The power head assembly for a cordless electric lawnmower has a removable upper housing that includes two spaced batteries, and a lower housing that is mounted to the deck of the grass cutting device. The upper housing has a handle, and at least one quick disconnect terminal that engages a mating quick disconnect terminal affixed to the lower housing. The lower housing includes an electric motor that is disposed between the two batteries when the upper housing is in place. A portion of the electric motor is located below the deck to further reduce the overall height of the device. The lower housing is mounted to the deck by several bolts which are placed in the same mounting pattern used to mount gasoline engines to a deck, so that the same decks may be used for both the cordless electric and gasoline-powered lawnmowers.

This invention relates to cordless electric grass cutting devices such as battery-powered lawnmowers, shears and the like. More particularly, this invention relates to such electric grass cutting devices having removable batteries.
To substantially eliminate the exhaust emissions from gasoline-powered lawnmowers and the like, and for the sake of convenience, battery-powered grass cutting devices have been developed. More recently, battery-powered grass cutting devices have been developed which have removable and interchangeable batteries.
One advantage of using interchangeable batteries is that when the battery or batteries discharge, they may simply be replaced by one or more fully charged batteries. As a result, the cutting time is extended. Another advantage of this approach is that the operational weight of the grass cutting device may be reduced since smaller batteries may be used in place of the large, bulkier batteries which are typically necessary to achieve significant cutting time if the batteries are not interchangeable.
Yet another advantage of using removable batteries is that if the battery is not built into the fixed mower housing, the battery may be recharged without moving the entire mower to a source of line current. This is an important advantage when the mower is stored in a shed that does not have electrical power.
To increase the output of a battery-powered grass cutting device, it is desirable to provide one or more batteries having a total output of 24 volts instead of a single 12 volt battery. The use of one or more batteries presents a problem with proper weight distribution. If a single 24 volt battery, or two 12 volt batteries, are placed in front of the electric motor, the weight of the device is not properly balanced. Also, if the batteries are placed behind the motor, they tend to interfere with the raised scroll used for rear bagging operations. If one 12 volt battery is placed on top of another 12 volt battery, then the height of the cutting device may be significantly increased, and the device is not aesthetically pleasing.

Mounting apparatus for connecting a power head to a device


In accordance with an embodiment, an information processing apparatus acquires a rank of a visiting user and an amount according to the ranking. The information processing apparatus acquires a price at an own store of a commodity that the user has selected for purchase. The information processing apparatus acquires a price at another store of the commodity that the user has selected for purchase. In a case in which the price at the own store is higher than the price at the other store, the information processing apparatus adds an amount based on a difference in price therebetween to the amount according to the ranking, which is acquired by a first acquisition means.

In recent years, various store systems have been devised to promote sales by providing users who are purchasers with information for prompting to purchase commodities when they shops at a store. Moreover, some stores also promote sales by ranking users on the basis of their purchase records and the like and giving the users rewards according to their ranks. However, the user can compare the price of a commodity-to-be-purchased with that of the same commodity sold at another store and choose not to purchase the commodity there in a case where the price of the commodity-to-be-purchased is higher. Therefore, there is a fear that the sales opportunity may be missed.

Store system, information processing apparatus, and information processing method therefor


A slatted bed base comprising a series of units (13) each of which includes an upper slat (3) on a lower support (5) mounted on a rigid, central and longitudinal beam (7) which is fixed in relation to the floor. The lower support (5) and the upper slat (3) are connected by a flexible linking element (14) allowing relative movement between the support (5) and the slat (3). The units (13) are spaced apart so that they can move independently of each other.

The present invention relates to a bed base.
A bed base is a flexible part of a bed which rests in the bed frame or on legs (couches, settees, etc.) and on which the mattress lies.
Known are spring bed bases, formed by a wooden box with rigid cross bars fitted with springs and covered with fabric and metal bed bases with stretched wire gauze or netting. Known further are slat bed bases. These have a series of flexible slats, generally consisting of several thin slats of beech wood. At their ends the slats are fastened on a rigid frame, and they are often arched upward to increase the course of flexibility.
Bed bases with slat offer the advantage over spring bed bases of having a longer life. That is, springs become slack, while slats keep their quality.
However, slat bed bases, like the metal bed bases, have the disadvantage of showing a more or less great stiffness when one approaches the frame or the wooden box. That is, the slats, like the wire netting, are fastened on a wooden or metal frame, and it is owing to this fastening of their end on this immobile frame that said slats and said netting can acquire the desired elasticity. But it is the center of the slatted surface or of the gauze and not their edges that is elastic. This mechanical necessity therefore is a disadvantage since the bed base is soft at the end and pleasant only at its center.
Bed bases with slats have been made whose ends are mounted on the frame by means of springs. Such bed bases are described notably in EP-A-1,050,873, CH-A-399,712. However, on the one hand the presence of a frame to which the slats are fastened further limits the freedom of movement of the slats, and on the other hand the springs are of spring type metal or equivalent which limits their life.
Also there has been realized in U.S. Pat. No. 2,349,839 a bed base with slats the ends of which can be displaced vertically without being mechanically connected by a spring mounted on a frame. It is formed by units ("modules") composed of an upper horizontal slat rigidly mounted on a lower arched slat. The units are joined together on the one hand by a lower central beam on which they rest and on the other hand by three upper horizontal slats. However, the construction of this bed base does not permit obtaining satisfactory deformations because of the rigidity of the connections. This arrangement forms practically undeformable cylinder portion which can oscillate only very slightly around the beam.


Disclosed is a method of doping an oxide. The example method includes forming at least one of an AlGaAs oxide or an InAlP oxide on a GaAs substrate, and incorporating Erbium into the at least one AlGaAs oxide or InAlP oxide via ion implantation to form an Erbium-doped oxide layer. The example method also includes annealing the substrate and the at least one AlGaAs oxide or InAlP oxide.

With the rapid growth of data communications traffic, wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) systems are being employed in metropolitan area networks (MAN). Such growth propels a desire for more compact, more functional, and low cost optical components. In particular, waveguide amplifiers are optical integrated products well suited for MAN applications.
While many benefits may be realized through Erbium-doped materials, a cost judicious Erbium-based amplifier is, so far, unavailable. Efforts to realize such amplifier components, both active and passive, are hindered by challenges inherent with Erbium properties. For example, a waveguide amplifier and/or light source typically requires a high Erbium (Er) doping level to compensate for small optical transition cross-sections of Er and limited feasible waveguide lengths (e.g., a few to tens of centimeters). As such, selection of a proper Er-host material may be more important to minimize deleterious high concentration effects.

Monolithically-pumped erbium-doped waveguide amplifiers and lasers


The present invention analyses an existing legacy system, such as a Physician's Office Management System, and automatically extracts, reformats and sends required data to a service company, which may be for example, and insurance company. It begins by feeding the legacy system "seed data" and monitors the legacy system storage device to determine a "raw map" of where and how the seed data is stored. It then culls out multiple records, single records, inconsistent records in the raw map. Control flow information is also extracted. This indicates which fields are "key" fields and are used to extract other information. These key fields must be acquired before their related data. After the data is located and the order is determined, a script is automatically created to extract the data. The data is then extracted and reformatted in a predetermined format determined by the service company, and the required data is automatically sent, by conventional means, to the service company.

1. Scope of the Invention
The present invention relates to electronic data transmission, and more specifically a system which automatically finds and transmits information to a service provider in one of a number of standard formats.
2. Related Prior Art
It is sometimes necessary to transmit information from an existing system, a legacy system, to other systems each having a required transmission format. This is the case in many areas but especially for Physician Office Management Systems (POMS) communicating information to insurance providers, such as Aetna, Blue Cross, Prudential etc. POMS are small computer systems used for record keeping in Physicians Offices.
Typically, small interface programs are manually written for each of the different provider standards for the specific POMS being used.
Today there are three ways to integrate with a legacy application:
write the interface code by hand, PA1 use a mapping tool, or PA1 use a screen scraping tool to help implement software for the integration.
Mapping tools
A mapping tool typically supports implementing an insertion or extraction routine from the legacy system. It does not help design the routines. The user of the mapping tool (typically a software engineer) supplies the mapping tool with a layout of the source data, a layout of the target data items and a mapping between the source and target data items. The mapping tool then implements this map.
Screen scraper
A screen scraper is a tool which monitors (and stores) inputs to the computer to determine order and type of screen inputs which are required by the legacy system.
The screen scraper is programmed to monitor a specific legacy system. To program a screen scraper, the user determines the sequence of screens (in the legacy system) needed to retrieve/insert the data from/to the legacy system. The user then runs the legacy application in conjunction with the screen scraper which monitors and identifies the screens that are to be scraped and tags fields in the screens that will be retrieved/filled by the screen scraper.
A user then writes a script (in the screen scraper's programming language) to start up the legacy application, maneuver from screen to screen and retrieve/insert data from/into the tagged fields in the legacy application screens.
After it has been fully programmed, the screen scraper can automatically run the legacy application entering values from an electronic source (such as a data file) into the appropriate user interface fields. It can also generate data files by automatically extracting data from the legacy system's screens.
Currently, there is a need for a system which automatically determines the disk format of the legacy data, and transmits the data required by a service provider to it in its required format.

Automatic transmission of legacy system data


The present invention provides polymeric and pharmaceutical compositions comprising a polymer that contains vicinal amine moieties, referred to as polyvicinalamine polymers. The polyvicinalamines can be copolymers or homopolymers. Methods of use of the polymeric and pharmaceutical compositions for therapeutic and/or prophylactic benefits are disclosed herein. Examples of these methods include the treatment of renal diseases, hyperphosphatemia, and the removal of bile acids, oxalates and iron from the gastrointestinal tract.

