al. 4,804,957 February 14, 1989 Selph, et al. 4,833,618 May 23, 1989 Verma, et al. 4,850,010 July 18, 1989 Stanbury, et al. 4,856,054 August 8, 1989 Smith 4,862,493 August 29, 1989 Venkataraman, et al. 5,018,192 May 21, 1991 Smith 5,056,107 October 8, 1991 Johnson, et al. 5,079,715 January 7, 1992 Venkataraman, et al. 5,197,095 March 23, 1993 Bonnet, et al. 5,202,916 April 13, 1993 Oliver 5,204,896 April 20, 1993 Oliver 5,239,575 August 24, 1993 White, et al. 5,243,644 September 7, 1993 Garland, et al. 5,283,572 February 1, 1994 McClelland, et al. 5,311,581 May 10, 1994 Merriam, et al. 5,369,691 November 29, 1994 Cain, et al. 5,381,462 January 10, 1995 Larson, et al. 5,434,911 July 18, 1995 Gray, et al. 5,451,937 September 19, 1995 Olson, et al. ______________________________________

Integrated circuit design automatic utility meter: apparatus & method


An optical information recording medium provided on a substrate with a recording layer including a dye layer; wherein the dye layer contains a cyanine dye; and the recording layer enables a recording and reproducing to be effected with a laser beam having a wavelength falling within a range of 620 nm to 690 nm; a refractive index "n" of the recording layer being in a range of 1.6 to 4.0 and an extinction coefficient "k" of the a recording layer being in a range of 0.01 to 0.45 when the laser beam having the wavelength is applied thereto; and the recording layer exhibiting a maximum absorption peak wavelength and a second largest absorption peak wavelength falling within a range of 500 nm to 655 nm as measured by means of a visible ultraviolet spectrometer. The dye may be a trimethine-base cyanine dye.

This invention relates to an optical information recording medium of write once (through a heat mode) type such as DVD-R, which is capable of performing a recording or reproducing data by means of a laser beam of a shorter wavelength.
The CD-R is well known as a means for recording and reproducing data such as images of character and graphic or music. The CD-R now available is formed by making use of a recording material, which is capable of recording and reproducing with a laser beam of 770 to 830 nm in wavelength and selected based on its absorbency and optical parameters (in particular, refractive index "n" and extinction coefficient "k"). For example, an optical disk comprising a dye layer containing pentamethine-based cyanine dye is employed.
Recently however, DVD-R (a digital video disk or a digital versatile disk), which is capable of recording and reproducing in high density with a red laser beam of 620 to 690 nm in wavelength for instance, which is shorter than the laser beam employed in the aforementioned CD-R, is now propagated as new media of the next generation.
Since the wavelength zone for performing the recording and reproducing in the DVD-R differs from that of the CD-R, the criteria for selecting the recording material to be employed for the CD-R cannot be applied to the DVD-R, and hence new selection criteria are required to be established from a viewpoint peculiar to the DVD-R.
Since the recording and reproducing of data in the CD-R as a write once type optical information recording medium are performed by making use of a semiconductor laser having a wavelength of 770 to 830 nm (.lambda..sub.1), it is considered that a recording layer comprising a dye layer enabling an additional recording should preferably be formed on a transparent substrate in such a manner that the optical parameters in particular, the refractive index "n" and extinction coefficient "k" of the recording layer at the aforementioned .lambda..sub.1 fall in the ranges of: 1.6 <n<4.0 and 0.01 <k<0.2 for the purpose of ensuring a suitable reflectance (65% or more) before recording and a modulated amplitude after recording. Namely, if refractive index; n falls outside the aforementioned ranges in the CD-R, it is impossible to assure a reflectance of 65% or more in the recording/reproducing wavelength zone thereof. On the other hand, if extinction coefficient; k falls outside the aforementioned ranges in the DVD-R, it is not only impossible to assure a sufficient reflectance but also impossible to perform a high quality recording. It is generally considered that, in order to assure the aforementioned preferable ranges of these optical parameters n and k, the maximum absorption wavelength .lambda..sub.2 of the recording layer should preferably be confined to the range of 600 to 750 nm. However, since the recording and reproducing are performed at a wavelength of 620 to 690 nm (.lambda..sub.2) in the DVD-R, i.e. which is far shorter than 770 nm, the aforementioned ranges of n and k, which are preferable for CD-R are no more preferable for DVD-R. Therefore, it is impossible for the DVD-R to suitably perform the recording and reproducing by making use of the recording materials which have been employed for the CD-R.


A green pigment is a blend of metal oxides including a [124] spinel which can contain certain combinations of lithium, sodium, cobalt, zinc, calcium, magnesium, copper, titanium, manganese, tin, and germanium, and a [134] spinel which can contain certain combinations of lithium, sodium, chromium, boron, iron, manganese aluminum, titanium, tin and germanium. The pigment lacks nickel.

1. Field of Invention
The subject disclosure generally relates to pigment compositions and method of making pigment compositions.
This invention relates to a green pigment that lacks nickel in any form and a method of making it. The pigment is a solid solution of metal oxides including a [124] spinel which can contain certain combinations of lithium, sodium, cobalt, zinc, calcium, magnesium, copper, titanium, manganese, tin, and germanium, and a [134] spinel which can contain certain combinations of lithium, sodium, chromium, boron, iron, manganese aluminum, titanium, tin and germanium.
The green pigment produces colors similar to nickel containing green pigments and provides high hue angle and high TSR (total solar reflectance).
2. Description of Related Art
Pigments are widely used in various applications such as paints, inks, plastics, rubbers, ceramics, enamels, and glasses. There are various reasons for using inorganic pigments. Among these are the coloristic properties of the pigments, their visible as well as ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) reflectance characteristics, their light fastness and their high temperature stability. The high temperature stability is necessary when the objects being colored are produced at elevated temperatures.
Pigments exhibit certain colors because they selectively reflect and absorb certain wavelengths of light. White light is an approximately equal mixture of the entire visible spectrum of light. When white light encounters a colored pigment, some wavelengths are absorbed as they interact with the electronic structure of the pigment. These interactions are determined by the chemistry and crystal structure of the pigment. The wavelengths not absorbed are reflected back to the observer, and this reflected visible light spectrum creates the appearance of a color. For example, ultramarine reflects blue light, typically between 400 and 500 nanometers in wavelength, and absorbs visible light of other wavelengths.
The appearance of pigments is also dependent upon the spectrum of the source light. Sunlight has a high color temperature and a fairly uniform spectrum, and is considered a standard for white light. Artificial light sources, including fluorescent light, tend to have great peaks in some regions of their spectrum, and deep valleys in other regions. Viewed under these conditions, pigments may exhibit different colors.


A soft-start circuit includes a power source, a switch, a capacitor and a regeneration brake circuit. The regeneration brake circuit absorbs a return current. The regeneration brake circuit includes a resistor, a diode and a transistor. The resistor is connected between two poles of the power source via the transistor. The diode is connected between the resistor and the positive pole of the power source via the switch. The capacitor is connected between the negative pole of the diode and the transistor. The switch is connected between the negative pole of the diode and resistor. When the switch turns off, the power charges the capacitor via the resistor and the diode of the regeneration brake circuit. When the switch turns on, the return current turns the transistor on, and the resistor absorbs the return current.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to start circuits and, particularly, to a soft-start circuit for a servo motor.
2. Description of Related Art
Referring to FIG. 3, a soft-start circuit in a driver of a motor provides slow boot up for the driver of the motor. The soft-start circuit includes a resistor R0, a capacitor C0, a switch J0, and a DC power source Vdc. In charging the capacitor C0, the switch J0 is opened, and the DC power source Vdc charges the capacitor C0 via the resistor R0. When the voltage of the capacitor C0 approaches the voltage of the DC power source Vdc, the switch J0 is closed, and the DC power source Vdc charges the capacitor C0 via the switch J0. The resistor R0 slowly charges the capacitor C0. The capacitor C0 is protected from transient currents, because the current of the DC power source Vdc is limited by
      Vdc          R                                      0        .However, the resistor R0 of the soft-start circuit is only used once during a soft-start process, thus affecting efficiency.
What is needed, therefore, is a soft-start circuit which can address the described limitations.


