A method for forming upon a substrate employed within a microelectronics fabrication a dielectric layer. There is provided a substrate upon which is formed a patterned microelectronics layer. There is then formed upon and over the substrate at least one low dielectric constant dielectric layer formed employing a spin-on-polymer (SOP) low dielectric constant dielectric material. There is then cured the low dielectric constant dielectric layer at an elevated temperature. There is then subsequently annealed the low dielectric constant dielectric layer at a temperature selected to be lower than the curing temperature For a selected time interval so as to attenuate shrinkage and stabilize physical and chemical properties of the dielectric layer

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of dielectric layers employed within microelectronics fabrications. More particularly, this invention relates to the formation of dielectric layers disposed among inter-level metallization and conductive layers within microelectronics fabrications.
2. Description of the Related Art
The manufacture of microelectronics fabrications makes use of conductor and semiconductor layers formed and patterned upon substrates to form electrical circuits. It is necessary to separate these electrically conducting layers from each other by insulating layers of dielectric material. In addition to being non-conductors of electricity, these dielectric layers must be capable of being formed to exacting physical specifications and must be able to withstand subsequent microelectronics fabrication operations and device operating conditions. Of particular importance is the ability to function satisfactorily over a wide range of temperature.
Advances in speed and performance requirements, along with decreases in dimensions and ground rules for microelectronics devices, have made the requirements placed upon such dielectric layers more stringent with respect to lowering the xe2x80x9crelative dielectric constantxe2x80x9d of the dielectric layers i.e. the dielectric constant relative to vacuum, hereinafter referred to for brevity as the dielectric constant). Lower dielectric constant dielectric layers are desirable disposed between and around the patterned microelectronics conductor layers within microelectronics fabrications since such lower dielectric constant dielectric layers typically provide microelectronics fabrications with reduced parasitic capacitance and attenuated patterned conductor layer cross-talk
Within the art of microelectronics fabrication, it is conventional to employ dielectric layers formed from silicon containing dielectric materials. Silicon containing dielectric materials including but not limited to silicon oxide dielectric materials, silicon nitride dielectric materials and silicon oxynitride dielectric layers formed between and around patterned microelectronics conductor layers within microelectronics fabrications are generally satisfactory. However, such dielectric materials typically exhibit dielectric constant values which range from about 4.0 to about 9.0 when formed into dielectric layers formed between and around patterned conductor layers, and it is therefore desirable to employ alternate methods and materials for forming dielectric layers having lower dielectric constants.
Of the methods and materials which may be employed for forming lower dielectric constant dielectric constant dielectric layers disposed between and around the patterns of patterned microelectronics conductor layers within microelectronics fabrications, methods which employ dielectric materials with intrinsically low dielectric constants are particularly desirable within the art of microelectronics fabrication. Such alternative low dielectric constant dielectric layers may be formed on microelectronics substrates by spin coating of intrinsically low dielectric constant materials including but not limited to organic polymer spin-on-polymer (SOP) dielectric materials. Such dielectric layers typically exhibit somewhat lower dielectric constants than those of silicon containing dielectric materials, ranging from about 2.5 to about 3.0. In particular, organic polymer spin-on-polymer (SOP) dielectric materials which may be employed for forming dielectric layers include but are not limited to polyimide organic polymer dielectric materials, poly (arylene ether) organic polymer dielectric materials and fluorinated poly (arylene ether) organic polymer dielectric materials. Such organic polymer spin-on-polymer (SOP) dielectric materials are typically thermally cured after spin coating in order Lo form stable dielectric layers from the spin-on-polymer (SOP) dielectric materials. The thermal curing process is generally regarded as necessary to accomplish the removal of solvents, plasticizers and related substances from the organic polymer dielectric layer, as well as to insure the proper degree of polymerization within the organic polymer dielectric layer.
The magnitude of the dielectric constant as well as the stability of the physical and chemical properties of the spin-on-polymer dielectric layer are largely determined by the degree of polymerization of the organic polymer and the amount of residual material remaining within the organic polymer dielectric layer. Hence conventional curing methods after forming organic polymer spin-on-polymer (SOP) dielectric layers employed in the art of microelectronics fabrication by spin coating generally employ thermal annealing at elevated temperatures and may also employ specified environmental conditions during the curing process.
Particularly suited to use between multiple interconnection conductor patterns as inter-level metallization dielectric (IMD) layers are organic polymer dielectric materials. Such organic polymer materials as, for example, the poly (arylene ether) thermoplastic polymers possess outstanding dielectric properties such as low dielectric constant and high breakdown voltage, and are readily formed into dielectric layers employing spin-on-polymer (SOP) coating methods. With appropriate curing, such organic polymers may be employed in conventional microelectronics fabrications wherein resistance to thermal and environmental stresses is a significant requirement.
The application of organic polymer dielectric layers as dielectric layers disposed around and between conductor layers as inter-level metallization dielectric (IMD) layers is not without its problems. The organic polymer dielectric layer must be properly cured to avoid physical or dielectric degradation such as shrinkage and other problems due to subsequent thermal excursions after formation and curing of the dielectric layer. In applications where there is contact with other organic chemicals and solvents, as in photolithography and cleaning processes as are conventionally employed in the art of microelectronics fabrication, the stability of the dielectric layer must be sufficient to withstand such exposure.
Although desirable for having relatively lower dielectric constant values, spin-on-polymer (SOP) dilectric materials which are employed for forming spin-on-polymer (SOP) dielectric layers in microelectronics fabrications are not without additional problems. In particular, curing of spin-on-polymer (SOP) dielectric layers by thermal annealing at an elevated temperature after conventional spin coating often results in incomplete or non-uniform stability of the resulting cured dielectric layer, particularly with respect to subsequent changes in physical or in chemical properties when the dielectric layer is exposed to additional thermal stresses and/or environmental conditions analogous to the curing conditions during operation of the device.
It is therefore towards the goal of forming within microelectronics fabrications low dielectric constant dielectric layers formed from spin-on-polymer (SOP) dielectric materials, while forming the low dielectric constant dielectric layers with attenuated shrinkage and stabilized physical and chemical properties, that the present invention is more generally directed.
Various methods and materials and associated microelectronics structures have been disclosed within the art of microelectronics fabrication for forming between and around patterned microelectronics conductor layers within microelectronics fabrications low dielectric constant dielectric layers.
For example, Mercer, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,005, discloses a composition of two organic polymers which upon mixing cure to form a dielectric layer useful as electrical insulation between and around conductive or semiconductive layers. One of the components is an aromatic polymer with a preponderance of a single repeat unit, and the other component is a compatible reactive material such as an acetylene, maleimide, vinyl-terminated polyimide or precursor thereof
Further, Ahn et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,593,720, disclose a method for forming a multilevel electronic package structure comprising at least two levels of dielectric layers and conductive vias. The dielectric layers are formed from a first layer of poly(aryl ether benzimidazole) upon which is coated a second layer of polyamic acid, the two layers reacting to form a product layer which is then thermally cured to form a polyimide dielectric layer through which conductive copper through vias are formed.
Finally, Lou, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,759,906, discloses a method for forming a planar dielectric layer upon a patterned conductor layer upon a substrate to provide multilevel electrical interconnections. The method employs either spin-on-glass (SOG) or spin-on-polymer (SOP) dielectric materials in a multi-step process wherein the dielectric layer is built of at least four separate coating and baking cycles to form the completed dielectric layer. The dielectric layers are thermally cured after formation by electron beam heating.
Desirable in the art of microelectronics fabrication are additional methods and materials which may be employed for forming a dielectric layer with a relatively low dielectric constant disposed between and around patterned microelectronics conductor layers within a microelectronics fabrication, where the low dielectric constant dielectric layer is cured so as to be able to undergo subsequent thermal excursions with attenuated shrinkage and with stabilized physical and chemical properties.
It is towards the foregoing goals that the present invention is both generally and more specifically directed.
A first object of the present invention is to provide a method for forming upon a substrate within a microelectronics fabrication a dielectric layer.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a method in accord with the first object of the present invention, where there is formed disposed between and around a patterned microelectronics conductor layer upon the substrate employed within the microelectronics fabrication a low dielectric constant dielectric layer with attenuated shrinkage and stabilized physical and chemical properties.
A third object of the present invention is to provide a method in accord with the first object of the present invention or the second object of the present invention, where there is formed disposed between and around the patterned microelectronics conductor layer within a semiconductor substrate employed within an integrated circuit microelectronics fabrication at least one low dielectric constant dielectric layer formed employing organic polymer low dielectric constant spin-on-polymer (SOP) dielectric material which is subsequently cured to achieve attenuated shrinkage and stabilized physical and chemical properties.
A fourth object of the present invention is to provide a method in accord with the first object of the present invention, the second object of the present invention and/or the third object of the present invention, where the method is readily commercially implemented.
In accord with the objects of the present invention, there is provided by the present invention a method for forming from an organic polymer spin-on-polymer (SOP) dielectric material upon a substrate within a microelectronics fabrication a low dielectric constant dielectric layer. To practice the method of the present invention, there is first provided a substrate. There is formed upon the substrate a patterned microelectronics layer. There is then formed disposed between and around the patterns of the patterned microelectronics layer a dielectric layer formed employing an organic polymer low dielectric constant spin-on-polymer (SOP) dielectric thermally shrinkable material. There is then annealed for a first time interval the low dielectric constant dielectric layer at an elevated temperature. There is then annealed the low dielectric constant dielectric layer for a second time interval at a selected temperature lower than the first annealing temperature so that the shrinkage of the dielectric layer is attenuated and physical and chemical properties are stabilized with respect to subsequent thermal and environmental excursions.
The present invention provides a method for forming upon a substrate employed within a microelectronics fabrication a low dielectric constant dielectric layer employing an organic polymer spin-on-polymer (SOP) dielectric thermally shrinkable material. The formation and first annealing of the dielectric layer is followed by a second annealing step at selected temperatures for selected times to attenuate shrinkage and stabilize the physical and chemical properties of the dielectric layer.
The method of the present invention employs methods and materials as are generally known in the art of microelectronics fabrication. Since it is a novel ordering of methods, materials and process limits which provides at least in part the present invention, rather than the existence of methods and materials which provides the present invention, the method of the present invention is readily commercially implemented.

