In the apparatus according to the present invention, light from a light source is split into measurement light and reference light, the optical path length of the reference light is altered and a plurality of measurement light interference waveforms resulting from the interference of measurement beams reflected at a measurement target and the reference light are measured. One of these interference waveforms is designated as a reference interference waveform, another interference waveform corresponding to a measurement beam reciprocally reflected at the two end surfaces of the measurement target twice more than the measurement beam corresponding to the reference interference waveform is designated as a selected interference waveform, the optical path length of the measurement light indicated by the distance between the two end surfaces of the measurement target is measured based upon these interference waveforms. The temperature of the measurement targets is determined in correspondence to the optical path length.

It is crucial that the temperature or the like of a substrate processed by, for instance, a substrate processing apparatus, such as a semiconductor wafer (hereafter may be simply referred to as a "wafer") be measured with a high degree of accuracy in order to accurately control the shapes, the physical characteristics and the like of films, holes and the like formed on the wafer by executing various types of processing such as film formation and etching. Accordingly, various wafer temperature measuring methods have been proposed in the related art, including the use of a resistance thermometer and the use of a fluorescence thermometer that measures the temperature at the rear surface of the base material.
In recent years, research into temperature measuring methods and temperature measuring apparatuses that enable direct measurement of the wafer temperature, which is difficult with the temperature measuring methods in the related art, has gained significant ground (see, for instance, International Publication No. 03/087744). A specific example of a temperature measuring apparatus is now explained in reference to FIGS. 32 and 33. FIG. 32 illustrates the principle of a temperature measuring apparatus in the related art, whereas FIG. 33 is a conceptual diagram of interference waveforms measured with the temperature measuring apparatus.
The temperature measuring apparatus 10 in FIG. 32 is constituted with a low coherence interferometer that may be achieved by adopting the basic principle of, for instance, a Michelson interferometer. The temperature measuring apparatus 10 includes a light source 12 constituted with, for instance, an SLD (super luminescent diode) having low coherence characteristics, a beam splitter 14 that splits the light originating from the light source 12 into two beams, i.e., reference light to be radiated onto a reference mirror 20 and measurement light to be radiated onto a measurement target (e.g., a wafer) 30, the reference mirror 20 drivable along a single direction, with which the optical path length of the reference light can be varied, and a light receiver 16 that receives the reference light reflected at the reference mirror 20 and the measurement light reflected at the measurement target 30 and measures the extent of interference.
In this temperature measuring apparatus 10, the light originating from the light source 12 is split at the beam splitter 14 into two beams, i.e., the reference light and the measurement light. The measurement light is radiated toward the measurement target 30 and is reflected at the two end surfaces (e.g., the front surface and the rear surface) of the measurement target, whereas the reference light is radiated toward the reference mirror 20 and is reflected at the mirror surface. Then, both the reflected measurement light and the reflected reference light reenter the beam splitter 14, and depending upon the optical path length of the reference light, the reflected light beams become superimposed upon each other, thereby inducing interference. The resulting interference wave is detected by the light receiver 16.
Accordingly, the reference mirror 20 is driven along the single direction to alter the optical path length of the reference light for the temperature measurement. Since the coherence length of the light from the light source 12 is small due to the low coherence characteristics of the light source 12, intense interference manifests at a position at which the optical path length of the measurement light and the optical path length of the reference light match and the extent of interference is substantially reduced at other positions under normal circumstances. As the reference mirror 20 is driven along, for instance, the forward/backward direction (the direction indicated by the arrows in FIG. 32) and the optical path length of the reference light is adjusted as described above, the measurement beams reflected from the front surface and the rear surface of the measurement target 30 with different refractive indices (e.g., a refractive index na of the air and a refractive index n of the measurement target 30), and the reflected reference light interfere with each other and, as a result, interference waveforms such as those shown in FIG. 33A are detected.
The distance between the peaks in these interference waveforms is equivalent to the optical path length L, which is indicated by the thickness of the measurement target 30, i.e., the distance between the front surface and the rear surface of the measurement target. With d representing the thickness of the measurement target 30 and n representing the refractive index at the measurement target 30, the optical path length L can be expressed as L=d×n. Since the thickness d and the refractive index n assume varying values as the temperature changes, the optical path length (optical thickness) L at the measurement target 30, too, changes as the temperature changes. Accordingly, based upon the change in the optical path length L at the measurement target 30, the temperature at the measurement target can be measured along the depthwise direction.
As the temperature of the measurement target 30 being heated with a heater or the like changes as shown in FIG. 33, the measurement target 30 expands, as indicated by the one-point chain line. At this time, the refractive index n of the measurement target 30, too, becomes altered and, as a result, the interference waveform position following the temperature change shifts relative to the position prior to the temperature change, which changes the interval between the peak positions, as shown in FIGS. 33A and 33B. The extent to which the peak interval of the interference waveform changes corresponds to the extent of the temperature change. In addition, the distance between the peak positions of the interference waveforms correspond to the distance by which the reference mirror 20 moves. Thus, by accurately measuring the intervals between the peaks in the interference waveforms based upon the distance by which the reference mirror 20 is displaced, the change in the temperature can be measured.
As explained earlier, the optical path length (optical thickness) L of the measurement target 30, which is expressed as thickness d×refractive index n, changes in proportion to the change in the temperature, since the thickness d and the refractive index n both change in proportion to the temperature change. This means that when the thickness d of the measurement target 30 is more significant, the optical path length (optical thickness) L changes by a greater extent relative to the extent of the temperature change and that when the thickness d of the measurement target 30 is less significant, the optical path length (optical thickness) L changes to a lesser extent relative to the extent of the temperature change.
For instance, while the extent of the change in the optical path length L occurring at a silicon wafer with a thickness of 10 mm is 2.7 μm/° C., the optical path length L of a thinner silicon wafer with a thickness of, for instance, 0.75 mm changes by a much smaller extent of 0.2 μm/° C.
When the thickness of the measurement target 30 small, the optical path length L at the measurement target 30 changes by a lesser extent relative to a specific extent of change in the temperature at the measurement target 30, as described above. This means that the length of the peak interval in the interference waveforms corresponding to the individual surfaces of the measurement target 30, which indicates the optical path lengths L, changes to a lesser degree as well, when the thickness d is smaller. In other words, when the measurement target 30 has a smaller thickness d, it is more difficult to accurately measure the extent of change in the peak interval in the interference waveforms corresponding to the individual surfaces of the measurement target 30, presenting a major obstacle to improving the temperature measurement accuracy with which the temperature of the measurement target is measured.

Temperature/thickness measuring apparatus, temperature/thickness measuring method, temperature/thickness measuring system, control system and control method


Implementations of client health validation using historical data are described. In one implementation, historical data on a client, such as a laptop, attempting to access a network is scanned. The historical data can come in many forms, including cookies and application data caches saved on the client. The historical data can be used to assess a health of the client. For example, if historical data stored in an application data cache indicates interactions between the client and a website known to disseminate malicious agents, the client can be assessed to have unacceptable health. Alternately, if the historical data indicates that the client has not interacted with enough suspicious sources to constitute a danger to the network, the client can be assessed to have acceptable health. In such a case, the client can be allowed to access the network.

As the number of mobile computing-based devices in an organization grows, the set of machines connected to the organization's network becomes more dynamic. This occurs as machines leave the organization's network, potentially join other untrusted networks and then return to the organization's network. For example, employees may take laptop computers home and view Internet sites or share files via various public and private networks.
Every time a machine migrates among networks outside the organization's network, the machine can be exposed to malicious agents, including malware such as viruses, worms, etc. These malicious agents can then be introduced to the organization's network when the infected machine is reconnected to the organization's network. In this way, potentially all of the resources connected to the organization's network can be exposed to a variety of malicious agents.