Polyamine materials have been widely used in many areas ranging from commodity industry applications to home-and-personal care and pharmaceutical uses largely due to their cationic and hydrogen bonding properties. The cationic and the hydrogen bonding characteristics are given by the amine functionality and are modulated by the amine content, which also dictates the charge density on the material. In many applications, higher amine content leads to higher efficacy.
To date, known polyamines with high amine content include polyvinyl amines and polyethyleneimines, which both possess one amine group for every two carbon units (amine/carbon ratio=1/2), and polyallylamines, which possesses one amine group for every three carbon units (amine/carbon ratio=1/3). Polyvinyl amine is usually made from free-radical polymerization of vinyl formamide followed by hydrolysis of the formamide groups. It is a linear polymer comprising a polyethylene backbone with pendant primary amines. Polyethyleneimines produced by ring-opening polymerization of aziridines results in a hyperbranched structure with a mixed carbon and nitrogen backbone containing a mixture of primary, secondary, and tertiary amines. Linear polyethyleneimine is produced by ring opening polymerization of oxazolidine derivatives. The chemically different amines in these two materials are notable since the primary amine having the high reactivity is often utilized for further cross-linking and derivatization of the material.
Although these two materials have been widely used, higher amine content materials and alternative compounds are still highly desired.


A solid electrolytic capacitor package structure includes a capacitor unit, a package unit and a conductive unit. The package unit includes a package body for enclosing the capacitor unit. The conductive unit includes at least one first conductive terminal and at least one second conductive terminal. The first conductive terminal includes a first core layer and a first enclosing layer. The first core layer has a first top exposed surface exposed from the first enclosing layer, and the first top exposed surface has a first top covering area covered by the package body. The second conductive terminal includes a second core layer and a second enclosing layer. The second core layer has a second top exposed surface exposed from the second enclosing layer, and the second top exposed surface has a second top covering area covered by the package body.

1. Field of the Invention
The instant disclosure relates to a solid electrolytic capacitor package structure and a method of manufacturing the same, and a conductive unit, and more particularly to a solid electrolytic capacitor package structure and a method of manufacturing the same, and a conductive unit for increasing the sealing property between a conductive terminal and a package body.
2. Description of Related Art
Various applications of capacitors include home appliances, computer motherboards and peripherals, power supplies, communication products and automobiles. The capacitors such as solid electrolytic capacitors are mainly used to provide filtering, bypassing, rectifying, coupling, blocking or transforming function. Because the solid electrolytic capacitor has the advantages of small size, large electrical capacity and good frequency characteristic, it can be used as a decoupling element in the power circuit of a central processing unit (CPU). In general, a plurality of capacitor elements is stacked together to form a stacked solid electrolytic capacitor with a high electrical capacity. In addition, the stacked solid electrolytic capacitor of the prior art includes a plurality of capacitor elements and a lead frame. Each capacitor element includes an anode part, a cathode part and an insulating part. The insulating part is insulated from the anode part and the cathode part. More specifically, the cathode parts of the capacitor elements are stacked on top of one another.

Solid electrolytic capacitor package structure and method of manufacturing the same, and conductive unit


