The invention describes protein S polypeptides and anti-PS antibodies capable of inhibiting the binding of proteins to C4BP. The peptides and antibodies are useful in diagnostic methods and systems for purifying or detecting free protein S. In addition, the polypeptides are useful in therapeutic methods as an anti-coagulant.

Vitamin K-dependent protein S (PS) is a single chain glycoprotein of 75,000 daltons molecular mass. It serves as a cofactor to activated protein C in the inactivation of factors Va and VIIIa. The concentration of PS in human plasma is approximately 25 mg/l. Protein S is found in citrated plasma at least in two forms, free PS (PS.sub.F), comprising about 40% of total PS, and bound to C4b binding protein (C4BP), comprising about 60% of total PS. C4BP is a regulatory protein of the classical pathway of the complement system. Only the free form of PS supports the cofactor activity for activated protein C. Protein S forms complexes with C4BP in the presence of Ca++ and EDTA, and the dissociation constant (Kd) for the interaction is much lower in the presence of Ca++ (6.times.10.sup.-10 M) than in the presence of EDTA (10.sup.-9 M). This low binding constant suggests that protein S circulating in blood is either completely bound to C4BP or another component that changes the equilibrium between protein S and C4BP might be involved. This third component called protein S binding protein (PSBP) was described in plasma bovine but is not found in human plasma.
The physiological relevance of protein S is demonstrated by the observed increased risk of venous thromboembolism among individuals with congenital protein S deficiency. In addition, 30% of patients exhibiting arterial thrombosis exhibit decreases in plasma PS levels. Therefore, assays for measuring the plasma levels of PS, and particularly the levels of free PS are an important tool for the clinician. The complexation of PS with C4BP removes the anticoagulation active form of PS (PS.sub.F) from the circulation.
Previous assays for measuring plasma levels of PS included the use of a pooled normal plasma as a reference standard that contained total PS comprising free (PS.sub.F) and complexed (PS:C4BP) PS. Thus the assay must separate free PS from complexed PS in order to identify the amount of PS.sub.F available in the blood. Edson et al., Am. J. Clin. Path., 94:176-186 (1990), reviews laboratory diagnostic methods for detecting free protein S, including the standard two dimensional rocket crossed immunoelectrophoresis (CIEP) procedure of Laurell et al., Anal. Biochem., 10:358-361 (1985), and the two step precipitation procedure of Comp et al., Blood, 67:504-508 (1986), using polyethylene glycol to selectively remove PS:C4BP complex from free PS prior to measurement of PS.
Antibodies immunospecific for free PS have not been described. Attempts to develop antibodies that bind the region of PS involved in binding C4BP, and that therefore would inhibit the binding of PS to C4BP have also not been successful. Dahlback et al., J. Biol. Chem., 265:8127-8135 (1990). Thus there is presently no direct means to immunologically distinguish free PS from PS:C4BP complex. Because direct assay of free PS is not presently available, assays for free PS require a separation step to distinguish the immunologically indistinguishable species of free PS from PS:C4BP complex.
Malm et al., describes a monoclonal antibody that immunoreacts with protein S (Eur. J. Biochem., 165:39-45, 1987). The antibody described binds free protein S and binds protein S complexed with C4b binding protein (C4BP), but does not bind thrombin-cleaved protein S, and is therefore proposed to bind an epitope located near the gla domain of protein S.
Recently the synthetic peptide GVQLDLDEAI (SEQ ID NO 6: 3-17) was described that is derived from the carboxy terminal region of protein S (residues 605 to 614 of mature PS) and that inhibits the interaction of protein S with C4BP in vitro. Walker et al., J. Biol. Chem., 264:17645-17648 (1989); and Weinstein et al., J. Clin Invest., 86:1928-1935 (1990). These reports suggest that this region of protein S is important for the binding to C4BP. Other protein S polypeptides corresponding to residues 608-616 and 616-624 were shown to have a measurable effect on the binding of PS to C4BP.
Additional fragments of protein S have been described in the literature that are produced by proteolytic cleavage. Dahlback et al., J. Biol. Chem., 261:5111-5115 (1986); and Stenflo et al., Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 84:368-372 (1987). However, none of these fragments have been identified as having the capacity to inhibit protein S binding to C4BP.

Protein S polypeptides and anti-peptide antibodies that inhibit protein S binding to C4B binding protein, diagnostic systems and therapeutic methods


A casino game comprising one or more decks of standard playing cards and a layout which designates a first area for the placing of community cards and a second area composed of a plurality of betting areas. The object of the game being to make a good poker hand of cards being composed of players' individual cards in conjunction with community cards. A further object of the game is to win the “Pot” bets by holding the highest poker hand. In one embodiment a bonus bet is allowed. The preferred game apparatus includes a single deck of standard playing cards and a layout that provides betting areas.

The present invention relates to methods for playing a casino game in the nature of poker using one or more decks of conventional playing cards. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for playing a casino wagering game which is a variation of five-card stud poker.
Poker is a popular game throughout the world. It combines principles of card games known for centuries in Europe but in its present form it is distinctly of American origin. There are numerous forms of Poker and the main divisions are: Draw Poker, in which all of a player's cards are unknown to his opponents and Stud Poker, in which some of the player's cards are face up and others face down.
Within the above two broad categories numerous variations exist with "Holdem" or "Texas Holdem" being a popular example. In "Holdem" each player makes an ante wager and is dealt two cards face down. After a betting interval three communal cards are dealt face up. A second betting interval follows and the dealer then turns up one more communal card. Another betting round follows after which the dealer turns up the final communal card and the player with the highest Poker ranked hand assembled from their own cards and the five communal cards wins the pot.
In modern casinos Poker takes one of three forms: live or cardroom Poker where players compete against one another but the games are controlled and supervised by a house dealer who removes a house levy either in the form of a participation fee or as a percentage of winning hands; electronic video machines offering various forms of Poker; and Poker played as a "bankers game" either where the game involves players in contest with the dealer's hand or where the object is for the players to obtain a hand based on hierarchical Poker rankings. In both versions of Banker games the house enjoys a favorable advantage based on a pay table that is structured in such a way that the pay-offs are not based on the true mathematical odds, or rules of play so structured that the house has a favorable edge.
The growth in casinos has prompted the introduction of new games and variations to established games and numerous patents have been granted in this field. For example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,836,553 and 4,948,134 (Suttle et al.) a casino type Poker game is disclosed in which players each play against a dealer (a banked game). If a player wins, he receives a bonus payment depending on the Poker rank of his hand.
Various other patents disclose further variations to traditional forms of Poker. Sklansky U.S. Pat. No. 5,382,025 discloses a modification of Texas Holdem whereby players do not compete against one another and whereby players have the opportunity to select their two card hand from a plurality of hands dealt face-up. Breeding U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,430 discloses a Poker banker game in which the players place three bets at the outset but as the game unfolds the players are given the option of withdrawing two of their wagers. Potter et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,295 disclose an invention which provides a method whereby a plurality of hand ranking rules can be utilized within a single type wagering game.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,553 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,041 (both to Jones et al) disclose variations which are collectively referred to as Caribbean Stud™ poker. In the preferred method of play described in the '553 patent, the game commences with each player placing a preliminary bet ("ante") at a designated location on a table layout. The house dealer deals five cards to each player and to himself, all face down except for one card in the hand of the dealer. Having viewed his hand and assessed the chances, each player can elect to retire from the round at that point (to "fold") in which event the player forfeits his amount of the ante to the house. The alternative is for the player to make an additional bet—typically prescribed by house rules to be double the amount originally anted—whereupon the dealer reveals his entire hand. Provided that the dealer's hand has a poker value of at least Ace-King, the game progresses with the dealer comparing his hand to that of each pair and paying or collecting bets as appropriate. Poker hands of two pair or better are rewarded by payment of better than even odds on such hand of a winning player.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,041 discloses the optional super addition to Caribbean Stud™ of a "progressive jackpot" in which a player may at his option participates in that jackpot by making an additional jackpot wager of some predetermined amount, e.g. a playing token. The jackpot wagers submitted by all players are cumulated. The jackpot is paid out in whole or in part from time to time on the strength of the poker hand held by the winning jackpot bettor. Insofar as the amounts of the jackpot not won in a hand are carried over to the next, the jackpot is "progressive". The '041 patent and Jones et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,405 disclose totalizing apparatus including slots in which each player may deposit a gaming token towards the jackpot component, if desired and means for increasing or decreasing the jackpot meter as money is paid into or out of the jackpot. These two patents are incorporated herein by reference for their teaching of token-operated apparatus for keeping a running jackpot total.
In another variation of five-card stud poker for casino play, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,901,858 (Andrews), is carried out with one or more "royal" decks of twenty cards each—namely the 10's and face cards of each suit. Unlike Caribbean Stud™ described above, only three cards are dealt face down to each player and only two to the house dealer. One of the dealer's cards is displayed as a face-up community card for consideration by each player for use as the fourth card of the player's ultimate five-card poker hand. Having viewed his three cards and the community card, each player has the option of either standing on the "bet" wager which he initially placed on the game table or, if optimistic, placing a second (equivalent) "additional" wager on the "play" position and turning the three cards of the hand face up. That done, the dealer turns up the second of dealer's two cards as a second community card. The negative five-card poker hand of all players are evaluated and payouts are made according to a payout table.
A different game, commonly referred to as "Let it Ride" is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,288,081 (Breeding). Each player must place down three equal bets, whereupon the dealer deals three cards to each player and to the dealer, but then discards out of play ("burns") one of the dealer's three cards, sight unseen, leaving the dealer with only two cards. Alternatively, the dealer may simply deal three cards down to each player and refrain from dealing himself a third card. At that point, each player must decide whether to take back the first of his three bets or else to "let it ride." The dealer then turns up one of the two community cards so that each player, now in effect in possession of four cards of the ultimate five-card hand, is put to a decision whether to withdraw the second bet from the table or to let that bet ride. The third bet is not retrievable When dealer then turns over the second and last of his cards, play comes to an end, the players show their cards, and all bets still on the table are resolved and distributed according to the poker ranking of each bettor's hand.
In various of these games the participants are provided the option of discarding some or all of the cards which they were originally dealt. Such option can slow down the game causing it to lose momentum. There is a need for a new game where players both compete against one another and against the house and where the final result is delivered quickly to maximize the momentum of games played one after another.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a casino variation of five-card stud which allows players to bet against the house and each other while quickly revealing the results of each game.
While certain novel features of this invention shown and described below are pointed out in the annexed claims, the invention is not intended to be limited to the details specified, since a person of ordinary skill in the relevant art will understand that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. No feature of the invention is critical or essential unless it is expressly stated as being "critical" or "essential."