Client health validation using historical data


A liquid crystal display (LCD) device and a method of fabricating the same with improved on-current characteristic and reduced parasitic capacitance are disclosed. The LCD device includes a plurality of gate lines and data lines formed on a substrate, a plurality of pixel electrodes formed at regions defined by the gate and data lines, and a plurality of thin film transistors formed at the cross-over points of the gate and data lines, wherein each of the thin film transistors includes a gate electrode extending from the corresponding gate line, a drain electrode connected to the corresponding pixel electrode, and a source electrode extending from the corresponding data line and having a width greater than the width of the drain electrode. The method includes the steps of forming a gate electrode extending from a gate line, forming a drain electrode connected to a pixel electrode, and forming a source electrode extending from a data line and having a width greater than the width of the drain electrode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display (LCD) device and more particularly, to a thin film transistor (TFT) of a liquid crystal display device and a method of fabricating the same, which improves the on-current characteristic of the LCD device and reduces parasitic capacitance by adjusting a width of an electrode of the LCD device.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, an LCD device includes top and bottom glass plates, and a liquid crystal injected therebetween. On the bottom glass plate, a plurality of gate lines extending in one direction and a plurality of data lines extending in another direction perpendicular to the gate lines are formed. In this matrix arrangement, a plurality of TFTs and a plurality of pixel electrodes are disposed at the cross-over points of the data and gate lines.
On the top glass plate, red (R), green (G) and blue (B) color filter layers and a common electrode are disposed. Generally, a light shielding layer (black matrix) is formed on the top glass plate and a pair of polorizers are disposed on the outer surfaces of the top and bottom glass plates to selectively transmit light.
A conventional LCD device will be described below with reference to FIG. 1 which shows a layout of a conventional LCD device.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the conventional LCD device includes a plurality of gate lines 1 formed on a transparent substrate, a plurality of data lines 2 crossing the gate lines 1, a plurality of TFTs 5 formed at the cross-over points of the gate and data lines 1 and 2, and a plurality of pixel electrodes 3 connected to the TFTs 5. The gate lines 1 are separated by certain intervals and extend in one direction, whereas the data lines 2 are separated by certain intervals and extend perpendicular to the gate lines 1. Two adjacent gate lines 1 and two adjacent data lines 2 crossing the gate lines 1, define the boundaries of a pixel region. In each pixel region, the TFT 5 and the pixel electrode 3 are disposed.
Each of the TFTs 5 includes a gate electrode 1a, a source electrode 2a, and a drain electrode 4. A gate insulating layer is formed between the gate and source electrodes 1a and 2a and between the gate and drain electrodes 1a and 4. The gate electrode 1a extends from the gate line 1 and the source electrode 2a extends from the data line 2. The drain electrode 4 connects the gate electrode 1a and the pixel electrode 3.
The TFT 5 transmits a signal of the data line 2 to the pixel electrode 3 in response to a signal of the gate line 1. The source electrode 2a and the drain electrode 4 have the same width (a).
In the conventional LCD device having the above-described TFTS, if a signal voltage is applied to the gate electrode 1a, the TFT is turned on so as to transmit a data voltage representing picture data to the pixel electrode 3 and the liquid crystal..
Given that a current required to charge the liquid crystal is known as the "on-current" , I.sub.ON, a general expression of I.sub.ON is as follows: ##EQU1## where .tau..sub.g is a gate turn-on time, C.sub.TOT is a total capacitance of the liquid crystal and an auxiliary capacitor, and V.sub.LC is a voltage applied to the liquid crystal.
On the other hand, there are cross-over portions where the gate electrode 1a overlaps with the source electrode 2a and the drain electrode 3. In this case, the cross-over portions have parasitic capacitance of C.sub.gs and C.sub.gd, where C.sub.gs is the gate-source capacitance and C.sub.gd is the gate-drain capacitance.
When the TFT is turned off, the voltage on the pixel drops as much as an amount .DELTA.V.sub.p due to capacitive coupling. The drop amount .DELTA.V.sub.p can be expressed as follows: ##EQU2## where C.sub.gs is the gate-source capacitance, C.sub.LC is the pixel capacitance, C.sub.st is the storage capacitance, and V.sub.g is the gate voltage. .DELTA.V.sub.p also adds to the deterioration in the picture quality of the LCD device. Therefore, in order to improve picture quality, it is important to minimize .DELTA.V.sub.p and improve on the on-current characteristics of the LCD device.
However, the conventional LCD device includes source and drain electrodes having the same width. Such a structure neither improves the on-current characteristic nor reduces parasitic capacitance. Therefore, the conventional LCD suffers from a deteriorating picture quality.

Liquid crystal display device and method for fabricating the same


The present invention provides a cavity filter having a slim and compact structure in which a push-pin type RF connector, which is formed such that a terminal is exposed to both sides or one side in a height direction, is embedded so as to reduce a size of an antenna system, quickly perform verification for an individual cavity filter while having high reproducibility, and enable the antenna system to be readily mounted.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) technology dramatically increases data transmission capacity by using multiple antennas. This technology is a spatial multiplexing technique by which a transmitter transmits different data through different transmission antennas, and a receiver distinguishes the transmitted data through proper signal processing. Therefore, as the number of transmission antennas and the number of reception antennas are simultaneously increased, channel capacity may increase, thereby enabling more data to be transmitted. For example, when the number of antennas is increased to 10, a channel capacity of about 10 times that of the current single-antenna system is secured in the same frequency band.
The 4G LTE-advanced system employs up to 8 antennas, and a product equipped with 64 or 128 antennas is being developed in the pre-5G stage. Base station equipment with a much larger number of antennas is expected to be employed in the 5G system, and the technology therefor is called massive MIMO. Massive MIMO is also referred to as full dimension (FD)-MIMO because massive MIMO enables 3D-beamforming while current cell operation is 2-dimensional.
In massive MIMO, as the number of antenna elements increases, the number of transceivers and filters increases. In 2014, more than 200,000 base stations are deployed nationwide. In other words, there is a need for a structure of a cavity filter that minimizes a mounting space and can be mounted easily, and there is also a need for an RF signal line connection structure that provides the same filter characteristics even after individually tuned cavity filters are mounted on the antennas.
In an RF filter having a cavity structure, a resonator including a resonance rod, which is a conductor, is provided inside a box structure formed of a metallic conductor to allow only an electromagnetic field of a natural frequency to be present. Thereby, the RF filter allows only a characteristic frequency component of a very high frequency to pass therethrough by resonance. A bandpass filter with such a cavity structure is widely used as a filter for antennas of a mobile communication base station as it has a low insertion loss and is advantageous for high output power.


A method for creating an updateable report representing the alarm status of a network. The method can comprise tracking the lifecycle state of at least a portion of the elements within the network, categorizing at least a portion of the alarms generated in the network based on the lifecycle state of the elements generating the alarms, and removing selected alarms from an updateable report based on the lifecycle state of the elements generating the alarms. Alternatively, all alarms generated by network elements having a tracked lifecycle state can be categorized based on the lifecycle state of the elements generating the alarms. The alarms removed from the updateable report can include alarms generated by elements with a non-operational lifecycle state, alarms generated by elements with a maintenance lifecycle state, or alarms generated by elements with either the non-operational or the maintenance lifecycle state.

Telecommunications networks, computer networks, and other networks typically include elements such as ATM switches, frame relay switches, voice switches, digital cross connect switches, multiplexers, routers, servers, and other equipment for processing and transmitting data. Network elements typically contain self-monitoring circuitry and software that can detect internal and external conditions affecting the elements and activate messages that document these conditions. Many of these messages indicate potentially abnormal or erroneous conditions from the local perspective of the reporting resource. Depending on the context, these messages might represent predictable noise requiring no action or might indicate a major network failure requiring immediate attention. Any type of message that conveys evidence that an error condition might exist can be referred to as an alarm. Technicians typically investigate a certain number of alarms to determine their cause and undertake corrective action. However, in large networks, the number of alarms can overwhelm the staff of technicians charged with operating and maintaining the network. The wide variety of protocols, such as SNMP, CMIP, CORBA, log files, Telnet/command line interfaces, and proprietary interfaces, used to deliver alarm information can increase the difficulty of gathering and handling of alarm data. Since manually investigating large numbers of different types of alarms to distinguish significant alarms from insignificant alarms can be time-consuming, labor-intensive, expensive, and often impossible, technicians often attempt to focus their efforts on the most severe alarms, ignoring a significant number of messages. This can leave many problems undetected until specific complaints are received from impacted network users.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Filtering approach for network system alarms based on lifecycle state


A conductive atomic force microscope including a plurality of probe structures each including a probe and a cantilever connected thereto, a power supplier applying a bias voltage, a current detector detecting a first current flowing between a sample object and each of the probes and a second current flowing between a measurement object and each of the probes, and calculating representative currents for the sample and measurement objects based on the first and second currents, respectively, and a controller calculating a ratio between representative currents of the sample object measured by each of the probe structures, calculating a scaling factor for scaling the representative current with respect to the measurement object measured by each of the probes, and determine a reproducible current measurement value based on the second measurement current and the scaling factor may be provided.

The inventive concepts relate to a conductive atomic force microscopes and methods of operating the same, and more particularly, to systems for scaling measured currents of an object measured by different probes of a conductive atomic force microscope including probes and/or methods of operating the same.
A conductive atomic force microscope (c-AFM) is a microscope that is configured to measure conductance and resistance of an object (hereinafter, referred to as measurement object) at a spatial resolution of tens of nanometers by applying a bias voltage to the measurement object and measuring a current flowing between a probe and the measurement object. In order to measure a current by using a conductive atomic force microscope, a probe coated with a conductive material may contact with the measurement object to form a current path therebetween. The resistance and conductance distribution of the measurement object may be measured by measuring a current flowing through the probe at each position by moving the measurement object and/or the probe.
In the conductive atomic force microscope using the probe, the contact resistance between the probe and the measurement object may affect the measurement result. To ensure the reliable and reproducible measurements, uniform maintenance of the contact resistance between the probe and the measurement object is desired.

