An air conditioning system including a refrigerant circulation route, a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, an evaporator and a pressure sensor for detecting pressure in the circulation route comprises a refrigerant phase detecter provided on the circulation route between the condenser and the evaporator where the refrigerant should be in a liquid phase for detecting whether the refrigerant is in a liquid phase or in a vapor phase and a control for determining whether the compressor is in a locked state in accordance with the signals from the refrigerant phase detecter and the pressure sensor. The air conditioning system can precisely determine and detect both compressor lock up and refrigerant leakage without providing a rotation detecting sensor for the compressor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air conditioning system, and more particularly to an air conditioning system suitable for use in vehicles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A typical conventional air conditioning system, for example, a typical conventional air conditioning system for vehicles is constituted, for example, as shown in FIG. 8. A refrigerant such as freon gas is circulated in circulation route 1 formed from pipe 2. Compressor 3, condenser 4, expansion valve 11 and evaporator 5 are provided in circulation route 1 in this order in the circulation direction of the refrigerant which is shown by arrow "A". The endothermic surface of evaporator 5 is exposed to the interior of the vehicle (not shown). After the refrigerant is compressed by compressor 3, the refrigerant is transformed in phase from a high-pressure gas to a high-pressure liquid in condenser 4 and further to a low-pressure gas as it passes through expansion valve 11 and evaporator 5. When the refrigerant is transformed from liquid phase to gaseous phase (vapor phase) by evaporator 5, the refrigerant absorbs heat from the interior of the vehicle and the vehicle interior is cooled. Expansion valve 11 is provided between condenser 4 and evaporator 5. Expansion valve 11 reduces the pressure of the refrigerant to a relatively low pressure so that the liquefied high-pressure refrigerant can be easily vaporized when it passes through evaporator 5.
Compressor 3 is driven by engine 6 of the vehicle via pulley 6A, V belt 8 and pulley 7A attached to electromagnetic clutch 7. Electromagnetic clutch 7 controls the drive of compressor 3. Electromagnetic clutch 7 is initially controlled by an air conditioner switch (not shown). When the air conditioner switch is turned "on", electromagnetic clutch 7 is actuated and compressor 3 is driven by engine 6.
A receiver tank 9 is provided in circulation route 1 at a position between condenser 4 and evaporator 5. Receiver tank 9 temporarily stores the refrigerant which has been in a liquid phase. On top of receiver tank 9, an inspection hole 9A is provided for observing the liquefaction of the refrigerant. Pressure sensor 10 is attached to receiver tank 9. Pressure sensor 10 detects the pressure of the refrigerant in receiver tank 9. When the pressure in receiver tank 9 exceeds a predetermined pressure, a signal is sent to a control unit (not shown). The control unit sends an "off" signal to clutch 7 when pressure sensor 10 detects an excessive pressure, and the clutch is released and compressor 3 is stopped. The bursting of pipe 2 or other components can thus be prevented by stopping compressor 3. When the pressure of the refrigerant reduces to another predetermined pressure from the excessive pressure, pressure sensor 10 sends a signal to the control unit. The control unit sends an "on" signal to clutch 7, and compressor 3 is driven again. This on-off operation of compressor 3 in accordance with the detection of the pressure of the refrigerant by pressure sensor 10 is automatically controlled. Damage to pipe 2 or other components and the overheating of compressor 3 can be prevented by this control.
In such a conventional air conditioning system, there are the following problems. For example, in a case where foreign materials intervene between the cylinder and the piston of compressor 3, the compressor may be locked In such a case, the refrigerant cannot circulate in circulation route 1, and the cooling ability of the system quickly decreases. The driver of the vehicle cannot determine whether the reduction of the cooling ability is caused by the lock up of compressor 3 or by the leakage of the refrigerant. Therefore, in the conventional air conditioning system, a rotation detecting sensor is attached to the outside of compressor 3, and the lock of the compressor is detected by the sensor.
In such a conventional air conditioning system, however, since the size and type of compressor 3 vary depending upon the type of vehicle, it is often necessary to reconstruct the compressor in order to attach the rotation detecting sensor to the outside of the compressor. The working or processing of the reconstruction of the compressor is very time consuming and costly.
Moreover, even if the rotation detecting sensor is attached to the compressor, refrigerant leakage cannot be detected.

Sensor and control system for an automotive air conditioning system

Japan Electronic Control Systems Company, Ltd.


The present invention relates generally to novel therapeutic methods for treating Parkinson""s Disease by administering cyclic GMP-specific phosphodiesterase inhibitor compounds.