A gas sensor apparatus for detecting the presence of selected or target gases which has a Quantum Ferroelectric Copolymer sensing element, which is bombarded with infrared radiation and in the presence of a target gas provides an electrical output dependent upon the infrared absorption band of the target gas.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a sensor apparatus for detecting the presence of selected or target gases where a Quantum Ferroelectric (QFE) copolymer sensing element in a housing is bombarded with infrared energy, which element includes a selected QFE copolymer that provides an electrical output dependent upon the IR absorption bands of the gases to be detected.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past, before the advent of passive type gas detectors, industrial safety and processing applications made use of robust and expensive electrochemical reactive type systems. The production of economical home safety sensors and commercial air handling apparatus for ventilation control has come to fruition due to the development of semiconductor and infrared sensitive ferroelectrics such as TriGlycine Sulfide and other crystalline materials. These materials are used as a component of the sensing element in apparatus which includes an outer can, a top mounted infrared filter to allow infrared energy only to pass through, and a sensing element, which contains materials that produce an electrical output when bombarded with infrared energy. This output is used to signal the presence of gas in the apparatus between the infrared source and the sensing element.
Crystalline ferroelectrics have become an industry standard sensor for use in Carbon Monoxide and Carbon Dioxide gas detection systems. Due to the hydroscopic nature of these crystalline sensing elements they are difficult to calibrate for the long term, have a short shelf life, with relative instability being the prime factor for potential liabilities, necessitating increased stocking and maintenance costs.
Some specific problems associated with a TGS Pyroelectric Detector are: Maximum operating temperature of 40° C. Responsivity progressively decreases at temperatures below 32° C., which is the optimum temperature (i.e., curie point of TGS). Maximum resolvable temperature differential of about 5° C. The need to repole the TGS crystal when its low Curie temperature is exceeded. TGS is hydroscopic and mechanically fragile. The operating lifetime of the TGS sensor crystal is about 2000 hours as a result of out gassing of the crystal, after prolonged exposure to infrared radiation.
The invention uses quantum ferroelectric copolymers (QFE) in place of the TriGlycine Sulfide (TGS) sensing element in traditionally accepted industry standard, non dispersing infrared (NDIR) gas sensors. Systems utilizing TGS as the sensing element are performance limited by the hydroscopic nature of the crystalline material. Atmospheric moisture, in gas form or condensation as encountered in commercial air handling systems, has a severe detrimental effect on the sensitivity and usable life cycle of the TGS infrared detector. QFE as a replacement for TGS as an NDIR sensing material operating at room temperature in the Pyroelectric mode, does not suffer from the prior art problems, and provides many advantages.


The present invention provides a process for simply and easily producing fine metal particles or fine metal oxide particles in the form of a dry powder which can be used as extremely fine particles in a good dispersion state without causing coagulation for a long time even if not stored in a dispersion solvent. Fine metal particles or fine metal oxide particles in the form of a dry powder are prepared using a dispersion in which fine metal particles or fine oxide metal particles having a surface oxidation film are dispersed in an organic solvent in a stable state, while once covering the particle surface with covering agent molecules containing, at a terminal, a functional group having an oxygen atom, a nitrogen atom, or a sulfur atom as a group capable of forming a coordinative bond with metal, and by removing the dispersion solvent, washing and removing excess covering agent molecules with a polar solvent without damaging the covering agent molecule layer covering the fine particle surface, finally evaporating the polar solvent used for washing and drying.

As one of the processes of producing fine metal particles having an extremely small particle size, e.g., fine metal particles having an average particle size of 100 nm or less, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-34211 discloses a dispersion in which fine metal particles of 10 nm or less prepared by a gas evaporation method are dispersed in a dispersion solvent in a colloidal state and a process for producing the same. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-319538 and other references disclose a dispersion in which fine metal particles having an average particle size of several nm to several 10 nm prepared by a wet process making use of a reduction/deposition method using an amine compound for the reduction are dispersed in a colloidal state and a process for producing the same. The surface of the fine metal particles (metal nanoparticles) having an average particle size of several nm to several 10 nm prepared by a wet process disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-319538 and other references is covered with a polymer resin and the like to maintain the colloidal state.
It is generally known that fine metal particles having an average particle size of several nm to several 10 nm are sintered at a temperature well below the melting point (for example, even at 200° C. or lower in the case of silver fine particles (nanoparticles) having a clean surface). This is because, when the particle size of fine metal particles (nanoparticles) is sufficiently small, the proportion of atoms in a high energy state present on the particle surface increases in the whole particle, and the surface diffusion of metal atoms increases to a level that cannot be ignored, and as a result, the boundary of grains grows due to this surface diffusion to cause sintering.
When the surfaces of fine metal particles having an average particle size of several nm to several 10 nm are directly contacted, the fine metal particles are fused with each other and form an aggregate, which deteriorates uniform dispersibility in a dispersion solvent. For this reason, the surface of fine metal particles is uniformly covered with alkylamine or the like so that the particles have a surface covering molecular layer, and thus the fine metal particles exhibit high dispersibility.
On the other hand, in recent electronics-related fields, miniaturization of wiring patterns on wiring boards to be used is underway. In addition, regarding metal thin film layers used for forming various electrode patterns, utilization of metal thin film layers having an extremely thin film thickness has been developed. For example, upon forming a fine wiring or a thin film by screen printing, a dispersion of fine metal particles having an extremely small particle size is applied for drawing of ultrafine patterns or formation of thin film coating layers having an extremely thin film thickness. At present, fine particle dispersions of gold and silver applicable to the above purposes are already on the market.
More specifically, regarding processes for forming an ultrafine wiring pattern using a fine metal particle dispersion, methodology has already been established, for example, for using gold fine particles or silver fine particles. For instance, by drawing an extremely fine circuit pattern using a dispersion for ultrafine printing containing gold fine particles or silver fine particles and by subsequent sintering of the fine metal particles, wiring having a line width and a line space of 5 to 50 μm and a volume specific resistivity of 1×10−5 Ω·cm or lower can be formed on the obtained sintered product wiring layer.
Further, as the line width and the line space are reduced, disconnection due to electromigration has become another problem. In particular, in the part with a small wiring film thickness and a narrow line width formed at a step having differences, the wiring film thickness at the step edge tends to be thinner than that in other parts, and thus the current density is locally increased and frequency of occurrence of disconnection due to electromigration is increased. To avoid disconnection caused by this electromigration phenomenon, use of copper wiring is effective. For example, with much higher integration, utilization of copper materials for wiring patterns on semiconductor devices is being extensively studied.

Fine metal particles and fine metal oxide particles in dry powder form, and use thereof


A power drive assembly (110) for controlling movement of a closure panel (102, 105) of a vehicle includes a closure panel (102, 105) that moves relative to the vehicle between open and closed positions, and a latch (108, 115) for cinching the closure panel (102, 105) to the vehicle. The drive assembly (110) includes an actuator (134), a first torque output (136) coupled to effect movement of the closure panel (102, 105), a second torque output (138) coupled to the latch (115), and a clutch assembly (144, 150) coupled between the actuator (134) and the torque outputs (136, 138) for selectively transferring torque between the actuator (134) and the torque outputs (136, 138).