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The present invention provides a system and method for a reliable, low-cost, secure Internet Protocol (IP) based network that provides broadband-based voice communications as well as video and data communications. The IP network is arranged to function with the infrastructure of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), to control telephone calls in SS7 type networks and to provide the features, applications, and services of the typical SS7 networks in a voice over IP network. The present invention supports large effective call volumes, allows accommodation of a wide range of broadband-based service platforms, provides flexibility to support current and future calling feature services, and provides high quality voice transmission.

Present day telephony voice networks have a network built around circuit switches, end offices, a toll network, tandem switches, and twisted pair wires. These voice networks are referred to as a public switched telephone network (PSTN) or plain old telephone service (POTS). Due to bandwidth limitations of plain old telephone service (POTS), there is an inherent inability to efficiently integrate multiple types of broadband services such as IP telephony, high-speed data communication for personal computers (PC), and video on demand (VOD), Interactive television (ITV) and cable TV (CATV) services. Accordingly, a new broadband architecture is required for data-optimized access networks with reliable quality that can share voice, data and video communications efficiently and at low cost, allowing businesses to connect directly to data networks, thus changing the profile of the voice network while optimizing broadband service-based data transmission based on packet and cell technologies.

Broadband cable telephony network architecture IP ITN network architecture reference model


A lacrimal insert includes a body defining a reservoir, and a head provided at an end of the body and closing the reservoir. The body is made from a material impermeable to the medication while the head is made from a permeable material adapted to release the medication from the reservoir to the eye at a determinable rate. In one manufacture, the body of the insert is molded and includes a hole at a tip end; the head is molded onto the body; the medication is injected into the insert through the tip end hole; and the tip end is sealed. The portion of the insert at which the medication is released is precisely fabricated in order to control release of the medication, and the reservoir is filled and then closed away from the area of medication permeability.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates broadly to ophthalmic devices, and particularly to a lacrimal insert preferably in the shape of a punctum plug. More particularly, this invention relates to lacrimal inserts adapted to store and release medication.
2. State of the Art
In order to treat various conditions, drugs are administered to the eye. The most common form of drug delivery is by topical application to the eye's surface, e.g., by drops. The eye is uniquely suited to surface administration because drugs can penetrate through the cornea, rise to therapeutic concentration levels inside the eye, and exert their beneficial effects. In fact, ninety five percent of drugs delivered to the eye are currently administered through eye drops. Rarely are drugs for the eye administered orally or by injection, either because they reach the eye in too low a concentration to have the desired pharmacological effect, or because their use is complicated by significant systemic side effects.
Topical eye drops, though effective, are inefficient. When an eye drop is instilled in the eye, it overfills the conjunctival sac, the pocket between the eye and the lids, causing a substantial portion of the drop to be lost due to overflow of the lid margin onto the cheek. In addition, a substantial portion of the drop remaining on the ocular surface is washed away into the nasolacrimal duct, thereby diluting the concentration of the drug. Not only is this portion of the drug dose lost before it can cross the cornea, but this excess drug may be undesirably carried into the nose and throat where it is absorbed into the local or general circulation, sometimes leading to serious systemic side effects. The small portion of the drug in the eye drop which does penetrate the cornea results in an initial peak tissue concentration, a higher level than is required for the initial pharmacological effect. The tissue concentration then gradually decreases, such that by the time the next eye drop is due, the tissue concentration and the intended pharmacological effect may be too low.
To compound the problems described above, patients often do not use their eye drops as prescribed. Often, this poor compliance is due to an initial stinging or burning sensation caused by the eye drop. Certainly, instilling eye drops in one's own eye can be difficult, in part because of the normal reflex to protect the eye. Therefore, sometimes one or more drops miss the eye. Older patients may have additional problems instilling drops due to arthritis, unsteadiness, and decreased vision, and pediatric and psychiatric patient populations pose difficulties as well.
As a result of the above problems, there have been efforts to use a punctum plug in a manner which optimizes topical administration to take advantage of the benefits of topical administration but overcomes its drawbacks. U.S. Pat. No. 3,949,750 to Freeman describes a lacrimal insert in the shape of a punctum plug manufactured of a porous material which stores and slowly dispenses an ophthalmic medication to the eye. The Freeman plug overcomes many of the negative of topical administration, as a large proportion of the slowly dispensed medication is subject to a level rate of uptake at the eye without overflow of the conjunctival sac. If there is any drawback to the Freeman plug, it is that the dose of medication which can be stored in a solid porous plug is relatively small.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,196,993 to Cohan et al. describes a punctum plug having a reservoir within the body of the plug adapted for storing a larger quantity of medication, and a collarette having a pore in communication with the reservoir. The reservoir has a closed lower end and an upper portion open to the pore. The medication stored in the reservoir is released through the pore to the surface of the eye over time, with pore size adapted to control release rate of the medication. In one embodiment, a medication-permeable material is provided over the pore. The plug itself is shown manufactured in the patent in one piece from silicone or another material that is impermeable to the medication. However, with the reservoir being larger than the upper pore, the Cohan device cannot be manufactured as a one-piece plug. In fact, early versions of the Cohan device were manufactured with the collarette being glued or otherwise fused to a neck portion of the plug and the medication then inserted into the reservoir through the pore. This construction has serious drawbacks. Drug release or permeability is affected by locating the gluing site of the collarette to the body adjacent the pore site, as the pore may become clogged with glue or otherwise impede movement of the medication so as to affect drug release. In addition, if the permeable membrane is desired to be used over the pore, it must be placed over the collarette after filling the reservoir through the pore, which creates difficulties in product handling as the placement of such membrane may cause inadvertent premature release of medication during handling. Furthermore, any adhesive used to attach the permeable membrane to the collarette may affect the release rate of medication during implantation.

Lacrimal insert having reservoir with controlled release of medication and method of manufacturing the same