The present invention relates generally to novel therapeutic methods for treating Parkinson""s Disease by administering cyclic GMP-specific phosphodiesterase inhibitor compounds.
Parkinson""s Disease (PD) is a progressive degenerative disorder of the central nervous system (CNS) characterized by tremor and impaired muscular coordination. It is fatal if untreated. PD has been reported to affect approximately one percent of Americans over fifty years of age, but unrecognized early symptoms of the disease may be present in as many as ten percent of those over 60 years of age. The current prediction is that one to one and one-half million persons in the United States may be suffering from PD. The disease may appear at any age, but the risk of developing it increases with age. The occurrence of PD is therefore expected to increase in the next one-half century as the average age of individuals in developed countries progressively increases. For the United States, this phenomenon of population aging is predicted to result in a threefold to fourfold increase in PD frequency or several million persons afflicted with PD.
Like some other CNS degenerative disorders, PD begins insidiously. Persons close to the patient may notice the problem before the patient does. The patient""s facial expression may appear depressed or apathetic (masked faces) and their voice may become softer in volume and monotonous in tone. The patient may complain of muscular weakness or stiffness. Involuntary movements, such as tremor or the turning in of a foot (dystonia) may become a problem. These symptoms may be noticed during routine activities or they may be present only at certain times such as when the patient is walking or writing. In the initial stages of PD, many patients do not have movement problems. instead, they may complain of anxiety and difficulty sleeping. However, signs of motor system dysfunction become apparent upon neurologic and physical examination.
The hallmark physical signs of PD are tremor, cogwheel rigidity and bradykinesia. Poor postural reflexes are sometimes included as the fourth hallmark sign. When postural reflexes are inadequate, patients may fall if they are pushed even slightly forward or backward, or if they are standing in a moving vehicle such as a bus or train. In PD, tremor typically occurs at rest but may also be present when the arms are raised (postural tremor). Cogwheel rigidity refers to increased tone that is felt by the examiner as a ratchet-like resistance during passive range of motion. Bradykinesia means slowed nonvolitional and/or volitional movements. The masked faces of PD are an example of slowed nonvolitional movement.
The mean duration of PD is about fourteen years. However, without treatment, the period between presentation of clinical features and death is reduced to about nine years. The rate of disease progression is believed to be directly correlated to the rate of neuron loss.
Symptomatic therapies are the most common form of treatment for PD. These remedies attempt to fulfill the basic dictate of traditional medicine, to relieve suffering. These drugs are designed to be used as either monotherapy or adjunctive symptomatic therapy but have little, if any, beneficial effects on underlying disease cause or pathogenesis. The symptomatic compounds can be divided into two groups on the basis of their pharmacologic actionxe2x80x94dopaminergic drugs and nondopaminergic drugs.
Most symptomatic PD drugs attempt to replenish, mimic, or enhance the effects of brain dopamine, a neurotransmitter, because PD is thought to be due to defective dopaminergic transmission in the substantia nigra of the basal ganglia. Dopamine itself is neither well absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract nor effectively transported across the blood-brain barrier. L-dopa is dopamine precursor therapy. L-dopa crosses the blood-brain barrier penetrating into the brain, where it is converted to dopamine via the enzyme dopa decarboxylase. L-dopa has poor bioavailability and a short half-life when administered as monotherapy. Less than 1% of orally administered L-dopa penetrates into brain because of rapid peripheral metabolism by the enzymes dopa decarboxylase and catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT). To improve its bioavailability, L-dopa is formulated with a decarboxylase inhibitor. In the United States, the decarboxylase inhibitor carbidopa is contained in virtually all L-dopa products prescribed during the last 20 years. For the past three decades, L-dopa has served as the mainstay of PD therapy. However, long term treatment with L-dopa often results in disabling complications. Many patients develop unsustained or unpredictable responses to L-dopa along with drug-induced involuntary movements. It has even been postulated by Mena, et al., Mov Disord 7:23 (1992), that L-dopa may be neurotoxic and thereby accelerates nigral neuronal degeneration.
Because of the disadvantages of long term L-dopa use, dopamine agonists have been developed for use as monotherapy in early PD to postpone the need to initiate L-dopa therapy and for use as adjunctive therapy later in the disease to permit reduction of L-dopa dosing or enhancement of beneficial dopaminergic effects. Agonists directly stimulate dopamine receptors within the brain, and thus their action is independent of L-dopa.
The first two dopaminergic agonists to be studied, apomorphine, Cotzias, et al., Trans Am Neurol Ass 97:156 (1972), and pirebedil, Vakil, et al., Advan Neurol 3:121 (1973) have since been abandoned because of adverse side effects. Bromocriptine is an ergot derivative, dopamine agonist that has been found to be effective for the treatment of PD as described by Calne, et al., Lancet 2:1355-1356 (1974). In 1997, three new dopamine agonists were added to the armamentarium against PD: carbergoline and two nonergoline drugs, pramipexole and ropinirole. Interest in the use of dopamine agonists for treatment of PD continues to be high and several other such agonists are currently being tested in clinical trials.
Blockade of other metabolic enzymatic pathways can also be used to enhance the effects of L-dopa or to maintain brain dopamine levels. One of the central metabolic pathways for dopamine is mediated via the enzyme monoamine oxidase type B (MAOB). Wessel, et al., Clin Invest 70:459 (1992) demonstrated that the drug selegiline inhibits MAOB and is approved in the United States as adjunctive antiparkinson therapy to be used in conjunction with L-dopa. Another MAOB inhibitor, lazabemide, was initially tested as adjunctive therapy in PD, but it is not being actively developed at this time. Hubble, J P, Med Clinics of North America 83(2):525-536 (1999). The compound rasagiline also inhibits the oxidative monoamine metabolic enzymes. Rasagiline""s effects in early untreated PD are being investigated. Hubble, supra.
Another enzymatic pathway involves cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases. Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs) are essential regulators of cyclic nucleotide-dependent signal transduction processes. They terminate the action of the second messengers adenosine 3xe2x80x2,5xe2x80x2-cyclic monophosphate (CAMP) and guanosine 3xe2x80x2,5xe2x80x2-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) by hydrolyzing them to their respective 5xe2x80x2-nucleoside monophosphates. Based on their biological properties, the PDEs may be classified into several general families. For example, Ca2+/calmodulin-stimulated PDE (Type I), cGMP-stimulated PDE (Type II), cGMP-inhibited PDE (Type III), cAMP-specific PDE (Type IV), cGMP-specific PDE (Type V), and cGMP-specific photoreceptor PDE (Type VI).
The combination of dopamine agonists with phosphodiesterase inhibitors was examined after it was discovered that the striatal dopaminergic receptor was closely associated with an adenylate cyclase. The actions of dopamine are mediated by an adenylate cyclase which produces cyclic AMP. Therefore, patients suffering from PD may be helped by the administration of a phosphodiesterase inhibitor which obstructs the degradation of cAMP as described by Calne, D B in Biochemistry and Neurology, Bradford and Marsden (Eds.) pp. 21-26 (1976).
For example, caffeine is known to non-selectively inhibit the action of a cyclic 3xe2x80x2,5xe2x80x2-nucleotide phosphodiesterase known to hydrolyze cAMP. However, as described by Kartzinel, et al., Neurology 26:741-743 (1976) concomitant administration of caffeine and bromocriptine to patients with PD failed to potentiate the anti-parkinson action of bromocriptine. In addition, Shoulson, et al., Neurology 25:722-724 (1975) demonstrated similar results when caffeine was administered in combination with levodopa or piribedil.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,147,789 discloses the combination of 6-methyl-8-thiomethyl-ergolene derivatives with nonselective phosphodiesterase inhibitors for treatment of PD. U.S. Pat. No. 4,147,789 does not disclose using specific phosphodiesterase inhibitors nor does it disclose combining L-dopa with phosphodiesterase inhibitors.
Casacchia, et al., Pharm Res Commun 15(3):329-334 (1983), investigated whether a selective cAMP phosphodiesterase inhibitor, rolipram, would improve the effectiveness of L-dopa and dopaminergic ergot derivatives in the therapy of PD. Rolipram failed to potentiate the effect of L-dopa and lisuride.
The present invention provides novel therapeutic uses for Type V PDE inhibitors in patients suffering from PD. The invention provides methods of preventing and/or slowing the progression of PD or reducing or eliminating clinical symptoms of PD by administering a therapeutically effective amount of one or more Type V PDE (PDE5) inhibitor(s) of the invention. As used herein, a xe2x80x9cclinical symptomxe2x80x9d of PD includes tremor, cogwheel rigidity, bradykinesia, poor postural reflexes, and any other clinically defined physical or mental manifestation of PD.
The term xe2x80x9cIC50xe2x80x9d is defined as the concentration of a compound that results in 50% enzyme inhibition, in a single dose response experiment. The IC50 value therefore is a measure of the potency of a compound to inhibit PDEs, including PDE5. Determining the IC50 value of a compound is readily carried out by a known in vitro methodology generally described in Cheng et al., Biochem Pharmacology 22:3099-3108 (1973).
The term xe2x80x9cinhibitingxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cinhibitsxe2x80x9d refers to blocking the enzymatic activity of PDE5 to a sufficient degree to reduce a clinical symptom of PD or to prevent the recurrence of a clinical symptom of PD.
The term xe2x80x9ca pharmaceutically effective amountxe2x80x9d represents an amount of a compound that is capable of inhibiting PDE5, and causes an improvement in a clinical symptom of PD and/or prevents or reduces recurrence of the symptom.
The term xe2x80x9cPDE5 inhibitorxe2x80x9d refers to a compound that inhibits PDE5. A PDE5 inhibitor useful in the present invention is a compound that inhibits PDE5 and has an IC50 value against human recombinant PDE5 of about 10 nM or less. Preferably, the IC50 value of the PDE5 inhibitor is about 5 nM or less, more preferably about 3 nM or less, and most preferably about 1 nM or less. Most preferred PDE5 inhibitors are selective PDE5 inhibitors, i.e., those that inhibit PDE5, but do not significantly inhibit other PDE enzymes, particularly PDE6 and PDE1c. With respect to selectivity, a preferred PDE5 inhibitor exhibits a PDE6/PDE5 and a PDE1c/PDE5 IC50 inhibition quotient of at least 200, and can range to 1,000 or greater. The PDE6/PDE5 IC50 inhibition quotient is the ratio of the IC50 value of a compound vs PDE6 to the IC50 value of the same compound vs PDE5. The PDE1c/PDE5 inhibition quotient is identically defined for PDE1c and PDE5. To achieve the full advantage of the present invention, the compound has a PDE6/PDE5 and a PDE1c/PDE5 IC50 inhibition quotient of at least 100 and an IC50 for PDE5 of about 5 nM or less, e.g., about 0.1 to about 5 nM. Therefore, for preferred inhibitors, the IC50 value of the PDE5 inhibitor is about 100 times less than the IC50 value against PDE6 or PDE1c, more preferably about 500 times less than the IC50 value against PDE6 or PDEIc, and most preferably about 1000 times less than the IC50 value against PDE6 or PDEIc.
PDE5 inhibitors useful in the present invention vary significantly in chemical structure and the use of a PDE5 inhibitor in the present method is not dependent on a particular chemical structure. However, preferred compounds having the ability to inhibit PDE5 (although not having the preferred selectivity) include compounds having the structural formula (I):
wherein R1 is methyl or ethyl; R2 is n-propyl; R3 is ethyl, n-propyl, or allyl; R4 is COCH2NR5R6, CONR5R6, SO2NR9R10, or 1-methyl-2-imidazolyl; R5 and R6 together represent, with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached, a morpholino or 4-N(R11)-piperazinyl group; R9 and R10 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached represent a 4-N(R12)-piperazinyl group; R11 is methyl or acetyl; and R12 is H, methyl, 2-propyl, or 2-hydroxyethyl.
Compounds of structural formula (I), and their preparation, are disclosed in EP 0 702 555, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Preferred compounds of formula (I) include;
5-(2-ethoxy-5-morpholinoacetylphenyl)-1-methyl-3-n-propyl-1,6-dihydro-7H-pyrazolo[4,3-d]pyrimidin-7-one;
5-(5-morpholinoacetyl-2-n-propoxyphenyl)-1-methyl-3-n-propyl-1,6-dihydro-7H-pyrazolo[4,3-d]pyrimidin-7-one;
5-(2-ethoxy-5-(4-methyl-1-piperazinylsulphonyl)phenyl)-1-methyl-3-n-propyl-1,6-dihydro-7H-pyrazolo[4,3-d]pyrimidin-7-one;
5-(2-allyloxy-5-(4-methyl-1-piperazinylsulphonyl)phenyl)-1-methyl-3-n-propyl-1,6-dihydro-7H-pyrazolo[4,3-d]pyrimidin-7-one;
5-(2-ethoxy-5-[4-(2-propyl)-1-piperazinylsulphonyl]-phenyl)-1-methyl-3-n-propyl-1,6-dihydro-7H-pyrazolo[4,3-d]pyrimidin-7-one;