Most vans, mini-vans and multi-purposed vehicles (MPVs) have at least one side door which moves between a closed position and an open position. The conventional sliding door includes an upper, center and lower support arm which is slidably received in a respective track secured to the vehicle for allowing the door to be moved axially relative to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. Typically, the upper, center and lower tracks each follow the contour of the door opening to allow the door to move in close proximity to the side of the vehicle when the door is moved between the closed position and the open position, and curve inwards at one end thereof to allow the door to remain flush with the side of the vehicle when the door is latched in the closed position.
Although sliding side doors are widely used on vans and MPVs, the conventional sliding door is difficult to operate. For instance, if the vehicle owner has returned from a shopping trip carrying several packages for storage in the cargo area of the vehicle, the owner must first drop the packages, release the door latch and then manually slide the door into the open position. Also, the upper and lower support arm must typically be located a distance inwards from the leading side edge of the door to impart sufficient rigidity to the door, particularly when the door is fully opened. Consequently, attempts have been made to improve upon the conventional vehicle sliding door.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,125,583 describes one such improvement utilizing an electric powered drive system to drive the door between the closed and opened positions. The components of the drive system occupy the space within the door thereby reducing the space available in the door for other power components that would be required for drop glass, either manual or powered.
Therefore, there remains a need for a sliding side door that allows the interior volume of the door to be more available for other door components enabling drop glass, without significantly increasing the manufacturing costs of the door.

Drive assembly for a power closure panel


A method includes performing operations as follows on a processor: associating content stored on a data processing system with an event associated with a user, determining when the event is to occur, and pushing the content from the data processing system to a mobile device associated with the user not later than the occurrence of the event for storage on the mobile device.

The present disclosure relates to computing systems, and, in particular, to security management of mobile devices and improving productivity when using mobile devices and/or applications.
Enterprises have employees and/or customers that download applications onto their mobile devices, such as smart phones, tablets, laptops, and the like. These applications may allow the users to access various types of content and data belonging to the enterprise. Because mobile devices may be more susceptible to being stolen, misplaced, or compromised in some way, enterprises may deploy a set of security tools that may provide a security layer around the mobile applications. Mobile Content Management (MCM) tools may provide the ability for a user to securely access, and collaborate on, content stored by an enterprise. As much of an enterprise's content may be considered sensitive or proprietary, an enterprise may place adopt policies that include restrictions on invoking certain applications or accessing certain types of data or files to ensure that sensitive information is not compromised. These restrictions may include operation limitations, geo fence limitations, time of day/week limitations, and access limitations. Other restrictions may include limitations on copying a file to local storage, e.g., a mobile device or desktop computer, for viewing or modification. The policies may also include requirements that various applications and/or other software components, such as operating systems, be upgraded before certain applications and/or data can be used. While such policies have a valid purpose in enhancing the security of mobile devices, the policies may in some instances be ill-defined and, as a result, place unnecessary burdens on users that negatively impact their productivity, as well as incur higher data charges for the enterprise when user access online content from outside their home country.

Mobile content management for offline content access


A valve device for a catheter with a catheter hub. A tubular housing has one end provided with an outer cone for fitting into an inner cone of the catheter hub and has a valve body within acting as a locking member of an axial channel for the passage of an elongate object. The housing is provided with an axially directed protrusion forming a radial space together with the outer surface of the outer cone and has a locking member cooperating with a complementary member at the catheter hub projecting into the space so as to act as a disconnection lock. Thus, a valve device is provided that is suitable for use with a catheter system destined for venous applications according to the Seldinger method, and which ensures a reliable sealing of the extracorporal end of the catheter.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a valve device for a catheter with a catheter hub.
2. Description of Related Art
A valve device of the type mentioned before and known from German Patent 30 42 229 C2 serves to introduce elongate objects into a blood vessel through a cannula, and its outer cone is clampingly plugged into the inner cone of the hub. In this case, the valve body consists of a sequence of slotted seal elements, the sealing lips of which abut the elongate objects or each other and close the passages. This valve device can only be used as a sluice for guide wires or the like introduced into the blood vessel from outside. However, it is not suitable for a catheter system for venous applications according to the Seldinger method, wherein the catheter is threaded by its tip over a placed guide wire. This is due to the fact that the frictional forces occurring between the valve body and the guide wire strongly influence the feeling for the placement of the catheter so that the feeling for the placement is lost to a certain extent. Further, it is practically impossible in this valve device to hit the slot of the seal elements with the tip of the guide wire when threading the catheter thereon. Moreover, this known valve device is not suitable for an absolutely secure sealing closure of the passage of a catheter after the removal of the guide wire from its lumen, because the plug connection between the outer cone and the inner cone of the catheter hub is not reliably firm. There is a risk that, in the case of a longer use of a catheter, the plug conection will loosen with the movements of a patient, resulting in air possibly entering the catheter, which may be fatal to the patient if the catheter is placed in a hollow vein. In less dangerous applications, the loosening of the plug connection will cause a leak from which returning body fluid may emerge, leaking from the loosened connection and causing a contamination of the surroundings that might be hazardous to the patient and the personnel.
In another known valve device according to U.S. Pat. No. 4,387,879, similar conditions are encountered that exclude the same from utilisation in a catheter system for venous implementation according to the Seldinger method. A body adapted for limited axial displacement is disposed in a flow channel of a tubular housing, the body cooperating with a disc of elastomeric material shutting off the passage and having an axial slot. The body is designed as a sleeve with a frustoconically tapered end. It is displaced when a connection cone is applied. In doing so, the frustoconical end penetrates the slot in the disc, spreads the same and keeps it open. Thereby, friction between the slots and an elongate element inserted from outside is reduced. To take advantage thereof when threading a venous catheter equipped with this valve device onto the end of a placed guide wire, the body would have to be displaced towards the opening of the slot by means of a connection cone, which cone would in turn impede the placement of the catheter. At one end, the housing of this valve device is provided with an inner cone for the connection cone used to operate the body, and the other end of the housing has a conically tapered stud with continuous ribs that serves to hold a hubless hose pushed thereon and leading to the vessel system. Such a connection between the hose and the valve device is not reliable. Were the valve device to be placed in a conduit system, the connection might become disengaged due to movements and media flowing from or into leaks could cause hazards to the patient and/or the personnel.
It is an object of the invention to provide a valve device that is suitable for use with a catheter system destined for venous applications according to the Seldinger method, and which ensures a reliable sealing of the extracorporal end of the catheter.


The light transmitted and reflected by all-dielectric optically variable pigments varies according to viewing angle. The color travel of an all-dielectric optically variable pigment depends on amplitude changes and wavelength shifts in reflectance peaks of the pigment. The width and center wavelength of reflectance peaks can be controlled by selecting the ratio of thicknesses between high-index and low-index layers in a thin film stack. Reflectance peaks can regenerate or become suppressed and shift with tilt angle, thus providing a wide variety of color trajectories.