Conductive atomic force microscope and method of operating the same


A method and apparatus for a projection display system includes a spatial light modulator and a volume illumination hologram. The spatial light modulator comprises a digital micromirror device, and the projection system includes a laser light source to produce a sequence of collimated, colored, light beams for the illumination hologram. Waste light produced by the spatial light modulator is transmitted to the illumination hologram, and the illumination hologram emits waste light from at least one of its edges. Waste light emitted from an edge of the illumination hologram is absorbed by a light sensor to control the intensity of the light beams. A projection focusing element is mounted proximate a side of the illumination hologram to focus the image beam from the spatial light modulator for viewing. A projection hologram is interposed between the side of the illumination hologram and the projection focusing element to manage waste light.

Spatial light modulators, such as a DMD (digital micromirror device), can be used to create projectable images that are displayed in rear-projection television receivers and in consumer, business, and large-venue image projection systems. Other spatial light modulators such as LCDs (liquid crystal displays) are also used in some image projection applications. An example of a digital micromirror device is a DLP™ ("digital light processor"), manufactured by Texas Instruments, which uses an array of micromirrors with selectively controllable orientations to form a projectable image. Digital micromirror devices generally are the preferred image-forming components in projection systems requiring high illumination levels. As an example, DLP™ technology has enabled the design of small and bright projection display systems that weigh less than three pounds for a 1500 Lm output. Recently, small LED (light-emitting diode) light sources have enabled the design of one pound, pocket-sized DLP™ projectors; however, the required optical elements generally remain as a costly contributor to the size and weight of the projector. Since the light emitted by LEDs is typically in a Lambertian pattern with limited intensity, it has been difficult to couple LEDs into low-etendue spatial light modulator panels, resulting in low projection brightness levels of less than 50 Lm. To provide improved projector performance from a much smaller, lower-cost system, a DMD light modulator generally would require compact optics and a collimated light source, such as a laser diode, and would be an attractive addition to the marketplace. Such a product would preferably project an image with intensity greater than about 1000 Lm, and weigh less than about one pound.
In typical single-DMD projectors, image data comprises separate color frames corresponding to individual primary colors, typically red, green and blue, from which substantially the entire visible spectrum is derived. When solid-state or filtered colored light sources are operated in synchronization with the DMD, each color-frame image is selectively projected in sequence to a target screen for viewing by an audience.
To generate a broad-spectrum image using primary colors, monochromatic or filtered colored light sources are operated in sequence with prescribed on-times or duty cycles. When color-frames are rapidly rendered on a screen, the human eye perceives the required color hue and intensity at each pixel of the on-screen image. For example, to obtain a green-only image, a green light source would be turned on simultaneously with the DMD mirrors that spatially modulate the light beam according to the green color-frame image data. To obtain other colors, secondary colors or mixed color hues of red, green, and blue light illuminate the DMD in a sequence, at a frequency typically greater than 180 Hz. High-frequency, color-frame images are then integrated by the eyes of the audience. For example, for a white image, the duty cycle for solid-state light emitting diodes is typically 50% green, 30% red, and 20% blue light. The proportions may vary depending on the desired color temperature of the projected white image.
FIG. 1 illustrates a projection system of the prior art that uses a single DLP™ spatial light modulator with existing DLP™ optics, light source, and illumination methods. DLP™ projectors such as the illustrated projector using one DMD typically use UHP (ultra-high-pressure) arc lamps 200 and a complex set of relay optics 201 for DMD illumination. The optical path includes a condenser lens 202, a rotating color filter wheel assembly 204, relay lens 207, a spatial light modulator (DMD) 218, a projection lens 220, and a fan assembly 222. Such projection systems are complex and require substantial space for their implementation.
FIG. 2 illustrates another optical architecture of the prior art using one DMD and a TIR (total internal reflection) prism system, which generally results in an illumination light beam with an area equal to or larger than the DMD active mirror area. Again, this arrangement generally requires substantial volume for its construction. White light from high-intensity lamps such as UHP arc lamps is converted into primary wavelengths (such as red, green, and blue) by a sequence of filters arranged on a spinning disc or color wheel. This system comprises a high-intensity lamp assembly 200 (the illumination source), condenser lens 202, rotating color filter wheel assembly 204, integrator rod 206, relay lenses 208, 210, and 212, TIR prism assembly 214, DMD 218, and projection lens 220. In the one-DMD architecture illustrated in the figure, the spinning disc or color wheel in assembly 204 sequentially exposes the single DMD device to the filtered light from the high-intensity lamp to produce a colored image.
In operation, the optical architecture illustrated in FIG. 2 focuses white light from the lamp assembly 200 onto a small spot on the surface of the color filter wheel 204 by means of the condenser lens 202. Sequential color light (such as red, green, and blue) coming through the color wheel in the rotating wheel assembly 204 is integrated by the integrator rod 206 to produce a uniform light beam using multiple internal reflections in a transparent optical medium. The resulting beam is coupled to a set of relay lenses. The set of relay lenses is typically made up of a first lens 208, a second lens 210, and a third lens 212, which shape the color light beam to fit the optical aperture of TIR prism assembly 214. The sequenced colored light coupled into the TIR prism strikes a first TIR prism surface 216 at an angle greater than the critical angle of the surface and reflects off the surface onto the surface of DMD 218. Modulated light is reflected from "on-state" mirrors of DMD 218 back through the TIR prism assembly 214, and strike the TIR prism surface 216 at an angle less than the critical angle of the surface. The light therefore passes through the TIR prism surface, out of the prism assembly 214, and into the projection lens 220 which focuses the image on a screen.
FIG. 3 illustrates a light beam 305 shining on a DMD micromirror 310 at an angle to the DMD surface, typically 24 to 28 degrees. The micromirrors in the DMD are formed so that tilting a DMD micromirror, 311, plus 12 degrees (i.e., toward the illumination beam) results in a nearly normal "on-state" reflection 315 of the beam into the optical projection axis. Tilting a DMD micromirror, 312, minus 12 degrees (i.e., away from the illumination beam) results in an "off-state" beam axis 320 that is directed 48 to 52 degrees away from the optical projection axis. When the mirrors are unexcited, i.e., when they are in the "flat state," the beam is reflected in an intermediate direction, 325. For good contrast, care should be taken to assure that "off-state" waste light does not enter the projection path.
FIG. 4 illustrates a three-DMD projector that eliminates the rotating color wheel and uses three DMDs with stationary optical elements to project a color image. In this arrangement, each DMD 418 is exposed to only one color, such as a primary color, and additional coated, reflecting prisms 435, 440, and 445 are required to separate white light into colors such as the primary colors red, green, and blue. The prisms may use dichroic coatings to filter the white light. The modulated and filtered light is then directed and recombined into the projection path. In the interest of brevity, the remaining elements in FIG. 4 and in subsequent figures with reference designations, the same as reference designations of items previously described will not be redescribed.
The illumination and projection optics as described with reference to FIGS. 1-4 generally are carefully designed, manufactured and assembled to obtain maximum brightness and performance in a DLP™ projection system. Proper image focus, color, and uniformity require numerous lenses and/or TIR prisms. Unless these elements are carefully designed, coated, and mechanically aligned, the multiple faces of the lens and prism elements can cause significant loss in contrast and light throughput. In practice, these projection systems generally are manufactured at significant cost by companies specializing in glass optics fabrication and precision optical assembly.
Generally, limitations of prior art projection systems using spatial light modulators are the use of distributed, expensive, and inefficient light sources that cannot be located directly adjacent to an image forming device, such as a digital micromirror device, with minimal space between optical components. The prior-art projection arrangements generally result in large physical volume for the projection system, which cannot be assembled on a common printed-wiring board with control, power, and sensor electronics. Severe limitations generally result for application in portable telephones, personal computer displays, game systems, and automotive/aircraft/marine displays where minimum size, weight, and cost are required. Limitations of prior art projection systems generally are also apparent in applications for portable front projectors and rear-projection televisions where image brightness, weight, and cost are critical marketing elements. Thus, what is needed in the art is a projection system using a spatial light modulator, such as a digital micromirror device, that circumvents these restrictions, utilizing smaller, lower cost, and more compact optics than can be used with UHP or incandescent light sources.

Projection system and method including spatial light modulator and compact diffractive optics


An apparatus is disclosed for a contact for a portable electronic device. The contact comprises a first contact for maintaining elastic connectivity with the mating contact, a second contact for providing an elastic force to push the first contact toward the mating contact to support the first contact, and a member for mounting the first contact and the second contact.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to contacts, and more particularly, to a contact for a portable electronic device for connecting a battery and a component, or components in the portable electronic device, such as a cellular phone.
2. Description of the Related Art
Portable electronic devices, such as cellular phones, portable video and/or audio recorders, such as MP3 (MPEG Audio Layer-3) players, compact disc players, and cassette tape players, personal digital assistant (PDA), and laptop computers are popular among users. Portable electronic devices require an electrical power source available during transport and/or use in an outdoor setting. Portable electronic devices are provided with a battery. The battery is electrically connected to a component of the portable electronic device through a contact.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional portable electronic device. The conventional portable device 10 comprises a body 11 having a first contact 11a. A battery 15 is removably mounted on the body 11. The battery 15 has a second contact 15a. The first contact 11a and the second contact 15a are connected upon attachment of the body 11 with the battery 15. The first contact 11a provides a substantially right angle surface. The substantially right angle surface has a first face and a second face. When a second contact 15a presses again the substantially right angle surface of the first contact 11a, a first face or a second face of the first contact 11a pushes against the second contact 15a.
FIG. 2 is a second view of the portable device of FIG. 1. When the battery 15 is attached to the body 11, the first contact 11a pushes against the second contact 15a. The first contact 11a maintains contact with the second contact 15a using an elastic force while the battery 15 is attached to the body 11. The battery 15 supplies electricity to components of the portable device 10. While carrying the portable electronic device, the portable electronic device may fall on the ground or experience a large external impact. The first contact 11a may momentarily break connection with the second contact 15a when the battery 15 is attached to the body 11. The momentary break in power to the electronic device 10 may result in a loss of stored information, and in some cases may damage the electronic components of the electronic device 10.
Therefore, there is a need for an apparatus that overcomes the above problems and provides advantages over other apparatuses providing a power contact to a portable device.