5-(2-ethoxy-5-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinylsulphonyl]phenyl)-1-methyl-3-n-propyl-1,6-dihydro-7H-pyrazolo[4,3-d]pyrimidin-7-one;
5-(5-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinylsulphonyl]2-n-propoxyphenyl)-1-methyl-3-n-propyl-1,6-dihydro-7H-pyrazolo[4,3-d]pyrimidin-7-one;
5-(2-ethoxy-5-(4-methyl-1-piperazinylcarbonyl)phenyl)-1-methyl-3-n-propyl-1,6-dihydro-7H-pyrazolo[4,3-d]pyrimidin-7-one;
5-(2-ethoxy-5-(1-methyl-2-imidazolyl)phenyl)-1-methyl-3-n-propyl-1,6-dihydro-7H-pyrazolo [4,3-d]pyrimidin-7-one; and mixtures thereof.
Another class of preferred compounds is disclosed in Daugan U.S. Pat. No. 5,859,006 and Daugan et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,981,527, each of which is specifically incorporated herein by reference. This class of compounds, which contains potent and selective PDE5 inhibitors, is useful in treating PD and has the following structural formula (II):
and salts or solvates thereof,
wherein R13 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, and C1-6alkyl;
R14 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-6alkyl, C2-6alkenyl, C2-6alkynyl, halo, C3-8cycloalkyl, C3-8cycloalkylC1-3alky and arylC1-3alkyl, wherein aryl is phenyl or phenyl substituted with one to three substituents independently selected from the group consisting of halogen, C1-6alkyl, C1-6alkoxy, and methylenedioxy, and heteroarylC1-3alkyl, wherein heteroaryl is thienyl, furyl, or pyridyl, each optionally substituted with one to three substituents independently selected from the group consisting of halogen, C1-6alkyl, and C1-6alkoxy.
R15 represents an optionally substituted monocyclic aromatic ring selected from the group consisting of benzene, thiophene, furan, and pyridine, or an optionally substituted bicyclic ring
attached to the rest of the molecule via one of the benzene ring carbon atoms, wherein the fused ring A is a 5- or 6-membered ring, saturated or partially or fully unsaturated, and comprises carbon atoms and optionally one or two heteroatoms selected from oxygen, sulphur and nitrogen; and
R16 represents hydrogen or C1-3alkyl, or R14 and R16 together represent a 3- or 4-membered alkyl or alkenyl chain component of a 5- or 6-membered ring.
Preferred compounds of structural formula (II) are those wherein R13 is hydrogen, halogen, or C1-6alkyl; R14 is hydrogen or C1-6alkyl; R15 is the bicyclic ring
which can be optionally substituted by one or more groups independently selected from halogen and C1-3alkyl; and R16 is hydrogen or C1-3alkyl.
Preferred compounds of structural formula (II) include:
(6R, 12aR)-2,3,6,7,12,12a-hexahydro-6-(5-benzofuranyl)-2-methyl-pyrazino[2xe2x80x2,1xe2x80x2:6,1]pyrido[3,4-b]indole-1,4-dione;
(6R, 12aR)-2,3,6,7,12,12a-hexahydro-6-(5-benzofuranyl)-pyrazino[2xe2x80x2,1xe2x80x2:6,1]pyrido [3,4-b]indole-1,4-dione;
(3S, 6R, 12aR)-2,3,6,7,12,12a-hexahydro-6-(5-benzofuranyl)-3-methyl-pyrazino[2xe2x80x2,1xe2x80x2:6,1]pyrido[3,4-b]indole-1,4-dione;
(3S, 6R, 12aR)-2,3,6,7,12,12a-hexahydro-6-(5-benzofuranyl)-2,3-dimethyl-pyrazino[2xe2x80x21xe2x80x2:6,1]pyrido[3,4-b]indole-1,4-dione;
(6R, 12aR)-2,3,6,7,12,12a-hexahydro-6-(5-benzofuranyl)-2-isopropyl-pyrazino[2xe2x80x2,1xe2x80x2:6,1]pyrido [3,4-b]indole-1,4-dione;
physiologically acceptable salts and solvates thereof; and mixtures thereof. The compounds of structural formula (II) are particularly advantageous due to their selectivity in inhibiting PDE5 over other PDE enzymes.
Still other exemplary PDE5 inhibitors useful in the present method are those disclosed in Daugan et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,001,847; WO 97/43287, WO 98/53819, WO 99/21831, WO 99/24433, WO 99/26946, WO 99/28319, WO 99/28325, WO 99/42452, WO 99/54284, WO 99/54333, each incorporated herein by reference.
Further exemplary compounds for use in the present invention are disclosed in PCT application (PCT/EP98/06050), which designates the U.S., entitled xe2x80x9cChemical Compounds,xe2x80x9d inventors A. Bombrun and F. Gellibert, the disclosure of which is specifically incorporated by reference herein. This class of compounds has the following structural formula (III):
and salts and solvates (e.g., hydrates) wherein
ring C represents a 5- or 6-membered heteroaryl group containing at least one heteroatom selected from the group consisting of oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur;
R17 represents hydrogen or halogen;
R18 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, nitro (NO2), trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy, halogen, cyano (CN),
a 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic group containing at least one heteroatom selected from the group consisting of oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur, optionally substituted with C(xe2x95x90O)ORa or C1-4alkyl,
C1-6alkyl, optionally substituted with ORh,
C1-3alkoxy,
C(xe2x95x90O)Rh,
OC(xe2x95x90O)ORh,
C(xe2x95x90O)ORh,
C1-4alkyleneHet,
C1-4alkyleneC(xe2x95x90O)ORh,
OC1-4alkyleneC(xe2x95x90O)ORh,
C1-4alkyleneOC1-4alkyleneC(xe2x95x90O)ORh,
C(xe2x95x90O)NRxe2x80x2SO2Rj,
C(xe2x95x90O)C1-4alkyleneHet,
C1-4alkyleneNRhRi,
C2-6alkyleneNRhRi,
C(xe2x95x90O)NRhRi,
C(xe2x95x90O)NRhRi,
C(xe2x95x90O)NRhC1-4alkyleneORi,
C(xe2x95x90O)NRhC1-4alkyleneHet,
ORi,
OC2-4alkyleneNRhRi,
OC1-4alkyleneCH(ORh)CH2NRhRi,
OC1-4alkyleneHet,
OC2-4alkyleneORh,
OC2-4alkyleneNRhC(xe2x95x90O)ORi,
NRhRi,
NRhC1-4alkyleneNRhRi,
NRhC(xe2x95x90O)Ri,
NRhC(xe2x95x90O)NRhRi,
N(SO2C1-4alkyl)2,
NRh(SO2C1-4alkyl),
SO2NRhRi,
and OSO2trifluoromethyl;
R19 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, ORh, C1-6alkyl, NO2, and NRhRi;
or R18 and R19 are taken together to form a 3- or 4-membered alkylene or alkenylene chain component of a 5- or 6-membered ring, optionally containing at least one heteroatom;
R20 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, NO2, trifluoromethoxy, C1-6alkyl, OC1-6alkyl, and C(xe2x95x90O)Oh;
R21 is hydrogen,
or R20 and R21 are taken together to form a 3- or 4-membered alkylene or alkenylene chain component of a 5- or 6-membered ring, optionally containing at least one heteroatom;
Het represents a 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic group containing at least one heteroatom selected from the group consisting of oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur, and is optionally substituted with C1-4alkyl;
Rh and Ri can be the same or different, and are independently selected from hydrogen and C1-6alkyl;
Rj represents phenyl or C4-6cycloalkyl, wherein the phenyl or C4-6cycloalkyl can be optionally substituted with one or more halogen atoms, one or more C(xe2x95x90O)ORa, or one or more ORh;
n is an integer 1, 2, or 3; and
m is an integer 1 or 2.
In preferred compounds of structural formula (III), C is a heteroaryl group containing at least one nitrogen or sulfur, R19 is hydrogen, and R18 is selected from the group consisting of NRhRi and a 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic group containing at least one nitrogen optionally substituted with C1-4 alkyl.
It is contemplated that the PDE5 inhibitors may be concurrently administered with other drugs, including other known anti-PD drugs, in which case the dosage of each agent required to exert a therapeutic effect during combinative therapy may be less than the dosage necessary for monotherapeutic effectiveness. Examples of drugs for concurrent administration include, but are not limited to, L-dopa, carbo-levo, apomorphine, pirebedil, bromocriptine, carbergoline, pramipexole, ropinirole, selegiline, lazabemide, rasagiline, sildenafil citrate (Viagra), caffeine, Mirapex, Naprelan, Oxybutin and aspirin.
The invention further provides uses of PDE5 inhibitors in the manufacture of a medicament for treating PD.
Assays to determine the specific activity of PDE5s are well known in the art and any such assay can be used to identify inhibitors useful in the therapeutic methods disclosed herein. Preferred inhibitors possess desirable physical and biological properties, e.g., a sufficient water solubility, bioavailability, and metabolic stability, for therapeutic use in the treatment of PD.
Anti-PD therapeutically effective amounts of PDE5 inhibitors include amounts effective for slowing or preventing the progression of PD and amounts effective to alleviate or reduce the clinical symptoms of PD. PDE5 inhibitors can be administered to humans at doses ranging from about 0.1 mg to about 1000 mg daily or more preferably at doses ranging from about 1 mg to about 100 mg daily for adults. Even more preferably, doses range from about 2 mg to about 20 mg over a 24 hour period. Most preferable are doses calculated to provide an effective circulating blood level. Equivalent dosing of PDE5 inhibitors can be administered at longer intervals, e.g., larger doses once or twice weekly. The dosage of the drug may be increased or decreased, and the duration of treatment may be shortened or lengthened as determined by the treating physician. The frequency of dosing will depend on the pharmacokinetic parameters of the agents and the route of administration. The optimal pharmaceutical formulation will be determined by one skilled in the art depending upon the route of administration and desired dosage. See for example, Remington""s Pharmaceutical Sciences, 18th Ed. (1990, Mack Publishing Co., Easton, Pa. 18042) pages 1435-1712, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. Such formulations may influence the physical state, stability, rate of in vivo release, and rate of in vivo clearance of administered agents.
Those of ordinary skill in the art will readily optimize effective dosages and administration regimens as determined by good medical practice and the clinical condition of the individual patient. Regardless of the manner of administration, the specific dose may be calculated according to body weight, body surface area or organ size. Further refinement of the calculations necessary to determine the appropriate dosage for treatment involving each of the above mentioned formulations is routinely made by those of ordinary skill in the art without undue experimentation. Appropriate dosages may be ascertained through use of established assays for determining blood level dosages in conjunction with appropriate doseresponse data. The final dosage regimen will be determined by the attending physician, considering various factors which modify the action of drugs, e.g., the drug""s specific activity, the severity of the damage and the responsiveness of the patient, the age, condition, body weight, sex and diet of the patient, the severity of the clinical symptoms, time of administration and other clinical factors.
PDE5 inhibitors may be administered systemically via, e.g., oral, intravenous, intramuscular or subcutaneous routes. The drug may be aerosolized for pulmonary administration, formulated in a spray for nasal administration, administered intraventricularly or intrathecally into the cerebrospinal fluid, or administered intravenously via continuous infusion pump. The drugs may also be administered topically via, e.g., drops (particularly ophthalmic drops), ointment, patch or per rectum via e.g., suppositories or enemas. For the combination treatments, PDE5 inhibitors and another anti-PD agent can be administered simultaneously or sequentially.
While it is possible to administer a compound employed in the methods of this invention directly without any formulation, the compounds are usually administered in the form of pharmaceutical compositions comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient and at least one active ingredient. These compositions can be administered by a variety of routes including oral, buccal, rectal, transdermal, subcutaneous, intravenous, intramuscular, and intranasal. Many of the compounds employed in the methods of this invention are effective as both injectable and oral compositions. Such compositions are prepared in a manner well known in the pharmaceutical art and comprise at least one active compound.
In making the compositions employed in the present invention, the active ingredient usually is mixed with an excipient, diluted by an excipient or enclosed within such a carrier which can be in the form of a capsule, sachet, paper or other container. When the excipient serves as a diluent, it can be a solid, semi-solid, or liquid material, which acts as a vehicle, carrier or medium for the active ingredient. Thus, the compositions can be in the form of tablets, pills, powders, lozenges, sachets, cachets, elixirs, suspensions, emulsions, solutions, syrups, aerosols (as a solid or in a liquid medium), ointments containing, for example, up to 10% by weight of the active compound, soft and hard gelatin capsules, suppositories, sterile injectable solutions, and sterile packaged powders.
In preparing a formulation, the active compound can be milled to provide the appropriate particle size prior to combining with the other ingredients. If the active compound is substantially insoluble, it ordinarily is milled to a particle size of less than 200 mesh. If the active compound is substantially water soluble, the particle size is normally adjusted by milling to provide a substantially uniform distribution in the formulation, e.g., about 40 mesh.
The compositions used in the invention can be formulated to provide quick, sustained, or delayed release of the active ingredient after administration to the patient by employing procedures known in the art.
The compositions preferably are formulated in a unit dosage form. The term xe2x80x9cunit dosage formxe2x80x9d refers to physically discrete units suitable as unitary dosages for human subjects and other mammals, each unit containing a predetermined quantity of active material calculated to produce the desired therapeutic effect, in association with a suitable pharmaceutical excipient. The active compounds generally are effective over a wide dosage range. However, it will be understood that the amount of the compound actually administered will be determined by a physician, in the light of the relevant circumstances.