Interference pigments and devices are well known. Usually, optically-variable thin-film pigment flakes are prepared either by chemical deposition of dielectric layers onto flaked substrates or by deposition of combinations of transparent dielectric layers, semi-opaque metal layers, and metal reflecting layers onto a flexible web in vacuum to form a multilayered thin film interference structure. The structure is released later from the web after deposition in vacuum and sized in subsequent technological process. The metal-dielectric interference structure typically has at least one metal reflecting layer, at least one transparent dielectric layer and at least one semi-transparent metal layer, while all-dielectric interference structures are built from dielectric layers with different indices of refraction. Various combinations of these layers can be utilized to achieve the desired optically variable effect.
Changes of color in a pigment result from the interference of light beams reflected from thin layers of the stack. When an incident light beam encounters the first layer of a metal-dielectric-metal interference pigment, one fraction of the light is reflected back and the other fraction passes through the first layer into the second. The transmitted portion of the beam is then partially reflected by the third layer and retransmitted through the second layer. A fraction of the reflected wave passes through the first layer where it may constructively or destructively interfere with the light reflected from the surface of the filter. Maximum destructive reflective light interference occurs when the thickness of the layers are an odd number of quarter waves, whereas maximum constructive light interference occurs when the thickness of the layers are an even number of quarter waves.
The color reflected from the interference pigment depends on the path length of light passing through the dielectric material. When the pigment is observed with light at normal incidence, a certain color is seen, orange for example. When the angle of incidence and internal reflection in the interference pigment increases, the optical path length through the dielectric material becomes shorter than at normal incidence and the color reflected from the surface will change to green. At normal observation angle or angle of incident light, the curve of spectral reflectance of the pigment may have one or several peaks in the long wave range of the visible spectrum. When the angle increases the peak or peaks shift to the area of short wavelengths causing change of a reflected color from orange to green.
Color-shifting optical interference devices are used to authenticate products and documents because copies of such articles made on conventional color printers do not achieve the color-shifting effect(s). Optical interference devices are applied as foils or printed. In one example, an all-dielectric or metal-dielectric metal multilayered optical stack was applied to a substrate, such as a sheet of paper, as an optical foil. The optical stacks were made from vacuum-deposited metal films and dielectric films having low and high indices of refraction. The authenticating devices appeared red when viewed normally. As the angle of observation increased from the normal, their peak reflectance gradually shifted towards the blue part of the spectrum ("down-spectrum shift").
Optically variable devices are also made by applying color-shifting flakes in a suitable vehicle, such as a paint vehicle or an ink vehicle, to a surface. Metal-dielectric-metal color-shifting thin film flakes and coatings have been formed by deposition of a semi-transparent metal layer upon a flexible web, followed by a dielectric layer, a metal reflecting layer, another dielectric layer, and finally another semi-transparent metal layer. The thin film layers are ordered in a symmetric fashion so that the same intended color is achieved regardless of which lateral face is directed towards the incident radiation.
All-dielectric designs have the same reflectance from either side, whether they are symmetrical or not. All-dielectric dichroic paint flakes had an optical design (L/2 H L/2)n where L and H designated a quarterwave optical thickness of the low and high refractive index materials, respectively, such that L/2 represented an eighth-wave optical thickness of low refractive index material. Reflective colors of all-dielectric flakes were unsaturated.
Further improvements in the optical characteristics of thin film flakes, which may be used in paints and inks for decorative and anti-counterfeiting applications, have been made. Symmetrical multilayer optical devices (e.g. flakes and foils) were composed either of transparent all-dielectric stacks, or transparent dielectric and semi-transparent metallic layered stacks. In the case of an all-dielectric stack, the optical coating was made of alternating layers of materials with high and low indices of refraction. Suitable materials include zinc sulfide or titanium dioxide for the high index layers, and magnesium fluoride or silicon dioxide for the low index layers. Reflectance peaks move to the short-wave region of the spectrum with increasing observation angle.
Usually, plots of spectral reflectance of the interference pigments have one or several reflectance peaks responsible for appearance of a color. If the plot has one peak, with maximum at 650 nm for example, the color reflected from the pigment will be red. If the plot has two peaks, with maxima at 650 nm and 450 nm for example, the color reflected from the pigment will be magenta in the resultant mixture of red (650 nm) and blue (450 nm) colors. Those who are skilled in the art adjust the color and color shift of the pigment by changing the optical design of the stack to place and shift the peak or peaks of spectral reflectance in the direction providing desirable color change.
However, tuning the optical design of a flake or foil has several limitations in the resultant color performance. First of all, reflectance peaks on the curve of spectral reflectance of the pigment do not shift through the entire length of visible spectrum. This means that the colors of the interference pigment do not cover all four quadrants of the color gamut with increasing observation angle. Another limitation is that the peaks can be wide or narrow. Narrow highly reflective peaks provide clear and saturated colors while wide peaks represent color blends. Presence of a second peak or even several peaks on the curve of spectral reflectance of the pigment makes the color of the pigment less saturated.
Another technique is based on multiple periods of dielectric spacer-metal absorber and constructed on a reflective metal layer. The optical design of the structures provides purposeful suppression of peaks of reflectance to produce additional chromatic effects. It was shown that with utilization of two or more periods it is possible to suppress peaks in a wave form to achieve color shifting effects other that those that can be achieved in a single period design.
To precisely describe color values of an object, it is useful to utilize the XYZ tri-stimulus color coordinate system (CIE XYZ) developed by the Commission Internationale de 1'Elclairage (CIE), currently used as a standard in the industry. In this system, colors can be related completely and accurately through the variables X, Y, and Z, which are determined mathematically as the integrals of three distribution functions covering the visible spectrum, which ranges from about 380 nm to about 770 nm, with the reflectance or transmittance curve and the energy distribution of the light source. The variables x, y, and z, which are normalized values of X, Y, and Z, respectively, are known in the art as the chromaticity coordinates, and are routinely used in the industry to quantify aspects of color such as purity, hue, and brightness.
Another standard in the industry is known as the L*a*b* color space defined by CIE. In this color space, L* indicates lightness and a* and b* are the chromaticity coordinates. With respect to the (CIE XYZ) coordinate system, the CIE L*a*b* equations are:L*=116(Y/Yw)1/3−16a*=500[(X/Xw)1/3−(Y/Yw)1/3]b*=200[(Y/Yw)1/3−(Z/Zw)1/3]Where Xw, Yw, and Zw are the X, Y, and Z values for a white reference under a specific illuminant.
In the L*a*b* chromaticity diagram, the a* axis is perpendicular to the b* axis, with increasingly positive values of a* signifying deepening chroma of red and increasingly negative values of a* signify deepening chroma of green. Along the b* axis, increasingly positive values of b* signify deepening chroma of yellow, whereas increasingly negative values of b* indicate deepening chroma of blue. The L* axis indicating lightness is perpendicular to the plane of the a* and b* axes. The L* axis along with the a* and b* axes provide for a complete description of the color attributes of an object. Hue h* of a color is an attribute of a visual perception where an area appears to be similar to one of the colors, red, yellow, green, and blue, or to a combination of adjacent pairs of these colors considered in a closed ring. The chroma C* of the color is an attribute of color used to indicate the degree of departure of the color from a gray of the same lightness. Chroma can be calculated as:C*=(a*2+b*2)1/2Chroma equals zero at the center of coordinates and increases according to the distance from the center.

All-dielectric optically variable pigments


A coolant circuit for a drive device. It includes a first coolant sub-circuit and a second coolant sub-circuit, in each of which a device to be temperature-controlled is arranged and which are fluidically connected to one another via at least one connecting valve, wherein at least one coolant pump is provided in each of the two coolant sub-circuits, which is designed in at least one of the coolant sub-circuits as a fluid pump having variable delivery direction. The disclosure furthermore relates to a method for operating a coolant circuit for a drive device.

For example, the document DE 10 2010 011 477 A1 is known from the prior art. It describes an internal combustion engine having dry sump lubrication, which comprises a cylinder crankcase and an oil pump driven by the internal combustion engine having at least one suction pump stage and a pressure pump stage, wherein the at least one suction pump stage and the pressure pump stage are arranged inside the cylinder crankcase in a shared pump housing. In order to reduce the weight of the oil pump, it is proposed that the pump housing be an integral part of an oil pan or a lower part of the cylinder crankcase.

Coolant circuit for a drive device and method for operating a coolant circuit


Disclosed is a novel and improved dynamically programmable linear receiver which provides the required level of system performance with reduced power consumption. In one embodiment, disclosed is a programmable receiver coupled to a jammer detector for detecting the presence of jamming in an RF signal, the jammer detector coupled to a state machine, and the state machine having means for controlling the receiver based on the results of the jammer detector detecting the presence of jamming in the RF signal. The disclosed receiver is capable of detecting the presence of jammers, with a means to adjust the bias current downward if no jammers are present, which improves the receiver's standby time and prolongs battery life.

