The present invention relates to a multi-path communication device capable of improving energy use efficiency and a traffic distribution method for improving the energy use efficiency thereof, which can improve energy use efficiency of an entire network in multi-path communication by properly adjusting the number of paths for transmitting traffic according to traffic levels and distributing the traffic without distributing and transmitting the traffic to all possible paths.

In general, traffic is transmitted by selecting an optimal path having low path costs between two nodes in a communication network. When there are a plurality of optimal paths having the same cost, multi-path communication methods use the plurality of optimal paths to transmit traffic rather than selecting only one path.
As a representative example, there is a Multi-chassis LAG in which a link aggregation group (LAG) according to an IEEE 802.3ad standard that defines a link group between two nodes is extended to multiple nodes and the link group can connect with two or more adjacent nodes. U.S. Pat. No. 7,463,579 (2008 Dec. 9) discloses technology for setting LAG to two or more adjacent nodes.
There is an equal-cost multi-path (ECMP) function in an L3 routing protocol such as Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) and Intermediate System to Intermediate System (IS-IS). A Trill (spanning tree protocol), which is a protocol for efficiently building a large scale L2 network without a STP, also supports the ECMP.
A principle of such a multi-path communication is that traffic is equally transmitted to multiple paths in a distributed manner. This is for efficiently using network resources. However, under such a traffic load balancing principle, since traffic is transmitted to all paths even when the amount of traffic is small, there is room for improvement under current situations in which energy efficiency of an entire network is also important.

Multi-path communication device capable of improving energy use efficiency and traffic distribution method for improving energy use efficiency thereof

ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE


The player makes a wager to not only play the game but also to determine the total number of possible replacement cards that will be dealt. After dealing of the original cards, the player selects cards in the hand to hold and discard. The player is then dealt replacement cards and the number of cards dealt corresponds to the amount of the wager. If the player wagers more, then the player receives more cards, which in turn results in the player having more cards per card position. The player has the option of using any one of the one or more replacement cards dealt to each card position, to form a best hand from all the possible combinations of the cards such that replacement cards dealt to a particular card position can only be used in the card position to which the card was dealt.

Traditional video and table poker games are based on achieving the highest hand ranking possible whereby the highest hand ranking generally has the highest value. Typical wagering games, such as five card draw is well known in the gaming arts. In the game of five card draw, a player places a wager and is then dealt five cards. The player then selects any cards they wish to hold, and is then dealt replacement cards for any non-held cards. The resulting poker hand is compared to a pay table to determine if the resulting poker hand is a winning hand or a losing hand.
In traditional five card draw, the player is only able to receive one replacement for each non-held card. This limits the player's ability to receive a winning outcome and limits what the player is able to receive from the machine. As a result, players' hands are often losers and the player rarely gets a high ranking hand. Consequently traditional draw poker provides limited excitement value and does not challenge the player with determine possible winning outcomes.
One proposed solution is a game widely known as triple play poker. This game allows a player to play three hands at once. The first 5 cards are dealt face up as in a traditional game of draw poker. The player then selects which cards to hold, and those cards are automatically held in not only the first hand, but also in two additional hands shown on the screen. These held cards are maintained for the corresponding card position in each additional hand. The player then draws the additional cards and the player obtains three different draws from three different decks to fill in the discarded card locations for each of the displayed hands.
While triple play poker provides an alternative to traditional draw poker and is popular, it has lost its excitement level for many players. In addition, with triple play poker, the held cards are populated into every other displayed hand and dealt cards are only dealt into one hand and may not be used in any other hand. Although this makes it easy to understand, it greatly limits the variation, winning opportunities, and the excitement that could otherwise be achieved.
As a result, there is a need for an improved wagering game which increases win opportunities and options while increasing player excitement and interest.

Draw poker with option to wager for additional replacement cards


A pass-through electrical connector assembly with a body having at least one through-hole formed therein. A pin is forced into the through-hole and held by the body. The pin has a shank with opposed ends, each with a blind hole to receive a wire and a solid center portion that seals the wires and the pin. The pin has a tip with a barb at one end and a head with a shoulder at the other end which captures the pin in the body after the pin is forced into the through-hole when the shoulder engages the body. The shank has a circumferential surface that is press-fit within the through-hole to form a seal between the pin and the body. The body can then be sealed to a mating flange of a fluid-holding tank.

A pass-through electrical connector for a fluid-holding tank usually comprises electrical wires carried by a body where the wires are sealed to prevent the fluid from passing through the wires. The body is then sealed within a flange of the fluid-holding tank. Various pass-through electrical connectors are known, such as those manufactured by Pave Technology Company and Noma Automotive. The electrical connector by Pave comprises wound wire strands with a cover portion stripped away and the strands sealed together by soldering them in the stripped region. The sealed wire is then pulled through a hole formed in a body and an epoxy is poured into the hole to create a final seal between the soldered strands and the body. The electrical connector by Noma comprises a plastic body that is injection molded around wound wire strands with the cover removed. A sealant is then incorporated, by a vacuum, into every crevice along the length of the wire strands to suitably seal the wire within the molded body. While such electrical connectors are generally effective and reliable, what is needed is a smaller, low-cost, manufacturing-friendly alternative for passing electric current through a flange or article and particularly of a fluid-holding tank.

Sealed pass-through electrical connector


Provided herein are methods and compositions related to the in vivo testing of therapeutic agents comprising a human Fc in genetically modified rodents (e.g., the testing of the pharmacokinetic and/or pharmacodynamic properties of such a therapeutic agent in genetically modified rodents). In some embodiments the genetically modified rodents express antibodies comprising a human Fc (e.g., a human IgG1 Fc, a human IgG4 Fc). In some embodiments, the rodents express fully human antibodies (i.e., antibodies having human heavy chains and human light (γ or κ) chains). In certain embodiments the genetically modified rodents comprise one or more Fc receptors with a human extracellular domain (e.g., a Neonatal Fc Receptor (FcRn), a β-2-microglobulin polypeptide (β2M), a Fc ε receptor 1α (FcεR1α), a Fc γ receptor 1 alpha (FcγR1a), a Fc gamma receptor 2a (FcγR2a), a Fc gamma receptor 2b (FcγR2b), a Fc gamma receptor 3a (FcγR3a), a Fc gamma receptor 3b (FcγR3b), a Fc gamma receptor 2c (FcγR2c)). The transmembrane and cytoplasmic domain of such receptors can be human or non-human (e.g., rodent).

The safety, efficacy and pharmacokinetic properties of therapeutic agents are usually tested in animal models before such drugs are administered to humans. Use of larger animals, such as non-human primates, in such preclinical studies is expensive and suitable disease models are often not available which limits the usefulness of such animals in testing drug efficacy.
Due to their small size and well-characterized physiology rodents have long been used as animal models for the preclinical testing of therapeutic agents. Further, rodents are highly amenable to genetic modification using well-established techniques and thus, there are many disease models available in rodents that are not available in larger mammals. Complex therapeutic agents, however, such as antibodies and Fc fusion proteins, often behave differently in rodents than they do in humans. For example, such therapeutic agents often exhibit very different pharmacokinetic properties when administered to rodents compared to when they are administered to humans, limiting the usefulness of rodent models as predictors of the safety, efficacy and optimal dosing of complex therapeutic agents in humans. This in turn reduces the usefulness of such animal models in preclinical testing.
Thus, there is a great need for new animal models and methods that allow for precise pre-clinical testing of complex therapeutic agents in rodents that produce results that are more predictive of the properties of such therapeutic agents in human patients.

Genetically modified mouse with humanized immunoglobulin heavy chain constant region genes and method of using


A semiconductor package includes a package substrate including an insulating layer having an upper surface and a lower surface and provided with a first region which is recessed to a first depth from the upper surface toward the lower surface, a redistribution wiring buried in the insulating layer, a chip connection pad on a bottom surface of the recessed first region and connected to the redistribution wiring, and a wire connection pad on the upper surface of the insulating layer and connected to the redistribution wiring, a first semiconductor chip overlapping, in a top-down view of the semiconductor package, the recessed first region of the insulating layer and comprising a first chip pad connected to the chip connection pad of the package substrate, and a second semiconductor chip on the first semiconductor chip and connected to the wire connection pad of the package substrate through a conductive wire.

The inventive concept relates to a semiconductor package, and more particularly to, a semiconductor package including a plurality of semiconductor chips.
As the storage capacity of semiconductor packages increases, a semiconductor package including a semiconductor chip is desirable to be thin and lightweight. Research is being conducted to include semiconductor chips that have various functions in a semiconductor package so that the semiconductor chips operate in high speed.
Accordingly, a semiconductor package may include a package substrate and a plurality of semiconductor chips stacked on the package substrate. For example, the plurality of semiconductor chips may be electrically connected to the package substrate through wire bonding, flip chip bonding, etc.


Cleaning compositions, particularly automatic dishwashing detergent compositions, comprising a stability-enhanced amylase and bleach-improving materials are provided. More specifically, the invention relates to granular automatic dishwashing detergents which provide enhanced cleaning/bleaching benefits. The automatic dishwashing compositions comprise stability-enhanced amylase enzymes and one or more bleach-improving compounds, such as organic peroxides, quaternary substituted bleach activators, quaternary substituted peracids and manganese or iron bleach catalysts.

