Embodiments of the invention provide a drive circuit including: a constant current source that generates a constant current; a switching circuit that connects a gate of the insulated gate switching element to a power supply potential side via the constant current source when turning the insulated gate switching element ON and connects the gate of the insulated gate switching element to a reference potential side via a discharge circuit when turning the insulated gate switching element OFF; a gate voltage detection circuit that detects a gate voltage of the insulated gate switching element; and a current mode selection circuit that switches a mode of the constant current source from a normal current mode to a low current consumption mode when detecting, based on the gate voltage detected by the gate voltage detection circuit, that the insulated gate switching element is turned ON.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to drive circuits for driving insulated gate switching elements such as an IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) or MOSFET (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor).
2. Related Art
A semiconductor device that has packaged therein an insulated gate switching element, such as an IGBT, and a drive circuit for driving the switching element is called "IPM (Intelligent Power Module)". A power switching element such as an IGBT is mounted on the IPM for driving a motor or the like. Application of excess current to this power switching element can immensely damage an electronic device equipped with the IPM. For this reason, the semiconductor device is provided with a self protection function that constantly monitors the current flowing to the power switching element and safely stops the control by discontinuing the supply of gate signals when an excess current beyond a predetermined current value flows to the power switching element.
Such a conventional IPM adopts an IGBT drive system that connects a P-channel MOSFET 51 and an N-channel MOSFET 52 in series, as shown in FIG. 4. The source of the P-channel MOSFET 51 is connected to a power supply voltage Vcc, while the source of the N-channel MOSFET 52 is connected to a ground potential. The drains of the P-channel MOSFTET 51 and the N-channel MOSFET 52 are connected to the gate of an IGBT 53, and a drive signal is input to the gate of the P-channel MOSFET 51 and the gate of the N-channel MOSFET 52.
When turning the IGBT 53 ON, the level of the drive signal is lowered so that the P-channel MOSFET 51 is turned ON and the N-channel MOSFET 52 is turned OFF. Consequently, the power supply voltage Vcc is applied to the gate of the IGBT 53 via the P-channel MOSFET 51.
When turning the IGBT 53 OFF, on the other hand, the level of the drive signal is increased so that the P-channel MOSFET 51 is turned OFF and the N-channel MOSFET 52 is turned ON. Consequently, the ground potential is applied to the gate of the IGBT 53 via the N-channel MOSFET 52.
In this configuration, ON-resistances of the P-channel MOSFET 51 and the N-channel MOSFET 52 are used for driving the IGBT 53 so as to turn the IGBT 53 ON and OFF.
In this system where the IGBT 53 is driven by the ON-resistances of the P-channel MOSFET 51 and the N-channel MOSFET 52, the ON-resistances of the P-channel MOSFET 51 and the N-channel MOSFET 52 increase at a temperature higher than a room temperature. Therefore, when the temperature is higher than the room temperature, the charge rate at the gate of the IGBT 53 slows down and a steep voltage change (voltage between the collector and the emitter of an IGBT 43) is prevented, alleviating the occurrence of noise related to the voltage change. Nevertheless, the problem is the increase in losses due to an increase in time required to turn the IGBT 53 ON. However, when the design of the semiconductor device is optimized in order to minimize the losses in high temperatures, the charge rate at the gate of the IGBT 53 becomes extremely low at the room temperature, causing a steep voltage change and consequently increasing noise.
In order to solve these problems, Patent Document 1 proposes a drive circuit for an insulated gate device.
In Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-103895 (also referred to herein as "Patent Document 1"), the drive circuit for an IGBT is provided with a constant current source generating a constant current and configured by a current mirror circuit, a switching circuit that connects a gate of the IGBT to a power supply potential side via the constant current source when turning the IGBT ON and disconnects the gate of the IGBT from the power supply potential side via the constant current source when turning the IGBT OFF, and a discharge circuit that turns the IGBT OFF. When the level of a drive signal becomes low, the switching circuit connects the gate of the IGBT to the power supply potential side via the constant current source, to turn the IGBT ON. When, on the other hand, the level of the drive signal becomes high, the switching circuit terminates the connection made between the gate of the IGBT and the power supply potential side via the constant current source, and the discharge circuit connects the gate of the IGBT to a ground potential to turn the IGBT OFF.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-11049 (also referred to herein as "Patent Document 2") proposes a gate drive circuit that has a constant-current-pulse gate drive circuit that creates a gate signal for a voltage drive switching device such as an IGBT or FET as a constant-current output, a constant-voltage-pulse gate drive circuit that creates the gate signal as a constant voltage output, and a gate drive circuit that has a decision/switch circuit that switches between an operation of the constant-current-pulse gate drive circuit and an operation of the constant-voltage-pulse gate drive circuit.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-260752 (also referred to herein as "Patent Document 3") proposes a technology in which a current on the input side of a constant current source configured by a current mirror circuit is adjusted by bypassing one of the serially-connected resistors by means of a switch element, to change an output current of the constant current source.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-40849 (also referred to herein as "Patent Document 4") proposes a technology in which, as with Patent Document 3, a collector of one of PNP transistors configuring a current mirror circuit is connected to a terminal of a ground potential via a variable resistance resistor circuit, and a resistance of the variable resistance resistor circuit is selected using a resistance selecting part, to change an output current of the constant current circuit.
International Patent Publication No. WO 2008/155917 (also referred to herein as "Patent Document 5") proposes a switching element drive circuit that drives a switching element such as an IGBT or MOSFET for switching large power. This switching element drive circuit uses a drive signal output circuit for driving the switching element, to, first, output an increased voltage V2 to a gate of the switching element when a PWM pulse that is input from a PWM pulse output circuit is at a high level, and to, subsequently, output a predetermined voltage V1 lower than the increased voltage V2 to the gate of the switching element when a gate voltage Vgs at the switching element rises to a predetermined voltage. This configuration can prevent switching losses of the switching element.
The demand for low current consumption in the IPM has been increasing, and the amount of current consumed by the IPM has a high proportion of the amount of current consumed by a drive circuit for driving an IGBT and a control circuit for protecting the IGBT.
In the conventional example described in Patent Document 1 above, the insulated gate device can be turned ON via the constant current source, and the temperature dependence of the charge rate of the gate of the insulated gate device can be reduced. Therefore, when turning the insulated gate device ON, the noise caused in a high temperature period and room temperature period can be minimized. Although being able to minimize the noise and losses, the conventional example described in Patent Document 1 has an unsolved problem of not being able to reduce the amount of current consumed by the drive circuit.
In the conventional example described in Patent Document 2, the insulated gate device can be switched ON in a constant time period by driving the insulated gate device at a constant current until the gate voltage exceeds a predetermined voltage. In addition, by switching the mode thereafter to a constant voltage drive mode, the device can be driven without undermining the credibility of the gate oxide film of the device. However, Patent Document 2 has an unsolved problem of not being able to reduce the amount of current consumed by the drive circuit.
Moreover, the conventional examples of Patent Documents 3 and 4 disclose that the current values of the constant current circuits are changed by changing the resistances, but do not at all describe drive circuits of the insulated gate switching elements.
In addition, according to the conventional example described in Patent Document 5, when turning ON the switching element such as an IGBT or MOSFET for switching large power, an increased voltage, higher than a predetermined voltage applied constantly the gate, is applied only for an initial period until the gate voltage of the switching element reaches the predetermined voltage. As a result, the switching operation can be performed promptly without constantly applying an excess voltage to the gate of the switching element when turning the switching element ON. Therefore, this conventional example can shorten the delay time and reduce the switching losses without adding extra stress to the gate of the switching element. However, these conventional examples have certain shortcomings, such as, for example, not being able to reduce the amount of current consumed in the drive circuit thereof.