Use of cyclic GMP-specific phosphodiesterase inhibitors for treatment of Parkinson""s Disease


A driving device (2) which is remotely controlled by a transmitter (1) holds a first parameter (D) and a second parameter (L), transmits an offense signal based on the first parameter (D), and changes the second parameter (L) according to information included in a received specified signal. A remote control system can realize a battle game where the transmitter (1) and the driving device (2) play against another pair of a driving device (2) and a transmitter (1), the driving device (2) receives the offense signal transmitted from the other driving device (2) as the specified signal, and the second parameter (L) is changed according to the information included in the specified signal can be realized in a remote control toy system. In the system, the transmitter (1) allows a control signal to include specified information according to a user's specified operation, and the driving device (2) changes the its own first parameter (D) based on the specified information in the control signal.

Remote control toy systems where battle games can be realized by driving devices remotely controlled from transmitters have been already known widely. In the battle games, when player's driving device and an opponent's driving device transmit and receive offense signals including offense information, the offense information damages the opponent's driving device. The result of the battle is determined by accumulation of the damages (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-164676).

Remote control toy system and driving device thereof


A computer-readable storage medium has stored thereon an program that is executed in a display apparatus that takes an image of a virtual three-dimensional space in which a first object and a second object are present, by a virtual camera and renders the virtual three-dimensional space. The program allows the apparatus to generate a silhouette image for representing a silhouette of the first object, in which silhouette image, gradation information changes in accordance with a distance from the second object to each part of the first object; to generate an image of the second object that is seen from the virtual camera; and to synthesize the silhouette image on the image of the second object that is seen from the virtual camera, such that the silhouette image is darker at a portion thereof corresponding to a part of the first object closer to the second object.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image display program, an image display system, an image display method, and an image display apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a storage medium having stored thereon an image display program, an image display system, an image display method, and an image display apparatus, which display an object that is present in a virtual three-dimensional space.
2. Description of the Background Art
An apparatus that displays a virtual space is required to perform calculation on the basis of many parameters, in order to more realistically display behavior of an object. For example, "Nintendo Official Guidebook, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker", edited by Nintendo, Inc., 1st edition, published by Shogakukan, Inc., Mar. 1, 2003, p 146 (hereinafter, referred to as Non-Patent Document 1) shows one example of a game executed by such a game apparatus that displays a virtual space. In the game, realistic expression is achieved by rendering a view, which is represented in the virtual space and seen through a curtain, on the basis of various parameters such as light emitted from a light source that is located in the virtual space.
In many examples including Non-Patent Document 1, rendering is performed on the basis of various parameters such as light emitted from a light source that is located in a virtual space. Recently, increased performance of computers or graphic chips allows more calculations for realistic rendering on the basis of various parameters as described above. Nonetheless, such calculations remain complicated and accompanied with high processing load, causing not little effect on other processing.

Storage medium having stored thereon image display program, image display system, image display method, and image display apparatus


A maximum voltage detecting apparatus for detecting the maximum voltage output from a light sensor, a wind force sensor or the like by using ferroelectric capacitors, and a method of producing ferroelectric capacitors. A plurality of ferroelectric capacitor devices each of which is composed of one ferroelectric capacitor or a plurality of ferroelectric capacitors which have approximately the same thickness and which are connected in series and are arranged in an array are connected in parallel so as to provide a ferroelectric unit. A DC voltage is applied to the ferroelectric unit so as to produce spontaneous polarization. An output voltage of a wind force sensor or the like is applied to the ferroelectric unit at the opposite polarity, and whether or not the polarization of each ferroelectric capacitor device is reversed is detected, thereby detecting the maximum value of the external voltage. Each ferroelectric capacitor is composed of first insulating film, lower electrode, ferroelectric film, second insulating film, and upper electrode which are laminated on a semiconductor substrate in that order.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a maximum voltage detecting apparatus using ferroelectric capacitors and, more particularly, to an apparatus for detecting the maximum voltage output from an apparatus for generating a potential such as a light sensor, a heat sensor or a pressure sensor by using ferroelectric capacitors and without the need for an external power supply, and to a method of producing ferroelectric capacitors.
2. Description of the Related Art
A light sensor, a heat sensor, a pressure sensor, a wind force sensor or the like generates a potential which corresponds to the light, the heat, the pressure or the like to be measured. A comparator such as a comparator 10 shown in FIG. 1 is used as a monitor for judging whether or not the potential has reached a predetermined value. The comparator 10 is generally composed of a current mirror circuit 10a and a differentiating circuit 10b, and a voltage which corresponds to the difference between the output at the non-inverting input terminal and the output at the inverting input terminal is taken out as an output. An apparatus for generating a potential such as a light sensor or a heat sensor is connected to the non-inverting input terminal, and a reference voltage is applied to the inverting terminal so as to judge whether or not an external voltage such as the voltage of a light sensor or a heat sensor has reached the reference voltage.
A conventional voltage measuring apparatus such as a comparator, however, cannot be operated unless power is supplied from an external power source 10c. In addition, in order to constantly monitor the maximum voltage, it is also necessary to connect an external memory to the output terminal of the comparator, which inconveniently makes the structure of the voltage measuring apparatus complicated.

Maximum voltage detecting apparatus using ferroelectric capacitors


A method of regenerating an etching waste fluid, includes the steps of dissolving HCl gas in an etching waste fluid at a temperature falling within a range of 20.degree. C. to 50.degree. C. and crystallizing NiCl.sub.2 and FeCl.sub.2 crystals, the etching waste fluid containing NiCl.sub.2, FeCl.sub.3, and FeCl.sub.2 and being obtained by etching Ni or an Ni alloy with an etching solution consisting of an aqueous solution containing FeCl.sub.3, distilling a mother liquor at the atmospheric pressure after crystallization and separation thereof to reduce the HCl concentration in the mother liquor, and distilling, at a reduced pressure, a concentrate obtained upon distillation at the atmospheric pressure to further reduce the HCl concentration, thereby obtaining an aqueous solution containing FeCl.sub.3, or bringing the concentrate obtained by distillation at the atmospheric pressure into contact with an iron oxide to cause HCl in the concentrate to react with the iron oxide to further reduce the HCl concentration in the concentrate thereby obtaining the aqueous solution containing FeCl.sub.3 with little HCl.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of treating an etching waste fluid and, more particularly, to a method of regenerating a waste fluid produced when nickel or an iron alloy containing nickel such as invariable steel (Invar) is etched with an aqueous solution containing FeCl.sub.3.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, along with developments of televisions, OA equipment, and computers, demand has arisen for a high-precision, high-quality CRT. A high nickel alloy such as Invar has been used as a material of CRT shadow masks. In etching of a shadow mask material consisting of such an alloy, or pure nickel, an aqueous solution containing high-concentration FeCl.sub.3 is used as an etching solution since it allows a moderate and reliable reaction and is free from generation of gases.
During etching using the aqueous FeCl.sub.3 solution, when a metal such as nickel and iron constituting a shadow mask material is partially dissolved, FeCl.sub.3 is reduced into FeCl.sub.2. Meanwhile, iron and nickel are dissolved in the aqueous FeCl.sub.3 solution, into FeCl.sub.2 and NiCl.sub.2, respectively.
FeCl.sub.2 produced in the etching solution is oxidized using chlorine gas, or H.sub.2 O.sub.2 in the presence of hydrochloric acid and is easily converted into FeCl.sub.3. In the course of continued operation of this method, the content of NiCl.sub.2 is increased in the etching system, and eventually the solution cannot be used in practice in view of the reaction rate and chemical equilibrium. In order to circularly use the etching solution, a part of the etching solution is removed as an etching waste fluid, the nickel component is removed from the fluid, and the regenerated solution is returned to the etching system.
Various means are proposed as methods of eliminating nickel from such an etching waste fluid. Those are,
(a) a method of electrolyzing a waste fluid to perform cathodic reduction, thereby precipitating metallic nickel (Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 59-31868),
(b) a method of precipitating and separating nickel as a complex by using a complexing agent such as glyoxime having selectivity for nickel (Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 59-190367),
(c) a method of substituting Cl.sup.- and precipitating nickel using metallic iron and oxidizing Fe.sup.2+ into Fe.sup.3+ using chlorine (Published Examined Japanese Patent Publication No. 61-44814),
(d) a method of cooling an etching waste fluid after concentration by heating to eliminate an FeCl.sub.2.4H.sub.2 O crystal, firstly supplying HCl gas while cooling the mother liquor to 5.degree. to -10.degree. C. to recover only nickel in the form of an NiCl.sub.2 crystal, and stripping HCl from the treated solution, thereby recovering the treated solution as an FeCl.sub.3 concentrate, and at the same time the stripped and recovered HCl is recycled to the cooling and crystallization step (Published Examined Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-10097), and
(e) a method of absorbing HCl gas in an etching waste fluid and crystallizing and separating both NiCl.sub.2 and FeCl.sub.2, heating and distilling the mother liquor to partially remove HCl gas and water, adding water and iron pieces to the residual solution to neutralize it, and oxidizing the solution with Cl.sub.2 (Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 62-222088).
There is also proposed a method of extractively distilling the recovered hydrochloric acid using FeCl.sub.3 as an extracting medium, thereby extracting high-concentration HCl (Published Examined Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-10097).
In method (a) of all the conventional methods described above, standard precipitation electrode potentials of Fe.sup.2+ and Ni.sup.2+ are close to each other, and nickel tends to cause generation of an overvoltage. It is difficult to selectively reduce and precipitate only nickel. In addition, Fe.sup.3+ is reduced to result in an economical disadvantage. Although method (b) has a high nickel elimination rate, the complexing agent is expensive. Since nickel generally need not be perfectly eliminated, a high nickel elimination rate does not mean a prominent merit. In method (c), since nickel is not precipitated until Fe.sup.3+ is entirely reduced into Fe.sup.2+, a large amount of FeCl.sub.2 is produced. A large amount of Cl.sub.2 is required to oxide the large amount of FeCl.sub.2. Therefore, method (c) is not necessarily a good method of recovering FeCl.sub.3. Although method (d) is one of the most preferable methods, the etching waste fluid must be cooled to a temperature falling within the range of 5.degree. to -10.degree. C., and power cost for cooling is increased. In addition, the treated solution is recovered as an aqueous FeCl.sub.3 solution by simple distillation at atmospheric pressure alone. According to the experiences of the present inventors, it is difficult to sufficiently remove hydrochloric acid in the etching solution to be regenerated and circulated by only such a simple atmospheric distillation alone. When the etching solution contains free hydrogen chloride in an amount exceeding a predetermined limit, hydrogen is produced upon etching. From this point of view and the like, precise and stable operations may be interfered, and a safety problem may be posed. When high-precision etching is required as in etching of a CRT shadow mask, a large amount of metallic iron or iron oxide must be charged into the recovered iron chloride solution as in method (e), in order to neutralize the free hydrochloric acid.
In the neutralization method using the iron component, iron reacts with HCl to produce dangerous hydrogen and at the same time reacts with FeCl.sub.3. Thus, the amount of Fe.sup.2+ is undesirably increased. In order to recover an etching Fe.sup.3+ component, consumption of an oxidant is increased too much. Examples of an easily obtainable iron oxide used for neutralizing HCl are Fe.sub.3 O.sub.4 and Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3. When the former example is taken into consideration as a complex oxide of FeO.Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3, the FeO component is relatively easy to be dissolved. The Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 component including the latter example as well is difficulty soluble with HCl, thus posing a problem. Problems to be solved are to explore a first method capable of easily dissolving an iron oxide even if HCl having a relatively low concentration is used and a second method of decreasing the HCl concentration in the aqueous FeCl.sub.3 solution containing HCl after nickel elimination from the etching waste fluid without producing a large amount of FeCl.sub.2 as an application of the first method.
In the method of crystallizing NiCl.sub.2 upon absorption of HCl, a water-containing NiCl.sub.2 crystal, a coprecipitated FeCl.sub.2 crystal, or a sludge containing a corrosive material such as FeCl.sub.3 contained in the mother liquor in a high concentration is produced. It is difficult to treat these products. In addition, there is no effective process for systematically recovering HCl having a high concentration. The extractive distillation using FeCl.sub.3 and described in Published Examined Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-10093 does not provide an important effect as expected on the vapor-liquid equilibrium. The extractive distillation with FeCl.sub.3 itself is unstable, and a precipitate which is assumed to be an iron oxide tends to be produced. Therefore, it is difficult to use this extractive distillation.

