A panel for storing a length of cable has a housing and a support assembly positioned in the housing and moveable with respect to the housing. The housing defines a housing space for storing the length of cable. The housing space is accessible through an opening. The support assembly is slidable through the opening between a stowed position inside of the housing space and a released position in which the support assembly is at least partially outside of the housing space. The support assembly has a pair of support rods that extend generally parallel to each other and are spaced by a distance, and a bracket connected to first ends of the support rods such that the support rods extend from the bracket and each have second ends that are free ends.

Data, voice, and other communication networks are increasingly using fiber optics to carry information. In a fiber optic network, each individual fiber is generally connected to both a source and a destination device. Fiber optic connection apparatuses, such as outside plant distribution cabinets, distribution frames, pedestals, patch panels, and splice terminations are used wherever the interconnection or cross-connection of multiple fibers optic cables is required. For example, fiber optic cable comprising numerous individual fibers may enter a distribution cabinet, fiber frame, or patch panel for connection to the individual optical fibers that split off to provide service to homes or businesses through a connection panel having a plurality of connection ports. Often, it is desirable that such fiber optic management, and/or fiber optic connection apparatus allow for the interconnection of a large number of individual fibers in as small a space as possible (e.g., high density connections), while enabling storage of a significant length of cable slack. It is further desirable to reduce space requirements and deployment costs related to fiber optic management systems.

Fiber optic panel with moveable cable support assembly and cable-windable support rods


A fit-holding groove is formed by notching the outer periphery of a door element to be fitted to close a container body. A sealing element interposed between the container body and door element is composed of an endless portion to be fitted into the fit-holding groove, a protruding part projected from the peripheral corner of the endless portion, obliquely and outwardly with respect to the open front of the container body, forming a substantially acute angle between itself and the contact surface of the open front of the container body and a pair of fitting ribs projectively formed on the obverse surface of the endless portion so as to be fitted in contact with the compartmentalized inner wall of the fit-holding portion.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sealing element, hermetic container and its sealing method for keeping contamination-averse items clean. More detailedly, the present invention relates to a sealing element, hermetic container and its sealing method to be used for accommodation and shipment of contamination-averse precision substrates such as semiconductor wafers, masking glass plates, liquid crystal cells, recording media, etc., and to be used for positioning precision substrates to processing machines which shape and process the substrates and for transportation and storage of them between processing machines.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
There are a variety of types of plastic storage containers for accommodating contamination-averse items. As one example, hermetic containers used for production of semiconductor parts can be mentioned. Large-diametric development(e.g., 300 mm or 400 mm or greater) of precision substrates used for fabrication of semiconductor parts, such as semiconductor wafers, masking glass substrates etc., has been discussed and demanded, aiming at reduction in cost by improving the production yield of semiconductor substrates, as price competition of semiconductor devices has become more severe. At the same time, semiconductor circuits have become more and more miniaturized. For example, the design rule (the minimum line width in processing) of DRAMs (dynamic random access memory) has been being shifted from 0.25 μm to 0.18 μm or less. Needless to say at the factories where semiconductor substrates are processed, there have been demands for high cleanness of the containers which are used to store semiconductor substrates when transported.
In order to meet such demands, a method, called 'SMIF' in abbreviation, has been proposed, which assures highly clean surroundings within limited, local spaces required for fabrication of semiconductor substrates and hermetically keeps a plurality of semiconductor substrates clean in a hermetic container so as to transport the hermetic container between several clean environmental spaces. To realize this method, development of hermetic containers which can be automatically conveyed without letting the precision substrates therein be contaminated and may allow itself direct access to the processing equipment is in progress.
As partly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional hermetic container is comprised of a container body 1 having an opening on the front, a door element 11 detachably fitted to open and close the open front 9 of the container body 1 and a sealing element 20 interposed between the container body 1 and door element 11 for keeping the inside clean. This sealing element 20 may be a squeeze type made up of an O-ring having a circular section or a type shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
The sealing element 20 of this type is formed of an endless molding of a material selected from various types of rubbers or elastomers. This sealing element 20, as shown in the same figures, is configured of a deformable endless portion 21 fitted into a fit-holding groove 16 formed on the outer peripheral side of door element 11, a recessed portion 25 of an approximately rectangular section, formed on the underside closer to the outer periphery of the endless portion 21 to create a clearance relative to door element 11, and a deformable rib 26 projected perpendicularly at the obverse surface on the outer peripheral side of endless portion 21 so as to come into contact with the inner periphery of the open front of container body 1.
When door element 11 is fitted to the open front 9 of container body 1 with a multiple number of precision substrates aligned and stored therein, this sealing element 20, especially part of endless portion 21 and rib 26 having a pin-like cross section, deform while recessed portion 25 adjusts the compressive force, to thereby totally seal the open front of container body 1.
Since, in the conventional hermetic container, sealing element 20 is formed of a mere molding of a rubber or elastomer, which cannot afford the necessary dimensional accuracy and the necessary deformability, it becomes markedly difficult, as the size of the opening of container body 1 becomes greater, to secure hermetic confinement by making sealing element 20 into uniform contact with the inner periphery of the open front. Particularly, the sealing element reveals marked deterioration of its sealing ability at the corners of open front 9 of container body 1, due to pressures in two different directions and its dimensional errors.
The above problem can be solved by making sealing element 20 undergo a greater amount of squeezing. However, upon standardization of the specifications of the device for opening and closing door element 11, the pressing force allowed to act on the opening and closing device of door element 11 is limited by an upper boundary, in order to protect the device and the hermetic container. Therefore, if the repulsive force of sealing element 20 exceeds the upper boundary, the repulsive force of sealing element 20 will apply a load greater than necessary on the opening and closing device of door element 11, causing a risk of interrupting the operation of door element 11. The sealing element 20 of the type shown in FIG. 1 presents its sealing function through rib 26, but this rib 26 can bend either inwards or outwards hence the direction of deformation is largely unknown, so that if the rib 26 flexes in reverse to the expected direction, the sealability may become uneven at that portion.
Further, since in local environments, the precision substrates should be loaded from the hermetic container for each processing step and be unloaded after each process, door element 11 of the hermetic container will be repeatedly opened and closed. Therefore, it frequently happens that sealing element 20 may displace from the proper position due to repeated opening and closing actions and be squeezed intensively between container body 1 and fit-holding groove 16 of door element 11 to be deformed greater than necessary. There is also another problem where expected sealability cannot be obtained or resin powder or particles may arise due to local rubbing of sealing element 20 when open front 9 of container body 1 is closed by door element 11, contaminating the precision substrates therein.
Moreover, when the hermetic container is washed in order to keep it clean, the conventional sealing element 20 has been washed while remaining fitted on container body 1 or door element 11. However, when a type of sealing element shown in FIG. 1 is used, not only is the sealing element not washed thoroughly because recessed portion 25 cannot be cleaned well, but also there is a risk that water droplets W might be left over. Therefore, a sealing element of this type is poor in cleansability and drainage, and takes a very long time to dry.

Sealing element with a protruding part approximately obliquely outward and a hermetic container using the same


An apparatus for quick assembling and disassembling of accessories to a firearm includes a mounting body that enables efficient switching of tactic equipments as accessories to the firearm and a mounting base stabilizing the apparatus to the base of the firearm.

(a) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus for quick assembling and disassembling accessories to a firearm, and more particularly pertains to an apparatus comprising a mounting body and a mounting base; the apparatus enables quick assembling and disassembling of tactic equipments as accessories to a firearm, and the mounting base mounts the apparatus firmly on a base.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
As shown in FIG. 1, an apparatus A for assembling and disassembling of accessories to a firearm of prior art typically consists of a fixed position board A1, a fixed position screw A2, a buckling base A3 and a twisting button A4. The twisting button A4 on the buckling base A3 thereof buckles the apparatus A to a base of the firearm. The fixed position board A1 of the apparatus A assembles a tactic equipment to the apparatus A utilizing the fixed position screw A2; when the user is in motion, it is inconvenient and inefficient that the tactic equipment cannot be switched quickly.
Therefore, it is a vital task of the invention as how to avoid the disadvantage aforesaid.

Apparatus for quick assembling and disassembling of accessories to firearm


To provide a secure service to an application virtual machine running in a first domain of a virtualized computing platform, a second domain is arranged to run a corresponding service driver exclusively for the application virtual machine. As part of the secure service, the service driver effects a key-based cryptographic operation; to do so, the service driver has to obtain the appropriate key from a key manager. The key manager is arranged to store the key and to release it to the service driver only upon receiving evidence of its identity and being satisfied of compliance with release policies associated with the key. These policies include receipt of valid integrity metrics, signed by trusted-device functionality of the virtualized computing platform, for the service driver and the code on which it depends.