Drive circuit for insulated gate switching element


An assay for measuring activation (i.e., autophosphorylation) of a tyrosine kinase receptor of interest is disclosed.. (a) A first solid phase is coated with a substantially homogeneous population of cells so that the cells adhere to the first solid phase. The cells have either an endogenous tyrosine kinase receptor or have been transformed with DNA encoding a receptor or "receptor construct" and the DNA has been expressed so that the receptor or receptor construct is presented in the cell membranes of the cells. PA1 (b) A ligand is then added to the solid phase having the adhering cells, such that the tyrosine kinase receptor is exposed to the ligand. PA1 (c) Following exposure to the ligand, the adherent cells are solubilized, thereby releasing cell lysate. PA1 (d) A second solid phase is coated with a capture agent which binds specifically to the tyrosine kinase receptor, or, in the case of a receptor construct, to the flag polypeptide. PA1 (e) The cell lysate obtained in step (c) is added to the wells containing the adhering capture agent so as to capture the receptor or receptor construct to the wells. PA1 (f) A washing step is then carried out, so as to remove unbound cell lysate, leaving the captured receptor or receptor construct. PA1 (g) The captured receptor or receptor construct is exposed to a labelled anti-phosphotyrosine antibody which identifies phosphorylated residues in the tyrosine kinase receptor. PA1 (h) Binding of the anti-phosphotyrosine antibody to the captured receptor or receptor construct is measured.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a kinase receptor activation (KIRA) assay. In particular, the invention relates to an assay for measuring autophosphorylation of the kinase domain of a receptor protein tyrosine kinase (rPTK) using a kinase receptor activation, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (KIRA ELISA).
2. Description of Related Art
One mechanism for signal transduction in animals involves protein phosphorylation. Protein phosphorylation involves the action of protein kinase, an enzyme that transfers a phosphate group from a phosphate donor onto an acceptor amino acid in a substrate protein. Protein phosphatases provide a means for reversing the signal when the stimulus is removed.
Protein kinases have multiple substrates, and classification of the protein kinases is based on the acceptor amino acid specificity. The two most well characterized protein kinases are the protein kinases with a protein alcohol group as acceptor called protein serine/threonine kinases and the protein kinases with a protein phenolic group as acceptor called protein tyrosine kinases (Hunter, Methods in Enzymology 200:3-91991!).
The most well known type of signal-transducing protein kinases are growth factor receptor protein tyrosine kinases (rPTKs). rPTKs usually comprise a large, glycosylated, extracellular ligand binding domain (ECD) and an intracellular domain (ICD) which contains a tyrosine kinase catalytic domain. A single hydrophobic transmembrane (TM) domain connects the ECD and ICD. Examples of rPTKs include the insulin receptor, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R), platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGF-R), insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF-1-R), and the HER2 receptor, to name a few. See, for example, Ullrich and Schlessinger Cell 61:203-212 (1990) and Fantl et al., Annu. Rev. Biochem. 62:453-481 (1993). rPTKs can phosphorylate exogenous protein substrates and intrinsic tyrosine residues via their catalytic tyrosine kinase domain. The intrinsic tyrosine residues normally reside in the ICD of the rPTK (see FIG. 1 herein). Activation of the intracellular kinase domain of rPTKs appears to be mediated by receptor oligomerization which results from the conformational alteration of the ECD upon ligand binding thereto. See Ullrich and Schlessinger, supra.
Various assays have been developed which measure tyrosine kinase activity. Some of these assays measure the ability of a tyrosine kinase enzyme to phosphorylate a synthetic substrate polypeptide. For example, an assay has been developed which measures growth factor-stimulated tyrosine kinase activity by measuring the ability of the kinase to catalyze the transfer of the y-phosphate of ATP to a suitable acceptor substrate. See Pike, L., Methods of Enzymology 146:353-362 (1987) and Hunter, Journal of Biological Chemistry 257(9):4843-4848 (1982), for example. In this assay, the use of y-.sup.32 P!ATP permits the radioactive labeling of the phosphorylated substrate, which is a synthetic tyrosine-containing peptide. Others have described protein kinase assays wherein incorporation of .sup.32 P into a tyrosine kinase receptor, such as the EGF receptor (see Donato et al., Cell Growth Differ. 3:259-268 1992!), insulin receptor (see Kasuga et al., Journal of Biological Chemistry 257(17):9891-9884 1982! and Kasuga et al, Methods in Enzymology 109:609-621 1985!), and liver growth hormone receptor (see Wang et al., Journal of Biological Chemistry 267(24):17390-17396 1992!), is measured.
The discovery of anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies has provided a non-radioactive, alternative means for measuring phosphorylation of tyrosine residues. For example, White and Backer (Methods in Enzymology 201:65-67 1991!) mention polyclonal antibodies which selectively bind to phosphotyrosine and are considered to be useful for studying rPTKs. An anti-phosphotyrosine monoclonal antibody was used in one of the assays referred to in Madden et al. (Anal Biochem 199:210-215 1991!), which measured phosphatase activity toward the insulin receptor. Anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies were also used by Cleaveland et al., in their protein tyrosine kinase ELISA assay. See Cleaveland et al., Analytical Biochemistry 190:249-253 (1990). The method of Cleaveland et al. utilizes purified high-activity oncogene tyrosine kinases, v-src and v-fps, and measures the ability of these tyrosine kinases to phosphorylate synthetic polymeric substrates which are coated on an ELISA microtiter plate. The phosphotyrosine produced by src-induced phosphorylation of the polymeric substrate is then quantitated by addition of an anti-phosphotyrosine antibody, the presence of which is detected using a second rabbit anti-mouse antibody which is linked to a reporter enzyme, horseradish peroxidase (HRPO). A similar ELISA assay has been developed by Lazaro et al., which is used for detection of a protein tyrosine kinase. See Lazaro et al., Analytical Biochemistry 192:257-261 (1991). Like the assay of Cleaveland et al., this assay also measures the ability of a protein tyrosine kinase to phosphorylate a synthetic substrate which is bound to microELISA wells.
A direct way to assess specific activation of rPTKs is by analysis of receptor autophosphorylation. See, e.g., Hunter and Cooper Ann Rev Biochem 54:897-930 (1985) and Ullrich and Schlessinger, Cell 61:203-212 (1990). Using this direct approach, Knutson and Buck disclose assays for measuring autophosphorylation of the insulin receptor under in situ or in vitro conditions (Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics 285(2):197-204 1991!). In the in situ assay, monolayer cultures of embryonic mouse 3T3-C2 fibroblasts (having the endogenous insulin receptor) are incubated with insulin in large cell culture dishes. Following incubation, the insulin receptor is extracted from the membranes. To achieve extraction of the insulin receptor, the cell monolayers are scraped into a buffer containing protease inhibitors and the cells are then disrupted in a homogenizer. The cellular homogenate is subsequently subjected to centrifugation for 60 min., and the pellet which forms is extracted into buffer containing detergent. Following a further centrifugation step, the supernatant (containing the insulin receptor) is incubated with an anti-insulin receptor antibody. Then, the receptor-antibody complex is incubated with protein A-agarose and unoccupied protein A sites are blocked with normal rabbit IgG. The agarose beads are then centrifuged, the supernatants aspirated and the pellets are re-suspended in buffer containing the radiolabelled anti-phosphotyrosine antibody. The amount of bound iodinated anti-phosphotyrosine antibody is consequently measured.
Klein and his colleagues discuss an assay for measuring insulin activation of the insulin receptor (Klein et al., Diabetes 42:883-890 1993!). In this assay, aliquots of a heterogeneous population of mononuclear blood cells (including T cells, B cells, macrophages etc) having the insulin receptor are exposed to insulin in centrifuge tubes. The cells are then lysed in detergent using a motordriven homogenizer and the lysates are concentrated two- to fourfold using vacuum centrifugation. Sometimes, the insulin receptor is also partially purified using wheat germ agglutin agarose. The supernatants which form following centrifugation, are then transferred to anti-insulin receptor-coated microtiter plates. Insulin (8.7 nM) as well as kinase and phosphatase inhibitors are present during receptor immobilization in order to optimize the percentage of receptors captured to the microtiter plates. Activation of the insulin receptor is then measured by transphosphorylation of the substrate Poly-Glu, Tyr with .sup.32 P labeled ATP. The supernatants are then spotted onto absorbent paper and the paper is washed with cold TCA to remove unbound .sup.32 P-ATP. Remaining .sup.32 P-labeled Poly-Glu, Tyr on the washed absorbent paper is subsequently counted by scintillation counting.
Hagino et al. were also interested in studying the insulin receptor in patients (Hagino et al., Diabetes 43:274-280 1994!). As a first step in the assay, Hagino et al. stimulate a primary cell suspension, which is not particularly homogeneous with respect to cell type. In particular, heparinized blood (1 ml washed twice with medium and resuspended in 1 ml of medium containing bovine serum albumin, BSA) is exposed to varying concentrations of insulin. The autophosphorylation reaction is stopped, the cells centrifuged for 30 min, the supernatant is discarded and the erythrocyte ghosts thus obtained are resuspended in buffer and centrifuged again. The pellet thereby obtained is adjusted to 500 .mu.l and solubilized in detergent. The solubilized materials are then centrifuged and the resulting supernatant is subjected to sandwich ELISA (using anti-insulin receptor antibodies to capture the insulin receptor) to determine the extent of insulin receptor autophosphorylation.
Several others have used an enzyme-conjugated form of the anti-phosphotyrosine antibody in Western blot analyses which measure receptor autophosphorylation. Briefly, Western blotting generally involves electrophoresing activated rPTK on polyacrylamide gel. The rPTK is then transferred to nitrocellulose and immunoblotted with the anti-phosphotyrosine antibody which is labelled to enable detection. See, for example, Wang, Molecular and Cellular Biology 5(12):3640-3643 (1985); Glenney et al., Journal of Immunological Methods 109:277-285 (1988); Kamps, Methods in Enzymology 201:101-110 (1991); Kozma et al., Methods in Enzymology 201:28-43 (1991); Holmes et al., Science 256:1205-10 (1992); and Corfas et al., PNAS. USA 90:1624-1628 (1993). However, with Western blot analysis, accurate quantitation can be very tedious. Furthermore, this technique tends to be time-consuming and generally does not allow high sample throughput.
It is an object of the instant invention to provide a sensitive, reliable assay that measures receptor protein tyrosine kinase (rPTK) autophosphorylation. The assay is desirably useful for qualitatively and quantitatively measuring kinase activation as well as facilitating identification and characterization of potential agonists and antagonists for a selected rPTK. It is a further object of the invention to provide an assay which enables ligand-receptor interactions to be studied for any selected rPTK.
This assay must have a capacity for high throughput, that is, the ability to reliably evaluate large numbers of samples in a relatively short period of time (e.g., in one day). The assay ideally does not use radioactive materials and is also amenable to automation.
It is a further object, in at least one embodiment of the invention, to provide a generic assay which enables a rPTK of interest to be studied, regardless of whether or not a receptor-specific capture agent having the desired characteristics is available. Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide an assay which substantially represents the activity of the tyrosine kinase receptor in situ. This is desirable insofar as it reduces the possibility that altered interactions between the receptor and the ligand may occur as a consequence of the receptor not being membrane-bound. Furthermore, if the receptor is a multimeric complex, this assay enables the correctly assembled receptor to be studied.
These and other objects will be apparent to the ordinary artisan upon consideration of the specification as a whole.