Reduction of shrinkage of poly(arylene ether) for low-K IMD

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company


A facility is provided in wireless communications system which causes a base station to substitute predetermined signals for speech and/or noise signals that are received from a wireless station that has entered a muting request, in which the predetermined signals, may be, for example, silence.

Hands-free (speakerphone) telephone stations are widely used in conference calls. Disadvantageously, if such telephone stations do not employ sophisticated noise cancellation techniques, then the background noise that is "picked up" at a hands-free station that is being used to monitor a conference call will, nevertheless, be transmitted to the other participants (conferees). Such background noise could be very annoying to the other participants. For this and other reasons, a hands-free telephone station is typically equipped with a so-called muting button that "mutes" all voice (including background noise) transmissions whenever the muting button is operated. Thus, a conferee who has operated the muting button on his/her hand-free station set may listen to the other participants in a conference call without being heard by them. (It is apparent that the foregoing also applies to a conventional wireless (cellular) station set.)
The values of respective voice/signal samples generated by a cellular/wireless station set are set to zero whenever a user of a hands-free wireless station operates the muting button during a telephone call. The setting of the voice signals to zero signifies the absence of a voice, which means that voice messages from the wireless mobile station set to a base station ceases during the time that the mute feature/function is set.
As is well-known, the wireless link over which voice messages are transmitted from a wireless station to a base station is very susceptible to (a) distortion due to shadowing, (b) fading effects due to multipath transmission, (c) the motion of wireless station, and (c) channel noise. The messages that are received at a base station via a noisy channel will then most likely contain an appreciable number of errors, many of which are not correctable. Consequently, such errors distort the signals that the base station outputs for that channel, and such signals are transmitted to a receiver as intrusive noise. In fact, the level of such noise could become very annoying to the listener. If the wireless station is participating in a conference connection, then it is likely that because of such noise, the other conferees may insist that the wireless participant disconnect from the conference connection.

Method of muting a non-speaking cellular telephone caller participating in a conference call


Methods and systems are disclosed to enable users of mobile devices to have an easy out of the box experience. In some examples, during the initial powering on of a mobile device, subsequent powering on of the mobile device, or at user direction, the device queries a user about connecting to an alternate wireless access network supported by the mobile device and upon receiving an indication from the user of the mobile device to proceed with the connection to the alternate wireless access network, connects the mobile device to an alternate wireless access network.

3GPP, or the 3rd Generation Partnership Project, is a collaboration agreement that was established in December 1998 between various organizations including: ETSI (Europe), ARIB/TTC (Japan), CCSA (China), ATIS (North America) and TTA (South Korea). The scope of 3GPP was to make a globally applicable third generation (3G) mobile phone system specification. Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) is the most popular standard for mobile phones in the world. The 3GPP specifications are based on the evolution of the GSM specifications, now generally known as the UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System).
Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) lets wireless service providers merge cellular networks and IP-based wireless networks into one seamless service with one mobile device, one user interface, and a common set of network services for both voice and data. The UMA solution converges cellular networks with any IP-based wireless access network, such as IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX) networks, IEEE 802.20 Mobile Broadband Wireless Access (MBWA), Ultra Wideband (UWB) networks, 802.11 wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) networks, and Bluetooth networks. UMA has recently been accepted into release 6 of the 3GPP standard as a General Access Network (GAN).
With UMA or GAN, subscribers may move between the cellular networks and IP-based wireless networks with seamless voice and data session continuity as transparently as they move between cells within the cellular network. Seamless in-call handover between the IP-based wireless network and cellular network ensures that the user's location and mobility do not affect the services delivered to the user. The subscriber experiences service, location, and mobility transparency. Services may be identical when connected over the IP-based wireless network or the cellular network.
UMA effectively creates a parallel radio access network, the UMA network (UMAN), which interfaces to the mobile core network using existing mobility-enabled, standard interfaces. The mobile core network remains unchanged. The common mobile core network makes it possible to deliver full service and operational transparency. The existing service provider Business Support Systems (BSS), service delivery systems, content services, regulatory compliance systems, and Operation Support Systems (OSS) can support the UMA network without change. Service enhancements and technology evolution of the mobile core network apply transparently to both the cellular access and UMA networks.
As implementation of the technology expands, wireless service providers may face new obstacles. Users of dual mobile devices (such as those capable of functioning on both GSM and UMA networks) may dismiss the UMA wireless option as being unnecessary or may simply not be aware of such an option. Additionally, users typically feel a level of uncertainty in embracing new technologies. Therefore, wireless service providers may want to educate their subscribers about the existence and benefits of such technologies. These and other problems exist with respect to integrating wireless technology, such as UMA technology, into mobile devices.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method for operating a mobile device, such as providing an out of box connection system for UMA type mobile devices


A method and system are provided for adjusting power distribution to remote radio heads in a telecommunication network. Multiple buses are implemented in a configuration to individually distribute power to remote radio heads. Each bus is connected to a remote radio heads allowing the remote radio head to receive power on an individual basis and different from other remote radio heads. An eNodeB collects operational measurements from a cell site which are used to provide instructions to adjust the power to each bus and corresponding remote radio head.

In the telecommunications environment in wireless networks, the average backup power is typically restricted to four (4) hours to be shared among equipment. This limited amount of time leaves no options for load shedding or distributing load to equipment that needs power the most. Currently, power is allocated equally through battery strings to remote radio heads (RRHs). Backup systems use a single direct current (DC) bus for power distribution to the remote radio heads. Equal power distribution is inefficient and causes a shortage in battery backup time for radios with higher capacity. Therefore, a solution is needed that would allow power to be distributed variably.

Adaptive battery power distribution to remote radio heads in long term evolution (LTE) networks


A power generator may generate power using buoyancy having a fluid column contained by a tank having a sealable drain and a piston having a substantially hollow interior capable of being filled with a fluid. The piston has a sealable outlet, a vent, an inlet, and a lateral cross-section that is smaller than a lateral cross-section of the tank. A rod is connected to the piston and a power generator is connected to the rod. The piston operates from a first position near the top of the fluid column to a second position near the bottom of the fluid column. The piston moves from the first position to the second position as fluid is added to the inlet. The piston moves from the second position to the first position as the fluid is drained from the outlet.

The invention relates generally to the field of power generation. More particularly, the invention relates to the field of generating power and electricity using a body's buoyancy in a fluid.
Buoyancy is an upward force exerted by a fluid opposing the weight of a body immersed in the fluid. Particularly, in a column of fluid, pressure increases with depth as a result of the weight of the overlying fluid. An object submerged in the fluid experiences greater pressure at the bottom of the column than at the top. This difference in pressure results in a net force that tends to accelerate the body upwards. The magnitude of that force is proportional to the difference in the pressure between the top and the bottom of the column, and is also equivalent to the weight of the fluid that would otherwise occupy the column. For this reason, a body whose density is greater than that of the fluid in which it is submerged tends to sink. Likewise, a body whose density is less dense than the liquid or is shaped appropriately will float in the column and to the top of the column of water.
Density is defined as mass divided by volume. Therefore, changing the density of an object can occur by altering either the mass or the volume. When the mass or volume of a submerged object is changed so that it becomes less dense than the fluid (such as water), it will rise to the top of the column of water.
Water, both salt and fresh, is very plentiful on Earth. In many places, columns of water in the form of municipal water tanks are located in urban and suburban as well as rural areas. Likewise, columns of other fluids, such as petroleum or other viscous oils, are located in urban and suburban as well rural areas. These columns of fluids, or tanks, may be located above or below ground and may be subject to constant or periodic filling and refilling. Further, they sometimes comprise reservoirs, lakes, rivers, streams, and the like.
It is common for such tanks to be located adjacent areas of human activity requiring electrical power. For instance, buildings and roadways adjacent the column may utilize electrical power as indeed may the tank itself for heating or lighting purposes. There is a need in the art for new forms of generating electrical power, especially clean electrical power. There is likewise a need in the art for generating and/or providing electrical power adjacent developed areas, such as areas where a fluid-containing tank may be located.

Device and method for generating power using buoyancy


A first ultrasound dataset that represents an object in a first coordinate system can be acquired at a first time. Three landmarks of the object can be located in the first ultrasound dataset to define a second coordinate system. A first transform from the first to the second coordinate system can be determined for the first ultrasound dataset. A second ultrasound dataset that represents the object in the first coordinate system can be acquired at a second time. The same three landmarks in the second ultrasound dataset can be located to define a third coordinate system. A second transform from the first to the third coordinate systems can be determined for the second ultrasound dataset.