Disclosed is a process for producing an aromatic carbonate which comprises transesterifying, in the presence of a metal-containing catalyst, a starting material selected from the group consisting of a dialkyl carbonate, an alkyl aryl carbonate and a mixture thereof with a reactant selected from the group consisting of an aromatic monohydroxy compound, an alkyl aryl carbonate and a mixture thereof, wherein the transesterification is conducted while maintaining a weight ratio (WR) of at least one aromatic group-containing substance selected from the group consisting of a specific aromatic polyhydroxy compound and a residue thereof to the metal of the metal-containing catalyst at 2.0 or less, wherein the weight ratio (WR) is measured with respect to a catalyst-containing liquid-phase mixture in a system for the transesterification, and wherein the aromatic group-containing substance originates from the starting material, the reactant and/or a by-product of the transesterification. According to the process of the present invention, the transesterification reaction can be conducted without suffering disadvantageous phenomena, such as the deposition of the catalyst from the catalyst-containing liquid-phase mixture and the adhesion of the deposited catalyst to the inner walls of the reactor, pipes and the like, so that the desired aromatic carbonate can be produced stably for a prolonged period of time.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for producing an aromatic carbonate. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with a process for producing an aromatic carbonate which comprises transesterifying, in the presence of a metal-containing catalyst, a starting material selected from the group consisting of a dialkyl carbonate, an alkyl aryl carbonate and a mixture thereof with a reactant selected from the group consisting of an aromatic monohydroxy compound, an alkyl aryl carbonate and a mixture thereof, wherein the transesterification is conducted while maintaining a weight ratio (WR) of at least one aromatic group-containing substance selected from the group consisting of a specific aromatic polyhydroxy compound and a residue thereof to the metal of the metal-containing catalyst at 2.0 or less, wherein the weight ratio (WR) is measured with respect to a catalyst-containing liquid-phase mixture in a system for the transesterification, and wherein the aromatic group-containing substance originates from the starting material, the reactant and/or a by-product of the transesterification. According to the process of the present invention, the transesterification reaction can be conducted without suffering disadvantageous phenomena, such as the deposition of the catalyst from the catalyst-containing liquid-phase mixture and the adhesion of the deposited catalyst to the inner walls of the reactor, pipes and the like, so that the desired aromatic carbonate can be produced stably for a prolonged period of time.
2. Prior Art
An aromatic carbonate is useful as a raw material for, e.g., the production of an aromatic polycarbonate (whose utility as engineering plastics has been increasing in recent years) without using poisonous phosgene. With respect to the method for the production of an aromatic carbonate, a method for producing an aromatic carbonate or an aromatic carbonate mixture is known, in which a dialkyl carbonate, an alkyl aryl carbonate or a mixture thereof is used as a starting material and an aromatic monohydroxy compound, an alkyl aryl carbonate or a mixture thereof is used as a reactant, and in which a transesterification reaction is performed between the starting material and the reactant.
However, since this type of transesterification is a reversible reaction in which, moreover, not only is the equilibrium biased toward the original system but the reaction rate is also low, the production of an aromatic carbonate by the above-mentioned method on an industrial scale is accompanied with great difficulties.
To improve the above-mentioned method, several proposals have been made, most of which relate to the development of a catalyst for increasing the reaction rate. As a catalyst for use in the method for producing an alkyl aryl carbonate, a diaryl carbonate or a mixture thereof by reacting a dialkyl carbonate with an aromatic hydroxy compound, there have been proposed various metal-containing catalysts, which include for example, a Lewis acid, such as a transition metal halide, or compounds capable of forming a Lewis acid, see Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 51-105032, Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 56-123948 and Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 56-123949 (corresponding to West German Patent Application Publication No. 2528412, British Patent No. 1499530 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,182,726)!, a tin compound, such as an organotin alkoxide or an organotin oxide Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 54-48733 (corresponding to West German Patent Application Publication No. 2736062), Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 54-63023, Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 60-169444 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,110), Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 60-169445 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,552,704), Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 62-277345, and Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 1-265063!, salts and alkoxides of an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal (Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 56-25138), lead compounds (Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 57-176932), complexes of a metal, such as copper, iron or zirconium (Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 57-183745), titanic acid esters Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 58-185536 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,410,464)!, a mixture of a Lewis acid and protonic acid Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 60-173016 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,501)!, a compound of Sc, Mo, Mn, Bi, Te or the like Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 1-265064 (corresponding to European Patent Publication No. 0 338 760 A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,034,557)!, and ferric acetate (Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 61-172852).
As a catalyst for use in the method for producing a diaryl carbonate by a same-species intermolecular transesterification, wherein an alkyl aryl carbonate is disproportionated to a diaryl carbonate and a dialkyl carbonate, there have been proposed various catalysts, which include for example, a Lewis acid and a transition metal compound which is capable of forming a Lewis acid see Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 51-75044 (corresponding to West German Patent Application Publication No. 2552907 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,045,464)!, a polymeric tin compound Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 60-169444 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,110 and West German Patent Application Publication No. 3445552)!, a compound represented by the formula R--X(.dbd.O)OH (wherein X is selected from Sn and Ti, and R is selected from monovalent hydrocarbon residues) Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 60-169445 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,552,704)!, a mixture of a Lewis acid and protonic acid Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 60-173016 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,501)!, a lead catalyst (Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 1-93560), a titanium or zirconium compound Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 1-265062 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,166,393)!, a tin compound Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 1-265063 (corresponding to European Patent Publication No. 0 338 760 A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,034,557)!, and a compound of Sc, Mo, Mn, Bi, Te or the like Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 1-265064 (corresponding to European Patent Publication No. 0 338 760 A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,034,557)!.
Another attempt for improving the yield of aromatic carbonates in these reactions consists in biasing the equilibrium toward the product system as much as possible, by modifying the mode of the reaction process. For example, there have been proposed a method in which by-produced methanol is distilled off together with an azeotrope forming agent by azeotropic distillation in the reaction of a dimethyl carbonate with phenol see Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 54-48732 (corresponding to West German Patent Application Publication No. 2736063 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,737) and Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 61-291545!, and a method in which by-produced methanol is removed by adsorbing the same onto a molecular sieve Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 58-185536 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,410,464)!.
Further, a method is known in which an apparatus comprising a reactor having provided on the top thereof a distillation column is employed in order to separate and distill off alcohols (by-produced in the course of the reaction) from a reaction mixture obtained in the reactor. With respect to this method, reference can be made to, for example, Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 56-123948 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,182,726), Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 56-25138, Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 60-169444 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,110), Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 60-169445 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,552,704), Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 60-173016 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,501), Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 61-172852, Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 61-291545, and Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 62-277345.!
As more preferred methods for producing an aromatic carbonate, the present inventors previously developed a method in which a dialkyl carbonate and an aromatic hydroxy compound are continuously fed to a continuous multi-stage distillation column to effect a continuous transesterification reaction in the distillation column, while continuously withdrawing a low boiling point reaction mixture containing a by-produced alcohol from an upper portion of the distillation column by distillation and continuously withdrawing a high boiling point reaction mixture containing a produced alkyl aryl carbonate from a lower portion of the distillation column see Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 3-291257 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,210,268 and European Patent Publication No. 0 461 274 B1)!, and a method in which an alkyl aryl carbonate is continuously fed to a continuous multi-stage distillation column to effect a continuous transesterification reaction in the distillation column, while continuously withdrawing a low boiling point reaction mixture containing a byproduced dialkyl carbonate from an upper portion of the distillation column by distillation and continuously withdrawing a high boiling point reaction mixture containing a produced diaryl carbonate from a lower portion of the distillation column see Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 4-9358 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,210,268 and European Patent Publication No. 0 461 274 B1)!. These methods for the first time realized efficient, continuous production of an aromatic carbonate. Thereafter, various methods for continuously producing an aromatic carbonate have further been developed, based on the above-mentioned methods developed by the present inventors. Examples of these methods include a method in which a catalytic transesterification reaction is performed in a column reactor see Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 6-41022 (corresponding to West German Patent Application Publication No. 4218061, European Patent Publication No. 0 572 870 A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,901), Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 6-157424 (corresponding to West German Patent Application Publication No. 4226755, European Patent Publication No. 0 582 931 A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,742), Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 6-184058 (corresponding to West German Patent Application Publication No. 4226756, European Patent Publication No. 0 582 930 A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,954)!, a method in which use is made of a plurality of reactors which are connected in series Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 6-234707 (corresponding to West German Patent Application Publication No. 4301899, European Patent Publication No. 0 608 710 A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,463,102), and Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 6-263694!, a method in which a bubble tower reactor is used Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 6-298700 (corresponding to West German Patent Application Publication No. 4316428, European Patent Publication No. 0 614 877 A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,523,451)!, and a method in which a vertically long reactor vessel is used (Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 6-345697).
Also, there have been proposed methods for producing an aromatic carbonate stably for a prolonged period of time on a commercial scale. For example, Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 6-157410 (corresponding to European Patent Publication No. 0 591 923 A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,380,908) discloses a method for producing aromatic carbonates from a dialkyl carbonate and an aromatic hydroxy compound, which comprises continuously supplying a mixture of raw materials and a catalyst to a reactor provided with a distillation column thereon to effect a transesterification reaction in the reactor, while continuously withdrawing a by-produced aliphatic alcohol from the reactor through the distillation column by distillation so as to keep the aliphatic alcohol concentration of the reaction system at 2% by weight or less. This prior art document describes that, by this method, continuous production of an aromatic carbonate can be performed in a stable manner. The object of this method is to avoid the deposition of the catalyst in the distillation column. However, the reason for the deposition of the catalyst in the distillation column to be able to be avoided by this method is very simple and resides in that the catalyst is not fed to the distillation column. This prior art document describes the effect that since the catalyst was fed only to the reactor, no clogging was observed in the distillation column. This document also describes that, when a catalyst is fed to the distillation column, clogging of a part of the distillation column occurs due to the deposition of the catalyst in the column. In view of the fact that, in this method, a catalyst is not fed to the distillation column, it is natural and not surprising that the deposition of the catalyst does not occur in the distillation column. In addition, in view of the fact that, in this method, a catalyst is not fed to the distillation column, it is also apparent that, by this method, it is impossible to efficiently conduct a reaction by feeding a catalyst to a distillation column (that is, it is impossible to conduct a reactive distillation by this method). Further, this prior art document does not teach or suggest any solution for the problem where a catalyst is deposited from a catalyst-containing liquid-phase mixture and the deposited catalyst adheres to a reactor, pipes, valves, means for separating the catalyst from the liquid phase, and the like in the system for transesterification. In this prior art document, the reason why the aliphatic alcohol concentration of the reaction system should be kept at 2% by weight or less is not explained. However, it is presumed that the aliphatic alcohol concentration requirement of 2% by weight or less is intended to bias the equilibrium toward the product system so that the reaction proceeds efficiently. In this prior art document, there is no description regarding the relationship between the aliphatic alcohol concentration and the deposition of a catalyst.
Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 6-116210 (corresponding to European Patent Publication No. 0 591 923 A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,380,908) discloses a method for producing a diaryl carbonate from an alkyl aryl carbonate, which comprises continuously supplying a mixture of raw materials and a catalyst to a reactor provided with a distillation column thereon to effect a transesterification reaction in the reactor, while continuously withdrawing a by-produced dialkyl carbonate from the reactor through the distillation column by distillation so as to keep the dialkyl carbonate concentration of the reaction system at 2% by weight or less. This prior art document describes that, by this method, continuous production of a diaryl carbonate can be performed in a stable manner. The object of this method is to avoid the deposition of the catalyst in the distillation column. However, the reason why the deposition of the catalyst in the distillation column is able to be avoided by this method is very simple and resides in that the catalyst is not fed to the distillation column. This prior art document describes the effect that since the catalyst was fed only to the reactor, no clogging was observed in the distillation column. This document also describes that, when a catalyst is fed to the distillation column, clogging of a part of the distillation column occurs due to the deposition of the catalyst in the column. In view of the fact that, in this method, a catalyst is not fed to the distillation column, it is natural and not surprising that the deposition of the catalyst does not occur in the distillation column. In addition, in view of the fact that, in this method, a catalyst is not fed to the distillation column, it is also apparent that, by this method, it is impossible to efficiently conduct a reaction by feeding a catalyst to a distillation column (that is, it is impossible to conduct a reactive distillation by this method). Further, this prior art document does not teach or suggest any solution for the problem where a catalyst is deposited from a catalyst-containing liquid-phase mixture and the deposited catalyst adheres to a reactor, pipes, valves, means for separating the catalyst from the liquid phase, and the like in the system for transesterification.
When a catalyst is deposited from a catalyst-containing liquid-phase mixture and the deposited catalyst adheres to the inner walls of a reactor, pipes and the like, the reaction is adversely affected. That is, the deposited catalyst which is adhered to the inner walls of the reactor, pipes and the like cannot exhibit effective catalyst activity, even if it is present in the reactor. The deposition of the catalyst and the adhesion of the deposited catalyst to portions in the system for the transesterification means that the amount of the effective catalyst present in the reactor is decreased, so that the reaction cannot achieve favorable results.