An active soft recoil control system that provides a bi-directional recoil containment and double strike prevention, which improves recoil force management, reduces the potential for “short” rounds, results in a more compact and lighter weight weapon, and increases the uniform performance of the heavy weapon at temperature extremes and steep cants. Furthermore, the present system provides for a mechanism that enables safer firing pin retraction and reduces the potential for unintentionally striking the primer and initiating the round during misfire operations.

In a soft recoil weapon system, a recoiling mass generally refers to the components that move in response to the firing energy and may encompass, for example, a breech or a ramming mechanism, recoil cylinders, recoil springs, and firing mechanism. The rearward impulse of firing the weapon, is partially cancelled by the forward momentum of the recoiling mass at the time of firing.
The recoiling mass is normally held out-of-battery by a latch mechanism against a series of compression springs. When the latch mechanism is released, the recoiling mass is accelerated forward by the compression springs. The pressure created by the ignition of the propellant gases will launch the projectile forward and will launch the recoiling mass rearward, against the force created by the compression springs.
When designing a soft-recoil system a balance is sought between the forward momentum of the recoil system and the firing impulse, to ensure that the round fires and the weapon relatches, while minimizing recoil forces. Since the weapon must perform under a variety of conditions, including variations in ambient temperatures and propellant performance as well as weapon orientations (quadrant elevations) and platform cants (slopes), it becomes necessary to compensate for these variations, in order to ensure latching and to minimize recoil loads.
Conventionally, hydro-pneumatic recoil systems are utilized on large-caliber weapons to accomplish this task, while some small caliber systems utilize ring springs.
The need to maintain relatively low recoiling loads so that the weapons can be mounted onto light mobile platforms, is further complicated by other factors. These factors include for example, ignition delays, the ability to react to abnormally high impulses, the ability to perform at greater temperature extremes, and the ability to perform at greater weapon cant.
Ignition delays may, in extreme cases, defeat the advantages of soft recoil. For instance, by the time the mortar cartridge ignites, the forward momentum of the recoiling mass is reduced to zero. In this case, the recoil forces increase significantly, making the weapon system less practical for light mobile platforms. Certain conventional weapons have addressed this problem by allowing a portion of the combustion gases to vent past the breech seal, thereby reducing the rearward momentum. However, this arrangement may reduce the muzzle velocity of the projectile.
Weapons must also be designed to withstand the largest expected chamber pressure for safe operation under the most extreme operating conditions. This pressure, known as the PMP (permissible individual maximum pressure) may be typically as high as 50% greater than ambient temperature firing pressures. Statistically, these conditions may arise 3 times per 10,000 rounds fired, but result in greatly increased recoil forces. The traditional method of addressing this concern is to either increase the recoil distance to keep the forces to an acceptable level, or to design larger, more durable components.
Additionally, mobile platforms must be able to engage a variety of targets under various environmental extremes, with increased quadrant elevation ranges, and be able to fire at a variety of platform orientations and cants. These factors tend to require reducing the forward momentum of the recoiling parts in order to guarantee latching, which in turn results in higher recoiling forces.
Conventional soft recoil weapon systems are faced with the problem of actively controlling the recoil velocity to compensate for atypical or extreme firing conditions, such as firing at temperature extremes, firing on severe cants, or when firing results in a late ignition. Variations in the conditions of the soft recoil systems can result in system malfunction or even failure.
The prominent issue with these conditions is that soft recoil systems are dependent upon timing and load balances. More specifically, situational firing conditions can cause the following recoil extremes:                1—The recoiling parts do not have sufficient velocity to re-latch after firing, requiring the user to re-cock the weapon.        2—The recoiling parts have excessive velocity, causing high recoil forces and/or weapon damage.        3—Venting propelling gases reduces muzzle velocity, which reduces flight distance and prevents the round from reaching its intended target, thereby potentially endangering friendly troops and/or civilians.        4—Retraction of the rammer to get firing pin to safe position is inherently dangerous.        5—Increased trunnion forces, as a result of delayed ignition or permissible individual maximum pressure (PMP) rounds, require increased weight of latches, pedestal, and cradle which leads to mobility and payload issues.
The conventional methods for addressing the foregoing problems include for example:                1—Increasing the recoil stroke to keep firing loads within vehicle limits for permissible individual maximum pressure (PMP), late ignition, and vehicle cant conditions (increases overall weapon length and weight).        2—Reducing late ignition recoil loads by venting a portion of the propelling gases during firing (reduces muzzle velocity which results in a "short" round).        3—Increasing the size and load carrying capability of the latch mechanisms.        4—Limiting allowable firing conditions to a narrower ambient temperature and shallower cant angles.
While the foregoing conventional methods provided a certain level of control to the soft recoil weapon systems, there still remains a need for a more efficient, active soft recoil control system that provides a bi-directional recoil containment, double strike prevention, and firing pin retraction.

Bi-directional recoil containment and double strike prevention system

The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of the Army


A combined battery charger and motor driver circuit assembly includes a rechargeable battery, a traction motor configured to accept a pulse-width-modulated (PWM) drive, a PNP transistor array, a charging source of chopped and rectified DC, and a control circuit configured to apply a discrete PWM drive signal to the gate of each transistor in the PNP transistor array.

1. Field
A combined power switching system for charging and operating battery-powered electric traction motors is disclosed.
2. General Background
Most power-using transportation vehicles—specifically, power-propelled surface vehicles, such as automobiles, motorcycles, wheeled and tracked recreational vehicles, buses, trucks, and trains; water-borne vehicles, such as commercial and recreational boats and ships, buoys, manned and unmanned submersibles, etc.; and aerial vehicles, such as airplanes, airships, and balloons—combine a need for storage of potential energy and a need to convert that energy into a readily-used form. Such advantage as may be gained from small size and low mass constrains storage and conversion apparatus. For a few centuries, wood, followed by coal, then diesel fuel, has been burned in air to release heat to generate steam that directly drive locomotives over rails. A portion of power for rail transportation—now virtually all of that power—has been supplied in the form of electricity from remote or on-board power generators, or in the form of torque from diesel-fuel powered shaft-output engines. For about a century, much of the world-wide transportation network has used the burning of gasoline, diesel fuel, and/or alcohol to generate shaft torque to directly drive vehicles over roads, as well as powering ships, aircraft, etc.
For the last few decades (i.e., for 20-30 years, plus limited experimentation since ca. 1900), combustible gases (methane, hydrogen, etc.) and stored electricity have been applied to powered vehicles in place of complex hydrocarbons, in pursuit of benefits such as reversal of trends of habitat destruction, and to advance development of ecologically-sound (sometimes termed "green") technologies. Specific "green" vehicle applications include rechargeable electric power sources for surface vehicles and hybrid versions thereof. The latter typically use both in-vehicle combustion technology and stored electricity, ultimately to provide shaft torque for wheel or propeller-driven propulsion.
The components used for battery-powered and hybrid vehicles suffer performance penalties when the relatively high volumetric and mass efficiency of liquid fueled combustion engines is compared to the low energy density of batteries and the further penalty hybrids have from carrying both technologies and using them either in alternation or simultaneously. Acceleration and wind drag penalties attributable to extra mass and volume are known to offset "earth friendly" benefits to a variable degree. To a greater extent than designers of vehicles using liquid-fueled combustion engines, which generally receive oxygen for combustion from the air and discharge their combustion products back into the air with impunity, designers of electric-powered vehicles commonly pay considerable attention to minimizing waste heat, which begins as stored chemical energy in battery systems, and which is dissipated in lieu of extending vehicle travel range.
Increasing storage system (i.e., battery) energy density and reducing mass of components other than the storage system, managing thermal spikes, cooling components that enable necessary actions such as battery charging, and providing power for motive force are desiderata.