Automatic dishwashing, particularly automatic dishwashing in domestic appliances, is an art having important distinguishing features from superficially similar arts such as fabric laundering and institutional dishcare. For example, domestic fabric laundering is normally done in purpose-built machines having a tumbling action, quite distinct from spray-action domestic automatic dishwashing appliances. In domestic machine dishwashing, dishes need to be rendered clean, that is to say, for all practical purposes, to "have the soil completely removed". Decolorization of the soil, as in fabric bleaching, will not suffice. It is not clear that such cleaning action actually requires "bleaching" in the traditional laundry sense at all; on the other hand, some bleaching chemicals can, in certain circumstances, be desirable for cleaning dishware.
In contrast to typical institutional tableware, consumer glasses, dishware and flatware, especially decorative pieces, as washed in domestic automatic dishwashing appliances, are often susceptible to damage and can be expensive to replace. Typically, consumers dislike having to separate finer pieces and the obligation of washing these by hand and would prefer the convenience and simplicity of being able to lump all their tableware and cooking utensils into a single, automatic washing operation. Yet doing this as a matter of routine has not yet been achieved.
Because of these consumer demands and needs, ADD compositions are undergoing continual change and improvement. Additionally, environmental factors such as the desirability of providing ever-better cleaning results with less product, providing less thermal energy, and less water to assist the washing process, have driven the need for improved ADD compositions.
A recognized need in ADD compositions is to have present one or more ingredients which improve the removal of starchy food residues or starchy films from dishware, flatware, and glasses. Other than use of large quantities of water, heat, and time, the simplest approach to achieve this function is to use sodium hydroxide. However, strong alkalis like sodium hydroxide are potentially hazardous in a domestic setting and even can be damaging to, or leave a film upon, glasses or dishware. Accordingly, milder ADD compositions have been developed which typically incorporate amyolytic enzymes such as TERMAMYL.RTM. available from Novo Nordisk S/A. The alpha-amylase component provides at least some benefit in the starchy soil removal properties of the ADD. ADD's containing amylases typically can deliver a somewhat more moderate wash pH in use and can avoid delivering large weight equivalents of sodium hydroxide on a per-gram-of-product basis. However, often the amylases used in ADD compositions are those developed for use in quite different fields, such as fabric washing, textile desizing or even starch liquefaction and are not as effective as might be desired when used in dishwashing. There remains a substantial technical challenge in co-formulating essential ADD components such as amylase-compatible bleaches, sequestrants and surfactants in such a manner as to meet the consumer's need for superior cleaning performance at an excellent value in a safe, environmentally acceptable product which leaves the dishware, glasses and flatware in fine and undamaged condition. A need therefore exists for the development of amylase enzymes specifically designed to be compatible in ADD formulations.
Accordingly, manufacturers of enzyme preparations have lately been developing novel alpha-amylases, which at least in some tests, exhibit a greater or lesser degree of one or more technically measurable improvements. Examples of such improvements include providing new amylases which are more thermally stable, have a better temperature optimum for cold-fill, warm wash or warm-fill appliances, have a pH optimum better aligned with those now preferred for ADD's, or have a greater hydrolysis velocity for starches than the hydrolysis velocity exhibited by conventional alpha-amylases.
More particularly, and without being limited by theory, the currently commercial varieties of alpha-amylases, including those having improved bleach stability in certain tests, can exhibit an unpredictable range of stability and compatibility with the huge array of different possible bleaching or stain removing agents ranging from chlorinated isocyanurates, peroxidases and phthalocyanines, persulfates, perborates and di-organo peroxides, through to many hundreds of different types of bleach catalysts or "accelerators", preformed organic peracids and thousands of possible bleach activator chemicals. This is particularly true in fully-formulated detergent products. Despite ongoing and continuous research the richly varied array of bleach or stain-removal chemistry has not been reduced to a simple governing mechanism. In bleach chemistry, including the aspect of undesirable potential attack on enzymes as well as the desirable aspect of bleaching/cleaning soils, there are often many reaction steps to be considered.
In view of the foregoing considerations, it is apparent that there remains in the industry a need for improved ADD compositions, which on one hand contain amyolytic enzymes and on the other, compatibly provide stain removal or sanitizing technology, such as that derivable from certain bleaches. It is an object of the instant invention to provide such compositions without, since such stability advantages are limited, relying exclusively on bleach stability advantages of the new amylases.
In another aspect of the invention, it is an object herein to provide fully-formulated ADD compositions wherein the bleach/amylase combinations are combined with additional selected ingredients so as to deliver superior cleaning results at the same time as excellent dishcare.

Cleaning compositions containing bleach and stability-enhanced enzymes

Burckett-St. Laurent; James Charles Theophile Roger


The present invention relates to dynamic hardware logic of computer processors. In particular, it relates to a method and respective system for operating a dynamic logic circuit implementing some predetermined logic function with reduced charge sharing. In order to further reduce charge sharing it is proposed to provide a predetermined number of pre-engineered switching arrangements (24, 26, 28) implementing the same logic function with a different combinatorial distribution of input variables (A, B, C), wherein each arrangement is connected between said precharged node of higher potential and a lower potential.

Dynamic hardware logic and in particular that one of the domino type allows very complex logic functions to be implemented, as only NFET transistors realize the logic function. The P-FET part is only used to precharge the circuitry. Thus, in such circuitry a logic function is usually implemented between a node precharged to a higher voltage potential of said circuit, for example a supply voltage, herein abbreviated as Vdd, and a lower potential, for example ground, which function processes a plurality of input variables A, B, C, . . . . Such circuit is usually implemented in some single combinatorial switching arrangement, i.e. a net of transistors, which are arranged in a particular way including parallel and/or serial connections between Vdd and ground potential.
Generally, for example when implemented in dynamic MOS logic, special care has to be taken to hold the above-mentioned precharged node on its defined level as to voltage potential, as amongst others the effect of "leakage" and "charge sharing" tend to reduce the voltage level at this precharged node, which can lead to malfunction. In short words, charge sharing means that the charge which has been entered into the precharged node flows away into the capacities built up by the next transistors connected next to the node in direction to ground. In particular in such cases, in which a stack of transistors connected in series or connected in parallel are switched on, a considerable charge quantity flows into the capacities of these transistors, which may lead to a respective considerable voltage drop at the precharge node. This may lead to malfunction of the logic.
With reference to FIG. 1 in prior art it is known to apply so-called "keeper-devices" and/or "bleeder-devices" which try to supply charge to the precharge node temporarily or continuously, respectively. This reduces the charge sharing effect, but also slows down the switching of the circuit. Keeper and bleeder devices charge the node 10, which works against and slows down the discharge of this node in case the logical function forces a discharge of node 10.
This problem will be better understood by the description next below: in FIG. 1 the node 10 denoted as "pre_1" is the above-mentioned precharge node. During the so-called reset phase it is precharged to a certain voltage level, e.g. the supply voltage Vdd. This is done by the control of the reset transistor 12 which when switched to "pass" connects the precharge node to the voltage source Vdd.
A "half latch" 22 surrounded by broken lines comprises an inverter 21, the output of which is connected to the gate of transistor 20, which connects the supply voltage with the precharge node when it is opened by the inverter 21. This transistor 20 acts as a keeper device provided for keeping the voltage high in case the precharge node looses some charge to transistors 13 or 14.
During the evaluation phase of the circuit, when some input setting is connected to the control inputs of the NFETs 13, 14, 15, the transistors remove this charge to ground, if the logic condition as defined by the value of the logic input variables A, B, C, turns "ON", i.e., to pass mode, all transistors on the path depicted between the precharged node 10 and ground terminal 16. If only a part of said transistors are turned "ON" without opening up a connection between the precharged node and ground, then the node has to keep its charge. When, for example transistors 13 and 14 are switched to pass mode then the precharge node 10 must share its charge with those active transistors 13, 14. Thus, basically the keeper device 20, which was already mentioned above and is depicted in the right top portion of FIG. 1 is used in prior art in an enlarged dimension in order to compensate the charge sharing and keeping the voltage high at the precharge node.
An increased keeper device, however, increases disadvantageously the lump capacitance of the precharge node 10 and decreases the switching performance during the evaluation phase.
A further approach to reduce the problematic effects of charge sharing in such dynamic logic gates is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,317,204 assigned to Hewlett Packard Company. In this patent it is disclosed to reduce the interstitial space between parallel transistor gates in order to minimize such parasitic capacitance. Further, it is disclosed to dispose transistor gates adjacent to one another in order to let the transistors share a common interstitial space with a region of each transistor gate adjacent a region of each of the other remaining gates.
These measures, however, are not yet sufficient in particular for circuits which comprise more complex logic functions with an increased amount of transistors (e.g. 8 or more) or longer stacks of transistors, as for example a path comprising a number of 5 to 8 transistors switched in series.

Charge sharing reduction by applying intrinsic parallelism in complex dynamic domino type CMOS gates

International Business Machines Corporation


A secondary battery includes a battery element including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and an electrolytic solution, a housing member configured to accommodate the battery element, and a safety valve mechanism attached to the housing member. The safety valve mechanism includes a valve member including an opening valve portion configured to be opened; and an opening member including a plurality of opening portions radially arranged in a region opposed to the opening valve portion from a center of the region as a base point, and a plurality of protrusion portions radially arranged in a region outside the plurality of opening portions from the center and the plurality of protrusion portions protrude toward the plurality of opening portions. A number of the opening portions and a number of the protrusion portions are equal to each other, and each of the plurality of opening portions and each of the plurality of protrusion portions are opposed to each other in a direction toward the center.