Process for the producing of aromatic carbonate


A display panel including a plurality of pixels including a first pixel including a first blue sub-pixel, and a second pixel including a second blue sub-pixel, the second blue sub-pixel being configured to emit light having a wavelength different from that of the first blue sub-pixel and being adjacent to the first pixel.

1. Field
One or more exemplary embodiments relate to a display apparatus and a display control method and apparatus of the display apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
From among hormones produced in the body, Melatonin serves as an internal bio-clock: Melatonin is secreted to the entire body system at night and informs the body that it is nighttime. Melatonin helps one to fall asleep.
When morning comes, morning light inhibits the secretion of melatonin and then the low level of melatonin helps one to wake up. For example, it is known that when the body recognizes light having a wavelength of about 464 nm, the secretion of melatonin is inhibited, which means that the body may distinguish day and night depending on the recognition of the light having a wavelength of about 464 nm. Generally, people recognize light having a center wavelength of about 470 nm as blue light, and thus, the light having a wavelength of about 464 nm may be considered to be blue light.

Display apparatus, and display control method and apparatus of the display apparatus


Reproducing characteristics of an audio sound are controlled by an audio controller 8 and reproducing characteristics of a video image are controlled by a video controller 11. Whether or not a viewpoint of the user is directed to a display 13 side of a television receiver is detected by a viewpoint detector 14. On the basis of a detection signal from the viewpoint detector 14, a discriminating unit 15 discriminates which of a normal monitoring state, a “while watching” state, and the “concentration” state the present state corresponds to, and generates a control signal to control the reproducing characteristics so as to be adaptive to the state. If it is determined that the present state changes from the “while watching” state to the “concentration” state, a sound volume is reduced and the reproducing characteristics are automatically switched so as not to obstruct the concentration.

There is a case where the user studies or reads a book while watching a television receiver. Such a state is what is called a "while watching" state.
A technique for setting luminance or the like of the television receiver to a desired luminance level every user by using biological information and personal authentication of the user has been disclosed in JP-A-10-211177.
The "while watching" state is the state where the user is interested both in the monitoring of the television receiver and another work such as study or the like. There occurs a case where the state changes from the "while watching" state to a state where the user concentrates on some other work such as writing of sentences or the like (such a state is properly referred to as "concentration"). In the "concentration" state, there is a case where the user feels that a video image or an audio sound of the television receiver obstructs the concentration. A technique for changing reproducing characteristics of the video image or audio sound which is reproduced in accordance with "while watching" and "concentration" is not disclosed in JP-A-10-211177.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a reproducing apparatus and a reproducing method for changing reproducing characteristics of at least either of a video image and an audio sound in accordance with the "while watching" state and the "concentration" state.

Reproduction device and reproduction method


An in-vehicle audio apparatus includes: a base body that is arranged in a fixed state; a storage tray that is moved between a drawing-out position and a storing position with respect to the base body and inserts and takes out a music reproducing device at the drawing-out position; a pressing body that is moved in accordance with a moving position of the storage tray in a direction perpendicular to a moving direction of the storage tray and presses the music reproducing device that is inserted into the storage tray when the pressing body is moved to one side; and a bias spring that presses the pressing body to the one side.

As an in-vehicle audio apparatus, there is an apparatus in which a mobile music reproducing device is inserted and housed in a storage tray, and music recorded in the music reproducing device is reproduced so as to be output from a speaker or the like arranged inside the vehicle in accordance with an operation performed from the outside.
In such an in-vehicle audio apparatus, since vibration occurs during the driving of the vehicle, it is necessary to suppress the effect of the vibration by holding the inserted music reproducing device in a stable state.
Thus, there is an in-vehicle audio apparatus in the related art in which a music reproducing device inserted into the inside of a casing is held by pressing it by using a rotatable pressing lever (for example, see JP-A-2000-332433, FIG. 17).
In the in-vehicle audio apparatus disclosed in JP-A-2000-332433, a casing is formed in the shape of a box open on the front side, and a first roller is supported at an upper portion of the front end of the casing, and a rotatable pressing lever is arranged inside the casing. The pressing lever is supported by the casing with its rear end portion configured as a point of support for rotation and can be rotatable so as to approximately vertically move the front end portion. In the front end portion of the pressing lever, a second roller is supported, and the pressing lever is maintained to be in a state in which the front side is lowered and is biased by a spring in a direction in which the front end portion is moved to the approximately lower side.
In the in-vehicle audio apparatus, a music reproducing device that has a main body and a lid body that is opened or closed by being rotated with respect to the main body is inserted and housed in the storage tray. As the music reproducing device is inserted into the casing from the front side in accordance with the movement of the storage tray, first, the first roller is slid in the lid body so as to rotate in a direction for closing the lid body. Thereafter, when the storage tray is moved further to the rear side, the music reproducing device is brought into contact with the second roller, and, by moving the music reproducing device so as to dive into the lower side of the pressing lever, the second roller is slid in the lid body, and the pressing lever is rotated in a direction opposite to the biased direction so as to close the lid body. The music reproducing device is pressed from the upper side by the second roller that is supported by the pressing lever having the front end portion biased in a direction for moving to the approximately lower side so as to be held inside the casing.


A locking limited slip planetary differential for the transfer case of an all-wheel drive vehicle. First and second coaxially juxtaposed sun gears are mounted to first and second output shafts, respectively, for rotation therewith. A plurality of first planet gears are rotatably mounted on a carrier, each of which meshes with the first sun gear. A plurality of second planet gears is also rotatably mounted on the carrier. Each of the second planet gears meshes with the second sun gear and with an associated one of the first planet gears. A hydraulically actuated clutch pack is provided for selectively connecting the carrier to the first sun gear to limit relative rotation between the first output shaft and the second output shaft. The clutch pack is actuated by a swash plate pump mechanism provided on the first and second sun gears which supplies hydraulic fluid to the clutch pack when the first and second sun gears rotate relative to one another.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a transfer case for all-wheel drive vehicles and, more particularly, to a transfer case which is provided with a self actuated, locking limited slip planetary differential. 2. Summary of Related Art
It is well known that all-wheel drive vehicles conventionally employ front and rear driving axles having front and rear differentials, respectively, drivingly connected to front and rear pairs of wheels through a transfer case including a third, inter-axle differential powered by the vehicle engine. Thus, should either the front or the rear drive axle experience a low friction condition, high torque could not be transmitted to the other wheel due to the constitution of the inter-axle differential. To avoid this, there is provided a differential lock up or limiting mechanism which effects a torque transfer to the drive axle in the higher friction condition, thus increasing the total available tractive force for propelling the vehicle and thereby improving the mobility and performance thereof.
To this end, the transfer cases employed previously have typically included a viscous coupling, or an electronically controllable clutch mechanism which may vary the amount of clutch force applied. Such mechanisms have generally performed adequately, but are unduly complex.