Combination charger and motive power device

Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc.


A device for fixing to a wheel a module intended to measure and transmit to a receiver, in particular by radio link, at least one quantity characteristic of the state of a tire mounted on the wheel, in particular its inflation pressure, comprising connecting means rigidly connected to the module and means of attaching the connecting means to the wheel, such that the module is fixed radially internally relative to a seat and a hook on the rim of the wheel, and such that the attachment means are fitted to apply the connecting means against the radially inner surface of the rim hook with an adaptable clamping stress of intensity greater than a given value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for fixing a tire monitoring system module to a wheel of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
The Sicurezza Stradale Technology firm's "Tyre Check" device comprises a module fixed to the wheel disk by two lugs clamped under two consecutive nuts. The module is pneumatically connected to the valve and comprises a radio transmitter linked to a receiver on board. The mode of installation of the lugs under the wheel nuts suffers from the disadvantage of inducing strong vibrations when the nuts are tightened with shock wrenches (shop tightening). These vibrations may damage the electronics of the module. Furthermore, as the axial dimension of the wheels in question increases, the quality of the link between the module and the receiver is degraded because the adjacent rim well and rim hook together with the disk of the wheel form a metal hollow rendering communication by radio link more difficult.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,285,189 uses a fixation of the module in the rim well. This fixation device comprises a metal strap encircling the rim well of the wheel rim and clamping the module. The position of the module in the rim well is not favorable to good communication by radio link between the module and the receiver in the chassis of the vehicle. That position also involves dangers of damage to the module at the time of mounting or removing tires on or from the wheel bearing the module.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,838,229 uses a fixation of the module to the foot of a wheel valve. Consequently, the module is likewise arranged inside the tire cavity, substantially in the rim well as before.

Device for fixing a tire monitoring system module to a wheel


A method for production of artificial skin by administering matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor or matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor and matrix protein production promoting agent. The matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor is N-hydroxy-2(R)-[[(4-methoxyphenyl)sulfonyl](3-picolyl)amino]-3-methylbutanamide hydrochloride.

In the field of cosmetics and dermatology, a wide variety of measures have been proposed and attempted to alleviate or treat injuries caused by the effects of the external environment and aging including the exposure of the skin to sunlight. For example, examples of skin changes accompanying aging primarily include the formation of wrinkles, and hardening or decreased resiliency.
Primary interest is being directed at decreased function of collagen fibers and elastic fibers composed of collagen, elastin and glucosaminoglycans in the skin dermis as the cause of such changes. In the past, the use of hydroxycarboxylic acids (e.g., Japanese Patent No. 2533339), and the use of lysophospholipids (e.g., Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-67621) or that described in the Journal of the Japan Society of Fats and Oils, Vol. 46, No. 9 (1997), pp. 13-19 have been proposed as means for preventing or repairing such changes.
In the former publication, keratin and wrinkles have been suggested as being able to be eradicated by preventing decreases in collagen fibers. On the other hand, in the latter publication, lysophospholipids are suggested to demonstrate whitening effects by accelerating the production ability of glycosaminoglycans (and more specifically, hyaluronic acid) in human fibroblasts.
The most powerful effect of the above external environment on skin aging is produced by ultraviolet rays present in sunlight, and these ultraviolet rays have clearly been established to be a factor that promotes aging. Ultraviolet rays are known to induce skin changes referred to as photoaging that is characterized by deep wrinkles (Scharffetter-Kochanek, Advances in Pharmacology, 1997, 58, 639-655). Ultraviolet rays have a diverse range of effects on the skin, including damage to genetic DNA, induced production of active oxygen, and more recently, induced production of matrix-metalloproteinases (Fisher, et al., Nature, 1996, 379, 335-339).
Due to the multifunctional nature of ultraviolet rays, the mechanism by which this photoaging induced by ultraviolet rays occurs has not been adequately elucidated. Deep wrinkles corresponding to human photoaged skin have been clearly shown to form on the skin on the backs of hairless mice following continuous irradiation of ultraviolet rays at an energy level not enough to cause erythema. Substances having an effect on wrinkles have also been evaluated using this mouse model (Moloney, et al., Photochem. Photobiol. 1992, 56, 495-504). However, the wrinkle formation mechanism has still not been adequately elucidated and its elucidation is awaited.
On the other hand, Koivukangas, et al. reported in 1994 that levels of gelatinase, an enzyme that decomposes the basement membrane, becomes elevated in skin irradiated with ultraviolet rays (Acta Derm. Venereol. 1994, 74, 279-282). In addition, it has also been reported that the basement membrane exhibits structural changes at sites of the skin exposed to sunlight, and that reduplication is observed particularly frequently (Lavker, J. Invest. Dermal. 1979, 73, 59-66). This suggests the possibility that ultraviolet rays contained in sunlight have an effect on basement membrane structure by increasing the amount of basement membrane decomposing enzymes produced in the skin.
However, there is no specific means known for promoting the formation of skin basement membrane structure.
Artificial skin is important as an alternative to natural skin that has been damaged by some cause, or as an experimental material for testing the action and pharmacological effects of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics on the skin. In either of these applications, artificial skin is desired that has a structure that imitates the structure of natural skin as closely as possible.
Natural skin is roughly composed of the epidermis, dermis and basement membrane present between them. One example of a known production method of artificial skin that imitates natural skin involves the formation of an epidermal layer by culturing normal human epidermal keratinocytes on contracted type I collagen gel having a structure that resembles the dermis and contains human fibroblasts. In this method, however, there was the problem of inadequate formation of a basement membrane between the collagen gel imitating the dermis and the epidermal layer imitating the epidermis.


A process for rapid synthesis of few-layer graphene films on Cu foil by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD). The plasma/metal interaction can be useful for a rapid synthesis of such thin films. The process can produce films of controllable quality from amorphous to highly crystalline by adjusting plasma conditions during growth processes of ˜100 sec duration and with little or no supplemental substrate heating. Films have been characterized using Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results help to identify the stages involved in the MPCVD deposition of thin carbon films on Cu foil. In yet other embodiments, the films are doped during synthesis by introduction of nitrogen gas in the reactor. Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy reveal crystal structure and chemical characteristics. Nitrogen concentrations up to approximately 2 atomic % are observed. The growth process requires only a few minutes without supplemental substrate heating and offers a promising path toward large-scale synthesis of nitrogen-doped graphene films.

Since its discovery in 2004, graphene has attracted the attention of engineers and scientists across many research disciplines and application areas. Rapid development has been made not only in understanding the physics, chemistry and other fundamental properties of graphene, but also in development of graphene-based devices such as transistors, solar cells, gas sensors and supercapacitors. Doping graphene to change the carrier density has been found to be one method to control electronic properties, and various inventive embodiments expressed herein pertain to a a facile means of nitrogen doping.
Graphene has emerged as an important material with diverse prospective applications. Widely used graphene synthesis techniques include: mechanical exfoliation, chemical exfoliation, epitaxial growth over SiC, and chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Mechanical exfoliation was the first reported technique and gives high-quality films but is difficult to scale up, and both chemical exfoliation and SiC growth are multistep processes. The CVD technique is a single-step process and offers promise for large-scale graphene growth and meeting the projected demand for graphene production. Cu and Ni are the two metallic substrates used for graphene synthesis using thermal CVD. By controlling the CH4 flow rate, predominantly single layer films on Cu over large areas can be obtained.
Large-area synthesis has made relatively inexpensive Cu one of the most attractive substrates for graphene growth. Several studies have provided insights into the mechanism underlying thermal CVD of graphene on Cu, where substrates are typically preheated to approximately 900 to 1000° C. before introducing hydrocarbon gas mixtures. As the demand for graphene increases, a CVD technique for rapid graphene growth at reduced substrate temperatures would be useful. Microwave plasma-enhanced CVD (MPCVD) is one such technique that has proven useful for large-area and low-temperature growth of various carbon based nanostructures, including CNTs, nanocrystalline diamond films, and carbon nanowalls (or vertically standing few-layer graphene sheets).
However, in order to make doped graphene more scalable, a synthesis method capable of rapid, large-area processing is very much needed. Chemical methods and production of graphene by arc discharge, though producing large quantities of both doped and undoped graphene, may be limited by the size of the graphene flakes. Chemical methods also lead to functionalization of the graphene flakes. Of the different synthesis techniques, chemical vapor deposition has shown promise for large scale synthesis of doped large-area graphene films. However, the technique may use high temperatures and may need several hours for the process to be completed.
Microwave plasma CVD (MPCVD) is another promising technique that has been widely used for low-temperature and fast growth of different carbon based nanostructures including flat graphene films and graphene flakes. The coupling between methane/hydrogen plasma and a metal foil in the MPCVD process enabled a very rapid and localized heating of the metal foil to produce graphene growth within a few minutes without any supplemental heating. Because of this localized heating on a thermally light substrate (i.e., an elevated foil), the cooling process was also shown to be extremely fast.
What is needed are improved methods and apparatus for growing graphene. Various embodiments of the present invention achieved this in novel and nonobvious ways.