Method of treating nickel-containing etching waste fluid


An apparatus (10) for bulge testing an article (12) comprises a pressure vessel (14) arranged to define a chamber (15), the pressure vessel (14) has a first aperture (28) and a second aperture (30), means to pressurize the chamber (15), means (19) to measure the deflection of the article (12, means (39) to measure the pressure in the pressure vessel (14) and means (18) to determine material properties of the article (12) using the measurements of pressure in the pressure vessel (12) and the measurements of deflection of the article (12). A piston (24) is arranged to move within the pressure vessel (14) and the chamber (15) is filled with a fluid. The means to pressurise the pressure vessel (14) comprises a gun (16) arranged to fire a projectile (36) to strike the piston (24) to produce a high pressure in the fluid in the chamber (15) in the pressure vessel (14) to deform an article (12) placed over the first aperture (28) in the pressure vessel (14) to seal the pressure vessel (14). The means (19) to measure deflection comprises a camera 48 and two mirrors (50,52) to produce a stereoscopic view of the article (10).

Conventional apparatus for bulge testing an article comprises a pressure vessel arranged to define a chamber and in use the article being arranged over an aperture in the pressure vessel to seal the pressure vessel. A source of pressurised fluid is arranged to supply fluid to the chamber to cause the article to deform or bulge. Means to measure the material properties of the article are provided by measuring the pressure of the fluid supplied to the chamber and the deflection of the article.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,092 provides a micrometer to measure the vertical displacement of the article when the article has been deformed and the tensile strength of the article is calculated.
WO02/47372A provides a Michelson interferometer that generates an interference pattern having fringes and nodes that move when the article has been deformed and the material properties of the article are calculated.

Apparatus and method for bulge testing an article


The present invention provides a buffer management scheme for load operations that permits load operations to be stored for execution to memory. The buffer management scheme of the present invention maintains pointers identifies entries in the memory containing the oldest load operation and the next available location in the memory for a new load operation. By providing such management, the present invention allows memory operations and their execution by a device, such as a processor, to be coordinated with the operation of the system and other operations in the processor.

A computer system may be divided into three basic blocks: a central processing unit (CPU), memory, and input/output (I/O) units. These blocks are coupled to each other by a bus. An input device, such as a keyboard, mouse, stylus, analog-to-digital converter, etc., is used to input instructions and data into the computer system via an I/O unit. These instructions and data can be stored in memory. The CPU receives the data stored in the memory and processes the data as directed by a set of instructions. The results can be stored back into memory or outputted via the I/O unit to an output device, such as a printer, cathode-ray tube (CRT) display, digital-to-analog converter, etc.
The CPU receives data from memory as a result of performing load operations. Each load operation is typically initiated in response to a load instruction. The load instruction specifies an address to the location in memory at which the desired data is stored. The load instruction also usually specifies the amount of data that is desired. Using the address and the amount of data specified, the memory may be accessed and the desired data obtained.
Some computer systems have the capabilities to execute instructions out-of-order. In other words, the CPU in the computer system is capable of executing one instruction before a previously issued instruction. This out-of-order execution is permitted because there was no dependency between the two instructions. That is, the subsequently issued instruction does not rely on a previously issued unexecuted instruction for its resulting data or its implemented result. The CPU may also be capable of executing instructions speculatively, wherein conditional branch instructions may cause certain instructions to be fetched and issued based on a prediction of the condition. Therefore, depending on whether the CPU predicted correctly, the CPU will be either executing the correct instructions or not. Branch prediction and is relationship with speculative execution of instructions is well-known in the art. For a detailed explanation of speculative out-of-order execution, see M. Johnson, Superscalor Microprocessor Design, Prentice Hall, 1991. Speculative and out-of-order execution offer advantages over the prior art, including better use of resources.
However, memory operations typically must be executed in order to maintain memory consistency, especially when their execution would create incorrect results.
If multiple load operations may be executed at the same time, yet memory ordering still is being observed, the execution and retirement of memory operations must be managed. It is desirable to be able to manage the out-of-order execution and retirement of memory operations.
The present invention provides management for load operations that insures memory ordering while allowing multiple load operations to be retired at the same time.

Apparatus for indicating an oldest non-retired load operation in an array


The present invention relates to crystalline aluminophosphates having in the as-synthesized anhydrous form an X-ray diffraction pattern containing at least the lines given in Table A.. TABLE A ______________________________________ d (.ANG.) Intensity (I/I.sub.0) ______________________________________ 17.5 .+-. 0.2 vs 8.45 .+-. 0.2 s/vs 5.35 .+-. 0.1 w/m 4.62 .+-. 0.1 w/m 3.70 .+-. 0.05 m 3.52 .+-. 0.03 m 3.41 .+-. 0.03 m/s ______________________________________. The invention further relates to a process for preparing the crystalline aluminophosphates, using a substituted diamine as an organic template, under specified reaction conditions.

Crystalline aluminophosphates are well known materials which find a promising reception in industry as new generations of molecular sieves, catalyst carriers as well as catalysts.
Crystalline aluminophosphates include, inter alia, crystalline compounds in the SAPO.sub.4 (siliconaluminophosphate), MeAPO.sub.4 (metalloaluminophosphate) and ElAPO.sub.4 (non-metal substituted aluminophosphate) families.
In European Patent No. 43 562 the preparation of various crystalline aluminophosphates is described from starting mixtures containing inter alia organic structure directing or templating agents. In Example 51 of said patent specification it is described that an aluminophosphate, designated AlPO.sub.4 -21, can be prepared by keeping a starting mixture, comprising N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl ethylene diamine, at a temperature of 200.degree. C. for 168 hours.
It has now been found that novel crystalline aluminophosphates, e.g. of the SAPO.sub.4 and MeAPO.sub.4 -type, may be prepared from starting mixtures when use is made of the appropriate forming components, the required forming conditions and the appropriate organic template.


An automotive gateway includes one or more interfaces and one or more processors. The one or more interfaces are configured to communicate with electronic subsystems of a vehicle. The one or more processors and configured to host one or more guest applications and to control communication traffic between the one or more guest applications and the electronic subsystems of the vehicle in accordance with a security policy.

Modern vehicles, and in particular autonomous vehicles, comprise a wide variety of sensors and electronic systems. Some of these components, for example Electronic Control Units (ECUs) that control the vehicle steering and breaks, have a strong impact, on driver safety. Other components, e.g., the vehicle's infotainment system, have a lesser impact, on safety.
The description above is presented as a general overview of related art in this field and should not be construed as an admission that any of the information it contains constitutes prior art against the present patent application.