Off-platform data storage is a service frequently used by an application running on a computing platform. With modern networked computer systems, off-platform data storage does not exist in an isolated environment along with the platform it serves; instead the platform and storage are linked through a network. Indeed, in general a network-connected storage system will provide off-platform data storage for multiple computing platforms.
In a storage area network (SAN) multiple storage devices provide off-platform data storage for multiple computing platforms. SANs meet a number of IT managers' needs in that they provide a flexible and manageable storage infrastructure. They are designed to support hundreds to thousands of devices providing high performance, backup, and high availability and as such provide a powerful storage infrastructure for business critical functions. This means that SAN systems will hold large amounts of business critical data which in turn implies some severe security requirements. There is also a trend of relying on contractors, outsourced system management and even hosting systems in third party data centres which all combine to mean great care should be taken with protecting data against internal and external attacks as well as accidental leaks.
SAN networks connect every computer (server) to every storage device bringing obvious security concerns. Each server is configured to talk to particular disks with in the SAN system. Typically, fabric level security is used to divide disks into zones or uses LUNs on large RAID systems and the SAN switching fabric is then relied upon to separate these zones. This can be done either using soft zoning (based on a name server) or hard zoning in the switches. Security can also be provided at the storage device level where machines have to be granted access to each storage device. These security techniques provide a broad segregation of data at the device level stopping unauthorised access to the data. However, such techniques are by themselves inadequate for several reasons: firstly, the administrators can reconfigure the SAN system such that a malicious insider could add an extra machine to gain unauthorised data access; secondly, the data is not encrypted over the network connection between the disks and servers which opens up possibilities of data leaking or being inserted; thirdly, the data remains unencrypted on the disks within a data centre, and on associated backups leaving potential for leakage.
One solution to these problems is disclosed in the paper "Encryption and key management in a SAN", A. Baldwin and S. Shiu, SISW '02: Proceedings of the First International IEEE Security in Storage Workshop, page 35, Washington, D.C., USA, (2002)IEEE Computer Society. This paper describes how encryption and a strong key management scheme can help tighten security in a SAN system. The approach adopted in the paper is illustrated in FIG. 9 of the accompanying drawings. FIG. 9 shows a SAN in which servers 90 are connected through the SAN fabric 91 (including a switch 92) to a storage pool 93 made up of a plurality of storage devices. Each server 90 is provided with a secure hardware bus adaptor (SHBA) 94 which is provided with a respective encryption/decryption key from a key manager 95. Data to be stored by a server 90 to the storage pool 93 is encrypted by the associated SHBA 94 before being transferred over the network; the data is thus transferred and stored in encrypted form and when retrieved to the server 90, the encrypted data is decrypted by the SHBA 94.
The foregoing arrangement works well for the case of each server being dedicated to one specific user; however, modern data centers are, for reasons of efficiency and flexibility, virtualized environments. A virtualized data centre is a data centre that uses virtualization mechanism to share resources (computing platforms, storage etc.) between its many customers.
FIG. 10 of the accompanying drawings illustrates the typical configuration of a virtualized data centre providing data storage. On the right-hand side of the Figure, virtualization is used on each server (physical computing platform) 100 to create a number of Virtual Machines (VM1 to VMi) each running in its own domain on top of a virtual machine monitor VMM (a.k.a. 'hypervisor') 101 that ensures isolation of the domains. Each VM runs its own separate guest operating system and is under the illusion that it is the only machine using the hardware resources of the system. In fact, the guest operating system of each VM cannot access the physical resources directly but only through the privileged management domain 'DOM-0' 102 (domain number zero) with which it can interact through the Virtual Machine Monitor (VMM).
The customers of the data centre hire the virtual machines and connect to them using virtual private networks (VPN) in order to use the facilities provided by the data centre. In the present illustrated example, an iSCSI storage resource 104 is accessible to the VMs via an iSCSI initiator 103 run in DOM-0. The storage resource 104 (here shown as an array of disks 1 to n) is also virtualized, thereby providing virtual disks (VDisks 1 to m), which are mapped to the physical disks. Virtual disks are then assigned to individual virtual machines. Each virtual machine sees a virtual block device which appears to it as a local disk. This is mapped to a device driver (iScsi initiator 103) within Dom0 which interacts with the iScsi storage resource 104 providing the virtual disk.
A Utility Management System (UMS) 107 is responsible for setting up the virtual resources requested by customers. For example, for a specified client, the UMS 107 might ask iSCSI storage resource 104 to create a virtual disk and once a disk has been created, it requests a physical host to set up a virtual machine for using the newly created virtual disk. Since the data stored on iSCSI storage target is not encrypted, not only the owner of the data but also other entities, for example administrator of iSCSI storage target or an eavesdropper, can read the actual contents of the stored data.
For secure storage in a virtualized data centre, the data sent to the storage resource 104 should be encrypted. However, the solution discussed above of using a respective secure hardware bus adaptor for each machine is not practical when extended into a virtualized environment as it would require a respective secure hardware bus adaptor for each potential virtual machine. Furthermore, an alternative approach of providing for encryption/decryption in each virtual domain makes the keys used (and therefore the encrypted data) vulnerable to security weaknesses in the guest operating system and applications running in the domain. Indeed, encryption-based data security in a virtualized data centre relies on having key management solutions that are at least as strong as the other parts of the virtualized data center.
The last decade has seen the emergence of trusted computing platforms based a trusted secure hardware device known as a Trusted Platform Module (TPM). For virtualized environments, the hardware TPM may be supplemented by one or more software (a.k.a. virtual) TPMs. A description of trusted computing principles, of a TPM, and of example trusted platforms is given in the Appendix hereto with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.
A TPM incorporates cryptographic functionality; however, this functionality is specific to the role of the TPM in providing reliable integrity metrics of the associated computing platform. The cryptographic functionality of a TPM is not intended to provide bulk cryptographic services, such as encryption/decryption of data, to an application running on the platform.
An object of the present invention is to provide trusted key management in a virtualized system to facilitate the provision of cryptographic-based services such as secure networking and storage.

Trusted key management for virtualized platforms

HEWLETT PACKARD ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT LP


A semiconductor package includes a substrate, at least one support, a cover, and a plate. The substrate has at least one light sensor or thermal sensor, a first surface, and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The light sensor or the thermal sensor is disposed on the first surface. The second surface has an opening to expose the light sensor (or the thermal sensor). The support is disposed on the first surface. The cover is disposed on the support, such that the cover is above the light sensor (or the thermal sensor) to form a first space between the cover and the light sensor (or the thermal sensor). The plate is placed on the second surface to cover the opening, such that a second space is formed between the plate and the light sensor (or the thermal sensor).

Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor package and a manufacturing method of the semiconductor package. More particularly, the present invention relates to a semiconductor package having a detecting function and a manufacturing method of the semiconductor package.
Description of Related Art
Along with the progress and development in electronic industry, the requirement for functions of electronic products is increased. In order to achieve the requirement of multiple functions for users, semiconductor packages and electronic components having multiple functions need to be disposed on the printed circuit boards of the electronic products. According to the requirements of miniaturization, semiconductor packages are integrated with the electronic products to form micro-electro mechanical systems (MEMS) utilizing the improvement of integration. As a result, not only the layout space of the printed circuit board may be reduced, but also the requirement of multiple functions may be maintained.
Recently, technology for stacking wafers is a new development in the art, such that plural homogeneous or heterogeneous wafers may be stacked in the development to reach the purpose of multiple functions. Therefore, the bottleneck of miniaturization in the technology of semiconductor flat package may be solved. That is to say, the requirement of miniaturization may be achieved by integration.
A detecting type semiconductor package 1 is shown in FIG. 1. The semiconductor package 1 has a chip 10 and a glass sheet 12 that is stacked on the chip 10. The chip 10 has an operating surface 10a and a non-operating surface 10b. The operating surface 10a has a light sensor 100, and the glass sheet 12 is disposed on the operating surface 10a by a dam layer 11, such that a space P is formed between the glass sheet 12 and the light sensor 100.
However, in the conventional semiconductor package 1 having a detecting function, the volume of the chip 10 is large, so that noise is more apt to occur. As a result, the use of the semiconductor package 1 is limited, and the semiconductor package 1 is difficult to be matched with the requirement of multiple functions, thereby reducing product competitiveness.

Semiconductor package and manufacturing method thereof


A device, system and method for securing a plate to a bone. An anchor device has a screw (with a head portion) and a locking disc. The head portion includes a slotted wall defining a plurality of petals disposed around a central opening. The screw further includes an internal bore. The locking disc is rotatably disposed within the central opening, such that in a first rotational position the petals may flex inwardly, and in a second rotational position the petals are substantially prevented from flexing inwardly. A tool for manipulating the anchor device has a shaft with its end configured to mate with the internal bore of the screw to permit selective rotation of the screw, and a sleeve member rotatably and slideably mounted on the shaft having an end that mates with the locking disc to permit selective rotation of the disc.

Bone fixation devices are useful for promoting proper healing of injured or damaged vertebral bone segments caused by trauma, tumor growth, or degenerative disc disease. The external fixation devices are commonly utilized to immobilize the injured bone segments to ensure the proper growth of new osseous tissue between the damaged segments. These types of external bone fixation devices often include internal bracing and instrumentation to stabilize the spinal column to facilitate the efficient healing of the damaged area without deformity or instability, while minimizing any immobilization and post-operative care of the patient.
One such device is an osteosynthesis or bone fixation plate, which can be used to immobilize adjacent vertebrae. Typically, the fixation plate is a rigid metal or polymeric plate positioned to span bones or bone segments that require immobilization with respect to one another. The plate is fastened to the respective bones, usually with bone screws driven into the vertebral bodies. In this way, the plate is secured to the spine, fixing the respective vertebrae in a desired position. Bone plates can be useful in providing the mechanical support necessary to keep vertebral bodies in proper position and bridge a weakened or diseased area such as when a disc, vertebral body or fragment has been removed. Exemplary systems are disclosed in U.S. Published Application 2003/0187443 A1 to Lauryssen et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,213 to Rogozinski, U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,927, U.S. Pat. No. 6,017,345 to Richelsoph, U.S. Pat. No. 5,676,666 to Oxland et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,616,144 to Yapp et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,612 to Yapp et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,910 to Warden et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,696,290 to Steffee.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a plate system and method of placement of the same that provides the advantages of the currently available arrangements, while minimizing or eliminating the disadvantages of the same. There remains a need for an anterior bone plate system that minimizes any soft tissue and osseous tissue damage that would occur with its implementation, that is easy to use, and that provides the surgeon with flexibility in placement of the same. The system must be able to provide effective fixation and immobilization of vertebral bodies, while also providing for the subsidence necessary for proper fusion and prevent axial extension of the plate. The invention provides such an arrangement. The advantages of the invention, as well as additional inventive features, will be apparent from the description of the invention provided herein.