The present invention relates to the field of imaging in general, and more particularly, to ultrasound imaging.
One common method of assessing the efficacy of a given treatment for a disease is to compare ultrasound images of an affected tissue both before and after the treatment. Unfortunately, it may be difficult to compare the xe2x80x98beforexe2x80x99 and xe2x80x98afterxe2x80x99 images if some of the affected tissue is not present in both images or if the images are not aligned with respect to each other.
In stress-echo type heart studies, portions of the heart can be scanned before and after a stress test to provide corresponding before and after images of selected portions of the heart. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to scan the same portions of heart in the before and after tests using current technology. In particular, it can be difficult to reliably scan the same portion of the heart using a two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound system (or scanner). For example, during the before scan, the 2D scanner may capture a single xe2x80x9cslicexe2x80x9d of a portion of the heart under investigation. It may be difficult for the operator to capture the same portion of the heart after the stress test because, for example, the patient is breathing harder or because the heart is beating faster and moving to a greater extent within the patient""s body than before the stress test. This can mean that the before and after slices may not show the same portions of the heart and that a physician may have to mentally visualize the anatomy based on the differing 2D scans and correct for the differences between the before and after slices, which can be difficult.
Embodiments according to the present invention can provide methods and systems for aligning views of ultrasound data using transforms. Pursuant to these embodiments, a first ultrasound dataset that represents an object in a first coordinate system can be acquired at a first time. A plurality of landmarks of the object can be located in the first ultrasound dataset to define a second coordinate system. A first transform from the first to the second coordinate system can be determined for the first ultrasound dataset. A second ultrasound dataset that represents the object in the first coordinate system can be acquired at a second time. The same landmarks in the second ultrasound dataset can be located to define a third coordinate system. A second transform from the first to the third coordinate systems can be determined for the second ultrasound dataset.
By aligning the views, differences and similarities between the views may be readily observed, thereby possibly reducing the need to mentally visualize the anatomy, which can reduce the variability in diagnoses and lead to better treatment.
The present invention may allow two or more views of ultrasound image data to be aligned with respect to common anatomical features and display views of these features side by side while the stored data set is being recorded, is playing, or is paused, such as in a stress echo test. This may allow the user to directly compare ultrasound data acquired at different times, possibly from different locations and/or orientations. This may allow the data to be collected more quickly since the user may not have to examine as many views of the heart. Reducing the exam time may allow more patients to be seen in a day and help ensure that a stress echo test, taken after the patient""s heart rate has been increased through exercise or drugs, can occur during peak heart rate.
In some embodiments according to the present invention, a first view of image data in the first ultrasound dataset is displayed in the second coordinate system using the first transform and a second view of image data in the second ultrasound dataset is displayed in the third coordinate system aligned with the first view using the second transform. In some embodiments according to the present invention, the first and second views are displayed on a single display. In still other embodiments, the first and second views do not include any of the landmarks.
The act of locating a plurality of landmarks of the object in the first ultrasound dataset can be performed by locating a first one of the landmarks in a first view of image data in the first ultrasound dataset and a second one of the landmarks in a second view of image data in the first ultrasound dataset that is different from the first view.
In other embodiments according to the present invention, a series of first views of image data in the first ultrasound dataset are displayed and a series of second views of image data in the second ultrasound dataset are displayed, wherein respective ones of the first views are aligned with respective ones of the second views.
In still other embodiments according to the present invention, the first view of image data has an associated first time within a cycle associated with the object and the second view of image data has an associated second time within the cycle that is different than the first time.
In still other embodiments according to the present invention, views of ultrasound data can be provided so that the views appear to have been acquired from a different location and/or orientation. Pursuant to these embodiments, an object can be scanned to provide an ultrasound dataset that represents the object in a first coordinate system. A second coordinate system can be determined that is different than the first coordinate system. A transform can be determined for image data in the ultrasound dataset from the first coordinate system to the second coordinate system. A view of image data in the ultrasound dataset in the second coordinate system can be displayed using the transform. In some embodiments according to the present invention, the transform can be determined by locating at least three landmarks of the object in the ultrasound dataset.
In further embodiments according to the present invention, the transform can be changed based on user input to provide a second transform and a second view of image data in the ultrasound dataset which can be displayed using the second transform. In some embodiments, the user input can be provided via a trackball or other type of input device. In still other embodiments, an instrument can be guided in a body that contains the object based on the view while scanning is performed.

Methods and systems for aligning views of image data


A process for the agglomeration of powder or dust of alumina containing material (herein referred to as "alumina powder"), wherein an aqueous slurry of the alumina powder is formed, the slurry containing a sufficient quantity of an inorganic binder comprising a polymer form of a hydroxy salt of aluminum. The slurry is subjected to a spray drying operation to form agglomerated granules of the alumina powder, and the granules then are calcined at an elevated temperature for their consolidation. The alumina containing material comprises Al.sub.2 O.sub.3.nH.sub.2 O, wherein n is in the range of from 0 to 3.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for the agglomeration of alumina containing material substantially comprising Al.sub.2 O.sub.3.nH.sub.2 O where n is in the range of from zero to 3. The invention also relates to agglomerated granules produced by that process.
2.Description of the Prior Art
Fine powder or dust of such alumina containing material (herein called "alumina powder") is difficult to handle and has poor flow characteristics. As a consequence, by-product alumina powder from the Bayer process presents difficulties. In the Bayer process, precipitated alumina trihydrate is filtered, dried and calcined to yield high purity alumina product of a relatively narrow size spectrum, for use in an electrolytic smelting operation. By-product alumina powder, referred to as fines, superfines and sometimes as ESP dust, is recovered by multicyclones and/or electrostatic precipitator collectors from the calcining stage and typically has an average particle size of less than 30 .mu.m. In addition to being difficult to handle and having poor flow characteristics, by-product alumina powder can not be readily digested if recycled to the hot caustic digestion stage of the Bayer process. Also, if added to the alumina product for use in the smelting operation, it increases the size range and dustiness of the product.
There is a need to be able to agglomerate alumina powder into a coarser product of a size range which approximates the preferred size range for the smelting operation. However, there also can be benefit in ceramics manufacturing in being able to agglomerate fine alumina powder, whether this is ESP dust or is from another source.
In ceramics manufacturing, fine micron sized ceramic powders are agglomerated by spray drying, using an organic polymer, such as PVA, as a binder. The purpose, however, is to make weak granules that act as a flowable precursor to facilitate pressing of low porosity green bodies of ceramics, prior to firing. However, these granules are essentially friable and weakly bonded, and may be degraded when handled or transported. Thus, agglomeration with such organic polymers is of limited benefit.
We have found that alumina powder can be agglomerated by use of a suitable inorganic binder.

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Organisation


A birdfeeder having a one-touch removable base portion and a stationary upper main body portion is provided. The one-touch removable base portion serves as the bottom of the birdfeeder and may have a generally circular housing wherein a spring tensioned pin moves from a closed First Position A to an open Second Position B within the circular housing of the base portion. The components of the one-touch removable base portion are protected from the outside elements by being located underneath the bottom of the birdfeeder. A first end of the movable pin extends outside the generally circular housing of the base portion and locks the removable base portion housing into the stationary upper main body portion of the birdfeeder. The birdfeeder further has a movable exterior guard which selectively either allows access to a feeding port or blocks access to the feeding port.

A birdfeeder having a one-touch removable base portion and a stationary upper main body portion is provided. A removable lid is located at the top of the stationary upper main body portion. The one-touch removable base portion serves as the bottom of the birdfeeder and may have a generally circular housing wherein a spring tensioned pin moves from a closed First Position A to an open Second Position B within the circular housing of the base portion. The components of the one-touch removable base portion are protected from the outside elements by being located underneath the bottom of the birdfeeder. Within the removable base housing, a generally cylindrical activation ring surrounds a movable pin and allows a user to move the movable pin from the closed First Position A to the open Second Position B with one hand. A first end of the movable pin extends outside the generally circular housing of the base portion and locks the removable base portion housing into the stationary upper main body portion of the birdfeeder. The birdfeeder further has a movable exterior guard which selectively either allows access to a feeding port or blocks access to the feeding port located on the side of the stationary upper main body portion of the birdfeeder. In an embodiment, the movable exterior guard is cylindrical in shape.
Attempts have been made to provide a birdfeeder which has a removable bottom and/or a feeding port which may be temporarily covered. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,686 to Furlani discloses a selective bird feeder having a cylindrical, transparent feed container located inside a concentric, coaxial, transparent shroud. The shroud is supported on the container by a spring for movement between a bird feeding position and a position in which heavier birds or animals cause the shroud to block access to the feed. Perches are supported on the shroud adjacent access openings in the shroud and container. Light birds can obtain feed through the openings while heavier ones or animals cannot.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 6,945,192 to Cote discloses a squirrel proof bird feeder wherein a lower movable shroud which extends about a lower portion of the feed container having feed access openings therein, a spring member biasing the shroud to a position wherein feed container access openings and shroud access openings are substantially aligned while permitting the shroud access opening to move out of alignment with the feed container access opening when a predetermined weight is placed on the shroud. An adjustment is provided for adjusting the weight required to move the shroud.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,678,507 to Kassner discloses a bird feeder having a cylindrical shape which is hung by a loop on the top of a wire which runs through the center of the full length of the feeder. A beveled upper edge on the bottom closure, and spring perches, and no other protruding parts along the full length of the feeder prevent squirrels from securing a position on the feeder. There are no moving parts, and all parts are highly weather resistant.
Still further, U.S. Pat. No. 4,977,859 to Kilham discloses a feed device for birds in which a feed distribution assembly is mounted at the bottom of a feed container. The distribution assembly includes a downwardly outwardly slanted lower wall which forces seed to the inner outside peripheral surfaces of the assembly against an intermediate wall which includes openings therethrough. Such openings are normally partially aligned with similar openings formed in an encircling band about the intermediate wall which band is adjustably rotatable thereon such that the desire rate of feed distribution is dependent on the species to be attracted and the seed size utilized.
However, these birdfeeders fail to provide a birdfeeder with a one-touch removable base. Further, these patents fail to disclose a birdfeeder having a movable exterior guard which selectively either allows a bird access to a feeding port or blocks access to the feeding port by the bird (or other animal) based on weight which is also reliable and easy to use.