The present technology generally relates to a secondary battery including a safety valve mechanism, and relates to a battery pack, an electric vehicle, a power storage system, a power tool, and an electronic device which use the secondary battery.
Various electronic devices such as mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDA) have been widely diffused, and there has been demand for reduction in size, reduction in weight, and increase in life for the electronic devices. Therefore, the development of batteries, in particular, small-size and light-weight secondary batteries capable of acquiring a high energy density has been advanced as power supplies.
The secondary batteries are considered to be applied not only to the electronic devices mentioned above, but also to other uses. An example of the other uses is a battery pack that is detachably mounted on an electronic device or the like, an electric vehicle such as an electric car, a power storage system such as a home electric power server, and a power tool such as an electric drill.
The secondary battery includes an electrolytic solution together with a positive electrode and a negative electrode. Further, the secondary battery includes a safety valve mechanism capable of releasing gas, in order to suppress occurrence of troubles caused by gas generated due to a decomposition reaction of the electrolytic solution or the like.
The configuration of the safety valve mechanism greatly affects the safety of the secondary battery, and thus various studies have been made regarding the configuration of the safety valve mechanism.
Specifically, in order to release the gas, a plurality of ventilation holes is provided in component parts (safety valves or the like) of the safety valve mechanism.

Secondary battery, battery pack, electric vehicle, power storage system, power tool, and electronic device


A polishing machine of the present invention is capable of uniformly polishing a member to be polished with high flatness, and polishing cloth, which is employed in the polishing machine, is uniformly abraded. In the polishing machine, a polishing plate is capable of rotating. A supporting table rotatably supports the polishing plate. A rotary driving mechanism is mounted on the supporting table, and it rotates the polishing plate. A base supports the supporting table. An orbital driving mechanism moves the supporting table along a circular orbit without spinning about its own axis.

The present invention relates to a polishing machine for polishing wafers, e.g., silicon wafers, glass wafers or.
Conventionally, a polishing machine for polishing the wafers basically has: a wafer holding section; a polishing plate for polishing the wafer, the polishing plate being arranged to face the wafer holding section; a mechanism for moving the wafer holding section close to and away from the polishing plate, so as to make the wafer contact a polishing face of the polishing plate; a pressing mechanism for pressing the wafer onto the polishing face with prescribed force; a driving mechanism for relatively moving the wafer, which has been pressed onto the polishing plate, with respect to the polishing plate by rotary movement and/or swing movement; and a mechanism for supplying a liquid abradant, e.g., slurry. Further, the polishing plate has a polishing member, e.g., cloth, felt, sponge, a short hair brush, which is provided on the polishing face of the polishing plate, which is made of a metal plate or a ceramic plate.
A surface of the wafer, e.g., a silicon wafer for semiconductor devices, or a thin glass plate, can be polished like a mirror face by the conventional polishing machine.
In the conventional polishing machine, the wafer which is pressed onto the polishing plate is moved relative to the polishing plate so as to polish the surface of the wafer. The polishing plate is not only rotated about its own axis but also is swung so as to uniformly abrade the polishing member, e.g., the polishing cloth.
However, by rotating or spinning the polishing plate about its own axis so as to polish the wafer, rotational speed at positions on the wafer is different. Namely, rotational speed at a position close to an outer edge of the wafer is faster than rotational speed at a position close to a center thereof. With the speed difference, the surface of the wafer cannot be polished uniformly. To uniformly polish the wafer, the polishing plate is swung but the swing movement is not executed smoothly. Namely, a speed of the swing movement must be changed at turning points, so the polishing plate is not moved at fixed speed throughout. Therefore, in the conventional polishing machine, flatness of the polished wafer is limited. Further, the polishing member is not abraded uniformly.


The present invention relates to an isolated DNA sequence encoding a polypeptide having the biological activity of amorpha-4,11-diene synthase. This DNA sequence can be used for the transformation of bacteria, yeasts and plants for the production of amorpha-4,11-diene, a specific precursor in the synthesis of artemisinin, in the respective organisms. The invention also relates to these organisms.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a DNA sequence, a polypeptide encoded by this sequence, and to the use of said DNA sequence and polypeptide in the production of amorphadiene.
2. Description of the Related Art
Human malaria is a commonly occurring widespread infectious disease, caused in 85% of the cases by Plasmodium falciparum. This parasite is responsible for the most lethal form of malaria, malaria tropicana. Each year, malaria causes clinical illness, often very severe, in over 100 million people of which eventually over 1 million individuals will die. Approximately 40% of the world's population is at risk of malaria infection (as estimated by the World Health Organization).
Malaria has traditionally been treated with quinolines, such as quinine, chloroquine, mefloquine and primaquine, and with antifolates. Unfortunately, most P. falciparum strains have become resistant to chloroquine, and some have developed resistance to mefloquine and halofantrine as well. Thus, novel antimalarial drugs to which resistant parasites are sensitive are urgently needed. Artemisinin, as well as its semisynthetic derivatives are promising candidates here.
Artemisinin (FIG. 1), [3R-(3α, 5aβ, 6β, 8aβ, 9α, 12β, 12aR*)]-Octahydro-3,6,9-trimethyl-3,12-epoxy-12H-pyrano[4,3-j]-1,2-benzodioxepin-10(3H)-one; molecular weight 282.35), also called arteannuin, qinghaosu or QHS, is a sesquiterpene lactone endoperoxide isolated from the aerial parts of the plant Artemisia annua L.
Artemisia annua L., also known as quinghao (Chinese), annual or sweet wormwood, or sweet annie is an annual herb native to Asia. A. annua, a member of the Asteraceae, belongs to the tribe Anthemideae of the Asteroideae, and is a large herb often reaching more than 2.0 m in height. It is usually single-stemmed with alternating branches. The aromatic leaves are deeply dissected and range from 2.5 to 5 cm in length. Artemisinin is mainly produced in the leaves as a secondary metabolite at a concentration of 0.01–0.6% on a dry weight base in natural populations. Artemisinin is unique to the plant A. annua with one possible exception of A. apiacea L. The A. annua used in this invention is of Vietnamese origin.
Because of its low concentration in plants, artemisinin is a relatively expensive resource for a drug. Current research has thus been aimed at producing artemisinin at a larger scale by organic synthesis. However, because artemisinin consist of seven chiral carbon atoms, theoretically 27=128 isomers can be formed of which only one is identical to artemisinin. Because of this complex structure of artemisinin, production of this compound by organic synthesis is not profitable from a commercial point of view.
Genetic engineering of the biosynthetic pathway of artemisinin may give rise to higher artemisinin levels in plants. To be able to interfere in the biosynthesis of artemisinin, the biosynthetic pathway has to be known, either completely or partially. Several attempts to elucidate the entire biosynthetic pathway have been undertaken. Until now, however, the exact pathway has remained largely unknown.


In some aspects, an encryption key setting method includes inputting a code string, selecting a generating procedure for generating a code string from a plurality of generating procedures that were previously set, generating a code string using the inputted code string based upon the selected generating procedure, and setting the generated code string as an encryption key.

Conventionally, a wireless network device such as an access point and wireless LAN adaptor is generally configured to encrypt data to be sent to a transmission channel with a common key encryption method such that a third party cannot read out the data even though the third party intercepts the data sent to the transmission channel.
In a common key encryption method, a string of codes, each of which corresponds to each of characters of a character string inputted by a user of the wireless network device, is set as the encryption key, and the data to be transmitted are encrypted using the encryption key. Meanwhile, the data are decrypted at a receiving side using the same encryption key. Therefore, even though the third party intercepts the data, the data cannot be decrypted without the same encryption key.
Meanwhile, in such a common key encryption method, in order to make it difficult for the third party to ascertain what kind of encryption key is used, it is necessary to increase the number of the character codes necessary for the encryption key so as to increase possible combinations of the string of the character codes.
However, in this case, there is a problem that the user has to input a lot of characters to the wireless network device, that is, the user is required to make much effort to configure the encryption key. As a technique to solve this problem, there is considered the following: the wireless network device is configured to perform an encrypting operation using an encryption key that consists of a lot of predetermined character codes without the encryption key being set by the user.
However, in this case, if the third party obtains such a wireless network device, the encryption key might easily be ascertained.


A method for testing a generator including a plurality of phase groups is provided. The method includes electrically isolating a first phase group from remaining phase groups by substantially encapsulating at least a portion of a plurality of stator bars electrically coupled together within the first phase group with an insulative member, electrically grounding at least a second phase group, and inducing a high voltage to the first phase group to facilitate proof testing the first phase group.