A method of forming a diffusion barrier for an implantable medical device carrying a therapeutic or bioactive substance is disclosed. The diffusion barrier reduces the rate at which the therapeutic or bioactive substance is released from the device. The diffusion barrier can be made from a polymeric material impregnated with particles.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a diffusion barrier layer for implantable devices or endoluminal prostheses. More particularly the invention relates to a coating disposed on an implantable device, one example of which includes a stent, for inhibiting the release rate of an active ingredient carried by the device.
2. Description of the Background
Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is a procedure for treating heart disease. A catheter assembly having a balloon portion is introduced percutaneously into the cardiovascular system of a patient via the brachial or femoral artery. The catheter assembly is advanced through the coronary vasculature until the balloon portion is positioned across the occlusive lesion. Once in position across the lesion, the balloon is inflated to a predetermined size to radially compress against the atherosclerotic plaque of the lesion for remodeling of the vessel wall. The balloon is then deflated to a smaller profile to allow the catheter to be withdrawn from the patient's vasculature.
A problem associated with the above procedure includes formation of intimal flaps or torn arterial linings which can collapse and occlude the conduit after the balloon is deflated. Vasospasms and recoil of the vessel wall also threaten vessel closure. Moreover, thrombosis and restenosis of the artery may develop over several months after the procedure, which may require another angioplasty procedure or a surgical by-pass operation. To reduce the partial or total occlusion of the artery by the collapse of arterial lining and to reduce the chance of the development of thrombosis and restenosis, an expandable, intraluminal prosthesis, one example of which includes a stent, is implanted in the lumen to maintain the vascular patency.
Stents are used not only as a mechanical intervention but also as a vehicle for providing biological therapy. As a mechanical intervention, stents act as scaffoldings, functioning to physically hold open and, if desired, to expand the wall of the passageway. Typically stents are capable of being compressed, so that they can be inserted through small cavities via catheters, and then expanded to a larger diameter once they are at the desired location. Examples in the patent literature disclosing stents which have been successfully applied in PTCA procedures include stents illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,665 issued to Palmaz, U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,882 issued to Gianturco, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,062 issued to Wiktor. Mechanical intervention via stents has reduced the rate of restenosis as compared to balloon angioplasty; but restenosis is still a significant clinical problem with rates ranging from 20-40%. When restenosis does occur in the stented segment, its treatment can be challenging, as clinical options are more limited as compared to lesions that were treated solely with a balloon.
Biological therapy can be achieved by medicating the stents. Medicated stents provide for the local administration of a therapeutic substance at the diseased site. In order to provide an efficacious concentration to the treated site, systemic administration of such medication often produces adverse or toxic side effects for the patient. Local delivery is a preferred method of treatment in that smaller total levels of medication are administered in comparison to systemic dosages, but are concentrated at a specific site. Local delivery thus produces fewer side effects and achieves more favorable results.
One proposed method for medicating stents disclosed seeding the stents with endothelial cells (Dichek, D. A. et al. Seeding of Intravascular Stents With Genetically Engineered Endothelial Cells; Circulation 1989; 80: 1347-1353). Briefly, endothelial cells were seeded onto stainless steel stents and grown until the stents were covered. The cells were therefore able to be delivered to the vascular wall where they provided therapeutic proteins. Another proposed method of providing a therapeutic substance to the vascular wall included use of a heparin-coated metallic stent, whereby a heparin coating was ionically or covalently bonded to the stent. Significant disadvantages associated with the aforementioned method includes significant loss of the therapeutic substance from the body of the stent during delivery and expansion of the stent, and an absolute lack of control of the release rate of the proteins from the stent.
Another proposed method involved the use of a polymeric carrier coated onto the surface of a stent, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,650 issued to Berg et al. Berg disclosed applying to a stent body a solution which included a specified solvent, a specified polymer dissolved in the solvent, and a therapeutic substance dispersed in the blend. The solvent was allowed to evaporate, leaving on the stent surface a coating of the polymer and the therapeutic substance impregnated in the polymer.
Depending on the physiological mechanism targeted, the therapeutic substance may be required to be released at an efficacious concentration for an extended duration of time. Increasing the quantity of the substance in the polymeric coating can lead to poor coating mechanical properties, inadequate coating adhesion, and overly fast rate of release. Increasing the quantity of the polymeric compound and producing a thicker coating can perturb the geometrical and mechanical functionality of the stent, as well as limit the procedure for which the sent can be used.
It is desirable to increase the residence time of a substance at the site of implantation, at a therapeutically useful concentration, without the need for the application of a thicker coating or increasing the quantity of the therapeutic substance.

Method of forming a diffusion barrier layer for implantable devices


An appliance for the three-dimensional adjustment of the maxillary cast is mounted by means of a screw on an articulated part. The appliance includes a first measuring element whose tip cooperates with a first reference point on a central incisor of the maxillary cast. The appliance includes also a second and a third measuring element whose tips correspond each with a further reference point on a first molar of the maxillary cast. Each of these measuring elements can be adjusted separately and three-dimensionally to the desired position by the special design of the appliance.