Thermal polymerization of a salt of aspartic acid affords polyaspartate directly without hydrolyzing polysuccinimide. Copolymerization of a salt of aspartic acid with aspartic acid itself affords a copolymer of succinimide and aspartate which may be readily derivatized to produce a sulfonated, phosphonated or hydrophobized polymer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the thermal synthesis of polyaspartate without formation of the intermediate polysuccinimide. Included are methods for preparing mixed amide/imide copolymers with varying amounts of aspartate and succinimide residues. Some of the amide/imide copolymers are water-soluble. Derivatives of the copolymers can be made by nucleophilic addition of amine groups of additive monomers to open the imide rings of polymer residues to produce, for example, sulfonated, phosphonated, sulfated, phosphated and hydrophobized polyaspartates in water. The materials of the invention are useful in many applications including but not limited to dispersants, detergent builders, antiredeposition agents, antiscalants, corrosion inhibitors, chelating agents, plant growth enhancers, fertilizers, cosmetic additives, tartar control agents, ion-exchange resins, chromatographic materials, and others.
2. Discussion of the Background
Early reports of experiments with thermal polymerization of polyaspartic acid from both precursors of aspartic acid (Dessaignes, M., Comptes Rendue, vol. 30, pp. 324-325 (1850); and Comptes Rendue, vol. 31, pp. 432-433 (1850)) and aspartic acid itself (Schiff, H. Chemische Berichte, vol. 30, pp. 2449-2459 (1898)) were sketchy and necessarily incomplete in description of the reactions, the intermediates, and the products. The number of experimental studies increased when thermal polymerization of amino acid precursors and amino acids became conceptually linked to theories of the origin of life in the middle of the next century (Herrera, A. L. Science, vol. 96, p. 14 (1942); Katchalski, E. Advances in Protein Chemistry, vol. 6, pp. 123-185 (1942); Kovacs, J., et al., Experientia, vol. 9, pp. 459-460 (1953); Fox, S. W., et al., Science vol. 128, p. 1214 (1959); Fox, S. W., et al., in, A Laboratory Manual of Analytical Methods of Protein Chemistry, P. Alexander and H. P. Lundgren, eds., Volume 4, Pergamon Press, Oxford, pp. 127-151 (1966); and Harada, K., Journal of Organic Chemistry, vol. 24, pp. 1662-1666 (1959). The reactions involved in the thermal synthesis of polymers and copolymers of aspartic acid and comonomers became more clear based on infrared spectra, solubilities, and titration data of the reaction intermediates and products. The thermal polymerization of aspartic acid, or precursors of aspartic acid, proceeds through a polyimide intermediate followed by mild alkaline hydrolysis to produce the polyamide polyaspartate.
As NMR techniques were applied to characterize the intermediates and products, the mixed .alpha., .beta. nature of the residues became well known (Pivcova, H., et al., Biopolymers, vol. 20, pp. 1605-1614 (1981); Pivcova, H., et al., Polymer Reports, vol. 23, pp. 1237-1241 (1982); and Saudek, V., et al., Biopolymers, vol. 20, pp. 1615-1623 (1981)), as well as the possibility of occurrence of branch points along the polymer chain (Wolk, S. K., et al., Macromolecules, vol. 27, pp. 7613-7620 (1994); Freeman, M. B., et al., in Hydrogels and Biodegradable Polymers for Bioapplications, R. M. Ottenbrite, et al., Eds., ACS Symposium Series 627, American Chemical Society, Washington, D.C., pp. 119-136 (1996); U.S. Pat. No.5,548,036 (Kroner et al.); U.S. Pat. No.5,536,813 (Charpenel et al.); and Matsubara, K., et al., Polymer Preprints, Spring 1996, pp. 699-700). The mixed L, D optical nature of the residues was already known from measurements of refractive index (Kovacs, J., et al., Naturwissenschaften, vol. 41, p. 333 (1954)).
The potential of polyaspartate and its derivatives as biodegradable alternatives to polyacrylates for uses in such fields as detergents, superabsorbents, water treatment, agriculture, oilfield, cosmetics, health care products, food additives, and others resulted in a few early patents, with increased patenting to the present time. The synthetic approaches relative to polyaspartates that are disclosed in the patent literature are summarized below.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,052,655 to Fox and Harada (1962) teaches the copolymerization of aspartic acid, precursors to aspartic acid, and other amino acids by heating admixtures at 160 to 210.degree. C. for 1 to 3 hours or a time sufficient to form a polyimide. If H.sub.3 PO.sub.4 were added in an equimolar amount or less relative to the amounts of amino acids, products with higher molecular weights were achieved at lower reaction temperatures. The polyimide was then dissolved by mild alkaline at 80.degree. C. for 10 minutes.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,076,790 to Fox and Harada (1963) is similar to the above patent but emphasized also glutamic acid as a comonomer that first is heated to form a melt of pryoglutamic acid to which the other residues were added. The use of glutamic acid as a solvent/comonomer reportedly expedited the reaction.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,846,380 to Fujimoto and Teranishi (1974) discloses the thermal polymerization of aspartic acid in tetralin and also aspartic acid precursors including malic, maleic, and fumaric acids plus ammonia without solvents at about 190.degree. C. for up to 40 hours. The resulting polyimide was dissolved in dimethyl formamide to which was added a primary or secondary amine compound. The amine formed an amide across either side of the imide linkage to produce a derivative of the polysuccinimide. This was then subjected to alkaline hydrolysis to produce derivatives of polyaspartic acid, particularly having hydrophobic side chains such as lauryl, oleyl, and palmityl groups. The derivatives were described as being useful in detergents and cosmetics, with various other uses taught as well. A similar reaction of polysuccinimide, prepared by thermal polymerization of aspartic acid in H.sub.3 PO.sub.4, with ethanolamine for use as a plasma expander was reported by Neri, Paolo, et al., in Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, vol. 16, pp. 893-897 (1973), who also summarized syntheses of polysuccinimides and reactivity with organic amines.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,797 to Jacquet et al. (1982) teaches the production of a polysuccinimide by thermal polymerization in H.sub.3 PO.sub.4 of aspartic acid at 180.degree. for several hours under partial vacuum in a rotary evaporator, followed by derivatization with a variety of primary amines. The amines included cysteamine, which after addition to the polymer was oxidized with 30% hydrogen peroxide to the sulfonate. Similarly, a solution of the polysuccinimide in DMF was treated with aminoethylsulfonate (sodium taurine) to produce a sulfonated derivative. In some cases, the polyimide polymers were alkaline hydrolyzed to produce the polyaspartate derivatives; in other cases they were described as derivitized polysuccinimides for use in shampoo and other hair products.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,534,881 to Sikes and Wheeler (1985) describes the synthesis of polyamino acids, including polyaspartic acid, by a variety of methods. For example, polymerization of N-carboxyanhydrides leads to polyamino acids without imide intermediates whereas thermal polymerization of aspartic acid produced the polysuccinimide, which required alkaline hydrolysis to form the .alpha., .beta. polyaspartate from Sigma Chemical Co., as used in the examples. The materials were claimed for use in prevention of CaCO.sub.3 -containing deposits on surfaces. Previously, Termine and coworkers (Termine, J. D., et al., Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, vol. 140, pp. 307-317 and 318-325 (1970); and Termine, J. D., et al., Calcified Tissue Research, vol. 22, 149-157 (1976)) had studied inhibition of calcium phosphate formation by polyglutamate, and Sarig and coworkers (Sarig, S., et al., Desalination, vol. 17, pp. 215-229 (1975); and Sarig, S., et al., Israel National Council for Research and Development Report, pp. 150-157 (1977)) had demonstrated inhibition of formation of CaSO.sub.4 and other undefined scales from seawater by polyaspartate, polyglutamate, and sulfonated polymers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,590,260 to Harada and Shimoyama (1986) discloses the copolymerization of admixtures of monoammonium or diammonium salts of aspartic acid precursors such as malate, maleate, fumarate, and monoammonium salts of malic, maleic, and fumaric monoamide. Reactions typically were conducted without solvents for 2 to 6 hours at 160.degree. to 190.degree. C. to produce copolymers of amino acids and succinimide, which were then alkaline hydrolyzed to the copolyaspartates. Use of catalysts such as phosphoric, phosphonic, sulfuric, and sulfonic acids were also mentioned for promotion of polymerization.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,696,981 to Harada et al. (1987) describes the use of microwaves for polycondensation of polysuccinimide from admixtures of one or more of monoammonium, diammonium, monoamide, diamide, or monoamidoammonium salts of malic, maleic, and fumaric acids. Copolymers of succinimide and one or more amino acids were also made in this way. The materials were converted to polyaspartate and aspartate-containing copolymers by mild alkaline hydrolysis.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,839,461 to Boehmke (1989) reports the use of maleic anhydride plus water to produce maleic acid plus ammonia in a ratio of 1:1 to 1:1.5 of maleic to ammonia. This solution was dried, then heated in vacuo or with a stream of inert gas for 4-6 hours at 120 to 140.degree. C. to polymerize the material and carry away the water of condensation. The formation of polysuccinimide was not mentioned; however, the product was subjected to neutralization under conditions of mild alkaline hydrolysis. The salts of polyaspartate so produced were described as being useful for removal and prevention of mineral scale deposits, or for use as a fertilizer. See also U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,350,735 and 5,593,947 to Kinnersley et al. (1994, 1997) about use of polyaspartate for promotion of growth of plants.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,866,161 and 4,868,287 to Sikes and Wheeler (1989) disclose the synthesis of polyaspartate by solid-phase methods, as well as thermal polymerization of R-group protected monomer. These methods require many steps including deprotection of the R-groups by acid hydrolysis to produce polyaspartic acid, but do not generally involve imide formation. The polyaspartic domains were linked to hydrophobic domains to produce the desired materials of the inventions for use in inhibition of mineral deposition, including tartar formation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,051,401 to Sikes (1991) describes the synthesis of polyaspartate by solid-phase methods as well as by dry thermal polymerization of aspartic acid at 190.degree. C. for 24 hours. By the solid-phase method, polyaspartate was produced without formation of polysuccinimide. However, R-group protected monomers were used, and many reaction steps and solvents were required. The polysuccinimide was produced in the dry thermal method, requiring the alkaline hydrolysis to convert to polyaspartate. Addition of phosphated, phosphonated, sulfated, and sulfonated residues to aspartate-rich polymers were also taught, especially the utility of terminally locating these comonomers. Utility in inhibition of mineral deposition was claimed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,057,597 to Koskan (1991), discloses a process for manufacture of polysuccinimide by treatment of aspartic acid at about 220.degree. C. for several hours. The method provided for a fluidized bed of the reactant. The polysuccinimide was subjected to mild alkaline hydrolysis to produce polyaspartate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,513 to Koskan and Low (1992) teaches the dry, thermal polymerization of aspartic acid to produce polysuccinimide followed by alkaline hydrolysis to produce polyaspartic acid for use as an inhibitor of precipitation of calcium sulfate and barium sulfate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,902 to Koskan et al. (1992) discloses the dry, thermal polymerization of aspartic acid to produce a polysuccinimide followed by mild alkaline hydrolysis to produce polyaspartic acid for use as an inhibitor of precipitation of calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,219,952; 5,296,578; and 5,373,088 to Koskan and Meah (1993, 1994) disclose the synthesis of polysuccinimide by mixing maleic anhydride with aqueous ammonia at ratios ranging up to 1:12, maleic:ammonia, with a ratio of 1 to 2-3 preferred. The solution was dried and heated at 130.degree. C. for 4 hours to produce an incompletely polymerized intermediate mixture of polysuccinimide and other reactants. Emphasis was placed on reaction temperatures of 220.degree. to 260.degree. C. for production of greater than 90% of theoretical yield over periods of 7 hours or more. In addition, prepolymerized polysuccinimide was added and the admixture produced at 130.degree. C. for 4 hours was further heated for up to 12 hours at 220.degree. C. to complete the polymerization, yielding a relatively higher MW polysuccinimide. The polysuccinimides were base hydrolyzed to produce polyaspartate.