Contact for a portable electronic device


The invention provides single domain antibodies and derivatives thereof that bind antigens of interest, which are stable, soluble, and do not tend to aggregate. The invention also provides methods for constructing a dAb library and methods for screening dAb libraries to identify the dAb of the invention. The invention also provide methods of treating or preventing conditions by antigen neutralization by administering the dAbs of the invention.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to domain antibodies, including derivatives, fusions and/or fragments thereof, having specificity for HIV and to their identification and manufacture. The invention further relates to the use of the domain antibodies of the invention in treating, preventing, and/or diagnosing various conditions, and particularly, HIV infections.
2. Background
The life-cycle of the human immunodeficiency virus (both HIV-1 and HIV-2) is well known. HIV primarily infects cells of the human immune system, such as helper T cells (specifically CD4+ T cells), macrophages and dendritic cells. Entry to cells of the immune system is mediated through interaction of the virion envelope glycoproteins (gp120 and gp41) with the receptor CD4 on the target cells. In addition, viral entry is modulated through at least two co-receptors known as CXCR4 and CCR5, which are members of the chemokine receptor family of proteins, and have been shown to function with CD4 as coreceptors for HIV-1 isolates that are tropic for T-cell lines or macrophages, respectively (Feng et al., 1996, Science 272:872-876; Alkhatib et al., 1996, Science 272:1955-1958; Deng et al., 1996, Nature 381:661-666; Dragic et al., 1996, Nature 381:667-673). Other molecules in this family including CCR3 and CCR2b, also appear to function as cofactors for some HIV-1 isolates (Doranz et al., 1996, Cell 85:1149-1158; Berson et al., 1997, J. Virol. 71: 1692-1696; Choe et al., 1996, Cell 85:1135-1148).
Current anti-HIV therapy includes the use of compounds which inhibit various aspects of the HIV life-cycle, including entry, fusion and replication in a target cell. While these therapies, particularly when used in combination with one another, are effective, they are frequently short-lived in that the viral strains rapidly develop resistance to one or more of the compounds used—a widespread and major problem in the current approaches in treating HIV infections.
Antibodies represent yet another promising approach in the treatment of HIV infections. Human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) currently represent an important and growing technology in the development of inhibitors, vaccines, diagnostic and research tools. In fact, 22 mAbs have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration against various disease in the past several decades for various disease indications, including rheumatoid arthritis (Centacor's REMICADE and Abbott Laboratories' HUMIRA), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (Genentech's RITUXAN and IDEC's ZEVALIN) and respiratory syncytial virus infection (Medimmune's SYNAGIS). Many other antibody drug candidates are in the late stages of clinical trials and, as such, antibodies are now well established as both highly potent and well tolerated therapeutics.
However, no mAbs have yet been approved for clinical use against HIV-1. A fundamental problem in the development of HIV-1-neutralizing antibodies is the virus's innate ability to escape human immune surveillance during the long chronic infection. Several known mAbs, however, have been shown to exhibit potent and broad HIV-1 neutralizing activity in vitro, and can prevent HIV-1 infection in animal models (reviewed in Burton, 2002, Ferrantelli et al., 2002, and Veazey et al., 2003). A recent clinical trial suggested that two of these broadly HIV-1 neutralizing human mAbs, 2F5 and 2G12, lack side effects in humans (Armbruster et al., 2002; Stiegler et al., 2002). However, the potency of 2F5 and 2G12 used in combination in this clinical trial was significantly lower than currently available treatments and relapses occurred (Stiegler et al., 2002). Further increase in the potency of anti-HIV antibodies and/or new, more effective anti-HIV antibodies would be a significant advancement in the art.
Another fundamental problem in the development of effective therapeutic antibodies against HIV is the problem of epitope accessibility. It has been reported that some epitopes are sterically inaccessible to full size antibodies. For example, a study relating to HIV CD4-inducible (CD4i) epitopes by one of the present inventors has suggested that the size of the CD4i-specific neutralizing antibodies inversely correlates with neutralization efficiency and that perhaps antibody fragments might be more effective than whole antibodies in neutralizing the virus at such epitopes. See Labrijn et al., J. Virol., 2003. The study suggests that HIV's ability to evade the host's immune system may be linked in part to its having found a way to sterically hinder full-sized antibodies from accessing the CD4i epitopes. This study was limited, however, to exploring the effectiveness of scFv and Fab antibody fragments.
In the late 1980s, domain antibodies were identified as the smallest known antigen-binding fragments (Holt et al., 2003). Structurally, domain antibodies comprise the single chain variable heavy (VH) or variable light (VL) polypeptides, and due to their single-chain nature, range in size of only 11 kDa to 15 kDa. Domain antibodies, however, have a number of acknowledged problems to overcome to be suitable as potential therapeutics. Domain antibodies, particularly those derived from human antibodies, suffer from poor stability and solubility, and have a tendency to aggregate due to exposed regions of hydrophobicity in the absence of the paired VH or VL.
New and effective domain antibodies which would overcome the problems in the art, and an effective means of identifying and obtaining such domain antibodies, would be a valuable advance in the art. Such antibodies could be the basis of new methods and approaches for treating and/or prophylaxis of a variety of infections and conditions, such as HIV or cancer, in particular, infections and conditions which are capable of evading the immune system or therapeutic compounds and antibodies because certain epitope targets are sterically restricted.

Anti-HIV domain antibodies and method of making and using same

The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services


A hold-open device for a door provided with a closing mechanism comprises an operating arm connectable at one end to the closing mechanism, a guide track, a sliding unit movable in the guide track and connected to the opposite end of the operating arm, and a retainer unit mounted in the guide track. The retainer unit includes a body part held in the guide track at a selectively adjustable position therealong, a holder piece turnably journalled at one end region to the body part, a spring urging the holder piece toward a position in which its opposite end region can engage the sliding unit, and an adjustment member effective between the body part and the holder piece for limiting turning movement of the holder piece relative to the body part.

The invention relates to a hold-open device for a door or similar wing member.
In a modern hold-open device for a door one should be able to adjust both the hold-open force for the door and the hold-open angle of the door. In addition, when necessary, one should be able to open the door beyond the selected hold-open angle (which is assumed to be less than about 180.degree.) preferably by only exerting additional force. Further, when desired, one should be able to entirely disconnect the hold-open device from operation.
A hold-open device meeting these requirements is shown in the patent publication DE 3604083. However, this known hold-open device is rather complicated both as to its construction and its adjustments, since for instance the adjustment of the hold-open force and the disconnection of the hold-open device from operation are carried out by separate means.