Locking limited slip planetary transfer case


A device management apparatus includes a communication processing circuit and a service support processing circuit. The communication processing circuit receives device state information transmitted from a first operator. The device state information indicates device state information of the electronic device. The first operator performs solution work to a failure of the electronic device. The service support processing circuit determines a category into which the device state information is classified from the received device state information. The service support processing unit searches a database for a second operator or a candidate for the second operator. The second operator has solved a failure belonging to the determined category. The database stores operator information including a solution result of a failure of each operator. The service support processing unit decides the searched second operator or the searched candidate for the second operator to assist or complement the solution work by the first operator.

Unless otherwise indicated herein, the description in this section is not prior art to the claims in this application and is not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
As a conventional device management apparatus, for example, like a certain technique, the following device management apparatus has been provided. The device management apparatus collects operating procedure information of a computer from a user as a customer from a remote location. If an error caused by the operating procedure occurs, the device management apparatus presents a similar operating procedure free from error to the user as a solution.
This technique presents a different operating procedure as a solution for the error based on the operating procedure of the computer. In view of this, this technique cannot present a solution for an error unrelated to the operating procedure, for example, an error based on a physical deterioration of the computer or a similar error.
In contrast to this, typically, it is known that a field service person (an operator) from a maintenance service provider visits an office for a user or a similar place to perform solution work for an error in a computer.
However, if the field service person has shallow experience and knowledge, even if the field service person finds the error in the computer, the field service person possibly cannot find the solution, failing to eliminate the error. Such problem occurs in not only the error in the computer but also possibly occurs when solving a failure of an electronic device including an image forming device such as a printer.

Device management apparatus, device management system, recording medium, and device management method that reduce obstruction when solving failure caused by skill of operator


A cooking appliance, which automatically toasts bread, and has a heater, a gas sensor, and a thermistor. The gas sensor detects moisture which comes from the bread. The thermistor detects the temperature within the cooking cabinet. A microcomputer measures gas driven from bread during toasting to determine whether the bread was initially frozen or not. The time of gas sensor reading is determined based on an initial temperature within the cooking cabinet so that the decision will not be made inaccurately due to repeated use of the cooking appliance.

The present invention relates to a automatic cooking appliance which includes a "toast" function. A gas sensor detects gas generated by bread being toasted. Using the gas sensor, a controller can determine the amount of gas driven off from the bread during a predetermined period of time after toasting begins. From this measurement, it can determine whether bread being toasted was initially frozen or at room temperature. Based on this determination, heating can be adjusted to properly toast the bread regardless of its initial state.
It is known to include in a cooking appliance having a toast function a gas sensor for measuring the amount of moisture driven off from bread being toasted in order to determine whether the bread was initially at room temperature or was frozen. The cooking appliance automatically toasts the bread for a time appropriate to the so determined state of the bread.
As a heater heats the bread in the cooking cabinet, it drives moisture from the bread. If the bread is frozen at the time toasting begins, the moisture is locked in the bread as ice. In the first moments of toasting, little moisture will be driven off. Conversely, if the bread is initially at room temperature, considerable moisture will be driven off during the first few moments of toasting.
When the gas sensor detects the increasing rate of the moisture during a predetermined period of time from the starting of the heater, a microprocessor based controller can discriminate the initial condition or state of the bread, i.e., whether it was initially frozen or at room temperature. If the bread were determined to be initially frozen, the cooking appliance would adjust its toasting program to properly toast the initially frozen bread. For example, heat could be applied for a longer time, the temperature could be raised, etc. Thus, regardless of whether the bread was initially frozen or not, it would be properly toasted.
Such appliances operate satisfactorily when they are operated intermittently. However, when such appliances are operated continuously, i.e., to toast one piece of bread after another, the toasting function is not properly adjusted. The problem exists because of residual heat remaining in the cooking cabinet after toasting. As the appliance is used more and more, this residual heat builds up even more. When a slice of bread is put into the cooking cabinet, even though the bread may be frozen, much moisture is driven from it. The cooking appliance is unable to properly discriminate between normal bread and frozen bread. All breads, whether frozen or not, are determined to be initially un-frozen). The cooking appliance may not toast the frozen bread properly.

Cooking appliance with a gas sensor and temperature sensor


An exhaust control for an internal combustion engine powering a watercraft is disclosed. The exhaust control includes an exhaust manifold connected to the engine and having a passage therethrough leading from an exhaust passage extending from a combustion chamber within the engine. An exhaust pipe, preferably in the form of an expansion pipe, extends from the exhaust manifold for leading the exhaust to a discharge. The exhaust pipe is connected to the engine, preferably with a number of brackets. A catalyst is positioned within the portion of the exhaust pipe which is connected to the engine. In a preferred arrangement the manifold extends towards the front end of the engine and the expansion pipe extends therefrom towards the rear of the engine through a valley formed by the engine and an induction system thereof.

Watercraft, including personal watercraft, are often powered by an internal combustion engine having an output shaft arranged to drive a water propulsion device. The engines which are used to power personal watercraft are most often of the two-cycle variety. These engines generate a large amount of hydrocarbon exhaust.
Unfortunately, when this exhaust is exhausted from the watercraft, it may react with the water in which the watercraft is located and form acids and other undesirable compounds, and may also be released from the water into the atmosphere.
The use of catalytic converters is known for use in oxidizing carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons into carbon dioxide and water, and reducing oxides of nitrogen into nitrogen. While the use of a catalytic converter is desirable with these types of engines, several problems generally arise with their use with engines powering personal watercraft.
First, the catalyst is typically positioned in an exhaust pipe leading from the engine. In personal watercraft, this exhaust pipe leads through a chamber in the hull of the craft to an outlet near the stern. This arrangement causes the exhaust pipe to be susceptible to vibration which may cause damage to the honeycomb structure of the catalyst.
In addition, in personal watercraft the amount of space in which the engine may be positioned is limited so as to maintain the craft small in dimension and with a low center of gravity. The catalyst must also not be place too near the engine or it will overheat, and must not be place to far from the engine or it may be susceptible to the condensation of liquids and the entry of water backwardly through the exhaust system.
An exhaust control for an engine of the type utilized to power a watercraft which is includes a catalyst and which overcomes the above-stated problems, is desired.