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,221,733; 5,315,010; and 5,391,764 to Koskan et al. (1993, 1994, 1995) disclose a process for the dry, thermal synthesis of polysuccinimide by heating aspartic acid in a rotary dryer at 240.degree. to 260.degree. C. for 1 to 3 hours. Polyaspartic acid was produced by mild alkaline hydrolysis of the polysuccinimide.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,247,068; 5,260,272; and 5,284,936 to Donachy and Sikes (1993, 1994) teach the dry, thermal polymerization to form the polysuccinimide, then alkaline conversion to the polyaspartate. The prepolymerized polyaspartate was then used as a backbone to which other comonomers and crosslinkers were added by further thermal treatment. In a preferred example, the materials were again subjected to mild alkaline hydrolysis to produce the fully active polyaspartate forms. The materials were described as being useful as inhibitors of mineral formation or as superabsorbents.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,512 to Koskan and Low (1994) discloses the use of polyaspartate as a dispersant of mineral particles. The polyaspartate was prepared by mild alkaline hydrolysis of polysuccinimide that was synthesized by dry, thermal polymerization.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,286,810; 5,288,783; 5,292,858; 5,367,047; 5,391,642; 5,466,760; 5,510,426 and 5,510,427 to Wood (1994, 1995, 1996) and 5,292,864 to Wood and Calton (1994) disclose heating aspartic acid or aspartic acid precursors such as monoammonium maleate, monoammonium fumarate, diammonium maleate, diammonium fumarate, maleic acid and ammonia, maleic anhydride and ammonia along with comonomers like primary and secondary diamines and polyamines, or with an alcohol and an aminohydrocarbon like oleyl amine. In some experiments, polysuccinimides were produced at temperatures up to 300.degree. C. for periods as short as 5 minutes and less. In all cases involving copolymers, succinimide-containing materials also were produced. All products were converted to the polyaspartate forms by mild alkaline hydrolysis. In some cases, the color of the polyaspartate forms were lightened by treatment with oxidants like hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide, or ozone.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,319,145; 5,371,177; 5,371,179; 5,380,817; 5,463,017; 5,484,878; and 5,491,212 to Paik et al. (1994, 1995, 1996) disclose processes for preparing polysuccinimide by heating maleamic acid or aspartic acid, in some cases in the presence of polyalkylene glycol, at up to 270.degree. for up to fifteen hours. Aspartic acid precursors like monoammonium maleate, as well as other amino acids, were envisioned for use as monomers or comonomers. Co-reactants like mesaconic acid and related carboxylates were also disclosed. A rotary tray dryer was exemplified as a preferred device for heating. The polysuccinimides were converted by mild alkaline hydrolysis to polyaspartates in some cases. Suggested uses included cleaning agents, detergent additives, dispersants, water treatment additives, and others.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,690 to Sikes (1994) teaches the synthesis of polyaspartate by solid-phase methods and by thermal condensation of aspartic monomer, with or without protecting groups. The thermal method produced polysuccinimide which was base hydrolyzed to the polyaspartate. Hydrophobic domains of amino acids such as alanine were also added to the polyaspartates, as well as other anionic residues, to produce dispersants for use in detergents, shampoos, cosmetics, among other uses.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,329,020 to Kalota and Martin (1994) describe a process for the thermal production of polysuccinimide by heating aspartic acid at about 300.degree. C. in the presence of a catalytic amount of CO.sub.2, as low as 5% by volume circulating in air, for about 1 to 2 hours in a tray dryer. The polysuccinimide was converted to polyaspartate by mild alkaline hydrolysis.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,357,004 to Calton and Wood (1994) discloses the thermal polymerization of maleic acid, ammonia, alkyl amines and also polyamines, with up to 2:1 molar ratio of ammonia to maleic. The admixtures were heated to temperatures as high as to 245.degree. C. for about 30 min. One example included maleic acid, ammonia, and taurine (aminoethylsulfonate) in a molar ratio of 1:1:0.1. The resulting imide-containing materials were converted to aspartate-containing materials by mild alkaline hydrolysis. Uses as crystallization inhibitors, dispersants, and foaming agents were exemplified.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,371,180 to Groth et al. (1994) teaches a process for the preparation of polysuccinimide by mixing maleic anhydride and ammonium carbonate or urea in a molar ratio of about 2:1 maleic:diammonium compound, feeding the mixture to a self-cleaning, twin-screw extender at about 175.degree. C. with a residence time as short as 5 minutes and up to 300 minutes. In one experiment, sodium carbonate was also added to the admixture in a ratio of 2:1.1:0.25 of maleic:urea:Na.sub.2 CO.sub.3. A mixed polymer of succinimide and aspartate was produced. In all cases, the polysuccinimides and succinimide-containing copolymers were converted to the polyaspartates by mild alkaline hydrolysis. Uses as a sequestration agent for a surfactant, alkylbenzyl sulfonate, and as a dispersant of zinc oxide were exemplified. Other uses such as scale and corrosion inhibition, especially of brass, and as microbiocides were mentioned.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,868 to Freeman et al. (1995) discloses heating maleamic acid in the presence of a processing aid such as zeolites, sodium sulfate, and citric acid to reduce foaming, reduce viscosity, promote heat transfer, and enhance removal of water during the reactions. Temperatures of condensation ranged up to 290.degree. C. for periods from 10 minutes to 2 hours. The invention primarily emphasized use of polysuccinimides in detergents. Conversion to polyaspartates was not part of the experimentation, although it was mentioned in the presentation of the background of the invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,401,428 to Kalota et al. (1995) describes the use of thermally polymerized aspartic acid as a lubricant in cutting, threading, and shaping metals such as iron, brass, and aluminum. The polysuccinimides were alkaline hydrolyzed to the polyaspartates prior to use. The polyaspartates were described as providing the environmental benefit of biodegradability on disposal, as well as obviating costs associated with dispersal of oil-based, metal-working fluids. U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,651 to Kalota and Sherman (1995) teach the use of the same polyaspartic acids at pH of about 7 or less as a cleansing agent for ferrous metal surfaces.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,408,028; 5,442,038; 5,527,863, 5,543,491; and 5,587,146 to Wood and Calton (1995, 1996) disclose the thermal polymerization of maleic anhydride in water and ammonia over the range of ratios from 20:1 to 1:2 of maleic to NH.sub.3. Temperatures ranged up to about 245.degree. for up to about 1 hour. In some cases, copolymers were presumed to have been made by addition of comonomers like citric acid, succinic acid, hexanediamine, lysine, ethylenediamine, diethylene triamine, oleic acid, and oleyl amine in amounts typically around a molar ratio of maleic:comonomer of 16:1 or less. The polysuccinimides that resulted were base hydrolyzed to polyaspartates prior to testing for uses such as scale inhibition, dispersion of kaolin, and tartar control.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,410,017 to Bortnick et al. (1995) discloses the thermal polycondensation of maleic anhydride and ammonia at about 220.degree. C. for short periods; for example, 15 seconds. The maleic anhydride was fluidized at about 130.degree. C. The reactants were admitted to a reactor via a T-shaped tube, with a second T-shaped tube available for introduction of a processing aid such as polyethylene glycol. The ratio of ammonia to monomer was up to 1:5. Low MW polysuccinimides were produced (GPC MW<2000, polyacrylate MW 4500 as standard). Hydrolysis of the polysuccinimides to produce polyaspartic acids was discussed. Uses of the materials as detergent additives, pigment and mineral dispersants, additives to fertilizers, corrosion inhibitors, and antiscalants were mentioned.
CA 2136517 to Bernard et al. (1995) teaches the polymerization of aspartic acid in the presence of KHSO.sub.4 at 200.degree. C. for 7 hours to produce a polysuccinimide. When hydrolyzed, a polyaspartate that was approximately 90% biodegradable was produced. The materials were described for use in detergents.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,424,391 to Paik et al. (1995) discloses the production of polysuccinimide by heating fumaramic acid for up to about 6 hours, sometimes in the presence of solvents like sulfolane or diluents like tetrahydronapthalene. The polysuccinimides were tested for utility in soil removal and antiredeposition in a detergent formulation. Polyaspartates were mentioned, but not used in the experiments.
JP 07196790 to Fujii and Nishibayashi (1995) discloses the dispersion of aspartic acid in 25% aqueous ammonia to provide ionization of 2% of the carboxyl groups, followed by drying by vacuum distillation, then polymerization at 250.degree. for 60 minutes. A polysuccinimide was produced, which was alkaline hydrolyzed to a polyaspartate of MW 9000. The object of the invention was to gain control over the MW of the products without strict control of temperature.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,449,748 to Ramsey (1995) teaches the formation of polysuccinimide by heating aspartic acid for less than 10 minutes at temperatures up to 400.degree. C. The polysuccinimides were discussed as precursors to polyaspartic acid for use in detergents, as dispersants, and as scale inhibitors. A continuous process, including use of acid catalysts like H.sub.3 PO.sub.4, was envisioned.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,457,176; 5,552,514; and 5,554,721 to Adler et al. (1995, 1996) and 5,556,938 to Freeman et al. (1996) disclose a process for preparing polysuccinimides by heating aspartic acid in the presence of an acid catalyst like H.sub.3 PO.sub.4 at temperatures of about 240.degree. C. for about 6 hours. Processing aids like zeolites and sodium sulfate were also added to the mixture before heating. Other amino acids were mentioned as possible reactants, but were not exemplified. The polysuccinimides were base hydrolyzed to form the polyaspartates, which were tested for utility in detergents, as antiscalants, and dispersants. Corrosion inhibition was also claimed, but not exemplified. Biodegradability up to 100% was demonstrated for some of the polyaspartates. Utility of polyaspartates as antiscalants and dispersants in drilling mud and oil production were indicated.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,466,779 to Ross (1995) discloses the production of polysuccinimide by reaction of liquid maleic anhydride with ammonia then heating at up to 260.degree. C. for about 1 to 2 hours. The polysuccinimides were base hydrolyzed to form polyaspartates. An intermediate in the process was shown to be maleamic acid, based on the infrared spectrum.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,838 to Boehmke and Schmitz (1995) describes the formation of polysuccinimide by heating maleic anhydride, aqueous ammonia, and a solubilizing agent such as an ethylene oxide adduct of a fatty alcohol to form a melt which was then dried. The dry mass was heated at up to 150.degree. C. for up to 5 hours. The polysuccinimide was base hydrolyzed to form polyaspartate. The solubilizing agents improved the handling properties of the melt, such as stickiness, stirrability, antifoaming, as well as improving heat transfer. They may also intensify the action of polyaspartate as dispersants and detergent additives.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,843 to Stahl et al. (1995) teaches the synthesis of polysuccinimide by thermal polymerization in H.sub.3 PO.sub.4 followed by derivatization with many compounds including diaminobutane, ethanolamine, and a large variety of carbohydrates. The polysuccinimide-containing materials were base hydrolyzed to polyaspartate-containing ones. The materials were described as useful as cell adhesion factors or inhibitors, as carriers of therapeutic agents to the tissues, and other uses.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,942 to Alexander et al. (1995) discloses the formation of polysuccinimide by mixing aspartic acid and a phosphonic acid in water to form a blend or solution, drying this mixture, then heating at about 200 to 250.degree. C. for about 2 to 3 hours. The molar ratio of aspartic to phosphonic acid was about 10:1. The resultant polysuccinimide was base hydrolyzed to form polyaspartate. The materials were suggested for use in detergents, as water treatment chemicals, and in oil-field applications.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,478,919 to Koskan et al. (1995) discloses the copolymerization of aspartic acid precursors like monoammonium maleate, or maleic anhydride plus ammonium carbonate, with comonomers like citric acid, succinic acid, lactic acid, diethyl triamine, and others. The dry, or slightly wet, mixtures were heated at 230 to 250.degree. C. for 40 to 60 minutes to form polysuccinimide-containing materials, which were base hydrolyzed to produce polyaspartate-containing copolymers. A number of uses of the materials were mentioned, for example, as detergent additives, scale inhibitors, dispersants, additives for cosmetics, corrosion inhibitors, and fertilizer enhancers.