The design of a high performance receiver is made challenging by various design constraints. First, high performance is required for many applications. High performance can be described by the linearity of the active devices (e.g. amplifiers, mixers, etc.) and the noise figure of the receiver. Second, for some applications such as in a cellular communication system, power consumption is an important consideration because of the portable nature of the receiver. Generally, high performance and high efficiency are conflicting design considerations.
An active device has the following transfer function:Y(x)=a1·x+a2·x2+a3·x3+higher order terms,  (1)where x is the input signal, y(x) is the output signal, and a1, a2 and a3 are coefficients which define the linearity of the active device. For simplicity, higher order terms (e.g. terms above third order) are ignored. For an ideal linear, active device, the coefficients a2 and a3 are 0.0 and the output signal is simply the input signal scaled by a1. However, all active devices experience some amount of non-linearity which is quantified by the coefficients a2 and a3. Coefficient a2 defines the amount of second order non-linearity and coefficient a3 defines the amount of third order non-linearity.
Most communication systems are narrow band systems which operate on an input RF signal having a predetermined bandwidth and center frequency. The input RF signal typically comprises other spurious signals located throughout the frequency spectrum. Non-linearity within the active device causes intermodulation of spurious signals, resulting in products which may fall into the signal band.
The effect of second order non-linearity (e.g. those caused by the x2 term) may be reduced or eliminated by careful design methodology. Second order non-linearity produces products at the sum and difference frequencies. Typically, the spurious signals which can produce in-band second-order products are located far away from the signal band. However, third order non-linearity are more problematic. For third order non-linearity, spurious signals x=g1·cos(w1t)+g2·cos(w2t) produce products at the frequencies (2w1−w2) and (2w2−w1). Thus, near band spurious signals (which are difficult to filter) can produce third order intermodulation products falling in-band, causing degradation in the received signal. To compound the problem, the amplitude of the third-order products are scaled by g1·g22 and g12g2. Every 1 dB increase in the input RF signal results in 1 dB increase in the output RF signal but 3 dB increase in the third order products.
The linearity of a receiver (or the active device) can be characterized by the input-referred third-order intercept point (IIP3). Typically, the output RF signal and the third-order intermodulation products are plotted versus the input RF signal. As the input RF signal is increased, the IIP3 is a theoretical point where the desired output RF signal and the third-order products become equal in amplitude. The IIP3 is an extrapolated value since the active device goes into compression before the IIP3 point is reached.
Receivers are employed for many communication applications, such as cellular communication systems. Example cellular communication systems include Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) communications systems, Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) communication systems, and analog FM communication systems. The use of CDMA techniques in a multiple access communication system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,307, entitled "SPREAD SPECTRUM MULTIPLE ACCESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM USING SATELLITE OR TERRESTRIAL REPEATERS", and U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,459, entitled "SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING WAVEFORMS IN A CDMA CELLULAR TELEPHONE SYSTEM", both assigned to the assignee of the present disclosure and incorporated by reference herein.
In cellular applications, it is common to have more than one communication system operating within the same geographic coverage area. Furthermore, these systems can operate at or near the same frequency band. When this occurs, the transmission from one system can cause degradation in the received signal of another system. CDMA is a spread spectrum communication system which spreads the transmit power to each user over the entire 1.2288 MHz signal bandwidth. The spectral response of an FM-based transmission can be more concentrated at the center frequency. Therefore, FM-based transmission can cause jammers to appear within the allocated CDMA band and very close to the received CDMA signal. Furthermore, the amplitude of the jammers can be many times greater than that of the CDMA signal. These jammers can cause third-order intermodulation products which can degrade the performance of the CDMA system.
Typically, to minimize degradation due to intermodulation products caused by jammers, the receiver is designed to have high IIP3. However, design of a high IIP3 receiver requires the active devices within the receiver to be biased with high DC current, thereby consuming large amounts of power. This design approach is especially undesirable for cellular application wherein the receiver is a portable unit powered by a battery and power is limited.
Several techniques have been deployed in the prior art to address the need for high IIP3. One such technique, which also attempts to minimize power consumption, is to implement the gain stage with a plurality of amplifiers connected in parallel and to selectively enable the amplifiers as higher IIP3 is needed. This technique is disclosed in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 6,069,525, entitled "DUAL MODE AMPLIFIER WITH HIGH EFFICIENCY AND HIGH LINEARITY", assigned to the assignee of the present disclosure and incorporated by reference herein. Another technique is to measure the received RF (radio-frequency) signal power and adjust the gain of the amplifiers based on the amplitude of the RF signal power. This technique is disclosed in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,061, entitled "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INCREASING RECEIVER POWER IMMUNITY TO INTERFERENCE", assigned to the assignee of the present disclosure and incorporated by reference herein. These techniques improve the IIP3 performance.
An example block diagram of a receiver architecture of the prior devices is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,498,926 entitled "PROGRAMMABLE LINEAR RECEIVER HAVING A VARIABLE IIP3 POINT", which is assigned to the assignee of the present disclosure and the patent is incorporated by reference in its entirety as if set out in full herein.
Receiver architectures to the present date have several drawbacks. First, the active devices are typically biased to a high DC current to provide the highest required IIP3. This has the effect of operating the receiver at the high IIP3 operating point at all times, even though high IIP3 is not required most of the time. Second, the high IIP3 can be improved by adjusting the gain of Automatic Gain Control (AGC) amplifier; however, lowering the gain of the amplifier can degrade the noise figure of the receiver.


A wear strip easily mountable on an outer surface of a support member or structure of a feeder of an agricultural combine, for preventing wear of the support member and a feeder chain movable thereover. The wear strip includes an elongate body of a molded plastics material having a longitudinal extending side to be positioned in facing relation to the chain and an opposite longitudinally extending mounting side to be mounted on the support member, the mounting side including at least one molded plastics mounting tab extending outwardly therefrom in a position for insertion into at least one hole through the support member, respectively. The mounting tab includes at least one resiliently displaceable or biasable projection spaced from the body and oriented so as to extend in a predetermined direction from the mounting tab, the projection defining a locking portion or detent for cooperatively engaging an edge of the hole or an inner surface of the support member for holding the tab in the hole with the mounting surface of the body in abutting relation to the outer surface of the support member while allowing limited longitudinal movement of the body relative to the support member.

It is well known to provide wear elements between moving chains, such as feeder chains of agricultural combines, and adjacent structures such as outer surfaces of sheet metal members typically used as supports. However, the known wear elements for combine feeder chains have been retained in position by bolts, which require access to an opposite side of the support for installation and removal, which is time consuming and sometimes difficult due to the locations of the bolts in small spaces within the feeder housing. Also, as the wear strip wears, the bolts can become exposed, so as to come into contact with the chain. Differences in thermal expansion characteristics of the wear elements and support members have also resulted in poor fit and buckling when subjected to heat.
Therefore, what is required is an improved wear element for a feeder chain of an agricultural combine which is easier and more convenient to install in the feeder housing of an agricultural combine, eliminates the possibility of damage and/or wear to the chain due to contact with mounting bolts and the like, and which provides better fit and is less subject to buckling and other thermal expansion related problems.


A computer-implemented process of developing a person-level cost model for forecasting future costs attributable to claims from members of a book of business, where person-level data are available for a substantial portion of the members of the book of business for an actual underwriting period, and the forecast of interest is for a policy period is disclosed. The process uses development universe data comprising person-level enrollment data, historical base period health care claims data and historical next period claim amount data for a statistically meaningful number of individuals. The process also provides at least one claim-based risk factor for each historical base period claim based on the claim code associated with the health care claim and provides at least one enrollment-based risk factor based on the enrollment data. The process also develops a cost forecasting model by capturing the predictive ability of the main effects and interactions of claim based risk factors and enrollment-based risk factors, with the development universe data through the application of an interaction capturing technique to the development universe data.