Exposing the skin to UV radiation interferes with the induction of the T-cell mediated immune response, including both delayed (DHS) and contact (CHS) hyper-sensitivity immune responses initiated at non-irradiated sites. The present inventors have discovered that DNA is at least one of the targets for UV-induced hypersensitivity, and demonstrate that the application of DNA repair enzymes can reverse the damaging effects of UV irradiation on both the DHS and CHS response. The usefulness of the invention in this regard was tested using a model immunosuppression system in mice. In these studies, mice were first exposed to UV radiation and then liposomes were used to deliver a dimer-specific excision repair enzyme to their epidermis in situ. The application of liposomal T4 endonuclease V encapsulated to the UV-irradiated skin both decreased the number of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers in the epidermis and prevented suppression of both delayed and contact hypersensitivity responses. Moreover, the formation of suppressor lymphoid cells was inhibited. These studies illustrate that the delivery of lesion-specific DNA repair enzymes to living skin after UV irradiation is an effective tool for restoring immune function and suggest that this approach may be broadly applicable to preventing other alterations caused by DNA damage, including preventing or reversing viral activation (e.g., herpes virus activation), oncogene expression, or autoimmune episodes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to methods for the treatment or prevention of UV-induced immunosuppression. More particularly, the invention relates to the treatment of UV-induced immunosuppression of the contact hypersensitivity type (CHS), through the application of liposome-encapsulated DNA repair enzymes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Wavelengths of UV radiation in the middle, or UV-B (280-320 nm), range can impair a variety of immune responses in humans and laboratory animals both locally, within UV-irradiated skin, and systemically, at distant sites (1). Exposure of mice to UV-B radiation interferes with the rejection of UV-induced skin cancers and the induction of delayed and contact hypersensitivity (DHS, CHS) responses initiated at unirradiated sites; these forms of immune suppression are associated with the induction of antigen-specific suppressor T lymphocytes (2). How UV-B radiation exerts its systemic, immunosuppressive effects is a question of considerable interest, both for understanding the regulatory pathways governing these immune responses and for assessing the potential effects of UV-B radiation on human health. The DHS response is particularly important in this regard because this T-lymphocyte-mediated immune reaction is responsible for protection against many chronic infectious diseases.
Current experimental evidence implicates soluble substances derived from UV-irradiated keratinocytes as the probable mediators of UV-induced systemic suppression of DHS and CHS responses (3-5). However, the initial photobiological reaction responsible for triggering the cascade of events leading to activation of the suppressor pathway of the immune response remains controversial. Based on an in vivo action spectrum for systemic suppression of CHS in the mouse, it has been proposed that urocanic acid, a deamination product of histidine, present in the stratum corneum, is the photoreceptor for this form of UV-induced immunosuppression (6). Several subsequent studies supported this hypothesis (7-9) by demonstrating that the cis isomer of urocanic acid, which is formed upon UV irradiation of the native molecule, has immunosuppressive activity in mice.
On the other hand, studies using the South American opossum Monodelphis domestica implicated DNA damage as the initiating event in UV-induced suppression of CHS, at least in these distant relatives of eutherian mammals (10). Cells from these marsupials have the ability to repair UV-induced pyrimidine dimers in DNA by means of a photoreactivating enzyme, which binds to DNA, forming a complex that absorbs energy in he visible wavelength range. The absorbed energy splits the dimers, thereby restoring the DNA to its original configuration. In these studies, UV-induced suppression of CHS was prevented by exposing the opossums to photoreactivating light immediately after exposure to UV radiation (10). These results implicated DNA damage as the trigger for UV-induced suppression of CHS in marsupials; however, its role in immune suppression in placental mammals remained open to question. Because cells in the skin of adult mice do not have a photoreactivation mechanism for repairing pyrimidine dimers (11), this approach could not be used to determine the role of DNA damage in UV-induced immunological effects in the mouse.
The present inventors have devised an alternative approach for examining the role of DNA damage in the initiation of UV-induced immunosuppression in mice by using liposomes containing an excision repair enzyme, T4 endonuclease V, which is specific for pyrimidine dimers (12). When topically applied to murine skin, T4N5 liposomes penetrate cells of the epidermis (13, unpublished results). The multilamellar lipid vesicles destabilize at low pH, thereby delivering the endonuclease intracellularly and increasing the rate of repair of pyrimidine dimers in DNA (14,15).
The preparation and use of liposome encapsulated DNA repair enzymes in the treatment of certain diseases and conditions related to UV irradiation, including xeroderma pigmentosum and certain cancers, has been described (see, e.g., Yarosh, U.S. Pat. No. 5,077,211 and PCT application publication number WO 90/00598, published Jan. 25, 1990, both incorporated herein by reference). However, previously there has been no indication that the damage to DNA caused by UV irradiation was related to immunosuppression. Thus, there was no reason to believe that therapies directed to DNA repair would have an effect upon reversing or ameliorating UV-induced immunosuppression. The present invention surprisingly provides a basis for this conclusion.
In particular, the present invention presents studies wherein the inventors have analyzed the role of pyrimidine dimers, induced in DNA by UV irradiation in vivo, in initiating systemic suppression of the DHS and CHS responses. The results of these studies demonstrate the usefulness of liposome-encapsulated DNA repair enzymes in the treatment of both systemic immunosuppression of the DHS as well as the CHS response. Accordingly, the present invention expands our previous understanding of the causal relationship between UV irradiation, DNA repair and cancer, to demonstrate a relationship between DNA repair and reversal of UV-mediated immunosuppression.

Method for treating UV-induced suppression of contact hypersensitivity by administration of T4 endonuclease

Board of Regents, The University of Texas System


A textile structure is provided which comprises a backing of at least a first plurality of fibers and a second plurality of fibers, wherein the first plurality of fibers have a first fiber denier and the second plurality of fibers have a second fiber denier different than the first fiber denier. A method of providing a slip resistant covering to overlie a floor pan carpet of a motor vehicle is provided comprising overlying the carpet with an accessory mat having an underlying backing comprising at least a first plurality of fibers and a second plurality of fibers, wherein the first plurality of fibers have a first fiber denier and the second plurality of fibers have a second fiber denier different than the first fiber denier, and wherein the underlying backing of the accessory mat is configured to be in direct contact with the floor pan carpet.

Automotive accessory mats, such as floor mats for the passenger floor area (e.g. front passenger or rear passenger floor mats) and/or the cargo area of a motor vehicle (e.g. trunk or other storage area), may overlie the interior carpeted area of a motor vehicle, particularly in localized areas of the carpet prone to high wear, to better inhibit wear of those carpeted areas.
For example, automotive floor mats, which also may be referred to as throw-in-mats, may be positioned beneath the feet of vehicle passengers to collect dirt, sand and other debris which separates from passenger's shoes. In this manner, damage to the underlying carpet may be reduced and confined to the floor mats. This may reduce the need to replace the underlying carpet which may be costly as the seats, console and other interior rim components may have to be removed prior to replacing the carpet, and then replaced once again. On the other hand, once a floor mat is worn, the floor mat may simply be removed from the vehicle and replaced without a need to remove other interior trim components.
Automotive floor mats may be completely made of a molded polymer, such a rubber mat. Other floor mats may be made of a tufted carpet with a rubber backing which may include molded protrusions, which may be commonly referred to as nibs.
The molded protrusions are designed to inhibit the mat from sliding or otherwise moving out of its desired predetermined position, particularly when a shear load is applied to the surface of the mat. In other words, a transitional load which creates shear stress or lateral movement between the automotive floor mat and the carpet. In this manner, safety may be increased by providing a floor mat less prone to slide, for example under the operating pedals (e.g. accelerator, brake, clutch) of the vehicle and cause disruption.
More recently, automotive manufactures have sought to reduce the weight of floor mats while at the same time increasing a resistance to lateral movement of the floor mats over the carpet.

International Automotive Components Group North America, Inc.


An image forming device includes a web server, and serves applets to a communicatively coupled computer. The applets execute on the computer, and control one or more operations and/or monitor one or more conditions or sensors in the image forming device. An applet may provide detailed instructions to the computer user as a diagnostic program executes on the image forming device. A list of available applets may be served to the computer, and one or more applets served in response to a user's selection from the list. A decision tree may be served, and one or more applets served as the user advances through the decision tree. Serving the diagnostic applets from the image forming device alleviates the need for a field repair technician to carry a large suite of diagnostic software to diagnose and repair a plurality of models, years, and configurations of image forming devices.

The present invention relates generally to the field of image forming devices and in particular to a method of implementing diagnostics using served applets.
Image forming devices, such as printers, copiers, plotters, and the like, are increasingly complex, comprising a compact and highly integrated blend of electrical, electronic, mechanical, optical and thermal systems. Each manufacturer typically produces a plurality of models of a given type of image forming device, to address different price and performance requirements. As the technologies behind the image forming devices continue to evolve, each of these models is typically upgraded periodically to incorporate the latest technology. Finally, many models of image forming devices are highly configurable, and the same model may include different subsystems or peripherals added by the user. The result is a confusingly broad array of different image forming devices deployed in the field.
Like all complex electro-mechanical systems that are subject to heavy use, image forming devices are prone to occasional malfunction, requiring diagnostics and repair. The grouping of many functions within an image forming device into Field Replaceable Units (FRUs) simplifies repair, often allowing users to repair their own image forming devices by simply ordering and substituting a replacement FRU for a defective one. However, an intelligent diagnostic and troubleshooting of the image forming device is often necessary to isolate a fault or malfunction to a given FRU.
Traditionally, image forming device field repair technicians must carry extensive technical reference material, including specifications and diagnostic procedures for each configuration of each model and year of image forming device supported. Additionally, the repair technician must maintain a large suite of diagnostic software and select the appropriate program for the model, year, and configuration of a given image forming device. The requirement that field repair technicians maintain large technical database and large suites of diagnostic software complicates the repair process, requires more extensive training of field repair technicians, and increases the likelihood that the required technical data or software for a particular image forming device in need of repair may be missing—all of which increase the cost of repair and potential down-time of malfunctioning image forming devices.