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,484,860; 5,488,088; 5,494,995; 5,496,914; and 5,502,117 to Wood and Calton (1996) discloses the formation of copolymers of polysuccinimide and a variety of other comonomers such as citric acid, succinic acid, polyamines, and amino acids such as lysine, alanine, and glutamic acid. The comonomer or comonomers were mixed with monoammonium or diammonium maleate; prepared from maleic anhydride, water, and ammonia; and heated to dryness, then about to about 240.degree. C. for about 30 minutes to produce the polysuccinimides. These were base hydrolyzed to form the polyaspartates. The materials were indicated as useful in applications like detergents, scale control, fertilizers, tartar control, cosmetics, and others.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,945 to Nagatomo et al. (1996) discloses a process for the preparation of polysuccinimide which was termed an intermediate in the synthesis of polyaspartic acid and its derivatives. Polyaspartic acid itself was not prepared. The polysuccinimides were thermally polymerized from aspartic acid at 180 to 210.degree. C. for up to 16 hours in organic solvents such as diphenyl ether to which catalysts such as magnesium oxide and phosphoric acid were added in some cases. The water of dehydration was removed and the organic solvent returned through an azeotropic distillation procedure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,213 to Batzel (1996) discloses a method for preparing polysuccinimide by heating an admixture of maleic anhydride and a thermally decomposable ammonium salt in a ratio of 1:1 to 1:1 of maleic:ammonium salt. The ammonium compounds included, for example, ammonium carbonate, ammonium sulfate, ammonium phosphate and others. Temperatures ranged up to 240.degree. C. for times of about 2 hours. The polysuccinimides were base-hydrolyzed to produce polyaspartates.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,004 to Groth et al. (1996) teaches a process for preparation of polysuccinimide by use of a tubular reactor in which maleic anhydride plus water and ammonia were introduced at a high rate of flow and mixing through a nozzle under pressure with heating. Temperatures ranged up to 330.degree. C. with residence times as low as six seconds, with 180.degree. C. for 10 minutes as a preferred example. Polysuccinimides with small amounts of polyaspartic acids as by products were produced. These were hydrolyzed to the polyaspartates by mild alkaline hydrolysis. In one example in which the ratio of ammonia to maleic was as high as 2.5:1, polyasparagine was the main product, with polysuccinimide as a byproduct. These materials were also converted by mild alkaline hydrolysis to polyaspartate. Various properties of the materials were listed such as dispersancy, sequestering, corrosion inhibition; an antimicrobial action versus bacteria and fungi was also detected.
JP 08059821 to Hattori and Mori (1996) discloses polymerization of aspartic acid in a paraffin mixture at 220.degree. C. for 4 hours to produce polysuccinimide. After purification and alkaline hydrolysis, a relatively high MW (24,000) polyaspartate was produced.
DE 4434463 to Kroner and Schornick (1996) discloses the copolymerization of aspartic acid and citric acid in the presence of ammonia at a 1:1:1 ratio by mixing the reactants in water, drying, then heating at 160.degree. C. for 2 hours. Mild alkaline hydrolysis was used to convert imide residues to aspartate. The product was a low MW (1500) copolymer and was described as useful as a complexing agent.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,506,335 to Uhr et al. (1996) describes the preparation of sulfonated derivatives of polyaspartate, for example, by addition of aminomethylsulfonic acid to polysuccinimide in dimethyl formamide. The product was isolated by filtration, washed, then converted to the polyaspartate form by mild alkaline hydrolysis. Utility as a dispersant of CaCO.sub.3 was exemplified, and many other uses were mentioned such as antiscaling, corrosion inhibition, detergency, oral health care, and others.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,508,434 to Batzel et al. (1996) teaches a method for preparing polysuccinimide by heating an admixture of aspartic acid and sulfur-containing dehydrating agents like sulfur trioxide, sulfonic acids, and sodium bisulfate. In some cases, an acid-scavenging agent such as boric acid was added to promote somewhat higher molecular weights of the products. Temperature and times of polymerization were typically about 170.degree. C. and 2.5 hours. Polyaspartates were produced by alkaline hydrolysis of the polysuccinimides.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,523,023 and 5,525,257 to Kleinstuck et al. (1996) disclose polyaspartates prepared from thermally synthesized polysuccinimides in conjunction with other polyanions like polyacrylate and phosphonobutane tricarboxylate. Uses claimed were in water treatment, alkaline cleansers, dishwashers, and oil-field applications.
WO 9619524 to Nakato et al. (1996) describes the thermal polycondensation of maleic anhydride and ammonia in the presence of phosphoric acid by refluxing in trimethyl benzene (mesitylene). This produced a polysuccinimide which was treated with aqueous NaOH to obtain sodium polyaspartate of MW 4200. Uses envisioned for the product were chelating agent, flocculant, antiscalant, detergent builder, dispersant, humectant, fertilizer additive, and raw material for biodegradable polymers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,091 to Wagner et al. (1996) teaches the synthesis of polysuccinimide by passing droplets of molten maleic anhydride through gaseous ammonia at temperatures up to 250.degree. C. Although conversions exemplified were only about 50%, reaction times were only 50 seconds or less and the temperature was limited to 160.degree. C. At temperatures of 120.degree. C. or less, monomeric maleic amide rather than polysuccinimide was produced. Polyaspartate was made by mild alkaline hydrolysis.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,934 to Freeman et al. (1996) discloses the thermal synthesis of polysuccinimide catalyzed by phosphoric acid and copolymers of succinimide and other amino acids such as tyrosine, histidine, phenylalanine, and leucine in the presence of polyphosphoric acid. The copolymers were prepared with a reactant molar ratio of 4:1 aspartic acid:comonomer amino acid. The resulting polysuccinimides and copolymers of succinimide were converted to the aspartate forms by mild alkaline hydrolysis. The materials were exemplified as useful, particularly in conjunction with pyrophosphate, as inhibitors of corrosion of ferrous metals.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,813 to Charpenel and Lepage (1996) discloses the thermal synthesis of linear biodegradable polysuccinimides in the presence of boric acid and related boron compounds. Included was an interpretation of proton NMR data to show possible production of branched polysuccinimides by dry, thermal, uncatalyzed synthesis from aspartic acid, including improved biodegradability of the linear, boric-acid synthesized materials. The polysuccinimides were converted to polyaspartates by mild alkaline hydrolysis. The materials, which included copolymers of aspartic acid and other amino acids, were indicated for use in detergents. The materials were described as low-in-color to virtually white, but a bleaching step was also described for improving the color of the products. In addition, although condensation reactions were described at 30.degree. to 50.degree. C., synthesis temperatures were at 130.degree. to 300.degree. C.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,543,490 to Groth et al. (1996) describes the synthesis of maleamic acid by reaction of maleic anhydride and ammonia in a solvent such as toluene at 60.degree. to 70.degree. C. for up to about 2 hours. Next, the purified maleamic acid was thermally polymerized to polysuccinimide at about 185.degree. C. for about 5 minutes, although higher temperatures and longer times were also described. The polysuccinimide was subjected to mild alkaline hydrolysis to produce polyaspartate. Activities relative to corrosion inhibition, antimicrobial action, and dispersancy were shown.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,548,036 (1996) to Kroner et al. discloses the preparation of polysuccinimide and copolymers of succinimide and aspartic acid by thermal polymerization of maleic anhydride and ammonia. At temperatures less than 150.degree. C., the aspartic acid content of the polymer is favored. At temperatures greater than 190.degree. C., the succinimide content approaches 100%. Production of the aspartate-containing form of the polymer was favored by polymerization in the presence of alkalizing agents such as sodium carbonate. In addition, sodium polyaspartate without formation of polysuccinimide was accomplished by thermal polymerization of sodium salt of maleamic acid at 200.degree. C. for 2 hours. The materials were described as useful in detergents, as dispersants, as cement additives, and as antiscalants.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,552,516 to Ross et al. (1996) discloses higher molecular weight polysuccinimides prepared by linking lower molecular weight polysuccinimides with diamines or polyamines in an organic solvent. The crosslinked polysuccinimides were alkaline hydrolyzed to aqueous-soluble, crosslinked polyaspartates. The examples included polyaspartate materials of molecular weights up to 78,000, as measured by gel permeation with linear, lower-molecular-weight polyacrylates as standards. The probability that the nonlinear polyaspartates would have a lower molecular weight by gel permeation than a linear molecule of equivalent, actual molecular weight was discussed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,552,517 to Martin (1996) teaches the thermal polymerization of aspartic acid in alkyl alcohols or preferably alkanes such as dodecane in the presence of phosphoric acid. Reaction temperatures were exemplified from 160 to 220.degree. C. and disclosed to 260.degree. C. for about 1 to 2 hours. Low-color, relatively high MW polysuccinimides were produced (GPC MW up to 17,640), which were alkaline hydrolyzed to yield polyaspartates. Colorless or low-color polyaspartates and polysuccinimides were described as desirable for detergent applications.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,077 to Groth et al. (1997) teaches principally the thermal polymerization of maleic anhydride and ammonia to form polysuccinimide but also includes concepts and practices such as using the heat of formation of reaction intermediates for adiabatic formation of polymer precursors and oligopolymers in a first stage. This includes mixing dynamics in the same timeframe or faster than the rate of formation of reaction intermediates. This was said to minimize undesirable reactions between reactants and reaction products or byproducts. Thus, the reactants were mixed via a jet-mixer assembly within about 2 seconds and reacted in the first stage for less than 60 seconds at about 185.degree. C. The materials were pumped into a second-stage vessel such as a multiphase spiral tube reactor for further heating at about 170 to 175.degree. C. for 10 minutes. Polysuccinimides were produced and transferred, if desired, to a tank at 60.degree. C., pH-stat at 9.5 with aqueous NaOH for production of polyaspartates of MW around 3000. Numerous modifications and copolymerizations were discussed, and some exemplified. For example, labile compounds such as urea were described as sources of ammonia. In addition, comonomers such as acrylic acid, glutamic acid, citric acid, amino sulphonic acids, alcohols, fatty acids, and saccharides were discussed. The use of organic solvents as reaction media was also disclosed. Reference was made to spectroscopic data that indicated some level of ester linkages of maleic residues in the products as well as C--C linkages between maleic or fumaric residues. Molar excesses of NH.sub.3 to monomer reactant as high as 25:1 were mentioned, resulting in production of asparagine-containing polymers. Use of the materials in detergents was emphasized along with applications that included water-treatment, dispersancy, and additives for prevention of encrustations in concentrating sugar juice.
The occurrence of the polysuccinimide in the pathway to polyaspartate does afford the opportunity for formation of derivatives via nucleophilic addition to the imide rings. In addition, in some fields of use, the succinimide-containing polymer itself can be used directly without further treatment. However, most fields of use, including the ones with the largest amounts of annual use of polymers at present, call for conversion of the polysuccinimide and succinimide-containing copolymers to the polyaspartate forms. This necessitates extra steps and expense. Thus, it would be useful to be able to make polyaspartate and its derivatives directly, without having to subject the intermediate materials to the ring-opening, mild alkaline hydrolysis to produce the desired product with polycarboxylate character. It would also be useful to work directly with aspartic acid or aspartate as starting monomer rather than with maleic anhydride, ammonia, and related reactants.