Provided are a method and apparatus for multiplexing and demultiplexing variable-length high-speed packets. According to the method and apparatus, a plurality of one-gigabit Ethernet frames are multiplexed into a single 10-gigabit Ethernet frame and the single 10-gigabit Ethernet frame is demultiplexed into the plurality of one-gigabit Ethernet frames. In order to process variable-length high-speed packets, packet multiplexing instead of simple TDM is used and a larger input bandwidth than an output bandwidth is used, so that a statistical multiplex effect is accomplished. In addition, standard interface is used for input and output interface, so existing universal chips can be used.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for multiplexing and demultiplexing variable-length high-speed packets, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for multiplexing a plurality of one-gigabit Ethernet media access control (MAC) frames into a single 10-gigabit Ethernet frame and demultiplexing the single 10-gigabit Ethernet frame into the plurality of one-gigabit Ethernet MAC frames.
2. Description of the Related Art
Packet multiplexing is technology through which a transmitter converts a plurality of packets into a high-speed packet and transmits it to a receiver, and the receiver converts the received high-speed packet into the original plurality of low-speed packets and sent them to a destination.
In realizing such technology, it seems most practical to employ time division multiplexing (TDM) to multiplex low-speed input streams into a high-speed data stream. However, in the case of using TDM, it is necessary to configure a frame such that each input port can be recognized. Moreover, due to the characteristics of TDM, an exclusive channel must be used, which decreases bandwidth efficiency.
To overcome these drawbacks, various conventional methods and apparatuses have been proposed.
In order to multiplex and transmit burst data streams having different lengths, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,009,108 (December, 1999) is disclosed a multiplexing method for converting burst data streams, which have different lengths and are input from different data sources, into a fixed-length packet stream having a constant average transport rate.
In this method, when there is no data having at least the fixed length in a buffer, the data in the buffer is sent to a stuffing data generator to forward stuffing data. Through such operation, the average transport rate of fixed-length packets is maintained constant so that occurrence of buffer overflow and underflow with respect to bursts of data can be reduced in a receiver. However, since packets having a fixed length are generated, an extra conversion device is required for data having a variable length as in the Ethernet. Moreover, in this case, transport efficiency is decreased.
According to U.S. Pat. No. 6,282,211 B1 (August, 2001), transport efficiency is automatically optimized even if a user does not specially request. Here, a channel is dynamically allocated to an available time slot, and a cut-through function is performed within a multiplexer. Accordingly, cost incurred because a user plane is connected to the outside of a multiplexer output part, and a necessary signaling function is performed outside as well as inside, can be reduced.
However, the above-described methods employ conventional TDM channels to transport packets, so bandwidth efficiency is decreased, and the methods cannot be applied to the multiplexing of low-speed Ethernet packets into a high-speed Ethernet packet.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,269,107 B1 (July, 2001) is disclosed a method of dividing a consecutive data stream into packetized elementary streams (PES) having a fixed length and subdividing a PES into transport streams.
In this method, in order to reduce overhead such as a high-speed circuit which is necessary to process individual packets in series, a plurality of input buffer are provided, and for many input streams having the same characteristic, the result of processing one of the input streams is applied to the other input streams so that a high-speed circuit is not required, and there is no need to separately process individual packets.
Such packet processing method is useful to a case in which a consecutive stream is long and the characteristics of individual packets are the same as in a video signal. However, it is difficult to apply this method to a case in which as in the Ethernet, packets have different lengths and different destinations. Moreover, it is nearly impossible to directly apply this method to a demultiplexer when packet length variation is very large as in the Ethernet.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,262,990 B1 (July, 2001) is provided for multiplexing data (video, audio, and low-speed data) having different speeds whose differences are large, and particularly, low-speed data having a burst characteristic into a fixed-length packet for transmission and for reducing a transmission delay.
In this method, variable-length data of low speed is converted into a fixed-length packet of high speed. However, it is difficult to apply this method to a case in which an output packet also has a variable length as in the Ethernet. Moreover, when a fixed-length packet is generated by stuffing, and a packet of high speed of, for example, 10 gigabits must be processed, a receiver needs to have a function of recognizing and removing the stuffing and reconfiguring the stuffing data into an Ethernet packet.
As described above, conventional TDM methods decrease bandwidth efficiency. Conventional methods of converting and multiplexing data into a fixed-length packet cannot immediately applied to high-speed packets having lengths ranging from 64 bytes to 1522 bytes, but a protocol converter for reconverting the converted high-speed packet into an original Ethernet packet is required together with an extra high-speed switch. In addition, an extra interface circuit for connection to an existing chip set is required.

Method and apparatus for multiplexing and demultiplexing variable-length packets

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


The invention is related to a grid type fiber composite structure (1) comprising a grid of polygon cell modules (5) comprising at least three substantially u-shaped ribs made of fiber composite layer (8, 13) and a foam core (9) provided inside each cell module (5) for support of said u-shaped ribs. Said foam core (9) is along a base essentially in line with one of said flat cap sections (11, 12). At least one layer of strip (2, 3) is provided outside said flat cap sections (11, 12) and a skin sheet (4) is unilaterally attached to said cell modules (5) essentially in line with one of said flat cap sections (11, 12). The invention is as well related to a method of manufacturing such a grid type fiber composite structure (1).

(1) Field of the Invention
The invention is related to a grid type fiber composite structure, particularly to a transverse force resilient grid type fiber composite structure for local load introduction, and a method of manufacturing such grid type structures.
(2) Description of Related Art
The document U.S. Pat. No. 3,391,511 describes a lightweight structure having a honeycomb interior. The structure includes cell units having outer and inner components, wherein the interiors of the cell units may contain air, or other gas, or may be filled with lightweight material, e.g. polyvinyl chloride foam. The perimeter of each outer component is formed by a wall having faces that comprise corrugations with flat crests extending from end to end of a corresponding cell unit. One end of each outer component is open and encircled by an intermittent flange and the other end is closed by an end wall which is integral with the wall. Into the open end of each outer component, an inverted inner component is inserted, which is generally similar to the corresponding outer component, but with a perimeter wall which is plain and sufficiently smaller to fit inside the outer component. The perimeter wall is bonded to the wall of the outer component by epoxy resin. The cell units are coated with epoxy resin and assembled in close relationship, i.e. with their corrugation crests abutting respective corrugation crests of neighboring cells, on a first sheet of felted glass fibers that is also soaked in epoxy resin and laid on a top surface of a support. A second sheet of felted glass fiber soaked in epoxy resin is laid upon the assembly. The epoxy resin forms bonds between the different components of the lightweight structure.
The document US2004140049 A1 discloses a method of manufacturing a hollow section grid-stiffened panel comprising a tool having a surface. The stiffened skin composite panel is preassembled comprising laminating a composite outer skin on the surface, placing a separator outer layer on the composite outer skin, and laminating a composite stiffener on the mandrel, the mandrel being positioned on the separator layer, wherein the separator layer separates the stiffener and the mandrel from the outer composite skin. The preassembled outer skin composite panel is cured on the tool. The separator layer and mandrel are removed from the preassembled stiffened skin composite panel. The stiffened skin composite panel is reassembled, comprising applying an adhesive between the composite outer skin and the composite stiffener. The reassembled stiffener skin composite panel is cured on the tool to bond the stiffener skin to the outer skin.
The document US2009038744 A1 discloses a cellular composite structure with a grid having groups of angularly intersecting ribs. The ribs of each group are oriented substantially in the same direction to each other and angularly oriented from the other rib groups. An additional rib defines a composite structure outer perimeter wall and can be differently angularly oriented from the other ribs. A contiguous rib wall is created by segments of ribs defined by rib intersections. The contiguous rib wall bounds a cavity. A multilayer sheet cap member with extending walls to engage the contiguous rib wall is positioned within the cavity. The engagement walls extend from individual sheet perimeter portions angularly oriented to the sheet. The ribs and cap member have pre-impregnated resin. Heating the cap member and ribs activates the resin and co-cures the composite structure.
The document EP 0 948 085 A2 relates to high stiffness parabolic structures utilizing integral reinforced grids and more particularly to a high stiffness parabolic structure utilizing an integral reinforcing grid which includes a skin sheet having a generally parabolic shape; and a grid attached to the skin sheet and having a triangular isogrid pattern.
The document DE 10 2009 053 053 A1 discloses a component with a rib structure provided with ribs that run along polygon edges, and including laminar grid-like polygons that are arranged next to each other. Two plate-shaped fiber composite structures containing carbon fibers represent the rib structure, where one of the fiber composite structures is fastened at a flat side of the other fiber composite structure and formed based on a flat fiber composite structure by inserting sections into an interior of a polygon and transforming produced structure projections to form the rib structure.
The document U.S. Pat. No. 4,052,523 A discloses a lattice type structural panel utilizing the unidirectional character of filamentary epoxy impregnated composites to produce stiff lightweight structural panels for use in constructing large area panels for space satellites and the like.
The document U.S. Pat. No. 4,012,549 A discloses a grid structure of I-beam members arranged in an integral repeating pattern of substantially equilateral triangles integral with a skin sheet covering the structure. The beam webs are filled with advanced composite materials comprising high-strength fibers in a supporting matrix. Preferably, the fibers run parallel to the beam webs for a structure of improved stiffness with a high strength-to-weight ratio.

Grid type fiber composite structure and method of manufacturing such grid type structure


A conductive thin film, a transparent electrode, and methods of producing the same are provided. A method for preparing a conductive thin film may involve forming a layer of reduced graphene oxide and carbon nanotube on a substrate using a reducing agent containing a halogen atom.

1. Field
The following description relates to a transparent electrode including graphene oxide and carbon nanotube, a conductive thin film including a transparent electrode, and a method of preparing such a transparent electrode or such a conductive thin film. The description also relates to, for example, a method of preparing a conductive thin film made of a reduced graphene oxide and a carbon nanotube, and a transparent electrode including a conductive thin film prepared by the same method. The following description further relates to a method of preparing a conductive thin film made of a reduced graphene oxide and a carbon nanotube, which enables the use of a low temperature process and mass production and can improve both electrical conductivity and transparency, and a transparent electrode including the conductive thin film prepared by the same method.
2. Description of Related Art
A transparent electrode is being widely used in various electronic devices, which require both a light transmission characteristic and electrical conductivity. Examples of such electronic devices include image sensors, solar cells, liquid crystal display devices, organic EL displays and touch screen panels. The transparent electrode consists of a transparent substrate and a conductive film formed on the transparent substrate. For the conductive film, an indium thin oxide (ITO), which facilitates formation of a thin film and has an excellent light transmission characteristic and electrical conductivity, has been mostly used. However, using ITO is undesirable in certain cases because ITO requires high preparation costs, and because ITO exhibits low flexibility which may increase surface resistance and deteriorate the durability of the finished product, for example, as when ITO is used in a flexible display.
Accordingly, attempts to apply low dimensional materials, which have high electrical conductivity while being flexible, such as a carbon nanotube and graphene, to the transparent electrode have recently increased. However, if a conductive thin film made of only the carbon nanotube is used for a transparent electrode under the same conditions, the electrical conductivity is low, compared to the excellent transparency, due to impurities caused from the preparation process or the raw material itself. If a conductive thin film made of only graphene is used for a transparent electrode, the electrical conductivity is relatively fine, compared to the carbon nanotube, but the transmittance is low. In order to resolve the problems, there has been an attempt to improve the electrical conductivity by using a combined material of carbon nanotubes and graphenes to effectively connect empty spaces between the carbon nanotubes and the graphenes through a line contact between the carbon nanotubes and a surface contact between the graphenes. However, in the technology for bulk synthesis of graphenes that has been known to the present, the mass production has been difficult due to restriction to use of a reducing agent, low efficiency, impurities included, and other causes. Especially, in case of reducing a graphene oxide by using known reducing agents such as hydrazine hydrate, sodium borohydrate (NaBH4) and sulfuric acid (H2SO4), a reaction at a high temperature is required. Thus, there has been the problem that the conductive film cannot be applied to a flexible substrate.