The present invention relates to a method of making a surgical splint as an aid to the positioning of a tooth-carrying maxillary segment which is to be mobilized following Le Fort I surgery.
More particularly it relates to such a method in accordance with which a maxillary cast and a mandibular cast of a pair of casts of the patient made at least approximately in the ratio 1:1 are centered in an articulated manner in an articulator with reference to the jaw hinge and are thereby adjusted into the pre-operative dental position, the maxillary cast is mobilized, the mobilized maxillary cast is adjusted three-dimensionally in the articulator into the desired post-operative dental situation relative to the pre-operative planned position of the upper lip of the patient and relative to the rest of the pair of casts, and on the basis of the relative adjustment of maxillary cast and mandibular cast achieved according to the preceding step the surgical splint is made in a gap between maxillary cast and mandibular cast for analogous intra-operative use.
One method of this type is disclosed for example in the German reference DE 4,018,273 A1. In this method the adjustment of the mobilized tooth-carrying maxillary segment 30 takes place in a manner known per se, after a Le Fort I model operation has been carried out.
In maxillary orthodontic-surgical treatment, after the Le Fort I osteotomy, a three-dimensional readjustment of the maxilla is possible. The maxilla of the patient is positioned in the new position by means of a surgical splint and is fixed with osteosynthesis wires or with mini-plates. During the treatment planning, during the cast surgery and during the surgery itself it is particularly important to maintain an exact position of the upper incisors in relation to the upper lip and to maintain an exact position of the whole maxilla in relation to the rest of the skull including the jaw hinge (Harle, F., Le Fort I ostectomy (using miniplates) for correction of the long face. J. Oral Surg. 38: 427-432, 1980; Zurcher A., Hardt N., Steinhauser, E. W., Interokklusaler Splint als Rezidivprophylaxe bei totalen Unterkieferosteotomien. Fortschr. Kiefer Gesichtschir. 26: 81-82, 1981; Ellis E., Modified splint design for two-jaw surgery. J. Clin. Orthod. 16: 619-622, 1982; Ripley, J. F., Steed, D. L., Flanary C. M., A composite splint for dual arch orthognathic surgery. J. Oral Maxillofac. Surg 40: 687-688, 1982; Turvey, T. A., Hall, D. J., Fish, L. C., Epker, B. N., Surgical-orthodontic treatment planning for simultaneous mobilization of the maxilla and mandible in correction of dentofacial deformities. Oral Surg. Oral Med. Oral Pathol. 54: 491-498, 1982; Luhr, H. G., Miniplate fixation of Le Fort I osteotomies. (Discussion to Rosen, H. M.). Plast Reconstr. Surg. 78: 755, 1986; Somsiri, S. T., Das Doppelsplintverfahren zur Vorbereitung einer simultanen chirurgischen Lagekorrektur des Ober- und Unterkiefers. Fortschr. Kieferorthop. 48: 59-66, 1987; Bell, W. H.; Mannai, C., Luhr, H. G., Art and science of the Le Fort I dolfracture Int. J. Adult Orthod. and Orthogn. Surg. 33: 23-52, 1988; Lindorf, H. H., Osteosynthese durch Schrauben und Miniplatten bei kieferorthopadischen Operationen. Inf. Orthod. Kieferorthop. 3: 329-350, 1988; Luhr, H. G. and Kubein-Meesenburg, D., Rigid skeletal fixation in maxillary osteotomies. Intraoperative control of condylar position. Clin Plast. Surg. 16: 157-163, 1989; Paulus, G. W., Moderne funktionelle und asthetische Aspekte bei kieferorthopadischen Operationen. Inf. Orthod. Kieferorthop. 22: 33-55, 1990; Wangerin, K., Einzeitige bimaxillare Korrektur extremer Fehlbisse-Vorbehandlung, Planung und Operationsmethode mit funktionsstabiler Fixierung im Ober- und Unterkiefer. Dtsch. Z. Mund. Kiefer Gesichtschir. 14: 424-432, 1990; Luhr, H. G., Schwestka, R., Kubein-Meesenburg, D., Intraoperative control of condylar position in maxillary osteotomies with rigid skeletal fixation. In: Bell W. H. (Hrsg): Modern practice in orthognathic and reconstructive surgery. Saunders, Philadelphia, at press).
First of all, in accordance with the preoperative planning, the cast surgery is carried out (Bell W. H., Proffit, W. R., White R. P., Surgical correction of facial deformities. 234-441, Saunders, Philadelphia, 1980; Epker, B. N., Fish, L. C., Dentofacial deformities. Integrated orthodontic and surgical correction. Mosby, St. Louis, 1986; Ehmer, U., Rohling, J. Dorr, K., Becker, R., Calibrated double split cast simulations for orthognathic surgery. Int. J. Adult Orthod. Orthognath Surg. 33: 223-227, 1988; Janson, I. and Steinhauser, E. W., Kieferorthopadische Chirurgie - Eine interdisziplinare Aufgabe. Quintessenz, Berlin, 1988; Jung, D., Datentransfer zwischen Artikulator und FRS zur Erstellung von diagnostischem Set up und VTO im komplexen Behandlungsfall. Inf. Orthod. Kieferorthop. 3: 383-395, 1988; Proffit, W. R. and White, R. P., Jr., Surgical-orthodontic treatment. Mosby, St. Louis, 1991). It is important, initially in a first articulator, to determine the exact pre-operative position of the maxilla and then in a second articulator to position exactly the desired post-operative position, since in accordance with the position in the second articulator the surgical splint is made with which in the surgical process the tooth-carrying maxillary segment is positioned in the planned position. Therefore, the cast or model surgery requires the greatest possible accuracy. Measurements with a ruler and the marking of reference points and reference lines on the base of the plaster cast above the tooth line of the maxilla model as well as the making of saw cuts in the base corresponding to these lines have not proved to be sufficiently accurate methods for the positioning of the maxillary segment. This is particularly so when the tooth-carrying maxillary segment has to be readjusted in several dimensions at the same time (Ellis, E. III., Accuracy of model surgery: Evaluation of an old technique and introduction of a new one. J. Oral Maxillofac. Surg. 48: 1161-1167, 1990). Therefore, various devices for the controlled adjustment of individual reference points on the teeth of the maxillary cast have been developed.
From the particularly eminent prior publication by Ellis E., III, Gallo, W. J., "A Method to Accurately Predict the Position of the Maxillary Incisor in Two-jaw Surgery", J. Oral. Maxillofac. Surg. 42: 402-404, 1984, a method for the exact positioning of one cutting edge of the upper incisors in the articulator in the sagittal-vertical plane is known, in which before the cast surgery a wire is wound around the incisal pin of the articulator in which the cast surgery is to be carried out, with the wire tip contacting the incisal edge of an upper incisor of the maxillary cast. This wire can be moved to one side during the cast surgery and then be repositioned thereafter in its final position. The distance between the tip of the wire and the new position of the edge of the upper incisor indicates the displacement of the incisor. This method is of limited use, because the wire tip is only adjusted to the pre-operative situation.
From the likewise eminent prior publication by Schwestka, R., Engelke, D., Zimmer, B., Kubein-Meesenburg, D., entitled "Positioning control of the upper incisors in orthognathic surgery. Pre-operative planning with the Model Positioning Device and intra-operative application of the Sandwich Splint", Eur. J. Orthodont. 13 367-371, 1991, another method is known. In this method, in the articulator, a measuring element is adjusted in a controlled manner in three dimensions with a model positioning unit to the pre-operative and also to the planned post-operative position of one incisal edge of a central incisor of the maxillary model. The relative spatial coordinate of each setting can be read off from scales.
Other authors have described methods used in cast surgery for the measurement successively in time of several different reference points on the teeth of the maxillary cast. These include on the one hand the use of a modified Boley measuring instrument in the articulator (Henry, C. H., "Modified Boley Gauge for use as a Reference Plan in Orthognathic Surgery", J. Oral Maxillofac. Surg. 48: 535-539, 1990), and on the other hand repeated shifting of the maxillary model on the Erickson measuring table outside the articulator (Ellis, E. III., "Accuracy of Model Surgery: Evaluation of an Old Technique and Introduction of a New One", J. Oral Maxillofac. Surg. 48: 1161-1167, 1990). The latter publication makes it clear that by the choice of reference points on the teeth of the maxillary model, on geometrical grounds the tolerance limits for positioning errors can be significantly reduced in comparison to the use of reference points on the base of the maxillary model.
During the surgery the planned position of the maxillary model is transferred to the skull. The position in the sagittal and transversal dimensions is determined by the surgical splint. The vertical dimension requires additional controls. Different authors develop different intra-operative methods for the exact adjustment in the vertical dimension (Austermann, K. H., and Bollmann, F., Eine Methode zur Bestimmung der gunstigsten Osteotomieenbene bei Le-Fort-I-Osteotomien. Fortschr. Kiefer. Gesichtschir. 26: 121-123, 1981; Turvey, T. A., Simultaneous mobilization of the maxilla and mandible: Surgical technique and results. J. Oral Maxillofac. Surg. 40: 96-99, 1982; Johnson, D., Intraoperative measurement of maxillary repositioning: An ancillary technique. Oral Surg. Oral Med. Oral Pathol. 60: 266-268, 1985; Nishioka, G. J., and Van Sickels, J. E., Modified external reference measurement technique for vertical positioning of the maxilla. Oral Surg. Oral Med. Oral Pathol. 64: 22-23, 1987; Neubert, J., Bitter, K., Somsiri, S., Refined intraoperative repositioning of the osteotomized maxilla in relation to the skull and TMJ. J. Cranio-Max-Fac. Surg. 16: 8-12. 1988; Kahnberg, K-E., Sunzel, B., Astrand, P., Planning and control of vertical dimension in Le Fort I osteotomies. J. Cranio-Max-Fac. Surg. 18: 267-270, 1990). Clinical investigations into the question of the exact adjustment of the tooth-carrying maxillary segment in the vertical dimension show deviations between the pre-operative planned position and the intra-operative position actually achieved (Stanchina, R., Ellis, E., III, Gallo, W. J., Fonseca, R. J., A comparison of two measures for repositioning the maxilla during orthognathic surgery. Int. J. Adult. Orthod Orthognath. Surg. 33: 149-154, 1988; Van Nickels, J. E., Larsen, A. J., Epker, B. N., Predictability of maxillary surgery: A comparison of internal and external reference marks. Oral Surg. Oral Med. Oral Pathol. 61: 542-545, 1986). For these reasons, intra-operative positioning methods for a controlled three-dimensional adjustment of the tooth-carrying maxillary segment have been developed, by the use of a "sandwich splint" (Schwestka, R., Engelke, D., Kubein-Meesenburg, D., Luhr, H. G., Control of vertical position of the maxilla in orthognathic surgery: clinical application of the sandwich splint. Int. Adult Orthod. Orthognath. Surg. 5: 133-136, 1990; Schwestka, R., Rose, D., Kuhnt, D., Walloschek, W., Splint for controlling vertical position in maxillary osteotomies. J. Clin. Orthod 24: 427-431, 1990; Schwestka-Polly, R., Engelke, D., Kubein-Meesenburg, D., Luhr, H. G., Bedeutung der Vertikaldimension bei kieferorthopadischchirurgischen Eingriffen im Oberkiefer. Quintessenz 42: 595-601, 1991), or by the use of a "3D double splint method" in combination with a "Condylar positioning appliance (Schwestka, R., Engelke, D., Kubein-Meesenburg, D., Condylar position control during maxillary surgery: the condylar positioning appliance and three-dimensional double splint method. Int. J. Adult Orthod. Orthognath. Surg. 5: 161-165, 1990; Schwestka-Polly, R., Engelke, D., Kubein-Meesenburg, D., Gelenkorienteierte Einstellung des Oberkiefers mit der "Condylen-Positionierungs-Apparatur" im Rahmen der kieferorthopadischen Chirurgie. Quintessenz 42: 1099-1107, 1991). Both intra-operative methods are based upon the fact that the vertical position of the mandible in relation to the skull above the osteotomy plane is accurately reproducible in the pre-operative and post-operative situations. The vertical position of the mandible can be controlled intra-operatively with a pair of dividers. At this position of the mandible the tooth-carrying maxillary segment is adjusted three-dimensionally by means of the surgical splint as planned beforehand. Consequently, the position of the tooth-carrying maxillary segment planned during the cast surgery can be transferred exactly in three dimensions in a controlled manner during the actual surgical process. After the surgery the mandible is rotated up into the new intercuspidation position.

Articulator for cast surgery and method of use


This invention relates to new heterocyclic derivatives of guanidine and more particularly to such derivatives which have hypoglycemic activity, their methods of use for treating hyperglycemia and novel intermediate compounds for their preparation.

Treatment of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and hyperglycemia associated therewith is directed towards restoring nomaglycemia by improving insulin secretion and reducing insulin resistance. Reduction of blood glucose currently relies on diet and weight control, oral hypoglycemic agents (notably sulfonylureas and biguanides), and insulin. While this triad of therapeutic approaches may provide the desired benefits on a short-term basis, substantial numbers of patients often fail on diet and sulfonylureas, resulting in inadequate glycemic control. Therefore, newer therapeutic agents are needed which can provide greater effectiveness in the treatment of NIDDM.
Linogliride (U.S. Pat. No. 4,211,867), is an effective hypoglycemic agent, whose structure is depicted below: ##STR1## It is an object of the present invention to prepare novel hypoglycemic agents with equal or better efficacy than linogliride for treating hyperglycemia. Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth, in part, in the description which follows and in part will be obvious from this description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of this invention are realized and obtained by means of the compositions, methods and the combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.