Imide-free and mixed amide/imide thermal synthesis of polyaspartate


Textures are transferred between different object models using a point cloud. In a first phase, a point cloud in 3-D space is created to represent a texture map as applied to a first, or “source,” object model. In a second phase, a value for a target texel of a texture map associated with a second, or “target,” object model, is determined by identifying the 3-D location on a surface defined by the target object model that maps to the location of the target texel and assigning a value based on the nearest point (or points) to that location in the 3-D point cloud. To the extent that differences between the source and target object models are minor, the texture transfer can be accomplished without loss of information or manual cleanup.

The present invention relates in general to computer-based image generation and in particular to transferring textures from one surface to another based on three-dimensional location information.
Computer-based image generation is frequently used to produce animated movies. The characters and other objects that will appear in the movie can be defined as three-dimensional ("3-D") models that can be placed at various positions within a scene. Generally, the models for characters (and other movable objects) provide enough information to allow the character to be shown from any angle.
Modeling a character or other object usually involves defining the surface geometry (size and shape) of the character or object. Typically, the geometry is defined using one or more surfaces, where each surface is defined by a control mesh that includes a set of control vertices and rules for interpolating between the control vertices to locate other points on the surface. Each control vertex has coordinates (x, y, z) in a 3-D modeling coordinate space and is mapped to (u, v) coordinates in a "texture space"; rules for establishing such mappings are well known. The texture space is used to apply color (and other attributes) to the surface. As is generally known, a texture map associates an attribute value with (u, v) coordinates of a texel in a texture space. The texture map can be created, e.g., manually or procedurally. Multiple texture maps can be used to represent multiple attributes or in some cases perturbations to be applied to attributes. When the object is rendered, the rendering algorithm uses the texture mapping to determine the (u, v) texture coordinates associated with a point on the object's surface, then uses the texture coordinates to select a corresponding texel from the texture map. Texture coordinates for arbitrary points on an object's surface are usually determined by interpolation between the texture coordinates associated with neighboring control vertices. In some cases, multiple texels may be read and blended, or filtered, rather than using a single texel per point.
During the course of creating an animated movie, the texture and/or the object geometry of various objects appearing in the movie might both be changed. For instance, models of characters in the movie often undergo many changes (e.g., for esthetic effect) as the production progresses. Thus, it might be decided that a character's eyes should be larger or smaller in relation to his face, then later that a surface feature (e.g., a chin cleft) should be added to the face, and later still that the character should be taller or thinner. Dozens of changes can be expected in the course of developing the important characters in an animated movie.
Changing the geometry of a character or other object usually requires changes in the texture map(s) associated with the object. For instance, changes in the geometry usually include changing the control vertices, e.g., by adding new control vertices, deleting old control vertices, and/or shifting control vertices points to new positions. The mapping of control vertices to texture space coordinates is determined by the geometry, and modifying the control vertices may result in changes in the texture mapping. (Sometimes, even a seemingly small modification to the control vertices can result in a large change in the texture mapping.) If the texture information is not properly transferred from the original texture map to a new texture map associated with the modified model, undesirable distortion can result.
Existing techniques for transferring textures from old geometry to new geometry are time-consuming. One such technique entails manually re-painting the texture onto the modified object. This process is tedious and time-consuming. Another technique uses 2-D projections of the rendered object to at least partially automate the texture transfer. In this technique, a 2-D image of the original object is rendered from each of six orthographic projections. These rendered images are then projected, from appropriate directions, onto the modified object. The projections are used to populate a texture map associated with the modified object. This projection technique can save a significant amount of time as compared to manual re-painting, particularly for any portions of the object where geometry was not changed. However, projection techniques have other drawbacks. For instance, for a character with limbs (e.g., arms and legs), portions of the limbs will likely be occluded, or other portions of the body will be occluded by the limbs. Texture information for occluded portions of the object is lost in projection and must be manually re-created. In addition, distortion can result, e.g., if a surface of the object is oriented at an angle to the optical axis of the projection. Consequently, texture transfers can be accelerated using 2-D projections but often end up requiring extensive manual cleanup.
It would therefore be desirable to provide improved techniques for transferring textures between different versions of object geometry.

Three-dimensional location-based texture transfers


An escalator system with wheel chair steps comprising a main frame having an upper end and a lower end, a plurality of steps connected in an endless conveyor loop and capable of circulating along the main frame, and an operating mechanism disposed at a position close to the ends of the main frame. The escalator system further comprises a first wheel chair step disposed between the steps and having a connection arm capable of being displaced toward the lower end of the main frame by a shifter mechanism engageable with the operating mechanism when necessary. The escalator system also comprises a second wheel chair step disposed between the steps and having a rising tread board capable of being raised by a raising mechanism engageable with the operating mechanisms when necessary and a boarding plate capable of being displaced toward the lower end of the main frame by a shifter mechanism engageable with the operating mechanism when necessary. The rising tread board, when raised, is supported by the connection arm displaced in a projected position and defines a combined and enlarged horizontal surface together with the tread board of the first wheel chair step.

This invention relates to an escalator system with wheel chair steps and an operating method therefor and, more particularly, to an escalator system and an operating method therefor in which wheel chair steps are connected in an endless conveyor loop of steps for providing an enlarged tread surface for a wheel chair when in need.
In a conventional escalator with wheel chair steps disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2-14278, the arrangement is such that at least three steps stop in the upper or lower horizontal run and provide a combined and enlarged horizontal surface so that a wheel chair can ride on or off the enlarged horizontal surface.
In the conventional wheel chair escalator as above discussed, at least three steps are horizontally positioned at the upper or lower horizontal run in order to allow a wheel chair to ride on or off. Therefore, the overall length of the escalator main frame becomes long and the provision of the installation space is difficult, whereby a limitation is posed on the installation of the escalator system with wheel chair steps. Also, a main frame of an already installed escalator without wheel chair steps cannot be used without modifications, so that additional modification is work is necessary.

Escalator system with wheel chair steps and an operating method therefor


The invention relates to a process to check the pairing of a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) transmitter with a BLE receiver, comprising the following steps:                Transmitting to the BLE transmitter of a function for generating a sequence of data packets, each data packet generated in accordance with the function having at least one identification value, one major value, and/or one minor value, and at least two data packets of the sequence having different identification values, major values, and/or minor values;        Sending, at intervals, by the BLE transmitter of the data packets of at least one sequence generated by the BLE transmitter in accordance with the function;        Receiving, by the BLE receiver, of at least part of the sequence of data packets transmitted by the BLE transmitter;        Checking, by the BLE receiver, of at least part of the received sequence for whether it correlates and/or agrees with the function; and, if it does correlate and/or agree;        Generating by the BLE receiver of a pairing signal for the BLE transmitter.

The invention relates to a process for checking a pairing of a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) transmitter with a Bluetooth Low Energy receiver. The invention also relates to an arrangement with the BLE transmitter and the BLE receiver.
Bluetooth Low Energy, also called Bluetooth LE, Bluetooth Smart, Bluetooth Ultra Low Power, or Wibree, is a wireless technology that allows the networking of devices in a surrounding area of about 10 meters. Compared with other Bluetooth protocols, BLE is characterized by clearly lower power consumption and correspondingly lower costs. In 2013, Apple introduced a proprietary standard based on Bluetooth Low Energy that is known to specialists under the brand iBeacon. An iBeacon is a signal transmitter that transmits signals at fixed time intervals. As a rule, the signals comprise a so-called Universally Unique Identifier (UUID) value, a major value, and a minor value, the UUID being a 128-bit digit, and the major and minor values being 16-bit digit. As a rule, the UUID value, major value, and minor value are transmitted in plain text, unencrypted.
Now if a receiver, for example a smartphone with an application installed on it that is designed to receive and analyze iBeacon signals, comes within range of an iBeacon, the application can identify the UUID of the iBeacon and measure its signal strength. If at least three iBeacons are received, trilateration or fingerprinting processes can be used to calculate the position of the smartphone. The application can activate site-specific services on the smartphone and/or cause it to display site-specific information. This allows, for example, automatic display, on a visitor's smartphone, of specific information about special offers in a store, notes about lecture materials in an educational institution, or information about a current exhibit in museums.
Taking a specialized electronics store as an example of a store, the UUID value can be assigned to the chain of specialized electronics stores, while the major value can stand for a specific specialized store in a city, from among a number of specialized stores. The minor value can be assigned to a specialized department in the specific specialized store, for example, in the case of the specialized electronics store, the television department, the computer department, or the camera department. Now, if a customer visits the specialized store, and activates an iBeacon application of the specialized electronics store chain on his smartphone, it can be determined, on the basis of the iBeacons installed in the specialized store, whether the visitor is in the television department, the computer department, or the camera department.
This allows the iBeacon application to display, on the visitor's smartphone, targeted product information about special offers, background information on offered products, or similar things. However, since the UUID value, major value, and minor value are transferred in plain text, unencrypted, this information can also be used by other applications of third parties different from the specialized electronics store chain. For example, it is conceivable that the visitor's smartphone has a third-party application installed on it that shows the visitor product information and prices of alternative vendors, which naturally is not in the interest of the specialized electronics store chain.