Rapid synthesis of graphene and formation of graphene structures


Various embodiments include devices, methods, circuits, data structures, and software that allow for rapid variation in the luminance of an OLED display panel. An OLED display driver circuit can include a first input, a second input, and a scaling circuit. The first input is to receive a scaling factor. The second input is to receive an image input signal including a digital representation of a desired output for a pixel. The scaling circuit is to multiply a pixel-level output voltage associated with the desired output for the pixel by the scaling factor.

Mobile devices are incorporating advanced display technology, such as liquid crystal light-emitting diode displays and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) based displays. As the capabilities of the display technology advances so too does the consumer's expectations in terms of functionality and esthetics associated with the display. Consumers demand high quality displays that are capable of fast response and vibrant display. One such capability commonly expected of a mobile device display is the ability to rapidly and smoothly fade or brighten the display in response to user input, programming, or external lighting conditions.

Method and system to quickly fade the luminance of an OLED display


A robotic device may receive task information defining (i) a nominal trajectory for an end-effector coupled to a manipulator of the robotic device, and (ii) forces to be exerted by the end-effector along the nominal trajectory; determining, based on the task information, a modified trajectory that is offset from the nominal trajectory; determining, based on the modified trajectory and the forces, torques to be applied to the manipulator over time; causing the torques to be applied to the manipulator so as to cause the end-effector to follow the modified trajectory and substantially exert the forces along the modified trajectory; receiving force feedback information from a sensor coupled to the robotic device indicating respective forces being experienced by the end-effector at respective points along the modified trajectory; and adjusting the torques to be applied to the manipulator based on the force feedback information.

Robotic systems, such as a robotic manipulator having an end-effector, may be used for performing tasks involving picking up and moving objects, inserting objects, machining parts, etc. For instance, a robotic device may be used to polish an object having a particular geometry. Such a robotic device may direct a robotic manipulator to follow a certain trajectory to perform a given task.

Programming and execution of force-based tasks with torque-controlled robot arms


A user interface for an event monitor that monitors a data stream receives an event message having at least one level of categorization, adds the event message to a log file, produces an alert status corresponding to a value of a component of the at least one level of categorization, selects the component of the at least one level of categorization, creates a filter according to filter criteria corresponding to the selected component of the at least one level of categorization, filters the log file to produce a filtered log file, and outputs the filtered log file containing event messages corresponding to the selected component of the at least one level of categorization.

The present invention relates to a user interface for an event monitor, and more particularly to a user interface using a navigation-based message log filtering technique for an event monitor, such as an MPEG (Moving Pictures Expert Group) transport stream event monitor.
As the digital TV market has grown, there has been an increase in the quantity of information transmitted in associated MPEG transport streams. Such information may include, for example, Electronic Program Guides (EPGS) which cover increasingly long periods of future programming, and interactive programs which have embedded applications. For analysis and monitoring tools this represents an increasingly difficult challenge in terms of minimizing time taken to isolate a fault. In addition, there is a requirement for users who are not expert in MPEG standards and tests to be able to isolate problems, particularly in a monitoring environment.
Known MPEG monitors or analyzers produce large message logs containing non-conformances, errors and general information for display to a user in as meaningful a manner as possible. The entries, or event messages, may be messages reporting errors of varying severity or reporting general information. Each entry in the message log is typically categorized, such as by content and/or test, etc., and the users filter the entries to display selected entries based upon selected components of the categories of interest. This approach requires that the users predetermine filter criteria from information gathered from experience and other features within the analyzer, such as the result of a particular conformance test. The message log is therefore used in isolation from the rest of the analyzer and has a single entry point.
What is desired is a user interface for an event monitor that provides a means for navigating through a message log to produce an automatically filtered group of event messages from the message log that are of special interest to users.


Terrain-based machines are provided comprising a translational chassis movement indicator, a terrain-based implement, an implement inclinometer, and an implement state estimator. The translational chassis movement indicator provides a measurement indicative of movement of the machine chassis in one or more translational degrees of freedom. The implement inclinometer comprises (i) an implement accelerometer, which provides a measurement indicative of acceleration of the terrain-based implement in one or more translational or rotational degrees of freedom and (ii) an implement angular rate sensor, which provides a measurement of a rate at which the terrain-based implement is rotating in one or more degrees of rotational freedom. The implement state estimator generates an implement state estimate that is based at least partially on (i) implement position signals from an implement angular rate sensor and an implement accelerometer, and (ii) signals from the translational chassis movement indicator and the implement inclinometer.

The present disclosure relates to terrain-based machines and, more particularly, to technology for controlling the position of an implement thereof. For example, and not by way of limitation, terrain-based machines such as bulldozers and other types of earthmoving or other material-moving machines such as pavers or paving machines typically have a hydraulically controlled earthmoving or other implement that can be manipulated by a joystick or other means in an operator control station of the machine. The user of the machine can control the lift, tilt, angle and pitch of the implement, which may, for example, be the blade of a bulldozer or other type of track-type tractor and/or a material-moving machine such as a paver.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Terrain-based machine comprising implement state estimator

Caterpillar Trimble Control Technologies LLC


A pre-designed system-on-chip architecture and method includes several standard library devices, HDL source code, simulation environment and regression, synthesis scripts, software header files, software libraries, ASIC verification test suites, and makefiles. The standard library devices comprise an integrated CPU, a shared memory controller, a peripheral controller, system peripherals, a DMA controller, embedded memory, and general system control. CPU bridges are used to accommodate a variety of processor types and to insulate users from the complexities of interfacing to different kinds of processors. Such CPU bridges further allow the latest processors to be rapidly integrated into existing integration platforms and designs.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to semiconductor integrated circuit design and devices, and more specifically to pre-designed system-on-chip architectures with HDL source code, simulation environment and regression, synthesis scripts, software header files, software libraries, ASIC verification test suite, and makefiles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As systems-on-chip (SoC) become more complex, it will be increasingly difficult for a single company to provide its customers with all of the semiconductor intellectual property (SIP) cores and library macrocells they require. Companies have to evaluate whether human resources, capital and time are expendable on extraneous developments. A growing trend is to outsource the areas that fall outside of their core competencies.
Time-to-market is the dominant factor directing this make vs. buy decision. SoC's are reaching higher levels of integration, but their complexity is inversely proportional to the allowable time-to-market. "Buying" semiconductor intellectual property will become essential for surviving in an environment that demands increased profits and decreased time-to-market. For companies to meet the technology challenges of integrating externally developed semiconductor intellectual property into a single chip, within the given time window, they may decide to partner with others, including, in some cases, their competitors.
Outsourcing and partnership will be the essential elements of a successful semiconductor business in the next century because those capabilities will help companies deliver what customers want. Companies using SoC technologies have recognized the need to license or buy semiconductor intellectual property from other companies. But just purchasing the semiconductor intellectual property is not enough. Integrating semiconductor intellectual property in a system-on-chip is complicated, especially when components from multiple sources are involved. Semiconductor intellectual property integrators and providers need to actively work together to make sure that all of the pieces of the SoC fit seamlessly. One way to leverage the strength of a partnership is by offering an open on-chip architecture.
Successful semiconductor companies must be able to deliver to the customer an on-chip architecture, in which components can be dropped in and interconnected with little difficulty. Open means that it is supported by third-party companies, thereby producing a collaborative effort to reduce the design-integration struggles found in SoC development, including hardware and software co-design and co-verification. That also results in reducing time-to-market. Customers may include choices in how they build their SoC devices, which semiconductor intellectual property components to integrate, and what software and operating system to implement. Outsourcing and partnership are keys to successfully offering customers what they want. Taking this a step further, providing and/or supporting an open architecture gives customers the flexibility they need.
The electronics industry has been driven by the need to increase performance, reduce costs and enhance features. Many of these needs have been met through the use of newer, faster and cheaper technologies. Newer technologies continue to allow for more functions and features to be placed on a single piece of silicon. Functions that previously were placed on separate chips can now be integrated in a system-on-chip with new functions added.
In any processor-driven embodiment, a number of peripheral devices are needed. These include timers, DMA engines, interrupt controllers and memory controllers. In many cost-sensitive applications, a shared memory structure is preferably used to reduce memory component costs. An architecture is needed which addresses the memory needs of all devices without severely degrading the performance of any single device.
The PCIbus, ISA, VMEbus, and most other buses were designed as system level buses to connect discrete devices on a printed circuit board (PCB) substrate. At the board level, a key issue is minimizing the number of bus signals because pin and signal count translate directly into package and PCB costs. A large number of device pins increases the package footprint and reduces component density on the board. System level buses must support add-in cards and PCB backplanes where connector size and cost are also directly related to signal count. This is why traditional system level buses use shared tri-state signaling and, in the case of PCIbus, multiplexed address and data on the same signals. Timing problems can be investigated in the laboratory using prototype PCBs that can then be modified and re-spun in a few days.
In the on-chip world, signal routing consumes silicon area but does not greatly affect the size or cost of packages, PCBs and connectors. The limited capabilities of today's logic synthesis tools directly impact embodiment time and performance and must be taken into account. Getting the lowest possible routing overhead is of little value if the system design time balloons way out of proportion and the market window is missed. Synthesis tools find it difficult to deal with shared tri-state signals with several drivers and receivers connected to the same trace. Static timing analysis is preferably awkward, and often the only way to verify timing is to use a circuit level simulator, e.g., SPICE. All of this takes time and effort without adding real value in terms of device functionality or features. Bus loading also limits theoretical performance and the verification problems associated with bus loading can lead to a conservative embodiment whose performance falls short of the inherent technology capabilities.