This invention relates generally to electrical power generators and more particularly, to methods and systems for testing electrical components in electrical power generators.
In at least some known generators, a stator yoke in the generator surrounds an armature core and partially encloses a plurality of armature windings, which are sometimes referred to as stator windings or stator bars. At least some known stator windings are formed with a plurality of copper conductors that are wound in the armature to form loops. More specifically, the armature windings are arranged in such a manner to enable a desired voltage and current characteristics to be generated during operation. A plurality of hollow individual conductors, or strands inside the stator bars enable cooling water to be channeled within the stator bars.
Electrical insulation is wrapped around the stator bars electrically to isolate the stator bars from each other. The insulation facilitates preventing arcing between the windings, and also shields the bars from foreign objects that could electrically short the bars. However, the insulating properties of the insulation may degrade if the insulation becomes damp or is damaged. Voltage arcs may occur from the armature bars through degraded regions or wet regions of the insulation. Over time, continued operation with arcs may prematurely shorten the useful life of the generator.
To facilitate extending the useful life of the generator, the stator bars may be periodically tested. Within at least some known tests, groups of stator bars are "tied together" electrically and tested as a set, while the remaining bars are electrically grounded. More specifically, insulation is used to isolate the groups under test from the groups that are grounded to prevent electrical discharge or arcing between these groups. During at least some known tests, high-voltage blankets fabricated from rubber are positioned between the groups to facilitate electrically isolating adjacent groups from one another. However, known blankets may be difficult to use because of their size, shape, and weight, and may frequently not prevent arcing. When arcing occurs, the test is considered a failure and is stopped to prevent damage to the generator. Additional insulation is then installed in the area of the arcing and the test is re-performed. The process may need to be repeated several times before a successful test for the group under test may be performed at the required voltage level.

Methods and apparatus for testing power generators


A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming an insulation pattern including a mask region and an open region on a gallium nitride substrate, growing gallium nitride semiconductor layers to cover the insulation pattern, and patterning the semiconductor layers to form a plurality of semiconductor stacks separated from each other, the plurality of semiconductor stacks being electrically isolated from the gallium nitride substrate by the insulation pattern.

Field
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same, and more particularly, to a semiconductor device having an insulation structure for insulating a semiconductor stack from a substrate and a method of fabricating the same.
Discussion of the Background
Gallium nitride compound semiconductors may be used in visible or ultraviolet (UV) light emitting devices, high power electronic devices, and the like. A gallium nitride compound semiconductor layer is generally grown on a substrate by a growth technique such as molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) or hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE).
Generally, a gallium nitride compound semiconductor may be grown on a heterogeneous substrate such as a sapphire substrate. When a semiconductor stack is grown on the sapphire substrate, various semiconductor devices may be fabricated using the semiconductor stack.
Recently, a light emitting device may be fabricated by connecting a plurality of semiconductor stacks to each other in series via an interconnection wire on a single substrate for high voltage operation. Such a light emitting device may be formed using an insulating substrate such as a sapphire substrate as a growth substrate. Thus, electric isolation between the semiconductor stacks may be relatively easily achieved by patterning semiconductor layers grown on the growth substrate such that the substrate can be exposed therethrough.
However, a semiconductor stack grown on a sapphire substrate may have a relatively high crystal defect density. Moreover, a gallium nitride compound semiconductor grown in a C-axis direction on a sapphire substrate having a c-plane as a growth plane may exhibit polarity by spontaneous polarization and piezoelectric polarization, and provide low recombination rate between holes and electrons, thereby limiting improvement in luminous efficacy.
Recently, in order to overcome such problems of the sapphire substrate, a technique of growing a gallium nitride compound semiconductor using a gallium nitride substrate as a growth substrate has been developed. In this case, since a homogeneous substrate, that is, the gallium nitride substrate, is used as the growth substrate, it is possible to achieve significant reduction in crystal defect density. Furthermore, when a non-polar or semi-polar gallium nitride substrate is used as the growth substrate, a non-polar or semi-polar gallium nitride compound semiconductor may be grown to have good crystallinity, thereby solving problems caused by polarization.
However, the gallium nitride substrate has electrical conductivity, unlike the sapphire substrate. Even when a relatively high resistance gallium nitride substrate is fabricated, the gallium nitride substrate may be much thicker than a semiconductor stack, so that substantial current leakage occurs through the gallium nitride substrate. Accordingly, in order to connect a plurality of semiconductor stacks to each other in series on an electrically conductivity-substrate such as a gallium nitride substrate, it is necessary to insulate the plurality of semiconductor stacks from the substrate.
In order to insulate the gallium nitride substrate from the semiconductor stack, a gallium nitride semi-insulation layer formed by counter doping of a p-type impurity may be used. However, counter doping of the p-type impurity may have a limit in formation of a uniform insulation layer. Moreover, since the semi-insulation layer may not provide complete blocking of electric current, current leakage may easily occur through the semi-insulation layer.
On the other hand, when a plurality of semiconductor chips grown on a gallium nitride substrate is mounted on a printed substrate or the like, electrical conductivity of the gallium nitride substrate may result in a short circuit between the semiconductor chips due to current leakage through the gallium nitride substrate.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form any part of the prior art nor what the prior art may suggest to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Semiconductor device and method of fabricating the same


The present invention provides investment advice systems. One version of the present invention provides investment advice systems that allow a user to select one or more advisors from a list of investment advisors. According to this version of the invention, the end user can receive advice on a particular transaction either separately from each investment advisor or in consensus. The system offers advice in part on the user's portfolio, tax position and risk profile and in part on the advisors evaluation of current market conditions. Thus, when a user is considering making a transaction, the user can obtain advice that can take into portfolio information including a user's proposed transaction and/or user portfolio information. A user armed with the above-described customized advice can execute a specific transaction and have their portfolio updated to reflect execution of that (those) order(s). In an alternative embodiment, a user's desire to buy or sell a security and/or a need for rebalancing a user's portfolio can generate transaction(s). As a result, the system will generate a buy/sell list (including recommended alternatives) from which a user can select.

This invention relates generally to the field of investment advice systems and more specifically to investment advice systems and methods that allow a user to receive advice over a network, e.g., the Internet.
In the past few years, the retail brokerage and financial analyst industries have developed a number of electronic systems accessible over the Internet to provide users, e.g., investors with investment advice. The term "user" as used herein encompasses both an individual investor and that investor's representative(s) such as a financial planner. Some of the recently developed electronic systems perform mathematical calculations to provide advice regarding a variety of investment decisions, such as mortgage refinancing, loan amortization, and retirement planning.
However, these financial advice systems typically are limited in several ways. To the extent that these electronic services provide advice regarding specific securities, the advice often does not take into account information about the user's portfolio and the form of the advice tends to replicate old-fashioned, broker-centric, research reports distributed through conventional postal mail distribution systems.
These electronic security research reports provide information on a particular company specified by a user. The reports rarely suggest alternatives or offer different opinions. Further, the electronic systems deliver the reports in prose, which requires time to read and comprehend. In other words, current electronic security research reports have drawbacks in the information they supply and in their method of delivery of information.
The electronic systems typically do not customize the information they provide in that the provided information does not take into consideration a user's existing portfolio or how a user's portfolio compares to various market measures in terms of risk and reward. These electronic systems do not inform a user how a proposed transaction will impact the user's portfolio in terms of metrics that characterize the user's portfolio. Furthermore, such information is not provided when the user is deciding whether to go forward with a transaction, nor is it delivered in an immediately comprehensible form. Instead, the user must read the report(s), remember the information and, in one manner or another, contact his or her broker to go forward with the transaction. Further, many of these systems are not accessible by many users.
In other words, there are at least the following three drawbacks to existing financial advice systems: 1) only a fraction of investors are receiving investment advice; 2) those currently receiving investment advice receive advice that is incomplete, inconsistent and/or not timely; and 3) mutual funds and broker/planners are often not integrated into the advice system so as to increase productivity and distribution of advice. With respect to the first point, financial institutions currently provide advice almost exclusively to high net worth households, e.g., households with assets of over five million U.S. dollars. However, households with assets of between one hundred thousand and five million U.S. dollars have recently become more active in investing and in managing their wealth.
With respect to the second point, i.e., not receiving complete, consistent and timely advice, mutual finds charge a management fee and are managed without regard to tax consequences. Brokers or financial planners often know only a portion of products available and sometimes give inconsistent advice. Further, online financial services and products tend to be security specific and do not take into account the user's portfolio or tax position as noted above.
With respect to the third point, Forrester Research in "Overhauling Financial Advice" February 2000, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, estimates that approximately twenty million households will use automated online advice solution by 2005. Thus, mutual funds and brokers/planners require productivity tools to facilitate handling larger client bases and to provide better services and new services.
Thus, the financial services community needs a system that allows a user to interactively explore the impact that one or more proposed transactions would have on the user's financial account. The system should provide advice to the user based at least in part on the user's specification as to his preferred risk/reward balance. The system should provide the user with the ability to obtain a variety of information including: 1) the impact that the transactions would have on the risk/reward balance of the user's portfolio; 2) the impact on the quality of stocks held in the user's portfolio as determined by advisors, either separately or combined; 3) the forecast for the stocks involved in the proposed transaction as determined by advisors, either separately or combined; 4) and/or the tax implications of the proposed transaction(s).
Expanding on the last point, a need exists for a system that provides advice on a proposed transaction based at least in part on the tax consequences of that transaction. For example, a system is needed that advises against realizing gains by selling a position in a security that would soon qualify for long-term capital gains status.
Thus, a need remains for an investment advice system that provides clear, easy-to-comprehend advice, customized to the user as to that user's portfolio holdings, tax position and risk profile at the time the user is reviewing his/her portfolio and/or considering making a transaction. In other words, a need exists for an investment advice system that provides effective advice at the point of sale, i.e., when the user is capable of making a financial transaction.
Further, a need exists for an investment advice system that allows a user access to more than one opinion on a particular potential security transaction. A need exists for a system that allows a user to select advisors from a group of advisors. In addition, a need exists for an investment advice system that allows a user to obtain a consensus, i.e., the pooled or combined opinions of more than one advisor, on a proposed transaction or on the condition of the user's portfolio.