This invention pertains to health, disability and life insurance systems, particularly including processing data (in the business of health insurance) for estimating future costs or liability and setting optimal pricing. For convenience, we call one embodiment of our invention More Accurate Predictions for Health Insurance Premiums or MAP4HIP.
Group health insurance is typically priced through a series of steps. Historical claims costs are calculated by summing the costs of insured individuals. Actuaries estimate what the general cost inflation trend will be next period. If an insured group is large enough to have credible experience (historical costs), the inflation trend may be applied to the historical claims experience to produce an estimate of the expected claims for next period. A profit margin and administrative costs are added to the expected group claims costs to produce the so-called "experience rate". An underwriter reviews the group's experience and adjusts the cost and profit margin-based price depending on special circumstances and competitive pressure. The standard practice is to use group-level data for estimating costs and setting prices except for very small groups, individual policies or specific medical stop loss insurance. Information on the insured's (i.e., individual's) medical conditions is typically not used when group-level data are used for underwriting and pricing the group's aggregate cost forecast.
The current standard practice for estimating future health care costs for groups of 50 or more employees plus their dependents uses one of two methods or is a combination of those methods. If the group is large enough to have credible, stable experience, the historical costs are assumed to be the best estimate of next period's costs after a cost trend factor for inflation has been included. If the group is too small to have credible historical costs, many groups are combined together and averaged so that a stable demographic look-up table of historical average costs by age group by gender by family size can be developed and used as a weighting mechanism for estimating the expected future costs for non-credible groups. Cost trend factors for inflation are then applied. If a group does not have completely credible or non-credible experience, a blended average of its experience and a demographic look-up table forecast is used. These standard actuarial methods do not account for person-level trends in historical costs nor medical information about the person.
Small groups (i.e., 50 or fewer employees plus their dependents) or individual medical policies may use medical questionnaires from initial enrollment applications as input to an underwriter for estimating next period's group-level costs. Manual underwriting is expensive due to the labor intensity and is prone to variability among underwriters as their experience varies.
Some state Medicaid HMO programs (e.g., Colorado and Maryland) and federal Medicare HMO programs are using statistical algorithms that make person-level cost forecasts based on diagnoses from the computerized medical bills and demographic factors. These "risk adjustment" methods do not use procedures or historical person-level costs as the governments do not want incentives for increased utilization of services and spending more money. The governments' intent for HMO payments or managed care is to make payments proportional to the insured populations need for care based on their health conditions but not on prior care. However, historical cost is the single best predictor of future medical cost for credible groups. Not using it as part of the forecasting method decreases the accuracy of the forecast.
Some medical insurance companies may be using such "risk adjustment" algorithms used by Medicare, Medicaid and others intended for managed care cost forecasting or payment allocation. However, the prospective use of historical costs, types of services and procedures as well as diagnoses and demographics, as well as combinations of these variables, to produce more accurate cost forecasts than "risk adjustment" algorithms using only diagnoses and demographic factors, would be desirable.
There are person-level diagnosis and procedure models that measure the efficiency of medical practices (i.e., costs of care given the patient's conditions). These models are typically concurrent or retrospective in nature and not prospective. Symmetry's ETGs are a good example of this class of models. It lacks cost experience as a predictor since that is intended as the dependent variable. It also may limit use of demographic variables. Forecasting models would be desirable which are prospective and not designed for concurrent or retrospective analysis. The methods of the present invention can be applied to concurrent data to develop models for efficiency analysis, as will be described.
Stop loss health (or medical) insurance is typically purchased by self-insured employers that wish to limit their medical expense exposure. The most common form of medical stop loss insurance is known as "specific stop loss" insurance which is a high deductible (usually $25,000 to $100,000) insurance policy per insured person. Specific stop loss medical insurance is designed to protect the employer or other payer from large catastrophic medical expenses such as those incurred for liver transplants or care for neonates with major repairable congenital anomalies. The standard method for underwriting specific stop loss medical insurance uses a demographic look-up table to estimate costs for individuals whose medical expenses were under 50% of the deductible in the previous year. If an insured's medical expenses were over a predetermined amount, such as over 50% of the specific deductible, the insured's medical records are reviewed manually by an underwriter, and next year's costs are estimated by the underwriter or a doctor or nurse using their experience and expert opinion. Manual medical underwriting for specific stop loss has the same problems as manual underwriting for small group medical insurance; it is expensive and prone to underwriter variability.
Frequently, "aggregate stop loss medical insurance" coverage is also purchased by the employer. Aggregate coverage (exclusive of specific payments) means that the insurer will pay the employer's or other payer's medical cost obligations for a covered group if those costs exceed an agreed upon amount (i.e., an "attachment point"). The attachment point is typically defined as 125% of the group's expected cost in the insured period. The industry standard for calculating the expected cost is substantially the same method as used for fully insured plans. In other words, if the group is large enough to have completely credible experience, the last year's experience is modified by forecast inflation and increased by 25% to produce the 125% attachment point. If the group's experience is partially credible, then a weighted combination of experience and demographic look-up table model is used with an inflation forecast and increased 25% to calculate the 125% attachment point. When the group is too small to have credible experience, the demographic look-up table model is used as the starting point then trended inflation increased by 25% is used to calculate the 125% attachment point. Aggregate only medical stop loss insurance has been recently offered by one company (Cairnstone) to credible groups, and we believe that it uses group-level experience plus trended inflation to estimate future costs. Price is usually determined by competitive pressure but the inventors are not familiar with proprietary techniques used by the insurers.
We are including a glossary of terms that are used in describing the invention so that we are precise in our description. Additionally, SAS computer code and CART modeling language will be included to provide concrete examples of the implementation of the process or products. The software Appendix found on the compact disc filed with the present disclosure contains computer code (minus copyrighted formats) of a simpler embodiment of the invention. That code is in SAS and S Plus and the regression tree used is RPART. Details are provided for the fully insured renewal product. The aggregate only stop loss product uses the same steps for cost estimation. The short term disability, long term disability and life insurance products use the same techniques for forecasting but the dependent variables are changed to reflect the insurance type.