A computer mouse accessory that rests on top of a computer mouse and holds the user's finger while working with the computer mouse and its buttons. The accessory has a body that fits the user's palm and finger support for user's finger while using a computer mouse.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to computer pointing devices, commonly referred to as computer mice, the present invention relates to an attachable device for computer pointing devices.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The mouse is a common computer pointing device that allows the user to move the cursor on a computer screen by moving the pointing device on a surface and quickly clicking one of the buttons to activate the selected command. Some mice also contain an optional scrolling wheel for scrolling through the data displayed on the computer screen. Unfortunately, computer mice are uncomfortable to use for any extended length of time, and they may create Repetitive Strain Injury after sustained use. There are many ergonomic computer mice designed to alleviate this problem, but they are complete computer mouse devices consisting of all components needed in a functioning computer mouse. They are very expensive.
However, there is no prior art similar to the present invention.
Computer mice have been in existence for decades, and my invention is an attachable device that makes computer mice more comfortable to use. The present invention is for use on existing computer mice, and utilizes the body and controls of whichever existing computer mouse it is attached to.

Finger and palm support attachment for a computer mouse


An optical reproduction method is provided that is able to increase recording capacity of an optical recording medium by combining the techniques of light wavelength reduction, signal level multiplication, and recording layer multiplication in an optical recording medium. In the optical reproduction method for reproducing signals based on light reflected from plural pits in the optical recording medium with plural recording layers, a pit depth H, a wavelength λ of the incident light, and a refractive index n of the substrate of the optical recording medium satisfy: λ/6n≦H<λ/4n. The region including the pits is divided into cells each having the same area, and multi-level reproduction signals are generated in response to pit occupation of the cells. Spherical aberration W40 in light condensed onto the optical recording medium satisfies W40≦0.07 λrms.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical reproduction method, an optical pickup device, an optical reproduction device for reproducing data in an optical recording medium, and the optical recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent and continuing years, optical recording media, such as a CD having recording capacity of 0.65 GB and a DVD having recording capacity of 4.7 GB, are widely used for storing video data, audio data, and digital data in computers. Presently, it is being required to further increase recording density and the recording capacity of the optical recording media.
In order to increase the recording density of such an optical recording medium, it can be attempted to reduce the wavelength of a light beam incident on the optical recording medium, assign the recording data to multiple levels, or include multiple recording layers in the optical recording medium.
Below, these techniques are described in detail.
Reduction of Light Beam Wavelength
In an optical recording device for recording or reading data in an optical recording medium, by increasing the numerical aperture (NA) of an object lens, or decreasing the wavelength of a light source, it is possible to effectively reduce the diameter of a beam spot formed on the optical recording medium after a light beam is condensed by the object lens.
For example, in a CD-type optical recording medium, the numerical aperture (NA) of the object lens may be set to be 0.50, and the wavelength of the light source may be set to be 780 nm; in contrast, in a DVD-type optical recording medium, the numerical aperture (NA) of the object lens may be set to be 0.65, and the wavelength of the light source may be set to be 660 nm.
As described above, it is desired to further increase the recording density and the recording capacity of the optical recording medium, and for this purpose, it is desired to increase the numerical aperture (NA) of the object lens to be greater than 0.65, or reduce the wavelength of the light source to be shorter than 660 nm. It is known that such a large-capacity optical recording medium and optical recording device can be realized by using a light source operating in the blue-light wavelength region to ensure large recording capacity.
For example, this technique is described in ISOM2001 abstract "Next Generation Optical Disc", Hiroshi Ogawa, pp 6-7 (referred to as "reference 1", hereinafter).
However, if the numerical aperture (NA) of the object lens is increased too much, or the wavelength of the light source is decreased too much, margins of various kinds of variations in the optical recording medium may decline. For example, coma aberration caused by the tilt of the optical recording medium may increase. If the coma aberration occurs, the beam spot formed on the recording surface of the optical recording medium may be degraded, so that normal recording and reproducing operations cannot be performed.
The coma aberration caused by the tilt of the optical recording medium can be expressed by the following formula (1).W31=(n2−1)/(2n3)×(d×NA3×θ/λ)  (1)
where W31 represents the coma aberration, n represents the refractive index of a transparent substrate of the optical recording medium, d represents the thickness of the transparent substrate, NA represents the numerical aperture (NA) of the object lens, λ represents the wavelength of the light source, and θ represents the tilt of the optical recording medium.
From the formula (1), it is known that the comma aberration (W31) increases when the numerical aperture (NA) of the object lens increases and the wavelength of the light source decreases.
Similarly, spherical aberration caused by differences of transparent substrates of the optical recording medium varies in proportion to NA to the power of 4, and λ to the power of −1; thus the spherical aberration increases when the numerical aperture (NA) of the object lens increases and the wavelength of the light source decreases.
Multilevel Information
To avoid the above problems, a multi-level recording and reproduction method is proposed in which a signal associated with a pit formed on the optical recording medium is assigned multiple levels. Specifically, in this technique, when a laser beam used for reading an optical recording medium is scanning the optical recording medium, reading data from the optical recording medium is realized by determining variations of the amount of the reflected light from the optical recording medium, with the amount of reflected light depending on presence or absence of pits on the optical recording medium.
In contrast, for example, in the method of multi-level recording and reproduction disclosed in Japanese Laid Open Patent Application No. 58-215735 (referred to as "reference 2", hereinafter), reading data from an optical recording medium is realized by determining variations of the amount of the reflected light from the optical recording medium, with the amount of light depending on a combination of depth and width of each pit on the optical recording medium.
In addition, in the method of multi-level recording and reproduction disclosed in Japanese Laid Open Patent Application No. 7-121881 (referred to as "reference 3", hereinafter), reading data from an optical recording medium is realized by determining variations of the amount of the reflected light from the optical recording medium, with the amount of light depending on a combination of depth, width, and variation of a position shift of each pit on the optical recording medium.
In addition, Japanese Laid Open Patent
Application No. 2002-157734 (referred to as "reference 4", hereinafter) discloses a multi-level recording method related to occupation by (presence of) recording marks, in which it is described that when phase pits having depressed and projected shapes are used, optical groove depths of the phase pits are set to be λ/4 so that a gain of a Rf signal becomes a maximum.
Multi-Layer Recording Layer
Further, it is proposed to form an optical recording medium including plural recording layers. For example, Japanese Laid Open Patent Application No. 8-096406 (referred to as "reference 5", hereinafter) and Japanese Laid Open Patent Application No. 9-054981 (referred to as "reference 6", hereinafter) disclose such an optical recording medium including multiple recording layers.
In the optical recording medium including multiple recording layers, an interval between two recording layers is important. If this interval is too small, because of so-called "interlayer cross-talk", the returning light, which is reflected from the optical recording medium, includes not only light reflected from the object recording layer but also a considerable amount of light reflected from other recording layers. Due to this, the signal-to-noise ratio of the reproduced signals may be degraded. On the other hand, if the interval between two recording layers is too large, because of the spherical aberration, signals associated with light reflected from the object recording layer may be degraded.
For these reasons, in the design of a multi recording layer optical recording medium, for example, in a DVD-ROM having two recording layers on one side thereof, the interval between the two recording layers is defined to be 55±15 μm.
As described above, in order to increase the recording capacity of the optical recording medium, attempts can be made to reduce the wavelength of the recording light beam, or assign multiple levels to recording data, or include multiple recording layers in the optical recording medium. Furthermore, it is expected that the recording capacity can be greatly increased by combining the above techniques.
However, the above techniques and their combinations suffer from the following problems.
First, consider the technique of multi-recording layers in an optical recording medium.
For example, when combining the technique of reducing the wavelength of the recording light beam and the technique of forming multiple recording layers, if the wavelength of the recording light beam is shortened, the upper limit of the interval between two recording layers becomes less than the upper limit of the DVD-ROM having two recording layers on one side thereof (70 μm). For this reason, it is difficult to divert the existing manufacturing equipment, and the fabrication cost of the optical recording media increases.
Next, consider the technique of assigning multiple levels to recording data. It is known that the optical recording media employing the techniques of multi-level signal formation disclosed in reference 2 and reference 3, which are recorded with multi-level data including a pit depth and a pit width, are poor in productivity (low yield).
FIG. 18 is a flowchart illustrating a process for fabricating a read only optical recording medium in the related art, which is recorded with two-level signals (a high level and a low level), as signals reproduced from pits formed on a CD-type or a DVD type recording medium.
As illustrated in FIG. 18, the fabricating process includes a laser cutting step (step S1), a developing step (step S2), a stamper formation step (step S3), and a replication step (step S4).
FIG. 19A through FIG. 19D are cross-sectional views of a read only optical recording medium illustrating the fabrication process of the read only optical recording medium in the related art, as shown in FIG. 18.
As illustrated in FIG. 19A, first, a portion of a resist 102, where a pit is to be formed, on a glass substrate 101 is exposed by a light beam 100 until the glass substrate 101 is reached.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 19B, developing is performed.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 19C, based on the developed prototype recording medium, a master stamper is fabricated.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 19D, using the master stamper, and following a well-known replication process, read only optical recording media 104 are mass-produced. In FIG. 19D, the reference number 105 indicates a pit.
In the above fabrication process of the related art, when adjusting the pit depth, it is necessary to control the exposure of the glass substrate 101, and to form pits having different depths. In this case, however, the bottom is not flat, but is round or is roughened. In addition, because the pit depth is sensitive to the exposure, empirically, it is known that precise control of the pit depth is difficult. Theoretically, the pit depth can be modulated by changing the exposure, but because of the above reasons, in the related art, when fabricating a CD-type read only optical recording medium or a DVD-type read only optical recording medium, exposure is continued until the glass substrate 101 is exposed, and signals corresponding to pit length modulation are recorded in the CD-type or DVD-type read only optical recording medium of the related art.