Conductive thin film and transparent electrode including graphene oxide and carbon nanotube, and methods of producing the same

Research & Business Foundation Sungkyunkwan University


A semiconductor device using analog-to digital (AD) conversion realizes reliable control so that, at the time of AD converting reference voltage, a low-voltage transistor in a reference voltage generating circuit is not destroyed by voltage held in a sample and hold circuit. In a semiconductor device, when an instruction of detecting a reference voltage value is received, a switch control unit controlling switching of an input signal of an internal AD converter temporarily automatically couples an input node of a sample and hold circuit and a ground node and, after that, couples the input node of the sample and hold circuit and an output node of a reference voltage generating circuit.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor device having an AD (Analog-to-Digital) converter.
A semiconductor device (for example, a microcomputer) having therein an AD converter can detect, as digital values, an external input analog voltage, an internal reference voltage value output from a reference voltage generating circuit, an output value of an internal temperature sensor circuit, and the like. The AD converter is used, for example, by a method of monitoring chip environments by periodically AD converting the internal reference voltage value and the output value of the temperature sensor circuit while repeatedly AD converting the external input voltage.
There are also techniques that, in a semiconductor device having an AD converter, charges accumulated in a sample and hold capacitor are discharged and, after that, signal coupling is switched.


The machine (100) comprises a supply station (S1) destined to receive a mattress (M) to be conveyed to a rolling station (S2) comprising a plurality of rolling rollers (1), partly arranged in a fixed section (21) of the station (S2) and partly arranged in an openable section (22), arranged in respective curved lines to define internally thereof a practically-cylindrical rolling chamber (10) with horizontal axes. Sliding organs (3) are interposed between the fixed section (21) and the openable section (22), for regulating a mutual distance between the fixed section (21) and the openable section (22) in order to vary, within a predetermined range, a base area of the rolling chamber (10) and in order to determine corresponding rolling diameters of the mattress (M) comprised between a minimum value (D1) and a maximum value (D2).

On Aug. 9, 2005, the present applicant obtained an Italian patent for industrial invention, no. 1,329,172, relating to a "Method and Apparatus for Packaging Mattresses".
The above-mentioned patent concerns mattresses already inserted in corresponding enveloping bags, which are supplied to a press with the open side of the bag facing upstream, and are there subjected to a compressing action which reduces the thickness thereof.
At the end of the compressing action, a welding bar is activated to stably join the flaps of the bag about the mattress, thus preventing the mattress from newly expanding after the press is re-opened.
The bag is advantageously of a size such that posteriorly of the welding there remains a length, or "tail" which is destined to receive, at the transversal end edge, a strip of adhesive tape, which at the end of the rolling process will stabilize the spiral configuration of the mattress.
The apparatus of the above-cited patent advantageously exhibits a spiral-rolling station which comprises two half-shells, of which one is fixed and the other is hinged thereto, such as to be able to open inferiorly in order to enable the completed package to be unloaded.
A first operating limit of the above technical solution relates to the fact that the apparatus can only roll mattresses inserted in bags, and the bags must be of a suitable length to enable stabilization, using adhesive tape, of the above-mentioned spiral-rolled configurations.
Further, the above-described apparatus is conformed such that the external diameter of the roll obtained is fixed, independently of the thickness of the mattress.
In other words, a smaller spiral cannot be obtained to reduce overall packaged size, when the thickness of the mattress would permit such a reduction, and vice versa.


A lighting apparatus a first group of at least one first solid state emitter, each first solid state emitter including a first light emitting diode (“LED”) that, when excited, emits light having a peak wavelength in a range between about 440 nm and about 475 nm, and a second group of at least one second solid state emitter, each second solid state emitter comprising a second LED that, when excited, emits light having a peak wavelength in a range between about 390 nm and about 415 nm. Between about 2% and about 15% of a spectral power of light emitted from the lighting apparatus is light having wavelengths in the range between about 390 nm and about 415 nm.

Light emitting devices may include, for example, incandescent bulbs, fluorescent lights, and semiconductor light emitting devices, such as light emitting diodes ("LEDs"). LEDs may include a series of semiconductor layers that may be epitaxially grown on a substrate such as, for example, a sapphire, silicon, silicon carbide, gallium nitride, or gallium arsenide substrate. One or more semiconductor p-n junctions are formed in these epitaxial layers. When a sufficient voltage is applied across the p-n junction, electrons in the n-type semiconductor layers and holes in the p-type semiconductor layers flow toward the p-n junction. As the electrons and holes flow toward each other, the electrons will "collide" with corresponding holes and recombine, such that a photon of light may be emitted. The wavelength distribution of the light generated by an LED generally depends on the semiconductor materials used and the structure of the thin epitaxial layers that make up the "active region" of the device, which is where the electron-hole recombination occurs.
LEDs are nearly monochromatic light sources that appear to emit light having a single color. The spectral power distribution of the light emitted by LEDs may be centered about a "peak" wavelength, which is the wavelength where the spectral power distribution or "emission spectrum" of the LED reaches its maximum as detected by a photodetector. The width of the spectral power distribution of LEDs is typically between about 10 nm and 30 nm, where the width may be measured at half of the maximum illumination on each side of the emission peak (this width may be referred to as the full width at half maximum or "FWHM" width).
Visible light may include light having many different wavelengths. The apparent color of visible light can be illustrated with reference to a two-dimensional chromaticity diagram, such as the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram illustrated in FIG. 1, which provides a reference for defining colors as weighted sums of colors. As shown in FIG. 1, colors on the CIE Chromaticity Diagram are defined by x and y coordinates (i.e., chromaticity coordinates, or color points) that fall within a generally U-shaped area. Colors on or near the outside of the area are saturated colors composed of light having a single wavelength, or a very small wavelength distribution, while colors on the interior of the area are unsaturated colors that are composed of a mixture of different wavelengths. White light, which can be a mixture of many different wavelengths, is generally found near the middle of the diagram, in the region labeled 10 in FIG. 1. There are many different hues of light that may be considered "white," as evidenced by the size of the region 10. For example, some "white" light, such as light generated by high-power sodium vapor lighting devices, may appear yellowish in color, while other "white" light, such as light generated by some fluorescent lighting devices, may appear more bluish in color.
A combination of light from light sources emitting light of first and second colors may appear to have a different color than either of the two constituent colors. The color of the combined light may depend on the wavelengths and relative intensities of the two light sources. For example, light emitted by a combination of a blue source and a red source may appear purple or magenta to an observer. Similarly, light emitted by a combination of a blue source and a yellow source may appear white to an observer. Each point in the graph of FIG. 1 is referred to as the "color point" of a light source that emits a light having that color. As shown in FIG. 1 a locus of color points that is referred to as the "black-body" locus 15 exists which corresponds to the location of color points of light emitted by a black-body radiator that is heated to various temperatures. The black-body locus 15 is also referred to as the "Planckian" locus because the chromaticity coordinates (i.e., color points) that lie along the black-body locus obey Planck's equation: E(λ)=A λ−5/(eB/T−1), where E is the emission intensity, X is the emission wavelength, T is the color temperature of the black-body and A and B are constants. Color coordinates that lie on or near the black-body locus 15 yield pleasing white light to a human observer.
As a heated object becomes incandescent, it first glows reddish, then yellowish, and finally bluish with increasing temperature. This occurs because the wavelength associated with the peak radiation of the black-body radiator becomes progressively shorter with increased temperature, consistent with the Wien Displacement Law. Illuminants that produce light which is on or near the black-body locus 15 can thus be described in terms of their correlated color temperature (CCT). As used herein, the term "white light" refers to light that is perceived as white, is within 7 MacAdam ellipses of the black-body locus on a 1931 CIE chromaticity diagram, and has a CCT ranging from 2000K to 10,000K. White light with a CCT of 4000K may appear yellowish in color, while white light with a CCT of 8000K or more may appear more bluish in color, and may be referred to as "cool" white light. "Warm" white light may be used to describe white light with a CCT of between about 2500K and 4500K, which is more reddish or yellowish in color.