Use of pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A as a marker for inflammatory conditions, and in particular, for acute coronary syndromes is described.

The invention relates to uses of pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) as a marker and therapeutic target for inflammatory conditions, and in particular, for acute coronary syndromes.
Pregnancy associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) is a high molecular weight glycoprotein originally isolated from human pregnancy serum. It is routinely used today as an index of placental function and first trimester screen for Down""s syndrome. No biological function was known for PAPP-A until recent evidence linked it to the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) axis, the dynamic balance between IGF-I, IGF binding proteins (IGFBP""s), and IGFBP proteases that ultimately determines the extent of IGF-dependent cellular events. PAPP-A specifically cleaves IGFBP-4, which releases IGF-I and makes it available to activate receptors. Lawrence et al. (1999) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 96:3149-3153; and Durham et al. (1994) J. Bone Min. Res. 9:111-117.
The invention is based on the use of PAPP-A levels in serum for diagnosis of inflammatory conditions, and in particular, acute coronary syndromes (unstable angina, acute myocardial infarction, sudden cardiac death, coronary plaque rupture, or thrombosis) in all stages of their occurrence. Patients with acute coronary syndromes are at considerable risk for death and serious complications, and outcomes can be improved with appropriate therapy. Thus, rapid and accurate diagnosis of chest pain is critical for patient. Also, there are important implications to predicting which patients are at risk of acute coronary syndromes before the syndrome occurs. The results described herein demonstrate that serum PAPP-A levels are elevated in unstable angina and acute myocardial infarction, are within normal ranges in stable angina, and correlate with serum levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) and free IGF-I. Furthermore, PAPP-A is highly expressed in unstable plaques from sudden cardiac death patients. Thus, PAPP-A can be used as an early marker of inflammatory conditions, and in particular, acute coronary syndromes.
In one aspect, the invention features a method for diagnosing an inflammatory condition (e.g., an acute coronary syndrome such as unstable angina, sudden cardiac death, or acute myocardial infarction, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn""s disease, or inflammatory bowel disease). The method includes measuring the level of PAPP-A in a biological sample (e.g., whole blood, plasma, or serum) from a non-pregnant patient; comparing the level with that of control subjects; and diagnosing the inflammatory condition based on the level of PAPP-A relative to that of control subjects. The patient can be diagnosed as having the inflammatory condition if the level of PAPP-A is increased relative to that of control subjects. The level of PAPP-A can be measured using an immunoassay such as an ELISA. PAPP-A can be captured with anti-PAPP-A polyclonal antibodies or an anti-PAPP-A monoclonal antibody. The method further can include measuring the, level of a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of high sensitivity C-reactive protein, creatine kinase MB, troponin I, troponin T, creatine kinase, creatinine, fibrinogen, interleukin-1, and interleukin-6, and diagnosing the inflammatory condition based on the level of the polypeptide and the level of PAPP-A relative to that of control subjects.
In another aspect, the invention features an article of manufacture for diagnosing an inflammatory condition in a non-pregnant patient. The article of manufacture includes an anti-PAPP-A antibody and packaging material, wherein the anti-PAPP-A antibody can be used for measuring PAPP-A levels in a biological sample (e.g., whole blood, plasma, or serum) from the patient, and wherein the packaging material includes a label or package insert indicating that the anti-PAPP-A antibody can be used for diagnosing the inflammatory condition.
In yet another aspect, the invention features an article of manufacture for diagnosing an inflammatory condition in a non-pregnant patient that includes reagents for measuring levels of a plurality of polypeptides in a biological sample from the patient. The plurality of polypeptides includes PAPP-A and one or more of the polypeptides selected from the group consisting of high sensitivity C-reactive protein, creatine kinase MB, troponin I, troponin T, creatine kinase, creatinine, fibrinogen, interleukin-1, and interleukin-6. The biological sample can be selected from the group consisting of whole blood, plasma, and serum.
The invention also features a method for diagnosing an inflammatory condition that includes administering (e.g., intravenously) to a patient an amount of an antibody having specific binding affinity for PAPP-A effective to detectably bind to PAPP-A, wherein the antibody is labeled; detecting the level of the antibody bound to PAPP-A in the patient; and diagnosing the inflammatory condition based on the level of the antibody bound to PAPP-A. The detecting step can include diagnostic imaging such as positron emission tomography, gamma-scintigraphy, single photon emission computerized tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, intravascular ultrasound, or functional magnetic resonance imaging. The label can be a radioisotope (e.g., 123I, 18F, 111In, 67Ga, and 99mTc).
Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used to practice the invention, suitable methods and materials are described below. All publications, patent applications, patents, and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. In case of conflict, the present specification, including definitions, will control. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research


Methods and compositions are disclosed for improving vaccination in a subject with preexistent antibodies to the antigenic component of the immunizing vaccine. By temporarily sequestering, disabling, and/or suppressing preexistent antibodies and/or Fc-mediated mechanisms according to the various example embodiments, the target antigenic component of a vaccine has an increased opportunity to enter antigen-presenting cells through the same pathway that it would use in seronegative subjects. A balanced immune environment is thereby restored and B cells are properly activated to produce antigen-specific antibodies following vaccination.

The present invention relates to vaccination in a subject that has preexistent immunity. While the invention is subject to a wide range of applications, it is especially suited for vaccination in animals and humans against infectious diseases, autoimmune disorders, and cancer.
Preexistent immunity suppresses the efficacy of vaccination against a wide variety of antigens. This phenomenon has been most widely studied in connection with the ability of maternal antibodies to suppress infant responses to vaccination against infectious diseases. Significantly reduced seroconversion rates and/or mean antibody titers in infants immunized in the presence of maternal antibodies were initially reported during vaccination against measles virus more than 25 years ago (Albrecht et al., J. Pediatr. 91:715, 1977). Other live vaccines, including oral polio, varicella-zoster, influenza, and oral human rotavirus vaccines are subject to maternal antibody-mediated immunosuppression (Chan et al., Vaccine 29:1242, 2011; Karron et al., Pediatr. Infect. Dis. J. 14:10, 1995; Perkins et al., Br. Med. J. 1:1083, 1959). Contrary to the initial thought of some skilled in the art, subunit and inactivated vaccines are also inhibited by preexistent antibodies. The efficacy of pertussis vaccine (Burstyn et al., Infect. Immun. 41:1150, 1983; Englund et al., Pediatrics 96:580, 1995), haemophilus influenza type B conjugate vaccines (Claesson et al., J. Pediatr. 114:97, 1989; Daum et al., J. Infect. Dis. 164:1154, 1991), hepatitis A vaccine (Dagan et al., Pediatr. Infect. Dis. J. 19:1045, 2000; Kanra et al., Turk. J. Pediatr. 42:105, 2000; Troisi et al., Vaccine 15:1613, 1997), and tetanus and diphtheria toxoids vaccines (Barr et al., Lancet 1:6, 1950; Bjorkholm et al., Pediatr. Infect. Dis. J. 14:846, 1995; Booy et al., Lancet 339:507, 1992; Sarvas et al., J. Infect. Dis. 165:977, 1992) is reduced in the presence of maternal antibodies. The problem is not limited to the newborn population. Vaccination of individuals of any age with antigens delivered via pathogen-derived vectors (for example, adenovirus-based vaccines) is subject to immunosuppression by preexistent antibodies to that vector (Casimiro et al., J. Virol. 77:6305, 2003; Fitzgerald et al., J. Immunol. 170:1416, 2003). As pathogen-vectored vaccines are currently being developed not only against infectious diseases but also against cancer and autoimmune dysfunction (Hangalapura et al., Vaccine 29:2313, 2011; Spohn et al., J. Immunol. 178:7450, 2007), vaccines against these disorders are also subject to antibody-mediated immunosuppression. Immunosuppression by preexistent antibodies also impacts the veterinary field. Vaccination of livestock, poultry, and horses against debilitating and life-threatening diseases, including pandemic influenza, Newcastle disease virus, and rotavirus is subject to antibody-mediated immunosuppression in the presence of maternal antibodies (Maas et al., Avian. Pathol. 40:87, 2011; Nguyen et al., Clin. Vaccine Immunol. 13:475, 2006; Perozo et al., Avian Dis. 52:253, 2008; Ryan et al., Clin. Vaccine Immunol. 17:1896, 2010; Wesley et al., Vaccine 22:3427, 2004).
Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the inhibitory effect of maternal antibodies on vaccination. Included among the proposed mechanisms are: neutralization of live viral vaccines rapidly after injection (Albrecht et al., J. Pediatr. 91:715, 1977), epitope masking that prevents antigen binding by naive B cells (Heyman et al., Springer Semin. Immunopathol. 23:421, 2001), elimination of immune complexes by Fc-dependent endocytosis (McKendall et al., J. Infect. Dis. 151:464, 1985; Wallace et al., J. Leukoc. Biol. 55:816, 1994), and colligation of the B cell receptor with FcγRIIB leading to an inhibition of B cell responses (Daeron et al., Annu Rev. Immunol. 15:203, 1997). Some of these theories, such as the epitope-specific masking of B cells, are better supported by available clinical and experimental data than others (Jelonek et al., J. Infect. Dis. 174:866, 1996; Kurikka et al., Pediatr. Infect. Dis. J. 15:530, 1996; Nohynek et al., Pediatr. Infect. Dis. J. 18:25, 1999; Panpitpat et al., Bull. World Health Organ. 78:364, 2000). Additional mechanisms may explain the phenomenon of antibody-mediated immunosuppression.
Counteracting or circumventing the immunosuppressive effect of preexistent immunity on vaccination would greatly benefit public health and agricultural resources. However, efficient methods and vaccine compositions for improving vaccination of subjects with preexistent immunity have not been developed. Cytokine and toll-like receptor-stimulating molecules have been tried in animal models in the context of vaccine formulations targeted to neonates (Arulanandam et al., J. Immunol. 164:3698, 2000; Ishii et al., Gene Ther. 6:237, 1999; Kovarik et al., Arch. Immunol. Ther. Exp. (Warsz) 49:209, 2001; Pertmer et al., Vaccine 19:1764, 2001). DNA- and viral-vectored delivery of vaccine antigens to infants have been proposed but the immunosuppressive effect of maternal antibodies limits the efficacy of these approaches as well (Mahon et al., Curr. Med. Chem. 8:1057, 2001). Based on the epitope-masking theory, it was hypothesized that increasing the dose of vaccine antigen would circumvent inhibition by maternal antibodies as excess antigenic epitopes would remain free of maternal antibodies and become more accessible to infant B cells. Indeed, higher dose hepatitis A vaccine or measles virus vaccine enhanced serological responses in infants vaccinated in the presence of maternal antibodies (Dagan et al., Pediatr. Infect. Dis. J. 19:1045, 2000; Cutts et al., Vaccine 12:1311, 1994). However, excess mortality was seen among infants vaccinated with high doses of live measles vaccine (Knudsen et al., Int. J. Epidemiol. 25:665, 1996). Thus, there remains a need for safe and effective approaches to enhancing the efficacy of vaccination in subjects with preexistent immunity.