Birdfeeder having one-touch removable base


An electronic livestock record system stores the individual animal's identification and performance data on a programmable electronic identification and data storage module carried with the animal so that the animal's identification, the animal's performance data and the animal itself become one. The system includes a programmable electronic identification and data storage module carried by the animal, and a reading and recording device which communicates with the electronic identification and data storage module.

Since 1960, the livestock industry has embraced the concept of genetic evaluation of livestock based on objective measures of economically important traits. This transition from purely subjective visual appraisal to genetic predictions based on objective measures began slowly, but today is routinely used for breeding stock in some species. Genetic evaluation has been accomplished in family owned breeding herds tied together for technology support by breed organizations that belong to federations that have provided guidelines for genetic evaluation. These breeding herds and their associations have demonstrated the desirability for making genetic change by selecting certain animals to use as parents of the next generation.
More recently, since 1980, the livestock industry and more particularly certain livestock species, have embraced the concept of value-based marketing of animals and their products. In a value-based marketing system, the pricing of livestock is based on the performance value of the livestock such that the livestock species in the industry can respond to current and future consumer demand. The value-based marketing system requires record keeping and data collection systems that include coverage of breeding stock, commercial stock, and actual product value at the processing level. A codified program based on a data collection system would allow for a fair comparison of an animal's performance with contemporary livestock groups tied together by sophisticated statistical analyses using entire data bases of livestock breeds.
Currently, codified performance programs are operating in the beef, dairy, swine, and sheep industries, but except for the dairy industry the majority of records involve only breeding stock, not commercial stock. Electronic identification devices and systems have provided a good method for merely providing identification of livestock for such codified performance programs. Typically, electronic identification systems utilize a passive electronic identification device which is induced to power up and transmit its identification signal by an externally radiating source. These passive electronic identification devices may be a transponder carried with the individual animal on a collar (for feeding systems) as illustrated and described in Carroll U.S. Pat. No. 4,475,481, issued Oct. 9, 1984, entitled "Identification System" and in Kuzara U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,353, issued Jul. 31, 1984, entitled "Animal Feeding and Monitoring System," or a transponder implanted in the animal as illustrated and described in Pollack U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,328, issued Aug. 8, 1989, entitled "Animal Monitoring Telltale and Information System" and in Hanton U.S. Pat. No. 4,262,632, issued Apr. 21, 1981, entitled "Electronic Livestock Identification System." Electronic identification devices have not, however, been widely accepted as a means for running a codified performance program at the field level on commercial livestock nor actual product value when processed. Due to the difficulty in collecting livestock performance records using current methods of electronic identification only, industry wide participation has not developed. Industry wide participation is awaiting a simple record delivery system.
There thus remains a need for a simple record keeping and delivery system for gathering performance information of the livestock species and for the manipulation and assimilation of that information into values on which to base a pricing mechanism for livestock and their products. The system must be capable of coordinating industry activity to create global consumer demand for healthful animal products that can be produced profitably. A simple high-technology information system that is easily used and adapted by the livestock industry, industry-wide participation in information gathering and processing, and industry-wide dissemination of values for use in pricing and decision making coupled with a central information collection and dissemination organization is therefore needed.

Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc.


A magnetic-inductive flow measuring device includes measuring electrodes, each having an end face including a planar annular edge region surrounding a center region, each annular edge region configured to seat against a sealing surface of an inner mold such that the center region of the end face does not contact the inner mold during the injection molding of a measuring tube body. A method for manufacturing the magnetic-inductive flow measuring device includes steps of providing and positioning an inner mold, an outer mold and two measuring electrodes, where each annular edge region of each measuring electrode seats against its corresponding sealing surface of the inner mold such that the center region of the measuring electrode protrudes into the corresponding recess of the inner mold without contacting the inner mold.

The magnetic-inductive measuring principle has been used for a long time for flow measurements, wherein corresponding magnetic-inductive flow measuring devices have already undergone a large number of improvements and further developments. Depending on field of use of the magnetic-inductive flow measuring devices, the manufacturing process of these flow measuring devices can vary. For cost effective flow measuring devices, it has been found to be advantageous to manufacture a measuring tube of a magnetic-inductive flow measuring device by an injection molding method, wherein measuring electrodes of the flow measuring device are embedded in the cast material during the injection molding; see, for example, Disclosure document DE 202008017789 U1. Problematic in the case of such flow measuring devices are the transitions between measuring tube and measuring electrodes on a measuring tube inner wall, since the injection molds must be very precise at the position of the measuring electrodes, in order to assure a clean transition. Otherwise, injection molded material can partially cover the measuring electrodes in the region of the measuring tube inner wall or form a ledge in an edge region of the measuring electrodes, or a gap in the measuring tube lumen, either of which disturbs the flow of a medium in the measuring tube.

Magnetic-inductive flow meter with electrodes having annular edge regions


Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for efficiently processing graphical data using an electronic device are provided. A characteristic of graphical data may be identified and compared to a threshold. Based on whether the identified characteristic meets the threshold, the graphical data may be rendered either entirely by a first type of graphical processing unit or by both the first type of graphical processing unit and by a second type of graphical processing unit.

Electronic devices, and in particular portable electronic devices (e.g., portable media players and cellular telephones), often include a graphical display system for generating and rendering graphical data representations of two-dimensional and three-dimensional objects that may be animated on a display for presentation to a user. Such a graphical display system may include a first type of graphics processing unit configured to render three-dimensional graphical data and a second type of graphics processing unit configured to render only two-dimensional graphical data. The graphical display system may be operative to use one or the other of these different types of graphical processing units depending on the type of graphical data being rendered. However, due to processing limitations, power limitations, and other limitations of such electronic devices, certain graphical data rendering techniques may be compromised or forsaken.


An overhead vacuum assembly for recovering, storing and dispensing flowable packaging material including a flexible storage bag having an open upper end for receiving flowable packaging material, a dispensing valve mounted at the lower end of the bag, a liner or frame for maintaining the perimeter shape of the flexible bag, a cover mounted at the open upper end of the flexible bag, a fan motor assembly, including a filter, mounted to the cover for creating a vacuum in the bag and a hose mounted to the cover. The filter acts as a deflector to evenly distribute the loose fill throughout the bag during the recovery process. The cover may have a pyramidal shape and tear-away panels for ease of maintenance.

Flowable packaging materials are a form of dunnage which are now typically manufactured of expanded or extruded polystyrene or organic starch based product in various preselected shapes, such as a figure "8" or an "S" shape. The materials now in use are intended to provide readily flowable, light-weight dunnage of high volumetric efficiency and good strength in compression. The cost and ease of handling flowable packaging materials permit them to be used with great advantage over other types of packaging because an article to be protected within an outer container can very quickly be surrounded with an encompassing cushion of loose fill, at very low added cost and with virtually no, or very low, shipping penalty.
Large users of flowable packaging materials have their materials delivered by large trucks. The material is then blown through a mass delivery system. Individual users typically receive their materials in plastic bags of approximately 15 cubic feet or less capacity. Most typically, an overhead storage bag or hopper (or alternatively referred to herein as a dispenser bag) is then built above a dispensing location, and the bag or hopper feeds the loose fill by gravity down into the area of use. To fill the bag or hopper with material, the bag or hopper must be lowered to be filled or a ladder must be employed to load either small quantities (in the recycling case) or large quantities (in the case of preparations for dispensing for shipping purposes). Many large scale systems, (as further described herein) have been designed to solve loose fill handling for dispensing purposes. To date, however, there has been little attention paid to the small end user who also has material handling problems although on a smaller scale.
For large shippers who package with flowable material, a main concern is the efficient transport of a large volume of material from the storage location to the dispensing location. U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,830 to Fuss describes such a system wherein one or more air blowers are used to feed flowable material through large air plenums to a dispensing station over a hopper which collects spilled material for recycling. U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,235 to Green describes a similar system having a large storage bag that feeds a plurality of dispensing bags via an air conveying system. Neither of these systems, however, is particularly suitable for shippers or their customers who receive flowable packaging material with incoming packages and who must deal with the mess of emptying the incoming packages of their contents as well as the cushioning loose fill packaging material.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,947,903 to Beckwith describes a material recovery apparatus that purports to solve this latter problem. The apparatus includes an overhead bin for storing recovered loose fill material, a vacuum assembly including a container inside the bin having a hinged bottom door for initially receiving the vacuumed material, a suction hose for picking up the loose fill, and a linkage for maintaining the bottom door closed during vacuuming, but which releases the door when the vacuum is off permitting the recovered material in the container to fall into the bin below. Use of such an apparatus enables a user to clean up spilled material or to recover material from incoming boxes. The apparatus, however, has a number of disadvantages. It takes up a large amount of room and may be unsuitable for storage areas that do not have raised ceilings. Storage capacity of the bin is reduced in view of the necessity of the separate container within the bin and the use of the hinged door that takes up even further space in the bin. The apparatus is also unable to continuously fill an empty bin prior to starting a large dispensing operation. In other words, the bin must be loaded one containerfull at a time, taking many operations to fill the dispenser.
It should, therefore, be appreciated that there is still a need for a compact, quiet, light-weight and easily assembled and maintained loose fill recovery and dispensing assembly. Such a device should also maximize the storage capacity of the dispensing bag and be readily adaptable to either the recovering process or the dispensing process. The present invention satisfies this need.