A speed-limiting accessory drive system is provided that limits the speed range over which an engine-driven accessory operates while maintaining the operating speed range of the engine. A torque-transmitting mechanism is selectively engagable to operatively connect the engine and the accessory. A controller is configured to maintain the torque-transmitting mechanism in an engaged state only when monitored engine speed is within a predetermined speed range and to control a drive motor to drive the driven accessory when the monitored engine speed is not within the predetermined range. A method of controlling the speed of at least one driven accessory, which may be carried out using the speed-limiting accessory drive system, is also provided.

Vehicle accessories such as air conditioning systems, power steering systems and water pumps are typically driven directly by the engine crankshaft through, for example, a belt and pulley system. Therefore, the accessories must be capable of operating over the entire speed range of the engine, as the operating speeds of the accessories in a conventional drive system are directly proportional to the speed of the engine. The accessories are therefore typically designed to provide full capacity when the engine is operating at the low end of the engine speed range, because the accessories must be designed to give sufficient performance at low speeds, such as during engine idle, as well as being capable of running at high speeds during engine maximum speed operation. At higher engine speeds, excess energy is transferred to the accessories that may be lost.

Speed-limiting accessory drive system and method of controlling speed of a driven accessory


A dental implant guide arrangement is capable of accurately guiding a bur for drilling a pilot hole for a dental implant. The arrangement includes a pair of C-shaped jaws which engage lingual and buccal surfaces of a tooth and are held to each other by a fixing mechanism, such as a screw. A guide member extends from one of the jaws and has a semi-cylindrical guide that is parallel to an acceptable axis for the pilot hole. The bur can be guided along the guide for accurately drilling the pilot hole.

The present invention relates in general to dental implants, and in particular to a new and useful dental implant hole guide arrangement which provides a dentist with an accurate guide to follow for drilling the critical initial pilot hole for a dental implant so that the hole is aligned on an acceptable axis in the patient's jaw bone, without endangering adjacent teeth.
Since 1981, dental root form implants have become a standard procedure for replacing missing teeth. Unlike other dental procedures such as crown and bridge work, root canals and the like, which utilize at least part of the original tooth as a foundation for the tooth replacement, implants require the drilling of holes directly into the bone of the jaw.
Although the dental implants have many benefits, particularly where a patient is missing teeth over large portions of the mouth, various complications can follow implant placement, especially to adjacent teeth. The bone may be overheated during implant surgery for example and this can devitalize an adjacent tooth. Endodontic lesions can also form which compromise the implant fixture by preventing integration of the bone around the fixture (Osseointegration) causing loss of the implant.
Another potentially more serious problem involves traumatic injury to the root of an adjacent tooth which is in the path of the hole drilled for the implant.
The case history of such a traumatic injury can be found in the inventor's article "Tooth Devitalization Via Implant Placement: A Case Report", Sussman, Periodontal Clinical Investigations, Vol. 20, No. 1, 1998, Northeastern Society of Periodontics, pp. 22-24.
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of an x-ray showing the cause of traumatic injury to a tooth 3 having a root 4 which was along the axis of a hole 5 drilled to receive an implant fixture 6. Tooth 3 was ultimately lost as was the implant 6 due to this traumatic injury.
Within the confines of the mouth, it is very difficult to accurately align a dental bur for drilling the crucial initial pilot hole of about 2 mm. in diameter. The pilot hole must be drilled along an acceptable axis into the jaw bone which both avoids any critical structures in the bone such as nerves, blood vessels and the like, but also avoids intersecting the root of an adjacent tooth which may not be apparent without x-rays. Even with x-rays, however, it is difficult for a dentist to accurately align the bur without some help.
One very complex and time consuming technique for properly aligning the initial implant hole for a patient is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,015,183 entitled LOCATING DEVICE AND METHOD OF PLACING A TOOTH IMPLANT. According to this method, a stent comprising a negative impression of a patient's teeth in the vicinity of the implant is taken. Multiple x-ray opaque strips are placed in the negative impression and an oblique x-ray is taken. This x-ray is used as a diagnostic tool for the patient's jaw structure to help plot the trajectory of an implant fixture in the jaw.
Once an acceptable initial implant hole is formed in the jaw, subsequent holes can be produced by using the initial hole as a guide. This is when multiple implants are to be installed. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,741,133 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,302,122. Other techniques and apparatuses for drilling holes in the jaw bone are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,787,848 and 4,998,881. A need remains, however, for a simple and effective tool which can be used particularly by general dentists to permit them to produce the initial pilot hole along an acceptable axis in a patient's jaw bone. Once the initial bore is made, it can be enlarged to the required final diameter, generally about 4 mm., using ever increasing bur sizes. Once the initial hole is drilled, the enlargements are easily made using the initial hole as the guide. The present invention provides a way of making that critical initial hole.


The invention relates to a telephone apparatus that allows, when additional installation of a handset unit ends in failure, an immediate retry of the additional installation with appropriate procedure and operations. At additional installation of a handset unit, a base unit (10) transmits an ID of the base unit (10) stored in a base ID storage portion (24a), a handset unit number inputted through a base key matrix (23), and an extension command for indicating an instruction of additional installation to a handset unit (30) wirelessly using a setting channel. When the handset unit number received fails to coincide with a handset unit number inputted through a handset unit key matrix (36), the handset unit (30) transmits a failure-indicating extension completion signal to the base unit (10), and its operation ends. Upon receiving the failure-indicating extension completion signal, the base unit (10) displays an operating guide on a base display device (15).

Recently, as telephone sets in which a plurality of handset units can additionally be installed are made available, a growing number of users have come to buy a handset unit separately after the purchase of a telephone set for additional installation. In order to install an additional handset unit, there is a need to perform an extension process on a base unit and the handset unit. The extension process involves a step to register an identification code for identifying the base unit (hereafter referred to as "ID (Identification") with the handset unit which is an afterward purchase, and a step to register the addition of the handset unit with the base unit.
To be more specific, the base unit and the handset unit of the telephone set are each provided with an extension mode, namely an operational mode designed specifically for installation of an additional handset unit. In order for the handset unit to be additionally installed in the base unit, it is necessary to bring both of the base unit and the handset unit into the extension mode by performing specific operations on the base unit and the handset unit. Following the establishment of the extension mode, a handset unit number for handset unit identification is inputted to the base unit to indicate the how-manieth handset unit to be additionally installed it is. Then, the base unit transmits the ID stored therein, the handset unit number inputted thereto, and a signal for indicating an instruction of additional installation to the handset unit wirelessly by means of a setting channel. Upon the receipt of the signals, the handset unit writes the ID and the handset unit number indicated by the signals received into memory means.
The handset unit transmits a signal for notifying the reception of the signal indicating an instruction of additional installation to the base unit by means of a setting channel. Upon the receipt of this signal, the base unit judges that the additional installation has been completed properly, and writes the addition of the handset unit into the memory means. In this way, the handset unit having stored therein the ID and the handset unit number can be wirelessly connected to the base unit from that time forward. Moreover, in a case where the handset unit will not be used any longer because of, for example, occurrence of malfunction in the handset unit additionally installed, there arises a need to cancel the data about the handset unit stored in the base unit. In order to cancel the handset unit data, it is necessary to perform operations for bringing the base unit and the handset unit into a cancel mode to erase the data about the handset unit which is no longer used.
For example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 1-218223 (1989) is disclosed a wireless telephone system composed of a base unit and a wireless terminal. In this wireless telephone system, in accompaniment with start-up of outgoing/incoming calling actions, transmission and reception of identification data for identifying the wireless telephone system are accomplished over a control channel, and, when agreement in identification data is observed, a shift toward phone-conversation channel connection control is effected. The setting of the identification data is carried out as follows. The base unit sends out identification data set for the base unit, as well as checking data inputted to the base unit, to the wireless terminal. When there is agreement between the checking data received by the wireless terminal and checking data inputted to the wireless terminal, the wireless terminal sets the received identification data in the rewritable memory of the wireless terminal. In this case, by setting the identification data in advance in the read-only memory of the base unit, it is possible to set the identification data in the rewritable memory of the wireless terminal simply by inputting the checking data. This eliminates the need to set the identification data in a handset unit manually.
For example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 8-223282 (1996) is disclosed a cordless telephone set in which an additional handset unit can be installed while a telephone call is in progress between its base unit and a service center. In this cordless telephone set, handset unit data for handset unit determination is set in the memory means of the base unit and in the memory means of the handset unit under the state where the base unit is catching a telephone line or during a telephone conversation over a telephone line. A user makes a phone call to the service center so that the additional handset unit can be installed properly with the help of an explanation given by a person in charge. Therefore, even if the user is unskilled in such an installation operation, additional installation of the handset unit can be completed with ease.
For example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 2004-120208 is disclosed a telephone apparatus which employs a plurality of control channels. In this telephone apparatus, after its base unit transmits a registration command to a handset unit for the purpose of registering the handset unit, if no response command to the registration command is issued from the handset unit, the base unit makes a second attempt to transmit the registration command following the changing of the control channel for registration command transmission. That is, even if the initial control channel for registration command transmission is different from the corresponding one of the handset unit, the base unit transmits the registration command following the completion of control channel changing. This obviates the necessity for the user to recognize the setting status of the control channel, and thus avoids the necessity for changing the control channel manually.
Additional installation or cancellation of a handset unit cannot be achieved without performing particular manual operations. Especially, in order to establish an extension mode or a cancel mode which is provided to prevent erroneous additional installation or cancellation, more often than not, complicated operations are required. Therefore, many users tend to make mistakes with operations related to additional installation or cancellation.
Furthermore, in carrying out additional installation, communications between a base unit and a handset unit are established by means of radio waves. In this case, the additional installation could end in failure for the following reasons: the base unit or the handset unit suffers from a trouble occurring in its radio wave control section; the frequency of radio waves employed in the additional installation is being in use by another telephone; or the conditions of radio waves become unstable due to occurrence of noise or the like. Thus, a failure in the extension process could occur for a variety of reasons including misoperation, telephone malfunction, radio wave conflict with another telephone, and radio wave conditions.
According to the art disclosed in JP-A 1-218223, identification data is set in advance in the read-only memory of the base unit. By doing so, the identification data can automatically be set in the rewritable memory of the wireless terminal. In this case, although misoperation associated with the setting of the identification data can be prevented, there is still a possibility of extension process failure due to other causes. According to the art disclosed in JP-A 2004-120208, by effecting the changing of the control channel for transmitting a registration command, it is possible to eliminate the need for manual operations required to resolve a control channel mismatch. However, there is still a possibility of extension process failure due to other causes. In these prior art practices, in the event of an extension process failure, the extension process is carried out once again with reference to an operating guide borne in an instruction manual or an operating guide displayed on the display screen of the base unit of the telephone set, for instance. However, in the case of referring to the operating guide borne in an instruction manual or the operating guide displayed on the display screen of the base unit of the telephone set or the like, much time and effort need to be taken to find out the description of a target operation. This gives rise to a problem that a retry of the extension process cannot be started immediately.
According to the art disclosed in JP-A 8-223282, even if an extension process failure occurs, it is possible to achieve the extension process with the help of an explanation given by a person in charge in the service center. In this case, there is no need for finding out the description of a target operation in the operating guide. However, even if the user makes a phone call to the service center to ask for an explanation given by a person in charge in the service center, it could be impossible to get through thereto due to line congestion. This gives rise to a problem that a retry of the extension process cannot be started immediately.