Vaccination by circumventing preexistent immunity


A label applicator for applying a label to an article which includes a supporting structure and an applicator section mounted on the supporting structure and including a housing adapted to be coupled to a supply of gas under pressure and having a label receiving surface with an opening therein. A label dispenser for dispensing a label onto the label receiving surface where it is retained in at least partial registry with the opening. The applicator section includes a rupturable mask adapted to be in the housing in communication with the supply of gas under pressure and the opening in the label receiving surface, and the mask includes a grid having a plurality of holes extending therethrough and rupturable material blocking at least some of the holes. The rupturable material is rupturable to open selected holes in the grid so that the gas under pressure can flow through the selected holes so that the shape of the gas under pressure acting to blow the label from the label receiving surface can be tailored. A gas distributor is upstream from the mask for making the flow of gas under pressure toward the selected holes even.

A typical label applicator applies one or more labels to an article as the article is conveyed past the label applicator. For example, a label applicator may include a label dispenser which dispenses a label onto a label receiver or applicator section. The applicator section then transfers the label to the article, and this is often accomplished by a blast of gas, typically air, under pressure.
The label is releasably retained on a label receiving surface of the applicator section by vacuum pressure. The blast of gas under pressure must be sufficiently forceful to overcome the vacuum pressure tending to retain the label against the label receiving surface. To assure that the label undergoes relatively stable flight from the label receiving surface to the article, it is also important that the blast of gas under pressure have a shape, i.e. a cross section, which is compatible with the shape of the label being applied to the article.
In the past, various techniques have been used to tailor the shape of the gas under pressure acting to blow the label from the label receiving surface to the article. One technique involves the repositioning of air tubes to shape the blast of gas. Another technique, which is shown by way of example in French U.S. Pat. No. 3,888,725, utilizes a mask which contains openings, the number and location of which are selected in accordance with the desired gas pattern configuration. A mask is very satisfactory for this purpose; however, it is important to be able to quickly provide a different mask to accommodate a label having a different configuration. Speed is important because whenever a labeling line is required to apply a label having a different shape, the entire line must be shut down while the label applicator is appropriately adjusted to accommodate the shape of the new label. The mask of the label applicator of the French patent can be quickly changed; however, a new mask for each new label cannot be created as quickly as desired.
In order to have stable label flight from the label receiving surface of the applicator section to the article, it is also important that the force applied to the label by the gas under pressure be substantially the same at each location on the label where the gas under pressure acts. The French patent discloses an air diffuser which is said to distribute the air under pressure to all portions of the openings so that no portion of the openings is starved for air. However, the system disclosed in the French patent is not believed able to achieve the desired evenness of forces acting on the label.

Label applicator with mask and gas distributor


A product display apparatus including a product supply module that includes a support frame and defines a storage area. A door assembly coupled to the support frame is structured to provide bulk access to the storage area in an open position and prevent bulk access to the storage area in the closed position. A return area is defined between the support frame and the top of the door assembly while a retrieval area is defined between the support frame and the bottom of the door assembly. A modular display portion is coupled to the door assembly that extends into the retrieval area to define a single unit retrieval opening. A load block member may be disposed in the retrieval area to permit retrieval of a product, but inhibit return of a product. A retrieval detector may be configured to detect when a product has been withdrawn through the retrieval area and generate an alert upon detection of rapid product removal.

Product display apparatuses or "product displays" are used to showcase products for sale and to entice customers to purchase the products. Product displays may be used to store new, high-priced, high-margin, or high-volume products and may be located near high-traffic customer pathways such as a store entrance or along a main aisle.
Applicant has identified a number of deficiencies and problems associated with the manufacture, operation, use, and monitoring of product displays. Through applied effort, ingenuity, and innovation, Applicant has solved many of these identified problems by developing a solution that is embodied by the present invention, which is described in detail below.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Apparatus and method for single unit access display


A hat-shaped stringer includes wrap of at least one composite ply which includes cap portion and first flange which extends from a first side of the cap portion and second flange which extends from a second side of the cap portion, wherein the cap portion defines a recess positioned between the first and second flanges. Further included is a first composite wall which extends in a first direction along a first plane within the recess, wherein the first plane intersects the cap portion and intersects a skin positioned between the first and second flanges to which first and second flanges are secured and opposing sides of the first composite wall are spaced apart from the cap portion. First composite wall is connected to a second composite wall, which extends along the cap portion, are a portion, for example, of a triangular formation having radial portions.

Hat-shaped stringers are reinforcement structures which are connected to and provide stiffening to other structures such as skin structures of an aircraft. Skin structures are often used in the construction of portions of the aircraft such as a wing, fuselage or tail assembly. The hat-shaped stringers provide reinforcement or stiffening to the skin structure so as to resist bending, torsional and axial loads experienced by the skin structure from operational or maneuver loads of the aircraft. These loading conditions may require enhanced capabilities of the stringer to resist stringer pull off loads that may occur perpendicularly or in the out-of-plane directions relative to a length of the stringer. These loading conditions, for example, can arise from overpressure loads produced from a mass of fuel in wing tanks at maximum capacity. Maneuver loads may include inertial loads from movement of the fuel in the fuel tanks from inertia acting on the mass of the fuel during certain maneuvers of the aircraft. With respect to fuselage skin stiffening, out-of-plane loading conditions occur during certain flight conditions wherein the fuselage barrel is exposed to load coupling such that the structure sustains synchronized twist and bending from flight operational maneuvers.
Although a conventional hollow hat-shaped stringer cross-section is suited for nominal operational loading, there exists a need in the art for a hat-shaped stringer that will resist high pull of loads and have superior out-of-plane strength. This resistance and strength needs to be provided from within the internal cavity of a hat-shaped stringer so as to provide off-axis directional strength, provide overall strength and prevent collapse of the hat stinger in severely high loading conditions.
A trapezoidal cross sectional shaped wrap ply reinforcement assembly has been positioned internally within a cavity of the hat-shaped portion of the hat stringer. The trapezoidal-shaped structure provides a cavity of its own within the hat-shaped stringer cavity which is not positioned so as to optimally resist exceptional off-axis load lines encountered by the hat-shaped stringer. Moreover, the trapezoidal-shaped cross section has generally right angled corner turns positioned adjacent to the composite skin structure and the outer composite wrap of the hat-shaped stringer structure. This configuration is not favorable to providing a reduced void or space between the reinforcement assembly and the outer wrap of the hat-shaped stringer and the composite skin structure at the juncture area of the outer wrap of the hat-shaped stringer transitioning from a web section of the hat-shaped stringer to a shallow angle with the skin structure to which the flanges of the hat stringer overlie. Void or space areas are created. These void regions are susceptible to cracking due to stress concentrations and the constraining boundary conditions that exist. To prevent this occurrence, gap fillers are employed. Often times the material of the gap fillers is different from the surrounding composite wrap of the reinforcement assembly and/or outer wrap ply assemblies of the hat-shaped stringer resulting in the need to modify cure cycles, processing temperatures and pressures as well as percent of ply and resin matrix. This adds to cost and time to the manufacturing process. The filling of cavities or voids created by the geometries of the trapezoidal-shaped reinforcement assembly and the hat-shaped stringer involve manufacturing complexities that add to time and cost of fabrication. Optimizing the reduction of voids or cavities with more complimentary shaped reinforcement structures within a cavity of a hat stringer will simplify process flow, reduce cost, rework and waste.

Stiffened-cavity for modular wrap ply assembly for hat stringer


In one implementation, identity based security features and policies are applied to endpoint devices behind an intermediary device, such as a network address translation device. The access network switch authenticates an endpoint based on a user identity and a credential. A hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) packet is generated or modified to include the user identity in an inline header. The HTTP packet including the user identity is sent to a policy enforcement device to look up one or more policies for the endpoint. The access switch receives traffic from the policy enforcement device that is filtered according the user identity. Subsequent TCP connections may also include identity information within the TCP USER_HINT option in a synchronization packet thus allowing identity propagation for other applications and protocols.