Overhead vacuum assembly for recovering, storing and dispensing flowable packaging materials


A method and apparatus wherein a travel limit/dampening device is coupled to the end of a screw of a linear ball screw actuator device for limiting the travel of an actuator extension coupled to a nut supported for linear driven displacement in either direction along the screw. The travel limit/dampening device includes a gas shock supported within a double acting reaction device reactive axially between the nut and screw when the extension is fully retracted and extended, respectively, to collapse the shock absorber and thereby dampen the movement of the extension at each end of its stroke.

Linear ball screw-type actuators are used in many applications to transmit linear motion in performing such operations as opening and closing, raising and lowering, pushing and pulling, advancing and retracting, and positioning various devices. In these devices a screw is typically supported within a relatively telescoping inner and outer tube for rotation by a motor and gear box assembly. A ball nut is mounted on the screw and coupled to the slidable inner tube, converting the rotary motion of the motor and screw to linear motion of the inner tube. The inner tube carries a clevis or other connector at its free end which is coupled to the device to be actuated.
Generally, stop washers or pins are provided on the screw at its opposite ends to halt the travel of the ball nut along the screw, thereby establishing fully extended and retracted inner tube stroke limits. The sudden stoppage of the ball nut as it impacts such stops imparts a jolting shock force to the actuator parts, which can be considerable, particularly when the actuator is under heavy load.

Ball screw and nut linear actuator assemblies and methods of cushioning their travel


A call-disposition analyzer (10) for determining whether calls placed by way of a private branch exchange (PBX) (12) have been completed employs current sensors (22) to monitor the trunk lines (16) that the PBX (12) uses. It thereby records the telephone numbers dialed over the trunk lines (16). It also detects supervisory and voice signals on the trunk lines (12) so as to determine of the call's disposition--i.e., typically, so as to determine whether the call went through successfully. It stores in a memory (60) the call-disposition estimate and tags it with the telephone number that was dialed to make the call. Subsequently, when the PBX (12) transmits a station-message data record (SMDR) for that call, the call-disposition analyzer (10) scans the record for a sequence of digits that match or nearly match any of the telephone numbers that it has stored, and it either forwards that SMDR to a call-accounting system (20) or withholds the SMDR in accordance with the call-disposition estimate tagged with the telephone number that matches or nearly matches a sequence in the SMDR. The call-disposition analyzer thus does not require information concerning the specific internal arrangement of the SMDR format that the PBX employs.

The present invention is directed to telephone equipment and in particular to call-disposition analyzers.
Many offices, hotels, and so forth have private branch exchanges (PBXs) for making connections between telephones at the local premises and trunk lines that connect the local premises to the public telephone network. Such equipment primarily performs switching functions, but many types additionally generate data, in the form of station message detail records ("SMDR records"), that can be used by call-accounting and other systems to keep track of various aspects of the telephone traffic that the PBX handles.
In the case of a hotel, one of the ways to which the information contained in the SMDR records is put to use is to enable the hotel to recover the cost of its customers' toll calls. Unfortunately, although the SMDR records do report PBX usage quite effectively, they are not typically arranged to indicate whether a given use resulted in a successful telephone call. As a result, the hotel may charge a guest for calls that were attempted but not completed. This affects guest relations adversely. Conversely, by treating all usages of less than, say, forty-five seconds as unanswered calls, the hotel can fail to obtain reimbursement for a call for which it is required to pay.
The obvious solution to this problem, of course, is to provide the PBX equipment with circuitry for determining whether the calls are completed. The PBX could then include the resulting information in the SMDR records. But most PBX users do not need this added capability and do not want to pay for it, so most PBX equipment does not include it. Moreover, most hotels have already made a considerable investment in their PBX equipment and would therefore be reluctant to replace it even to obtain the extra capability.
To deal with this problem, telephone-equipment manufacturers have produced "call-disposition analyzers" or "answer supervision devices," which can be installed on existing PBXs. A call-disposition analyzer monitors a PBX's trunk lines as well as the lines by which the PBX sends SMDR records to the hotel's call-accounting system. From the signals thus observed, the call-disposition analyzer infers the "disposition" of the call--i.e., it infers (at least) whether the call was completed. For instance, the call-disposition analyzer may monitor a given trunk line to detect various sequences of dial, supervisory, and voice signals that are symptomatic of call completion. Interposed between the PBX and the call-accounting system, it may then withhold the next SMDR record that designates that trunk line if the call-completion-identifying sequence did not appear; i.e., the call-accounting system may receive records only for completed calls.
This approach is quite effective, and it enables the hotel to recover its toll-call costs effectively without improperly charging guests. Unfortunately, the call-disposition analyzers currently available are somewhat elaborate and thus expensive, and they tend to be justified for only the largest hotels, i.e., those that have more than, say, two hundred rooms. Most hotels are smaller than this.
A major part of the reason for their relatively high cost is the complexity of the circuitry and programming required to infer call completion. This complexity results largely from the lack of uniformity among the SMDR formats used by the various types of PBX systems currently in use. A commercial call-disposition analyzer must be manufactured to include programming that makes it compatible with all or most of the types of PBXs on which it might be installed, and, when it actually is installed, it must be informed of the particular type of PBX with which it is to operate. Even these measures are not always adequate, moreover, since PBX manufacturers are not unfailingly so obliging as to notify call-disposition-analyzer manufacturer of SMDR-format changes.
Another contributor to call-disposition-analyzer cost is the need to monitor the trunk lines by which the PBXs are connected to the telephone network. Lines connected to the telephone network often are highly susceptible to noise. This noise usually does not detract significantly from actual telephone use; it contains mostly common-mode components, while the telephones operate on difference-mode signals. But the common-mode noise often results in significant voltages between the public-network ground and the monitoring-equipment ground, and such voltages can drive trunk-line-monitoring voltage sensors to distortion if measures are not taken that typically add to the system cost.


An improved method to dramatically reduce the time required to reorganize DB2 tablespaces and index files by not utilizing conventional sort techniques. Viewing access is allowed during the reorganization process by setting the files to read only status. The process is basically non-destructive, allowing a prompt return to the original state, and is checkpointed, allowing restarting at selected intervals. Briefly, the original table and indices are considered as A files and read into memory. New row IDs or RIDs are developed using a non-sorting technique so that the proper order of the data is developed. After the new RIDs have been developed, both the clustering index and the row data are read out of memory and written to a new table and clustering index files in the proper order as B files. All of the table files are then stopped to allow exclusive access. Next, a series of AMS statements are built to do the renaming operations. Specifically, a series of statements are built to rename all of the A files to X files, to rename all B files to A files and then to delete all of the X files. Then any remaining non-clustering indices are reorganized using non-sorting techniques and renamed in a similar fashion.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to reorganizing database data and index files, particularly DB2 tablespaces, into key order without utilizing conventional sorting procedures, while allowing the tablespaces to be viewed during reorganization and allowing prompt recovery or restarting of the process if interrupted before completion.
2. Description of the Related Art
Databases are used on computers for a myriad of reasons. In many cases the databases are extremely large, having entries in the millions. When databases reach this size, and the information is needed in a transactional or real time basis, mainframe computers are utilized. International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) has developed a database environment referred to as DB2 for use on its mainframes. Given IBM's high market percentage in mainframes, DB2 is clearly the leading database system.
A tablespace is the DB2 term used to identify a database. Tablespaces can be simple, segmented or partitioned. In a simple tablespace, the data is kept in one file and there may be a clustering index and other indices. A clustering index is the index where the keys are kept in sequential order and the data is preferably kept in this same order. In a segmented tablespace, many different logical data files or tables are kept in a single file and there may be a clustering index and other indices for each logical data file. There are no indices directed to multiple logical files. In a partitioned tablespace, the data is kept in different files, but there is a clustering index for each file. There may be additional indices directed to all of the partitions.
DB2 uses a balanced tree index structure. In this structure, root, tree and leaf pages are used, with each page at each level containing the same number of entries, except of course the last one. The leaf pages are the lowest level and each contains a number of entries referring to the actual data records contained in the DB2 data tables. Each leaf page is maintained in internal logical order automatically by DB2. Tree pages are the next level up, and are used to indicate the logical order of the leaf pages. For large databases, there may be many several layers of tree pages, a higher level of tree pages referencing a lower level of tree pages. Ultimately the number of tree pages is reduced such that all the entries or references fit into a single page referred to as the root page. As in leaf pages, within each tree or root page the entries are kept in logical order by DB2.
The data tables or files are organized into pages. The first page of each table is a header page. The second page and certain pages thereafter are referred to as space map pages. The header page contains information relating to the entire table while the space map pages include information relevant to free space in a following number of data pages. The actual frequency of the space map pages is based on tablespace characteristics and is well known. The remaining pages are data pages. Up to 255 rows or records of data may be present in a single page. The actual number of rows depends on the size of the row and the size of the page. Each row receives a unique identifier, referred to as the RID, which identifies the page number and relative row number in that page.
One problem with any database is that the physical location of the various pages often becomes quite scattered. This is true for the data pages in the tables and the leaf pages in the indices. A disorganization also develops between the clustering index and the data, so that the table data is no longer physically in its intended logical order. This scattering results in reduced performance as now the storage device must move between widely scattered physical locations if logically sequential operations are to be performed. This is true of whatever type of Direct Access Storage Device (DASD) is used to store the file. Therefore the files need to be reorganized periodically so that the logical and physical ordering of the pages better correspond, thereby improving performance of operations.
IBM provides utilities with DB2 to reorganize the entire tablespace and just the index files. Several other third-party DB2 utility providers also have tablespace and index reorganization packages. These packages usually operate in the same manner. First, the entire file, either tablespace or index, is read in physical order. Each page in the file is then separated into its component record entries. Next, the record entries are sorted by key value using a conventional sort package. Finally, the sorted records are rewritten back into the file. While this process may sound simple, it must be understood that quite often there are hundreds of thousands to millions of entries in the file. When this number of entries is considered, then the process becomes quite time consuming, particularly the sorting step. The third party packages are faster than IBM's utility, but primarily because the sort packages used are more efficient and also because they use standard available sort package facilities, such as sort exits to reduce intermediate file I/O. So even in those cases the process is quite tedious and is done less frequently than desirable, so overall database performance suffers. Therefore it is desirable to have a significantly faster DB2 table and index reorganization method, so that the tables and indices can be reorganized more frequently and overall operations made more efficient.
Additionally, because the reorganization procedures often take large amounts of time, it would be desirable to access the files for viewing purposes, if not for updating purposes, during the reorganization. Further, should for some reason the process be stopped before completion, it would be desirable to have several alternatives to become fully operational without redoing the entire process.