The invention relates to a peak position correcting method that is a pre-process for testing whether properties of a product, a raw material, etc., are good or defective from a spectrum waveform pattern. The method involves setting a reference peak position in a single region including a spectrum waveform pattern, or setting reference peak positions in each of a plurality of regions; specifying a peak to be corrected as an object of correction in the single region or each of the plurality of regions; shifting the peak to be corrected to the reference peak position in the single region or in each of the plurality of regions; and substantially proportionally expanding or contracting the spectrum waveform pattern positioned at both sides of the peak to be corrected in the horizontal axis direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and a program for correcting a peak position as preprocessing for testing of whether a product, etc., is good or defective from a spectrum waveform pattern thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
There exist a lot of products and materials capable of using a spectrum waveform for testing of whether the product is a good one or a defective one. For example, as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, a fluorescent tube has different energy intensities depending on wavelength so that the emission property can be expressed by the spectrum waveform. The properties of herb medicine materials, agricultural products, and petrochemical products can also be expressed as spectrum waveforms by using a chromatograph or an infrared spectrometer, as shown in FIG. 8.
In this manner, in the industry field or in the fields of chemicals, agriculture, etc., the spectrum waveform is widely used for testing of properties of products and raw materials/ingredients. In every field, the spectrum waveform of a product to be tested is compared with the spectrum waveform group that was judged as a good product in the past to judge whether it can be regarded as the same. For example, supposing the waveform shown in FIG. 7A is a typical spectrum judged as a good product in the past, the same waveform pattern is regarded to appear in substantially every portions in FIG. 7B. However, the mountain figure of the wave pattern indicated by the arrow of FIG. 7A has a difference from the wave pattern of FIG. 7B, thus generating question about identities of spectrum waveforms.
At the same time, there exist substantively no just the same spectrum waveforms. More specifically, there exist no same spectrum waveforms which are completely coincident with each other both in the vertical axis direction and horizontal axis direction. Differences are present among individuals even in good products. A completely coincident waveform pattern cannot be acquired even when the same object is measured by the same measuring equipment. One reason is the presence of various errors such as an error among individuals to be measured, a variance in the properties of the object itself, and a measurement error inherent to the measuring equipment. These errors occurs in both directions of the vertical axis and horizontal axis.
As described above, although there exist no just the same spectrum waveforms, testing of products by use of a spectrum waveform, that is, judgment of degree of similarity of spectrum waveforms is carried out. Thus, an error especially in the horizontal axis direction often becomes problematic in the testing process. The reason is that, when comparing the spectrum waveforms, if peaks and irregularity positions are level in the horizontal axis direction, the testing can easily be performed by focusing on only the difference in the vertical axis direction.
A measurement result by chromatograph is one example of easy occurrence of errors of the spectrum waveform in the horizontal axis direction. The chromatograph easily causes an error in the horizontal axis direction due to its measurement principle so that when the same testing object is measured more than once, the same peak in the horizontal axis direction may appear in the range of several percentages of the whole horizontal width of the spectrum waveform. Therefore, as for the peak position correction especially for the chromatograph, studies using a statistical approach and the like have been carried out. In the other spectrum waveforms, even though there is some difference, occurrence of an error is inevitable. Accordingly, peak position correction has become an important problem in the visual testing or computer-based automatic testing since the error highly affects the testing accuracy.
An example of a peak position error of a spectrum waveform is shown in FIG. 5B. FIG. 5B shows three different object spectrum waveforms having the same properties. In the diagram, positions of "peak A", "peak B", and "peak C" which express properties of materials are different in the horizontal axis direction. The difference may be caused by errors owing to the above various parameters. These three different spectrum waveforms have nonlinear errors in the horizontal axis direction. More specifically, the error does not occur in the form of mere translation or even expansion and contraction in the horizontal axis direction, but nonuniformly fluctuates depending on the place.
Consequently, it is highly required as preprocessing of the testing to perform the error correction in the horizontal axis direction, i.e., peak position correction with high accuracy (in other words, to match as much as possible the positions in the horizontal axis direction of fellow peaks to be regarded as the same peak as for a plurality of peak positions of the spectrum waveform). In addition, the peak position correction must be performed not only in high accuracy but also as rapidly as possible. Especially recently, a development for performing the test processing with a computer has been advanced and a development of an elemental technology to be required has been performed (for example, see the method described in commonly assigned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-110602 according to development by the inventor). When testing process is performed by a computer, a peak position correcting method becomes essential in particular. The reason is that peaks can flexibly be associated in case of visual checks, but that judging the accuracy would extremely deteriorate if the corresponding peaks are not properly specified in case of computers.
Hitherto-applied typical methods of the peak position correction are as follows.
(1) A method of selecting one typical peak from a spectrum waveform and adjusting another spectrum to the selected typical peak in the horizontal axis position (see FIG. 9A).
This method is effectively applied when the spectrum waveform uniformly shifts in the horizontal axis direction. The more the selected typical peak is positioned in substantially center of the spectrum waveform in the horizontal axis direction, the more error correction at both ends may fairly be performed.
(2) A method of preparing a sample having one or a plurality of ingredients whose peak appearance positions in the horizontal axis direction are known, measuring the sample, and correcting the corresponding peak positions appearing in the testing object relative to the appearing peeks (see FIG. 9B).
The two vertical lines described in FIG. 9B designate the peak appearance positions of the known ingredients. When two ingredients are used, corresponding peaks of the spectrum waveform to be tested are adjusted to the two peak positions and the waveform therebetween is expanded or contracted in a linear processing manner. The method of using peak appearance position of the known ingredient is a method generally used in a chromatograph, etc., and is called "internal standard". Error in the horizontal axis direction of spectrum waveform generally involves expansion and contraction, so that using two peaks provides better effect in peak position correction.
(3) A method of selecting two typical peaks from among peaks of a spectrum waveform defined as a standard and correcting the corresponding peaks of another spectrum waveform at the typical peak positions (see FIG. 10).
In the example shown in FIG. 10, the right and left two peaks are selected and the spectrum waveform existing between the peaks is expanded or contracted in a linear processing manner. In general, by selecting peaks nearer to both ends as far as possible, correction effectiveness may be improved. The method is, for example, described in the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 5,969,228. A different point from the above described internal standard method is no need for separately preparing samples.
In the above methods (1) and (2), however, the number of peaks set or selected as a correcting standard are about two and a peak position existing between the peaks is merely expanded or contracted in the proportional manner to be corrected. That is, there exists a problem in that the methods are unavailable for a spectrum waveform which is expanded or contracted in a nonlinear manner though available for a spectrum waveform which is expanded or contracted in the proportional manner.
Particularly, in a chromatograph, etc., peak appearance positions are fluctuated in a nonlinear manner. For example, a peak may shift to the front and another peak may shift to the rear. In this case, the conventional methods involve problems in that correcting accuracy of peak position except correction reference peak may become extremely insufficient and that error of peak position may rather increase by the correction.

Method and program for correcting peak position of spectrum waveform pattern


A dual-chamber plasma processing apparatus comprises two reaction spaces which are equipped with different gas inlet lines and different RF systems. Each reaction space is provided with an RF wave entry path and an RF wave return path to supply RF power from an RF power source and return RF power to the same RF power source.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a plasma processing apparatus performing plasma processing such as etching and deposition processing to objects-to-be-processed such as semiconductor wafers. The present invention particularly relates to a plasma processing apparatus having two separate reaction chambers or spaces.
2. Description of the Related Art
For semiconductor device manufacturing, plasma processing such as dry etching and plasma CVD is frequently used.
As an apparatus for performing plasma processing such as dry etching and plasma CVD, for example, the one shown in FIG. 3 is used in JP 3-204925A1. This apparatus possesses an upper electrode 102 and a lower electrode 104 inside the same chamber 105; radio-frequency power sources 110, 111 respectively assigned are connected to the electrodes through radio-frequency matching boxes 108, 109. Multiple processing gases mixed in the previous chamber are supplied to the chamber 105. The upper electrode 102 supplies high-frequency low-power energy, whereas the lower electrode 104 supplies low-frequency high-power energy, thereby avoiding contamination of a substrate surface. At this time, because multiple processing gases are dissociated within the same space, controlling dissociation of each processing gas is difficult. Additionally, for example, if a radio-frequency output applied to one electrode is altered, a plasma state is changed and the other matching situation is also changed. Furthermore, because respective electrodes are at ground potential, installing radio-frequency filters (or band eliminators) 113, 112, etc. may become necessary, which makes a configuration complex.

Dual-chamber plasma processing apparatus


An inverter assembly includes a housing and a substrate disposed in the housing. The substrate includes at least a first conductive layer patterned to include an alternating current (AC) path and a direct current (DC) path. A plurality of inverter switches is mounted on the substrate and electrically coupled to the AC path and the DC path.