Image forming device diagnostics using served applets


A process is disclosed for the preparation of a poly(α-olefin) polymer wherein the process comprises polymerizing at least one α-olefin in the presence of hydrogen and a catalytically effective amount of catalyst comprising the product obtained by combining a metallocene catalyst with a cocatalyst, the metallocene catalyst being at least one meso compound of general formula:

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for producing polymers of α-olefins, e.g., 1-hexene, 1-octene, 1-decene, 1-dodecene, and the like, in the presence of a metallocene catalyst, to form low molecular weight oligomers and polymers having viscosity and other physical properties suitable for synthetic lubricant applications.
2. Description of Related Art
Catalytic oligomerization of olefins is a known technique for manufacturing basestocks useful as lubricants. Efforts to improve upon the performance of natural mineral oil based lubricants by the synthesis of oligomeric hydrocarbon fluids have been the subject of important research and development in the petroleum industry for several decades, leading to recent commercial production of a number of superior poly(α-olefin) synthetic lubricants (hereinafter referred to as "PAO"). These materials are primarily based on the oligomerization of α-olefins, such as C2–C20 olefins. Industrial research effort on synthetic lubricants has generally focused on fluids exhibiting useful viscosities over a wide range of temperature, i.e., improved viscosity index (VI), while also showing lubricity, thermal, and oxidative stability and pour point equal to or better than mineral oil. These newer synthetic lubricants provide lower friction and hence increase mechanical efficiency across the full spectrum of mechanical loads and do so over a wider range of operating conditions than mineral oil lubricants.
Well known structural and physical property relationships for high polymers as contained in the various disciplines of polymer chemistry have pointed the way to α-olefins as a fruitful field of investigation for the synthesis of oligomers with the structure thought to be needed to confer improved lubricant properties thereon. Owing largely to studies on the polymerization of propene and vinyl monomers, the mechanism of the polymerization of α-olefins and the effect of that mechanism on polymer structure is reasonably well understood, providing a strong resource for targeting on potentially useful oligomerization methods and oligomer structures.
A significant problem in the manufacture of synthetic lubricants is the production of lubricants in a preferred viscosity range in good yield without excessive catalyst deactivation. Frequently, it is difficult to directly produce lower viscosity range lubes without incurring lower yields due to the production of non-lubricant range materials. Methods to control molecular weight of lubricants in the oligomerization step are sought after in the art to overcome the problems in the manufacture of, particularly, lower viscosity lubricants.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,510 discloses that in the polymerization of propylene and higher 1-olefins, polymers that have a high degree of isotacticity and a narrow distribution of molecular weight are obtained in the presence of a catalyst system composed of a zirconium compound that is stereo-rigid and chiral and a linear or cyclic aluminoxane. The catalyst system is said to be exceptionally active.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,819 discloses certain 2-substituted bisindenylmetallocenes that are said to form, together with aluminoxanes as cocatalysts, a very effective catalyst system for the preparation of polyolefins of high molecular weight.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,455,365 discloses a process for the preparation of an olefin polymer using metallocenes containing specifically substituted indenyl ligands. It is said that a highly effective catalyst system for the polymerization of olefins comprises a cocatalyst, preferably an aluminoxane, and a metallocene of a given structural formula.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,504,232 and 5,763,542 disclose a catalyst system for the polymerization of olefins that comprises a cocatalyst, preferably an aluminoxane, and a metallocene that contains specifically substituted indenyl ligands.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,672,668 discloses a process for the preparation of an olefin polymer by polymerization or copolymerization of an olefin of the formula Ra—CH═CH—Rb, in which Ra and Rb are identical or different and are a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon radical having 1 to 14 carbon atoms, or Raand Rb, together with the atoms connecting them, can form a ring, at a temperature of from −60° to 200° C., at a pressure of from 0.5 to 100 bar, in solution, in suspension or in the gas phase, in the presence of a catalyst formed from a metallocene of a given structural formula in the meso-form or a meso:rac mixture, with meso:rac>1:99, as transition-metal compound and a cocatalyst.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,887 discloses catalysts and processes to make low molecular weight, essentially terminally-unsaturated, viscous poly(1-olefin) or copoly(1-olefin) having a high terminal vinylidine content from a feed stock containing one or more 1-olefin and other volatile hydrocarbon liquids using a Ziegler catalyst made from a Group IVb metallocene and an aluminoxane cocatalyst, particularly bis(cyclopentadienyl) and bis(indenyl) titanium(IV), zirconium(IV) or hafnium(IV) compounds and methylaluminoxane. A particularly useful feedstock is said to be a refinery stream containing 1-olefins and isobutylene, which is used to make polyisobutylene. The reactive, essentially terminally-unsaturated, viscous poly(1-olefin) or copoly(1-olefin) can be functionalized to make a number of products useful as sealants, petroleum additives, adhesives, and the like by reacting the terminal vinylidine linkage with an aromatic, an epoxidation agent, a silylation agent, maleic anhydride, carbon monoxide and hydrogen, hydrogen, a halogen, a hydrohalogen, and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,929,185 discloses copolymers that have a viscosity index VI of more than 160 and comprise A) from 99.0 to 99.99% by weight of C2–C20-alk-1-enes and B) from 0.01 to 1.0% by weight of C5–C20-α,ω-dienes having isolated double bonds.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,043,401 discloses catalysts and processes to make low molecular weight, essentially terminally-unsaturated, viscous poly(1-olefin) or copoly(1-olefin) having a high terminal vinylidine content from a feed stock containing one or more 1-olefin and other volatile hydrocarbon liquids using a Ziegler catalyst made from a Group IVb metallocene and an aluminoxane cocatalyst, particularly bis(cyclopentadienyl) and bis(indenyl) titanium(IV), zirconium(IV) or hafnium(IV) compounds and methylaluminoxane. A particularly useful feedstock is said to be a refinery stream containing 1-olefins and isobutylene, which is used to make polyisobutylene. The reactive, essentially terminally-unsaturated, viscous poly(1-olefin) or copoly(1-olefin) can be functionalized to make a number of products said to be useful as sealants, petroleum additives, adhesives, and the like by reacting the terminal vinylidine linkage with an aromatic, an epoxidation agent, a silylation agent, maleic anhydride, carbon monoxide and hydrogen, hydrogen, a halogen, a hydrohalogen, and the like.
U.S. Published Appl. No. 20020010290 discloses a process for producing a polymer of an α-olefin which comprises polymerizing an α-olefin having at least 4 carbon atoms in the presence of a catalyst for producing polymers of olefins which comprises (A) a specific metal compound and (B) at least one compound selected from (b-1) an organoaluminum oxy compound and (b-2) an ionic compound. The polymer of an α-olefin is said to be useful as a component of lubricant.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/637,791, filed Aug. 11, 2000, describes a process for polymerizing 1-olefins to PAO with substantial saturation suitable for lubricant applications without need for further hydrogenation via the use of hydrogen with bridged cyclopentadienyl-fluorenyl metallocenes.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/014911, filed Dec. 14, 2001, describes a process for copolymerizing 1-olefins and 2-norbomene to PAO with substantial saturation suitable for lubricant applications without need for further hydrogenation via the use of hydrogen with bridged cyclopentadienyl-fluorenyl metallocenes.
EP 0 613 873 A2 discloses a process for the preparation of liquid organic compounds, suitable as base materials for lubricants, comprising contacting one or more alpha-olefins containing 8 to 20 carbon atoms per molecule, under oligomerization conditions with a catalyst composition based on
a) a Group IV metal compound of the general formula (Cp)2MeX2, wherein Cp represents a cyclopentadienyl group, Me represents a Group IV A metal and each X independently represents a moiety selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbyl groups, hydrocarboxy groups, hydrocarbamido groups, each of which may be optionally substituted, hydrogen atoms and halogen atoms and
b) a substantially non-coordinating anion source;
and optionally subjecting the oligomers formed to an addition reaction to reduce their olefinic unsaturation.
WO 96/23751 discloses a process for preparing olefin oligomers with a molecular weight distribution Mw/Mn in a range from 1.0 to 2.4 by oligomerization of olefins in the presence of metallocene catalyst systems. The turbidity index of the catalyst-containing reaction mixture lies in a range from 1 to 10. The olefin oligomers are said to be useful as starting materials for preparing lubricants, fuel and oil additives, and as macromonomers.
WO 98/52888 discloses a process for the production of oligomers from an olefinic hydrocarbon feedstock. The process comprises oligomerizing olefins in the feedstock by means of a metallocene, catalyzed oligomerization reaction. The feedstock used is a Fisher-Tropsch-derived olefinic hydrocarbon feedstock comprising at most 65%, and typically 20–65%, by mass of α-olefins. In particular, the feedstock may comprise 30–50% by mass α-olefins, at most 30% by mass paraffins, at most 5% by mass oxygenated hydrocarbons and at most 5% by mass aromatic hydrocarbons.
WO 00/08066 discloses a catalyst system said to be suitable for preparing substantially terminally unsaturated a tactic polymers or copolymers of α-olefins having a number average molecular weight in the range 300–500,000 that comprises (A) a metallocene complex and (B) a cocatalyst comprising (i) a Group III Metal alkyl compound and (ii) a triaryl boron compound. Preferred metallocenes are those having alkyl ligands on the metal atom. The preferred Group III metal alkyl compound is triisobutyl aluminum and the preferred triaryl boron compound is tris(pentafluorophenyl)boron.
WO 00/08070 discloses a catalyst system said to be suitable for preparing substantially terminally unsaturated a tactic polymers or copolymers of α-olefins having a number average molecular weight in the range 300–500,000 comprises: A) a metallocene complex; and B) a cocatalyst comprising: i) an aluminoxane; and ii) a Group III metal alkyl compound having at least 2 carbon atoms. The use of the Group III metal compound allows for a reduction in the aluminoxane content in the cocatalyst. Preferred metallocenes are those having alkyl substitution on the cyclopentadienyl rings and the preferred Group III metal alkyl compound is triisobutyl aluminum.
Ewen, J., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 106:6355–6364 (1984), provides the first report of the use of a bridged, bis-indenyl metallocene for olefin polymerization, using Et(Ind)2TCl2. Propene polymerization of a rac/meso mixture of catalyst produces polypropylene identified with both isotactic and a tactic polymer in proportion to the rac/meso ratio. It is demonstrated that the meso form of the catalyst makes an a tactic polymer.
Herrmann, W., et al., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl., 28:1511–1512 (1989), provide the first open literature report of a silyl-bridged, bis-indenyl zirconocene. The authors report the separation and removal of the meso isomer is necessary because it otherwise leads to an "undesirable" a tactic polymer. The metallocene reported is unsubstituted, i.e., Me2Si(Ind)2ZrCl2.
Spaleck, W., et al., New J. Chem., 14:499–503 (1990), report a study of 14 different bridged metallocenes in propylene polymerization, mostly based on variations of the silyl-bridged, bis-indenyl zirconocene system. This paper is notable owing to the number of structural variations possible, but all studies are with rac isomers. Footnote 10 states that the meso-isomers were separated off.
Collins, S., et al., Organometallics, 10:2061–2068 (1991), report a study of rac and meso Et(Ind)2ZrCl2 and meso Et(IndH4)2ZrCl2 for polypropylene tacticity. The paper states that the polymerization activity is lower in the meso isomers, and produces a tactic polypropylene.
Pena, A, et al., Macromol. Rapid Commun., 12:353–358 (1991), report a study of 1-decene polymerization using traditional MgCl2-supported Ziegler-Natta catalyst systems, looking at the effects of Lewis base modification on degree of isotacticity. The paper is useful to confirm 13C-NMR assignments, DSC melt behavior, and to show that a number of systems, non-metallocene included, are capable of 1-decene polymerization.
Spaleck, W., et al., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl., 31:1347–1350, (1992), report the synthesis of and propene polymerization of by several substituted, silyl-bridged, bis-indenyl zirconocenes, including those bridged in the 2-indenyl and 2 and 4 positions. Substituted tetrahydroindenyl compounds are also reported. The rac isomer was used in all cases of polymerization reported.
Spaleck, W., et al., Macromol. Symp., 89:237–247 (1995), discuss structure-performance relationships in propene polymerization behavior with several modified silicon-bridged, bis-indenyl zirconocenes. Examples are provided of propene polymerizations with meso-isomers for the unsubstituted and 3-substituted silicon-bridged, bis-indenyl zirconocenes. All produce amorphous polymers, but molecular weight is increased with increasing substitution "bulk".
Uozumi, T., et al., Macromol. Rapid Commun., 18:883–889 (1997), studied the copolymerization of ethylene and 1-octene with a meso-Me2Si(2-MeInd)2ZrCl2 catalyst system. Homopolymerizations of 1-octene were presented as part of the study, yielding a low molecular weight polymer that was identified as amorphous. Compared to the same results with rac-Me2Si(2-MeInd)2ZrCl2, the meso isomer was much less active in 1-octene homopolymerization.
Naga, N., et al., Macromol. Chem. Phys., 200:1587–1594 (1999), described the polymerization behavior of rac and meso isomers of —Me2Si(2-MeInd)2ZrCl2 with 1-propene, 1-butene, and 1-hexene to produce isotactic and a tactic homopolymers, respectively. The relative rates of polymerization between the two isomers are compared. It was concluded that for 1-hexene, coordination to the catalyst site is much more difficult for the meso-isomer than in propene or butene, resulting in a higher Rp(rac)/Rp(meso).
Resconi, L., in Metallocene-catalyzed polymers. Preparation Properties, and Technology; Kaminsky, W.; Scheirs, J., Eds.; Wiley, Vol. 1, pp. 467–484 (1999), provides a review of the synthesis and properties of a tactic polypropylene made using meso isomers and structurally aspecific metallocenes. The article states that, in general, the influence of hydrogen is to increase activity; however, in the work presented for a tactic polypropylene, hydrogen either has no effect or an adverse effect on activity. Also, hydrogen does not effect chain termination/chain transfer.
Schaverien, C., et al., Organometallics, 20:3436–3452 (2001), report the synthesis and polymerization activity of ethylene-bridged bis(2-indenyl) zirconocenes, both in the rac and meso forms. The paper demonstrates that the bridge does not necessarily have to be in the 1-position. Substituted indenyls are also made and used, i.e., 1-methyl-2-indenyl and 1-methyl-4-phenyl-2-indenyl rings bridged by ethylene. Polymers were made from ethylene, propylene, hexane, and copolymers of the three. The influence of hydrogen was also discussed.
Brüll, R, et al., Macromol. Symp., 165:11–18 (2001), report the polymerization of 1-pentene with a variety of bridged and unbridged metallocenes, forming oligomers and polymers ranging from dimers of pentene to molecular weights of 149,000. The paper demonstrates that the degree of polymerization is highly dependent on the metallocene catalyst. Also, a range of 1-olefins was studied from 1-pentene to 1-octadecene to demonstrate that the molar mass of the polyolefin decreases with increasing temperature. Molar mass is independent of chain length.
Grumel, V., et al., Macromol. Mater. Eng., 286:480–487 (2001), polymerized 1-olefins from pentene to octadecene with Cp2HfCl2, Me2C(Cp-9-Flu)ZrCl2, and rac-Et(Ind)2ZrCl2. The paper concludes that the molecular weight of the polymer is highly dependent on the catalyst, but is independent of monomer chain length. Also, there is a decrease in stereoregularity of the poly(1-olefin) with increasing monomer chain length for the stereospecific metallocenes used.
The disclosures of the foregoing are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Process for the oligomerization of α-olefins having low unsaturation