Restartable fast DB2 tablespace reorganization method


An oxygen storage material including a compound of the formula: Ca2MnAlO5+δ wherein 0≦δ≦0.5 wherein the compound includes at least one dopant said dopant selected from alkaline earth ions at the Ca site, trivalent ions at the Al site, and 3d transition metal ions at the Mn site wherein the an oxygen release temperature or an oxygen storage temperature is modified in comparison to an un-doped Ca2MnAlO5+δ material.

Many transition metal oxides may change oxygen stoichiometry with the variation of temperature or oxygen partial pressure. This property leads to the concept of oxygen storage materials (OSM), where large amounts of oxygen can be reversibly stored and released. OSMs have great potential in applications such as three-way catalysts and regulating oxygen pressures for the exact control of redox reactions. In these applications, an efficient OSM should have large oxygen storage capacity, fast release/storage rate, and good stability against thermal or chemical decomposition. Another property that affects the application of OSM is the temperature and pressure for the transition between oxygen rich and poor phases, which must align with the fluctuation of the targeted chemical reactions.
For example, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the intake and release of oxygen is determined by the thermodynamic equilibrium between the oxidized (oxygen rich) and reduced (oxygen poor) phase. A desired OSM has its equilibrium pressure-temperature (P-T) curve crossing the window of temperature and pressure where the targeted reaction is operated in order to function in the entire range. Therefore, there is a need in the art to tune the equilibrium P-T curve in order to match the operating conditions for different applications.
Recently, Ca2AlMnO5 with a Brownmillerite-type structure was reported with remarkable capability to store a large amount of excess oxygen. Its oxygen storage capability (2006 μmol/g) is nearly 1.4 times that of the best-known OSM, CeO2—ZrO2 (˜1500 μmol/g). In contrast to the case of CeO2—ZrO2, which only releases oxygen under reductive conditions, Ca2AlMnO5+δ is capable to release oxygen even under oxygen-rich atmospheres with high sensitivity to the small variation of temperature. These characteristic features suggest the good potential of Ca2AlMnO5+δ in oxygen-storage technologies. However, Ca2AlMnO5+δ intakes/releases oxygen only in a narrow temperature range between 500 and 700° C., which would limit its application in reactions outside of this temperature window. Therefore, there is a need in the art to tune the intake and release temperatures of Ca2AlMnO5+δ in order to match the operating conditions for different applications.

Tune the oxygen storage properties of Ca

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.


A method of selecting an OLED device to be manufactured based on customer requirements, including the customer providing first and second sets of requirements, providing a plurality of OLED device constructions based on the first and second sets of requirements, device architecture options, and a database including device component performance information. The method also includes providing a number of performance parameters of each of the device constructions, determining, based upon the second set of requirements, a figure of merit term comprising two or more parameters and including the importance of those parameters, and using the figure of merit term to calculate a figure of merit for the possible OLED device constructions.

An organic light-emitting diode device, also called an OLED device, commonly includes a substrate, an anode, a hole-transporting layer made of an organic compound, an organic luminescent layer with suitable dopants, an organic electron-transporting layer, and a cathode. OLED devices are attractive because of their low driving voltage, high luminance, wide-angle viewing and capability for full-color flat emission displays. Tang et al. have described a multilayer OLED device in their U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,769,292 and 4,885,211.
Since then, a large number of different materials and designs have been described for OLED devices. For example, an OLED device comprising a matrix of pixels can be electrically driven using either a simple passive matrix or an active matrix driving scheme. In a passive matrix, the organic EL layers are sandwiched between two sets of orthogonal electrodes arranged in rows and columns, as disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,276,380, while in an active matrix configuration, each pixel is driven by multiple circuit elements, such as provided in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,066 (commonly assigned), 6,281,634, and 6,456,013. The OLED device can comprise pixels whose components emit different color light, e.g. red, green, and blue, so as to provide a full-color device. Another scheme has been to use a white-light-emitting layer, such as described by Shi in U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,823, and to use color filters in the matrix to provide red, green, and blue pixels. A variety of such color filters exist. An OLED device can be top-emitting or bottom-emitting. Microcavity structures have been used to enhance emission at a specific wavelength. Examples of microcavity structures are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,406,801, 5,780,174, and JP 11-288786. A wide variety of emitting materials of varying properties, both singlet and triplet emitters, has been used in OLED devices. Light-emitting layers generally comprise a light-emitting dopant and a host material. The choice of host material can have an effect on the performance of the emitting layer. The presence or absence of other layers, such as hole-transporting layers, electron-transporting layers, and electron-injecting layers, can have an effect on the performance of the final OLED device, as can the choice of materials used for these layers and for the electrodes. Other factors can also play a part, such as the presence or absence of polarizing layers.
This plethora of factors in OLED device construction means that it is possible to conceive of thousands of possible device constructions for a given application. This large choice in theory provides the ability to optimize displays for many different uses, as defined by the customer, because a variety of parameters can be varied and tested in OLED device construction. However, the design, construction, and testing of such a large number of devices would require considerable time and resources, making this method impractical in reality.
There exists a need for a more efficient design selection method for OLED devices, so that the chosen OLED device design can effectively meet the customer requirements.

Selecting OLED devices using figure of merit


Fluorescent Ink formulations have been conceived that result in inks having improved tack and flow properties so that problems relating to ink plugging with contemporary ink pads are reduced. Another advantage to the inks is that they have improved paper dust resistance, shelf life and flow properties. These inks are made of a coloring material having an organic non fluorescent pigment dispersed in a rosin ester and a solid solution of a fluorescent dye in triazine paraformaldehyde aryl sulfonamide resin dispersed in an alkyd resin. The solvent system is preferably composed of non drying solvents such as emollients and higher molecular weight glycols.

Many advances have been made recently in the field of printing. Great demands have been made upon printing systems and materials therefor in light of the need of faster printing, in conjunction with the computer age, and the seeking of lower toxicity to comply with governmental environmental regulations. In high speed printing, a problem has been encountered with paper dust which is generated during paper transport and the impact of a printing element on the paper. This is particularly true of printing on envelopes which are made of paper with loose fibers.
One of the components of the printing system that has required extensive modification is the ink. In most printing applications, a pad or roller made of a porous material is supplied with ink for the purpose of transferring the ink to a printhead. The printing pad may be one which is self contained or one that is periodically supplied with ink from a reservoir.
Problems in producing a satisfactory ink are compounded when one seeks to produce an ink that results in printing wherein the printed matter can be seen visually in ordinary light and can be seen having the same or a different color when exposed to ultraviolet light. These inks are known as fluorescent inks and are useful because of their ability to be detected by an optical device. Such inks have wide spread use in the mail handling field where devices, referred to as postage meters or franking machines, print an indicia upon mail pieces. The fluorescent ink yield the ability to determine the location of an indicia on a mail piece and discern the authenticity of postage.
The problems in producing a satisfactory fluorescent ink are compounded because a plurality of dyes and pigments are required for achieving good color, fill in, edge acuity and the other qualities required from an ink. One of the major problems associated with inks is aging which results in printing that has a change in color and intensity with the passing of the time the ink is stored. An ink that overcomes the aging problem and shows low environmental sensitivity at high humidity and low and high temperature, low tackiness and flow properties, material compatibility and paper dust resistance would be advantageous. Another consideration is that the ink pad must function in an open environment without drying for at least six months; therefore, the ink solvents should be non volatile.