For decades, it has been known that Internet Protocol version 4 addresses would eventually be exhausted. The 32 bit system provides only about 4.3 billion possible IP addresses. One significant effort to delay exhaustion of IP addresses involves network address translation (NAT). A NAT device modifies IP address information in packet headers as the packets leave one network and enter another. Often, a reverse process is performed for data packets traveling in the opposite direction. In one sense, NAT devices "hide" entire address spaces behind a single IP address. The hidden addresses no longer need to be unique. Thus, many more than 4.3 billion devices may be connected to the Internet.
However, some Internet services rely on identity-based policies for individual user devices. If two user devices are behind the same NAT device, the two user devices may appear to have the same IP addresses to some Internet services. As a result, some current authentication infrastructures cannot adequately provide identity-based Internet services.


A trailing edge vortex reducing system includes a gas turbine engine airfoil extending in a spanwise direction, one or more spanwise extending plasma generators in a trailing edge region around a trailing edge of the airfoil. The plasma generators may be mounted on an outer wall of the airfoil with first and second pluralities of the plasma generators on pressure and suction sides of the airfoil respectively. The plasma generators may include inner and outer electrodes separated by a dielectric material disposed within a grooves in an outer hot surface of the outer wall of the airfoil. The plasma generators may be located at an aft end of the airfoil and the inner electrodes flush with the trailing edge base. A method for operating the system includes energizing one or more of plasma generators in steady state or unsteady modes.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to aerodynamics of turbine airfoils and, in particular, turbine airfoil trailing edges.
2. Description of Related Art
A typical gas turbine engine of the turbofan type generally includes a forward fan and a booster or low pressure compressor, a middle core engine, and a low pressure turbine which powers the fan and booster or low pressure compressor. The core engine includes a high pressure compressor, a combustor and a high pressure turbine in a serial flow relationship. The high pressure compressor and high pressure turbine of the core engine are connected by a high pressure shaft. High pressure air from the high pressure compressor is mixed with fuel in the combustor and ignited to form a very hot high energy gas flow. The gas flow passes through the high pressure turbine, rotatably driving it and the high pressure shaft which, in turn, rotatably drives the high pressure compressor.
The gas flow leaving the high pressure turbine is expanded through a second or low pressure turbine. The low pressure turbine rotatably drives the fan and booster compressor via a low pressure shaft. The low pressure shaft extends through the high pressure rotor. Most of the thrust produced is generated by the fan. Marine or industrial gas turbine engines have low pressure turbines which power generators, ship propellers, pumps and other devices while turboprops engines use low pressure turbines to power propellers usually through a gearbox.
The high and low pressure turbines have at least one turbine nozzle including at least one row of circumferentially spaced apart airfoils or vanes radially extending between radially inner and outer bands. The vanes are usually hollow having an outer wall that is cooled with cooling air from the compressor. Hot gases flowing over the cooled turbine vane outer wall produces flow and thermal boundary layers along hot outer surfaces of the vane outer wall and end wall hot surfaces of the inner and outer bands over which the hot gases pass. The high and low pressure turbines also have at least one row of turbine rotor blades including circumferentially spaced apart airfoils extending radially outwardly from turbine blade platforms. High pressure turbine airfoils, including stator vanes and rotor blades, typically require internal convection cooling and external film cooling. These airfoils are typically cast including internal cooling features such as cooling air passages and pins and turbulators. Therefore, the turbine airfoils are usually thicker than the compressor airfoils. The trailing edges of some turbine airfoils are tapered down to about 30 to 50 mills. When the hot gas flows over the turbine airfoils, there is vortex shedding at the trailing edge base due to the pressure gradient caused by the thickness of the trailing edge. This vortex shedding causes undesirable pressure losses which are sometimes referred to as blockage effects. Due to the mechanical and casting constraints, the trailing edge thickness cannot be physically further reduced. It is desirable to be able to reduce or eliminate this undesirable pressure losses due to the vortex shedding for better turbine efficiency.

Plasma induced virtual turbine airfoil trailing edge extension


A method for producing an image sensor comprises: depositing a first back-end-of-line, BEOL, layer above a substrate comprising an array of light-detecting elements, said BEOL layer comprising metal wirings being arranged to form connections to components on the substrate and together with depositing the first BEOL layer, improving planarization of the first BEOL layer by depositing a planarizing metal dummy pattern in the first BEOL layer, wherein a part of the planarizing metal dummy pattern is arranged above a light-detecting element, wherein the planarizing metal dummy patterns is formed from the same material as the metal wirings and is deposited to planarize density of the metal deposited in the first BEOL layer across a surface of the layer and wherein a shape and/or position of the metal dummy pattern above the array of light-detecting elements is designed to provide a desired effect on incident light.

An image sensor comprises light-detecting elements, such as photo-diodes, which receive light incident on the image sensor for detecting light intensities which together may form an image. Light incident on the image sensor should reach the light-detecting element, which implies that any layers in the image sensor formed above the light-detecting elements should not interfere with light reaching the light-detecting elements.
A process for manufacturing image sensors is quite complex and, hence, expensive. In particular, any circuitry which may need to be arranged above the light-detecting elements, such as circuitry associated with reading out of light intensities and processing detected light intensities, should not interfere with light reaching the light-detecting elements.
This implies that metal layers which are present in back-end-of-line (BEOL) layers of the image sensor should be designed so as to not be arranged above the light-detecting elements. However, this may imply that a non-uniform distribution of material deposition is formed by the metal BEOL layers. Thus, an irregular topography may be formed, which may need to be smoothed, such as by chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP), between deposition of each BEOL layer. Hence, the number of steps needed for manufacturing the image sensor are extensive, which also implies that manufacturing of image sensors is expensive.

Method for producing an image sensor, and an image sensor


Provided is a cast-coated paper suitable for ink jet recording which is produced in a process comprising a step of coating at least one side of a base paper with a coating composition comprising a pigment and a water base binder and a step of pressing the coated layer against a heated specular metal surface while the coated layer is in a wet condition; with the pigment comprising a synthetic silica having a BET specific surface area of 200-600 m.sup.2 /g in a proportion of at least 40 weight %, and with the water base binder comprising an hydrophilic urethane resin and casein in a mixing ratio of from 0.1 to 20 by weight.

In an ink jet recording method, recording is generally carried out by jetting fine drops of ink using a variety of mechanisms so as to form images on a recording paper. Therefore, the recording method of ink jet type has advantages in that it is less noisy, can provide full-color prints with ease and enables high-speed printing, compared with the recording method of dot impact type.
For the paper used in such an ink jet recording method, it is usually required to have properties of (1) ensuring high-speed drying of ink, (2) being free from cissing, feathering and overflowing of ink, (3) providing recorded images of high optical density, and (4) causing no rippling trouble upon absorption of ink, and so on. It has already been proposed to prepare ink jet recording papers partaking all the properties mentioned above by the use of a cast coating method (e.g., in Japanese Tokkai Sho 62-95285, Japanese Tokkai Sho 62-264391 and Japanese Tokkai Hei 02-274587, wherein the term "Tokkai" as used herein means an "unexamined published patent application").
In addition, ink jet printers have had remarkable development in recent years, so that they have come to ensure considerable colorfulness and vividness in the recorded images. Thus, recording media also have been required to be higher grade merchandise. As matters now stand, it is known that higher grade recorded image which can give such a feeling of higher quality as those provided by photography or high grade printed matter can be obtained by choosing a recording medium having a glossy surface.
However, the need for reduction in running cost has also grown in proportion as prices of ink jet printers have declined. Since most of glossy recording media on the market use as their substrates more expensive materials, such as plastic films or laminated papers, they cannot meet the aforesaid need.
In contrast to the recording media on the market in which films or the like are used as substrate, cast-coated paper uses low-priced paper as a substrate and can be prepared in a relatively simple process, so that it has the advantage of a substantially lower cost. Further, as the recording side of cast-coated paper can be rendered glossy, the cast-coated paper is suitable for ink jet recording paper which can give a feeling of high quality and can provide high grade recorded images at a lower price.
The cast-coated paper mentioned above is a highly glossy coated paper prepared by pressing a coated layer comprising a pigment containing a synthetic silica as main component and a water base binder against a specular surface-finished metal surface while the coated layer is in a wet condition, and reproducing the specular surface on the surface of the coated layer simultaneously with drying of the coated layer.
In general, cast-coated paper improves its ink-cissing and feathering properties, dot shape and gloss on the recorded surface by containing therein casein as a water base binder, and utilizing a pigment having a large specific surface area or controlling a void content therein (Japanese Tokkai Hei 06-72017, etc.). In this case, however, the glossy part of cast-coated paper swells by the contact with water base ink. Thus, the cast-coated paper suffers a defect that the gloss in an image area becomes lower than that in a non-image area when cast-coated paper undergoes ink jet recording.