Short-range communication device with sender and receiver


(A) An anionic surfactant, (B) a silicate monomer and (C) a basic silane are mixed in water or a mixed solvent of a water-miscible organic solvent and water to obtain a mesoporous silica complex having mesopores with a uniform size, the anionic surfactant Component (A) is removed by washing the resultant mesoporous silica complex with an acidic aqueous solution, a water-miscible organic solvent or an aqueous solution thereof to obtain a mesoporous silica outer shell utilizing the structure of the mesoporous silica complex as a template, and the mesoporous silica complex or the mesoporous silica outer shell is calcined to obtain a mesoporous silica. The mesoporous silica can be synthesized in this manner utilizing the anionic surfactant micelle with a remarkably low affinity to the silicate monomer.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mesoporous silica utilizing the structure of a self-assembled anionic surfactant as the template, characterized by using a basic silane, and a process for producing the same.
2. Related Art
Mesoporous silicas such as MCM-41, wherein surfactant micelle has been utilized as the template, have high specific surface area and uniform pore size, and they have been applied in various fields because of their structural features. Methods for synthesizing the mesoporous silicas utilizing cationic or nonionic surfactants as templates have been well established (JP-A-2001-261326).
Anionic surfactants are higher in versatility and advantageous in costs and diversity as compared with the other three types of surfactants, i.e., cationic, nonionic and amphoteric surfactants. Although it has been reported that anionic surfactants can be used as a template in the same manner as for the other three types of surfactants to produce mesoporous metal oxides of iron, nickel, cobalt, etc. with three-dimensionally unstable, lamellar, mesoporous structures (Takashi Tatsumi, et al, Materials Integration, P. 50, Vol. 13, No. 10 (2000), and Q. Huo, G. D. Stucky, et al, Chem. Mater., 1994, 6, 1176-1191), mesoporous silicas using the anionic surfactant templates have not been reported. Thus, the mesoporous silicas could not be synthesized using anionic surfactants practically. The reason therefor seems because silicate monomers have little affinity for the anionic surfactants, whereby the silicate monomers are polymerized not on the boundary surface of the micelle or self-assembly of the anionic surfactants but in solvent bulk under alkaline conditions. The thus-produced silicate has an amorphous structure similar to the polymerizate under alkaline conditions without surfactants.

Mesoporous silica and process for producing the same


The disclosure relates to the field of image processing technologies and particularly to a method and device for determining an image offset and a storage medium. A method according to an embodiment of the disclosure includes: dividing equally an acquired target image into a number M*N of first sub-areas and dividing equally an acquired image to be aligned into a number M*N of second sub-areas; determining an area offset between each first sub-area and a corresponding second sub-area; and determining an image offset between the target image and the image to be aligned according to the determined multiple area offsets.

A camera device includes a photo camera, a video camera, etc., and can further include a handset, a tablet computer, a notebook computer and other mobile terminals with a front-camera and/or a back-camera, and a television set, a desktop computer and other terminal devices with an external camera.
The camera device is typically configured to acquire an image and can be further configured to present the acquired image to a user. Acquisition of an image can involve the following at least two aspects: one of the aspects relates to previewing of the image, that is, a preview image is generated before an image is taken so that the user can conveniently select an appropriate angle at which the image is taken, and the other aspect relates to taking of the image, that is, the image is taken by pressing a predetermined switch on the camera device, clicking on a predetermined area on the camera device or performing another predetermined operation. In the process above of acquiring the image, it is typically necessary to extract image details respectively from multiple acquired images to thereby compose a single image, and this may necessitate alignment of two or more images acquired at different instances of time and under different conditions (e.g., weather, illumination, and locations and angles at which the images are taken, etc.), which is referred to as image registration.

Method and device for determining image offset and storage medium

HISENSE MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


The present specification provides for a cosmetic agent for coloring keratinic fibers. The agent includes, in a cosmetic carrier at least one color imparting compound and at least one modified starch. The modified starch is modified by propylene oxide, has an average molecular weight between 50 and 2500 kiloDaltons (kDa), and has a propylene oxide content between 0.1 and 20.0 wt % based on the weight of the modified starch.

There are a variety of coloring systems, depending on the coloring requirements, for applying cosmetic agents for coloring, in particular to keratinic fibers such as human hair.
For permanent, intense color results with corresponding fastness properties, so-called oxidizing coloring agents are used. Such coloring agents usually include oxidation dye precursors called "developer components" and "coupler components." The developer components, under the influence of oxidizing agents or atmospheric oxygen, form the actual dyes with one another or are coupled to one or more coupler components. Oxidizing coloring agents are notable for outstanding, long-lasting color results. For natural-looking colors, however, it is usually necessary to use a mixture of a larger number of oxidation dye precursors; in many cases, substantive dyes are also used for toning.
Primary aromatic amines having a further free or substituted hydroxy or amino group located in the para- or ortho-position, heterocyclic hydrazones, diaminopyrazole derivatives, and 2,4,5,6-tetraaminopyrimidine and derivatives thereof, may be used as developer components. M-phenylenediamine derivatives, naphthols, pyridine derivatives, resorcinol and resorcinol derivatives, pyrazolones, and m-aminophenols may be used as coupler components.
For temporary coloring, coloring or tinting agents that include so-called "substantive" dyes as a coloring component may be used. These are dye molecules that absorb directly onto the substrate and do not require an oxidative process in order to form the color. These color results are appreciably more sensitive to shampooing than the oxidative colors, so that an often undesired shift in tone, or even visible homogeneous "decoloring," then occurs very much more quickly.
Lastly, a further coloring method has attracted much attention. In this method, precursors of melanin, a natural hair dye, are applied onto the substrate, e.g. hair; these precursors then form bioanalogous dyes in the context of oxidative processes. When agents having 5,6-dihydroxyindoline are used, in particular repeatedly, it is possible to restore the natural hair color to people with graying hair. Coloring can occur using atmospheric oxygen as the only oxidizing agent, so that no further oxidizing agents need to be utilized. For persons originally having medium-blonde to brown hair, indoline can be used as the only dye precursor. For use on persons having originally red, and in particular a dark to black hair color, on the other hand, satisfactory results can often be achieved only with the concurrent use of further dye components, in particular special oxidation dye precursors.
Improving the coloring performance of coloring agents is a constant aspiration. European patent application EP A1 1 568 351 discloses the use of a composition, comprising a starch including pregelatinized amylose, to preserve artificial color on hair.
International patent application WO-A1-98/01109 relates to agents for cleaning or caring for hair, the agent including a pregelatinized crosslinked starch selected from a (C2 to C6) hydroxyalkyl starch and a (C2 to C6) acyl starch. These agents, and others, however, are still capable of improvement.
For example, the color intensity, or coloring strength, of the dyes used has the consequence that costly dyes may be used more economically. The color results obtained are furthermore intended to exhibit a high degree of color fastness with regard to, for example, perspiration, washing, light, or friction, and should be compatible with the use of other hair treatment agents, in particular in the context of hair care. Uniform coloring along the keratinic fibers likewise presents a challenge to a commercially successfully coloring agent for keratinic fibers. Keratinic fibers, in particular human hairs, are natural products that grow, and are thus inhomogeneous in terms of their structural nature along the fiber. For example, the keratinic material of the fiber along the length of the hair and at the ends of the hair has been exposed for a longer period of time to environmental influences than the regions of the fiber in the vicinity of the hair root. The fibers along the length of the hair and at the ends of the hair therefore exhibit greater changes in the originally grown fiber structure. Differences in fiber structure often result in inhomogeneous color uptake and in inhomogeneous wearing away of the color as a result of environmental influences. As a result, the color is perceived visually as inhomogeneous.
The object of the present specification was therefore to furnish a cosmetic composition that colors keratinic fibers and that produces improved coloring and does not exhibit the aforementioned disadvantages.
Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Compositions for colouring keratin fibres


Methods and systems for performing a partial pass-through transfer are described. In an aspect, a method includes: receiving, from a first computing system, pass-through transfer definition data to be associated with a first logical storage area, the pass-through transfer definition data including a trigger condition for a pass-through transfer and an apportionment value for the pass-through transfer; storing a representation of the pass-through transfer definition data in association with the first logical storage area; detecting a first data transfer to the first logical storage area, the first data transfer representing a transfer of a resource; determining that the first data transfer satisfies the trigger condition; and in response to determining that the first data transfer satisfies the trigger condition: identifying a portion of the resource based on the apportionment value; and initiating a second data transfer.

It is sometimes necessary or desirable to conduct transfers between database records. For example, transfers are sometimes made from a first record to a second record. The transfers may sometimes occur within the same database and sometimes the transfers may occur between different databases. In some instances, the databases may reside on different systems which may connect to one another through a network.
In some instances, it may be that a received transfer, or a portion thereof, is to be re-routed. Existing transfer systems often result in a high latency before such re-routing. In some instances, the re-routing may occur hours or even days after the initial transfer is received.
Like reference numerals are used in the drawings to denote like elements and features.

Partial pass-through data transfer system


A three dimensional stacked nonvolatile semiconductor memory according to an example of the present invention includes a memory cell array comprised of first and second blocks. The first block has a first cell unit which includes a memory cell to be programmed and a second cell unit which does not include a memory cell to be programmed, and programming is executed by applying a program potential or a transfer potential to word lines in the first block after the initial potential of channels of the memory cells in the first and second cell units is set to a plus potential. In the programming, the program potential and the transfer potential are not applied to word lines in the second block.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a three dimensional stacked nonvolatile semiconductor memory.
2. Description of the Related Art
BiCS (Bit Cost Scalable) technology is known as a technology for suppressing a bit cost of a semiconductor memory by increasing the capacity thereof by a three dimensional structure (refer to, for example, "Bit Cost Scalable Technology with Punch and Plug Process for Ultra High Density Flash Memory" 2007 Symposium on VLSI Technology Digest of Technical Papers. p. 14).
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory to which the BiCS technology is applied (hereinafter, called a BiCS memory) has a feature in that it not only has a three dimensional structure but makes bit cost scalability possible so that a bit cost can be reduced in proportion to an increase of the number of stacked layers by devising a device structure and a process technology.
In, for example, a NAND flash memory to which the BiCS technology is applied (hereinafter, called a BiCS-NAND flash memory), a memory capacity, which greatly exceeds the limit of the memory capacity of a NAND flash memory having a two-dimensional structure, can be realized by increasing the number of cells in a longitudinal direction which comprise a NAND column by increasing the number of stacked layers.
However, since the BiCS memory which is represented by a BiCS-NAND flash memory has a unique device structure, there are many problems to be solved to practically use the BiCS memory.
A program disturb is exemplified as one of the problems.
The BiCS memory has such a feature that cell units are included in one block connected to one bit line. Further, the cell units cannot be selected at the same time from the viewpoint of a circuit operation. Accordingly, a non-selected cell unit which does not include a memory cell to be programmed exists in a selected block.
This problem does not occur in a flash memory having a two dimensional structure.
Therefore, program disturb must be examined to prevent a variation of a threshold voltage of a memory cell in a non-selected cell unit in a selected block in programming.
In particular, in the BiCS memory, since it is not necessary to apply a program potential to a cell unit in a non-selected block different from the flash memory having the two dimensional structure, it is not necessary to examine program disturb to the cell unit in the non-selected block. However, since the program potential is applied to a non-selected cell unit in a selected block, the BiCS memory has a special property in that program disturb occurs in the non-selected cell unit.