Automotive gateway providing secure open platform for guest applications


A mechanical broadhead for attachment to an arrow having a broadhead body including a plurality of blade windows formed therein, a geometrically angled retractable blade attached within each of the blade windows, retaining springs for retaining the blades in a retracted position during flight, a front body slidably mounted onto the broadhead body, and a front tip secured to the front body. Upon contact with a target, the front tip and front body slide rearwardly into an end of the geometrically angled blades, thus pushing each of the blades through the blade windows into a deployed position. The blades of the broadhead are reset by inserting a sharp point underneath an end portion of the retaining springs and applying a slight twisting motion allowing the blades to retract back into the broadhead body into a loaded position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a mechanical broadhead for attachment to an arrow and, in particular, to a mechanical broadhead that has blades which are retracted into the body of the broadhead during flight and open upon impact with the target.
2. Description of Related Art
Previously designed mechanical broadheads that are well-known in the art were constructed to lessen the wind effects on the arrow and to provide a wounding shot that would kill the animal more quickly. There have been various designs that enable the blades to be held in during flight and to expand outward upon impact. The retractable blades in various prior art designs enable the arrow to fly straighter than a fixed blade broadhead because of the elimination of the extended blades that are able to deter the arrow off target (wind plane). Also, as the blades are extended, the intention is to cut a hole that will lead to hemorrhaging, resulting in a faster kill of the target animal. Some of the past designs have put much stress on the blades, which posed the threat that the blades would crack upon striking the target. Also, many of the past broadheads had blades that would extend from the front to the back, which slowed the arrow upon entry and decreased shot inertia, thus creating less penetration.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,517,454 to Barrie et al. describes a broadhead body as a single, longitudinally extending passage for receiving blades. The blades are held within their respective grooves with friction holding members which permit rearward sliding movement, resulting in outward expansion. During flight, the blades are not fully contained within the body.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,398,676 to Mizek describes a broadhead with blades that can be maintained in a normally closed position, with a major portion of each blade being housed within a slot of the body, and the blades pivoting rearwardly into an open position upon target impact. The blades have a rounded blunt tip portion that initially contacts a target. The arrowhead also contains various types of springs and engaging elements that can be used to maintain the blades in a normally closed position, which also provide a bias force that can be overcome by an opening force applied to the blade when in the closed position.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,270,435 to Sodaro describes spring-loaded blades that release and penetrate a target as the target is struck by the arrow. The externally exposed blades are not concealed within the body and are held together by a releasable ring.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,357 to Rizza discloses a broadhead for use as both an expandable blade head and a fixed blade head. The broadhead is described as a blade assembly that has an elastic ring which extends around the hypotenuse of each blade and in one annular groove in the body when the blade is in the retracted mode, with the tension of the elastic ring and the annular groove chosen determining the amount of force necessary for the blade assembly to achieve an expanded position, and with the blade assembly achieving the expanded position after the blade assembly has entered a prey. The barb on each blade contacts hard tissue causing the three blades to pivot outwardly and backwardly until the base of each blade sits in the associated slot and the elastic ring jumps out of the groove and becomes lodged around the base of each blade, causing the blade assembly to be maintained in the expanded position.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,112,063, 5,100,143, and 4,998,738 to Puckett and 5,082,292 to Puckett et al. describe broadheads for hunting arrows wherein the broadheads have deployable cutting blades which are held against the broadhead body during flight. U.S. Pat. No. 5,112,063 teaches the use of a tubular restraint for holding the cutting blades against the broadhead body during flight. When the broadhead impacts against an animal, a plunger, which is slidably mounted in the front of the body, is forced into the body and causes the blades to be deployed out of the slots. As the blades are moved out of the slot, the tubular restraint is cut from the body by the cutting edge. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,100,143 and 4,998,738 teach a broadhead that includes a pair of upper blades and a pair of lower blades which are held within slots in a cylindrical body while the arrow is in flight. Upon impact with an animal, a plunger tip slides into the cylindrical body and upper and lower blades are forced to their open position by acting against the cam surfaces positioned within the cylindrical body. A C-shaped ring performs the function of holding the plunger tip in its extended position in flight and locking the blades in their open position upon impact. U.S. Pat. No. 5,082,292 to Puckett et al. teaches a broadhead with deployable cutting blades which are cammed open from slots in a cylindrical body as the plunger impacts against a game animal. The cutting blades are connected by pivot pins to the plunger. The cutting blades are pivotable when the broadhead is in an open position from the open, cutting configuration, which causes maximum hemorrhaging to a non-barbed configuration. Similarly to the '063 patent, a tubular restraint serves to hold the cutting blades within their respective slots during the flight of the arrow.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,147 to Szeluga discloses a ballistic broadhead assembly that maintains the blades, pivotably mounted on an actuating plunger, in a retracted condition until impact, thereupon thrusting them outwardly and forwardly for maximum effect, and ultimately constraining them against full retraction in a partially extended, optimal position. An additional pair of fixed blades may be mounted adjacent the rearward end of the body.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,671 to Anderson, Jr. describes an expandable blade broadhead that has a plurality of blades pivotally mounted on a circular ring. The ring is retained between a cap mounted on a stud extending from the front end of a ferrule and the ferrule. A hardened steel tip is slidably mounted in a bore in the cap, and is formed with a rearwardly facing cam surface. The blades are normally held retracted in slots in the ferrule body and cap, and the tip is normally held in an extended position. When the broadhead impacts a target, the tip is forced rearwardly, forcing the cam surface against the blades pivoting them out of the slots to a rearwardly inclined position. To facilitate extraction, the blades may pivot freely to a forwardly inclined position and the rear edges of the blades are sharpened.
U.S. Pat. No 4,099,720 to Zeren describes an expanding arrowhead having pivotally mounted blades within slots of a housing. The blades are retracted for minimum outward extension during flight but expanded and retained in an outwardly extended position upon impact with a target. The blades are retained in the retracted position by frictional engagement with the slots or by frangible or resilient members. Minimal size with maximum blade mounting strength can be obtained by orienting the blade mounting slots within the body in an offset relation to the central axis thereof. The blades are retained by transverse set screws, retaining pins or the like for easy attachment or removal. The blades can be retained in a forwardly oriented direction by a frictional engagement means, an elastic or frangible band, slotted frangible cap, or the like.
Each of the above-described previously used arrowheads operate differently and utilize different arrangements for retaining the blades in a retracted position. Some arrangements, which use frictional engagement for retaining the blades, do not appear as though they will work properly. Some arrangements are complex and require a large number of working parts. Other arrangements require specially machined components in order for the blades to deploy properly. What is needed is a simple yet effective design for holding cutting blades of a broadhead in a retracted position during flight and can quickly and effectively deploy these blades upon contact with a target, which is generally capable of use on most broadheads with deployable blades.

Mechanical broadhead with expandable blades


An optically-based target detection system includes a holographic detection filter designed to produce a concentrated spot when a target is present.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to optically-based target detection.
2. Description of the Related Art
Target detection is the task of determining the presence or absence of a known object, referred to as the target. An action may then be taken based on the presence/absence of the target. This is useful in a variety of applications, including factory automation, automobiles, and consumer electronics. For example, a smart automobile could use pedestrian detection to avoid accidents. In another application, a smart quality-check system may reject defective products in an assembly line to improve production quality.
The conventional approach for performing target detection involves acquiring images with a camera and then processing the acquired images to determine if the target is present. Unfortunately, camera sensor arrays and software/hardware based image processing solutions have significant power requirements, which render them unsuitable for target detection and monitoring in low-power applications. Furthermore, in high-speed applications such as semiconductor wafer inspection, the speed of camera based target detectors is constrained by the need to acquire, transmit and process large amounts of image data.
As a specific example, quick recognition (QR) codes are popular two-dimensional barcodes used to encode text, URLs, vCards, and other forms of data. Although originally developed for tracking parts in factories, QR codes have found renewed interest in mobile tagging after the rapid emergence of smart camera phones and cameras on other types of mobile compute devices. Notably, the use of QR codes allows high speed reading of their encoded content with reduced read-out errors. However, QR codes are traditionally detected by acquiring their images using a conventional imaging system, a sensor array with a large number of pixels, and image-processing algorithms. If a mobile compute device is tasked with continuously monitoring whether a QR code is present in its field of view, then it must be constantly acquiring images and processing them to detect the presence of QR codes. This is a significant power drain.
Thus, there is a need for improved approaches to target detection.


An improved fragrance dispenser of safe, simple and inexpensive design is reusable and can be utilized on a light bulb regardless of orientation of the bulb. The fragrance dispenser securely grips the light bulb at its widest point such that the light bulb may be oriented in any direction. Thus the fragrance dispenser may be used, for example, on a telescoping desk lamp or a swinging lamp where the bulb can be oriented in any direction not merely base up or base down. The fragrance dispenser is made from absorbent material that is non-combustible and reusable, such that the absorbed fragrance oil is vaporized to scent the room air with a pleasing fragrance when the light bulb is turned on and heat is generated.