Abstract: wherein:    A1 and A2 are independently selected from the group consisting of mononuclear and polynuclear hydrocarbons;    M1 is a metal from group IVb, Vb, or VIb of the Periodic Table;    R1 and R2 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1–C10 alkyl, C1–C10-alkoxy, C6–C10 aryl, C6–C10 aryloxy, C2–C10 alkenyl, C7–C40 arylalkyl, C7–C40 alkylaryl, C8–C40 arylalkenyl and halogen; R7 is selected from the group consisting of:

Abstract: ═BR11, ═AlR11, —Ge—, —Sn—, —O—, —S—, ═SO, ═SO2, ═NR11, ═CO, ═PR11 and ═P(O)R11, where    R11, R12, and R13 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, C1–C10 alkyl, C1–C10 fluoroalkyl, C6–C10 aryl, C6–C10 fluoroaryl, C1–C10 alkoxy, C2–C10 alkenyl, C7–C40 arylalkyl, C8–C40 arylalkenyl, and C7–C40 alkylaryl, or R11 and R12 or R11 and R13, in each case with the atoms connecting them, form a ring; and M2 is selected from the group consisting of silicon, germanium, and tin;    R8 and R9 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, C1–C10 alkyl, C1–C10 fluoroalkyl, C6–C10 aryl, C6–C10 fluoroaryl, C1–C10 alkoxy, C2–C10 alkenyl, C7–C40 arylalkyl, C8–C40 arylalkenyl, and C7–C40 alkylaryl;    m and n are identical or different and are zero, 1, or 2, with m plus n being zero, 1 or 2.


A turbojet propulsion engine for supersonic aircraft has a primary unit including a compressor, a combustion chamber, a turbine which drives the compressor, and an exhaust assembly, and a secondary unit including a compression fan assembly arranged in an annular secondary duct surrounding the primary unit, the fan assembly having at least one stage of rotor blades rigidly connected to the shaft which drives the compressor of the primary unit and is disposed between an upstream stage of fixed inlet guide vanes and a downstream stage of fixed flow straightener vanes, the inlet guide vane stage and the flow straightener vane stage each being associated with an adjuster for adjusting the pitch of the respective vanes.

A development sought in the design of propulsion engines in order to improve their adaptability to the varying operating conditions which occur on a supersonic aircraft depending on the different phases of flight is to provide for a variable operational cycle of the engine. This involves, in particular, reconciling the need to obtain a large thrust per unit flow at supersonic speeds and, consequently, a high ejection velocity for the gases, with the need to reduce this ejection velocity at subsonic speeds, particularly during take-off, in order to limit sound nuisance.
A solution to this problem has already been proposed in EP-A-0 076 192, which involves two connected coaxial propulsive units, an inner one and an outer one. However, this construction comprises two separate combustion chambers and several rotating bodies with concentric shafts, which leads to a fair degree of complexity in manufacture and operation.