Optical reproduction method, optical pickup device, optical reproduction device, and optical recording medium


A novel valance for a golf car. The inner member of valance is preferably constructed from a stiffer material, as compared to current valances used with golf cars, in order to stiffen the valance to prevent flapping and hitting up against the golf car enclosure by the valance, which is common with conventional valances. Preferably, the material can be a hard flexible material, such as, but not limited to, a soft plastic, polycarbonate or low density polyurethane plastic. The material can also be capable of permitting the fabric to be adhered to the outer and inside surfaces of the inner member such as through the use of spray glue. Preferably, the material selected, in addition to being solid also has some flexibility. The stiffer material helps to prevent or reducing flapping of the valance while the golf car is moving.

Conventional valances for golf cars have two primary functions. The first of these functions is to secure and hide the golf car enclosure when the enclosure is rolled up and not in use. This makes for a very clean and stylish look to the enclosure. The second function is to protect the fabrics especially the clear window which is made from a clear vinyl from the elements such as rain and dirt. These elements will reduce the life of the product. When the enclosure is being used to protect the passengers from inclement weather the side and rear panels are unsnapped from the valances and rolled down. In the enclosure down position, the valances are not secured to anything and as the golf car is moving the valances tend to flap around. The flapping of the valances causes the snaps, used to secure the valances to the side enclosure in the rolled up position, to smack into the roof of the golf car which creates an irritating noise to the occupants traveling in the golf car. The present disclosure provides for a novel valance for a golf car which is directed to addressing the above problems with current golf car valances.

Hard yet flexible valance for an enclosure mounted to a golf car roof


The present invention relates to drives for an automatic lance-changing devices. In accordance with the present invention, the drive effects the coupling of lances used for supplying media by pressing them against a coupling head which, in turn, is accomplished by draw rods which are operated with the aid of lifting spindle movement transmitting screw thread systems. Each draw rod has associated with it its own reduction gear unit which has an integrated lifting spindle system and on which a load cell is mounted. The primary shafts, in alignment with one another, of the two gear units are connected together by a coupling which compensates for axial, radial and angular displacements.

An automatic lance change device of the above mentioned kind is described in U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 07/843,129, inventor Hubert Stomp, assigned to Paul Wurth S. A., a Corporation of Luxembourg, hereinafter the '129 document which is specifically incorporated by reference herein.
In the device according to the '129 document, the coupling to the above mentioned lance carriage is effected with the aid of two lifting spindle systems, an external screw thread of a draw rod cooperating in each case with an internal screw thread in the bore of a gear wheel.
These gear wheels may be horizontally disposed wheels in the form of worm wheels, chain wheels, bevel gears, spiral-toothed gears or cogged-belt gears and others, which are mounted axially/radially by their hubs in a gear casing.
In the '129 document, worm wheels were shown by way of illustration in the pertaining figures and worms disposed on a common shaft were associated with them. In this connection the remark was added that these worms may however also be mounted on individual shafts which are connected together by means of a coupling for synchronous driving.
Although the overall concept of the device described in the '129 document constituted a substantial advance in relation to the prior art at the time, a disadvantage exist in that the two worm/worm wheel pairs (or pairs of any other gear wheels, as described hereinabove) are housed in a common casing, so that a gear unit of this type must obviously be specially produced. This common casing also entails the risk that displacements, which in practical operation are entirely possible, will result in the tilting of the two lifting spindle systems, with their possible destruction. Even the optional provision of a coupling, which is also mentioned, changes nothing in this respect as long as the two worm and worm wheel pairs are mounted and housed in a rigid common casing. An important reason for the provision of a coupling, however, is that a coupling enables the angle of rotation of the two worm shafts to be mutually adjusted on assembly, in order to ensure that the two lifting spindle systems will work with optimum synchronism, so that when the drive motor is automatically switched off these systems will press the lance against the coupling head with as precisely equal a force as possible on both sides.

Drive for automatic lance change devices


Herein we disclose a composition, comprising a siloxane resin having the formula (HSiO3/2)a. (SiO4/2)b(HSiX3/2)c(SiX4/2)d, wherein each X is independently —O—, —OH, or —O—(CH2)m—Zn, wherein each m is independently an integer from 1 to about 5, Z is an 5 aromatic moiety, and each n is independently an integer from 1 to about 6; 0<a<1, 0<b<1, 0<c<1, 0<d<1, and a+b+c+d=1. We also disclose methods for preparing the siloxane resin composition and a method of preparing an anti-reflective coating on a substrate, wherein the anti-reflective coating is derived from the siloxane resin composition.

The present invention relates generally to the field of antireflective coatings for use in fabricating semiconductor devices. More particularly, it relates to antireflective coatings formed from dyed siloxane resins.
Photolithography is a known technique in the art of semiconductor fabrication. In a typical photolithography process, a semiconductor wafer is coated with a barrier layer, aka. an anti-reflective coating (ARC) layer. Thereafter, a photoresist layer is coated on the ARC layer. The photoresist/ARC/semiconductor wafer is then brought into proximity to a source of electromagnetic radiation (EM), typically ultraviolet light (UV) having a wavelength from about 150 nm to about 300 nm, and a mask is interposed between the EM source and the photoresist/ARC/semiconductor wafer. The mask is generally opaque to the wavelength of EM used, but has transparent regions defining a desired pattern to be imparted to the photoresist layer.
When the source emits EM, the mask allows exposure of EM to particular and user-defined regions of the photoresist layer. Both positive photoresists and negative photoresists are known. In a positive photoresist, the regions of photoresist exposed to UV, as well as the regions of the ARC layer thereunder, will be sacrificed during subsequent developing steps. In a negative photoresist, the regions of photoresist which are not exposed to UV, as well as the regions of the ARC layer thereunder, will be sacrificed during subsequent developing steps.
Regardless of the details of the photolithography process, an ARC layer desirably has several properties. One property is a relatively high extinction coefficient, i.e., a relatively strong ability to absorb the wavelength of EM used, rather than reflect the EM up to the photoresist layer. A second property is a relatively low resistance to liquid stripping agents, such as diluted hydrofluoric acid, in order to more quickly and easily be removed after photolithography and minimize the extent of damage by a stripping agent to the low-k dielectric material on a wafer.