Methods and systems are provided for a vehicle. A determination is made as to whether the vehicle requires a service. A determination is also made as to whether the vehicle is proximate a location at which the service can be performed. A notification is provided that the vehicle requires the service and is proximate the location.

Many vehicles today include vehicle navigation systems that provide information to the occupants of the vehicle as to a location of the vehicle. Often, the navigation systems also provide lists including various points of interest or locations. For example, such lists often include lists of nearby restaurants, service stations, hotels, retail stores, or other locations.
However, the full potential of vehicle navigation systems has yet to be realized. For example, existing vehicle navigation systems may not provide as much information as would be optimal under various circumstances. In addition, existing vehicle navigation systems may not provide information to the occupants of the vehicle in a manner that is tailored to the occupants with an optimal amount of specificity under certain circumstances.


A stator assembly for a dynamoelectric machine featuring a cascaded construction includes several conductors, each having a plurality of slot segments interconnected by plurality of end loop segments. The consecutive slot segments of a first conductor forms nearly all of a radially-outermost first layer of the stator winding, with the remaining portion of the radially-outermost winding layer being defined by a slot segment of a second conductor that is then inserted into the core to form nearly all of a second layer of the stator winding radially-inwardly of the first winding layer. The second winding layer is completed with an additional single slot segment of the first conductor.

Electrical alternators adapted for use in motor vehicle applications typically include a rotor assembly rotatable within an annular stator. Rotor pole pieces, which may preferably be of an interleaved "claw pole" design, rotate with the rotor shaft, while the stator itself includes a stator core defining radially-extending slots in which a plurality of stator windings are disposed. An excitation winding is carried within the cavity formed between pole pieces of the rotor, and a DC signal is applied to the excitation winding through a pair of slip rings and associated brushes. The magnetic field produced by the winding interacts with the pole pieces to create an alternating polarity magnetic field which, upon rotation of the rotor assembly as driven by the vehicle's engine, induces current flow in the stator windings in a known manner.
Because the resistance of the conductors of the stator windings is inversely proportional to alternator output and efficiency, the resistance and therefore the cross sectional area of the stator winding is an important factor for improving alternator output and efficiency. To achieve higher electrical outputs while reducing the overall size of the stator, the prior art has, therefore, sought to employ stator conductors of square or rectangular cross-section to increase conductor cross sectional area and, hence, improve the performance and efficiency of the dynamoelectric machine. Such wire can be laced into the stator core winding slots in a very densely packed configuration, thereby improving "slot space utilization." However, square- or rectangular-cross-section wire is more difficult to form and wind into the stator winding slots, since it is necessary to align the conductor cross-section with the slot.
Designers of stator assemblies further attempt to reduce or eliminate the need for providing electrical conductor terminations and connections in the stator assembly. The necessity to physically connect conductors in the stator core assembly adversely impacts cost and complexity of the manufacturing process. A particular technique for winding continuous conductors onto a stator core is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publications No. 2003/0137205A1 and No. 2003/0137204A1, each assigned to the assignee of the present invention, which disclosures are hereby incorporated by reference. In these published patent applications, a high-slot-fill, multi-phase stator winding is provided in which each phase is defined by a pair of interleaved conductors that alternate radial positions in each of an adjacent pair of winding layers as the conductors together traverse the core's circumference, except in the "radial shift" areas in which each conductor transitions radially inwardly to together form the next winding layer. The radially-inward winding layer pairs are then inserted atop the first winding layer pair to advantageously provide a stator winding featuring radial-aligned and, therefore, sequentially-inserted winding layers (each of which is defined by pairs of interleaved conductors).
While the above technique thus advantageously provides a radially-aligned layered stator winding, it will be appreciated that the interleaved conductors forming each winding layer pair continues to present manufacturing challenges. Accordingly, there exists a need for a method of forming a multilayered, cascaded stator winding that does not require interleaved conductors.

Stator assembly with cascaded winding and method of making same


A vessel has a hull, a contact area at the hull near keel level for attaching to a structure, a lifting device and a lifting cable attached thereto and extending along a heave compensating member. The lifting cable extends along a substantially vertical lifting trajectory to a connect position below keel level. The heave compensating member includes a guide element for guiding the lifting cable and which is connected to a displacement device. The heave compensating member includes a compensator arm with a pivot end pivotally connected to a pivot point on the vessel at a predetermined transverse distance from the lifting trajectory, the cable guide element being attached to a free end of the compensator arm at or near the lifting trajectory, guiding the lifting cable in the direction of the pivot point, the arm being at or near the free end connected to the displacement device.

Such a vessel is known from US patent application no. 2003/0005875. This document discloses a dynamically positioned vessel moored via a cavity in its hull to a releasable submerged mooring buoy. A hoisting device, comprising an A-frame lowers from the side of the vessel a light-weight pulling line that can be attached to the submerged buoy. At the end of the pulling line a connection unit is attached that can be coupled to the buoy, as well as a hawser extending through the moompool of a turret to a winching device at the top of the turret, on deck of the vessel. When the buoy is coupled to the connection device, the pulling line is released and the buoy is raised by use of the hawser and the winching device to connect to a cavity at the lower end of the turret. The A frame of the hoisting device can be maneuvered via a hydraulic cylinder for proper positioning and the winch carrying the pulling line is heave-compensated. During connection, the winching device may be subject to large forces induces by the heave moion of the vessel and the buoy. The lifting capacity of the known winch at the top of the turret needs to be large, for instance 1000 tons or more, in order to lift the buoy to its locking position in the cavity, and will require significant deck space.
From U.S. Pat. No. 7,614,927 floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel is known, having in its hull a cavity in which a riser supporting buoy is connected to a cylindrical shaft in the vessel. The buoy has positive buoyancy that, in the disconnected state of the buoy, keeps it afloat at a depth below the wave active zone and is connected to a lifting cable that is attached to a winch on the vessel. The lifting cable runs along a pulley and reversing pulley of a hydraulic heave compensator comprising a horizontally placed cylinder situated on deck beside the moonpool. The heave compensator keeps the lifting rope tight, preventing it from going slack when the vessel moves up and down on the waves. The riser supporting buoy is lifted upwards via the winch until it locks into position in the moonpool via guiding and locking arms, while the vessel is kept in position by a dynamic positioning system. The known heave compensator takes up a relatively large deck space. During connecting of the buoy to the locking arms, the known heave compensating system will be deactivated to prevent relative motion of the buoy and the vessel, which may result in large forces acting on the pick up cable and on the winch.
From U.S. Pat. No. 7,513,208 a disconnectable mooring system for offshore structures such as FSO's, FPSO's, LNG regas import terminals or LNG transport vessels is known comprising disconnectable mooring buoy that is provided with a retrieval system and an intermediate buoy support equipment for detachably connecting the buoy to the bottom of a turret assembly that is rotatably positioned in the hull. A pull-in line extends from the buoy to a winch on the vessel, via a hollow bore hydraulic cylinder that comprises a rotatable hydraulic chain jack. The lifting cable near the buoy is formed by a chain section, which engages, when the buoy is pulled upward against the hull, with the hydraulic chain jack. The hydraulic cylinder assembly supports the load of the buoy while the turret assembly is rotated such that the piping on the turret is brought into proper alignment with the risers on the buoy. After alignment, the hydraulic cylinder raises the buoy at least 1 m into a position adjacent to the keel of the vessel where it is locked, after which the buoy is dewatered, the turret-buoy piping is connected and ropes and chains are stored for future buoy disconnection. The known system may during connection of the buoy be subject to large forces acting on the pull-in line caused by heave movements of the vessel.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a vessel having a lifting system, in particular a mooring system, in which a submerged structure can be rapidly connected to the vessel while forces exerted on the lifting cable caused by heave movements are reduced. It is in particular an object to provide a lifting system allowing a transition from motion compensated lifting to a lifting mode exerting a large force in the last part of the lifting trajectory, for instance when the object is raised near to or above water level, or for providing a preload of the structure against the vessel. It is a further object to provide a vessel having a heave compensator of improved design that takes up relatively little deck space and that allows rapid and controlled connection. It is another object of the invention to provide a heave compensator which reduces cable movements during heave compensation and which has an improved efficiency.