Three dimensional stacked nonvolatile semiconductor memory


A blow molding machine includes a support member and a moving mechanism that moves the support member to a projecting position a storing position. The blow molding machine includes a first fixed fulcrum shaft, and the support member includes a base end portion rotatably supported by the first fixed fulcrum shaft and a free end portion provided with a first movable fulcrum shaft. The moving mechanism includes a plurality of links connected rotatably to each other, one of the plurality of links being rotatably supported by the movable fulcrum shaft of the support member, and, when the support member is set at the projecting position, the plurality of links are maintained linearly by a first angle fixing tool, thereby enabling the plurality of links to serve as a leg portion that supports the free end portion of the support member.

For example, in a blow molding machine disclosed in patent document 1, many mold components are used. Since the mold components are made according to the sizes and shapes of containers to be blow molded, when the sizes and shapes of the container are changed according to a manufacturing lot, the mold components must be replaced.
When the same container is mass produced, the frequency of replacement of the mold components is low. However, recently, since the kinds of containers to be molded have increased and multi-kind small-quantity lots have increased, when the replacement frequency of the mold components increases, there is raised the need to reduce the burden of the mold component replacing operation.

Blow molding machine, mold component mounting method and mold unit


A method may include maintaining a sample comprising an ionic species and an optical indicator at an elevated temperature above 25° C. on a semi-conductive microfluidic die during an incubation period, intermittently interrogating the sample with an interrogating light during the incubation period and sensing a response of the sample to the interrogating light, wherein the sample is interrogated with the interrogating light only during those times at which the sample is being sensed.

Tests are sometimes carried out on samples to determine the presence or absence of an ionic species to identify a state of the sample source. For example, nucleic acid tests are sometimes carried out to determine the presence or absence of an ionic species such as deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or ribonucleic acid (RNA) to determine various states of health or disease of the organism from which the sample was taken. Such a test may be part of a screening assay in the field or at the point of care by clinicians.
Throughout the drawings, identical reference numbers designate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements. The figures are not necessarily to scale, and the size of some parts may be exaggerated to more clearly illustrate the example shown. Moreover, the drawings provide examples and/or implementations consistent with the description; however, the description is not limited to the examples and/or implementations provided in the drawings.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


The present invention relates to a peach tree, Prunus persica, and more particularly to a new and distinct variety characterized by a medium size, vigorous, half-hardy, self-fertile, productive and regular bearing tree. The fruit matures under the ecological conditions described in late May, with first picking on May 24, 2005. The fruit is very large in size, sweet and acidic in flavor, somewhat oblate in shape, clingstone in type, yellow in flesh color, mostly red in skin color, and melting in texture. The present variety was the result of an open pollinated unnamed peach (unpatented) seedling.

In a continuing effort to improve the quality of shipping fruits, I, the inventor, typically hybridize a large number of peach, nectarine, plum, apricot, and cherry seedlings each year. I also grow a lesser number of open pollinated seedlings each year of these fruits, usually to reveal recessive characteristics. The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of peach tree, which has been demonstrated varietally as 'Spring Princess'.
During the spring of 1998 I gathered open pollinated seeds from several unnamed peaches (unpatented) located in my experimental orchard at Bradford Farms near Le Grand, Calif. in Merced County (San Joaquin Valley). Using embryoculture techniques I germinated the seeds, grew them as seedlings on their own root in my greenhouse, and transplanted them the following winter into a cultivated area of the experimental orchard described above as a group labeled "Early Peach (OP)". During the spring of 2002 I selected the present variety as a single seedling from this "Early Peach (OP)" group. Subsequent to origination of the present variety of peach tree, I asexually reproduced it by budding and grafting in the experimental orchard described above, and such reproduction of plant and fruit characteristics were true to the original plant in all respects. The reproduction of the variety included the use of 'Nemaguard' (unpatented) rootstock upon which the present variety was compatible and true to type.
The present variety is most similar to 'Crimson Lady' (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,953) peach by producing good tasting fruit that is clingstone in type, mostly red skin color, and yellow in flesh color, but is distinguished therefrom by requiring considerably less chilling hours and by producing fruit that is larger in size, flatter in shape, melting instead of in non-melting in texture, and that matures about eight days earlier.


A multi-axis imaging system and method wherein a plurality of optical elements are arranged to produce in image space thereof respective images of respective regions in object space thereof, and a plurality of image sensing elements corresponding to respective optical elements are disposed in image space of the image sensing elements to capture images of the respective regions. At least one baffle is positioned along an optical pathway of at least one of the optical elements to block light from outside the field of view of the one of the optical elements from reaching a corresponding image sensing element.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of light microscopy. More specifically, this invention relates to multi-axis imaging systems, particularly an array of miniature imaging systems which can scan an entire specimen on a microscope slide in a single pass.
2. Discussion of the Background
Pathologists are physicians responsible for analyzing tissue specimens, fine-needle aspirates of tissues, cytology specimens, and liquid specimens such as urine or blood by light microscopy. Analysis of specimens frequently is accomplished by viewing specimens on slides through a light microscope or by viewing electronic images of the specimens on a video monitor. Video images can be obtained by mounting a video camera on a conventional light microscope and capturing images in either an analog or digital imaging mode. Microscopes with motorized stages translate slides to move one portion of the specimen on the slide into a field of view of the microscope and then translate to move another portion of the specimen into the field of view. Microscopic digital images of entire specimens can be assembled from the individual digital images.
Light microscopes have a field of view (FOV) measuring from tens of microns to millimeters in diameter, depending on the transverse magnification of the microscope objective. To image an entire standard microscope slide (i.e., a 25 mm by 75 mm microscope-slide) requires a conventional light microscope to scan back and forth multiple times. The scanning process is time intensive. As a result, ordinarily not all portions of the pathological specimen are imaged. Rather, the pathologist depends on statistics to determine a normal or an abnormal culture. Digital images of a percentage of the pathological specimen are scanned and captured in a matter of minutes using the conventional motorized light microscope.
While it is possible to design an optical system with a single optical pathway which has a FOV comparable to the microscope slide width, this design requires a very large objective lens which in turn produces a large imaging system requiring substantial stabilization of the microscope during scanning and imaging. As a result, microscopes with smaller objectives and smaller FOVs have been used, and a subsample of a few thousand fields of the pathological sample may be relied upon to represent the histopathology, cytopathology, or histomorphology of the specimen. The complete pathological sample is not necessarily viewed, which can be suboptimal for medical purposes.
Related U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 60/276,498 entitled MINIATURZED MICROSCOPE ARRAY AND DIGITAL SLIDE SCANNER discloses a novel method and apparatus for rapidly obtaining an image of an entire slide using an array microscope. In general, this is a multiple-optical-axis, or multi-axis, imaging system having a plurality of imaging elements arranged in an array, each imaging element having one or more optical elements disposed along the optical axis thereof. Where the imaging elements are microscopes, the system is a microscope array (MA), or miniature microscope array (MMA) since the imaging elements are preferably very small. Where used to image a single object, the system may be referred to as an "array microscope".
In a multi-axis imaging system such as an MMA, where the imaging elements are closely packed, cross talk between the plurality of imaging elements at the image sensors is a serious problem. Cross talk is caused by unwanted light that originates outside the field of view of an individual imaging element. The field of view is defined herein as the projection of an image-plane sensor or a segment of an image-plane sensor associated with the individual imaging system into an object space, e.g., into an object plane that is conjugate to the image plane. Failure to suppress cross talk in a multi-optical-axis imaging system can lead to a reduction of contrast and/or a reduction in image quality in an image. While the term "cross talk" includes light from neighboring imaging elements, as used herein it is not limited thereto.
As described in the Summary of the Invention and Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment hereafter, the present invention is directed to a multi-axis imaging system. In such a system, an individual imaging element can be thought of as being surrounded not by an opaque housing, as is the typical configuration for a single-optical-axis imaging system, but instead by a light-transmitting structure that consists of the neighboring imaging elements and the support structure associated with the multi-axis imaging system. As a result and because of close packing of the imaging elements, light from one imaging element can propagate into another neighboring imaging element; the many surfaces needed to produce multi-axis imaging systems can lead to numerous reflections and scattering of light; and the use of transparent substrates for the arrays of optical elements can allow light to propagate outside an optical element's aperture and yet reach an image sensor.
Accordingly, it can be appreciated that there is a particular need in a multi-axis imaging system to reduce cross talk between imaging elements and other undesirable effects due to unwanted light that reduce image contrast and image quality.