Siloxane resin-based anti-reflective coating composition having high wet etch rate


In a connector of the invention, a female housing 30 which is adapted to accommodate a female connector terminal includes a female terminal locking lance (32) which prevents the dislocation of a female connector terminal accommodated in a female terminal accommodation hole (31), a tab insertion opening (33) through which a tab is inserted into a terminal fitting portion of the female connector terminal held in the female terminal accommodation hole (31), and a tapered guide surface (34) which is formed on an opening edge of the tab insertion opening (33), and further, the female terminal locking lance (32) is formed so as to deviate in a widthwise direction of the female connector terminal with respect to a center axis (C31) of the female terminal accommodation hole (31).

Various types of connectors have been proposed in which a female terminal locking lance is equipped in a first housing adapted to accommodate and hold a female connector terminal for preventing the dislocation of a female connector terminal accommodated therein.
FIG. 15 shows the construction of a distal end portion of a first housing 101 of a connector of this type. In the case of the connector of this type, as also disclosed in Patent Literature 1 below, a tab insertion opening 102 and tapered guide surfaces 103 are provided at the distal end portion of the first housing 101.
The tab insertion opening 102 is a hole through which a tab of a male tab terminal is inserted into a terminal fitting portion of a female connector terminal which is held in a female terminal accommodation hole 111 in the first housing 101. The tab insertion opening 102 is formed so as to communicate with a distal end of the female terminal accommodation hole 111.
The guide surfaces 103 are tapered surfaces which guide the tab to the center of the tab insertion opening 102 when the tab of the male tab terminal is inserted into the tab insertion hole 102. The guide surfaces 103 are formed around an opening edge of the tab insertion opening 102.
In the conventional connector, as show in FIG. 15, a female terminal locking lance 121 which prevents the dislocation of a female connector terminal is provided so that a widthwise center axis Lc thereof is caused to coincide with a center axis of the female terminal accommodation hole 111.


A power consumption reduction method for a mobile radio station in a digital mobile radio system is proposed. During a dedicated mode of the mobile radio station in which the mobile radio station should perform power measurements on BCCH carriers of neighboring cells, as many as possible measurements are squeezed in a single frame, within the stabilizing capabilities of a frequency synthesizer comprised in the mobile radio station. Next succeeding frames are freed of power measurements. In the time intervals freed from power measurements, the mobile radio station adopts a power down mode so that considerable power savings are achieved.

The present invention relates to a power consumption reduction method in a digital mobile radio system as defined in the preamble of claim 1.
The present invention further relates to a mobile radio station.
Such a power consumption reduction method is described in Chapter 8.1.3 of the Draft European Telecommunication Standard ETS 300 578, Ninth Edition, March 1997 as published by ETSI, xe2x80x9cGSM Digital cellular telecommunications system (Phase 2); Radio subsystem link control (GSM 05.08)xe2x80x9d. Generally, in digital mobile radio systems, such as a GSM system, RF power control is employed to minimize the transmit power required by a mobile or a base station subsystem whilst maintaining the quality of the radio links. By minimizing the transmit power levels, interference to co-channel users is reduced. Moreover, in a mobile it is important to save power because increased battery life increases call times and standby times. For the latter reason, manufacturers of mobiles are continuously striving to reduce power consumption in mobiles. In Chapter 8.1.3 of said ETSI document, it is prescribed how a mobile, in a dedicated mode, i.e. when assigned to a traffic channel or to a dedicated control channel, should perform received signal strength measurements on BCCH carriers of neighbouring cells. Such BCCH carriers are broadcast control channels for broadcasting general information on a transceiver base station per base transceiver station basis. In GSM, radio frequency channels are defined, and numbers are allocated to all the radio frequency channels available to the system. Each cell is allocated a subset of these channels, defined as the cell allocation. The BCCH carrier is a special radio frequency channel of the cell allocation which is used to carry synchronization information and said general information, including the organization of the so-called common control channels such as paging channels, random access channels, and access grant channels used for setting up radio links between mobiles and the GSM network. In Chapter 8.1.3, it is described that a mobile shall perform at least one power measurement on a neighbour cell carrier in evert TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) frame. The measurements are reported to the radio network via a control channel. The radio network can make a handover decision on the basis of these measurements and/or on the basis of further measurements in the mobile and/or the radio network. The described method is not optimal as regards power saving in the mobile.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a power consumption reduction method in a mobile radio system whilst a mobile radio station is in a dedicated mode, in which power measurements on neighbour cells are optimized.
To this end the power consumption reduction method as defined in the preamble of claim has the characterizing features as claimed in the characterizing part of claim 1. Herewith, the mobile can be powered down during greater periods of time so that more power savings are obtained.
The present invention is based upon the insight that optimum use of the mobile""s hardware, i.e. quick synthesizer stabilization and performing an optimum number of measurements per frame, creates the possibility to squeeze more measurements in a single frame, and that, therefore, other frames can contain less power measurements or even no power measurements at all. In these xe2x80x98silentxe2x80x99 periods, the mobile can adopt a power down mode. Herewith, more power savings are obtained as when applying the GSM Standard, and thus a longer call and standby time of the mobile. It is realized that the claimed method goes against the GSM Standard, but a proposal could be made for modifying the Standard. Furthermore, the far more optimal method as claimed in claim 1 could advantageously be applied in future mobile radio standards.
Embodiments are claimed in the dependent claims.

Power consumption reduction method in a digital mobile radio system and a mobile radio station


The present invention relates to a reconfigurable holding device comprising a first plate, a second plate and a joint piece. The first plate includes a first arm and a second arm to rest an electronic device on the first arm. The second plate includes a third arm and a fourth arm. The joint piece can be a hinge wherein one end of the hinge is fixed to the first arm and the other end is fixed to the third arm so that the first plate and the second plate can be held at a post-pivot angle.

The U.S. Pat. No. 6,845,954B1 ┌Kinematically Reconfigurable Camera Mount┘ discloses the support member is configured to either rest the bottom support surface on a generally horizontal surface of an object on which to place the camera supporting device or to engage the lower inwardly arched surface with a vertical front surface and a horizontal top surface forming an edge of an object on which to place the camera supporting device. However, with the flexible legs, the U.S. Pat. No. 6,845,954B1 can only achieve small curvature, thus, noticeably; the supporting device hangs loose on an electronic machine with thick, or even thin, front and rear walls.
In view of the shortcomings of said known device, the inventor of the present invention studied hard and devised an improved lying/hanging holding device intended to be hung on electronic machines with different thickness.


The instant invention relates to the field of protein production and purification, and in particular to compositions and processes for controlling the distribution or amount of lysine variants expressed by host cells, as well as to compositions and processes for controlling the amount of lysine variants present in purified preparations.

Large-scale production of proteins for biopharmaceutical applications involves the use of cell cultures that are known to produce proteins exhibiting varying levels of heterogeneity. One potential source of heterogeneity involves C-terminal lysine residues, such as those typically found on the heavy chains of antibody molecules. C terminal lysines can be lost, so that individual antibodies in a production batch can vary at their C terminus as to whether a lysine residue is present. C-terminal lysines can be potentially present on both the heavy chains of an antibody (Lys 2), on either one of the heavy chains (Lys 1), or neither of them (Lys 0). Since lysine can carry a positive charge, antibodies lacking the basic C-terminal lysine(s) differ in the charge state from the ones that contain the lysine, so that the distribution of lysine variants (% Lys 0, % Lys 1, % Lys 2 of the total Lysine Sum) can be detected by ion-exchange chromatographic methods, such as analysis employing a ProPac WCX-10 Weak Cation-Exchange column for the high-resolution separation of protein isoforms (Dionex, Calif.), and subsequently quantified.
The C-terminal lysine heterogeneity is commonly observed in biopharmaceutical antibodies and proteins. For instance, in the process of manufacture of Remicade (Infliximab), the heterogeneity during the fermentation was approximately 20% (Lys 0 and Lys 1) and 80% (Lys 2) (US Patent Application publication US2010/0297697A1). Other examples are detailed in a review article on lysine variants (Harris R, "Processing of C-terminal lysine and arginine residues of proteins isolated from mammalian cell culture" Journal of Chromatography A, 705 129-134 (1995)).
The present study is directed to cell culture methods to modulate a product quality attribute of recombinant proteins. Specifically, the invention provides methods for influencing the relative distribution of the different C-terminal lysine variants of the product antibody obtained from the cell culture harvest. C-terminal lysine can be potentially present on both the heavy chains of the antibody (Lys 2), on either one of them (Lys 1) or neither of them (Lys 0). Since, antibodies lacking the basic C-terminal lysine(s) differ in the charge state from the ones that contain the lysine, the distribution of lysine variants (% Lys 0, % Lys 1, % Lys 2 of the total Lysine Sum) can be detected by ion-exchange chromatographic methods such as WCX-10 and subsequently quantified (FIG. 1).

Methods to modulate lysine variant distribution