Vessel comprising a mooring connector with a heave compensator


A switching interface comprising a switch having an input and a plurality of outputs, and a memory associated with the switch. The switch is adapted to receive a packet from the input, the packet to be forwarded to a destination device coupled to a one of the plurality of outputs. The switch is responsive to store the packet in the associated memory. The switch is further responsive to a signal from the destination device to forward the packet from the associated memory to the destination device through the one of the plurality of outputs. Optionally, the switching interface may further comprise a packet encryption engine coupled between the input and the associated memory. Typically, the output devices coupled to the plurality of outputs will each have its own separate encryption process; in these scenarios the encryption engine will have logic for determining the appropriate encryption for the output device.

The present invention relates generally to a method and system to connect multiple radio devices to a host with low enough latencies to meet critical timing requirements.
The current industry standard interface for connecting to lower rate radio chipsets (e.g., 802.11a, 802.11b/g, or pre-802.11n) is a PCI (Personal Computer Interface) connection to a MAC (Media Access Control) device. A single 32-bit, 33 MHZ PCI bus, typically used in current systems, cannot sustain sufficient throughput for multiple high data rate radios. In order to use a PCI interface in a multi-radio high performance system, options include multiple parallel PCI busses and/or a wider/faster PCI bus connection, both of which are not desirable in low-power, low-cost, small form factor systems.
Because of PCI bus interface throughput limitations, and a desire for an interconnect requiring less-power and space (e.g., for laptops and mobile applications), the industry standard interface for high-rate radios is evolving towards the PCI Express (PCIe) standard. Unlike PCI, PCI Express is not a multi-drop bus architecture and thus has an independent PCI Express connection for each device. Standard MPU (MicroProcessor Unit) processors with a PCI Express interface provide a limited number of PCI Express connections (typically 1). Thus, in order to interface multiple radios, a PCI Express switch device is used. However, the standard PCI Express switch device is costly, and does not provide for any performance enhancements other than a basic bus multiplexing function.
In order to provide a very high-end feature and performance set, a radio MAC processor would have to access a number of parallel transmit queues with a fast fetch latency. This would enable such features as: a piggyback ACK (acknowledgement) response to a U-ASPD trigger packet; multiple BSSID support including independent QOS (quality of service) queues; enhanced roaming support; and other performance enhancements. Two options to provide the ability to fetch one of many packets with a low latency are, (1) hold packets local at the radio MAC device in internal or external memory, or (2) hold packets in host memory space.
The first option, storing all packets in local MAC memory, requires a very large memory on each radio MAC device. This can be cost prohibitive, particularly with larger packet sizes, such as is supported by the 802.11n protocol.
The second option, storing all packets in host processor memory, is problematic because of contention issues for the host memory, as well as contention for the PCI Express interface to the host processor. Host memory accesses are shared by host CPU code and data fetches for program execution, CPU processing of packet data, wired side Ethernet data flow, data flow to and from other radio devices, as well as any co-processor functions within the host MPU which access packet data via DMA (direct memory access) transfers. In order to support a guaranteed low latency fetch of a packet within host memory (e.g., DRAM), system design parameters would have to be highly optimized. These optimizations include excessively fast/wide memory devices (which are costly and power hungry) not otherwise required, and highly optimized data flow and bus arbitration options which are generally not feasible in standard MPU devices. Although the PCI Express interface supports a high bandwidth, the single PCI Express connection between a PCI switch and a host MPU provides additional latencies due to the need to arbitrate with other radio devices for the single PCI Express port of the MPU.
The difficulty in meeting critical timing requirements of a high-performance system is further compounded by packet encryption, which is typically performed "offline" in the MAC on a per packet basis. Thus, the entire unencrypted packet is first fetched from the host memory (e.g., DRAM) to MAC local memory (e.g., RAM), then transferred via DMA through an encryption engine, preferably a hardware assisted encryption engine. Because the encryption process can't begin until the packet has been fully uploaded from host memory, the encryption process adds linearly to the time required to transmit a given packet. A further limitation of the current, standard radio MAC encryption process is that while basic encryption engine functions are often hardware assisted, mode specific operations involve MAC CPU processing, which further increases the time required to execute the encryption process.
These and other problems of prior art systems are addressed by the present invention as will be described herein.

PCI express switch with encryption and queues for performance enhancement


A carton includes a handle (160) for carrying the carton. The handle includes a handle flap (162a) with a main portion (174a), first (178a) and second (180a) gussets, and an end portion (176a). The main portion is hingedly connected to the first gusset along a first fold line (182a), the first gusset is hingedly connected to the second gusset along a second fold line (184a), and the second gusset is hingedly connected to the first end portion along a third fold line (120).

Cartons that encase multiple articles such as soft drink cans or bottles are useful to enable consumers to transport and store the articles. Such cartons need well-designed handles to minimize the amount of material that is used to make the carton. For example, a well-designed handle can prevent a carton made with thinner or weaker material from tearing as the handle is engaged to carry the carton of articles. By using less material, the cost of cartons can be reduced.


An image forming apparatus that can provide a quality image in a stable manner without lowering the productivity. A reference image forming unit forms reference images on a transfer member. A plurality of sensing units detect densities of the formed reference images. A control unit adjusts respective output values from the plurality of sensing units according to a difference between the output values from the plurality of sensing units. The control unit performs error processing according to the difference between the output values from the plurality of sensing units when the control unit adjusts the output values from the plurality of sensing units.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus that has a plurality of density sensing units arranged in the main scanning direction so as to be able to read a plurality of test patches for correcting density sensing output that are arranged in the main scanning direction at the same time.
2. Description of the Related Art
A configuration for forming a test patch (reference image) for adjustment of the apparatus, reading the test patch and correcting an image based on the read result (color registration control, density control (Dmax control, Dhalf control)) has been proposed for an image forming apparatus. With the configuration, however, the test patch is formed and read, with the usual image forming operation retarded or suspended, when the image forming apparatus is powered on, when the process devices are exchanged, or when a predetermined number of images has been formed, for example. That lowers the productivity of image forming.
Then, there are disposed a plurality of density sensors (sensing unit) in the main scanning direction which is along a longitudinal direction of an image carrier on which the image is formed, that is, a direction perpendicular to a conveying direction of the image carrier. A technique using a plurality of the density sensors to read the test patches in parallel has been proposed (for example, see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2002-196548).
When a plurality of density sensors read test patches, it is desirable to adjust sensitivity characteristics of respective density sensors almost the same. However, as the sensitivity characteristics of the density sensors may vary according to the temperature, the water content and the like, or may vary according to changes with time and in durability, the sensitivity characteristics of density sensors cannot be kept almost the same. Accordingly, it is impossible to perform correct control over the densities. That makes it difficult to supply a quality image in a stable manner.


Certain embodiments of the invention are directed to methods and compositions comprising a Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) wherein a heterologous nucleic acid encoding a dsRNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) inhibitor is inserted into the NSs region of the virus.

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a mosquito-borne zoonotic disease in humans and ruminants that is caused by the Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), a member of the family Bunyaviridae, genus Phlebovirus. RVFV causes abortion and fetal malformation in sheep, cattle and goat, while it causes acute febrile illness in humans. Some human patients also develop complications such as neurological disorders, blindness, or lethal hemorrhagic fever. RVFV is classified as category A priority pathogen because of the impact on human health and agriculture.
RVFV has a tripartite negative-stranded RNA genome containing a S-, M- and L-genome segment. The S-segment encodes the N and NSs proteins with the NSs protein encoded in an ambisense manner. The M-segment encodes Gn, Gc, 78-kD, and NSm proteins. The L-segment encodes an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. The MP-12 strain of RVFV (See GenBank accession No. DQ380154 (S segment), DQ380208 (M segment), and DQ375404 (L segment), each of which are incorporated herein by reference) is one of the most promising vaccine candidates for Rift Valley fever, and the only RVFV strain that is excluded from the select agent rule. MP-12 was generated by serial passages of wild-type ZH548 strain in human diploid MRC-5 cells in the presence of the chemical mutagen 5-fluorouracil. MP-12 is attenuated—having mutations in the M- and L-segment, while the S-segment retains virulence by encoding a functional NSs protein. NSs suppresses host transcription, including interferon-beta (INF-β) mRNA synthesis, and promotes degradation of dsRNA dependent protein kinase (PKR).
Hunter et al. described that pregnant ewes inoculated with live-attenuated MP-12 vaccine strain at 28 to 56 days of gestation caused abortion or teratogenic effects (11 out of 75 lambs from 50 vaccinated ewes), including cerebellar hypoplasia, spinal hypoplasia, hydranencephaly, prognathia inferior, brachygnathia inferior, arthrogryposis, scoiliosis, lordosis, kyphosis, or dormed head. To improve the MP-12 vaccine for both veterinary and human use, additional strains, variants, or modifications are needed.