Inverter assemblies are commonly employed in hybrid and electric vehicles to provide three phase operating power to an electric drive motor. In general, such inverter assemblies include a plurality of inverter switches mounted on a substrate. The inverter switches are electrically coupled between a direct current (DC) power source, such as a battery, and the electric drive motor by way of a bus bar. A capacitor may be electrically coupled between the bus bar and the DC power source to regulate fluctuations in voltage; however, depending upon the proximity of the capacitor to the switches, the capacitor may potentially induce voltage overshoots in the system. The inverter switches oscillate between open and closed positions to convert the direct current into alternating current (e.g., three phase alternating current) suitable for driving the vehicle's electric drive motor.
During operation of the inverter assembly, the inverter switches, the bus bar, and the capacitor generate heat and may consequently require thermal regulation to ensure proper functioning. For this reason, the inverter assembly may be provided with a liquid-cooling system, which actively circulates a dielectric coolant fluid over the active switches. However, the dielectric fluid may not contact and cool the bus bar, which is spatially offset from the substrate and the inverter switches. As a result, the liquid-cooling system may not achieve optimal cooling.
It should thus be appreciated that it would be desirable to provide a liquid-cooled inverter assembly having a substrate with an integrated bus bar wherein the cooling system directs coolant over the inverter switches, the substrate, and the integrated bus bar to thereby cool the inverter assembly in a more efficient manner. It would also be desirable if the liquid-cooled inverter assembly included a capacitor and a means for the cooling thereof (e.g., a heat sink). Preferably, the liquid-cooled inverter assembly would be configured such that the capacitor resides proximate the substrate and inverter switches so as to minimize inductive interference. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.


Devices for producing waterfalls, which provide a decorative effect in pools, spas, bathtubs, and sinks. The devices include a water inlet, and a water chamber connected to the water inlet. An elongated water outlet is connected to the water chamber, such that water exiting the water outlet forms a waterfall-type flow. In one arrangement, a light chamber including at least one lamp is included. The light chamber has a window which allows light generated by the lamp to shine through the water outlet. In another arrangement, the elongated water outlet is provided on an outlet insert, the insert and water chamber having complementary inclined surfaces such that the outlet insert may be positioned at varying distances from the water chamber. In a further arrangement, a plurality of pins are located at the egress of the water chamber, the pins acting as baffles to the flow of water through the device.

It is known to produce a decorative waterfall effect for water entering a pool, spa, bathtub, sink and the like. The waterfall effect typically involves forcing water over an elongated lip of a container, or through an elongated aperture to create a "sheet" of water.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,450,418 describes a pool/spa waterfall apparatus. The apparatus includes a manifold body connected to a water inlet. The manifold body has at least one baffle for reducing water turbulence, and an elongated removable outlet cap having either an elongated slot or a plurality of apertures forming a water outlet. The removable outlet cap is mounted to the manifold body by screws, and may be removed for cleaning or replaced with an outlet cap having a different aperture design. The baffles extend longitudinally in the manifold housing, and may be horizontally positioned, or may be inclined to the horizontal.
The prior art waterfall-producing devices are not adjustable, and therefore always produce the waterfall at the same distance from the device. This may not be appropriate for all installations, as it may be desirable to alter the distance from the device that the water travels, due to variations in the sizes and positioning of the walls of bathtubs, sinks, spas and the like.
Additionally, the prior art waterfall-producing devices are not illuminated, and so if a user desires to have soft or decorative lighting in addition to the waterfall effect, they must install or provide extra lighting.
A need exists for a waterfall-producing device capable of overcoming these and other disadvantages of the conventional systems, and in particular for a device that allows for the waterfall to be lit.


A method and system is disclosed for inter-technology diversity. A transmitting device may concurrently transmit a communication unit, such as a data packet, on two or more different air interfaces to a receiving device. The receiving device may concurrently receive the two or more transmissions on two or more corresponding air interfaces, and may then apply forward error correction to the two or more received communication unit in order to recover an error-free version of the communication unit. The transmitting device could be a multi-modal base station (or other access element) of a wireless communication system, and the receiving device could be a multi-modal access terminal (AT) or other user equipment (UE). Additionally or alternatively, the transmitting device could be an AT or UE, and the receiving device could be a base station.

In a typical cellular radio communication system (wireless communication system), an area is divided geographically into a number of cell sites, each defined by a radio frequency (RF) radiation pattern from a respective antenna or antenna system. The antennas in the cells are in turn coupled to one or another form of controller, which is then coupled to a telecommunications switch or gateway, such as a mobile switching center (MSC) and/or a packet data serving node (PDSN) for instance. These (and possibly other) elements function collectively to form a Radio Access Network (RAN) of the wireless communication system. The switch or gateway may then be coupled with a transport network, such as the PSTN or a packet-switched network (e.g., the Internet).
Depending on the specific underlying technologies and architecture of a given wireless communication system, the RAN elements may take different forms. In a code division multiple access (CDMA) system configured to operate according IS-2000 and IS-856 standards, for example, the antenna system is referred to as a base transceiver system (BTS), and is usually under the control of a base station controller (BSC). In a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) configured to operate according to ITU IMT-2000 standards, the antenna system is usually referred to as a NodeB, and is usually under the control of a radio network controller (RNC). Other architectures and operational configurations of a RAN are possible as well.
A subscriber (or user) in a service provider's wireless communication system accesses the system for communication services via a communication device, such as a cellular telephone, "smart" phone, pager, or appropriately equipped portable computer, for instance. In a CDMA system the communication device is referred to as an access terminal (also referred to herein by "AT"); in a UMTS system the communication device is referred to as user equipment (also referred to herein by "UE"). When an AT or UE is positioned in a cell, it communicates via an RF air interface with the BTS or NodeB antenna of the cell. Consequently, a communication path or "channel" is established between the AT or UE and the transport network, via the air interface, the BTS or NodeB, the BSC or RNC, and the switch or gateway.
As the demand for wireless communications has grown, the volume of call traffic in most cell sites has correspondingly increased. To help manage the call traffic, most cells in a wireless network are usually further divided geographically into a number of sectors, each defined respectively by radiation patterns from directional antenna components of the respective BTS or NodeB, or by respective antennas. These sectors can be referred to as "physical sectors," since they are physical areas of a cell site. Therefore, at any given instant, an AT or UE in a wireless network will typically be positioned in a given physical sector and will be able to communicate with the transport network via the BTS or NodeB serving that physical sector.
The functional combination of a BTS of a cell or sector with a BSC, or of a NodeB and an RNC, is commonly referred to as a "base station." The actual physical of a configuration of a base station can range from an integrated BTS-BSC or NodeB-RNC unit to a distributed deployment of multiple BTSs under a single BSC, or multiple NodeBs under a single RNC. A base station may be typically deployed to provide coverage over a geographical area on a scale of a few to several square miles and for tens to hundreds to several thousands (or more) of subscribers at any one time.
As a subscriber at an AT or UE moves between wireless coverage areas of a wireless communication system, such as between cells or sectors, or when network conditions change or for other reasons, the AT or UE may "hand off" from operating in one coverage area to operating in another coverage area. In a usual case, this handoff process is triggered by the AT or UE monitoring the signal strength of various nearby available coverage areas, and the BSC or RNC (or other controlling network entity) determining when one or more threshold criteria are met. For instance, an AT may continuously monitor signal strength from various available sectors and notify a BSC when a given sector has a signal strength that is sufficiently higher than the sector in which the AT is currently operating. The BSC may then direct the AT to hand off to that other sector. By convention, an AT or UE is said to handoff from a "source" cell or sector (or base station) to a "target" cell or sector (or base station).
In some wireless communication systems or markets, a wireless service provider may implement more than one type of air interface protocol. For example, a carrier may support one or another version of CDMA, such as EIA/TIA/IS-2000 Rel. 0, A, and CDMA 2000 Spread Spectrum Systems Revision E (collectively referred to generally herein as "IS-2000") for both circuit-cellular voice and data traffic, as well as a more exclusively packet-data-oriented protocol such as EIA/TIA/IS-856 Rel. 0, A, or other version thereof (hereafter "IS-856"). A carrier could also implement an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) based system according to protocols specified by third generation partnership project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution ("LTE") Advanced, for example. Access terminals or UEs may be capable of communication under any or all such protocols, and may further be capable of handing off between them, in addition to being able to hand off between various configurations of coverage areas.

Inter-technology diversity in wireless communications