Devices which use heat from a light bulb to dispense a fragrance or other vapor are well known in the art. There are several categories of devices which distribute scent in this manner. These categories include devices which wrap a ring of an absorbent material around the neck of the bulb, adhere an impregnated pad to the bulb, rest fragrance material in a well or depression in the top of a specially designed bulb, rest on the bulb to hold a liquid, and rest a specially formed scent impregnated polyamide resin on the bulb. For example, devices which wrap a ring of an absorbent material around the neck of the bulb are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,920,599 issued to Schuh, U.S. Pat. No 2,238,476 issued to Monteith, U.S. Pat. No. 2,468,164 issued to Brewster, U.S. Pat. No. 2,539,696 issued to Morrison, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,741,812 issued to Tellier. Devices which hold or adhere an impregnated pad or cake against the bulb, are disclosed in, U.S. Pat. No. 2,372,371 issued to Eisner, U.S. Pat. No 2,435,756 issued to Schlesinger, and U.S. Patent No. 4,647,433 issued to Spector. Devices which rest fragrance material in a well or depression in the top of a specially designed bulb, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,535,486 issued to Lundy and Ratner U.S. Pat. No 4,965,490 issued to Ratner. Devices in which an attachment to the bulb holds a liquid that is vaporized by the bulb's heat are disclosed in U.S. Pat No. 1,403,548 issued to Dugerman, U.S. Pat. No. 1,556,680 issued to Dormet, U.S. Pat. No. 4,074,111 issued to Hunter, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,647,428 Gully. U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,099 issued Lindauer et al. discloses a specially formed scent impregnated polyamide resin which rests on the bulb.
All of the know prior art scent generating devices for light bulbs have had one or more disadvantages. The devices which dispense a heated liquid create a risk of lamp breakage or liquid spillage. Also personal injury could result if the hot liquid spilled on the user. Some of the devices which around the bulb block almost of the bulb's light. Several scent producing devices are for a single use only, and when the scent is dissipated the device must be discarded.
All of the prior art inventions use gravity, a complex molded shape, or an adhesive to hold the device against the bulb. The devices which rest around the neck of or on top of the bulb are held by gravity, so they are used only when the bulb is installed either base up or base down. The devices which fit around the entire bulb using several materials such glass, foil, or plastic plus an absorbent pad are relatively complex and expensive in construction and block a significant portion of the bulb's light. The devices which are held against the bulb by an adhesive are made of several materials and are not reusable.
In view of the above, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved fragrance of safe, simple and inexpensive design that is reusable and can be utilized on a light bulb regardless of orientation of the bulb.


An electrochemical measuring cell for detecting oxidizing gases, containing an electrode with a redox mediator, which is oxidized by the gas to be detected. A measuring electrode is employed made of an inert material, and a counterelectrode is provided. The dynamics and reproducibility of the measured signal are improved by providing the counterelectrode formed of an anodically oxidizable material and is arranged behind the measuring electrode in the direction of diffusion in a sandwich-like arrangement.

An electrochemical measuring cell for detecting chlorine has become known from GB-PS 15 52 620. In the prior-art measuring cell, the measuring electrode and the counterelectrode consist of an inert material, e.g., platinum, and an electrolyte containing calcium bromide as the redox mediator is used. The redox mediator is oxidized by the chlorine to be detected at the measuring electrode, and the bromine formed in the process can be again reduced into Br.sup.- at the inert measuring electrode. However, it was found that the bromine formed during the oxidation of chlorine is not completely reacted at the measuring electrode, but it enters the electrolyte space and leads to memory effects. Bromine is formed from the bromide ions at the counterelectrode, and this bromine leads to the above-mentioned memory effects, on the one hand, and it interferes with the measuring electrode, on the other hand. The presence of bromine in the electrolyte leads to long rise and decay times of the measured signal, and no stable plateau value develops in the case of continuous exposure to chlorine.

Electrochemical measuring cell for detecting oxidizing gases


An electronic musical performance instrument that provides a user with a wide array of creative choices of operating systems, sound synthesis applications, user interfaces (including those emulating the interface of a conventional musical instrument and electronic control interfaces), supporting infrastructure components such as MIDI cards, sound cards, storage devices thus providing the performance artist with greater and deeper creative flexibility.

Many electronic musical performance instruments are available today. FIG. 1 illustrates a typical commonly available electronic musical instrument. These instruments typically have human input components that emulate the primary interface for human performers to interface with a conventional musical instrument. The most common such input components take the form of a piano keyboard (varying in the number of keys). However, other electronic instruments have other inputs such as pads that can be used to simulate the interface of a human with a drum or drum set or xylophone. Other interfaces such as, wind instrument or string instrument may also available.
The electronic musical instruments take the human input and convert that input into different types of audible signals. In some cases, these signals are audible sound. In some cases, the signal generated is an analog signal or in some cases a digital signal which can be converted into analog sound. These electronic musical instruments are typically programmed to generate the sound of one or more particular musical instruments —for example an upright piano, grand piano, organ, guitar, electric guitar, etc.
These electronic musical instruments typically employ the use of electronic processors running proprietary sound generation hardware and software for converting the input into an audio signal.
Although they are not musical instruments, personal computers have been used as musical synthesizers to generate musical sounds. In fact, many different personal computer (PC) based musical synthesizer software programs are available. These systems are based on standard PC infrastructure. The PC runs an operating system and the sound synthesizer software can run on top of the operating system. Some of these programs are proprietary and some are non-proprietary. Input devices such as a piano style keyboards are available that can be used as inputs to the PC software system. FIG. 2 illustrates such a device. Typically, these input devices connect to the PC through a MIDI communication card installed in the computer or through some other communication interface such as USB or Firewire which are well known in the personal computer and personal computer software arts.
However, both existing electronic musical performance instruments and PC sound synthesizer systems have significant creative and practical limitations. The PC systems are not suitable for a live musical performance environment. They are not "road worthy" and require a great deal of set up, are designed for a fixed set up, and after set up take a relatively long time to boot up and generate music. On the other hand existing performance electronic instruments also have limitations. For example, prior art musical instruments limit the user to their proprietary sound generator. Additionally, they must be connected to a host computer to gather sound files and patches. These embedded hardware instruments are inherently and intentionally more limited in their ability to compose music because they are built around memory, ergonomic, and display screen restrictions. Furthermore even where they allow modification, electronic instruments frequently are limited by file format restrictions. For the similar design considerations as those mentioned immediately above, electronic instruments use proprietary storage formats based on standard technologies i.e., floppy drive with nonstandard file format. An electronic musical performance instrument with greater creative flexibility is desired.
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and are described below in greater detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but to the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.

Electronic musical performance instrument with greater and deeper creative flexibility


A power transmission apparatus of a vehicle sunroof which uses a solar cell includes a sunroof glass that is slidably disposed on the roof of a vehicle, opens and closes an opening, and has a solar cell; upper transmission assemblies coupled to a support panel disposed around the sunroof glass and connected with the solar cell with a wire; first lower transmission assemblies that are coupled to the front portions of sunroof rails, disposed at both sides of the opening and come in contact with the upper transmission assemblies when the sunroof glass closes; and second lower transmission assemblies that are coupled to the rear portions of the sunroof rails and come in contact with the upper transmission assemblies when the sunroof glass opens. Accordingly, the apparatus can transmit power when the sunroof glass is both open and closed.

An opening may be formed through an automotive roof panel to discharge air from a vehicle or take external air into the vehicle. The opening may be opened or closed by a sunroof glass.
Most automotive sunroof panels are made of glass for an open feeling and an esthetic design. These sunroofs, which are formed to ventilate vehicles and provide an open feeling, undergo heat treatment to resist intensive sunlight, and are made of glass that effectively blocks ultraviolet rays and infrared rays in some cases. Further, they are often made of a high-strength material to protect passengers from fragments of glass in a collision.
A technology using solar cells for converting solar energy into electric energy has been proposed. Further, a technology for installing these solar cells on a roof panel or sunroof glass has been proposed.
However, a power transmission apparatus of a sunroof for a vehicle which uses a solar cell according to the related art directly transmits power generated by a solar cell on, or in, a sunroof glass. This arrangement may considerably restrict movement of the sunroof glass.
A sunroof glass is designed to open or close an opening of the roof of a vehicle by freely sliding forward and backward, but the power transmission system for an automotive sunroof according to the related art does not completely allow this movement. Accordingly, the solar cell cannot be fully used, or the movement of a sunroof glass is restricted in order to fully use the solar cell.
Most studies of an automotive sunroof using a solar cell according to the related art are focused on the solar cell panel itself, meaning the material, properties, and arrangement of a solar cell. Few studies are about a power transmission apparatus on a sunroof.

Power transmission apparatus for vehicle sunroof


A semiconductor memory device having a parallel data test scheme is disclosed. The semiconductor memory includes an array that is partitioned into array portions with each array portion further divided into sub-arrays and banks. Each array portion providing data bits to a data compression circuit. The data compression circuit includes data compare sections and ripple sections. The data compare sections include data compare circuits that compare the data bits provided by each array portion and each provide a compare output to the ripple sections. The ripple sections are coupled together in series and provide global data compare outputs. A multiplexer selects between a data bit and the global data compare outputs to provide either a data output or a data comparison output to the output pin.