Recombinant rift valley fever virus encoding a dominant-negative inhibitor of DSRNA-dependent protein kinase in the NSS region

The Board of Regents of the University of Texas System


The present invention is directed to a novel polymodal asymmetric elastomeric block copolymer and a pressure sensitive adhesive and tape made therefrom. The novel block copolymer comprises from about 4 to about 40 percent by weight of a polymerized monovinyl aromatic compound and from about 96 to about 60 percent by weight of a conjugated diene. The block copolymer has the general formula Q.sub.n Y where Q represents an individual arm of the block copolymer and has the formula S-B; n represents the number of arms and is at least 3; and Y is the residue of a multifunctional coupling agent. Furthermore, S is a nonelastomeric polymer segment endblock of a polymerized monovinyl aromatic homopolymer, there being at least two different molecular weight endblocks in the block copolymer. The number average molecular weight of the higher molecular weight endblock (Mn).sub.H is in the range of from about 5,000 to about 50,000, and the number average molecular weight of the lower molecular weight endblock (Mn).sub.L is in the range of from about 2,000 to about 10,000. The ratio (Mn).sub.H /(Mn).sub.L is at least 1.25. In addition, B is an elastomeric polymer segment midblock which connects each arm to a residue of a multifunctional coupling agent (Y) and comprises a polymerized conjugated diene or combination of conjugated dienes.

Block copolymers are known in the art for a variety of applications including the fabrication of impact resistant packaging materials, fabrication of molded articles and formulation of adhesives. Patent and scientific literature discloses numerous molecular variations of block copolymers which are suitable for such applications. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,639,517 (Kitchen); 4,221,884 (Bi) and Japanese Patent 52[1977]-129795. References which disclose the use of block copolymers to formulate adhesives include, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,780,367 (Lau), 4,444,953 (St. Clair); 4,556,464 (St. Clair); 3,239,478 (Harlan) and 3,932,328 (Korpman).
Not all block copolymers, however, are suitable for every adhesive application. For example, conventional star block copolymers are generally not suitable for use in removable tape applications wherein the tape is typically removed when it is no longer needed. Such applications require an adhesive that possesses a fourfold balance of tack, cohesive strength, adhesion and resistance to low stress peel. Especially important is the balance between the properties of adhesion and resistance to low stress peel.
When conventional monovinyl aromatic/conjugated diene star block copolymers (such as styrene-isoprene-styrene (SIS) star block copolymers) are used to formulate a tape having adhesion in the range desirable for removable tapes, the tape lacks sufficient resistance to low stress peel. When formulated to have sufficient resistance to low stress peel, the adhesion of the tape is often too high and the tape is difficult to remove. Often the peel and unwind are not smooth as well.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a novel block copolymer which can be formulated into a pressure sensitive adhesive. The pressure sensitive adhesive may be used to make a variety of different types of tapes including removeable tapes. Specific examples of the various tapes which may be made include masking tapes, packaging tapes, medical tapes and autoclave indicator tapes. Additionally, the pressure sensitive adhesive may be used to make protective sheeting, labels, and facestock.

Block copolymer having mixed molecular weight endblocks

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company


A hardware-implemented interrupt handler external to a processor handles interrupts destined for the processor. The interrupt handler has a programmable prioritized interrupt array with programmable registers that identify priority levels and handling processes for handling one or more interrupts. The interrupt handler also has an interrupt scanning state machine that scans the prioritized interrupt following receipt of an interrupt to extract the priority level and handling process associated with the interrupt. The interrupt handler is designed to handle interrupts in significantly less time than software implementations, thereby making the handler favorable for real time systems.

This invention relates to interrupt handlers and methods for handling interrupts. More particularly, this invention relates to interrupt handlers with prioritized interrupt vector generators that enable configuration of interrupt type and priority among the interrupts.
An xe2x80x9cinterruptxe2x80x9d is a request-for-attention signal that is passed to a computer""s CPU (central processing unit) from hardware or software sources in an attempt to gain the CPU""s attention. Interrupts can occur for many reasons, ranging from normal to highly abnormal situations, including service requests from hardware, errors in processing, program attempts to do the impossible, and memory problems. A hardware interrupt is a request for service generated by hardware components, such as a keyboard, mouse, disk drive, I/O port, and microprocessor.
The interrupt causes the CPU to suspend its current operations, save the status of its work, and transfer control to a process for handling the interrupt. Interrupt handlers are commonly implemented in software and more particularly, in a hardware abstraction layer. The interrupt handler typically resides in the CPU at a known address. When an interrupt occurs, the CPU begins executing code at that location. The interrupt handler determines the cause of the interrupt and then services it by calling an appropriate set of instructions to be carried out.
The interrupt handler initiates different instructions for different types of interrupts. More specifically, each type of interrupt has an associated dedicated routine, known as an xe2x80x9cinterrupt service routinexe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cISRxe2x80x9d. When a CPU receives interrupt requests from more than one source, the interrupt handler invokes a hierarchy of permission levels, called xe2x80x9cinterrupt prioritiesxe2x80x9d, to determine which of the interrupts is handled first.
Conventional software-based interrupt handlers have a drawback in that the speed and performance is often unacceptable in real-time operating systems that are required to execute interrupts at very high speed and efficiency. The performance factor is further complicated by the desire to handle prioritized sets of interrupts from many diverse hardware platforms. Different hardware platforms often have different interrupts and dissimilar interrupt priorities. To be acceptable, an interrupt handler should provide real-time response for hardware interrupts and dynamic setting of interrupt priorities.
One prior art interrupt handler that addresses these issues is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,905, entitled xe2x80x9cException Handler and Method for Handling Interruptsxe2x80x9d, which issued Jan. 14, 1997 in the name of Amit Mital, and is assigned to Microsoft Corporation.
While this interrupt handler proved effective, the inventors sought to develop an even faster, hardware-based interrupt handler that minimizes software overhead to thereby improve performance.
This invention concerns an interrupt handler implemented in hardware and external to a processor to handle interrupts destined for the processor. The interrupt handler has a programmable prioritized interrupt array with programmable registers that identify priority levels and handling processes for handling one or more interrupts. The interrupt handler also has an interrupt scanning state machine that scans the prioritized interrupt array following receipt of an interrupt to extract the priority level and handling process associated with the interrupt. The interrupt handler is designed to handle interrupts in significantly less time than software implementations, thereby making the handler favorable for real time systems.
According to one implementation, the prioritized interrupt array has three registers that coordinate data associated with the interrupts received by the interrupt handler. A mask register holds mask values for corresponding interrupts that indicate whether the interrupts are enabled. A priority register holds priority levels for the various interrupts, whereby two or more interrupts may be assigned the same priority level. An address register holds information for servicing the interrupts, such as addresses for interrupt service routines. The priority register and address register are programmable to enable a user to change the priority levels and servicing information for any given interrupt source.
The interrupt scanning state machine operates on the prioritized interrupt array using a three-state process that includes an idle state, a scanning state, and an interrupt selected state. The state machine remains in the idle state until the prioritized interrupt array receives one or more active interrupts that are indicated by the mask register as being enabled. When one or more active interrupts are received, the interrupt scanning state machine transitions to the scanning state to scan the priority register and identify which of the one or more active interrupts has the highest priority. When the interrupt with the highest priority is found, the interrupt scanning state machine transitions to the interrupt selected state and accesses the address register to output information for handling the active interrupt with the highest priority.
The interrupt handler is designed to be extendable. As an example, two or more handlers can be connected in a cascading arrangement where the output of one interrupt handler supplies its highest priority interrupt as one of the many interrupts to another interrupt handler.

Interrupt handler with prioritized interrupt vector generator


An adapter set that is attached to artery-side and vein-side shunt connectors-that are provided on a blood circuit. The adapter set includes: an artery-side adapter that has one end thereof connected to the artery-side shunt connector, has the other end thereof connected to a drainage port that is provided on the outside of the blood circuit, and thereby connects the artery-side shunt connector and the drainage port fluid tight; and a vein-side adapter that has one end thereof connected to the vein-side shunt connector, has the other end thereof connected to a supply port that is provided on the outside of the blood circuit, and thereby connects the vein-side shunt connector and the supply port fluid tight. The structure of the other end of the artery-side adapter and the structure of the other end of the vein-side adapter are different.

In the related art, blood purification that purifies blood from a patient outside the body and returns the blood into the body is widely known. In such blood purification, a blood circuit and a blood purifier are used. The blood circuit and the blood purifier are discarded and replaced every time of usage. The blood circuit includes two connectors configured to allow connection of puncture needles. Through the puncture needles connected to these two connectors, blood is collected from a patient, and the blood after purification is flowed back to the patient.
In the normal blood purification, priming is performed prior to a treatment. In the priming, interiors of the blood circuit and the blood purifier are filled with a liquid. When performing the priming, the connectors of the blood circuit need to be connected to ports of a supply part and a discharge part for the priming liquid. However, the two connectors are similar in appearance in many cases, and thus have a risk of being connected to wrong ports, that is, there is a probability of erroneous connection.

Blood circuit adapter set and blood circuit