Variable cycle propulsion engine for supersonic aircraft

Societe Nationale d'Etude et de Construction de Moteurs d'Aviation "S.N.E.C.M.A."


Disclosed are copolymers based on aspartic acid or its precursor molecules and methods of their production. The copolymers are water-soluble over a wide range of composition and molecular weight. Their preparation involves conversion of a polysuccinimide to copolymers of defined composition, containing aspartate and succinimide residues and/or residues of asparagine. In particular, the copolymers include water-soluble terpolymers of aspartate, asparagine, and succinimide.

Polymerization of aspartic acid and aspartic-acid precursors, such as maleic acid plus ammonia, to produce first polysuccinimide, then polyaspartate by mild alkaline hydrolysis of the imide rings, has been the subject of commercial research and development for more than two decades. Much of this effort is summarized in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,981,691 and 6,495,658 to Sikes and coworkers (1999, 2002).
These polyanionic polymers have the advantages of ready biodegradability and good biocompatibility. Although research and development of polysuccinimide and polyaspartate on a large scale has occurred in numerous companies over this interval, successful commercialization of the molecules has been limited by technical difficulties of several kinds.
Bayer Company has used the maleic-plus-ammonia route to produce molecules of low molecular weight (approximately 2000 to 3000 Da). In addition, these molecules are branched rather than linear in morphology, which tends to hinder environmental degradability. These molecules have been introduced into a number of products, including detergents, in which the polyaspartates provide dispersancy and protection against redeposition of mineral deposits.
The maleic-plus-ammonia route, however, is not extendable beyond the range of low molecular weights. This problem, plus the branched morphology of the polymer products, tends to limit the utility and performance of these molecules in many markets.
Other companies, for example Rohm and Haas, Solutia, and Donlar Corporation, have focused on polymerization of aspartic acid itself. The dry thermal polymerization of aspartic acid results first in polysuccinimides, then polyaspartates following ring-opening via mild alkaline treatment, that are somewhat larger in size (molecular weights around 3,000 to 5,000), and also less branched, than those described above. Donlar introduced this type of polyaspartate in some detergent markets and also in an oilfield application, and has made an effort to introduce the polyaspartate into agricultural markets as a soil additive and growth enhancer.
Mukouyama, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,380,350 (2002), teaches the polymerization of aspartic acid in water via heat and pressure in an autoclave. The product is polyaspartic acid, obtained directly, without production of the intermediate polysucciniinide. Reasonably high yields of low Mw (2 to 6.5 kDa) polyaspartic acids were reported.
Many if not most markets often require larger molecules, in numerous cases much larger molecules, ranging from 10,000 to 100,000 or more in molecular weight. The principal approach to this issue has been the use of acid catalysis, typically phosphoric acid or polyphosphoric acid, at up to 30% or higher by weight of the aspartic acid monomer, as an agent that promotes rapid polymerization. In this approach, the polymers attain a larger size before chain-lengthening is terminated. Such termination is generally due to thermal decomposition of the amino termini, which are entirely absent in thermally produced polyaspartates upon completion of chain lengthening.
Molecules in the range of 30,000 Da and somewhat higher are achievable via acid catalysis. An added benefit of this approach is that color formation tends to be suppressed under these conditions, resulting in polymers of favorable, light tan to off-white color. However, the use and subsequent removal of the acid catalyst adds significantly to cost.
Attempts to produce copolymers of aspartate and succinimide by substoichiometric, mild-alkaline ring-opening of the imide residues of polysuccinimide were unsuccessful (Wolk et al., 1994). Treatment of an aqueous slurry of polysuccinimide particles residues with NaOH, for example, produced a soluble phase containing fully ring-opened polyaspartate and an insoluble phase of succinimide polymer. The alkaline attack appeared to bring the surficial polysuccinimide molecules into solution, where they rapidly became fully ring-opened, leaving a residual particle of insoluble polysuccinimide. There was essentially no evidence of copolymer produced via this approach.
Use of ammonium hydroxide for ring-opening of polysuccinimide was reported by Koskan and Meah in U.S. Pat. No. 5,219,952; however, only polyaspartate was described as the product. When a large excess of liquid ammonia under pressure was used for ring-opening of polysuccinimide, a homopolymer of asparagine was produced (Ma, 2002; U.S. Pat. No. 6,365,706).
Copolymers of aspartic acid and succinimide containing undefined levels of asparagine residues have been described as reaction products of the maleic-plus-ammonia route to low Mw, branched polysuccinimides, resulting from the use of large excesses of ammonia. In addition, when the temperatures of polymerization were too low or reaction conditions were otherwise insufficient (e.g., too short an interval of heating) to completely effect the ring-closure of succinimide residues, aspartic acid residues were reported to occur in the product copolymers. (See e.g. Groth et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,493,004, 5,594,077, 5,714,558, and 6,054,553; Kroner et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,548,036 and 5,639,832.) These reports describe copolymers produced as undesired and undefined side products, rather than the defined aspartate-asparagine-succinimide copolymers disclosed herein.
Derivatization
Another useful feature of polysuccinimides is the reactivity of the imide rings to derivatization. Nucleophiles, such as amino compounds, readily form covalent linkages to the polymer backbone via amide bond formation at the carbonyl carbon, by attacking the imide linkage to the imide nitrogen. However, due to the low water solubility and wettability of these compounds, most efforts to produce derivatives of polyaspartate via this route (i.e. derivatization of polysuccinimide, followed by alkaline ring-opening of unreacted succinimide residues) have been conducted in organic solvents such as dimethyl formamide and dichloromethane, in which the polysuccinimide and usually the nucleophilic additive are both soluble. Use of such solvents is costly and also militates against use of the products in many markets, for example personal-care and biomedical markets, in which even traces of organic solvents are not allowable. For these reasons, as well as the reasons already cited regarding the homopolymers themselves, derivatives of the polysuccinimides and polyaspartates have not found marketable applications to date.
Attempts have been made to functionalize polysuccinimide in water via nucleophilic addition of amino compounds to an aqueous slurry of polysuccinimide. As the nucleophile adds to the polyimide, the latter is gradually solubilized, and can then be further functionalized much more readily in water. The problems with this approach include production of heterogeneous molecules (surficial polysuccinimides of the polysuccinimide particles tend to become over-derivatized, the others under-derivatized), plus the overall slowness and inefficiency of the process. Consequently, most of these approaches have not been pursued.
First-Generation, Water-Soluble Copolyimides of Amino Acids
Copolymers of aspartate and succinimide were disclosed by Sikes and coworkers (1999, U.S. Pat. No. 5,981,691; U.S. Pat. No. 6,495,658; both incorporated herein by reference). In these approaches, copolymers were produced via thermal copolymerization of aspartic acid and sodium aspartate, leading directly to imide-containing copolymers, and obviating the intermediate production of polysuccinimide. The copolymers are highly water-soluble and thus readily derivatized via nucleophilic addition in water, enabling economic production of high-performance derivatives having favorable environmental profiles.
However, several inherent problems remained. For example, synthesis of the copolymers by this method results in significantly branched, low-molecular-weight, moderately-to-highly colored (light tan to dark reddish) products. The only methods disclosed for achieving somewhat higher Mw were inclusion of crosslinking and chain-extending comonomers, such as lysine, and inclusion of a preformed polyaspartate in the polymerizing mixture of comonomeric aspartic acid and sodium aspartate.
In addition, the disclosed synthetic processes require the pH and ionic content of the reactant solutions, prior to thermal polycondensation, to be controlled within narrow limits. This restriction prevents utilization of strategies such as acid catalysis to promote production of higher molecular weight forms of polysuccinimide and polyaspartate. Acid catalysis also provides the advantage of producing polysuccinimides of light color (light tan to cream-colored), as mentioned above.
Accordingly, currently available methods of producing water soluble aspartate-succinimide copolymers enable the production of only low Mw, branched forms of the copolymers.

Copolymers of amino acids and methods of their production


An electroactive device may include a primary electrode, a secondary electrode overlapping at least a portion of the primary electrode, and a tertiary electrode overlapping at least a portion of the secondary electrode. The electroactive device may also include (i) a first electroactive polymer element including a first elastomer material disposed between and abutting the primary electrode and the secondary electrode, and (ii) a second electroactive polymer element including a second elastomer material disposed between and abutting the secondary electrode and the tertiary electrode. Various other devices, methods, and systems are also disclosed.

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) eyewear devices or headsets may enable users to experience events, such as interacting with people in a computer-generated simulation of a three-dimensional world or viewing data superimposed on a real-world view. AR/VR eyewear devices and headsets may also be used for purposes other than recreation. For example, governments may use such devices for military training simulations, doctors may use such devices to practice surgery, and engineers may use such devices them as visualization aids.
AR/VR eyewear devices and headsets typically include some form of optical system or device, such as an optical lens assembly configured to focus or direct light from the device's display and/or the real world to the user's eyes. Thus, there is a need for improving such optical systems.

Electroactive polymer devices, systems, and methods