The present invention relates generally to semiconductor devices, and more particularly to data compression and/or parallel data testing of the memory cells in a semiconductor memory device.
Semiconductor memory devices typically include a large number of memory cells, each of which can store one or more bits of data. The memory cells are arranged in an array, having a number of rows and columns. Memory cells within the same row are commonly coupled to a word line, and memory cells within the same column are commonly coupled to a bit line. The memory cells within an array are accessed according to the various memory device operations. Such operations include read operations (common to nearly all memory devices), write operations (common to volatile memory devices), and program and erase operations (common to many nonvolatile memory devices). To access memory cells, an external memory address is applied, which activates a word line. When activated, row decoder circuits couple the data stored within the memory cells to the bit lines of the array. The memory address also activates column decoder circuits, which connect a given group of bit lines to input/output circuits and/or program/erase circuits.
There are instances in which the user or manufacturer may wish to perform a high speed test of the data stored in the memory cells of the semiconductor memory device. For example, in the course of fabricating a semiconductor memory device, manufacturing defects can give rise to nonfunctional memory cells within an array. In order to quickly test the functionality of the memory cells, many semiconductor memories may have a feature known as parallel testing. In a normal read or write operation, the input/output (DQ) pins will carry data representative of a single particular addressed memory cell in the semiconductor memory device. However, in a parallel test write operation, a single write operation may simultaneously write the data applied to a single DQ pin into a large number of memory cells. Conversely, in a parallel test read operation, a single read operation may compare data from a large number of memory cells and if the data is all of the same logic level, a xe2x80x9cmatchxe2x80x9d logic level will be applied to the DQ pin. If any of the number of memory cells has a data level different than the other memory cells being compared then a xe2x80x9cmis-matchxe2x80x9d logic level will be applied to the DQ pin.
The ability to test multiple memory cells in one read operation enables the manufacturer or user to reduce test time. Reducing test time saves money because the test throughput will be increased and a piece of test equipment will be able to test more memory devices in the same amount of time. This allows the manufacture to purchase fewer pieces of test equipment.
A user may wish to use the parallel test capabilities to test the semiconductor memory device in his unique system environment. For example, the system environment may have an impact on the xe2x80x9csoftxe2x80x9d errors that occur in a memory device as every system may operate at a unique temperature, voltage, signal noise conditions, or even exposure to alpha particles or gamma rays. The user may use parallel test write cycles to write all logic ones into all of the semiconductor memory cells, then do a xe2x80x9cpausexe2x80x9d by not executing any cycles over a period of time known as the xe2x80x9cpausexe2x80x9d time. Then the user will perform the parallel test read cycles to determine if any xe2x80x9csoftxe2x80x9d errors have been induced in the semiconductor memory device by the system environment. The user takes advantage of the parallel testing capabilities to reduce the total test time required, thus, increasing test throughput.
Dynamic Random Access Memories (DRAMs) generally come in non-synchronous (DRAM) and synchronous (SDRAM) types. A non-synchronous DRAM will perform read and write cycles based on a Row Address Strobe (RAS) signal, Column Address Strobe (CAS) signal, and Write (W) signal. A SDRAM has an added Clock (CLK) signal that operates synchronously with the system and allows much faster data throughput than a non-synchronous DRAM. The faster data throughput (decreased read/write cycle time) means that data compression or comparison must be performed at faster speeds during the parallel test cycles in order to keep the same tight timing requirements in the test mode as is used in normal modes of operation.
Chip (die) size is an important aspect of the semiconductor memory business. The smaller the chip, the more chips per silicon wafer can be manufactured. This decreases total cost per chip because the processing cost of each wafer is constant regardless of the number of chips contained on the wafer. Today, many semiconductor memory devices are of a wide word type. For example, there may be 16, 32, 64 or even more output pins (DQs) per chip. On the chip itself, the portion of the semiconductor memory array that corresponds to each DQ will be located as close as possible to the DQ bond pad. This allows the data lines that transport data from the bond pad to the array portion to be as short as possible. This improves speed due to lower capacitive and resistive effects and decreases chip size because there are not a large number of data lines running the length of the memory chip, thus taking up valuable space. However, in order to perform parallel test operations, a large number of data bits must be brought to the compare circuitry and the results of the comparison must be placed on a desired output pin (DQ). One method of bringing the large number of data bits together to be compared and/or compressed is to route the data lines on the chip to the location in which the compression/comparison circuit is located. This will take up valuable signal routing channels that are typically needed to route address and control signals to critical timing circuits. Additionally, this has the adverse effect of increasing data line resistance and capacitance and increasing the chip size because each data line will take up more area.
It would be desirable to provide data compression/comparison on a semiconductor memory device while occupying few signal routing channels and thus have less of an effect on chip size. It is also desirable to provide a method of data compression/comparison on the semiconductor memory device that can operate at high speeds, as may be needed in a synchronous memory as for example a SDRAM.
According to the present invention, a semiconductor memory device includes a parallel data test scheme. The semiconductor memory includes an array that is partitioned into array portions with each array portion further divided into sub-arrays and banks. Each array portion provides data bits to a data compression circuit. The data compression circuit includes data compare sections and ripple sections. The data compare sections include data compare circuits that compare the data bits provided by each array portion and provide a compare output to the ripple sections. The compare output has a true logic level, a false logic level, and an error logic level. The ripple sections are coupled together in series and provide a global data compare output. The ripple sections include ripple circuits that receive the compare output and ripple outputs. The ripple outputs have a true logic level, a false logic level, and an error logic level. A multiplexer selects between a data bit and a global data compare output, that is provided from the last of the chain of ripple circuits coupled together in series, to provide either a data output or a data a comparison output to an output pin.
According to one aspect of the invention, the compare circuit has a true compare portion and a false compare portion providing a true output and a false output having the same logic level if the data compare does not produce an error.
According to another aspect of the invention, the ripple outputs are carried by conductors hat have a length substantially smaller than the length of the semiconductor memory die.

Parallel data test for a semiconductor memory


A multi-layered thermoplastic roofing membrane comprising a planar body including at least three layers, said at least three layers including (i) a top layer that includes magnesium hydroxide dispersed within a thermoplastic resin, (ii) an upper middle layer disposed below said top layer and including magnesium hydroxide and calcium carbonate dispersed within a thermoplastic resin, and (iii) a lower layer disposed below said upper middle layer and including magnesium hydroxide and calcium carbonate dispersed within a thermoplastic resin.

Thermoplastic roofing membranes, especially those membranes engineered to cover flat or low-sloped roofs, are known in the art. Many of these membranes are engineered to meet the industry standards defined in ASTM D 790. Many commercially-available thermoplastic roofing membranes include fabric-reinforced thermoplastic sheets. These membranes are fabricated by sandwiching a reinforcing fabric between two extruded thermoplastic sheets to provide a laminated structure. The sheets are fabricated from extruded thermoplastic materials that include various additives, such as inert filler, anti-weathering additives, and flame retardants. As the skilled person appreciates, the type and amount of additives employed, such as the filler, can impact the mechanical properties of the membrane including tensile and tear strength.
Generally, there are two types of thermoplastic roofing membranes. The first includes those fabricated from polyolefins (TPO) such as ethylene-propylene reactor copolymers (e.g. CA10A available from Lyondellbasell). The second includes those fabricated from polyvinylchloride (PVC). While each system may offer certain advantages, PVC is generally believed to offer better burn resistivity than polyolefin systems, especially when evaluated for spread of flame derived from an external source, as may be tested by standardized testing according to, for example, UL790.

Polyolefin thermoplastic roofing membranes with improved burn resistivity


In a computer system with multiple chips connected via a connection module with high speed elastic interface buses that support bus repair is enhanced by use of a spare net. Support is provided to ensure that the spare net can be tested in the same way that every normal bus net can be tested at all supported environments. It ensure that the system controller can find out what connections are bad and how to apply the controls to repair them for all tests and in the field for the customer.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to using elastic interface spare bus wires and particularly to support them for manufacture and support in the field by ensuring proper testing of the spare nets and a means to record the nets to repair on the module that are accessible by the service structure for the system.
2. Description of Background
The IBM Corporation for many generations has used glass ceramic interconnection modules in its manufacture and design of large computer systems. These modules have many layers of connections in them and are used to provide bus connections from chip to chip and from the chips to the hoards and cards they are connected to. These modules contain many multi-bit wide buses between the various chips mounted on them. In the past when there was a manufacturing defect in the connections in the module there were two choices. It could be re-worked and the defect wire could be re-routed near the surface of the module. This requires a unique fix for every module wire failure. There are limits to how many and which net connections could be fixed in this way. The other choice was to scrap the module as unfixable. In recent generations IBM has been using the Elastic Interface first patented as U.S. Pat. No. 6,334,163 published Dec. 25, 2001 wherein an elastic interface apparatus and method is implemented.
An Elastic Interface (EI bus connections) can be generalized in that these are bus connections which are high speed interfaces that have clock sent with data. All of the data bits are aligned to the clock to be able to latch the data at these high speeds. It requires that the net topology and timing characteristics for each net on the bus are at least similar to each other in order to make it possible to line up the edges of the data to the clock. In this environment re-working connections in the connection module were not easily possible due to the fact that all the nets had to have similar topology and timing characteristics. This increased the difficulty of a re-work solution or made it impossible. This increased the modules that needed to be scrapped as not usable.
The advent of Elastic Interface repair (such as shown in IBM assigned US Patent application number US 2004/0136319 A1, filed Jan. 9, 2003 incorporated herein by reference) introduced the concept of a spare wire built in the bus interface in the connection module that had the same topology and characteristics of the rest of the nets in the bus. It includes the hardware to be able to switch from the bad net in the interface to the spare net. However this operation must now be supported from original manufacture and through out to the customer use in the field. The connection module is tested at several different process corners such as low and high temperature, low and high voltages are good examples of some of these process corners. When a net on the interface is known to be bad the spare net should be used on the bus for testing and the known bad net should not be tested. When the bus does not have a defect the spare net needs to be tested in addition to all the functional nets. In the original design specification for the EI spare not it was driven with a constant zero when not used.
The machine service structure must be able to obtain the information about what nets to repair and be able to apply that repair each time the machine is powered on. It also must be easy to apply as it must be done to both sides of the repaired bus. This recording of which nets are bad and require spare net repair actions must be done after the chips have been mounted on the module.

System and method to support use of bus spare wires in connection modules

International Business Machines Corporation


To effectively prevent information leakage from a communication node, such as a cellular phone. Not an actual communication-destination telephone number, but a telephone number code which is arbitrarily assigned corresponding to the actual communication-destination telephone number, and information required for telephone number selection are registered in an address book of a cellular phone 2. An actual telephone number of each cellular phone 2, a telephone number code of a communication destination thereof, and information of the communication destination are registered in an address book of an address management server 4 in association with one another. When a communication-source cellular phone 2 makes a call to a communication-destination cellular phone 2, the actual communication-source telephone number and the communication-destination telephone number code are sent from the communication source to the address management server 4, and a communication-destination telephone number is searched for to obtain the actual communication-destination telephone number. The obtained telephone number is used to connect a call path between the communication source and the communication destination.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method of preventing unauthorized use of a stolen or lost cellular phone, by using an IC card.
Further, for example, Patent Document 2 discloses a method of preventing information leakage from a cellular phone by using a password.
Furthermore, for example, Patent Document 3 discloses a method of managing address book information by using a server connected to a network, instead of using a cellular phone.
[Patent Document 1] JP 2005-84846 A
[Patent Document 2] JP 2006-67130 A
[Patent Document 3] JP 2007-123959 A

Communication system and method therefor

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.