White light emitting devices having high luminous efficiency and improved color rendering that include pass-through violet emissions


A dustproof structure for a sleeve bearing includes an axial tube, a sleeve bearing and a dustproof cushion. The axial tube accommodates the sleeve bearing which bears an axial hole through which a shaft of a motor rotor is freely extended. The dustproof cushion is attached to an end surface of the sleeve bearing to prevent from entering foreign dust. At least one oil-returning groove is formed between the sleeve bearing and the dustproof cushion to ensure cycling lubricant so that sufficient lubricity between the sleeve bearing and the shaft is ensured.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a dustproof structure for a sleeve bearing. More particularly, the present invention is related to the dustproof structure having a dustproof cushion attached to the oil-impregnated sleeve bearing to thereby ensure circulating lubricant.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional bearing structure for a motor consists of an axial seat 10, a motor stator 20, a motor rotor 30. The axial seat 10 is combined with an axial tube 11 in which to accommodate a sleeve bearing 12, and on which to couple the motor stator 20. In assembling, a shaft 31 of the motor rotor 30 extends through an axial hole 120 of the sleeve bearing 12 so that the motor rotor 30 is rotatably connected to the axial seat 10. Generally, lubricant contained in the sleeve bearing 12 may be driven due to rotation of the shaft 31. The lubricant successively flows through an inner circumference of the axial hole 120, an end surface of the sleeve bearing 12, an inclined surface 121 of the sleeve bearing 12, and a gap between the axial tube 11 and the sleeve bearing 12. Finally, the lubricant returns to the inside of the sleeve bearing 12. Thus, the lubricant contained in the sleeve bearing 12 is automatically circulated to maintain the inner circumference of the axial hole 120 so as to attenuate abrasion of the axial hole 120 caused by rotation of the shaft 31. Consequently, it reduces rotational noise and prolongs useful life of the bearing.
Although the lubricant of the sleeve bearing 12 is able to attenuate abrasion, discharging the lubricant from the axial tube 11 is unavoidable while operating. Foreign dust may enter the inside of the sleeve bearing 12 and the gap between the axial tube 11 and the sleeve bearing 12. Thus, it results in precipitation of the foreign dust on the sleeve bearing 12 and the gap between the axial tube 11 and the sleeve bearing 12 that produces greasy dirt 90. Circulating the lubricant on the sleeve bearing 12, the greasy dirt 90 is collected or precipitated in a space formed on the inclined surface 121 of the sleeve bearing 12. Once the greasy dirt 90 enters the gap between the axial tube 11 and the sleeve bearing 12, the circulation of the lubricant can be obstructed. Thus, the lubricant cannot flow freely through between the axial tube 11 and the sleeve bearing 12 and it results in an insufficiency of the lubricant between the axial hole 120 and the shaft 31. The rotational speed of the motor is reduced and the running temperature of the motor is increased. Consequently, the shaft 31 of the motor may be jammed and the useful life of the motor is shortened. Hence, there is a need for an improvement of the conventional bearing structure.
To this end, U.S. Pat. No. 6,336,745, titled "OIL-IMPREGNATED BEARING AND ROTOR SHAFT," and U.S. Pat. No. 6,435,722, titled "COMBINATION STRUCTURE FOR OIL-IMPREGNATED BEARING," discloses a conventional bearing structure include an axial seat, a motor stator, a motor rotor, an axial tube and an oil-impregnated bearing. The bearing structure further includes a cap disposed on an end surface of the oil-impregnated bearing, and a shaft of the motor rotor includes a cushion ring arranged between the cap and the oil-impregnated bearing. The oil-impregnated bearing has a plurality of oil-guiding grooves on its outer circumference for circulating lubricant. In rotational operation, the cap and the cushion ring are commonly used to prevent leaking lubricant from the oil-impregnated bearing, and entering dust into the oil-impregnated bearing. However, the combination of the cap, the cushion ring and the oil-impregnated bearing results in the disadvantage that assembly of the motor's members is complicated. After assembling, an end edge of the cap closely abuts against an end surface of the oil-impregnated bearing, which obstructs lubricant flow to the oil-guiding grooves and reduces efficiency for cycling the lubricant. Thus, it results in an insufficiency of the lubricant between the axial hole and the shaft. The rotational speed of the motor is reduced and the running temperature of the motor is increased. Consequently, the shaft of the motor may be jammed and the useful life of the motor is shortened. Hence, there is a need for an improvement of the conventional bearing structure.
The present invention intends to provide a dustproof structure for a sleeve bearing which includes an axial tube to accommodate a sleeve bearing and a dustproof cushion. At least one oil-returning groove is formed between the sleeve bearing and the dustproof cushion to prevent from entering foreign dust and to ensure cycling the lubricant in such a way to mitigate and overcome the above problem.

Dustproof structure for a sleeve bearing

Sunonwealth Electric Machine Industry Co., Ltd.


A method of manufacturing quantum structures, in particular quantum dots and tunnel barriers and also a component with such quantum structures wherein in that a substrate is structured by the intentional formation of trenches so that material remains between oppositely disposed trench sections, with a transition from a broader region to a narrower region; wherein further material is deposited onto the substrate so that differential growth sets in on the remaining regions of the substrate and an inclined surface arises in the transition region between the broader region and the narrower region and a material height increase arises in the narrower region relative to the broader region; and wherein a different material, or a material of different conductivity, is subsequently deposited, whereby a tunnel barrier arises on the inclined surface and/or a quantum dot arises at the upper end of the inclined surface.

Substantial interest exists in the manufacturing of so-called single-electron transistors which, among other things, have great potential for use in integrated circuits. A precondition for the realization of a so-called single electron transistor is the provision of a quantum dot, i.e. of a region in which the charge carriers are surrounded in all directions by potential barriers and which have quantized energy levels.
Through the use of single electron transistors it is possible to realize novel logic and memory circuits which make it possible to carry out complicated combinations of data which are not possible in standard logic circuits. Furthermore, the possibility exists of storing and processing individual bits in the form of single electrons. In addition, applications in electrometers and detectors are possible. The spectrum of use thus extends from large computers to the mobile telephone. The market potential of individual electron transistors can be seen from the fact that all major companies in the semiconductor industries worldwide are active in this field and that practically all kinds of integrated circuits (ICs) can be considered as an area of use.
For the industrial application, the active quantum dots in individual electron transistors must satisfy the following definitive requirements:
A. They should be manufacturable by a process which is as simple as possible and which is built up essentially of standard process steps of component manufacture and they should be combinable with the customary semiconductor technology, i.e. integratable into complex circuits. PA1 B. The active quantum dots should be capable of being controlled by only one gate because in this way a maximum packing density can be achieved on the chip. PA1 C. The contacting of the feedlines to the quantum dots should be capable of being realized simply. PA1 D. The structure size of the quantum dots should lie in the nanometer range, with the manufacture being reproducible. The boundary surfaces of the active quantum dots should be atomically smooth so that the individual electrons and transistors can also be operated at higher temperatures, i.e. at temperatures above 77.degree. K., and preferably at ambient temperature. PA1 (1) Y. Nagamune et al. PA1 (2) R. P. Taylor et al. PA1 (3) T. Fujisawa et al. PA1 (4) Y. Takahashi et al.
Having regard to the prior art, reference is made to the following publications:
Single electron transport and current quantization in a novel quantum dot structure PA2 Fabrication of nanostructures with multilevel architecture PA2 AlGaAs/InGaAs/GaAs single electron transistors fabricated by focused ion beam implantation PA2 Conductance Oscillations of a Si Single Electron Transistors at Room Temperature.
Summarizing, the following can be said with regard to the points A) to D):
With respect to A): No method has hitherto been known which permits the defined manufacture of quantum dots without the use of electron beam lithography or FIB plants (FIB=Focused Ion Beam). These methods are, on the one hand, not standard methods for the manufacture of components and, on the other hand, the use of this method is always associated with damage to the material as is evident from the documents (1), (2) and (3).
With regard to B): As a rule, the active quantum dots of individual electrons and transistors are defined by the application of voltage to several gates, whereby the space requirement and the susceptibility of the structures to breakdown increases greatly. Furthermore, it is technologically very difficult to stabilize the numerous gate voltages. In this connection, reference is again made to the documents (1), (2) and (3).
With regard to C): The contacting of the active quantum dots has not been satisfactorily solved for other non-semiconducting material systems.
With regard to D): The previously known methods achieve at a maximum a smoothness of the structures, such as can be achieved with the manufacturing methods that are used, and, in this case, reference is also made here to the documents (1), (2) and (3).

Method for the manufacture of quantum structures, in particular quantum dots and tunnel barriers as well as components with such quantum structures