Non aqueous fluorescent dispersion ink with improved shelf life, tack and flow


An integrated optical circuit having a turning mirror formed by an end surface of a planar waveguide forms a turning mirror deflector surface. More specifically, the integrated optical circuit includes a planar optical waveguide formed within a cladding layer wherein the planar waveguide has a deflector end surface positioned adjacent to a region, such as a gap. The refractive indices of the planar waveguide and region are in a ratio of no less than approximately 1.3 to provide a desired refractive index discontinuity. This refractive index discontinuity in combination with the positioning of the deflector end surface at an angle relative to an axis extending perpendicular to the direction of the waveguide in the range of 24.degree. and 67.degree. enables an advantageous deflection of an optical signal.

Integrated optical devices for directly processing optical signals have become of greater importance as optical fiber communications increasingly replace metal cable and microwave transmission links. Integrated optical devices can advantageously be implemented as silica optical circuits having compact dimensions at relatively low cost. Silica optical circuits employ integrated glass waveguide structures formed on silicon substrates. The basic structure of such devices is described in C. H. Henry et al., "Glass Waveguides on Silicon for Hybrid Optical Packaging", 7 J. Lightwave Technol., pp. 1530-1539 (1989) (Henry et al. reference), which is herein incorporated by reference.
Typically, in silica optical circuits, a silicon substrate is provided with a base layer of SiO.sub.2, and a thin core layer of doped silica glass is deposited on the SiO.sub.2 layer. The core layer can be configured to a desired waveguide structure using standard photolithographic techniques. Then, a layer of doped silica glass is deposited over the core layer to act as an upper cladding. Further, numerous passive optical circuit components have been formed within conventional silica optical circuits to desirably provide signal processing in addition to optical signal routing within the silica optical circuit structure. Examples including, for example, low-pass, high-pass, band-pass and notch filters, couplers, multiplexers and demultiplexers. Configurations of typical passive optical components formed within silica optical circuits are described in, for example, H. M. Presby, "Silica Integrated Optical Circuits" (SPIE Optical Engineering Press, Bellingham, Wash. 1996).
However, typical optical circuit applications require passive as well as active devices, such as optical signal detectors and transmitters as well as modulators. In order to provide such applications, conventional optical circuits often interconnect active devices with passive optical devices formed within silica optical circuits using optical fibers. In such configurations, waveguides extend to edge surfaces of the silica optical circuits where edge connectors attach the optical fibers. However, the attachment of the edge connectors undesirably increases circuit fabrication costs and the resulting configuration is typically undesirably larger than the silica optical circuit requiring greater space in an associated optical system.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,135,605 and 4,750,799 describe fabrication techniques for producing hybrid integrated optical circuits in which active optical components are mounted on a top surface of a silica optical circuit. These hybrid integrated optical circuits have relatively compact dimensions compared to the previously silica optical circuits interconnected with active devices by optical fibers. In the hybrid integrated optical circuits, turning mirrors are positioned under a mounted active device and proximate an end of a planar waveguide to enable an exchange of optical signals between the active device and the planar waveguide. Conventional turning mirrors have reflective surfaces positioned opposite an end surface of the planar waveguide and at a 45.degree. angle relative to the direction of the waveguide as well as a top surface of the circuit.
A cross-sectional side view of a exemplary optical circuit 1 having a conventional turning mirror configuration 5 is illustrated in FIG. 1. In FIG. 1, a planar waveguide 10 is formed between respective cladding layers 15 and 20. The cladding layer 20 is disposed on a substrate 25, such as a silicon substrate. The turning mirror 5 is also positioned on the substrate 25 and has a reflective surface 7 at a 45.degree. angle relative to the waveguide 10. A device 30, such as an optical signal detector and/or transmitter, is positioned on the mirror 5 and cladding layer 15. The device 30 is positioned to transmit an optical signal that deflects off the mirror surface 7 and into the waveguide 10 or receive an optical signal propagating through the waveguide 10 that is reflected by the mirror surface 7. An exemplary path for a light signal to travel between the device 30 and planar waveguide 10 is depicted by dashed line 35.
In accordance with the hybrid integrated optical device fabrication technique of U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,799, pre-fabricated mirror and waveguide components are secured to the substrate. However, such a fabrication technique is prohibitively expensive in a mass fabrication environment. In contrast, the fabrication technique of U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,605 more advantageously forms cladding and planar waveguide layers on a substrate. Then, a multi-step etching process is employed to create the profile of the turning mirror reflecting surface and waveguide end surface at the desired positions in the circuit. Such an etching technique reduces circuit fabrication costs as well as enables the formation of a greater number of turning mirrors in area of the integrated optical circuit.
Nevertheless, a need exists for a less complex turning mirror configuration that can be implemented at lower cost.

Integrated optical circuit having planar waveguide turning mirrors


A compound represented by the formula: ##STR1## wherein Ar.sup.1 and Ar.sup.2 independently represent an optionally substituted aromatic group; Q represents an optionally substituted divalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group optionally containing O or S; R.sup.1 represents H, acyl group, etc.; and X represents an electron-withdrawing group, an optionally substituted aromatic group, a group of the formula: ##STR2## wherein R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 independently represent H, acyl group or an optionally substituted hydrocarbon group, etc., etc.; or salts thereof are useful as an excellent anti-neurodegenerative agent.