A hand held tool removes cerumen and other debris through an existing aperture in a hearing aid by evacuating a tip placed in or over the aperture. In one embodiment, the tip is evacuated when a spring-loaded piston in a cylinder coupled to the tip is released to move quickly away from the aperture.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and systems for hearing aid maintenance.
2. Related Art
As an introduction to problems solved by the present invention, consider the conventional hearing aid pressed gently into the outer ear. The conventional hearing aid includes a diaphragm and sound output channel with an opening for broadcasting amplified sound from the diaphragm into the ear canal. The sound output channel, particularly the opening, is subject to the ingress of cerumen, loose skin, and other debris which can block the opening or the channel, degrading the output of amplified sound.
Conventional methods of maintaining a clear output channel include forming a cerumen removal mechanism into the body of the hearing aid, such as the earwax trap of Danielsen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,008, incorporated herein by reference. Such a device adds weight, complexity, and cost to each hearing aid. Other methods include table top equipment such as that supplied by Starkley under the trade name Auracare. The expense and bulk of such equipment, while appropriate for a business, prevent widespread acquisition by individuals. Still other known methods for cleaning hearing aids employ conventional pipe cleaners and drills of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,391 to Athalye, incorporated herein by reference. Use of such devices exposes the hearing aid to a high risk of damage to the diaphragm, especially by those with less than normal eyesight or manual dexterity. These minor disabilities are common among the hearing impaired elderly.
Production of cerumen is sometimes increased when the outer ear is obstructed by the introduction of a hearing aid. The sound output channel, opening, and earwax traps of conventional hearing aids are easily blocked by cerumen. Without an inexpensive hand tool that reliably removes cerumen, wearers of hearing aids cannot by themselves easily maintain their substantial investment in hearing aids or enjoy the benefits of improved hearing without untimely interruption.
In view of the problems described above and related problems that consequently become apparent to those skilled in the applicable arts, the need remains for more reliable and economical methods and systems for removing cerumen from hearing aids.

Tool for removing debris from a hearing aid


A motor vehicle hydraulic brake system master cylinder, having at least one piston which is arranged in a housing and displaceable along an axis as a result of brake actuation and to which a pressure chamber which can be connected to wheel brakes, and a refill chamber is assigned, wherein the pressure chamber in the non-actuated state can be connected to a fluid reservoir via a compensating bore and on actuation of the brake can be isolated therefrom by means of a cup seal arranged on the piston in order to build up pressure. The master cylinder having a cup seal arranged in a radially open, encircling groove of the piston which groove is formed by a first and a second radially encircling projection, wherein when the brake actuation is released additional fluid is drawn from the refill chamber in the direction of the pressure chamber via the second projection.

Such a so-called relief-port master cylinder is disclosed, for example, by DE 19 28 849 A1, which is incorporated by reference. The two pistons of the master cylinder have axial compensating bores through which, when the brake actuation is released, fluid is drawn from the refill chamber in the direction of the pressure chamber. For this purpose a sealing lip of the cup seal is pressed inward, so that the fluid can flow over the sealing lip. A filling plate, which protects the cup seal from damage, is furthermore arranged between the piston and the cup seal. The filling plate tilts inward with the cup seal and fluid likewise flows over it when the brake actuation is released.

Master cylinder for a motor vehicle hydraulic brake system


The LED has phosphor particles (2) with a mean phosphor particle size d50 selected from the range of from 0.1 μm, inclusive, to 1.5 μm, inclusive, in particular the phosphor particles having primary particles (4) with a mean particle size (5) selected from the range of from 0.1 μm, inclusive, to 1.0 μm, inclusive. The primary particles, which comprise, for example, an yttrium aluminum garnet (Y3Al5O12) doped with cerium, are agglomerated to form the phosphor particles.

A phosphor powder of small particle size, and a process for producing it are known from I. Matsubara et al., Materials Research Bulletin 35 (2000), pages 217–224. The phosphor particles have a mean phosphor particle size of at least 1 μm. The phosphor particles consist of an yttrium aluminum garnet (Y3Al5O12) doped with chromium. Chromium is contained, for example, at 0.5 mol %. In this case, chromium constitutes an optically active component of the garnet. Chromium absorbs exciting light and emits emission light (luminescence) after excitement. The chromium contained in the garnet can also be excited to luminescence with the aid of electrons. Thus, the known phosphor powder is used, for example, in a luminescent screen (phosphor body) of a cathode ray tube. WO 03/102113 discloses a phosphor powder with a particle size of between 0.1 and 5 μm, which is used for a conversion LED.
The production of the known phosphor is performed with the aid of a so-called heterogeneous precipitation. For this purpose, aluminum sulfate (Al2(SO4)3) and urea are dissolved in distilled water. The solution is stirred continuously at a temperature of 80–90° C. for a duration of two hours. The precipitate of aluminum hydroxide (Al(OH)3) is formed in the process. The precipitate obtained is washed with distilled water and isopropanol and dried for one day at a temperature of 120° C. The aluminum hydroxide is suspended in distilled water. In order to avoid an agglomeration of the aluminum hydroxide powder, energetic stirring is carried out and urea is added. Stoichiometric quantities of yttrium sulfate (Y2(SO4)3) and chromium sulfate (Cr2(SO4)3) are likewise dissolved in distilled water. Thereafter, the suspensions and the solution are mixed with one another and heated for an hour to 80–90° C. The precipitate thereby obtained is washed with distilled water and isopropanol, centrifuged and dried overnight at 120° C. Finally, the powder obtained is calcined for two hours at 900° C.–1700° C. in the presence of air. A chromium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet is obtained that has a relatively high luminescent efficiency.
Since the phosphor powder produced using this process consists of phosphor particles that in each case have a layer that is a few tenths of a μm thick and does not contribute to the luminescence (dead layer), the phosphor particles must have a mean phosphor particle size of at least 1 μm for the high luminescent efficiency. A typical diameter of the phosphor particles is 1 μm on average. This means, however, that production parameters of the process must be set very accurately so that the resulting phosphor powder has the high luminescent efficiency.

Conversion LED having a phosphor component based on an agglomeration of phosphor particles and pores

Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft fuer Elektrische Gluehlampen mbH


The present invention relates to a gaming system and to a method of gaming. A game is played by displaying a representation of selection of a plurality of symbols from a set of symbols. The game enables selection of at least one additional symbol in addition to those originally selected, to increase the number of symbol combinations available for assessing a game outcome. In an example, the additional symbol is displayed as being mounted on a substrate which is “flipped” to reveal the additional symbol. Another face of this substrate mounts the originally selected symbol. A plurality of additional symbols may be available for selection.

It is known to provide a gaming system which comprises a game controller arranged to randomly select and cause the display of several symbols from a predetermined set of symbols and to determine a game outcome, such as a game win, based on the displayed symbols. Such gaming systems may commonly be implemented as a stepping machine provided with reels with each reel carrying several symbols of the set, or a video machine wherein selected symbols are displayed on virtual reels on a graphical display device. Win outcomes can occur based on symbols appearing in one or more horizontal lines, diagonal lines, or any other predetermined way. Typically five reels across are provided on the display (although less or more may be provided). Each reel or virtual reel display is three symbols high in the display window for the reel (although, again, this may be more or less symbols high).
In many gaming systems, a player can choose whether or not to wager on one or more win lines for each play of the game. The value of the wager for each win line may be determined by the player. A prize awarded to the player for a winning combination on a win line will generally be in proportion to the amount of credits bet for that win line by the player. This is perceived to be fair, as the more credits that the player is willing to risk, the higher the potential return.
While it is a simple matter to scale the amount of prize return with regard to the amount of credit bet by the player for prizes that are of known value for a winning combination, it is not possible to do this for jackpot prizes, which accumulate over a period of time, or prizes of fixed value, e.g. a car. Jackpot prizes may, for example, depend on a percentage amount of credits entered into a gaming system over a period of time, or even a percentage amount of credits entered into linked gaming machines (linked jackpots) over a period of time. Winning of the jackpot is generally independent of the amount of credit wagered on any particular win line by a player. This is perceived as being unfair to players who are willing to wager large amounts of credit in order to win a jackpot.

ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED


According to one embodiment, a low phase noise testing system includes a tester providing a high phase noise digital channel output. The low phase noise testing system further includes a crystal filter configured to receive the digital channel output and to pass a narrow frequency range from the digital channel output, whereby the high phase noise digital channel output is converted to a low phase noise clock for use by a device under test. The crystal filter can be, for example, a monolithic crystal filter or a discrete crystal filter.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally in the field of electronics. More particularly, the present invention is in the field of electronic device testing.
2. Background
Manufacturers of electronic devices generally rely on high volume testers, e.g. automated test equipment ("ATE"), to quickly and accurately test their electronic devices during production. Accordingly, the testers are configured to drive the electronic devices by generating and inputting various signals, e.g., a reference clock, into the electronic devices to test and evaluate their functionality. As such, it is important for the signals generated by the testers to have similar characteristics as the actual signals generated by the electronic devices during normal operation. For example, it is important for clock signals provided by a tester to have a phase noise as low as clock signals generated with the aid of a "crystal oscillator" employed during normal operation of an electronic device.
In particular, when testing an electronic device, such as a wireless local area network ("WLAN") transceiver, it is critical for a tester to generate a reference clock having a phase noise that is as low as the phase noise of the clock used by the electronic device during normal operation. Since a conventional testing system typically uses a conventional reference clock generator (e.g. a dedicated reference signal generator or a stand-alone function generator), the reference clock from the conventional testing system typically has a much higher phase noise than the phase noise of the clock generated by the electronic device during normal operation. Consequently, various electronic devices, such as WLAN transceivers, cannot be accurately tested using conventional testing systems.

Low phase noise testing system utilizing a crystal filter