The cerebral nerve tissue represented by the cerebral cortex is made up of neurons governing sensory and perceptive functions and glia cells (astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and microglia) supporting the neurons, with the glia cells accounting for 90 percent of the whole tissue.
It was generally thought once that the central nervous system (CNS) is a static entity, and the immune system in this area is in a special environment (the so-called immune privilege). However, recent advances in molecular biological analysis have revealed that a variety of cytol,ines are produced and secreted intracerebrally and that the cellular or humoral immune system plays a pivotal role in the maintenance of homeostasis in the brain. At the same time, it has been suggested that excessive or abnormal activation of the immune system in CNS leads to the onset, progression and aggravation of various CNS diseases in the similar way as peripheral immune diseases.
Meanwhile, Alzheimer's disease (AD) is gathering increased attention these days as a type of dementia accompanied by degeneration and loss of neurons which is primarily found in persons of advanced age. With the increasing population of AD patients, the research and development work on drugs for the prevention and treatment of this disease is energetically pursued but the drugs so far developed are still providing only symptomatic relief at most and no fundamental drug therapy has been developed as yet.
In the intracerebral tissues of patients with Alzheimer's disease, accumulation of senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) are found and mentioned as a cause for the onset and progression of AD. Since deposits of .beta.-amyloid protein (.beta.-AP) are observed in senile plaques, it is clear that the .beta.-AP deposition, followed by aggregation and formation of senile plaques is a chief etiologic factor in Alzheimer's diseases. Moreover, the finding of accumulation of microglial cells in activated state around senile plaques has led to the theory that the aggregation gains momentum as microglial cells attempt to phagocytize and eliminate .beta.-AP and other deposits as foreign bodies and the formation of senile plaques is encouraged as a consequence. In senile plaques, complement deposits have also been found, and activation of the immune system has been pointed out as a cause for progression of AD morbidity and accompanying neuronal degeneration and loss. As it has thus been found that AD shares much with peripheral autoimmune diseases, it came to be regarded as an autoimmune disease of the brain. P. L. McGeer and co-workers, who paid attention to the epidemiologically low incidence of AD in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who received long-term anti-inflammatory drug therapy with an anti-inflammatory agent (indomethacin), and reported that the progression of AD could be supressed (WO 93/24115). Moreover, WO 93/08819 describes that lycoportine, an endogenous IL-1 antagonist, is useful for neurodegenerative diseases. However, since lycoportine is a macromolecular protein, the present inventors believe that it does not exhibit satisfactory stability or the absorption and transfer to the brain after oral administration.
Development of a novel compound having an excellent anti-neurodegenerative activity and being useful for the prophylaxis and therapy of encephalopathies has been ardently demanded.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,180, JP-A-1 104033 and JP-A-1 110624 describe quinone hydroxamic acid derivatives represented by the general formula: ##STR3## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 independently represent methyl group or methoxy group, or R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are combined with each other to represent --CH.dbd.CH--CH.dbd.CH--; R.sup.3 represents an optionally substituted aromatic group or heterocyclic group; and
n denotes an integer of 2 to 8 (JP-A-1 110624), PA1 n denotes an integer of 5 or 6 (JP-A-1 104033), and their cell proliferation-inhibitory, neovascularization-inhibitory and autoimmune disease-ameliorating actions. PA1 wherein n denotes an integer of 1 to 7 and, Bulletin de la Societe Chimique France, pp.1314-1317 (1964) discloses production of the compound of the formula: EQU (C.sub.6 H.sub.5).sub.2 C(CN)--CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.dbd.CH--COOH. PA1 Q represents an optionally substituted divalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group optionally containing oxygen atom or sulfur atom; PA1 R.sup.1 represents hydrogen, an acyl group or an optionally substituted hydrocarbon group; PA1 X represents i) an electron-withdrawing group, ii) an optionally substituted aromatic group, iii) a group of the formula: ##STR7## wherein R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 independently represent hydrogen, an acyl group or an optionally substituted hydrocarbon group, or R.sup.2 and R.sup.3, taken together with the adjacent nitrogen atom, may form an N-containing heterocyclic ring, iv) an optionally substituted hydroxy group or v) an optionally substituted mercapto group, or a salt thereof (hereinafter referred to as compound (I)), and discovered through a series of pharmaceutical and pharmacological experiments, that since these compounds have, based on this specific chemical structure, unexpectedly exhibit excellent anti-neurodegenerative activity and are of low toxicity, and will show therapeutic and prophylactic effects on encephalopathies. PA1 (1) Compound (I); PA1 (2) the compound of above (1) wherein Q is a divalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group optionally containing oxygen atom or sulfur atom, and X is an electron-withdrawing group, an optionally substituted aromatic group or a group of the formula: ##STR8## (3) the compound of above (1) wherein Ar.sup.1 and Ar.sup.2 are independently i) a C.sub.6-14 aryl, ii) a 5- to 10-membered heteroaromatic group containing, besides carbon atoms, 1 to 4 hetero atoms selected from nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur or iii) a quinone group, each of which may be substituted by 1 to 5 substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, C.sub.1-3 alkylenedioxy, nitro, cyano, optionally halogenated C.sub.1-6 alkyl, optionally halogenated C.sub.3-6 cycloalkyl, optionally halogenated C.sub.1-6 alkoxy, optionally halogenated C.sub.1-6 alkylthio, hydroxyl, amino, mono-C.sub.1-6 alkylamino, di-C.sub.1-6 alkylamino, C.sub.1-6 alkylcarbonyl, carboxyl, C.sub.1-6 alkoxycarbonyl, carbamoyl, mono-C.sub.1-6 alkylcarbamoyl, di-C.sub.1-6 alkylcarbamoyl, C.sub.6-10 arylcarbamoyl, sulfo, C.sub.1-6 alkylsulfonyl, C.sub.6-10 aryl, C.sub.6-10 aryloxy, mono-C.sub.1-6 alkylcarbamoyloxy and C.sub.1-6 alkylcarboxamido, PA1 (4) the compound of above (3) wherein the aromatic groups for Ar.sup.1 and Ar.sup.2 are independently phenyl, naphthyl, pyridyl, quinolyl, isoquinolyl, benzothiazolyl, thienyl or thiazolyl; PA1 (5) the compound of above (3) wherein Q is C.sub.2-8 alkylene group; PA1 (6) the compound of above (3) wherein R.sup.1 is hydrogen or an acyl group represented by the formula: --CO--R.sup.4, --CONH--R.sup.4, --CO--O--R.sup.4, --CS--NH--R.sup.4 or --CS--O--R.sup.4 wherein R.sup.4 is as defined in above; PA1 (7) the compound of above (3) wherein X is an electron-withdrawing group; PA1 (8) the compound of above (3) wherein X is a cyano group or an acyl group represented by the formula: --CO--R.sup.4, --CONH--R.sup.4, --CO--O--R.sup.4, --CS--NH--R.sup.4, --CS--O--R.sup.4, --SO.sub.2 --R.sup.4a or --SO--R.sup.4a wherein R.sup.4 and R.sup.4a are as defined above; PA1 (9) the compound of above (3) wherein Ar.sup.1 and Ar2 are independently a phenyl, 1-naphthyl, 2-naphthyl, 2-pyridyl, 3-pyridyl, 4-pyridyl, 2-quinolyl, 3-quinolyl, 4-quinolyl, 5-quinolyl, 8-quinolyl, 2-benzothiazolyl, 2-thienyl, 2-thiazolyl or 1-isoquinolyl group, each of which may be substituted by 1 to 3 substituents selected from the group consisting of a halogen and an optionally halogenated C.sub.1-6 alkoxy, PA1 (10) the compound of above (1) wherein Ar.sup.1 and Ar.sup.2 are independently a phenyl, 2-naphtyl, 2-pyridyl, 2-benzothiazolyl, 2-quinolyl, 2-thienyl or 2-thiazolyl group, each of which may be substituted by 1 to 3 substituents selected from the group consisting of a halogen, optionally halogenated C.sub.1-3 alkyl, optionally halogenated C.sub.1-3 alkoxy, hydroxyl and mono-C.sub.1-6 alkylcarbamoyloxy, PA1 (11) the compound of above (1) which is PA1 (12) a process for producing a compound (I), which comprises reacting a compound of the formula: ##STR10## wherein all symbols are as defined above or a salt thereof or a reactive derivative thereof at the carboxyl group with hydroxylamine, and if necessary, allowing the resultant compound to react with a compound of the formula: EQU Y--R.sup.1a PA1 wherein Y represents a leaving group and R.sup.la represents an acyl group or an optionally substituted hydrocarbon group or a salt thereof; PA1 (13) a pharmaceutical composition which comprises the compound (I), if necessary together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier; PA1 (14) the composition of above (13) which is an anti-neurodegenerative composition; PA1 (15) the composition of above (13) which is for preventing or treating neurodegenerative diseases; PA1 (16) the composition of above (15) which is for preventing or treating Alzheimer's disease or multiple sclerosis, and so forth. PA1 (i) C.sub.2-8 alkylene groups (e.g. --CH.sub.2, --(CH.sub.2).sub.2 --, --(CH.sub.2).sub.3 --, --(CH.sub.2).sub.4 --, --(CH.sub.2).sub.5 --, --(CH.sub.2).sub.6 --, --(CH.sub.2).sub.7 --, --(CH.sub.2).sub.8 --, etc.) PA1 (ii) C.sub.2-8 alkenylene groups (e.g. --CH.sub.2 --CH.dbd.CH--, --CH.sub.2 --CH.dbd.CH--CH.sub.2 --, --CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --CH=CH--, --CH.dbd.CH--CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 -- and --CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --CH.dbd.CH--, etc.) PA1 (iii) alkynylene groups (e.g. --C.tbd.C--, --CH.sub.2 --C.tbd.C--, --CH.sub.2 --C.tbd.C--CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 -, etc.) PA1 (iv) a group of the formula: --(CH.sub.2).sub.n --M--(CH.sub.2).sub.m -- wherein M represents O, S, SO or SO.sub.2, n and m independently represent an integer of 0 to 8 (preferably 1 to 4), and n+m represents an integer of 2 to 8. PA1 a) C.sub.1-6 alkyl groups (e.g. methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, isobutyl, sec-butyl, tert-butyl, pentyl and hexyl), PA1 b) C.sub.2-6 alkenyl groups (e.g. vinyl, allyl, isopropenyl; butenyl, isobutenyl and sec-butenyl), PA1 c) C.sub.2-6 alkynyl groups (e.g. propargyl, ethynyl, butynyl and 1-hexynyl), PA1 d) C.sub.3-6 cycloalkyl groups (e.g. cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl and cyclohexyl optionally condensed with benzene ring optionally having one to three C.sub.1-6 alkoxy groups (e.g. methoxy)), PA1 e) C.sub.6-14 aryl groups (e.g. phenyl, 1-naphthyl, 2-naphthyl, biphenyl, 2-indenyl and 2-anthryl), preferably phenyl group, PA1 f) C.sub.7-16 aralkyl groups (e.g. benzyl, phenethyl, diphenylmethyl, triphenylmethyl, 1-naphthylmethyl, 2-naphthylmethyl, 2-diphenylethyl, 3-phenylpropyl, 4-phenylbutyl and 5-phenylpentyl), preferably benzyl group. PA1 Q is a C.sub.2-8 alkylene group, PA1 R.sup.1 is hydrogen or an acyl group, and PA1 X is an electron-withdrawing group. PA1 Ar.sup.1 and Ar.sup.2 are independently a phenyl, 1-naphthyl, 2-naphthyl, 2-pyridyl, 3-pyridyl, 4-pyridyl, 2-quinolyl, 3-quinolyl, 4-quinoly, 5-quinolyl, 8-quinolyl, 2-benzothiazolyl, 2-thienyl, 2-thiazolyl or 1-isoquinolyl group, each of which may be substituted by halogen atom or an optionally halogenated C.sub.1-6 alkoxy group, PA1 Q is a straight C.sub.4-6 alkylene group, PA1 R.sup.1 is hydrogen atom or an acyl group represented by the formula: --CO--R.sup.4 or --CONH--R.sup.4, PA1 R.sup.4 is (i) a C.sub.1-6 alkyl group, (ii) a C.sub.6-14 aryl group or (iii) a mono-cyclic N-containing aromatic group, each of which may be substituted by halogen, optionally halogenated C.sub.1-6 alkyl groups or optionally halogenated C.sub.1-6 alkoxy groups, and PA1 X is cyano group. PA1 wherein Ar.sup.3 represents an optionally substituted aromatic group and X is of the same meaning as defined above, in the presence of a base to provide the compound (III).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,742 and JP-A-61 44840 disclosed that a compound represented by the general formula: ##STR4## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 each represents e.g. hydrogen atom or methyl group; R.sup.4 represents an optionally substituted aliphatic group, aromatic group or heterocyclic group; R.sup.5 represents e.g. an optionally esterified or amidated carboxylic group; Z represents. e.g. --CH.dbd.CH--; n denotes an integer of 0 to 10; m denotes an integer of 0 to 3; and k denotes an integer of 0 to 5, has 5-lipoxygenase inhibitory activity and is of value as an antiasthmatic, antiallergic or cerebral circulation ameliorating agent.
Furthermore, Bulletin de la Societe Chimique France, pp.1345-1350 (1956) discloses production of compounds of the formula: EQU (C.sub.6 H.sub.5).sub.2 C(CN)--(CH.sub.2).sub.n --COOH and (C.sub.6 H.sub.5).sub.2 C(CN)--(CH.sub.2).sub.n+1 --CO--OC.sub.2 H.sub.5
However, these literature references do not discuss any medicinal effects of these compounds.

Aromatic hydroxamix acid compounds, their production and use